It is common for companies to organize various informal events where workers can come with their partners. One of those... Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe (L, Front) attends the 9th China-ASEAN Defense Ministers' Informal Meeting in Singapore, on Oct. 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey) SINGAPORE, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) pledged on Friday to promote defense cooperation between the two sides. The pledge was made at the 9th China-ASEAN Defense Ministers' Informal Meeting, which was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe and Ng Eng Hen, the Defense Minister of Singapore which takes ASEAN's rotating chair this year. Wei said China and ASEAN are close neighbors linked by mountains and waters, and ASEAN enjoys the priority of China's neighborhood diplomacy. China supports the construction of an open and inclusive regional security framework with ASEAN at the core so as to build a closer China-ASEAN community with shared future, Wei noted. Pointing out that China-ASEAN relations are standing at a new historical point, he said China hopes to continue to strengthen communication with the defense departments of ASEAN countries. Wei called on the two sides to work for the setting up of direct telephone lines between defense authorities, to hold joint drills and exercises, and conduct cooperation in disaster-relief and emergency-rescue as well as exchanges between defense think-tanks and military officials so as to make new contributions to safeguarding regional peace and stability. ASEAN defense leaders spoke highly of the development of the China-ASEAN ties, and they expressed support for China's suggestions for promoting China-ASEAN defense ties. They also expressed their willingness to continue to work with China to move forward practical cooperation between the two sides in defense and security areas, enhance mutual understanding and trust and jointly maintain regional development and prosperity. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Kathmandu, October 21 Nepal Police have arrested the members of a racket allegedly involved in printing and distribution of counterfeit Nepali currency. Officials have also seized over Rs 370,000 in fake notes from various locations in the Valley on Sunday. An operation was launched to hunt down the members of the racket after reports said that counterfeit notes were being circulated in Kathmandu on the eve of Dashain, the biggest festival of the country. The arrests come two days after police arrested two people with 29 fake bank notes of thousand denomination. Authorities are learnt to have received information on the other members of the racket from the two people arrested on Friday. On Sunday, police raided a house in Machhegaun, Lalitpur and different locations in the city to arrest five people. During the raids, police have recovered photocopy machines that were used to print fake notes. Kim Kardashian has expressed a number of times that she doesn't exactly agree with her husband Kanye West's political stance. However, in a recent interview with Richardson, she admits that her beau's chummy relationship with President Trump does have some benefits. Back in June, KKW plead the case for 63-year-old first-time criminal offender Alice Johnson. Johnson was supposed to serve a life sentence on non-violent drug trafficking charges. A week after, Trump called Kim to tell her that he had pardoned Johnson. The pop culture icon and beauty mogul alluded that her hubby's connections definitely had a hand in that. In the magazine's 20th issue, Kardashian says, "I am aware that Kanye speaking out in favor of Trump got me through the door got him to pick up my call." See on Instagram She continued, "I've always had different opinions than Kanye. But when I went there, and when I saw what could be done, I realized that I could get more done if I just stayed focused on the issue I was passionate about instead of complaining." Two of the country's most illustrious personalities, renowned for their unparalleled humanitarian deeds, have been honoured at the Second Ghana Business Quality Awards organised by the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana (EFG). President and Chairman of Special Investments Ltd, Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong, and his business partner cum "brother", the Chief Executive Officer of the Despite Group of Companies, Dr Osei Kwame, were bestowed with the "Best Ashanti Region Business Icons" Award 2017, last Saturday, October 20th. The citation for the award reads that it is conferred on "an outstanding Ghanaian entrepreneur and astute businessman, who is a proud native of the Ashanti Region. A business executive; well-known across the globe for his exceptional contribution to the creation of jobs and his quota to the development of the Ghanaian economy." Organized under the auspices of the Ministries of Trade and Industry and Business Development, with endorsement from the Ghana Standards Authority, it provides the platform to recognize individuals and companies that play a significant role in the growth and development of the business sector while recognising the need to dialogue on growth and sustainability among stakeholders. The theme for the occasion was: Building Ghana Beyond Aid: The Role of the Private Sector in Economic Growth and Job Creation. In his keynote address, the Deputy Minister for Trade & Industry, Robert Ahomka Lindsay, who represented the President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo, as the Special Guest of Honour, emphasized the need for quality leadership and quality products and business services as the country strives to make the Ghana Beyond Aid initiative a reality. The country cannot achieve the Ghana beyond Aid initiative without emphasising on quality of leadership from the public and the private sector, manufacturing of premium quality products, importation of quality products and quality delivery of services in Ghana, he said. Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 Ofori Sarpong & Osei Kwame Adjudged Best A/R Business Icons for 2017 In all, a total of 35 business entities and individuals were honoured for their positive contributions to the promotion of quality socio-economic and business development in Ghana. The overall Best Quality Business Group of the Year went to Groupe Nduom (GN). While the overall Best Business Icon for the Year 2017 was awarded to the Chairman of Interplast Ltd., Mr Saied Assad Fakhry. 0 Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ablekuma North Municipal Assembly has put in place a comprehensive disaster mitigation plan with the necessary financial and logistical support to holistically deal with disasters and their related occurrences in the municipality. The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Mr. Kofi Ofori stated this at Mallam Market in Accra where the Municipal National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) had an educational programme dubbed DISASTER MITIGATION for the market women. Mr. Ofori said, the plan alone would not achieve the desired results if residents did not adhere to simple fire precautions and safety tips. The handling of domestic electrical gadgets and other appliances he said must be critically looked at. Mr. Ofori advised the market women to avoid leaving naked fires, cool-pot and other things likely to cause fire and havoc at the market. The Greater Accra Regional NADMO Director Mr. Archibold Cobbina expressed displeasure about the indiscrimination throwing of garbage into gutters, which he said was a major cause of floods in the municipality and advised that the practice should be stop. The Electricity Company of Ghana (E.C.G), Mr. Cobbina said, would be asked to go round to disconnect all illegal connections which were a major cause of fire outbreaks. Mr. Evans Anakwa the Regional NADMO Hydro Director said about 90 percent of disasters in the region were man-made and preventable. Mr. Anakwa said the practice of building in water ways and dumping of garbage into drains should be stopped. He encouraged citizens to report anyone seen dumping garbage into drains to the Greater Accra Regional NADMO Office for prosecution. The Municipal Director of NADMO Mr. Kwaku Duah said for the first nine months of this year, nine disasters had been recorded; five floods affecting 153 victims, 52 casualties resulting from four fire outbreaks and six deaths from fire. Mr. Duah described the municipality as flood- prone area and called for attitudinal change by the people. He said the programme was the first in the series of educational programmes going to be undertaken by NADMO in the municipality. Disaster prevention, Mr. Duah said was the collective responsibility of all citizens and called for their maximum co- operation to mitigate its reduction. The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) did a simulation exercise to teach the market women how to put off fire in case of accidental fire in the kitchen. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Sierra Leonean leader Julius Maada Bio, is to pay a two-day official visit to Ghana beginning Monday, October 22, 2018. The visit is to strengthen and deepen the ties of friendship and co-operation between Ghana and Sierra Leone, as well as explore other areas of co-operation between the two countries. President Maada Bio would on his arrival call on President Akufo-Addo at Jubilee House, where the pair would hold bilateral talks. President Akufo-Addo would also host Mr Bio to an official lunch, also at Jubilee House. Whilst in Ghana, President Maada Bio would meet Sierra Leoneans resident in Ghana, as well as undertake a number of visits to some institutions in the country. President Maada Bio is expected to leave Ghana on Tuesday, October 23, 2018. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Two persons who took turns to rape a 17-year old girl at La, a suburb of Accra, have been remanded into Police custody by an Accra Central District Court. Samuel Addai, a 17-year old student and Isaac Sowah Annang a 20-year old waiter, were said to have taken video shots of the sexual act with the victim. Addai and Annang who have been jointly charged with rape have had their plea reserved. Prosecuting Detective Inspector Simon Terkpor prayed the court to give the Police the green light to send the accused persons mobile phones to the Police Cyber Crime Office to retrieve the rape incident allegedly recorded by them on their respective phones. The court presided over by Mr Ebenezer Kweku Ansah granted prosecutions submissions and adjourned the matter to October 24. The case of prosecution is that, the complainant in the case is a 28-year old surveyor residing at Labone. The victim is a student residing in the same vicinity with the complainant who is also her cousin. Addai and Annang who are friends also reside at La, a suburb in Accra. Addai is a friend to the victim. Prosecution said on September 25, this year, at about 1000 hours the victim visited Addai in his house at La Jokers and he offered her a drink in his room and the two began to chat. While chatting, Prosecution said Addai requested for a hug from the victim but she refused, Addai then held the victim tightly, pushed her on to his bed and raped the victim. According to prosecution whiles Addai was having sex with her, Annang entered the room and took video shots of the sexual act. Unknown to the victim, Annang also took turns to have sex with her and Addai also took Video shots of Annang and the victim. After the act, the victim begged the two accused persons to delete the videos but they refused. On October 4, this year at about 0730 hours, the victim visited Addai for the second time with view of convincing him to delete the sex videos. On reaching there, prosecution said Addai had sex with her on two occasions. Due to fear, the victim failed to report the matter to parents. The victim however managed to report the incident to the complainant who lodged a complaint with the Police and a medical report was issued to the victim to seek medical care. The accused persons were however nabbed later by the Police. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The World Health Organisations (WHO) ban on virginity test is a welcome relief: it is long overdue but better late than never. The practice has gone on for far too long creating obvious embarrassment to the victims of the crazy procedure. It is surprising that in spite of its unscientific outcome, it has endured over the years with little or no public show of disapproval for it. Now that the WHO has come out with its diktat as it were, health authorities must wade into the nonsense and ensure that it is expunged from the manual of medical and law enforcement procedures in the country. Our girls deserve better from officialdom and society. Girls have suffered an assortment of challenges which have been inhibitory to their growth and positive development over the years; the nonsense under review being one of them. Even as lofty policies have been rolled out by successive governments to provide the necessary fillip for girls to rub shoulders with their male counterparts in education and other areas of human endeavours, such backward practices have continued to pull them back. The virginity test stands apart from other unacceptable practices though because it has been applied by officialdom in cases of rape or even defilement. With the incidence of the above-mentioned depravity on the increase in the country, it can be imagined the number of girls who have had to endure the insertion of two probing fingers into their womanhood. Now that this practice has been barred by WHO, the law enforcement system and the health authorities must seek alternative means of establishing cases of rape or even defilement. We were touched by the point made by WHO that victims of rape or defilement, suffer double agony of rape or defilement and finger insertion even as they seek justice for the acts of criminality meted out to them. Imagine the traumatic effect of a teenage girl being asked to open her legs for a nurse to insert her two fingers into her womanhood to establish whether or not her hymen has been broken through a sexual insertion. We do not have to be medical practitioners to know that hymens can be broken through other activities such as exercises and so concluding that it is only through sex that this can be, is now no longer acceptable. We are worried though that even after the WHO directive, the practice could continue before the information about its ban filters down to the lowest rung of medical delivery and law enforcement. We should also like to add that the female genital mutilation the antiquated procedure of crudely removing the clitoris of girls, is not completely wiped out. Some families or cultural settings still allow for the carrying out of the procedure and we regret that it is happening in this day and age even in Ghana. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has organised a hackathon competition to develop solutions that employ child-centred approach towards finding solutions to problems around Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). A hackathon is a design sprint-like event in which computer programmers and others involved in software development, including graphic designers, interface designers, project managers, and others, often including subject-matter-experts, collaborate intensively on software projects. The initiative dubbed: UNICEF Hackathon, which is being run concurrently in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale; provides a platform for young people with any technical skills like website creation, graphic design, engineering and others, to create solutions using technology. It highlights on SDG 3 (Health and Welbeing), SDG 4 (Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 6 (Water and Sanitation), SDG 8 (Descent work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduce inequalities) and SDG 13 (Climate Change). According to UNICEF, by 2030 there would be two billion young women and men seeking opportunities for a bright future throughout the world. The UN agency believes that with education, skills and empowerment, these young people would help transform economies and nations; but a fast-changing global economy demands increasingly specialise skills at a time when many education systems are struggling. Speaking at the event, Mrs Antoinette Gyan, Communication Officer in-charge of Brand and Youth Engagement at UNICEF Ghana, recounted that Generation Unlimited (GU), was launched at the UN General Assembly in September, 2018. She said GU was a global partnership that aims to ensure that every young person was in education, learning, getting skills and employed by 2030. Mrs Gyan said UNICEF realised that young people had lots of potentials and they could transform nations and economies, but over the years the potentials of young people had not been tapped. She said UNICEF was therefore, seeking partnerships with private sector, academia and all stakeholders to ensure they tap the potentials of these young people. She said the winners of the hackathon would be featured in the upcoming African Youth SDG Summit slated for November 7th to 9th, to showcase their ideas on effectively delivering results for children. Mrs Gyan said, she was hopeful that young people would come up with solutions that UNICEF technical team could work with to develop something that could transform the economy and the world. We also hope that we will find some innovative ideas from young people in Ghana, which they will pitch to a jury during the Youth SDGs Summit, she added. Dr Gordon Kwesi Adomdza, Founding-lead of Ashesi Design Lab, an innovation hub, described UNICEF Hackathon 2018 as a preparation towards the African Youth SDG Summit. He said at Ashesi Design Lab their methodology was about design thinking, and therefore, helps students, faculty and staff working on projects by providing a project consulting role; helping them utilize design thinking for their research. He said participants would be taking through a structured design thinking process, and were expected to have clarity on the SDGs they have chosen. He said areas such as education and climate change were broad so there was a need for participants to move closer to specific areas of focus, adding that we are also taking them through research and analysis that will help them explore the areas a lot more. Dr Adomdza, who is the facilitator of the event said, he was hopeful that participants would not only present interesting ideas but validated ones. Mr Christian Bagoya, a participant said, he chose SDG 4, because he believed education was the basic for a society to develop, however, the education Africa needed had to go with the pace at which technology was affecting the masses. He underscored the need to have a system of education that would inform people to think critically, particularly in the area of job creation. The African Youth SDGs Summit is the largest gathering platform for youth from across the African continent and beyond to discuss and assess the status of implementation of continental commitments to the Global Goals but also sharing ideas, critiques, results and challenge national governments to deliver on their promise. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video #ruling party Ruling party, satellite party agree to seek merger The ruling Democratic Party said Thursday it has agreed with the minor Open Democratic Party to seek their merger, a move that comes less than four months ahead of the presidential... #Dokdo Police chief's initially secret Dokdo trip disclosed by mistake: officials This week's trip to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo by the country's police chief had initially been planned as a schedule not to be publicized but was revealed by mistak... Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, on Saturday, challenged the National Democratic Congress to provide evidence of policies and programmes it rolled out to alleviate economic hardships of Ghanaians during the eight years in government. He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to do dispassionate analysis of the previous government's track record and that of the current administration in order to make informed decision. Vice President Bawumia who was addressing the Annual New Patriotic Party Dinner Dance and Young Executive Forum in London on Saturday, assured the Ghanaian Community in the United Kingdom that the Ghanaian economy is in good hands under President Akufo-Addo and promised better times ahead. He said the Government under the leadership of President Nana Akufo-Addo was implementing policies and programmes designed to alleviate the hardships facing the ordinary Ghanaian. While acknowledging the insatiable needs of Ghanaians, Vice President Bawumia said the Government had instituted various social interventions to mitigate any difficulty affecting Ghanaians. Although as humans, we will continuously have needs, and, thus, keep expressing concerns of greater desires and pains, what is refreshing is that today, Teacher Trainees are receiving their allowances. Nursing trainees are receiving their allowances. BECE candidates have their registration fees paid for them. We have doubled the Capitation grant; 100,000 unemployed graduates are now under NABCO. Dumsor is not killing peoples businesses. Electricity tariffs have been reduced for us; about 17 taxes have either been reduced or abolished. There is no freeze on public sector employment. We have fertiliser subsidies under Planting for Food and Jobs," Dr Bawumia stated. Vice President Bawumia pointed out that the aforementioned achievements chalked by the New Patriotic Party government were visible, which were not in existence before assuming the reins of government about 20 months ago. "So we have done tangible things to reduce the hardships on Ghanaians. The NDC is going around saying that there are hardships. So what we want to ask them, and I want to challenge them, a simple challenge: tell us what you have done in your last eight years of government. Tell us the social interventions you brought in to reduce the hardships of Ghanaians, Dr Bawumia queried. If you ask me, I will tell you we have increased the portion of the District Assembly Common Fund for Persons with Disabilities from 2% to 3%, we have expanded the School Feeding Programme from 1.6 million to 2.1 million, we have expanded LEAP to cover an additional 150,000 people, and we are paying the BECE examination registration for students. These are some of the things we have done in 20 months. Please tell us, what social interventions did the NDC introduced in eight years to reduce the hardships on Ghanaians?, he asked. The Vice President gave the assurance that the Government was on course in implementing policies and programmes designed to formalise and modernise the Ghanaian economy. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Wednesday expressed fear over potential decline of food production in the country and appealed to the government to address pertinent challenges facing farmers and the agricultural sector in general. According to the Party, the army worm infestation had resurfaced and devastating large maize farms and crops, not only in Brong-Ahafo, but parts of the country which required realistic intervention to eliminate the army worms and save the farms. At a news conference in Sunyani, the NDC said it was also disappointed in the government on the implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PfFJs), which it believed was a laudable policy that could increase national food production. Mr. Francis Atta Kusi, spokesman and the Sunyani East Constituency Secretary of the NDC said the way the fall army worms (FAWs) were infesting maize farms required urgent intervention. According to him, the army worm infestations are widespread in Nkoranza North and Techiman North Districts as well Atebubu-Amantin, Sunyani, Nkoranza South and Techiman South Municipalities. You are all aware that the 2017/2018 approved budget for the PfFJs and the army worm control was GHC25 million. So what has happened to the money he questioned. Flanked by other constituency executives, Mr. Kusi called on the government to expedite action for the disbursement of the money so that affected farmers would easily access pesticides and other agro-chemicals to fight the worms. He indicated that as the largest opposition political party, the NDC could not sit unconcerned on issues bordering the agricultural sector which employed majority of Ghanaians and contributed largely to the Gross Domestic Product. He alleged because the PfFJs programme was unattractive, many of the unemployed youth had no desire to register and engage in farming, as an economic activity. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A National Youth Organizer aspirant of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Yaw Brogya Genfi has been captured in a video inciting some members of the partys vigilante group, the Hawks, against the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The former Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser of the NDC is heard emboldening the heavily built young men to be ready to sacrifice their all to protect the NDC party in the 2020 elections which promises to be keenly contested between the two leading parties. Weve met today and are organizing ourselves, as you know there is a major battle ahead of us in 2020 [General elections]. The NPP is using its youth to engage in a lot of crimes in this town, storming courts and police station to cause confusion. For us, we have no such intentions, but were readying ourselves to protect the NDC youth so that we can win the 2020 elections. So I want to encourage you and let you know that the party will heavily rely on you [Hawks] during the 2020 elections. Were happy with the way youre ready to sacrifice for the party and I must tell you, this group has the blessing of the General Secretary of the party. He added: Im saying it emphatically today, if the NCCE or the NPP is listening, they should listen well because were battle ready and were not going to joke ahead and during the 2020 elections. The Kumasi based NDC vigilante group, the Hawks made the media headlines few months ago after the group led by then Ashanti Regional Chairman aspirant of the NDC, Joseph Yamin stormed the partys congress in Kumawu and halted the elections after they claimed that Joseph Yamin was being cheated. The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in September 2018, condemned the endorsement of vigilante groups especially in the quarters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), giving impetus to entrenching political party vigilantism. The Commission said it was saddened by the development which goes contrary to nationwide condemnation of political party vigilantism prior to the 2016 general election. The NCCE as an Independent Governance Institution vehemently condemned the statement endorsing the formation of the NDC vigilante group The Commission in a statement said it takes the opportunity to once again remind all political parties of their responsibility towards the preservation of peace, law and order in our democratic dispensation. All political parties especially the NPP and NDC must disband existing vigilante groups with immediate effect. Security agencies must be proactive in clamping down such illegal groups, it said. According to the NCCE, vigilantism will not promote national peace and security. Vigilantism breads political tension and political intolerance with the tendency to destroy all the gains made under the 4th Republic. VIDEO- Source: kasapafmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The New Patriotic Party (NPP) used lies and sweet promises to hoodwink the electorate into voting for them in the 2016 elections, and now faltering to manage the country since the partys own lies are coming full circle, former President John Mahama has told delegates of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Brong Ahafo Region as part of his five-day tour there. Mr Mahama, who is one of 12 aspirants to the flag bearer slot of the NDC, said it is now up to Ghanaians to ensure that the NPP does not crush their testes for the second time. Excuse me to say: When you step on a mans testes once, well see if the same man will sit aloof and watch you crush his testes for the second time, Mr Mahama told the delegates. Meanwhile, Mr Mahama has urged the Akufo-Addo government to arrest the owner of the now-defunct DKM Microfinance Limited and pay its aggrieved customers all their locked-up deposits as promised by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the lead-up to the 2016 elections. According to Mr. Mahama, the NPP, in the run-up to the 2016 elections, accused him and his wife of being the owners of the collapsed microfinance firm and promised to retrieve for the clients, all their locked-up investments. With the NPP now being in power, Mr. Mahama said the Akufo-Addo government should have no difficulty fulfilling that promise to the customers of the defunct DKM. The government, he said, must ensure the owner of the company is arrested and all customers settled appropriately. When we were in office, the NPP lied that DKM belonged to me and my wife. Today, you are in power, you, who DKM belongs to, you promised that you will collect the peoples money for them when you come into power; please collect their DKM money and give it back to them, he said while addressing delegates of the party in the Dormaa East Constituency at Wamfie. video- Source: classfmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Almost every movie maker is angry at Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko for saying Ghanaian movie makers need to produce content with better storylines. But for Leila Djansi, a Ghanaian movie producer and director based in the United States of America, she agrees with the comment made by the New Patriotic Party member that Ghanaian movies dont set any agenda for economic growth. Gabby had in a Facebook post suggested that the Ghanaian movie industry needs to touch on issues that would help change the narrative for Ghanas development. I took my time to watch randomly ten Ghanaian movies and never felt so disappointed. It brought home to me one major deficiency in our development. The apparent lack of deliberate consciousness on the part of the creative industry in the development conversation, he posted on Facebook. According to him, he made these conclusions after watching ten Ghanaian movies. After putting up the post, quite a number of filmmakers and actors and actresses including Yvonne Nelson, Adjetey Anang, Lydia Forson and Fiifi Coleman, have demonstrated their displeasure at the post, stating that Gabby should press on his government to create a congenial environment for the creative arts to thrive. Gabby has responded in another post indicating that he did not mean to mock Ghanaian movies but to broach a subject that could help fine tune movie making in Ghana. Leila, who has always been critical of the Ghanaian movie industry, justified Gabbys post on her Facebook page. Read her full post below: My dear filmmakers in Ghana. Leave this politician guy alone! What he said about the industry is the truth. I dont see why theres so much deflection and insult for him. He pretty much said Ghanaian films have no soul and he is RIGHT. Watching Ghanaian films is like talking to a lover who has dark glasses over his eyes. No connection. The first arguments you all made was that there is no government support. Which government supported any film industry? Industries that have government support got it because of the impact they made on the countries economy. How much impact have Ghanaian films made on the economy? How honest are the players? There is so much rancour and treachery within the ranks. Nothing government can do about that! Whenever you ask a middle-aged Ghanaian for his favourite Ghanaian film, they usually mention I told you So. So, I traced the film and watched it and I asked myself, really? Why? Because its funny? YES. Because its funny. Right, we cant be serious in any aspect, huh? Everything must be fun. Step back. Have comedies ever, ever been nominated for Oscars? Lets use the Oscars as a yardstick. Action films? No. Because these genre are not necessarily real. They dont tell of the HUMAN CONDITION. THE HUMAN HEART. THE HEROS JOURNEY. You fell in love with old Nollywood because of the CHARACTERS it created. The evil in-law, the blood money guy. It fed your superstition. You looked out for people like that in your day to day life. Grace Omaboe got her name, Maame Dokuno from a character she played. Kweku Ananse is famous because of his character. This is all Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko is trying to say. He watched 10 Ghanaian films and he had no reason to root for any person. His core wasnt stirred. Instead of being so defensive and making up arguments, how about you listen? My favourite films from Ghana are two. Kukurantuni, The road to Accra and Love Brewed In an African Pot. I didnt laugh, I didnt care for picture quality and I wasnt saying it to please the filmmakers. I like these films because I cant and have never forgotten the soul, decisions and actions of the characters that led the story to where it went! Character driven plots. A man returns from work and discovers his daughter was raped. He picks up a machete and steps out of the house into the rain. Here is our hero. Now, let his actions and choices direct the course of the story HONESTLY. Dont write what you like. Write his actions and the effect of his actions, remembering that every character in your plot has free will and makes decisions too. Conflict. Who wins? Resolution. Thats all Gabby is trying to say. The films need human conditions and characters we can root for. So, now that weve settled that, name one Ghanaian film that exposed the human condition and had a character(s) you cannot forget? Finally, the media space also needs discipline. Bloggers and journalists. You need integrity and ethics. Dont receive payment from folks in order to write articles that favor them. Write the truth. Is it good? Say it. Is it bad? Say it. Dont be tied to anyones apron strings because you took money from them to say what they want. It breeds complacency. Our beautiful actresses. Enough makeup. It is enough. Your eyebrow doesnt need to be on fleek all the time. Our actors, your choices as actors make or break a film. When you get a script, forget the clothes, forget the premiere, forget how the audience will clap for you and search for a connection to the character youre being asked to play. Research, practice, watch great actors. Many films have failed because viewers could not connect with the actors. Directors, including myself. Prepare. Find the soul of the story youre telling before you get on set. You, the actors and the camera need to tell a seamless story. Surround yourself with GOOD PEOPLE. Crew, we know its a red camera. You dont have to abandon your job to take pictures beside it. If quiet on set is called, be quiet and give the actors and directors room to be inspired. Stop chit chatting on set! Do your work! Break down the script, be prepared for everything. Think outside the box. Let your department shine because your department is playing a key role in how the film comes out. The government, tax incentives? Theres vat. Use it! Youll see a turn in the economy. We need to stop being so defensive and put our films on the litmus test! Remember, the story is KING! So, now that weve settled that, name one Ghanaian film that exposed the human condition and had a character you cannot forget? Source: Citinewsroom.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Socrates Sarfo, Director of the Creative Arts, National Commission on Culture, has taken a swipe at the local media for reading negative meanings into the local movie industry. He said the conduct of the media towards the movie industry, had halted the progress of the industry, hence the recent decline. According to the astute movie producer, who doubles as a board member of the Zylofon Arts fund, the media must begin to highlight the positives of the industry to aid them to progress. Mr. Sarfo, said highlighting on the positives would encourage investments and growth of the industry. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Welcome Guest! You Are Here: 'Star campaigner' to address election meetings in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, MP, Rajasthan. Virendra Singh Rawat reports from Lucknow. With the assembly poll bugle having been sounded for five states, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ajay Singh Bisht -- also known as Yogi Adityanath -- will lend firepower to the Bharatiya Janata Party arsenal in the poll-bound states to either fight anti-incumbency or gain fresh ground. Bisht has been selected as one of the party's star campaigners, especially the Hindi-speaking states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where the BJP is up against united Opposition coupled with strong anti-incumbency. On October 6, the Election Commission had announced dates between November 12 and December 7 for the high-stakes poll battle between the BJP and Congress in these states. The other two poll bound states being Telangana and Mizoram. The BJP has been in power in MP and Chhattisgarh for three consecutive terms while Rajasthan witnesses alternative rules by the two parties every election. Counting of votes in all the states will be held on December 11. Recently, a meeting was held at Bisht's 5, Kalidas Marg residence in Lucknow to discuss and finalise the roadmap for his election meetings in the poll bound states, especially the three northern provinces. While UP's two deputy CMs -- Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma -- will also address public meetings in these states, Bisht holds the crux in the high voltage canvassing in the backdrop of the Congress trying to play out these assembly polls as a semi final for the 2019 Lok Sabha poll, when Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi would himself seek re-election. TheBJP hopes to cash in on Bisht's strong Hindutva image in the Hindi speaking belts apart from his strong oratorical skills to draw crowds to his meetings and try to consolidate the vote bank before actual voting takes place. The soft Hindutva line being craftily created by the Congress in recent months has further put pressure on the BJP to match up with the grand old party in holding on to the traditional vote banks. According to a senior party leader, Bisht figures on the top of demands by the BJP leaders in these states to address rallies and consolidate the electorate in the favour of the saffron outfit. After taking over as UP CM, Bisht has gradually emerged as a star campaigner for the BJP and was deployed for the Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Tripura and Karnataka polls with dozen of rallies in these poll-bound states. His engagement in Telangana and Mizoram would be finalised after consultation with the central leadership. In recent assembly polls, Bisht had consistently ranked third after Modi and BJP National President Amit Anilchandra Shah in popularity of demand by the candidates for canvassing in their support. Indian-American Nikki Haley, the outgoing United States Ambassador to the United Nations, has poked fun at Donald Trumps inflated ego and his cultural ignorance, days after announcing that she would be leaving her position representing America at the world body. Haley, 46, announced on October 9 that she is resigning from her UN post, effective at the end of the year. She has since claimed that she has no ambitions to run for president in 2020. Haley, during remarks at the 2018 Alfred Smith Dinner in New York, mocked the president for getting laughed at the UN General Assembly last month -- a spectacle that both she and the US president said was intentional, New York Daily Times reported. The former South Carolina started the speech with a joke about Trumps thin skin. Everyone in Washington called me with advice about this speech. They all said the same thing, do not under any circumstances make any jokes about the president. So, good night everybody, she said to laughter from the crowd. She also joked about the presidents ongoing feud with US Senator Elizabeth Warren, who recently released the results of a DNA test that strongly supported the existence of Native American ancestry from six to 10 generations ago. The president called me this morning and gave me some good advice, he said if I get stuck for laughs just brag about his accomplishments. It really killed at the UN, Ive got to tell you, Haley said on Thursday night. The outgoing ambassador was recalling a moment during the presidents UN speech when delegates laughed at him boasting that his administration had, in two years, accomplished more than almost any in the history of our country. Trump has repeatedly mocked Warren with the nickname for Pocahontas -- for her having claimed previously that she has Native American ancestry. I get it, you wanted an Indian woman but Elizabeth Warren failed her DNA test, Haley said in New York. She continued to poke fun at Trumps cultural ignorance, the report said. Actually, when the President found out that I was Indian-American he asked me if I was from the same tribe as Elizabeth Warren. The ambassador poked fun at Trump's response to the recent Bob Woodward book. The President got really mad at Bob Woodward's book, she said. The book compared him to a fifth grader. A lot of Democrats seized on that, until they realised that they got beaten by fifth grader. India never eyes anyone elses territory but will hit back with double the force if its sovereignty is ever challenged, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday at an event to mark the 75th anniversary of proclamation of the Azad Hind government by Subhas Chandra Bose. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the Azad Hind government headed by Subhas Chandra Bose, at Red Fort. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo He also said his government is working towards providing the armed forces with better technology and latest weapons even as efforts are underway to make the lives of soldiers easier by extending them with better facilities. Modi said his government took decisions such as carrying out surgical strikes across the Line of Control and providing benefits of one rank, one pension to ex-servicemen. The prime minister hoisted the national flag at the historic Red Fort to mark the event. IMAGE: Modi hoists the Indian tricolour to mark the 75th anniversary of the Azad Hind government. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo Donning the cap of the Indian National Army presented to him by one of the close aides of Bose, Modi said it has been the Indian tradition not to eye someone elses territory, but when our sovereignty is challenged, we will hit back with double the force. He also cautioned people against forces inside and outside India which are working against the country by targeting it and its constitutional values. He said a feeling of nationalism and Indianness is must to counter such designs. IMAGE: Modi salutes the flag at the event. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo Referring to the opposition faced by Bose when he decided to establish the Rani Jhansi Regiment -- an all women unit of the INA, Modi said the regiment would complete 75 years of its establishment on Monday. He said, the present government is trying to fulfill the dreams of Bose even as he recalled the decision to allow women in the army to opt for permanent commission from short service commission following a transparent procedure. IMAGE: Modi with INA Veteran Lalti Ram during a flag hoisting ceremony. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo The prime minister said the air force is set to have the first batch of women fighter pilots. He said arrears worth Rs 11,000 crore have been released for ex-servicemen under the one rank, one pension scheme. OROP, coupled by recommendations of the seventh pay commission, have given double bonanza to former servicemen, he said. Modi also said the work on the National War Memorial is in its last stages. 'To glorify one family, contribution of others was deliberately ignored' In a veiled attack on the Nehru-Gandhi clan, Prime Minister Narendra Sunday alleged the contribution of several great leaders such as Sardar Patel, B R Ambedkar and Subhash Chandra Bose to the freedom struggle was "deliberately" forgotten to glorify "one family". He also said it is high time more Indians knew about the historic role these stalwarts played. Modi lamented that post Independence, India's policies were based on the British system as "things were seen through British glasses". "Policies, including those related to education, had to suffer because of this," he said, adding that "Subhash babu always took pride in India's history and our rich values. He taught us that not everything must be seen from a non-Indian prism." He said in the later decades of independent India, "if the country had got the guidance of personalities like Subhash Babu, Sardar Patel, the conditions would vary greatly". Modi said that his government is changing that now. "It is unfair that to glorify one family, the contribution of several other great leaders was deliberately forgotten. It is high time more Indians knew about the historic role of stalwarts Sardar Patel, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Netaji Subhas Bose," he said. The PM said while Bose focused on the East and Northeast India, the two regions did not get due recognition. Now, he said, his government is working to make the Northeast the "engine of growth". Hailing Bose's spirit of nationalism, Modi said as a 16-year old, he was pained at the plight of India under the British rule. "His ideology was nationalism... He lived by it. All over the world, people took inspiration from Netaji Subhas Bose in their fights against colonialism and inequality. We remain committed to fulfilling Netaji's ideals and building an India he would be proud of," he said. Four women were prevented from the entering the Sabarimala temple on Sunday by a large number of devotees of Lord Ayyappa as the stand-off over entry of women of menstrual age into the famous hill shrine continued for the fifth day. IMAGE: A female devotee who had trekked up with her family to Sabarimala temple, in Pathanamthitta. Photograph: PTI Photo The devotees, up in arms against implementation of the Supreme Court order lifting ban on entry of women in 10-50 age group, chanting Ayyappa mantras blocked the four Telugu speaking women from reaching the famed shrine amid high drama. Sunday is the fifth day since the temple gates were opened for the monthly puja after the apex court last month lifted the centuries-old ban. Though attempts were made by some young women, including an activist, to enter the temple of the Naishtik Brahmachari, the eternally celibate deity, since Wednesday, the devotees backed by priests have stood their ground, saying they would not allow the tradition to be breached. WATCH: Devotees throng Sabarimala temple amid heavy rainfall By all available indications, not a single woman in the age group of 10 and 50 has so far reached the temple which will close Monday at the end of the monthly puja. BJP demanded a special assembly session to seek the Centres intervention, while the Congress sought an ordinance by the National Democratic Alliance government. The Pandalam royal family, the traditional custodian of the Sabarimala temple, alleged the Communist Party of India -Marxist-led Left Democratic Front government was trying to destroy sanctity of the shrine of the Naishtik Brahmachari by taking women in the menstrual age group there. WATCH: Cases booked against those who stopped women from entering Sabarimala temple On Sunday, a 47-year old woman reached up to the Nadappandhal close to the sanctum sanctorum, but was prevented by the devotees chanting Swamiye Saranam Ayyapa after three others were stopped en route to the hills. The woman, who complained of uneasiness, was brought to a hospital here by the police. IMAGE: Protesters oppose the entry of women to the Sabarimala Temple. Photograph: PTI Photo An elderly woman devotee who was present at the spot said as the identity card of the woman showed she was born in 1971 and had not attained the permissible age, the other devotees started chanting Sarana mantra. Earlier, the protesters prevented two women, in their 40s, at the foothills itself. The women were accompanied by their relatives. The police, who took the women to the safety, said the two informed them that they came to Sabarimala without knowing the customs of the temple. At least 18 people have been killed and 148 injured in a passenger train derailment in north-east Taiwan, according to the reports. Railway authorities reportedly said they are investigating the accident, which happened in Yilan County at about 16:50 local time (08:50 GMT) on Sunday. A total of 366 people were on the train travelling between Taipei and the eastern county of Taitung when all eight of its carriages derailed. Taiwan's Central News Agency reports that dozens may still be trapped. The Puyuma Express 6432 service reportedly came off the tracks close to Xinma station, near the town of Su'ao about 70km (43 miles) from Taipei. At least 18 people have been killed and 148 injured in a passenger train derailment in north-east Taiwan. Railway authorities say they are investigating the accident, which happened in Yilan County at about 16:50 local time (08:50 GMT) on Sunday. A total of 366 people were on the train travelling between Taipei and the eastern county of Taitung when all eight of its carriages derailed. Taiwan's Central News Agency reports that dozens may still be trapped. The Puyuma Express 6432 service reportedly came off the tracks close to Xinma station, near the town of Su'ao about 70km (43 miles) from Taipei. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his government is committed to taking "big and bold" decisions on country's security, and that whosoever poses a threat to India's sovereignty, will be dealt with "double the strength." The Prime Minister's remarks came as he recalled the contribution of the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) in the freedom movement. In a departure from protocol, he hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort to mark the commemoration of 75 years of the establishment of Azad Hind Sarkar, the 'government of free India.' Traditionally, the Prime Minister hoists the national flag at the Red Fort on Independence Day. But in a first, Modi did so on Sunday because soldiers of the Indian National Army faced trials by the British at Red Fort. "This government has the courage to take big and bold decisions. And this will continue in the future too. From surgical strikes to making the Netaji files public and providing 'one rank one pension' to the armed forces, the decisions have been made by only our government. The dreams that were envisioned by Netaji have been carried forward only by this government," he said. Stressing that India has "never been greedy for somebody else's land", Modi said: "The strength of our Army has always been for self- protection and it will remain so in the future too. This has been our history. But whosoever poses a threat to India's sovereignty will be dealt with double the strength." He said several attempts have been made in the past four years to strengthen the Indian Army and the best technology is being made available to it. The Prime Minister also used the occasion to blame the previous governments for looking at the country with an "English perspective". "Had the country been guided by Sardar Patel, Subhash Babu and by those who did not see India through foreign glasses, then the situation would have been different. Just to glorify one family, attempts were made to forget freedom fighters such as Netaji and Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar," he said in an apparent dig at the Congress. "Our government is changing this," he said, insisting that the country's sovereignty was an important aspect of Bose's vision. Modi recalled Bose's words: "With the power of weapons and sacrifice of blood, you have to achieve freedom and then when the country will be free, you will have to make a steady army for the nation, whose work will be to protect our freedom". "Today I can say that India is moving towards the creation of an army that was envisioned by Netaji. 'Josh, junoon aur jazba' (passion and enthusiasm) have been parts of our Army for long, but now new techniques, modern weapons and equipment are also being combined," he said. The Azad Hind government was raised by Bose during the freedom movement. Modi said that "even after 70 years of Independence, Netaji's dreams have not been fulfilled". He acknowledged that India has "marched several steps ahead" in the years since Independence but maintained that it was yet to reach new heights of glory. Modi claimed the NDA government was committed to achieving this goal by going ahead with the vision of a new India "at a time when destructive forces are attacking us". This vision of new India, Modi stressed, is in line with what Bose's thinking. "It is the duty of every Indian to be inspired by Netaji, to fight such forces, to defeat them, and to contribute to nation-building in their full capacity," he said, adding India achieved independence after tremendous sacrifices. The Prime Minister said that Netaji laid down the foundation for equal opportunity for women in armed forces through the formation of Rani Jhansi Regiment. "The government is carrying forward this legacy. Women will be given equal opportunity in the armed forces," he said. Modi also laid the foundation stone for a museum dedicated to the Azad Hind Fauj at the Red Fort. Editors note: This letter is published verbatim, unedited: Dear Editor, Cant help the urge on joining the well-wishers wishing Samoa Observer best wishes of Congratulations for a sustain service to our people in the past 40 years. Reminds me of the number of years God allows for His chosen people/village to wondered around in the desert while pilgrimage towards the Promised Land. An account that has been with Gods chosen people, as it was recorded in writing by Prophet Moses and his successors for our generation knowledge and understanding. Somehow the early 16th century generation of some so called smart-people start asking for scientific evidence to prove of such happening even to the point of querying of whom created the world. What Im trying to say is that to an extent it shows the nitty-gritty need of media work reporting on the past happenings for the future generation yet different people sure have different views on a specific matter. Wonder whether that is why when Christ Jesus was with His apostle during his last couple of years He never command any of his twelfth apostle to document any happenings, dont you agree Gatoloai Savea and your Lovely lady Muliagatele Jean? Anyhow classic example is the current issue on the Malietoa [Tama Aiga e tausi e le Faletuamasaga] title and its prescribed honour; 1.Gatoaitele and 2.Vaetamasoalii bestowment. I (perhaps I may get court order at some stage hehehe) was there witnessing Toelupe faapea le tapuaiga ia Auimatagi, tainane le mamalu i le Faleono o Leaitigaga ma Leitutolu o le Sagaga; 1.Palalaua, 2. Vaimauga, 3.Ailaoa, Faleata ma Safata, o paia faalupe na o oe le Faletuamasaga. Nevertheless I hope the honorary chiefs of Faletuamasaga may come to their good terms soon, same goes with the Malietoa Family heirs and have this saga put to rest on Peaceful and Tranquillity manner. Unlike the situation Mr. Mataafa, re mention on his editorial -22 August 2018 How things might have been different if Parliament and the Government listened to Chief Auditor and O.P.C. where I would join him with his wishful queried mind, for a betterment of the noted situation now a days should the O.P.C. related legal action recommendation had taken place sooner? What puzzles me the same is how come such recommendation where endorsed by Parliament never gets realised yet we have the; 1.Chief Judge with his Courts Administration and 2.Cabinet lead by Mr. Prime Minster to action it. Or was there another Entity/Person above the three(3) noted Body, more powerful to stall it -to an almost never existed situation!? This is serious enough to warrant a vote of NO confidence according to any Democratic protocol, even Canada, ahy Madam Wendy in Wonder? It saddens me for whom ever is at fault, this is obviously belittling on the Head of States and His Council of Deputies [Tama Aiga], not to mention the people whom votes the Members of Parliament to Parliament [ Aiga ma a latou Tama, le Usoga Tumua ma Pule] from time to time. Let alone the Foundation of our Nation (even though our forefathers had the Almighty and Omnipresent God on our Nations Constitution Cover but never mind for it is now corrected thanks to Honourable Mr. Prime Minister and their current Parliamentary seating for doing so) and our locally proclaimed Peaceful Democracy. Dear Samoan Brethren please say you do not need to remind that His ways are not of our ways. There are numerous biblical accounts recording Him turning a negative season into a positive one next time. Classic examples; 1.how the King David (second Israelites king after King Saul) had become after being a simple Shepherd boy. 2. King David son Solomon born of Bathsheba wife of Uriah the Hittite, Joabs armor-bearer where poor Uriah got murdered due to David wish to have her. Now couple of facts here though need to make mention; 1. Both David and Solomon being king unfortunate to mention but surely had many wives and 2.it was Bathsheba to be the 1st Queen of Israelites Kingship (not a wife??) portraying the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Queen of Christ Jesus [God the Son, 2nd Personification of the TRINITY God] Kingdom on earth and in Heaven. Memorial celebrating the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary had commanded by Saint Pope Pius XII, on the 11th of October 1954. Where he specifically asks for the Church and the world to renew its consecration on to her then recommends the Memorial to be celebrated on 22nd of August every year. The purpose of the Memorial is for all souls may recognize more clearly and venerate more devoutly the merciful and motherly sovereignty of her who bore God in her womb. On the day of her Assumption, Mary our Mother was solemnly crowned by Christ and received by the whole court of Heaven as Queen. What Christ has done in Heaven similarly his Church has done on earth on our behalf. Hence we should individually recognize Marys Queenship and enthrone her in our homes, consecrate ourselves to her and, by this means, establish in our lives the reign of Mary Immaculate Queen of the Universe. Most definitely, locally, the Mormons, Bahai Faith -as I had previously asked these two specifically on the matter, not to mention the Jehovahs Witness, Seven Days Adventist, Muslims let alone [the many divided in beliefs] Fundamentalist which includes the Methodist and the Congregational Christian Churches of Samoa, I herewith again urge you all to reconsider your Faith based understanding on the matter, for if you cannot come to such terms with regards Gods Holy Mother then your teaching is Not Constitutional so mind as well leave Samoa alone and go some elsewhere with your preaching. Dont you Agree Honourable Head of State? Pretty sure Council of Deputy Honourable Tapusatele L.T. Ropati would agree, even Tama Aiga TuiAtua Tupua -this fella is a fairly high level Academic guy, compare to the recent controversial Malietoa F. Moli. Honourable Prime Minster and his Cabinet together with current Parliament would have the support of Chief Judge and his court Administration are in support as well, dont you agree, Maka and Sailele. Glad to hear of poor Malele Paulo [a.k.a. King Faipopos] pleaded for us Samoa and Honourable Mr. Prime Ministers forgiveness, on a separate matter. And I hope he is genuine, you know like the Lost Son in one of Jesus documented Parable whom had come to his senses after longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed as nobody gave him any. Noted also Mr. Prime Ministers claiming Innocence where only a court proceeding would clear the air according to mans limited mind. And am glad to witness that Honourable Mr. Prime Minister is as cool as a cucumber leaving everything to Gods will, wonder whether thats same notion of his, why the O.P.C. recommended legal action had never gets realised? Anyhow Samoan brethren, be at Peace for certainly should we agree on Forgiveness there and then we are portraying the fact that Samoa is a Sovereign Country now truly founded on the TRINITY God whom knows everything simply because He is the creator of everything. And am agreeing on Honourable Mr. Prime Minister coolness for certainly Gods ways will be revealed one day soon at His own good time which will never come too late, right Mr. Prime Minster? Wish to ask of Honourable Head of State and Chief Judge but they seemed too silently occupied with whatever there is out there, only God knows?Until next time, stay tune,, Atalii fanau le au o le Talalelei Leoo Mulitalo M.M.M.F. Pius Tagaloa Eddie Wilsons work in the kava industry has received global recognition. As the Chair of the international Kava Executive Council and President of the Pacific Kava Association, Tagaloa has been honoured for leading the lifting of the 2001 ban on Pacific kava and restoring regional kava exports globally. The award from the University of Hawaii and the Global Breadfruit Organisation was presented during the 2018 Breadfruit Summit at the Pacific Cultural Centre in Oahu, Hawaii. Speaking to the Sunday Samoan, Tagaloa still remembers the impact the kava industry had on Samoa and how sorely that was missed when the ban was enforced. It was a phenomenon, one of the few agricultural success stories I have ever seen in my life, he said. That success halted when Germany imposed a ban after some exported kava was found to be toxic. Remembering the impact inspired him to campaign for the ban to be lifted, Tagaloa said, to bring that economic benefit back to Samoa. There was no such commodity that does this, the impact was so tremendous. It gave me the incentive to say, that is the benefit I want for my people." We would buy kava from the farmers and they would say put our money aside and we were shipping trucks for them from the States, buying houses for them, he said, still amazed." Today the story of the kava industry holds valuable lessons for the agriculture industry, said Tagaloa. What had happened was that all of a sudden, greedy people started exporting kava that was not supposed to be exported and as a result we had all sorts of issues and people got sick." For any export to work we need to develop standards for food safety, to only grow the varieties that are safe for human consumption, and we need to do research to make sure the way we produce these food items are safe. Tagaloa said to protect the market, farmers should band against anyone who breaks the rules and causes problems in the industry. It is in the interests of the community and the Pacific region to make sure that nobody buys from them. Legally binding regulations would help but could be lengthy and drawn out, he said, so market pressures would be more effective in incentivising farmers and traders to behave well. Even more so, stakeholders should work together to develop a strong industry. When the kava trade was booming, nobody cared about anybody; it was every man for himself. When the ban came in, we realised the way we should have done it is as a community to make sure nobody is left out, and that the mana of the kava is protected. Todays kava is breadfruit a locally abundant product exploding into the international market. Thanks to his experiences with kava, Tagaloa urged the Breadfruit Summit attendees from across the region not to rush into the market, but to carefully research everything. Lets look at research to make sure what we grow is safe, whatever you do should follow international rules to make sure its safe, he said. There are no magic solutions to protecting an industry from corruption, greed or laziness, but preparations will safeguard the industry. Finally, Tagaloa urged farmers to remember how big the market out there is. Export is a huge potential for everybody, there is no need to look at competition." There is so much out there 1000 people can export breadfruit and they can all make money, its a big world out there. The Samoa Blind Peoples Association (S.B.P.A.) is considering asking the Government to import canes into Samoa for blind citizens. A member of the association, Faaolo Utumapu, told Samoa Observer that the association receives canes under an arrangement with a Danish citizen. She said they were in the process of ordering canes from overseas but it was a difficult and long process, and depended on where the canes came from. At the moment its the mobility device unit at the Motootua hospital that are ordering some canes from overseas. However, the canes that are being ordered are not for blind people to use. For me personally, I had never ordered a cane but its the people that I know that are travelling overseas that provide canes for me. But I know it is very difficult to order them overseas because it takes time to reach our shores, she said. The process involved in importing canes can be expensive, especially the import duty and often took weeks to get to Samoa, she added. Ms. Utumapu said a major challenge facing the association and its members is that they do not have a donor who can organise for the canes to be imported. We dont have a permanent donor that can provide canes for our blind people. It is good if it is available here in Samoa so that it makes it easier for us to get them. S.B.P.A. programme officer Sa Siilata said one cane cost US$70 which was equivalent to $140 tala in Samoa. The only canes that are available here in Samoa are sticks and that is very dangerous, because we cannot use that and we cannot shorten it as well. But the ones we ordered from overseas its very useful because we can shorten them and it really helps us, he added. Another member of the association, Aria, described the cane as a guardian as it was his eyes and he will not be able to walk without it. It is when you have no parents or anyone to help us but this is my guardian. I can also say the cane is my eyes. Without the cane I will not be able to walk because I cannot see where I am going but the cane it can tell me where to go and where not to go. S.B.P.A. president Faatino Utumapu said people often took advantage of the blind, but they forget that a blind person has senses and can feel what is going on around them. Students of Loto Taumafai Inclusive Education in Vaitele were the first to receive dental checks last Friday using a new mobile dental clinic donated by the government of Japan. These dental checks are part of the annual dental check programme provided for all government primary schools both in Upolu and Savaii. Eight staff members from the Dental Health Services comprising dentists and nurses ran the clinics. School Principal Lagi Natanielu said they are blessed that their school was the first institution to use the mobile dental clinic. A lot of these children would not have the time to be taken to the hospital. The service provided today (Friday) means a lot for these children. We have had a partnership with the National Health Services (N.H.S.) in the dental clinic area for a couple of years now, meaning once a year they would come and service our children and then do reports if there are any further treatments needed. Personally, there is a great need for these people with disabilities who need assistance. They are the most marginalised and the vulnerable people in our communities, he said. Lagi said most families that had members living with a disability, did not have the support, and this was a factor behind them experiencing various health challenges. Head of School Dental Services from the N.H.S., Dr. Ionatana Faatonu, said these clinics are part of their annual programme to serve communities through free dental checks. It will boost our outreach programme, rather than being centralised at the hospital, now we are going out to rural schools and also all the way to the big island Savaii. We intend on going to Savaii in the next two weeks since we have covered most of Upolu, he added. The mobile dental clinic vehicle was donated by the Japanese Government through the Japan International Cooperation Services earlier this month. Dr. Ionatana said the donation gave them an opportunity to not only bring services to the usual primary schools, but also to the disabled communities. SAO PAULO (AP) The WhatsApp messaging service said Friday that it has sent "cease and desist" letters to stop companies from sending bulk messages related to Brazil's election, after a report that businessmen were bankrolling a campaign to spread fake news in support of leading far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro. The company framed the move as part of its larger efforts to combat the spread of false information on its service, revealing that it had banned hundreds of thousands of accounts since August, when the election campaign officially got under way in Brazil. It said it uses "spam detection technology that spots accounts that engage in abnormal behavior so they can't be used to spread spam or misinformation." Among the accounts it has blocked are those belonging to the companies that received the "cease and desist" letters. The action came after a report in the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper on Thursday that said a blast messaging campaign was planned for the week before the Oct. 28 runoff. Bolsonaro's rival, Fernando Haddad, said that, if true, the scheme would amount to illegal campaign practices and asked Brazil's electoral court to investigate. Haddad, who became the candidate for the left-leaning Workers' Party after former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was banned because of a corruption conviction, alleged that hundreds of thousands of fake messages were already sent out in support of the far-right hopeful. Bolsonaro has said any support he received from businessmen was voluntary and his Social and Liberal Party said all donations they have received were legal. WhatsApp said in a statement that it was taking the allegation seriously. It declined to name the companies that it sent the letters to, but the Folha report identified marketing companies it said allegedly received money to do the blast messaging. None of the companies mentioned immediately responded to requests to confirm they had received the "cease and desist" letters. WhatsApp is immensely popular in Brazil, which is home to nearly one in 10 users worldwide, but it has come under scrutiny during this election as concerns grow about whether false or manipulated messages are influencing voters. While fake news is a concern on many social media platforms, like Twitter and Facebook, WhatsApp is more difficult to police because users exchange information directly and rumors there can gain added credibility since they're shared privately by friends. Later, members of Haddad's Workers' Party met in Brasilia with the head of Brazil's electoral court. Chairwoman Gleisi Hoffmann said she feared there would not be a timely response to avert the false news wave before the runoff. "I leave this meeting with a lot of concerns about the court's ability to face this new situation in the electoral process," Hoffmann told journalists. "Yesterday we filed a suit to request searches to gather evidence and so far the court had no decision. The court will treat this suit as if we were in normal times, so I am very worried." Haddad also criticized Brazil's electoral court on Friday. "We have an analogue judiciary dealing with digital problems," he told journalists in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil's top electoral court had been expected to hold a press conference on false news and electoral crimes, but it was postponed until Sunday. No details were given about the change. Also on Friday Brazil's Labor Democratic Party filed a request to the country's top electoral court to cancel the results of the first round of voting on Oct.7. The left-leaning party of third-place Ciro Gomes argues Bolsonaro's campaign received illegal funds and used false news to thrive. Meanwhile, amid the back-and-forth about whether WhatsApp was being weaponized in the campaign, Flavio Bolsonaro, who is a senator-elect for Rio de Janeiro and the presidential candidate's son, tweeted that his own account had been banned but hours later said it had been unblocked. WhatsApp confirmed that the account was blocked about a week ago for spamming users and reinstated a few days later. "The persecution knows no limits!" Flavio Bolsonaro tweeted Friday when he initially revealed his account had been blocked. Jair Bolsonaro's campaign has frequently alleged that the mainstream media and others are working against the front-runner's candidacy. WhatsApp noted that an account for former President Dilma Rousseff, who is from the rival Workers' Party and ran for senator in this election and lost, was also blocked during her campaign. Think a minuteThe famous scientist Albert Einstein did not always follow social customs. One evening the president of a university hosted a dinner to honor Einstein and give him an award. Einstein was not scheduled to speak at the dinner, but after he received the award the audience began cheering and calling for him to give a speech. The president asked him to say a few words. So reluctantly Einstein returned to the stage, except this is all he said: Ladies and gentlemen, Im very sorry but I have nothing to say. Then he sat down. A few seconds later Einstein stood back up and said: In case I do have something to say, I will come back. About six months later, Einstein sent this message to the president of the university: Now I have something to say. So another dinner was held and this time Einstein gave a full speech. There is a saying: If your mind goes blank, dont forget to turn off the sound. Its simple: If you have nothing to say, then say nothing. Someone observed that Wise men talk because they have something to say, but fools talk because they always have to say something. If you do have something worth saying, it is better to use as few words as possible. If we keep it short and sweet, we might keep more friends. Or as someone said: The reason a dog has so many friends is he wags his tail, not his tongue. The Bible says that everyone should be slow to speak and quick to listen. Since we have two ears and one mouth, we should probably do at least twice as much listening as we do speaking. Besides, we will never learn anything new if we do all the talking. Silence is golden. Silence can bring you both wisdom and true friends, which are worth far more than gold. Someone said: A good listener is not only popular, but he knows a lot. The Greek philosopher Publius said: I have often been sorry for my speech, but almost never sorry for my silence. Why dont you ask Jesus to forgive you for not controlling your words and talking? Then ask Him to help you start changing and learning to listen, so you can say a lot with your silence. Just think a minute It is conferences like the one happening this morning at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel that gives relevance to regional organisations such as the Pacific Community (SPC) and the impact that donors such as the European Union are having on the lives of the people. Government officials from 15 Pacific Island nations including Samoa are meeting for four days from today to undergo training on pest and disease management on coconut plantations around the region. According to the SPC, an increasing number of pests and diseases are being introduced into the region and are a threat to the Pacific. But the Coconut Industry Development for the Pacific (CIDP), a joint initiative of the SPC and the European Union (EU), has developed a Coconut Pests and Diseases Toolkit to identify, prevent and control pests and diseases that affect coconuts. Invited participants are government and administration representatives with a biosecurity and agriculture background from around the Pacific, as they have both the time and the resource to deliver a similar training to farmers and other coconut sector stakeholders in their communities within their home countries, stated an SPC background brief. The four-day training includes learning experiences inside and outside a classroom-type environment, with field visits occurring every afternoon. This will ensure that by the end of the training, the participants will be able to distinguish the differences between pests and diseases, and why the difference is important; learn how to recognize symptoms; know where to look and find information on the identification of pests and diseases; understand the importance of prevention; study the practical ways of preventing and controlling pests and diseases through examples; comprehend the importance of diversity to resilience; think about ways that increased community awareness can help prevent and control pests and diseases; and find out how to find further information and assistance. The CIDP programme runs from 2016-2018 and is valued at 4 million. The SPC says the funding is being used to improve competitiveness of small producers in the coconut value chain, strengthen regional integration of coconut markets, and boost production in the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. We take our hats off to the CIDP programme, the SPC and the EU for the collaborative effort, in a bid to save a sector that a lot of ordinary citizens in various Pacific Island nations rely on. Unstable coconut prices and the onset of pests and diseases can have a profound effect on the ability of families regardless of where they live in the region to earn an income. In Samoa, in recent years, there has been a movement to produce virgin coconut oil. Today Samoa, Fiji and Solomon Islands are some of the regions three main players in the virgin coconut oil export market. But we are only scratching the surface in terms of fully benefiting from coconuts and all that it has to offer. There are markets around the world for other products such as copra oil, which can be used in hair and skin care products or even massage oil. What about coconut water? Is there a market for coconut water? The good news is yes there is a market in what is called the sport drink sector. Estimates in a report authored by the Pacific Island Farmers Organisation Network titled An overview of the market for Pacific Island coconut products and the ability of industries to respond point to a global coconut water market valued at US$1.3 billion, which is projected to increase to US$4 billion next year. The same report, which was commissioned by the SPC with the support of the CIDP and the EU, also highlights the potential of coconut cream and milk products as well as coconut timber. The world can become our oyster, in terms of harnessing the full potential of the Pacific Islands famous palm and its fruit, but it has to take a concerted effort from Pacific Island countries governments in partnership with donor agencies such as the EU and development partners like the SPC. But first things first the famous palm and its fruit has to be saved from threats of various forms which is why the meeting starting today in Apia is important. We note the focus of regional organisations, Pacific Island governments and donor partners in recent years on matters of significance to the region, with the conservation and management of the tuna fishery coming to the fore. But we would like to think that the importance of the coconut and its various products to Pacific Island communities, and the potential it has to generate income for citizens should not be discounted. The classroom-based training that the conference participants will undergo becomes the first line of defence, in our bid to save a tree that has long been associated and identified with our cultures and origins as a people. Kudos to the conference organisers for choosing Samoa as the host of the four-day regional conference. We understand there will be field visits in Samoa after theoretical learning and application in the first half of the day, giving our visitors a chance to explore more of beautiful Samoa. It is the start of another working week so give it your best shot and God bless! Facebooks community standards allow women to be abused and threatened, especially when that abuse is not in English. This is according to Lani Wendt Young, a Samoan writer, editor, publisher and journalist, who was invited by Netsafe NZ to speak at the 2018 Trans-Tasman Netsafe Crossroads Conference held in Auckland, New Zealand recently. Ms. Young spoke on being a victim of online abuse on Facebook, and her efforts to report abusive content, to seek help from Netsafe and also from the New Zealand Police. In her presentation, she condemned the content host for prioritising profits over ethical accountability, and giving abusers a free platform to hurt and terrorise people. She also called out the New Zealand Police, and the shortfalls in New Zealand legislation, the Harmful Digital Communications Act. Their moderators (Facebook) are either overworked or just dont care. Does Facebook employ any Pacific Islanders who are fluent in any of our languages? If not, then how can they possibly monitor the widespread abuse taking place in Samoan/Pasifika pages, Ms. Young said. When seeking to understand Pasifika cultural norms and values in online spaces its essential to know that as with other collectivist cultures, we are never just individuals. Its not me; its always us. I speak from the perspective of a Samoan woman, but I believe that the dynamic is very similar for other Pacific Islanders. We are our parents, grandparents, extended family, our village, and our church congregations. And when we go online, we carry those connections with us. For a Samoan, using their real name, going online is like being in a village and the internet is a very small place. This means that the public shaming associated with online abuse, is amplified many times over when you are Samoan, because everyone knows everyone, because an attack on the individual is an attack on the extended family. Our shame is not ours alone, but our families, and our proverbial village. The impact of that shame is so very powerful and suffocating. We cant just block, delete and ignore online abuse because it has very real impact on our village outside the internet. Ms. Young said she reported abusive content to Facebook many times and was told repeatedly, that the abuse did not breach their community standards. In April, I walked into a police station with a folder of 800+ screenshots of online abuse that included rape and death threats. The first officer I spoke to said: Why dont you just change your name on Facebook then they cant find you anymore? When I persisted, she said: What do you expect us to do about it? Even the FBI cant make Facebook do anything While the officer had heard of the Harmful Digital Communications Act, she was unfamiliar with what it covered, Ms. Young said. She said the New Zealand Police lack clear knowledge and understanding about the Harmful Digital Communications Act and they should learn more about the impact of online abuse and how to better attend to victims who want to report. Think a minuteWeve heard the expression, The devil is in the details. In World War II, General Dwight Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander of the Allied forces who defeated Adolf Hitler and his massive Nazi army. Eisenhower was the leader of the largest military amphibious attack in history which landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. Englands Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, said that at that moment Eisenhower was the most powerful man in history. Interestingly, Eisenhower said: Its not the big decisions that are the most difficult, its the details. Truly successful people sweat the small stuff. They know that getting the details done right makes the difference between success or failure. We need to use our headall of it! First, we must learn to use the right side of our brain, which is where we get our dreams, purpose and motivation for living our life to the fullest. The great writer Oliver Wendell Holmes said: Many people die with their music still in themToo often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out. Sadly, many people die before they actually live their dreams or express their creative side. It is after we discover our purpose in life that we are then filled with a passion which drives us toward real success and satisfaction. However, even when we know our purpose and have the passion to go for it, we still need discipline to actually work out the details and get it done. That is where the left side of our brain comes in: to organize the daily details and steps we must take to fulfill our lifes purpose and actually make it happen. We must always use our headboth right and left brains. You could say that our left brain is the conductor of our right brains music. A wise, successful person advises that three good ways to activate and use all of our brain are to set goals, work hard, and play hard. But the real key to our head is our heart. Until we admit that we need our Creator to take charge and lead our life, including our mind and attitudes, we can never clearly understand our lifes purpose and how to fully use our abilities He gave us. Today, wont you ask Jesus to forgive you for living your own way? He will help you start living His waywhich is the only way that you can get the right details done to reach your potential and live your life to the fullest. Just think a minute It was just three months ago that San Diegos elected leaders finally agreed on new regulations aimed at reining in short-term rentals, ending a years-long stalemate on the contentious issue. Or so it seemed. Come Monday, the City Council will be back at square one when it will be faced with either having to rescind its Aug. 1 vote or ask the electorate to approve or reject the new regulations sometime in the next year or two. Either way, San Diego will be thrust back into a political void that has sharply divided the city for years on how to balance the growing unease of residential neighborhoods over the proliferation of vacation rentals with the property rights arguments of homeowners who say they should be able to rent out their homes for short-term stays. Advertisement Stirring the debate anew is a referendum effort led by short-term rental platforms Airbnb and HomeAway that succeeded in garnering enough signatures to force a public vote. Whichever route the council chooses repeal or an election a whole new array of options awaits that could easily leave San Diego in limbo for many months more, if not years. The next regular election will not occur until 2020 although the mayor and council could call for a special election next year. Backers of referendum effort turn in petitions. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune) Under the regulations formally enacted in early August, individuals would have been able to rent out their primary residences while they are not present for up to six months a year as long as they applied for a permit and paid an annual fee of $949. But owners of second homes would be barred from using their properties for vacation rentals a prohibition that a number of cities, including New York, San Francisco and Santa Monica, are increasingly embracing across the country. The city of Los Angeles has been weighing similar regulations but has yet to take final action. San Diego Councilman Scott Sherman, who in August formally joined the short-term rental platforms in backing the referendum, said he is leaning toward voting to withdraw the councils action. The citys new rules were to have gone into effect next July. I still think we have a chance for cooler heads to prevail and come up with a compromise, and theres no sense in trying to get into a debate on when an election might be held, said Sherman, who favors allowing the owners of second homes to rent them out for under 30 days at a time. We can still enforce the noise and drunk and disorderly codes that already exist. It just takes the political will to put the people in place we need to enforce the codes. Mission Beach is one of the most popular place for short term rentals in San Diego, but many local residents are not happy about it, shown here on June 13, 2018. (Photo by K.C. Alfred/San Diego Union-Tribune) (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune) Councilwoman Lorie Zapf, who has been fighting to sharply curtail short-term rentals for the last several years, especially in the beach communities she represents, said last week she had not yet decided which referendum alternative she favors but insists she is not abandoning her fight. Of the more than 11,000 short-term rentals San Diego was estimated to have as of the end of last year, more than one-fourth were concentrated in Mission Beach and Pacific Beach. Im going to do whatever it takes to protect the neighborhoods from out-of-town investors and having a turnstile of strangers coming through the middle of their neighborhoods, she said. Im still in the stages of finding out what the options are, but Ive been talking with members of my community, and theyre extremely upset with this turn of events because it hurts them more than any other district in the city. Deciding how to proceed on Monday and beyond has become something of a chess game as council members weigh the various options and risks of a repeal or election. Were the council to put the referendum to a vote, it would have to decide at a later date whether to do so in 2020 or in a more costly special election early next year, when there may be a push by Mayor Kevin Faulconers office for a spring vote on another ballot measure an already qualified initiative to expand the citys convention center and fund homeless programs and street repairs. That could be a risky proposition, though, because the short-term rental platforms have the financial wherewithal to mount a well-funded campaign to repeal the citys regulations. Just last June, Palm Springs voters easily approved a ballot measure overturning restrictions on short-term rentals. In San Diego, a recent SurveyUSA poll conducted for the Union-Tribune and 10News found strong support for allowing the use of second homes for vacation stays. In a statement released last week, Faulconers chief of staff, Aimee Faucett, said rescinding the regulations is probably the more prudent course to pursue. At the end of the day people want resolution on this issue, and rescinding the ordinance in order to bring people back to the table to craft new rules is the faster way to get enforceable regulations on the books. Should the council decide to rescind its action, which now appears to be the more likely outcome, the city legally has the option of adopting a new set of regulations within the next year. But those new rules would have to be essentially different from the ones that were repealed, according to City Attorney Mara Elliotts office. Her office said that should a new proposal emerge, it would provide legal review of whatever provisions are offered up to see if they meet the legal test of being different from the original legislation. What those new and different regulations might look like remains to be seen, and its not a discussion likely to take place Monday because that issue is not before the council. Whatever new legislation that is ultimately adopted, it would have to pass muster with the California Coastal Commission for those areas of the city in the coastal zone. Some have suggested that perhaps the council could retain the primary residence-only regulations but resurrect the idea of exempting Mission Beach, long a magnet for vacation rentals, from limits on short-term stays. Another idea being floated is to create different ceilings for short-term rentals in various inland and coastal areas of the city, taking into consideration some communities longstanding tradition as vacation rental destinations. Taking a more hard-line position is Save San Diego Neighborhoods, a community coalition that has long advocated for banning all vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods. It plans to urge the council on Monday to do just that. The group said the council should rescind its action and enforce the legal opinion rendered last year by Elliott that San Diegos municipal code doesnt permit vacation rentals in any zone. Its clear its the only solution at this point, said Matt Valenti, with Save San Diego Neighborhoods and a member of the Clairemont Planning Group. How much longer are we going to dilly dally and go back to the city attorney for the umpteenth time, its so silly. Its just time to do the right thing once and for all. The hotel industry, which has consistently pushed for tight regulation of short-term rentals, is taking a somewhat similar position, although it is willing to consider alternative regulations that could be cobbled together in the next year. The city attorney has opined that short term-rentals are illegal so enforce the ordinance, but we would like to see them replace their ordinances with something different, said Lynn Mohrfeld, CEO of the California Hotel & Lodging Association. Im absolutely certain that if it goes to the ballot the short term rental platforms will put in substantial money. My position is its time to do something and it doesnt seem like good policy to kick the can down the road again. The lingering uncertainty about the rules of the road for short-term rentals has been unnerving for out-of-town homeowners like Garo Megerian who rent out their second homes for vacation stays. A Springfield, Penn. physician, Megerian became so smitten with La Jolla on a visit here that he and his wife Annette purchased a four-bedroom ocean-view home last year with the idea of later retiring in San Diego. The only way, though, to make the purchase financially feasible while still allowing him and his wife and other family members to occasionally use the home, was to rent it out much of the year for short-term stays, he said. Megerian says hes puzzled as to why a popular tourist destination like San Diego wants to shut down second home owners like himself. I just dont get the whole issue, he said. At least here on the East coast, in vacation areas like the Jersey shore, the Outer Banks, everyone rents out their house. If theres an outright ban in San Diego, theres no way I could afford to keep a vacation home because the income we get helps pay the mortgage and utilities, and Im not retiring for another four to five years. Id have to sell. La Jolla Town Council President Ann Kerr-Bache, who also heads a short-term vacation rental working group representing some 20 community groups, believes there may be some room for detente among all the sparring stakeholders. Her group, in a meeting last week, decided it will ask the council Monday to repeal its ordinance and get to work quickly on a new set of regulations. We cant afford to wait much longer to get some enforcement and monitoring going, she said. There are things we might be willing to compromise on. One positive to come out of all this chaos from Airbnb is that we get to take a more detailed look. I do want to engage in discussions with Airbnb and see what works for them and what doesnt. Representatives of Airbnb, which has waged similar battles in many other cities, declined to be interviewed for this article but offered a statement that sought to strike a conciliatory tone. Whether the law passed is rescinded or put to the voters for a final say, its clear from the tens of thousands of signatures validated earlier this month that San Diegans want a different, more balanced approach to short-term rentals that protects property rights, encourages tourism, weeds out bad actors and creates an enforceable regulatory structure, the company said. We remain committed to working with the city and all stakeholders to find the right balance in San Diego. Business lori.weisberg@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-2251 Twitter: @loriweisberg October 21, 1935 The San Diego Union The San Diego Union-Tribune will mark its 150th anniversary in 2018 by presenting a significant front page from the archives each day throughout the year. Monday, October 21, 1935 In 1935, Reuben H. Fleet moved Consolidated Aircraft from Buffalo, N.Y., to San Diego. Consolidated, later known as Convair, almost immediately became the citys largest employer. Here are the first few paragraphs of the story: 30,000 Welcome Citys New Airplane Firm BIG PLANT INSPECTED BY THRONG Maj. R. H. Fleet, President Of Consolidated Aircraft Corp., Praises San Diego As Noted Aviators Attend. By William G. Cayce San Diego yesterday opened wide its heart and arms in welcome to officials and employes of the Consolidated Aircraft Corp. when the concerns new airplane manufacturing plant, moved here from Buffalo, N.Y., formally was dedicated at Lindbergh field and made them know they are an integral part of the citys industrial and social life. In proof that San Diego meant its welcome, which was one of the most enthusiastic ever witnessed here, more than 30,000 persons jammed the airport throughout the day for inspection of the new plant and for the dedication ceremonies at 3 p.m. Planes Bring Visitors Not all of the celebration, although it was in honor of Maj. Reuben H. Fleet,president and manager of Consolidated, and every member of the organization, took place at the Consolidated plant. In the morning there was an air race from Glendale to San Diego in which more than a dozen women fliers participated and at noon Maj. Fleet was honored by the chamber of commerce and city and county with a luncheon in the Pompeiian room at Hotel San Diego. Attending the luncheon were more than 700, including ranking army and navy officers, city and county officials and nationally known leaders in every branch of the aviation industry. Throughout the day there roared in and out of Lindbergh field more than 100 planes, many of which brought visitors from as far north as San Francisco, who came here to pay respects to Maj. Fleet and his entire organization. The efficiency with which the visiting planes were handled, aviation experts pointed out, best was reflected by the fact that there was not the slightest accident. Police also were credited with efficient handling of the throng of visitors who went to the airport by auto. The dedication, held from a specially constructed stand on the south side of the plant, was the high spot of the days program and attracted a crowd of 6000. A loudspeaker made it possible for everyone to hear what was said. Today marks the realization of a dream first conceived in 1927 when Lindbergh field was built, said Maj. T. C. Macaulay, managing director of the chamber of commerce, who presided. Maj. Macaulay then presented Mayor P.J. Benmbough, who extended greetings of the city. This is a grand day and a grand gathering and means a great deal to San Diego, said Mayor Benbough. It definitely shows the respect which all San Diego holds for Maj. Fleet and his Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Welcome Extended Bringing this new concern here means dividends for San Diego and location here of his plant by Maj. Fleet is an acknowledgement that San Diego is an ideal site for such an industry. We are pleased with Maj. Fleets acknwledgement and our doors are open to other like industries. San Diego is proud and grateful to have the Consolidated Aircraft Corp. as part of our city and all San Diego wishes for it the same continued success it has known in the past. Mayor Benbough introduced Rufus Choate, chairman of the harbor commission, who told how Maj. Fleet was persuaded to select San Diego as the site for his new plant, when he decided to leave Buffalo. This should be the start of other industries coming to San Diego, said Choate. If San Diego is to industrialize it must give Consolidated its complete and whole-hearted cooperation and offer that same cooperation to other industries. As Choate finished, the 514th pursuit squadron, army air corps, flown by San Diego reserve officers in Consolidated-built planes, flew over the new plant and dipped in salute. The planes then went through a series of formations and while the thousands looked skyward demonstrated how they could fly wing-to-wing and then change positions with ease and grace. View anniversary front pages online at sandiegouniontribune.com/150-years. For more from the Union-Tribune digital archives, go to newslibrary.com/sites/sdub. Searching is free, with registration. A fee is required to view full stories. Three people were missing and 15 others were pulled from the water Saturday night after a Mexican fishing vessel caught fire 28 miles south of Point Loma in Mexican waters, Coast Guard officials said. The crew of the Time Machine, a 42-foot fishing charter out of Harbor Island in San Diego, radioed the Coast Guard about 9:35 p.m. Saturday to report seeing a nearby fishing vessel on fire and several people in the water, said Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Patrick Kelley. The crew ended up pulling more than a dozen people from the ocean, including two who needed urgent medical attention, Kelley said. Survivors told authorities that three people who had been on the boat were missing. A Coast Guard spokesman said the boat that caught on fire was described as a 25- to 30-foot fishing boat. The name of the boat wasnt released. Advertisement In response, the Haddock, a Coast Guard cutter, and a San Diego-based MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew were sent to assist in the search-and-rescue effort. The Mexican Navy deployed two defender-class boats, Kelley said. The Coast Guard sent the cutter Haddock and a San Diego-based MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew to assist in the rescue while the Mexican navy deployed two defender class boats to assist. Later, two Navy helicopters and a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew also assisted in the search. The two injured people were hoisted from the charter boat onto the helicopter and flown to San Diego, where they were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Their condition was not released. It was unclear if the fishing boat sank. The last time the helicopter pilot saw the boat, it was still burning, Kelley said. The remaining 13 survivors taken aboard the Time Machine were transferred to a Mexican Navy vessel and taken to Ensenada, he said. karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com UPDATES: 4:15 p.m.: This article was updated with more information from the Coast Guard. 1:40 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from the Coast Guard. This article was originally posted at 9:15 a.m. Theres a saying in San Diegos East County: When some people cast a ballot for Rep. Duncan Hunter, they actually think theyre voting for his father. Folks often chuckle at this, but not everyone is convinced its a joke. Then-Rep. Duncan Hunter 10 years ago smoothly handed off the congressional seat he had held for 28 years to his namesake son. Officially, it was an open seat, but in many respects it didnt seem like one. Voters in the district habitually voted to return a Duncan Hunter to Congress every two years, and they did so in the 2008 election, which the younger Hunter won easily. There has never been much daylight between father and son on issues, so voters probably figured they knew what they were getting. The Hunters are staunchly pro-military, anti-tax, and tough on immigration views held by many voters in the 50th Congressional District. Both served in the military, the father in the Army during the Vietnam War and the son in the Marines, serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. Advertisement The younger Hunter was even called up for overseas duty as a reservist at the very beginning of that first campaign for Congress. He advanced out of the Republican primary with more than 70 percent of the vote and won handily in November. It certainly helped that father vouched for son. Because of Dad, the Hunter name carried a lot of weight throughout the district. Like his son, the elder Hunter rarely faced a serious re-election threat. Once, in 1992, then-Rep. Hunter was embroiled in a short-lived political crisis when it surfaced that he and other House members were writing checks when they had insufficient funds, but were covered by the House bank. He weathered the check-kiting scandal and was re-elected by a double-digit margin. The former congressman never faced accusations like those leveled at his son, who, along with his wife, Margaret, was indicted by a federal grand jury in August on 60 counts for alleged personal use of $250,000 in campaign funds. The indictment does reveal one father-son similarity: Rep. Hunter and his wife overdrew their bank account 1,100 times, resulting in $38,000 in bank charges. The elder Hunter has always been integral to his sons political career. He was crucial in getting his son into office, and now hes playing a big role in trying to keep him there. Often helping behind the scenes, the congressmans father has been taking a more public role since his son came under federal investigation . The congressmans father made the rounds during a raucous town-hall meeting in Ramona last year featuring his son. Both Hunters were there when President Donald Trump examined the border wall prototypes in Otay Mesa in March. Now the elder Hunter has become a campaign surrogate for his son, though not in a way thats likely to enhance the now-tarnished Hunter brand. The former congressman held a news conference last week to further the scurrilous attacks by his sons campaign that try to paint Democratic opponent Ammar Campa-Najjar as a security risk. Campa-Najjar was at the event, but the incumbent congressman was not. Duncan Hunter Jr. cant stand on his own two feet like a grown man and fight his own battles, Campa-Najjar said. Ive had 18 town halls. We had a debate in San Marcos last week. He cant stand next to me. He has 10 years of a record to run on. The Hunter campaign has taken the now-well-known fact that Campa-Najjars grandfather was a member of the Palestinian terrorist organization that staged the deadly attack at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and distorted it with untruths, inaccuracies and unproven claims. Fact-checks by news organizations have concluded the claims against Campa-Najjar are a sham. Among other things, Rep. Hunter has suggested Campa-Najjar is part of a Muslim effort to take over Congress. Campa-Najjar is a practicing Christian who was born in San Diego County to a Mexican mother and Palestinian father. He never met his grandfather, who was killed 16 years before he was born, and has condemned his acts. Its worth repeating that Campa-Najjar obtained federal security clearances to work in low- and mid-level positions at the Obama White House and Department of Labor. Experts say Hunters indictment and the financial pressures he faces almost certainly would disqualify him from gaining a security clearance today. He was stripped of all committee assignments by House Speaker Paul Ryan immediately following the indictment. Still, heinous though it may be, the Hunters tactics have successfully taken attention off the indictment and forced Campa-Najjar on the defensive. But his no-show at his own campaigns news conference is another example of increasingly unbecoming behavior by Rep. Hunter, who already had an unflattering reputation for drinking and carousing in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. He has his father do the dirty work at a news conference, he doesnt debate and he rarely campaigns in public, except for often-unpublicized appearances before friendly Republican groups. He gives interviews only to select news organizations. One reason for avoiding public events may well be that hed get a hostile reception. Protesters regularly show up outside his scheduled court appearances and likely would go anywhere he appears in public. Meanwhile, Rep. Hunter poured gasoline on his own fire when he pointedly and repeatedly said his wife was responsible for his campaign finances. That rankled even some supporters, who said instead of being a stand-up guy he was throwing his wife under the bus to try to save himself. The congressman isnt the only one to head down that path. Regarding the accusations against Rep. Hunter, his father emphatically told Politico earlier this year that his son was totally clean on this. Asked if he thought his daughter-in-law was innocent, he wouldnt come to her defense. Im not going to talk about my family, he said. Like father, like son. Tweet of the Week Goes to Alex Padilla (@alexpadilla86), producer for Scott & BR on AM 1090, after reports of dismal revenue projections for the Chargers, who left San Diego for Los Angeles two years ago. Its almost like...it wasnt a good idea Among many underlying issues related to homelessness, one is disturbingly common among women living in shelters and on the street. Many are domestic violence survivors who have fled their situation, but have nowhere else to go. A new program launched by the San Diego District Attorneys office is attempting to find survivors in one downtown shelter and connect them with a range of services that can help them get back on their feet and into safe housing. When we first started, we set up our table outside of the tent in common area, and people would come up to ask us what we were there for and what we could offer for them, said Lisbet Perez, one of two social workers hired by the DAs office to visit the Alpha Project tented shelter three times a week. Advertisement Word quickly spread that a team was there to help domestic violence survivors, and Perez and her colleague Danielle Fair began to have frequent visitors at their table. At the request of some of the women, they also have started a weekly peer-support group. Deputy District Attorney Tracy Prior, chief of the Family Protection division in the DAs office, said the program so far has served 53 people, including 14 men, since its April launch in the Alpha Project bridge shelter. Of those served, 80 percent were domestic violence survivors, with the rest victims of sexual assault, robbery and stalking. The social workers have helped connect survivors at the tent with a range of resources, including safety planning and long-term case management. They also have accompanied women to court for restraining-order hearings and helped one woman who is a DACA recipient regain lost documents. At the request of some of the women at the Alpha Project shelter, the social workers have begun holding weekly peer-support groups in the tent. The meetings usually include a presenter who can share valuable information with the group. I think the most important thing we do is and listen to what they want, whats important to them, and then help people meet those needs, said Alana Harrell, a victims advocate supervisor with the DAs Office who was at the Alpha Project shelter Thursday. . Harrell told women in the group about their rights in the criminal justice system, restraining orders and shelters that allow women and children. I get the sense that the women who present are really caring people, not just doing a job, said Tiffany DeCarolis, who has been at the Alpha Project shelter since December. Theyre here to really connect with the women here. DeCarolis said she moved to San Diego from Arcata to put some distance between herself and another person, and spent three months living outdoors before moving into the shelter. I think the womens group fosters new friendships, she said about the support group.. Theres a little bit closer relationship with the women besides the ones you meet day to day at the shelter. Beverly Thompson, also a client at the tent, said she values the support group. ""For me personally, it supports me emotionally in remembering how vulnerable I am as a single female, she said. And I can put my foot down and make a complaint when somebody has gone too far with me. While the tent has security personnel, the 325-person population includes men and women and may not be an ideal setting for someone who had a recent traumatic experience. The first thing we ask them is if they feel safe here, Fair said. Some women have said they did not feel comfortable, and she and Perez have tried to find them shelter beds specifically for domestic violence survivors. Theres not nearly enough beds, Harrell said. Housing is the biggest issue I have in working with people so far. So far the DA social workers have referred only three women to one of the areas five domestic violence shelters, which include the Center for Community Solutions, the Community Resource Center, South Bay Community Services, Womens Resource Center and the YWCA. Together, they have 229 beds, and women can stay 30 to 120 days. There also are nine confidential transitional shelters with about 300 beds where women who qualify can stay six to 24 months. In a new program in North County, Interfaith Community Services used money from a new U.S. Housing and Urban Development program to fund housing for family members fleeing domestic violence situations, said Greg Anglea, CEO of the nonprofit. The program, which started last month, offers four apartments that can serve 16 families over a year, he said. Thats still far short of the need. A countywide survey of domestic violence services published in 2013 found shelters received about 7,050 calls related to domestic violence in 2012. On any given day, 39 percent of requests for shelters were unmet, according to the report. Women looking for a shelter bed can get updates about availability by calling (888) 385-4657. Prior said money for the new DA program came from a state Office of Emergency Services grant funded several programs to help victims, and it will be expanded to include the Father Joes Village tented shelter for families. Nan Roman, president and CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, said domestic violence is responsible for about a fifth of all people who are homeless. A greater understanding of the connection between homelessness and domestic violence has emerged from information collected through the coordinated entry system required by the HUD for communities that receive federal funding for homeless programs, she said. Antoinette Fallon, director of Rachels Womens Center in San Diego , said 75 percent of women served at the drop-in day center have experienced domestic violence. Those clients include homeless women who had moved away from their abusive partners and once had their own homes, but lost them because of rent increases. Because they are facing no immediate threat, the women do not qualify for emergency shelters but can find help at Rachels, which also operates a 35-bed shelter. The one thing tha is absolutely universal is that every woman who is homeless has some sort of a trauma history., Fallon said, adding that 80 to 85 percent of Rachels clients have substance abuse and mental health issues. Domestic violence survivors also can find longer-term help through Leap to Success, a nonprofit in Vista and East Village in downtown San Diego. Executive Director Dana Bristol-Smith said the nonprofits programs can help survivors rebuild self-esteem and confidence often lost in abusive relationships. Programs also help women find employment, which she said is crucial because domestic violence survivors often have no access to their familys finances, which can leave them broke and homeless when they flee. Homeless Playlist On Now San Diego hepatitis outbreak continues to grow: 481 cases On Now Homeless entrenched in booming tent city along Santa Ana River On Now San Diego mayor agreed to homeless hub, then delayed, advocates say On Now Homeless outreach in San Diego On Now Video: Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #8 On Now In poverty himself, 'Water Man Dave,' is the fearless saint of San Diego's homeless 5:41 On Now Video: Homeless living in cars find safe havens 2:21 On Now Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #7 On Now Pitching a tent plan for San Diego's homeless On Now Homeless efforts get $80M boost for various services gary.warth@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @GaryWarthUT 760-529-4939 Call Internal Affairs! Better yet, call a gastroenterologist! A 10-foot-long, inflatable colon, used to instruct about the dangers of colon cancer, has been swiped from the University of Kansas Cancer Center. The 150-pound teaching aid was stolen Friday from a pickup truck in Brookside, Kan. The Cancer Coalition sends the inflatable colon all around America for people to learn about cancer in an intriguing way. Advertisement The surprisingly lifelike balloon organ illustrates the perils of nasty polyps that can become cancerous lesions if left untreated. The larger-than-life creation has a value of about $4,000. While the theft itself is disturbing enough, one doctor says the real shame is that it denies people frank discussions about a cancer that gets scant attention. Colorectal cancer screening is the most powerful weapon we have against colorectal cancer, said University of Kansas Cancer Center surgical oncologist Josh Ashcraft in a statement on Friday. Colon cancer is a tough subject for many to talk about and the giant, 150-pound, 10-foot-long inflatable colon is a great conversation starter. Nearly 100,000 new cases of colon cancer will be confirmed in 2018 and about 43,000 first-time diagnoses of rectal cancer will be diagnosed. More alarming, about 50,000 Americans are expected to succumb to colorectal cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Sunday that the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi was a tremendous mistake, but stuck with blaming a rogue operation out of the jurisdiction of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The individuals who did this did this outside the scope of their authority, al-Jubeir said on Fox News. There obviously was a tremendous mistake made, and what compounded the mistake was the attempt to try to cover up. That is unacceptable in any government. Khashoggi was last seen on Oct. 2, entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain official documents for his wedding, but never left the building. Saudi officials claim that he died after a fistfight inside the embassy, although that story has been widely questioned. A Saudi official told ABC News Sunday that Khashoggi was placed in a chokehold position to restrain him and was accidentally killed. Advertisement Eighteen Saudi nationals have been detained in connection with the murder, including 15 who were sent to Turkey specifically to intercept Khashoggi, and five intelligence officers were fired. Al-Jubeir continued trying to isolate the crown prince from the scandal, saying the killers werent people closely tied to bin Salman. They made the mistake and they tried to cover up for it, he said Sunday. President Trump, whose son-in-law Jared Kushner has close ties to the 33-year-old crown prince, acknowledged questions about the Saudis coverup of Khashoggis death, but deflected questions about bin Salman. Nobody has told me hes responsible. Nobody has told me hes not responsible. We havent reached that point. I havent heard either way, Trump said in a Washington Post interview published Saturday. There is a possibility he found out about it afterward. It could be something in the building went badly awry. It could be thats when he found about it. He could have known they were bringing him back to Saudi Arabia. He also told the paper that he would love if the crown prince werent involved in Khashoggis death. Al-Jubeir told Fox News Sunday that Saudi officials still dont know how Khashoggi died or where his body is. 1 / 11 U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, leaves a briefing from CIA Director Gina Haspel on the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, on Capitol Hill on Dec. 4, 2018 in Washington D.C. Two key U.S. Republican senators said that they have zero doubt that Saudi Arabias crown prince was complicit in the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, contradicting President Donald Trumps more neutral position."I have zero question in my mind that the crown prince directed the murder and was kept appraised of the situation all the way through it, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker told reporters after the CIA director Gina Haspel briefed a small group of senators. Fellow Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who has urged Trump to take a far tougher stance against Riyadh over the killing, said after the briefing that he believes Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is complicit in the murder of Mr. Khashoggi to the highest level possible. (SAUL LOEB / AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 11 Yemeni human rights activist, right, who won the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her participation in the Arab Spring uprisings, sits next to Hatice Cengiz, the Turkish fiance of murdered Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, during a commemoration event for him on Nov. 11, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. On Nov. 15, 2018, Saudi prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty for the 5 people most directly involved with ordering and executing the crime of the 11 they have charged and that the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, was not involved. The next day an American official said the C.I.A. has concluded that Mohammed bin Salman, in fact, did order the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. On Nov. 20, 2018 President Trump disputed C.I.A. experts conclusions causing international outrage and cries for Congress to take action. On Dec. 4, 2018 a CIA briefing left high-ranking GOP senators no doubt Mohammed bin Salman ordered Khashoggis killing. (OZAN KOSE / AFP/Getty Images) 3 / 11 Activists, protesting the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, hold a candlelight vigil outside Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 25, 2018. The poster reads in Arabic: Khashoggis Friends Around the World. A group of Arab and international public, political and media figures is establishing a global association called Khashoggis Friends Around the World to achieve justice for the freedom martyr. (Lefteris Pitarakis / Associated Press) 4 / 11 Salah Khashoggi, the son of Jamal Khashoggi who is reportedly banned from traveling outside of Saudi Arabia, had to shake hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Oct. 23, 2018 ahead of a meeting. Many people believe it was Mohammed who ordered the killing. (Saudi Press Agency via AP) 5 / 11 Turkish police secure an underground car park, where authorities earlier found a vehicle belonging to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, on Oct. 22, 2018. Turkish crime-scene investigators have arrived at the park, where the car, according to news reports, was left two weeks ago. (Mehmet Guzel / Associated Press) 6 / 11 Women for Peace activist David Barrows joins protesters demonstrating against U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen on Oct. 22, 2018 in Washington, DC. Sparked by the apparent murder of Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, the Code Pink activists called on senators to support Senate Joint Resolution 54, war powers legislation that would end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) 7 / 11 A Turkish police officer looks around a room inside the Saudi Arabian consulate amid a growing international backlash to the disappearance of journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, on Oct. 15, 2018 in Istanbul. (Chris McGrath / Getty Images) 8 / 11 A Turkish police officer investigates outside the Saudi Arabian consulate on on Oct. 15, 2018 in Istanbul. (Chris McGrath / Getty Images) 9 / 11 Turkish crime scene investigators enter the Saudi Arabian consulate on Oct. 15, 2018 in Istanbul. (Chris McGrath / Getty Images) 10 / 11 Turkish police officers gather as they prepare to enter the Saudi Arabias Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 15, 2018. (Petros Giannakouris / AP) 11 / 11 Turkish forensic police and their investigation delegation arrive at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 15, 2018 in Istanbul. (OZAN KOSE / AFP/Getty Images) I wish this didnt happen and I wish that this couldve been avoided. Unfortunately, a huge and grave mistake was made, he said. And I assure (his family) that those responsible will be held accountable for this. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that his officials are searching for justice and it will be revealed in full nakedness. Why did 15 people come here? he said, according to the New York Times. Why have 18 people been arrested? All of this must be explained with all the details. Khashoggis Washington Post editor Karen Attiah, the global opinions editor, said Sunday that the Saudi story is not an explanation...(but) an attempt at a coverup. If anything, if were going to give any sort of credence to this, he walked into an ambush, she said on ABCs This Week. The European Union has described Khashoggis death deeply troubling and called for a continued thorough, credible and transparent investigation. A passenger on a budget airline was not kicked off a flight on Friday despite unleashing a racist verbal tirade on an elderly black woman. Many people have vowed to boycott Ireland-based Ryanair in wake of the incident on the flight from Barcelona to London Stansted Airport, and officials are demanding criminal charges against the passenger who appeared to threaten the woman sitting nearby. Fellow passenger David Lawrence, who recorded video of the outburst that has gone viral, said the man refused to sit next to the woman because she was black. At one point the man can be heard calling the woman an ugly black bastard, and later says, dont talk to me in a foreign language, you stupid ugly cow. Advertisement When the woman did not initially move out of her seat, he says to her, If you dont go to another seat, Ill put you into another seat. A passenger confronted the man and his tantrum eventually stopped, but he was not kicked off the flight. The woman ended up moving to another seat on the plane. He should have been removed from the flight and handed over to the police, UK parliament member Karl Turner tweeted Saturday. The womans daughter told HuffPost that the man became hostile toward her 77-year-old mother when he tried to get to his seat. I know that if I was behaving like he was or any other black person for that matter police would have been called and we would have been kicked off the flight, the daughter told HuffPost. Lawrence posted a picture of the unidentified man on Facebook. THIS IS THE Ryanair passenger that was ALLOWED to racially and physically abuse an elderly woman and then WALK AWAY SCOT FREE!!! Lawrence wrote. SHARE & SHAME these companies that continue to turn a blind eye to racial discrimination. Ryanair said in a statement that it has reported this to the police in Essex and as this is now police matter, we cannot comment further. Outrage poured in against the airline on social media, with one Twitter user writing, shame on you, @Ryanair. You just lost a customer for life. Ok boycott @Ryanair if they think its ok for a racist man to abuse an elderly black woman and remain on the plane, another Twitter user wrote. Its 63 years since Rosa Parks said No to sitting on the back of the Bus and we aint going back. Selma Blair, the star of box-office hits Legally Blonde and Cruel Intentions, has disclosed she has multiple sclerosis. Blair shared the diagnosis on Saturday, posting on Instagram that she received the stunning news in August. I have a job. A wonderful job. I am disabled. I fall sometimes, wrote Blair in the emotional post. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken GPS. But we are doing it. Blair also profusely thanked Allissa Swanson, the costume designer for her new sci-fi series Another Life, for her patience and physical support. Advertisement She carefully gets my legs in my pants, pulls my tops over my head, buttons my coats and offers her shoulder to steady myself, wrote Blair. Since her bombshell admission, the 46-year-old actress has been showered with love and support by both fans and A-list co-stars alike, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr. and model-actress Jaime King. Blair was also appreciative of Showgirls actress Elizabeth Berkley, who suggested she meet with her brother Jason, whos a doctor. He is the one who diagnosed her with MS after noticing lesions on her MRI. I am in the thick of it but I hope to give some hope to others. And even to myself, Blair posted on Saturday. You cant get help unless you ask. It can be overwhelming in the beginning. You want to sleep. You always want to sleep. So I dont have answers. Nearly 2.3 million people globally suffer from multiple sclerosis, which affects the nervous system. It can cause coordination difficulty, muscle weakness, trouble with sensation and blindness. Two teen suspects, including one who remains at large, have been charged in connection with Saturdays fatal shooting of a Georgia police officer. Tafahree Maynard, 18, should be considered armed and dangerous after taking the life of Gwinnett County Police Officer Antwan Toney, authorities say. Isaiah Pretlow, who cops say drove their vehicle from the scene, has been charged with aggravated assault related to an incident after the shooting. The 19-year-old Pretlow is in custody. Tafahree Maynard remains at large. (AP) Maynard has been charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact the police at (770) 513-5710. Advertisement Toney was killed while responding to a suspicious vehicle parked near a middle school in Snellville with another officer. Before they could even get to the vehicle, shots rang out, Gwinnett County Sgt. Jake Smith said, according to WSB. The 30-year-old Toney, who was from Southern California and had been with the department for nearly three years, passed away at a nearby hospital. The people that worked with Officer Toney on a daily basis recalled a very jovial person who was dedicated to his job and dedicated to his community, Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers said. Isaiah Pretlow is in custody. (AP) Investigators say Pretlow drove the vehicle from the scene and crashed a short distance away. An officer encountered Pretlow about 3 p.m. and fired at him after the suspect pointed his gun. Pretlow fled into a wooded area and was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals about 11:30 p.m. Cops believe there may have been as many as four people inside the vehicle. The Gwinnett County Sheriffs Office posted a tribute to Officer Toney on its Facebook page on Saturday. This man died today because he was committed to making our community a safer place, the sheriffs office wrote. For us. He died for us. We owe him a debt that we can never repay. Toney was the first officer killed in the line of duty in Gwinnett County since 1993, according to CNN. Three police officers were massacred in April of 1964. With News Wire Services For todays Back Story, reporter Peter Rowe discusses his profile of John Cox, the Rancho Santa Fe businessman who is running for governor. Q. What were your marching orders when you were assigned this profile? A. The goal was to introduce San Diego County residents to one of their neighbors, the Republican Partys candidate for governor. I wanted to hear from Cox, of course, but also supporters, opponents, observers who had insights into what makes him tick. Q. While reporting this story, you traveled to Chicago. Why? Advertisement A. Cox has been a full-time California resident since 2011, but he spent most of his years in Illinois Cook County. In Chicago, I reviewed court documents, spoke to associates, learned about life as a Republican in a region dominated by Democrats. Q. What did you find? A. Detractors note that hes a political wannabe whos never won elected office the guy was a non-factor, one political reporter said. In his first campaign, though, Cox was seen as a strong conservative contender with a decent shot at winning. When he lost, he continued to run for a series of offices. Those defeats werent surprising after his first campaign, Cox was always a heavy underdog but I found something admirable about his sheer doggedness. Q. What else did the trip uncover? A. His divorce from his first wife included allegations of infidelity and squabbles over money. Even messier was his legal battle with former clients, the Japp family, who alleged that Cox mismanaged millions of dollars, charged exorbitant fees and made loans that were never accounted for. That case ended in a confidential settlement, so no one will talk about it. Cox had denied any wrongdoing, yet the allegations in the record are searing. Q. Did you get a sense of why John Cox wants to be governor? A. He wants to hold elected office and it seems almost any elected office will do. Hes campaigned for Congress, the U.S. Senate, the presidency and Cook County Recorder of Deeds. He is truly driven by his belief he can make a difference, said a friend, Gary Mack, and really make life better for people. Hes consistently advocated tax cuts and reduced government, themes that are prominent in his current campaign. Hes also held pro-life and pro-Second Amendment positions, but insists abortion and guns are irrelevant issues in this race. Q. The polls have him trailing badly. Should he lose, what do you think hell do next? A. Its hard to see such a persistent campaigner dropping out of politics. By capturing the GOP primary in this race, some say, hes become a player in the party. Yet other Republicans privately say hes failed to build a robust statewide organization. Q. Is it true that you wrote this profile without once talking to Cox? A. Yes. After months of ducking my requests, his press secretary last week finally set a time for an over-the-phone interview. The call never came. But I was present when Cox addressed supporters the night he won the primary, and a few days ago when he addressed supporters of Prop. 6, the gas tax repeal. I tapped into other sources, among them his hour-long radio debate with his Democratic rival, Gavin Newsom, and several of his TV interviews. Merrie Monteagudo, the newspapers research manager, supplied dozens of print stories from Coxs career and more were retrieved from Chicagos wonderful Harold Washington Library Center. Q. What do you wish youd had a chance to ask Cox? A. As a native Californian, I dont blame anyone for relocating here. But thats me what were his reasons for moving here and then seeking this states governorship? Why not Illinois or, to name two other places where hes owned homes, Florida or Massachusetts? He approached the doors of the National City police station just as dawn was breaking, the bright red pants he wore clearly visible through the early morning gloaming on the security cameras mounted outside the department. This was the start of what was to be the last conscious morning of Earl McNeils life. In a few hours, his brain would shut down after he stopped breathing, and while paramedics were able to restart his heart, he would linger in a coma for two weeks, unresponsive in a hospital bed, until his family made the decision to remove him from life support. Before he stopped breathing that morning of May 26, McNeil spent two hours surrounded by and in the custody of National City police officers and San Diego sheriffs deputies. Hours of body camera and security camera videos captured the encounter in often-excruciating detail, chronicling the final fraught hours of McNeils life as he traveled handcuffed and restrained in a full body blanket from National City to the downtown county jail. Advertisement The circumstances of his death are now well known. Less known are details of McNeils life before that morning. For more than three decades, McNeil traversed the criminal justice system on multiple levels: as victim, juvenile ward of the state, defendant, documented gang member, witness, informant and psychiatric patient. Diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 11, he frequently got the mental health treatment he needed while he was in the jail and prison system. Of the scores of people who have died at the hands of law enforcement in San Diego County in the past 20 years, few had such a long-running and varied relationship with police and prosecutors as McNeil. In a sense that makes his death more poignant. The criminal justice system had been a place of both conflict and cooperation for Earl McNeil, harm and help. And on the morning of May 26, in the basement of the county jail, it served as the agent of his demise. Death and Protest His death touched off weeks of protest in National City. Questions about how he died and what had happened to him in police custody swirled until Sep. 21. In a two-hour news conference, District Attorney Summer Stephan said no criminal charges would be filed against the nearly two dozen law enforcement personnel who came into contact with McNeil. She described him as agitated, high on methamphetamine, combative with officers who had to wrestle him to the ground and then into a restraint device called The Wrap, with not one but two spit socks over his head. A combination of his struggling, the drugs in his system and being restrained for so long stopped his breathing and triggered a heart attack or perhaps the other way around after he had been taken to the county jail. Stephan called his death a terribly sad event, and referred to his past both his criminal history, and his work assisting the District Attorneys Office as a witness and informant. Mr. McNeil had his own substantial record, she said, including violence and possession of drugs. However, there was a part of Mr. McNeil that wanted to help his community, be a good man. McNeils relatives are weighing whether to file a lawsuit over his death, according to family lawyer Douglas Applegate. Despite multiple requests over several months, family members declined to be interviewed. Much of his travels through the system can be pieced together through records in numerous court files. His testimony during a 2011 murder case where he was a cooperating witness for prosecutors, a transcript of which was obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune, also offered insights into his condition and his life. McNeils struggles began early. Less than three weeks after he turned 11, his 26-year-old mother, Mary Ann, was shot and killed on Halloween night 1988. She was sitting on a concrete transformer box on 41st Street in Chollas View when a car with three men in it drove up and opened fire, killing her on the spot. The case has never been solved. She was a victim of one of the bloodiest nights of that year. Within a six-hour period, there were six shootings, two deaths and six people wounded. Earl McNeil was raised by his grandmother Jannie, who told a San Diego Tribune reporter two days later that his mothers death had not fully registered with her grandson. Its hard but its going to be a lot harder on him, she said, as Earl McNeil sat silently in the corner of the room. It hasnt really struck him yet. He has no one but me. I guess Ill be taking care of him as well. The specter of his mother and grandmother was strong in McNeils life. Years later he testified at the trial of a fellow gang member charged in the notorious New Years Day shooting of two women in the parking lot of Dr. Js Liquor store in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of San Diego. The two women were on their way home from church when they were shot to death in a botched gang-retaliation shooting something that likely resonated with McNeil. McNeil was answering questions about his mental illness and how he had said he heard voices sometimes. He struggled on the stand to articulate what that meant. So sometimes when I like sit down or lay down on my bed, its like to me its like to me its communicating with them, he said. Like I can, like close my eyes and think of what my mom like I can hear like hear my mom if I close my eyes. Or if I concentrate I can hear like my moms voice or my grandmother, not like Im in contact with them, but I can hear their voice. Its hard to explain. Its not like Im, its not like Im hallucinating, he continued. Its like Im making spiritual contact with my grandmother and my mom. A life in court Though McNeils involvement with the criminal justice system started out as a victim with his moms violent death, he soon became an offender. Court records show he had a criminal record when he was 12 and had eight true findings the juvenile system equivalent of a conviction when he was a minor. The pattern continued as he became an adult, a steady stream of arrests and nearly a dozen convictions documented in court records from 1997 on. The convictions include battery, drug crimes, receiving stolen property, intimidating a witness, domestic violence. He served at least two separate stints in state prison during that time, and also cycled into prison on parole violations. It was while he was serving a parole violation in 2004 that he first approached police investigators probing the Dr. Js shooting and told them he had information. Court files show he related a story of seeing James Carter with a duffel bag full of guns, including an AK-47 the type of weapon used in the killings. He also said he heard Carter describing the shooting later to other members of the gang. That information appears to be the start of McNeils role as an informant for police and prosecutors. But it was not until five years later in 2009, when the lengthy investigation into the Dr. Js killings went in front of a grand jury, that McNeil was called on to help. At the time, he was in jail on a domestic violence charge but court records show that prosecutors got material witness orders on several occasions in spring 2009, which released him from jail accompanied by office investigators to testify in front of the grand jury. Later that summer, he pleaded guilty to the felony domestic violence charge. With his record, McNeil faced years in prison. But his sentencing on that case, documented in several court files, revealed his multi-layered relationship with law enforcement. While he had helped prosecutors on the Dr. Js investigation, the deputy district attorney handling the domestic violence case unaware of the secret grand jury testimony wrote a sentencing memo urging that McNeil get six years in prison. Over the past 18 years the defendant has made a concerted effort to build the criminal record he has today, prosecutor Harrison Kennedy wrote. He wanted the judge to double his sentence under the three-strikes law. Not to do so, he wrote, would be a significant benefit to the defendant and would result in a sentence that is unfair to the interests of public safety. But that was not the only document Judge Jeffrey Fraser would get from the District Attorneys Office for McNeils sentencing. A month later, Deputy District Attorney Robert Hickey, who was leading the Dr. Js investigation and would secure Carters conviction, wrote a letter to McNeils lawyer apparently outlining his cooperation and testimony with the grand jury. The letter was submitted to the judge but it was sealed, and remains so. Instead of the six years Kennedy sought, McNeil ended up sentenced to one year in jail. It wasnt the only assistance he got at that time from prosecutors. At the 2011 trial he testified that while in jail in 2009, his grandmother Jannie McNeil who had said all those years ago she would have to take care of him died. He was able to go to her funeral, however. Investigators with the DAs office took him there, he said outfitted in a set of handcuffs and waist chains. Witness Protection His cooperation earned him threats, so much so that in May 2010 he and his family were put in a witness protection program and moved to a secret location outside the county. Court records indicate it was somewhere in Riverside County. Over the next year, according to McNeils trial testimony, prosecutors paid living expenses for the family, everything from rent, food and utility bills to bus passes, fees for credit history checks, money for sheets, kitchen utensils and other household goods. The money continued even after McNeil was arrested for domestic violence in his new community in October 2010 and went to jail, records show. In all, he received nearly $30,000 from prosecutors. When he testified at the trial in May, he said he wasnt expecting any help from prosecutors in return for the funds or his cooperation. At her news conference in September, Stephan said such assistance comes from a state fund that reimburses agencies for cooperating witnesses who are facing threats. Outside of those funds, McNeil got no other assistance from prosecutors, she said. Yet in addition to the break on his sentencing in 2009, McNeil also appeared to benefit when he was sentenced in June 2011, just a month after his testimony, for the domestic violence charge and for violating his probation. Court records show he was sentenced to two years, but the judge gave him pre-sentence time credits for the time he spent in jail of 1,046 days more than the two years he would have served in prison. He was released and ordered to report to his parole officer. The tangled relationship between McNeil and the criminal justice system went beyond court cases and time records. While McNeil testified he never asked for a break on his cases in exchange for testimony, he did ask police for something, he testified. When he was cooperating in 2009, he asked a San Diego detective to look into one case the unsolved killing of his mother. By then, however, the trail was too cold. McNeil had a working relationship with District Attorney Investigator Billy Cahill. When McNeil was in witness protection, he ran out of medications he was on. Cahill, according to court transcripts, traveled to his new home and helped him get more medications. But he wasnt always helpful. He called police on McNeil twice while he was living in another county, including the call that landed him in jail in October 2010 on the domestic violence charge. Cahill declined requests to be interviewed for this story, as did Hickey, the prosecutor on the case. One of the areas that needs to be examined In the years since the trial, McNeil was in and out of trouble, collecting a half-dozen new cases through September 2017. He also continued to help prosecutors: Stephan said at the news conference McNeil provided information not testimony on two other cases besides the Dr. Js case, but did not give details. A request for information on those cases is pending with the DAs office. Applegate, the McNeil family lawyer, said he wants to know more about the relationship between McNeil, police and prosecutors. There is usually a pretty detailed process recording the history of informants, he said. Its going to be one of the areas that needs to be examined. The years of Earl McNeils complicated interaction with the system are encapsulated in a segment of body camera video recorded the morning of May 26. National City police were wrestling him into the restraint device as McNeil yelled out and tried to spit on police. He complained he could not breathe one moment, then would yell out Im alive! the next. He spoke clearly but his rantings were often not coherent. They killing me, he yells about 10 minutes into the fatal encounter. Help! They spit on. Im alive! What is it?, an unidentified National City officer responds as the struggle continues. You alive, or are they killing ya? Twitter: @gregmoran greg.moran@sduniontribune.com The police shooting of Vaughn Harrison Denham in August has his family still asking questions and waiting for answers. They wonder why it takes so long for a police shooting to be investigated. They want to view the San Diego police body-worn camera footage of Denhams shooting before its released to the public. They question why officers arent equipped with more non-lethal weapons, not just less-lethal weapons such as a Taser. Advertisement And they ask why police dont have more training in de-escalating tense situations that too often lead to a shooting by officers. We want to address much-needed changes in countywide police policies, procedures and most importantly, triaining, Voneva Denham said Friday. Her 48-year-old uncle was shot on Aug. 8 by San Diego police Officer Cory Pitts in a confrontation on Boston Avenue in Southcrest. Police said Denham attacked a man with a machete, then advanced on Pitts while swinging a long metal chain in the middle of South 40th Street. Pitts fired a Taser to no effect, then fired two rounds from his handgun, mortally wounding Denham. Voneva said her uncle suffered from drug addition, which is one reason she wants to see better training for officers in handling people under the influence of drugs, or with a mental illness. She added, Your training affects your perception of a community, and that training may reinforce fear of a community. A District Attorneys Office spokesman said Friday they have not yet received the police investigation of the Denham shooting, so prosecutors have not begun a review to determine whether the shooting was lawful. Standing with Voneva Denham near where the shooting occurred, Bishop Cornelius Bowser, an activist against gun and gang violence, said police should use guns only as a last resort when dealing with uncooperative or violent people. Sometimes they create the problem and then the solution is to pull a gun, Bowser said of police. pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @pdrepard March Air Field Museum has for decades chronicled the story of March Air Reserve Base, the 100-year-old military base located just south of the city of Riverside. But in recent years, museum leaderships vision has guided the institution upward and outward, beyond the contours of Riverside County and toward an increasingly expansive and holistic view of aviation and aerospace history. A new award program, unveiled this year as part of the museums year-long celebration of the bases centennial, reflects that broader interest in what the museum eloquently refers to as humanitys reach for the skies. The Champion of Flight award program affords the museum an opportunity to identify, call attention to and celebrate in perpetuity the accomplishments of one aviation or aerospace innovator each year. At this years annual gala, on Oct. 26, renowned test pilot Robert J. Bob Gilliland will be named as the museums first Champion of Flight. Gilliland is perhaps best known as the first pilot of the Lockheed Martin SR-71 Blackbird, a long-range, Mach 3-plus strategic reconnaissance aircraft. The bird took its first flight in 1964 and was retired in 1999. Advertisement Gilliland is also recognized for holding the record for the most test flight hours at Mach 3 than any other pilot in the world. For perspective, Mach 1 is equivalent to the speed of sound; Mach 3 is three times the speed of sound, or roughly 2,300 miles per hour. Born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1926, Gilliland volunteered for the U.S. Navy when he was 17. He graduated from the naval academy in 1949 with a degree in engineering, immediately accepted a commission in the U.S. Air Force, and began flight school. As a civilian, Bob went on to test the fastest and highest-flying airplanes ever built, including the A-II Avenger, A-12, YF-12A, and the SR-71. Now in his 90s, Gilliland has been honored by the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, the Air Force Flight Test Historical Foundation, the National Aviation Hall of Fame, the California Aviation Hall of Fame and the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame. According to Jamil Dada, president of the March Field Foundation which manages the museum, Gilliland was the natural choice for the inaugural Champions of Flight award. We have an SR-71 airplane in our collection, said Dada, and we have long considered it our flagship, our top attraction. Each year, for the past two decades, Bob has made the trip from his home in Palm Desert to visit the SR-71. And each year we say to him, Bob, were so glad to see you. This is your museum. The March Air Field Museum gala offers members of the public an opportunity to meet the legend and celebrate his contributions to aerospace engineering. Tickets cost $75 per person, or $600 for a table of eight, with discounts for museum members. Sponsorship packages are also available. Proceeds from the gala event will support the museums facilities, programs and exhibits. For more information visit www.marchfield.org/ or call (951) 902-5182. temecula@sduniontribune.com UPDATES: Oct. 22, 11:30 a.m.: This story was updated to reflect that Mach 1 is relative to the speed of sound. The biggest political battles of 2018 feel a long way from the tiny Merced County communities connected by Interstate 5, where cars, not campaigns, rumble through otherwise quiet farm towns. But the years most expensive state legislative race is here, and the outcome could tip the partisan balance in Sacramento. In the state Senate, Democrats are one seat short of a two-thirds supermajority, a level of legislative dominance that would allow them to increase taxes or push proposals onto the ballot without Republican support. To achieve that goal, Democrats are eyeing the open seat in the 12th Senate District, stretching from Fresno to Monterey counties. Represented by a Republican for more than two decades, the GOPs share of voters has been falling since 2001, when the two major parties registered voters in nearly equal numbers. Now, Democrats have an 18-point registration advantage there and nearly one-fourth of voters have no party preference, so Republicans must bring their all to win. The Republican candidate in the race, Madera County Supervisor Rob Poythress, spoke to supporters at a pizza shop in Gustine last weekend, warning them that if the Democrats take this seat, theyre going to run the table. Advertisement This is one of those things where you either go big or go home, Poythress said in an earlier interview. He and his opponent, Democratic Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, have gone big, raising a combined total of more than $6 million. Most of the money has come from the state Republican and Democratic parties. Each has invested nearly $2 million in their respective candidate, more than three times their contributions to any other state Senate race this cycle. Outside groups have spent an additional $600,000. The money stands in sharp contrast to the regions financial picture. Median income is $47,000 but in Silicon Valley, one legislative district away, it soars to more than $95,000. Those Bay Area high-earners are increasingly moving in to take advantage of lower housing costs, raising prices for those who already live there. Caballero, who served as Gov. Jerry Browns secretary of business, consumer services and housing for four years, said that the states budget has failed to allocate enough funds to rural areas dealing with such pressures. Republican state Senate candidate Rob Poythress, second from left, speaks with supporters in Gustine. (Mini Racker/Los Angeles Times) Because we have so many commuters on rural agricultural roads, we now have traffic issues that are very significant, Caballero said. People are taking hours to get to work. [But] if you look at public transportation, the money goes to the big cities. Poythress takes a different approach, promising to focus on lowering taxes. He opposes the unfair gas tax a 2017 state transportation package that funds infrastructure repairs through increased gas taxes and vehicle fees. To him, Caballeros vote for the plan indicates that she has lost touch with constituents. People here tend to drive low-mileage cars because they cant afford hybrid and electric cars. Compare that to San Francisco, where people drive $60,000 to $80,000 electric cars, Teslas, he said. We need to look at a system thats more equitable. The termed-out lawmaker whom Poythress and Caballero hope to succeed, Sen. Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres), was the only Republican who voted for the transportation tax plan. He did so after Brown agreed to give his district an extra $500 million to extend a commuter rail line to Ceres and build a parkway at UC Merced. Cannella and other Central Valley Republicans have won in other Democratic-leaning areas by highlighting their ability to work with Democrats. Victor Davis Hanson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and conservative political commentator who lives in the district, said Poythress can win by presenting himself the way other local Republicans have notably Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), who held the state Senate seat until 2010. They avoid national, hot-button issues, Hanson said. Theyre bipartisan fixers. They dont talk about deportation. Immigration can be a fraught subject in the district, where two-thirds of the population is Latino. Although the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that nearly 80% of residents are U.S. citizens, the national immigration crackdown may be affecting local farms. Assemblywoman Anna Caballero (D-Salinas), standing, is running to replace termed out lawmaker Sen. Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres). (Mini Racker/Los Angeles Times) For the first time last year, I heard that farmers left produce in the fields because they couldnt get workers, Caballero said. I think its the federal immigration policies, all of them. The deportations, the wall, the name-calling. In general, Poythress has sidestepped endorsing the kinds of immigration policies Republicans have backed at the federal level. Like Caballero, he supports a path to citizenship and opposes separating families at the border. But the candidates differ on Californias so-called sanctuary state law. Caballero voted for the measure signed by Brown in 2017, Senate Bill 54, which limits how closely local law enforcement can work with federal immigration agents. She wants crime victims to feel comfortable going to the police without fear of deportation. I have a number of town hall meetings, she said. At one of them, I was stopped by a little girl, about 7 or 8, who said she was afraid to go to school because she was afraid shed go home and her parents would be gone. Poythress has criticized Caballeros support for SB 54. He serves on the Madera County Board of Supervisors, which last year ordered the local jail to notify federal agents when releasing immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. The action came before the enactment of SB 54. The American Civil Liberties Union sued Madera County, saying the decision by supervisors in a closed-door session violated open government laws. The county settled the lawsuit, and local officials stressed that they comply with the sanctuary law. Poythress said he supports the power of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to pick up criminals in jails. For all the money going into the race, it isnt clear how many people will show up on election day. Fewer than one-third of registered voters actually cast ballots in the June primary. Nearly half of them supported Republicans. As political observers watch the race from across California, most district Democrats arent thinking about their partys fate in Sacramento. According to Democrat Espi Sandoval, a city councilman from Kerman, they simply dont care about the supermajority. A lot of our people are just caught up in survival, Sandoval said. Theyre so poor that voting is not even a priority. mini.racker@latimes.com Twitter: @MiniRacker President Trump criticized Saudi Arabias account of how journalist Jamal Khashoggi died, but maintained that he does not know if Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is responsible for the brutal slaying. Saudi officials claim that Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, died in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul after a fistfight with officials, but Turkish investigators say the journalist was tortured and beheaded by Saudi agents. Khashoggi was last seen entering the consulate on Oct. 2. Nobody has told me hes responsible, Trump told the Washington Post in a phone interview on Saturday night, referring to the crown prince. Nobody has told me hes not responsible. We havent reached that point . . . I would love if he wasnt responsible. After previously saying that the Saudi explanation had been credible, Trump told the newspaper that obviously theres been deception, and theres been lies. Advertisement However, Trump also praised the oil-laden nation as an incredible ally. He was also asked about the relationship between the crown prince and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, a White House advisor. Theyre two young guys, Trump told the Washington Post. Jared doesnt know him well or anything. They are just two young people. They are the same age. They like each other, I believe. Saudi officials say 18 suspects are in custody, but critics believe Khashoggis death could not have taken place without the knowledge of the countrys powerful 33-year-old crown prince. Despite the unanswered questions, Trump said that he is hoping a $110 billion arms sale with the Saudis wont be impacted by the investigation. Its the largest order in history, Trump said, according to the Washington Post. To give that up would hurt us far more than it hurts them. Then all theyll do is go to Russia or go to China. All thats doing is hurting us. With that being said, something will take place. The European Union said that the emerging details of Khashoggis death are deeply troubling and that a continued thorough, credible and transparent investigation is needed. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) told CNNs State of the Union on Sunday that the crown prince crossed a line with the slaying and must pay a price. Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wants Turkey to turn over tapes from the slaying to the U.S. The Turks have been talking more to the media than they have us, Corker said. With News Wire Services Francisco Javier Carrillo Mejia, Rotary Club Tijuana Kumiai president, and several fellow Rotarians were recent guests at a Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo dinner meeting. Also present was Mel Gallegos, District 5340 governor. This was a reciprocal visit after nine Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo members plus two Rotarians each from the Encinitas and Del Mar clubs went to Mexico last summer to visit the Tijuana Kumiai Rotary Club. The purpose was to view current and future projects the Tijuana club and its District 4100 identified as needed. In addition to prioritizing projects, the Rancho Bernardo and Tijuana clubs decided during their visit in Mexico to become twin clubs, in order to establish a partnership to further international understanding and foster goodwill through long-standing fellowship and international service. The gathering in Rancho Bernardo included Carrillo Mejia and RB President Doug Dawson signing a Twin Club Certificate of Recognition. The presidents also presented each other with their respective clubs banner. The Rotarians said they hope this will be the beginning of many collaborative projects. Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Press Release October 20, 2018 De Lima elated over Carpio's acceptance of CJ nomination Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has expressed elation over the acceptance of Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio of his automatic nomination to become the country's next chief justice. De Lima, a lawyer by profession, said she is "happy and relieved" to know that Carpio has accepted the nomination for the Chief Justice post given that the members of the Judiciary are called to do their part in upholding democracy and the rule of law. "Amidst issues of great national importance that call out on the members of the Judiciary to preserve their independence and to do their part in upholding the Rule of Law and our Democracy, I am happy and relieved to find out that Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio has accepted the nomination to be the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court," she said in her recent Dispatch from Crame No. 401. "While it is indubitable that he possesses the legal acumen and reasoning prowess to merit appointment to the highest judicial post in the country, it is his integrity and active patriotism that I respect the most," she added. Carpio, who is one of the three justices vying for the top judge post after the short stint of Chief Justice Teresita De Castro, formally accepted his automatic nomination for the top post last Oct. 12. Maintaining that he saw no reason anymore to turn down the nomination, Carpio reportedly said, "There appears to be no legal impediment... There is no reason to decline." Carpio previously declined his nomination to the Chief Justice post which was vacated following the highly questionable removal of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno through a quo warranto proceeding. He cited "delicadeza" in declining the said nomination. Meanwhile, the Senator from Bicol only has good words for Carpio whom she believes is the leader that the Judiciary deserves, and the champion of the Rule of Law that the Filipino people need. She further lauded Carpio for "passionately, consistently and proactively" defending the country's sovereignty against foreign incursions. "He has shown that being a patriot is not inconsistent with maintaining the dignity and neutrality of a magistrate as, in fact, defending and advocating for the preservation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity are essential aspects of the solemn duty that every public official undertakes whenever they take the oath to protect the Constitution and our system of government," she noted. The most senior sitting magistrate of the High Court, Carpio is now on his 17th year in the SC. Aside from him, other justices who accepted the automatic nomination were Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Lucas Bersamin. According to the Judicial and Bar Council, the application for the Chief Justice post is extended until October 26. Press Release October 20, 2018 Duterte wants Filipinos to abandon rule of law - De Lima Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged the Filipino public to resist the Duterte administration's deliberate attempt to poison their hearts and minds by making them disregard the 31-year-old Constitution and abandon the rule of law. De Lima, the first prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime, said the administration's tactics is to defeat the defenders of the human rights and rule of law by making them see the apparent futility of their efforts. "Pinapagod nila ang isip at puso ng mga tao. Gusto nilang bumitiw na tayo sa pagtatanggol sa katotohanan at katarungan," she said in her message during the National Law Day forum held at the Adamson University, Manila last Sept. 19. She added, "they are trying to show people that nothing we do really matters; that a complete lack of good faith from those in the highest echelons of power, conspiring with one another, could undo the progress that has been achieved because of the forethought and hard work that framers and lawmakers have put into painstakingly writing, discussing and debating provisions of the Constitution." In Duterte's first two years in office, the former justice secretary explained that the public saw how the 1987 Constitution, laws and rules were easily bent to accommodate his and his allies' special interests. She pointed out how Duterte has shown his penchant to abuse power by attacking his critics - from her unjust detention in 2017 on trumped-up drug charges to the recent revocation of the amnesty granted to Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV. "No tactic is too shameful to take anymore, if it means those in power can do whatever they want, whenever they want," she said. "A move or a legal argument could be so blatantly unfair, unethical, unlawful and unconstitutional, yet they [Duterte and his allies] would still do it because there is no one brave and independent enough to tell them no," she added. De Lima stressed the true crisis the country faces today is lack of leaders who care for the common good, lamenting that "what we have are leech-like opportunists, who suck the life, freedoms and wealth out of the Filipino people out of pure and simple greed and self-interest." "Kung may maayos na plano ang Administrasyon na ito para sa ating bayan, hindi puro patayan, kalaswaan, murahan at pagganti ang aatupagin nito. Mas madalas pa nga n'yang iniisip at pinag-aaksayahan ng panahon ang pagpaplano ng rebolusyon sa sarili nyang gobyerno kaysa paglutas sa mga problema ng bayan," she said. Considered as a leading prisoner of conscience, De Lima is detained at the police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City for trumped-up drug charges fabricated by the Duterte administration, borne out of Duterte's personal vendetta against her. Press Release October 20, 2018 Dangers of federalism under Duterte regime 'overflowing' - De Lima Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has warned that the Duterte administration's continued push for a change in the 1987 Constitution could lead to more power abuse, oppression and further societal division. In her message during a forum on federalism at the Ateneo de Naga University last Oct. 3, De Lima renewed her opposition to a federal form of government under the Duterte regime, saying that its dangers are "overflowing, glaring and compelling." As such, she reminded future lawyers of the challenge to defend the rule of law by always being critical of the governmental decisions that have great consequences. "The framers of the 1987 Constitution, together with the justices who penned those decisions are much wiser than those who now seek to alter our organic law, because they must have known that an archipelagic country already geographically divided, should not be further subjected to disunity that breeds divisiveness," she said. "As learned students of the law, your minds have now been trained to question the ratio behind governmental decisions of transcendental importance that would affect the entire nation and generations yet to come," she added. The message, entitled "Federalism: A Recipe for further Division and Disintegration of our Nation," was read by Angela Jaemi Favorito Huit, Ateneo de Naga University Law Program Head, during a Lecture Series on "Federalism and its Ramifications Across the Nation," at the Ateneo de Naga University last Oct. 3. Highlighting the possible adverse effects of a federal form of government, De Lima asked, "What happens to regions who are as not as agriculturally gifted as the others? They could be left behind, slowly rotting away into their demise, without a central government to ensure their rise." "Hostilities among ethnic groups could worsen if the national government would no longer be an omnipresent force to neutralize the situation. Political Dynasties whose vigor will be fortified by the impunity that devolution provides, would flourish as they rob the poor of services and benefits that rightfully belong to them," she added. Note that under a federal form of government, a written constitution will divide power between a central government and regional or sub-divisional governments. De Lima, a lawyer by profession, urged future lawyers to not be discouraged because the rule of law is at the brink of extinction, saying that they should let it fuel their love for the law instead. "May you never tire to question the unconstitutionality of the steps taken to whitewash the wrongs this administration have so capriciously committed. And may you continue to enthusiastically dream of becoming honorable members of the Philippine Bar," she said. The Senator from Bicol has always been firm on her stance that it is difficult to entrust any amendments or revisions on the Constitution to an administration that has shown susceptibility to abuse power and to allow impunity to prosper. Press Release October 21, 2018 ANGARA: TEACH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES HISTORY IN SCHOOLS Senator Sonny Angara has called for the full implementation of the Integrated History Law that mandates the teaching of indigenous peoples (IPs) history in both basic and higher education in the country. "By including this subject in our education system, we effectively instill further understanding of IP history, culture and identity in the minds of the youth. This way, we can better foster a culture of peace," said Angara, as the country now celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Month which aims to promote the preservation of their culture. Under Republic Act 10908, which Angara authored, the history, culture and identity studies of IPs and of Filipino-Muslims should be integrated in the formulation of the curriculum for the study of Philippine history, including the writing, printing and publication of textbooks and other reading materials. According to the Department of Education, the law is currently being implemented but only in select schools, mostly in Mindanao. Angara urged the DepEd to fast-track the implementation of the Integrated History Law, which was enacted in 2016, in all schools nationwide in order to create "a truly inclusive history that accounts for all Filipinos." Based on data from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, there are around 15 million IPs in the country, mainly concentrated in Mindanao and Northern Luzon. A United Nations report on the State of the World showed that IPs "make up one-third of the world's poorest peoples, suffer disproportionately in areas like health, education, and human rights, and regularly face systemic discrimination and exclusion." To help address this, Angara has also filed Senate Bill 978 that seeks to establish Resource Centers in all indigenous cultural communities to enhance the delivery of basic and necessary services such as training programs, grant of scholarships, employment, livelihood, and health services. Press Release October 21, 2018 On Romero's canonization, De Lima calls to stand up for social justice Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged the public to stand up for social justice as exemplified by the martyrdom of El Salvador Archbishop Oscar Romero, the newest Catholic saint who championed social justice for the oppressed and destitute. Mindful of the worsening human rights situation in the Philippines under the Duterte regime, De Lima maintained that all Filipino Catholic faithful should emulate how Romero stood up against social injustice, poverty, and torture. "Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador was assassinated in the 1980s because he spoke out and worked against social injustice and gross rights violations suffered by the Latin American people," she said in her Dispatch from Crame No. 400. "Amid these dark times of Duterte-instigated killings, impunity, erosion of rule of law, attacks against the Church and persecution of critics, let us all summon our inner 'Romeros' to stand up for our common dignity and faith," she added. De Lima's statement was also read by Fr. Robert Reyes during a Thanksgiving Mass held at the People Power Monument in Quezon City on the historic occasion of Romero's canonization. Considered as a martyr for social justice, Romero was declared a saint by Pope Francis in a ceremony in Vatican City, Rome last Oct. 14, which was roughly four decades after he was assassinated by a rightwing death squad. "We declare and define Paul VI and Oscar Arnulfo Romero Galdamez...to be saints and we enrol them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole church," Pope Francis said, before the crowds broke into wild applause," Pope Francis reportedly said. Notably, he was made a saint along with six other canonized church figures, including Pope Paul VI. De Lima, a known human rights defender, also acknowledged that in 2010, the United Nations declared March 24, the day of Romero's death, as "International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims" to honor his sacrifice. Press Release October 21, 2018 De Lima calls Bicolana teacher a true hero for saving her pupils' lives Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has recognized the tragic heroism of Bicolana teacher Mylene Veras-Durante who died while defending her two students from a knife-wielding assailant. De Lima, a native of Iriga City, Camarines Sur, said Durante deserves to be called a true "hero" and an "idol" that people can look up to because of the selfless choices she made in life and not because of the manner of her death. "The words 'hero' and 'idol' have become over - and too loosely - used. Yet, what do you call a person who chose to become a teacher [who] accepted a post 44km away from her home, being away from her own two kids as she had to settle for sleeping in the principal's office of her school because the travel time was nearly impossible to manage otherwise? "Who, after making the daily sacrifices that an educator in her circumstances had to make, ended up sacrificing even more, that is, her very own life in order to protect two of her students from a violent attack?" the Senator wrote in her recent Dispatch from Crame No. 399. A 23-year-old mother of two, Durante was reportedly stabbed to death while shielding two students from a knife-wielding assailant who attacked them inside their school in Pio Duran town, Albay, last Oct. 9. According to the police, the principal's office had served as Durante's sleeping quarters for the last two years. For De Lima, Durante was not defeated by her death but instead succeeded in saving two children who have a chance at a bright future. "She succeeded in shedding light to the hardships endured by teachers, especially young ones who are the most prone to being sent far away from home. She succeeded in drawing attention to what needs to be improved in order to protect and promote the welfare of our educators," she said. "She did not choose to die. In fact, she chose to fight. To fight for her calling. To fight for her students," she added. Relating it with a line from the National Anthem "ang mamatay ng dahil sa'yo," De Lima said there are really some things that are worth fighting for - even at the expense of an individual's life. "That is the true test of patriotism and love for our country and fellowmen. And Mylene should be honored for living up to that vow," she said. Press Release October 21, 2018 POE PANEL SETS SCRUTINY OF 3RD TELCO The Senate committee on public services chaired by Sen. Grace Poe is calling a public hearing on Monday, October 22 to discuss the status of talks concerning the selection of a third major telecommunications service provider that is seen to break the duopoly in the telecommunications sector. Poe set the "explanatory" hearing at 10 a.m. at the Senate Session Hall. Poe said the Senate, in the exercise of its oversight functions, needs to be apprised of the developments surrounding the much-awaited entry of the country's next telco player in anticipation of the reported award next month. She added her committee will play a major role in tackling the congressional franchise of the applicant. "We need to have meaningful competition in public utilities like telecommunications that will translate to lower costs and better service," Poe said in the light of reports that the Philippines ranks near the bottom in Internet speed globally and has one of the most expensive mobile and data rates. The Executive, particularly the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and other related government agencies, is expected to brief senators about the issue. Among the resource persons expected to provide a peek into the ongoing negotiations between the government and the private sector for the third telco include DICT Acting Sec. Eliseo Rio, Jr., NTC chair Gamaliel Cordoba, Securities and Exchange Commission chair Emilio Aquino, Philippine Competition Commission chair Arsenio Balisacan, Socioeconomic Planning Sec. Ernesto Pernia and Department of Science and Technology Sec. Fortunato Dela Pena. Companies earlier named as interested parties that included NOW Corp., Converge ICT Solutions, and Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp., among others, as well as major telco players Globe and PLDT are invited to the briefing. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Trump says US will pull out of nuclear deal with Russia Elko, United States, Oct 20 (AFP) Oct 20, 2018 President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday that the United States plans to leave a landmark nuclear weapons treaty with Russia over claims Moscow has violated the deal. The three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, known as the INF, was signed in 1987 by president Ronald Reagan. "We're the ones who have stayed in the agreement and we've honored the agreement, but Russia has not unfortunately honored the agreement, so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," Trump told reporters in Elko, Nevada. "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years. I don't know why president (Barack) Obama didn't negotiate or pull out. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons (while) we're not allowed to." Trump spoke as his National Security Advisor John Bolton was in Moscow to meet with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, ahead of what is expected to be a second summit between Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin this year. US-Russia ties are under deep strain over accusations that Moscow meddled in the 2016 presidential election, as well as tension over Russian support for the Syrian government in the country's civil war, and the conflict in Ukraine. However, Washington is looking for support from Moscow in finding resolutions to the Syria war and putting pressure on both Iran and North Korea. No new summit between Trump and Putin has been announced, but one is expected in the near future. The two leaders will be in Paris on November 11 to attend commemorations marking the end of World War I. A senior Trump administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said another potential date would be when the presidents both attend the Group of 20 meeting on November 30 to December 1. Trump opposes halting Saudi arms deal after journalist death Elko, United States, Oct 20 (AFP) Oct 20, 2018 US President Donald Trump warned Saturday against halting a Saudi arms deal, saying it would hurt American jobs, despite the international furor over the death in the conservative kingdom's Istanbul consulate of a dissident journalist. "We have $450 billion, $110 billion of which is a military order, but this is equipment and various things ordered from Saudi Arabia," Trump told reporters about an agreement to sell weapons to Riyadh. "It's over a million jobs; that's not helpful for us to cancel an order like that. That hurts us far more than it hurts them," he added, noting Riyadh could obtain the weapons from other countries like China or Russia. "But there are other things that could be done, including sanctions." Saudi Arabia has admitted that critic Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its Istanbul consulate after an physical altercation, in a major dialing back of two weeks of denials, but the whereabouts of his body remain unclear. Turkish officials have accused Riyadh of carrying out a state-sponsored killing and dismembering the body, which police have begun hunting for in an Istanbul forest. Trump has said he found the explanation credible despite continued skepticism from some US lawmakers, including Republicans. "It was a big first step. It was a good first step. But I want to get to the answer," Trump said of Saudi's acknowledgement that Khashoggi had died. Trump has said that Saudi Arabia is valued as a historic customer for the US weapons industry, and that the US also relies on the kingdom in the fight against terror. But the controversy over Khashoggi's death has evolved into a major crisis for Crown Prince Mohammed, a Trump administration favorite widely known as MBS whose image as a modernizing Arab reformer has been gravely undermined. Trump unsatisfied with Saudi response to journalist death, backs arms deal Elko, United States, Oct 20 (AFP) Oct 20, 2018 US President Donald Trump said Saturday he was not satisfied with Saudi Arabia's response to a dissident journalist's death, but warned against scrapping a multibillion-dollar deal with the conservative kingdom. Saudi Arabia has admitted that critic Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its Istanbul consulate after a physical altercation, in a major dialing back of two weeks of denials, but the whereabouts of his body remain unclear. It said 18 Saudis have been arrested in connection with his death and two top aides of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as three other intelligence agents, have been sacked. "It was a big first step. It was a good first step," Trump said of the move. "But I want to get to the answer." Yet Trump also warned against halting the massive arms deal with Riyadh, saying it would hurt American jobs, despite the international furor over Khashoggi's death. "We have $450 billion, $110 billion of which is a military order, but this is equipment and various things ordered from Saudi Arabia," Trump told reporters. "It's over a million jobs; that's not helpful for us to cancel an order like that. That hurts us far more than it hurts them," he added, noting Riyadh could obtain the weapons from other countries like China or Russia. "But there are other things that could be done, including sanctions." Turkish officials have accused Riyadh of carrying out a state-sponsored killing and dismembering the body, which police have begun hunting for in an Istanbul forest. Trump has said he found the explanation credible despite continued skepticism from some US lawmakers, including Republicans. The US president has said that Saudi Arabia is valued as a historic customer for the US weapons industry, and that the US also relies on the kingdom in the fight against terror. But the controversy over Khashoggi's death has blown up into a major crisis for Crown Prince Mohammed, a Trump administration favorite widely known as MBS whose image as a modernizing Arab reformer has been gravely undermined. US dreams of 'unipolar world' in nuclear deal pull-out: Russian foreign ministry Moscow, Oct 20 (AFP) Oct 20, 2018 Washington's move to pull out of a landmark nuclear weapons treaty with Russia is motivated by a dream of a single global superpower, Russian state news agencies on Saturday cited a foreign ministry source as saying. "The main motive is a dream of a unipolar world. Will it come true? No," a foreign ministry source told RIA Novosti state news agency. The official said that Russia has "many times publicly denounced the US policy course towards dismantling the nuclear deal." Washington "has approached this step over the course of many years by deliberately and step by step destroying the basis for the agreeement," the official said, quoted by Russia's three main news agencies. "This decision is part of the US policy course to withdraw from those international legal agreements that place equal responsibilities on it and its partners and make vulnerable its concept of its own 'exceptionalism'," the official said. Russian senator Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter that the move was "the second powerful blow against the whole system of strategic stability in the world" with the first being Washington's 2001 withdrawal from the Anti- Ballistic Missile treaty." "And again the initiator of the dissolution of the agreement is the US," Pushkov wrote. Barzani party tops Iraq Kurd vote despite failed independence bid Erbil, Iraq, Oct 21 (AFP) Oct 21, 2018 The dominant party in Iraq's Kurdistan has secured the most seats in the autonomous region's parliament, despite its leader Massud Barzani having championed an ill-fated independence referendum last year, the local electoral commission said Sunday. Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) won 45 of 111 seats in the September 30 polls, up from 38 at the last polls in 2013, according to final results announced by the region's electoral commission. Barzani was the key backer of Kurdistan's independence vote in September 2017 that was deemed illegal by Iraq's central government and saw Baghdad impose economic penalties and retake disputed territory. The KDP's main rivals, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), likewise made gains in the region's elections and will see 21 of its lawmakers enter parliament, up from 18. The leaders of the region's top two political parties also took their rivalry to Baghdad, contesting the honorary role of Iraqi president. The PUK's candidate Barham Saleh won that race, maintaining a tacit accord between the two parties which sees the PUK take the federal presidency while the KDP holds the Kurdistan presidency. However, the Iraqi Kurdish presidency has been left vacant since Barzani stepped down following the failed independence referendum. In Kurdistan's parliamentary vote, the main opposition Goran (Change) party lost half of its seats and was left with 12 lawmakers. The only newcomer in the September 30 poll was the New Generation movement, founded this year to channel public anger at the region's elite, which won eight seats. The results mean the KDP could theoretically have the parliamentary majority without having to form an alliance with its political rivals, instead gaining the backing of minority lawmakers. The appointment of a new president to replace Barzani has been on hold, pending the drafting of a new Kurdish constitution for which no timetable has been set. Goran and numerous Islamist parties have said they will reject the results of the vote, which saw a 57 percent turnout according to official figures. The ethnic and religious minorities of Kurdistan's three provinces in northern Iraq -- which have been autonomous since 1991 -- are reserved 11 seats in parliament. Five each go to Turkmen and Christian candidates, with one for the Armenian community. The remainder of the seats were won by smaller, mainly Islamist parties. Russia warns Trump over 'dangerous' plan to quit nuclear treaty Moscow, Oct 21 (AFP) Oct 21, 2018 Moscow on Sunday warned US President Donald Trump that his plan to ditch a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty with Russia was a dangerous step. Ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who signed the original document back in 1987, condemned the move as showing Trump's "lack of wisdom." Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that withdrawal "would be a very dangerous step" and said Washington faced international condemnation in its bid for "total supremacy" in the military sphere. He insisted that Moscow observed "in the strictest way" the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, known as the INF, while accusing Washington of "flagrant violations". The treaty was signed by then US president Ronald Reagan and Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, who on Sunday told Interfax news agency that "dropping these agreements... shows a lack of wisdom" and is a "mistake". Germany "regrets the planned withdrawal" and it will require discussion among NATO countries, a government spokeswoman said, calling the treaty "an important element of arms control". But Trump on Saturday claimed Russia had long violated the treaty. "We're the ones who have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement, but Russia has not unfortunately honored the agreement, so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," he told reporters. "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years," he said. "And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons (while) we're not allowed to." Trump's National Security Advisor John Bolton arrived in Moscow on Sunday and is set to meet Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies that President Vladimir Putin may also meet Bolton to seek "clarifications". The row comes ahead of what is expected to be a second summit between Trump and Putin this year. The Trump administration has complained of Moscow's deployment of Novator 9M729 missiles, which Washington says fall under the treaty's ban on missiles that can travel distances between 310 and 3,400 miles (500 and 5,500 kilometres). The INF resolved a crisis over Soviet nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles targeting Western capitals. The latest rift could have "the most lamentable consequences", political analyst Alexei Arbatov told Interfax news agency, dragging Russia into a "new cycle of the arms race". - US or Russia at fault? - A Russian foreign ministry official earlier accused Washington of implementing policy "toward dismantling the nuclear deal". For many years, Washington has been "deliberately and step by step destroying the basis for the agreement," said the unnamed official quoted by state news agencies. The official accused the United States of backing out of international agreements that put it on an equal footing with other countries because it wanted to protect American "exceptionalism". Russian Senator Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter that the move was "the second powerful blow against the whole system of strategic stability in the world" after Washington's 2001 withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty. Bolton himself is pressuring Trump to leave the INF and has blocked talks to extend the New Start treaty on strategic missiles set to expire in 2021, according to The Guardian newspaper. US withdrawal from the INF "will destroy any prospects of extending the New Start treaty," the head of the Russian Senate's foreign affairs committee Konstantin Kosachev warned on Facebook. The US plan to withdraw from the INF is also targeting China. As a non-signatory, Beijing can develop intermediate-range nuclear weapons without constraints. US-Russia ties are under deep strain over accusations that Moscow meddled in the 2016 US presidential election. The two countries are also at odds over Russian support for the Syrian government in the country's civil war, and the conflict in Ukraine. On Friday, the US Justice Department indicted the finance chief of Russia's leading troll farm for allegedly interfering with US congressional elections to be held in November. Russia accused the United States of fabricating the charges. While no new summit between Trump and Putin has yet been announced, one is expected in the near future. The two leaders will be in Paris on November 11 to attend commemorations marking 100 years since the end of World War I. A senior Trump administration official said another potential date could be when both presidents attend the Group of 20 meeting in Buenos Aires on November 30 and December 1. burs-oh/am/gd English20/10/2018 SPECTACULAR WORLD TOUR BY EMIR KUSTURICA AND NO SMOKING ORCHESTRA BARCELONA, October 20 /SRNA/ - Emir Kusturica and The No Smoking Orchestra held a concert in Barcelona in front of several thousand fans and thus marked the beginning of the second part of their autumn tour. The tour resumed with a large concert in Carcassonne and then with a concert in Paris, for the third time this year. Tickets for all concerts were sold out as early as at the beginning of September. By the end of the year, Emir Kusturica and the No Smoking Orchestra will resume their tour in Russia, Switzerland, China, Chile, Cuba and Argentina. Music critics in Spain, France and South America claim that no band from Serbia has ever had such a successful carrier abroad. Kusturica and the No Smoking Orchestra had to reject managers from Sweden, Netherlands and the Middle East who insisted that concerts be held there as well for a huge interest of the public. The reasons are Kusturicas prior obligations. He is promoting his new movie about the former president of Uruguay Jose Mujica: El Pepe: Una Vida Suprema, which was invited to take part in more than 40 international film festivals. /end/sg Ron Ball A war of words has erupted between Warwickshires former police and crime commissioner and the leadership of West Mercia Police over the decision to split the alliance between the two forces. Last week West Mercia Police surprisingly announced that they intended to end the strategic alliance with Warwickshire Police, claiming the move would provide the public with better value for money. In a letter to the Home Secretary this week, Ron Ball, who stepped down as Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner in 2016, launched a scathing attack on the serving West Mercia commissioner John Campion and West Mercias chief constable Anthony Bangham. Mr Ball accuses the pair of treating the organisation as though it is a private company of which they have 100 per cent ownership emphasising the lack of consultation carried out before the decision was taken. For more on this story read the Herald here. Dandolo Du Gite jumps the seventh in the Aye Aye Reggie 'NH' Maiden Hurdle. Photo: David Pratt AFTER a spell as stable jockey to ten-times champion trainer Paul Nicholls, Sam Twiston-Davies took what looked to be a bold step when deciding to sever his ties to ride as a freelance this season, but a double at Stratford on Saturday continued the momentum built up over the summer months, lifting his score to 48 for the campaign, writes David Hucker. Twiston-Davies has the support of his father Nigels highly-successful yard and they were on the mark with One Forty Seven, who registered his first win at the 11 attempt in the William Hill Leading Racecourse Bookmaker Handicap Chase when taking advantage of the blunder by leader Return Flight to beat Opechee by 11 lengths in the only race of the day to be run faster than the Racing Post standard time. The day had started well for Twiston-Davies as odds-on Dandolo Du Gite made all the running to take the opening Aye Aye Reggie "National Hunt" Maiden Hurdle over two and three-quarter miles to add to his Fontwell bumper win. Trainer Neil Mulholland, who had been on the mark in the last race at Wincanton the day before, will be hoping that, despite a tendency to jump to the right, the lightly-raced Dandolo Du Gite can build on this success, having recorded two wins from just four runs. Another jockey in double-winning form was Bryony Frost, who missed virtually all the summer jumps campaign through injury, starting with Gaelic Flow, who quickly went clear after going past leader Turnbury before the final flight to land the Euan Robertson Memorial Novices' Handicap Hurdle. She was on the scoresheet again when Canford Thompson was an even wider margin winner of the closing Kevin Watson Lady Riders' Handicap Hurdle. Ridden in exactly the same way as her earlier winner, Frost never had a moments doubt as Neil Kings runner powered 14 lengths clear of Olly Murphys So Sorry Sarah, who would have finished closer but for hitting the final flight, although was no match for the winner. A second win from just five rides for the King stable in the last fortnight, Canford Thompson was a 65 career success for Frost, who had such a prolific winning time last season on Black Corton, who helped establish her career as a professional after a grounding in point-to-points. The drying ground came just in time for Dan Skeltons consistent Excellent Team in the Amadeus Catering Selling Hurdle, with all four of his wins having come on good or fast going, but he was no match for former stable companion Atlantic Storm, who was brought to challenge going to the last by Aidan Coleman and go clear to score for Pembrokeshire trainer David Rees. Another for whom the drying conditions were ideal was Solstalla, who was pulled up on her only run on heavy ground. Ridden by Page Fuller, she proved too good for top-weight Shambra in the Watch Racing UK On Sky 426 Mares' Handicap Hurdle, overcoming a blunder at the final flight to win by one and half lengths. In a race where all of the runners looked to have something to prove, Saffron Prince and Daniel Hiskett collared front-running course winner Deise Vu to land the Hammersly Lake Good Luck In America Tonight Handicap Chase for Cotswold trainer David Bridgwater after his Opechee had finished runner-up earlier on the card. Hammersly Lake himself finished unplaced for owner Rob Aplin and Over Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon in the $450,000 American Grand National run at Far Hills Racecourse in New Jersey, as favourite Jury Duty, yet another big race winner for Gordon Elliott, beat Tornado Watch to make it a 1-2 for Ireland. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Areas in the north of the province of Malaga are attempting to clear up the mess after torrential rain caused serious flood damage in Bobadilla, Campillos, Teba, Casarabonela and Ardales, as well as the Ronda area and Estepona Sunday morning. An Antequera firefighter lost his life after the fire engine he was driving overturned on its way to aid the rescue operation near Campillos. He was dragged along by the flood water and his body was found on Sunday morning. Rescue in Bobadilla. / SALVADOR SALAS The Spanish met office Aemet issued a red weather warning for heavy rain from midnight on Saturday and emergency services from around the province were deployed in the area. The heavy rain persisted throughout Sunday morning and hundreds of residents were forced to abandon their homes or spend the night bailing out water, while others were trapped for hours in their vehicles as roads were closed. On Sunday the government sent in the military to help with the rescue and clean-up operation with more resources deployed on Monday. Schools were closed on Monday in Estepona, Campillos, Benaojan and Bobadilla. Campillos All access roads to Campillos were closed and an emergency operation base set up at a local service station. Locals were called on to lend their tractors and boats to the authorities. The situation was described as "serious" by the emergency services with considerable material damage caused. Teba In Teba, according to the local mayor Cristobal Corral, several people had to be resuced from their vehicles trapped in the floods and around 300 reisdents were unable to return to their homes after roads became inaccessible. Arond 80 homes were thought to have been flooded and around ten people had to spend the night in municipal buildings after being unable to leave the village. Bobadilla In Bobadilla Estacion several families had to be rescued from their homes and spent the night at the station. The village was completely cut off. "We've never seen anything like this, it's incredible" said one resident. Ronda In Ronda archaeologists were assessing the damage caused to the Rio Guadalevin Moorish baths, one of the best-preserved monuments of its kind in the Iberian peninsula. Flash floods washed away part of an18th century tannery as well as a wall in the gardens. Estepona In Estepona the heavy rain closed the A-7 road and flooded buildings include the Local Police station and the health centre. The River Guadalmansa broke its banks. The Australian-first Aerostructures Innovation Research Hub (AIR Hub) will bring together the best of Victorias aerospace research, design and manufacturing leaders to work with industry on the next generation of air mobility. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Milan, Italy Sun, October 21, 2018 14:01 1123 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877893357 2 Lifestyle Armani,Giorgio-Armani,fashion,#fashion Free Italian fashion house Armani will stay independent, its founder and designer Giorgio Armani in an interview published Friday on business website Milano Finanza. "I have always believed that economic independence was the fundamental principle to work in full freedom," said Armani. The 84-year-old giant of Italian fashion said he had been approached about selling many times "but the answer is always the same". A number of Italy's major luxury brands have been sold to foreign outfits in the past couple of decades, including Gucci and Fendi. The latest one is Versace, which was sold to US group Michael Kors in September. He acknowledged that such sales can wound national pride, but said that they are a sign of the changing times and globalisation. Read also: In Milan, Fendi and Prada dress strong women, Armani invades airport "For these houses, the esprit is Italian: if that can be kept intact, then international groups are suitable," said Armani. Armani, Italy's second luxury group behind Prada, created a foundation in 2016 which will make it difficult for any outsider to gain control or dismantle the firm. Armani plans to lead the foundation until his death. The firm generated sales of 2.3 billion euros in 2017. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Robin Millard (Agence France-Presse) London Sun, October 21, 2018 16:07 1123 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877897d90 2 Art & Culture Marie-Antoinette,jewelry,auction,London Free Marie Antoinette's dazzling diamonds and pearls, unseen in public for two centuries, went on show in London on Friday before going on sale next month in one of the most important royal jewelry auctions in history. The treasures were secretly whisked out of Paris in 1791 in the aftermath of the French Revolution and have been privately owned by relatives ever since. The collection, held by the Italian royal House of Bourbon-Parma, is being sold by Sotheby's auction house in Geneva on November 14. On show at their London headquarters, the lots include 10 pieces which belonged to Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was guillotined in Paris aged 37 in October 1793. "The romance, magic and universality of her name is because she represents that sophistication of l'ancien regime. She is it," Andres White Correal, Sotheby's senior director of jewelry, told AFP. "It is the sale of the 21st century. Because how do you top Marie Antoinette? Also because it's so scarce. There isn't much left." The highlight is Queen Marie Antoinette's Pearl, a natural pearl and diamond pendant valued at $1-2 million (870,000-1.75 million euros). A natural pearl and diamond necklace composed of three rows of more than 100 slightly graduated pearls is expected to fetch $200,000-300,000, as are a pair of natural pearl and diamond pendant earrings. A monogrammed ring containing a lock of her hair is valued at $8,000-10,000. "The ring is a small diamond ring with a lock of her hair inside, with the monogram MA set with rose diamonds," Sotheby's jewelry specialist Benoit Repellin told AFP. "The value of the diamonds themselves is very low but there is an emotional value and a historic value behind it." Read also: Gucci unveils latest jewelry collection Spirited out of France A fine natural pearl and diamond necklace is priced at $40,000-70,000, while a double ribbon bow diamond brooch is estimated at $50,000-80,000. When king Louis XVI, his wife Marie Antoinette and their children tried to flee the French Revolution in March 1791, the royal jewels were smuggled out of the country into the trust of a confidant in Brussels. They were then sent on to relatives in Austria and passed down through the generations. "It is one of the most important royal jewellery collections ever to appear on the market and each and every jewel is absolutely imbued with history," said Daniela Mascetti, deputy chair of Sotheby's jewelry Europe. "This extraordinary group of jewels offers a captivating insight into the lives of its owners going back hundreds of years." White Correal compared Marie Antoinette to Egyptian pharaoh Cleopatra and Britain's Diana, princess of Wales. He said there were queens with greater political and historical stature but Marie Antoinette "had the allure". The Bourbon-Parma sale also contains jewelry belonging to Charles X, the last monarch styled king of France, including a diamond tiara; jewels from empress Marie Therese of Austria -- Marie Antoinette's mother -- and from Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I, who died in 1916. The fleur de lys design tiara, made in 1912, contains diamonds from the collection of Charles X, Marie Antoinette's brother-in-law, who died in 1836. It is estimated at $350,000-550,000. The collection has been exhibited in Hong Kong, Dubai and New York and will go on to Singapore, Taipei and back to Geneva where they will go under the hammer. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, October 21, 2018 10:49 1124 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087788cbc6 4 City Jakarta-administration,Bekasi,Bantar-Gebang,bantar-gebang-waste-treatment Free The Jakarta administration will not disburse a grant requested by the Bekasi administration for financial contribution for the capital city having the dumpsite in the West Java city over budget deliberation technicalities, officials have said. The Jakarta administration only allocated a regular compensation fund of Rp 194 billion (US$12.8 million) for dumping its waste to the Bantar Gebang landfill in Bekasi, said Jakarta Environment Agency integrated waste management unit head Asep Kuswanto said. Jakarta did not allocate the grant or partnership fund of Rp 2.09 trillion that Bekasi had proposed as the city had completed the deliberation of the 2018 Revised Regional Budget (APBD-P) in September. We are also still focusing on completing development projects in Jakarta, Asep said on Saturday as reported by kompas.com. Jakarta also could not promise that it would allocate the requested fund in the 2019 regional budget draft, which is currently being discussed with the Jakarta Legislative Council. Premi Lasari, the Jakarta Governance Bureau head, said Bekasi had just proposed the Rp 2.09 trillion fund to the city administration on Oct. 15, during which the city was discussing the citys budget priorities for 2019 (KUA-PPAS) with the Jakarta Council. Any grant handed over to another regional administration must be included before the deliberation of the budget, according to a 2016 gubernatorial regulation, she added. Premi said Jakarta could only allocate the fund in the 2019 revised budget or in the 2020 regional budget deliberations next year. Bekasi had previously insisted Jakarta grant them the fund to be used for infrastructure projects as compensation for allowing Jakarta to dump its waste in the city. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ruslan Sangadji (The Jakarta Post) Palu Sun, October 21, 2018 11:09 1124 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087788d778 1 National Central-Sulawesi-earthquake,Palu-Earthquake-Tsunami,Donggala-earthquake-tsunami,#CentralSulawesiQuake,#PaluTsunami,#DonggalaEarthquake,earthquake,inmates Free Many volunteers have arrived in Palu, Central Sulawesi, to help recover bodies from the earthquake, tsunami and soil liquefaction. They also have helped to provide food, drink, clothes, tents and blankets to survivors. A group of volunteers stood out from the rest with their orange vests. On their vests was written WBP Rutan Palu (members of Palu detention center), showing that they are volunteering inmates from Palu Detention Center. Nudin Lasahido, the coordinator of the volunteering inmates, told The Jakarta Post on Friday that they were permitted to leave the detention center from morning until afternoon to help survivors. Afterward, they return to the detention center. We come every morning to help the survivors, he said. Nudin said the group called themselves Bui Squad (Prison Squad). They distribute food to survivors at temporary shelters as well as help clean residents homes and neighborhoods that were damaged by the earthquake and tsunami. The local office of the Law and Human Rights Ministry has permitted them to do the volunteer work. I coordinate with my friends to participate, said Nudin, who is currently serving a seven-year sentence. Bui Squad cooperated with the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and Yaskum Indonesia to distribute aid at temporary shelters. Inmates from Palu detention center in Central Sulawesi gather in front of a public kitchen in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Oct. 11, while helping survivors. (The Jakarta Post/Ruslan Sangadji) The 7.4-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck the waters off the coast of Donggala on Sept. 28 have killed more than 2,100 people in Palu, Sigi, Donggala and Parigi Moutong. Nearly 79,000 evacuees are still living in 112 temporary shelters in the province. Some of the evacuees whose houses were only lightly damaged were able to return home but refuse to do so for fear of aftershocks. The disasters also damaged correctional facilities in Palu, Donggala and Sigi, forcing more than a thousand inmates to escape from the prisons. The ministrys Corrections Directorate General recorded that as of Oct. 20, 736 inmates have yet to return, 238 of whom are from the Palu detention center. Malahayati, a survivor who stays at a shelter in Maku village in Sigi regency, thanked the volunteers despite their criminal history. They may call you criminals, but for us you are angels, she told the volunteers. (wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, October 21, 2018 19:14 1123 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087789a74d 1 Politics Saudi-Arabia,Jamal-Khashoggi,freedom-of-speech,press-freedom,AJI,Turkey,journalist Free The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) has called on the international community to monitor the legal process of the alleged murderers of the Washington Post's Jamal Khashoggi following Saudi Arabia's recent acknowledgment of the journalist's murder. "Considering the scale of the case, the international community should take part in ensuring that the perpetrators are punished fairly and independently. The legal proceedings should be free from the bias of Saudi Arabia's national interests," AJI chairman Abdul Manan told The Jakarta Post on Sunday. He said the case should be brought to an international court as Saudi Arabia, as an authoritarian state on its way to reform, would likely hide the truth, as well as the murder mastermind, considering that its national interests were at stake. State-run media in Saudi Arabia acknowledged on Saturday that dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi had been killed inside the country's consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, two weeks after his disappearance sparked a global furor. The kingdom also announced the sacking of a top intelligence official, Ahmad al-Assiri, and royal court media advisor, Saud al-Qahtani, both top aides to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who has faced mounting pressure over the Khashoggi affair. "[Such an admission] was predicted as the evidence was too strong to be denied," Manan said. "This admission has again highlighted Saudi Arabia's brutal efforts to silent critics. This deserves strong condemnation from the international community." (evi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, October 21, 2018 16:30 1123 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877897dd4 1 World kim-jong-un,Moon-Jae-In,Korean-peninsula,South-Korea,North-Korea,peace,Dino-Patti-Djalal,foreign-policy Free The Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) granted the Courage for Peace Award to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in for their initiative to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula. "The FPCI strongly highlights the peace process on the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, we gladly give this Courage for Peace Award," said FPCI founder Dino Patti Djalal at the opening ceremony of the community's annual conference, the Conference of Indonesian Foreign Policy (CIFP) 2018, in Jakarta on Saturday. The award, received by North Korean and South Korean ambassadors to Indonesia, An Kwan-il and Kim Chang-beom, respectively, was given amid lively applause and cheers from the conference participants. They cheered as both envoys showed signs of solidarity by raising their joined hands in the air. "It is a great honor to receive this special award for Mr. Kim Jong-un. I will do my best to deliver this award as soon as possible to the highest Mr. Kim Jong-un," said the North Korean An during the event. He said his leader had been attempting to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula, hence easing tensions in the area. He then gave credit to the international community, saying that because of their support, the peace process could go well. South Korean Kim also expressed his gratitude for the award, saying that the two Koreas could now stand together due to a common aspiration. "We are here standing by together [because we are] united by one thing, by a common aspiration: aspiration for peace and peace-building in the Korean Peninsula," he said in his speech. "Such a dramatic change is possible due to support of people here and around the world," Kim said. "It is, however, still in the initial stage. Hopefully you will always stand with us, as well as the journey to the peaceful world." (evi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Devina Heriyanto (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, October 21, 2018 15:18 1123 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877897bbd 1 National Women,stereotypes,gender-diversity,gender,Unilever,Advertisement,advertising-industry Free In Indonesia, only 2 percent of advertisements from the consumer goods industry show women in aspirational or leadership positions, a study by consulting firm Ebiquity Ad Intelligence finds. The recent study was commissioned by consumer goods giant Unilever, which currently stands as the second-largest advertiser in the world. Unilever executive vice president for global marketing Aline Santos told The Jakarta Post recently that a similar pattern could be found across the region. Only 13 percent of industry-wide consumer goods advertisements in China, India and Indonesia featuring women and 18 percent of advertisements featuring men were seen to be positive or progressive. In the TV and digital advertisements we assessed, which were first aired in Indonesia this year, the most common themes were women being featured, but having no clear role aside from demonstrating a product, said Aline. The number reaches as high as 62 percent, meaning that almost two in every three advertisements treat women only as moving mannequins. It does not help that only 4 percent of advertisements portray women as anything besides slim or 'stereotypically' good-looking. The advertising industry can be guilty of putting labels on men too, Aline said. The study finds that only about 9 percent of advertisements show men doing child care or domestic work. Portrayal of men as caring fathers only appears in 3 percent of all advertisements analyzed. Unilever is trying to defy stereotypes through its #Unstereotype campaign, which started in 2016. In June 2017, Unilever launched a partnership with UN Women and other industry leaders to create the Unstereotype Alliance to banish stereotypical portrayals of gender in advertising and all brand-led content. Citing unconscious bias as one of the main barriers to change, Unilever has also run training dubbed Unstereotype Bootcamp to help employees uncover stereotypes and the harmful effect they can bear. Earlier this year, Starbucks made headlines for its decision to close over 8,000 its stores early in the United States to conduct "racial-bias education". This was after outrage over the arrests of two black men in one of its cafes. We have tested thousands of advertisements globally against Unstereotype criteria and consumer feedback across the Asia-Pacific tells us that 96 percent of our advertising in 2018 was seen by consumers as realistic or modern and forward-looking, said Alice of the companys efforts to defy stereotyping in advertisements. Aline further mentioned that there were three areas in which people were typically misrepresented: role, personality and appearance. In Indonesia we launched Sunsilks Hijab Hair Range, the first hair care range designed by Unilever especially for Muslim women who wear hijab head scarves. In our advertising we featured progressive Muslim women, including a young taekwondo fighter, YouTube star and proud hijab-wearer, Carla Rizki. We want to see more great examples of Unstereotype in action like this, said Aline. Unilever strives to go beyond gender to other vital dimensions such as race, class, accent, education, appearance and sexuality in order to tackle stereotypes. For instance, the research also finds that only 3 percent of advertisements show women over the age of 40, while the number stands at 2 percent for men. Not a single one shows a person with a disability. In October last year, Unilever pulled a Facebook advertisement of a body wash by its subsidiary Dove, which is accused of being racist because it showed a black woman turning white. Dove apologized for the advertisement. This did not represent the diversity of real beauty, which is something Dove is passionate about and is core to our beliefs, and it should not have happened, Dove said in a statement last year. Advertising and marketing play a valuable and critical role in shaping culture. Every day, billions of people around the world are exposed to the communications our industry creates, said Aline. We need to reflect a more inclusive society and diversity in age, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation and personal backgrounds. President Joko Jokowi Widodo and First Lady Iriana attended a National Santri Day rally in Surakarta, Central Java, on Saturday, meeting with tens of thousands of santri (Islamic boarding school students) from across the country. Santri must be able to safeguard diversity, Jokowi said at the event. Indonesia is made up of many tribes, religions, cultures and races. Those differences should make us want to get to know and respect each other. Abdul Ghoffarrozin, the head of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) pesantren (Islamic boarding school) wing, said this years National Santri Day rally was attended by 48,000 santri from 34 provinces and was part of a commitment by santri to protect the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. I hope that rallies like this can strengthen the synergy between the government and pesantren, Abdul said. National Santri Day was established by a presidential decree in 2015 to commemorate the declaration of the Jihad Resolution by Muslim cleric and NU founder Muhammad Hasyim Asyari on Oct. 22, 1945. In the declaration, Hasyim urged Muslims in the country to fight against Dutch forces to uphold the nations independence. According to data from the Religious Affairs Ministry, there are over 25,000 pesantren across the country with around 3.65 million santri. Jokowi had promised to establish National Santri Day during his campaign for presidency in 2014. (kmt/ipa) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States Sun, October 21, 2018 23:11 1123 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087789dd2d 2 World #USA,#Russia,#NuclearDeal,USA,Russia,nuclear-pact,China Free A key Republican lawmaker on Sunday backed Donald Trump's plan to withdraw from a decades-old nuclear accord with Russia, saying the US needed to be free to respond to a Chinese nuclear build-up. The US president on Saturday confirmed his plan to withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, saying the Russians had been violating it "for many years" while China, not a signatory, remained free to develop such weapons. Russia denounced the US decision as "very dangerous." But Senator Lindsey Graham, who has become an outspoken ally of Trump's, said on "Fox News Sunday" that the president was making "absolutely the right move. "The Russians have been cheating; the Chinese are building up their missiles... and we need to counter it." Another senior Republican, Senator Bob Corker, agreed that "there's no question that for years Russia has been violating" the accord. He noted on CNN that some defense specialists say that "because China is not part of this (the INF) they're developing systems that will move beyond where we are." But Corker, who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee, said he hoped Trump's stance was designed merely to pressure Russia to return into compliance. "I hope we'll be able to figure out a way to stay within the treaty." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, October 21, 2018 22:43 1123 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087789d0ee 1 Sports badminton,Kevin-Sanjaya-Sukamuljo-Marcus-Fernaldi-Gideon,Denmark-Open-Badminton,2018,champion,mens-doubles Free World number one pair Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon of Indonesia have won the 2018 Denmark Open badminton tournament in the men's doubles after outclassing Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda of Japan 21-15, 21-16 in 36 minutes. It was the 10th meeting between the two pairs and, with the victory, the Indonesians hold a 6-4 advantage in their head-to-head record. We are so happy today [Sunday] because we failed in last year's edition. This year, we came and we won, Marcus said in a statement. At the 2017 Denmark Open, Kevin and Marcus finished as runners-up after losing to Zhang Nan and Liu Cheng of China. Were quite satisfied with todays result. However, we still have another tournament next week, and we have more goals to achieve, he added. The duo's victory marks the first for Indonesia at the event since 2009, when Simon Santoso won the mens singles title. (nkn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Pandaya (The Jakarta Post) Mon, October 22 2018 Kazakhstans new capital city Astana may be only 20 years old and awash with petrodollars but it has already made a name for itself in tourism thanks to the sprouting spectacular futuristic architectural gems, earning it the nickname the Dubai of the North. Massive, some oddly shaped, ultramodern buildings in the city straddling the Ishim River have transformed the once outback provincial town somewhere in the Central Asian steppe into a lively modern metropolis of 1 million people. Back home, travelers will speak breathlessly about such glitzy buildings as the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, Hazrat Sultan Mosque, Khan Shatyr entertainment center, Bayterek tower and Nazarbayev Center. What is wonderful about city sightseeing in Astana is that the city is relatively small and so the places of interest are fairly close to each other. Interestingly, even though the city is home to only 1 million people, or roughly one-10th Jakartas population, motorists bring Astana main streets to a standstill during rush hours. Weather is unpredictable. At the end of spring, a sunny day turns rainy the next day and deteriorates to snowy the following day. That probably explains why the Khan Shatyr mall, whose mammoth tent-like design, captures the imagination of a growing number of visitors, offers indoor entertainment for fun seekers intimidated by sub-freezing weather, such as a beach club and indoor ski slope on its top floor. On my recent short trip, I had the chance to take a close look at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation (also called Palace of Peace and Accord) and the nearby Hasrat Sultan Mosque the two most important landmarks that lavishly showcase President Nursultan Nazarbayevs ambition to portray Kazakhstan as a tolerant Muslim-majority country. The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation is unmistakable for its unique shape: a towering pyramid in a prime area where other oddly shaped skyscrapers vie for attention. Designed by British architect Norman Foster on the suggestion of Nazarbayev in 2003, the pyramid symbolizes friendship, unity and peace. The 130 fluttering doves pictured at the apex of the building signify the ethnic groups that make up the nation. The 62-meter tall pyramid was built speedily, in less than two years, to host the Second Congress of World and Traditional Religions in 2006. It is a multipurpose skyscraper that boasts a 1,300-seat opera theater, party hall, a gallery and an exhibition ground. On the next day, a wet chilly Friday, I managed to brave the notorious cold and visited some other awe-inspiring architectural landmarks that the treeless city loves to show off. The most impressive being the mosque. With an area of 17,700 square meters, the three-level place of worship can accommodate up to 10,000 people, making it the largest in Central Asia. Standing out for its soaring 51-m main dome and four minarets with a height of 77 m on every corner, the mosque is testament to Kazakhstans pursuit of a more religious image after decades of communist rule. Only a few dozen faithful attended the mass prayers but my guide, Magzhan Serikkhanuly, tried to convince me that up to 3,000 people usually worship there on Fridays. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, October 21, 2018 17:03 1123 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087789865b 1 Tips travelers,travel,destination,tips Free There are countless lists of tips, ranging from DIY projects to what foods to eat and why, which come with a slew of travel tip lists as well. But you may not be aware that the world has moved on from some of these well-known travel tips. 1. The early bird gets a cheaper flight ticket Flights were much more infrequent 40 years ago, which increased demand for seats on a plane as the departure date got closer. Nowadays, this is no longer the case. With so many options from countless airlines available and discounts becoming available for every reason in any season, demand is no longer a cause for higher plane prices. Airlines will now compete, especially in price, in order to fill as many seats as possible. Be on the lookout for any available discounts or specials, instead of always trying to rush to get a seat before everyone else. You just might miss a cheaper deal without realizing it. 2. Plane air makes you sick Dry air may cause skin irritation, but most commercial airplanes actually have quite a bit of air filtration. You are not constantly breathing in and out the same stagnant air while you sit in the cabin. Some air of course is recycled otherwise, the air pressure on the plane would begin to drop but recycled cabin air goes through high-efficiency particulate air filters that are designed to rid the air of bacteria and other possibly harmful human waste substances before being returned to the cabin. It is actually the bacteria on other peoples hands and other body parts that is transferred to previously cleaned tray tables, lavatory handles and headrests, which can cause bacterial or viral transfer. Unfortunately for passengers who mind their personal hygiene, not everyone who boards a plane keeps their cleanliness in check. 3. Travel sites have the best hotel prices Traveloka, Expedia and other sites have appeared all over the internet, advertising their cheap hotel prices. It is easy to believe that purchasing from a third party will cost less than booking directly through the hotel itself. But booking directly through the hotel actually gives you a larger chance of getting an upgrade something booking agents and third-party booking platforms rarely do. Hotels also seldom disclose further discounts or offers to third-party agents. According to Lifehacker, you can get the same deal or better by booking directly through hotels. Nowadays, many hotels come with a best rate guarantee, so they are more likely to match prices available online to stay competitive. 4. Being early to rise means youll beat the tourist traffic Chances are that millions of other travelers and tourists read the same guidebook, site or blog post that advised you to go early, and they are heading to the same location you are trying to get to. You can outsmart the other tourists by going when nobody else wants to go, for a full, personal experience. Arriving at a tourist destination when its cloudy may not be ideal (depending on where you are going), but a nice hot day will ensure some of the more sunlight-adverse tourists will be long gone by then. 5. Locals know best This is true in any place and at any time. Locals live where you are visiting, so while they know some of the best places to eat and how to get to tourist spots, other touristy things like hotels, cheap travel deals and other such things only a visitor would think about might be beyond their expertise. Language can also be a barrier you might interpret left when they mean right. A simple misunderstanding like this can cause you to lose your way and possibly ruin the rest of your day. It is better to travel with a reliable internet connection to help you with directions and reviews. 6. Street food is dirty Restaurants are typically more trustworthy than street vendors for very good reason, but in reality, you never get to see what goes on in the kitchen. Street food is usually more localized and authentic than the gourmet versions available at high-end restaurants and hotels. Skipping street food could mean missing out on a more raw and authentic take on a dish, an experience that would otherwise be a highlight of the trip. You can easily see many locals standing around a food stall and enjoying a delicacy without concern about whether or not it is safe. Read also: Five must-visit soto restaurants in Jakarta 7. Lack of sleep is why you get jet lag Despite popular belief, jet lag is caused by your bodys adjustment to the timezone of your resident country, not because you are tired. Taking sleeping pills and falling asleep on the flight may help you stay awake when you arrive, but it might not eliminate the cranky and grumpy feeling of needing to stay in bed on your first day. Your body needs time to adjust to the new time zone you have arrived in, and jet lag is merely a natural part of your bodys survival instinct to make sure you keep a set schedule for sleep, food and other activities. Fortunately, jet lag is nothing to worry about and will eventually wear off within the first few days. 8. Travel advisories means you should not visit Governments want to ensure the safety of tourists coming to visit their country, as the tourist industry is one of the largest in the world. A tourist with a particularly bad experience in a destination is bound to spread the word, which will result in a decline in visitor numbers. For example, Thailand is a well-known destination around the world, but it is marked yellow for high degree of caution, the same category as Egypt and Liberia. Demonstrations and other forms of unrest without violence or danger can result in certain destinations getting a travel advisory despite the reality of the situation. It is better to monitor the situation from trusted media sources and news in order to determine whether or not to visit a country after checking their rating. It is better to be safe than sorry in any situation. 9. Dont carry your wallet Locals never carry around money in a pouch hanging in front of them or in a weird money belt. This actually makes you an easier target and announces to anyone who sees you that you are a tourist and you are carrying money. It might be safer to carry only what you need, but remember that special bags look special and are easy marks for anyone looking to take something from you. Again, it is better to be safe than sorry. 10. Duty free is cheaper than anything else Non-taxed goods certainly have their appeal, especially if you are looking for some good wine or other hard drinks. However, there will definitely be local shops that still offer lower prices for the same or similar products. Recently, Indonesia allowed entry of goods worth up to US$500 to enter the country without any penalties. Read also: Travelers can now bring in goods worth $500 duty free Whether you are looking for an extended vacation or an exciting fast-paced short stay, remember that not every travel tip rings true. Staying safe and having fun are important, so remembering these travel tips may help make your time off more comfortable. (acr/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Chester Chin (The Star/Asia News Network) Sun, October 21, 2018 23:08 1123 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087789d5fb 2 News chat-app,Malaysia-Airlines,Airlines,travel,flight Free Travelers planing to fly Malaysia Airlines can now book flights on Facebook. The national carrier has launched MHchat, a feature which enables passengers to make travel arrangements and pay through Facebook Messenger. The chatbox, a partnership with travel technology company Amadeus, is the first of its kind for travelers in the country. MHchat employs artificial intelligence and is designed to mimic human conversation. Malaysia Airlines group chief executive officer Izham Ismail said the airlines digital transformation strategy lies at the heart of the project. We look forward to further exploring how we can deliver more personalized and integrated services for our customers, he said. Amadeus executive vice president (Airlines, Asia Pacific) Cyril Tetaz said speed is important when it comes to digital innovations. Read also: 5 apps single travelers need to meet new people on holiday Many airlines are embarking on turnaround transformation initiatives, driven by a real will to address competition but above all to improve the customer experience, he said. On Facebook Messenger, Malaysia Airlines customers can use MHchat if they want to look up flights, or ask a question related to a booking. The 24-hour platform will then search, locate and push related offers or information. Travelers can even complete a transaction, make a secure payment and receive the travel itinerary all within the same app. Topics : This article appeared on The Star newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post When you hear the name Carrie Fisher ,whats the first thing that you think of? If its Princess Leia, we forgive you; but she was so, so much more than that. The daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, she was always destined to become a star. In her 2008 memoir Wishful Drinking she noted: I am truly a product of Hollywood in-breeding. When two celebrities mate, someone like me is the result. However, unlike most Hollywood legacy stars, she truly made her mark on not only the industry, but on the world. In 1975, Fisher made her film debut in Shampoo (1975). Stealing the spotlight when starring opposite Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn (to name but a few) is no mean feat, yet Fisher managed it with ease, and the film gathered four Academy Award nominations. Its also easy to forget how brilliant Fisher was as a comedic actress. When Harry Met Sally (1989) is arguably the most iconic romantic comedy of all time, and like all iconic films, Fisher was in it. Her role as Sally's tell-it-how-it-is best friend, Marie was one of her best. The scene where Marie comes to the realisation that her 'boyfriend' is never going to leave his wife after finding a receipt for a dining room table in his pocket is truly hilarious. She was also fantastic as Carol in The Burbs (1989) a satirical film about modern suburban life, in which she starred alongside Tom Hanks as the wife of a man who is convinced that his neighbours are murderers. It's a pretty bizarre plot, but boasts a great cast, and is one of the most underrated comedy films out there. Her novel Postcards from the Edge was adapted into a film in 1990, starring Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine. Postcards from the Edge was a semi-autobiographical tale of Fishers relationship with her old Hollywood megastar mother, Debbie Reynolds. Fisher also wrote the screenplay for the film which was nominated for several prestigious awards, including a BAFTA for best adapted screenplay and an Academy Award for best actress for Streep. She was also instrumental behind the scenes of some of Hollywoods best loved films. Fisher was one of the most sought-after script doctors in the industry, after being brought in by many writers and directors to help them improve a script. In Hook (1991) she worked alongside director Steven Spielberg to help bring the script up to scratch; Hook then went on to be nominated for five Academy Awards. Everything Fisher touched became an Award show magnet. One of the most beloved film musicals of all time, Sister Act (1992) was no exception. Whoopi Goldberg herself reportedly asked Fisher to help with the script. Fisher had become known amongst writers, directors and actors as someone who could make female characters even better. She took Princess Leia and made her one of the most iconic female characters of all time, and other people wanted that effect on their own films. Fisher had a knack of taking a good character and making them extraordinary. When she passed away in 2016, the world truly lost somebody special. Whilst Fishers legacy is of course going to be remembered most fondly for her role as Princess Leia, a character that touched generations of young girls and told them princesses can be tough as hell, let us also remember her as more. She was a writer - a fantastic one at that, a performer, a mental health and womens rights advocate, a mother, a daughter, a script doctor and more importantly - a pretty bloody brilliant woman. Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: Home Page A billboard at a construction site, with a photo of an Ottoman-style mosque with four minarets and the flag of Turkey, was erected recently in the center of Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. With less than 2 million people, Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, is the home of over 800 mosques. Now the Islamic Community of Kosovo is building the Central Mosque at an estimated cost of $35- $40 million. Turkeys Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) is financing the project. The Diyanet also financed the building of a similar mosque on a 10,000-square-meter parcel of land on George W. Bush Street in Tirana, Albania, the largest mosque in the Balkans, along with dozens of other mosques across neighboring countries. Turkeys president Erdogan has put in the field two state organizations, Diyanet and the Turkish Development Agency (TIKA), as vehicles through which Turkey could enhance its Islamic influence in the Balkans. Diyanet is the official state institution whose role is to execute the works concerning the beliefs, worship, and ethics of Islam, enlighten the public about their religion, and administer the sacred worshipping places. Diyanet is also responsible for the religious affairs of the Turkish diaspora. In Germany alone, it administers 970 mosques with imams trained by the organization. Austria was the first country to realize that the mosques built with Erdogans money are used for political purposes to promote his Islamic agenda. In June 2018, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz ordered the closing of seven mosques built by Diyanet, and deported 60 imams and their families with ties to Turkey as part of the fight against political Islam. In February 2016, German law enforcement revealed that clerics from the organization were involved in espionage against Gulens followers. Two years ago, Cumhuriyet, an independent Turkish newspaper, reported that Diyanet was very active in collecting intelligence, specifically on the activities of Gulen sympathizers in 38 countries across Europe, including Germany and the Balkans. Accusations of espionage by the organization have existed since the 1990s, but these revelations pointed to far more extensive operations than were previously thought. Meanwhile, Diyanet has extended its religious program to countries whose connection to Ottoman history is tenuous by building over 100 mosques outside Turkey. The president of Diyanet, Ali Erbas, said that they have extremely strong relations with Balkan countries and stressed that this cooperation will continue in the future, especially in relation to religious education, services, and publications. He emphasized the importance and affinity of Turkey to the Balkans and added , The Balkans have a special place for us. Our historical ties will continue as they have done in the past. Ironically, while most of the Balkan countries suffer from unemployment, lack of foreign investments and rampant poverty, Erdogans investments are focused on mosques and religious educational institutions at a time when Kosovos unemployment rate is 30%. Lulzim Peci, former Ambassador of Kosovo to Sweden and Executive Director of the Kosovo Institute for Policy Research and Development (KIPRED), is one of the most critical voices in Kosovo against Erdogans political Islamic scheme. He agrees that the mosques built in Kosovo are political establishments to promulgate Erdogans Islamist vision. In the case of Kosovo and Albania, the tens of millions of dollars invested in building mosques has to do with the symbol of Turkish supremacy and influence, not only religious but also political, says Peci. Erdogans enormous investments in Ottoman symbolism are designed to influence the mindset of the population in Kosovo and increase the pro-Turkish-Islamist sentiments on the present and future generations. The Islamic ideology that Diyanet promotes caused wide-spread indignation even in Turkey. Diyanet stated that girls can become pregnant and therefore get married at the age of 9 years old, and boys at the age of 12. Thus, the concerns over Diyanet activities are not limited to building mosques, but its cultural and societal influence based on radical Islam. One day following the failed coup in Turkey, crowds of Albanians and Bosniaks in Macedonia, Bosnia, Albania, and Kosovo demonstrated in support of Erdogan and his government. It clearly visualized the potential and mechanisms that Erdogan has in the Balkans and the Diaspora, on which he capitalizes and uses whenever he wants, says Xhemal Ahmeti, a historian and expert on Southeast European issues. Unfortunately, Albanian mosques thus, are confirming the thesis of Swiss Islamist Saida Keller-Messahli in her book Islamic Centrifuge in Switzerland, where Albanian mosques, in fact, are radical centers serving this kind of Islamic agenda for the radicalization of Albanian Muslims in favor of Erdogans politics, says Ahmeti. Visar Duriqi, a Kosovo journalist specializing in religious affairs, said that the project for the construction of the mosque with Turkish funds sends a clear political message by Erdogan to the effect that he has control over this region. Kosovo, says Duriqi is a country that does not need more religious buildings, certainly not ones funded by Erdogan. Mosques are increasingly being used to spread political Islamic ideologies to a point where the only limited room is left for actual prayers. It is no longer a question of whether those establishments are necessary because the goal is to build as much as possible in order to strengthen the political influence from the Middle Eastern countries and Erdogans Turkey, says Xhelal Neziri, an experienced investigative reporter from Macedonia. In the countries with majority Christian populations in the Balkans, such as Serbia, Macedonia, and Croatia, Turkey is investing in major development projects, while in Albania the investments are geared mainly toward building Islamic religious institutes. It has been shown that the most powerful and sustainable influence in this region, especially among Albanians, is made precisely through the instrumentalization of the religion, says Neziri. To be sure, anyone who even scarcely follows Erdogans ambitions in the Balkans cannot escape the conclusion that the Turkish leader had a specific, well-articulated Islamic agenda which he is determined to entrench in the psyche of the Balkan people by building mosques and appointing imams that follow his doctrine. It is part and parcel of Erdogans vision to restore elements of the Ottoman Empire under his leadership. Erdogan himself and many other Turkish officials have openly spoken about their dream that by 2023, the centenary of modern Turkey, the country will enjoy as much sway and influence that was once enjoyed by the Ottomans. Erdogan uses Diyanet as one of his main vehicles to that end. For the Balkan states, this will certainly turn out to be nightmarish unless they prevent Erdogan from exploiting them in the name of Allah while debasing Islam to serve his long-term menacing plot. 2017 2016 2015 ASSETS: Deposits W/Central Banks 17,977,808 23,071,346 21,232,382 Cash with Commercial Banks 4,920,673 4,296,378 2,731,792 Loans to the GOV. of Lib. 34,348.848 26,982,782 24,776,827 DEPOSITS With IMF 64,648,780 57,325,073 37,231,890 OTHERS 12,536,035 8,485,597 8,403,407 TOTAL ASSETS 134,428,144 120,161,176 94,376,298 LIABILITIES: Currency in Circulation 15,927,925 12,755,365 10,393,019 Deposits F/Commercial Banks 15,592,450 12,710,133 11,820,642 Deposits F/Gov. & Agencies 8,752,217 18,219,653 16,280,911 Loans From IMF 73,893,951 63,650,479 43,578,920 Others 6,402,729 4,439,669 5,010,840 Total LIABILITIES 120,569,272 111,775,299 87,084,332 TOTAL EQUITY 13,858,872 8,445,877 7,291,966 Before reviewing the numbers, I should inform you that CBL, in violation of the Authority of Liberian Legislature, did not disclose any information, including Financial Notes within the audited financial statements to indicate the value of the money printed in 2016 and 2017 respectively. However, in another document, CBL 2016 mentioned the different kinds of denominations (L$5, L$10, L$20, L$50, L$100, L$500) of money printed, but it did not disclose the amount of mitigated Liberian dollars destroyed and replaced or the amount of money pumped into the economy, if any. In accordance with International Financial Reporting System (IFRS) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), CBL included 31Notes within page # 14 through page # 60 and explained each of the items within the balance sheets and income statement, but there was no information about the L$16B. Had CBL made accounting entries to reflect addition money, there would have been an increase in the account of Cash Deposited with Other Central Banks. Even if the total money printed was solely for replacing the mitigated notes, an accounting entry and financial notes were required. Interestingly, CBL pumped more money into the Liberian economy comprising of proceeds from the sale of government securities and the drawdown of governments accounts. It got combined money of the sale of securities, again not disclosed within the audited financial statements, of L$6.6B in 2016 and L$2.2B in 2017 respectively. (Open Source # 1). Also, CBL withdrew about L$6B (L$12B in 2016 minus L$6B in 2017) from government agencies in 2017 and withdrew another L$3B (L$5B in 2016 minus L$1.5B in 2017) from State-owned entities in 2017 as per the below table. In the same 2017, CBL withdrew L$6B from Cash Deposited with Other Central Banks. (L$23B in 2016 minus L$17B in 2017). Notes # 25 & 26 2017 (Note # 25) 2016 (Note # 26) 2015 (Note # 26) Deposit-Central Gov. 832,406 202,316 1,686,047 Individual Agencies 6,157,651 12,478,103 9,017,167 State-Owned Entity 1,724,815 5,145,529 5,037,778 The decision by Liberian officials to exclude any relevant information about the L$16B, if my observation is right, is more than the act of stealing resources from the country. Therefore, investigators should search for motives for the exclusion and those who are responsible for excluding the proper recording of the L$16B, which the Liberian Legislature authorized. 1. TREASURY BILLS AND TREASURY BONDS SOLD FROM 2014 THROUGH 2018 SCHEDULE (https://www.cbl.org.lr/doc/cblbillsnotesbrochure.pdf 2. CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA 2016 ANNUAL REPORT, NOT AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (https://www.cbl.org.lr/doc/2016%20Annual%20Report%20for%20website.pdf) 3. CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA 2016 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, NOT ANNUAL REPORTS (http://www.cbl.org.lr/doc/f_statement_2016.pdf) 4. CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA 2017 ANNUAL REPORT, NOT AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (https://www.cbl.org.lr/doc/annualreport_2017.pdf) 6. CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA 2017 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, NOT THE ANNUAL REPORT. (https://www.cbl.org.lr/doc/2017%20Financial%20Statements.pdf) Southern Pines, NC (28387) Today Sunshine along with some cloudy intervals. High 77F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 39F. SW winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Periods of rain. High 9C. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Showers in the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 1C. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. The 7th New Music Festival will present contemporary works by Cypriot and other composers, most in their first world premiere The Cultural Services Ministry of Education and Culture, in cooperation with the Centre of Cypriot Composers and the Cyprus Music Information Centre, are organizing the 7th New Music Festival from 5 to 9 November 2018. The 7th New Music Festival will present contemporary works by Cypriot and other composers, most in their first world premiere. These works are also the local expression of first-line sound, as it is expressed in the streams of contemporary music today. The festival programme also includes a talks session focusing on todays international new music sound, as well as a music workshop focusing on contemporary techniques in vocal performance. DissonArt Ensemble (Greece), the famous Thessaloniki-based new music ensemble and old friends of the festival, will return to Cyprus for the closing concert of the festival on November 9th. () Faos Ensemble (Greece), hosted this year for the first time in Cyprus, will open the festival concert series on November 5th. Internationally acclaimed vocal artist Natalia Pschenitschnikova (Russia / Germany), will give a concert on November 7th, while also offering a workshop on contemporary techniques in vocal performance on Thursday, November 8th. The festival concert series completes the Composers Electroacoustic Ensemble on November 8th. The series of events of the festival rounds off with an open discussion between two important composers and advocates of new music, Frank J. Oteri (New Music USA) and Athanasios Trikoupis (Greece), on new trends in the international contemporary music field, with particular reference given to the work of ISCM - International Society of Contemporary Music, an international network dedicated to promoting and presenting contemporary music. All concerts and events will take place in the Kastelliotissa Hall (free entrance). Concerts start at 8.30 pm. For more information visit the Festival facebook page Organization: Cultural Services Ministry of Education and Culture, Centre of Cypriot Composers, Cyprus Music Information Centre. Communication Sponsors: RIK, Politis newspaper Touring Sponsor: Onassis Cultural Centre 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 NEW YORK The National Hellenic Student Association (NHSA) of North America hosted its 20th Convention October 12-14th in New York City, bringing together university students, young professionals, mentors and industry experts for a weekend of speeches, networking and socializing. The conventions theme Tomorrow is Now, focused on current events, professional development, leadership, and community engagement. The event kicked off on Friday, October 12th at the Grand Hyatt New York in Manhattan, followed by a networking reception held at Liberty Court Penthouse Lounge in Battery Park City. The Saturday conference was hosted at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Times Square, with over 100 people in attendance. Dynamic duo Anthe Mitrakos and Yanni Metaxas served as mistress and master of ceremonies, welcoming the crowd and introducing the speakers. NHSA President Alexander Thomopulos and Consul General of Greece in New York, Konstantinos Koutras made opening remarks. John Metaxas, News Anchor and Reporter for WCBS, moderated a current events Q&A session with the CEO of American Network Solutions, Philip Christopher, who shared the story of his Cypriot roots and touched on the importance of being involved in the Greek/Cypriot-American community. 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 The conference aspires to become a "meeting place for writers from the Greek-speaking and German-speaking areas, with common aesthetic quests, within the framework of a thematically structured dialogue" The Greek-German Synergy Congress "Syn-Energy Berlin_Athens" organised by the Lettr tage e.V German literary house and the Diablog.eu cultural dialogue portal began on Thursday in Berlin, ANA reports. The congress is hosted in Heimathafen, Neuk lln district, Berlin. In addition, by October 21, the German public will be offered the opportunity to get acquainted with the current developments in the Greek literary field and, as noted by the conference hosts, to get acquainted with modern Greek literary production, literary magazines, small publishing houses, innovative literary projects, translation initiatives, etc. 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: User:SKopp License: CC-BY-SA The European Commission on Friday approved the financing by the Greek state with 306 million euros of the construction of the south part of central Greece motorway (E65), considering that this complies with free market rules and allows the completion of part of the inter-European road network while also limiting the distortion of competition, M.Spinthourakis reports for ANA. European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, responsible for Competition noted: "the construction of the south part of the motorway will improve the transport links for Greek citizens in the region according to the targets of the EU's transport policy and the conclusion of the interEuropean road network. With our decision today, the Greek government will be able to support the construction of this important new part of the motorway". 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: Christaras A License: CC-BY-SA Oman Data Park (ODP), the first localised cloud service provider in the sultanate, and Procons 4IT FZC Company have signed an agreement to introduce SAP Business One services to small- and medium-size businesses in Oman. Procons 4IT is a leading digital transformation enabler for SMEs. The company was established in Dubai in 2005 to offer professional SAP consultancy and expertise to businesses within the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region. With over 450 customers, Procons is a leading partner in offering business solutions on premise and on cloud. It provides leading products like SAP Business One, QLIK and other industry specific solutions. ProCons offers SAP Business One, one of the best enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions worldwide for small and midsized businesses, said a statement. The solution will help Oman SMEs to grow fast and benefit from the superior functionality of SAP Business One. We are very pleased to provide our clients with a tool for more reliable and accurate representation and for better decision making by the management, investors and others, it said. ODP is a managed service provider managing diversified domains such as banking, oil and gas, utilities and telecom. ODP brings in unparalleled blend of experience, stature, and goodwill to provide IT services with the highest standards of reliability and responsiveness. The management team of ODP has a wide-range of competencies to achieve, augment and support the IT and business practices of organizations both large and small. ODP being the first managed service provider in Oman with a vision to transform the future, where IT services will be available on demand. ODP has a notable portfolio of services like, managed hosting, cloud services, hosted applications and managed services; all these are obtainable with a guaranteed uptime on an unparalleled customer support. The key to delivering these services is ODPs state-of-art data centre which combines redundant systems with an integrated facility management infrastructure. Maqbool Al Wahaibi, chief executive officer, Oman Data Park, said: We are grateful with our new partnership with ProCons-4it to offer our clients a simple, reliable, and affordable SAP Business One ERP solution. ODP prides to bring in its best to the Omani customers. Wassim Hassanieh, co-founder and chief executive officer, Procons-4IT, said: We value this partnership with ODP and trust that SMEs in Oman will greatly benefit from SAP Business One as a full integrated ERP solution. This milestone is a step forward towards our vision in providing SMEs in Middle East including Oman with outstanding benefits through SAP solutions tailored to their businesses, he added. TradeArabia News Service Germany-based Siemens, a global technology powerhouse, and Iraqs Ministry of Electricity have signed an agreement in which Siemens would add 11 gigawatts (GW) of power generation capacity over four years to ensure 23 million Iraqis sustainable electricity. This would boost current generation capacity by almost 50 per cent. The economic viability of the plan is secured by billions of US dollars in potential fuel savings and revenue generation for the electricity sector, supporting the development of the future Iraq. The company also envisions the creation of tens of thousands of jobs over the course of the projects. The roadmap emphasises people at its core and is the result of a 12-month study to develop a comprehensive and tailored redevelopment plan. It focuses on energy, education, compliance and financing, aiming to advance sustainable economic development, national security and quality of life for the people of Iraq. Signed by Qasim Al-Fahdawi, Minister of Electricity, and Joe Kaeser, president and CEO of Siemens AG, the memorandum of understanding (MoU) will examine a series of short, medium and long-term plans to meet the reconstruction goals of Iraq and support the countrys economic development. Our commitment to the Iraqi people stands strong. We promised them to achieve affordable and reliable power supply, help with anti-corruption, build schools and hospitals and create thousands of jobs. Education, training and developing local skills and talent are key elements for us to contribute to building the New Iraq. Todays agreement on the Siemens roadmap is a significant step towards fulfilling that promise, said Joe Kaeser. We are ready to start and look forward to working closely with the Iraqi government to immediately produce noticeable improvements for the Iraqi people. In September, Siemens announced the donation of a smart health clinic that would be powered by solar energy and equipped with Siemens medical devices. The clinic would have the capacity to treat up to 10,000 patients per year. This was in addition to pledging to fund the first modular School of the Future in Iraq, provide a USD 60 million software grant for universities in the country, and train more than 1,000 Iraqis in vocational education. Siemens Roadmap for the Electrification of the New Iraq outlines eight objectives to benefit the people of Iraq, the countrys national security and its economic development. These include reducing energy losses, introducing smart grids, strengthening the transmission grid, modernizing existing power plants, adding new generation capacities in deprived areas, connecting Iraq to the Arab Gulf region, putting Iraqs national resources to work, and investing in its people. Modernizing the countrys energy infrastructure is intended to be completed in stages, from immediate improvement for up to 300,000 people, which can be operational within three months, to medium and long-term projects that require between 10 and 24 months completion time and beyond. The company will also assist Iraqs government in securing appropriate finance packages provided by international commercial banks, Export Credit Agencies and supported by the German Government. The roadmap lays out plans to use Iraqs valuable natural resources more efficiently by utilizing flare gas capture and treatment technologies to deliver a domestic source of fuel to Iraqs power generation sector, as well as create a long-term source of revenue for the government to finance power generation, transmission, and distribution projects. As part of its commitment to driving sustainable growth, Siemens intends to support social development in Iraq with a series of training and education programs. This includes technical and vocational training as well as transparency and anti-corruption education, in order to build a pool of highly skilled, local talent with a culture of compliance. Under the patronage of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Siemens aims to provide vocational training, starting with 1,000 young Iraqis. Siemens initially presented the Roadmap to the Government of Iraq during the Iraq Reconstruction Conference in Kuwait, in February 2018. At the same time, the company signed a declaration of intent with BMZ with both parties agreeing to jointly contribute to the reconstruction and development of Iraq in areas including technical and vocational training, as well as transparency and anti-corruption. TradeArabia News Service Oasis Coils & Coatings (OCC), one of the largest HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) coil and heat pipe manufacturing companies in the UAE, said it has signed a distribution agreement with Ostberg, a Swedish manufacturer of energy-efficient ventilation products. Under the terms of the agreement, OCC will employ its sales, marketing and commercial expertise to distribute Ostbergs Heat Recovery Wheels in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Established in 1971, Ostberg is credited as one of the inventors of the circular duct fans. The Swedish firm has four manufacturing facilities across the globe, including one in India, which will produce the units for the GCC market. As per the deal, OCC will supply Ostbergs rotary heat exchanger, which comes in five different well heights various media, 40 standard sizes, competitive pricing and short delivery time. The AHRI and Eurovent-certified wheels can be customised as well in any diameter for better optimisation and greater client satisfaction. On the deal, Ostberg CEO Peter Jakobsson said: "We are happy to venture into this agreement with OCC as it has the infrastructure, reputation and a complementary product portfolio to enable Ostberg to earn its rightful place as a market leader." "Besides, our companies shared commitment to innovation and manufacturing excellence made for the perfect match," he stated. Roshan Roy, the global sales manager, OCC, said: "The GCC market is becoming more and more focused on energy efficiency and indoor air quality. We are convinced the quality, robustness and energy-efficiency of Ostberg product range will boost the performance of a wide range of HVAC applications." In the UAE since 2005, OCC, a member of the Al Shirawi Group of Companies, is one of the largest HVAC coil manufacturing and coating companies in the Gulf region. It is also the exclusive distributor of heat pipe technology (HPT) and FreshAire UV germicidal lamps in the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait. "Ostbergs inclusion will enable us to cater to market requirements and offer a more complete solution for our OEM customers," he added.-TradeArabia News Service A powerful line-up of the GCCs leading hospitality experts will address the challenges facing the regions highly-competitive industry at this months GulfHost Restaurant Development Conference in Dubai, with rumoured oversupply, sustainability and the impact of VAT and digital technologies high on the agenda. The conference, which will run at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from October 30 to November 1, will look at ways in which regional hospitality industry players can address the hottest issues facing the GCC sector, which is predicted by Mena Research Partners to grow 7.1 per cent annually to reach $196 billion by 2021. Laying out the GCCs market realities in an insightful opening keynote will be Duncan Fraser-Smith, director global food and beverage (F&B) for hospitality developer The First Group. There are challenges in the market, no doubt, but weve also had some great successes and wins. I will be highlighting those who have addressed challenges to move forward, the winners that have come out of this and are now leading the market in success. Fraser-Smith said his spotlight will also fall on the growing mid-market, four-star sector which, he believes, holds particular potential. I believe right now we are looking at rampant development of the still niche mid-market concept. This is an area people are looking for, places that they can go to on a regular basis which are affordable, approachable and create unique experiences. And the UAEs much-vaunted F&B oversupply will get a public airing at the conference with Emma Banks, managing director of Jumeirah Restaurant Group, joining a panel to discuss the issue, which she insists is not Dubai specific. Dubai is open for business. Dubai has every restaurant brand, every retail brand and there are more and more hotels opening. In the area of hospitality, yes, there is an argument for oversupply but theres also an argument for Dubai building a destination for the future. We have the 2020 target of 20 million visitors and the 2025 stretch target of 25 million, so the market is growing, said Banks. Operators are finding it very tough, its very competitive, but if you have the right product at the right price, if you offer value, quality and service the customer wants, you will own your share of the market. Its very tough, its very hard work and you have to be top of your game but in reality, its just rectification of the market. If you look at other parts of the world, such as the UK high street, exactly the same is happening - its not unique to Dubai. In addition to the oversupply-driven panel discussion, Banks will also take part in two further panels on the second day of the conference (October 31): Successful Women Restauranteurs and F&B Business Owners, and Talking Sustainability & Food Waste. Additional speakers among the 70-strong talent line-up the GulfHost Restaurant Development Conference include David Macadam, CEO, Middle East Council of Shopping Centers; Ramzi Sohl, CEO Commercial Development, King Abdullah Economic City; Anoop Gopal, director Real Estate & Property, Kuwait Food Co. (Americana); Andreas L Borgmann, founder and co-CEO Kcal, and many more. The GulfHost Restaurant Development Conference is part of the extended programme of GulfHost, the complete hospitality equipment sourcing expo for the Middle East, Africa and Asia, which runs at DWTC from October 30 to November 1. The second edition of the annual event is twice as large as its debut run in 2017 and counts 2,500 brands and over 8,000 products across six core sectors, including the new Gelato & Bakery, Cafe & Bar and Horeca zones. GulfHost 2018, which is co-located with DWTCs annual trio of niche food shows, is set to draw upwards of 25,000 buyers. The conference will be opened by Vishal Panadej, director of the Middle East Food Forum and Sunjeh Raja, CEO of the International Centre for Culinary Arts Dubai. The two organisations have jointly organised the master programme, which will also feature an Investor Pitch. The live pitches will be made by five promising F&B concepts with at least five years operational experience. The pitchers will seek to win over the potential investors Abdul Kader Saadi, founder, Glee Hospitality; George Kunnappally, managing director, Nandos UAE LLC; Akshay Oberai Dosaj, managing director, Purple Honey Group and Manu Mahdi, founder and CEO, Organic&Real.com. The pitch session will give delegates insights into the dreams behind these hand-picked initiatives and in what it takes to inspire financial confidence in todays crowded market, explained Trixie Lohmirmand, senior vice president, Exhibitions and Events Management, DWTC. GulfHost 2018 is a trade event open strictly to business and trade visitors. The show is open 10 am 5 pm from October 30 - 31 and 10 am 4 pm on November 1. For the full list of features, showcases, industry trends and the full GulfHost Restaurant Development Conference agenda visit the event website - TradeArabia News Service Daniel Ebo has been appointed as area director of sales and marketing for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) Oman and director of sales and marketing at InterContinental Muscat. In his new role, Ebo will be responsible for leading the sales and marketing teams to drive performance and deliver exceptional results across the seven hotels of IHG in the country. A seasoned professional, Ebo brings with him over 20 years of experience in commercial roles within the hospitality industry and in leading diverse teams within sales and marketing along multi-cultural environments. He joined IHG from Redizor Hotel Group as area director of sales for Africa and Indian Ocean. Prior to this, he was the area director of sales and marketing for Southern Africa for various hotel brands including Hilton Worldwide, Kempinski, and at IHGs flagship InterContinental in Nairobi. Ebo is already familiar with the Middle East market as he had spent 10 years in the region within the same capacity. I am excited to be part of the IHG Oman team and to take on this position to lead the sales and marketing strategies, said Ebo. The region is thriving and rapidly evolving in various industries and it will be a great opportunity to be part of it. Together with the team, I am confident that we will deliver great results for IHG as a leading operator in Oman. It gives me great pleasure to announce the appointment of Daniel, said Thierry Perrot, regional general manager for Oman. We know his unparalleled acumen in sales and marketing and proven track record will bring continued success to our hotel properties here, particularly as IHG continues its growth in Oman. - TradeArabia News Service UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie listens to Venezuelan women at the Albergue Sin Fronteras shelter in Lima, Peru. UNHCR/Santiago Escobar-Jaramillo UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie is carrying out an official visit to Peru this week. Peru is one of the countries most affected by the surge in Venezuelan refugees and migrants the largest movement of people in Latin Americas recent history. Following up on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' recent visit to the region, Jolie is undertaking a three-day mission to assess the humanitarian needs of Venezuelan refugees and the challenges facing Peru as a host country, and to discuss the possible regional responses to the crisis. During her mission, the Special Envoy will meet refugees, representatives of the Government of Peru and organizations contributing to the humanitarian response. She will visit programmes providing protection and assistance to asylum-seekers, refugees and host families, and observe Perus generous response to Venezuelan refugees and migrants. The Special Envoy focuses on major displacement crises, representing UNHCR and the High Commissioner at the diplomatic level. The Special Envoy Jolie last visited Latin America in 2012, for a mission to Ecuador, her third visit to meet then Colombian refugees in the region. AP2 announces GAL as winning bidder for development, operation of Kualanamu Intl Airport 18 Nov 2021 | 12:01 PM Hyderabad, Nov 18 (UNI) Angkasa Pura2, the state owned enterprise and the bidding authority for the Medan Airport has announced GMR Airports Limited (GAL) as the winning bidder for the development and operation of Kualanamu International Airport in Medan of Indonesia. see more.. Fresh Covid cases go up to 41 in UT 18 Nov 2021 | 11:29 AM Puducherry, Nov 18 (UNI) The new Coronavirus cases has increased to 41 in the Union Territory, 16 more than the previous day, during the last 24 hours, ending at 10 AM, on Thursday. see more.. Farthest moon makes longest Lunar Eclipse on Nov 19, visible in India : PSI 18 Nov 2021 | 11:26 AM Hyderabad, Nov 18 (UNI) The second and last partial Lunar Eclipse of 2021 will be visible in India on Friday. see more.. Low Pressure becomes well marked, likely to intensify into depression, red alert for Chennai & 5 dists 18 Nov 2021 | 11:03 AM Chennai, Nov 18 (UNI) The Low Pressure Area over the bay on Thursday lay centred as a well marked Low Pressure Area over Southwest and adjoining Westcentral Bay of Bengal off North Tamil Nadu-South Andhra Pradesh coasts. see more.. Greece PM takes charge as foreign minister Athens, Oct 21 (UNI) Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was sworn in as Foreign Minister officially taking over from Nikos Kotzias, who resigned on Wednesday. ''It was a historic day for Greecefollowing the vote in favour of the Prespes Agreement in Former Yugloslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) parliament on Friday night,'' the Prime Minister said during the sworn-in ceremony on Saturday. The agreement between the two neighbouring countries was signed at Prespes lake in June 2018, puts an end to a dispute which started in 1991 when FYROM declared independence from Yugoslavia and chose the name Macedonia, the Xinhua reported. Human rights violation: Assange files legal action against Ecuador London, Oct 20 (UNI) Internet activist and the founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange has reportedly launched a legal action against the Ecuadorian government for violating his fundamental rights. Assange's legal plea, to be heard in a domestic court next week, seems to be against the 'Special Protocol' instituted by the embassy as per the new guidelines of the government, making his political asylum contingent on censoring his freedom of opinion, speech and association. For the past few months Assange's access to the internet has been severely restricted and the protocol has further enforced journalists, lawyers and others meeting with him to disclose their private or political details to the Ecuador Embassy officials. . 65 000 . 65 371 COVID-19. 50 000 . 52 826 , ... Mali: UN Peacekeeping chief regrets peace deal delays United Nations, Oct 20 (UNI) After commending the overall peaceful climate in which the Malian elections were held in July, the United Nations peacekeeping chief has said that he was extremely concerned over the increasing number of attacks by armed insurgents, against a backdrop of continued delays in implementing the 2015 peace agreement. Briefing the Security Council on Friday, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, noted recent positive developments, including the successful presidential vote, which highlighted the political maturity of the Malian people as well as the commitment of the political leaders to the democratic process. He regretted however the continued delays in getting interim authorities up and running, advancing the National Reconciliation Charter, implementing key institutional reforms such as changes in the security sector or the constitution and moving ahead with the demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration process. MOSCOW, Oct 21 (UNI) Russia thinks it is possible that Mongolia might enter the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula denuclearization, comprising Russia, China, North and South Korea, the United States and Japan, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov said in an interview with TASS. The restart of negotiations in this format was discussed earlier this week with the US special representative for North Korea, Steven Biegun, he said. "We make no secret of the fact that we believe it appropriate to restart six-party negotiations. At the same time, we allow for some changes in that format," the diplomat said. "If we speak about a mechanism of peace and security in Northeast Asia, Mongolia is located there and it is part of Northeast Asia, along with participants in the six-party talks." "It cannot be ruled out that Mongolia might enter those consultations at some stage and then they could become seven-party talks," Morgulov stressed. The senior diplomat added that Moscow was open for discussion of any options. "The main thing is that consultations should be multilateral engaging all key actors that have real interests in the region and are motivated to maintain stability and peace," he concluded. The six-party talks on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which comprise North and South Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United States, were suspended at Pyongyangs request in 2008. UNI XC JA 0614 Russian ambassador to US says expects new negotiations on strategic stability soon 18 Nov 2021 | 12:10 PM Washington, Nov 18 (UNI/Sputnik) The new Russian-US meeting on strategic stability issues is expected to be held in the near future, Russian Ambassador to US Anatoly Antonov said. see more.. US delaying visas for about 100 Russian embassy staff: Ambassador Antonov 18 Nov 2021 | 11:47 AM Washington, Nov 18 (UNI/Sputnik) The United States is delaying the extension of visas or entry permits for about 100 employees of the Russian embassy, Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov told reporters. see more.. Palestinian president discusses Israeli-Palestinian conflict with US ambassador to UN 18 Nov 2021 | 10:39 AM Ramallah, Nov 18 (UNI/Xinhua) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield. see more.. Sri Lanka begins administering booster vaccines on people over 60 18 Nov 2021 | 10:09 AM Colombo, Nov 18 (UNI/Xinhua) Sri Lanka's health authorities have begun administering third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on people aged 60 and above in the South Asian country. see more.. WFUNA calls for UN Parliamentary Assembly Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), Oct 21 (UNI) The World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) has asked the UN member states, parliamentarians, civil society and its more than 100 member organisations across the world to "support steps towards the creation of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly" (UNPA). Andreas Bummel, the UNPA Campaign's Secretary-General, said a declaration, adopted unanimously at WFUNA's 42nd Plenary Assembly in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on Friday, explains further that the new UN body should be attached to the UN General Assembly and allow for "formal participation of parliamentarians in the work of the UN." The resolution that was jointly proposed by the UN associations of Germany, Denmark, South Africa and the United Kingdom states that the UN "must address the democratic deficit within global decision-making processes" if it is to be successful "in the pursuit of creating a better world for all and ensuring that no one is left behind." Chinas Mens Ice Hockey Team May Not Be Good Enough for the Olympics The International Ice Hockey Federation announced earlier this month that the Chinese mens ice hockey team would not be axed from the 2022 Winter Olympics. However, officials are concerned about how ready Chinas team would be for the games. This is the first time there are worries about the home By WestKyStar Staff Oct. 20, 2018 | 07:12 PM | KEVIL The retreat is centered around, what organizers beilieve is, the perfect time of the year with leaves changing, a chill in the air and the beauty of autumn everywhere you look. It all takes place at the Southland Ranch, 701 Upshaw Ln. in Kevil (for directions www.sbtranch.com). The event is a three day retreat, October 25-27. It's designed for women desiring a life changing experience in Christ. The weekend consists of nine life altering sessions including daily chapel services, each geared toward spiritual growth in each individual. Opportunities will be available and encouraged for life changing decisions for Christ. Ladies will be available to talk with you one-on-one. Sessions are progressive and individuals are encouraged to commit to participate in all sessions. It is a time to keep distractions to a minimum; so we ask that you have your life outside the retreat cared for by someone else as well as have our staff handle your cell phone calls until designated times for outside contact. This is a time of personal reflection and heart searching, which requires each womans undivided attention. Sessions are progressive and individuals are encouraged to commit to participate in all sessions. It is a time to keep distractions to a minimum; so we ask that you have your life outside the retreat cared for by someone else as well as have our staff handle your cell phone calls until designated times for outside contact. This year, Thursday and Friday evening services will be open to guests. You can be a participant and not spend the night (but to do so you need to be present at all sessions and chapels, fees are adjusted accordingly). Theressa Lindsey, Director of the Unleashed Ministry, will be the guide for the weekend, assisted by guest speakers, table leaders and prayer partners who will be on hand for a spiritual journey of healing through Jesus Christ. Lindsey was saved in 1985 and has been blessed to sit under some of the greatest Bible Preachers and Teachers in America. After years of study along with personal failures and successes, God has given Lindsey the gifts of evangelism, discernment and encouragement. Her desire is to share God's Biblical principles of truth, so others can have the opportunity to make life changing decisions for themselves, their families and their lives. The retreat is $75 which covers all nine sessions, six meals, snacks, and two nights lodging (bring your own bedding, towels etc.) Registration and supper begin at 4:30 pm on Thursday. Check out at 3 pm Saturday, unless arrangements have been made to stay over for Sunday. The extra night's stay is available for $25: Saturday evening (the 27th) there will be a variety of activities available for you to choose from. It will be a fun and relaxing time with others, lodging, evening meal, Sunday breakfast and a worship service at the Ranch at 11 am, with check out by 2 pm.Theressa Lindsey, Director of the Unleashed Ministry, will be the guide for the weekend, assisted by guest speakers, table leaders and prayer partners who will be on hand for a spiritual journey of healing through Jesus Christ. Lindsey enjoys study time with God, the beauty of His creation, the wonderful family God has given her, and her ultimate desire is to honor and glorify God through her life and the life of her family and ministry as a whole. She is the Founder of the "God's Ladies" and Director of the Women's Division of the Unleashed Ministry; author of the 365 day devotional "All I Need"; writer of Biblical truth, Titus II women's ministry development, biblical instructor, mentor, retreat designer and coordinator, speaker, encourager and friend to ladies of all ages and backgrounds. To reserve your spot today email: UnleashedMinistry2010@Gmail.com or call 270-908-4241. Registration cuts off when all beds are filled (Registration fee of $50 s due with application and the balance is due on or before arrival. This year's Searching My Heart for God is called "Trading Chains for Chances". If you are seeking a new beginning or a better relationship with Christ and others, this may be the weekend that will help you make those changes. If you need to change your life or if something in your past is holding you captive, this weekend may be the perfect opportunity to get answers. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. By WestKyStar & Julie Harris, River Discovery Center Oct. 21, 2018 | 03:59 PM | PADUCAH The students come from 24 school districts in Western Kentucky. Students with a vision disability in kindergarten through high school are invited to participate, and parents are also invited to join in the experience. The students' eye conditions vary, but in Kentucky, a student with 20/70 vision or worse is considered visually impaired. Many are legally blind or have vision 20/200. Robbin Cox, the Kentucky School for the Blinds Outreach Consultant for the western region says, I want these students to know what is in their own backyard. The Ohio River is such an important part of our region and they need to know that. Many of the students have optical devices that will help them access print in the museum. Also joining in the experience is John Pollpeter, Lead Naturalist for Woodlands Nature Station and Land Between the Lakes, and is legally blind with Retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative disease. Pollpeter, who grew up in Iowa says as a high school student dealing with the loss of my eyesight, meeting others that have similar issues was a huge boost to my spirit. It was important to see professionals working through their disability and accomplishing their life goals. Pollpeter plans to bring and talk about river animals as his theme is that in nature you don't have to have great eyesight to be successful. All the animals he brings will relate to that theme. Pollpeter will also weave in messages of his story where he struggled to accept his condition and floundered, but found resources available to him and had to do things just a little bit differently, I succeeded in making a disadvantage an advantage. I was able to follow my dream despite my condition, Pollpeter says. A big part of the day will be social interaction as many of the students are the only one in their district with a vision disability and when they participate in Visionary Day, they learn there are other students just like them and many friendships are made. Julie Harris, Executive Director of the River Discovery Center says, We are really excited to have these students visit the Center and have the opportunity to learn and experience the importance of our rivers. Visit the River Discovery Center at 117 South Water St. in downtown Paducah, or go to the website at www.riverdiscoverycenter.org. On Tuesday, Oct. 23rd, the River Discovery Center will be hosting 40 visually impaired students from the region. Visionary Day, an outreach program through the Kentucky School for the Blind, is a day set aside to bring students with blindness/visual impairments, their families, teachers, and service providers together to gain new learning experiences, network, and learn from each other. The days events will include hands-on learning activities and collaboration with representatives from the River Discovery Center. The Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable Foundation funds the Visionary Day experience. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 20, 2018 | MAYFIELD By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 20, 2018 | 10:12 PM | MAYFIELD A Mayfield man was seriously hurt in a single-vehicle collision Saturday morning. The Graves County Sheriff's Department responded at 7:39 am to Kentucky Highway 121 at the intersection of Highway 1213. They found the driver, 24-year-old Stevieon Houston injured and lying on the ground. Deputies say they determined that Houston has been in Cairo overnight, and was driving to work when he fell asleep at the wheel. The vehicle reportedly left the road and went up an embankment. The vehicle went airborne, traveled between a utility pole and a guy wire, landed on its roof and slid several feet before stopping. Houston was taken to Baptist Health Paducah by Mayfield-Graves County EMS for treatment of his injuries. Deputies said he was in stable but serious condition when they issued their press release Saturday evening. Good Samaritans helped at the scene, along with Affordable Towing. By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 18, 2018 | 06:31 AM | FRANKFORT Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes on Wednesday announced the second annual Commonwealth of Kentucky Bowl, a food drive her office is hosting with the Kentucky Association of Food Banks and the Kentucky Association of Counties. The food drive is a friendly competition among Kentucky counties and their local officials across the state to raise resources for food banks before the holidays. Last year's competition raised the equivalent of approximately 250,000 pounds of food. The campaign will run through October 26. The partners' goal is to raise 160,000 pounds of food or $20,000. Every dollar raised is equivalent to eight pounds of food. "The Commonwealth of Kentucky Bowl will help put food on the table for the thousands of Kentuckians who don't always know where their meals are coming from," said Tamara Sandberg, executive director of the Kentucky Association of Food Banks. "We are grateful to Secretary Grimes and KACo for leading this effort and honored to partner with them in the fight against hunger in Kentucky." More information on the Commonwealth of Kentucky Bowl is at HelpFeedKY.com. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 19, 2018 | RICHMOND By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 19, 2018 | 11:05 PM | RICHMOND Every third week of October, which is Bullying Prevention Month, schools across Kentucky have an opportunity to partner with their local lawmakers, first responders and community to observe Kentucky Safe Schools Week. The week provides an opportunity to raise awareness of school safety issues while discussing and enhancing initiatives at the local and state level. This year's theme for October 21-27 is "BE INCREDIBLE, Reveal Your Superhero!" with an emphasis on students. Put simply, being incredible is being the best you can possibly be. Every student has incredible super skills and talents that make them unique and strong. The Kentucky Center for School Safety asks students to band together with school staff and the community to create a safe "family-like" culture at school. Incredible super powers can be used fighting against bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, conflict, hate and violence while spreading empathy, compassion and respect. As quoted from the Disney "Incredibles 2" movie "It's time to make some wrong things right, help us bring Supers back into the sunlight." Fighting to solve these issues may be as easy as leaving an online tip, where students can be a "Silent Hero" and help without fear of retaliation. The Kentucky Center for School Safety offers to partner with schools and provide a "free" online reporting tool, the S.T.O.P! TIPLINE. It encourages students, parents or community members who know of an unsafe situation in school to anonymously pass on that information to school personnel in a digital format. Check it out at www.kycss.org/stop/resources.php During Safe Schools Week, the KCSS website supplies a variety of teaching aids, along with the online pledge against bullying and a Kentucky Safe Schools Week Tool Kit. It's loaded with resources such as daily announcements, activity pages, PowerPoint presentations, lessons, videos, scenarios, interactive websites and much more. Resources will also be available for school administrators, parents and community involvement at www.kysafeschools.org/ssw.php This year's online pledge against bullying highlights the word SUPER and the qualities necessary to bring "Supers" into the sunlight! S-Strong, U-Understanding, P-Powerful, E-Encouraging and R-Respectful! www.kysafeschools.org/sswpledge Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. LAFAYETTE, (Ind.) WLFI -- A Lafayette teen isn't letting his age stand in the way of helping others. 13-year-old Chris Verissimo finished his last day of collecting school supplies for the victims of Hurricane Florence. Verissimo said he came up with the "Stuff the Bus" for hurricane victims idea after seeing the devastation of Hurricane Florence on TV. He's been collecting donations for two weeks and said half of his garage is filled with supplies. For his final day of collecting, River City Church lent him a bus and The Walmart on Veterans Memorial Parkway lent him an area to park. He accepted more donations from curious Walmart shoppers, interested in donating after seeing the bus and community members who knew he was there. Verissimo said it was important for him to help the schools. I've seen people helping out with homes and stuff but I've never seen people helping out with schools and so I decided to kind of take the action we need to help some schools out, said Verissimo. Verissimo explains why even though the storm hasn't directly affected him, he still wants to help. For example if someone like trips and falls on the playground, you're gonna help them up.. you know to make sure they're okay, said Verissimo. That's basically what we're doing here for North Carolina cause North Carolina basically just had a trip and fall and so now we're just helping them back up on their feet. Verissimo and his family will be traveling to North Carolina on Oct. 26 to deliver all the supplies. They said they're grateful to the community as well as all the businesses that donated. LAFAYETTE, (Ind.) WLFI -- 16-year-old Rylee Schneider of Lafayette isn't letting her age stop her from making a difference. As the Lafayette Walk For Freedom Organizer, she's hoping her steps create a better pathway for human trafficking victims. Schneider said she isn't directly affected by human trafficking but she has a passion to see it end. "Every person should have the chance to be free, every person deserves to not be enslaved for their entire life like that's just really, really terrible," said Schneider. Schneider said she was online one day when she came across the Walk For Freedom event on through an organization called A21. The website is reaches people internationally and was created to abolish human trafficking in the 21st century. Schneider said all she did was sign some papers then she was able to host the Walk for Freedom event right here in the Greater Lafayette area. The walk included walking on the pedestrian bridge and walking around the city. The number of human trafficking incidents in Tippecanoe County is higher than the state average. State Representative Sally Siegrist spoke at the walk and shared why it's essential to bring awareness to human trafficking. "I think that the more events that we have like this, the more light we shine on the issue of human trafficking, the more we'll be able to successfully combat it," said Siegrist. This year, Siegrist authored an update to Indiana's human trafficking statute, now making is easier for Indiana law enforcement to crack down on human trafficking offenders and networks. She says it's a step in the right direction for the state. "Too many people feel this is a problem in foreign countries and don't realize it is a problem in our backyard," said Siegrist. Siegrist said she's impressed with Schneider efforts to tackle this big issue at her young age. "It gives me great hope for the future, that young people are activists and are concerned about issues that may not have directly impacted them but that impact us all," said Seigrist. For Schneider, she wants the freedom walk to go beyond the pavement. "Through this, I can kind of share Jesus and that's the main thing because if people can't have freedom in this life then they can have freedom in the next through Jesus and that's really the ultimate goal," said Schneider. According to A21, 99% of victims are never rescued. The organization works to help those that are rescued and bring awareness to the signs that someone may be a victim of human trafficking. You can donate to help surviving victims here. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Glyndwr lecturers award-winning documentary to screen on US TV This article is old - Published: Sunday, Oct 21st, 2018 An award-winning documentary by a Wrexham Glyndwr University lecturer has been picked up for broadcast by an American television station. The news is the latest success for Glenn Hanstocks Tickle the Ivories, a documentary which originally sprang from a Liverpool piano festival and went on to win best documentary at the Lift-Off International Film Festival and screen at both Sheffield Doc Fest and Pinewood Studios. The documentary has now been picked up by UNC Charlotte TV, a station linked to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The station broadcasts to around half a million people across North Carolina and Glenn, who has previously worked on BBC1s Moving On and Crimestoppers among other productions, is excited to be reaching another new audience. He said: The station got in touch with me and asked if Id be happy for Tickle the Ivories to be given a broadcast slot and with around half a million viewers in America for the documentary, I was delighted to say yes. Tickle the Ivories began as a short film about a piano festival in Liverpool, set up by an organisation called Open Culture. The festival centres around street piano performances, with pianos being set up in locations around Liverpool. They attract all kinds of characters, and Tickle the Ivories grew out of that. It was filmed in 2014, and since then its been shown around the world and won a series of awards. Im delighted that its now off to find a whole new audience and its great as a university lecturer to make that link with another academic institution too. Glenn has continued to work on producing documentaries with his production company, Electrobank Media. One recent production centres around a series of music legends from North West England, including Johnny Marr, Peter Hook and DJ Graeme Park who lectures alongside Glenn at Glyndwr and discussions are ongoing with a major record company who are interested in the documentary. Glenn also directs music videos for a range of bands, including The Courteeners and The Blinders whose debut album, Columbia, came out this month. He credits the experience with helping with his work at Glyndwr, where he is a Lecturer in Creative Industries. He said: The whole team here at Glyndwr have hands-on experience in relevant industries we arent just lecturing about the subjects we teach, were also still very much active in them. Working on documentaries, music videos and other productions means that students at Glyndwr hear first-hand from industry professionals and get experience that prepares them to become industry professionals themselves. You can see Glenns documentary here: https://vimeo.com/280537150 Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 02:17:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Life seems burgeoning at a normal night on a thoroughfare in western Baghdad, after years of U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that plunged the country into a cycle of insurgency and sectarian strife. Crowds of people were wandering in the 14th Ramadan Street in al-Mansour up-scaled neighborhood, which usually witnesses traffic jam and busy sidewalks until late at night. People from all over the Iraqi capital come to spend pleasant time in Mansour's malls, shops, outdoor stalls, restaurants and coffee shops, which continue open their doors to late after midnight hours. Abu Mustafa, 35, coffee cart owner who sells tea and coffee in small Iraqi traditional cups locally known as Finjan, said that the improving security situation is behind the return of normal life. "People don't care to be late past midnight because they feel safer after the improvement in the security situation," said Abu Mustafa, who wears a traditional Baghdadi costume. The security situation in Iraq dramatically improved in the past few years, particularly after the defeat of Islamic State (IS) militant group, which was mostly responsible for massive bombing targeting crowded areas such as markets, cafes and restaurants. "Things getting better as we don't feel we are in war anymore. Explosions largely decreased and we hear their terrifying sounds only in rare occasions," Lena Ahmed, a 23-year-old female told Xinhua as she was shopping in the thoroughfare. "In the past, I couldn't go out by myself without scarf, or Hijab in Arabic. Now I can. But sometimes I have fears that one day I could be kidnapped because militias are still around, I hope the government would pay attention to this point," she added. For his part, Najah Jameel, a civil rights activist said that it became familiar that many parties and celebrations for families are being held during night hours in Baghdad neighborhoods, where more than eight million residents live in. "The return of normal life in Baghdad proves that the security situation is improved, but the city still has a long way to go if it is to reclaim its past glories as a capital of culture," Jameel added. Better security, after the defeat of IS group in late 2017, pushed the government to reopen hundreds of streets across Baghdad, remove hundreds of security walls, and cancel dozens of security check points. Originally, the security walls were built in the years after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion to curb the sectarian bloodshed, turning Baghdad neighborhoods into dozens of replicas of the Green Zone. Many Iraqis are dreaming of the golden age of Baghdad, hoping that the new government would encourage tourist activities on the banks of Tigris River which bisects the city, so that people can enjoy normal life, including Iraq's barbequed fish, known as Masgouf. Baghdad prides itself of making the best Masgouf, which is a Mesopotamian dish consisting of seasoned, grilled fish, most commonly in Abu Newas district on the shores of the Tigris River. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 07:08:02|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic congressional leaders on Saturday accused President Donald Trump of attempting to shift the public focus away from health care to immigration. "The president is desperate to change the subject from health care to immigration because he knows that health care is the number one issue Americans care about," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement. "Republicans in Washington are making a mess of our health care system, causing premiums to increase and care to decrease while threatening to gut protections for pre-existing conditions," they argued, adding Democrats are focused on health care and "will not be diverted." The statement came hours after Trump blamed Democrats for not willing to negotiate a deal on reforming America's immigration system. "If the Democrats would stop being obstructionists and come together, we could write up and agree to new immigration laws in less than one hour," Trump tweeted on Saturday morning. "Look at the needless pain and suffering that they are causing. Look at the horrors taking place on the Border," added the president. A tougher immigration policy was a key campaign promise of Trump in 2016. Over the past two years, the Trump administration has attempted to erect a wall along the U.S. southern border and push for a merit-based immigration policy. The efforts faced an enormous pushback from Democrats, who argue that the United States should continue to welcome immigrants to benefit the U.S. economy. According to a recent poll, the immigration policy is one of the top concerns for voters in the upcoming congressional midterm elections, particularly for Republican voters. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 07:23:03|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close CHICAGO, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) agricultural futures closed lower in the past trading week which ended Oct. 19, due to less-than-expected export sales. The most active contract for December corn fell 6.75 cents weekly, or 1.8 percent, to 3.67 dollars per bushel. December wheat delivery went down 2.5 cents, or 0.48 percent weekly, to 5.1475 dollars per bushel. November soybeans suffered a 10.75-cent decline, or 1.24 percent, to 8.5675 dollars per bushel. Long lasting rainfalls in the U.S. Midwest had led to harvest delays, which in turn supported the prices of corn and soybeans in the past two weeks. However, as dry weather gradually came back and prevailed in the area, pressure started to build up upon their futures. On Thursday, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its weekly export sales report for the period of Oct. 5-11, 2018, showing corn and soybean exports were far less than trade estimates, with corn sales hitting an early marketing year low. U.S. exporters reported sales of 382,500 metric tons of corn, compared with the trade's expectations of between 800,000-1,250,000 metric tons. Soybean sales only reached 293,600 metric tons, versus the trade's expectations of between 600,000-1,000,000 metric tons. Oliver Sloup, with Blueline Future, described the export sales as "absolutely pathetic" for both corn and soybeans. The bearish U.S. ethanol data gave additional pressure on corn, its raw material. Official data pegged the ethanol production through the week ending Oct. 12 at 297 million gallons, down 9 million from previous week. Meanwhile, ethanol inventories totaled a near-record 1,014 million gallons, up 5 million on the prior week. As for CBOT soybeans, the futures rallied on Monday and spent the rest of the week correcting the early gains, said analysts with AgResource, a Chicago-based agricultural research firm. Harvest delays and even losses and crop quality concerns triggered funds short-covering for the initial rally. But disappointing export sales dragged down the prices. Export sale cancellations to unknown destinations were noted in the USDA weekly sales report, followed by additional cancellations at the end of the week. Cancellations to China are not a surprise given the 25 percent tariff and more can be expected in the year ahead, said market watchers. CBOT wheat futures saw a dull week, while the world wheat trade simply lacked enthusiasm. USDA's weekly export sales report showed that a total of 476,000 metric tons of U.S. wheat was exported, fulfilling the trade's expectations of between 250,000-600,000 metric tons. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 07:43:06|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. scientists at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have developed a new drug that can restore the function of oxygen-starved heart tissue under the conditions of hypoxia, according to the results of a new study released over the weekend. The new drug called OMX-CV was developed by Omniox, Inc., one of the first biotech startups launched in the incubator space on the UCSF's Mission Bay campus in 2010. The biopharmaceutical company has been developing oxygen-delivery therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, trauma and other conditions in which low oxygen levels, or hypoxia, negatively impact disease outcomes. The new drug does not cause systemic side effects or overcorrect with excessive blood oxygenation, which can itself be toxic. It delivers its precious oxygen cargo only to the tissues that need it most. The UCSF researchers have tested the treatment and found the new oxygen-delivery therapeutic is capable of restoring the function of oxygen-starved heart tissue in an animal model of global hypoxia. Their findings were published in the journal PLOS Biology on Thursday. The tissues of human body can suffer major damage if they are running low on oxygen, and such hypoxic conditions can lead to long-term tissue damage or even heart attacks. "Any tissue with compromised blood flow, whether due to trauma, stroke, or heart disease, could potentially be targeted by a treatment like this," said Emin Maltepe, associate professor of pediatrics at UCSF and co-senior author of the study. Unlike hemoglobin-based drugs that sometimes pump excess oxygen into blood, which produces adverse side effects, OMX-CV sidesteps these problems by employing an engineered bacterial protein known as H-NOX as its base, rather than hemoglobin. Maltepe and his team modified the chemical structure of H-NOX proteins and reengineered them to hold tight to oxygen, but leave nitric oxide alone. The modified proteins bind oxygen tightly until they met a severely hypoxic tissue to release oxygen that was in bad need. "OMX-CV is fine-tuned to only release oxygen under pathologic conditions... Relatively small doses of the drug transform the capacity of the heart to keep up in the face of severe hypoxia," said Ana Krtolica, vice president of research at Omniox and co-senior author of the study. The U.S. scientists also hope that OMX-CV can be further applied to pediatric care, particularly when it is used as an oxygen-delivering drug to ease the physical stress of hypoxia and improve recovery following heart attacks or after open heart surgery in both adults and children. U.S. national flag waves on the building of the embassy of the United States of America (R) in Moscow on April 2, 2018. (AFP PHOTO) MOSCOW, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States is fabricating a pretext to once again impose its "notorious sanctions" against Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Saturday. Ryabkov made the remarks after the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday charged Russian national Elena Khusyaynova "for her alleged role in a Russian conspiracy to interfere in the U.S. political system, including the 2018 midterm election." In a commentary published by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Ryabkov said the United States has been spreading "shameless lies" about the mythical "hand of Moscow" for more than two years and it is now playing the same card on the eve of the Nov. 6 midterm election. "This is a shameful slanderous campaign. It is dictated by the desire of some American politicians to get advantages in inter-party squabbles and at the same time put pressure on Russia," he said. "The United States clearly overestimate its own capabilities. Demonstrating hostility to Russia and contempt for the whole world, they will only receive a more and more tough response," Ryabkov said. File Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) meets with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. U.S. (Xinhua/Lehtikuva/Heikki Saukkomaa) WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that his country will pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia, a decades-old pact limiting strategic weapons development. Trump made the remarks to reporters after attending a rally in the state of Nevada. He accused Russia of violating the 1987 treaty without providing any evidence. "The agreement has been violated for many years," he said. "We'll have to develop those weapons," Trump added. Trump's words came as his National Security Adviser John Bolton was heading to Russia on Saturday, who has been reported to tell Russian leaders about U.S. plan to exit the landmark deal. The INF treaty, signed by the former Soviet Union and the United States, bans the development, deployment and testing of ground-launched ballistic or cruise missiles with ranges between 300 miles (483 km) and 3,400 miles (5472 km). Moscow and Washington have repeatedly accused each other of violating the treaty. In May, a Russian military official claimed that the United States continues testing its missile defense systems and producing missiles which are prohibited by the INF treaty. Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe (L, Front) attends the 9th China-ASEAN Defense Ministers' Informal Meeting inSingapore, on Oct. 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey) SINGAPORE, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The 5th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus wrapped up here Saturday, with Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe being one of its participants. The meeting was attended by the Defense Ministers of ASEAN member countries as well as ASEAN's eight Plus partners, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States. It was chaired by Ng Eng Hen, the defense minister of Singapore which takes over the chairmanship of ASEAN this year. Wei said in his speech that the Asian region is confronted with severe challenges in combating terrorism, and only concerted efforts would prove to be an effective way to cope with the situation. During recent years, the Chinese military has strengthened mutual trust and military exchange mechanism with relevant countries in the region, and will continue to do so in order to safeguard regional stability. The Chinese defense minister noted that the international arena is witnessing profound changes, and there still exist a lot of destabilizing factors and uncertainties in the world. Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposals of creating a community of shared future for mankind and of building an Asian community with shared future provide new ideas to tackle the security dilemma as well as to maintain regional and even global peace and prosperity, Wei added. The 5th ADMM-Plus Defense Ministers issued two Joint statements on Preventing and Countering the Threat of Terrorism and on Practical Confidence-Building Measures. On the sidelines of the meeting, the Chinese defense minister met separately with the defense ministers of Singapore, the United States, Laos, New Zealand, Thailand, Japan, Australia and the Republic of Korea, with whom Wei exchanged views on issues of common concern. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 09:38:31|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close YAOUNDE, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The murderers of three Chinese nationals in the Central African Republic (CAR) "will not go unpunished," Central African President Faustin-Archange Touadera has said. "The perpetrators and their accomplices will be brought to justice... so that justice can be done for the victims as well as for the Central African people," said Touadera in a recent meeting in Bangui with Chinese Ambassador to the CAR Chen Dong. On Oct. 4, three Chinese nationals were killed in the town of Sosso-Nakombo in south-western CAR by local residents who believed that these Chinese were responsible for the disappearance of one of their compatriots. Touadera once again offered his condolences to the families of the victims, saying "the indignation is not only mine, but the people of the Central African Republic." Touadera assured that the criminal act "is not going to alter our will to continue working to improve our cooperation with China." "There is the will of the Central African government and the Central African people to go beyond these moments and show the Chinese people that we have the will to continue our cooperation," he said. "An important program of cooperation has been developed between our two countries, and we will continue to work under this program," Touadera said, referring to the deal made at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation where he met with his Chinese counterpart. The president said security measures will be put in place for the benefit of foreign nationals "so that such acts do not happen again." "I could simply reassure investors coming from China that measures will be taken... for precisely the protection," said Touadera. A total of 63 Chinese nationals affected by the criminal case were evacuated under escort of Central African security forces to neighboring Cameroon. Thirteen suspects were arrested and will be brought to public trial in November. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 09:43:35|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close ERBIL, Iraq, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has won the most seats in the Sept. 30 parliamentary elections of the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq. Around midnight Saturday, the Kurdish Independent High Electoral and Referendum Commission (IHERC) announced the final results, which showed the KDP, headed by Masoud Barzani, took the lead with 45 seats of the 111-seat regional parliament. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by former Iraqi President Fuad Masoum, came second with 21 seats, the results showed. The Change Movement (Gorran) came in the third place with 12 seats, and the New Generation Movement seized eight seats. The Islamic Group got seven seats and the Toward Reform won five, and Sardam and Azadi (Communist Party) won one seat each. The 11 remaining seats were won by minority groups under the quota system, as the Turkoman gained five seats, the Christians five and the Armenians one, according to the figures. On Sept. 30, about 3 million eligible voters cast their ballots over more than 700 candidates within 29 parties and coalitions vying for seats in the regional legislature. Under the quota system, Kurdish political parties will take 100 seats, and minority groups share the remaining 11 ones. The Kurdish parliamentary elections came more than four months after the Iraqi national elections on May 12. The elections are the fifth of their kind since the Iraqi Kurds established the autonomous region in 1991. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 09:53:37|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close SYDNEY, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Independent political candidate Kerryn Phelps claimed victory in a crucial Australian by-election late on Saturday, a major loss for the country's ruling coalition that will leave Prime Minister Scott Morrison without a parliamentary majority, local media reported. Phelps' lead against her closest opponent Dave Sharma in the affluent Wentworth electorate in eastern New South Wales state capital Sydney marks the end of a Liberal Party stronghold that lasted more than seven decades. It was a "David and Goliath struggle", the ABC news channel quoted Phelps as saying. The result "reflected anger in the electorate" following the ouster of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in an August leadership coup, the channel quoted Morrison as saying. Turnbull resigned as the member for Wentworth following the coup. Phelps' win will leave Morrison's Liberal-National Coalition with 75 members of Parliament in the 150-seat House of Representatives, with the support of independent and minor-party crossbenchers needed to avoid a no-confidence vote. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 10:38:46|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- A teleplay based on China's famous story "Six Feet Lane" will be broadcasted next year to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The teleplay tells stories in which state officials stay true to their missions, fight against corrupt elements within the Party and unscrupulous businesspeople and seek welfare for the public. "Six Feet Lane," a well-known historical allusion in China, tells how a top official in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Zhang Ying settled disputes with the Wu family, his neighbor back in his hometown of Tongcheng in eastern China's Anhui Province. The neighbor attempted to encroach onto a narrow passageway between the mansions of the Zhang and Wu families. The Zhang family wrote to seek help from Zhang Ying, who was then serving official duties in Beijing. Zhang responded saying, "What if you yield a three-foot strip for them?" Zhang's family did so. The Wu family was touched and made their own three-foot strip for the lane too. The "Six Feet Lane" therefore became a representation of modesty and comity, highlights of traditional Chinese moralism, as well as a much-told story on the official-civilian relationship. Wu Jun, the director, said the teleplay draws on the cultural essence of the "Six Feet Lane," uses the past to allude to the present and demonstrates positive energy in a new era. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 11:13:50|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close by Luis Brito MEXICO CITY, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's first-ever import expo, scheduled for Nov. 5-10 in Shanghai, is an opportunity for Mexican exporters and export promotion agencies to strengthen trade ties with the Asian giant, local market analysts have told Xinhua. "We should focus not just on the sale of traditional products like apparel or food, but also try to sell different kinds of services, especially online-based services," said Jorge Sanchez Tello, head of applied research at the Financial Studies Fund of Mexico's Autonomous Technological Institute. In the lead up to the China International Import Expo (CIIE), China's embassy in Mexico has said the trade fair is designed to do more than satisfy the growing demand of Chinese consumers, Sanchez said. It aims to spur China's ongoing process of opening-up to the world and show its willingness to share its development gains with other countries, Sanchez added. Mexico and China raised bilateral ties to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2013, and China has become Mexico's second-biggest trade partner, after the United States. Bilateral trade and investment have picked up in recent years, with Chinese and Mexican businesses successfully venturing into each other's markets. While Mexico has a trade deficit with China, that's not necessarily "a bad thing," said Sanchez, noting some Chinese imports fulfill a need for competitively priced goods in Mexico. In addition, he said, the CIIE serves to address exactly this type of trade imbalance, by making it easier for international companies to meet and greet Chinese importers, and showcase their products. "We shouldn't see the deficit the way (U.S. President) Donald Trump does, as a bad thing. We take advantage of the opportunity to trade with China to bring better-priced products. And hopefully Mexican business owners will see this (trade fair) as an opportunity to diversify trade more," said Sanchez. Mexico has been invited as a guest of honor at the CIIE and it is organizing its representation accordingly, with federal and state officials, as well as business-sector representatives comprising a delegation heading to Shanghai. The fair is taking place just weeks before a new administration takes over the reins in Mexico when president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is sworn in on Dec. 1. Lopez has noted he would strengthen ties with China, and the CIIE presents a perfect opportunity, said Mexican economist and China expert Enrique Dussel, who is a coordinator of the China-Mexico Studies Center at Mexico's National Autonomous University (UNAM). Dussel recommended Lopez send members of his future governing team to the fair to lay the groundwork for closer trade cooperation. "Hopefully they will participate a month before they take office ... to prepare as best they can, so as of Dec. 1 they are taking the steps needed to forge closer ties with China," said Dussel. About 80,000 Chinese and international companies have so far confirmed their participation in the event, which will include a trade forum attended by government leaders and representatives of international organizations. Mexico and other Latin American countries are aware of the importance of attending the fair, said Mexican economist and twice ambassador to Beijing Eugenio Anguiano Roch. China is a major importer, and "China's economy demands a lot from the rest of the world," said Roch, a research professor at the Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE), a leading Mexican think tank. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 11:33:53|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close CANBERRA, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Australia's ruling Liberal-National Party coalition (LNP) has lost its governing majority in the nation's parliament. Independent Kerryn Phelps on Saturday claimed victory over the LNP's Dave Sharma in the Wentworth by-election, leaving the LNP with 75 of 150 seats in the House of Representatives. It marks the first time in over 100 years that the Liberal Party has lost Wentworth, an electorate in the affluent eastern suburbs of Sydney, and the 22 percent voter swing against the party was the biggest by-election swing against a government in Australian history. The result will not cause government to be dissolved but will leave Prime Minister (PM) Scott Morrison facing an uphill battle to achieve his legislative agenda ahead of the 2019 general election. However, it does leave the LNP in the precarious position of potentially losing a motion of no confidence from the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP), which would trigger an immediate election. The Wentworth by-election was triggered when Malcolm Turnbull resigned from parliament after the Liberal Party deposed him as PM and installed Morrison as leader in August. Morrison on Saturday night said that the defeat was the price the party paid for switching leaders. "The Liberal Party has paid a big price tonight for the events of several months ago," he said in a speech. "But as a party, we will continue to rise again." Sharma received 41 percent of primary votes compared to only 30 percent for Phelps but Australia's preferential voting system delivered a win for the independent. Phelps in 2003 became the first female president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and has also served as the Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney. "Thank you to the people of Wentworth for placing your trust in me," she said in her victory speech. "This win tonight should signal a return of decency, integrity and humanity to the Australian government." Sharma, who was Australia's ambassador to Israel between 2013 and 2017, congratulated Phelps on her victory, describing her as a "formidable" opponent and admitted his first electoral campaign was "bruising". Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 11:48:55|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Patagonia, a popular outdoor clothing and gears company, Friday publicly endorsed two Senate candidates in the western U.S. states of Nevada and Montana. Political experts said the move constituted the first time any corporation had explicitly endorsed a candidate for office. In a statement issued Friday, the California-based company announced that it is endorsing candidates for the first time this year because of "the urgent and unprecedented threats to our public lands and waters." The two Democrats supported by the famous outdoor brand are incumbent Senator Jon Tester who is running for reelection in the state of Montana and Representative Jacky Rosen who is seeking to an unseat Senator position in the state of Nevada. The endorsements will appear on the company's websites, social media and in customer emails. The two Senate races are among the most competitive in the midterm elections this fall with Republicans holding a razor-thin 51-to-49 majority on poll so far. The U.S. President Donald Trump flied to Montana Thursday and is scheduled to Nevada Saturday night to show his support for the Republic candidates there. The Washington Post reported the news Friday and analyzed that even though some CEOs and other high-level executives endorsed candidates as well, but what Patagonia has done is totally different, saying "it may constitute the first time any corporation has explicitly endorsed a candidate for office." Richard Briffault, a Columbia Law School professor and campaign finance expert, was quoted as saying that he was not aware of a similar corporate endorsement of a candidate before although he can't say it never happened. Michael S. Kang, a law professor and campaign-finance expert at Northwestern University, could not recall any other public endorsement of a candidate from a corporations as well. "Consumer-facing companies traditionally shy away from taking sides publicly in candidate races," he told the Washington Post, adding the move is not illegal. Patagonia said in its statement that its move is "about standing up for the millions of Americans who want to see wild places protected for future generations. That's something we will always do, regardless of political party." It's not the first time for Patagonia involving into politics. Since Trump was sworn into the White House, Patagonia's public political activity has increased. Last year, the company led a law suit charging the Trump administration's decision to shrink in size two national monuments in the state of Utah and its website declared "The President Stole Your Land." On the Patagonia's homepage Saturday, there is a campaign titled "Democracy Requires showing up," encouraging people to vote in November's elections. "The threats to democracy have never been more real. Free and fair elections are being challenged at every level. Millions are speaking up and not being heard. This is our opportunity to elect leaders who listen and will make a difference in determining the future of our social and environmental policy for years to come," advertising of the campaign said. The Friday's statement repeated the company's opinion, saying "our democracy depends on showing up on Election Day, and our planet depends on leaders who will protect it." Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 12:08:58|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close by Keren Setton JERUSALEM, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The current U.S. administration's tactic of erecting tariff barriers against imports from China in the hope of forcing a remedy to its trade problem is not going to work, experts said. "It is not going to achieve what he (U.S. President Donald Trump) is hoping to achieve and it's not going to bring back to America industries which have been in decline for decades," said Yishay Yafeh, a professor at the Hebrew University in Israel. "It will hurt American consumers and producers," he said. The Trump administration has been using the tactic of threatening tariffs against U.S. trading partners in the hope of forcing what it wants out of them. It imposed tariffs against exports from China and other partners, and expanded the scope of the tariffs against China when it retaliated. China has said it is open to negotiating a resolution to the trade friction with the United States through talks based on equality and mutual respect but has resisted the tactics of the Trump administration. Arie Reich, an expert in international trade law from Bar-Ilan University in Israel, said the U.S. policy on the back of populist sentiment is "short-sighted." "There are going to be lots of workers who are going to suffer because their own exports will not do so well anymore and because U.S. trade partners aren't standing idly by, they are also responding with their own tariffs," Reich said. Reich said that while China has responded with its own tariffs on U.S. goods, it has been "a proportionate response." In addition, China could potentially find other markets to buy from. While China has said repeatedly that it has no intention to replace the United States and voiced its support for multilateralism, Yuri Pines, a professor from the Asian Studies Department at the Hebrew University, said part of the problem in the United States is the perception of China as a potential threat. Yafeh said it is a bad policy to make use of such populist sentiment. "In the end, everyone will lose," he said. Reich said his research on the effectiveness of the World Trade Organization (WTO) showed that China has a good track record in respecting rulings by the WTO in international trade disputes. No WTO member has been forced to make any requests to impose trade sanctions against China. WTO members are allowed to make requests to impose trade sanctions against their trade partners if they fail to comply with the rulings by the WTO. The United States, however, ranked first in terms of the number of times of being a target of sanction requests by other WTO members. Yafeh said this affirms his assessment that the United States "has a long history of trade friction with its major trading partners in Asia," though it the past the target has more often been Japan instead of China. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 12:29:00|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close MOSCOW, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Washington's withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces(INF) Treaty will become a major blow to the global system of strategic stability, a Russian lawmaker said on Sunday. "In case of U.S. exit, a powerful blow will be delivered to the whole system of strategic stability in the world," Alexey Pushkov, head of the Russian Federation Council's temporary commission on informational policy and communication, wrote on his Twitter microblog. The United States is once again initiating the withdrawal from the treaty, added Pushkov, calling the U.S. withdrawal from the ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) Treaty in 2001 as the first blow. In December 2001, the U.S. government under President George W. Bush announced the withdrawal from the ABM Treaty, which was signed by the United States and the Soviet Union in 1972, clearing ways to implement its plan of building the National Missile Defense system. U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that Washington will withdraw from the INF Treaty because Russia is violating the terms of the agreement. The INF Treaty was signed in 1987 by then Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev and former U.S. President Ronald Reagan to ban the development, deployment and testing of ground-launched ballistic or cruise missiles with ranges between 300 and 3,400 miles (483 and 5472 km). The United States has first accused Russia of violating the conditions of the INF Treaty in July 2014. Moscow denied the allegations, calling them part of an anti-Russian campaign launched by Washington over the Ukrainian crisis. Since then, Moscow and Washington have repeatedly accused each other of violating the treaty. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 12:49:03|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close by Raimundo Urrechaga HAVANA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- In one of the halls of Havana's Grand Theater on Saturday, 39 canvases, four installations, a bronze sculpture and three creations of mixed media on resin and fabric started their display. They were brought there by Nelson Dominguez, a renowned Cuban painter, for a show to pay homage to the island's legendary dancer Alicia Alonso, who is going to be 98 years old next year. Dominguez entitled his unique exhibition "Mi amiga Alicia" (My friend Alicia), which would last till December 2019 when Alonso becomes 89 years old. "Alicia Alonso means the maintained essence of the spirit, the development of dance and art in general. The great teaching that she has exercised throughout her career will continue to be a milestone as she has become one of the top international figures in the world of ballet," Dominguez told Xinhua. For the Cuban painter, the slenderness, greatness and ductility of one of the most acclaimed exponents of Latin American dance throughout history were inspirational reasons for more than a decade. "She is like a rope that can be rolled up, stretched, put into a spiral. For me it is an artistic example of how all dance movements can be perfectly executed," he added. The exhibition is structured in four sections in order to show different aspects of the life of the prima ballerina assoluta. Alonso can be seen in her facets as an artist, meticulous teacher, woman and representative of Cuban culture. Dominguez said that the exposition also opened on Saturday to celebrate the island's National Culture Day, a date of great significance in the Caribbean nation. "Alicia for me and for all Cubans is a symbol of dedication, passion, success and continued nonconformity," he said. Dominguez believed the iconic Cuban dancer must be presented while still alive with all the gratitude local artists and institutions have for her dedication to massively spreading ballet throughout the country. "She achieved, in a nation where culture was for high-income classes, to make ballet a popular and understandable art and created a distinct Cuban ballet school that today is recognized worldwide," he said. His remarks were echoed by Marta Martinez, a 69-year-old Havana woman, who told Xinhua that she was fortunate to see Alonso dance and today took her granddaughter to the exhibition as she is enrolled in a classical ballet school. "The exhibition is beautiful, it shows Alicia's career and life and that is very important for the Cuban nation. She means a lot to everyone, especially to the new generations of dancers who get excited every time they see her because they are aware of her greatness," she said. Martinez was accompanied by her granddaughter, Adriana Montero, a 7-year-old girl who for three years has regularly attended vocational workshops for children at the "Fernando Alonso" National School of Ballet in Havana. There, together with hundreds of students, she has learned not only the positions and techniques of classical dance, but also the importance of defending her country's culture through art. "I would like when I grow up to be famous like her. I am excited to dance and Alicia Alonso inspires me because she had great skills," said Adriana. The exhibition is a preamble of the 26th Havana International Ballet Festival, one of the most important dance events in the world, which will be held from Oct. 28 to Nov. 6. This year the festival will mark the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the National Ballet of Cuba. The event, launched in 1960 by Alonso and institutionalized since 1974 on a biannual basis, is one of the oldest and most famous in the world of dance. Throughout these 58 years of history, dancers from 61 countries of the five continents have performed in Havana. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 13:04:05|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close KABUL, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 3 million Afghan voters cast their ballot in the country's parliamentary elections on Saturday, a statement said Sunday. "According to preliminary results more than 3 million Afghans voted during the parliamentary elections on Saturday," Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC) said in the statement. The statement said that high turnout was reported in Kabul, Herat, Daykundi and Nangarhar provinces respectively while the lowest turnout was reported in Uruzgan province where only 5,000 people used their franchise. The elections covered 32 out of the country's 34 provinces. Voting in Kandahar and Ghazni provinces has been postponed due to security reasons. Election officials set up 4,900 polling centers including over 20,000 polling stations across the country. However, about 400 polling centers, including 45 centers in national capital of Kabul, remained close due to technical problems and security threats. In effort to provide opportunity for people who failed to vote Saturday, the IEC will hold elections in a number of polling centers in Kabul and countryside on Sunday, the statement said. On Saturday, 27 people including 11 security forces members were killed and 100 others wounded in 192 security incidents, including 89 attacks on polling centers across the country, according to Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs. However, some sources said that 67 people were killed and 126 others wounded in election-related violence and blasts and clashes across the country. More than 2,500 candidates are contesting for the Wolesi Jirga or the 249-seat lower house of the parliament. Nearly 9 million voters, out of 12 million eligible Afghans, were registered to cast their ballots to elect members of the lower house for a five-year term. : , - , : - , - . ? : , , , , 10%, . , 3%, , 10%. , , 5.50, . - , 500 . 800 . , , . . , - , . , , , . , . , , . . , . , . : . : . , , , . . , , . , . , . . : ? : , . , . . . , . , , . , , . , , , , , . : ? : . , , . : , . : , , , , . , , -. . -. . , . , . . . , . . . . . , , , . , ? , . , . , , , , - . . , . , , 10 . . : ? : -. - , , . , , , , . . , . . : , , . ? : - . , . , . , . . , , . : , . -, . : ? : , , . , . , , . . , . Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 13:34:07|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close XIAMEN, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- An international university consortium, comprised of over 60 universities from 17 countries and regions along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was inaugurated Saturday in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province. Initiated by Xiamen University (XMU), the University Consortium of 21st Century Maritime Silk Road has set up its secretariat on the university's campus. Consortium members issued a declaration at the inaugural ceremony held at XMU, calling for deepened cooperation in higher education and scientific research, shared educational resources and promotion of cultural exchanges. Members include the University of Sheffield, Sorbonne University, the University of Melbourne, the Victoria University of Wellington and Nanyang Technological University. Xiamen is an important port city along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, part of the Belt and Road Initiative first proposed by China in 2013. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 13:49:09|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BANGKOK, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Nine Myanmar laborers were killed and seven others were injured when a van collided into a tree and caught fire in central Thailand on Sunday. The van carrying 16 people was heading for western Thailand's border province Tak. The crash occurred when the van veered off and smashed into a roadside tree in Kamphaeng Phet Province. Firefighters extinguished the fire engulfing the van, only to find the nine people dead inside, huddled together in the front seats. The other seven, including the driver, were injured and hospitalized, according to reports. Local reports said the dead were all Myanmar workers. Initial investigations showed the driver fell asleep and lost control in heavy rain before the tragedy happened. Reports said several fatal accidents have taken place on the same section of the long and straight road which causes drivers to be prone to be drowsy and less alert. Further investigations are ongoing. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 15:19:20|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close KUNMING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Police in southwest China's Yunnan Province have arrested three people on suspicion of smuggling drugs from Myanmar to China and seized over 127 kg of methamphetamine, local authorities said Sunday. Police in Gengma County received information on Tuesday that a tractor with a Burmese license plate had sneaked across the border into Yunnan. Police immediately set up an investigation team and busted three suspects in the tractor the same day. Three bags of methamphetamine, weighing 127.45 kg in total, were found smuggled in the vehicle. Further investigation is underway. Yunnan is a major front in China's battle against drug crime, as it borders the Golden Triangle, an area spanning Thailand, Laos and Myanmar that is notorious for rampant drug production and trafficking. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 15:24:21|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- China plans to recruit over 14,500 civil servants to work for 75 central government agencies and 20 institutions directly under them in the 2019 civil servant intake, the State Administration of Civil Service said Sunday. Applications will be open from Oct. 22 until Oct. 31, with positions to be posted on authorized websites, the administration said. The annual recruitment sees fewer vacancies this year than in 2017, in which more than 28,000 vacancies were on offer. Candidates will need to take a national written exam, which is scheduled to be held in December across the country, while those applying for certain positions related to finance, public security, foreign affairs and other fields will need to take an additional professional skill test. The majority of the positions in Party and government agencies above provincial level will require two years of grassroots work experience, according to the administration. More than 1.1 million people took the national civil servant exam in 2017, an increase of 984,000 year on year. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 15:54:25|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close People carry an injured man at a local hospital in Shiberghan city, the capital of northern Jawzjan province, Afghanistan, on Oct. 21, 2018. At least 27 people including 11 security forces members were killed and 100 others wounded in 192 security incidents, including 89 attacks on polling centers across the country, according to Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs. (Xinhua/Mohammad Jan Aria) KABUL, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Polling for Afghanistan's parliamentary elections continued on Sunday as voters who failed to cast their ballots Saturday were visiting hundreds of polling centers in different provinces, authorities said. More than 2,500 candidates are contesting for the Wolesi Jirga or the 249-seat lower house of the parliament. Election officials initially planned to hold the polls in one day and set up 4,900 polling centers including over 20,000 polling stations across the country, according to Independent Election Commission (IEC). However, about 400 polling centers, including 45 polling centers in national capital of Kabul, remained close due to technical problems and security threats on Saturday, the IEC said in a statement earlier Sunday. The long-delayed elections covered 32 out of the country's 34 provinces. Voting in Kandahar and Ghazni provinces has been postponed due to security reasons. Sunday's election covered 14 provinces. On Saturday, over 3 million used their franchise to elect lawmakers for the new parliament, said IEC statement. Most of the candidates stand independently as the country did not have many regular and standard political parties. It was not immediately known how many of the 400 planned polling centers were opened Sunday amid absence of official information. Earlier on Sunday, local villagers found the bodies of four election observers in Nahri Shahi district of northern Balkh province. The victims were kidnapped by militants on Saturday. On first day of polls, 27 people including 11 security forces members were killed and 100 others wounded in 192 security incidents, including 89 attacks on polling centers across the country, according to Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs. However, some sources said that 67 people were killed and 126 others wounded in election-related violence and blasts and clashes across the country. Nearly 9 million voters, out of 12 million eligible Afghans, were registered to cast their ballots and elect their lawmakers for a five-year term. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 15:59:27|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- A total of 11 civilians were killed in a roadside bomb in the eastern Nangarhar province as voting for parliamentary elections continued for 2nd day in Afghanistan's 14 out of 34 provinces on Sunday, a provincial official Attaullah Khogiani said. Voting in Kandahar and Ghazni provinces has been postponed for security reasons. "A mine planted by militants struck a civilian car in Achin district at 11:00 a.m. local time today killing 11 civilians including a woman and six children," Khogiani told Xinhua. Taliban militants who have vowed to disrupt the voting process and conducted 168 attacks on the first day of elections on Saturday which claimed scores of lives, are yet to make comment about organizing roadside bombing in Nangarhar. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 16:09:31|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close HAIKOU, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The 2018 China Hainan (Sanya) International Bridge Festival will be held at Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone in southern China's coastal city of Sanya from Oct. 25 to Nov. 9, said the Hainan Bridge Association on Sunday. This card tournament consist of nine main events, 10 additional events and side games. The annual World Bridge Awards Ceremony will also be held on the opening day of the Bridge Festival, organizers said. This year's World Bridge Awards Ceremony will feature a number of awards, including Personality of The Year, Best Defense of The Year, and Individual Youth Player of The Year. According to an agreement co-signed by the Hainan Bridge Association and the International Bridge Press Association (IBPA), Sanya will be the host city for the next six World Bridge Awards Ceremonies. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 16:49:35|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- One year after the landmark 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress, the Chinese military has taken solid strides to build powerful armed forces. When delivering a report to the 19th CPC National Congress on Oct. 18, 2017, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said that the modernization of national defense and forces should basically be completed by 2035, adding that the country's armed forces will have been fully transformed into world-class forces by the mid-21st century. To realize these goals, Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed in his report efforts to enhance the political loyalty of the armed forces, strengthen them through reform and technology, and run them in accordance with the law. LOYALTY TO PARTY Xi stressed the comprehensive strengthening of CPC leadership and Party building in the armed forces to ensure a solid political guarantee for the building of a strong military at a Central Military Commission (CMC) meeting held in August. Shortly afterward, the CMC issued a document on the decision in order to strengthen Party building in the armed forces in the new era. It stressed that the absolute Party leadership over the armed forces must be reinforced and the system of the chairman of the CMC assuming full responsibility for military affairs should be fully enforced. To enhance political loyalty, troops nationwide have strictly observed political discipline and rules, resolutely safeguarded Xi's core status and the authority of the CPC Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership, and implemented the responsibility system for the CMC chairman. REFORM IS KEY In July, the military started recruiting "civilian personnel" in an effort to build talent-strong armed forces. The recruitment mission, which was the first of its kind since deeper reform was introduced to the national defense and armed forces in late 2015, has attracted a large number of applicants. Apart from assembling the best minds, the military has also updated and rejigged its systems and structures to enhance real combat capacity and eradicate institutional barriers. The general command for the Army of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the PLA Rocket Force and the PLA Strategic Support Force have also been established. The four former military headquarters have been reorganized into 15 new agencies under the CMC, while five PLA theater commands have been established, replacing the previous seven military area commands. Moreover, the military has also improved the proportion of various troops, reduced non-combatant institutions and personnel, and optimized the size and structure of the army. TECH DETERMINES STRENGTH Defense-related science, technology and weaponry have become a focus of the development of military-civilian integration. With achievements such as the BeiDou navigation system, supercomputer Tianhe-2 and the submersible Jiaolong, the integration has been digging deep into the areas of cyberspace technology, production of high-end equipment, marine resources and the space industry. As a large number of world-class weaponry comes into service, forceful material and technological support has been established to build the people's armed forces into world-class forces. RULE OF LAW A MUST On Dec. 5, 2017, the CMC released a circular on implementing strict law enforcement to ensure full and rigorous governance over the Party and run the military in accordance with the law, drawing out the standard and bottom line for discipline and law enforcement, and covering the entire military. As the foundation of strengthening the armed forces, strict governance in accordance with the law must run through the whole process of building a strong national defense and armed forces. Strictness has been leading the way in tightening up oversight of discipline compliance and accountability, with a "zero tolerance" attitude set for any violations of the law or discipline. Meanwhile, the practices of formalities for formalities' sake, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance have resulted in strong punishments, and all paid services of the military have been terminated to eradicate any grounds for corruption. Under the guidance of Xi's thought on strengthening the military, the armed forces are taking big steps toward the goal of building a strong army in the new era and building themselves into world-class forces. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 17:14:38|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has encouraged private entrepreneurs to have firm confidence in development and work in a down-to-earth way to develop their businesses. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a letter on Saturday in response to some private entrepreneurs having been awarded for their contributions in a poverty relief campaign. In his letter, Xi spoke highly of the private entrepreneurs' devotion to the cause of fighting poverty. "I'm delighted to see an increasing number of private entrepreneurs actively shouldering social responsibilities, eagerly devoting themselves to the arduous battle to eradicate poverty, and helping many impoverished people to live a better life," Xi said. Over 60,000 private enterprises have taken part in the poverty relief campaign, named "10,000 enterprises assisting 10,000 villages," since it started in October, 2015 and 100 of them were awarded earlier this month. The awarded private entrepreneurs recently sent Xi a letter, reporting the experiences of participating in the campaign and expressing their determination to further contribute to poverty eradication. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 17:49:44|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he had decided to postpone the planned demolition of the West Bank Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar. The decision was made to allow time to find an agreed solution with its residents, said a statement released by Netanyahu's office, which was issued following international criticism over Israel's plan to demolish the Bedouin community. "Khan al-Ahmar will be evacuated, this is a court decision. This is our policy and it will also be implemented," Netanyahu said in the statement. "I have no intention of postponing this until further notice, but for a short, short time," he added. The move was widely interpreted as a response to international condemnation, especially by European countries. On Sept. 5, the Israeli Supreme Court rejected a petition by Khan al-Ahmar residents against the demolition order and the forcible eviction they are facing. Since then, Palestinians declared that there will be no new appeal to Israeli courts, but, instead, they will pursue Israel at international courts if the village is demolished. The community is resided by 200 Palestinian Bedouins, 95 percent of whom are refugees registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Dozens of tin-ceiling homes and basic structures are slated for demolition in the area, which suffers a lack of basic services and infrastructure, such as an electricity network, a sewage system and proper roads. The community includes the only school for the Bedouin communities in the area, a mosque and a healthcare unit, as well as homes that are all at risk of demolition by Israel. Residents say they are offered no alternative to stay. The community in Khan Al-Ahmar is one of the 46 Bedouin communities in areas classified as area (C) in the West Bank. Under the interim Oslo Accords signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel in 1993, the West Bank is divided into three zones: A, B and C, with area (A) being under Palestinian control, (B) under Israeli security coordination and Palestinian administrative control and (C) under full Israeli control. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 18:24:51|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close NAIROBI, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The East African bloc on Sunday welcomed the appointment of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga as the African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa. Mahboub Maalim, Executive Secretary of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), noted that the critical role of infrastructure development as a key driver of progress and sustained economic development. "This will go a long way in mobilizing our collective efforts towards the implementation of PIDA - the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa," Maalim said in a statement, adding that the program is a key pillar of the AU Agenda 2063. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, said in a statement on Saturday that the decision to appoint Odinga is part of the pan African body's drive to expedite the integration of the continent through infrastructure, in order to promote economic growth and sustainable development. Mahamat said Odinga will work to support and strengthen the efforts of the Commission's relevant departments and those of the planning and coordinating agency of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), within the framework of PIDA, which was endorsed by the Assembly of the Union in January 2012. According to Mahamat, Odinga's mandate includes mobilizing further political support from member states and the regional economic communities (RECs) and facilitating greater ownership by all concerned stakeholders on the continent. "He will also support the Commission and NEPAD initiatives to encourage increased commitment from development partners," Mahamat said. In his statement, Maalim said the regional bloc will also remain fully engaged and committed to the realization of the continent's massive infrastructure and development needs. "As the highest performing regional economic community in infrastructure, according to the 2016 Africa Regional Integration Index Report, IGAD stands ready to support the new High Representative in the fulfillment of his mandate," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 18:24:52|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russia-led coalition in Syria launched effective airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria based on reports of the Iraqi intelligence after its members penetrated IS group, an Iraqi newspaper reported on Sunday. The coalition also thwarted plans by the extremist militants to carry out attacks in several countries, state-owned al-Sabah newspaper said. The Russia-led coalition, including Iraq, Iran and Syria, killed dozens of IS militants in airstrikes on their positions in Hajin area in eastern Syria recently. Abu Ali al-Basri, head of intelligence office in Iraqi Interior Ministry, said "the Iraqi intelligence which penetrated the terrorist organization, provided the Russia-led coalition with intelligence information about the positions and movement of Daesh (IS group) militants," the newspaper quoted Basri as saying. The Iraqi intelligence unveiled plans by IS group to carry out attacks in Turkey, Iran and al-Sulaimaniyah province in northeastern Iraq, Basri said. "A series of airstrikes by Russian aircraft, based on reports from the Iraqi intelligence service named al-Suqour Cell, also foiled Daesh's plans to infiltrate into Iraq, Iran, Turkey and European countries," Basri added. "The extremist organization is planning to recruit IS militants who fled their former strongholds in Syria and Iraq, in order to send them to Turkey, France, Eastern Asia and North Africa," Basri confirmed. "The fled terrorists are from different nationalities, including Arabs," Basri said, adding "the Iraqi intelligence provided the targeted countries with the names of the terrorists." Previously, Iraq frequently carried out airstrikes by its F-16 fighter jets inside Syria, including the Syrian eastern town of Hajin, as part of preemptive airstrikes against IS militants. On April 26, Haider al-Abadi, the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, said that IS group has suffered fiasco in both Iraq and Syria, but the complex situation in Syria and the ongoing conflict on the ground gave a breathing chance for IS in eastern Syria near the border with Iraq. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 18:54:58|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman ordered on Sunday to reopen the two main crossings between the Gaza Strip and Israel, which were closed last week amid border violence. A statement released by the Israeli Defense Ministry said that following consultations with security officials, Lieberman had instructed the army to reopen the Erez Crossing, Gaza's main pedestrian passage to Israel, and the Kerem Shalom Crossing, a cargo and goods passage. "The decision was made following a decrease in violent incidents in Gaza over the weekend and restraining efforts by Hamas," the statement read. Israel shut down the passage on Wednesday following a flare-up, which included a rocket fired by Gaza militants that hit a house in southern Israel. Israel responded with air strikes. The escalation happened amid efforts by Egypt and the United Nations to broker a ceasefire. Live Israeli fire has killed at least 156 Palestinians. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 18:54:59|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WINDHOEK, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Namibia and Kenya called for reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), said a statement on Sunday released by Namibian Presidential Office. Namibian President Hage Geingob and his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta, who held a three-day bilateral engagement in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, have joined a host of other African countries which wish the African continent to have permanent representation in the UNSC. "Namibia supports Kenya's quest for a seat at the security council and Namibia promises to vote for Kenya in their bid," Geingob said. Kenya has been a non-permanent member of the UNSC during 1973-1974 and 1997-1998. During Geingob's visit to Kenya, the two sides on Friday signed three key agreements focusing on tourism, youth and political consultations as part of efforts to boost bilateral cooperation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 20:20:02|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Visitors look at porcelain utensils made by Louise Martiansen, the owner of LouiseM Studio at Handmade Market in Canberra, Australia, on Oct. 20, 2018. This weekend marks the tenth anniversary for Handmade Canberra Market. The three halls in the Exhibition Park were packed with people in spite of the rain. They could find clothes, books, dazzling earrings and necklaces, uniquely designed utensils, as well as exotic food and snacks. (Xinhua/Pan Xiangyue) Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 19:40:11|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close KINSHASA, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people were killed on Saturday night during an attack by Ugandan rebels, the Allied Democratic Forces, in a peripheral neighborhood in the city of Beni in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a military source said. The attack took place mainly in the Boikene district where several detonations of heavy weapons were heard all night until the early morning on Sunday, sources said. According to the army that gave a provisional assessment, 15 other people were taken hostage by the attackers who brought them into the forest and several shops were looted during the attack. Among the dead was a regular army soldier. The repeated attack by these rebels is seriously complicating the response to Ebola, which has hit the DRC hard since August. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 20:05:15|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close BEIRUT, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Mireille Girard, representative for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Lebanon, said Sunday that 88 percent of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon want to return to their homeland. However, they have fears and uncertainty about their legal status in their country, Girard said, according to report by the National News Agency. "Syrian refugees in Lebanon are worried about whether they have to fight if they go back home or not, if they still own houses and if they have official documents," Girard said during a seminar held by Institute for Development, Research, Advocacy and Applied Care. Girard said that the UNHCR is trying to solve the issues with Syrian authorities. The UNHCR official added that Syrian refugees have faced tremendous psychological problems due to displacement and the difficulty in accessing health services. "The number of psychological counseling by Syrian refugees in Lebanon reached 4,300 monthly in 2018," she said. Over one million Syrian refugees are registered with the UNHCR in Lebanon, while Lebanon's government estimated the actual number of Syrians in the country to be 1.5 million. To facilitate the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, Russia drafted a strategy for this purpose and presented it to the Lebanese authorities. The strategy aims at securing the return of 890,000 refugees to Syria from Lebanon. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 20:20:19|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Photo taken on Oct. 21, 2018 shows the train derailment site in Yilan County, southeast China's Taiwan. At least 17 people died and another 120 injured as of 7 p.m. Sunday local time, after a passenger train derailed in Taiwan on Sunday afternoon, according to the island's railway authority. The Puyuma Express No. 6432 bound for Taitung from Shulin Station with 366 passengers on board derailed at 4:50 p.m. local time at Su'aoxin Station in Yilan County. A total of 17 people were declared dead before being sent to hospital. Five of the eight cars of the express train overturned. The cause of the derailment is still under investigation. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) TAIPEI, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 people died and another 120 injured as of 7 p.m. Sunday local time, after a passenger train derailed in Taiwan on Sunday afternoon, according to the island's railway authority. The Puyuma Express No. 6432 bound for Taitung from Shulin Station with 366 passengers on board derailed at 4:50 p.m. local time at Su'aoxin Station in Yilan County. A total of 17 people were declared dead before being sent to hospital. Five of the eight cars of the express train overturned. The cause of the derailment is still under investigation. The injured passengers were rushed to four local hospitals for treatment. Train services in both directions have been halted. The Puyuma Express has an operational maximum speed of 130 kph. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 20:25:20|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close By Nathan Morley BRUSSELS, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The French national health and safety watchdog ANSES has advised the government to ban electronic sunbeds and sunlamps to prevent people from developing the most deadly form of skin cancer. Olivier Merckel, a leading expert at ANSES, says sunbed use is linked to an increase of melanoma risk in the population of tanning bed users in France and other countries. "Figures evaluate to about 380 melanoma cases per year in the French population, due to sunbeds. It is estimated that it leads to between 20 and 80 deaths per year," Merckel told Xinhua in an interview. According to Merckel, similar bans have been imposed somewhere in the world: "Some countries, for the same reasons, banned sunbeds like Australia and Brazil." With the lure of the sunbed attracting mostly younger adults, commercial tanning salons were made off-limits to under-18s in France in 2013. Soon after, advertising for such businesses was banned on radio, TV and in newspapers. "Sunbed use is linked to cultural behavior, some northern European countries, for example, practice a lot, especially Denmark, for example, which leads to an increase of melanoma cases since several years," Merckel explained. "It has been the case also in Iceland when some years ago it became a common practice for young people to use tanning beds. A skin cancer epidemic arose, and started to regress when sufficient information campaigns were given," he added. The World Health Organization advice on sunbeds categories in the highest-risk carcinogenic substances and habits, while skin doctors point out that there is no such thing as a healthy tan, especially one that comes from a tanning bed. Merckel warned that sunbed use is linked to an increase of melanoma risk in the population of tanning bed users, in France and in many other countries. "The level of evidence has been characterized by IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) since 2009. Since several epidemiological studies brought new figures, for example, a 20 percent increased risk of melanoma for the overall population when people did only one tanning session in their life. The younger the exposure, the higher the risk. When one session is done before 35 years, the risk is 59 percent higher," explained the expert. It seems that the message is starting to hit home among the French public, with the number of sunbed customers dropping by half in the last decade, according to the national union of tanning professionals in Paris. However, public health experts continue to emphasize there is still much work to do. "The number of tanning centers seems to diminish, but we recommend to public authorities to take every measure to cease exposure of the population to UVs from tanning beds, either personal devices that people can buy on the internet, and sunbeds in aesthetic centers," Merckel says. "We hope that, in addition to our recommendation to public authorities, our message on risks like cancer, but also very quick skin aging, will be heard by people, especially younger people, not to start use of tanning beds. Some studies have shown that there could be a kind of addiction to sunbed use - that reinforces the need to inform on risks and stop exposure." Over 14,000 cases of melanoma were recorded in France in 2015, of those 382 were linked to the use of sunbeds or UV lamps. The union says 22,000 people currently work in the tanning industry, which has an annual turnover of over 200 million euros. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 20:45:23|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close MOSCOW, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russian officials said Sunday that the U.S. statement on its intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) could be seen as "blackmail," warning that cancelling the treaty would be very dangerous. Head of the Russian Federation Council's International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev said that the INF Treaty stipulates a unilateral pullout is only possible under "exceptional circumstances" with their substantiation within six months. "So far, no formal steps have been taken in this regard, which gives grounds to consider (U.S. President Donald) Trump's statement as an attempt of continuing blackmail rather than an accomplished act of law," Kosachev said on Facebook. On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Washington would pull out of the INF Treaty on account of Russia's alleged breach of the agreement. Kosachev warned that Washington's possible withdrawal from the treaty might cause its Western allies to take the same path, which could trigger a war. "The situation is critical, and the threats to peace are getting a particular shape," he said. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also said that the U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty would be a very dangerous step, and condemned by the international community. "Apparently, inability and unwillingness to come to terms with us on a sound foundation push certain forces in Washington to encourage the country's leadership to make a decision on a formal withdrawal from the treaty," he said. Russia expects that U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton, who is arriving in Moscow on Sunday, will clarify Washington's stance on this matter, Ryabkov said. The INF Treaty was signed in 1987 between the Soviet Union and the United States on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles. Moscow and Washington have been accusing each other of violating the arms control agreement in recent years amid increasing tensions between the two countries. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 21:55:35|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 13,000 migrants have been voluntarily repatriated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) from Libya to their home countries in 2018, the UN Support Mission in Libya said Sunday. "By Oct. 11, IOM Libya had assisted a total of 13,393 migrants in safely travelling back to 32 countries," the mission tweeted. The repatriation is part of an IOM voluntary return program, with an aim to arrange the return of illegal immigrants stranded in Libya to their countries of origin. Migrant shelters in Libya are crowded with thousands of migrants who were rescued at sea or arrested by the Libyan security services. Libya has become a preferred departure point for illegal immigrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe because of insecurity and chaos in the North African country following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 22:05:36|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Cardiologists from China examine a child in suburb of Ulan Bator, Mongolia, on Oct. 21, 2018. A medical team of the Chinese Red Cross Foundation (CRCF) on Sunday visited four Mongolian households here to examine the children who had received free surgeries for congenital heart disease in China last year. Cardiologists from China on Saturday started a five-day mission to screen Mongolian children for congenital heart disease so that the children could later receive free treatment in China. (Xinhua/Suriya) ULAN BATOR, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- A medical team of the Chinese Red Cross Foundation (CRCF) on Sunday visited four Mongolian households here to examine the children who had received free surgeries for congenital heart disease in China last year. Cardiologists from China on Saturday started a five-day mission to screen Mongolian children for congenital heart disease so that the children could later receive free treatment in China. Children from the four households were randomly picked from the 53 children who had received free surgeries in China a year ago. The home of Tsedensodnom Bilguudei, an eight-year-old orphan boy living with his grandparents in a traditional round-shaped dwelling or ger in the northern suburb of Ulan Bator, was their first stop. "Bilguudei was diagnosed with ventricular septal defect when he was three. Golden-handed doctors from Huaxin Hospital in Beijing saved his life last year. Before the surgery, his health condition was severe," his grandmother Davaasuren Urjinkhand told Xinhua. "I don't know how to express my appreciation to the doctors. We are always thankful to them," she said. She said that Bilguudei's single mother died in 2016 from liver cancer. The team also examined a five-year-old boy, Ganbold Erdeneshagai. Erdeneshagai lives with his parents and five brothers aged 2-15 in a ger in the eastern suburb of Ulan Bator. He was diagnosed with ventricular septal defect in 2016, and underwent surgery in 2017 free of charge in Hohhot, the capital of north China's Inner Mongolia. "I am very thankful to the CRCF for giving new life to my little son. If the humanitarian organization did not help, my son could not receive the proper treatment due to our financial situation," the boy's mother Otgon Enkhstetseg said. Her husband, a construction worker, earns about 700,000 Mongolian tugrik (290 U.S. dollars) a month. The money is the 8-member family's total income. The remaining two children are also from families with financial constraints. "Now, all of the four children have no health problems. Their health conditions are ok," Su Junwu, head of the Pediatric Heart Surgery Center at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, said. The examination is part of a humanitarian aid program by the CRCF, which was launched last year as part of the program "Angels Tour -- Belt and Road Humanitarian Rescue Mongolia Action for Children with Severe Diseases." The program targets Mongolian children suffering from congenital heart disease. The plan is to provide 100 sick children with free heart surgeries in China. Last year, 53 Mongolian children received free surgeries in China. This year, the team, in cooperation with Mongolian health authorities and medical institutions, will choose the rest from more than 120 cases. The CRCF covers all the necessary costs related to treating the sick Mongolian children in China, including for travel and caretakers. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 22:15:37|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Aid supplies sent by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have reached migrants in reception centers in Libya, the UN Support Mission said Sunday. "IOM Libya conducted 24 field visits around Tripoli, including three detention centers, fumigated the Tarik al-Sikka center, delivered 180 liters of cleaning supplies and 320 mattresses, plus hygiene kits to detained migrants, as well as mattresses to 49 arrivals at Souk Al Khamis center," the UN mission tweeted. Libya has become a preferred departure point for illegal immigrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe because of insecurity and chaos in the North African country following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi. Migrant shelters in Libya are crowded with thousands of migrants who were rescued at sea or arrested by the Libyan security services. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 22:30:42|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close LISBON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Portuguese National Republican Guard (GNR) coastal control unit have rescued 41 migrants on their way to Greece from a small inflatable boat on the Aegean sea, the Portuguese Lusa News Agency reported on Sunday. In a statement released on Sunday, the GNR said that among the 41 migrants were 15 children and two pregnant women, who demanded "special care" in the rescue operation carried out on Saturday. The maritime surveillance team of the coastal control unit detected the inflatable boat through thermal vision equipment. The GNR has 13 military personnel on the Greek island of Samos, where they work on a mission of the European Border and Coastguard Agency (Frontex). Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 22:35:43|Editor: mmm Video Player Close MALE, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme Court of the Maldives on Sunday upheld the results of last month's presidential election, after a case was filed by the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), challenging the result of the polls. Local media reported that a five-judge Supreme Court bench unanimously ruled that despite the concerns of vote rigging and electoral fraud raised by the PPM, the party had failed to provide sufficient evidence to back their claims. The case was heard last week with the verdict announced on Sunday afternoon. The elections commission last week had also dismissed the allegations raised by the PPM and stressed there were no irregularities or complaints that could affect the outcome of the election. According to the official and final results released by the elections commission last month, opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had secured 134,705 votes in the presidential polls while incumbent president Yameen had secured 96,052 votes. The new president is expected to be sworn in on Nov. 17. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 22:40:44|Editor: yan Video Player Close ARUSHA, Tanzania, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Five people, including four officials of Tanzania's Ministry of Agriculture, died on Sunday in the country's central district of Manyoni, police confirmed. Sweetbert Njewite, Singida Regional Police Commander, said in a telephone interview that the accident occurred around 11 a. m. local time when an SUV vehicle the officials traveling with veered off the road. The fifth person who died was the driver, who was behind the wheels of the ill-fated vehicle, the regional police chief said. "We are still investigating the cause of the accident, but I can confirm that the vehicle belongs to the Ministry of Agriculture and its five occupants have been confirmed dead," Njewite said. The Sunday crash was one of a series of road accidents involving Tanzanian government vehicles and officials in this year. In May, three officials of the Tanzania Investment Center were killed in a road accident in Coast Region on their way to the country's Capital Dodoma for a national conference. In August, the country's Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Hamisi Kigwangalla was involved in a road accident at Magugu Village in Manyara Region during a nationwide working tour. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 22:45:45|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Afghan voters wait to cast their ballots at a polling center during parliamentary elections in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Oct. 21, 2018. The voting process of Afghan parliamentary elections concluded Sunday evening and the ballot counting continued, the chairman of the Independent Election Commission said. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah) KABUL, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The voting process of Afghan parliamentary elections concluded Sunday evening and the ballot counting continued, the chairman of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) said. "The voting process in 32 out of 34 Afghan provinces concluded Sunday evening," Chairman Gula Jan Abdul Badi Sayad told reporters. Balloting started on Saturday as the IEC initially planned to hold the polls in one day, but the IEC officials extended the voting to Sunday as scores of polling centers were not open or run on Saturday after long delays due to militants' attacks, irregularities, and low attendance of election workers. The elections covered 32 out of the country's 34 provinces. Voting in Kandahar and Ghazni provinces has been postponed due to security reasons. Ballot counting in 80 percent of the polling centers were completed on Saturday but the counting will continue in some polling centers till late Sunday, Sayad added. More than 2,500 candidates are contesting for the Wolesi Jirga or the 249-seat lower house of the parliament. Most of the candidates stand independently as the country did not have many regular and standard political parties. Nearly nine million voters, out of 12 million eligible Afghans, were registered to take part in the process and elect their lawmakers for a five-year term. However, only over four million Afghans, with 33 percent of them women, cast their ballots during the two-day elections due to Taliban intimidation and security threats, according to Sayad. Preliminary results will be announced on Nov. 10 and the final results are expected to be released on Dec. 20, according to the IEC timetable. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 23:00:49|Editor: yan Video Player Close MADRID, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The body of a fireman, who disappeared on Saturday night while carrying out rescue work due to the heavy rain which has affected the east and south of Spain in recent days, was recovered on Sunday morning, rescue services have confirmed. The body of the 45-year-old fireman was found almost 7 km from where the vehicle, which carried him and two companions, was swept away by rising waters shortly before midnight on Saturday in the province of Malaga (southern Spain). According to the Spanish media reports, the other two firemen managed to climb onto the roof of the vehicle and escaped, while the victim lost his footing and fell into the torrent of water. Rescue teams with dogs had been searching for the missing man, who's father of two kids. The Mayor of the nearby town of Antequera, Manuel Baron, confirmed on Sunday that the town will hold three days of official mourning for the deceased fireman. The past 72 hours have seen the south and east of Spain affected by a phenomenon known in Spanish as the "Gota Fria", which is literally translated as the "cold drop". This phenomenon usually happens in the autumn when cool air from low pressure zones over mainland Spain collides with warmer air from the Mediterranean Sea, causing heavy storms, which especially affect coastal regions. The past three days have seen some areas, such as Castellon (east Spain) receive rainfall of over 200 liters per square meter, causing flash floods. The fireman's death is the first death on the mainland in the current incident. On the Island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea, 13 people were killed by flash flood on Oct.9. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 23:20:53|Editor: yan Video Player Close SANAA, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- A Saudi-led coalition warplane fighting Yemen's Shiite Houthi rebels killed four people travelling in a car in the Yemeni northwestern province of Hajjah on Sunday, residents said. "The coalition airstrike hit the villagers in Bani Hasan area of Abs district, killing four and wounding another one," said Abdullah Shuayb, a member of Abs local council. Last week, a coalition airstrike killed 17 passengers fleeing escalating war in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, and injured 20 others, according to a local hospital official. Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after the Houthi rebels forced him into exile. The Yemeni civil war has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced nearly 3 million others. Activists try to block an Israeli bulldozer at the Palestinian Bedouin community of Al-Khan Al-Ahmar that Israel plans to demolish, located between the West Bank city of Jericho and Jerusalem, on Oct. 15, 2018. (Xinhua/Mamoun Wazwaz) RAMALLAH, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- A top leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said on Sunday that Israel has no right to disrupt the social, cultural, economic and political lives of Palestinians in Jerusalem. The remarks by Saeb Erekat, PLO secretary general, came a day after Adnan Gheith, Palestinian governor of Jerusalem, was arrested by Israeli forces. Israel's arrest has violated its own commitments and obligations regarding Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem, Erekat said in a press statement, accusing the Israeli government of "escalating its attack" against the holy city. "The threats and detentions against Palestinian political and community leaders ... should only be taken as part of Israel's plan to eliminate any foundations for a two-state solution along the 1967 border," he noted. The PLO secretary general called for the international community to pressure Israel to release Gheith, and "save East Jerusalem, capital of the State of Palestine." Israel forces detain activists at the Palestinian Bedouin community of Al-Khan Al-Ahmar that Israel plans to demolish, located between the West Bank city of Jericho and Jerusalem, on Oct. 15, 2018. (Xinhua/Mamoun Wazwaz) Erekat also blamed the United States for giving Israel the green light to "eliminate the Palestinian presence" in Jerusalem. The U.S.-backed Israeli measures have reached a new level, which include "forcible transfer of civilian population, home demolitions, colonial settlement expansion and persecution of Palestinian civil society and political leaders," he said. Israeli forces stopped Gheith's car in Jerusalem on Saturday evening and arrested him, according to his family members. The Israeli authorities are expected to put the Palestinian activist on trial on Sunday, but have't clarified his charges yet. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 23:45:56|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close WUHAN, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Deals for 65 production capacity cooperation projects, worth 142.7 billion yuan (about 20.6 billion U.S. dollars) in total, were signed at an international forum that concluded Saturday in central China's Hubei Province. Over 2,500 delegates from 94 countries, mainly countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, attended the Forum on Global Production Capacity and Business Cooperation held in Wuhan, capital of Hubei, from Oct. 19 to 20. Among the delegates, there were government officials, business leaders and entrepreneurs from abroad who looked forward to attracting Chinese investment and deepening cooperation with China in production capacity development. Admasu Nebebe, state minister of Ethiopia's Ministry of Finance and Economic Cooperation, said at the forum that Chinese investment has "played a very important role" in the upgrading of Ethiopia's railway system and infrastructure, which has enhanced the country's international competitiveness. He added that Ethiopia has rolled out a spate of favorable policies to attract foreign investment. "Chinese enterprises have invested in the construction of many buildings and roads in Cambodia," said Harry Samat, vice chairman of Cambodia's Council for Agricultural and Rural Development. "We look forward to further expanding cooperation with China." "Malaysia has always encouraged low-carbon development and energy conservation," said Tan Kok Wai, Malaysia's special envoy to China and head of the Malaysia-China Business Council. "Hydropower, wind power and solar power will be the highlight of Malaysia-China cooperation in the fields of new energy." China's total trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative over the past five years has exceeded 5 trillion U.S. dollars, with an annual average growth rate of 1.1 percent, according to the Ministry of Commerce. During the period, China's combined direct investment in these countries has grown by 7.2 percent annually on average. Eighty two overseas economic and trade cooperation zones have also been established in these countries, with an accumulated investment of 28.9 billion U.S. dollars. "With projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the China-Belarus industrial park, China has helped countries along the Belt and Road routes improve their infrastructure and production capacities," said Ning Jizhe, deputy head of China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), at the forum. The two-day forum was jointly hosted by the NDRC, ministries of Commerce and of Foreign Affairs, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the provincial governments of Hubei, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan and Hunan. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-21 23:50:56|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that he will make statements about murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi during his party's parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday. Speaking at an event in Istanbul, Erdogan stated that Turkey seeks justice and will reveal the "naked truth." "Why did 15 people come here and why were 18 people arrested? I'm going to tell you in a very different way on Tuesday. We're going to go into detail," he said. Saudi Arabia on Saturday admitted that Khashoggi was killed inside the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul and 18 people were arrested over their alleged connections to the killing as a result of an internal investigation into the case. Turkey earlier said 15 Saudis who travelled to Istanbul were involved in Khashoggi's disappearance. Turkish police and crime scene investigators conducted searches in the Saudi consulate, the residence of the Saudi consul general as well as a forest in Istanbul, trying to find the body of Khashoggi, who has been missing since entering the Saudi consulate on Oct. 2. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-22 00:06:00|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Photo taken on Oct. 21, 2018 shows the train derailment site in Yilan County, southeast China's Taiwan. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) TAIPEI, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 people died and another 164 injured as of 11 p.m. Sunday, after a passenger train derailed in Taiwan earlier in the afternoon, according to the island's railway authority. The Puyuma Express No. 6432 bound for Taitung from Shulin Station with 366 passengers on board derailed at 4:50 p.m. at Xinma Station, Yilan County. Seventeen people were declared dead before being sent to hospital. All eight cars of the express train derailed, with three of them overturned. The cause of the derailment is still under investigation. The accident, the worst of Taiwan railways in more than three decades, happened on a popular line along the island's east coast. Train services in both directions have been halted. One American citizen was injured while the rest are all from Taiwan, according to the local railway authority. The injured passengers were rushed to four local hospitals for treatment. The Puyuma Express has an operational maximum speed of 130 kph. "Code Pink" activist group co-founder Medea Benjamin participates in a demonstration calling for sanctions against Saudi Arabia and against the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi while holding a photo of Khashoggi outside the U.S. State Department in Washington, U.S., on Oct. 19, 2018. (Reuters photo) ISTANBUL, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that he will make statements about murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi during his party's parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday. Speaking at an event in Istanbul, Erdogan stated that Turkey seeks justice and will reveal the "naked truth." "Why did 15 people come here and why were 18 people arrested? I'm going to tell you in a very different way on Tuesday. We're going to go into detail," he said. Saudi Arabia on Saturday admitted that Khashoggi was killed inside the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul and 18 people were arrested over their alleged connections to the killing as a result of an internal investigation into the case. Turkey earlier said 15 Saudis who travelled to Istanbul were involved in Khashoggi's disappearance. Turkish police and crime scene investigators conducted searches in the Saudi consulate, the residence of the Saudi consul general as well as a forest in Istanbul, trying to find the body of Khashoggi, who has been missing since entering the Saudi consulate on Oct. 2. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-22 02:51:25|Editor: yan Video Player Close DUBAI, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov on Sunday, UAE state news agency WAM reported. Both sides reviewed means of strengthening and developing bilateral cooperation in economic, commercial ventures and investments. "The UAE and Bulgaria maintain excellent relations based on well-established foundations of understanding, mutual respect and a joint desire in developing and elevating these relations," the crown prince said. Borissov said that both countries look forward to achieving a sustainable economic growth driven by promising opportunities to build diverse joint trade, economic and investment cooperation. The two politicians also stressed the importance of intensifying the international community's efforts to establish the pillars of security and stability. U.S. President Donald Trump (L) meets with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Lehtikuva/Heikki Saukkomaa) MOSCOW, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russia will respond to actual moves of the U.S. following its withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) instead of the withdrawal itself, a Russian lawmaker said Sunday. "We should respond not to the very fact of Washington's withdrawal from the treaty but to its practical steps when it is free to do whatever it wants," Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Russia's Federation Council upper parliament house, told Rossiya 24 television channel. "As our president has said, Russia has all the military technical premises for that, its reaction will be rapid," he added. On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Washington would pull out of the INF Treaty on account of Russia's alleged breach of the agreement. Earlier on Sunday, a number of Russian officials warned Washington against withdrawing from the treaty, saying such moves would be very dangerous. The INF Treaty was signed in 1987 between the Soviet Union and the United States on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles. Moscow and Washington have been accusing each other of violating the arms control agreement in recent years amid increasing tension between the two countries. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-22 05:46:56|Editor: mmm Video Player Close Mark Winchester, the deputy district director of the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) speaks with Xinhua during an interview in Houston, the United States, Oct. 17, 2018. Small businesses are critical to U.S. national economy, and it helps create more jobs, Winchester said in an interview with Xinhua recently. (Xinhua/Liu Liwei) HOUSTON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Small businesses are critical to U.S. national economy, and it helps create more jobs, a senior Houston district official from the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) said in an interview with Xinhua recently. Mark Winchester, the deputy district director of SBA said that in the last 20 years two thirds of the jobs created in the United States were generated by small businesses which also helps sustain the economy of the country. "It is to ensure that there is a diverse supplier of products both to the national economy but also to the U.S. government," Winchester said. Since its founding in 1953, SBA has delivered millions of loans, loan guarantees, contracts, counseling sessions and other forms of assistance to small businesses, which ensures that these businesses have the tools and resources required to start and expand their operations, and create jobs that support a growing economy and strengthen America's middle class. Winchester explains that SBA provides guarantee when a small business does not have the assets necessary to secure the loan from the bank. "Banks require for every one dollar that they lend they need one dollar in collateral or asset. What can be in substitute of that one dollar in collateral is the SBA guarantee." Obviously, by having in lieu of that collateral, it mitigates the risk of the lender because it knows if the borrower defaults, it can fall back on that guarantee. Winchester added that SBA also collaborates with other organizations to provide free and confidential business counseling. One of those partners is Score, which has over 11,000 volunteers and over 300 chapters nationwide. Another resource partner is the Small Business Development Center, which has over 1,000 centers across the country and over 15 centers in Houston, according to Winchester. "They provide technical assistance and business counseling from performance, business plans to patents and trademarks to HR (human resources)," Winchester said. "So they provide a wide variety of subject matter expertise that can aid small businesses including in the tech arena." There are criteria for business to participate in SBA programs. One criterion for a business to be eligible for lending or for contracting is the size standard, which is based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. According to Winchester, the code could be broken down into two components: the number of employees and revenues. "The number of employees depending on the industrial code can go from 500 all the way up to 1,500 employees," Winchester said. "Now for revenues it can be anywhere from 7.5 million all the way up to 37.5 million." SBA was officially established in 1950s, but its philosophy and mission began to take shape years earlier in a number of predecessor agencies, largely as a response to the pressures of the Great Depression and World War II. Asking whether SBA has introduced any new guidelines in response to President Trump's "America First" policy, Winchester's answer is no. "SBA's mission to start, expand and grow does not change. So whoever is the current administration, the SBA administration does not change. And so we are there to help small businesses through our lending, through our contracting and through more counseling," Winchester said. Following his election to the presidency, "America First" has become the official foreign policy doctrine of the Trump Administration. According to Winchester, SBA offers various resources in promoting exports, and one of the resources is the district international trade officer. There are 68 district offices throughout the country, and six of them in Texas. "They provide counseling one on one to small businesses regarding exporting and international trade," Winchester said. "They also conduct international export trainings." Another resource that SBA has as it relates to exporting is financing, Winchester said. "We have the 78 programs which goes up to 5 million dollars that's used domestically." The international trade loan, the export working capital and the Export Express. "You can get from 350,000 with a 90 percent guarantee up to 500,000 with a 75 percent guarantee under the Export Express," Winchester said. "And then up to 5 million dollars with a 90 percent guarantee both for export working capital and the International Trade Loan Program." SBA is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of the United States. According to SBA's data, America's 30 million small businesses are the engine of job creation and economic growth in the United States, creating nearly two out of every three new jobs in the country and employing over half the nation's workforce. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-22 06:11:59|Editor: mmm Video Player Close ALGIERS, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Mauritanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, on Sunday here hailed "positive developments" in bilateral relations with Algeria. "We are proud of (our relations) and want them to move forward," Ahmed told reporters after the talks he held with his Algerian counterpart Abdelkader Messahel, part of a two-day visit to Algeria. "This new dynamic in our bilateral relations is displayed at the Fair of Algerian Products that the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott is due to host on Tuesday," the Mauritanian top diplomat noted. This economic meeting will be attended by some 170 Algerian companies, he specified, noting that the volume of trade exchange between Algeria and Mauritania is still far from the expectation and potential of the two North African nations. Algeria and Mauritania have shown their will to boost economic partnership through the inauguration of the first ever border crossing between them. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-22 06:32:04|Editor: yan Video Player Close KHARTOUM, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Sudan and the United Nations Development Programme on Sunday signed a deal worth 21 million U.S. dollars to support host communities of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan's White Nile State, said Sudan's Commission of Refugees in a statement. The deal is to be implemented in three stages, according to the statement. The two sides on Sunday launched the first stage of the deal to provide the host communities with machinery and equipment including tractors, agricultural harvesters and water pumps at the cost of 2.2 million dollars, the statement said. The most important stage of the project is the rehabilitation of the agricultural projects, provision of electricity and re-cultivation of lands, Hamad Al-Jizouli, Sudan's commissioner of refugees, was quoted in the statement as saying. He said that the White Nile State, on the border with South Sudan, is currently hosting over 150,000 South Sudanese refugees inside camps and more than 88,000 refugees in the cities around the state. A recent UN report indicated that the number of the South Sudanese refugees in Sudan reached 762,900 as by Sept. 15. South Sudan has been witnessing a civil war since December 2013, which has displaced hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese citizens to neighboring countries including Sudan. On Sept. 13, South Sudan's conflicting parties signed a final peace deal in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa after negotiations brokered in Khartoum by Sudan government with a mandate by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development in Africa. Coun Perez reiterates warning to barangay leaders involved in drugs 07 Aug 2017 Hits:37 Comments(0) Liga ng mga Barangay President, Councilor Jerry Perez yesterday reiterated his warning to all barangay officials from using or selling drugs. Perez said he is closely monitoring the activities of all the barangay officials and vowed sanctions against erring leaders. Aqui gane na mio barangay ya quita ya iyo na puesto cunel dos barangay leaders quien mas temprano ya sale positivo na... In early 2017, as the world was still processing the geopolitical earthquake that had been the ascension of Donald Trump to the American presidency, a high-ranking GOP congressman California's Ed Royce, who chairs the House Foreign Relations Committee rose to speak on the House floor. Royce's words about U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia entered the Congressional Record but made barely a ripple, except with his apparent audience key, shadowy players in the connected inner circles of the rising Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, known to all as MBS and of Donald Trump. Royce's obscure speech was celebrated in an email by Trump ally and fund-raiser Elliott Broidy at the time, newly minted deputy finance chair of the Republican National Committee. Broidy had just maxed out in campaign contributions to the California Republican and boasted in his (later hacked) emails that not only had he influenced Royce to made a policy flip toward the Saudis and away from its rival neighbor, Qatar, but that he'd "caused" the congressman to mention a virtually unknown Saudi general in his address from the House floor. The world, by and large, did not know anything about that Saudi Major General Ahmed al-Assiri in early 2017. It does now. Assiri is one way or the other up to his eyeballs in the gruesome story that, in October 2018, has become the avatar of a world gone mad the murder and alleged dismemberment of a U.S.-based Saudi opinion journalist for the Washington Post, Jamal Khashoggi. This weekend, Assiri credibly reported to be a leader of a Saudi "tiger team" of torturers and assassins was ousted from his role as a top intelligence aide to MBS amid reports the Riyadh government is making Assiri into the "rogue killer" scapegoat for what happened inside a Saudi consulate in Istanbul. But almost no one outside of the cowed posses around MBS and Trump actually believes Assiri would have acted without orders from the Machiavellian prince. How a future butcher of Istanbul came to be praised in the U.S. House of Representatives is just one mystery in a tangled web of involving Donald Trump, his closest aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump's ever-growing and ever-sleazier coterie of hangers-on, hundreds of millions of oil-soaked dollars, an illegal offer of help in Trump's 2016 election, alleged misuse of U.S. intel, and a filthy-rich despotic nation built on a foundation of torture, repression and we now know murder. Given that history, it's been a dull surprise to watch the cringe-worthy amorality of an American president more interested in helping the Saudis get away with a ridiculous cover story than in getting to the bottom of the depravity that occurred in Turkey, or even in voicing the rest of the free world's outrage and anguish. Donald Trump will never get the truth or win justice for Khashoggi but that doesn't mean that America can't. Put this near the top of your reasons for electing a brand new Congress on Nov. 6: Wiping the splatter of a journalist's blood off America's mortal soul. Let's start with an important caveat: U.S. policy toward Saudi Arabia has been amorally bad for decades long predating Trump and going back the 1970s and an Arab oil embargo that nearly destroyed the U.S. economy. In fact, it's a deal with the devil that goes all the way back to FDR, and it's resulted in absurdities like America's failure to pursue Saudi connections to two of the 9/11 hijackers (15 of the 19 were Saudi natives) and the subsequent decision to invade a completely different country Iraq in order to help Saudi's monarchs by closing our military bases there. But something has changed. In the new energy economy, we don't need Saudi oil the way we did in the 20th century. But we have craven, corrupt politicians who will bend over even farther to take some of their last remaining petrodollars. Let's walk down the sordid trail of money and blood that got us here. Step 1: The buying of Trump Inc. Over the last generation, Saudi rulers reached the same conclusion about Trump that the Russians apparently reached after The Donald visited Moscow in 1987: That here was a high-profile American who could be bought. "Saudi Arabia, I get along with all of them," Trump told an Alabama rally in August 2015, as his campaign was just taking off. "They buy apartments from me. They spend $40 million, $50 million." This time, he wasn't lying. The Saudi government bought an entire floor of a Manhattan project called Trump World Tower for $4.5 million in 2001, an arrangement that would have resulted in millions more in fees. That wasn't Trump's first dealing with the House of Saud; in the early 1990s, as the developer teetered on the brink of personal bankruptcy, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal took the yacht that had been dubbed (ironically) The Trump Princess off Trump's cash-starved hands for $20 million. That the way to Trump's heart runs through his wallet is something that stayed with the Saudis once his presidency dawned. Since late 2016, a flock of Saudi lobbyists (who spent $270,000 for food and lodging at Trump's D.C. hotel), the vast entourage of MBS. (credited for a surge in revenue at his New York hotels this past winter) and other Saudis (whose business offset losses at Trump's Chicago hotel) have aided the Trump Organization in an otherwise difficult time financially. It's important to remember these ties as you think about Step 2. The 2016 election and an indecent proposal. On Aug. 3, 2016, Donald Trump Jr. convened a meeting at Trump Tower that also included future anti-immigrant guru Stephen Miller, Blackwater founder and Trump insider Erick Prince, a lobbyist with deep ties to the Saudi rulers and their allies in the United Arab Emirates, or UAE, named George Nader, and an Israeli specialist in psychological warfare named Joel Zamel. What the Saudis's apparent emissary, Nader, reportedly said that day was stunning. He said the Saudis and UAE wanted Trump to beat Hillary Clinton that November and were willing to put their wealth behind efforts which, needless to say, would have been illegal to make that happen. Specifically, they proposed a covert social-media campaign strikingly similar to one that special counsel Robert Mueller has charged was carried out that fall by Russian spies to target American voters on Trump's behalf, run by Zamel's Psy-Group. Trump's then-deputy campaign manager Rick Gates (since convicted and cooperating with Mueller) also reached out to Zamel's now-defunct company about a scheme that would have created 5,000 "bogus personas" i.e., fake people that would have persuaded real delegates if somehow the 2016 Republican convention in Cleveland had been deadlocked. Team Trump says it never went through with the supposed Saudi and Zamel schemes. Maybe that's true, but Nader did reportedly later pay Zamel $2 million. No one has been able to explain why. By then, Trump's presidency was at hand, and a bigger and, if possible, sleazier inner circle was racing to cash in. Step 3: The Big Payback. Nader a convicted pedophile with ties to the Gulf states that stretched back for decades and his new pal, the once-obscure political fixer and businessman Broidy, strengthened their ties to both Trump and MBS as part of an effort which took them to the brink of a staggering payday of $1 billion. On the American side, Broidy named to his RNC post after raising money for Trump in 2016 used his new prominence to shower cash on Republicans in Congress, leverage his access to the White House (even arranging for Nader, despite his child sex-abuse conviction, to get his picture with the president) and sponsor forums that would advance Saudi aims, including weakening American ties to Qatar even though that nation hosts a major U.S. military presence. (Broidy and Nader weren't the only Trump pals looking to cash in; National Enquirer CEO David Pecker, with a deep history of helping the president cover up various sex scandals, published a glossy tribute to MBS and his "Magic Kingdom" and put it on Walmart shelves as he used his White House ties to pursue lucrative deals in Riyadh.) On the Gulf side, Nader and Broidy were reportedly paid millions by the UAE and were closing in on that billion-dollar payoff from the Saudis; Nader met personally with MBS and was told to run his future business dealings through MBS's right-hand man they called "General Ahmed," meaning Assiri. Assiri, who'd been the Saudis' spokesman for its ongoing campaign of genocide in Yemen, was clearly a rising star and a key person for gaining access to MBS, even as the Washington Post's David Ignatius learned Assiri was now running the "tiger team" to lock up, torture and, occasionally, kill rivals to the prince. Meanwhile, MBS had his own Prince Charming in America Step 4: The Jared factor. While Trump's friends cashed in, it was left to the ultimate White House insider, presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as America's main point of contact with MBS. It's difficult to look at Kushner's performance over the last two years and not conclude that Team Trump knew it owed more than simply a debt of gratitude to the House of Saud. Kushner convinced that Saudi support was critical for his not-even-close-to-realized aspiration of fostering peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians made sure that Saudi Arabia was his father-in-law's first international trip as president. He grew so close to MBS that they reportedly communicated directly through the secure channel known as WhatsApp, leaving the rest of the government in the dark over what they discussed. Last October, Kushner made a surprise, unannounced trip to "the Magic Kingdom" where he spent a couple of days in secret meetings with MBS, reportedly staying up until 4 a.m. What did "the two princes" discuss? According to The Intercept, Kushner who was devouring the president's super-secret daily security brief despite his then-inability to get a security clearance discussed and disclosed the names of high-ranking Saudis who'd opposed MBS as he consolidated his power over the oil-rich kingdom. These ties grew as MBS was rounding up his opponents and detaining them and sometimes torturing them at a swank hotel in Riyadh. The Intercept also reported that MBS had told his close friend UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed that Kushner was "in his pocket." So it seems. The Trump administration has so far backed everything MBS and his regime has ever done with the president and his son-in-law supporting the moves against Qatar that were opposed by the U.S. foreign policy establishment, and aiding the war in Yemen even as it threatens to become the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century, and at the same time failing to speak out against the kingdom's increasing human rights abuses. To the majority of people who haven't been paying attention, the president's behavior in the past week seemingly determined to help the Saudis develop and promote the implausible lie that Khashoggi died accidentally at the hand of "rogue killers" (including the sacrificial tiger, Assiri) and that MBS had nothing to do with it seems shocking. In fact, it's just the logical conclusion of a tragic American amorality tale, in which a flood of money can wash away all sins, even murder. If this seems a low point in 242-year history of the United States, that's because it is. But it doesn't have to be the end of the story. For one thing, Congress can, and should, act as soon as tomorrow to cut off all U.S. support bombs, targeting, refueling all of it for the inhumane war in Yemen, and begin pressure for a truce and a diplomatic solution. We can't bring back Khashoggi, but we can save thousands of children in Yemen. We must. It's a moral imperative. And we must consider other sanctions against this murderous monarchy but that's not all. Trump and a GOP Congress that's received hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from the Saudis' American lobbyists will never truly investigate the full story of U.S.-Saudi relations. That's (another) powerful selling point for electing a Democratic-led House full of new political blood untainted by petrodollars on Nov. 6. We need Democratic-led committees with subpoena power to answer the following questions: How much money does the Trump Organization or any Trump-related business enterprise receive from the Saudi government, its leaders and its lobbyists much of it in seeming violation of the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution? Did the Saudis and their close ally, UAE, follow through on the scheme to help Trump win the 2016 election by targeting American voters with an illegal campaign of online propaganda? How much of American policy in the Middle East with millions of lives on the line was determined not by what was in the best interest of U.S. citizens, not to mention world peace and stability, but by the flood of money swirling around insiders like Nader, Broidy, Pecker, and the Trump family? What did Kushner and MBS really talk about in their secret meetings and over WhatsApp? Did Kushner pass along classified U.S. intelligence that led to the imprisonment, torture or even death of Saudi citizens whose only transgression was political dissent against MBS? Finally, given reports of possibly improper intelligence sharing, did Kushner or anyone else in the Trump administration pass along classified information about Khashoggi (whom, it's important to note, ran afoul of the Saudis after he criticized wait for it Trump)? And did Team Trump offer advice to MBS on how to cover up Khashoggi's murder? If so, why? Look, the new Congress is going to have a lot on its plate next January. And anyone who's been a sentient human being the last two years knows that Khashoggi's murder horrible as it is is far from the only thing that needs to be investigated. But this is important. The questions raised here whether money now trumps everything, even murder cut to the very core of whether the American Experiment can continue. And we won't know the answers until we start asking. Philadelphia has been announced as a winner of an award that could total $2 million or more from the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge for its efforts to address climate change and sustainability. The award is given out to 20 cities with ambitious plans to tackle climate change and promote sustainability. Atlanta and Seattle were also recently announced as winners by Bloomberg Philanthropies, which is run by Michael Bloomberg. After Philadelphia, 17 others will also be announced. The amount of the award has not been finalized and officials might not know exactly how much they'll get until all the other winning cities are announced. "We're really excited about it," said Christine Knapp, director of the city's sustainability office. "It gives us a lot of juice to move forward with things we've been working on for a while. When Bloomberg came here, they were really impressed with the collaborative nature we had with residents and businesses. They thought everyone in the city was rowing in the right direction." Philadelphia won for a plan that outlined key areas that needed to be addressed to rein in energy use in buildings and transportation. The money could be used for helping reduce carbon emissions in commercial buildings, Knapp said. Currently, Philly's 3,000 biggest commercial buildings account for 17 percent of all carbon emissions so bringing those numbers down could seriously reduce the city's carbon footprint, she said. For the last six years, the city has mandated that owners of buildings bigger than 50,000 square feet report energy and water usage to establish benchmarks. Though compliance was initially good, Knapp said, it has waned among some owners. The city could use the money for a program that requires commercial properties to make energy changes without requiring major retrofits. For example, she said, some buildings run air conditioning all weekend even though few workers are in the building. Cutting that down could save 5 percent to 20 percent of total energy use without much cost. The money also could be used for a collaborative power purchase agreement. Currently, the city is negotiating a contract to supply renewable energy to power its buildings. A collaborative could extend that to businesses. Knapp said the money could also be used to meet transit energy use programs by 2025. Last week, Philadelphia released its CONNECT strategic transportation plan. As part of that, the Indego bike share program will be expanded in 2019 with as many as 250 stations potentially equipped with technology such as electric bikes and other features. Also, Knapp said the city needs to increase its community engagement regarding transportation to educate residents. A woman prepares to walk the 32nd Annual AIDS Walk outside the Art Museum on this cold, wet Sunday morning. Read more As a cold rain fell on the thousands who came out for the 32nd annual AIDS Walk Philly on Sunday morning, the conversation under the registration tent turned to weather. One year, when it was freezing and wet, volunteers had to set up cardboard boxes to walk on or else stand ankle deep in mud, 60-year-old Mary Spear recalled. Then there was the time West River Drive (now known as Martin Luther King Drive) was flooded, almost forcing organizers to cancel the event all together, said 62-year-old Valerie Minyard. Spear, of Wynnewood, and Minyard, of Olney, are veterans of the walk. They walk in memory of their brothers, both of whom died of AIDS in 1996. They remember the event being bigger in previous years. More people, more corporate sponsors, more food Tastykakes, soft pretzels. (This year, there were bags of chips, provided by Frito-Lay, and bottles of water.) Even the walk itself has gotten shorter, going from 12 kilometers (7.45 miles) to five in 2014. About 10 years ago, the event regularly drew crowds of 15,000 and pulled in about $350,000 for services and education for those living with HIV and AIDS. This year, just over 5,000 participated, including people representing the black medical student group Student National Medical Association, the Tenant Union Representative Network, and the city's Health Department. The event raised $280,000. It reflects changing perceptions of the disease, said Robb Reichard, executive director of the AIDS Fund, which organizes the walk. People mistakenly equate medical advancements, such as medications that significantly lower the rate of transmission between a person who has HIV and someone who does not, with the end of the epidemic, he said. In turn, the disease has become more invisible. It's also made it harder to raise money, which in part goes to community organizations such as Philadelphia Fight, Action Wellness, and the Mazzoni Center, providers of emergency financial support for those living with HIV. "There is not the sense of urgency we once saw," said Reichard, 54. It's possible that will change, in light of the opioid crisis that is ravaging Philadelphia. New data show a spike in infections among people who inject drugs. From September 2017 to August 2018, the city Health Department identified 46 newly diagnosed cases of HIV among people who inject drugs, representing a 48 percent increase over the previous 12 months. In a blog post, the Health Department said the opioid crisis is likely to blame. The effect of fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that has killed more Philadelphians than any other opioid, lasts for a shorter period of time than that of heroin, which means that those using fentanyl might be injecting more frequently and increasing the likelihood of sharing used syringes. Still, the Health Department says it's too soon to tell whether there's a new wave of HIV infection in Philadelphia. There are 30,000 people in the Philadelphia region living with HIV, according to the AIDS Fund. The rate of new infection in the region is three times the national average, which Reichard says is common for places such as Philadelphia with high rates of poverty. Men who have sex with men are at the greatest risk for infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and African Americans are the most affected racial group. As medical treatments have evolved and HIV no longer becomes the "death sentence" that walk veterans such as Spear and Minyard remember it to be, the goals of the event have changed, too: Reichard talks about getting to zero zero new infections, deaths, and stigma. "We have to stop judging people," Reichard said. Sunday morning a trio of protesters bearing a "Homos Go to Hell" sign and a bullhorn settled in by the snack tent. Teenage volunteers greeted them by shaking pom-poms and cheering for participants. And even though the walk has gotten smaller, Spear said the "spirit and dedication has not changed." Minyard agreed. By then, the rain had cleared up. "There's still a lot of heart," she said. Senatorial debate between Senator Bob Casey and Congressman Lou Barletta at WPVI/6ABC, on October 20, 2018. Read more In their first debate, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey embraced a message of bipartisanship, while the man seeking to unseat him in November, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, embraced President Trump. "This president understands how to get the economy going," the Republican from Hazleton said Saturday afternoon. Throughout the hour-long debate at 6ABC's station off City Avenue, Barletta raised the economy's strength as an argument for his candidacy. >>READ MORE: Voter's Guide Casey, meanwhile, argued that Republican tax cuts exploded the deficit and created few benefits for the middle class. "It has not done anything to lift wages in America and that's what should have happened," the two-term senator said. "We should have passed a tax bill that said we're going to give the middle class a huge, substantial, tax cut." Polling website Real Clear Politics showed that Barletta is trailing Casey by double digits in the race for the Senate seat, and the congressman was the more aggressive of the two, and more frequently attacked Casey and Democrats. "They don't know how to get the economy going; they can't," he said of Democrats. "They don't understand it." Casey, a low-key speaker, was by contrast staid in his responses. He emphasized his willingness to reach across the aisle and find common ground with Republicans on policy, including immigration, education, and health care. "At long last, we should come together in a bipartisan way, as one American family, and fix this broken system," Casey said of immigration. He seemed to bristle, though, when Barletta said Casey was opposed to an energy-friendly policy in Pennsylvania, referring to the state's natural gas resources. >>READ MORE: What makes an effective federal lawmaker? Bob Casey and Lou Barletta joust on question "For the record, I don't oppose energy," Casey said. "That's a dramatic statement." Barletta, who came to prominence after passing a law while mayor of Hazleton to bar renting residences to or employing illegal immigrants, used a mention of a caravan of Honduran migrants approaching the Mexican border with Guatemala to emphasize the need to secure the nation's borders. "If you think this caravan now is a problem, let them get in charge again," Barletta said of Democrats. "You'll see people rushing the border." Casey strongly opposed family separation at the border, he said, and supported legislation that would provide border security, while creating a path to citizenship and a way for jobs often held by undocumented immigrants to be filled. The two expressed differences on health care, with Casey supporting the protections of the Affordable Care Act, the opportunity of people 55 and older to buy into Medicare, and a focus on reducing health-care costs. Barletta voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, saying it is a disaster, but said he would have only supported a replacement that protected people with preexisting conditions. The debate, moderated by 6ABC anchor Jim Gardner, touched on most major national issues. Gardner pressured the candidates when they didn't directly answer questions, particularly focusing on Barletta's stumbling response to whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, should be protected by legislation from firing. Barletta initially said he supported protections before finally saying, "I wouldn't vote for that." Barletta, asked about a recent United Nations report that found the world had as little as 12 years to prevent environmental catastrophe due to climate change, dodged a question about whether he believed climate change was man-made. Casey didn't hesitate to say climate change was man-made, but hedged on two policies supported by the party's progressive wing. He said of a single-payer health-insurance system and supervised injection sites for people facing opioid addiction, that he would need to "know a lot more about it." Barletta opposed both ideas. >>READ MORE: As Lou Barletta's immigration law failed his political brand was born Just before the debate, an advertisement run by Casey focused on a mother expressing concern that her child with cancer might not have health care if Barletta is elected. The spots sparked a furious reply from Barletta, whose own grandson is being treated for cancer. Casey, in his closing statement, apologized for the advertisements, but Barletta still wanted a more personal mea culpa to his family. We dont know if Jordan is going to be OK, Barletta said of his grandson after the debate. Moorestown Middle school teacher Julia Mooney has no trouble these days figuring out what to wear work. The art teacher has been donning the same dress since the school year began to teach her students a lesson about eco sustainability, image and social acceptance. She plans to keep it up for 100 straight days, DAVID SWANSON / Staff Photographer . Read more Art teacher Julia Mooney has no trouble these days figuring out what to wear to work: a gray button-down dress. She has been donning the same dress since the school year began to teach her students at William Allen Middle school in Moorestown a lesson about eco-sustainability, image, and social acceptance. She plans to keep it up for 100 straight days. Her last day will likely be in February. "I like wearing my dress every day," Mooney, 34, said in a recent interview after school in her art room. "I'm starting to feel like this is what I wear to work." Known as one outfit, 100 days, her campaign has caught attention around the country and some teachers in her South Jersey school district, including her husband, Patrick, a high school history teacher, are joining in. So far, one student, Sofia Rubich, a second grader, who read about it during a current-events lesson with her mother, has joined, too. "At first I probably thought she was crazy," laughed Patrick Mooney, 38, who is wearing the same khaki pants and dark blue shirt for 100 days. "Then I thought there was no good reason not to." His wife, a teacher for 10 years, wants her students to become more aware of how much they consume, often due to peer pressure to buy the latest fashions, and find ways to reduce their environmental impact. She also wants them to learn a cultural connection between art and social activism. She doesn't use class time to talk about her project, although her seventh- and eighth-grade students have noticed her attire. A sign on the classroom door reads: "Creativity takes courage." She uses an Instagram account "oneoutfit100days" to document the project where students and others can learn about her sustainability message. She recently asked her students to write their thoughts about the project on lime-green note cards. Her message seems to have struck a chord in the community of 20,000 where the median household income, according to the Census Bureau, is about $126,000. "Mrs. Mooney is a real game-changer because she is showing so many people it doesn't matter what you wear or cool you look," wrote Emily Thornton, 12, a seventh-grader. "There are bigger problems in the world like pollution." Said eighth-grader Cathy Romano, 13: "I love how inspiring it is to many people and getting us to see that we don't need lots and lots of clothes." Elsewhere in the Burlington County district, Sofia, the second grader who is following Mooney's example, gets asked a lot of questions from her Baker Elementary classmates, but seems unfazed and explains why she is wearing the same dress, said her mother, Ana Cafengiu, a podiatrist. Sofia calls her outfit a blue top with a gold sequined heart and attached skirt her "happy dress." "It's very easy to get dressed in the morning," Sofia told Mooney in an e-mail message. "I'm having a lot of fun." Cafengiu said the family supports the youngster in her attire, with only one concern the thinly made dress, purchased on clearance, may not last for 100 days. Sofia packed the dress on a recent weekend trip but also wears other outfits on the weekend and after school, her mother said. In her first post in September, Mooney wrote: "A challenge to be mindful of what, why, and how we consume. Let's use our energy to do good instead of looking good." She posts almost daily, with a countdown to February and often sharing alarming statistics about clothing consumption. She has picked up more than 1,300 followers and a few have posted messages that they also plan to do the same thing. The response from teachers and students has been positive, Mooney said. The most frequently asked question she gets about her outfit is: "Do you wash it?' Mooney wears an apron to protect her garment from stains and occasionally adds a colorful scarf or cardigan to slightly change her look. She wears other clothes on the weekend. Yes, she does wash it, usually by hand, but Mooney has a spare identical dress, purchased for about $50 from "Thought Clothing." She selected the dress, made from hemp, a durable fabric, partly because the London-based company encourages customers to wear garments more than once before washing, repair rather than replace items, and give away unneeded clothing. Mooney and her husband also practice sustainability at their Audubon home with their three children. The family raises chickens in their backyard (the kids take the compost out) and grows vegetables. Julia makes the kids' clothes or buys second-hand items at consignment stores. Patrick Mooney said the project became an eye-opener "when you realize you have 50 shirts you haven't worn." Beth Glennon, a math teacher at Moorestown High for more than two decades, said she was inspired by Mooney's one outfit campaign. "I'm not surprised that she's doing this. This is completely her," said Glennon, 47. " She 's artistic in every way." When her triplet sons went off to college this year, Glennon thought she would have an empty nest at her Haddonfield home, along with husband, Joe. She was shocked to find a closet packed with polo shirts her sons left behind. The couple also has an older son. She wears one of her sons' polo shirts to school. Her oldest son, Richard, joked that she was "holding on to the last fiber of them." "For me, it's a fun way to keep the boys on my mind instead of missing them every day," said Glennon. "Plus, I'm forced to clean out their closet." Kelly Gartland, who teaches AP ceramic and sculpture at the high school, is wearing the same dress, a blue denim dress. In upcoming lessons, she plans to use the project to discuss how artists help shape public dialogue and how students can identify priorities in their personal lives. Gartland, 33, said she donated five bags of clothing and has no plans to resume her old shopping habits when the project ends. If the dress lasts, she may wear it until the end of the school year, she said. "Even when this is done I'm not going to be replacing as much," Gartland said. "It seemed like an easy way to simplify my life." . Clean block officer Diane Oliveras inspects the 2400 block of West Sedgely Street in North Philadelphia, as she conducts an indexing to determine where loose litter and illegal dumping is the worst, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Read more Think your block is one of the city's trashiest? There's now a way to check it out. A citywide litter index launched earlier this month, mapping Philadelphia's litter problem block by block. The index is searchable by address and provides a score on a scale of 1 to 4 (1 being hardly any litter, and 4 requiring a large team and heavy machinery), along with pictures and information about trash day and whether the street has a block captain. The city will use the index to annually drive its response to litter issues and to track progress. Several departments canvassed the city from August through December, and in October, we followed Diane Oliveras and Joe Miranda, sanitation officers for the Streets Department, as they indexed the blocks around 2400 West Sedgley St. in North Philadelphia. The pair methodically counted every piece of litter on the ground: a faded red Tide detergent bottle, an empty Doritos chips bag, lottery tickets "This, I'd give a 2," said Oliveras. "There's about 30 pieces and it would take maybe two people to clean it up [at] most. I'd say there's a high probability there's a block captain here," she said. Oliveras spent two minutes photographing the block, recording its score on a cellphone app. That's one of about 24,000 city blocks to canvas. Then it was on to the next block. "It's a little mind-boggling," said Miranda, a former trash collector for 20 years, as he counted the discarded waste a block over. "But we need to put our brains together and figure out what's going on what can we do in order to get it cleaned up." This isn't the first time the city has done a litter index. In 2007 Philadelphia dispatched workers to survey random blocks. Information was jotted down on pad and paper and typed into an Excel spreadsheet. This time around, the city has hit every single block. It's the best way, they say, to get an accurate reading of the issue and to figure out how to address it. "If you have a 3, we don't want people to just know 'Yeah, my block is dirty.' We want people to have the tools they need to know how to do something about it," said Nic Esposito, director of the city's zero waste initiative. If Oliveras and Miranda see something particularly egregious, they can call the city's enforcement arm, SWEEP, and notify 311 that something needs to be cleaned up. It can get discouraging, Miranda said, facing a pile of trash the height of his 6'1 frame. "We'll get this cleaned up and it'll be back to this again tomorrow," Miranda said. Philadelphia is one of 600 cities or towns across the country that conducts litter surveys in partnership with Keep America Beautiful. But Cecile Carson, its vice president of litter and affiliate relations, said the organization doesn't rank participating cities on their filth. "Its very difficult to say we're going to compare litter in Dallas, Texas vs. Philadelphia because of the different land uses socioeconomic differences, differences in consumption habits," Carson said. In the New Jersey Senate race, while Democrats are testing the public's tolerance for a deeply damaged incumbent, Republicans are pushing a self-funded executive with no government experience. It's a dismal election with bad choices. Blame the political party bosses: Republicans have been running on fumes since former Gov. Chris Christie left office. The party could have chosen one of its experienced mayors or legislators to run for Senate. But it chose Bob Hugin, 64, of Summit, who, at best, has a weak grasp of the issues facing a densely and diversely populated coastal state. Democrats are so enthralled with their own political dominance in the state they nominated two-term Sen. Bob Menendez, 64, of Harrison, even after his corruption trial detailed how he accepted lavish gifts and did government favors for a major donor whom he described as a "friend." The trial ended in a hung jury last year, and, in January, the U.S. Attorney's Office said it wouldn't retry him. Nonetheless, the Senate Ethics Committee rightly admonished him. Menendez may not be guilty of a crime. But he is guilty of betraying the public trust and his own legacy. His opponent, Hugin, has run a campaign based on not being Menendez, but he hasn't presented himself as a reasonable alternative, and he has his own baggage. In 2017, when he was executive chairman of the pharmaceutical maker Celgene Corp. in Summit, the company helped block legislation that could have reduced drug prices for cancer patients. Not being Menendez just isn't enough to support Hugin. Depressing, isn't it? Yet, voters are still going to have to make a choice. Still, Menendez has the edge because of what he has done, and says he will do, if reelected. A scrappy Hudson County politician, Menendez made his bones when he fought off death threats to testify against his political mentor, ex-Union City Mayor William Musto, at his corruption trial. That fighting spirit served New Jersey well when Menendez moved to the House in 1993 and the Senate in 2006. He has fought for gun safety, civil rights, and a woman's right to choose. He is a co-author of the Affordable Care Act and an early advocate of treating the opioid epidemic as a public health crisis. An attorney, he helped craft legislation protecting immigrant children brought to the country by their parents. He kept flood insurance prices down and forced the federal government to pay more than $300 million in flood claims it had previously denied. Since his earliest days in the House, he has protected Social Security and Medicare. If New Jersey gives him a second chance and elects him to a third term, he has an unwavering obligation to act with integrity at all times. He told the Inquirer Editorial Board that he would be more careful when advocating for issues his friends raise and that he learned a lesson about the importance of appearances of conflict. How he missed it the first time is hard to imagine. The Inquirer reluctantly endorses Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.). Washington: US President Donald Trump has announced that America is pulling out of the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia, a decades-old agreement signed in 1987. "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years," Trump told reporters on Saturday before boarding Air Force One to leave Nevada following a campaign rally. "And I don't know why President (Barack) Obama didn't negotiate or pull out. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to. We're the ones that have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement. "But Russia has not, unfortunately, honoured the agreement. So we're going to terminate the agreement. We're gonna pull out," he said of the agreement, which was signed in December 1987 by former President Ronald Reagan and former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev. The treaty forced both countries to eliminate ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between approximately 300 and 3,400 miles. It offered a blanket of protection to the US' European allies and marked a watershed agreement between two nations at the centre of the arms race during the Cold War. The Trump administration has said repeatedly that Russia has violated the treaty and has pointed to their predecessors in the Obama administration who accused Moscow of violating the terms of the agreement. In 2014, CNN reported that the US had accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty, citing cruise missile tests that dated to 2008. The US at the time informed its NATO allies of Russia's suspected breach. Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the military alliance remained "concerned about Russia's lack of respect for its international commitments, including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the INF Treaty". Moscow's failure to adhere to the agreement was also addressed in the most recent Nuclear Posture Review published by the US Defence Department in February, which said Russia "continues to violate a series of arms control treaties and commitments". However, pulling out of the treaty could provoke a similar arms race across Europe akin to the one that was occurring when the agreement was initially signed in the 1980s, CNN said. NEW DELHI: Despite several corrective measures taken by the authorities, the air quality in Delhi remained "very poor" for the second consecutive day on Sunday. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which recently implemented an emergency plan to curb air pollution, warned that the air quality may further deteriorate in the next couple of days. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi was recorded at 301, which falls in the 'very poor' category, said the data from the CPCB. On Saturday, a haze engulfed the national capital and the worst air quality of this season was recorded at AQI 324. Anand Vihar, Mundaka, Narela, Dwarka Sector 8, Nehru Nagar and Rohini all showed 'very poor' air quality and are inching towards severe pollution levels, it said. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe". The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Protection Control Authority (EPCA) held a meeting with state governments and Delhi government officials to discuss the pollution situation in the national capital on Friday. An EPCA member later informed that it was decided that special attention would be given to vulnerable hotspots where 'poor' or 'very poor' air quality is observed. The PM2.5 (presence of particles in the air with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometres) touched a new high at 167. The PM 2.5, also called "fine particulates", can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10. The PM10 level (presence of particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres) in Delhi stood at 293, according to the data from the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). The CPCB said that a number of factors including vehicular pollution, construction activities and meteorological factors like the direction of wind which is now flowing from the stubble burning areas, were responsible for the deteriorating air quality in the national capital. Meanwhile, images obtained through NASA satellite imagery has shown several spot fires already burning in Haryana and Punjab. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also warned that the city would soon become a "gas chamber" as the Centre, Punjab and Haryana governments did "absolutely nothing" for farmers involved in stubble burning. (With Agency inputs) Berlin/Paris: Strongly condemning the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi consulate in Istanbul, both France and Germany have called for "further" and "comprehensive" investigation into the incident. "With great dismay, we have received the confirmation of the violent death of Jamal Khashoggi," said a statement issued by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday, Xinhua news agency reports. Under massive pressure, Saudi Arabia admitted early Saturday that preliminary investigations by the Saudi Public Prosecution showed the missing journalist Khashoggi died after a fight at the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul. "We condemn the act with utmost sharpness. We expect transparency from Saudi Arabia in light of the circumstances of the death and the background," said the statement. It said that those responsible must be held accountable and that the information given by the Saudi consulate in Istanbul is insufficient. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drianm calling for an in-depth investigation into the journalist's killing, said: "France condemns this murder in the strongest terms. The confirmation of Jamal Khashoggi's death is a first step toward the establishment of the truth." He, however, said that many questions remain unanswered about the circumstances of Khashoggi's death. "... They require a comprehensive and diligent investigation to establish all the responsibilities and to ensure that those responsible for the murder...are held accountable for their actions," the top French diplomat said. The Saudi journalist, who lived in the United States, disappeared on October 2 after visiting the consulate to complete paperwork related to his divorce. In an interview with the German public broadcast ARD on Saturday night, Heiko Maas said: "I think as long as the investigations are ongoing and as long as we do not know what happened there, there is no reason to take positive decisions on arms exports to Saudi Arabia," said Maas. Saudi Arabia is the second largest customer of German weapons behind Algeria so far this year. Until September, the German federal government granted export licences worth 416.4 million euros to Saudi Arabia. Prior to the announcement by Saudi Arabia, Heiko Maas had already put travel plans to Saudi Arabia on hold. Mathura: Shankaracharya Adhokshjanand Dev Tirth Maharaj has requested President Ram Nath Kovind to abolish the "orthodox practice" of burning of demon king Ravana's effigy as part of the Dussehra festival. Talking to reporters here on Sunday, the Hindu religious leader requested the president to issue orders to "abolish the custom...As it is not only against the basic Hindu culture but it also opens the gate for Joda Phatak-type tragedy". He was referring to the tragedy near Amritsar in Punjab, in which 59 people were mowed down by a train after a crowd of Dussehra revellers had spilled onto railway tracks while watching burning of Ravana effigy. He said that according to Hindu mythology, last rites of a deceased are performed only once, and Ravana's last rites were performed by Vibhishana in the presence Lord Ram. He said burning of effigies in large-scale also cases pollution. After more than 40 hours of the Amritsar train accident in Punjab, the train services resumed on Sunday after the Punjab police removed protesters from the railway tracks. The railways got the clearance from local authorities at 12:30 pm, the spokesperson said. "First goods train started from Manawala to Amritsar at 1416 hours," said Northern Railways spokesperson Deepak Kumar. This train will be followed by mail/express trains, he said. Senior Divisional Security Commissioner (Railways), Firozpur Division, S Sudharkar said, "Train services have resumed on the affected rail track (Joda Phatak). A goods train was allowed to run on this track." "This was the first train movement after the incident. There was issue of law and order, it is now clear. Now we will be running few more trains. Restoration of trains has almost started. Normalcy will return soon," added the senior divisional security commissioner. Earlier in the day, protesters clashed with security personnel and pelted them with stones at the Joda Patak area after they were cleared off the tracks, police officials said. The people were protesting against the accident that had claimed 59 lives and injured 57 during the Dusshera celebrations on Friday evening. A Punjab police commando and a photojournalist were injured as the protesters, who were staging a sit-in at the site, started pelting stones and indulged in brick-batting, they said. Head Constable Amritpal Singh said, "They were pelting stones. He received injuries in his eyes.'' A large number of police officials pushed the protesters to another side of the tracks where the accident took place on Friday evening. The situation is tense at and around the site and a huge police deployment has been made to maintain law and order, they said. The Punjab police have deployed its personnel, including commandoes, to manage the crowd. The Rapid Action Force is also present in the Joda Patak area, officials said. The clash started minutes after the security forces removed the protesters, numbering in hundreds, from the track to clear it for traffic, the officials said. Local residents have been protesting at the site and blocking the railway track since Friday evening. Police are also making an announcement on loudspeakers asking people to remain inside their houses. The railway tracks were cleared off the protesters who were raising slogans against the state government and demanding resignation of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. Local residents started the protest Saturday, raising slogans against the state government and demanding action against the train driver. The district administration has said that out of 59 people who were mowed down by the speeding Jalandhar-Amritsar train Friday, 40 have been identified. After nearly 48 hours of the train accident in Punjab's Amritsar, city Police Commissioner on Sunday explained that the police had given permissions for several events in the city, including the Dhobi Ghat ground, near the railway track where the accident took place. Commissioner of Police, SS Shrivastava, said a certain process was followed and the police gave conditional permissions for events at 20 places in the city. We gave permission for a certain event in a certain area, now obviously there is no permission to be on the tracks or anything. Lapses are under inquiry. We had security for the whole city including the main venue & the function venue "There is a certain process, and permission was given for events at 20 places. Police gave conditional permissions for events at 20 places including Dhobi Ghat area. We gave permission for a certain event in a certain area, now obviously there is no permission to be on the tracks or anything. Lapses are under inquiry. We had security for the whole city including the main venue and the function venue, " Shrivastava. Earlier in the day, protesters clashed with security personnel and pelted them with stones at the Joda Patak area after they were cleared off the tracks, police officials said. The people were protesting against the accident that had claimed 59 lives and injured 57 during the Dusshera celebrations on Friday evening. The train services resumed on Sunday after the Punjab police removed protesters from the railway tracks. The railways got the clearance from local authorities at 12:30 pm, the spokesperson said. "First goods train started from Manawala to Amritsar at 1416 hours," said Northern Railways spokesperson Deepak Kumar. This train will be followed by mail/express trains, he said. Senior Divisional Security Commissioner (Railways), Firozpur Division, S Sudharkar said, "Train services have resumed on the affected rail track (Joda Phatak). A goods train was allowed to run on this track." "This was the first train movement after the incident. There was issue of law and order, it is now clear. Now we will be running few more trains. Restoration of trains has almost started. Normalcy will return soon," added the senior divisional security commissioner. Earlier, a Punjab police commando and a photojournalist were injured as the protesters, who were staging a sit-in at the site, started pelting stones and indulged in brick-batting, they said. Head Constable Amritpal Singh said, "They were pelting stones. He received injuries in his eyes.'' A large number of police officials pushed the protesters to another side of the tracks where the accident took place on Friday evening. The situation is tense at and around the site and a huge police deployment has been made to maintain law and order, they said. The Punjab police have deployed its personnel, including commandoes, to manage the crowd. The Rapid Action Force is also present in the Joda Patak area, officials said. The clash started minutes after the security forces removed the protesters, numbering in hundreds, from the track to clear it for traffic, the officials said. Local residents have been protesting at the site and blocking the railway track since Friday evening. Police are also making an announcement on loudspeakers asking people to remain inside their houses. The railway tracks were cleared off the protesters who were raising slogans against the state government and demanding resignation of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. Local residents started the protest Saturday, raising slogans against the state government and demanding action against the train driver. The district administration has said that out of 59 people who were mowed down by the speeding Jalandhar-Amritsar train Friday, 40 have been identified. Protesters clashed with security personnel and pelted them with stones on Sunday at Amritsar's train accident site in Joda Patak area after they were removed from the railway tracks, police officials said. The police were able to clear a section of the railway track which was blocked by the agitators protesting against the accident that had claimed 59 lives and injured 57 during the Dusshera celebrations on Friday evening. A Punjab police commando and a photojournalist were injured as the protesters, who were staging a sit-in at the site, started pelting stones and indulged in brick-batting, they said. Head Constable Amritpal Singh said, "They were pelting stones. He received injuries in his eyes.'' A large number of police officials pushed the protesters to another side of the tracks where the accident took place on Friday evening. The situation is tense at and around the site and a huge police deployment has been made to maintain law and order, they said. The Punjab police have deployed its personnel, including commandoes, to manage the crowd. The Rapid Action Force is also present in the Joda Patak area, officials said. The clash started minutes after the security forces removed the protesters, numbering in hundreds, from the track to clear it for traffic, the officials said. Local residents have been protesting at the site and blocking the railway track since Friday evening. Police are also making an announcement on loudspeakers asking people to remain inside their houses. The railway tracks were cleared off the protesters who were raising slogans against the state government and demanding resignation of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. Local residents started the protest Saturday, raising slogans against the state government and demanding action against the train driver. The district administration has said that out of 59 people who were mowed down by the speeding Jalandhar-Amritsar train Friday, 40 have been identified. The locals had started protesting on Saturday, raising slogans against the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government and demanding action against the train's driver, a day after the unfortunate incident here. The Punjab government had on Saturday ordered a magisterial probe into the accident, while railways have ruled out any inquiry on its part. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said that a magisterial inquiry into the train accident will be conducted and the report will be submitted in four weeks. "We are announcing a magisterial probe into the incident," Singh told reporters. The Railways, while ruling out an inquiry into the mishap, has said it was not informed by the organisers or the local administration that a Dussehra event was being organised close to railway tracks. Railway officials said no permission was sought from them either and ruled out an inquiry by the department into what they said was the worst accident due to 'trespass' on railway tracks. The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) will not probe the Amritsar tragedy, Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani said while maintaining that it was not a railway accident but a case of ''trespassing'' on rail tracks. The Commission of Railway Safety works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and conducts a mandatory inquiry into all railway accidents - at unmanned level crossings, derailments or after a bridge collapse. The railways has maintained that it was not at fault because it had no information about the Dussehra event. Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha ruled out any punitive action by his department. Meanwhile, opposition parties in Punjab, including BJP, AAP and SAD have called for stringent against those responsible for the event and dismissal of Sidhu from the state government. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal has said that an independent agency should conduct an inquiry into Amritsar train tragedy that claimed lives of 59 people. He further attacked Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government for taking the incident lightly. The SAD leader also asked the Chief Minister to take action against those responsible for the accident. Badal also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore per person and government jobs for the families of those killed in the tragic train accident. Badal demanded immediate dismissal of Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu from the cabinet beside registration of a fresh FIR against his family based on statements of the victims. He alleged that Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur was solely answerable for the accident as she was the chief guest at the Dussehra function and responsible for holding such a big event sans security and safety measures. The former deputy chief minister also demanded action against organisers of the function, saying they were responsible for making the people stand on the railway track. The unfortunate accident took place in Choura Bazar near Jhoda Phatak area of Amritsar after a train ran over the crowd, standing along train tracks, to watch an effigy of Ravan being burnt. New Delhi: Former Supreme Court judges are divided over a suggestion to increase the retirement age of judges to 70 years. Those opposed to it say that 65 years is "optimal" and even at this age it is difficult to bear the burden of the court`s heavy workload. While Justice KT Thomas and Justice KS Panikar Radhakrishnan dismissed the suggestion to increase the retirement age, Justice B Sudershan Reddy endorsed it. In the recent past, Attorney General KK Venugopal -- the central government`s topmost lawyer -- had on a number of occasions raised the issue of increasing the retirement age of the judges of the higher judiciary, including a three-fold increase in their salaries -- a position not shared by the Narendra Modi government. Those favouring enhancing the retirement age have cited increased life expectancy as a ground and comparing it with the prevailing practices in other countries, including US where Supreme Court judges serve for life, the UK where the retirement age is 70 year and other countries where it is 70 or 75 years. Justifying the suggestion for increasing the retirement age on the grounds of increasing "longevity" and life expectancy, senior lawyer CS Vaidyanathan said that "physical and mental ability to work" beyond 65 years is "very much there" -- a view endorsed by former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and senior lawyer KV Vishwanathan. There is no rational justification to retire judges at the age of 65, Vishwanathan said, adding: "Judges mature and ripen in their late fifties or early sixties and one must tap their talent beyond 65 years." Buttressing the point, Vishwanathan cited the example of Justice Anthony McLeod Kennedy who rested his pen in US Supreme Court in 2018 at the age of 82. He described Justice Kennedy as a "classic example" of a "prolific writer" at the ripe age of 82. Justice Kennedy was succeeded by Justice Brett Kavanaugh -- whose confirmation hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee saw the burgeoning of the `MeToo` volcano denting the reputation of many among the high and mighty. All this did not weigh with Justice Thomas and Justice Radhakrishnan, who thought 65 years was a good enough an age to hang up the gown, because at this age, mental and physical wear and tear start manifesting. "There may be one, two or three judges who can carry on with the heavy, demanding work of the Supreme Court with the same tempo. But others find it difficult to work. My colleagues used to tell me the that they find it difficult to carry on," said Justice Thomas, citing Justice PK Paripoornan as telling him: "I can`t keep up with the volume of work in the Supreme Court." Rohatgi, Vaidyanathan and K.V. Vishwanathan not only favoured increasing the retirement age but also bringing the retirement age of the High Court judges at par with that of the Supreme Court -- an issue on which Justice Reddy differed. While Justice Thomas agreed that the retirement age should be at par, Justice Reddy felt that the "distinction" should remain. Justice Thomas asked: "If Supreme Court judges could work up to the age of 65 years, then why not High Court judges?" Unequivocally asserting that even at 65, handling the Supreme Court`s workload is fatiguing, Justice Radhakrishnan said that the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts could be increased, but with the option of quitting before reaching the age of superannuation -- a practice prevailing in Zimbabwe, where a top court judge is appointed to retire at 65 years but can opt to continue till 70. "Personally I was very happy when I retired because for a period of 15 to 20 years you have put in so much work which can`t be compared with any other service," Justice Radhakrishnan said, adding: "A really hard-working judge would like to retire at the age of 65 as working for over 15 to 20 years takes its toll." "As a judge I have to do justice to the court," Justice Radhakrishnan maintained, pointing out that "there can`t be any comparison with other countries. In America, the Supreme Court has 100 to 130 cases per year. Similar is the case with England and the International Court of Justice." The Supreme Court in India deals with over 65,000 cases per year. However, there is no split view on increasing the salaries of the judges of the higher judiciary which, at the current level, is considered to be on the lower side. In January, the salary of a Supreme Court judge was hiked to Rs 250,000 a month from Rs 90,000 and that of the Chief Justice to Rs 2.8 lakhs from Rs 1 lakh. Justice Sudershan Reddy said that the salary increase of the judges should be "commensurate with the work load they carry". Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India will hit back with "double the force" if its sovereignty is ever challenged PM Modi was speaking at an event to mark the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the Azad Hind government by Subhash Chandra Bose. The Prime Minister also hoisted the national flag at the historic Red Fort. PM Modi said his government is working to provide the armed forces with better technology and latest weaponry. "We are heading towards building an army which was once envisioned by Netaji (Bose)," PM said. Speaking about taking decisions for the country, Modi said his government carried out surgical strikes across the Line of Control and provided benefits of 'one rank, one pension' to ex-servicemen. While speaking on the occasion, the PM honoured Netaji for his invaluable contribution to the country's struggle for Independence. ''Netaji had promised an India where everyone has equal rights and equal opportunities. He had promised a prosperous nation which was proud of its traditions, development in all areas. He had promised to uproot 'divide and rule'. Even after so many years, those dreams remain unfulfilled,'' PM Modi said. ''We have reached 'Swaraj' after lakhs of sacrifices. It is our responsibility to maintain this 'Swaraj' with 'Suraaj','' the PM said. ''In the last 4 years, several measures were taken to strengthen the defence. Best technologies were brought to the defence. This govt has the strength to make big and tough decisions, it'll continue. Be it the surgical strike or making the files of Netaji public, all such decisions were taken by our government,'' the PM told the gathering. Donning the cap of the Indian National Army presented to him by one of the close aides of Bose, Modi said it has been the Indian tradition not to eye someone else's territory, "but when our sovereignty is challenged, we will hit back with double the force". The prime minister said India will continue to use its military might "only for self-defence". He also cautioned people against forces inside and outside India which are working against the country by targeting its independence, unity and constitution. "It is the duty of every Indian to fight and defeat such forces," he said, adding that a feeling of nationalism and "Indianness" is must to counter such designs. Referring to the opposition faced by Bose when he decided to establish the Rani Jhansi Regiment -- an all women unit of the INA, Modi said the regiment would complete 75 years of its establishment on Monday. He said the present government is trying to fulfil the dreams of Bose even as he recalled the decision to allow women in the Army to opt for permanent commission from short service commission following a transparent procedure. The prime minister said the air force is set to have the first batch of women fighter pilots. "Today, India has Nirmala Sitharaman as its first woman defence minster," he pointed out. He said arrears worth Rs 11,000 crore have been released for ex-servicemen under the 'one rank, one pension' (OROP) scheme. OROP, coupled by recommendations of the seventh pay commission, has given "double bonanza" to former servicemen, he said. Modi also said the work on the National War Memorial is in its last stages. (With PTI Inputs) NEW DELHI: In a bid to actualise the dream of a "nirmal" and "aviral" Ganga, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said Sunday the government is looking to complete about 200 projects for ghats and crematoria by March 2019. Also, the Centre is taking various measures to ensure ecological flow or the minimum quantity of water at different stretches of the Ganga, he said. "A total of 227 projects have been taken up for the Ganga for sewage infrastructure, ghats and crematoria, river-front development, river-surface cleaning and bio-diversity conservation, among others, at a cost of Rs 22,374 crore," Gadkari, who holds Ganga rejuvenation and water resources portfolio among others, said in an interview. He further said that making the Ganga "nirmal" (cleaner) and "aviral" (free-flowing) is his dream and his ministries were taking a slew of steps in this direction. Earlier this month, the government had mandated the minimum ecological flow in the river Ganga and its tributaries required to be maintained at different points in different areas round-the-year with the aim of ensuring water quality and environmentally sustainable rejuvenation. The directive also requires hydropower projects along the river to modify their operations in order to comply with the notification. "The government plans to complete 151 ghats and 54 crematoria projects by March 2019," Gadkari, who is also in-charge of road transport and highways ministry, said. Besides monitoring water quality at 138 locations, each at the interval of 20 km, projects have been taken up for 24x7 cleaning of ghats at Varanasi, Bithoor, Kanpur, Allahabad, Mathura, Vrindavan and Haridwar to avoid solid waste disposals in the river, he said. In addition, under the bio-diversity conservation plans, several projects are being implemented for conservation and restoration of indigenous and aquatic species of the Ganga like the Gangetic dolphin, river otters, turtles and aquatic birds, the minister added. The gazette notification on October 10 with regard to the ecological flow of the Ganga water specifies flow requirements at various stretches including from origins in the glaciers to Haridwar besides the main stretch from Haridwar in Uttarakhand to Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. Gadkari said: "With the implementation of these specifications, the river will not be dry as these specifications were a result of scientific study." He said the directive on ecological flow for the river would result in an unhindered and continuous flow of the river water as it will ensure at least the minimum required the environmental flow of water even after its stream gets diverted by projects. The minister said the notification also provides for direct release of additional water in the river Ganga to meet special demand as and when required. "The concerned central and state authorities shall implement demand-side management plans to reduce water withdrawal from the river Ganga by adopting good and scientific practices such as an efficient method of irrigation, reuse and recycle of water including monitoring and regulation of groundwater withdrawals for various purposes," the notification mentioned. There are about 1,100 industries and 4,500 villages along the Ganga. The minister last month said that cleaning works would start getting remarkably noticeable in another six months, and had claimed "transforming the river that was the distinct cultural identity of the nation was close to his heart". Enunciating the work for sewage infrastructure, the minister had said, "Massive initiatives have resulted in rich dividends and we have successfully created capacity to treat 1,700 MLD sewage." The cities located by the side of the river produce 2,950 MLD sewage and if steps to purify the water were not taken this in another 15 years will reach 3,600 MLD. He said there were 97 cities, which were polluting the river with 10 including Haridwar, Kanpur, Allhabad, Varanasi, Patna, Bhagalpur and Kolkata contributing 65 per cent of the pollution in the river. Besides, Gadkari has said 48 new cities have been identified on either side of the Ganga and its tributaries for projects to clean the river. The government had in May 2015 approved Rs 20,000 crore under its ambitious 'Namami Gange' - integrated Ganga integrated Ganga conservation mission - programme for five years. The minister said massive preparations were also on for commencement of cargo operations in Ganga. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday expressed grief over the deaths of the civilians and soldiers killed during two separate encounters in the state. Taking to Twitter the Abdullah offered his condolences to the families of the jawans, who were killed. Taking a jibe at the government, Abdullah said that alienating the people in the fight against militancy is a sure-fire recipe for losing the fight. He also questioned for how long the ground realities would be ignored and people would live in denial about the situation in the state. "Terrible news coming out from Kulgam.May the deceased find place in Jannat. Alienating the people in the fight against militancy is a sure fire recipe for losing the fight. How long can we go on ignoring the ground realities & living in denial about how bad things are in Kashmir? It was a bad Sunday in any case & it just gets worse. Condolences to the families of the dead jawans, May their souls rest in peace. Words fail me," said Abdullah. Earlier, two encounters took place in the state--in Kulgam district and Rajouri district. In Kulgam district, six civilians were killed in an explosion at an encounter site after a gunfight that left three militants dead. A police spokesman said the gunfight took place after security forces cordoned off a village in Kulgam on a tip-off that militants were hiding there. The exchange lasted several hours in which two Army soldiers were injured. Authorities suspended cellphone and internet services and ordered a curfew in Kulgam in a bid to thwart more protests. In another encounter at Rajouri district, two Pakistani intruders were neutralised and three Indian Army jawans lost their lives. Another jawan was also injured in the encounter. The confrontation took place at Sunderbani sector in the district along the Line of Control (LoC). The security forces have recovered weapons from the intruders. A minimum of two AK-47 rifles has been recovered. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hoisted the national flag at the historic Red Fort to mark the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the 'Azad Hind Sarkar by revolutionary freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. While speaking on the occasion, the PM honoured Netaji for his invaluable contribution to the country's struggle for Independence. ''Netaji had promised an India where everyone has equal rights and equal opportunities. He had promised a prosperous nation which was proud of its traditions, development in all areas. He had promised to uproot 'divide and rule'. Even after so many years, those dreams remain unfulfilled,'' PM Modi said. ''We have reached 'Swaraj' after lakhs of sacrifices. It is our responsibility to maintain this 'Swaraj' with 'Suraaj','' the PM said. ''In the last 4 years, several measures were taken to strengthen the defence. Best technologies were brought to the defence. This govt has the strength to make big and tough decisions, it'll continue. Be it the surgical strike or making the files of Netaji public, all such decisions were taken by our government,'' the PM told the gathering. The PM also made a veiled attack on the Nehru-Gandhi family for making attempts to keep "one family" above the rest. ''Efforts were made by the Gandhi-Nehru family to forget the contributions made by leaders such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Subhash Chandra Bose in the Independence struggle,'' he said. "But now our government is changing all that," he said. Interestingly, the PM also donned the famous Azad Hind Fauj cap while attending the event. PM Modi lamented that post Independence, India's policies were based on the British system as "things were seen through British glasses". "Policies, including those related to education, had to suffer because of this," he said. Modi said had India benefited from the guidance of Patel and Bose, things would have been much better. After hoisting the 'Tiranga', PM Modi also unveiled the plaque to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Azad Hind government. The plaque will be placed at barrack number three at the Red Fort where members of the Azad Hind Fauj faced trial. Union Minister Mahesh Sharma, survivors of the INA, Indian armed forces veterans and followers of 'Netaji' Subhas Chandra Bose attended the event at the historic Red Fort to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Azad Hind Government. He will also inaugurate the Azad Hind Museum to mark the occasion. The Prime Minister earlier on Sunday inaugurated and dedicated to the nation a refurbished National Police Memorial and a newly-built museum for the khaki-donning forces. A 30-feet-tall and 238-tonne heavy black granite central sculpture honouring the slain troopers, a museum and a wall of valour bearing the names of over 34,800 martyred personnel were unveiled during the event held to mark the National Police Commemoration Day. The PM was accorded a ceremonial salute upon his arrival at the memorial which is built on a 6.12-acre land in central Delhi's Chanakyapuri area. He was received by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the venue. He then led the people present for the event into laying wreaths on the memorial in the honour and memory of the jawan killed in the line of action. Ministers of state in the Home Ministry Kiren Rijiju and Hansram G Ahir, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval along with senior officers and personnel of various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and state police forces were present during the event. Intelligence Bureau Director Rajiv Jain said 34,844 police personnel from central and state police forces have laid down their lives in the line of duty since Independence, 414 did so over the last year. Meanwhile, PM Modi's party BJP has also decided to organise various events from New Delhi to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to celebrate the platinum jubilee of the establishment of the INA on October 21. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier given his consent to attend the event and unfurl the Tricolour at the Red Fort on October 21. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had established the provincial Azad Hind Government in Singapore on October 21, 1943. On August 14, 1944, the Bahadur Brigade of the INA, led by Colonel Saukat Ali Malik, captured Moirang - a town in Manipur on the Indo-Myanmar border. Moirang remained under the control of the Azad Hind Government for nearly four months during which its currency and stamps too were used. The Azad Hind Government had then been recognised by 11 countries and it had its embassies in other countries too. INA members who are still alive, including Lalti Ram, Jagir Singh, Pramanand, Jag Ram and Ram Gopal, will be among those who will attend the event in the national capital. Veterans of Indian armed forces will be led by the highly decorated Major General (retd) GD Bakshi who has also authored the best-seller book 'Bose or Gandhi - Who got India her freedom? ' On December 30, PM Modi will arrive in Port Blair where he will unfurl a 150-foot-long national flag as part of the celebrations to mark the platinum jubilee of the establishment of the INA. PM will also issue a postal stamp and a coin in the honour of 'Netaji' and later visit the Cellular jail, where several freedom fighters were kept during the British Rule. On this day in the year 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted the National Flag for the first time at the Gymkhana Ground (present Netaji Stadium) in Port Blair. He also announced the Islands, the first Indian Territory freed from the British rule. The BJP's move to hold big-ticket celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of INA comes at a time when the clamour for declassifying confidential files related to Netaji's mysterious death has become louder. Netaji's family members and his followers have been demanding the government to bring his ashes back to India from Japan and unravel the mystery behind the iconic leader's death. NEW DELHI: Amid a political fight over the legacy of top national leaders who played a major role in the country's freedom movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday hoist national flag at the historic Red Fort to celebrate the 75th foundation day of the Azad Hind Fauj or the Indian National Army (INA) raised by 'Netaji' Subhas Chandra Bose on October 21. PM Modi earlier took to Twitter to inform that he will honour Netaji on the occasion for his invaluable contribution to the country's struggle for Independence. Tomorrow morning, I will be hoisting the Tricolour at the Red Fort. Here is the reason. pic.twitter.com/sur0GXh370 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 20, 2018 PM Modi's party BJP has also decided to organise various events from New Delhi to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to celebrate the platinum jubilee of the establishment of the INA on October 21. Survivors of the INA, Indian armed forces veterans and followers of 'Netaji' Subhas Chandra Bose will attend the event at the Red Fort to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Azad Hind Government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier given his consent to attend the event and unfurl the Tricolour at the Red Fort on October 21. PM Modi will also inaugurate the Azad Hind Museum to mark the occasion. Netajis grand-nephew and BJP West Bengal vice-president Chandra Kumar Bose and the chairman of SNSMT Suparno Satpathy had earlier requested the PM to inaugurate the Azad Hind Museum at the Red Fort on October 21 and hoist the Tricolour to commemorate the occasion. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had established the provincial Azad Hind Government in Singapore on October 21, 1943. On August 14, 1944, the Bahadur Brigade of the INA, led by Colonel Saukat Ali Malik, captured Moirang - a town in Manipur on the Indo-Myanmar border. Moirang remained under the control of the Azad Hind Government for nearly four months during which its currency and stamps too were used. The Azad Hind Government had then been recognised by 11 countries and it had its embassies in other countries too. INA members who are still alive, including Lalti Ram, Jagir Singh, Pramanand, Jag Ram and Ram Gopal, will be among those who will attend the event in the national capital. Veterans of Indian armed forces will be led by the highly decorated Major General (retd) GD Bakshi who has also authored the best-seller book 'Bose or Gandhi - Who got India her freedom? ' On December 30, PM Modi will arrive in Port Blair where he will unfurl a 150-foot-long national flag as part of the celebrations to mark the platinum jubilee of the establishment of the INA. PM will also issue a postal stamp and a coin in the honour of 'Netaji' and later visit the Cellular jail, where several freedom fighters were kept during the British Rule. On this day in the year 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted the National Flag for the first time at the Gymkhana Ground (present Netaji Stadium) in Port Blair. He also announced the Islands, the first Indian Territory freed from the British rule. The BJP's move to hold big-ticket celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of INA comes at a time when the clamour for declassifying confidential files related to Netaji's mysterious death has become louder. Netaji's family members and his followers have been demanding the government to bring his ashes back to India from Japan and unravel the mystery behind the iconic leader's death. By raking up the Netaji card, BJP wants to strike an emotional chord with voters in West Bengal, where the saffron party has gained some ground and hopes to challenge the Trinamool Congress led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is a vocal critic of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. PAMBA: At least six women were prevented from the entering the Sabarimala temple Sunday by a large number of devotees of Lord Ayyappa as the stand-off over the entry of women of menstrual age into the famous hill shrine continued for the fifth day. Amid high drama, the devotees, up in arms against the implementation of the Supreme Court order lifting a ban on entry of women in 10-50 age group, chanting Ayyappa mantras blocked the six, all Telugu-speaking women, from reaching the famed shrine. Sunday is the fifth day since the temple gates were opened for the monthly puja after the apex court last month lifted the centuries-old ban. A heavy flow of pilgrims was witnessed at the temple despite intermittent downpour lashing the hills and Pamba. Though attempts had been made by some young women, including an activist, to enter the temple of the 'Naishtik Brahmachari', the eternally celibate deity, since Wednesday, the devotees backed by priests have stood their ground, saying they would not allow the tradition to be breached. By all available indications, not a single woman in the age group of 10 and 50 has so far reached the temple which will close Monday at the end of the monthly puja. According to police sources here, 12 women in the 10-50 age group have so far been prevented from offering worship at the temple, since it opened for the monthly pooja. BJP demanded a special assembly session to seek the Centre's intervention, while Congress sought an ordinance by the NDA government. The Pandalam royal family, the traditional custodian of the Sabarimala temple, alleged the CPI(M)-led LDF government was trying to destroy the sanctity of the shrine of the "Naishtik Brahmachari" by taking women in the menstrual age group there. On Sunday, a 47-year old woman reached up to the 'Nadappandhal' close to the sanctum sanctorum, but was prevented by the devotees chanting "Swamiye Saranam Ayyapa" while five others were stopped en route to the hills. The woman, who complained of uneasiness, was brought to a hospital here by the police. An elderly woman devotee who was present at the spot said as the identity card of the woman showed she was born in 1971 and had not attained the 'permissible age", the other devotees started chanting Sarana mantra. Earlier, the protesters prevented two women, in their 40s, at the foothills itself. The women were accompanied by their relatives. The police, who took the women to the safety, said the two informed them that they came to Sabarimala without knowing the customs of the temple. After the women were brought Nilackal, the base camp, they gave in writing to the police that they did not want to break the centuries-old custom of the temple, sources said. Amid mounting protest in the state against the Supreme Court order, BJP Sunday urged the Kerala government to convene a session of the assembly and pass a resolution seeking the centre's intervention to overcome the crisis. BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai claimed even CPI(M) members in the state were opposing the bid to break the custom of the ancient shrine, which draws lakhs of devotees from across the country, especially from southern states. A small group of BJP leaders was arrested for violating ban orders in force under Section 144 of the CrPC at Nilackal, a key entry point to Sabarimala. The leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ramesh Chennithala of Congress urged the Centre to bring an ordinance to overcome the Supreme Court verdict. CPI(M) politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai claimed the devotees opposing the apex court verdict were in a minority and they did not have the support of the entire Kerala society. He supported the implementation of the court verdict on Sabarimala. Meanwhile, the Sabarimala Karma Samithi intensified its agitation against the CPI(M)-led government's "hasty" move to implement the court order. Thousands of people participated in the "namajapa yatra" (protest march chanting Ayyappa mantra) to police stations across the southern state against alleged police action on the samithi activists near Sabarimala last week. Hundreds of women participated in a protest march held in Erumeli, a key pilgrim centre connected with Sabarimala. State police chief Loknath Behera said the police will conduct a review of the alleged police lapses while handling the issues related to Sabarimala after the doors of the shrine close on Monday. He said the Sabarimala annual pilgrim season beginning next month was going to be a challenging one for them. A Dalit woman activist, who was planning to visit the Sabarimala shrine Saturday, had put her plans on hold and left Pamba following heavy rain. In another development, activist Rehana Fathima, who had made an attempt to enter the temple on Friday, has been expelled from the Muslim community for "hurting the sentiments of lakhs of Hindu devotees", the Kerala Muslim Jama'ath Council said. The state has been witnessing massive protests by Lord Ayyappa devotees opposing the entry of girls and women of menstrual age into the Sabarimala temple since the government decided to implement the apex court order. Loveland, Colorado, Oct. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kenneth Pettine, MD, national leader in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Clinical Research, is pleased to announce the recent publication of multiple scientific research papers regarding the effectiveness of stem cell therapies. Dr. Pettine is a pioneer in the study of regenerative medicine, holding the only Stem Cell methods patent procedure in the nation. His ongoing research in the study of stem cells has led him to focus on the Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) which regulates the bodys immune system, releasing both growth factors and inhibitors. Dr. Pettines career has seen him honored among the top 50 Spine and Specialist Surgeons in the United States. The author of more than 30 research publications and the co-inventor of the FDA-approved Prestige cervical artificial disc, and the Maverick Artificial Disc, Dr. Pettine worked for 31 years as an orthopedic surgeon, co-founding the Rocky Mountain Associates in Orthopedic Medicine, the Society for Ambulatory Spine Surgery, and founding the Orthopedic Stem Cell Institute and the Premier Stem Cell Institute. Other career highlights include, but are not limited to, his service as Staff Orthopedic Surgeon and Director of Resident Research at the Eisenhower Army Medical Center, the Associate Clinical Professor at the Medical College of Georgia, and as Orthopedic Consultant to the FDA. Dr. Pettine, now retired, explains his latest mission in healing, I welcome each of you to become informed regarding mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) so you can make important decisions to help heal yourself and avoid orthopedic and spine surgery. My professional undertaking is to change the current standard of care for orthopedic and spine surgery in the United States through the growing body of research which proves the efficacy of utilizing MSCs to treat various orthopedic and spine pathology and avoid surgery. My mission is to inform patients about the mesenchymal stem cell and its potential for treating numerous orthopedic and spine conditions, with the ultimate goal of decreasing your pain and increasing your function. Recently retired, Dr. Pettine is dedicated to stem cell research and therapy. His focus is on the multipotent adult stem cells of human bone marrow, known as Mesenchymal stem cells. These stem cells are capable of discerning ligament, tendon, bone, and cartilage cells, making them ideal for orthopedic stem cell therapy. Dr. Pettine and his research teams ongoing research demonstrate how these cells can help those suffering from orthopedic issues of the spine, shoulder, knee, hip, and more via injection to facilitate repair. The latest publications share the results of the Pettines teams studies and the non-surgical stem cell therapies he believes will be more prevalent in the near future. Learn more about Dr. Pettines ground-breaking research when you visit https://www.kennethpettine.com/ . SRINAGAR: Three Pakistan-backed terrorists were neutralised by the security forces on Sunday hours after a fierce gunbattle broke out in Larro area of Kulgam district of South Kashmir. A top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander, who was identified as Sheeraz Moulvi, was among the three terrorists killed in the encounter. However, two others managed to escape. One soldier was also injured in the cross-firing by the terrorists during the anti-terror operation. Meanwhile, some civilians were also injured after explosives left by the terrorists at the encounter site went off resulting in the death of one civilian. The slain civilian was identified as Ubaid Laway, son of Mohd Maqbool Laway, of Larro, news agency ANI reported. The civilians were earlier warned to stay away from the encounter site after the operation concluded as a massive search operation was launched by the security forces. However, in spite of the request, some civilians, mostly youths, reached the encounter site during which some explosives left by the terrorists exploded. Sharing more information about the encounter, DGP, J&K Police Dilbag Singh had earlier said, ''The encounter has concluded just now and I have been told that three terrorists were neutralised in it. The operation is being wrapped up.'' The identity of the slain terrorists is being ascertained,'' he added. The encounter concluded just now and I have been told that three terrorists were neutralised in it. The operation is being wound up. Their identity is yet to be ascertained: DGP Dilbag Singh on encounter in Kulgam's Larro area. #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/zGz5y038VH ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2018 #Visuals from #JammuAndKashmir: An encounter is underway between terrorists & security forces in Larro area of Kulgam district in South Kashmir. One-two terrorists believed to be hiding in a house. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/dGE9R4AJO8 ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2018 The operation began following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area. At least 3-4 terrorists were initially believed to be holed up in a house in Kulgam which was surrounded by the security forces. The security forces then launched a cordon and search operation in Larnoo village after receiving information about the presence of militants in the area. "As the cordon was tightened, the terrorists fired at the security forces. The injured soldier was immediately shifted to a hospital. Two to three terrorists are believed to be hiding inside a residential house in the area under cordon," the police initially said. In an encounter on October 19, the security forces killed three terrorists in Baramullas Boniyar in Jammu and Kashmir. The security forces seized four AK-47 rifles and four Haversacks from the slain terrorists. The Army on Thursday foiled the infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of Baramulla district, a defence spokesman said. Bengaluru: Reaffirming its coalition government alliance, the ruling Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) would jointly campaign for the five by-elections in Karnataka on November 3, said leaders of both parties on Saturday. "As the BJP is our common rival, we have decided to have common candidates for all the five by-elections to avoid splitting votes, and jointly campaign to defeat the opposition contestants," said Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah here. At a joint press conference with JD-S supremo HD Deve Gowda, its Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara of the Congress, Siddaramaiah said leaders of both the parties would campaign for the candidates of both parties to ensure their victory in all the seats. By-elections are being held in three Lok Sabha constituencies and two Assembly segments across the state to fill vacancies caused by the resignation of the sitting lawmakers in four seats and one due to death of a sitting Congress legislator. The three Lok Sabha seats are Ballari (ST), Mandya and Shimoga, and the two Assembly seats in Ramanagara and Jamkhandi. The JD-S is contesting in Mandya and Shimoga and in Ramanagara, while the Congress has fielded candidates in Ballari (reserved) and Jamkhandi in the state`s northwest region. Counting of votes will take place on November 6. "Though both alliance partners fought against each other in the May 12 Assembly election, a hung verdict on May 16 forced us to form a post-poll alliance to form the coalition government and to keep the BJP out of power," admitted Siddaramaiah. Endorsing Siddaramaiah`s view, Gowda said both parties have decided to extend their alliance to the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and field common candidates in all 28 parliamentary seats in the southern state. "As the common goal is to defeat the BJP, we will have a seat-sharing agreement to field respective candidates where the parties are stronger across the state," said Gowda. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)`s state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa and party`s member B. Sreeramulu resigned from Shimoga and Ballari Lok Sabha seats after they were elected to the Assembly from Shikaripura in Shimoga district and Molakalmuru (ST) in Chitradurga district. Similarly, JD-S member S. Puttaraju resigned from Mandya after he was elected to the Assembly from Melukote in Mandya district in the old Mysuru region. He is also Minister for Minor Irrigation in the coalition state government. Congress legislator Siddu Nyamagouda died in a road mishap on May 28 in Bagalkot district. He was re-elected from Jamkhandi Assembly seat in the state`s northwest. Asserting that there is harmony and understanding between the alliance partners on all issues, Kumaraswamy said the coalition government would complete its five-year term and both parties would contest Assembly and parliamentary elections jointly to protect the secular character of the state and prevent communal forces like the BJP from coming to power. The Election Commission notified the by-polls on October 9, last date for nominations was October 16, scrutiny October 17 and last date for withdrawal of candidatures was October 20. In the 28 Lok Sabha seats from Karnataka, the BJP has 15, Congress 9 and the JD-S 1, with three seats lying vacant. In the 224-member Assembly segments, the BJP has 104, Congress 79 and the JD-S 36. Los Angeles: Actor Bruce Dern is out of the hospital, in no pain, and eager to get back to work, according to his publicist, Lee Wallman. Earlier reports had Dern hiking in Runyon Canyon, but the accident that briefly hospitalised him turned out to be borne of jogging. Dern was described as being in "incredibly good spirits" and anxious to get back to work, reports deadline.com. On Saturday, the actor was hospitalised after he suffered a possible fractured hip. The 82-year-old was jogging at Silverlake Reservoir. Dern just completed filming Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood', a role he took over from the late Burt Reynolds. Dern plays rancher George Spahn in the film, a Pulp Fiction-esque tapestry of stories in and around Los Angeles in the summer of 1969, when Charles Manson and his followers massacred Sharon Tate and others. The film will be released July 26, 2019, by Sony Pictures. AMRITSAR: Municipal corporation councillor Vijay Madan and her son Sourabh Madan Mithu, the main organisers of the Dussehra celebration in Amritsar where at least 59 people were run over by a passing train, have gone underground with other family members. According to police, a few people angry over the accident attacked their residence, broke window panes and pelted stones on Saturday. Following this, the Madan family members have gone to an undisclosed location and also switched off their mobile phones. However, securuty personnel have been deployed at the residence. Vijay Madan is the sitting councillor from ward number 29 falling under the Amritsar East assembly constituency. The Madan family members were the main organisers of the Dussehra event where the train accident took place. The Punjab government had on Saturday ordered a magisterial probe into the accident, while railways has ruled out any inquiry on its part. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said that a magisterial inquiry into the train accident will be conducted and the report will be submitted in four weeks. Singh also postponed a trip to Israel and arrived in Amritsar to assess the damage. "We are announcing a magisterial probe into the incident," Singh told reporters. The shocking accident happened when a crowd of Dussehra revellers spilled onto the railway tracks near Joda Phatak and could not see the train approaching them. They were crushed under the wheels of the train coming from Jalandhar and heading towards Amritsar station. The Railways, while ruling out an inquiry into the mishap, has said it was not informed by the organisers or the local administration that a Dussehra event was being organised close to railway tracks. Railway officials said no permission was sought from them either and ruled out an inquiry by the department into what they said was the worst accident due to 'trespass' on railway tracks. The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) will not probe the Amritsar tragedy, the Railway Board chairman said while maintaining that it was not a railway accident but a case of ''trespassing'' on rail tracks. The Commission of Railway Safety works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and conducts a mandatory inquiry into all railway accidents - at unmanned level crossings, derailments or after a bridge collapse. "The Commission conducts a statutory investigation into railway accidents. This was an incident where people were trespassing on the tracks and not an accident," Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani said. The railways has maintained that it was not at fault because it had no information about the Dussehra event. Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha ruled out any punitive action by his department. "The incident was not a railways' fault. There was no lapse on our part and no action against the driver will be initiated," Sinha said Saturday. Meanwhile, opposition parties in Punjab, including BJP, AAP and SAD have called for stringent against those responsible for the event and dismissal of Sidhu from the state government. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal has said that an independent agency should conduct an inquiry into Amritsar train tragedy that claimed lives of 59 people. He further attacked Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government for taking the incident lightly. The present government is taking the accident lightly as Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said that inquiry report will come after four weeks. An FIR should be registered on the statements of the victims. An inquiry should be done by an independent agency, he said. The SAD leader also asked the Chief Minister to take action against those responsible for the accident. Badal also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore per person and government jobs for the families of those killed in the tragic train accident. Badal demanded immediate dismissal of Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu from the cabinet beside registration of a fresh FIR against his family based on statements of the victims. He alleged that Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur was solely answerable for the accident as she was the chief guest at the Dussehra function and responsible for holding such a big event sans security and safety measures. She has been facing criticism for allegedly leaving the site of the accident "without bothering" about the victims. The former deputy chief minister also demanded action against organisers of the function, saying they were responsible for making the people stand on the railway track. Meanwhile, former minister and secretary of SAD, Bikram Singh Majithia said that ruling government should be held accountable for the incident as it did not inform the railways about the event being organised there. A case is being filed against four unknown people, on the basis of the statement made by a police officer, who was not even present at the accident spot, even when every single person responsible for this accident was identified from the CCTV footage. Why the matter is being covered up. We demand an immediate registration of the case. We will launch an agitation if the investigation not carried out properly, Majithia said. The unfortunate accident took place in Choura Bazar near Jhoda Phatak area of Amritsar after a train ran over the crowd, standing along train tracks, to watch an effigy of Ravan being burnt. 59 people died and many sustained injuries in the tragedy. No messing with family members is a rule to be followed. When a member of your family is locked up with strangers and completely oblivious to the world around, you will ensure you keep fighting for them irrespective of the happening inside. On the Saturday's episode of Weekend ka Vaar, contestants were seen defending themselves from the accusations and allegations imposed amongst each other. However today seems to be an episode filled with love and affection coming from family members of various contestants. The episode started on a high where Salman Khan sung the acoustic version of ' the Selfish song' from the movie Race 3. It intended towards the contestants and how they should be selfish in the game now and pull up their socks if they want to win. Specially invited guests made the day even more special.With popular news anchor Dibang throwing allegations against the contestants there were defendants who tried to prove him wrong. Invited to defend their partners Manish Naggdev, Bhuvaneshvari Sreesanth and Shoaib Ibrahim were called on stage to be part of the debate. Shoaib was accused that Dipika played a strategic game when she nominated Sreesanth out of insecurity, Shoaib tried his best to defend Dipika and was successful in doing so. Manish who was accused that Sristhy is not showcasing her true personality and is extremely image conscious had him trying hard to defend his fiance, but failed and agreed to the accusation in the end. Sreesanth's wife Bhuvaneshwari stole the show by defending Sreesanth and his actions. Bhuvaneshwari said that if Sreesanth can spit on the ball before bowling which is considered as his bread and butter, he is habitual to do so and that had Dibang and Salman speechless. She tackled all the accusations gracefully and impressed both Dibang and Salman with her positivity and calmness. Post the melodrama, it was time to show some aggression in the Sultani Aakhada. Sree Santh and Romil were the contenders for this week. The contestants were cheering for their favorite contender with a lot of excitement. The first round was a verbal diarrhea where Sree Santh and Romil had to prove themselves better than each other. The second round - Romil and Sree Santh were standing on the plank and had to disbalance each other using a prop. After an intense session, the Sultani Aakhada was won by Romil. The contestants saluted Salman Khan's spirit as he still continued to shoot with the same energy even after losing his pet " My love". Salman Khan narrated a sweet incident about " My Love" and showed a video to the contestants that had everyone emotional. Mumbai: Veteran music composer Anu Malik, who is under fire for numerous allegations of sexual harassment, has been asked to step down as a judge for "Indian Idol 10". After singers Sona Mohapatra and Shweta Pandit accused Malik of sexual harassment, two budding singers levelled similar allegations against him. According to a source, the music director will no longer be shooting episodes of the singing reality show from Monday onwards. "In light of the ongoing sexual harassment allegations, Anu Malik, to step down as the judge on Indian Idol. He will not be shooting any further episodes. He will not be shooting from Monday onwards," the insider said. A lawyer for the music director Thursday denied the claims against him, saying India's #MeToo movement is being used for his client's "character assassination". Malik has repeatedly denied the allegations. Noted lyricist Sameer Anjaan also came to Malik's defence and tweeted that he was present during the time Pandit is talking about but no such incident took place. Malik has been one of the judges on "Indian Idol", since the show first aired in 2004. Vishal Dadlani and Neha Kakkar are the other two judges on the panel currently of the show, which airs on Sony Entertainment Television. BEIJING () - China`s top representative to Macau died late on Saturday after falling from the building where he lived, the Chinese government said on Sunday. Zheng Xiaosong, the head of China`s liaison office to Macau, had been suffering from depression, the Hong Kong and Macau Office of the Chinese government`s State Council said in a statement, adding representatives of the Beijing government visited Macau to offer condolences. The statement did not elaborate further on the circumstances of his death. Zheng, 59, was appointed to the Macau post in September 2017 and is a member of the ruling Communist Party`s Central Committee, the largest of China`s elite ruling bodies. He was previously the vice governor of the southeastern coastal province of Fujian. The liaison office in Macau serves as a bridge between the local government and Beijing and has become increasingly influential in local affairs. Like neighbouring Hong Kong, Macau operates under China`s "one country, two systems" policy and is ruled by a chief executive, who is chosen via an election but must get approval from Beijing to formally take office. Macau Chief Executive Fernando Chui said in a statement that he was "shocked" about Zheng`s death and expressed condolences. Hong Kong`s Chief Executive Carrie Lam also issued a statement expressing "deep sorrow" for Zheng`s death. A statement published on Friday on the Macau liaison`s office website showed that Zheng met with the head of a think tank the day before his death. During the meeting he emphasized the importance of supporting the local government and the one country, two systems policy to ensure Macau`s continued development, the statement said. In response to US's decision to pull out of the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) agreement with Russia, country's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that apparently, the treaty is an obstruction that refrains the US from planning for total domination, as reported by Tass news agency on Sunday. US President Donald Trump announced that America is pulling out of the INF with Russia, a decades-old agreement signed in 1987, citing a violation of the agreement by Russia. "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years," said Trump. Reacting to Trump's decision, Ryabkov said that the pull out of the US from the treaty would be a very dangerous step. "At first glance, I can say that apparently, the INF Treaty creates problems for pursuing the line towards the US total domination in the military sphere," Tass reported quoting Ryabkov. "Apparently, inability and unwillingness to come to terms with us on a sound foundation push certain forces in Washington to encourage the countrys leadership to make a decision on a formal withdrawal from the treaty," he further said. "This would be a very dangerous step, which, Im sure, wont be just understood by the international community, but arouse serious condemnation of all members of the world community, who are committed to security and stability and are ready to work on strengthening the current regimes in arms control," added Ryabkov. Earlier, Trump had said, "I don't know why President (Barack) Obama didn't negotiate or pull out. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to. We're the ones that have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement. "But Russia has not, unfortunately, honoured the agreement. So we're going to terminate the agreement. We're gonna pull out," he said of the agreement, which was signed in December 1987 by former President Ronald Reagan and former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev. The treaty forced both countries to eliminate ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between approximately 300 and 3,400 miles. It offered a blanket of protection to the US' European allies and marked a watershed agreement between two nations at the centre of the arms race during the Cold War. The Trump administration has said repeatedly that Russia has violated the treaty and has pointed to their predecessors in the Obama administration who accused Moscow of violating the terms of the agreement. In 2014, CNN reported that the US had accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty, citing cruise missile tests that dated to 2008. The US at the time informed its NATO allies of Russia's suspected breach. Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the military alliance remained "concerned about Russia's lack of respect for its international commitments, including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the INF Treaty". Moscow's failure to adhere to the agreement was also addressed in the most recent Nuclear Posture Review published by the US Defence Department in February, which said Russia "continues to violate a series of arms control treaties and commitments". However, pulling out of the treaty could provoke a similar arms race across Europe akin to the one that was occurring when the agreement was initially signed in the 1980s, CNN said. According to Ukrainian reconnaissance, one militant was eliminated, another four got injured Open source Over the last day, the militants opened fire at the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces 17 times, one serviceman sustained injuries, reports the press office of the Joint Forces Operation on Facebook. The militants opened fire at the positions of our forces 17 times from heavy machine guns, small arms and grenade launchers of different systems. The enemy used anti-tank guided missile in the area of Hnutove. One serviceman of the Joint Forces sustained injuries, reads the report. Related: 24 hours in Donbas: Militants shell Ukrainian positions ten times, one serviceman injured Over the last day, the militants shelled the positions of the Joint Forces in the area of settlements Verkhnyotoretske, Avidiivka, Pisky, Opytne, Shumy, Marinka, Taramchuk, Novomykhailivka, Krasnohorivka, Hnutove, Lebedynske, and Shyrokyne. It should be noted that the illegal armed formations have actively used arms in Donetsk and Mariupol sectors. Ukrainian military had to properly respond to the enemy fire. Related: 24 hours in Donbas: Militants perform nine attacks, one Ukrainian serviceman injured Also, the militants shelled the Maiorske checkpoint using small arms from the uncontrolled territory. As a result of the shelling, the air cylinder of the inflatable module was damaged. Civilians were in the tent at that time. No one got hurt, the press office noted. Open source German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Germany would not supply weapons to Saudi Arabia during the investigation into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, reports Tagesschau. "There is no reason for a positive decision on the supply of arms to Saudi Arabia. First of all, the investigation into the death of Saudi journalist Khashoggi must be completed," said Maas. He also canceled his trip to Riyadh. October 20, 18 days after the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi at the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Turkey, authorities of Saudi Arabia acknowledged the death of a journalist as a result of a fight, accusing several people close to Prince Mohammed bin Salman of killing Jamal. 18 citizens of the kingdom were detained on suspicion of involvement in a crime, adviser to the Supreme Judge Saud al-Qahtani and deputy head of intelligence Ahmed Asiri were dismissed. We recall that the Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi disappeared on October 2 after he entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul. The journalist who wrote a lot of critical articles about the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, wanted to fill the documents necessary for marriage. The bride of 59-year-old Khasoggi lives in Turkey. Mass media referring to Turkish intelligence said that the journalist was killed by the Saudi secret services before the interrogation. Official Riyadh, to the last, stated that Khashoggi had freely left the consulate, however, later the authorities of the kingdom were forced to launch an investigation. The Turkish police are also looking for the body of the journalist. According to some reports, the corpse of Khashoggi could be dissolved in acid. Related: Russia threatens U.S. with military-technical response for withdrawing from nuclear treaty The leading provider of open source API solutions for banks joins forces with a leading enterprise software company to help banks embrace open banking SYDNEY, Australia, Oct. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkWire The Open Bank Project , the leading open source API solution for banks, today announces a new API offering dedicated to the banking and financial services sector in collaboration with Red Hat, the world's leading provider of open source solutions. Open Banking, as the provision of open APIs by banks is now known, leverages an ecosystem of third-party apps and services to enhance and enrich the customer experience and can help satisfy regulation such as the revised EU Payments Service Directive (PSD2). The Open Bank Project, led by Berlin-based software company TESOBE, is designed to address these issues. Offering institutions a rapid route to market by providing a broad catalogue of pre-packaged APIs and an open API middleware stack designed for banks, TESOBE also provides access to a global community of FinTech developers working with banks to enhance each banks service offerings. Using Red Hat Fuse and Red Hats rule engines, the Open Bank Project can connect and orchestrate disparate banking systems and deliver interoperability across various sources of bank data. The blend of open source technologies can simplify connectivity for banks while enabling end users to benefit from the use of engaging applications designed to improve customer experience both for consumers and corporate clients. Simon Redfern, TESOBE CEO and founder of the Open Bank Project, says: We are delighted to work with Red Hat to help banks accelerate their Open Banking journey. Red Hat and TESOBE share a strong commitment to open source and Im excited to see these technologies working together. The collaboration we have today can offer a valuable opportunity for banks to help reap the benefits of Open Banking. Rich Feldmann, Red hat global director, financial services, says: As open source continues to be a part of the financial services and banking industry, it is important to have standards and projects in place to help enable it to be used properly and remain compliant. This is why we are happy to collaborate with TESOBEs Open Bank Project to help provide technology tools and guidance to enable success in open source banking. Financial Institutions wanting to learn more about the Open Bank Project / Red Hat cooperation can request a demo or download the solution brief at the following link: https://www.openbankproject.com/partners/redhat . About TESOBE TESOBE is the Berlin-based software company behind the Open Bank Project, the leading open source API and App store for banks, empowering financial institutions to securely and rapidly enhance their digital offerings. TESOBE assists banks in executing effective API strategies by providing a proven API technology platform supported by an active community of developers and partners. TESOBE consults banks on API strategy, integration, digital transformation and associated regulation, as well as runs hackathons and other innovation programs for banks. Red Hat is a trademark or registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries. Sales Inquiries Stuart Coleman TESOBE / Open Bank Project stuart@tesobe.com Media Inquiries Elena Trpevska TESOBE / Open Bank Project +49 (0)30 8145 3994 elena@tesobe.com Stuart will be present at Sibos. Find him at the Red Hat stand. news-front.info A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry accused the United States of breaking the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and the creation of a "unipolar world." It is reported by Interfax. "This decision fits into the United States way out of those international legal agreements that impose equal obligations on partners and makes the concept of its own "exclusiveness" vulnerable. The main motive here is the dream of a unipolar world," the spokesman said. Earlier, Trump, speaking to reporters, said the United States is withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty because Russia has violated it and did not provide a report. Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years, Trump said after a rally in Elko, Nevada. Were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and do weapons and were not allowed to. Were the ones that have stayed in the agreement and weve honoured the agreement but Russia has not unfortunately honoured the agreement so were going to terminate the agreement, were going to pull out, the US president noted. The agreement has constrained the U.S. from developing new weapons, but America will begin developing them unless Russia and China agree not to possess or develop the weapons, Trump said. China is not currently a party to the pact. The Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles was signed in 1987 by General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Mikhail Gorbachev and US President Ronald Reagan. The agreement prohibits the parties from manufacturing ground-based ballistic and cruise nuclear missiles with a range from 500 to 5,500 km, as well as their testing and deployment. Related: Ukrainian MIA provides Mayor of Dnipro Filatov with personal guard President of the United States Donald Trump claimed to reporters that he would pull the US out the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), since Russia transgressed it, and never provided a report, according to AP. Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years, Trump said after a rally in Elko, Nevada. Were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and do weapons and were not allowed to. Were the ones that have stayed in the agreement and weve honoured the agreement but Russia has not unfortunately honoured the agreement so were going to terminate the agreement, were going to pull out, the US president noted. The agreement has constrained the U.S. from developing new weapons, but America will begin developing them unless Russia and China agree not to possess or develop the weapons, Trump said. China is not currently a party to the pact. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was signed in 1987 by Mikhail Gorbachev, Secretary General of Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and President of the USA Ronald Reagan. The treaty prohibits the sides from manufacturing ballistic and cruise nuclear ground-based missiles with a range from 500 to 5500 km, as well as their testing and deployment. Earlier, Mayor Filatov requested for a personal guard because of noticing suspicious cars near his place Open source The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine provided a personal guard to Mayor of Dnipro city Borys Filatov. Arsen Avakov, Head of Ukrainian MIA claimed this on October 21, Ukrainian News report. Yes, we provided, he claimed. Related: Lviv Mayor to run for presidency in Ukraine Yet, Avakov didnt specify the number of bodyguards who protect the Mayor of Dnipro. Earlier, Head of Dnipro Borys Filatov asked Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov and Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko to provide him with a personal guard, since he found suspicious cars near his house, which probably were watching him. Related: The US condemns attack on Adviser of Kherson's Mayor Reportedly, Borys Filatov became the mayor of Dnipro on November 27, 2015. He worked in the Ukrainian Parliament before, he is an MP of the eighth convocation, not affiliated with any faction. UKROP political party nominated him for the position of a mayor of Dnipro, in the first round he scored 35.77 percent of the votes (second place), while in the second round he won with a score of 52.31 percent. 112 Agency Billboards with the images of three leaders of the Zakarpattia Society of Hungarian Culture and the words "Stop the separatists" appeared in several districts of Zakarpattia region. Law enforcement officers are already looking for perpetrators, said the chairman of the Zakarpattia Regional State Administration Gennady Moskal, according to his website. Right-wing conductors of the provocation are now being sought by law enforcement officers, but the methods and style of execution indicate that this is another primitive special operation of the Russian FSB, which has been trying to embroil Ukrainians and Hungarians in Zakarpattia for several years, Moskal said. Last April, at the administrative border of the Vinogradiv and Beregovo districts, boards like this were installed at night with provocative inscriptions in Hungarian. In February of this year, the office of Zakarpattia Society of Hungarian Culture was set on fire twice in Uzhgorod, Moskal said. Mukachevo.net, citing sources in the Zakarpattia Regional Council, reports that the Society is initiating the convening of an extraordinary session in order to make an appeal to the central authorities of Ukraine with a call to stop the attack on the Hungarian national minority. As reported, in Uzhgorod, the organizer of the arson in the building of the Society of Hungarian Culture was taken into custody Related: Invictus Games 2018 start in Australia Most of the protesters are teenagers who dont want the country to exit from European Union Sky News 700 thousand protesters walked through London demanding to hold the second referendum on the exit of the UK from the EU, Sky News report. Organisers said 700,000 people marched in the capital's gridlocked streets on Saturday, with some protesters saying the march had turned into more of a shuffle, reads the message. Related: Talks with EU on Brexit deadlocked, - Theresa May Politics, including the Mayor of London, and celebrities, in particular, anchors and actor Andy Serkis from Lord of The Rings gave their speech in front of the protesters. Reportedly, UK Prime Minister Theresa May excluded the possibility of such a referendum. As it was reported earlier, President of the European Council Donald Tusk claimed based on the results of an informal summit of the leaders of the EU countries that the plan suggested by the UK wont work out. He is sure that the proposed structure of the economic interaction wont work because it can undermine the united market. Related: U.S. accuses Russia of meddling in Macedonia before name referendum As is known, on June 23, 2016, the British voted for exiting the EU. 52% of the voters voted positively, 42% were against. It was noted that PM Theresa May would take the negotiations on Brexit under her own control. Open source Since gaining independence in 1991, over 200 thousand Ukrainians became victims of human trafficking. This, referring to the estimates of international experts, said Deputy Minister of Social Policy Natalia Fedorovych, Ukrinform reports. "Over the years of independence, according to international experts, over 200 thousand citizens of Ukraine have become victims of human trafficking," she said. According to Fedorovych, social security structures have identified and helped less than a thousand people. The deputy minister assures that labor exploitation is the most popular form of trafficking. 28 percent of the human trafficking victims in the world are minors, DW reports with reference to the UN Children's Fund. According to the Executive Director of UNICEF, Henrietta Fore, children who left their homes and were deprived of the protection of the adults are the most vulnerable. According to the fund, in Saharan African countries, the number of minors among trafficked victims reaches almost 64 percent. In Central America and the Caribbean, this figure amounts to 62 percent. In this regard, UNICEF calls on governments around the world to strengthen measures to protect the under-aged. Related: Ukraine wins first medal at Invictus Games-2018 The incident occurred in the Taiwanese district of Yilan 112 Agency At least 17 people died and dozens more were injured as a result of a train derailed in Taiwan. This is reported by BBC. A total of 366 people were on the train traveling between Taipei and the eastern county of Taitung when all eight of its carriages derailed. Taiwan's Central News Agency reports that dozens may still be trapped. The Puyuma Express 6432 service reportedly came off the tracks close to Xinma station, near the town of Su'ao about 70km (43 miles) from Taipei. The deputy chief of the Taiwan Railways Administration, Lu Chieh-shen, told at a news conference on Sunday that the train was only six years old and had been in "pretty good condition" before the accident. Reports say one of the dead is an American citizen. Photographs from the scene show seats upended, with parts of the railway tracks twisted through carriage windows in places. Taiwan's leader, Tsai Ing-wen, described the accident as a "major tragedy" on Twitter. "My thoughts are with all the victims and their families," she added. The root cause of the fire is being established Open source Two men and a 13-year-old boy died in a fire in the apartment building in Horenka village, Kyiv region, reports the press office of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kyiv region. One of the victims is the father of the died boy and the owner of the place. The rescuers found the body of another man on the first floor during the disassembling of constructions, his identity is being established. Related: 65 people brought to justice due to fires at Ukraine's artillery depots It was established that the fire occurred in a one-story residential building with an attic. The fire was localized at 2:06 a.m. and completely eliminated at 4:15 a.m. As a result, the fire destroyed an overlap and a crate on the area of 60 square meters, the decor of the building on the area of 60 square meters, and the property inside the building. 112 Agency The BG-32 Donbas marine guard ship of the Mariupol detachment of State Border Service marine guard returned to protect the state border in the waters of the Sea of Azov after the dock repair. It is reported by the press service of the Border Service. In the repair and modernization of the ship was engaged Azov shipyard which won the tender. The specialists of the plant in a short time carried out diagnostics and repair of individual systems and mechanisms of the ships engines, cleaned and painting the hull, serviced fuel and ballast tanks. After the docking works were completed, sea trials were carried out. On the move, the commission was pleased with the results of the working mechanisms. The marine guard ship Donbas (project 205P "Tarantul") was created in Leningrad in 1982. At number 035, the PSCR-705 served in the Border Troops of the KGB of the USSR, and in 1992, it became part of the Marine Guard of the State Border Service of Ukraine. In 1995, it was renamed Donbas, and in 1999 its on-board number was changed to BG32. In the spring of 2014, Donbas (BG-32) made the transition from the Russian-annexed Crimea to Mariupol. Related: Anti-Hungarian billboards appear in Ukraine's Zakarpattia Talkin' 'bout coal - Sam Basil MP, John Rosso MP and Mayur boss Paul Mulder. Amongst others at this meeting was Dr Ona Renagi, Unitech vice-chancellor YARA MURRAY-ATFIELD | Pacific Beat | ABC News | Extract Read the complete article here SYDNEY - An Australian company is pushing ahead with plans to open a coal-fired power plant and coal mine in Papua New Guinea, despite the recent call from the world's most authoritative climate science body to completely cut greenhouse emissions by 2050. Australian-based and PNG-focused Mayur Resources is proposing the establishment of an "Enviro Energy Park" in the industrial hub of Lae in PNG's Morobe province. Mayur has been in talks for the project since at least 2014, but now a new memorandum of agreement (MOA) has been signed between the company, the Lae City Authority, and the Morobe Provincial Government. The MOA details plans for a new 60 megawatt power station, with the ability to burn coal as well as use renewable biomass, solar energy, and by-product heat. Mayur Resources' managing director Paul Mulder told the ABC the company was essentially at the stage of being "construction-ready" for the project, which he said would significantly reduce the energy cost for Papua New Guineans. John Momis - 'moral and legal obligation to honour peace agreement despite constraints imposed by PNG' ANTHONY KAYBING BUKA - Autonomous Bougainville Government president, Dr John Momis, said Bougainvilleans must present a unified front at the dawn of the referendum in order to secure a viable option for self-determination. Dr Momis said if Bougainville can secure more than 90% of the popular vote at the referendum on its political future next June, it will have the bargaining power to negotiate with the PNG government. After the referendum vote we still have to negotiate with the national government before the referendum result is ratified by parliament, Dr Momis said. Securing a majority vote on one option of the referendum question secures support from the international community and proves to the national government that this is what our people have chosen as the new path for our future, he said. The referendum question will ask people to choose between independence and greater autonomy. Apart from presenting a unified front it is imperative that we implement the Bougainville Peace Agreement, Dr Momis said. It does not matter if the national government is failing to honour the agreement, we must continue to strive to implement it so that when it comes to the ratification of the outcome of the referendum we can proudly say that we implemented it in its entirety, he said. (Repeats to additional customers) By Gary McWilliams and Henning Gloystein HOUSTON/SINGAPORE, Oct 17 (Reuters) - In the middle of a Sino-U.S. trade war, the world's largest publicly traded oil and gas company is turning toward Beijing for business at a time when most of Corporate America is looking elsewhere to avoid the threat of tariffs. Exxon Mobil Corp is placing big bets on China's soaring liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand, coupling multi-billion dollar production projects around the world with its first mainland storage and distribution outlet. Its gas strategy is moving on two tracks: expanding output of the super-cooled gas in places such as Papua New Guinea and Mozambique, and creating demand for those supplies in China by opening Exxon's first import and storage hub, according to an Exxon manager and people briefed on the company's plans. That combination "will guarantee us a steady outlet for lots of our LNG for decades," said the Exxon manager who was not authorized to discuss the project and spoke on condition of anonymity. One of the company's top policy goals this year, the manager said, is building its Chinese client roster. "China's natural gas demand is rising really fast, with imports soaring well over 10 percent annually at the moment because of the government gasification program and due to fast rising industrial demand, including in petrochemicals," the Exxon manager said. For a graphic, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2CwGQgT An Exxon spokesperson declined to provide an executive to discuss the company's LNG investments in China. Years in the making, the strategy delivers an added benefit: helping Exxon sidestep a global trade war. Exxon's massive LNG projects in Papua New Guinea and Mozambique will not incur the 10 percent tariff China put on U.S. gas as part of the trade war between the Trump administration and Beijing. Jason Feer, head of business intelligence at LNG tanker brokers Poten & Partners, which tracks LNG sales, said the deal provides "a sign that China is willing to let foreign interests invest in things that in the past were seen as strategic." Story continues Exxon is among the top ranked U.S. companies that are pushing ahead in China despite the trade dispute, but it is not alone. U.S. and European car makers are opening or expanding China plants to avoid hefty tariffs and transport costs. Tesla Inc this month acquired a Shanghai site for a car and battery-manufacturing complex. Exxon's Asian and African LNG will offer a cost advantage over U.S. rivals' exports that face tariffs and greater transport, while China's support for the project offers a rebuttal to Trump administration complaints about the country's closed markets. The decision to expand its LNG production and open an import terminal in the world's fastest growing LNG market is a step by Exxon Chief Executive Darren Woods to pull the company out of an earnings rut that has left its shares flat over the past seven years. TRADE WAR RISKS Woods appeared holding discussions with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on state-run media last month days after disclosing local approvals for the LNG terminal and a massive chemical project in Guangdong province. Since becoming CEO last year, Woods has pushed Exxon to take greater risks, including in energy trading operations. His timing with LNG is key. Next year, China will become the world's largest importer of natural gas, and its LNG imports are forecast to rise 70 percent by 2020, from 38.1 million tonnes last year, estimates Beijing consultancy SIA Energy. Exxon has not publicly named its partner in the import terminal. State-run power company Guangdong Yuedian Group said on its website it will join the project. BP Plc is the only other foreign oil major with a stake in a Chinese LNG terminal. Yuedian did not respond to a request for comment. The multi-billion dollar bets still faces risks from the Sino-U.S. trade dispute. China has vowed to respond to any new tariffs by the Trump administration, which recently accused China of meddling in November elections and trying to recruit Americans to spy for it. But it remains unclear what that response will be and if it puts agreements like Exxon's in China in jeopardy. In addition to the LNG terminal, Exxon received approval for its first wholly-owned chemical plant in China, becoming one of two foreign firms including Germany's BASF to gain approval to operate such plants without a local sponsor. The terminal and chemicals plants combined will cost about $9 billion to build, consultancy IHS Markit estimates. For a graphic, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2wDdglt CALL FOR NEW PROJECTS China in 2017 embarked on a huge program to shift millions of households and factories from coal to natural gas for power and heating, a move to clear the smoggy skies over its cities. That surge has injected new life into an LNG industry that suffered from plunging prices between 2014 and 2017, which forced energy companies to put off liquefaction projects. But with prices for LNG rising this year, major producers have boosted investment. In addition to Exxon, Royal Dutch Shell PLC this month gave the go-ahead to a $31 billion LNG Canada project that will export fuel primarily to China. "Major Independent Oil Companies such as Exxon aim for large-scale tier one positions, and in the LNG game that is Qatar, East Africa, and possibly some North American and Papua New Guinea projects," said Saul Kavonic, oil and gas researcher for Credit Suisse in Sydney, Australia. Exxon and other LNG producers also are adapting to changing buyer behavior. In the past, LNG was dominated by long-term supply contracts - especially with Japanese and South Korean buyers - that could span several decades and in which buyer and seller agree to a fixed monthly volume at a set price formula, usually priced off crude oil. That is changing, in part because China's importers either demand more contract flexibility or simply buy LNG at short-notice in the spot market whenever they need it. The shift away from such rigid price-supply deals is forcing producers to trade new LNG supplies and give import terminals a larger role in encouraging spot purchases. "LNG players are increasingly adopting an LNG portfolio model whereby supply projects are not directly linked to end customers, with over 50 percent of contracts now coming from portfolio suppliers rather than specific projects," said Credit Suisse's Kavonic. (Reporting by Gary McWilliams in HOUSTON and Henning Gloystein in SINGAPORE; editing by Edward Tobin) Turkey says it won't allow a 'cover-up' about Jamal Khashoggi after Saudi Arabia's explanation of his death prompts derision Turkey said it won't allow a cover-up of what happened to journalist Jamal Khashoggi after Saudi Arabia confirmed that he died in its consulate in Istanbul. According to the Turkish media, Turkish officials have vowed to reveal the details of their investigation into Khashoggi's death. Saudi Arabia initially denied a role in his death but later admitted the journalist died in its consulate after a "fist fight." That version of events has been questioned by US lawmakers and journalists. Turkey's ruling party has promised the country "will never allow a cover-up" about the death of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. According to the BBC and other outlets citing the Anadolu news agency, Turkish officials have said they plan to reveal what details they have about Khashoggi's death after Saudi Arabia admitted to its role in it. A spokesman for Turkish president Recep Erdogan's ruling party was quoted as saying the country would "uncover what has happened" to Khashoggi. "We don't blame anyone in advance, but we do not consent to this being covered up," spokesman Omar Celik said. After a sustained period of global political pressure, Saudi Arabia finally acknowledged its role in the death of Jamal Khashoggi. The Saudi journalist had been missing and feared dead since October 2, when he was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain paperwork for his marriage. Saudi Arabia initially denied any role in Khashoggi's disappearance, despite the fact he was viewed inside the kingdom as a dissident for his criticism of the royal family and the country's stance on foreign policy issues. But after weeks of denials, the kingdom said in a statement on Friday that Khashoggi had died inside the consulate after "a quarrel and physical confrontation" with people inside the building. Around 18 Saudi suspects have been detained and senior officials within the kingdom have been dismissed. Story continues Saudi Arabia's claims of a "fist fight" are at odds with Turkey's version of events. According to Turkish media, officials have a recording of Khashoggi's final moments and evidence that he was dismembered by an assassination squad with links to Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Saudis have denied this. US senators are also unconvinced by the Saudi version of events. Senator Lindsay Graham wrote on Twitter: "To say that I am sceptical of the new Saudi narrative about Mr. Khashoggi is an understatement." https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/1053419267360743424?ref_src=twsrc^tfw California Rep. Adam Schiff also expressed scepticism, saying: "[If] Khashoggi was fighting inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, he was fighting for his life with people sent to capture or kill him." Khashoggi's editor at the Washington Post, Karen Attiah, simply wrote on Twitter of the story: "Utter bullshit." https://twitter.com/KarenAttiah/status/1053441604596445184?ref_src=twsrc^tfw A premature baby whose heart twice stopped beating for a total of 22 minutes on the operating table was brought back to life in a medical miracle, according to doctors. Lacey Sherriff underwent emergency surgery right after birth at St Georges Hospital in South London in 2017 after developing an often-fatal bowel condition. Her mum, Louise, had been rushed to hospital five days earlier because she was suffering pre-eclampsia and Laceys brother Alfie, now five, was also premature, at 32 weeks. Lacey was born early at 27 weeks via emergency Caesarean and had to undergo surgery to treat the condition known as necrotising enterocolitis, or NEC. About a third of babies who have surgery for the condition die. Lacey Sherriff has celebrated her first birthday after she went into cardiac arrest and her heart stopped for 22 minutes after birth. Shes pictured with mum Louise. Source: Australscope Surgeons had to interrupt removing part of her bowel to start resuscitation. Laceys heart stopped due to excessive blood loss. It began beating after 12 minutes, but stopped again for a further 10. Her circulation ground to a halt and she went grey. About a dozen staff were involved some performing CPR as the little girl, who weighed 639 grams, went into cardiac arrest. Lacey was pumped with adrenaline and blood products, receiving more than five times the amount of blood in her body. At one stage she was blessed by a priest and her parents were told she was unlikely to survive. Lacey with mum Louise, dad Phil and older brother Alfie who was also born prematurely. Source: Australscope Luckily, Lacey lived, but deteriorated again after 13 days and needed further surgery. She was finally discharged last February after 111 days in hospital. We didnt think shed survive surgery and thought wed be registering Laceys birth and death certificates at the same time, Mrs Sherriff said. She is going to be a healthy little girl who has been given an opportunity to get to her first birthday. Lacey celebrated her first birthday recently and was reunited with those who helped save her life including consultant paediatric surgeon Zahid Mukhtar and his colleague, Dr Hesham Elagami, who performed CPR. Laceys survival has been described as miraculous. Source: Getty Images (File pic) In fact, Laceys parents only just learnt how long her heart had stopped for when they arranged to return to St Georges this week to thank staff. Story continues Laceys father Phil said its phenomenal his daughter is alive today. She is a very chilled little baby, he said. Its unbelievable, the journey we have been through. Mr Mukhtar said it doesnt seem like Lacey received any long-term damage from her health problems. Its just the most miraculous thing, he said. I have never seen anything like it. Earlier this week, a Melbourne couple revealed their heartbreak over losing all nine of their babies either stillborn or miscarried. Samantha Rowe and her partner Paul Lyons have detailed their devastation after their latest baby Noah was stillborn on October 6. It follows a long path of grief for the couple who first tried for a baby in 2014, Ms Rowe said on her GoFundMe page. Eyevine/Australscope Residents on the Comoros island of Anjouan slowly returned to their daily lives Sunday after a six-day seige in the old quarter of Mutsamudu city where soldiers had fought with rebels in the narrow lanes. The military said it had re-gained control of the medina quarter on Saturday after the latest bout of instability on the coup-prone Indian Ocean archipelago claimed at least three lives. Anjouan's port re-opened after being closed for several days, and soldiers patrolled the streets as local people emerged from their homes. Some expressed scepticism over whether the armed rebels, who are opposed to President Azali Assoumani, had been vanished by the military in an apparently peaceful operation on Saturday. Supermarket owner Mohamed Adinane said he had come "to check the condition of my store, to see if there were any breakages." "I found expired products because of the power cuts," he said, explaining he had lost a lot of money. "It's a shame but what can we do?" he added. Military checkpoints were still in place around the medina, and most streets were deserted. Stones and teargas cannisters littered some areas after the week of clashes. Residents, who had been cut off without power or water during the stand-off, emerged on balconies on Boulevard Mohamed Ahmed seeking updates on the security situation. A senior officer advised people to avoid the medina's main square, saying "You never know until you are 100 percent sure that there is no risk from rebels." One elderly man, who declined to be named, asked "how were these rebels able to melt away with their weapons and luggage when the medina was completely surrounded?" "The government was tricked," he said before closing his door. - President challenges term limits - Tensions in Comoros have mounted in recent months as Assoumani bids to extend term limits through constitutional changes that could see him rule for 11 more years. Assoumani won a widely-criticised referendum in July allowing him to scrap the rotation of the presidency between Comoros' three main islands, disadvantaging opposition-leaning Anjouan, which was next in line. The government had sent in reinforcements after about 40 rebels erected barricades in the old quarter of Mutsamudu. The president, who came to power in a military coup and was elected in 2016, has indicated that he plans to stage polls next year which would allow him to reset his term limits and theoretically rule until 2029. The Comoros islands -- Anjouan, Grande Comore and Moheli -- are located between Mozambique and Madagascar. They have endured years of grinding poverty and political turmoil, including about 20 coups or attempted coups, since independence from France in 1975. The last coups was in 1999 when Assoumani, then the head of the army, seized power for the first time. He gave up power in 2006 before being elected two years ago. The fourth Comoros island, Mayotte, remains French. Assoumani's government accuses the opposition Juwa party of being behind the unrest on Anjouan. Former president Ahmed Abdallah Sambi who leads Juwa, is from Anjouan. He has been under house arrest since May. A resident looks on as Comoros Armed forces members search and patrol looking for weapons and armed men in the town of Mutsamudu on Anjouan island, scene of week of unrest Map of the Comoros archipelago, showing the position of Mutsamudu, scene of days of clashes between rebels and security forces President Assoumani won a July referendum allowing him to scrap the rotation of the presidency A shaft of light penetrates the foul air through a fist-sized vent. It reveals naked, sweating bodies packed side-by-side like sardines, lying in darkness on a greasy concrete floor. The stench of urine and excreta from a brimming plastic bucket -- just one for a cell containing perhaps 20 people -- claws at the throat. This was the scene at the Bo Correctional Facility in southern Sierra Leone. It was one of eight prisons that this reporter visited last week to assess the state of penitentiaries that independent voices say are a national scandal. The tableau that emerged was tropical Dickens -- crammed, poorly-lit cells, whose inmates said they were suffering with disease, rotten food, cockroaches and super-sized bedbugs, and a climate of jungle-like violence. "I was caught with two parcels of marijuana. I have spent three years on remand -- it's like living in Hell," one inmate said. "Lack of space is so bad that people have to take turns" to lie down, said another, who like many other inmates asked not to be named, explaining they feared reprisals by guards. "Blankets and mats are a luxury in our cell. Even some of the food we eat has an offensive smell," added another prisoner. A convict with crutches in a jail at Kenema, the West African country's third largest city, said "violence among inmates for food, water and space is common." "This is a jungle -- it's survival of the fittest," he declared. In 2016, Sierra Leone's Human Rights Commission denounced the squalor and lack of rehabilitative or educational programmes in the country's prisons as "inhumane." Walter-Neba Chenwi, a specialist in the rule of law at the UN Development Programme (UNDP), which has a project to improve Sierra Leone's jails, said the conditions "fall far below international standards of human rights." "We treat people in detention as if they don't exist," said Ahmed Jalloh, an activist with a local watchdog group, Prison Watch. - Packed - "Out of 4,525 inmates across Sierra Leone jails, we have an excess of 2,659 people in detention, forced into overcrowded cell blocks," the director of human resources at the Sierra Leone Correctional Services, Dennis Herman, said. Kenema prison, a stone-walled jail built in 1826 during British colonial rule, has a regulation capacity of 75 inmates, but accommodates around 300, prison director Lamin Sesay said. At Bo penitentiary, intended for 80 prisoners but housing 300, guard Mohamed Opinto Jimmy said between 15 and 20 people were being packed into cells that, according to regulations, should have a maximum of four. - Disease - Prison workers also point to disease which is rife and poor access to healthcare. In Bo, there is a single healthcare worker for 300 inmates, many of whom suffer from chronic illnesses such as TB, AIDS and malaria. "Some inmates are too weak from anaemia to walk around the cell blocks -- they wedge themselves into little corners for food, water and space,? the healthcare worker said. The skin disease scabies is commonplace, but inmates often can only shower once a week because water is rationed. Prisoners at Bo are tasked with trekking kilometres (miles) to polluted streams or hand-dug wells to fill jerricans and haul them back to the jail. "Given the risk of escape, we usually assign many guards to escort inmates," said a prison guard, Jimmy. "But inmates are usually stigmatized by locals seeing detainees walking the streets in prison outfits." - Reform - Still within this grim picture, chinks of light are starting to emerge. Sierra Leone's Department of Justice has just completed a "From Prison to Corrections" programme, supported by UNDP and the United States, to train 30 prisoner officers and promote higher welfare standards. And UNDP is doing construction and rehabilitation work, mainly in water and sanitation, in eight out of the country's 19 jails. But appeals court Judge Nicholas Browne-Marke told AFP that help was also badly needed for Sierra Leone's under-funded, chronically-clogged judicial system. More than 85 percent of prisoners are aged between 15 and 35. Many of the young inmates are being held for petty crimes, and spend long periods in prison on remand or during their trial, and this causes congestion in jails, he said. "The majority of the inmates are in jail for loitering, snatching a phone, drugs or quarrels," Browne-Marke told AFP. ?We are trying to decongest the facilities by expediting trials. A mobile application for pending cases has been developed for all judges and magistrates to encourage a speedy trial and case conclusion." Inmates at Mafanta prison in Magburaka. Over-crowding, poor hygiene and 'jungle-like' violence are chronic problems in Sierra Leone's prison system, say detainees Stand and be counted: roll call at Kemena prison. The jail was built in 1826 during the British empire -- it accommodates four times its regulation capacity An inmate at Kenema jail takes his turn in the prison courtyard A prisoner shows signs of skin disease to a health worker at Mafanta prison. Prisoners in Sierra Leone jails say their cells are often overrun with rats, cockroaches and bedbugs Water is so scarce at Bo prison that inmates are sent out under escort to fill jerricans from streams or wells -- the trek can be several kilometres For 150 years, the British Museum has housed one of the iconic, heavy-browed stone figures that Chile's Easter Island is famous for. Now the islanders are hoping desperately to get it back. They plan to build a copy of the four-ton monolith and, potentially swap it for the real thing. The statue, known as a "moai" and named the Hoa Hakananai'a, is one of hundreds originally found on the island. Carved by Polynesian colonizers somewhere between the 13th and 16th centuries, each of the big-headed figures was considered to represent tribal leaders or deified ancestors. About a dozen have been removed from the island over the years. Now Camilo Rapu, president of the island's Ma'u Henua community, said it's time Hoa Hakananai'a was returned. The Ma'u Henua community, with Chilean government support, launched a campaign in August to persuade the British Museum and Queen Elizabeth II to return the famous moai -- in exchange for an exact replica to be carved on Easter Island. "Our expert carvers will make a copy in basalt, the original stone used in the Hakananai'a moai, as an offering to Queen Elizabeth in exchange for the original," Rapu told reporters in Santiago. The Ma'u Henua have signed an agreement with the Bishop Museum -- Hawaii's largest museum, with a huge collection of Polynesian artifacts -- to produce a polycarbonate copy of the Hakananai'a, to be ready by November 3. The actual carving of the statue will take place on Easter Island, using thousand-year-old Rapa Nui techniques -- combined with some modern technology to allow the job to be completed in seven months. The Hakananai'a moai in the British Museum stands 2.4 meters tall (eight feet) and weighs about four tons. On November 23, a committee of islanders and Chilean officials plans to travel to London in hopes of negotiating the moai's return. "This is a historic demand of the Rapa Nui people," said Rapu. The Rapa Nui were the island's aboriginal settlers, and their descendants still make up a large part of the population. "This moai has a spiritual value; it is part of our family and our culture. We want her (the queen) to understand that for us, this is its value -- not as a museum piece," he said. The islanders will bring with them a book, in support of their demand, signed by some of the thousands of tourists who every year visit the Pacific island paradise some 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) off Chile's mainland. The people of Easter Island hope to persuade the British Museum to return a famous 'moai,' a stone statue like this one, by offering a copy carved using thousand-year-old techniques Egyptian authorities on Sunday denied reports of alleged organ theft after the body of a British tourist who died suddenly while on holiday was returned home without some organs. David Humphries, 62, died in the seaside resort of Hurghada on the shores of the Red Sea on September 18. His body was returned to the UK where a second post-mortem ordered by a coroner discovered that his heart and some other organs had been removed, a British media outlet said in a report. Accusing the UK media of publishing "flawed reports", the Egyptian state information service (SIS) said allegations of "organ theft are unfounded". The statement said that samples were taken and the heart, parts of the liver, kidneys and other organs had been removed in order to establish the cause of death. It did not give an explanation as to why they had not been replaced. The service said the tourist had probably died of a heart attack, citing the medical report. It also quoted his daughter Anita Goodall as saying that she did "not accuse anyone of having a hand in the death of her father". In another case in Hurghada on August 21, travel operator Thomas Cook moved all its clients to another hotel after a British couple died in what their daughter called "suspicious" circumstances. Egyptian authorities say John and Susan Cooper, who fell ill and died suddenly while staying at the five-star Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in the resort, succumbed to the effects of an E. coli infection. Yachts are moored in Egypt's Red Sea resort town of Hurghada, where British tourist David Humphries died before his body was repatriated and reportedly found to be without its heart and other organs A firefighter has plunged himself head first into a narrow well to save a toddler. The little girl was said to have been with her grandparents doing farm work in Daqiao in Central China. But the nearby well didnt have a cover and the two-year-old fell in. Fortunately, she avoided plunging straight into the water, rescuers said, adding that they pumped large amounts of oxygen down the structure in order to prevent the tot from suffocating. A toddler (pictured) has been rescued from a narrow well in Daqiao, Central China. Source: AsiaWire/ Australscope She was also fortunate not to have injured herself on the pump. Fireman Li Ning volunteered to be sent down the well, which measured just over 30cm wide, and was ordered to strip himself of most of his gear before descending upside down into the ground. The rescuers pulling Mr Li back to the surface, with the brave fireman carrying the stunned little girl in his arms. The girl, who had at that point already stopped crying, was covered in dirt and mud at the end of the 20-minutes rescue. The little girls grandfather cries after being reunited with her. Source: AsiaWire/Australscope It is unclear exactly how deep the well was. She was handed back to her relieved relatives, who burst into tears at the sight of their granddaughter safe and sound. The little girl was not injured in the incident. Australscope Thousands of Honduran migrants resumed their march toward the United States on Sunday from the southern Mexican city of Ciudad Hidalgo. Mexican authorities on Thursday had managed to block the "caravan" of migrants on a border bridge between Mexico and Guatemala, but many later entered via a river separating the two countries. "No one is going to stop us, after all we've gone through, like crossing the river" said 21-year-old Aaron Juarez, who was accompanied by his wife and baby and was walking with difficulty because of an injury. "We are tired, but very happy, we are united and strong," added Edwin Geovanni Enamorado, a Honduran farmer who was part of the caravan, who said he was forced to leave his country because of intimidation by racketeering gangs. The caravan left San Pedro Sula in northern Honduras last week, following a call on social networks relayed by a former Honduran deputy. On Sunday morning, about a thousand migrants, including women and children, were still stranded on a border bridge hoping to enter Mexico legally via Guatemala. The day before, the Mexican authorities opened the border to women and children who were then taken to a shelter in the city of Tapachula, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico. US President Donald Trump has been tweeting about the caravan's progress and thanked Mexican authorities on Saturday for their efforts to block it. "Mexico will not allow irregular entry into its territory, much less violent," Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said Friday evening in a video message. Mexican authorities on Thursday had managed to block the "caravan" of migrants on a border bridge between Mexico and Guatemala, but many later entered via a river separating the two countries Problems plagued hundreds of Afghan polling centres Sunday in the shambolic legislative election's second day of voting, fuelling criticism of organisers and eroding hopes for credible results after a ballot marred by deadly violence. As voters once again braved the threat of militant attacks, an AFP tally of casualty figures from across the war-torn country showed the number of civilians and security forces killed or wounded in polling-related violence on Saturday was nearly 300. That was more than four times the latest figures released by the interior ministry. The huge discrepancy supports speculation that officials have deliberately downplayed the violence, adding to concerns about the lack of transparency and credibility of the long-delayed election that is seen as a dry run for next year's presidential vote. At some of the 253 polling centres opened for voting on Sunday, election workers still struggled to use biometric verification devices and voter rolls were "either incomplete or non-existent", Electoral Complaints Commission spokesman Ali Reza Rohani told reporters. "Most of the problems we had yesterday still exist today," said Rohani, adding some polling sites again opened late and had insufficient ballot papers. Another 148 polling sites that were supposed to open remained closed for security reasons, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) told AFP. The IEC's chronic mishandling of the parliamentary election, which is the third since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, has all but dashed hopes it can competently organise the presidential ballot, scheduled for April. "This does not bode well for next year," Afghanistan Analysts Network co-director Thomas Ruttig told AFP. "The IEC has clearly shown its lack of capacity to run acceptable and transparent elections, instead publishing doctored figures." A Western official, who had monitored the months-long preparations, told AFP they had no confidence left in the IEC. "None at all," they said on the condition of anonymity. "There are a lot of doubts that they would be able to handle the presidential election properly," political analyst Haroun Mir said. IEC figures show around four million Afghans risked their lives to vote over the weekend -- many waiting hours for polling centres to open -- despite scores of militant attacks. Elections will be held in the southern province of Kandahar on October 27 after voting was delayed by Thursday's assassination of a powerful police chief. - 'Fake election' - Nearly nine million voters registered for the parliamentary election, but many suspect a significant number of those were based on fake identification documents that fraudsters planned to use to stuff ballot boxes. Yet the fact any Afghans turned out to vote was an achievement in itself, some observers noted. "The people of Afghanistan showed that they are still hopeful for their future," Mir said. Speaking after polls closed Sunday, President Ashraf Ghani challenged the Taliban to "show if your way or the way of democracy is preferred by the people". The Taliban had issued several warnings in the days leading up to the poll demanding the more than 2,500 candidates for the lower house withdraw from the race and for voters to stay home. The militant group on Saturday claimed it carried out more than 400 attacks on the "fake election". There were no reports of poll-related violence on Sunday, but officials said a roadside bomb killed 11 members of a family driving in the eastern province of Nangarhar. - 'Important milestone' - Official observers described disorder and chaos at polling centres on Saturday where election workers did not know how to use biometric devices the IEC had belatedly rolled out to appease political leaders and said were required for votes to be counted. Many voters who had registered their names months ago were not on the roll, and the Taliban commandeered some polling centres and refused to let people cast their ballots. There were concerns that extending voting by a day could provide "opportunity for fraud", Election and Transparency Watch Organization of Afghanistan said. Some 44 people already have been charged with "illegal interference in the election and fraud", the interior ministry said. As vote counting continued and officials began the process of transferring ballot boxes to Kabul, Afghan voters took to social media to vent their frustration at the debacle. "Shame on the IEC," Hosai Mangal wrote on the IEC's official Facebook page. "There was no order at all, I could not find my name at the polling centre where I registered." But embattled IEC chief Abdul Badi Sayyad on Sunday defended the organisation's handling of the election, saying the problems were not due to "weak management". Despite the chaos, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which has spearheaded international efforts to advise the IEC, said the election was "an important milestone in Afghanistan's transition to self-reliance". mam-us-emh-amj/gle Afghan policemen carry out a ballot box as problems continue to plague the legislative elections on the second day of voting Problems with biometric verification devices that were being used for the first time were among a litany of setbacks during the election Voters braved the threat of militant attacks to queue up and cast their votes As officials counted ballots from the first day, there were concerns that extending voting by a second day "provides opportunity for fraud and misuse" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frozen plans to demolish a strategically located Bedouin village in the occupied West Bank that have drawn international concern, his office said Sunday. The surprise move, which came as Israeli forces were completing preparations for the evictions and demolition of Khan al-Ahmar, raised the ire of Netanyahu's rightwing coalition partners, while the village's Palestinian residents remained skeptical that an amicable solution was possible. "The intention is to give a chance to the negotiations and the offers we received from different bodies, including in recent days," a statement from Netanyahu's office said about Khan al-Ahmar. But speaking later ahead of a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Netanyahu appeared to play down the latest move and insisted the village would still be razed. "It's our policy and it will take place," he said. "I have no intention on delaying it indefinitely, but for a short, limited period." Netanyahu said the length of the delay would be determined by Israel's security cabinet, which was due to convene later Sunday. Israeli authorities say the small village, located east of Jerusalem along a road leading to the Dead Sea, was built illegally, and they have given residents until the beginning of October to leave and demolish their structures. The decision to evict the villagers followed years of legal battles and after negotiated attempts to agree on an alternative site for relocation failed. The fate of Khan al-Ahmar has drawn international concern, with European countries calling on Israel not to move ahead with plans to demolish it. Israel's supreme court on September 5 rejected a final appeal against the demolition, but following that ruling, there have been unofficial attempts to reach understandings, a lawyer representing the village's residents told AFP. "Our offers were based on what we told the court, that we're willing to move a few hundred metres to the north," Tawfiq Jabareen said. The government has yet to respond to the proposals, Jabareen said, refusing to divulge the identity of the person attempting to mediate between the sides. In Khan al-Ahmar, residents said they would stay put and doubted Netanyahu's sincerity. "Our strategy is to stay in our land, and we will not leave it," Eid al-Jahalin told AFP. "Yesterday there was a decision to stop the demolition, but this decision can change at any moment." Ibrahim Abu Dahuk said Netanyahu's decision could be "a trick" to prompt activists camping out at the site to leave ahead of a forceful eviction. "We do not trust the Jews," he said. - Coalition partners angered - Netanyahu's move raised the ire of his two major coalition partners, with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman saying he opposed the decision to delay the demolition. Education Minister Naftali Bennett also insisted the law must be upheld, "even if the international community opposes and threatens," pledging his Jewish Home party would "ensure it happens". On Wednesday, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor warned that Israel's planned "evacuation by force" of the village could constitute a war crime. The residents have refused to leave on their own, and Israel had been making preparations to expel the residents and demolish the village. Khan al-Ahmar, home to approximately 200 people, is situated in a strategic spot near Israeli settlements, the expansion of which could effectively cut the West Bank into two. Last month, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Poland and the Netherlands warned that the demolition "would severely threaten the viability of the two-state solution", calling on Israeli authorities to "reconsider their decision to demolish" it. Palestinian Bedouin schoolchildren play in the yard of their school in the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem, in the occupied West Bank A Palestinian woman walks in the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem, in the occupied West Bank The planned destruction of the Bedouin Khan al-Ahmar village in the West Bank has sparked protests The Maldives' top court Sunday ended weeks of uncertainty by rejecting strongman President Abdulla Yameen's controversial bid to annul last month's election results, upholding his landslide defeat to an opposition candidate. The five-judge Supreme Court bench unanimously ruled that Yameen had failed to prove his claim that the election was rigged and a fresh poll was necessary in the Indian Ocean archipelago. Under international pressure, Yameen initially conceded defeat in the September 23 poll. But he then filed an appeal this month, throwing the island nation into turmoil and attracting warnings from the United States and regional superpower India to respect the outcome. Yameen claimed magic ink had been used to rig the election and that votes marked for him disappeared inside ballot boxes. Opposition activists celebrated outside the Supreme Court in the capital Male after the decision was read out, effectively drawing a line under Yameen's five years of iron-fisted rule. "After weeks of uncertainty, the Maldivian people can finally enjoy clarity regarding the outcome of the election," said President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who swept September's poll in an unexpected landslide victory. "The petition to annul the election was frivolous from the start, and spoke more about an inability in some quarters to accept defeat, than any genuine concerns about the vote." Opposition legislator Mariya Didi said Yameen -- who lobbied the Supreme Court in 2013 to nullify election results in his favour -- should now allow a smooth transition of power. "We are pleased that the court ruled unanimously to uphold the will of the people," Didi said on Twitter. "The case was based on conjecture and conspiracy theories." The country's independent Elections Commission, through its lawyers, had argued his petition was based on false allegations and should be dismissed. - Fresh uncertainty - The Supreme Court bench last week refused to accept the testimony of three unnamed witnesses that Yameen's lawyers said would prove the election was fixed. The next day Yameen went on national television to concede defeat a second time, making no reference to his controversial legal bid. "This is my final address to the nation before I leave," said the 59-year-old, whose term in office ends on November 17. "During my tenure, the most difficult thing for me was my failure to learn about the people. I just couldn't find out what shapes their wishes." Ahead of court hearings in the capital Male last week, the United States warned "appropriate measures" would be taken if the will of the Maldivian people was undermined. Europe and India have also issued similar warnings in the past. The situation was similar to 2013, when Yameen convinced the Supreme Court to nullify the first round of voting, which he was trailing to opposition candidate Mohamed Nasheed. A subsequent vote was then twice delayed, allowing Yameen time to forge alliances that helped him narrowly win a contested run-off. He has ruled with an iron fist ever since, crushing dissent and jailing or exiling all his major opponents. In February, Yameen jailed the chief justice and another Supreme Court judge after accusing them of trying to topple him. Yameen had initially suspended the court, parliament and the constitution and declared a state of emergency when legislators were about to impeach him. Since his election defeat, several high-profile political prisoners including his estranged half-brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the Maldives for 30 years until 2008, have been released from jail. The US and its allies have been concerned by growing Chinese influence in the strategically positioned Indian Ocean archipelago, especially under Yameen's authoritarian rule. A petition to annul last month's election results by Maldives President Abdulla Yameen has been rejected by the country's Supreme Court A man has died after his mobility scooter caught fire in a park in Geraldton, Western Australia. Passers-by were unable to save the man because of the intensity of the flames, which also destroyed the scooter. Police were called to Spalding Park in Bluff Point just before 1 pm on Saturday, following reports that a mobility scooter was on fire. The man was deceased on the scooter, when ambulance, fire and police services attended the scene at a footpath near the North West Coastal Highway bridge. The scooter caught fire in Spalding Park, Geraldton (pictured). Source: Google Maps Street View It is believed a faulty battery sparked the blaze. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the Coroner, WA Police said in a statement. Norwegian World War II hero Joachim Ronneberg, who led a major sabotage operation against the Nazis in his occupied homeland, died on Sunday, aged 99. Ronneberg's daring operation was given the Hollywood treatment in 1965 in the film "The Heroes of Telemark" starring Kirk Douglas. "Ronneberg is probably the last of the best known resistance fighters to pass away," Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg told the NTB news agency. Ronneberg trained with the Norwegian resistance in Britain and in February 1943 led a six-man team on a secret mission called Operation Gunnerside. They sabotaged a plant in southern Norway that produced heavy water, a component in early nuclear energy research, putting a halt to the Nazis' nuclear weapon ambitions. Situated near the city of Rjukan, the Vemork plant at the time was the only one in the world that produced significant quantities of heavy water. After the war he turned to journalism and for a long time was reticent about his wartime experiences. Then in the 1970s he broke his silence, and became known for his involvement with young people to make them aware of the dangers of war. "Those growing up today need to understand that we must always be ready to fight for peace and freedom," he said. Norwegian World War II hero Joachim Ronneberg, seen here in 2013 at a London ceremony in his honour for leading an operation to destroy the German occupied Heavy Water Plant in Vemork, Norway Police are conducting a desperate search for a man who escaped from a prison in northern Queensland. Geoffrey John Campbell, 39, escaped the Townsville Correctional Centre Farm early on Sunday morning. He was reported missing from the centre at about 7.20am, following a morning head count. Mr Campbell is described as having a fair complexion, with light brown hair and hazel eyes. He is about 175cm tall and has tattoos on his right shoulder, chest, arms and right ankle. Geoffrey John Campbell (pictured) has escaped from prison. Source: Queensland Police (left)/Getty (file pic) He has not been found, in spite of extensive patrols on prison grounds and the local area. Police have urged people to refrain from approaching the man and to call police immediately if they have information on his whereabouts. Officers urge anyone with information on his location to come forward. Rebels killed at least 11 people and abducted 15 others, including 10 children, in an overnight raid near Beni, near DR Congo's eastern border with Uganda, security sources said Sunday. Police recovered the bodies of 11 civilians killed in the town of Matete north of Beni, he said, adding that the missing children were from five to 10 years old, Beni police chief Colonel Safari Kazingufu told AFP. The attack, thought to have been carried out by members of the Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), had targeted Beni, the regional army spokesman Captain Mak Hazukay told AFP. "We repulsed the attack but unfortunately, there were deaths among the civilians and soldiers," he said, without specifying how many soldiers had been killed. One local resident told AFP he had seen the bodies of two uniformed men at the site of the fighting. Earlier, a spokesman for the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO told AFP they had been involved in an exchange of fire with suspected rebels near Beni. A soldier with the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) takes cover during exchanges of fire with members of the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) in Opira, North Kivu, on January 25, 2018 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday vowed to reveal within days the "naked truth" over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as Riyadh said it did not know the whereabouts of his body and that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had been unaware of any operation to murder him. The Turkish leader's statement came the day after Saudi authorities conceded Khashoggi had been killed inside their diplomatic compound in Istanbul. "We are looking for justice here and this will be revealed in all its naked truth, not through some ordinary steps but in all its naked truth," Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul. In his strongest comments to date on the affair, President Donald Trump accused Saudi Arabia of lying about the killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who fell out of favour with the ultraconservative kingdom, as pressure built on the US administration to strike a tougher line. The Saudi foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, on Sunday described the killing as a "tremendous mistake" and said it had been a "rogue operation" by individuals who "exceeded their responsibilities" and then "tried to cover up for it". Jubeir insisted in an interview with Fox News that the operation was not ordered by the crown prince known by his initials MBS, also adding that "we don't know where the body is". Erdogan, who has not yet directly blamed Saudi Arabia, held a telephone call with Trump on Sunday where the two leaders agreed the Khashoggi case needed to be clarified "in all its aspects," a Turkish presidential source said. Erdogan is expected to make a full statement to his party's MPs in parliament at around 0800 GMT on Tuesday. Turkish officials have said they believe that 15 Saudi men who arrived in Istanbul on two flights on October 2 were connected to Khashoggi's death. Riyadh reacted by claiming one of the 15 had died in a car accident years ago. Saudi officials originally said Khashoggi, who stepped inside the doors of the diplomatic mission on October 2, had left unharmed, before announcing he was killed inside the building in what they described as an altercation. The kingdom has since admitted Khashoggi died in a "brawl" inside the consulate and said it has fired five top officials and arrested 18 others in an investigation into the killing. - 'Lies' - Khashoggi, who would have been 60 this month, sought refuge in the United States after fleeing his native Saudi Arabia after the 2017 appointment of strongman Mohammed bin Salman as heir to the throne. The journalist, who had espoused both Islamist and liberal views throughout his decades-long career in the press, was engaged to a Turkish woman. His killing has further soured relations between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, already at loggerheads over Qatar, with which Riyadh cut ties in 2017 and to which Ankara has deployed aid and troops. Turkish officials now believe Riyadh carried out a state-sponsored killing and dismembered the body, with pro-government media in Turkey reporting the existence of video and audio evidence to back those claims. As the Turkish leader is expected to reveal all details into the journalist's killing, Trump has stepped back from his stance that Saudi Arabia's latest explanation over the death was credible amid mounting pressure at home. "Obviously there's been deception and there's been lies," he said of the shifting accounts of Khashoggi's death offered by Riyadh. "Their stories are all over the place." Several senior members of Trump's Republican Party said they believed Prince Mohammed, the kingdom's de facto ruler, was linked to the killing, and one called for a "collective" Western response if a link is proved. Trump has stopped far short of calling for the prince to be replaced, emphasising as he has before how important the US-Saudi relationship is to Washington's regional strategic goals. He described the 33-year-old prince as a "strong person; he has very good control." "He's seen as a person who can keep things under check," added Trump. "I mean that in a positive way." - UK, France, Germany intervene - The controversy has put the kingdom -- for decades a key ally in Western efforts to contain Iran -- under unprecedented pressure. It has also blown up into a major crisis for Prince Mohammed whose image as a modernising Arab reformer has been gravely undermined. Britain, France and Germany have shown a united front, demanding Saudi Arabia clarify how the journalist died inside its Istanbul consulate backed by "credible" facts. Late Sunday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed "the circumstances" around Khashoggi's "tragic death" in a phone call, without offering further details. Australia, Canada, the UN and the EU have also demanded greater clarity around Khashoggi's death. German Chancellor Angela Merkel added that Berlin would not export arms to Saudi Arabia "in the current situation". Germany last month approved 416 million euros ($480 million) worth of arms exports to Saudi Arabia for 2018. In the past, military exports by Berlin to Saudi have mostly consisted of patrol boats. burs-fo/boc/ska/jta The death of Jamal Khashoggi has sparked outrage and a crisis for Saudi Arabia The death of Jamal Khashoggi has sparked outrage and a crisis for Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia has sacked deputy intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri, a close aide of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Scientists have discovered the body of a child vampire buried more than 1,500 years ago in Italy. The 10-year-olds body was found with a rock in its mouth and weighed down, over fears that it would rise from the dead. Ive never seen anything like it. Its extremely eerie and weird, Professor David Soren, Archaeologist from the University of Arizona said. Locally called the vampire of Lugnano, the skull was discovered by archaeologists from the University of Arizona, Stanford University and Italy, in the Italian region of Umbria. The childs age was determined based on dental development but its sex is unknown. The remains have not yet been DNA tested, but the child had an abscessed tooth which suggests that he or she may have fallen victim to malaria. The skull was found in Lugnano, Italy (pictured). Source: Australascope This is a very unusual mortuary treatment that you see in various forms in different cultures, especially in the Roman world, that could indicate there was a fear that this person might come back from the dead and try to spread disease to the living, Bioarcheologist Jordan Wilson, a University of Arizona doctoral student in anthropology said. The body buried 1550 years ago, was found at La Necropoli dei Bambini, or the Cemetery of the Babies which dates to the mid-fifth century when a deadly malaria outbreak swept the area, killing many vulnerable babies and small children. In other documented vampire burials, an elderly 16th-century woman dubbed the Vampire of Venice was found with a brick in her mouth in 2009 in Venice, Italy. An adult male from the third or fourth century was found buried facedown with his tongue removed and replaced with a stone, in Northamptonshire, England in 2017. Other examples of vampire burials throughout history include bodies being staked to the ground through the heart or dismembered prior to interment. The vampire child was found with a rock in its mouth (pictured). Source: Australscope Previous excavations at the Cemetery of the Babies found infant and toddler bones alongside items like raven talons, toad bones, bronze cauldrons filled with ash and the remains of sacrificial puppies. Story continues In previous excavations of more than 50 burials, a three-year-old girl was found with stones weighing down her hands and feet, a practice used by different cultures throughout history to keep the deceased in their graves. Archaeologists will return to Lugnano next summer to complete excavations of the cemetery and learn more about a dark time in history. With Australscope The touching love story behind a viral photograph of a paramedic fulfilling a terminally-ill womans last wishes with a final trip to the beach has been revealed. It has emerged that the beach was the site of romantic memories between the dying woman, identified as Joyce in the Sunday Mail and her husband, who did not wish to give his name or their last name. The story has touched the hearts of the world and caught the attention of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who will meet with the kind paramedics involved on their trip to Australia. The photograph showed the woman on an ambulance stretcher looking at the beach with a paramedic by her side at Hervey Bay, three hours north of Brisbane. The heartwarming photo of a terminally ill woman (pictured). Source: Facebook/Queensland Ambulance Service Joyce had asked the ambulance crew to stop at the beach, so she could enjoy a final view of the ocean before her final visit to hospital. The image went viral after it was posted to the Queensland Ambulance Services Facebook page on November 23, 2017. Now it has revealed that the beach was close to the womans heart as it brought back tender memories of walks with her husband, News Limited reports. Graeme Cooper and Danielle Kellam were taking a palliative care patient to hospital for the final time when they stopped by the beach. Images: 7 News Joyce and her husband enjoyed walking on the beach and fell in love with the Hervey Bay area so much that they decided to move there to enjoy their retirement. Caring paramedics, Graeme Cooper and Danielle Kellam were driving the woman when she made the unusual request. Mr Cooper wheeled Joyce to the beach, while Ms Kellam snapped a photograph of the pair. After 15 minutes of looking at the sea Joyce was eased back into the ambulance and taken to hospital. She died two days later. Their heartwarming act captured the worlds attention and was noticed by the English Royal Family. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reached out to the medics and will meet the pair on October 22 during their visit down under. Allegedly aimed at busting visa abusers and illegal migrants, a Thai police operation called "X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner" has raised questions about racial profiling and fears for asylum-seekers caught in its web. Tens of millions of tourists come to Thailand each year for the cheap living and postcard-perfect beaches, with some seeking out the seedier thrills of a bustling sex industry. But as weak law enforcement, porous borders and corruption help make the country a hub for transnational crime, Thai authorities are intensifying Operation X-Ray -- a programme that started about a year ago -- with more than 1,000 people arrested in recent weeks, most for overstaying their visa. Although the vast majority caught in the dragnet are migrants from nearby countries, the racial overtones of the campaign have sparked concerns about profiling based on skin colour. "Our job is to classify who are the good dark-skinned people and who are the ones likely to commit crimes," said immigration bureau chief Surachate Hakparn. He told AFP that the operation was aimed at weeding out visa overstayers and nabbing criminals -- especially "romance scammers" who lure lonely locals online to defraud them of cash. He insisted that the romance scammers are often Nigerian or Ugandan. - 'Suspicious targets' - At the start of one night time operation witnessed by AFP in Bangkok's rowdy Nana district earlier this month, about 75 Thai police officers stood in rows at a briefing. "The suspicious targets are the dark-skinned people," shouted an officer. "First, we search their bodies, then we search their passports." Soon they began stopping suspects, including three people from Mali who were tested for drugs on the spot. By 11:55 pm, almost 30 individuals -- about half of whom were black -- had been rounded up. Only one was Caucasian, a Frenchman caught smoking marijuana. Surachate's staff said details on the breakdown of nationalities was "confidential". But in the first two weeks of October, police arrested a Korean citizen wanted by Interpol for sexual assault, and busted a team of four Nigerians and 16 Thais allegedly involved in romance scams, according to authorities. They also found a Laos national who had overstayed his visa by more than 11 years. - Escaping persecution - Thailand's reputation as a place to disappear and reinvent yourself combined with lax visa rules can be a headache for law enforcement. The junta that seized power in 2014 justified its power grab by promising stability amid street protests and political upheaval. But rights groups warn that refugees and asylum seekers who transit through Bangkok en route to a third country for resettlement are also being ensnared in the latest police operation as they lack legal protections. According to rough estimates from the non-profit Fortify Rights, there are about 100 adults and 30 children who fit this description, mainly from Pakistan but also from Syria and Somalia. "Thailand's immigration crackdown has swept up refugees and asylum seekers, sent young children into horrid, prison-like conditions, and appears to have clear aspects of racial profiling against South Asians and Africans," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Thailand is not a party to the UN convention recognising refugees and made headlines in 2015 for deporting more than 100 Uighurs back to China. More than 70 Pakistani Christians were rounded up and detained this month by police under charges of illegal entry and overstay even though they were assumed to be in transit and escaping religious persecution in their Muslim-majority homeland. But the authorities remain unapologetic. According to immigration chief Surachate's count, Thailand is home to more than 6,000 people who ought to have left the country already. "In order to clean house, we need to bring in the good people and deport the bad people so that the country will have sustained stability," he said. Police inspect passports in Bangkok's Patpong district during an "X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner" operation A man is questioned in Bangkok's Nana district during an "X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner", allegedly aimed at busting visa abusers and illegal migrants Thai authorities are intensifying Operation X-Ray -- a programme that started about a year ago -- with more than 1,000 people arrested in recent weeks, most for overstaying their visa Officers conducting the "X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner" operation are told that darker-skinned people are the "suspicious targets" According to immigration chiefs, Thailand is home to more than 6,000 people who ought to have left the country already A key Republican lawmaker on Sunday backed Donald Trump's plan to withdraw from a decades-old nuclear accord with Russia, saying the US needed to be free to respond to a Chinese nuclear build-up. The US president on Saturday confirmed his plan to withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, saying the Russians had been violating it "for many years" while China, not a signatory, remained free to develop such weapons. Russia denounced the US decision as "very dangerous." But Senator Lindsey Graham, who has become an outspoken ally of Trump's, said on "Fox News Sunday" that the president was making "absolutely the right move. "The Russians have been cheating; the Chinese are building up their missiles... and we need to counter it." Another senior Republican, Senator Bob Corker, agreed that "there's no question that for years Russia has been violating" the accord. He noted on CNN that some defense specialists say that "because China is not part of this (the INF) they're developing systems that will move beyond where we are." But Corker, who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee, said he hoped Trump's stance was designed merely to pressure Russia to return into compliance. "I hope we'll be able to figure out a way to stay within the treaty." Senator Lindsey Graham, who has become an outspoken ally of Trump's, said on "Fox News Sunday" that the president was making "absolutely the right move." WEST BARNSTABLE, Mass. Judy Kotwas, of West Barnstable, Mass., passed away on Oct. 14, 2018. She was born in Auburn, and attended Auburn East High school where she served as vice president of her class and graduated in 1963. She obtained a bachelors and masters degree in education from the University of Buffalo. She married her high school sweetheart in 1968, Dr. Richard Kotwas also of Auburn, and they recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. Judy worked as an elementary school teacher in upstate New York and then moved to Manomet, Mass. with her husband where she was instrumental in helping him set up his dental practice and continued to work as the practices bookkeeper. The couple moved to Cape Cod and had lived in West Barnstable, Mass. for more than 40 years. Her great love and devotion in life was to her family as a wife and as an outstanding mother to her two daughters. She was also active in the local schools; as well as advocating for animal rights. She is survived by her husband, Richard; two daughters, Susan Kotwas Symons, of Boston, Mass., and Dr. Ellen Kotwas-Song, of Montebello, N.Y.; her sister, Sherre Greenbaum and brother-in-law, Stephen Greenbaum, of Wayland, Mass.; two sons-in-law, Phillip Symons Jr. and Mark Song; two granddaughters, Carolyn and Julia Song; niece and nephews, Alia and Jonathan Greenbaum, and Aaron Aroneck; cousin, Dr. Judy Karp; brothers-in-law, Ken and William Kotwas; sisters-in-law, Kay and Mary Jo Kotwas; nieces, Gwen Porteous and Jeri Tarini; and countless additional family members and friends. She was predeceased by her parents, Edythe Perlman Aroneck and Aaron Aroneck; as well as her brother, Alan Aroneck. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Oct. 27, in the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Brewster, Mass. to celebrate her life. Visiting hours will take place from 11 a.m. to noon in the church. Friends and family are welcome to attend the service and/or visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Great Dog Rescue New England at www.gdrne.com/donate. We've detected that JavaScript is not enabled in your browser. You must enable JavaScript to use craigslist. Opinion Fantastic place I am new to the UAE. I have recently arrived here from New Delhi, India. I had only heard about Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi from my friends in the past or had seen during the cricket matches. My friends had always encouraged me to come From left, Superior Court judges Todd Burke, Jesse Caldwell, and Jeffery Foster hear arguments in March 2017 in a lawsuit filed by Gov. Roy Cooper arguing that legislation passed during a December special session violates the separation of powers. (CJ photo by Don Carrington) A three-judge Superior Court panel has found the Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement is unconstitutional because it violates the governor's duty to faithfully execute laws, and approved an injunction nullifying it.However, with the Nov. 6 general election just three weeks away, the court let the elections board continue operating until the election results are certified.An amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot, if passed, would reconfigure the elections and ethics board and put those changes in the state constitution.The order in the Cooper v. Berger case, in which Gov. Roy Cooper sued Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, was released Tuesday, Oct. 16. Judge Jeffery Foster, a Pitt County Republican, dissented from the majority opinion of Forsyth County Judge Todd Burke and Gaston County Judge Jesse Caldwell, both Democrats.In his dissenting opinion Foster said the court should not address the matter because Cooper's complaints were political in nature, not constitutional.The elections board power struggle has several layers. It began when Cooper challenged a law passed by the Republican-led General Assembly on April 25, 2017, that reorganized the elections board by merging it with the State Ethics Commission.The law switched from a five-member board appointed by the governor to an eight-member board split evenly among Democrats and Republicans, to be appointed by the governor from a list of nominees provided by the political parties.The three-judge panel dismissed Cooper's challenge, but the N.C. Supreme Court reversed the decision 4-3, saying the evenly split board was unconstitutional, and returned the case to the trial court, which then voided the law.The General Assembly passed a new law Feb. 13, 2018, again reformulating the state elections board in much the same fashion, but adding a ninth unaffiliated member to be appointed by the governor from a list of two nominees submitted by the other eight members.Cooper allowed the law to take effect without his signature, but again filed a constitutional challenge March 13, and June 15 filed for summary judgment.Tuesday's majority found the structure of the new state board unconstitutional. They said the agency is primarily administrative or executive in character, but the governor can't choose a majority of the board. That's because four members are from the opposing party, and the board members recommend the unaffiliated member.Further, the governor can remove a board member for any cause, but he can't fill vacancies. The majority said the governor doesn't really have removal power.The ruling said the law violated separation of powers because the elections board executive director was appointed by the General Assembly, and could not be removed for 29 months.of an executive agency.The panel found the new structure and chairmanship of county boards of elections to be unconstitutional.Previously, county boards comprised three members, two from the party of the sitting governor, and one from the other major political party. The new law set up an evenly divided four-member board, whose members can be removed by the state board. The appointive process for chairmen required a Republican to be in office during presidential and gubernatorial election years.the majority opinion stated. That deprived the governor of the ability to faithfully execute election laws in the manner he sees fit, the judges said.The same reasoning was used to declare appointment of the state elections board chairman unconstitutional because the political party with the second highest registration - currently the Republican Party - holds that post during presidential and gubernatorial election years.There has long been a political test for appointing the chairman from the party of the sitting governor, the order noted.Wednesday, House Rules Committee Chairman David Lewis, R-Harnett, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Warren Daniel, R-Burke, issued a joint statement saying the General Assembly would seek an emergency stay of the entire ruling. They cited potential voter confusion which could ensue if voters think there's no formal agency enforcing election laws. Damage in Brunswick County linked to Hurricane Florence. Photo from the N.C. Department of Transportation. Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law the $793 million Hurricane Florence Disaster Recovery Act on Tuesday, Oct. 16, following unanimous legislative passage. An N.C. State University political science professor says not to expect the good vibrations to last.Andy Taylor told Carolina Journal.Taylor said.he said.Hurricane relief isn't an ideological issue, so it's hard for either party to gain advantage politically.That doesn't mean officials don't genuinely want to help. The governor has spent much of the past month visiting devastated portions of the state. He and lawmakers have churned out photos and news releases praising volunteers, consoling victims, and promising help.But Taylor said Republicans would be hard pressed to turn that into support in the Nov. 6 general election, because voters likely won't distinguish between action of the entire legislative body and the majority party. And Cooper's not up for re-election.Taylor said.One certainty is that the hurricanes displace many of the political narratives and campaign messaging.Many people are focused on hurricane recovery, not elections. Taylor believes that will most hurt underdog candidates, along with any of the six constitutional amendments lacking robust support. Senate Bill 3 passed the House and Senate unanimously Monday. It directs funding for myriad operations, including housing assistance; road and municipal infrastructure repairs; aid for public schools, universities, and community colleges; scholarships for affected students; community hospital support; mental health services; small business loans; and agricultural recovery.The plan immediately OKs $398.4 million to meet the most pressing needs and $394.5 million to be spent later after relief officials set priorities. In addition to $56.5 million previously appropriated, the total Hurricane Florence state relief funding now stands at $849,430,477.Of the current round of funding $700 million will come from the state's Rainy Day Fund. The reserve, built over a period of years under Republican-led budgeting to cushion the blow of emergencies, had about $2.1 billion.said a spokesman for Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham.the spokesman said.Recovery fund money will come from the state Highway Fund, $65 million; Education Lottery Reserve, $25 million; Shallow Draft Navigation Channel Dredging and Aquatic Weed Fund, $2 million; and $930,477 to the state Department of Insurance for Hurricane Matthew relief.Sen. Brent Jackson, R-Sampson, co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations/Base Budget Committee, said during floor debate.He said the state was battered by two 500-year floods in two years. Two school systems remain closed, andRep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield, D-Wilson, recounted stories of young children crying at night and elderly women in shock. She said she was glad the recovery act includes swift measures to deal with food assistance.State Rep. Nelson Dollar, the senior House budget writer, praised lawmakers and the Cooper administration for swiftly securing a recovery package.Dollar said.on a disaster recovery bill.Monday's action came 31 days after Florence smashed into the North Carolina coast. In contrast, the first funding bill for Hurricane Matthew disaster recovery came in December 2016, two months after the storm slammed the state, and that initial funding bill was just $200 million.Dollar said budget writers and the Cooper administration have laid out a five-year plan partly based on lessons learned from Hurricane Matthew. It is difficult to get all the relief money into the field at once - about one-third of Matthew recovery money remains unappropriated - and hasty decisions might target money for a specific use that is less pressing than other needs.Relief workers are still assessing damage.Dollar said one goal of future spending plans would direct money where it would attract the greatest federal matching shares.Rep. Charles Graham, D-Robeson, was among lawmakers pushing to clean debris and dredge channels in creeks, streams, and rivers. The lawmakers say the debris has worsened flooding in recent years. He recommended collaborating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.Graham said.Dollar said a committee to study the state's waterways will be appointed soon. At the final Hometown Debate, Tuesday, October 16, in Gastonia, from left, Rep. Kelly Alexander, D-Mecklenburg; Sen. Dan Bishop, R-Mecklenburg; moderator Loretta Boniti of Spectrum News; Americans for Prosperity state director Chris McCoy; and N.C. Justice Center analyst Brian Kennedy. (CJ photo by Will Rierson) Legislators and policy advocates debated Tuesday in Gastonia over a proposed constitutional amendment which would lower the cap on state income tax rates from 10 to 7 percent.The personal income tax now sits at a flat rate of 5.499 percent. The amendment originated as a bill in the state Senate, and featured a 5.5 percent cap. Some House members balked, and the final measure passed the legislature with the rate capped at 7 percent.Sen. Dan Bishop, R-Mecklenburg, and Americans for Prosperity state director Chris McCoy argued in favor of the amendment. Rep. Kelly Alexander, D-Mecklenburg, and N.C. Justice Center analyst Brian Kennedy argued against it. Spectrum News Senior Political Reporter Loretta Boniti moderated.The tax cap amendment is one of six voters will consider for the Nov. 6 election. Early voting opened Wednesday.Alexander said lowering the cap could limit the funding of public programs if the state experienced an economic downturn or disasters such as hurricanes.Alexander said.Alexander praised additions to the state's Rainy Day Fund made by Republicans, but said it would be depleted too quickly without a strong source of revenue.Bishop said the 10 percent income tax cap, which the state has never reached, did nothing to control tax hikes in the 2000s.Bishop said.Kennedy said preserving a graduated state income tax within the current cap would give the state money to invest in areas that voters value.Kennedy said.Bishop countered that keeping income tax rates low would cause economic growth, reducing inequality.McCoy said states with relatively low taxes, such as North Carolina, see high growth rates as people move where their income will be protected.McCoy said.Alexander said the business community cares about more than tax rates when considering investments in North Carolina.Alexander said.Alexander stressed his view that lowering the tax cap would hurt government programs that can serve as economic drivers.His statement began a series of quips between the legislators.Bishop said.Alexander said the tax cap amendment would destabilize state finances, but fiscal discipline was still possible with the current cap.Bishop responded.Bishop said.Bishop described the tax cap amendment as a new proposal in the ongoing state practice of Republican-led fiscal discipline.Bishop said.The debate was the fourth and final installment of the Hometown Debate Series, hosted in towns around the state by the N.C. Institute of Political Leadership. The series featured statewide political candidates in 2016 and education issues in 2017.The debate was held at the Gastonia Conference Center in downtown Gastonia. It will appear online in its entirety and air in edited form on Spectrum News Sunday, October 21, at 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on "In Focus with Loretta Boniti."Previous debates centered on amendments to change the judicial vacancy replacement process, enact voter ID, and change the state's board of elections appointment process. The series was sponsored by North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives, the North Carolina Sheriff's Association, and the John William Pope Foundation. Carver Heights Elementary in Goldsboro might be the next school to join the Innovative School District if the State Board of Education approves the recommendation.David Prickett, a spokesman for the ISD, confirmed Carver Heights was selected. The state education board will get the opportunity to approve or reject the recommendation at the November SBE meeting.Created in 2016 by the General Assembly, the Innovative School District allows the state to try to turn around continuously low-performing schools. The law lets the ISD pick up to five schools and match them with an education management operator for five years.Before adding Carver Heights, though, the state board and the ISD may have to overcome local opposition to the inclusion of Carver Heights, much as the ISD did with Southside Ashpole Elementary in Robeson County, the first school to join the ISD.Southside Ashpole just started its first school year under new management - Achievement for All Children, a TeamCFA-supported organization.Since becoming part of the ISD, Southside Ashpole has seen many changes. The school got a new principal, Bruce Major, who served 12 years at Sugar Creek Charter School in Charlotte. Students at Southside Ashpole began the new year with school uniforms and a new academic curriculum.Like Southside Ashpole, Carver Heights Elementary was picked because of its low academic scores. The Wayne County school earned an F on its 2016-17 N.C. school report card and has a 31 as its performance grade score. The school also failed to meet growth benchmarks.An overwhelming 90 percent of students at Carver Heights are economically disadvantaged, compared with the state average of 49.2 percent. High levels of economically disadvantaged students tend to track with low school performance.The news that Carver Heights may join the ISD has been met some pushback, as NC Policy Watch reports After Southside Ashpole was chosen, local school officials entertained the idea of closing Southside Ashpole instead of allowing it to become part of the ISD. Public Schools of Robeson County issued a joint resolution Nov. 9 with the Robeson County Board of Commissioners denouncing the ISD. But the Robeson County Board of Commissioners later said it never agreed to the resolution. The local school board eventually approved the transfer to the ISD with an unanimous vote.Prickett said.Prickett said the ISD will spend the next few weeks talking with local residents and holding conversations with various groups which may oppose the ISD.Prickett said.Wayne County Public Schools may face the same choice as the Public Schools of Robeson County did with Southside Ashpole. If the recommendation is approved by the state education board, WCPS would decide whether to go forward with the ISD or shutter Carver Heights for good. This seems plausible, but state reserves to weather a future recession are at their highest level ever, $2 billion or 9 percent of General Fund appropriations. The legislature this year even had more than half-a-billion dollars in unspent funds to accelerate recovery from Hurricane Florence and prepare for lower tax revenues in fiscal year (FY) 2019-20. Gov. Perdue in 2011 and 2012 and Gov. Cooper in 2017 and 2018 would have spent far more than the Republicans with higher taxes. As the state got control of Medicaid spending after 2013, more money was available to reduce tuition at four UNC System schools, teachers could receive larger raises, and educational opportunities could expand for families whose needs could not be met through public schools (district or charter). Legislators even raised the minimum wage for state employees, the one group that has an impact on state spending. These actions demonstrate it is possible to spend on priorities without breaking the bank. Though Christensen is right that enshrining unrealistic spending requirements in the constitution could cause trouble, the state has managed to meet existing constitutional requirements for education with prudence. It is not clear why a constitutional amendment would be needed for a higher minimum wage in the private sector, but it would have no impact on state budgets except indirectly through lower or higher tax collections depending on who is right about the economic impact. Environmental regulations would have no impact on state spending except to the extent they raise the cost of running government. This is possibly the most far-fetched element of Christensen's scenario based on history, at least with regard to the future Democratic legislature. Sales taxes were the first resort for higher taxes from 2001 through 2011. In 2001, 2003, and 2005, Gov. Mike Easley and the Democratic legislature imposed a succession of temporary half-cent sales tax increases. In 2007, they let replaced the temporary taxes with a permanent quarter-cent increase, just in time for the next recession. Then Gov. Perdue and the Democratic legislature imposed a temporary one-cent sales tax in 2009 that raised roughly $1 billion per year. There were modest surtaxes on high earners and corporations, but they provided a fraction of the revenue raised from the sales tax hike. When Republicans took office in 2011, they allowed the temporary tax to expire while Gov. Perdue fought to keep 75 percent of the tax. None of these Democratic governors, legislators, and few in the press or traditional advocates for the poor supported ending the sales tax. When the next recession comes, the desire for immediate tax revenue will outweigh concerns about the tax impact on poor and middle-class families, and Democrats will look to increase the sales tax again. Christensen got this one right. What he failed to mention and what all but eliminates the possibility of a crisis like this arising in the way presented is that the constitution gives the governor to curb spending during the year to ensure the budget finishes the year in balance, and state law ensures that government will continue to operate without passage of a budget bill. If there is no budget when the fiscal year begins on July 1, spending simply continues at the previous year's level with no action needed by the legislature or governor. Between the continuing budget authority and the governor's authority to control spending, things would not unfold this way. Rob Christensen, the venerable political reporter for the News & Observer, offers a future vision of North Carolina as Illinois , with out-of-control spending leading to failing government and bad credit. The path to this fiscal hell could begin this fall, according to Christensen, if voters approve a constitutional amendment to reduce the cap on income tax rates to 7 percent from the current 10 percent cap. There are only two problems with this vision, it completely ignores the past and misdiagnoses the cause of future disease. Let's look at how everything unfolds in this alternate universe.It would take a complete breakdown of the state's fiscal culture and institutions to bring about the nightmare scenario presented by Christensen. The governor has the authority to balance budgets mid-year and safeguards now exist to prevent a government shutdown as a budget negotiation tactic. Tax cuts have not bankrupted the state because revenues have managed to outpace spending enough for the state to build a savings reserve of $2 billion. When Democrats have sought to raise taxes in the past to deal with recessions because state government did not have adequate savings, they chose the sales tax for its quick hit of revenue, regardless of its effect on the poor and middle class. In short, lowering the constitutional cap on income tax rates to a level one-third higher than the tax rate as of January 2019 should be the least of anyone's concerns this November. Kathy Manos Penn with Lord Banjo Unless you're my age, you may not recall that Lester Maddox was governor of Georgia from 1967 - 1971, a fact that looms large in the story I tell about moving here. I'd heard all about Lester Maddox--perhaps because Mom was from Macon or maybe because Lester Maddox and his ax handles made the national news. No matter why or how, I knew enough about the man to be horrified that we were moving to Atlanta.He was famous for barring African Americans from his Pickrick restaurant in Atlanta. When a few "unacceptable" folks tried to enter the restaurant, he and his staff grabbed ax handles-yes, ax handles, and stood outside. I was telling this story just the other day when someone asked, "What are ax handles?" I'd never considered what they were exactly, but I now know they were the wooden handles for the axes-no blades attached.Consider that no eighth grader willingly changes schools, and then imagine me moving from NY to Georgia at age 13. It was a culture shock. I went from having only recently convinced my mother to allow me to wear stockings to attending a school where girls most often wore saddle oxfords and sox. I owned neither but soon remedied that situation.It was bad enough I had pierced ears and wore dangly earrings, wore short skirts, which back then meant a skirt slightly above the knee, and had a distinctive accent. When I recall those early days, I'm convinced my new classmates didn't know what to think of me. Probably my only saving grace was that my mom took us to Clarkston Baptist Church.A story I always recount is having to write 100 times, "I will say 'Yes Sir'" and coming home in tears because my English teacher kept calling me a Yankee. The daily tears prompted my father to visit Clarkston High to speak to Mr. Biggs, the English teacher. Picture my dad, a full-blooded Greek with black hair and olive complexion, dressed in what I describe as his best Mafia suit, confronting Mr. Biggs.I didn't get to hear that conversation, but it had the desired effect. And, for the record, my dad wasn't in the Mafia, though I think one of my older Italian cousins may have been. Even if he wasn't, we're all pretty sure he was a bookie.Soon enough, I made new friends, made the drill team, and was even a contestant in the Miss CHS contest. I had no special talent, so goodness knows how I managed to compete. I still remember my friend Annette winning the crown by staging a fashion show with clothes she designed and sewed.My claim to fame in high school was that Pistol Pete Maravich chose me when the yearbook staff sent him class photos of several senior girls and asked him to select the most photogenic. When they announced I'd been named Miss Angora, I was speechless. L'est you think it gave me a big head, please note that I usually say my title was Miss Goat since our mascot was an Angora ... goat. That thought will put a girl in her place.Kathy Manos Penn is a Georgia resident. Her latest book, "Lord Banjo the Royal Pooch," and her collection of columns, "The Ink Penn: Celebrating the Magic in the Everyday," are available on Amazon. Contact Kathy at inkpenn119@gmail.com. If we re-elect Frankie Waters as county commissioner, we can expect four more years like we have gotten the last four years. How do we know that? He has warned us of just that.Fake Frankie Waters, also known as King Frankie and Zip Code Waters was the guest speaker at the September 27 Beaufort County Republican Club meeting which was held at La Bella's Italian Restaurant in downtown Washington.Fake Frankie was upset about accusations that he had promised not to raise taxes when he was running in 2014. Fake Frankie strongly asserted that he had never promised anyone that he would not raise taxes. So, there; now you have it. You should have expected those tax increases and those tens of millions of increased spending along with increase in the Beaufort County payroll of 90 new jobs. We had 300 employees when Fake Frankie was elected, now we have 390.But hold on. This begs the question of what we might expect if he is re-elected.Fake Frankie said he is comfortable with what he had accomplished during the past four years. He concluded his remarks by saying: "What you got the last four years you will get the next four" if you elect him. This should be terrifying to taxpayers.Frankie acted like a typical Democrat. He voted with Democrats more than he voted with conservative Republicans. He is not ashamed of his record of raising taxes and exploding spending during the past four years. We should have expected it, according to what he is now saying. This sounds like all the Democrats I know. So, why is Fake Frankie running as a Republican?Fake Frankie is not ashamed of costing us the Belhaven hospital by supporting the illegal use of the Beaufort County Building Inspector to provide false information to the judge to get the restraining order lifted so the building could be destroyed within hours of the judge's decision. That single act cost the Belhaven/Pantego area 50 high paying jobs and eliminated competition for Vidant. That raised the cost of health care in northeast Beaufort County and Hyde County. Blue Cross recently said no competition in Eastern North Carolina was the reason for them increasing insurance rates.Four more years with Fake Frankie will mean we budget by simply adding new expenses to last year's expense. There will be no effort to reduce spending. It will mean the good ole boys will talk in the back room and only come to meetings to vote, with no debate on spending or policy issues. It will mean the Sheriff will continue to pay off his buddies with your tax money, spend excessively and not control any costs. There will probably be more law suits on the open meetings law.The taxpayers need to clip the wings of Fake Frankie by sending him home so those of us who want to save you money can get to work.Fake Frankie and his crew are now talking about a new "emergency operations center." Don't be surprised if that morphs in a new jail and Sheriff's Office and moving it somewhere other than downtown Washington.That is the kind of "leadership" we have gotten from Frankie for the last four years. Now he has warned us to expect more of the same if he is elected for another four years.You have been warned.Stop Fake, King, Zip Code Frankie Waters. On Wednesday, Yascha Mounk, lecturer on government at Harvard University, wrote a fascinating piece for The Atlantic regarding a new study from Stephen Hawkins, Daniel Yudkin, Miriam Juan-Torres and Tim Dixon, titled Hidden Tribes: A Study of America's Polarized Landscape . There's a lot of fascinating material in the report, but Mounk picks out the biggest gem: Americans hate political correctness. Or at least nearly all Americans do, the only exceptions being far-Left progressives.And who are these far-Left progressives? They're disproportionately white and upper class.So much for the narrative that PC protects minorities, and sets them in opposition to the racist white majority.According to Mounk:The poorer you are, the less likely you are to support political correctness. The more highly educated you are, the more you're likely to support political correctness.Fully 97 percent of conservatives hate PC; 61 percent of liberals do, too. But only 30 percent of progressives dislike political correctness. And according to Mounk, they're highly educated, white and rich:Compared with the rest of the (nationally representative) polling sample, progressive activists are much more likely to be rich, highly educated-and white. They are nearly twice as likely as the average to make more than $100,000 a year. They are nearly three times as likely to have a postgraduate degree. And while 12 percent of the overall sample in the study is African American, only 3 percent of progressive activists are. With the exception of the small tribe of devoted conservatives, progressive activists are the most racially homogeneous group in the country.All of which suggests that woke SJWs aren't the future - they're the past. Which is good news for the rest of the country. Australia is about to radically expand its copyright and the publishing industry has forged an unholy alliance with authors' groups to rail against fair use being formalised in Australia, rallying under the banner of "Free is not fair." Rebecca Giblin (previously), one of Australia's leading copyright scholars and the founder of a project to examine the way that authors' interests diverge from their publishers' interests. She points out that giving Australian authors more copyright won't do them any good if the highly concentrated publishing industry simply demands that all that copyright be transferred to corporate balance sheets as part of their standard contracts. It's like giving your bullied kid extra lunch money: the bullies will simply mug them for the extra money you've handed over. Because even though writers' median incomes have fallen, publishing's profitability has risen. The publishing industry does not have a profitability crisis: it has a fair distribution crisis, and additional copyrights that make publishers more profitable just make them bigger and better situated to win contract negotiations with authors. Instead of giving writers more lunch money for the publishers to take off them, Giblin talks about measures that will gives authors negotiating leverage, like rights reversions and European-style "bestseller clauses," as well as more accountability from the collecting societies that take in money on behalf of writers. Canada is going through a similarly backwards process to "fix copyright" that is headed on a collision course with the same bad outcomes that the Australian process is creating. We should also be demanding greater transparency around the distribution of revenue from the statutory licences that pay for uses in schools and universities. Those are the revenues that, in Australia, are collected by the Copyright Agency. Australia's schools pay far more to use copyrighted works than their overseas counterparts almost $17 per student, compared to around $3 in the UK and NZ. This would be laudable if that money went to supporting authors, but as far as we can tell from the Copyright Agency's reporting, publishers again take the lion's share. The Macquarie University report cited above found that authors averaged just $400 in earnings from the Copyright Agency in the 201415 financial year a similar amount to the year before compared to $1,100 earned through public lending rights. To put those figures in context, the Copyright Agency, according to its annual report, paid out a total of $103 million to copyright owners, while the combined payout to authors and publishers for public and educational lending rights in the same period was barely a fifth of that. As I've pointed out elsewhere, including in a recent submission to the Department of Communications and the Arts, it's impossible to tell from the Copyright Agency's reporting how the $103 million paid out to rightsholders is divided up between creators and investors. But it's clear that these revenue flows are very different to those in the UK, where a bargain between authors and publishers sees revenues split pretty evenly between the two. It's time to ask serious questions about how we want this public money accounted for and spent. Mechanisms outside of copyright also have a big role to play. It's a no brainer that publishers should be obliged to provide regular royalty statements that give meaningful earnings data, and that authors should have the right to an independent audit of their accounts. More provocatively, we might ask: how might things change if we required 'fair trade' labels disclosing whether or not an author was ethically paid? Fat horses & starving sparrows [Rebecca Giblin/Overland] A disheveled, rather soggy-looking white gentleman directed racial abuse and threats to a 77-year-old black woman during a Ryanair flight from Barcelona to Stansted. In the shocking video, captured by fellow passenger David Lawrence, a man can be heard referring to Mrs Gayle, a 77-year-old pensioner from East London, as an "ugly black bastard". He appears to be refusing to sit next to her and threatening to "push" her if she does not sit elsewhere. But the flight's stewards refused to move him, forcing his victim to tolerate his harassment. She asks to be moved, giving the man an entire row of seats to enjoy all to himself. A steward returns to make sure he's happy now. He is. David Lawrence, who filmed what happened, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Everything was calm, we were getting ready to take off. And then a man came on board and arrived at his seat, then spoke very harshly to a woman sitting in the aisle seat. That was what got my attention as it was very loud and very aggressive. He started to shout at the woman, saying 'get out of the way', 'move your feet', 'you shouldn't be sitting here'." Mr Lawrence said it was a "horrible, horrible situation" and that he was "shocked" that Ryanair "allowed something like this just to go unchecked". BBC presenter Jeremy Vine was among those saying the incident was "beyond belief", saying Ryanair "need to explain how this man's disgusting racial abuse of the black lady in the seat next to him ends up with HER being asked to move". At one point the stewards just walk off, forcing another passenger to physically prevent him from menacing her. As another passenger wrote: We all know who the current 'it' couples are, but we've forgotten of some weird celeb couples from the past. Briefly.co.za takes a look at some odd South African couples, as well as some break ups we were sad to see happen. PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed! 1. Thembisa Mdoda and Atandwa Khani Thembisa Mdoda and Atandwa Kani had a rather ugly break up and their relationship was also very public. At the time of the couple's break up, there were rumours that the twins she had were not Atandwa's children. She has remained silent on the issue since. 2. Boity Thulo & Katlego Maboe You would be forgiven for not knowing about this relationship. Boity spilled the tea on her and Katlego's relationship during an interview on etv's The Close Up. Boity said Katlego was her first boyfriend. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app 3. Slikour and Bonang Matheba Ah, Mzansi was left totally shattered when this power couple called it quits. Slikour posted about their break up on Facebook. It's believed Bonang had no idea he put it on social media. READ ALSO: 7 celebs show their support for Cheryl Zondi during the #OmotosoTrial 4. Cassper Nyovest and Amanda du Pont Many moons ago, Mr #FillUp and the stunning Amanda were in a relationship. They may have kept their relationship seriously private, but Cassper couldn't help but dropping all the juicy bits about their relationship in one of his songs. Do you have a story to share with us? Inbox us on our Facebook page and we could feature your story. Kanye West In Heaven. Subscribe to Briefly Cartoons for more Animated Jokes! To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play or iTunes today. Source: Briefly.co.za - South Africa's Finance Minister Tito Mboweni decided to try something new: he asked the public what they want - Mboweni asked tweeps for ideas for the upcoming budget for next week - The public was more than happy to share their ideas on the social media platform PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see Briefly news on your News Feed! Tito Mboweni hasn't been Nhlanhla Nene's replacement for very long but he's already doing things differently. The Finance Minister decided to ask ordinary South Africans what they want to happen with the upcoming Medium Term Budget Policy Statement. Mboweni took to social media and asked tweeps for ideas while asking them to not tell 'the Establishment'. Let us do something unusual which will annoy the Establishment. If you were Minister of Finance, what would you announce on Wednesday next week. It is time for the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS). Over to you. Dont tell the Establishment about this tweet!! PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app South Africans were more than happy to give Mboweni their ideas and thoughts: @ricardomackenzi - Announce to save South Africa money I will immediately Advise the President cut the Cabinet in half and #SellSAA. Sell the Ministerial houses in Cape Town. @OdiLosaba - Announce a revised ministerial handbook which will see Ministers drive Cars worth R700k max and R600k max for Dep Ministers, MECs, Mayors and Premiers. Force Municipalities to get Treasury approval before doing deviations, enforce strict 30 day payment rule to SMMEs. @Mbele_Roberts - For a start use the words Radical & Innovation interchangeably - show us a brand new way of running the economy, not just adjusting tax, or equity figures in mining, finance & redistributing parcels of land - lets hear big ideas that move SA into the new digital economy @MathandaNcube - Slash cabinet perks. Ministers must buy own homes and own cars. @palesa_morudu - Fire the Establishment. @ALSITRADER - 10% pay cut for all government employees will save you R56.7 billion a year. If you are really brave fire another 10% and that is R120 billion saved a year. Use 120 billion to educate poor how to run small business preferably in townships. Support small startups in those areas, reduce taxes for new companies. READ ALSO: North West MEC Hoffman Galeng to explain the R600k security detail at his home How do you feel about Mboweni's attempt to involve South Africans? Let us know on our Facebook page and we could be sharing your thoughts and views. Enjoy the In My Feelings Drake Dance Challenge: When You Are Tired of It head over to Briefly South Africa's YouTube channel for more awesome videos. To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play or iTunes today. Source: Briefly.co.za It's no secret that there is no love lost between EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivambu and Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan. In a recent online rant, Shivambu threw some explosive claims around. PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see Briefly news on your News Feed! Shivambu recently shared a blog post that outlined what he thinks of Gordhan and he did not hold back. The accusations made by the EFF second-in-command had heads turning and mouths gaping, according to a report by The South African. Please note: The opinions are that of Floyd Shivambu and do not represent or reflect the views of Briefly.co.za. Here's a brief look at what Shivambu had to say: 1. Gordhan was ok with the Guptas' criminal activities According to Shivambu, not only did the Public Enterprises Minister know about the financial crimes of the Gupta family, he was in on it with them. He says Gordhan knew that the family was Jacob Zuma's biggest financial funder and he only tried to expose the after he was overlooked by Zuma. 2. Gordhan has capture SA's media Shivambu seems to adore conspiracy theories. He's convinced that big media entities like the Daily Maverick and Sunday Times are under Gordhan's control. They allegedly publish lies and pretend it's investigative reports. 3. Gordhan runs the secret Cabal that controls SA Another conspiracy theory by Shivambu. He says Gordhan has been in control of things from behind the scenes for years now. According to Shivambu, Gordhan operates from the shadows and has input on all the important decisions in the country. He added that Trevor Manuel, Deputy Governor of SARB Kuben Naidoo and Ismael Monimat are also involved. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app 4. Indians were well looked after by Gordhan Shivambu's (and really the EFF's) constant opinions on Indian South Africans are borderline racist. According to Shivambu's blog, Gordhan showed favouritism to Indians during his time as SARS commissioner. 5. Gordhan used to be Zuma's biggest fan Shivambu insists that Gordhan and Zuma were thick as thieves. He added that Gordhan was the key enforcer for Zuma's 2012 Elective Conference win. That was until things got sour when he was not re-appointed as Minister of Finance in 2014. Shivambu says Zuma made himself an enemy of Pravin (and the Cabal of Pravin) when he took away his power. 6. Gordhan hurried the VBS investigations for personal reasons According to Shivambu, Gordhan only wanted the looting of VBS Mutual Bank investigated as soon as possible so he can retain his hold over SARS, the National Treasury, SARB and the FIC. READ ALSO: Parliament confirms it will investigate Floyd Shivambu over VBS scandal 7. Gordhan influenced the media about the 'rogue unit' reports Shivambu is often looking down on the SA media and this time he said Gordhan heavily influenced them. He says Gordhan's appointment as Finance Minister in 2015 forced media top dog Sunday Times to report an apology about the 'rogue unit' within SARS. 8. Limpopo was taken down by Gordhan Shivambu says Gordhan was behind the move that put Limpopo into administration. He alleges that Gordhan did this because he wanted to take down any possible opposition against Zuma. 9. Gordhan financially looked after himself - unlawfully Shivambu's blog also claims that Gordhan procured shares in over 40 businesses and corporations and this was not an act of neutrality. Shivambu says Gordhan placed his own interest above that of the country. Shivambu ended his rant by laying out a plan to get rid of Gordhan and the Cabal. He wants Gordhan to be removed from the government. All of these opinions are that of Floyd Shivambu and while he may believe in them completely, others can't help but see "conspiracy theory" stamped all over his blog. Do you have news that might interest us? Message us on our Facebook page and we could feature your story. Watch the Cartoon Comedy: What Happened To Mary? and take a look at what else is happening on Briefly South Africa's YouTube channel. To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play or iTunes today. Source: Briefly.co.za - The Tanzanian billionaire Mohammed Dewji who was kidnapped 10 days ago has been safely released - According to Mohammed, his kidnappers spoke a South African language - The police already have the name of the owner of the car used by Mohammed's kidnappers PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see Briefly news on your News Feed! The billionaire who was kidnapped by armed men and held for ransom was released on Saturday. Tanzanian Mohammed Dewji returned home unharmed and relieved to be safe and sound again. Shockingly, it is now reported that his kidnappers were South African. Mohammed said they talked a South African language. The Tanzanian police already have the name of the owner of the vehicle used by the kidnappers. They also gathered that the kidnappers came from a neighbouring country, now believed to be SA. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app Briefly.co.za gathered that 27 people have been arrested and 8 of them are still in police custody. IOL News reports that Mohammed's kidnappers were afraid to approach his parents for the ransom money they wanted and eventually just gave up and released him on Saturday morning. He was released in Tanzania's economic capital city Dar es Salaam. The young man thanked everyone who prayed for his safe return. He also gave a special thanks to the Tanzanian police for relentlessly working to find him and his kidnappers. READ ALSO: Government blowing millions on maintaining at least 3 long-term vacant ministerial homes Mohammed was kidnapped at gunpoint from a hotel gym in Dar es Salaam on Thursday 11 October. The investigation is ongoing. Do you have a good (or bad) story that needs to be told? Inbox us on Facebook and we could be sharing your story with our readers. Laugh at this silly video: Kim Kardashian And Donald Trump - What Unites Them? and take a look at what else is happening on Briefly South Africa's YouTube channel. To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play or iTunes today. Source: Briefly.co.za - Mmamathe Makhekhe-Mokhuane, SARS IT chief apologised for her recent conduct - She conceded that her behaviour wasn't professional and made her look very bad - Mmamathe apologised to anyone she offended and disappointed PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see Briefly news on your News Feed! SARS' IT chief officer Mmamathe Makhekhe-Mokhuane and her behaviour during an interview and her appearance before the Nugent Commission have been the talk of the town lately. Mmamathe has since apologised for her conduct. She said she thought about what had happened and realised she was unprofessional. My conduct, posture, and demeanour during both the Morning Live interview and Nugent Commission may have given an impression of arrogance, nonchalance, and unprofessionalism, and brought my competence and expertise into question. Mmamathe added that she took responsibility for it all. She went on to apologise to anyone she offended and disappointed. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app IOL News reports that Mmamathe also said there is no justification or excuse for how she behaved. I apologise unreservedly for letting so many people down and for appearing to have fallen short of the highest standards of professionalism and competence that my colleagues and peers have come to know me. Briefly.co.za reported on how SARS made the strategic decision to task Mmamathe with clarifying the current state of affairs and allay concerns. Sadly, it seems a decision that has backfired dramatically based on the interview conducted. The interview left people confused and frustrated. READ ALSO: North West MEC Hoffman Galeng to explain the R600k security detail at his home Do you have news that might interest us? Message us on our Facebook page and we could feature your story. Enjoy the Pastors Joke: What Are Pastors Talking About? and check out what else is going on at Briefly South Africa's YouTube channel. To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play or iTunes today. Source: Briefly.co.za News / Africa by City Press A fresh bid to nullify the election of President Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC leader is under way, with unhappy party members claiming that Ramaphosa was elected by bogus Mpumalanga branches at the party's national elective conference in Nasrec, southern Johannesburg, in December.This is the latest development as sharp divisions within the ANC continue to hinder Ramaphosa's unity project and weaken the party further ahead of next year's general election.Concerned ANC members, including unsuccessful presidential candidate Mathews Phosa's former campaign manager, Ronnie Malomane, submitted supplementary documents to the Mpumalanga Circuit Court of the Pretoria High Court last week on Friday in a bid to have the party's Mpumalanga provincial executive committee (PEC) disbanded and a task team appointed.The court postponed the case to December 13. If the court action succeeds, this could have far-reaching implications for Ramaphosa's legitimacy as ANC leader. Delegates from Mpumalanga played a critical role in his election.Concerned members allege that the PEC was elected illegally because bogus branches were allowed to participate at the provincial conference in 2015. At that conference David "DD" Mabuza, who is now the country's second-in-command, was re-elected for a third term as the provincial chairperson.They are complaining that "illegitimate" branches held general meetings in preparation for the list conference to select candidates for the provincial legislature and National Assembly.He said this meant the credentials that were adopted at the ANC's national elective conference in Nasrec were illegal, as bogus branches participated at the conference."Mpumalanga came to the Nasrec conference with 508 branches; 108 bogus branches participated in the Nasrec conference. I fear that something bad is going to happen. We have been talking to Luthuli House but they are dilly-dallying," he said.Malomane warned that the ANC would be disappointed if the issue was not resolved amicably."They say we must talk to the province. How do you talk to a perpetrator? We are now pulling the trigger. The court will help us," he said.The ANC's national executive committee member deployed in Mpumalanga, Gwen Ramokgopa, said the issue would be approached in a "comradely" manner."All I can say now is that we facilitated a process of dialogue and identified areas of dispute. We trust the process will be approached in a comradely manner to ensure that all constitutional obligations are met and to foster unity," Ramokgopa said.She said the ANC had to focus more on improving services to ordinary citizens.The ANC in Mpumalanga is still battling to fill vacancies that were created within the PEC after Mabuza, his former deputy Violet Siwela and PEC member Mashego Dlamini were elected on to the ANC national executive committee at the party's national conference in December.Malomane accused Mabuza of imposing his own successor on the ANC in the province."Currently ANC provincial leaders are conflicted. Remember DD Mabuza said he wanted Mandla Ndlovu to succeed him. We don't have a chieftaincy in the ANC. Mandla can't lead us. He can't even make his own decisions. We have nothing against Mabuza, we just want him to stop controlling the province remotely," he said.Malomane said they were backing former PEC member Peter Nyoni to become the provincial chairperson.ANC Mpumalanga acting secretary Lindiwe Mabona-Ntshalintshali said the party would respond at an "appropriate" time. News / National by CNN There are few things more liberating than travel -- although some passports offer more freedom than others.A new report published October 9, 2018, reveals just how many borders some travel documents can cross.According to the Henley Passport Index , compiled by global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & PartnersCitizens, Japan now has the most powerful passport on the planet.Having gained visa-free access to Myanmar earlier this month, Japanese citizens can now enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a whopping 190 destinations around the world -- knocking Singapore, with 189 destinations, into second place.Germany, which began 2018 in the top spot, is now in third place with 188 destinations, tied with France and South Korea.Uzbekistan lifted visa requirements for French nationals on October 5, having already granted visa-free access to Japanese and Singaporean citizens in early February.South Korea gained visa-free access to Myanmar on October 1, while Paraguay removed visa requirements for Singaporean passport holders in 2017.Movers and shakersThe United States and the UK, both with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 186 destinations, are in fifth place. With neither having gained entry to any new jurisdictions this year, it seems unlikely that either will soon reclaim the No.1 spot they held in 2015.Russia has fallen to 47th position, despite having received a boost in September when Taiwan announced a visa-waiver for Russian nationals.The United Arab Emirates is the decade's biggest success story when it comes to travel freedom. It's risen from 62nd place in 2006 to now being No. 21 in the rankings.It's also recently signed a visa-waiver agreement with Russia, due to come into effect in the coming months.China recently obtained access to St. Lucia and Myanmar and is now in 71st place, having climbed 14 places since the start of 2017.Christian H. Kalin, Group Chairman of Henley & Partners, commented in a statement on "the extraordinary results that states can achieve when they work hand in hand with their global peers to build a more interconnected and collaborative world."China and the UAE exemplify this kind of progress, with both states among the highest overall climbers compared to 2017, purely as a result of the strong relationships they have built with partner countries around the world."Henley Passport Index power ranking1. Japan: 1902. Singapore: 1893. Germany, France, South Korea: 1884. Denmark, Finland, Italy, Sweden, Spain: 1875. Norway, United Kingdom, Austria, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, United States: 1866. Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, Canada: 1857. Australia, Greece, Malta: 1838. New Zealand, Czech Republic: 1829. Iceland: 18110. Hungary, Slovenia, Malaysia: 18077. Zimbabwe: 66So which passports offer the least mobility?Joint last place on the updated Henley Passport Index list are Afghanistan and Iraq, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 30 jurisdictions, just below Syria and Somalia (32) and Pakistan (33).Other indexesHenley & Partner's list is one of several indexes created by financial firms to rank global passports according to the access they provide to their citizens.The Henley Passport Index is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. It is updated in real time throughout the year, as and when visa policy changes come into effect.Arton Capital's Passport Index takes into consideration the passports of 193 United Nations member countries and six territories -- ROC Taiwan, Macao (SAR China), Hong Kong (SAR China), Kosovo, Palestinian Territory and the Vatican. Territories annexed to other countries are excluded.Its 2018 index put Singapore and Germany on top, with a score of 165, followed by Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Italy, France, Norway, Netherlands, Spain, South Korea and the US, all with a score of 164. The Nomad Passport Index, meanwhile, ranks 199 citizenships on five factors: visa-free travel, international taxation, perception, dual citizenship and personal freedom.According to its 2017 list, the most desirable passports come from Sweden, followed by Belgium. Spain and Italy tied for third, with Ireland rounding out the top five. News / National by Zifiso Masiye Our rations of overnight snacks packed, our cold-water bottles stashed away, perchance some juice or can of Miranda, warm clothing and a blanket each, here Bible, there a novel in hand and DJ Mjoks on Esabantu radio station my wife and I are set for the night of long queues.Condemned to separate bedrooms tonight, each to their long-winding fuel queue, in the opposite ends of the City of Kings, we have sought comfort in the chill-pill, treating this as we do some of those dreary funeral wakes (which it is hardly different from) where, from either gender-camp of the house, man and wife mourn a dead body as they chat the night away on WhatsApp. Professions and careers are decidedly parked. We too partake and share in the grim humour and gross banter that the rest of Zimbabweans "queue-cumbers" have reduced their living misery to, an impoverished nation of glorified motley clowns.The sheer banality of perverted jokes and crass double-entendre exchanging on social media points to a debased society in deep denial. Yet it does nothing to conceal the deep deposits of raw pain, resigned despair and muted anger that simmers in the heart and flows in the blood-veins of every citizen, in every queue, in every nook and corner of the country,-PFee,-PFar and-PFoo alike!You can hardly miss the unsaid story and personal jeopardy of each of the bemused citizens when, in sincere search for answers, they look deep in your eyes and ask "What really is happening to us and just when shall this end?" Although everyone offers some sort of answer, clearly, just as in those "uzimu" funerals none has one. My answer to my train of "queue-leagues" is captured on the evening bulletin, for its 10pm, and as surely as we wallow in only one of hundreds of fuel queues across the city, the super- corky ZBC reports, with unabashed pride that Zimbabwe has enough fuel reserves in stock for now and the next 90 days. Citizens, government reckons, have connived to imagine commodity shortages into actual reality!Beneath the light-hearted exchange and social tete-a-tete, behind the creative invective and sly comedy, lies a discernible twisted psychology of real social trauma. My own story in the fuel queue tonight is only a tiny, if conservative mirror of the reality of Zimbabwe.For, having queued all day to achieve the feat of clearing the truck, my wife and I need the diesel badly to get us across the border to spend, at least one normal afternoon in Francistown, feeling nearly like humans, buying some bread, some oil, some sugar, mineral water, a Coca-cola and the most ridiculous of basic groceries. Yet, should I be lucky to get to the tank by dawn and to secure the said allocation of 20 litres, I shall still need a benevolent Commissioner's precious affidavit to scrutinise my CV and assess my need before registering my jerry can for another 20 litres and for the generator for home-lighting.From her own slow petrol queue, after sending me a couple of hilarious WhatsApp gibberish about a husband, fuel queues and small houses, and about the new found safety of errant husbands from cooking oil burn attacks, I should have known and laughed my last because the very next set of "love bites" of messages are furious memos of "final demand" from city council and our daughter's foreign university! As we cross over midnight and inched closer to the tank, she further punctuates the sleaze and social media hilarity with another couple of not-so-funny "love bites". She is going to need time and God's grace to raise a reasonable amount of Pulas for our shopping at the just emerging "mid-night" currency rate, while she has learnt that my old queen requires urgent medication for some ailment.You see I had just spent a depressing day in a queue with mom's 80-year-old frail sister, Juliet. She was very frail, ill-disposed and in grave pain. Having lost memory of stuff and the whereabouts of her I.D, the abusive dim-wits at Mpilo Hospital would not allow the obviously aged, ailing queen both her entitlement to free treatment and the obvious courtesy to skip the queue, even as she literally gasped for breath. By mid-day, seven patients before her turn to see the physician, having shoved and shifted on those hard benches since day-break, boom! came the bombshell. The discourteous nurse managing the queue announces curtly: "The doctor, like all other doctors in the hospital, is off to his private rooms for the rest of the day, he shall only see another two patients!" And off she vanishes.Not just about my mom's sickly, emaciated sister, but that huge waiting hall, packed with the most miserable picture of aged invalids, needy, groaning, helpless citizens in pain! The kind of television picture you associate with the worst pockets of human misery Afghanistan or Bangladesh. It was that moment that grips and never leaves your mind.. and only two thoughts scream out: God, but why? And no, such is not a government!Even in her frail 80s Juliet is the strongest most indefatigable woman-power I know. She confronted the white doctor and demanded to be seen in her eloquent, exotic English. And she had her way. One long list of medical prescriptions later, we bumped into decidedly slammed doors in just about every pharmacy. We joined the long queue at the only available pharmacies. Understandably none accepts the "bond paper". The one that did rated at 12 times higher. Soon inevitably, we were at Zimbabwe's permanent queue, the Western Unionthe greatest indicator of our sick country. There to join a hundred more miserable faces that joke about their misery!Back to my queue tonight. My brain spinning mad, with strings of depressing news from her phone by 2:30am on the great advise of an experienced husband, the guy behind me I decided I would report a dying battery to dear wife.Sending my final message that I expected to be home by around 5am, I duly blocked her number and caught a nap. I woke up to chat to whoever made small talk and didn't share any potentially depressing responsibility with me. Then came her retort, on unblocking "Make sure to take Zothile to school, I will only get petrol around 8am! Love you!" In a week, a professional's life can be consumed by four days of queue-time.Apparently we have another four years of government in our bedrooms and Q-country!Zii Masiye (ziimasiye@gmail.com) writes elsewhere on social media as Balancing Rocks. News / National by Staff reporter A QUIET wedding ceremony in India 37 years ago involving a young man of Asian origin and his Zimbabwean fiancee Parul Kothari has turned out to be a boon for the community of Bulawayo South in Zimbabwe.The groom, Raj Modi, who is now a successful businessman and politician, has earned the title "The Jewel of Bulawayo" from residents due to his philanthropic activities in the city.Modi told The Standard Style in an exclusive interview last Monday that at the time of the wedding, when he was then a 22-year-old, he never fathomed that he would make history in Zimbabwe's general elections by becoming the first Zanu-PF candidate in 18 years to win a parliamentary seat in Bulawayo, an MDC Alliance stronghold.What makes the Bulawayo businessman's recent election victory a talking point is that the opposition party has been claiming all the 12 seats in elections it has not boycotted since the 2000 elections.The icing on the cake, according to residents interviewed, is that the Bulawayo South legislator is keeping his election promises by empowering small businesses and vendors through the provision of loans to boast their business ventures in a region where industry has collapsed due to years of economic decay under former president Robert Mugabe's regime.A 59-year-old woman who stays in Montrose, Nelia Murefu, could not hide her joy as she revealed Modi's path to victory in a diverse constituency that includes Newton west, Montrose, Tshabalala and Nketa suburbs, among others.The businessman's philanthropic efforts have made him a "jewel" in the constituency Murefu said, citing a case where he revamped the dilapidated and neglected Sidojiwe hostels."Thumbs up to honourable Raj Modi, you are a jewel in our constituency. The businessman and his family runs the Modi Family Trust that assists small businesses with start-up capital," Murefu said."He has also revamped the Sidojiwe hostels, they now have individual toilets. To have good sanitation is everyone's desire and the Sidojiwe community is grateful to him especially the children he takes care of."The cherry on the top is he has decided to forgo his salary from government and channel it towards the less privileged. We adore him for that."Following his appointment as Industry and Commerce deputy minister, Modi now faces another challenge of making Zimbabwe's industry work again.He said he was unperturbed by the seemingly Herculean task as his heart always lay with making Bulawayo industry tick again.He urged Zimbabweans to be patient and remain united in efforts to resuscitate the economy."My heart lies with the people of Bulawayo and I thank the president for showing his faith in me by appointing me as minister," Modi said."I urge all Zimbabweans to be patient with this government. We will make industry tick again."All this is coming from a man who once worked as a cashier in India before rising to become one of the leading businessmen in Zimbabwe's second largest city. His company, Sai Enterprises, has created over a thousand jobs and is set to create more jobs following the installation of his $7 million solar equipment plant in partnership with Indian firm Kanti Council Services in Belmont.Modi said he was setting up a smartphone and laptop assembling plant that would create 500 jobs. News / National by Staff reporter One of the sons of former Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe has allegedly been pressuring Gabriella Engels to drop the charges against his mother.Engels is the Joburg model who filed assault charges against the country's former first lady Grace Mugabe last year.AfriForum represents Engels in the high-profile case."We were contacted by Gabriella Engels informing us that one of Mrs Mugabe's sons in South Africa contacted her and tried to convince her not to go ahead with the case."We have informed the police that they should look at this because it is interference with the judicial process and we believe that is very unfortunate," AfriForum chief executive Kallie Kriel said in Pretoria. "That case, we believe will be going ahead (in courts)."In July, the high court in Joburg declared the government's decision to grant Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity unconstitutional and set it aside.Mugabe allegedly assaulted Engels at a hotel in August last year, but she has claimed that she acted in self-defence.On social media, Engels posted pictures of a gash on her forehead, allegedly sustained when Mugabe hit her with an electric extension cord.The attack allegedly took place at Sandton's The Capital 20 West hotel. News / National by newzimbabwe Takavafira Zhou, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president says Zimbabwean teachers' wages have now diminished to a paltry US$75 if converted to the more stable foreign currency.In a statement Saturday, Zhou supported the demands by the Zimbabwe Teachers Association for educators to be paid their wages in foreign currency."The current erosion of teachers' salaries calls for an urgent intervention by government to restore some semblance of sanity and protect teachers from becoming miserable," Zhou said."Fundamentally, October has seen the value of the bond devaluing drastically so much that a teacher's salary in bond is less than US$75."That there is need to use the US$, pula and rand to stabilise our economy is more real than apparent. Any other claims of a 1:1 bond to US$ ratio is a tissue of misrepresentation."Zhou said among some of the reasons teachers should be paid in foreign currency was because when salary negotiations were last made between them and their employer, they were all talking in US dollar terms."Current salaries were negotiated in foreign currency and 'bondirising' them is tantamount to unfair labour practice."'Bondirisation' of salaries has greatly eroded teachers' salariesprices of available goods are sky-rocketing while the bond is becoming worthless."The PTUZ chief said local shops and pharmacies have pegged available goods and medicines against foreign currency while medical aid schemes have become "virtually useless"."Drs are demanding cash upfront pegged against foreign currency," he said, adding that teachers were "a vital cog of societal development whose respect and dignity in society must be maintained in order to achieve quality public education by 2030"."The government cannot entrust the future generation and development of the country to hungry, poor and miserable teachers," he said.Government is however yet to respond to the teachers' calls for foreign currency wages. News / National by Staff reporter POLICE have reportedly sought search and seizure warrants against named top Zanu PF officials and former Cabinet ministers as government begins swooping on cash barons and suspected economic saboteurs following the unexplained rise in prices on basic commodities, NewsDay Weekender reported.This came as President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday warned that the government would swoop on cash barons, economic saboteurs and those suspected to be behind other illicit deals in the country.Speaking after being installed as the new Bindura University of Science Education chancellor yesterday, Mnangagwa said there were individuals behind the parallel market and manipulating the economy to cause artificial shortages."The net is closing in on the gluttonous individuals and government will soon name, shame and bring them to book," he said.As of yesterday, the United States dollar-bond note exchange rates on the parallel market were hovering around 350% for real time gross settlement transfers, although most dealers were operating in hiding and only handling transactions with their known clients.According to police sources, search warrants were obtained against the senior Zanu PF officials, among them two former Cabinet ministers and a legislator and prominent businessman.Police insiders said the search warrants were obtained on Thursday afternoon before Harare provincial magistrate Elisha Singano and were due to be executed "anytime"."Some Zanu PF officials are suspected to be funding these money changers. The raids include companies linked to them, all financial transactions and searching premises of their companies and places of residence," a source said.The MP last night said he was not aware of any search warrant against him."I don't deal in forex, I deal in land," the businessman said.Another former minister also said his hands were clean while expressing ignorance of the existence of a search warrant."I am also looking for cash (just like everyone else)," he saidAnother ex-minister's phone was not reachable yesterday.Also targeted were foreigners owning businesses, but were not banking cash as required by law.These businesses, according to the sources, were reportedly mopping out the US dollar for externalisation.NewsDay Weekender heard that some banks and senior figures at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) were also suspected to be abetting and fanning the US dollar black market activities.The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission head of investigation, Goodson Nguni, said the anti-graft body was not involved in the operation, suggesting that it was either the police or the special anti-corruption unit in the President's Office."Check with the police or that special unit headed by Thabani Mpofu, they could be the one carrying out the operation," Nguni said.Mpofu said he was unaware of the search warrants, but referred all questions to the acting Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi."I don't know anything, maybe talk to the acting PG. He might assist. I have no clue on what you are asking," Mpofu said.Hodzi was said to be in a meeting by an aide who picked up the call and promised the acting AG would return calls when free.He had not done so by the time of going to print, as his mobile phone was also no longer being answered.Finance minister Mthuli Ncube told State broadcaster on Thursday night that authorities were closing in on money changers, who have been accused of fuelling price hikes and creating artificial shortages in the market.Ncube said he was not aware that some senior Zanu PF officials were involved in illicit deals, but warned action would be taken against those trading on the parallel money market."I don't know who is involved, but what we know for certain is that someone is fuelling these illicit deals and authorities are attending to that," Ncube said as he exonerated the central bank from the activities.Mnangagwa last week said he was now treating money changers as a security threat, as they were wreaking havoc in the economy."A great threat to our bid to stimulate productive activity in the economy comes by way of non-productive, speculative activities operating below the radar, but involving millions in precious foreign currency and bond notes," Mnangagwa wrote in a weekly State paper."These nefarious activities thrive on different electronic platforms. New measures will be pursued to stop such malpractices."RBZ governor John Mangudya also condemned the illegal practice for hurting the economy and affecting ordinary Zimbabweans. News / National by Staff reporter The ex-model wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has spoken out about her bandaged hands and a harrowing story of an explosion that rocked a Zanu-PF rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo that could have ended in her being amputated.In an interview at her Harare home, Marry Chiwenga said she was undergoing treatment for injuries sustained from the bomb attack which apparently targeted President Emmerson Mnangagwa.She also denied claims that she was bleaching her skin together with her husband, saying the hand injuries were the result of the Bulawayo bombing.At least 49 people, including both of Zimbabwe's vice presidents Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, were injured by the explosion that occurred close to the VIP podium immediately after Mnangagwa finished his speech.Still looking vivacious, it was clear she was not fully healed, with hands wrapped in bandages that extended up her slightly-swollen hands to her elbows.She said her husband - who was also admitted at a top South African hospital where he was discharged last Wednesday and flew back home via Manyame Airbase - was also on the mend.The public acknowledgment is a rare disclosure of a health matter in the top echelons of the state.Ailing top officials usually treat such issues as grave national security secrets, a closely guarded secret even as they appear frail in public.In the rare interview with the Daily News on Sunday, she said the couple were taking care of each other as they recover from the condition.Marry said they were doing fine and are not in critical condition as claimed on social media."Why are people concerned about my sickness in that way? They should instead be praying for me. Was I not part of the bomb blast in Bulawayo where some people even lost their lives? People should be asking how their families are carrying on," she told the Daily News on Sunday."I have these bandages on but my hands are no longer swollen, the bandages are to cover the wounds from infection. Yes, my hands and legs were affected during that bomb blast, but I am recovering well. I feel fine. I even go to work and I even drive, I have carried on living as I used to. But you can't expect the effects to just disappear."I read somewhere where they were saying the Health minister (deputy minister John Mangwiro) was babysitting us. No, we do not need anyone to take care of us. He (Chiwenga) is taking care of me and I am taking care of him," she said of her husband.The Daily News on Sunday also asked her about the woman who claimed to be Chiwenga's niece who got a "prophecy" from South Africa-based prophet Alph Lukau, claiming that Chiwenga was a victim of witchcraft.Marry said they did not even know the woman and that they did not have relatives in South Africa."No, she's not a relative, I do not know her and the VP does not know her, and to be honest I didn't see any prophecy there because the woman had said the name.Whatever he said about witchcraft I don't know, I know what the doctors told us," Marry said. News / National by Staff reporter Vice President Retired General Constantino Chiwenga has urged Zimbabweans to be united in building the country's economy which has been distorted by unscrupulous individuals bent on profiteering.The Vice President was speaking to thousands of people from Wedza who gathered at his homestead in Chigondo area for a thanksgiving mass.Let us all unite and build our nation which has been destroyed by some selfish individuals who are bent on profiteering," he said.Chiwenga also took a swipe at false prophets who are concentrating on fake prophesies mainly to do with people's health and deaths at the expense of preaching peace and love."I see there are some people who are specialising on false prophesy like one called Talent who should be stopped. Let them be warned," he said.The public appearance of Dr Chiwenga, who has not been well but has since recovered and looked fit speaking for over half an hours, was welcomed by the Zanu PF leadership from Mashonaland East led by Politburo member, Dr Sydney Sekeramayi.The thanksgiving mass was conducted by Father Willie Muzondiwa of the Mt. St. Marys Parish and Father Riberio from Highfield, Harare.Dr Chiwenga took part in the entire service and later laid wreaths at the family shrine in memory of his family members.The service was attended by several cabinet ministers, the Deputy Chief Secretary Presidential Communications George Charamba, close family members, legislators from Mashonaland East Province, political leaders and traditional leaders from the province as well as Masvingo and Matabeleland. News / National by Staff reporter The government is set to introduce performance dashboards to monitor and keep in check progress being made by ministries as well as performances of provinces as devolution takes shape.While President Emmerson Mnangagwa has committed that his government will soon implement the devolution concept, indications are that performance dashboards will be used to measure and rate production across all sectors ranging from health, education and economic development.Speaking during a provincial education merit awards ceremony in Marondera, Mashonaland East Minister, Appolonia Munzverengi said performance of government ministries will also be tracked to evaluate and identify areas needing further development."The government will soon introduce a dashboard that will be used by President Mnangagwa to monitor and rate performances of government ministries and provinces. This will be effected to push for best results," she said.Late last year, the government hinted that it was set to introduce wholesome changes to the national governance architecture by comprehensively decentralising and devolving power and authority, including fiscal, investment and economic responsibilities to each of the country's 10 provinces.Harare Metropolitan Province will be Zimbabwe's ICT nerve centre, while Bulawayo will be the country's industrial hub.Manicaland Province will host the diamond beneficiation centre, with Midlands the iron and steel value-chain beneficiation centre. Opinion / Columnist Mbonisi Gumbo of MRP offers a post-mortem and surgical assessment of the 2018 Elections. Mbonisi Gumbo is MRP's founding Secretary for Information and Publicity. In this wide ranging interview we are holding Mr Gumbo's feet to the fire and demand accountability. Interviewer- Thulani Nkala (TN) and interviewee-Mbonisi Gumbo(MG).TN: The elections have come and gone. Your party was formed some time before the election year and it was its first time to contest the polls and got defeated. How would you rate and view the performance of your party during the July 30 elections?MG: Our party was precisely formed some time in 2013, before it was officially launched on January 11 2014 in Bulawayo. We have explained before that as a party we went into the July 30th elections for strategic purposes. We intentionally wanted to unlock the International community avenues for our struggle, we wanted the much needed international attention, we wanted to use the campaign period to launch our struggle to another level, as we continue enlighten our people. The aims and objectives of participating were successfully met.I am glad to announce to you that the performance of the party was excellent, the seed of success was planted and from here onward the trajectory is clear. We entered these elections with our eyes open and with the unsurpassed clarity of the mind. We understood that we were starting a new thing which was never experienced before, which is what they call regional politics in the Zimbabwean context yet we call it national politics and the vanguard of Mthwakazi nation. We managed during the elections to attract a lot of media attention, locally and internationally, we attracted international observers and journalists. Most of them are still in touch with us, as they realised that our case is real and here to stay until Mthwakazi is free.Right now we are working tirelessly to relaunch the International lobby committee as was previously planned.TN: What is your view of the electoral process, prior, during and post the polls?MG: My view is that the Zimbabwean electoral processes are flawed, and are easily manipulated to the advantage of the ruling party. Unlike the MDC Alliance and ZANU PF, during the campaigns we had no access to the press. We also lacked funding to stage or unleash an effective and competitive campaign, however, with limited resources we worked tirelessly and our people are clearly beginning to notice.The same ZANU PF uses state resources as well as government institutions to fund itself and campaign for itself, which is illegal and a clear breach of the Constitution. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is still not independent as it should be, ZANU PF still have unlimited access to State resources, as well as unlimited and unholy influence on the running of this country's government.The winner takes all election process, as well as the Harmonized election system should be abolished. There should be electoral reforms. The Parliamentary and local government elections must be separated to avoid the current scenario where everything is concentrated on the presidency while neglecting the local government. This must stop.TN: Considering the defeat of your party in the elections, some people say we told you not to participate and legitimise the elections, do you think that your party will survive or do you have any future plans to extricate it from the doldrums of electoral defeat?Nobody can stop an idea whose time has come, we are gaining traction on the ground. We will consolidate and move forward with speed and precision. The party will survive, mind you we did not participate to win the elections we participated for strategic reasons which were well articulated before the election and all the aims were met, actually we surpassed our planned outcomes. We are glad and move forward our heads held high.We knew before participating that elections were going to be rigged, that is why we located our strategic thrust outside of what the riggers could influence.We previously explained that we have a three point plan that is Short term plan, medium term plan and the long term plan we wish to follow that arrangement as it is.Short Term Plan; Our short term plan is based on human mobilization, setting up party structures, locally and abroad, while trying by all means to unite the nation of Mthwakazi, participate in elections and all other internationally acceptable political means to achieve our goal. We expect to work hard to make sure we win all Matabeleland Parliamentary seats, take control of local governance in all Mthwakazi councils without fail. We have good reasons why we need this political power and many people do agree with us on this vision.Medium term plan; is where we are now, looking at bread and butter issues that affect our people on a daily basis. We are working out a move that will see us officially engaging the new administration over the issue of Devolution of power, we also want to protect our people from marginalization when it comes to the sharing of the national cake. We all know that the national cake is shared according to tribe, region, nepotism, party affiliation, and so on. Which all affect and works against our people.The long Term: international lobbying, making sure that our people get Justice on the Gukurahundi genocide, as we work towards gaining our independence.TN: Your party has an agenda of restoring the Mthwakazi state, some have said it is a pipe dream or a pie in the sky, do you think it is achievableand how do you plan to achieve it?MG: It is very true that our party advocates for the Restoration of Mthwakazi, we are very much convinced that it is an achievable agenda. On this one it is essential to keep evolving as a party, keep growing and accepting new talent into our ranks. We will gladly have a mix of different talents, already we have started receiving new membership including intellectuals and academics. In our party nobody is better than the others, we value everyone equally and we realise that our different skills augment each other's. We value the revolutionary mission of the founders of the party and we will always seek to recognise their contribution, however, the phase we entering into demands that all Mthwakazi peoples pull together.We are not complacent nor undermine the work ahead of us, however, we have been studying the political terrain in Mthwakazi and it is encouraging, people are starting to assert their rights and redefine their destinies. Our people are always like that, they take time to change but once they do you cannot stop their resolve and now they have decided to restore their state as this is the only way they will achieve security for their children and achieve respect as human beings. Brick by brick we will built our Mthwakazi.We have our three point plan which if properly followed we will most likely push for a referendum, through local and international lobbying, protests, engagements and all other legal political processes of putting pressure on the government to respect the Rights of the so called minority tribes.TN: Who is funding your operations?MG: Mthwakazi Republic Party is fully funded by its members, the little they contribute is what keeps the party going.TN: What are the challenges you are facing in the political space and how do you relate with other political parties, CSos and the state institutions such as the police cios, local government, and the army?MG: The biggest challenge we face as a political party is lack of funding, lack of adequate media publicity, harassment by the state security agents and ZANU PF apologists.So far we have had a good working relationship with most of our Civic society in Matabeleland particularly Bulawayo.Mthwakazi Republic Party leaders and the members have no relationship what so ever with the State Security agencies, because we are the victims of their cruelty, we have had our people being beaten by , ZANU PF thugs, army, CIOs, and so on. In most councils within Matabeleland we have a good relationship with management than the corrupt ZANU PF and MDC- Alliance councilors.TN: Your members have been arrested several times for protesting against authorities can you tell me if there are still pending court cases of similar nature and how many are they?MG: Eleven of our party leadership were arrested in Lupane 2015, including the president and myself for conducting what the state said was an illegal meeting at Gumede grounds. The police later on decided to withdraw the case, after we had spent two days and two nights at Jotsholo police camp only to be dumped in Hwange, when 9 of us were released, leaving only the President Mqondisi Moyo and the former SG Cde Hloniphani Ncube as the only ones with a case to answer, that case is currently at the High court after Our lawyers from Abameli Lawyers for Human Rights Network had managed to convince the Magistrate courts that the case was a Constitutional matter.The same year of 2015 we also had four of our members being arrested at Mlamuli Secondary School in Lupane, for demonstrating against the former heard there a Miss Bonyongwe. The case was dismissed as they were found not guilty after the trial. Some of our members were once arrested while they were demonstrating against the importation of labor from Mashonaland at the expense of our people at the KFC branch in Famona.Those arrested were later forced to pay a fine of $5-00 each, funny enough one of them was fined for public urinating instead of protesting. On December 30 2017 we had eight of our members including one lady being arrested at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. Where they were severely tortured by the police, army, CIO and ZANU PF thugs including the late Magura combined, they were later released after they were detained at the Army barracks for many hours, only to be dumped at Bulawayo central police station at night without any medication.Our people have been arrested many times, or in some cases we have had our party programs being interrupted by the police for no apparent reason besides the fact that we are Mthwakazi people. I wouldn't name all of the cases our party members are facing.Currently we have ten people who were arrested at Pick N Pay Hyper Super Market here in Bulawayo for protesting against the importation of labor at the giant Supermarkets, their trial started on the 24th of September and it will continue on the first of October at Tredgold, courts in Bulawayo.As a party we are still pursuing the freedom of those arrested while at the same time, continuing to petition Pick N Pay to re-employ those affected by Ntini's unfair tribal dismissal of our people from Matabeleland while replacing them with people from Mashonaland.We have been engaging the company's headquarters in South Africa to no avail to the extent that they have since asked us to engage Harare office of the company of which we are in the process of engaging them. We still insist that private and public institutions must employ locals, not the current scenario where only people from Matabeleland are overlooked in favour of those from Mashonaland.We will keep protesting against such tribalistic institutions like Pick N Pay.ConclusionIn our next instalment Mr Gumbo speaks about his president Mr Mqondisi Moyo, he delves into the institution of the monarch and why they support King Bulelani Khumalo, he dissects the Shona Grand Plan and its implications on the Mthwakazi psyche and he proffers a pro Mthwakazi narrative to counter and repel the effects of the Grand Plan. Mr Gumbo also speaks on the devolution of power and the Bulawayo City council. He also enunciates on the controversial but revolutionary idea of a Mthwakazi Parliament which will be seating soon.We hope you have enjoyed the interview if you still want to know more or join the MRP PARTY please engage Mr Gumbo on +27 603347380 Opinion / Interviews Kenny Constantine Mabuya, whose Chimurenga name was Cde Kenny Ridzai, makes stunning revelations about their confrontation with the British authorities after they had been sent as the advance team for the Zanla delegation to the Lancaster House talks in London. He talks about deputising Cde Rex Nhongo as part of the contingent team that had been sent by Zanu to start ceasefire talks with Lord Soames in 1979.He then narrates how President Mugabe narrowly escaped death in Gutu after some Rhodesian soldiers fired at him as he was addressing a rally. The drama as they escaped will make a blockbuster war movie.SM: Finally, we are reaching the conclusion of your intriguing narration Cde Kenny. We want to thank you so, so much for your time. Now, let's continue your journey from 1977.Cde Kenny: Thank you for this opportunity to record my history. I hope it will inspire future generations. I think around August 1977, some commanders who were at the war front were ordered to come back to the rear so that they could go for further military training. I was chosen to lead this group that was going to Nanking in China. We went to Nanking for about six months and came back in 1978.We were about 50 comrades. We were now receiving training in using special weapons like anti-air machine guns, how to operate tanks and so on. By this time, we knew that hondo yakura and anytime tinogona kuenda kumusha. This was a sort of a commanders' course. After this training, we came back to Mozambique and I continued my duties of receiving recruits from home and reinforcements from several training camps. The war had spread all over the country and kwese kwakanga kwazara magandanga.By this time, some comrades were already thinking of coming to Salisbury. They wanted to come and fight the Smith regime right here in Harare. If you remember that's the same time that those comrades came and destroyed petrol tanks in Salisbury.In 1979, that's when we heard about the Lancaster House talks. As someone who was in the security department, I was chosen to be among the first advance group to go the Lancaster. Our task was to choose the places of accommodation for our Zanu delegation. We were seven in this advance group.SM: Do you remember the names of the other comrades?Cde Kenny: Umm, I can't remember them. When we got to London, our first option was that the Zanu delegation would stay at Castro Hotel but we later discovered that it was not appropriate. The set-up was just not good. For example, on your way to your rooms you would pass through the dining-room and we said this was not safe. We started looking for accommodation somewhere but the British insisted that our delegation should stay at that hotel. We told them of our security concerns but they remained adamant. I think ipapo they had arranged to kill VaMugabe. That's my thinking.SM: Why do you say that?Cde Kenny: So many things that were happening at that time got me worried. For example, after they insisted, we came up with another route that the leaders of our delegation could use to go to their rooms without passing through the dining-room but they refused. They insisted that our delegation should pass through the dining hall munenge makazara vanhu. Aiwazve, munhu anopfurwazve. There were silencers during that time and we were afraid VaMugabe or other members of the delegation could be shot. Even if you read the book, "See You in November", there is confirmation that there was a plot to kill President Mugabe.They knew he was the die-hard among the leaders. We told our leaders of our concern. We stayed in that hotel for just a week. We even refused to eat the food from the hotel. There were so many Zimbabweans living in London who would bring food but the hotel staff said we could not eat the food inside the hotel. We even told the hotel staff that VaMugabe vanoda sadza ravo remhunga or zviyo and so on but they insisted kuti hazviiti. There was a big fight over the issue.Takabva tatsvaga dzimba dzemasupporters emusangano. I remember there was Cde Gwanzura, Cde Frederick Shava, Witness Mangwende, Kombayi and others who had properties in London. We identified some house which was secure tikati President vanogara pano. We said tinobva tese from this house going to Lancaster House.SM: While the President was staying at this house, where were you staying?Cde Kenny: Taipinda neyedu.SM: Tell us how the situation was when President Mugabe arrived with his delegation.Cde Kenny: Umm, it was quite something. There was a big crowd because many people wanted to see Mugabe wacho akaita sei. Despite the big crowd, tiri seven kudaro we would push people away. We would push some people vachiwira kwakadaro uko. We had to do that otherwise the delegation would not go anywhere. Of course, we got assistance from the British officers. So President Mugabe stayed at this house until the end of the Lancaster talks. After the Lancaster we came back and started preparations for ceasefire.Cde Tongo and President Mugabe then said there must a contingent force that should be go into Rhodesia and start working with Lord Soames. I was part of this force and I remember our secretary was a lady called Linda. We went to Beira and we were addressed by President Mugabe. He said ndiri kutumira my first contingent yeZanla kuSalisbury to go and work with Lord Soames. He said the team was to be led by Rex Nhongo with Kenny Ridzai, meaning me as his deputy. I know Webster Shamu still has this cassette when President Mugabe was making this address. He was in the publicity department. After this address, we left Beira around 3pm. The arrangement was that our plane was supposed to land in Harare before the Zipra plane. However, for some reason ndege yedu yakambonzi haimhari so takambotenderera mudenga. That unsettled us but after a while we got assurances that all was well. The plane carrying the Zipra comrades landed then we followed.SM: How was the situation like at the airport?Cde Kenny: Umm, panga pakaipa. There were just too many people. Pakanga pane mabhazi akawanda zvisingaiti. Vamwe vakakwira pamusoro pemabhazi vamwe papi. It was just chaotic. Paiva nemapurisa anembwa but you know vanhu vaibaya imbwa nemapanga just to see us. Pakaitika nyaya on that day. After landing, I was the first one to come out of the plane ndakasimudza AK47 and waving flag yeZanu. Ahh, the people went wild. Povho yakaita kupenga chaiko. They destroyed the whole fence at the airport and killed many police dogs. I think we spent about two hours from the airport to Mushandirapamwe Hotel before going to the University of Zimbabwe. There were cars and people everywhere. The excitement was just too much. The welcome was just electric.SM: In this excitement, were you not afraid that the Rhodesian soldiers could put you into some trap?Cde Kenny: Ahh, we were ready for them. Takanga tine pfuti dzedu and we were ready. Even when we were at Mushandirapamwe, pfuti taigara takabereka. We were there for about two weeks. Even though we carried our guns, we were very disciplined. Hapana kana one day rekuti takamboridza pfuti. Some comrades vaidhakwa mumabhawa but there was no incident yekuridza pfuti.From Mushandirapamwe, we went to the University of Zimbabwe. That is when the talks started nana Lord Soames and Peter Walls. We had a feeling that Walls was up to no good. His soldiers had surrounded us at the University. One evening we sneaked out tikaenda kunotora pfuti hombe getting ready for war. We then mounted our guns right round the University just to show him that we were ready for anything. Sometimes the Rhodesian soldiers would drive convoys towards the University and appear like they were taking positions. We would also take our positions to show that we were not afraid. We were staying at the University with our Zipra comrades but not using the same residence. They were staying with other side of the University. Lord Soames was staying at State House.When the talks started, that's when we really travelled a lot going to Assembly Points and so on. We would go and talk to comrades to go to Assembly Points. Sometimes some comrades would resist and we would talk to them kusvika vanzwisisa. Kumwe vaitorova hondo chaiyo and we would go to investigate. Dzimwe nguva taitoramba kuenda nemahelicopter because taitya kuti some of our comrades would shoot at the helicopters. Towards the end of 1979, maShef akatanga kuuya into Rhodesia. They were staying at different houses in Salisbury. During the evenings, mabhunu aifamba nemudhudhudhu vachikanda grenades into these houses. They would first shout "you bloody son of " then throw the grenades. Cde Kangai ndivo vakaita zvekuridzirwa bazooka chairo pamba pavo rikapinda nepahwindo. Akatiza akapinda muwardrobe. When I arrived, ndakatowana arimo muwardrobe akahwanda. After attending to this attack, that is when I was moved by Cde Nhongo from the army to lead the group of comrades that was providing security padzimba dzemashef. When the President came, ndakabva ndaiswa to be part of his motorcade. I was part of his security and we would go together to all the rallies, including in Masvingo kwatakaridzirwa pfuti.SM: What exactly happened?Cde Kenny: Pakaridzwa pfuti and President vakatora cover. We were at a rally when this happened. Before this incident, we had received information that there were some suspicious people roaming around. So we had gone to Dzapasi Assembly Point and came with some reinforcements. We planted some of the comrades mumakomo around the area. I think pane pamwe patakasiya and I don't know takapasiya sei. Ndipo paiva nevanhu vaida kupfura President ipapo. So as the President was speaking, we just heard gun- shots coming in our direction. Aah, patoipa, President pasi.SM: You mean President Mugabe taking cover?Cde Kenny: Yes, ivava President Mugabe. Vakaburuka pastage tikati shef let's go. We were kwaGutu. This is different story from the story inotaurwa kakawanda yekuti he was in the Benz. That one was in Masvingo. I am talking about the attack kwaGutu. Pfuti dzakarira tichitori parally chaipo. Chop-chop tatora cover, Cde Mnangagwa was there, paita commotion yeye what what. Tapinza President mumota. We had left our Dakota near some airstrip that was nearby. We decided against going to the Dakota and we left Gutu for Masvingo by road.We said let's leave Dakota because these people vanogona kuridzira Dakota racho. President vachingopinda muBenz it was wasara-wasara. The driver then was a comrade, Cde Shumba. Ahh, munhu airova mota iyeye. When we got to Masvingo ndipo patakati Dakota ngaitevere ikoko. That day it rained heavily and the Dakota couldn't land in Masvingo. It flew to Salisbury, tikati inozodzoka the next day.Cde Mnangagwa then assigned me and some comrades kuti Cde Kenny go kwaGutu and investigate what exactly had happened. When we got back to Gutu we discovered that some of those comrades we had taken from Dzapasi Assembly Point are the ones who saved us. While in their positions mumakomo they saw where the enemy fire was coming from and they fired towards the enemy position. They actually killed two Rhodesian soldiers.There was a nearby Integration Camp where the different armies Zanla, Zipra and Rhodesian army where being merged into one army. This is where these soldiers had come from. When we went to the camp, we found Zanla comrades vachivava zvakaoma. They wanted to attack the Integration Camp. They had carried these two Rhodesian soldiers to the camp and they were demanding answers who was behind the attack. Other Rhodesian soldiers said hativazivi and this is where the problems started because these dead Rhodesian soldiers were dressed in army uniform. We got there and calmed things down. Nyaya yacho yakangopera like that. I stayed as part of the President's security until 1982. I went back to the army.SM: What a journey? When you look back at your contribution during the liberation struggle, do you have any regrets?Cde Kenny: Not at all. I went to liberate the country and we did exactly that. I never thought I would come back alive but here I am. I didn't even have plans kuti kana nyika yasununguka tichaita this and that. I was fighting to liberate the country.SM: When you came back from the liberation struggle, did you conduct any ritual?Cde Kenny: Yes, I did. We did with my family. I went kumusha and said ndadzoka because kunonzi munhu anogezwa. So pakabikwa doro, vanhu vakawungana vakapembera. Ndakatorwa ndikayendwa neni kusango ndikanogezeswa ikoko.After this I later went to that family yandakambogara nayo during the war. You know up to this day number dzangu dzechitupa it appears like ndiri wekwaMakuni. I said I want to go and see that old man. I bought some groceries.Grocery rakawanda stereki. I was saying I really want to thank that person because he saved my life. You can imagine Rhodesian soldiers vaimubaya nepfuti vachiti iwe mudhara taura gandanga riri kupi but he never sold me out. He said gandanga handirizivi ndine vana vangu chete pano.Unfortunately, ndakawana mudhara wacho ava netwo years ashaya. But his wives and those two boys were still alive. They were surprised to see me.Vakawunganidza vanhu and I told them my story. Vanhu vakachema. I also cried. Mumwe mukomana wacho ndakawuya naye ndikatomutsvagira basa. It really was a touching and emotional moment. A trapper in Fort Smith, N.W.T., has had two of his working dogs seized by the town. There is no plan to return the dogs to him, and no way to appeal the decision. William Hoffman said his dogs keep him safe in the bush, pull his sleds along traplines and help haul firewood for him and his elderly father, renowned Fort Smith trapper Karl Hoffman. Besides helping put food on the table and wood in the stove, they are also dear company. Hoffman said he has been trapping with his father since he was five years old. He should be working with his dogs now in preparation for winter, but that's not happening this year. Scrawny and Mr. Magoo, large German shepherd and husky crosses, were seized by a Town of Fort Smith municipal enforcement officer on Oct. 4. They can't even prove it to me, but they can get the RCMP to come over here and help them steal my dogs. - William Hoffman According to Mayor Lynn Napier-Buckley, they are now considered town property and won't be returned. As of Thursday, it was unclear what will happen to the animals, or if they are alive. Hoffman said his dogs were not free to roam, as the town claims. He said he's never been shown the evidence the town says it has of Scrawny and Mr. Magoo being at large and dangerous. "They basically just came saying, 'We'll give these dogs good homes,'" he said. Hoffman, 42, said the dogs were in a six-foot high, 250-square-feet outdoor fenced dog pen on the lot where he lives one of two adjacent lots owned by his family when the dogs were taken away by the town's bylaw enforcement officer in the company of RCMP officers. The police officers were there to "keep the peace," according to the RCMP. Hoffman said they warned him they would arrest him if he interfered with the seizure. Jamie Malbeuf/CBC 'They can't even prove it to me' Hoffman said he asked for proof his dogs were a nuisance, or that the town was authorized to seize them, but he wasn't given any documentation. Instead, he said he was told the dogs were previously seen running free and causing a disturbance. Story continues "[The bylaw officer] said ... 'We got 'em on video,'" Hoffman said, adding he asked to see the video, but it wasn't shown to him. "They can't even prove it to me, but they can get the RCMP to come over here and help them steal my dogs." In a phone interview, Napier-Buckley said the town was acting on multiple public safety complaints concerning the dogs. "We felt [that] for the safety of the community, the dogs should be seized," she said. Jamie Malbeuf/CBC In a follow-up email, Napier-Buckley stated: "Multiple members of the public have filed complaints, as well as provided photos and videos of the dogs at large and harassing passersby over a period of several months. There are several reported near-misses where the dogs had formed a pack and harassed small children." Hoffman said whatever dogs Napier-Buckley is talking about, they can't be Scrawny and Mr. Magoo. When they're not working, they're kept either in his home or in fenced kennels in his yard, he said. "These dogs, they're just not any ordinary dogs," Hoffman said. "They're bred for running, racing." This isn't the first time Hoffman has had a run-in with municipal enforcement. He said he was fined about a year ago for letting his dogs run free and unlicensed. He maintains the allegations were groundless, saying his dogs were home with him at the time. He didn't pay the ticket. He also says he's never licensed his dogs with the town. Town bylaw Napier-Buckley said there is no appeal process for animals seized under the town's animal control bylaws. "Once an animal becomes property of the municipality, it's up to the municipality on how to deal with them," Napier-Buckley stated. "There is no appeal mechanism in the town bylaw." Town of Fort Smith dog control bylaw 678 gives animal control officers the latitude to capture dogs found running at large and, in some circumstances, to kill them. We felt [that] for the safety of the community, the dogs should be seized. - Mayor Lynn Napier-Buckley "These dogs are now considered nuisance dogs as per town bylaw (similar to a dog which has been found to be at large three times) and will not be returned to the owner," Napier-Buckley stated in the email. In Fort Smith, dogs that are known to bite other animals or people can be seized and ultimately destroyed, as well as a dog that "in the opinion of [town] council is likely to cause a nuisance." As for animals contained on private property, as Hoffman says his dogs were, an animal control officer is authorized under the bylaw to go onto that property to seize a dog in order to enforce any part of the bylaw. The bylaw does not stipulate that documentation or a court order must be presented when animals are taken. Jamie Malbeuf/CBC Nowhere to turn On Wednesday, Napier-Buckley referred questions about whether or not Scrawny and Mr. Magoo were still alive, and whether or not the municipality had ever shown Hoffman evidence of his dog's behaviour, to the town's senior administrative officer, Keith Morrison. As of end of day Thursday, Morrison did not respond to a request for an interview or emailed questions. The seizure has left Hoffman unsure how to proceed. He said he's complained to RCMP but was ultimately referred to the territorial Department of Justice in Yellowknife to file a complaint. He said the department told him it was mailing him a form to fill out. "How in the hell am I going to go to the bush? Yeah, I do have snow machines and stuff like that. But these animals, physically I depend on them," Hoffman said. "Those dogs were with me all the time." With files from Jamie Malbeuf BEIRUT (Reuters) - Six hostages were freed on Saturday from Islamic State, which has held several women and children captive since it attacked Syria's Sweida city three months ago, state media and a monitor said. Islamic State militants staged multiple suicide attacks in Sweida and overran nearby villages in southwestern Syria on July 25, killing more than 200 people, many of them civilians. Sweida, which is under state rule, has a mainly Druze community. Druze authorities and Islamic State have held negotiations for the release of the hostages. Syrian state news agency SANA said two women and four children returned home on Saturday after being kidnapped from a village east of Sweida city. "As a result of the army's siege on the terrorists, and efforts by the concerned entities, six of the 29 hostages were freed, and the rest will be freed very soon," SANA cited Sweida Governor Amer al-Eshi as saying. Islamic State fighters were holding at least 16 children among its captives in the Sweida desert and had beheaded one hostage, Human Rights Watch said in August. Syrian government forces, backed by Russia and Iran, have been battling the militants in a small Islamic State enclave northeast of Sweida city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitoring group, said the militants released the first group of hostages after talks with local authorities. Pro-government forces had amassed heavily around the Islamic State pocket to pressure the militants, it said. (Reporting by Ellen Francis in Beirut; Additional reporting by Nayera Abdallah in Cairo. Editing by Jane Merriman) Website: IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis: Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on Arab-Israeli relationsWebsite: www.imra.org.il Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh. blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..IMRA Weekly Commentary..20 October '18..Israeli intelligence has devoted considerable resources to maintaining the "target bank" - a detailed listing that includes the location of every known rocket and other weapon system in the Gaza Strip as well as the location of every known facility engaged in manufacturing these weapons.To date the Israeli policymakers have declined to order the destruction of these targets.This is most likely out of concern for the collateral damage that would be associated with hitting targets either protected by human shields or located within sensitive targets such a hospitals, schools, mosques. etc.To put it brutally: it would appear that Israeli policymakers are convinced that it would take an Israeli bloodbath to justify a truly effective IDF operation against these targets.And in the absence of an Israeli bloodbath, Israel's goal is limited to "restoring deterrence" = Hamas keeps on arming itself with even more advanced weapons but declines to use them against the Jewish State for a period of time.Yes. It would be naive and irresponsible to suggest that an effective IDF operation against the targets would not have serious consequences.But the public deserves to know these assessments.It has frequently turned out that the Israeli street has been considerably more willing to bear the costs of military operations than the policymakers anticipated.________________________________________ Photo - The aim is back to this era - Apollos A feared scenario: three friends left their homes in the West (could have been Britain, The Netherlands, Australia .) to join Jihad in the middle east. And join they did. Jihad training is in physical endeavours, weapons, house to house fighting, open warfare, killing without mercy, political indoctrination. Latest figures I have seen - estimated there are currently 150 known such Australians in this situation. Australian Prime Ministers - Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and now Scott Morrison have all claimed they will not be allowed back into Australia if at all possible (according to law). This is the story: three friends were good at this. If a notch on a belt was applicable, their belts had plenty. They had not only became highly trained but were in the thick of it for months on end. They became cold to suffering and death. Moreover they could give chapter and verse to the indoctrination. Their stint comes to an end. There are many reasons why they need to get back and back they go, now with a head full of political agony to what they now consider the only way forward and a brilliant knowledge of weaponry, house to house fighting, terror strategy and tactics. The suburban life of peace and boredom might sound good after such a hectic and adrenalin logged experiences and it does touch the spot for a few days, maybe a week and then something else takes control. Everything of the West is anathema to their new destructive philosophy, that is Islamist submission and Sharia Law. Photo - The aim is back to this era Philadelphia Westminister Parliaments Both the Australian and British Parliaments have now raised this issue. In Australia it has gained significant airways in both the general media and in talk-back. Should Australia allow these violent filled people back into Australia whether they have Australian passports or not. The sentiment is that Australia is saying no. This is - go wage your horror elsewhere. Some passports have already been cancelled. One newspaper report a few years ago had 300 young Muslims from Australia headed for the Middle East. The issue has now become a hot potato in Britain too. There is not one realistic British MP who not unaware of what the problem could become and has constituencies that are frightened of what it all might mean in their suburban streets. Britain has a particular issue with burrows and districts crowded with like minded acolytes. France is dealing with precisely such issues, one example, a Jihardist who went to Syria fighting returned and at the Belgium Jewish Museum gunned down several people. In these last 2 years there have been numerous. Only recently a French jihadist escaped prison and caught three years later having been disguised be wearing a burqua. Photo - The aim is back to this era - Akhisar The Netherlands A recent article by Soeren Kern who is a Senior Fellow at the New York-based Gatestone Institute highlights this. He is also Senior Fellow for European Politics at the Madrid-based Grupo de Estudios Estrategicos / Strategic Studies Group published in UCI recently, clarity prevails. Soeren Kern reports that more than 100 Dutch Muslims travelled to Syria in 2013 with the intention of taking part in jihadist activities there, and at least 20 battle-hardened jihadists have since returned to the Netherlands, posing a significant threat to national security, according to a new report published by the Dutch intelligence agency AIVD. Further: reports presented by Interior Minister Ronald Plasterk and AIVD head Rob Bertholee in The Hague. In contrast to previous years, when the main security threat was deemed to be a cyber-attack, the principal concern is the mounting threats posed by the returning jihadists, as well as by Muslim hate preachers who are using the Internet to radicalise young Dutch Muslims and incite them to violence. And more: the report warns that the presence of European fighters in Syria provides the jihadist groups active there with an excellent opportunity to recruit individuals familiar with our region to commit acts of terrorism here. In addition, returnees could exploit their status as veterans to radicalize others in the Netherlands. Overall, AIVD's primary concern is about the radicalizing influence that Dutch jihadists will exert on Muslim communities in the Netherlands. It goes on: the vast majority of Dutch jihadists in Syria had joined one of two rebel groups, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant [ISIL] or Jabhat al-Nusra [JaN]. AIVD believes that at least ten individuals from the Netherlands were killed in 2013, including two Dutch jihadists who blew themselves up in suicide attacks (one in Syria and one in Iraq) and many more since. Photo - The aim is back to this era - Hierapolis Of more concern: as well as potentially posing a direct threat, returnees from Syria might also have a radicalizing and mobilizing effect upon fellow Muslims. In the Netherlands, they could act as the catalyst pushing some young people already attracted by a radical strand of Islam into militant activism, the report says. That could strengthen local radical groups and spread their message to a wider audience. And what is more - they have crossed the line from rhetoric to action. Effectively, the organizations have thus become actual jihadist networks with their core members fighting in Syria and, at home, a wider group of supporters engaged in ever more fervent propaganda. Social media are used to disseminate stories about 'brothers' on the front line in Al Sham (Syria) and the deaths of their 'martyrs.' Further, Soeren Kern writes that forty percent of Moroccan immigrants in the Netherlands between the ages of 12 and 24 have been arrested, fined, charged or otherwise accused of committing a crime during the past five years, according to recent research. In Dutch neighbourhoods where the majority of residents are Moroccan immigrants, the youth crime rate reaches 50%. In an interview with Dutch Public Radio 1, Mustapha Abbou, a former Labor Party councillor in the city of Eindhoven, said many Moroccan youths in the Netherlands have no education, no prospects and are barely supervised. They are a ticking time bomb. Our own politicians are expressing grave concerns that any known such person to get back into Australia will need to jump hoops and more hoops. The media have revealed some are in Turkish prisons, even Australias most wanted. Fascinating Islamic Turkey wont allow them onto their streets. The Russians are now telling us in Syria, ISIS has captured 700 hostages including Europeans and Americans and threating to kill 10 a day. The US has affirmed the capture but distanced themselves from the 700 figure, much lower figure. Its not over by a long way. Australia has to be eternally vigilant. Christians need to be in constant prayer over these issues for national wisdom. Photo - The aim is back to this era Ephesus Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html Las Mareas is the sixth regular production line that was released by Crowned Heads Cigars. It marks the third regular production line that Crowned Heads produced out of Nicaragua at the My Father Cigars factory. Las Mareas is a very different release in a lot of ways ranging from the packaging to the blend. The packaging is somewhat of a departure for Crowned Heads as the packaging embraces a more contemporary style. The blend would be not only the first Nicaraguan puro released by Crowned Heads, but it would mark the first Corojo wrapped cigar by the company. Today we take a closer look at Las Mareas in the Olas size a Corona Gorda vitola. Las Mareas translates to The Tides. The packaging for the box labels was developed using a technique known as linoleum black printing to create a wave-like effect on the box labels. This design was also reflected on the actual bands of the cigar as well as the grain of the wood on the boxes. Crowned Heads released a very informative video demonstrating this technique. Word of the Las Mareas project surfaced in late 2015, and subsequently Crowned Heads had a soft launch of the blend to select retailers using pre-release white bands. The cigar made its official debut at the 2016 IPCPR Trade Show featuring the final packaging as described above. Without further ado, lets break down the Mareas Olas and see what this cigar brings to the table. SPECIFICATIONS Blend and Origin As mentioned above, this is Crowned Heads first regular production Nicaraguan puro, and its first regular production cigar to utilize a Nicaraguan and Corojo leaf. The wrapper is Nicaraguan Corojo 99 and it was grown by the Garcia family. The Garcias also handle production out of the My Father Cigars factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo 99 Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: My Father Cigars SA Vitolas Offered Las Mareas is presented in four sizes. Each size is presented in 20-count boxes. Tuberia: 4 1/2 x 48 Rebeldes: 5 1/2 x 52 Olas: 6 1/4 x 46 Ciclopes: 6 x 54 Each of the vitola names is in Spanish. To some extent, there is a connection with water and/or surfing with the vitola names. Tuberia (Pipeline), Rebeldes (Rebel Ill infer a surfing connection), Olas (Waves), and Ciclopes (Ill infer Cyclopes from Odysseus voyages in The Odyssey). Note from Crowned Heads Owner Jon Huber. Following publication of this review, he explained the following: FYI So Rebeldes translates loosely to Rebelbut in this instance, its a reference to Mavericks which is a famous big wave in NoCal. Ciclopes (Cyclops) is a reference to another big wave in Australia. Appearance The Nicaragua Corojo 99 wrapper of the Las Mareas Olas had a medium brown color to it. There was a light coating of oil on the surface. While there were some visible veins and visible wrapper, I found this wrapper to be on the smooth side. The band keeps true to the contemporary look of the packaging and the linoleum back art style. It is black in color with a textured wave pattern. The name LAS MAREAS is on the band in a modern white font. PERFORMANCE Pre-Light Draw A straight cut was used to commence the smoking experience of the Las Mareas Olas. After the cap was removed, it was time to move on to the pre-light draw phase. The dry draw had a mix of floral, natural tobacco, cedar, and a touch of black pepper components. While normally I am not a fan of floral notes, things clicked quite well on this pre-light draw making for an excellent pre-light draw experience. At this point, it was time to light up the Las Mareas Olas and see what the smoking phase would have in store. Tasting Notes The Las Mareas Olas opened up with a moderate, but not overpowering Garcia black pepper blast. This gave way to notes of natural tobacco, dusty earth, cedar, and floral notes. The natural tobacco notes moved into the forefront early on and developed a nice richness. As the Las Mareas Olas moved through the first third, there was a slight caramel sweetness mixed in with the natural tobacco. Meanwhile the earth, cedar, floral, and pepper notes settled in the background, but the black pepper was quite prominent on the retro-hale. During the second third, the natural tobacco notes continued in the forefront. There was a slight bitter component that surfaced. This wasnt a bad thing as it helped balance things out. As the Las Mareas Olas moved through the second third, the caramel component did recede. There was an increase in the earth notes and by the midway point, these notes joined the natural tobacco in the primary notes. There was a slight increase in the pepper notes. Meanwhile, the floral and cedar notes were more distant. The final third saw the earth notes displace the natural tobacco. The caramel component dissipated, but the natural tobacco was still a secondary note. There was another increase in the pepper and cedar, but the spice component never became overpowering. This is the way the Las Mareas Olas came to a close. The resulting nub was slightly soft to the touch and cool in temperature. Burn The Las Mareas Olas maintained a straight burn path from start to finish. There was an occasional waviness on the burn line, but this was a cigar never in danger of tunneling or canoeing. The resulting ash remained on the firm side. This was a cigar that had a mostly light gray ash with some darker streaks mixed in. Meanwhile, the burn line and burn temperature were both ideal. Draw The draw to the Las Mareas Olas was excellent. There was a good balance between the resistance and openness of the draw. This was a low maintenance cigar to derive flavor from. In addition, this was a cigar that had a nice volume of smoke production. Strength and Body I found the Las Mareas Olas to be a cigar that fell right in the middle of the spectrum for intensity levels of strength and body. This was a medium strength, medium-bodied cigar from start to finish. I didnt find there was a lot of variance in the strength and body levels. Both the strength and body balanced each other nicely with neither attribute overshadowing the other. OVERALL ASSESSEMENT Final Thoughts Las Mareas is a regular production line that seems to float under the radar in the Crowned Heads portfolio. Its a line that certainly should not be overlooked. With the Las Mareas Olas, Crowned Heads and the Garcias succeed at delivering an excellent cigar that is a well-balanced and flavorful smoke. It certainly qualifies as one of the better lines the Garcias have made for another company. I also found the Las Mareas blend seemed to work very nicely with the Olas Corona Gorda format. Finally, dont let the contemporary packaging fool you; in a lot of ways this is a very classic style old-school cigar and I like that. This is a cigar I would recommend to either a novice or experienced cigar enthusiast. As for myself, this is a cigar I would definitely smoke again and it certainly garners box worthy consideration in my book. Summary Key Flavors: Natural Tobacco, Earth, Pepper, Cedar, Floral Burn: Excellent Draw: Excellent Complexity: Medium Strength: Medium Body: Medium Finish: Very Good Rating Value: Box Worthy Consideration Score: 91 References News: n/a Price: $9.60 Source: Crowned Heads and Purchased Brand Reference: Crowned Heads Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New Delhi, October 19, 201 The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on the Indian conglomerate Reliance Group, owned by businessman Anil Ambani, to end its use of excessive civil defamation cases filed against critical news outlets. Reliance Group yesterday filed a civil defamation case seeking Rs10,000 crore (US$1.35 billion) against the privately owned NDTV television channel over its reporting on the company, according to reports. The defamation suit filed against NDTV, its founder, Prannoy Roy, and journalist Sreenivasan Jain, alleged that Jain asked questions during the September 29 broadcast of his weekly show Truth vs Hype that led to defamatory answers from the panelists. The show was discussing a Rs 59,000 crore (US$8 billion) Rafale jet deal, in which Reliance was named as a partner with a French company to provide India with 36 fighter jets. The show asked questions about the transparency of the deal and whether Reliance had the skills needed for the partnership. At a press conference in August, two former ministers and a lawyer alleged that neither Reliance or its allied companies had experience manufacturing aviation or defense equipment, according to Scroll. A court in Ahmedabad is due to hear the case on October 26, according to a statement released by NDTV. Reliance Group filed a similar civil defamation suit on August 27 against the daily National Herald for Rs 5,000 crore (US$680 million) over its reporting on the same issue, Indian Express reported. The next hearing is scheduled for November. The ridiculously massive civil defamation claim Reliance Group has made against NDTV amounts to a severe attack on press freedom in India, said Steven Butler, CPJs Asia program coordinator, in Washington, D.C. Indias judiciary must ensure that powerful business groups cannot abuse the countrys legal system to silence critics. NDTV said in its statement that it repeatedly asked Reliance Group officials to respond to the allegations by participating in the show or by submitting a written response, but that its requests were ignored. The NDTV statement said the defamation complaint filed by Reliance Group is nothing more than a heavy-handed attempt by Anil Ambanis group to suppress the facts and prevent the media from doing its jobasking questions about a defense deal and seeking answers that are very much in public interest. A spokesperson for the Reliance Group declined to respond to CPJs request for comment, sent via SMS. CPJ has previously documented how excessive defamation claims in India are used to silence and intimidate critical journalists. India and US have agreed to elevate their bilateral Cope India air exercise to trilateral format by including Japan. The next edition of this exercise is scheduled to be held in December 2018 for which final planning conference to finalise its modalities will held in Kalaikunda, West Bengal. Key Facts During the annual Defence Ministerial Meeting held in August 2018 between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera, it was agreed that Japan will send observers for the next round of Cope India exercises between India and US to be hosted by Indian Air Force. To begin with, trilateral Cope India air exercise will be a small-level exercise involving transport aircraft. It will be scaled up in subsequent editions. Japan will be sending observers to this exercise. The three countries already are conducting trilateral naval war games under expanded Malabar naval exercise. But the level of interoperability in these exercises, both bilateral and trilateral are expected to go up after India had signed Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement with US. Cope India It is series of international Air Force exercises between Indian Air Force (IAF) and United States Air Force conducted on and over Indian soil. The first such exercise was conducted at IAF air force station in Gwalior from February 2004. The exercise included flight tests, practice and demonstrations as well as lectures on subjects related to aviation. The exercise was repeated in 2005, 2006, and 2009. Iowa Republican Representative Steve King has revealed his white nationalist views in an interview with an Austrian far-right publication.King, an eight-term congressman up for re-election next month, has been linked to Neo-Nazism and the far-right before, but he laid out his extremely conservative views like never before in an interview with far-right propaganda website Unzensuriert, which translates to 'uncensored' in English.He was interviewed when he stopped in Vienna in August and candidly called for stricter immigration policies, said Mollie Tibbett's killer should have never been in the U.S., and claims Democrats are teaming up with radical Islamists to attack 'Western civilization'.He was interviewed by Caroline Sommerfeld, an intellectual in the European neo-fascist identititarian movement which is connected to the U.S.'s alt-right, to discuss how Muslim and Latino immigrants threaten the U.S. and Europe.The interview was published in September and went unnoticed by American news outlets until the Huffington Post flagged it.In the interview Sommerfeld asks: 'In your opinion is Islam the problem or Western liberalism?'King replies saying 'it is like fighting a two front war. How is it, that the liberals, the leftists, on the one side, could build an alliance with the misogynistic hard core rightist Islamic people that have no tolerance for everything?''If we don't defend Western civilization, then we will become subjugated by the people who are the enemies of faith, the enemies of justice,' King said.He cited an old NBC interview where he slammed Charlie Peirce after he said the Republican convention was full of 'old white men'.King clapped back saying: 'That kind of talk is a little tiresome and old, isn't it? Can you name another subgroup that has contributed more?'When asked 'more than white people?' King responded 'More than Western civilization itself! No subgroup has contributed more to Western civilization.'Speaking on migrants, he touched on Mollie Tibbetts, the 20-year-old girl who was found stabbed to death in an Iowa cornfield whose confessed killer is believed to be an illegal immigrant from Mexico.'The individual who murdered Mollie Tibbetts should have never been in America,' he said.'Liberals in the US say that Mollie Tibbetts' death is just because the perpetrator was male, that it didn't have anything to do with him being a law breaker, a criminal. And what I say to those people who say that immigration isn't part of her death is: then go and tell her family, that if her killer had been deported the minute he set foot illegally on US soil, your daughter would still be dead,' he added.He also slammed the U.S. low fertility rate saying 'if we continue to abort our babies and import a replacement for them in the form of young violent men, we are supplanting our culture, our civilization.'At multiple points in the interview he uses the phrase 'Western Civilization' which he seems to define as white America.The two touched upon the theory of the Great Replacement - which is the idea that mass migration such as from Muslim-majority countries, could lead to the extinction of white European culture and identity.King called it 'slow-motion cultural suicide'.The Great Replacement is a term used by anti-Muslim European networks who believe migrants and refugees are leading to the Islamification of Europe.Unzensuriert is well known in Austria as a far-right publication that attacks the country's traditional outlets.'Unzensuriert is very much like a German-language version of Breitbard. They are opinion pieces which offer a far-right view on the world,' Ingrid Brodnig, an author and expert on the Austrian far-right, said.Last year Austria's intelligence services flagged the site as promoting anti-Semitism and extreme xenophobia.King hasn't commented on his interview with the Austrian site.His Democratic opponent J.D. Scholten retweeted the story and noted how King was able to sit down for an interview in Austria but refused to be interviewed by Iowa's largest newspaper before the election.'It's disrespectful to this district that he's spent more time (five times in the last six years) in Austria on TAXPAYER DIME than he does in most counties in our district,' Scholten said to the Huffington Post.King has been a Congressman for Iowa for eight terms in Iowa, in one of the reddest districts of America.He has beaten Democratic opponents by more than 20 points in the past five elections.According to a poll from last month, he was leading his Democratic challenger Scholten by 10 percentage points.He made headlines on Wednesday for endorsing Faith Goldy, a white nationalist mayoral candidate in Toronto's upcoming election.Read more: Steve King: Bring Pride back to Austria | Unzensuriert.atRep. Steve King Goes Full White Nationalist In Interview With Austrian Site | HuffPost UKEmerson e-Poll: Dead heat in Iowa Governor Race, Democrats look to pick up Congressional Seat | Emerson College : - .. The Lahore High Court on Friday heard a petition pertaining to Pakistanis on death row in various middle eastern countries who are in urgent need of diplomatic assistance. The hearing, presided over by Justice Ayesha A. Malik, reviewed an application filed by Justice Project Pakistan's Asma Shafi to highlight the issue. Shafi has underscored the need for quick action in her petition, which states that Pakistanis in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, are being executed at an increasing rate. Over the past few weeks alone, nine Pakistanis have been executed, according to the petition. The application further highlights that it is the responsibility of the government to keep an eye on the trial proceedings of Pakistanis convicted abroad and assure they are carried out transparently. It is the fundamental right of every Pakistani prisoner to receive assistance on a diplomatic level, Shafi has asserted. Shafi has pleaded to the court to issue orders to the government to provide diplomatic assistance to Pakistanis jailed abroad and to take into consideration their trial proceedings. The hearing was adjourned until December 12. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde dawn.com, October 20, 2018 NEW DELHI: Amid rape accusation against Talib Hussain the activist who led the protests for justice in the gang-rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl in Jammus Kathua, Senior advocate Indira Jaising has decided to withdraw from his case. Ms Jaising, who was representing Talib Hussain pro bono after his family alleged he was tortured in police custody for championing the cause of the nomad community during Kathua protests, said, I dont intend to continue to appear on behalf of Talib Hussain anymore. In my opinion the allegations made in an article are sufficient cause for me to take the decision to withdraw from this case. The anonymous account of a Jawaharlal Nehru University student, which did not name the attacker, but said he was a prominent activist in the Kathua rape case, was published by a news website on Saturday. The woman alleged that he had raped her in a flat in Batla House area. In the article, the woman details the chain of events that led to the alleged assault in April. Before that, he had even proposed marriage to her, which she had turned down, she wrote. She added, his intention (of nikaah) was not just to deceive me, it was also intended to assure himself that he is not from the same category of the men who raped and murdered the 8-year-old. A Grab motorbike helmet is displayed during Grab's fifth anniversary news conference in Singapore June 6, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su Transport authorities and taxi associations have reiterated that ride-hailing firm Grab should be treated as a taxi service, but experts disagree. Nguyen Cong Hung, vice chairman of the Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association (VATA), said at a recent meeting that it was incorrect to identify Grab as an electronic contract service firm. Hung said that legal experts have affirmed that Grab and other ride-hailing services are taxi services, and ordering a car service via a phone call or a phone app are only superficially different modalities. While some people believe that calling Grab a taxi service will hinder the development of technology, Hung disagreed. Identifying a car service as traditional taxi or technology taxi will guarantee authorities management power and fairness in terms of their responsibilities. Whichever service applies technology will have higher profits, he added. Echoing Hung, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Taxi Association, Ta Long Hy, said that any service which sets transport fees collects money and spends a large amount of money on discounts is a transportation service, and not merely a software company. Hy said that all car services that are 9-seaters or lower are taxi services in nature. The Ministry of Transport should not create an exclusive playing field for a service that is basically a taxi service. He proposed that 9-seater or lower car services, whether Grab or traditional taxis, be identified by a mark on their license plates or a larger registration label on the cars windshield. Earlier this month, the Transport Ministry released the latest draft of a transportation management decree under which under 9-seater car services be registered as taxi firms before they can apply ride-hailing technologies. This means that Grab and other ride-hailing firms would have to register their services again as a taxi business and comply with corresponding legal responsibilities regarding their operating licenses, drivers profiles and tax duties. Should the decree be passed, Grab and other ride-hailing cars will have to put a sticker labeled taxi on their windshields and carry a taxi legend on the top. The draft goes against many experts requests to treat ride-healing services as a new business model that is different from traditional taxi service. Nguyen Dinh Cung, director of the Central Institute of Economic Management (CIEM), had told VnExpress earlier that firms that primarily used software cannot be called a transportation business. Cung said that the government should encourage new investment forms or business models with an open and fair environment in keeping with Industry 4.0 trends. Lawyer Truong Thanh Duc said that the Ministry of Transport has been making changes with recent drafts without having a consistent viewpoint. The fact the ministry wants to identify ride-hailing services as taxi firms is against the governments policy of prioritizing technology development in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, he told local media. Marketing expert Do Hoa said that Grab and other ride-hailing services should be managed under a new law specifically written for technological services. Traditional regulations related to taxi firms are not appropriate for Grab, as it is not a transport company, he said. The heated debates and struggles between ride-hailing cars and traditional taxis have not cooled after the exit of Uber from the Southeast Asian market in March. Taxi firms have continued to complain about the unfair competition they are facing. They have also joined hands to fight the market onslaught of ride-hailing firms. Grab has consistently been denying that it is a taxi firm, saying it only provides technological solutions to transport services. The debate over Grabs status as transport company is hardly new in Vietnam. Vietnams top taxi company Vinasun sued Grab for $1.84 million in losses, citing unhealthy competition. In Vietnam, local cab firms like Mai Linh and Vinasun have to pay value added tax (VAT) of 10 percent and corporate income tax of 20 percent, while Grab only have to pay some 3 percent. The ride-hailing market in Vietnam has seen new entrants after Ubers departure, including Fastgo and GoViet, which is an affiliate of Indonesias Gojek. Current market dominator Grab has expanded its services to include GrabFood, a food delivery service, and GrabCar Business, targeting the corporate sector. These moves pose further challenges for long-standing taxi firms like Mai Linh, Taxi Group and Vinasun. Cua Dai Beach, a popular destination near the famous Hoi An Town in central Vietnam, is fighting serious erosion. Le Cong Sy, Chairman of the People's Committee of Cua Dai Ward, said: "The beach has slipped about 10 meters from the last restoration back in March 2017." Sands used to cover this dike, but waves have been washing away the sandy embankment. Tourists climb down the embankment to head to the beach. Authorities are repairing the embankment with reinforced concrete. "There are some coastal areas where there is a great risk of landslides if there are storms," said Sy. Here, the erosion continues even when there were not many storms hitting the area. Sy has warned tourists not to swim too far from the shore. During the peak season, which lasts from May to August, tourists to Cua Dai are mainly Vietnamese, and for the rest of the year, visitors mainly come for Europe. Due to the erosion, many people have to sunbathe near dike, instead of on the long, wide beach as they could do earlier. Local authorities have spent VND28 billion ($1.22 million) out of the VND70 billion (more than $3.04 million) budget allocated for beach restoration. Efforts thus far have included setting up nine meters high iron pilings along the coast, dumping sand in the area, and creating embankments made out of heavy duty bags (imported from Holland) stacked together. Some tourists sit on top of the bags piled up to protect the coconut palms along the shore. A foreign tourist relaxes at a resort on Cua Dai Beach. In 2015, the famous travel site TripAdvisor ranked the Cua Dai the 18th top beach in Asia. Serious erosion has been noticed at the Cua Dai Beach since October 2014. Waves have washed over the entire concrete barrier, which is five meters high and 70 meters long, and encroached an additional 160 meters inland. The waves have washed away many seaside resorts, and severly damaged the beach that is more than three kilometers long, resulting in fewer visitors. North Korea's box of bones: A mythical king and the dream of Korean unification A picture of King Dangun, the mythical founder of the first unified Korean kingdom in 2333 BCE. Photo by Reuters Its the stuff of an Indiana Jones movie: supernatural kings, ancient tombs, and government-backed archaeologists striving to harness the power of legend for a greater cause. On a divided Korean peninsula, tales of King Dangun - the mythical founder of the first Korean kingdom more than 4,350 years ago - play a quiet but persistent role in keeping the dream of reunification alive. This mythology made an appearance in September when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un took South Korean President Moon Jae-in to the top of Mount Paektu, the supposed birthplace of Dangun. Moon also invoked the legend in an unprecedented speech in Pyongyang, calling for Korea to be reunited. We had lived together for 5,000 years but apart for just 70 years, said Moon, whose parents came from what is now North Korea. For many South Koreans, the idea of unification has become increasingly unrealistic amid a widening gulf between the two Koreas more than 70 years after they were partitioned in the wake of World War II. The legend of Dangun, however, plays a lasting role in promoting unification because it portrays Koreans as a homogenous group destined to live together, said Jeong Young-Hun, a professor at Seouls Academy of Korean Studies. Dangun is a basis for Koreans to feel the necessity for pursuing harmony and unification, he said. Dangun is a basis for seeing unification as something possible. Theres little evidence for the glorious king or the thousands of years of Korean unity Dangun is said to have founded. Still, that hasnt stopped North Korea from claiming to have found his tomb and South Korea from eulogizing the unity of a kingdom that once challenged the might of Chinas dynasties. In both Koreas, (Dangun) has been used to emphasize the uniqueness, the singularity, homogeneity and antiquity of the Korean people, said Michael Seth, a professor of Korean history at James Madison University in Virginia. Whether a real person or not, he is used by both Koreas to emphasize the unity as well as the uniqueness of the Korean people. North Korea's box of bones Scholars say the chances that Dangun actually existed are close to zero. According to Korean legend, Dangun was the son of a god who wanted to be a man, and a bear who wanted to be a woman. Dangun is a myth, said Yeungnam University archaeologist Lee Chung Kyu. North Koreas founders originally disdained the story of Dangun as superstition incompatible with their ostensibly socialist ideology. However, officials have since gone to great lengths to capitalize on the mythology and cement the ruling Kim familys claim to Danguns legacy. Official North Korean narratives have claimed Mount Paektu as the sacred mountain of revolution and assert that Kim Jong Uns father, Kim Jong Il, was born on its slopes. Many historians place his actual birthplace in the former Soviet Union. In the mid-1990s, North Korean authorities announced they had discovered the tomb of Dangun and his wife just outside Pyongyang, going so far as to reconstruct a white stone pyramid flanked by rough-hewn obelisks and statues of ancient princes and snarling beasts. At the time, North Korean leader Kim Il Sung said constructing the mausoleum was designed to demonstrate that Korea has a history spanning 5,000 years, that the Koreans are a homogeneous nation of the same blood since their emergence, according to a state media article from 2015. For 100 euros each, or about $115, tourists can peek inside a glass box containing what the North Koreans say are the bones of Dangun and his wife. The high price and a reputation as an underwhelming experience mean few visitors pay to see the bones, Western tour guides say. Amid a previous temporary thaw in relations between the two Koreas in 2007, a delegation led by South Koreas defense minister visited Danguns royal tomb, and Pyongyang gave permission for South Korean tourists to visit Mount Paektu. A common destiny Unlike Dangun, there is more evidence for Gojoseon, the kingdom he purportedly founded. Seouls National Museum of Korea has a display of bronze daggers, ceramics, and other relics said to be from the period and credited as the first state ever to emerge on the Korean Peninsula. Signs at the museum say Gojoseon lasted from 2,333 BCE to 108 BCE and was powerful enough to compete as equals with major dynasties in China. However, historians say details are disputed and have often been manipulated for political purposes. The early part of Gojoseon cannot be recognized as a state, especially not as a homogenous ethnic nation-state, said Yeungnam Universitys Lee, who argues the period was more likely marked by chiefdoms or tribes that only much later formed a more unified kingdom. The idea of Dangun became especially popular among Koreans suffering under Japanese colonial occupation from 1910 to 1945, leading to the establishment of a home-grown religious movement that continues today. The myth has sometimes been misused, leading to chauvinism and extreme nationalism, Lee said. Still, Dangun makes his mark in both Koreas. During the national Foundation Day holiday on October 3, hundreds of South Koreans gathered at shrines in Seoul to make offerings, wear masks depicting a bearded Dangun, and rally for a peaceful and united Korea. On the same day in North Korea, senior unification officials visited the mausoleum to perform an ancestral sacrifice for Dangun and call for a unified Korea. Jeong said the unifying themes of Dangun and Gojoseon are imperative as the two Koreas try to overcome their differences. The most important ground for justifying unification can be found in the idea that we are a homogeneous group bound together by a common destiny that we have lived as one throughout history and we have to continue to do so in the future, he said. President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before departure from Elko Regional Airport in Nevada, U.S., October 20, 2018. Photo by Reuters/Jonathan Ernst The U.S. will exit the Cold-War era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty that eliminated a class of nuclear weapons, in a move that is likely to upset Russia. President Donald Trump made the remarks on Saturday. The INF treaty, negotiated by then-President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1988, required elimination of short-range and intermediate-range nuclear and conventional missiles by both countries. Russia has not, unfortunately, honored the agreement so were going to terminate the agreement and were going to pull out, Trump told reporters after a rally in Nevada. Washington believes Moscow is developing and has deployed a ground-launched system in breach of the INF treaty that could allow Moscow to launch a nuclear strike on Europe at short notice. Russia has consistently denied any such violation. Trump said the U.S. will develop the weapons unless Russia and China agree to a halt on development. China is not a party to the treaty and has invested heavily in conventional missiles as part of an anti-access/area denial strategy, while the INF has banned U.S possession of ground- launched ballistic missiles or cruise missiles of ranges between 500 and 5,500 km (311 and 3,418 miles). Trumps national security adviser, John Bolton, will visit Moscow next week. Iran's ministers of industry and roads have resigned, in the latest departures from President Hassan Rohani's government. In a statement posted on the presidential website October 20, Rohani thanked Industry Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari and Roads Minister Abbas Akhoundi for their "selfless service" and "sincere efforts." The two ministers reportedly handed in their resignations over a month ago as lawmakers were gearing up for impeachment hearings. Rohani's labor and economy ministers were forced to resign in August, with lawmakers angry over their handling of the country's economic crisis. The crisis has been fueled in part by the United States decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimpose economic sanctions. The U.S. decision to pull out of the deal has put major pressure on Rohani, who had lobbied hard for the deal despite opposition from Iranian hard-liners. Rohani himself was summoned to answer questions in parliament in August, the first time that's happened during his five years in power. Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters President Hassan Rouhani nominated the new ministers of economy, industry, roads and labor in a letter to the Iranian Parliament on October 21. Rouhani named Farhad Dejpasand for the post of economy minister and Mohammad Shariatmadari for the position of labor minister, Mohammad Eslami for the Road Ministry and Reza Rahmani for the Idustry Ministry. The changes in Rouhani's cabinet take place only two weeks before Iran faces the toughest economic sanctions that target its oil exports and international banking operations. Rouhani had refused to reshuffle his cabinet for more than a year, while his critics, as well as many members of the parliament, kept calling on him to change his economic team in the cabinet in a bid to solve the country's economic crisis. The parliament dismissed the economy and labor ministers last month, and Rouhani accepted the resignation of the ministers of industry and roads on October 20 after they wrote several letters offering to step down. While three of the new nominees are low-key officials known to the press if not to the public, the new nominee for the Labor Ministry, Mohammad Shariatmadari, has been Rouhani's industry minister until October 20 and his performance was widely criticized by the parliament, the press, and the public. In fact, Shariatmadari is likely to have resigned his post as industry minister because over 70 MPs have called for his impeachment. He refused to report to the parliament on October 9 to respond to MPs' questions about his problematic performance. Shariatmadari needs to be vetted by the parliament for his new post. Although he won the highest number of votes of confidence in 2017 as industry minister, there is no guarantee that this would happen again as there have been several reports about major corruption cases linked to his ministry in the summer of 2018. Farhad Dejpasand, the nominee for the post of minister of economy and finance, is an assistant professor at Tehran's Shahid Beheshti University. He is currently working as head of the research center at the plan and budget organization. He has also served as a deputy to the chairman of Iran's planning and budget organization. Dejpasand has served as caretaker economy minister after the former minister's impeachment last month. The nominee for the post of roads minister, Mohammad Eslami, studied civil engineering in the United States and has worked on several projects for military and civilian organizations in Iran as well as being a board member of companies affiliated with the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His performance has been praised repeatedly by Khamenei, and his top commanders, ISNA reported. Rahmani, the nominee for the post of industry minister, has already served for a month as the caretaker minister. According to IRNA, he is a former deputy industry minister and has served as the chairman of the board of directors of the Iranian Copper Industries. Rahmani has been a member of the parliament for 12 years and chaired the Industry and Mining Committee. The change in the cabinet, while covering four of the key economic ministries, could be too late to save Iran's failing economy, as the country is facing its worst economic recession and is facing major foreign policy and economic problems. On November 4, the United States is to re-introduce hard-hitting sanctions on Iran's oil exports and international banking operations. The new ministers of economy (and finance) and industry (and mining and trade), the officials to make key decisions on how to confront the impact of sanctions would have to spend a lot of time to restructure the ministries and review policies before they could take any effective practical measure. That is if they win the parliament's vote of confidence. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 21 By Jani Babayeva - Trend: The US University Fair was held in Baku with great success. It was organized in the Hilton Baku Hotel and took place on October 20 from 16:00 to 19:00 (GMT +4). The US University Fair was held by EducationUSA with support from the US Embassy in Azerbaijan and American Councils for International Education. The main objective of the exhibition was to provide its visitors with the most complete information about educational programs and study opportunities in US universities. Visitors of the exhibition could directly ask their questions, consult with representatives of US universities and university graduates. The US University Fair aroused great interest among the public. Representatives of Azerbaijani youth who wish to study in the US had the opportunity to get detailed information about educational institutions. The event was attended by US Charge dAffaires in Azerbaijan William Gill. In a conversation with media representatives, the diplomat noted that it was gratifying to see such a great number of Azerbaijani students at the US University Fair. It was emphasized that nine universities were represented at the exhibition. The event was attended by representatives of those institutions, who provided detailed information about the possibilities of obtaining high-quality education in the US, and answered questions from visitors of the educational exhibition. William Gill stressed that the activities related to the provision of information about studying in the US for citizens of Azerbaijan were not limited to the event that took place on Oct. 20. EducationUSA, operating in Azerbaijan, throughout the year provides full information about studying in the US and assists in filling in the necessary documents, etc., he said. The diplomat also expressed hope that holding the educational exhibition will help to increase the number of students who want to receive education in the US. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 21 Ilkin Shafiyev - Trend: The opening of the Star oil refinery is a significant event that will contribute to the development of the economies of both Turkey and Azerbaijan, the expert-economist, doctor of economics Elshad Mammadov told Trend Oct. 20. "I believe that the opening of the Star refinery and, in general, the investments that Azerbaijan has been making in the Turkish economy for a long period of time, are very important. Turkish economy is going through difficult times and needs direct investments. In this regard, the projects of SOCAR are very helpful. In general, the Star refinery will reduce the current account deficit of the balance of payments in Turkey and will make a significant contribution to the solution of the import substitution issue in the field of petrochemical products that is urgent for the country. The project has created many new jobs. In addition, Star means for Turkey the entry to regional markets, the market of European Union, particularly Southern Europe. The project strengthens the competitiveness of the Turkish economy, because SOCARs investments are made not only in the primary sector, but also in the deep processing sector," Mammadov said. The expert noted that the refinerys activities will be mutually beneficial and will bring great benefits to the investing country, that is, Azerbaijan. SOCAR, investing in such large projects of international importance, strengthens its image as a transnational company and a serious investor. SOCAR, thus, gets access to European markets with high-tech products. The project will allow Azerbaijan to receive dividends in tens of millions of US dollars in the short term, and the numbers can reach hundreds of millions of US dollars in the medium term," Mammadov said. The opening of the STAR oil refinery owned by the Azerbaijani state company SOCAR was held earlier in Turkey. The STAR refinery will produce naphtha, ultra low sulfur diesel fuel, jet fuel, petroleum coke, liquefied gas and other products. The refinery will not produce gasoline and fuel oil. The plant plans to process such grades of oil as Azeri Light, Kerkuk and Urals. Refining capacity of the refinery will be 10 million tons of products per year. Today, the share distribution in the project is as follows: 60 percent is owned by Rafineri Holding (the company is 100 percent owned by SOCAR Turkey Energy), which previously bought out all 18.5 percent of Turcas Petrol's share in the project, and 40 percent - by SOCAR. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 21 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: The Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan plans to establish cooperation with Russian colleagues, head of the association Sakina Babayeva told Trend Oct. 21. She said that this issue will be discussed as part of the upcoming meeting October 22 in Moscow. "We are invited for the first time to participate in the congress of women entrepreneurs, as part of which business meetings with our Russian partners are planned," she noted. "The exchange of experience in the field of womens entrepreneurship in Russia is also useful for Azerbaijani women entrepreneurs as well, therefore we expect to learn a lot from our Russian partners. They have gained quite a lot of experience in business, but in Azerbaijan this area is still new." She further noted that as part of the recent 9th Russia-Azerbaijan Interregional Forum in Baku, an important agreement on bilateral cooperation was signed, several points of which envisage promotion of womens business development. "In my opinion, this is a very important document, on the basis of which we will build our joint business in Moscow and Baku," she added. "At the same time, we are counting on mutually beneficial and long-term cooperation in the field of business, involving the creation of some kind of joint ventures. This may include sewing production or womens salons, both in Russia and in Azerbaijan." She noted that in Azerbaijan as a whole, great attention is paid to the development and expansion of small and medium-sized enterprises, and this is an incentive for the promotion of womens entrepreneurship as well. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 21 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Cargo transshipment from the Aktau port (Kazakhstan) to Azerbaijan increased by 32 percent in the first eight months of 2018, compared to the same period last year, the Ministry for Investments and Development of Kazakhstan told Trend. "For the eight months of 2018, about 1.3 million tons of cargo were transshipped through the ports of Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan, including 202,000 tons from the Aktau port or 32 percent compared to the same period in 2017 (624,000 tons); 1.141 million tons from the Kuryk port, which is 66 percent more than in the same period last year (756,000 tons)," the ministry said. The ministry noted that in 2017, 740,500 tons of cargo (266,800 tons of oil, 19,700 tons of dry cargo, 454,000 tons of ferry cargo) were transshipped from the Aktau port to the Baku port, which ensured an increase of 76,900 tons compared to 2016 (663,600 tons). The main cargo item in this direction is ferry transshipment of cars, as well as oil and metals, the ministry said. Partnership in the field of maritime transportation is regulated by the agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan on cooperation in the field of maritime commercial shipping dated April 11, 2012. The seaport of Aktau is located on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea at the intersection of several international transport corridors. The port is intended for transportation of dry cargo, crude oil and petroleum products in the direction of Iran, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Moreover, the port connects Baku with Aktau via a regular ferry line. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 21 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: The opening of the Star oil refinery is a momentous event for Turkey and Azerbaijan, the well-known Turkish expert, Professor Saleh Yilmaz told Trend. According to estimates of the expert, the opening of the Star refinery promises a huge profit for the Turkish economy. "A large investment has been made in the joint venture, and taking into account the economic feasibility of this project, it will bring great profits to the economies of Turkey and Azerbaijan. The Star Oil Refinery is a powerful enterprise, and its launch will expand the scope of bilateral cooperation and will improve coordination of cooperation in the energy sector," Yilmaz said. He noted that Turkey and Azerbaijan have gained good experience in bilateral cooperation in the implementation of large-scale transport projects of international importance, which are well known in the region and the world. "These are the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, the significance of which is of great importance for advancing the economic interests of Azerbaijan and Turkey in the region and the world. Along with the fact that all these mega-projects bring huge profits to our countries, they also play important role in maintaining stability in the region," the Turkish expert said. Ylmaz added that the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) is among the most important joint mega-projects of Turkey and Azerbaijan, which is of great importance in ensuring the security of the region. According to estimates of the expert, the projects implemented with the joint participation of Azerbaijan and Turkey are an indicator of the unity and faithfulness of the two states, based on the national interests of the Turkish and Azerbaijani peoples. Earlier, the solemn opening ceremony of the Star Oil Refinery was held in Izmir city of Turkey, with the participation of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The total oil refining capacity of the refinery will be 10 million tons, and the Azerbaijani state company SOCAR is the main supplier of raw materials for the enterprise. The refinery will significantly reduce the dependence of Turkey on imports of petrochemical products. At the refinery worth $ 6.3 billion, built by SOCAR in the Aliaga district of the Turkish city of Izmir, on the territory of the Petkim petrochemical complex, 1.6 million tons of naphtha, 1.6 million tons of aviation fuel, 4.8 million tons of low-sulfur diesel fuel, 700,000 tons of petroleum coke, 420,000 tons of mixed xylene and 160,000 tons of sulfur will be produced. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 21 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Customs Administration of the Islamic Republic of Iran has ordered the customs authorities of the country to allow imported rice enter the country, IRNA reported. When analyzing Iranian customs statistics, 935,647 tons of rice worth $964.067 million was imported in the first half of the year (Iranian year starts March 21, 2018). Annual rice consumption in Iran is about 3.2 million tons. This is while 1.7-2 million tons are grown in Iran. Approximately 1.2-1.5 million tons of rice are imported annually. India is the main rice supplier for Iran. Pakistan, Thailand and Uruguay also provide a part of Irans imported rice. Tehran, Iran, Oct. 21 Trend: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accepted the resignation of Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Shariatmadari and appointed a caretaker minister of industry. On Saturday evening, Rouhani accepted Shariatmadaris resignation and appointed Reza Rahmani as the caretaker minister of industry, IRNA reported on October 20. Rouhani has also proposed him to the parliament for the vacant ministry for the vote of confidence. The president also appointed Mohammad Eslami as the caretaker ministers of road after accepting the resignation of Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi. Akhoundi released his resignation letter to the public earlier on Saturday, citing disagreements on urban redevelopment as the main reason behind his decision. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 21 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Irans investigation police officers detected 6,986 household items intended for smuggling in the Bileh Savar county, said Colonel Hadi Mousavi, commander of the Bileh Savar law enforcement agencies in Iran, IRNA reported. He said that household items were collected in a warehouse. Based on the information obtained, a team of courthouse officials and investigators has been sent to the venue, he noted. During the investigation, household goods worth about $31,000 intended for smuggling were detected. In this regard, one person was detained and handed over to justice authorities, he added. An explosion of a car bomb in the Syrian city of Idlib has claimed the lives of four people, 11 people have been injured, a source in the Syrian opposition told Sputnik on Sunday, Sputnik reports. "Four people have been killed, 11 have been wounded as a result of the explosion of a car bomb in [the city of] Idlib," the source said. Idlib and adjacent areas - the last major stronghold of militants in Syria - are home to an estimated 3 million civilians, more than half of whom have reportedly been displaced at least once during the ongoing six-year war. Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with the government forces fighting against numerous opposition groups and terrorist organizations. Russia along with Turkey and Iran are guarantors of the ceasefire regime in Syria. Germany should not approve arms sales to Saudi Arabia until investigations into the circumstances of journalist Jamal Khashoggis death have been completed, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Saturday, Reuters reported. Maass statement, which appeared to reverse a decision to sell artillery systems to Riyadh, came after he and Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected as unsatisfactory Saudi Arabias explanation for the death of the dissident journalist in its Istanbul consulate. In an interview for public televisions Tagesthemen program, Maas said he believed no weapons should be sold to the kingdom until the circumstances of Khashoggis death had been cleared up. As long as investigations are underway, as long as we dont know what happened there, there is no reason to take positive decisions on arms exports to Saudi Arabia, he said. The decision last month to authorize the sale, part of an effort to normalize relations with the kingdom, stirred controversy because it ran against an earlier pledge not to sell arms to countries involved in the Yemen war. In the strongest Western reaction to Riyadhs admission that Khashoggi had died in the consulate, Merkel and Maas earlier condemned the killing, demanding that Riyadh make clear what had happened. We condemn this act in the strongest terms, read a joint statement, in which they demanded transparency from Riyadh. The information available about events in the Istanbul consulate is inadequate. Expressing deep sympathy to Khashoggis friends and relatives, Merkel and Maas said those responsible for his death must be held accountable. Asked in the interview whether Siemens (SIEGn.DE) boss Joe Kaeser should follow many other international executives in cancelling plans to attend a forthcoming investment conference in Saudi Arabia, Maas said cancellations sent the right signal. I certainly wouldnt participate in an event in Riyadh at the moment, he said. And I have great understanding for those who have canceled. In his interview, Maas added that a United Nations-backed probe of the killing might be a means of improving the objectivity and credibility of any findings. Merkels and Maass remarks followed calls from across the political spectrum on Saturday for Germany to toughen its stance toward Riyadh following the drama around Khashoggi which comes at an awkward time for Berlin, which has been attempting to normalize its stormy relations with the kingdom. The Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, on Saturday called for a deeper investigation into Saudi Arabias admission that Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi died within the walls of Riyadhs consulate in Istanbul, Sputnik reported. "A lot still remains uncertain," Rutte noted to reporters in Copenhagen on Saturday. "What happened? How did he die? Who is responsible?" he said, adding, "I expect and I hope that all relevant facts will be clear as soon as possible." A "thorough investigation is necessary," the Dutch PM noted, cited by Reuters. Khashoggi, a former Riyadh insider who wrote unsparingly of the kingdom's policies including its ongoing war in Yemen, disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul some two weeks ago, and has now been acknowledged by Saudi officials as having "died in a fistfight," according to CNN. Britains Brexit minister Dominic Raab wants the European Union to accept assurances that the country will remain tied to the blocs rules for longer in return for making a hotly contested so-called backstop for Northern Ireland unnecessary, Reuters reported. Talks between Britain and the European Union have stalled over a disagreement over the backstop - an insurance policy to ensure there will be no return to a hard border on the island of Ireland, a former focal point for sectarian tensions, if a future trading relationship is not in place in time. Raab writing in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper said Britains proposal to extend its Brexit transition period should be an alternative to the insurance plan. The Prime Minister has rightly refused to rule out considering different approaches including extending the implementation period for a limited period of a few months, as an alternative to the backstop, he said. But so far the European Union has said the backstop on the island of Ireland must remain in place to proceed with the divorce negotiations. The searches carried out on Saturday found the site with body parts of the two pilots flying the L-39 military training jet that crashed in the Russian southern Krasnodar region, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Saturday, TASS reported. "During the search and rescue operation on October 20, body parts of the two killed pilots were recovered in the area where the L-39 training plane had crashed. In the past day, in line with required procedures, the found body parts were retrieved from the water," the statement says. The defense ministry added that an emergency towing boat of the Black Sea Fleet had headed for the search area to lift large pieces of debris, which may be part of the fuselage. The boat is equipped with a lift gear and might be used for underwater exploration. The search operation will be continued in the morning after the sunrise, the defense ministry added. The L-39 military training plane crashed at about 5pm Moscow time on Thursday as it was on a training flight. Technical malfunction is seen as a possible cause of the crash. The plane carried no weapons. Both pilots had ejected from the plane before it crashed into the water allegedly near the Dolgaya Spit, about 1.5 kilometers off the coast. US President Donald Trump has referred to his correspondence with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as "love letters," in an interview with local media, Sputnik reports. "Ill show you the letters They are like love letters," Trump told the Washington Post newspaper after bringing up North Korea in an interview on Sunday. He reportedly said the messages from Kim were an evidence of their productive relationship after saying they "fell in love," at a rally earlier this month. Last year, ties between the United States and North Korea hit a new low when the two leaders threatened each other with annihilation before the first-ever summit between them was agreed on in June after months of diplomatic flurry. During their historic summit in Singapore, Trump and Kim agreed that Pyongyang would give up its nuclear aspirations in exchange for sanctions relief and suspension of US-South Korean joint war games. Nevertheless, the settlement progress has weakened over the past months. Earlier in October, Trump said discussions were underway to prepare for his second meeting with Kim, but no concrete date was announced. KYODO NEWS - Oct 21, 2018 - 08:26 | All, World President Donald Trump said Saturday he will withdraw the United States from the Cold War-era nuclear arms treaty with Russia that limits the size of each nation's arsenal of missiles. It will mark the first time that Trump has jettisoned a major arms control pact. He said he will scrap the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty as Russia has been violating it for many years. [Getty/Kyodo] "We are going to terminate the agreement and we are going to develop the weapons," he said after an election campaign stop in Elko, Nevada. On Friday, the New York Times reported that the Trump administration plans to tell Russia next week that it is preparing to exit the INF treaty. The pact was signed by then U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in December 1987 and took effect in June 1988. It calls for the destruction of ground-based intermediate and shorter-range nuclear missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers. Washington has long argued that Moscow has been violating the agreement by deploying a range of tactical nuclear weapons to intimidate former Soviet states that have aligned with the West. Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, chose not to leave the agreement because he did not want to ignite a renewed arms race. KYODO NEWS - Oct 21, 2018 - 19:23 | All, World Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Chinese navy plan to resume mutual visits by their naval vessels for the first time since 2011, as they step up defense exchanges to prevent inadvertent maritime clashes, Japanese government sources said Sunday. The restart is set to be agreed when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during his three-day trip to Beijing from Thursday, the sources said, as bilateral tension remains over a group of Chinese-claimed, Japanese-controlled uninhabited islets in the East China Sea. (The Izumo, Japan's helicopter carrier) [File photo] Japan may invite a Chinese warship to the MSDF's naval review to be held around October next year, one of the Japanese government sources said. Japan and China launched a bilateral communications mechanism in June and during Abe's visit they are also set to sign an agreement to facilitate cooperation on search and rescue operations in waters off the two countries, people familiar with the matter said earlier. China is involved in a number of trade and military disputes with the United States and it "has (always) improved relations with Japan whenever ties with the United States have worsened," a Chinese political scientist said. Such visits by naval vessels were first agreed by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji in 2000 to facilitate bilateral defense exchanges. MSDF destroyers and Chinese warships made mutual visits from 2007 to 2011, but the exchanges came to a halt when the Japanese government put the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, called Diaoyu by China, under state control in 2012, straining bilateral ties. Chinese vessels have frequently intruded into Japanese waters around the Senkakus since. "In light of mutual understanding and confidence building, defense exchanges are very important," Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya said Friday at the outset of talks with Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe in Singapore. "I'd like to take this opportunity to pave the way for a full-blown improvement of Japan-China defense exchanges," he said in the first official meeting between Japanese and Chinese defense ministers since November 2015, in the latest sign of warming bilateral relations. It will be Abe's first visit to China to primarily discuss bilateral issues, rather than attend international meetings, since he returned to power in late 2012. His trip to Beijing, timed with the 40th anniversary of the taking effect of the two countries' peace and friendship treaty, will include a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Regulatory Commission sought different power tariff rates for the KSEB and the 10 supply network license holders. Finland is a very beautiful country. This year, Finland has been included in the list of the world's happiest countries. In earlier times, Finland was called "Land of Sorrow", but in the past 7 years Finland made a lot of progress and changed its image and surprised the whole world. If you want to go somewhere, Finland can be a perfect option for you. Finland has been ranked first in the list of "Happy Indexes" this year. This makes it clear that Finland is one of the happiest countries. Finland is the most stable and safe country. In 2015, the rate of murder was just 1.28% on the population of one lakh. The police here are also very capable and trustworthy. Here the police and the Internet are placed on the second largest position in the world. Finland's weather is also very beautiful. It is very cold here, yet the weather here is very pleasant. In the summer season it is dark at 12:00 in the night. At 10:00 in the night before, you will feel like an evening. In the cold days, it remains much darker here. The sun is visible for a short while in the afternoon. The lapland is very cool and beautiful place in Finland. There is a lot of time here in the night. From here to March to June, it is perfect. Because at this time the weather here is cold and luminous all the time. Here you can see continuously colored light up to 200 nights. Whose look is very beautiful. Also Read: Destinations where you can travel regardless of season Dussehra Special :If you want to enjoy Rawan Dahan then check out these 6 places Navratri 2018: Festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in this cities SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Geneticists have assembled the largest sets of African genomic data available to date, creating a resource that will help researchers understand the genetic structure of Africa as well as the effects of genetic variation on protein function and disease. The findings underscore the importance of including globally diverse participant cohorts in genetics research, and were presented in a plenary session at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2018 Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif. The researchers collected and analyzed genome-wide data from 6,400 individuals from rural Uganda, including the whole genome sequences of 1,978 people within that group. They combined this with data from an additional 7,784 individuals from other African countries, in the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) to analyze multiple traits across Africa. "This study represents one of the largest and most comprehensive efforts to identify genetic associations with disease within African populations, and will provide a roadmap for large-scale GWAS across the region," said Ayesha Motala, MD, FRCP, a leader of the study and professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. "Prior to our work, there were only a few hundred whole genome sequences available from Africa," said Deepti Gurdasani, MD, PhD, from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, who presented the research. "Most of the information we had was from African-American populations, which didn't capture the full diversity of the continent." After compiling the data, Dr. Gurdasani and her colleagues assessed genetic similarities and differences within the cohort, identifying commonalities among those who migrated to Uganda from the same regions. They also found a complex mixture of similarities between the Ugandan genomes, ancient East African populations, and Eurasian genomes. These findings suggest that modern Ugandan genomes represent the complex history of migration in the region, and that they have been shaped by multiple mixture events over thousands of years, including mixture with genomes resembling those in modern Europe. In addition, the researchers examined genetic influences on a variety of traits and diseases in the larger GWAS cohort, identifying 10 new associations specific to African populations. For example, they discovered an association between a deletion in the HBA1/HBA2 gene, known to cause the blood disorder alpha thalassemia, and blood bilirubin levels. This deletion is common among Africans, found in approximately 22% of individuals, but rare among previously studied Europeans. "Although it correlates with disease, this variant has been shown to protect people from severe malaria, which presents a stronger advantage in Africa than in Europe and has enabled the variant to rise in frequency within Africa," Dr. Gurdasani explained. The study also found an association between HBA1/HBA2 deletion and the blood's level of the protein HbA1c, high levels of which are often used to diagnose diabetes. "The high frequency of thalassemia in some African populations may affect the accuracy of this test, as it can modify HbA1c independently of glucose levels," Dr. Gurdasani said. Beyond their own analysis, the researchers hope their data will help other scientists better understand the genetic diversity of African populations and develop cost-effective tools to capture genome variation for future studies. Future work will also include detailed mapping of the cause-and-effect relationships between genetic variants through examining functional impact of variants on gene expression. As next steps, the researchers plan to expand their genomic data set to populations across Africa, by sampling diverse indigenous populations, and expanding the GWAS to about 75,000 individuals. ### Presentation: Dr. Gurdasani will present this research on Saturday, October 20, 2018, from 12:40-1:00 p.m., in Hall C, Ground Level, San Diego Convention Center. Press Availability: Dr. Gurdasani will be available to discuss this research with interested media on Friday, October 19, 2018, from 10-10:45 a.m. in the ASHG 2018 Press Office (Room 22). Reference: Gurdasani D et al. (2018 Oct 20). Abstract: Uganda genomes resource enables inferences into population history and genomic discovery in Africa. Presented at the American Society of Human Genetics 2018 Annual Meeting. San Diego, California. Toronto, Canada 20 Oct 2018: Heart patients are being advised to move around every 20 minutes in a bid to prolong life following a study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress (CCC) 2018. CCC 2018 is being held 20 to 23 October in Toronto, Canada. Visiting experts from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) will participate in joint scientific sessions with the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) as part of the ESC Global Activities programme.1 Heart patients spend most of their waking hours sitting, lying down, and watching television.2,3 Previous research has shown that being sedentary for long periods could shorten life but taking breaks to move around may counteract the risk, particularly if it means burning more than 770 kcal a day.4-8 This study investigated how many breaks, and for what duration, are needed to expend 770 kcal. "Our study shows that heart patients should interrupt sedentary time every 20 minutes with a 7 minute bout of light physical activity," said study author Dr Ailar Ramadi, postdoctoral fellow, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. "Simple activities such as standing up and walking at a casual pace will expend more than 770 kcal in a day if done with this frequency and duration." The study enrolled 132 patients with coronary artery disease. The average age was 63 years and 77% were male. Participants wore an armband activity monitor for an average of 22 hours a day for five days. The activity monitor recorded the amount of energy spent during breaks from inactivity, the amount of inactive time, and the number and duration of breaks during each sedentary hour. Dr Ramadi said: "There is a lot of evidence now that sitting for long periods is bad for health. Our study suggests that during each hour of sitting time, heart patients should take three breaks which add up to 21 minutes of light physical activity. This will expend 770 kcal a day, an amount associated with a lower risk of premature death." Regarding limitations of the research, Professor Joep Perk, ESC Prevention Spokesperson, noted that this was a small, observational study with no control group. "A randomised controlled trial is needed before this can become a firm recommendation," he said. "Nevertheless, regular physical activity is key to achieving a healthy life, whether you are a cardiac patient or not." Dr Michelle M. Graham, Scientific Programme Committee Chair of CCC 2018, said: "We are delighted to have innovative studies such as that by Ramadi and colleagues being presented at CCC. Their novel work has very practical implications, not only for patients with cardiovascular disease, but for improving prevention by altering how people work in sedentary environments." Professor Jeroen Bax, Past President of the ESC and course director of the ESC programme at CCC 2018, said: "Sedentary lifestyles affect more than half of the world's population. ESC guidelines on the prevention of cardiovascular disease recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. Any activity is better than none and more activity is better than some."9 ### Authors: ESC Press Office Tel: +33 (0)4 8987 2499 Mobile: +336 (0) 2314 5784 Email: press@escardio.org Notes to editor References and notes 1Sessions with ESC faculty will be held on 21 October. 2Karjalainen JJ, Kiviniemi AM, Hautala AJ, et al. Effects of exercise prescription on daily physical activity and maximal exercise capacity in coronary artery disease patients with and without type 2 diabetes. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2012;32:445-454. 3Ramadi A, Stickland MK, Rodgers WM, et al. Impact of supervised exercise rehabilitation on daily physical activity of cardiopulmonary patients. Heart Lung. 2015;44:9-14. 4Healy GN, Matthews CE, Dunstan DW, et al. Sedentary time and cardio-metabolic biomarkers in US adults: NHANES 2003-06. Eur Heart J 2011;32:590-597. 5Healy GN, Dunstan DW, Salmon J, et al. Breaks in sedentary time: beneficial associations with metabolic risk. Diabetes Care.2008;31:661-666. 6Dunstan DW, Kingwell BA, Larsen R, et al. Breaking up prolonged sitting reduces postprandial glucose and insulin responses. Diabetes Care. 2012;35:976-983. 7Judice PB, Silva AM, Sardinha LB. Sedentary bout durations are associated with abdominal obesity in older adults. Journal Nutr Health Aging. 2015;19:798-804. 8Manini TM, Everhart JE, Patel KV, et al. Daily activity energy expenditure and mortality among older adults. JAMA. 2006;296:171-179. 9Piepoli MF, Hoes AW, Agewall S, et al. 2016 European Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. Eur Heart J. 2016;37:2315-2381. About the European Society of Cardiology The European Society of Cardiology brings together health care professionals from more than 150 countries, working to advance cardiovascular medicine and help people lead longer, healthier lives. About ESC Global Activities ESC Global Activities are extending the ESC mission beyond European borders. ESC Global Affairs is a programme of international ESC educational courses built around a global network of international partnerships. Blockchain Bank of Japan Masayoshi Amamiya, Bank of Japans Deputy Governor, stated on Saturday that it was unclear whether digital currencies could enhance the monetary policies of central banks. He elaborated that the Bank of Japan had no plans whatsoever to issue a cryptocurrency. Ongoing Debate Mr. Amamiya said that there was quite a hurdle for cryptocurrencies to overcome fiat currencies, and pointed out that they are mostly used as a means for investment rather than for actual payment or settlement. However, it is clear that this trend is changing, as Ripple, a cryptocurrency in the global payments space, has announced high-profile partnerships with financial institutions such as PNC Bank, a Top 10 United States bank with over 8 million customers, and more recently with the largest private foundation in the United States, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This is not the first time that someone associated with a central bank has weighed in on cryptocurrency, and whether it should issue a digital currency. Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank, and widely considered one of the most important figures in global finance, recently downplayed the idea, stating that the underlying technology is still fragile. Conflicting Opinions There are many in the cryptocurrency community who are not surprised at the fact that many central banks tend to downplay cryptocurrency, as it could disrupt the entire global payments and settlement sector, and as a result, is arguably a direct threat to central banks. Recently, the head of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, Elvira Nabiullina, was vocal about the fact that investor interest in cryptocurrency was waning, and that cryptocurrency fever was disappearing. She also acknowledged that initial coin offerings were an effective way to raise funds, but was quick to point out the high percentage of scams in the sector, as well. Despite these statements from respected figures at central banks, there are other organizations that believe otherwise. The World Trade Organization, which many consider to be the number one organization in terms of regulating international report, recently released a report that seemed to praise digital assets and their potential. Story continues The report, called The Future of World Trade: How Digital Technologies Are Transforming Global Commerce, was not ambivalent in its claims, stating explicitly that blockchain has the potential to profoundly transform the way we trade, who trades, and what is traded. The report singled out Ripple specifically in terms of its potential with regards to the global payments sector, as well. Bank of Japan image from Shutterstock. The post Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Downplays Cryptocurrency Plans appeared first on CCN. brazil bitcoin cryptocurrency Mercado Bitcoin, Brazils largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, recently fired at least 20 employees amid restructuring efforts being made to focus on professionalization, better governance and more agility in customer service. Local news outlet Portal do Bitcoin reportedly spoke to four now ex-employees that served at different hierarchical levels. One noted it was horrible and said that there were people crying over the occurrence. The ex-employees revealed that senior executives started getting laid off earlier this week, on October 15, with other employees being fired by an executive the very next day. The company, justifying what was going on, revealed it was restructuring its marketing and human resources departments. Those interviewed by the local news outlet claimed the affected departments were shuttered following the layoffs. One said that executives told employees that it was a company moment, they needed to dry out their structure. In short, they went one step over what was being billed. bitfinex The move could seemingly have been predicted as the ex-employees further claimed the working environment at Mercado Bitcoin was deteriorating. Per their words, about two months ago most of what they were doing was getting shelved, and their work volume kept on decreasing. We created processes and presentations but everything kept getting stuck. Things that we did in an hour, now started being done in two days. Some people were really idle. I had nothing to do. According to their accounts, Mercado Bitcoin fired employees it hired from other companies less than six months ago and, in some cases, fired people that had been working there for less than two months. The move is notable as the cryptocurrency exchange is the largest one in Brazil. According to available data, it traded 4,150 BTC in September, and 1,965 BTC so far this month, which means it represents over 30 percent of the Brazilian markets volume. Story continues Crypto Exchanges Under Scrutiny Responding to a request for comment from Portal do Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency exchange revealed it has been promoting changes in its structure since the beginning of this year to serve its users better. In October, its reply reads, changes were made to the marketing, HR, and administrative departments, while others were left unchanged. The exchange operator added: Regarding financial and personnel data, Mercado Bitcoin does not disclose its information to the market, but clarifies that the number of people who left the company in October is significantly lower than indicated, reaching 20 people only, if we include consultants and other service providers. The exchanges move comes at a time in which XP Investimentos, Brazils biggest investment firm, is launching its XDEX cryptocurrency exchange. Huobi, the worlds second-largest exchange by trading volume, also expanded into the country earlier this year. Notably, exchanges in Brazil have been under scrutiny, as back in August the government sent them a 14-point questionnaire to learn more about their businesses and their potential use in money laundering. Earlier this month, the countrys antitrust watchdog, CADE, sent them another questionnaire theyll have to answer or face a fine that can reach $25,000. Editors Note: Some statements in this article were translated from Portuguese. Images from Shutterstock The post Brazils Largest Bitcoin Exchange Just Fired at Least 20 Employees appeared first on CCN. (Adds detail) BAGHDAD, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Iraq has signed agreements with General Electric and Siemens (SIEGn.DE) over potential deals to develop the country's power infrastructure, the electricity ministry said on Sunday. Siemens had been favourite to win a contract to supply 11 gigawatts of power-generation equipment in a possible $15 billion deal, though the Financial Times reported on Wednesday that the German group may have to share the work with U.S. rival GE after pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. An Iraq electricity ministry official confirmed there had been pressure from the United States. "We received key offers from Siemens and then General Electric to revamp Iraq's power sector ... the pressure by the Americans was heavy," the official said without elaborating. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed by both groups, with Iraq's incoming government, which has yet to be formed, able to decide later whether to pick one or both of the companies, the official added. The electricity ministry gave no immediate details on the value of either agreement. Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser wrote on Twitter that the Iraqi MoU represents a "landmark" agrrement for the company. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed Additional reporting by Caroline Copley in Berlin Writing by John Davison Editing by David Goodman) A court ruling in Russia recently determined that a church must pay higher electricity fees, due to the fact that they are running cryptocurrency mining hardware on the property. Although this is an isolated court ruling, it certainly has implications for private citizens, who are mining in their own homes. Church Investigated Grace, the evangelical religious organization involved, denied that the electricity was used to mine cryptocurrency. This is not surprising, considering that Eastern Europe enjoys low subsidized electricity rates, which leads many to mine crypto in their own home. The current legislation requires those who mine cryptocurrency to pay higher electricity rates, a claim which the church, located in Irkutsk, Russia, has denied. The regional electricity provider, Irkutskenegro, noticed a significant electricity spike from the church last year. Inspectors from the company even found computing hardware at the church, in a server room on the second floor. The company has stated that the amount of electricity consumes actually endangers the neighboring area. The church asked for a refund of 1.1 million rubles from the company, which totals to over $16,000 USD. Irkutsk Arbitration Court sided with Irkutskenegro, despite the churchs claims that the electricity was utilized for heating purposes and to produce religious material. The court pointed out that the time period in question was during the summer, so the heating explanation was unlikely. Further Implications Energy is much cheaper for private individuals and for certain organizations, including churches, in Eastern Europe. In fact, the court ruled that even though the church did consume more electricity, that it should still be charged lower than the standard rate. Many wonder whether this will cause repercussions, and whether the state will force private individuals to start paying higher rates in order to mine cryptocurrency. This is not the first time that an organization has been mining cryptocurrency when it shouldnt have in Russia, as Russian engineers at the Russian Nuclear Center are facing criminal charges for using a supercomputer to mine bitcoin earlier this year. Story continues One of the reasons that cryptocurrency mining has gained popularity in Russia is due to Dmitry Marinichev, Vladimir Putins advisor for internet affairs. In fact, he recently raised millions of dollars for the ICO of the Russian Miner Coin. Of course, time will tell whether this court ruling will actually affect those who mine cryptocurrency in the comfort of their own home. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Russian Church Forced To Pay For Crypto Mining appeared first on CCN. Detroit Police Chief James Craig announced a wide probe into Michigan funeral homes Friday, after hidden caches of baby corpses were allegedly discovered at two unrelated businesses inside a week. This is deeply disturbing, Craig said at a news conference, hours after police raided Perry Funeral Home and allegedly seized 63 fetus or infant bodies, more than half of which were packed together in unrefrigerated boxes. We want to understand the reasons: Is it financial gain? If so, how? Who knew or who else is involved in this? The raid came a week after an anonymous letter led investigators to an abandoned funeral home on the other side of central Detroit, where they allegedly found nearly a dozen infant corpses hidden in a ceiling. I would like to look at you and tell you I hope that this is isolated to these two. I cant say that with certainty, Craig told reporters, shortly after leaving a meeting with FBI and state investigators. This is much larger than we might know. The police chief gave few details about the investigation, and declined to speculate as to what would motivate someone to keep tiny desiccated corpses long after they were supposed to have been interred. All the same, he described how the case escalated rapidly from a single anonymous tip into a full-blown investigative task force that could now probe businesses throughout the state. The case began last week at Cantrell Funeral Home in east Detroit, which had been shuttered since the spring over accusations that adult corpses had been improperly stored to the point of growing mold. An unsigned letter received on Oct. 12 urged investigators to return to the business and search it. The note led them to what police described as a hidden compartment in a ceiling containing a casket, cardboard boxes, several trash bags and the remains of 11 dead infants. Speaking to reporters on the night of that discovery, a police sergeant attributed to bodies' condition to just the callousness of the owner, the operators, the employees of the funeral home. Nevertheless, police opened a criminal investigation into the matter this week. Investigators then got a second tip, leading them to a second funeral home. A parent saw the story about Cantrell in the news, Craig told reporters. He told his attorney he wanted to go to the police. The Detroit News wrote that the tipsters were the parents of Alayah Davis, who died of respiratory failure minutes after she was born in late 2014. The mother and father sued Perry Funeral Home in July, alleging that the company had claimed to bury Alayah and several other infants at a particular cemetery but had actually stored their bodies for years in a mortuary school morgue. Perry went so far as to issue fraudulent death certificates for the infants, the parents alleged, and billed Medicaid and hospitals for funerals that were never performed. The Washington Post could not independently review the lawsuit, but Craig said the allegations in the lawsuit led them to raid Perry Funeral Home. Inside, on Friday afternoon, they found three unrefrigerated boxes containing the remains of a total of approximately 36 deceased bodies of fetuses or infants, according to a statement from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, plus a deep freezer containing an unknown number of additional deceased bodies. The agency alleged that Perry and its director, Gary Deak, failed to filed death certificates for at least some of those bodies; and stored them without being the families' permission; and improperly held them for months long enough to constitute a state felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. A lawyer for the business told The Post that Deak was unavailable for comment but disputes accusations that his business had hidden corpses. Perry Funeral Home had its license revoked immediately after the raid and is now shuttered like Cantrell before it. While a criminal investigation is underway, no one has been reported arrested in either case. The police chief, Craig, said a task force of local and state police, FBI advisers, and other investigators has been assembled to look for any possible connection between the two funeral homes, any possible reason for hoarding infant corpses, and the possibility that businesses in the region could have done the same. We have tremendous work today, the police chief said. We know some of it may take us away or out of the city of Detroit. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. City Editor Tom Roeder is the Gazette's City Editor. In Colorado Springs since 2003, Tom has covered the military at home and overseas and has covered statehouses in Denver and Olympia, Wash. His main job, though, is being dad to two great kids. More than 100 years ago, Carey Peltos house on West Pikes Peak Avenue was ordered from a Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog an early version of what would become a nationwide phenomena. The pale yellow, two-story house in Old Colorado City, purchased by John M. Clear just after the turn of the 20th century, is possibly the first Sears kit home built in the country. Standing in his kitchen on Friday afternoon, Pelto unfolded a packet of yellowing, faded paperwork labeled in capital letters, SPECIFICATIONS AND BILL OF MATERIALS FOR MODERN HOME, with a list of each item purchased and its corresponding code from the Sears catalog. Including materials and labor, the house was expected to cost $2,771. Sears wasnt the first company to sell kit homes, but it was the most prolific. Entire homes would arrive by railroad, from precut lumber, to carved staircases, down to the nails and varnish, says a Sears website documenting the companys history. Families picked out their houses according to their needs, tastes, and pocketbooks. Sears provided all the materials and instructions, and for many years the financing, for homeowners to build their own houses. Sears filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week, buckling under its massive debt load and staggering losses, raising questions about whether a smaller version of the company that once dominated the American retail landscape can remain viable, or whether the iconic brand will be forced out of business. Sears, which started as a mail order catalog in the 1880s, has been on a slow march toward extinction as it lagged far behind its peers and incurred massive losses over the years. But its two Colorado Springs stores at Chapel Hills Mall and Broadmoor Towne Center are staying open for now; neither was on the list of unprofitable stores being closed this year. Sears presence in the city goes back nearly a century to 1928 when it opened its first store on Tejon Street downtown. Since then, its become part of NORAD lore, giving birth to its Santa tracking on Christmas Eve by inadvertently running an ad for kids to call Santa with the telephone number for the joint U.S.-Canada command. The commanding officer who answered played along, pretending the caller had reached Santas nerve center at the North Pole. Or so the story goes. And theres the house that Clear ordered and assembled. Pelto didnt know the houses history when he bought it in 2016. But he soon found a stash of original documents and artifacts including samples of building materials with Clears name and an invoice number stamped on them preserved in a drawer. Its a tribute to the people who lived here before that they kept this stuff around, Pelto said. Pelto, an emergency room doctor, began researching kit homes online. He had help from his next-door neighbors, who used to own the house and had extensively researched its origin. He found references to a man named John Clear of Colorado Springs buying the countrys first Sears kit house, but the date the house was built appears to predate the time Sears kit homes were first produced. It would make sense the story about this being a test kit home kind of fits, Pelto said. His research indicates that Clear likely worked for a railroad company. El Paso County assessors records say the house was built in 1908, but according to Pelto, the deed says 1910. Regardless, Sears archives website and enthusiasts online appear to confirm the story that it could be the companys first kit home. More than 100,000 homes were sold from 1908 to 1940 through the mail-order Modern Homes program, the Sears website says. The first specialty catalog for houses, the Book of Modern Homes and Building Plans, was issued in 1908, featuring 22 styles ranging from $650 to $2,500. The first bill of materials was sold for a complete Modern Home in 1909. Rachel Shoemaker, who runs Oklahoma Houses By Mail, a blog about kit homes, said she believes the West Pikes Peak Avenue house was one of the earliest possibly even the first. Shoemaker wrote on the blog that while reading through a Sears merchandise catalog from the fall of 1911 or spring 1912, she came across a testimonial from John M. Clear of Colorado Springs in the building materials and home plans section. I am just as well pleased today, three years after building, as I was at the time everything was new, Clear wrote in the testimonial provided by Shoemaker. Clear said building the house using Sears catalog had saved him $800. I will state that I am more than pleased with my home built by my plans and your material, the testimonial says. the quality of the material furnished by you far surpasses any that is being furnished for other houses being built right here, and your prices are fully 50 per cent lower. I received my entire order in a little more than two weeks from the time you shipped it from your factory and not a single article was damaged and was packed in fine shape. Clear enclosed a photo of his home, which appears to be the house Pelto lives in now. Many of the houses fixtures, appliances and decorative features have been carefully preserved or restored, Pelto said. At some point, some original pieces, including intricate woodwork in the entrance to the living room, were torn out, he said. A subsequent owner found the woodwork stuffed in a crawlspace and reinstalled it. But much remains unchanged, from the wood floors to stained glass windows. The stove is original but has been reconfigured with a new gas stovetop. All the antiques in the house have been passed down in my family for years, so I had a lot of antiques to put into it, Pelto said. He said he loves history, so it just seemed like a natural fit. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Rachel Stovall is a longtime community advocate and organizer. Also a fundraising, media and marketing consultant, Stovall is most known for singing with her dance band Phat Daddy and the Phat Horn Doctors. After several brutal years of rising teen suicides in El Paso County, the numbers have been trending downward. Open Bank Project is to support soon-to-be-launched 86 400 with its Open Banking initiative and Fintech engagement SYDNEY, Oct. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkWire Open Bank Project , the leading open source API solution for banks, today announces an agreement with 86 400 , challenger to the big 4 banks in Australia to power APIs. 86 400 is led by Robert Bell (former ANZ Japan CEO), Anthony Thomson (co-founder and former chairman of Atom Bank and Metro Bank), and Brian Parker (ex-Cuscal Payments CIO). The company is fully funded and backed by Cuscal, Australias largest independent provider of end-to-end payments solutions. 86 400 will use Open Bank Project API definitions to standardise and harmonise its API design, enabling access to a global network of over 10,000 fintech developers. 86 400 CIO Brian Parker says, Having a strong and lively fintech ecosystem is core to 86 400s strategy. By leveraging Open Bank Project, we have a unique opportunity to strengthen this ecosystem and tap into a global reservoir of talent and innovative ideas that we can bring to the Australian market. Open Bank Project CEO Simon Redfern says, We are thrilled that 86 400 shares our vision of an Open Banking future. APIs and fintech ecosystems are a tremendous accelerator for product development and can bring so much to bank customers. It is great to see a challenger bank committing to this path and we are excited to see them adopt Open Bank Project definitions. About 86 400 86 400 is building a genuine alternative to the big 4 banks in Australia. Led by CEO Robert Bell (former CEO of ANZ Japan) and Chair Anthony Thomson (co-founder and former chairman of Atom Bank and Metro Bank in the UK), 86 400 is using data and technology to deliver a bespoke, mobile-first banking experience designed to deliver value, every second. 86 400 is well capitalized and currently fully funded by payments business Cuscal. A growing team of 70+ has been assembled to launch the bank in early 2019. About Open Bank Project Led by Berlin-based software company TESOBE , the Open Bank Project is the leading open-source API solution for banks, enabling financial institutions to securely and rapidly enhance their digital offerings. The Open Bank Project assists banks in deployment of open banking platforms by providing access to more than 180 standardised APIs, used by over 10,000 developers worldwide. Should you have any questions on this release or how Open Bank Project can help your bank deploy fintech-friendly APIs, please get in touch. Media inquiries: TESOBE Elena Trpevska Project Manager Email: elena@tesobe.com Phone +49 30 8145 3994 86 400 Caelyn Evans 86 400 PR Team Email: 86400@slingstone.com Re: The positive two-digit integers x and y have the same digits, but in [ #permalink Bunuel wrote: The positive two-digit integers x and y have the same digits, but in reverse order. Which of the following must be a factor of x + y? (A) 6 (B) 9 (C) 10 (D) 11 (E) 14 Kudos for a correct solution . My Solution: Lets say integer x has two digits "ab" then as per question y has two digits in reverse i.e, "ba" , Then x+y will be, (10a+b)+(10b+a)----> 11a+11b---->11(a+b) Therefore 11 must be a factor of x+y Answer D "Do not watch clock; Do what it does. KEEP GOING." Signature Read More _________________ Next Match: at Southern Utah 10/25/2018 | 6:30 p.m. (MT) Pluto.TV Fresh off a breakout, 3-0 win over Montana on Thursday, the Portland State volleyball team backslid a bit Saturday, losing 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-22) to Montana State at the Viking Pavilion in a match presented by Les Schwab.The Vikings (3-19, 2-8 Big Sky), which had set a seasonal best with a .279 hitting percentage Thursday, hit just .127 in the match, and just .085 after the first set.The Bobcats (9-12, 4-6 Big Sky), meanwhile, put some distance between themselves and the Vikings in the Big Sky standings with the win. The Bobcats lead the Vikings by two games now, and hold the tiebreaker after sweeping the Vikings this season.The Vikings controlled the early part of the match, as they took an 18-14 on a kill from freshman. The Bobcats disrupted the Vikings flow from there, however, as they won the next point on a combo block from Hannah Scott and Serena Caspersen, and then tied the match at 18-18 with three straight service aces. The Bobcats held the momentum for the rest of the set and eventually won, 25-23, on back-to-back kills from Evi Wilson and Scott.The Bobcats carried the momentum over much of the second set, and eventually took a five-point lead late at 22-17. The Vikings nearly stole the set from there, though, as they won six of the next seven points three off kills from senior to tie the match at 23-23. The Bobcats won the final two points on a pair of PSU attack errors, however, giving them another 25-23 set victory.Neither team led by more than two points in the third set until the very end when Montana State pulled out the set, 25-22.Wilson led the Vikings with nine kills in the match, and also led the way with five blocks (one solo, four assists). Sophomore setterled the Vikings with 26 assists, while senior defensive specialistled the team with 14 digs.The Vikings hit the road next week for a pair of matches at Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. The Vikings open the weekend against Southern Utah Thursday, Oct. 25, with a match at 6:30 p.m. (MT) in Cedar City, Utah.The Vikings fell to 43-22-1 all time against Montana State with Saturday's lossThe Vikings dropped to 23-20 in the Big Sky series between them and the Bobcats with the lossThe last time the Bobcats beat the Vikings in Portland was Oct. 16, 2004Wilson's four block assists in the match gave her 253 in her career, moving her up to eighth all time in Division I school historyWilson also ranks eighth all time in Division I program history with 302 total blocks in her career. Grand Old Partisan honors Green Currin, born into slavery near Nashville this day of 1842. After emancipation, he moved west, working as a Kansas policeman. There he was the GOP's nominee for Topeka municipal judge. The lawman relocated to Oklahoma during the 1889 Land Run. The following year, Republican voters elected him to the first-ever session of the territorial house. Representative Currin authored a bill protecting civil rights, but it was defeated by a single vote. After one term, the Benjamin Harrison administration named him a deputy federal marshal. In 1897, a Republican Governor named him to the board of regents for the Colored Agricultural, Normal College now Langston University. He was a Masonic grandmaster for his final nineteen years. Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/n-EVaHzCBL8 Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement. Each day, his Grand Old Partisan blog celebrates more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far. Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision. Buy the book at Amazon See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party. "This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!" "Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before." and "one of the best books I ever read" Grand Old Partisan salutes James Beaver, born near Harrisburg this day of 1837. He enlisted in a militia company led by Andrew Curtin, a future Republican Governor. At the outset of civil war, the young lawyer's 2nd Pennsylvania Volunteers marched to defend Washington, DC. Beaver was soon promoted to Lt. Colonel of the 45th Pennsylvania Volunteers, which saw combat at Hilton Head and Port Royal, South Carolina. Within months he won promotion to Colonel of the 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers. His regiment fought at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, and Cold Harbor. After amputation of his bullet-shattered right leg at Petersburg, the 26-year old was mustered out as a brigadier general. Beaver held a leadership position in the Grand Army of the Republic, the GOP-aligned Union veterans organization, and a Republican Governor commissioned him a state militia major general. His patriotic eloquence made him a popular speaker on behalf of Republican candidates. He declined several offers to run for office, even the vice presidential nomination along with James Garfield. In 1882, he did accept the Pennsylvania GOP's nomination for Governor, but lost because of a Republican splinter candidate. Four years later, a unified party carried him to victory. While reducing state debt, his administration improved roads and schools and conservation, and provided relief to victims of the Johnstown flood. In later years, Beaver was a coal company president, Pennsylvania State University trustee, and state judge. Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Pa-A6EaFkXo Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement. Each day, his Grand Old Partisan blog celebrates more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far. Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision. Buy the book at Amazon See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party. "This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!" "Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before." and "one of the best books I ever read" 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 After the meeting of its members, the international group that monitors world wide money laundering said that it was disappointed that Tehran had acted on only nine out of 10 of its guidelines, despite its pledges to make sure it was complete. After chairing the FATF meeting, Marshall Billingslea, the U.S. assistant Treasury Secretary for terrorist financing said, We expect Iran to move swiftly to implement the commitments that it undertook at a high level so long ago. He explained, In line with that, we expect that it will have adopted all of these measures by February. If by February 2019 Iran has not yet done so, then we will take further steps, he added. FATF said it had decided to continue suspending counter-measures, which can go as far as limiting or even banning transactions with a country, in the meantime. Under pressure to adopt international standards, Irans parliament approved some new measures against funding terrorism earlier this month. Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis cabinet of presented four bills to the Irans Majlis (parliament): The Anti-Money Laundering Law Reform Bill The Anti-Terrorism Financing Law Reform Bill The International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism Supplementary Bill The Convention against Transnational Organized Crime Supplementary Bill The Iranian parliament, after much in-fighting, approved a bill agreeing to adopt the Combating the Financing of Terrorism standards. It is considered to be the most important step for Tehran to eventually join the FATF. However, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who makes all the final decisions in Iran, specifically said that he opposes the CFT, and FATF said that it could only consider fully enacted legislation. Tehran had already been given until this month to bring its laws against money-laundering and funding of terrorism up to its guidelines, or risk being returned to a blacklist of non-compliant countries that makes foreign investors and banks reluctant to deal with it. While Britain, France, attempt to keep some financial channels open to Iran after the United States exited the 2015 nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions, analysts say that inclusion on the FATFs blacklist could effectively make that impossible. IUPUI men's and women's swimming and diving teams had a strong day in the pool, winning all five dual meets the Jags competed in on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 20).The men had two meets, taking on Western Illinois and Olivet Nazarene. The Jags beat the Leathernecks 232-66 and took down the Tigers 239-52. The women's squad won all three of their meets, beating Western Illinois (224-72), Olivet Nazarene (224-72) and Butler (220-74).In total, the Jags won 28 of the 32 events on the afternoon, including winning all four events on the diving boards.won the first individual event of the day, taking home the 1000 yard freestyle in a time of 10:43.86.earned the next win for the women with a time of 1:56.06 in the 200 yard freestyle. The women kept their winning ways going astook the 100 yard backstroke in 57.32.The Jags swept the podium in the 200 yard butterfly withwinning the event in a time of 2:08.85. IUPUI grabbed the top four spots in the 50 yard freestyle astouched the wall in a time of 24.70. Hanas picked up her second win of the afternoon with a 53.37 in the 100 yard freestyle andhad the top time in the 200 yard backstroke at 2:1217.cruised to a win in the 500 yard freestyle with a time of 5:25.45.won the 100 yard butterfly in 59.30 and in the last women's individual event of the day, Lingle won her second event of the day with a 2:1238 in the 200 yard IM.On the boards for the women,won the 3-meter with a score of 262.28 andtook the 1-meter with 255.15 points.The men started their meet with a win byin the 1000 yard freestyle (9:42.33) and continued with wins byin the 200 yard freestyle (1:42.31) andin the 100 yard backstroke (58.31).posted the top time in the 50 yard freestyle with a time of 21.29 andtime of 47.54 was the top mark in the 100 yard freestyle.earned the win in the 200 yard backstroke, touching the wall in 1:59.72 and Grintjes earned his second win of the night in the 200 yard breaststroke (2:10.15).Sweezer swept the distance swims, taking the top spot in the 500 yard freestyle in a time of 4:44.68.led a Jaguar sweep of the 100 yard butterfly with a time of 51.76 and the final men's individual event of the day was the 200 yard IM won byin a time of 1:55.71.won the men's 1-meter with a score of 314.78 andtook the top spot in the men's 3-meter with 313.65 points.The Jags swept all four relays with the men winning the 200 yard medley relay in 1:34.72 and the 400 yard freestyle relay in 3:09.02. The women won the medley relay in 1:47.67 and the freestyle relay in 3:36.54.IUPUI will be back in action next Friday (Oct. 26) against Horizon League foe Milwaukee at 3 p.m. in the Natatorium. - Jason Abalos answered the speculations that he already brought his status with Vickie Rushton to the next level - The celebrity falsified the rumors and said that his partner is a conservative person - He also expressed that he made a promise to Vickies mom PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Kapuso actor Jason Abalos bravely spoke up regarding the allegations that he is already living-in with beauty queen girlfriend Vickie Rushton. KAMI learned that the two promising personalities have been in a relationship for six long years already. Jason initially clarified that the rumors regarding their live-in status are not true because Vickie is a conservative person. The actor also made a promise to the mother of the Binibining Pilipinas runner-up that he will marry her first before they can live together in one house. Hindi, hindi. Si Vickie ay sobrang conservative na tao, he quipped. Mommy niya, nakapangako siya sa mommy na kailangang kasal muna, the celebrity added. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! Despite his reasons, Jason expressed that they also talked about building their own family already. The actor even admitted that he and Vickie also have conversations regarding having a baby but he emphasized that it was just part of their discussion as a couple. Nag-ano lang kami na parang ang sarap gumawa ng baby parang ganyan, may mga ganyang usapan, he said. In a previous article by , the actor posted a throwback photo of him and Vickie when they first met at a stage eight years ago. Born on January 14, 1985, Jason is a Filipino actor, host, and endorser. He is a former member of Star Magic talents of ABS-CBN for 13 years until he decided to transfer to the Kapuso network in 2017. Many of you had asked us to shoot The Nun prank and we did it! So, today we are proud to present you an extraordinary lady, Scary Nun! In this episode, she is going to roam the streets of the Philippines and scare innocent people to death! (Laughs evilly) on HumanMeter! Source: Kami.com.ph - Vice Ganda revealed that Anne Curtis often sends text messages to him and Vhong Navarro whenever she is mad - The comedian exposed the content of Annes texts to him - The actress, however, defended why she often sends messages to Vice when she is mad PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Kapamilya actor Vice Ganda bravely exposed the content of text messages that Anne Curtis often sends him whenever she bursts out of anger. KAMI learned that the promising actor disclosed the information in the middle of special conversation among Its Showtime hosts as part of its 9th anniversary celebration. Vice initially expressed that the madlang people often see him and co-hosts Jhong Hilario and Vhong Navarro as the ones who usually initiate fights on the program stage. However, he revealed that actress Anne Curtis also caused several fights among her colleagues. In fact, the actress admitted that she already had misunderstanding with all her co-hosts except Amy Perez. The Phenomenal star exposed that whenever Anne gets mad at them, she usually sends long text messages with English contents. He even emphasized few lines of the actress messages that usually demand to stop throwing jokes at each other to avoid getting hurt. Mambu-bwisit Pero pag na-bwisit yung binu-bwisit niya, siya yung iiyak. Ang ending, siya pa yung susuyuin Tapos magwo-walk out ka tapos ite-text mo kami ni Vhong nang mahabang-mahabang English, Vice explained. Akala mo naman binabasa namin. May mga ganyan pa siya, From now on, wag na wag na tayong magbibiruan he added. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! Anne then defended that she always thinks hard of the contents of her messages that are usually sent to Vice and Vhong. She also pointed out that her co-hosts often make fun of her but when she makes fun of her colleagues, they get pissed off easily. Uy grabe kayo, pinag-isipan ko yun nang mabuti Ilang beses the actress expressed. Kasi nagagalit kayo pag inaasar ko kayo. Tapos sa akin, ang lakas niyong mang-asar, she added. Here is the video: In a previous article by , the Kapamilya actress tried to challenge her relative who is a foreigner to speak in Filipino language. Born on February 17, 1985, Anne is a Filipino-Australian actress, model, and television host. She already starred in several high-grossing films including Sid & Aya, No Other Woman, and Buy Bust. POPULAR: Read more news about Anne Curtis! Many of you had asked us to shoot The Nun prank and we did it! So, today we are proud to present you an extraordinary lady, Scary Nun! In this episode, she is going to roam the streets of the Philippines and scare innocent people to death! (Laughs evilly) on HumanMeter! Source: Kami.com.ph - Actor Jason Abalos disclosed the reason why he still has no plans of marrying Vickie Rushton - The two personalities have been in a relationship for more than half a decade already - Jason expressed that one of the reasons is because he is still waiting for the right time PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Kapuso actor Jason Abalos bravely revealed what is stopping him from finally getting married to long-time beauty queen girlfriend Vickie Rushton. KAMI learned that the two promising personalities have been together for six years already after knowing each other since 2010. Jason expressed that he still has no plans of marrying his partner because they still want to explore their lives and continue to dream. The actor also explained that they are enjoying their lives as of now and they do not want to cut their enjoyment. Parang kami naman ni Vickie hindi kami humihintong mangarap, e, he quipped in an interview with PEP.ph. Sa ngayon kasi ini-enjoy namin yung mga panahong kaming dalawa pa lang muna, he added. Jason even emphasized that Vickie is still young that is why he is patiently waiting for the right time to come. He believes that there will come a moment when they will feel that they need to get married already and build their own family. Si Vickie bata pa rin, so parang ako, hintay lang talaga sa tamang panahon," the celebrity pointed out. "Kumbaga kapag naramdaman mong yun na, yun na talaga, e," he added. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! For now, the Kapuso celebrity and his beauty queen girlfriend do not want to rush things out when it comes to settling in their lives. However, Jason admitted that they have random conversations about having a baby and strong family. Hindi naman yan minamadali, e, he stressed. Nag-ano lang kami na parang ang sarap gumawa ng baby parang ganyan, may mga ganyang usapan, he added. In a previous article by , the Kapuso actor finally opened up about the rumored live-in status with his partner. Jason, or Jason Jimenez Abalos in real life, was born on January 14, 1985. He is a Filipino actor who starred in several drama series including Inday Will Always Love You, The One That Got Away, and Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko. Many of you had asked us to shoot The Nun prank and we did it! So, today we are proud to present you an extraordinary lady, Scary Nun! In this episode, she is going to roam the streets of the Philippines and scare innocent people to death! (Laughs evilly) on HumanMeter! Source: Kami.com.ph On Sunday the 14thOctober 2018 I had a meeting in Trencianske Teplice. Among others, I met there with a person close to the immigration police from Dunajska Streda. This person told me a shocking information. I learned, that there is allegedly a close and friendly relationship between Edita V., who I mentioned in my blogs (Na Slovensku vybavite za peniaze vsetko, falosne pasy, tituly, vypovede, dokazy na sudoch a Ako v sudnych procesoch medzinarodna organizovana zlocinecka skupina) and Alena Zsuzsova, accused of murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova. How much truth is there to that? Skryt Vypnut reklamu Clanok pokracuje pod video reklamou Is the police investigation also this relationship? Are they investigating their mutual phone calls? Even if calls were made from cards that are either under false names or are stolen, as I mentioned in my previous blogs. Do journalists know about this? Does minister of interior Ing. Denisa Sakova, PhD. know about this? How is minister dealing with my written statement, delivered to the ministry on 12thSeptember 2018? Police, NAKA and prosecutor generals office know nothing about this? Are they investigating? Did Edita V. play any role in this case? Why did Edita V. visit general director of TASR? I know the reason of her extortion methods and I know what TASR can be afraid of. Therefore in the next days I would like to inform the chairman of supervisory board of TASR, who I know since 1994 as a person who cannot be extorted by Edita V. She creates an image around her of police confidant. (On 19thOctober 2018 I met with him and told him all information I have about TASR that can directly or indirectly impair it) I am also interested in the role of another woman, Alzbeta T., in this criminal case. I also am not sure, why Austrian citizen Jana K.M. contacted Edita V. I am also interested in relationships and connections of Marian Kocner with some important representatives of media in Slovakia: https://domov.sme.sk/c/20563432/reznik-mal-nicholsonovej-pomoct-kocnerovi-aj-basternakovi.html I will inform in my next blog about other interesting facts and new findings, unknown to the public. In my next blogs I will also mention some police investigators, who work on street with the name of a tasty fruit. So many people are connected with Edita V. that in the police language this is a international organized criminal organization. PS: Several people say, that SME inhibits distribution of my blogs. Law-firm practices focusing on foodborne diseases represent a growing niche in the legal sector. On the front lines is the Marler Clark firm in Seattle, Washington. Ever vigilant, Marler Clark founder Bill Marler warned about the peril of open salad bars. Recently, that issue had been the plot line for an episode in Dick Wolf's new "FBI" series. Also high growth are public affairs agencies with special expertise in managing the crises of a food recall. At the top of the list is kglobal in Washington D.C. One of its partners Gene Grabowski has been developing new insights about those communications in a digital/visual era. Here is one example. Often the court of public opinion has more influence and power than the court of law. These developments reflect the lack of progress in food safety since Upton Sinclair published "The Jungle" and Harvey Washington Wiley instituted early reforms when the U.S.D.A.'s chief chemist. All that was more than a century ago. Yet, all too often on the ABC 6:30 P.M. news David Muir is reporting on another food recall. Last week it was chicken with antibiotic-resistant salmonella. That represents the absence of enough scientific research to prevent contamination, regulation and punishment, corporate failsafe systems in food production and distribution, and anticipation of how sources of contamination can and do change. The technology of blockchain holds promise for tracing the source of contamination quickly. But the recalls have become standard. Foodborne diseases can result in death, long-term health problems, and severe physical distress. The history of the beginnings of reforms on behalf of food safety has recently been published. That's "The Poison Squad: One Chemist's Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth-Century" by Deborah Blum. It ranks 2258 on Amazon. Obviously, there is recognition that there currently doesn't exist food safety in the U.S. Here is the review in The New York Times by Eric Schlosser. And, here is how you can order the book from Amazon. Meanwhile, it's not hyperbolic to assess the current situation as: dying to eat. Every time I swing by a fast food drive-thru or purchase a half pound of lean beef at the supermarket, all bets are off if I survive that meal. That's even though I exercise extreme caution. In college, the five of us in the car traveling from New Jersey to our dorm in western Pennsylvania came down with food poisoning. It was the mid 60s. We were not sophisticated enough in consumer and legal matters to have reported it. However, after that I became dog-like, sniffing the jesus out of every food item before I purchase it. Attention is the currency of the 21st century. Jane Genova helps you get it for products, services, points of view, causes, branding, careers after-50, and college admission. In addition, this blog welcomes sponsored content. Free consultation janegenova374@gmail.com Saturday, October 20, 2018 An attorney's disbarment in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York led to reciprocal disbarment in New Jersey. The attorney settled an employment discrimination case for her client and received an $85,000 settlement check. She deposited the check in an account with a balance of 60 cents. The attorney then spent the account back down to 60 cents before going into negative balance. The client got not a penny. She contended that the client's share of $55,000 was not at risk Rather, she maintained that she had "set aside for Ms. Edkins a portion of [respondents] collection of gold and silver coins which she stores in a coin box at a relatives home in Pennsylvania," and that the portion was worth $55,500 - the amount of Edkins portion of the settlement proceeds. Respondent provided no evidence of either the existence or the value of the coins. This type of client protection is not contemplated by the rule prohibiting misappropriation. According to the Disciplinary Review Board's report, she offered this thought in mitigation of sanction other New Jersey attorneys and judges had been given second chances, despite egregious misconduct; and that "Donald Trump was permitted to run for office in spite of his being investigated for treason [and] several claims of sexual misconduct." Nor was this helpful Respondent also noted that she had settled cases for more money than she had received in behalf of Edkins, and did not steal those funds. Notably, respondent did not argue that she was authorized to use Edkins funds, and, further, admitted that she had undertaken no efforts to pay Edkins the $55,500 owed to her. Alarmingly, during oral argument, respondent admitted that she was unaware of the Wilson rule, and had not reviewed the case, despite having received the OAEs motion and brief in support of discipline. The Wilson rule mandates disbarment for intentional misappropriation. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/10/an-attorneys-disbarment-in-the-united-states-district-court-for-the-eastern-district-of-new-york-led-to-reciprocal-disbarment.html Concerns about money owed to China for its Belt and Road Initiative are increasing in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The initiative, a huge infrastructure project, is a Chinese effort to improve transportation and increase trade across the area. In recent weeks, more than $30 billion in infrastructure projects have been canceled. Officials are reconsidering some loans and investments. Governments from Vietnam to Zambia are seeing public opposition to Chinese investments as well as fear of what has been called debt diplomacy. In August, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad canceled more than $20 billion in Belt and Road projects for railroads and pipelines. Pakistan cut another $2 billion off plans for a railway. Last year, Pakistan canceled a $14 billion dam project because of financial concerns. Last month, Nepal canceled another dam project, and Sierra Leone announced last week that it was dropping an airport project over debt concerns. In some countries, such as Vietnam, it is just the idea of Chinese investment that has led to push back. Following public protests, Vietnam recently decided to postpone plans for several special economic areas. Several Belt and Road projects have been canceled or delayed in countries where elections led to a change of power. Economist Christopher Balding told VOA that the newly elected leaders appeared worried about taking on large amounts of debt. "The people in these countries are very worried about the level of debt that these countries are taking on in regard to China, and I think that is very important to note," Balding said. "It's not just anti-China people that are driving this, he added. China says there are no political conditions connected to its investments and loans. The government argues it is providing loans in places others will not. But Beijing's takeover of a port in Sri Lanka late last year did little to ease those concerns. String of ports The New York Times reported that China agreed to forgive Sri Lanka's debt in exchange for a 99-year lease on the port of Hambanthota and 6,000 hectares of land around it. The Sri Lankan government denies it gave land to a Chinese company. Yet, the deal has persuaded some people that China is setting up debt traps. They believe the Chinese will take control of the roads and other infrastructure that Chinese state-operated companies build. Hambanthota is one of 42 ports where China has been part of the building and operations. In 2021, China will accept responsibility for operating one of Israel's largest ports in Haifa. Iran is considering China as a building partner for its port in Chabahar, near the Iranian border with Pakistan. But the Chabahar port project is on hold because of United States restrictions against Iran. And that is not the only problem, notes David Kelly, research director at the Beijing-based group China Policy. "It's in the driestpart of Iran," Kelly said. "It looks like a real loser commercially, unless it (has) a lot of oil." Some observers say the Middle East, with its oil money, is less at risk for debt traps. However, the port that is most like the one in Sri Lanka is Djibouti in East Africa. That is where China recently set up its first overseas military base. Djibouti owes more than 88 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). China owns $1.4 billion of that debt. That kind of indebtedness might lead to agreements similar to Sri Lankas, experts say. Debt traps The Center for Global Development says 23 of the 68 countries where China is investing for Belt and Road projects are at high risk of debt problems. Another eight, including Djibouti, may have debt problems linked to future projects. The Washington, D.C.-based group published the information in a report released earlier this year. China argues that its investments are aimed at increasing trade and helping developing countries. Cancellations continue Oh Ei Sun is a senior fellow with the Singapore Institute of International Affairs. He told VOA that all of the cancellations and changes are what he calls Belt and Road indigestion. Concerns about debt traps and debt diplomacy will not have an effect on China in the future, he says, but stops, starts and cancellations will continue. Oh says China's model of development is build infrastructure and the economy will grow. This worked in China, but it may not work in other countries. Im Susan Shand. VOAs Bill Ide reported this story. Susan Shand adapted this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story infrastructure n. the equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a countryor area commercial adj. related to or used in the buying and selling of goods and services strategic - adj. of or relating to a general plan that is created to meet a goal in war or politics, usually over a long period of time indigestion n. an unpleasant feeling (such as pain or a burning sensation) in your stomach or chest that is caused by difficulty in breaking down food lease n. an agreement by which one provides land, property or equipment in exchange for payments over a set period Students defrauded by for-profit colleges won an important legal victory on Tuesday. A U.S. federal court ruled against a request to delay a policy from former President Barack Obamas administration. The policy makes it easier for those students to get their student loans forgiven. The policy is known as borrower defense, and was originally meant to go into effect in July 2017. But current Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said the rule made forgiving loans too easy and was unfair to taxpayers. So, she blocked it while attempting to create a new policy in its place. Last month, U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss decided that DeVos delay was unlawful. This week, he denied a request from an organization representing for-profit colleges to delay the rule even longer. Julie Murray is an attorney with Public Citizen. She represents the students in the legal action against the Education Secretary. The rule is finally in effect, Murray told the Associated Press. No more excuses. No more delays. In a statement on Tuesday, Education Department spokeswoman Liz Hill said DeVos respects the role of the court and accepts the courts decision. She added that the department will soon provide information about how the rule will take effect. But DeVos continues to consider the rule to be bad policy and will continue writing a new rule that protects both borrowers and taxpayers, said Hill. The courts decision means the Obama rule on loan forgiveness could be in effect until July 2020. At that point, the new rule written by DeVos will come into effect. Under the Obama rule, students whose school closed mid-program or shortly after completion, will become eligible for immediate loan relief. This will likely help former students of Corinthian Colleges, for example, a company which closed its entire school system overnight in 2015. The U.S. government had found evidence it was defrauding its students. And the following year, several court cases ruled that Corinthian owed millions of dollars to both its debtors and former students. The Department of Education first created the rule governing borrower defense in 1994. Use of the rule was uncommon, until the Obama administration made changes to it in 2016, following the closing of Corinthian and other for-profit colleges. The application process for student loan relief became clearer and more developed. The Century Foundation is a policy research organization. Experts with the progressive organization estimate that the courts decision will affect tens of thousands of students at over 1,400 schools. The students will now be eligible for $400 million in immediate debt relief across the nation. Other parts of the rule permit students to apply for loan relief as a group. It also prevents schools from forcing students to sign away their rights to take legal action against their program. And it makes sure that the schools have some financial responsibility to help relieve student loan debt if they close. That way it is not entirely taxpayer money covering those costs. Over 100,000 students say their schools have defrauded them. They are currently waiting for the Education Department to consider their applications for loan forgiveness. James Kvaal is the president of the Institute for College Access and Success. He said the department must immediately stop student debt collections and completely relieve loans of those borrowers whose schools have been shut down. Toby Merrill is the director of the Project on Predatory Student Lending at Harvard University. His organization also took part in the legal action against the Education Department. He said, This is a major victory for students across this country in the ongoing battle against the Department of Education and the for-profit college industry. But Steve Gunderson described Judge Mosss decision as disappointing. Gunderson is the president of Career Education Colleges and Universities, a group that supports the for-profit college industry. It will only create further confusion for students and schools, he said. He also urged the Education Department to provide as much as assistance as possible while it finishes writing the new rule. The California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools is the organization that requested further delays to loan relief policy, in addition to DeVoss delays. The group did not return a request for comment from the Associated Press. Im Pete Musto. And Im Dorothy Gundy. Maria Danilova reported this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. What kinds of rules has the government in your country made for for-profit colleges? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Quiz Quiz - For-Profit College Students Win Legal Action against US Education Department Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story defraud(ed) v. to trick or cheat someone or something in order to get money originally adv. when something first happened or began attorney n. a person whose job is to guide and assist people in matters relating to the law eligible adj. able to do or receive something application n. a formal and usually written request for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan progressive adj. using or interested in new or modern ideas especially in politics and education forcing v. making someone do something that he or she does not want to do sign away p.v. to give something, such as rights or property, to someone by signing a document disappointing adj. not as good as expected by not being what was hoped for or expected confusion n. a situation in which people are uncertain about what to do or are unable to understand something clearly Results from a phase 3 clinical trial indicate that patients who have not benefited from standard therapy for ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by back pain and sacroiliac-joint damage, may have another treatment option in the biologic drug ixekizumab. The findings will be presented at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting in Chicago (October 20-24, 2018) and simultaneously published in the ACR journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Approximately 30 to 40 percent of patients with AS do not achieve adequate disease control or symptom relief from tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, the currently recommended treatment for AS. In addition, some patients may not be eligible to receive the recommended treatment due to contraindications. The cytokine IL-17 is thought to play a role in the development of AS, and IL-17 inhibitors are effective in some patients, but they have not been evaluated exclusively in patients who have not experienced symptom relief with TNF inhibitors. To test the strategy in these patients, Atul Deodhar, MD, of Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, and his colleagues conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial of ixekizumab, a high-affinity monoclonal antibody that selectively targets IL-17A, in patients with AS who experienced a previous inadequate response or intolerance to TNF inhibitors. For the trial, 316 patients were randomized 1:1:1 to placebo, ixekizumab every 2 weeks (IXEQ2W), and ixekizumab every 4 weeks (IXEQ4W), with an 80-mg or 160-mg starting dose. At week 16, 30.6 percent and 25.4 percent of patients in the IXEQ2W and IXEQ4W groups, respectively, demonstrated significant improvements in the signs and symptoms of AS, compared with 12.5 percent of patients in the placebo group. There were statistically significant differences reported as early as week 1 with ixekizumab treatment. Also, significant improvements in disease activity, function, quality of life, and spinal inflammation were observed with 16 weeks of ixekizumab treatment versus placebo. Treatment-related adverse events were more frequent with ixekizumab than with placebo. One death was reported, in the IXEQ2W group. "Many people with this chronic, debilitating disease are still searching for an effective treatment. These positive results provide support for ixekizumab as a potential treatment option for patients with AS, including those who have had an inadequate response to treatment with TNF inhibitors, a difficult-to-treat population," said Dr. Deodhar. Explore further Ixekizumab efficacious for psoriasis over 60 weeks More information: Atul Deodhar et al, Efficacy and Safety of Ixekizumab in the Treatment of Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis: 16 Week Results of a Phase 3 Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial in Patients with Prior Inadequate Response or Intolerance to Tumor Necrosis Factor, Arthritis & Rheumatology (2018). Atul Deodhar et al, Efficacy and Safety of Ixekizumab in the Treatment of Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis: 16 Week Results of a Phase 3 Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial in Patients with Prior Inadequate Response or Intolerance to Tumor Necrosis Factor,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/art.40753 Three-dimensional culture of human breast cancer cells, with DNA stained blue and a protein in the cell surface membrane stained green. Image created in 2014 by Tom Misteli, Ph.D., and Karen Meaburn, Ph.D. at the NIH IRP. There is new hope for people with an aggressive type of breast cancer, as an immunotherapy trial shows for the first time that lives can be extended in people with triple-negative breast cancer. New research led by Queen Mary University of London and St Bartholomew's Hospital has shown that by using a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy the body's own immune system can be tuned to attack triple-negative breast cancer, extending survival by up to ten months. The research, which is published today in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology 2018 Congress in Munich, also showed that the combined treatment reduced the risk of death or the cancer progressing by up to 40 per cent. Triple-negative breast cancer often affects young women, with many people diagnosed in their 40s or 50s. The standard treatment is chemotherapy, which most patients quickly develop resistance to. If the disease spreads to other parts of the body, survival is often only 12 to 15 months. The new treatment combines standard weekly chemotherapy with the immunotherapy medication atezolizumab which is given once every two weeks. The combination works by chemotherapy 'roughening up' the surface of the cancer, which enables the immune system to better recognise and therefore fight the cancer as a foreign object. Author of the trial Professor Peter Schmid, Professor of Cancer Medicine at Queen Mary University of London and Clinical Director of the Breast Cancer Centre at St Bartholomew's Hospital, explained: "These results are a massive step forward. We are changing how triple-negative breast cancer is treated in proving for the first time that immune therapy has a substantial survival benefit. In a combined treatment approach, we are using chemotherapy to tear away the tumour's 'immune-protective cloak' to expose it as well as enabling people's own immune system to get at it. "Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of breast cancer; we have been desperately looking for better treatment options. It is particularly tragic that those affected are often young, with many themselves having young families. I'm thrilled that by using a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy we are able to significantly extend lives compared to the standard treatment of chemotherapy alone." Based on the results of this trial this new treatment is currently under review by health authorities and will hopefully become available in the NHS in the near future. In the interim, patients at St Bartholomew's Hospital with triple-negative breast cancer are offered immunotherapy within ongoing trials. Explore further Researchers identify potential new treatment for subset of women with triple-negative breast cancer More information: 'Atezolizumab and Nab-Paclitaxel in Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer'. Peter Schmid et al. New England Journal of Medicine, 2018. Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine 'Atezolizumab and Nab-Paclitaxel in Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer'. Peter Schmid et al., 2018. Deepti Gurdasani, MD, Ph.D., Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (courtesy Dr. Gurdasani). Credit: Dr. Gurdasani Geneticists have assembled the largest sets of African genomic data available to date, creating a resource that will help researchers understand the genetic structure of Africa as well as the effects of genetic variation on protein function and disease. The findings underscore the importance of including globally diverse participant cohorts in genetics research, and were presented in a plenary session at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2018 Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif. The researchers collected and analyzed genome-wide data from 6,400 individuals from rural Uganda, including the whole genome sequences of 1,978 people within that group. They combined this with data from an additional 7,784 individuals from other African countries, in the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) to analyze multiple traits across Africa. "This study represents one of the largest and most comprehensive efforts to identify genetic associations with disease within African populations, and will provide a roadmap for large-scale GWAS across the region," said Ayesha Motala, MD, FRCP, a leader of the study and professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. "Prior to our work, there were only a few hundred whole genome sequences available from Africa," said Deepti Gurdasani, MD, Ph.D., from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, who presented the research. "Most of the information we had was from African-American populations, which didn't capture the full diversity of the continent." After compiling the data, Dr. Gurdasani and her colleagues assessed genetic similarities and differences within the cohort, identifying commonalities among those who migrated to Uganda from the same regions. They also found a complex mixture of similarities between the Ugandan genomes, ancient East African populations, and Eurasian genomes. These findings suggest that modern Ugandan genomes represent the complex history of migration in the region, and that they have been shaped by multiple mixture events over thousands of years, including mixture with genomes resembling those in modern Europe. In addition, the researchers examined genetic influences on a variety of traits and diseases in the larger GWAS cohort, identifying 10 new associations specific to African populations. For example, they discovered an association between a deletion in the HBA1/HBA2 gene, known to cause the blood disorder alpha thalassemia, and blood bilirubin levels. This deletion is common among Africans, found in approximately 22% of individuals, but rare among previously studied Europeans. "Although it correlates with disease, this variant has been shown to protect people from severe malaria, which presents a stronger advantage in Africa than in Europe and has enabled the variant to rise in frequency within Africa," Dr. Gurdasani explained. The study also found an association between HBA1/HBA2 deletion and the blood's level of the protein HbA1c, high levels of which are often used to diagnose diabetes. "The high frequency of thalassemia in some African populations may affect the accuracy of this test, as it can modify HbA1c independently of glucose levels," Dr. Gurdasani said. Beyond their own analysis, the researchers hope their data will help other scientists better understand the genetic diversity of African populations and develop cost-effective tools to capture genome variation for future studies. Future work will also include detailed mapping of the cause-and-effect relationships between genetic variants through examining functional impact of variants on gene expression. As next steps, the researchers plan to expand their genomic data set to populations across Africa, by sampling diverse indigenous populations, and expanding the GWAS to about 75,000 individuals. Explore further Genetic determinants of telomere length in African American youth More information: Gurdasani D et al. (2018 Oct 20). Abstract: Uganda genomes resource enables inferences into population history and genomic discovery in Africa. Presented at the American Society of Human Genetics 2018 Annual Meeting. San Diego, California. Gurdasani D et al. (2018 Oct 20). Abstract: Uganda genomes resource enables inferences into population history and genomic discovery in Africa. Presented at the American Society of Human Genetics 2018 Annual Meeting. San Diego, California. eventpilot.us/web/page.php?pag =ASHG18&id=180121184 (Note: The above video contains offensive language.) Via @MartinDVassolo While Republican lawmakers took turns denouncing the actions of conservative protesters who heckled House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi outside a campaign event in Coral Gables, the chairman of the Republican Party of Miami-Dade County apologized on Saturday for his unbecoming behavior during Wednesdays rally and denounced the extremists in attendance. Nelson Diaz, who helped organize the protest, was one of a few dozen conservatives who gathered outside Democratic Congressional candidate Donna Shalalas campaign headquarters ahead of a scheduled event inside that was supposed to include an appearance from California lawmaker Barbara Lee, who has drawn scorn from the Cuban-American community for her support of the island nations late dictator Fidel Castro. Speaking to the Miami Herald on Saturday, Diaz said he did not organize the protest. But an email sent out by the Republican Party of Miami-Dade, of which he is the leader, implores the public to please join me in protesting the very presence of the invited guests and lists the address of the event, along with a planned time to arrive. Diaz is listed as the primary contact for the protest. The group Miami Trump Volunteers also encouraged its members, referred to internally as Patriots, to attend. Diaz, who is Cuban-American, was videotaped during the protest repeatedly banging on a locked door used moments earlier by Pelosi to enter Shalalas campaign offices. He stood by as a member of the so-called Proud Boys, a national organization characterized as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, heckled and hurled expletives at Pelosi as she walked inside. You dont belong here you f**king communist, the Proud Boy, Enrique Tarrio, is heard yelling. Open up, its the Proud Boys in here. Click here to read the rest. 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I was sent reeling by the news of my younger brothers sudden death in Indiana only to be upended again three days later by the best kind of news from SoCal. In the midst of my grieving Id become a first-time grandfather. Pleasure hormones flooded my brain, diluting the sadness. What a perverse time this was: aching with family loss one moment, celebrating a family addition the next. A brothers demise should be mourned body and soul. New life should be greeted with unrelieved happiness. Instead, I toggled from one state of mind to the other, stunned to be in the center of such contrasting emotional swirls. Im planning a trip this month to Indiana for Joes celebration of life. Im planning a trip this month to SoCal for a celebration of my granddaughters birth. I dont know what Im going to say at Joes ceremony. I want to be eloquent. I want to be honest. I want to avoid cliches. Theres less pressure meeting my grandchild. If I smile broadly and make funny noises, I think she will get my message. The newest Courtney came into this world at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. Thats a mouthful, I know, but also pretty cool. The baby was 10 days late. If shed come into the world five days later yet, shed have been born on my birthday. I was rooting for later yet. Dennis broke the news with a texted photo of an exhausted mother lying with her sleeping newborn. Margaret had endured 24 hours of labor and three intense hours of pushing. Still working on the name, he said. If Dennis and Margaret had crowdsourced the naming, Cheryl would have lobbied for Fiona. I had no preference. All I wanted was healthy. Dennis texted the verdict that night: The newest member of the clan is Helena Wren Courtney. Helena pays homage to the childs great-great-grandmother, an immigrant from Scotland. The inspiration for Wren? Dennis, who loves birds, didnt say. Helena already has her own Instagram account where she is revealed to be one of the cutest babies ever. Yet even a charming baby cant consistently hold the limelight right now. Inevitably my focus shifts back to Indiana and the challenges faced by Joes wife and adult children who are dealing with loss, not addition. In processing all this with Cheryl, I get flustered. I repeatedly call Joe by my sons name and Dennis by my brothers name. They were both so intertwined in my heart that correct proper names seem not to matter. Conversation gets awkward fast when I share the loss of my brother and the subsequent gain of a granddaughter with friends and coworkers. The juxtaposition doesnt seem quite right. One event seems to slight the other. The celebration of Joes life in Bloomington will be a coming together of those who knew Joe best and loved Joe best. We will immerse ourselves in all things Joe and share our sense of loss. Joe was the first of our generation to depart this world. Those of us left behind will tighten the family circle and huddle a little closer. A week later Ill be in Long Beach, paying homage to the Courtney child. This bundle of sweetness is likely on a lifes path that will stretch into the 22nd century. The phrase circle of life is bandied about a lot. Isnt that the theme of more than one Disney movie? But its true. Birth leads to death and the cycle repeats over and over and over. Had I somehow forgotten? Kevin can be reached at 707-256-2217 or Napa Valley Register, 1615 Soscol Ave., Napa, 94559, or kcourtney@napanews.com. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. During the post-World War II era of the 1950s, the world began to shrink as aeronautical advances encouraged more opportunities to travel by air. Locally, this increase in flight was duly noted by the Napa Register. Two of the most interesting stories were about the high-flying adventures involving local residents. While the first account was a sensational story about an in-flight incident sending Upvalley residents scrambling for cover, the second story reported the local connection to an aviation breakthrough. The first story was published in a summertime 1951 issue of the Register. The article began, Two bay region fliers, whose hassle over a blonde young woman in an airplane sent the craft into dizzy antics above Calistoga, were clapped into the Napa County jail Saturday night and will appear tomorrow in the Calistoga Police Court on charges of reckless flying. As the story unfolded, the newspaper also reported on the local authorities responses and actions to the incident. It said the Calistoga Police Chief, Kenneth Hively, was jumping mad. After discovering the perpetrators of the dangerous acrobatics were based out of Hayward, the Register continued, Hively called the Hayward authorities to report that the plane had sent Calistogans scuttling for cover as it dove and banked a meager 200 feet over the business section of the upvalley town. It added, Hively asked for their immediate arrest. When apprehended in Hayward, initially, the two men blamed each other for piloting the plane and performing the frightening maneuvers. However, the truth was soon revealed as was the actual course of events. Apparently, as the trio was flying over Calistoga the co-pilot decided to take advantage of an opportunity to make his move. He proceeded to crawl back into the passenger seats and made unwanted advances towards the pilots girlfriend, the blonde young woman as earlier described by the Register. Unable to leave his seat, and more importantly the planes controls, to defend his girlfriend, the pilot flew recklessly in the hopes of bouncing the co-pilot around and away from the woman. However, it seems, those maneuvers were unnecessary. Based on the report details, the woman was quite capable of defending herself as she jabbed her elbow into the co-pilots face. He quickly backed off. Meanwhile, as all of this was happening aloft, below, Calistogans were frantically rushing for cover, a safe haven from the what appeared to be an imminent disaster. As a result of both mens high-flying antics, the Register added, The pair will be hauled before Calistoga Police Judge Ed. E. Light at 4 p.m. tomorrow. While both were found guilty of reckless flying, the co-pilot was permanently grounded. As the decade neared its close, in 1958, a very noteworthy aviation event was reported on by the Register. Although it, too, was a sensational story, it was quite the opposite in character from the earlier piece. This brief report highlighted the accomplishments in and contributions of one local man to aeronautical advances and history. The summertime late-1950s article headline announced, Yountville Man Pilots Jet In Non-Stop U.S.-Belgium Flight. The Register continued, Four supersonic jet fighters, one of them piloted by Capt. Robert J. Massoni of Yountville, flew non-stop from Washington, D.C. to Belgium today. The fastest plane made the flight in 6 hours and 12 minutes. It added, The F-101 Voodoos (jet fighter airplanes) refueled in mid-air over Newfoundland enroute from nearby Andrews Air Force Base (located near the nations capitol) to Liege (Belgium.) This inaugural and record breaking non-stop flight took place shortly after the formal establishment of the North American Air Defense Command by Canada and the U.S. in May 1958. Based on just these two Register articles from the 1950s, Napa County residents were experiencing first-hand and becoming more aware of the growth in private, commercial and military aviation. They were also beginning to recognize its increasing impact on their lives and way of life. A part-time employee of the 76 gas station in north Napa put out a fire that broke out on the property Saturday night, according to Napa Fire. At about 9 p.m., the worker, a handyman at the fuel stop at Redwood Road and Solano Avenue, saw flames in an air compressor room at the back of the building, grabbed a fire extinguisher from one of the pump islands and smothered the fire, according to fire Capt. Steve Becker. Napa Fire estimated the damage at less than $2,500, and Becker said neither the fuel pumps nor any flammable materials were threatened. As of 8:15 a.m. Sunday, service at the 76 was limited, with an on-site convenience store set to reopen after an inspection by the Napa County Environmental Health Division, according to Becker. While California law already requires a fire extinguisher at most businesses, service stations also must be equipped with multiple extinguishers based on their square footage, Becker said. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A theft of smartphones Saturday from a T-Mobile dealership in American Canyon led to a vehicle chase that ended with the arrests of two men in Contra Costa County on robbery allegations, according to police. At about 5:40 p.m., officers were sent to the cellphone store at 5055 Main St. after receiving a report that suspects wearing hooded jackets had ripped several phones and smartwatches out of display tables, run out the door and driven away in a black Lexus, American Canyon Police said in a news release. An officer saw the Lexus heading east on Jameson Canyon Road on its way out of Napa County. When police tried to stop the vehicle, the driver initially slowed but then sped away, prompting a pursuit, according to police. Officers called off the chase for safety reasons and gave a description of the Lexus to other law enforcement agencies including the California Highway Patrol's air operations, which began tracking the vehicle, police said in the statement. The suspects drove the Lexus to Concord, where they changed cars and continued on to Pittsburg, according to police. In Pittsburg, the occupants switched to a third vehicle, but officers from Pittsburg and American Canyon stopped the vehicle and detained the occupants shortly afterward, police said. One of the occupants, 20-year-old Lamar Crawford of San Francisco, fled on foot but was soon arrested by Pittsburg Police, according to the news release. The other occupant, 23-year-old Alexander Briones of Oakland, was detained after a brief struggle with the assistance of the patrol dog Kyra, and was briefly hospitalized before his jail booking in Napa, the police statement said. American Canyon Police released a photo of stolen items it said were recovered from the suspects' vehicle in Pittsburg, including nine smartphones and two smartwatches. Also found in the vehicle were a pistol and an extended magazine, which American Canyon Police Chief Oscar Ortiz said were not used in the robbery. Both suspects were booked into the Napa County jail for investigation of robbery, grand theft and entering a business with criminal intent, as well as felony evasion of police officers and misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest. Briones also faced seven warrants from Contra Costa, Alameda and San Joaquin counties, and Crawford faced a misdemeanor allegation of leaving the scene of a vehicle accident. Bail was set at $825,000 for Briones and $100,000 for Crawford. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Sacramento woman was caught Friday after stuffing items worth $850 into a large bag, then ran away when security confronted her, police say. The woman, 22-year-old Chantel Taylor, stole items from the Polo store in the Napa Premium Outlets, according to the Napa Police Department. Police say she hopped into a waiting getaway vehicle driven by Anthony Ashwood, 33, of Rancho Cordova. The silver, four-door Audi sped out of the parking lot. Store workers notified police, who broadcast the car's description to Napa law enforcement. An American Canyon officer pulled the pair over on Highway 29 near Jameson Canyon. Police found a bag stuffed with Polo items tags still on in the car. Store staff came to the scene and identified Taylor and Ashwood as the pair in the car, police say. Both were arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor charges for theft and conspiracy, or working in concert to commit the theft. Police said they determined Taylor had an arrest warrant from Sacramento County for theft. Jail records indicate Taylor was still in custody as of Saturday afternoon and Ashwood was released. Courtney can be reached at 707-256-2221. You can send her an anonymous tip, and follow her reporting on Twitter and Facebook. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE Twice each day, 80-year-old Betty Nunes ventures into the wet winds and murky fog that regularly blow across her coastal Marin ranch to feed her calves and check the land her family has worked for generations. Usually, her 230 dairy cows arent the only creatures she finds munching grass in the green meadows of her farm. The last several years, about 20 tule elk have taken up residence on Nunes historic A Ranch, one of a handful of private dairy farms and cattle ranches that sit inside the federally-owned Point Reyes National Seashore. Nunes dairy is located furthest down the thin peninsula, where land meets ocean. Visitors must drive through it to reach the parks iconic lighthouse and the elephant seal and sea lion overlooks. The elk have become as popular with tourists as the aquatic mammals, but they are a drain on Nunes bottom line because there isnt enough grass for both elk and cows to thrive, she said. Nunes and her fellow Point Reyes farmers would like the National Park Service to thin a group of elk called the Drakes Beach herd. We pay rent for those fields for our animals to graze, and they have to compete with the elk, Nunes said. Its tough. Nunes and her fellow dairy ranchers may get some long-term relief from the wild ungulates in the form of a bipartisan bill authored by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael. Huffmans legislation gives the park service authority to manage the elk to reduce the conflict with cattle. Park officials say theyre still deciding what to do, but its looking likely they will soon issue a plan that will call for killing some of the Drakes Beach herd, which grew from 76 animals in 2014 to 112 last year. The controversial bill also would allow farmers like Nunes to continue their leases inside the national park for the next two decades. Some environmental groups are fiercely opposed to killing the elk. Tule elk are North Americas smallest elk species (though males can top 800 pounds), and are only found in California. Once numbering close to 500,000 animals, they were nearly hunted to extinction during the Gold Rush. Thanks to reintroduction efforts such as the one on Point Reyes to restore the elk to some of their former habitats, there are now 21 herds totaling 3,800 animals in the Central Coast and the Central Valley. In the early 2000s, groups of tule elk moved into the farms in the Drakes Beach area after splitting off from another herd that roams the parks wilderness area. In total, more than 600 elk roam the seashore in three separate groups, whose numbers have steadily climbed since a handful were released to the park in 1978. Since 2014, the Drakes Beach herd has increased at a rate of about 14 percent a year. Were going to sabotage a decade-long successful reintroduction of a native species into national parkland to benefit families who say they cant accommodate the elk in any other way, said Jeff Miller, a San Francisco-based advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups opposed to Huffmans bill. Part of the deal Huffmans bill passed the House in late September. Despite opposition from groups such as Millers, the legislation has a good shot of passing the U.S. Senate because Californias senior senator, Dianne Feinstein, supports it, according to her office. So how did Huffman, a liberal known for his staunch environmentalist views, end up co-sponsoring a bill with U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, a Utah Republican who environmentalists have described as Public Enemy No. 1 in the fight over opening public land to commercial use? To hear Huffman tell it, its because dairy farms and cattle ranches have existed at Point Reyes since the 1860s, and keeping them was part of the deal when, 100 years later, President John F. Kennedy signed the bill that acquired the land for a national park. The government paid those original landowning families $50 million for their properties. The ranchers were allowed to lease them back and keep working their acres. Huffman said the agreement to let farmers operate private enterprises on the preserve was critical to obtaining the land and keeping the Pacific Coast from being devoured by urban development. From the very beginning, Congress talked about this as the pastoral zone, Huffman said in a phone interview. It was always envisioned as this mosaic (of land use), to preserve the character of what was there. It was partially agriculture. It was partially wild lands and wilderness. Thats what parks do. They preserve this. Currently, two dozen dairy and ranching families have leases on the national seashore and on the adjacent Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which is also managed by the park service. In total, agriculture takes up about 28,000 acres around a third of the federal land in the Point Reyes complex. The farms pay the government to graze on the park. Beef ranchers pay roughly $7 a month per cow.Thats substantially more than whats typically charged in most federal rangeland leases. But critics said it amounts to an environmentally destructive subsidy. They said its lower than what the ranchers would pay to graze on private land outside the park. Nunes pays around $29,000 a year to lease the property from the federal government, according to the park service. The farmers and ranchers said their outfits are small each farm is only about 1,000 acres and barely financially viable. The elk might be their tipping point with extra costs from repairing fencing the elk destroy and purchasing hay to supplement feed the cows arent getting from grazing. Many of the farms at Point Reyes are certified organic operations and also must contend with the rules for that designation. Organic dairies are required to graze the cattle on pastures for at least 120 days a year. Birth control or bullets Huffmans bill doesnt provide specifics for how to manage the Drakes Beach elk herd. Huffman said hes leaving that up to the park service. Press said no decisions have been made. Park scientists are studying the elk and the Drakes Beach habitat to determine how many could coexist with the cattle. But why kill the elk to keep the farmers happy, a decision thats sure to be deeply unpopular in the region? Berkeley, epicenter of Californias environmental and animal-rights movements, is only an hour drive away. Environmentalists argue there are other options including contraception, moving the animals and fencing. Dave Press, supervising wildlife ecologist at Point Reyes, said the non-lethal tools his agency has for containing the herd are less than ideal or could be a waste of time and money. Press said fencing in the areas probably wouldnt work because the elk have proven elsewhere in the park they would just find ways around it. The proposed legislation does give park officials the option of moving some animals onto Native American lands or allowing local tribes to hunt them for ceremonial purposes. Moving elk off the park property likely isnt feasible because an unknown number of elk at Point Reyes have Johnes disease, a hard-to-detect, incurable gastrointestinal infection that can quickly spread in elk and livestock. Press said state wildlife officials likely wouldnt grant a permit to move the elk, for fear of spreading the disease to new areas. Another option is injecting the elk with contraption drugs, but Press said thats an expensive, time-consuming process that requires capturing, tagging and providing booster shots every year or three, depending on the type of drug used. Female elk can live 20 years. The process of capturing the animals is extremely stressful on the skittish females to the point that some dont survive it. Youre certainly going to end up with unintended moralities, Press said. The park could allow recreational hunters on the property the 1962 legislation President Kennedy signed gives the park the option of allowing hunting but Press said that likely wont happen, even though some hunters would pay the government top dollar for the privilege. Not only would sport hunting be unpopular, too many people are in the park, and the elk are too close to the farms to conduct a hunt safely, Press said. Tule elk are not considered endangered. State wildlife officials even allow recreational hunters outside of Point Reyes to shoot a few of them each year. Tule elk hunt permits are issued in highly competitive lotteries, with some trophy hunters spending $45,000 or more at auction for one of the state-issued permits. Should the park decide on a cull, the park will either hire professional sharpshooters or use park service personnel, possibly working with volunteers from local tribes, Press said. It wouldnt be the first time sharp shooters have shot antlered animals at Point Reyes. In 2008, the park hired a wildlife management company to kill a herd of hundreds of nonnative fallow and axis deer that had been living on the park for decades and were competing with the native tule elk. The decision was incredibly controversial. Opponents put up a wailing wall at park headquarters. Around the park and nearby towns, activist hung wanted posters featuring a photo of owner of the sharpshooting operation. They also hired helicopters to harass the gunners during their aerial sharpshooting operations. Despite the inevitable disputes, the National Park Service has plenty of experience with such culls in recent years, as overcrowded deer and elk have become an issue at several parks around the country. Whats different here is wed be doing it in support of ranching operations, Press said. People have a hard time wrapping their head around that. Longer leases, fewer farms For some environmental groups, the problem is solved easily enough: The park service should eliminate some of the farms and ranches. Some of these leases clearly should be retired or the number of cattle reduced, said Miller of the Center for Biological Diversity. Theres a lot rangeland thats just hammered because its overgrazed. In 2016, Millers group sued the park service to force the agency to study the environmental impacts the farms have on the parkland. In a settlement agreement, the park agreed to examine the whether the farms should be shut down or scaled back. Those studies, which also include figuring out what to do about the Drakes Beach elk herd, are underway. The farmers are currently operating under five- or 10-year permits, but theyve had recent support from the highest levels of the federal government to extend them for longer. In 2012, President Barack Obamas Interior Secretary Ken Salazar directed the park service to issue the lessees 20-year leases as part of a controversial decision to shut down a long-standing oyster farm inside the Point Reyes park boundaries. Huffman said his bill is a guarantee of the long-term certainty Ken Salazar promised the farmers, and 20 years of protection from the environmental groups that would use the courts to shut them down. Theyre going to sue again and again until they eventually get all agriculture out of the seashore, Huffman said. Several of the farmers on the Point Reyes ranches and dairies say they understand the elk are popular and have a right to live on the park. But with no natural predators to control their numbers, something needs to be done to prevent the continued growth of the herd. Somehow or another, they have to be controlled, said Bob McClure, whose family has been on the Point Reyes I Ranch for five generations. McClure said Huffmans bill is critical to keeping Point Reyes agriculture in business. Many in the Bay Area have embraced the notion of eating locally sourced beef and milk products, with many shops on the outskirts of the park advertising local cheeses. I think a lot of the local environmental people realize that it comes from us, McClure said. When were not doing this anymore, thats going to be gone. Nunes, the 80-year-old rancher, said she hopes Huffmans bill passes so she can continue a family ranching tradition that started when the grandfather of her husband, George, bought the property in 1919, four decades before Kennedy signed the Point Reyes National Seashore Act into law. The Nunes family was a relative newcomer to the A Ranch. It has had cattle on it since the 1860s, according to historical records. George Nunes died in 2005. Now Betty runs the dairy with her son, Tim. She handles the day-to-day operations. Betty said she has no plans to stop, and hopes her three grandchildren will take over when shes gone. Next year is going to be 100 years the familys been here, she said. Thats hard to give up. Its our lives. In order to promote friendship, trade, socio-economic development and to increase mutual understanding between India and Myanmar, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between two business groups of the two countries on Saturday at the district commissioner office located at Tamu in Sagaing of Myanmar. The memorandum was signed between director of Chindwin Development Limited (CDL), Myanmar, Soe Myint and secretary of Business Excellence Group of Manipur, Hiro Thokchom in presence of convener of Act East Policy Committee of the State Government, R K Shivachandra. A report in ifp.co.in stated that the MoU was signed with the motives of working together and to usher in growth on economic and social development projects that may take place for mutual benefit for the two countries especially in the Sagaing region. The purpose for signing of the memorandum is to support and promote the friendship and mutual understanding between the two nations, to promote solidarity, mutual amity, respect and neutral assistance among the regional residence around the border races, reports added. The MoU was also signed to promote socio-economic development activities including education, health, economy, transport and communication and create a modern and developed region at the border area. In the MoU, it is mentioned that in accordance with the law of each nation, each party will be required to provide proof of coverage for all the mandated insurance required by the state or states in which work will take place and include fair labour practices and any other mandates of the affected state or states where the operation are taking place. The report further added that executive help and support activities will be made upon the occurring opportunities for the advantage of both the parties with collaboration. It also does not reflect the views of the Firm of which the Author is working for. Since the inception of this blog, the Author has avoided writing views and opinions of his clients or views and opinions which third parties has paid him to write. The Author has maintained editorial independence since Day One. Any individual or group affected by the opinions and views of the Author can write the author thru mangubat.patricio@gmail.com. Opinions and views expressed in this blog are personal views of the Author and does not involve organisations and companies being serviced by the Author as part of his profession as a Strategic Communications professional. Whose body is brought from Baku to Yerevan by Russian Southern Military District deputy commander? Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan opened random fire at some directions of Tavush Province late Wednesday evening World oil prices still dropping Newspaper: Armenia has set task to change its foreign policy vector, Russia analysts say Newspaper: Coronavirus death statistics in Armenia are incomplete Armenian immigrant couple in California sentenced to prison for $20M fraud EEU countries PMs to arrive in Yerevan for intergovernmental council meeting Armenian army commander: Azerbaijan wants corridor, leader of Armenia gave consent to that, but refused later Armenia FM holds phone conversations with Russian counterpart, Karen Donfried and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office MTS launches inspection of its 'daughter' operations in Armenia upon request of U.S. Armenia MOD: Defense minister receives Rustam Muradov, who brought body of deceased Armenian soldier to Yerevan Taliban call on US Congress to ease sanctions and unfreeze Afghanistan's assets Armenia PM: The meaning of being captured and the circumstances of captivity need to be investigated Moscow, Ankara agree to not release details about joint manufacturing of S-400s OSCE Chairperson-in-Office welcomes ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan after Russian mediation Armenia Ombudsman discusses Armenian captives' issue with acting Head of ICRC Delegation Armenia PM refutes possibility of giving order 'to not open fire' when it comes to homeland defense Armenian PM tries to clarify situation regarding use of names "Eyvazli" and "Chayzami" IAEA Director General to visit Iran Armenia PM: Our goal is to sign a peace treaty Rustam Muradov brings body of one Armenian serviceman Reuters: UAE's high-ranking delegation to visit Tehran soon James Langevin: Azerbaijani government again unleashed a volley of unprovoked violence against Armenia Ambassador to the Holy See: Armenia calls on its international partners to condemn Azerbaijan's actions Armenia President provides Singapore PM with information about Azerbaijan's aggressive actions Armenia PM: Trilateral task force's work is not interrupted Armenia Police's Educational Complex has new head Jackie Speier: We're witnessing Aliyev's attempted land grab in real time Mass media: Rustam Muradov bringing bodies of Armenian soldiers to Yerevan Yerevan to host subsequent session of Eurasian Intergovernmental Council Earthquake hits Turkey Zakharova on possibility of enforcing Armenia-Russia Treaty, says consultations are being held NEWS.am 17.11.21 digest: Latest on Armenia-Azerbaijan border situation European People's Party issues statement on recent hostilities on Armenian-Azerbaijani border Opposition 'Armenia' Alliance MP: Resistance movement will help get rid of this catastrophe, namely authorities soon Armenia PM explains why he appointed new defense minister Opposition MPs remind Armenia PM about treason, get into dispute with ruling party deputies Armenian PM: There are territories of Soviet Azerbaijan that are under Armenia's control Armenia ruling party MP Andranik Kocharyan continues to talk about creation of professional army Armenia and Russia Security Councils' Secretaries discuss regional security issues Armenia Security Council Secretary: Azerbaijan fails to maintain ceasefire and isn't implementing reached agreements Cavusoglu blames Armenia 'for terrorist attack against Azerbaijan' Opposition 'Armenia' Alliance: Authorities' goal is to stay in power through ongoing concessions Armenia PM: Our proposals are in effect, including proposal for start of delimitation and demarcation Resident of Armenia's Shaki village panic when they hear the Azerbaijanis' gunshots Armenia ruling party MP: Enemy can't achieve any success in Syunik Province Armenia PM and ministers answering MPs' questions (LIVE) Ambassador: Armenia Security Council Secretary will probably have separate meeting with Nikolai Patrushev Armenia health minister: Kapan and Goris will have additional SUVs for paramedics Armen Sarkissian presents situation on Armenia's borders at Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore Armenia FM: International community reaction to Azerbaijans provocative, aggressive actions was not targeted, proper Armenia Prosecutor General receives Egypt Ambassador Council of Europe Secretary General concerned about tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan Armenian Assembly of America: Russian-brokered ceasefire is not enough Armenia Security Council secretary: Yerevan expects diplomatic, military assistance from Moscow Turkey and US hold talks on defense and security issues Peskov: Moscow calls for restraint to parties to conflict on Armenia-Azerbaijan border CSTO chief: There is still tension on line of contact between Armenian, Azerbaijani sides Kremlin: All parties consent is necessary for contact between Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders Russia deputy FM, EU representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia health minister: We are at reduction phase of Covid cases 2 more persons die of coronavirus in Artsakh Biden bans members of the Nicaraguan government from entering US 168.am: Ex-commander of Russia peacekeepers in Karabakh is urgently sent to Armenia Ambassador to Russia: Not ruled out that Armenia may apply to CSTO for assistance Armenia, Azerbaijan attending annual meeting of CIS Security Councils' Secretaries Ambassador: Yerevan continues contacts with Moscow regarding situation on border with Azerbaijan Azerbaijan reports 7 military casualties during recent aggression against Armenia Spokesperson: Armenia MFA has informed UN Security Council President on situation Armenian captives continue to be 'tried' in Azerbaijan Armenia MFA: Pashinyan, Putin discussed possible joint steps enshrined in bilateral legal framework 982 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Erdogan and Zelenskyy discuss bilateral relations US Congressman: Azerbaijan must acknowledge, respect Armenia sovereignty Adam Schiff: US must deter Azerbaijans ongoing aggression, show support for Armenian peoples sovereignty Armenia legislature observes minute of silence in memory of fallen soldiers Police forces being brought to Armenia parliament ahead of PM's visit Armenia representative addresses UN Security Council discussion, speaks about Azerbaijan military aggression World oil prices falling Armenia MOD: Situation on eastern border relatively stable Newspaper: Armenia Constitutional Court is tool in hands of executive branch of power Russia peacekeepers deliver over 300 tons of humanitarian cargo to needy Karabakh residents in one year Newspaper: Russia's obligations before Armenia, border situation Frank Pallone: Azerbaijan's escalation of violence on Armenian soil is unacceptable Blinken urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to take immediate concrete steps to reduce tensions Canada FM calls Armenia, Azerbaijan for de-escalation of situation Contract soldier Meruzhan Harutyunyan died in hostilities Armenia Ambassador stresses need for targeted condemning calls during talk with Amanda Sloat Earthquake hits 10 km northeast from Armenia's Tashir, felt in Lori and Tavush Provinces with 3-point magnitude Minister: Armenian Nuclear Power Plant has major toolkit to protect itself from potential military attacks US calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to 'resume substantive negotiations' Armenia ruling party MP: At end of day, Azerbaijan lost advantages it had, Armenian army retrieved many positions His Holiness Aram I: Silence of Armenia's allies and friendly countries is strange Pashinyan to Putin: Actions of Azerbaijan are aggression against Armenia's sovereign territory Russia Ambassador to Armenia fails to comment on current situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border UN calls on Yerevan and Baku to show restraint US Ambassador to Armenia on escalation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border: We're trying to stabilize situation Meeting with foreign ambassadors at Armenian MFA is over France is concerned about escalation of situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border Russian MOD: Armenia and Azerbaijan took measures to stabilize situation after talk with Sergey Shoygu US President Donald Trump has confirmed the US will leave an arms control treaty with Russia dating from the cold war that has kept nuclear missiles out of Europe for three decades, The Guardian reported. Well have to develop those weapons, the president told reporters in Nevada after a rally. Were going to terminate the agreement and were going to pull out. Speaking to reporters in Nevada, Trump said: Russia has violated the agreement. Theyve been violating it for many years and I dont know why President Obama didnt negotiate or pull out. Were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and do weapons and were not allowed to. Were the ones that have stayed in the agreement and weve honoured the agreement but Russia has not unfortunately honoured the agreement so were going to terminate the agreement, were going to pull out. Asked to clarify, the president said: Unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and they say, Lets all of us get smart and lets none of us develop those weapons, but if Russias doing it and if Chinas doing it and were adhering to the agreement, thats unacceptable. So we have a tremendous amount of money to play with with our military. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Cloudy and windy in the morning, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. High around 65F. Winds NNE at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low 44F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan met with the Mudir of Amman Omar al Lousi who arrived in Yerevan to participate in Erebuni-Yervan 2800 celebration. Greeting the guest, the Mayor expressed gratitude for the visit and noted that the celebration of the city day is another good opportunity to meet with partner cities and sister cities of Yerevan and enjoy the festive atmosphere of the city. Nowadays there is big potential for effective cooperation between the two cities and I must stress that we are ready to expand friendly and partner relationship with Amman. I am sure that within the frames of concrete programs it is possible to develop effective and mutually beneficial cooperation, said Hayk Marutyan. Expressing gratitude for warm welcome and congratulating Hayk Marutyan on behalf of the Mayor and residents of Amman on being elected Yerevan mayor, Omar al-Louzi attached particular importance to Yerevan mayors willingness to expand the cooperation between the capitals. Mr Mayor, I am sur that we will go on cooperation expansion and development. It is really important for us to develop business ties and experience exchange in the spheres of bilateral interest, said Omar al Louzi. At the end of the meting mayor Hayk Marutyan conveyed his gratitude to Amman Mayor for the congratulations. Home | News | General | BREAKING: US to end nuclear deal with Russia - Donald Trump United States president, Donald Trump, has said that the country will put out of a nuclear treaty with Russia because the latter violated the agreement. The announcement was made by the president on Saturday, October 20, during a campaign stop in Elko, Nevada. READ ALSO: Abia pipeline explosion was caused by vandals - Buhari Sky News reports that the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty helps protect the security of the United States and its allies in Europe and the Far East. Legit.ng gathers that both countries are prohibited by the treaty from possessing, producing or test-firing a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles. President Trump said: "We are going to terminate the agreement and then we are going to develop the weapons." Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that President Donald Trump announced the United States withdrawal from the Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran. Calling it "decaying and rotten", President Trump said the deal was "an embarrassment" to him "as a citizen". Going against advice from European allies, he said he would re-impose economic sanctions that were waived when the deal was signed in 2015. In response, Iran said it was preparing to restart uranium enrichment, key for making both nuclear energy and weapons. President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said: "The US has announced that it doesn't respect its commitments. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app "I have ordered the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran to be ready to start the enrichment of uranium at industrial levels." In an earlier report by Legit.ng, President Donald Trump of the United States and North Koreas leader, Kim Jong Un, met in a summit on Tuesday, June 12, at a Singapore island resort. The leaders shook hands warmly and then moved into a one-on-one meeting that lasted for about 40 minutes. Prior to the historic summit, the US president said he expected that the meeting would be tremendously successful. He had also said he and Kim might strike a nuclear deal or forge a formal end to the Korean war in the course of a single meeting or over several days. How would you feel if Donald Trump bombed Boko Haram like Syria? - on Legit.ng TV [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Legit.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | 2 farmers killed as Boko Haram insurgents attack village in Borno - Boko Haram insurgents have killed two farmers in Borno state - Brig -General Abdulamalik Biu made this known on Saturday, October 20 - Biu said he had visited the scene of the attack to appraise the situation The Nigerian Army on Saturday, October 20, said two persons were killed by Boko Haram insurgents at Kuwa-Yangewa village on Maiduguri-Damboa Road in Borno. Brig -General Abdulamalik Biu, the acting general Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, said the insurgents attacked a group of persons scavenging for leftover farm produce and killed two of them. Biu disclosed that the troops deployed to the area rushed to the scene when one of the female victims reported to them. READ ALSO: Shehu Sani quits APC The commander said he had visited the scene of the attack to appraise the situation, adding that normalcy had been restored to the area. Some people went to the farms and Boko Haram insurgents attacked them, they butchered an elderly man and a youth. The wife to the elderly man ran and informed the troops, who rushed to the scene to save them. The insurgents fled on sighting the approaching troops. Only two persons were killed and no abduction in the attack. However, reports indicated that the insurgents killed six farmers and abducted eight others who were harvesting their crops. A witness, Ms Rachel Hassan, said about a dozen insurgents armed with weapons attacked them while working in the farm in the afternoon. Recounting her ordeal, Rachel said the insurgents separated females from the males and requested them to go home. I hired somebody, a displaced person residing at the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), to work in my farm. The insurgents came and gathered us in one place, they asked women to go and macheted the males. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Rachel said that some of the corpses were cut to pieces, adding that she reported the case to the GRA police station. Malam Ahmadu Salisu, a relative of one of the victims, said his brother and 11 other farmers of Maduganari area of Maiduguri, went to work in their farms in the morning. Salisu narrated that the insurgents attacked the farmers from different directions and butchered them. According to him So far we recovered four corpses from the farms while eight others are missing or abducted by the insurgents. Another victim, Aisha Waziri, said that she was informed by her neighbors that her husband was killed in the farm by the insurgents. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that no fewer than 254 surrendered and repented Boko Haram sect members were reintegrated by the federal government. Major General Bamidele Shafa, coordinator, Operation Safe Corridor, announced the development during a town hall meeting and dialogue with Boko Haram affected communities on Saturday, October 20, in Yola. The meeting was organised by the presidential committee on the north east initiative in collaboration with the centre for democracy and development. Nigerian Air Force operations against Boko Haram - On Legit.ng TV: [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Legit.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Abia pipeline explosion: Buhari expresses regret over loss of lives and property - President Muhammadu Buhari has sympathised with those that lost their loved ones to the Abia state pipeline explosion of Friday, October 12 - He expressed regret over the unnecessary loss of lives and property in the explosion - The president called on communities and state governments that host oil pipelines to be more vigilant and rise to combat the challenge posed by pipeline vandalism Following the pipeline explosion in the Osisioma Ngwa community of Abia state on Friday, October 12, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed regret over the unnecessary loss of lives and property in the explosion. In a statement on Saturday, October 20, by the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari sympathised with those that lost their loved ones. Legit.ng notes that the statement read: "Preliminary reports by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) show that the incident was not an accidental explosion, but a result of vandals who pilloried the pipelines to scoop the products. READ ALSO: Buhari condemns communal violence which claimed 55 lives in Kaduna "Despite repeated warnings, these unscrupulous people have vandalised that particular pipeline 684 times in the last six months alone. Each time the pipeline is repaired, they resume their activities, even collaborating with security agents, who are reported to have set up toll gates collecting fees from the vandals. "A fight broke out as a heist was going on and there was shooting, which is believed to have ignited Friday morning's explosion, during which three security personnel also lost their lives. "President Buhari urges communities and state governments that host oil pipelines to be more vigilant and rise to combat the challenge posed by pipeline vandalism. The Enugu depot of the NNPC has been repaired and ready to function, but remains idle today because of the vandals. "The president also appeals to host communities to collaborate with the NNPC to tame oil pipeline vandalism in their areas." PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Abia command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) confirmed the death of 19 persons, following the pipeline explosion in two villages in Osisioma local government area of the state. The state commander of NSCDC, Benito Eze, confirmed the number of casualties to newsmen in Umuahia. Eze said that 16 persons, including one woman, died in the explosion that occurred around 2.47 a.m at Umuaduru Village in Umueze autonomous community. He also said that three others died in the fire that occurred at about 3 a.m in a private residence at Umuimo Village in the area. Lets Not Blame God For Our Problems - Deyemi Okanlawon Speaks on Otedola Bridge Fire on Legit.ng TV [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Legit.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | President Buhari urges traditional rulers to continue to build bridges of unity - President Buhari said sustenance of unity and understanding by traditional rulers remained a strong indicator of the indivisibility of the country - Buhari made this known at the official launch of a book the Benin Monarchy an Anthology of Benin history held in Benin, Edo state - He congratulated Oba Ewuare 11 and the council of chiefs for preserving the Benin culture, saying that the kingdom is a role model for others to copy President Muhammadu Buhari has called on traditional rulers across the country to continue to build bridges of unity to ensure the development of the country. Buhari made the disclosure at the official launch of a book the Benin Monarchy an Anthology of Benin history held in Benin on Saturday, October 20, in commemoration of the 2nd coronation anniversary of the Oba of Benin Oba Ewuare 11. The president, represented by the secretary to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Boss Mustapha commended the good relationship that exist between the Sultanate and the Benin Kingdom saying it should cut across the country. READ ALSO: Shehu Sani quits APC He said traditional institutions must continue to stay abreast with the digital changes in the world and should not allow the changes to affect the preservation of customs, languages and tradition of the people. Buhari congratulated Oba Ewuare 11 and the council of chiefs for preserving the Benin culture, saying that the kingdom is a role model for others to copy. He further called on traditional rulers across the country to join hand with the federal government in preaching against hate speech and money politics as the 2019 elections draws nearer. The chairman of the occasion, Retired General Yakubu Gowon commending the outstanding features of the Benin Monarchy describing the book a masterpiece that tells African history written by Africans. Gowon said: One of the tragedies of Africa is that our story has always being told by others from their own perspective and from their own purpose. The result is that much of the narratives of our continent have been a distorted picture against this background, we appreciate the impact of this singular effort of telling the history of the Benin Kingdom. Also speaking, former President Good luck Jonathan said the Benin Kingdom had always made the country proud via its rich history and well structured governance system. Jonathan commended the Oba of Benin for his resourcefulness and protection of his people. In his remarks, Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo assured that the construction of Benin Royal Museum would be completed before Oct. 20, 2021. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app He said he took the decision to complete the project at the recent meeting of the Benin Dialogue Group which was made up of all prominent museums in Europe. The governor said: We also got the commitment of the group to return many of the works that were taken from the palace during the expedition in 1987. Other dignitaries at the event included the Sultan of Sokoto, former governors of Edo, Chief John Oyegun and Adams Oshiomhole, Vice Chancellor of University of Benin, Faraday Orumwense among others. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that President Buhari, on Friday, September 14, was conferred with a new chieftaincy title of Meni-Doo-Lenu (the King of doing good things in Ogoni-land) by an Ogoni king, G.N.K. Ogininwa. Femi Adesina, the special adviser on media and publicity, said the president was given the traditional title when he received a delegation of Ogoni leaders from the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, academia, elected leaders of MOSOP and representatives of women and youth groups from Ogoni land in Rivers at the State House, Abuja. Ogoni-land in Rivers State is one of the major oil producing areas of Nigeria. The community is well known for its various problems with oil major, Shell, which extracted oil from the community for decades. Nigeria News Today: Will Buhari Get Votes Of Nigerian Youth? | Legit.ng TV: [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Legit.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Reliance on violence leads to ultimate self-destruction - Buhari condemns communal crisis which claimed 55 lives in Kaduna - The latest communal violence in Kasuwa Magani in Kaduna state has been condemned by President Muhammadu Buhari - According to the president, resorting to bloodshed over misunderstandings than be be resolved peacefully is worrisome - He commends the Kaduna state government for its rapid response to the crisis President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the latest communal violence in Kasuwan Magani in Kaduna state which claimed 55 lives. This was disclosed in a statement by the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu. Legit.ng gathers that the president said no culture and religion support the disregard for the sanctity of life. READ ALSO: Missing general: Army denies killing woman, warns Nigerians against fake news The statement read: "Reacting to the violent clashes, President Buhari said the frequent resort to bloodshed by Nigerians over misunderstandings that can be resolved peacefully, is worrisome. Peaceful coexistence is necessary for the progress of any society and its wellbeing. "He noted that without communal harmony, the environment for the conduct of our everyday businesses would be impossible to achieve. "President Buhari explained that Buhari condemns communal violence which claimed 55 lives in Kaduna On the contrary, reliance on violence leads to ultimate self-destruction. Violence is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. Embracing peace is a necessity. "In commending the Kaduna state government for its rapid response to the crisis, the president appealed to community leaders to engage in regular dialogue to nip imminent crises in the bud, while admonishing the people to develop the spirit of tolerance and patience at all times." Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari urged Nigerians to understand that all the Holy Books revealed by Allah preach peaceful coexistence among people. Buhari stated this on Saturday, March 3, in Katsina at the closing ceremony of the 32nd National Quranic Recitation Competition. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app He said: "All the Books of Almighty Allah teaches us same thing, that is how to live in peace with one another. It is clear that Quran is the greatest encyclopedia which contains all aspects of human life. Quran teaches us how to be fair and just to all including the non-Muslims. Read more: It has also been stated that during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, Peace be Upon Him, when Muslims were being persecuted, he asked them to migrate to a Christian Kingdom in Ethiopia, where they lived peacefully." Benue Elders Speak on Herdsmen Attacks | on Legit.ng TV [embedded content] Subscribe to watch new videos Source: Legit.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Samuel Etoo, Valderrama, Baptista, Encinas, Garcia, Prieto latest LaLiga ambassadors For the fifth consecutive season, LaLiga has unveiled the former players who are set to work on the expansion of LaLigas international brand throughout the world. Samuel Etoo, Carlos Valderrama, Julio Baptista, Aintzane Encinas, Luis Garcia and Xabi Prieto are the newest additions to this seasons #LaLigaAmbassadors squad, which was announced at a spectacular event. Samuel Etoo The job performed by ambassadors is essential to LaLiga, as LaLiga president Javier Tebas explained: The role of ambassador is fundamental to LaLigas internationalisation process. Theyve all played here and know the values, perks and joy entrenched in this competition. Furthermore, their international profiles bring us knowledge and experience linked to other markets and are of immeasurable value to the LaLiga brand. The six players are set to feature in what was already a star-studded line-up of huge football talents: Fernando Morientes, David Albelda, Carles Puyol, Vero Boquete, Ismael Urzaiz, Cesar Sanchez, Frederic Kanoute, Marcos Senna, Christian Karembeu, Milinko Pantic, Gaizka Mendieta, Xavi Hernandez, Kiko Narvaez and Patrick Kluivert. Evergreen striker Samuel Etoo is currently at Qatar SC, the 13th club side of his career. The Cameroonian scored 108 goals in five seasons for FC Barcelona, also featuring for Real Madrid, CD Leganes, RCD Espanyol and RCD Mallorca. Valderrama is one of the most legendary players in Colombian football history and perhaps the most iconic. He played for Real Valladolid in 1991/92 and is remembered for his charisma and stylish midfield play. He ended his career in his home country and the United States. Julio Baptista starred for Sevilla FC, Real Madrid and Malaga CF, scoring 62 goals in 151 top-flight appearances during his time in LaLiga. After spells at Cruzeiro and Orlando City, he signed for Romanian side CFR Cluj this summer. Aintzane Encinas began her career at Anorga KKE before signing for her hometown club Real Sociedad where she starred for 13 seasons. She also represented Spain at international level, running out for the national side at the 2004 U-19 World Cup in Thailand. Luis Garcia played for six different LaLiga clubs during his playing days, most famously donning the colours of both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. He picked up a Champions League winners medal with Liverpool in 2005 and rounded out his career with spells in Greece, Mexico, India and Australia. Xabi Prieto is one of the best examples of a One-Club Man, spending the entirety of his 15-year playing career at Real Sociedad, his hometown club. Rising through the ranks from the youth academy he became club captain and made over 400 LaLiga appearances. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | MNG declares support for Atiku By Festus Ahon, ASABA NATIONAL President of the Movement for Nigerian Greatness, MNG, Mr Collins Oniobo, has urged the international community to closely monitor the 2019 general election with a view to exposing those who are bent on rigging.. Mr Peter Obi and PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Describing the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as good omen for Nigerians, he said Atiku has capacity to manage the country. Oniobo in a statement, said we wishe to congratulate Nigerias former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubarka, on his victory in the PDP Presidential primary election held on the 6th and 7th of this month in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. The former Vice President is a well experienced man, having served as the nations number two citizen under the administration of ex-president Obasanjor. As a successful business man, we believe that our dear Country Nigeria, will be in good hands under the leadership of Atiku Abubarka. A man who can manage his businesses successfully can manage Nigeria in various positive ways. He is also a job creator as shown in the recruitment of Nigerians especially the youths, into his businesses across the Country No doubt that if and when elected come 2019, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will transform Nigerias educational system for the better. More so is the actualization of restructuring the federation which many Nigerians have been clamouring for over the years. We believe that Atiku Abubarka will not fail Nigerians in particular and our friends overseas. MNG also wants to use this medium to implore the assistance of the International Community, most especially the West, to monitor closely the forthcoming elections, with a view to exposing the evil intentions and plans of those who do not want a free and peaceful election. We must not fail to commend the chairman, Secretary and the entire membership of the Committee of the PDP national convention, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, the Governor of Delta state and Engr. David Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State, for the free, fair and credible election. Further more, we urge all other former Presidential aspirants of the party to support and work for the overall success of the PDP come 2019. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Christians and Muslims clash : Fifty-five dead after market row in Kaduna : presidency Fifty-five people were killed this week in clashes between young Christians and Muslims in northern Nigeria following a dispute in a market, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Saturday. Shiites in violent clash with Police in Kaduna as Police arrest 9 members of the Islamic group Sources told AFP fighting broke out between Hausa Muslim and Adara Christian youths in the town of Kasuwan Maganis market following a dispute among wheelbarrow porters. Two people were said to have been killed in the market fracas on Thursday. The violence was temporarily halted by police but Adara youth later mobilised and attacked Hausa residents, burning homes, the sources added. Most of the killings were done in the second attack which took the Hausa community off guard, said Muhammadu Bala, a Kasuwar Magani resident who lost his home. In a statement the presidency said: President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the latest communal violence in Kasuwan Magani in Kaduna State which claimed 55 lives. The violence followed a dispute in a market on Thursday, the presidency added. The president expressed concern that Nigerians were too frequently resorting to violence over misunderstandings that could be resolved peacefully. No culture and religion supports the disregard for the sanctity of life, he said, adding that peaceful coexistence is necessary for the progress of any society and its wellbeing. He said that without harmony between communities an environment conducive to our everyday businesses would be impossible to achieve. Police restore normalcy to Brass Island after cult clash Violence cannot be an alternative to peace. On the contrary, reliance on violence leads to ultimate self-destruction. Violence is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. Embracing peace is a necessity, he said. He appealed to community leaders to take part in regular dialogue to prevent misunderstandings and foster a spirit of tolerance and patience. Kaduna state police commissioner Ahmad Abdur-Rahman told reporters on Friday 22 people had been arrested in connection with the violence. The Kaduna state government also imposed a round-the-clock curfew in Kasuwan Magani on Friday. A similar crisis in February left at least 10 people dead and hundreds of homes and businesses burnt. Over 60 people are facing charges over the February violence. My VP position wont conflict with Gov. Obiano, says Peter Obi CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | 4 killed in abduction of traditional ruler, wife in Kaduna Police Kaduna The Kaduna State Police Command, said on Saturday that the abductors of the traditional ruler of Adara chiefdom had killed four people on his entourage before going away with the monarch. Nigerian policemen working to curb crime Agom Adara, Mr Maiwada Galadima and his wife were kidnapped at Maikyali village along Kaduna -Kachia road in Kachia Local Government area of the state. The Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo told NAN in Kaduna that the incident happened on Oct 19, at about 6:30 pm. According to him, some armed men intercepted the convoy of the traditional ruler and opened fire, forcing them to stop. In the process, his police orderly and three others in the vehicles were shot dead. The bandits took away the royal father and his wife Mrs Victoria to unknown destination. He disclosed that a team of policemen led by the DPO in Kachia rushed to the scene and evacuated the victims to Kachia General Hospital. Also combine teams of Police, Military and local Vigilante alongside the Anti Kidnapping Unit were mobilised to comb the general area and mount surveillance with a view to rescuing the victims and arresting the criminals. 2019: My nomination as VP candidate about masses, says Peter Obi The IGP IRT were also contacted for technical assistance in tracking the bandits. He appealed to the general public to assist the police with useful information towards ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice. He added that the Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdur-Rahman had commiserated with the families of the victims and vowed to ensure that the perpetrators were arrested and prosecuted.(NAN) IPOB: Abia Community demands whereabouts of Nnamdi Kanus father CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Osinbajo, Jonathan, others eulogise Alaafin at 80 Ibadan Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has described Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi as a true leader who has served the Yoruba race with complete faithfulness and sacrifice. Oba Adeyemi, Alaafin of Oyo Alaafin He made this known on Saturday in Ibadan during the launch of a book The Alaafin of Oyo in commemoration of the monarchs 80th birthday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 278-page book was a compilation of memo, papers and speeches of the monarch. NAN reports that the book which contained seven sections was reviewed by Prof. Anthony Asiwaju. The Alaafin of Oyo had in the past 47 years on the throne by words, deeds and personal sacrifice demonstrated true leadership. He has time and time again stood on the side of truth. He has really served the Yoruba race. You may not always agree with him, but you are never in doubt of his sincerity of purpose and capacity to act consistently on the side of his conviction, Osinbajo said. He described the Alafin as a worthy Yoruba leader and father, whose intellectual prowess and commitment to the Yoruba cause was unparalleled. Similarly, former President Goodluck Jonathan, said the monarch was a father and quintessential leader, whose contribution to national development was impressive. Jonathan, who was represented by Mr Seyi Makinde, PDP governorship candidate in Oyo State, urged the monarch not to relent in the promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition. In a similar vain, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State said that the monarchs wisdom and persuasive skills contributed immensely to the achievements of his administration. Ajimobi said that the monarch had in the last seven and a half years of his administration also helped in enthroning peace and stability to the state. Gov. Umar Ganduje of Kano State thanked God for the Alaafins life, saying the monarch has contributed meaningfully to national integration. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, APC National Leader, said that the Alaafin has contributed a lot to the promotion and sustenance of Yoruba culture as well as tradition. Tinubu, who was represented by Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, charged the monarch to bring together all royal fathers in Yorubaland in the interest of the region. Sen. Godswill Akpabio, a former Akwa-Ibom state governor, also extolled the virtues of the Alaafin, whom he described as a father and leader. Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, congratulated Alaafin on his 80th birthday celebration, wishing him more years on the throne of his fore fathers. The Alaafin appreciated the guests for their support, promising not to relent in his contribution to national integration and development. The monarch who gave the historical background of Oyo empire, said the empire would not relent in projecting its ideologies. NAN reports that the event also featured the presentation of a documentary titled Alaafin of Oyo, a legendary custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition Among other guests at the event were Chief Gani Adams, Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, traditional rulers, politicians and members of the state executive council. (NAN) CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | 2018 QMA cultural pageant: rebranding culture By Chris Onuoha The 2018 edition of Nigeria highly esteemed cultural beauty contest, Queen Moremi Ajasoro (QMA) Cultural Pageant is around the corner. With the sales of form and registration of participants already concluded, the famous cultural and heritage reawakening pageant in its 3rd edition, sponsored by the House of Oduduwa Foundation, the Ooni of Ifes palace and others, is set to further push and forestall the cultural heritage of the Yourba race in accordance with Oonis mandate in developing the ancestral heritage of the Amazon, Queen Moremi Ajasoro. About 400 registrants have indicated interest as the registration ends today October 20 while the audition and selection of qualified contestants to be handled by cultural experts will be held on October 29 and 30 in Ile Ife, Osun State. This will precede the Edi Festival on October 31 heralding the colourful lighting of the torch at the statue of Queen Moremi Ajasoro, led by his imperial majesty, Ooni of Ife, However, this years edition will be held in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital specifically in recognition of Her Excellency, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, wife of Ogun State governor who was recently honoured with a Moremi history book dedicated in her name by his Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi for her immeasurable contributions to the development of culture in Yoruba land. There will also be a musical drama of the heroine, Queen Moremi, titled, the untold story of one of Afrcas legendary queens under the auspice of the House of Oduduwa foundation, produced and directed by Bolanle Austen Peters Production and showing at TerraKulture Lagos. Queen Moremi Ajasoro Cultural Pageant is one, amongst the few beauty pageants in Nigeria and Africa that is structured with glorified contents to promote the cultural heritage of Africas giant. The QMA pageant is known for its exclusive display of cultural feats, traditional fashions/styles and also a composition of intellectual contestants, who are integrated into becoming ambassadors of our cultural identity. According to observers, the previous edition was indeed a record in the history book of pageantry in Nigeria With the streamline of activities, large number of participants exclusively from Yoruba extract or others with either parents bearing Yoruba lineage in the country will be auditioned by seasoned cultural experts to select the finalists that will be in the finals. The names include Toyin Alauss(Actress); Oba Oladapo Olafiranye; Morounranti Ashabi; Benny Charles Ukeje; Oba Abiodun Mulatto; To in Okewale Sonaiya; Oba Michael Odunaya Ajayi and Oluwatoyin Bayegu, alias Sole Aroli. The registration period according to the organisers, will close on the 20th of October. Therefore, interested contestants are advised to pick up their forms, because there might be no extension, she stressed. She stated that auditions will hold on the 29th and 30th of October, were the 30 finalists will emerge. However, the finalist will accompany the historic traditional ruler of Ife in Tourch Lighting Event, a traditional requirement of the annual Moremi Festival. The finalist will eventually leave for camping on the 3rd through 15th of November, as they prepare for the grande finale, which is slated to hold on the first of December 2018. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Bisi Akande calls for restructuring Former Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, has carpeted successive military governments that ruled Nigeria for 29 years since independence, saying they created states and local governments by fiat for selfish reasons rather than through any scientific political reasoning. Chief Bisi Akande This, according to him, has necessitated a restructuring of the country. He lamented that the military might have inequitably created more local governments per population per state in the North than in the South, thereby giving the North an unfair advantage in revenue allocation from the national treasury. 2019 elections: NYCN to hold nationwide town hall meetings Akande, who is also a former governor of Osun State, made the assertion in a paper on Devolution of Powers and National Restructuring he delivered at the weekend at the APC-USA Second Annual Convention in Washington DC, United States of America where he was Special Guest of Honour. He therefore called for restructuring, which he described as equitable rearrangement and redistribution of the existing states and local governments per population within the various ethnic nationalities. Appropriate amendments to the countrys constitution, according to him, will be required to accommodate the various rearrangements and redistributions. NFIU REPORT: Emmanuel denies drawing cash from security vote acct CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Riyadh admits Khashoggi died in Istanbul mission amid hunt for body Saudi Arabia admitted on Saturday that critic Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its Istanbul consulate, but mystery surrounded the whereabouts of his body as Turkey kept up its investigation. Jamal Khashoggi Ankara vowed it would reveal all the details of a two-week inquiry as international demands swirled for more answers over the death of the Washington Post columnist. Before dawn on Saturday, Riyadh backtracked on over a fortnight of denials by announcing that Khashoggi died during a brawl inside the consulate on October 2. It said 18 Saudis have been arrested in connection with his death and two top aides of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as three other intelligence agents, have been sacked. The mystery over the disappearance of Khashoggi, who was critical of the crown prince, plunged Saudi Arabia into an international crisis as the kingdom insisted for over two weeks that it was not involved. Turkish officials have accused Riyadh of carrying out a state-sponsored killing and dismembering the body, which police have begun hunting for in an Istanbul forest. In the latest version of events from Riyadh, Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said Khashoggi died after talks at the consulate degenerated into a physical altercation. He did not disclose the whereabouts of the journalists body. Discussions that took place between him and the persons who met him at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul led to a brawl and a fistfight with the citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, which led to his death, may his soul rest in peace, the attorney general said in a statement. US President Donald Trump said he found the explanation credible despite continued scepticism from some US lawmakers, including Republicans. The Saudi king also ordered the setting up of a ministerial body under the chairmanship of the crown prince to restructure the kingdoms intelligence agency and define its powers precisely, Saudi state media said. Key members of the crown princes inner circle, deputy intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and royal court media adviser Saud al-Qahtani, were sacked. Saudi Arabias Gulf ally, the United Arab Emirates, welcomed the moves by the king, as did Egypt. But Khashoggis Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz tweeted that her heart was full of sorrow over the confirmation of his death. The couple had been due to marry this month. Turkish debt of honour The controversy has put the kingdom for decades a key ally in Western efforts to contain Iran under unprecedented pressure. It has evolved into a major crisis for Prince Mohammed, a Trump administration favourite widely known as MBS, whose image as a modernising Arab reformer has been gravely undermined. Ankara said it regarded it as a debt of honour to reveal what happened. We are not accusing anyone in advance but we dont accept anything to remain covered (up), said ruling Justice and Development Party spokesman Omer Celik. Trump swiftly endorsed Saudi Arabias explanation, calling it an important first step. I do, I do, Trump said when asked if the Saudis explanation was credible, while adding: Its early, we havent finished our review or investigation. But there was a clamour for more answers and to bring those behind the killing to justice. German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged transparency from Saudi Arabia and said that available reports on what happened in the Istanbul consulate are insufficient. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said many questions remained unanswered and insisted they require exhaustive and diligent investigation. UN chief Antonio Guterres in a statement stressed the need for a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation and full accountability for those responsible. Britains Foreign Office, which also has close ties to Riyadh, said it was a terrible act and those responsible must be held to account. Shielding crown prince Saudi officials have roundly denied that King Salmans son, Prince Mohammed, had any involvement. But one suspect identified by Turkey was said to be a frequent companion of the young heir to the throne, three others were linked to his security detail and a fifth is a high-level forensic specialist, according to The New York Times. The decision to overhaul the intelligence apparatus and sack members of the crown princes inner circle is designed to distance the crown prince from the murder, said analysis firm Eurasia Group. In Riyadh, preparations continued for an investment forum due to open on Tuesday despite high-profile international no-shows. I think that the transparency of the statement has made it clear that Saudi Arabia is a great and strong country and transparent in everything, said one Saudi citizen, Futayes Moqren, as he drank a coffee at a cafe. In a recent off-the-record interview published posthumously by US magazine Newsweek, Khashoggi described the 33-year-old crown prince as an old-fashioned tribal leader but said he would have accepted an offer to work as his adviser. Im not calling for the overthrow of the regime, the one-time royal insider said. Im just calling for reform of the regime. Pro-government Turkish media have claimed that Khashoggi was tortured and dismembered by a Saudi hit squad, although Turkey has yet to release any official findings. Each successive narrative put out by the Saudis to explain what happened to Khashoggi has strained credulity, Kristian Ulrichsen, a fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute in the United States, told AFP. Especially because the Saudis are still unable or unwilling to produce the one piece of evidence a body that could provide a definitive answer one way or the other. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | My VP position wont conflict with Gov. Obiano, says Peter Obi Awka Chief Peter Obi, Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said his position would not clash with that Gov. Willie Obiano if elected. Obi said this in a statement issued by Mr Val Obienyem, his media aide on Saturday. Peter Gregory Obi He said that his job and that of the governor of Anambra would be parallel and complementary, adding that the interest of the common people of Nigeria would override all other considerations. According to Obi, while Obiano will pilot the affairs of people of Anambra, he will be in Abuja ensuring that the federal government carries out its obligation to the generality of Nigerians. The work of the governor and that of the vice president are parallel but complimentary. While he will be in Anambra tending to state needs, I will be in Abuja making sure that the Federal Government carries out its obligations to all the states in Nigeria, including Anambra State. While he works on state roads, for example, the Federal Government will work on Federal roads, the Second Niger Bridge and other federal projects. In matters like this, the welfare of the people should be the leading principle and our individual concern. I thank God all the Igbo leaders we have visited are on the same page. From our interactions with them, it is clear they see it as a task that requires unity of purpose because its success will be ours as well as that of the entire country, he said. Obi said Nigerians should eschew hate attitude towards one another and realise that every part needs the other for better welfare of all. Now is not the time for exhibition of hate, he said. It would be recalled that Obi, a two term governor of Anambra on the platform All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) was instrumental to the victory of Obiano in 2014. There has been no love lost between the two gladiators following some seeming misunderstandings. Obi withdrew his support for Obiano in the 2017 governorship poll in Anambra for Mr Oseloka obaze, candidate of the PDP in that contest. Obis reassurance was in response to questions on how his relationship with his successor would not conflict with their official positions if elected after he met with the national president of Ohanaeze and some political stakeholders of the Southeast. (NAN) CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Mexico opens border to women and children from migrant caravan Mexican authorities on Saturday allowed dozens of women and children from the Honduran migrant caravan to pass into its territory, the countrys ambassador to Guatemala said. migrant children Luis Manuel Lopez told AFP the women and children would be processed by immigration authorities and taken to a shelter in the city of Tapachula, 40 kilometers (25 miles) away. The women ran forward when immigration officers unchained a gate that had been pinning back migrants at the crossing. Im happy, happy! At last! shouted a relieved Gina Paola Montes, 21, as she ran onto Mexican territory. One of the women fainted, alarming her relatives. Eva Hernandez, 42, a Honduran activist, says the group had been promised they will receive refugee permits and a safe place to stay. We better find that shelter today, she said. The women and children are part of a group of thousands of Honduran migrants on the Mexican border with Guatemala hoping to reach the United States. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Kaduna: Resort to bloodshed over minor disagreement worrisome, says Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday condemned the latest communal violence in Kasuwan Magani in Kaduna State which claimed 55 lives . In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity , Garba Shehu , the President said the frequent resort to bloodshed by Nigerians over misunderstandings that can be resolved peacefully was worrisome . No culture and religion support the disregard for the sanctity of life . Peaceful coexistence is necessary for the progress of any society and its wellbeing , the President said . He noted that without communal harmony , the environment for the conduct of our everyday businesses would be impossible to achieve. Buhari explained that violence cannot be an alternative to peace . On the contrary , reliance on violence leads to ultimate self -destruction . Violence is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. Embracing peace is a necessity . In commending the Kaduna State government for its rapid response to the crisis , the President appealed to community leaders to engage in regular dialogue to nip imminent crises in the bud. He also admonished the people to develop the spirit of tolerance and patience at all times . CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Gunmen Kidnap Traditional Ruler, Wife, Kill Police Orderly In Kaduna Ibrahim Yakubu, a son in-law to the Chief, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria, adding that the Police Orderly to the paramount ruler was killed in the process Gunmen on Friday kidnapped Maiwada Galadima, the Paramount Chief of Adara Chiefdom in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, and his wife along Kaduna/Kachia road. Ibrahim Yakubu, a son in-law to the Chief, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria, adding that the Police Orderly to the paramount ruler was killed in the process. Yakubu explained that the Chief and his wife were taken away while returning to Kachia from Kaduna. He said: The Kidnappers stopped the Chiefs vehicle at the military checkpoint at Idon and shot his Police Orderly. Immediately, they took the Chief and his wife into the bush, leaving behind two of his drivers, his daughter and a granddaughter. Efforts to get police confirmation proved abortive as Yakubu Sabo, the Public Relations Officer of the Kaduna State Police Command did not pick his calls. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Now it is time for us to negotiate with Nnamdi Kanu Fani-Kayode By By Wale Akinola After mysteriously disappearing from Umuahia in Abia State in the wake of his confrontation with troops of the Nigerian Army, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi Kanu, according to a former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, spoke with him, yesterday, on phone from Jerusalem. Nnamdi Kanu It has been speculated since Kanus disappearance that he had gone on self-exile. I just received a call from my brother Nnamdi Kanu. I am delighted that he is alive and well. I commend his strength and courage even as I marvel at the loyalty, resilience and commitment of his lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor and IPoB. We have agreed to work together to VOTE Buhari out, Fani-Kayode said in a whatsapp message to Sunday Vanguard. Asked if speaking to a suspected fugitive from the law did not make him accessory after the fact, the former Minister said: Not at all. He called me and I am delighted to know that he was not killed and that he is alive and well. That is all that matters to me. There is no crime in answering a phone call and speaking to a man who I thought was dead. I have not heard from him, spoken to him or seen him since the day of his abduction so the call was a great surprise to me and welcomed it. I prayed for God to keep him alive and God answered that prayer. Fani-Kayode went on: Now it is time for us to negotiate with him, work hard together and ensure that we all join hands to get Buhari out in February. It is only after we do that that we can now sit down and iron out the other fundamental issues. We must all join forces to get him out. That is the first step to restoring sanity to our country. After that we can talk about restructuring, self-determination, referendums and other things. Anyone and everyone that believes in peace and dialogue is important and relevant in a democracy. And the truth is that IPoB cannot be ignored in the East. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | I will contest in 2019 Shehu Sani By Nwafor Sunday The senator representing Kaduna central, Shehu Sani on Sunday said he would contest for the forthcoming 2019 election, despite his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress , APC. Shehu Sani Disclosing this on his facebook handle, the outspoken senator, commended his supporters and urged them to wait for 48 hours to be informed of his new party. Senate approves Science and Technology varsity for FCT His words: This is to thank all my supporters and friends for the show of solidarity and assurances of support over my decision to exit the APC. I assure you that in the next two days you will be informed of my new party. And be rest assured I will contest in the upcoming elections Insha Allah. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General New, remodeled space will offer expanded product selection and a full-service bike shop with rentals SEATTLE REI Co-op will officially open its new location in Grand Junction, Colorado on Nov. 2 at 925 Independent Avenue. The store opened for business at the new location in February and just completed an extensive remodel. The 23,000 square-foot space is nearly double the size of the co-ops previous location in Grand Junction and will continue to offer top quality gear, expertise and experiences, with expanded product offerings, a full-service bike shop for maintenance and repairs, and mountain bike rentals. In addition, REI Grand Junction will offer workshops to connect people to a life outdoors. A national leader in outdoor experiences, REI helped more than 375,000 people across the country get outside through classes and events last year. The larger space will further support the outdoor community in Grand Junction, said Anna Ransdell, REI Grand Junction store manager. In addition to offering a wider selection of quality outdoor gear, weve also added new offerings like bikes and kids clothing and footwear. With the expansion, weve also added 15 additional employees to our team, who bring local knowledge and outdoor expertise. REI Grand Junction is currently open and will celebrate its new location in Grand Junction with public activities, events and giveaways Nov. 2-3. Enjoy free food and activities: Starting at 8 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, REI Grand Junction will host a party in the parking lot with free breakfast, music and games. Vendors will also be onsite offering exclusive giveaways and demonstrations. Events end at noon each day. Starting at 8 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, REI Grand Junction will host a party in the parking lot with free breakfast, music and games. Vendors will also be onsite offering exclusive giveaways and demonstrations. Events end at noon each day. Shop early, get rewards: The first 250 people (age 18 and up) through the door on Friday and Saturday will receive a limited-edition water bottle with a $10, $50 or $100 REI gift card inside. Doors open at 10 a.m. each day. REI has been a part of the Grand Junction community since 2000. This year, REI has invested nearly $900,000 in the local outdoor community in Colorado and has longstanding partnerships with the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association and Colorado Canyons Association in Grand Junction. This investment also includes funds for Colorado-based nonprofits with work that has impact throughout the country including Camber Outdoors, Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and PeopleForBikes. With more than 1 million members in the state, REI has nine stores in Colorado, with locations in Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver, Dillon, Fort Collins, Greenwood Village, Lakewood and Westminster. Store facts: Over 61 dead in Amritsar as train rolls onto devotees celebrating Navaratri Amritsar, Sun, 21 Oct 2018 Deepak Kumar A commuter train, travelling at a high speed struck a crowd of people, which killed over 61. The crowd was one of devotees ho were gathered around the tracks to celebrate the auspicious occasion of Dussehra, the nine day festival, marking the return of Lord Rama. Reportedly, the people were watching the burning of effigies of Raavana when the incident happened. The actor, playing Raavana, reported was also one of the many who lost their lives. Punjabs Chief Minister Amarinder Singh later rushed to the spot to assess the casualties and the overall situation. The injured were being treated at the Civil hospital in the city. Singh announced a compensation of five lakh rupees to kin of each deceased and free treatment to injured in both government and private hospitals. Indian Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani said the railways should not be held responsible in this matter. He said that the two manned level-crossing on the track, where the accident took place, was closed. Following the incident, total eight trains have been cancelled, five diverted, and at least 10 trains short-terminated. Earlier in the day, Navjot Singh Sindhu had reached the hospital premises to keep assess the situation correctly. Meanwhile, to provide support to the affected, candlelight vigils were taken out in solidarity in Chandigarh and Patna. Artists dressed as Ram, Hanuman, Sita and Laxman take part in a candle light march organised in Chandigarh to pay tribute to the victims. In Amritsar, the situation is still somber, as the relatives of the victims are still scrounging for corpses of their dear ones. --Deepak Kumar Season 3 of Daredevil premiered this past Friday on Netflix and includes the most insane fight sequence the show has done yet (and maybe in all of TV) in its fourth episode.Charlie Cox talks to the source how it all went down. Spoilers for the episode from here on out: Background:Matt uses Foggy's identity to hit up the prison to get dirt on the gang and why Fisk would target them, hoping to invalidate the deal Fisk struck. Turns out Fisk knows Matt's there and tells Matt he isn't letting his threat against Vanessa go and sends inmates and guards after him. From here we get anwhere Matt fights these guys off, finds the gang leader and learns Fisk orchestrated his own attack, and uses the gangs help to escape.-- Cox says the entire day before shooting the scene was used for rehearsal, which apparently Marvel has never done before with big action sequences. The entire crew was involved since one little mixed up by anyone would ruin the scene and they would have to start all over.-- He didn't believe the scene was achievable, believing editing cheats would be used later to make it seem like it was all one-shot. There were points where they could hide a cut or two if they really had to, but the only edit was brightening up spots to really empathize it was one-take.-- Shot the scene a few times with a couple of rough starts. Got it done the first take back after lunch. People cheered after it was finished.-- Cox hopes the stunt team is recognized for their work at the Emmys next year. Russian authorities have announced that domestic oil production hit 11.36 million barrels per day (bpd), on average, in September (Vedomosti, October 2). This marks a new historic peak, reached despite the often-cited poor shape of the Russian economy and negative impact of Western sanctions, not to mention the restrictions self-imposed on Moscow by the 2016 deal with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) (see Jamestown.org, March 8). Commenting on this fact, Vagit Alekperov, LukOILs CEO and principal shareholder, assumed the current output levels cannot be sustained, arguing that Russia has already reached the limit of its oil production capacity. On the other hand, Russias Energy Minister Alexander Novak strongly disagreed (Neftegaz.ru, October 3). Alekperovs estimate should be considered with at least some degree of skepticism. First of all, such bearish assessments have been madeincorrectlymany times in the past. Back in 2005, thendeputy prime minister Viktor Khristenko predicted that oil production, at that time at 9.6 million bpd, would definitely decline after 2010 (Versia, August 25, 2016). And four years later, Mikhail Krutikhin, one of Russias most respected energy analysts, told Western journalists, We now see production peaked last year, so, I believe the decline will continue for quite a number of years (BBC News, April 15, 2008). Several other notable examples of suggestions that the Russian oil output had peaked could also be mentioned. And until recently, the consensus forecast for 2020 stood at 10.2 million bpdi.e., more than 10 percent below the rate recorded last month. Could Russias oil output continue to grow in the years to come? Such a scenario is certainly probable, but it will only be achieved as long as several difficult conditions are rectified. Related: Carbon Pricing Won't Kill Big Oil First of all, one must look at developments not only in Russia but in neighboring countries as well. Current Russian production, though a record, is only 1.7 percent above the levels of 1989, the most successful year for the Soviet oil and gas industry. To compare, oil output in Kazakhstan was, in 2017, 3.3 times higher than in 1989; while last years production in Azerbaijan, whose deposits were previously considered the most exhausted in all of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), were 2.9 times greater than that recorded in the Azeri SSR for 1990 (Bp.com, June 2018, accessed October 17). This data proves a simple fact: output figures in the former Soviet space have depended strongly on the presence of Western technology in the domestic industry and upon the governments efforts to explore new oil fields in order to substitute old and overexploited ones. Of course, all this is further subject to two critical factors. The first is the global price of oil, which can make the development of the least accessible deposits profitable: if the price exceeds $120 per barrel, Russia would be able to explore and to make operational its giant Arctic oil deposits, thus adding at least 2030 percent to current production levels (Forbes.ru, April 21, 2017). The second factor is the level of free competition between national champions and multinational majors: in Kazakhstan, for example, the share of foreign companies in oil production in the early 2010s exceeded 65 percent (Isc.hbs.edu, WikipediaRussian version, accessed October 17). The next condition dictating whether Russian oil production levels can keep growing is the inherent efficiency of the domestic extraction industry. Even after around two decades of increasing investment, Russian oil companies still produce only 2833 percent of oil from their wells; the average figure for British producers reaches 4243 percent (Neftegaz.ru, December 18, 2013; Ogauthority.co.uk, September 2017). This results from the governments policies, which do not place any strict regulations on recovery at existing deposits. Were the recovery rates to rise at least to the average level of European firms, Russia would be able to add (at least theoretically) up to 800,000 barrels to its daily output. In fact, it would also result in longer service lives for existing oilfields. The Russian government has repeatedly shown an inability to press domestic energy companies to adopt new technologies, and attempts to set tighter standards has failed many times. Perhaps the most dramatic example of the latter occurred in early 2011, when a full-scale fuel crisis erupted in Russia after low-quality gasoline was banned from the market due to the inability of the largest state-controlled company, Rosneft, to meet new government regulations (Kommersant, April 29, 2011). Related: What Killed The Oil Price Rally? Third, Russias oil output has for years been held back by a lack of competition in the domestic energy market. In too many cases, private companies are banned from exploring new deposits. Illustratively, only those corporations that are majority-controlled by the state may drill offshore or in the Far North territories. Additionally, giant (or so-called strategic) fields can be awarded to state-owned corporations (first of all to Gazprom, Rosneft, or Gazpromneft) without obligatory auctions, and sometimes even for free (RBC, July 30, 2015). The result of these uncompetitive policies has been, in part, to keep overall production levels lower than they might otherwise have been. And another important trend worth highlighting is the fact that many state-owned companies are now trying to secure not only dominant, but monopolistic positions within the oil-and-gas-extraction sectorand monopolies, as a rule, tend to contribute to lower growth rates. For example, last year, Rosneft managed to wrest control over Bashneft, a regional company that was declared illegally privatized several years before. When it operated as a private entity, Bashneft increased production from 230,000 to 432,000 bpd between 2007 and 2016. However, in 2017, its production fell by 3.6 percent due primarily to the ineffectiveness of Rosnefts management (Oilru.com, February 12, 2008; Arsagera.ru, March 21, 2018). If one takes into account that currently there are fewer than 300 oil and gas companies operating in Russia, with more than 90 percent of overall output coming from just 12 of them (in the United States, there exists more than 9,000 of such enterprises, with 54 percent of US oil and 85 percent of US natural gas produced by small independent firms) (Neftok.ru, Ipaa.org, accessed October 17), the successes of the Russian oil industry look at best quite modest. Arguably, Russian oil production comes not due to the governments policies, but actually despite them. Therefore, if the country chooses to embrace modern principles of state regulation and opens its oil and gas industry to foreign competition, domestic output levels will almost certainly be free to continue to grow, and quite significantly. By The Jamestown Foundation More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison pledged Sunday his embattled government would serve out a full term despite the conservative coalition looking set to lose its majority after a voter backlash in a crucial Sydney by-election. The Liberal-National coalition, which has a one-seat parliamentary majority, appeared headed for minority government status after a huge swing in a traditionally safe seat, fuelled by anger over the ousting of former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. But despite the Liberal candidate conceding defeat Saturday after high-profile independent Kerryn Phelps captured an apparently unsurmountable lead in the seat of Wentworth, the count has narrowed sharply as postal votes are counted. Phelps' lead with more than 54 percent under Australia's voting system -- which allocates voters' second preferences if no candidate secures a majority -- shrank Sunday to just 50.61 percent, or 884 votes over her Liberal rival. While most analysts said it appeared likely Phelps would hold on to the win, Prime Minister Scott Morrison struck a more upbeat tone. "If it (the margin) gets as close as 100 then an automatic recount is triggered under the normal rules," Morrison told reporters. "I am not saying it will get to that." The prime minister, who must call national elections by mid-May, acknowledged voter anger over political infighting in Canberra but said he was determined to stay on even if the coalition becomes a minority government. "Australian people expect governments to serve their term. We are elected to serve our term and that is what we are going to do," he said. The by-election in the wealthy seat was triggered after Turnbull, the local MP, resigned after being toppled in a party coup in August. Turnbull had held the seat with a comfortable margin of 18 percent, but support for the Liberals tumbled over his treatment. Morrison signalled he was winning to work with minor parties and independents to address what Phelps said would be the first item on her agenda -- removing refugee children held in Australian detention camps on the Pacific island nation of Nauru. Canberra sends asylum-seekers who try to reach the country by boat to remote Pacific facilities including on Nauru to deter them from trying to come to Australia. There has been growing international and domestic pressure on Morrison to move the children to Australia amid reports they are suffering from serious health problems. A final count for Wentworth might only be declared after the November 2 deadline for postal votes has passed. President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of a nuclear weapons treaty with Russia might appear to be an attack on the United States former cold war adversary, but experts suggest that China is the more likely target. Fu Mengzi, deputy director of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations in Beijing, said that Trumps plan to tear up the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) was a sign that Washington was gearing up for a long-term strategic battle with Beijing. After leaving the INF, the US is expected to push ahead with a new round of military development and deployment, he said. Aside from the uncertainty caused by a bitter trade war, military tensions between China and the US have been steadily growing, especially in the South China Sea. Beijing claims almost all of the disputed waterway and has transformed several natural and man-made reefs and islands there into military outposts. The US meanwhile has increasingly asserted its right to conduct freedom of navigation operations in the sea in a clear challenge to Chinas strategic ambitions. Chinas foreign ministry on Sunday did not reply to a request for comment on the US decision to leave the INF. Trump said on Saturday that he intended to leave the INF as Russia had not honoured the agreement, which was signed in 1986 by then US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The treaty eliminated all ground-based nuclear and conventional missiles, and their launchers, with short (500-1,000km) and intermediate (1,000-5,500km) range. China was not a signatory to the INF, however, and has been able to develop its ballistic missiles without restriction. Its DF and HN series missiles have a range of up to 15,000km, which puts the entire United States within their reach. Collin Koh, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said Trumps decision would likely serve as a catalyst for both Russia and China to accelerate their weapons development programmes. Story continues China is likely to respond to the US withdrawal by using it as justification for its own military build-up, he said. While Washingtons decision to pull out of the INF might have been unexpected, the treaty has been showing signs of fatigue for about a decade. In 2008, US officials claimed Russia had restarted its cruise missile testing and in 2014 the US State Department said in its annual report on international compliance with arms control agreements that Moscow had violated the INF by producing or flight testing a ground-launched cruise missile with a range capability of 500km to 5,500km. Russia denied it had violated the terms of the agreement. Liu Weidong, a US affairs expert with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that Trumps move would give the US military more freedom in terms of the development and deployment of conventional and nuclear weapons. In the broader sense, that jeopardises not just Russias or Chinas safety, but the whole worlds, he said. A report published by The New York Times on Saturday said that if the US did leave the treaty, it was likely to deploy a version of the Tomahawk cruise missile that has been redesigned so it can be launched from land. Ships and submarines already carry Tomahawks armed with conventional warheads, but experts have said a nuclear warhead could also be adapted to fit them. Beatrice Fihn, executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which was awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, said Trump had shown himself to be a demolition man with no ability to build real security. By blowing up nuclear treaties he is taking the US down a trillion-dollar road to a new nuclear arms race, she said. This article Donald Trump targets China by pulling out of missile deal with Russia first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Germany's Finance Minister Olaf Sholz (R, pictured May 2018) said there needs to be a "minimum tax rate valid globally which no state can get out of (applying)" German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said in an interview for publication Sunday he backed a global minimum fiscal regime for multinationals as Europe looks to levy tax notably on US tech giants. "We need a minumum tax rate valid globally which no state can get out of (applying)," Scholz, a social democrat in conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government, told the "Welt am Sonntag" weekly. Europe is trying to devise a strategy to tax profits from the likes of Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and digital platforms such as YouTube and Airbnb which currently manage to keep fiscal exposure to a bare minimum. Digital platforms "aggravate a problem which we know well from globalisation and which we are trying to counterthe shifting of profits to fiscally beneficial regions," said Scholz. Scholz was last week nonetheless reported not to be convinced by a controversial EU proposal to slap a European tax on US tech giants amid worries it may turn out to be both ineffective and protectionist. France for a year has rallied EU partners to draw up the tax which Paris says is necessary to ensure tech giants pay their way. Scholz explained he had launched an initiative designed to help states react to so-called fiscal dumping in support of embryonic OECD plans designed to fight tax transparency and cross-border tax evasion. "We require coordinated mechanisms which prevent the displacement of revenues to tax havens," said Scholz. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, has proposed a European tax on "big tech" with susbstantial digital revenue in Europe, based on overall revenue in Europe and not just profits. But lead opponent Ireland says a growing number of countries are grumbling about hidden problems with the tax, including that it could inadvertently snag European companies. There is also concern as to what consequences might flow from such a plan at a time against the backdrop of a potential full-blown EU-US trade war. Berlin worries that cranking up the ante on trade with the United States by launching what Washington could see as an attack on Silicon Valley's corporate giants may threaten German auto exports. Germany has already shown some opposition to a French plan to tax tech giants three percent of certain forms of revenue including advertising and sale of personal data. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Thursday he will in the coming days urge EU members to commit to backing a tax. A March proposal by the Commission includes introducing a tax as a bridge measure until such time as the OECD can roll out a measure which can be applied globally. 2018 AFP My names Will Capers. For almost nine years, Ive blogged on various topics. I blogged as Blaque Ink first, and as Brotha Wolf second. The latter had a mu... 2 years ago Ad Investing Trends 1,475 Recent Views What Investors Don't Know: Communist China Could Profit Billions From The World "Going Green." Who controls 80% of the works lithium supply (the most important metal for building EV batteries)? China! And if you're outraged by that fact, then you'll love hearing how this western company is fighting back Political Incorrectness Paradoxes, and Anything else out of left field. Chinas No. 2 e-commerce giant, JD.com, will be opening its digital doors on Google platforms by the end of this year in a bid to build up a U.S. presence to up the ante for its biggest domestic rivalAlibaba (NYSE:BABA). The e-commerce giants move comes after a $550-million investment in the company by Google earlier this year, and it gives JD.com its flagship American store. Having experienced losses of over $300 million in Q2 2018, this significant international expansion is the hoped-for growth spurt that will bring in new income. For most of this year, JD.com has been down-trending, and its next earnings report is expected on November 12th. The down-trending has been aided by the controversy surrounding the companys founder and CEO, Richard Liu, for whom Minnesota prosecutors are reviewing allegations that he raped a college student during an August visit to the state. Liu denies the allegations. Lius arrest in late August sparked another sell-off. In late September, JD.com saw a bit of a stock rally following the launch of its e-commerce platform, JD CENTRAL, in Thailanda joint venture between JD.com and Central Group, Thailands biggest retail conglomerate. So thats a pretty big footprint in Southeast Asia, now. But what about the U.S.? The Google platform announcement is actually JD.coms second American deal of this nature. In late August, Liu said Walmartwhich owns 10 percent of the Chinese company--would work with him to expand operations in China, the U.S. and Southeast Asia. JD.com has already been testing the American waters by selling its products in the U.S. via Walmart. Related: CME Bitcoin Futures Surge As Bullish Sentiment Grows Louder But, according to Bloomberg, the Google deal makes things much more direct, and it already has warehouse and delivery facilities in Los Angeles. While Chinas No. 1 Alibaba operates a bit differently, JD.com is pretty much the Chinese version of Amazons e-commerce business, with the bulk of revenues coming from direct online sales. It has its own inventory, warehouses and logistics infrastructure. A big selling point for JD.com has been its super-fast delivery, and in the U.S., Liu is aiming for same-day delivery. Such a feat will require an amazing logistics structure here, as well, and staffing that will be much more expensive than it is in China. That is where Walmarts help comes into play. But besting Amazon in deliveries right out of the starting gatewith or without Walmarts helpwill be more than challenging. At home, JD.com and Walmart in August invested $500 million in an online Chinese delivery company to facilitate lightening-speed deliveries. They merged JD DaojiaJD.coms online-to-offline businesswith Dada Nexus, a crowd-sourcing delivery platform in China. For the Chinese e-commerce giant, logistics rule the dayand so far, the company has pretty much outdone everyone else. Its hoping it can launch another logistics coup stateside, toobecause thats the only thing that will let it come close to rivaling Amazon on home territory. And selling to U.S. consumers directly will also give it a leg up in the tariff war between Washington and Beijinganother issue that has contributed to the stocks downtrend. New U.S. tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods went into effect on September 24, with a 10-percent tariff immediate, increasing to 25 percent by the end of the year. By Josh Owens for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: (Refiles to fix typographical error in headline) DUBAI, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Oman Oil Exploration and Production, the exploration arm of state-owned Oman Oil, has sold a 10 percent stake in the Al Khazzan gas field to a subsidiary of Malaysia's Petronas Gas Berhad (PGB), Oman state news agency ONA reported on Sunday. ONA said Petronas unit BC Oman would acquire the stake in Block 61 of the field, which is expected to produce around 1.5 billion cubic feet per day by 2020. (Reporting By Aziz El Yaakoubi Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali SINGAPORE/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and South Korea have suspended upcoming joint air defense drills to give diplomatic efforts with North Korea "every opportunity to continue," the U.S. military said on Friday. The Pentagon said the decision to suspend Exercise Vigilant Ace, which had been scheduled for December, was taken by U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, who met in Singapore on Friday. Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said in a statement that the decision had been taken to "give the diplomatic process every opportunity to continue." "Both ministers are committed to modifying training exercises to ensure the readiness of our forces. They pledged to maintain close coordination and evaluate future exercises," White said. She added that Mattis had spoken with his Japanese counterpart as well on the issue. The two Koreas have held three summits this year. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also held an unprecedented summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore in June, where the leaders promised to work toward denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Vigilant Ace is one of several exercises that have been suspended since the summit to encourage dialogue aimed at getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. Last year, Vigilant Ace had more than 230 aircraft, including six F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, and around 12,000 U.S. service members. Trump caught many U.S. officials off guard earlier this year when he announced after his summit with Kim that the United States was suspending the summers joint military drills with South Korea, known as Ulchi Freedom Guardian. "If we continue to suspend the major exercises, our military capacity will begin to atrophy," said Abraham Denmark, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia under President Barack Obama. Denmark said the U.S. military could likely tolerate the suspension of major exercises for about a year before serious challenges to military readiness and capability. Last month, the Pentagon's pick to be the new commander of U.S. forces in South Korea said the decision to suspend some joint exercises between South Korea and the United States was a "prudent risk" but had caused a "slight degradation" in military readiness. Denmark said joint exercises were particularly important as a new commander, U.S. Army General Robert Abrams, takes charge of U.S. forces in South Korea. Washington and Seoul both publicly insist they are on the same page about dealing with Pyongyang. But behind the scenes, there are growing signs of disagreement as South and North Korea forge ahead with plans to defuse military tensions and rebuild economic ties. "The U.S. continues to make these major, substantive concessions and the North Koreans continue to drag out any sort of diplomatic process towards denuclearization," Denmark said. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by John Stonestreet and Alistair Bell) Newly appointed Greek Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras attends a hand over ceremony at the Foreign Ministry, in Athens, Greece, October 20, 2018. REUTERS/Costas Baltas By Michele Kambas and Angeliki Koutantou ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Saturday welcomed the approval by Macedonia's parliament of a proposed change to the country's name as a decisive step towards ending decades of discord between the two neighbours. Macedonia's parliament approved the proposed new name of Republic of North Macedonia on Friday after a referendum last month failed to reach the minimum participation threshold. The move could unblock Macedonia's bids to join NATO and the European Union, long blocked by Greece, which argues that "Macedonia" implied territorial claims to a Greek province of the same name. The proposal still has to jump through further hoops of approval, including passage in Greece's parliament despite the hostility of the Greek defence minister to be formally adopted. "Today is a symbolic and historic day for our foreign policy after yesterday's decision at the Skopje's parliament which opens the way for the implementation of an historic accord," Tsipras said at a ceremony to take charge of the foreign affairs portfolio. He said implementation of the accord would also allow the small Balkan state to join international organisations, referring to the European Union and NATO. Tsipras has taken on the foreign minister role after Nikos Kotzias, Greece's main negotiator in talks that led to the deal, stepped down following a row with Defence Minister Panos Kammenos at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Kammenos is head of the co-ruling right-wing Independent Greeks party, which with Tsipras' leftist Syriza party has a slim majority in Greece's parliament. He has called the Macedonia deal a national sell-out and has threatened to resign if it comes before the Greek parliament. In a long dispute with its neighbour, Greece has insisted on the name change because it views the name Macedonia as implying a territorial claim on a northern Greek region of the same name and an attempt to hijack ancient Greek civilization. Story continues In announcing Kotzias' resignation on Wednesday, Tsipras said he would no longer tolerate "double speak" among members of his cabinet, in a barb thought to be directed towards Kammenos. In a Twitter post on Friday, Kammenos implied backhanders played a role in the Macedonian approval of the name change. "Who would have thought that in Europe of values and democracy those who do not vote according to instructions are jailed, and those who comply get a 2 million euro bonus in black money," he tweeted after the Macedonian parliament's vote. Macedonian government spokesman Mile Bosnjakovski tweeted in response that Kammenos' comment was "fake news" which the country's government had already denied. There has been no reaction from Tsipras. (Reporting by Michele Kambas and Angeliki Koutantou. Editing by Jane Merriman and Ros Russell) A shaft of light penetrates the foul air through a fist-sized vent. It reveals naked, sweating bodies packed side-by-side like sardines, lying in darkness on a greasy concrete floor. The stench of urine and excreta from a brimming plastic bucket -- just one for a cell containing perhaps 20 people -- claws at the throat. This was the scene at the Bo Correctional Facility in southern Sierra Leone. It was one of eight prisons that this reporter visited last week to assess the state of penitentiaries that independent voices say are a national scandal. The tableau that emerged was tropical Dickens -- crammed, poorly-lit cells, whose inmates said they were suffering with disease, rotten food, cockroaches and super-sized bedbugs, and a climate of jungle-like violence. "I was caught with two parcels of marijuana. I have spent three years on remand -- it's like living in Hell," one inmate said. "Lack of space is so bad that people have to take turns" to lie down, said another, who like many other inmates asked not to be named, explaining they feared reprisals by guards. "Blankets and mats are a luxury in our cell. Even some of the food we eat has an offensive smell," added another prisoner. A convict with crutches in a jail at Kenema, the West African country's third largest city, said "violence among inmates for food, water and space is common." "This is a jungle -- it's survival of the fittest," he declared. In 2016, Sierra Leone's Human Rights Commission denounced the squalor and lack of rehabilitative or educational programmes in the country's prisons as "inhumane." Walter-Neba Chenwi, a specialist in the rule of law at the UN Development Programme (UNDP), which has a project to improve Sierra Leone's jails, said the conditions "fall far below international standards of human rights." "We treat people in detention as if they don't exist," said Ahmed Jalloh, an activist with a local watchdog group, Prison Watch. - Packed - "Out of 4,525 inmates across Sierra Leone jails, we have an excess of 2,659 people in detention, forced into overcrowded cell blocks," the director of human resources at the Sierra Leone Correctional Services, Dennis Herman, said. Kenema prison, a stone-walled jail built in 1826 during British colonial rule, has a regulation capacity of 75 inmates, but accommodates around 300, prison director Lamin Sesay said. At Bo penitentiary, intended for 80 prisoners but housing 300, guard Mohamed Opinto Jimmy said between 15 and 20 people were being packed into cells that, according to regulations, should have a maximum of four. - Disease - Prison workers also point to disease which is rife and poor access to healthcare. In Bo, there is a single healthcare worker for 300 inmates, many of whom suffer from chronic illnesses such as TB, AIDS and malaria. "Some inmates are too weak from anaemia to walk around the cell blocks -- they wedge themselves into little corners for food, water and space, the healthcare worker said. The skin disease scabies is commonplace, but inmates often can only shower once a week because water is rationed. Prisoners at Bo are tasked with trekking kilometres (miles) to polluted streams or hand-dug wells to fill jerricans and haul them back to the jail. "Given the risk of escape, we usually assign many guards to escort inmates," said a prison guard, Jimmy. "But inmates are usually stigmatized by locals seeing detainees walking the streets in prison outfits." - Reform - Still within this grim picture, chinks of light are starting to emerge. Sierra Leone's Department of Justice has just completed a "From Prison to Corrections" programme, supported by UNDP and the United States, to train 30 prisoner officers and promote higher welfare standards. And UNDP is doing construction and rehabilitation work, mainly in water and sanitation, in eight out of the country's 19 jails. But appeals court Judge Nicholas Browne-Marke told AFP that help was also badly needed for Sierra Leone's under-funded, chronically-clogged judicial system. More than 85 percent of prisoners are aged between 15 and 35. Many of the young inmates are being held for petty crimes, and spend long periods in prison on remand or during their trial, and this causes congestion in jails, he said. "The majority of the inmates are in jail for loitering, snatching a phone, drugs or quarrels," Browne-Marke told AFP. We are trying to decongest the facilities by expediting trials. A mobile application for pending cases has been developed for all judges and magistrates to encourage a speedy trial and case conclusion." Exam results still fairest way to judge students Hong Kong leader says, as city businessman calls for universities to give greater weight to life experience Hong Kongs leader has dismissed suggestions a students learning experience should count for more than academic results when admitting them into university, because she believes it would be unfair to underprivileged pupils. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was responding to remarks made on Saturday by former financial secretary Antony Leung Kam-chung, a veteran businessman, who has called for a review of the citys education system. Leung said the university admission system overemphasises the importance of the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) scores, which ignores the students other learning experiences and specialities. The numbers do not represent the student as a person. Universities should also look at candidates as a whole, Leung said, when chairing as symposium on education at the University of Hong Kong. This will allow our younger generation to enrich their childhood, rather than concentrating on test taking skills and drilling of information all the time. But Lam, who attended the event, said while she welcomed the idea of a review, she feared it may disadvantage those who are less well off. She used herself as an example, noting that if the admissions office at HKU were to put an emphasis on a students portfolio, she would have never been admitted, as her strength lay in taking exams. While I do agree theres a need to look into the system to put greater emphasis on students learning experiences, I wonder if it would be fair for the underprivileged, she said. What about the low income families who struggle to even provide a desk for their children to study on, how would they be able to send their children on study tours, or even after-school courses? On her arrival at the venue, Lam was met by members of the pro-democrat party, League of Social Democrats, and an NGO, Alliance for Children Development Rights, who protested over what they said was the chief executives lack of concern for grass root students. Story continues The group of about 15 criticised her for not mentioning alleviation measures to better assist youngsters living in poverty in her second policy address. Some of them urged the government to provide more subsidies for students, rather than setting aside the money for reclamation. Meanwhile, Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said the government had no plans to follow neighbouring Singapores footsteps in reducing the number of examinations for its students. Primary one and two students will be the first to benefit from the changes, as part of the efforts to reduce the emphasis on academic results. Speaking to reporters, Yeung said the city will not consider such a change, as Singapore and Hong Kong did not share the same beliefs on education. He added, however, that the administration was looking into measures to help students cope with their increasingly stressful lifestyles. This article Exam results still fairest way to judge students Hong Kong leader says, as city businessman calls for universities to give greater weight to life experience first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Hong Kongs Filipino domestic workers have been hit with another mandatory fee by their home government, a week after vowing to fight against a plan to make domestic helpers take out insurance costing HK$1,200 (US$153) before heading abroad. Under a bill passed last week by the Philippine legislature, the helpers would be required to pay about 2,400 Philippine pesos, or about HK$350 a month, for social insurance that provides retirement and health benefits through the countrys Social Security System (SSS) from next year. The amount is equivalent to 8 per cent of a helpers wage of HK$4,520 a month. The bill, which is expected to be signed into law later this year by Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, also requires all departing overseas Filipino workers to pay at least three monthly contributions before they can leave for their job destinations. Prior to the bill, departing workers could opt out of paying for SSS membership. Last week, Filipino workers groups in Hong Kong vowed to fight tooth and nail against a plan by Manilas Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to make domestic helpers take out insurance. The twin fees come on top of a slew of existing charges totalling about 26,000 pesos (about HK$3,800) that helpers must pay to government agencies before they can even take up jobs abroad, said chairwoman of United Filipinos in Hong Kong, Dolores Balladares-Pelaez. Its a big concern among overseas Filipino workers. It is outrageous and worrying that workers will pay for the new exactions, she said, adding that the group was consulting lawyers on possibly filing a temporary restraining order against the SSS bill. Balladares-Pelaez said a few members of Unifil had told her they had been forced to pay the new fees despite Manila saying the fees could not be enforced before relevant rules are drawn up. Story continues We have members who have changed employers and could not get an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) unless they pay the POEA insurance premium and SSS fee, she said. You already pay so much to the recruitment agency so the workers will sink further into debt Dolores Balladares-Pelaez, United Filipinos in Hong Kong The OEC, also known as the exit pass, must be presented at international ports of exit in the Philippines as proof that the holder is a bona fide overseas Filipino worker. Balladares-Pelaez said workers are already being burdened with a long list of fees that they need to pay before they can leave [for overseas work] for the Pag-Ibig home development mutual fund, training fees, assessment and medical tests. The payments are too much and then you dont have job security when you come to Hong Kong as you can lose your job at any time, she added. You already pay so much to the recruitment agency so the workers will sink further into debt. Recruitment agencies collect from 80,000 to 150,000 pesos from domestic workers desperate for higher paying jobs in Hong Kong, she said. About 20 members of Unifil held a small protest at the Philippine consulate in Admiralty on Thursday against the new fees. We did not want to wait any longer, as we are already paying so much in fees and we had to quickly register our opposition against them, Balladares-Pelaez said. Unifil also plans to launch a petition against the new fees, hoping to gather the signatures of 20,000 workers. The petition will be submitted to the consulate, the Philippine president, and the heads of POEA and SSS, she said. Hong Kongs 380,000 foreign domestic workers, more than half of whom are from the Philippines, were given a 2.5 per cent ray rise in August this year, amounting to HK$110 per month. This article Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong facing more expenses as new law forces them to make social security contributions back home first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Guest-of-honour and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu delivering the opening address at the launch of Our SG Arts Plan held at Our Tampines Hub on 19 October, 2018. (PHOTO: NAC) A new resource centre for freelance arts professionals, as well as stronger collaborations with technology companies and academic institutions these are among eight key priorities that the government has outlined in its new five-year arts plan. The 116-page SG Arts Plan, which charts the new direction for arts in Singapore from 2018 to 2022, will also see more efforts in conducting in-depth arts research, growing audience locally and internationally as well as freeing up more public spaces for arts. The challenges we see today also present opportunities for our arts community: The emergence of the sharing and gig economy and the use of technology in both digital and analogue worlds, said Guest-of-Honour and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu at the launch of the plan on Friday (19 October) at Our Tampines Hub. The upcoming resource centre both online and physical will give art professionals access to shared services and information about various issues including legal issues, financial planning, and contract terms, said the National Arts Council (NAC). Scheduled to launch in the first half of 2019, the centre will also aim to facilitate collaborations with potential partners to increase work opportunities for freelance arts professionals. The NAC will also encourage employers in the arts sector to adopt the tripartite standard on contracting self-employed persons when engaging freelance workers. Support for digital initiatives will allow the arts community to use technology as a tool to create, distribute and market the arts effectively. This comprises funding, training opportunities, and networking sessions for both the arts and technology sectors, said the NAC, who said they will work with public agencies as well as cultural institutions on the digitalisation of local artworks. In Singapore, technology is relatively underutilised in arts and culture sector, lagging behind global leaders such as Australia and United Kingdom, the NAC added. Story continues To support the industrys capability development needs, the NAC will facilitate collaboration between Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and other training providers to plan career pathways in areas such as arts education and arts programming. Cultivating greater interest in arts among Singaporeans There were nearly 6,000 non-ticketed performing arts activities in 2016, with a five-year record attendance of over 9.2 million people at these activities and over 5.1 million in visitorship figures to museums and heritage institutions, according to the Singapore Cultural Statistics 2017. Ticketed attendance for performing arts events, however, has declined in the past five years, from 2.06 million in 2012 to 1.81 million in 2016, although overall arts attendance levels, including free events, continued to rise. NACs assistant chief executive for sector development (arts) Low Eng Teong, said, Free events are a low barrier to get more people to be interested in the arts. Our next step is to see how that level of engagement when someone attends a free event can go deeper and eventually support arts by purchasing tickets. Cultivating ticket-paying audiences, however, requires extensive research on their consumption patterns and behaviours, added NACs assistant chief executive of planning and engagement Kenneth Kwok. Notably, only 37 per cent of Singaporeans said they were interested in the arts, 74 per cent agreed that the arts and culture improved the quality of life for everyone, according to the 2017 Population Survey on the Arts. Kwok said, We have a growing number of Singapore artists who are passionate about bringing their arts to such communities of spaces and needs. We want to work together with researchers and academic institutions to do deep research in partnership with the art community to show how arts can make a powerful difference in the social sector. The NA said Singapore can strive to be a cultural focal point in Southeast Asia through partnerships with international festivals, presenters, other arts councils and institutions. The five-year blueprint was developed in consultation with more than 700 people from the arts community, stakeholders and the general public, across over 40 engagement sessions held from February to September. The plan, built on the 2012s Arts and Culture Strategic Review, will be reviewed every five years. More Singapore stories: Strong public views on social enterprise hawker centres will lead to change: Makansutras K F Seetoh Groups drawn, scene is set for last WTA Finals in Singapore Thousands of Honduran migrants heading to the United States -- a caravan President Donald Trump has called an "assault on our country" -- stopped to rest Tuesday after walking for two days into Mexican territory. Sleeping on cardboard boxes or plastic bags, the migrants set up a massive, impromptu camp in the southern town of Huixtla, 70 kilometers (45 miles) from the Mexico-Guatemala border. Many nursed bleeding feet mangled by 10 days of walking nearly 800 kilometers in plastic shoes or flip-flops. "They're exhausted," said migrant rights activist Rodrigo Abeja, of the group Pueblos Sin Fronteras (People Without Borders), which is accompanying the caravan. "They're going to rest here today and tonight," and then continue their journey north, he told AFP. More than 7,000 people have now joined the caravan, according to the United Nations, including some Central Americans who were already in Mexico. Many of the migrants are fleeing poverty and insecurity in Honduras, where powerful street gangs rule their turf with brutal violence. - Politically loaded - The caravan has become a politically loaded issue, with only two weeks to go before the United States votes in key midterm elections. Trump has taken to attacking it regularly -- both on Twitter and on the campaign trail -- firing up his conservative base with the anti-immigration rhetoric that helped get him elected in 2016. On Monday, he said the US would start cutting aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador for failing to stop the migrants, called the caravan a national emergency and alleged it was infiltrated by "Middle Easterners" and members of the ultra-violent gang MS-13. Adding to the political tempest, Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday that according to Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, the caravan "was organized by leftist groups in Honduras financed by Venezuela and sent north to challenge our sovereignty." US Customs and Border Protection meanwhile said it had apprehended a record 16,658 people who arrived in the country illegally in families last month, up 900 from August and nearly 12,000 from September 2017. A senior administration official called the surge a "crisis." Mexico vowed not to bow to outside pressure to halt the caravan. But activists accused the country of violating the migrants' rights by detaining anyone who tried to apply for asylum. Mexican authorities said they had registered 1,699 asylum applications from caravan travelers who opted to enter the country legally. Another 495 migrants have voluntarily asked to be returned to Honduras, they said. - Swelling numbers - Late Monday, Mexico allowed about 400 migrants to enter the country after they spent days packed onto a bridge over the Suchiate River, which forms Mexico's southern border with Guatemala. The caravan had stormed through a series of border barriers Friday and flooded onto the bridge, but hundreds of Mexican riot police blocked their passage. Most of the migrants then swam or took rafts across the river, but one group had remained camped out on the bridge. Another group of about 1,000 Hondurans meanwhile started a separate march Sunday across Guatemala, headed for Mexico and then the United States. - Dangerous journey - Migrants in the main caravan -- which set out on October 13 from San Pedro Sula, Honduras -- have been traveling on foot or hitching rides on passing cars and trucks, often crowding onto them precariously. Two migrants have been killed when they fell off vehicles that let them hitch a ride, according to authorities in Mexico and Guatemala. Caravan members also face the threat of being robbed, kidnapped or killed by Mexican gangs that extort migrants on their journey. - Caravan of children - Humanitarian organizations estimate that one-fourth of the caravan's members are children, a representative of Save the Children told AFP. Guadalupe Del Carmen, 29, who is traveling with her nine-year-old son, recounted the difficulty of the journey -- such as the moment her son started to cry, "Mommy, I don't want to do this anymore" while crossing the Suchiate River on a raft made of inner tubes. "He wanted to go back to Honduras. But I explained we can't go back, that the situation in our country is too difficult and that's why we had to run away," she said quietly. With a homicide rate of 43 per 100,000 citizens, Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world. burs-jhb/wat Indonesian envoy calls on Hong Kong to do more to tackle loan sharks targeting domestic helpers Indonesias top envoy in Hong Kong has called on the citys government to step up action against loan sharking syndicates that target domestic helpers, who are usually forced to surrender their passports in exchange for borrowing money. Consul general Tri Tharyat also urged helpers not to hand over their passports to others and advised those who had fallen victim to loan sharks to report it to the Indonesian consulate or Hong Kong police. The calls were made at a briefing at the Indonesian consulate in Causeway Bay on Sunday where Tharyat explained to about 50 participating helpers their rights while working in Hong Kong and provided general information about local laws. The briefing followed a high-profile case in July in which Hong Kong police arrested a local man suspected of running a HK$3 million (US$384,000) illegal moneylending racket and confiscated more than 800 Indonesian and Philippine passports, believed to have been used as collateral. Indonesian consulate representatives raised the issue with Hong Kongs No 2 official, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, at a meeting earlier this month which Philippine consul general Antonio Morales also attended. The Indonesian consulate and the Philippine consulate met [Cheung] to convey our concern regarding many migrant workers becoming victims of illegal moneylending operations in Hong Kong, Tharyat said. We requested the government of Hong Kong to take strong actions against those practices. There are about 360,000 foreign maids in Hong Kong, mostly from the Philippines and Indonesia. Their minimum pay is HK$4,520 a month and employers must provide accommodation and food. I had no choice. My family needed money Victim of loan shark Foreign helpers are not allowed to take up secondary employment. In many cases, they take out loans to pay unscrupulous job agencies that charge excessive fees. Some also face pressure from families to send more money home. They might then turn to loan sharks and hand over their passports. Story continues A victim in the July case attended the briefing. The helper said she needed money so badly she approached a street money lender in June and borrowed HK$4,000 to wire back to her family in Indonesia. She was told to pay HK$440 a month in interest alone and repay the loan within six months. The woman, in Hong Kong for 18 years, said it was the first time she had to resort to borrowing from such a lender. I had no choice. My family needed money. And I have asked my employer to lend me money many times. It is not very good to keep bothering the employer too often, she said. This article Indonesian envoy calls on Hong Kong to do more to tackle loan sharks targeting domestic helpers first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. A Peruvian court postponed Sunday a ruling on a prosecutor's demand to put opposition leader Keiko Fujimori in preventive detention for 36 months, which she called a conspiracy to "bury" her presidential hopes. Anti-corruption prosecutor Jose Domingo Perez had asked the court to hold Fujimori and 11 others for the lengthy period as his team investigates who benefited from millions of dollars in campaign bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. However, Sunday's hearing was adjourned by Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho after defense lawyers said the prosecution had failed to hand over requested documents, and would need more time to make their case. The judge said he would give "24 hours to the prosecution to comply with the request" and then call a new hearing. Fujimori, leader of the opposition Popular Force party, left the courthouse smiling and waving to photographers beside her husband, Mark Vito. The judge rejected her lawyer's demand that he recuse himself so the case could be transferred to another court. He is the same judge that earlier this month allowed Lopez's request to hold Fujimori in preventive detention for 10 days. - Case an effort 'to bury me' - Fujimori said the prosecutor and the judge were conspiring against her. Both have gained notoriety in Peru for a string of anti-corruption prosecutions against top politicians. "I feel there is a conspiracy between prosecutor Perez, representing the Prosecutor's Office, and Judge Concepcion Carhuancho," she told the Peru21 newspaper. "Every minute, there is fake news, a lie about our party and my person. "They are trying to get me out of politics, bury me," she said. The 43-year-old daughter and political heir to disgraced ex-president Alberto Fujimori, Keiko has increasingly come under the spotlight as prosecutors investigate millions of dollars in illicit campaign contributions to several former presidents. Peru's constitution allows for suspects to be held without trial for up to 36 months in complex cases such as the Odebrecht investigation, which involves tracing millions of dollars in illicit payments. It also ensures that suspects cannot interfere with evidence or witnesses in an ongoing investigation. Acceding to the prosecutor's request would all but end Fujimori's 2021 presidential chances, after she lost runoffs in 2011 and 2016. Despite progress, startup founders in Cambodia continue to face challenges in accessing information and talents Bora Kem of Mekong Strategic Partners presenting the Cambodian startup ecosystem report By Q2 2018, Cambodia had seen at least 12 tech startup funding announcements, which was exactly a 140 per cent increase from at least five in the previous year, according to a new report on the kingdoms tech ecosystem by Mekong Strategic Partners and Raintree Development. Launched during the inaugural Cambodia Tech Summit 2018 in Phnom Penh today, the report also detailed the kingdoms tech startup landscape by category, with fintech leading as a popular sector with more than 50 active startups operating. Examples of such startups are Morakot, Banhji, Pi Pay, BongLoy, and SmartLoy. Digital media and advertising followed with more than 40 active startups such as Direxplay, Khmerload, Sabay, and Soyo. E-commerce and logistics, development services, and other disruptor models followed with around 30 startups in each category. Despite startups such as BookMeBus and BongPheak raising external funding, digital marketplaces remain the least popular category in the report with only around 20 startups. Also Read: Cambodias Meal Temple raises 6-figure round to grow food and delivery platforms Generally, Cambodia is experiencing a shift of perception on entrepreneurship. One-hundred per cent of startup founders surveyed for the report agreed that perceptions of entrepreneurship have drastically improved over the past three years; even 52 per cent of them named entrepreneur as a generally accepted career choice. But for these founders, despite the increasing number of funding announcement in Cambodia this year, they continue to face challenges in accessing funding information. A whopping 61 per cent of founders said that information on legal and tax advice, as related to startup investment, is difficult or impossible to access. In addition to that, they also struggle to access feedback sessions with investors and experts (49 per cent) and mentoring (47 per cent). Story continues Cambodia = the next big thing? seedstars_cambodia_bootcamp Participants at the Seedstars Cambodia bootcamp event Paul Ark, Managing Director Corporate Venture Capital at Digital Ventures, attended the Cambodia Tech Summit 2018 as an ambassador to global early stage startup competition for emerging market Seedstars, which just made its debut in Cambodia this year. Speaking to e27 in the midst of a mentoring session, as part of the competition, he expressed his optimism about the Cambodian startup ecosystem. Also Read: Cambodia to launch youth tech centre to develop local talents Doesnt matter where you go in the world, if you find a startup community, youre going to find some really passionate, creative entrepreneurs, he said. On one hand, our skills might still be raw [compared to those in Silicon Valley], especially in an ecosystem like Cambodia, which might be one or two years behind Indonesia, Thailand, or even Singapore. But it means that the value of the advice is extremely high in impact. I can go to Singapore and give some advice on how to pitch, and I think it will be well received. But you come here to Cambodia they can walk out of the door feeling like Wow, my knowledge has increased by ten folds, he continued. There are several factors that can support Cambodias position as a promising tech ecosystem in Southeast Asia. The report described the kingdom as having a young population with high smartphone penetration (over 50 per cent), high-level English proficiency, and cheap data (mere US$1 for 20GB per week). From the government side, apart from providing less capital flow restrictions compared to its neighbouring SEA countries, Cambodia has also launched support in the form of new innovation labs and a national fund of over US$10 million to support tech innovation. The market saw its first Series A funding announcement with Agribuddys US$730,000 round in 2016, followed by its US$2.8 million round in 2018. The post Report: Cambodia saw 140 per cent rise in tech startup investment in 2018 appeared first on e27. Forty-six years ago social activist Daniel Roche was kicked out of Hong Kong by the colonial government this month he finally returned to the city for the first time since 1972. Considered a troublemaker by the British authorities, the American was deported after police raided his flat and found 0.1 grams of marijuana. His real crime, however, was in forming the Society for Community Organisation (SoCO), and fighting for the rights of the citys poor and voiceless. Four decades on, and while there are more lines on his face, and more grey in his beard, the passion for social justice that burned then does so just as fiercely. Its crucial to speak truth to power, speak for the powerless, and empower the poor to fight for their own rights, the 79-year-old told the Post. When Roche left in 1972, he vowed to return after defeating colonialism abroad. Much has changed in the intervening years, and while Hong Kong is no longer a British colony, and unrecognisable from the city he left, Roche still sees the same challenges that prompted SoCOs creation all those years ago. It is unconscionable that Hong Kong does not do more to provide subsidised housing for the poor, given the billions of dollars in surplus, he said. The American first came to Hong Kong in 1971, after he was hired as a consultant by religious leaders and social workers who wanted to set up an organisation to fight for the rights of ordinary people. He arrived in July and immediately began mentoring five trainee community organisers. Their first project was to help about 3,500 people in the Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter get rehoused, after they were displaced from their boat huts because of reclamation work at Tai Kok Tsui. The following year the group helped residents living in squatter huts in Tai Hang Tung get resettled after storms had left them homeless. Dan never talked about theories. We acted, reflected, and acted through trial and error. Story continues Joe Leung, honorary professor, University of Hong Kong Joe Leung Cho-bun, one of the community organisers trained by Roche, said the American activist avoided lecturing, and instead shared his experiences with them. After sending us around to different communities to explore issues for organising, we had regular discussion and sharing. He would mainly asked questions, Leung said. Leung, an honorary professor with the University of Hong Kongs department of social work and social administration, said they learned from student movements at that time. We simply used sit-ins, mass meetings, petitions, marches to draw press attention, exercising indirect pressures on government, he said. Obviously the government had never experienced such a challenge before. Dan never talked about theories. We acted, reflected, and acted through trial and error. He was supportive and encouraging. Pao Ping-wing, one of the community organisers trained by Roche, said the American sent them to districts to identify problems that needed to be resolved. He then asked us to raise the awareness of residents, and identify resident leaders to organise among themselves to fight for their own rights, Pao said Roche said the success of the grass roots organisation quickly drew the ire of the colonial government, and in August 1972 his flat in Lai Chi Kok was raided by police. They didnt have a search warrant and they said we didnt need a search warrant, Roche said. They found a paper clip containing 0.1 gram of marijuana. Roche said he got the paper clip from a friend in Chicago as souvenir, and then brought it to Hong Kong. The colonial government considered me a troublemaker. That was a convenient way to get rid of me, Roche said. He was found guilty of possessing a pipe intended for smoking dangerous drug and he was told he must leave the colony by October 15 that year. The American said Francis Hsu Chen-ping, then bishop of the Catholic diocese of Hong Kong, who supported the community organisations work, protested to the governor against the deportation. I was moved when about 70 friends, mostly boatpeople from the Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter, and former Tai Hang Tung squatters, came to see me off at Kai Tak Airport, he said. The activist went to India to take part in community organisation there for about one year, and then returned to the United States to continue his work. He retired in 2007. When I knew I was about to be deported, I felt that community organisation must go on in Hong Kong, and it [his departure] was not the end of the world, Roche said. Im inspired by the continuation of the work of the SoCO, despite my deportation. During his visit, he met Ho Hei-wah, the present director of SoCO, and returned a crucial chapter of history a folder of documents about the early days of the organisation, which Roche had kept for 46 years. In contrast to his departure, Roche had no trouble getting a visa to return to the city, and travelled to Beijing on Saturday as part of his trip. From there he will move on to Xian and Chongqing. A protege of Saul Alinsky, a leading radical organiser of deprived groups in the United States and author of a book titled Rules for Radicals, Roches passion for helping the underprivileged remains undimmed by his advancing years. He visited residents living in subdivided flats in Sham Shui Po on Friday. I felt overwhelmed with compassion for the poor people living in wretched conditions, he said. I was so impressed with the dedication and professionalism of the SoCO staff. Hong Kong needs the organisation as much today as it did when I was here more than 40 years ago. But I dont think the Hong Kong government has done enough to address social ills. The wealth gap is widening in the city. Its unjust and unfair. This article Social activist kicked out of Hong Kong finally returns to city after 46 years, and says need to speak truth to power is as great as ever first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Allegedly aimed at busting visa abusers and illegal migrants, a Thai police operation called "X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner" has raised questions about racial profiling and fears for asylum-seekers caught in its web. Tens of millions of tourists come to Thailand each year for the cheap living and postcard-perfect beaches, with some seeking out the seedier thrills of a bustling sex industry. But as weak law enforcement, porous borders and corruption help make the country a hub for transnational crime, Thai authorities are intensifying Operation X-Ray -- a programme that started about a year ago -- with more than 1,000 people arrested in recent weeks, most for overstaying their visa. Although the vast majority caught in the dragnet are migrants from nearby countries, the racial overtones of the campaign have sparked concerns about profiling based on skin colour. "Our job is to classify who are the good dark-skinned people and who are the ones likely to commit crimes," said immigration bureau chief Surachate Hakparn. He told AFP that the operation was aimed at weeding out visa overstayers and nabbing criminals -- especially "romance scammers" who lure lonely locals online to defraud them of cash. He insisted that the romance scammers are often Nigerian or Ugandan. - 'Suspicious targets' - At the start of one night time operation witnessed by AFP in Bangkok's rowdy Nana district earlier this month, about 75 Thai police officers stood in rows at a briefing. "The suspicious targets are the dark-skinned people," shouted an officer. "First, we search their bodies, then we search their passports." Soon they began stopping suspects, including three people from Mali who were tested for drugs on the spot. By 11:55 pm, almost 30 individuals -- about half of whom were black -- had been rounded up. Only one was Caucasian, a Frenchman caught smoking marijuana. Surachate's staff said details on the breakdown of nationalities was "confidential". But in the first two weeks of October, police arrested a Korean citizen wanted by Interpol for sexual assault, and busted a team of four Nigerians and 16 Thais allegedly involved in romance scams, according to authorities. They also found a Laos national who had overstayed his visa by more than 11 years. - Escaping persecution - Thailand's reputation as a place to disappear and reinvent yourself combined with lax visa rules can be a headache for law enforcement. The junta that seized power in 2014 justified its power grab by promising stability amid street protests and political upheaval. But rights groups warn that refugees and asylum seekers who transit through Bangkok en route to a third country for resettlement are also being ensnared in the latest police operation as they lack legal protections. According to rough estimates from the non-profit Fortify Rights, there are about 100 adults and 30 children who fit this description, mainly from Pakistan but also from Syria and Somalia. "Thailand's immigration crackdown has swept up refugees and asylum seekers, sent young children into horrid, prison-like conditions, and appears to have clear aspects of racial profiling against South Asians and Africans," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Thailand is not a party to the UN convention recognising refugees and made headlines in 2015 for deporting more than 100 Uighurs back to China. More than 70 Pakistani Christians were rounded up and detained this month by police under charges of illegal entry and overstay even though they were assumed to be in transit and escaping religious persecution in their Muslim-majority homeland. But the authorities remain unapologetic. According to immigration chief Surachate's count, Thailand is home to more than 6,000 people who ought to have left the country already. "In order to clean house, we need to bring in the good people and deport the bad people so that the country will have sustained stability," he said. Moscow on Sunday warned US President Donald Trump that his plan to ditch a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty with Russia was a dangerous step. Ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who signed the original document back in 1987, condemned the move as showing Trump's "lack of wisdom." Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that withdrawal "would be a very dangerous step" and said Washington faced international condemnation in its bid for "total supremacy" in the military sphere. He insisted that Moscow observed "in the strictest way" the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, known as the INF, while accusing Washington of "flagrant violations". The treaty was signed by then US president Ronald Reagan and Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, who on Sunday told Interfax news agency that "dropping these agreements... shows a lack of wisdom" and is a "mistake". Germany "regrets the planned withdrawal" and it will require discussion among NATO countries, a government spokeswoman said, calling the treaty "an important element of arms control". But Trump on Saturday claimed Russia had long violated the treaty. "We're the ones who have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement, but Russia has not unfortunately honored the agreement, so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," he told reporters. "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years," he said. "And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons (while) we're not allowed to." Trump's National Security Advisor John Bolton arrived in Moscow on Sunday and is set to meet Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies that President Vladimir Putin may also meet Bolton to seek "clarifications". The row comes ahead of what is expected to be a second summit between Trump and Putin this year. The Trump administration has complained of Moscow's deployment of Novator 9M729 missiles, which Washington says fall under the treaty's ban on missiles that can travel distances between 310 and 3,400 miles (500 and 5,500 kilometres). The INF resolved a crisis over Soviet nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles targeting Western capitals. The latest rift could have "the most lamentable consequences", political analyst Alexei Arbatov told Interfax news agency, dragging Russia into a "new cycle of the arms race". - US or Russia at fault? - A Russian foreign ministry official earlier accused Washington of implementing policy "toward dismantling the nuclear deal". For many years, Washington has been "deliberately and step by step destroying the basis for the agreement," said the unnamed official quoted by state news agencies. The official accused the United States of backing out of international agreements that put it on an equal footing with other countries because it wanted to protect American "exceptionalism". Russian Senator Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter that the move was "the second powerful blow against the whole system of strategic stability in the world" after Washington's 2001 withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty. Bolton himself is pressuring Trump to leave the INF and has blocked talks to extend the New Start treaty on strategic missiles set to expire in 2021, according to The Guardian newspaper. US withdrawal from the INF "will destroy any prospects of extending the New Start treaty," the head of the Russian Senate's foreign affairs committee Konstantin Kosachev warned on Facebook. The US plan to withdraw from the INF is also targeting China. As a non-signatory, Beijing can develop intermediate-range nuclear weapons without constraints. US-Russia ties are under deep strain over accusations that Moscow meddled in the 2016 US presidential election. The two countries are also at odds over Russian support for the Syrian government in the country's civil war, and the conflict in Ukraine. On Friday, the US Justice Department indicted the finance chief of Russia's leading troll farm for allegedly interfering with US congressional elections to be held in November. Russia accused the United States of fabricating the charges. While no new summit between Trump and Putin has yet been announced, one is expected in the near future. The two leaders will be in Paris on November 11 to attend commemorations marking 100 years since the end of World War I. A senior Trump administration official said another potential date could be when both presidents attend the Group of 20 meeting in Buenos Aires on November 30 and December 1. burs-oh/am/gd Will the US change its China policy if the Democrats win the midterms or is that wishful thinking from Beijing? The US is unlikely to see a shift in its China policy even if the Democrats win next months midterm elections, diplomatic observers have said, warning Beijing against wishful thinking on the issue. Zhao Quansheng, director of the Centre for Asian Studies at American University in Washington, told an event in Beijing that there was a bipartisan consensus in Washington in favour of a hard line against China. The likelihood of a change in China policy is very limited, he told Thursdays forum on US-China relations. The US will hold the midterm elections on November 6. Democrats and Republicans will contest all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate. Polls suggest the Republicans face a tough fight to hold both houses, especially the House of Representatives. Although Congress has limited influence over foreign policy, which is primarily a matter for the White House, it can still influence policy by passing bills that the president must decide whether to sign or veto. The current Congress has this year called for sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for the so-called re-education camps targeting Uygurs and other Muslim groups in Xinjiang and passed the Taiwan Travel Act, which allows American officials to meet their counterparts from the self-ruled island. Observers also predicted that the Democrats were likely to support US businesses that want action to curb what they see as unfair Chinese trade practices, such as the alleged theft of intellectual property and forced technology transfers. The current mood in Washington is seen as increasing the chances that a Democrat-controlled Congress is likely to keep up the pressure for a tough line against China. Even if Trump loses in the midterms, the sentiments he has fanned in Washington will persist, said a Chinese government adviser speaking on condition of anonymity. Story continues There has been a huge gap in perceptions as to how each side views the other. It is crucial to precisely interpret the messages from the US. Tensions between the US and China have spilled over from the trade war into a number of other strategic areas. The US disinvited China from a multinational Pacific Rim military drill earlier this year in response to what it said was Chinas increasing militarisation of the disputed South China, and it has since increased the number of warships it sends to patrol the area. Washington has also stepped up its efforts to contain Chinas growing economic influence by launching its own infrastructure spending plans as a counterweight to Beijings Belt and Road Initiative. Zhao cited Beijings disappointment and anger over the Taiwan Travel Act, which was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives in February, as one indicator that Beijing should not expect too much change from a Democrat congress. China should avoid wishful thinking, and face up to and be prepared for the worst case scenario, he said. Washington and Beijing are currently engaged in a tit-for-tat trade war, slapping punitive tariffs of up to 25 per cent on each others goods, with Donald Trump threatening further measures. The Chinese economy has already started to show signs of strain and the countrys industrial association has started asking businesses for feedback on the impact of the tariffs. Zhao said there was room for China to compromise on trade, but it should stand firm on Taiwan, which Beijing views as a breakaway province that must eventually be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary. The Chinese government has to be clear where it can compromise and where it cannot give in, he said. Zhao argued that China should reduce its reliance on US products, saying the ban on supplying chips to the telecoms giant ZTE, as a punishment for breaking UN sanctions on Iran, should serve as a wake-up call. This article Will the US change its China policy if the Democrats win the midterms or is that wishful thinking from Beijing? first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Delivering a baby surgically instead of via natural childbirth is not new, but a Chinese mans attack on doctors who refused to give his wife a caesarean has abruptly and violently put the procedures growing use in China in the spotlight. Gynaecologist He Yingdong suffered a fractured jaw and eye sockets after he and two colleagues were beaten up by the womans husband in September at Peking University First Hospital, Beijing police said. The fracas started when the womans husband, surnamed Zheng, was told by He that his wife, 44, should not undergo a caesarean on medical grounds. The day after the attack, doctors relented and gave the wife, surnamed Sun, a caesarean, delivering a baby girl. Police put Zheng under criminal detention after allowing him to take care of Sun and the newborn. The incident dramatises the growing acceptance of caesareans as an option among expectant parents, even though doctors and scientists warn that undergoing the procedure can increase the risks of infection and death from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. According to a study published in The Lancet medical journal, the caesarean rate in China has gone from 3.7 per cent in 1988 to 34.9 per cent in 2014. That means at the time of the study, one in three babies in China were delivered by cutting the mothers abdomen and uterus. Despite the life-saving value of caesareans, the World Health Organisations recommended ideal rate for the procedure is 10 to 15 per cent, or one to 1.5 babies in 10, according to the study. Chinas caesarean rate is also higher than the world average of around one in five, the study showed. Mu Yi, a researcher with West China Second University Hospital in Sichuan, co-wrote the study along with more than two dozen international researchers. Mu said in an interview that overuse of caesarean sections adversely affects the health of the mother and the child. The surgery will increase the risk of post-partum bleeding for mothers who have had a C-section before, the researcher said. Story continues In cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, caesarean rates in recent years have hovered at around 60 per cent, or nearly two in three babies. From 1988 to 2014, the number of babies delivered by caesarean in China rose more than five times from less than one million in 1988 to 5.8 million in 2014, according to studies and figures from Chinas Ministry of Health. Caesarean rates are also rising elsewhere. From 2000 to 2015, the number of babies delivered by caesarean almost doubled worldwide reaching epidemic proportions in Brazil, Egypt and Turkey, according to the study in The Lancet. In China, Mu attributed the increase to a shortage of anaesthetists and midwives in the health care system. Short-staffed public hospitals are so stretched that they prefer caesareans to vaginal births because they take less time, meaning they can treat more patients, according to Mu. There are simply not enough anaesthetists and midwives to monitor mothers during a 10-hour labour, the researcher said. Long Qian, a medical researcher with Duke Kunshan University in China, echoed Mu on how caesareans were being used to overcome the staffing shortage. To my knowledge, painless delivery has not been widely used in China because we dont have enough trained physicians to conduct the process, Long said. In a study published on Tuesday in the medical journal PLOS Medicine, Long said the fear of labour pain and a shortage of people available for childbirth services had led to a high caesarean rate in China. We found that womens preferences for C-section tend to rise as pregnancy progresses, with just 14 per cent in early or middle pregnancy saying they would want one, Long said. Long suggested that mothers needed to carefully consider the risks when opting for a caesarean. C-section is surgery after all and will increase the health risks for mothers who do not need it, the doctor said. Beijing has issued guidelines to hospitals since 2009 in an effort to restrict the use of caesareans. That year, the Ministry of Health told hospitals to introduce strict medical indications for the use of the procedure. And the National Health and Family Planning Commission in 2014 said caesareans without medical grounds would have an impact on hospitals appraisals. Mu said the policies had been effective at bringing down the rate of caesareans at some hospitals. A former patient of He, the gynaecologist attacked in Beijing, said she had initially asked for a caesarean. But the woman, surnamed Moon, who had her baby prematurely, said she ended up choosing to have a vaginal delivery at the recommendation of Hes colleagues at Peking University First Hospital. My waters broke at 35 weeks and I was fearing pain, Moon said. He helped make a plan to make sure the baby would be healthy despite the preterm birth. She added that according to the hospitals rules on caesareans, they only do it when the expectant mother shows signs that it will be needed. This article Why more women are choosing caesareans in China despite the health risks first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. 2018 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #42 Posted on 21 October 2018 by John Hartz Story of the Week... Editorial of the Week... Legal Matters... Explainer of the Week... Toon of the Week... SkS in the News... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Reviews... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... Man Whose Mexico Beach House Was One of Last Standing After Hurricane Michael Calls out Climate Denier Politicians In Mexico Beach, Florida, Russell Kings house is the only beachfront property that survived Hurricane Michael with little damage. But the fact it survived the latest record-breaking hurricane doesnt give King peace of mind. Can it withstand the next storm that comes its way? Climate scientists predict that storms will continue to intensify, and King takes this to heart, worrying the next one could take down his house. I met King on October 14, four days after Hurricane Michael made landfall and wiped out a large portion of Mexico Beach, a small town on Floridas panhandle. The storm swept into the area with winds of up to 155 miles per hour (mph), just two shy of reaching a Category 5 storm designation. Kings home, which he owns with his nephew, Dr. Lebron Lackey, was built to withstand 240 mph winds, well beyond the standards of the current building code. Nearby houses built to the latest code all sustained substantial damage. Most of those still standing will likely need to be torn down. About a mile east on Highway 98, the main road along the coast, the top two floors of a four-story house moved from the beach to the road. The bottom floors were obliterated. I was preparing to camp out in my car on the beach near King's home when he graciously invited me in. We still have dry beds, he said. That night we talked over candlelight about climate change and politics. King, a former Air Force Lt. Colonel and practicing lawyer, is a Republican, but voted for Hillary Clinton in the last presidential election because he sees Donald Trumps stance on climate science as a threat to the country. Lets get to the facts and truth, and don't worry about if it comes from the right or the left, King said. It troubles him that people are confusing the message with the messenger when it comes to science. King pleads with his climate-denier friends to watch Al Gores latest film, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, and form their own opinions, rather than going along with what politicians say. As the sun came up, we gazed out from the balcony over the destruction below. The few structures still standing appeared damaged beyond repair. Many others were completely gone. Man Whose Mexico Beach House Was One of Last Standing After Hurricane Michael Calls out Climate Denier Politicians by Julie Dermansky, DeSmog, Oct 21, 2018 Editorial of the Week... Don't despair: the climate fight is only over if you think it is After the panicky IPCC report on climate change, its easy for pessimism to set in but that would be conceding defeat Climate change is an inescapable present and future reality, but the point of the IPCC report is that there is still a chance to seize the best-case scenario rather than surrender to the worst. In response to Mondays release of the IPCC report on the climate crisis which warned that unprecedented changes were needed if global warming increases 1.5C beyond the pre-industrial period a standup comic I know posted this plaintive request on her Facebook: Damn this latest report about climate change is just terrifying. People that know a lot about this stuff, is there anything to be potentially optimistic about? I think this week I feel even worse than Nov 2016 and Im really trying to find some hope here. A bunch of her friends posted variations on were doomed and its hopeless, which perhaps made them feel that they were in charge of one thing in this overwhelming situation, the facts. They werent, of course. They were letting understandable grief at the news morph into an assumption that they know just how the future is going to turn out. They dont. The future hasnt already been decided. That is, climate change is an inescapable present and future reality, but the point of the IPCC report is that there is still a chance to seize the best-case scenario rather than surrender to the worst. Natan Sharansky, who spent nine years in a gulag for his work with Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, recalls his mentor saying: They want us to believe theres no chance of success. But whether or not theres hope for change is not the question. If you want to be a free person, you dont stand up for human rights because it will work, but because it is right. We must continue living as decent people. Right now living as decent people means every one of us with resources taking serious climate action, or stepping up what were already doing. Don't despair: the climate fight is only over if you think it is, Opinion by Rebecca Solnit, Comment is Free, Guardian, Oct 14, 2018 Legal Matters... Supreme Court Grants Governments Extraordinary Appeal, Pauses Kids Climate Case Chief Justice John Roberts granted the Trump administration request to halt the kids climate case, Juliana v. United States. Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The U.S. Supreme Court has put the brakes on the landmark youth-led climate lawsuit, Juliana v. United States. In a one-page order issued Friday by Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr., the court granted a request made earlier this week by the Trump administration to stay discovery and trial pending review of its newly filed petition for writ of mandamus. Roberts also ordered the plaintiffs to respond to the governments mandamus petition no later than Wed. Oct. 24. Trial in the case was previously set to begin on Oct. 29 in U.S. District Court in Eugene, Ore. The Trump administration has repeatedly asked both the Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to stop the trial via writ of mandamus, a rarely used and even more rarely granted appeal in which a higher court overrules a lower court before a verdict has been issued. The Ninth Circuit has twice turned down the request for mandamus (and a third is pending) and the Supreme Court turned down a previous one as well. We are confident once Chief Justice Roberts and the full Court receive the youth plaintiffs response to defendants mischaracterization of their case, the trial will proceed, said Julia Olson, co-counsel for the young plaintiffs. Supreme Court Grants Governments Extraordinary Appeal, Pauses Kids Climate Case by Karen Savage, Climate Liability News, Oct 19, 2018 Explainer of the Week... The 5 most important questions about carbon taxes, answered A carbon tax can lower emissions, but it needs to be pretty damn high. Shutterstock Carbon taxes are in the news these days. In recent months, not one but two conservative national carbon tax proposals have emerged, disrupting the usual partisan dynamic on climate policy. First there was the proposal from the Climate Leadership Council, a group of (mostly older, retired) Republicans and centrists, which was released last year but recently gained the backing of a new big-money conservative PAC. Then, in July, Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), co-chair of the House Climate Solutions Caucus, released a carbon-tax proposal of his own. Now, ExxonMobil has announced its endorsing the CLC proposal and is putting up $1 million to lobby for it. Neither proposal has a snowflakes chance in hell of passage any time soon. And the House passed a resolution this summer trying to squash even the possibility of a carbon tax. But the existence of these proposals does indicate a heightened level of awareness of and interest in carbon taxes. So now seems like a good opportunity to review some of the basics. Luckily, the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University (in conjunction with several other research organizations) recently issued a series of four research papers covering those basics. The research didnt turn up anything particularly shocking; it mostly confirmed what policy wonks have long understood about the dynamics of carbon taxes. But those dynamics arent necessarily well understood by the public. With the (slim but growing!) chance that a federal carbon tax could be the subject of serious national debate, its a good time for everyone to get up to speed. The 5 most important questions about carbon taxes, answered by David Roberts, Energy & Climate, Vox, Oct 18, 2018 Toon of the Week... SkS in the News... [To be Added] Coming Soon on SkS... Trump thinks scientists are split on climate change. So do most Americans (Dana) (Dana) Climate change and compassion fatigue (Kate) (Kate) China's GHG emissions (Riduna) (Riduna) Climate Impacts (ATTP) (ATTP) New research this week (Ari) (Ari) 2018 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #44 (John Hartz) (John Hartz) 2018 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #44 (John Hartz) Climate Feedback Reviews... Adam Voiland concludes his Earth Matters blog post artcie, The New UN Climate Report in One Sentence, with the following: Voiland's Earth Matters blog is hosted on NASA's Earth Observatory website. SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Sweet Christmas! Deadline reports that Netflix has cancelled Luke Cage, their blaxploitation-tinted Marvel series about a Harlem-based superhero with bulletproof skin. The move comes one week after the streaming service canceled Iron Fist, leaving only two members of superhero team the Defenders with their own series: Jessica Jones and Daredevil. (Antihero the Punisher is still punishing, but hes not a Defender, and the crossover series The Defenders was never planned to be more than a single season.) The announcement came the same day Netflix released the third season of Daredevil, the first Netflix Marvel series. Advertisement While Iron Fists cancellation was anticipated, the end of Luke Cage comes as a surprise. Showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker had been running a writers room for six months working on a proposed third season, and a formal series order was expected. Last week, the writers room submitted drafts of the first five episodes, incorporating notes from Netflix and Marvel both, but executives were unhappy with them and things went south ruinously fast over the course of the week. It seems to be more of a case of infighting between Netflix and Marvel than the usual suits -versus-creatives narrative: Deadline writes that the two companies were intractable and on different sides of the disputes, which included demands for changes in creative regime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netflix and Marvel have been at sixes and sevens since late summer, when Disney announced that its feature films, including Marvel movies, would only appear on their upcoming over-the-top streaming service, not Netflix. And Netflix has reasons to move away from Disney besides spite: Their Marvel shows, which feature a lot of location shooting in New York, are expensive to produce, and they dont own them outright. Given the networks current flood-the-zone programming strategy, expensive, high-profile shows are worth less to them than they were back in the fall of 2013, when the Netflix Wing of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was originally announced. All is not lost for fans of Netflixs Marvel shows, however: Jessica Jones and The Punisher each still have new seasons coming. The litmus test will be Daredevil, which has been neither canceled nor renewed. Maybe the Kingpin can make a few calls on his behalf. President Donald Trump surprised many observers over the weekend when he unexpectedly said the United States will be pulling out of the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia. Trumps reason for ending the landmark Cold War-era treaty? Russia has been flagrantly violating the deal. But Moscow immediately warned that withdrawing from the 1987 agreement would be very dangerous and automatically lead to a military-technical retaliation. Russia has violated the agreement. Theyve been violating it for many years, Trump told reporters about the deal signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. And I dont know why President Obama didnt negotiate or pull out. And were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and were not allowed to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Trump cited Russian violations as the reason to leave the agreement, the New York Times had earlier reported that the White House wanted to nix the deal partly to be able to go head to head with China as it builds up its arms capability in the Pacific. Gorbachev criticized the decision Sunday. Under no circumstances should we tear up old disarmament agreements, he said. Is it really that hard to understand that rejecting these agreements is, as the people say, not the work of a great mind. Even some members of Trumps own party criticized the decision, saying it raised concern about the possibility that the United States would drop out of other international agreements. I hope were not moving down the path to undo much of the nuclear arms control treaties that we have put in place, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker said. But Corker also said the whole thing may amount to bluster by Trump to try to get Russia to come into compliance. Sen. Rand Paul also raised alarm, saying it would be a big, big mistake to flippantly get out of this historic agreement. Trump didnt just receive criticism though, with British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson telling the Financial Times that the U.K. would support Trumps decision because Moscow has made a mockery of the deal. Trumps warning comes as his national security adviser, John Bolton, is scheduled to travel to Moscow. The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin will seek explanations from Bolton about the planned U.S. exit from the treaty. President Donald Trump is taking a step back from his immediate claim that Saudi Arabias far-fetched story that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed after a fistfight inside their consulate in Istanbul was credible. But even as he expressed doubts about the kingdoms version of events, Trump made a point of praising Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman while emphasizing the importance of the U.S. economic relationship with Saudi Arabia. Obviously theres been deception and theres been lies, Trump said in an interview with the Washington Post when he was asked about how the kingdom had been changing its version of what happened in its Istanbul consulate. Their stories are all over the place. Advertisement Even as he questioned the changing version of events, Trump defended the Saudi monarch as an incredible ally and said it was far from clear whether the crown price was really the one who ordered Khashoggi be killed. Nobody has told me hes responsible. Nobody has told me hes not responsible. We havent reached that point I would love if he wasnt responsible, Trump said. And as he expressed hope the crown prince wasnt involved in the killing, Trump also praised his leadership as a whole. Hes a strong person. He has very good control, Trump said. Hes seen as a person who can keep things under check, I mean that in a positive way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to praising the crown prince, Trump also emphasized he was keeping his eye on more than just the killing of a journalist, noting that this shouldnt affect any arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Its the largest order in history, Trump said of the $110 billion deal he announced last year. To give that up would hurt us far more than it hurts them. Then all theyll do is go to Russia or go to China. All thats doing is hurting us. Word from sources is that Trump isnt too happy that Jared Kushners close relationship with the crown prince had put the White House in a tough spot of how to best deal with the unfolding crisis. But the president defended his son-in-law during the interview and played down the significance of his relationship with Prince Mohammed. Theyre two young guys. Jared doesnt know him well or anything, Trump said. They are just two young people. They are the same age. They like each other, I believe. Advertisement Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin reiterated Trumps newly found skepticism, telling reporters that Saudi Arabias version of what happened inside its consulate in Istanbul a good first step but not enough. Speaking to reporters in Jerusalem, Mnuchin said it would be premature to comment on sanctions until we get further down the investigation and get to the bottom of what occurred. Although Mnuchin wont be attending a Saudi investment conference Tuesday he still plans to go to Riyadh to meet with his counterpart. Advertisement By expressing at least some doubt about Saudi Arabias version of events, Trump inched a bit closer to European leaders who had been broadly pushing the kingdom for more details about what happened to Khashoggi. Britains Brexit minister, Dominic Raab, said the explanation that Khashoggi had died after a fistfight was not credible. German officials also sounded a similar tune with Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas issuing a joint statement saying that the information provided about the sequence of events in the consulate in Istanbul isnt sufficient. France, meanwhile, also urged a more in-depth investigation to find out exactly what happened to the Washington Post columnist. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell didnt have the most enjoyable of dinners on Friday night when he was repeatedly confronted by angry diners at a Louisville Cuban restaurant. TMZ published a video showing one heckler coming up to the Kentucky Republican and his wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, while they were at the restaurant. Why dont you get out of here? the men can be heard yelling at McConnell. Why dont you leave the entire country? Others in the restaurant told the man to leave the senator alone. That man also slammed his fists down on McConnells table, grabbed his doggie bag and threw the food out the door of the restaurant, the woman who recorded the video told TMZ. The main heckler was apparently angry about the senators stance on Social Security and health care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another witness confirmed the altercation to the Louisville Courier Journal. The man took McConnells to-go box off the table, opened the door to Bardstown Road and dumped the food on the sidewalk, the paper reported. The witness also said there were other confrontations before the one caught on tape. Earlier, a woman approached McConnells table and called him a traitor while others in the restaurant clapped. McConnell remained silent but Chao loudly called on the protesters to leave them alone. A spokesman for McConnell said the senator and his wife appreciate those who spoke up against incivility and insisted the pair enjoyed their dinner. They hope other patrons werent too inconvenienced by left-wing tantrums, Robert Steurer said. As the leader often says, the Senate will not be intimidated by the antics of far-left protesters. I believe that Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is very keen to know what happened to Jamal Khashoggi, and that he left the Saudi consulate after a few minutes or one hour. I believe that the Saudi consulate in Istanbul is carrying out follow-up procedures and coordination with the Turkish local authorities to uncover the circumstances of the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi after he left the consulate building. I believe that reports that Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi consulate are nothing but baseless allegations and doubt they came from Turkish officials who were informed of the investigation or were authorized to comment on the issue. Advertisement I believe that the Saudi Arabian government welcomed the formation of a bilateral Saudi-Turkish expert-level Joint Action Team to investigate Khashoggis disappearance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe that reports circulating that there were orders to kill Jamal Khashoggi are lies and baseless allegations against the government of the Kingdom, which is committed to its principles, rules, and traditions and is in compliance with international laws and conventions. I believe that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is facing a campaign of false allegations and falsehoods, but that it is as steadfast and glorious as ever, and that the outcome of these weak endeavors is a demise. I believe that discussions that took place during Jamal Khashoggis visit to the consulate did not go as required and developed in a negative way, which led to a fight and a quarrel between some of the suspects and Khashoggi. I believe that the brawl aggravated and led to his death. Advertisement I believe that Saudi Arabias investigation into Jamal Khashoggis death reflects the countrys commitment to consolidating the foundations of justice, holding all those involved accountable, and dealing decisively and comprehensively with any mistake or failure. I believe that autopsy specialist Dr. Salah al-Tubaigy was sent to Turkey only to help erase evidence if necessary, and left his bone saw at home. I believe the killing of Jamal Khashoggi was a rogue operation that took place without the knowledge of the governments senior leadership, particularly not Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. This is a developing story. We will update this post with new information as it becomes available. The White House has been seeking to chip away at transgender rights ever since Donald Trump became president. And now, in what would amount to the most extreme move to date, a new set of rules is being proposed that would essentially pretend as if transgender people simply dont exist. The Department of Health and Human Services is leading an effort to set up an explicit definition of sex under federal civil rights law that bans discrimination on gender in education programs, known as Title IX. In a memo obtained by the New York Times, the department calls on government agencies to adopt a definition of gender as determined on a biological basis that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable. Unsurprisingly, the agency is seeking to define sex as either male or female, which would be unchangeable and simply determined by the genitals the person has at the moment of birth. If theres any kind of dispute or disagreement about someones sex, it would have to be determined by genetic testing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sex means a persons status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth, reads the memo, according to the Times. The sex listed on a persons birth certificate, as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of a persons sex unless rebutted by reliable genetic evidence. The Department of Health and Human Services is calling on four key agencies that deal with some part of Title IXthe Departments of Education, Justice, Health and Human Services, and Laborto implement the change in the hopes that it would increase the chances that it could withstand any legal challenge. If implemented, the proposed change in policy would affect some 1.4 million Americans who identify as transgender. This takes a position that what the medical community understands about their patientswhat people understand about themselvesis irrelevant because the government disagrees, said Catherine E. Lhamon, who led the Education Departments Office for Civil Rights in the Obama administration. Advertisement This is hardly the first time the White House has targeted transgender people, delving into an issue that fires up conservatives, particularly evangelical Christians. A few months after he took office, Trump took to Twitter to say he would ban trans individuals from serving in the U.S. military in any capacity. Earlier this year, the Bureau of Prisons issued new guidelines that called for biological sex and not gender identity to be the determining factor to assign housing and bathrooms. The magnitude of this cannot be overstated: the Trump-Pence administration is attempting to redefine sex to exclude transgender people and erase LGBTQ people from federal civil rights protections. https://t.co/jHLQL6hhU8 Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) October 21, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Rights groups and activists quickly spoke up against the proposed new rule. Setting a destructive precedent, the Trump-Pence administration intends to erase LGBTQ people from federal civil rights protections and eviscerate enforcement of non-discrimination laws, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin said. Defining sex in this narrow language tailored to the talking points of anti-equality extremists is part of a deliberate strategy to eliminate federal protections for LGBTQ people. This is a direct attack on the fundamental equality of LGBTQ people. It all makes sense once you realize they want to kill us, by Mike Whitney - The Unz Review : 'It is now apparent that these products in ... A Vietnamese teacher has run classes for children with disabilities and various disorders for over a decade in the hope of helping them realize their dreams, but the difficulty job has never discouraged the woman with a heart of gold. More than 25 years has passed since 49-year-old Luong Thi Kim Loan first worked at the Social Support Center, a place for tending young people in dire need of the communitys assistance in Quang Nam Province. When she came, children with serious disabilities and disorders here were only expected to eat, sleep and have fun, and received care until they reached 18, when they would be transferred to another facility of a similar nature for adults. But 13 years ago, Loan began opening literacy classes for them with approval from the centers managers after realizing that many kids with severe physical or mental problems could actually learn. Nearly 40 children are now able to read and write. Loans routine involves waking up her 12 students, but this proves not easy as one of them lies back as soon as she helps another sit up. Some make noise in bed, asking her to put them in wheelchairs. But sweat goes with her throughout the day. Each of the students may have autism, polio, visual or hearing impairment, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and hyperactivity disorder. Her teaching session starts with an engaging activity like choral singing and a quiz. She said it is hard to come up with a game that can run through all differences in physical and mental abilities of the class. Loan has to tailor her teaching methods to the individuals based on their age and capability. The woman has devoted herself to them as a teacher and possibly a mother despite the modest salary. The first time I saw them, I started to love them very, very much. And I hope I can do something for them, Loan said. But teacher may not be a fitting word for her role as she also provides the children with educational and physical therapy. An example of success for her efforts is a student with cerebral palsy known as Vu, who was saved from a great flood 20 years ago and later brought to the center. Vu can now learn well in grade six, speak English with unclear pronunciation due to the disorder, and walk with steadier steps an admirable improvement coming from him and Loans care. Loan has developed an empathy rather than sympathy for her dear special students. Disabled children are like any normal children in that they have dreams to fulfill, efforts to make, but they are put at a disadvantage by bodily imperfections, she said. I only play the role of a person who enables them to live out their dreams. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The most outstanding startup projects from the CiC Startup Idea 2018 competition have presented their ideas in the Finding Investors CiC 2018 program. The program was run by the Innovative Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) of the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City on October 17. Through the program, the organizing committee hoped to encourage investment so as to support potential projects. Competitive platform The CiC Startup Idea 2018 was one of the greatest challenges the students had faced so far. After approaching over 300,000 students of 35 colleges and community colleges in southern Vietnam, the competition was joined by 130 different startup projects and 300 students. Having gone through three elimination rounds, as well as several boot camps, skill-building programs, and workshops, six groups were selected the most outstanding. These groups were then allowed to participate in the Finding Investors CiC 2018 program, where the students had to provide a persuasive presentation in order to convince the most demanding CEOs and boards of the investing companies. The program held by IEC resembles the recently recognized show Shark Tank, where potential startup projects are also presented to investors so as to receive the funding necessary for development. The Finding Investors CiC 2018 allowed the contestants to present their projects within five minutes and state the funding necessary for their development. After the presentation, the young students had to answer the most challenging questions posed by the investors. Based on the information, the CEOs would decide whether a project was worth funding. Even though it might appear as a standard procedure, as the students are young and inexperienced, this was a challenging task for them, especially when the questions were from more experienced professionals. Valuable opportunity The six participating groups had different ideas, all of which were innovative and intriguing, such as low-cost houses for all environments, smart helmets for motorbikes, and smart college environments combined with technology, among others. As a result, four out of six projects were sponsored with different amounts. iNut Platform received the highest funding of VND625 million (US$26,700) for 2.5 percent of the share for their project of developing IoT (Internet of Things) applications. Three other projects were provided with the same amount of VND300 million ($12,800) for different percentages of their funds needed to develop smart colleges, online training programs, and low-cost houses. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! LAGOS -- It looked like the end had arrived for Adewale Fatais chicken farm. Money was running out. Built to house 30,000 chickens, the farm was producing fewer than 2,000 chicks. His family had no funds to lend, and Nigerias banks werent interested. Instead, he went online. Two years later, Fatai now has 20,000 chickens. Flanked by thousands of chirping birds at his farm in Nigerias southwestern Ogun state, Fatai says his operation was saved by Farmcrowdy, one of a breed of new peer-to-peer lending companies aiming to match farmers with small investors. Farmcrowdy uses videos and photographs to show off farms to prospective investors, willing to tie up a bit of cash until harvest time and collect a small return. Its co-founder and CEO Onyeka Akumah says the company has so far helped 7,000 small-scale farmers receive a total of $6 million from 2,000 investors since it launched two years ago. He said 95 percent of investment comes from within Nigeria. The typical investment starts from around 90,000 naira - $300 - too little to interest many banks but enough to help keep a small farm going until harvest. Since taking office in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari has said he aims to revitalize the agriculture sector in Africas most populous nation to reduce the OPEC members reliance on oil exports and cut down on costly food imports. But local farmers face multiple challenges - from floods, to a lack of electricity to regulate irrigation, to fighting with semi-nomadic cattle herdsmen that has claimed hundreds of lives this year. Most of the tens of millions of farmers work on a subsistence basis and live on less than $2 a day. Farmers complain that they lack the access to affordable loans needed to cover their costs until harvest time. Farmcrowdy and another firm, Thrive Agric, allow investors to choose a farm on the internet and decide how much to invest. They advertise returns of around 12-20 percent for investments in soybeans, maize, tomatoes, poultry and cattle. Investors buy a funding stake and are kept updated on the progress of crops. One of the primary problems we were trying to solve was solving the problem of access to funds for farmers: giving them the right expertise for them to grow and also linking them to markets, said the CEO of Thrive Agric, Uka Eje, at his office in Abuja. He said some $2.7 million had been raised by 1,670 investors for nearly 10,000 farmers since the companys launched in 2017. His company provides farmer clients with expertise as well as fundraising, he said. An elderly man from Vietnams Mekong Delta has earned widespread respect as he has spent around ten years giving support to local students from disadvantaged backgrounds so that they can continue their education. My character is so strange. When I see somebody in poverty on TV, Im typically moved, sometimes to the point of crying quite easily, said Quang Minh Duc, who lives in Lai Vung District of Dong Thap Province, a southwestern Vietnamese area with crisscrossing rivers and numerous rice paddies. The 65-year-old senior has used his entire monthly war pension and solicited money from his children as assistance to hundreds of poor students in the province during the past ten years. Duc once traveled nearly 100 kilometers to know more about the situation of Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung, who is now a fourth-year student at the Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and gave her money, rice and instant noodles in person after seeing her on local television. She looked very suntanned. That touched me a lot, he recalled. He is helping 25 middle school, high school and college students. The higher-education ones each receive VND6 million (US$258), rice and noodles from him every year while the others get VND100,000-200,000 ($4.3-8.6) a month, a sum mainly to cover costs for notebooks and pens. Duc said he feels a strong moral responsibility when catching sight of children making a living by selling lottery tickets, harvesting rice and treading country roads to buy scrap. They are expected to go to school at their age, rather than work day and night for money, he said. The elderly man and other public-spirited people had a new house built for parentless Pham Thi Thuy Duong, a student at Dong Thap University, who had lived with her grandmother and mentally ill mother in a ramshackle hut. He has paid part of my tuition during the past academic years. Hes now given us a good place to live. I really dont know when I can repay all his solicitude, Duong said. Ducs thoughtfulness also continues after the students he has supported graduate, with seven such people now having a middle income. Im happy about their success because I know that my efforts bear fruit, he said. One of them is Tran Thi Phung Quynh, whom he paid through middle school and college and treated with fatherly care. Im very glad to call him father because my parents are dead and hes the person who gives me the achievement I have now, Quynh said. But for his help, I must have been unable to surmount problems and finish the education program. To Duc, his life should bring benefits to those in need, especially younger generations. As long as Im healthy enough, I always help children in difficulty and Im determined not to let any drop out due to poverty. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out todays leading news stories: Politics -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 summit in Copenhagen, Denmark on Saturday, which also drew leaders of 30 Vietnamese enterprises in green energy, trade, investment, and high technology. -- Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh had meetings with Pope Francis and Secretary of State of the Vatican City Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Saturday, as part of his working trip to the city-state. Society -- Over 4,200 households with nearly 20,000 residents in the central city of Hue are about to be relocated for the reservation of the Hue Imperial City, which is a national relic and world heritage site. -- Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have initiated a campaign encouraging residents to stop littering along local streets and canals in a bid to protect the environment and alleviate inundation across the metropolis. The program is expected to take place until October 2020. -- One person was killed after a ship carrying oil exploded in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre on Friday afternoon, local police confirmed on Saturday, adding that three other crew members narrowly escaped without any serious injuries. -- Four people in a family, including two young children, were found dead by hanging at their home in the north-central province of Ha Tinh on Saturday. -- The Peoples Committee in the north-central province of Quang Tri on Saturday ordered an inspection of a case in which local residents were discovered destroying a natural forest with their excavators to make space for production. -- Garbage has been piling up across Bao Loc City in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong over the past weeks as the local waste treatment plant became overloaded. Business -- A new decree taking effect on Saturday has highlighted sterner fines and additional penalties upon those who violate regulations on food safety in Vietnam. Lifestyle -- The Vietnam Kizuna Ekiden 2018, a marathon for traffic safety organized by Vietnams Ministry of Public Security, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, and Japans Mainichi newspaper, is scheduled to take place in Hanoi on November 18. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Many people have been discovered knocking down trees in a natural forest with excavators in the north-central Vietnamese province of Quang Tri. The deforestation at the Khe Cau forest in Vinh Ha Commune, Vinh Linh District first started a few years ago when people were just secretly chopping down some trees. The situation, however, has become much more serious as excavators are now used to fell the trees and make space for plantations and production. An excavator is used to fell trees within the natural forest. Photo: Tuoi Tre As part of their probe, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters noticed the machines leveling large parts of the forest for three days straight, from October 7 to 9, without any reaction from local forest protection officers. It is estimated that hundreds of hectares of forest has been destroyed so far. According to N., a local resident, loggers began chopping down trees about four years ago to grow another type of tree for lumber. The wood has already been harvested, N. added. Many sections of the forest are now nothing but an empty piece of land. Photo: Tuoi Tre Information from the Quang Tri Forest Inventory and Planning Center showed that an area where many trees were destroyed is planned to become a protection forest, which is one that mitigates or prevents the impacts of a natural hazard, namely erosion and landslides. Meanwhile, a report by the Vinh Linh District Forest Protection Office on October 12 stated that the area is local residents production land. The Quang Tri Peoples Committee confirmed on Saturday it had ordered a thorough inspection of the case. Many sections of the forest are now nothing but an empty piece of land. Photo: Tuoi Tre Initial information showed that a man named Vu Thang had hired several people to operate the excavators since early October. According to Vo Van Hung, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the deforestation is unacceptable. We will figure out those responsible for letting such violations happen and punish them, Hung asserted. Fallen trees at the forest. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Add caption Jamie Gorelick (WilmerHale) Karen Dunn (Boies Schiller) Juleanna Glover (RidgelyWalsh) Sarita Venkat (ServiceNow) 5. Tech companies must continue to engage and not let their guard down. Cambridge Analytica event happened now, we might see draft legislation appear a lot quicker. She urged that advisers get to their boards now and encourage them to engage with Washington. Expanding on this urgency, it was commented that it was likely that every aspiring chairperson in the judiciary or commerce committees probably had a bill in their drawer that they think would be a fix for these issues (i.e. a Omnibus legislation is a serious prospect. Companies, equipped with their superior knowledge of their own company and the industry at large, must continue to engage with Washington. Companies and their executives who come to D.C. and do so get credit from the Senate (i.e. "When I asked Mark Zukerberg that question this is what he said to me, what is your answer?). Karen cautioned that if anotherevent happened now, we might see draft legislation appear a lot quicker. She urged that advisers get to their boards now and encourage them to engage with Washington. Expanding on this urgency, it was commented that it was likely that every aspiring chairperson in the judiciary or commerce committees probably had a bill in their drawer that they think would be a fix for these issues (i.e. a Senator Sarbanes experience), especially those junior senators who are looking to make a name for themselves. Juleanna noted that there are a lot of ideas out of there, but the question for Silicon Valley was which of the ideas are ones that industry consider are a constructive framework in which to legislate. . This year the theme of the Global Summit is "Exploring New Fronts" covering cutting-edge developments in the law, the shifting regulatory landscape for technology companies, challenges facing general counsel, and diversity and inclusion strategies available. At the heart of ChIPs is its mission statement in increasing diversity and supporting women in these areas for the benefit of all society. After an introduction from Co-Founder of ChIPs ) (more on that later), Director of ServiceNow ) took the stage to expertly chair the first panel of Wednesday on "Technology and Politics: Take 2" with WilmerHale ), Boies Schiller ) and RidgelyWalsh ). The opinions expressed by the panel were their own personal views, not of their firms' or clients'.These panelists were back again after last year when they correctly predicted that, after years of circling each other interest, Washington D.C. was finally going to start examining Silicon Valley with the specter of regulation. This followed the 2016 Presidential election where tensions were extremely high between D.C. and Silicon Valley on issues ranging from immigration to the use (or misuse) of social media in campaigning. The panel had predicted that a combination of politicians from the left and right would focus on the power of companies in Silicon Valley and the essentially unregulated nature of the industry. The panel's message in 2017 was that Silicon Valley needed to start strategizing, self-regulating and engaging with D.C. to avoid D.C. from taking over and regulating the tech industry for them. Over the past year industry has stepped up to the task, engaging with legislators and testifying before committees. The key message from the panel this year, was that tech companies (both big and small) needed to continue their efforts in educating legislators and engaging with them on potential legislative frameworks. They could not become complacent.The AmeriKat summarizes the Top 6 key takeaways from the panel:. Jamie noted that features of the GDPR have migrated to the US at the state level. She cautioned that once state regulation is in place, then there will be a patchwork of conflicting laws that companies have to navigate. This has focused companies to evaluate how they can build business in such an environment and noted that some companies which are based on the platform model, may feel threatened by this., Karen explained. The last year has seen several tech companies come to D.C. to testify on their companies and practices. She noted that several weeks ago, for example, a number of tech companies sent representatives to a Senate Commerce committee hearing on privacy and security. The level of engagement by tech companies is continuing. She explained companies are coming to Congress saying that they want legislation. However, they are saying that such legislation needs to be comprehensive omnibus legislation. This effectively turns the tables on Washington. This is a daunting task for legislators (given how long such legislation may take), especially in circumstances where Washington has never really understood the tech industry.Juleanna noted that she thought that the Senators have an increased understanding of the industry and have a grasp of the treeline view of issues, but was under no delusions that there was still more education that needed to be done. The tech companies who have been coming to D.C. have been very prepared and have performed well during their testimony. However, these are the large companies. It was noted by Karen, that Washington may sometimes cast all tech companies in the shadow of large companies like Google and Facebook. But not all tech companies are created equally - they have different business models and resources. Karen noted that at a recent hearing, the committee was surprised to learn that Twitter had only 2300 employees, as compared to Google's 88,000 or Facebook's 25,000 - which thus meant complying with the GDPR obligations can be more challenging for a company of Twitter's size when compared to the number of users on their platform. This, Karen noted, seemed to be an "A-ha" moment from the committee. Thus, companies - especially smaller tech companies - needed to engage with the process and explain to the legislators what their differentiating features were, as right now the debate risks being influenced only by the largest tech companies. Karen explained that we are at a basic stage, where things that are very obvious to us, are new and fascinating to those regulating the industry.In response to Sarita's question as to how one goes about teaching legislators that regulation can stifle competition, Jamie explained that regulation is not necessarily a bad thing. She stated that in the US, we have had swings between laissez-faire capitalism and regulation. In Jamie's opinion, she did not think that, for the most part, Americans believed in either one or the other. These swings and re-balancing are healthy. But she did believe that Americans felt that there has to be a degree of regulation when the market cannot regulate itself. However, when regulation is needed, there needs to be a degree of "regulatory humility". Regulators tend to want to regulate. But regulators are not going to be able to predict the future of technology. The requirements that they may put on someone today, may have an undesired impact on someone who comes to the market with a new innovation not previously contemplated by a regulatory framework. Jamie said that this point has to be driven home. For example, companies like Google and Facebook who used to operate in parallel, now compete with each other. This was not predicted a few years ago. There are many other examples of that. She considered that the regulators themselves are aware of this uncertainty, but it is important that legislators do not use regulation as a blunt instrument as it has its own limitations as to what it can achieve in an industry where the speed of innovation is so great.With the Midterms coming up in a couple of weeks, Sarita asked the panel to predict how they thought it was going to play out. On the prediction that the Senate would stay with the Republicans and Congress go to the Democrats, the panel agreed there would likely be more hearings held in the Senate (and indeed it was commented that there were likely to be subpoenas already in Senators' drawers ready for that moment). It was also noted that there may be some increasing activism in Congress on the issue. However, opinion was divided as to whether a split legislature would mean a deadlock (which Jamie noted has been historically good for business), or would increase action in an area where the parties can agree (i.e. on the tech industry, as noted by Karen). It was commented that, in any event, Google and Facebook were likely to again be in the spotlight, especially on issues of privacy. A massive amount of garbage has been piling up across a city in Vietnams Central Highlands over the past weeks after the local treatment plant became overloaded. Large piles of rubbish can easily be spotted along streets in Bao Loc City, located in Lam Dong Province, posing risks of environmental pollution and challenges to residents daily lives. The situation began around October 10, according to locals. Sections on such streets as Tran Phu, Nguyen Van Cu on the outskirts and Nguyen Cong Tru, Dao Duy Tu, Phan Dinh Phung, Huynh Thuc Khang in the downtown area have become temporary landfills. Trash along a section of Tran Phu Street. Photo: Tuoi Tre Countless bags of trash have stacked up along sidewalks and sometimes in the roadways, releasing an unpleasant stench and attracting flies. Garbage can also be found in front of local markets, schools, and healthcare centers. We try out best to stay inside and keep the doors tightly shut. We dont want the smell and flies to get into our home, said Nguyen Duc, a resident in Loc Tien Ward. According to local authorities, the Bao Loc waste treatment plant was put into operation in April 2017 with the capacity of 120 metric tons per day. Rubbish piles up in front of a clinic in Bao Loc City. Photo: Tuoi Tre The facility collected an average of 90 metric tons of trash daily while having to deal with 22,400 metric tons of waste previously buried at the site. All of the garbage was supposed to be treated by the plants incinerator. Due to high rainfall, only 70 metric tons of rubbish was processed every day, which eventually resulted in an overload. Managers of the treatment plant ordered a second incinerator with the capacity of 60 metric tons a day in October 2017. A woman covers her nose due to a putrid stench from the trash along Huynh Thuc Khang Street. Photo: Tuoi Tre The machine is yet to be used due to a technical error that the manufacturer has not been able to fix so far. During a recent meeting, competent agencies in the city stated that some of the trash has been transferred to neighboring Bao Lam District as a temporary measure. In the meantime, the Bao Loc waste treatment plant will focus on expediting the installation of the second incinerator. Managers of the facility have also asked a firm in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa to send its mobile incinerator to help. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Over 4,200 households with nearly 20,000 residents are about to be relocated for the reservation of the Citadel of Hue, a national relic and world heritage site in central Vietnam. Experts believed this is the largest-scale relocation in Hue Imperial Citys history of construction and renovation. Located in Thua Thien-Hue Province, the Citadel of Hue is part of the Complex of Hue Monuments, which was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. In order to preserve the site, nearly 20,000 people living here will have to resettle in other locations. Houses within the Citadel of Hue. Photo: Tuoi Tre Most of the residents are workers living in difficult conditions. Poverty is among the main reasons why these people chose to endure a harsh life here over the past 50 to 70 years. Many houses are small, old, and degraded. Those who managed to save some money are not allowed to renovate their homes as that is not permitted within a national relic. Le Thi Cuc is in her small and degraded house within the Citadel of Hue. Photo: Tuoi Tre We were very happy when the state announced the relocation. It has been our wish for generations, said Dang Van To, one of the locals. According to the plan, the first phase of the relocation will be carried out from 2019 to 2021, while the second stage is expected to run from 2022 to 2025. The expenditure for compensation and site clearance is estimated at VND2.8 trillion (US$120.6 million), which is funded by the national budget. Inside a home in the Citadel of Hue. Photo: Tuoi Tre Authorities in Thu Thien-Hue will spend VND1.36 trillion ($58.6 million) from the local coffers on building new homes for the affected residents. A special mechanism also allows provincial authorities to spend one-third of the admission fees at the Complex of Hue Monuments, about VND300 billion ($12.9 million) a year, on implementing the project. Many residents have also voiced their concern about their new life following the relocation. A house has its roof built shoddily with just a few metal sheets. Photo: Tuoi Tre Those who have been earning a stable living as cyclo drivers, street vendors, and veggie farmers are wondering if they will be able to have proper jobs at their new homes. I fully support the plan, but the state should consider assisting us in finding a new job as well as continuing education for our children, Nguyen Van Hong, a resident, stated. Many others are worried if they will be compensated due to the lack of documents proving the ownership of their current houses. A resident grows vegetables for a living inside the national relic site. Photo: Tuoi Tre According to Nguyen Anh Tuan, deputy director of the Center for Land Development in Hue City, an agency in charge of site clearance within the project, there are many different groups of people among the 4,200 affected households. Special policies will be established to provide the most favorable conditions for the residents, Tuan stated. The first step is to collect necessary information from all of the targeted people, based on which suitable policy frameworks and compensation will be determined, he added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Dateline tomorrow heads to the Dominican Republic to investigate the under age sex trade. The Dominican Republic is known for its warm weather and white beaches, but its the darker side of this Caribbean paradise thats attracting tourists in record numbers. Its quickly gaining a reputation as a major destination for international sex tourists, with one of the highest per capita prostitution rate in the world. One in four of those selling sex are thought to be under age. This Tuesday, Dateline travels to the Dominican capital, Santo Domingo, to investigate this burgeoning underage sex trade. We find out whats driving it, who its affecting most and whats being done to stop it. Seventeen-year old Candy has been selling sex since she was 14. They are mostly tourists. They pay me good money because they like a body like mine. I tell them [about my age] because often telling the truth gets more money, she reveals. Supiro is a sex worker who helps children involved in the sex trade. He says its not just young girls at risk of exploitation. They want to try a Dominican boy, a young boy. In their country, they cant do that. They can live out their fantasy here. Supiro tells Dateline. The sordid state of under-age sex trade can be explained by the countrys high poverty rate and non-enforcement of prostitution laws. Tourists who frequent the country for sex use these reasons to their advantage. An anonymous tourist tells Dateline, The cops, they are rotten. Its a poor country. People need to eat. The tourists bring the chica (female sex workers) to lunch, to have a good meal. Theyre happy. You know how much they can make a day? If you stop sex here, it will be empty. But for many prostitutes in Santo Domingo, sex work isnt a matter of choice. Its survival. Sex worker Candy told Dateline, her entire family relies on her income, My son needs nappies and I dont have money, I cant relax until I get the money But there are some giving hope to the thousands of underage sex workers across the country. Xiamara, a school teacher, gives her time to help get young female sex workers off the street and into education. We have a project for girls who wish to change direction in their lives says Xiamara. The efforts of the likes of Xiamara are not futile. Many girls are now on the lookout for a better future. Candy has started attending school again. Thank God Im studying now. When I finish I want to work in a call centre, she adds. Tuesday 23 October 9.30pm on SBS. When Wanted began in 2016 the characters of Lola Buckley (Rebecca Gibney) and Chelsea Babbage (Geraldine Hakewill) were thrown together as 2 virtuous strangers in the middle of a crime caper. By Season 3 much has transpired pushing the two their limits. Season 3 is about becoming outlaws and embracing that and deciding theyre not going back. Theyre not going back to the lives they thought they wanted. Big time, Rebecca Gibney explains. Theres no turning back because of the things they do in Season 3. Unless it becomes Orange is the New Black meets Wentworth. But thats not going to happen. Wentworth has done incredibly well so were not going to try and compete with that! Gibney is co-creator and executive producer of the Seven series her company R&R Productions produced with Matchbox Pictures. In just two seasons the series has filmed in Sydney, rural Queensland, Thailand and New Zealand, but Season 3 shifts to South Australia. Its putting women into situations that are so often inhabited by male characters. Its mix of female-led action and drama even landed it an International Emmy nomination. We try not to take ourselves too seriously. Were on the run. Its fun. Its a rollicking adventure with drama and a bit of black humour. That was always the intention, with the tone, she continues. Its putting ordinary women in extraordinary situations. Would they happen in real life? Who knows? Maybe not. The point is as long as youre having fun, and on the edge of your seat. Its putting women into situations that are so often inhabited by male characters. Its about trying to navigate a friendship, while trying to stay alive. And one that is entirely unlikely given the differences in the two characters. Well let the audience figure out which ones are bad and which are good. Season 3 picks up after the arrest of Lola & Chelsea in NZ but with the introduction of new characters. With Season 3 we decided that its always a bit lecherous to have a couple of bad guys after them, so lets throw in a couple of women. Well let the audience figure out which ones are bad and which are good. Hence we have the incredible Kerry Fox and the equally-amazing Kate Box join the cast. They are both phenomenal. (Lola & Chelsea are) in prison on remand waiting to be charged with a string of offences. But what they dont know is theyve also buried the body of Morrison (Anthony Phelan) who was shot in Season 2. Something happens in prison which then forces them on the run again so with a bunch of people after them, for various reasons. After interest from the South Australian Film Corporation, shooting took place in the Flinders Ranges, McLaren Vale, Riverland and Adelaide Hills. We knew the location as we were plotting, but weve realised whats important is to go to the location and then plot. We plotted certain things and then went to South Australia and realised they werent going to work, Gibney notes. South Australia has offered up such incredible locations. Having said that, South Australia has offered up such incredible locations. Jocelyn Moorhouse, who is such a cinematic director, has done some epic episodes. Theyre so visual its a bit Morricone and Tarantino, in a way. Its like a gunfight at the OK Corral! SAFC made it easy to shoot there, offering all sorts of incentives and the people are awesome. The studios are first class. But acting and producing is no pushover, with Gibney conceding the demands of performing and the vast demands of producing were a challenge to juggle. I didnt separate them very well so I got quite tired, going home to watch rushes and comment on edits or music. Id be asleep thinking about a song that could go over a certain scene. I look at some of my performances and think If I hadnt been thinking about You Spin Me Right Round Baby and focussed on my performance it might have been a bit better! But thats what happens when you wear 2 hats. Rising star Geraldine Hakewill returns as Chelsea Babbage with Gibney remaining a fervent fan. Shes an enigma. She has the body of a supermodel, the face of an angel, the brain of an Einstein, she was dux at her school, and she is a triple threat: singing, dancing, acting. But more importantly shes just a really good human. Kind, funny and never throws tantrums. Shes a great person to have on set. Im very lucky to have her in my life, and I always will, regardless of whether we do a Season 4. We like the whole idea of Robin Hood-slash-Butch Cassidy As to how long a chase series can realistically last, Gibney remains optimistic. It was always about creating characters that could be on the run but not necessarily forever. We like the whole idea of Robin Hood-slash-Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid vibe, Gibney explains. They find a group of women in trouble and they decide they have to help them, which is the core of where the show could potentially go on. Should that happen expect yet another new backdrop for the adventures of Lola & Chelsea. Western Australia has been touted for the next one! she smiles. Wanted airs 8:30pm Mondays on Seven. They were dancing to a conga line with good reason in Perth last night as Telethon cracked a staggering $38,000,554 in donations. It topped 2017s $36m, and takes the tally over the $300m over the course of its 51 year history. The weekend-long event includes a black-tie Telethon Ball and the auction of the Telethon home (at $730,000) and a cavalcade of Seven stars joining volunteers. West Australian repeatedly donate more per capita than anywhere in the world. Well done W.A! Source: The West Srinagar, October 21: Hurriyat leader and the Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Freedom League Muhammad Farooq Rehmani has strongly condemned todays brutal onslaught of the Indian army and paratroopers on Kashmiri demonstrators in Kulgam resulting in death of 9 youth and also targeting a pregnant woman who attained martyrdom along with her unborn baby in Pulwama the day before yesterday. In a statement in Islamabad, he said it was height of ruthless military operations in Kashmir. In an instant e mail to the UN Secretary General New York and Human Rights Council Geneva, he urged to take cognizance of the volatile human rights condition to censure India so that Kashmir be brought before the UN for necessary measures and final resolution in line with the wishes of the State inhabitants and India be prevented from altering the demographic character of the homeland of over 13 million bona fide residents living in the Himalayan State for last thousands of years. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators turned out for the People's Vote march in London, demanding a final say on any Brexit deal between the UK and the EU. Organisers said 700,000 people marched in the capital's gridlocked streets on Saturday, with some protesters saying the march had turned into more of a shuffle. Participants finished in Parliament Square, where politicians and celebrities addressed the crowds, after setting off from Park Lane. Speakers included Tory MP Anna Soubry, Labour's Chuka Umunna and Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable. "It is clear we are the many," said Ms Soubry addressing supporters. "We are winning the argument, most importantly against those who voted Leave." Taking aim at those who spearheaded the Leave campaign, she asked: "Where are they?" And added: "We will take responsibility and sort out this mess." Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also addressed the crowds as several celebrities turned out for the event and posted photos online of the march. In a video message, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said her MPs would back a people's vote - "which includes the option to remain in the EU" - if the issue came before the House of Commons. "The Tory government's handling of these negotiations has been chaotic, incompetent and shambolic," she said. "Having spent two years telling us that no deal was better than a bad deal, the prime minister is now preparing to pile pressure on MPs to vote for a bad or blindfold deal on the grounds that 'no-deal' would be catastrophic. "She is trying to scare the UK into the frying pan out of fear of the fire. It is a scandal and it should not be accepted." Among the famous faces at the rally was Lord Of The Rings star Andy Serkis, who called it "one of the most, if not the most important march of a generation". Others included presenter Richard Bacon, Dragon's Den star Deborah Meaden and TV cook Delia Smith. Story continues Speaking to Sky News, Ms Soubry was delighted with the turn out at the event but admitted it did not equate to the 17 million people who voted Leave. She said: "The thing that's really striking though is that when we started this, it was truthfully at our opening event back in April with two or 300 people. "Then we marched in June and it was 100,000 people, and today it looks like it's at least 700,000 and I think that shows the movement, the fact we are winning the argument and most importantly it's among people who had voted Leave. "Leave voters are now looking at Brexit and they are beginning to appreciate the complexities of it. They are not happy at all, this is not what people voted for - the chaos, the mess, the uncertainty." One of those Leavers is 43-year-old Jason Gillot, from London, who changed his mind five days after the referendum. "I'm politically agnostic but I was just sick of the lies that have come out of both sides," he said, adding that he chose to vote Leave because of "economic evidence partly supplied by the Tax Payers' Alliance" which he said "made sense at the time". While the People's Vote march got under way, a pro-Brexit rally got took place at the same time in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Supporters of leaving the EU were addressed by Nigel Farage, and MPs Kate Hoey and Nigel Owen Paterson in a rally that pledged to "rescue Brexit" and express "support for the Brexit Britain voted for". The event, run by Leave Means Leave and thought to be attended by around 1,200 people, branded the campaign for a second referendum a "losers' vote". FILE PHOTO: Chilean priest Fernando Karadima is seen inside the Supreme Court building in Santiago, Chile, November 11, 2015. REUTERS/Carlos Vera/File Photo Thomson Reuters By Aislinn Laing SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile's Court of Appeal has ordered the office of Santiago's Archbishop to pay $450 million pesos ($650,000) to three men who alleged they were sexually abused for decades by Chilean priest Fernando Karadima, a local newspaper said on Sunday. Citing a copy of a leaked judgment, La Tercera said the three judges who heard the case on Thursday found in favor of an appeal for "moral damages" against the church for allegedly covering up the crimes. The case was previously rejected by a lower court for lack of evidence. Reuters could not independently confirm the report. The Santiago Archbishopric, which could appeal to Chile's Supreme Court, said it would not comment on La Tercera's account. If confirmed by the court on Monday, it would be the first damages order to have been leveled against Chile's powerful Roman Catholic Church for a scandal of sex abuse and cover-up that prompted Pope Francis to apologize to its faithful. Legal experts have said it could pave the way for more claims amid a new climate of discovery which has seen hundreds of people come forward to allege they were abused and criminal prosecutors launch scores of new investigations. In a statement hailing the reported verdict, claimants James Hamilton, Jose Andres Murillo and Juan Carlos Cruz - who were invited to Rome earlier this year to tell the Pope about their alleged abuse - said it was the culmination of a "journey that was long and painful, but worth it". "We are witnessing an important cultural shift, in which the abuses of the powerful are beginning to be seen as unacceptable, and Justice is confirming that," they said. Their lawyer, Juan Pablo Hermosilla, told Reuters they believed the report was credible but added: "I don't have official confirmation yet." Karadima worked for the Santiago Archbishopric as a parish priest in the wealthy suburb of El Bosque for 21 years between 1985 to 2006. Story continues Now 88 and living in a nursing home in the capital, Karadima has always denied accusations of abuse. He was never charged by civilian authorities because the statute of limitations on such crimes had expired. He was found guilty of sexual abuse in a Vatican investigation in 2011, and last month was defrocked by the Pope. Separately, in an interview with El Mercurio newspaper, Chile's national prosecutor Jorge Abbott said he was frustrated that a promise by Vatican sex abuse investigators of a new era of cooperation with civilian authorities was not being met. "We had hoped for better collaboration, that the responsible people would appear, be interviewed and we could establish the existence or otherwise of facts, because the victims have waited so many years to know the truth," Abbott told El Mercurio. (Reporting by Aislinn Laing; Editing by Daniel Wallis) See Also: BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese authorities have dispatched rescue workers to save miners trapped after an accident at a coal mine in the eastern province of Shandong late on Saturday, Chinese state media reported on Sunday. A rock burst at around 11 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Saturday destroyed part of a water drainage tunnel in the coal mine, killing two and trapping another 20 workers, the official Xinhua news agency reported. The mine is owned by Shandong Energy Group Co Ltd and located in the province's Yuncheng County, the report said. Xinhua separately published on its official social networking services account images of a miner who was rescued from the mine earlier on Sunday. The cause of the accident was still under investigation, Xinhua said, adding that the dangerous conditions at the mine are hampering the rescue efforts. More than 170 rescue workers are at the site, Xinhua said. (Reporting by Se Young Lee and Min Zhang; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) Brexit supporters have reiterated their "Leave Means Leave" message at a counter-rally to the "People's Vote" march in central London. Supporters of leaving the EU were addressed by Nigel Farage, and MPs Kate Hoey and Nigel Owen Paterson in a rally that pledged to "rescue Brexit" and express "support for the Brexit Britain voted for". The event, run by Leave Means Leave and thought to be attended by around 1,200 people in Harrogate, has branded the campaign for a second referendum a "losers' vote". It was infiltrated by a number of Remain supporters, however, who were booed out of the auditorium. Mr Farage told Sky News he believed that, in a second referendum, "the damage to trust and faith in our entire democratic system would be enormous". "I'm quite happy to have another referendum in 20 years or so, when we work out exactly what shape's Europe's going to be and how happy we are as an independent nation," he said. The MEP was joined by Labour MP Kate Hoey, who has been heavily criticised in her part for her vocal support of Brexit. "We shouldn't really be here," she said. "We had a clear vote to leave, we know that people knew what they were voting for, even though we are being told people were stupid and racist." Negotiations over a final divorce deal are currently at an impasse over the issue of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which remains in the EU. Mr Farage, who is the vice chairman of Leave Means Leave, blamed Theresa May for the failure to swiftly exit the bloc. He told Sky News: "She wants Britain to leave in name only and opt back in, but that is not what the British people voted for." The People's Vote march, which took place in central London on Saturday in support of a second referendum on membership of the EU, was attended by 700,000 people. Protesters held a rally in Melbourne on Sunday, October 21, calling for attention to the dire situation of child refugees at the Nauru detention centre. This video shows demonstrators chanting No excuse for child abuse! Nearly 6,000 registered doctors signed a petition campaigning for critically ill refugee and asylum-seeker children on Nauru to be brought to Australia for urgent medical care, according to the Saturday Paper. Many children being assessed suffered from psychosis, depression, PTSD after sexual assault, and some had attempted suicide, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the AAP that the government doesnt want to see children on Nauru, and that he would take up his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Arderns offer to receive up to 150 refugees should the parliament passed a stalled bill that would ban offshore arrival to Australia via New Zealand. Credit: WACA via Storyful Srinagar: The civilian death toll has mounted to five in Kulgam after four more civilians succumbed to injuries at District Hospital in Kulgam and SMHS in Srinagar, sources said. The two who succumbed at DH Kulgam were injured in a blast at gunfight site while the who succumbed at SMHS had received firearm injuries during clashes. Earlier three militants were killed and two army men suffered injuries during a gunfight at Laroo village of Kulgam. DUBAI (Reuters) - Oman welcomed on Sunday Saudi Arabia's decisions "on the regrettable incident" that led to the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the state news agency ONA reported. "The sultanate welcome decisions taken by the kingdom in this regard, insists on the importance to allow justice to take its course, away from any interpretation," ONA said, quoting a statement from the Gulf state's foreign ministry. (Reporting By Aziz El Yaakoubi; editing by John Stonestreet) ELKO, Nev/MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said Washington would withdraw from a landmark Cold War-era treaty that eliminated nuclear missiles from Europe because Russia was violating the pact, triggering a warning of retaliatory measures from Moscow. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, negotiated by then-President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, required elimination of short-range and intermediate-range nuclear and conventional missiles by both countries. "Russia has not, unfortunately, honoured the agreement so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," Trump told reporters on Saturday after a rally in Nevada. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Sunday that a unilateral withdrawal by the United States would be "very dangerous" and lead to a "military-technical" retaliation. Gorbachev, now a frail 87-year-old, said it would be a mistake for Washington to quit the treaty, and it would undermine work he and U.S. counterparts did to end the Cold War Arms race. "Do they really not understand in Washington what this could lead to?" Interfax news agency quoted Gorbachev as saying. A Kremlin spokesman said Russian President Vladimir Putin would seek answers about the planned withdrawal when he meets John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser, for scheduled talks in Moscow this week. U.S. authorities believe Moscow is developing and has deployed a ground-launched system in breach of the INF treaty that could allow it to launch a nuclear strike on Europe at short notice. Russia has consistently denied any such violation. Trump said the United States will develop the weapons unless Russia and China agree to a halt on development. China is not a party to the treaty. EUROPEAN BATTLEGROUND The arms control accord, signed by Reagan and Gorbachev in a ceremony at the White House, bans land-based medium-range nuclear missiles capable of hitting Europe or Alaska. Story continues It ended a Cold War-era crisis, when the Soviet Union installed nearly 400 nuclear warheads pointed at western Europe. The United States had responded by stationing Pershing and Cruise missiles in Europe. But this provoked a wave of protests from anti-nuclear campaigners, who felt the deployment turned Europe into a potential nuclear battleground. In the early 1980s, hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Bonn, West Germany, and campaigners formed a protest camp at Greenham Common, in Britain, the site of Cruise missiles. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov, in comments reported by state-controlled RIA news agency, said if the United States withdrew, Russia would have no choice but to retaliate, including taking unspecified measures of a "military-technical nature". "But we would rather things did not get that far," RIA quoted him as saying. TASS news agency quoted him as saying withdrawal "would be a very dangerous step", and it was Washington and not Moscow that was failing to comply with the treaty. He said the Trump administration was using the treaty in an attempt to blackmail the Kremlin, putting global security at risk. "... We will, of course, accept no ultimatums or blackmail methods," Interfax quoted him as saying. British defence minister Gavin Williamson, in comments reported by the Financial Times, said London stood "resolute" behind Washington over the issue, and that the Kremlin was making a mockery of the agreement. However, another NATO member, Germany, voiced misgivings. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that for 30 years the treaty had been a pillar of Europe's security architecture. "We now urge the United States to consider the possible consequences," of quitting the pact, Maas said on Sunday. Trump has in the past threatened to tear up international agreements but in the event has not carried through. Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, drew a parallel with the NAFTA trade pact, which Trump threatened to tear up, before a reworked version of the deal was brokered last month. "This could be somewhat like the fact that they were going to end NAFTA, and then ended up negotiating some small changes," Corker said on CNN's "State of the Union." "So this could be something - just a precursor - to try to get Russia to come into compliance." Corker said quitting the treaty had not come up in a talk with Trump's Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali and Polina Devitt; Writing by Christian Lowe in Moscow; editing by Richard Balmforth) By Lesley Wroughton JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Sunday it was premature to comment on possible U.S. sanctions against Saudi Arabia for the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi until an investigation into what happened had been completed. Mnuchin said information so far on the investigation was "a good first step but not enough" as Riyadh faced international pressure to disclose what happened to Khashoggi, who disappeared after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized on Saturday that he was not satisfied with the Saudis' handling of the case, further raising questions over whether he would act to impose sanctions on Saudi officials believed to be behind Khashoggi's death. Sanctions, possibly under the Global Magnitsky Act that targets individuals responsible for gross human rights abuses, would be a major step against a key U.S. ally in the Middle East and the world's No. 1 oil exporter. "It would be premature to comment on sanctions and premature to comment on really any issues until we get further down the investigation and get to the bottom of what occurred," Mnuchin told reporters in Jerusalem at the start of a Middle East visit. Mnuchin confirmed that he would not attend a Saudi investment conference on Tuesday. However, he said he would visit Riyadh as planned for talks with his counterpart there on joint efforts towards countering terrorist financing and curbing Iran's military and political influence. "I did not think it was appropriate to go and speak at this conference but we continue to have important issues with Saudi and that is why I am going there," Mnuchin said. The Saudis have said they plan to move forward with the conference, scheduled for Oct. 23-25, despite a wave of cancellations by high-profile business, government and media leaders. The Riyadh visit, he said, was needed as Washington prepares to reimpose sanctions against Iran in early November after Trump withdrew from a 2015 deal between Tehran and six world powers that sought to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Story continues Mnuchin said he had no reason to believe Saudi Arabia would renege on commitments to make up for any shortfall in global oil supplies as Iranian oil exports are cut under the sanctions. "I have no reason to believe that they are not going to honour those commitments," said Mnuchin, who will meet Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih while in Riyadh. Asked whether he would deliver a message to Saudi officials over the Khashoggi case while in Riyadh, Mnuchin said: "I'm sure I will be speaking to the president before I go there, and if he has a message he wants me to deliver I will obviously deliver it, but it is not the focus of my trip." (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Dale Hudson) Julian Assange is launching legal action against Ecuador, accusing its government of violating his "fundamental rights and freedoms". It comes after Ecuador cut off communications for Mr Assange, who has been living inside the country's London embassy for more than six years. Baltasar Garzon, a lawyer for WikiLeaks, has arrived in Ecuador to launch the case, which is expected to be heard next week in a domestic court. WikiLeaks claims Mr Assange's access to the outside world has been "summarily cut off" and says Ecuador has threatened to remove the protection he has had since being given political asylum. The site said Ecuador's government has refused to allow a visit by Human Rights Watch general counsel Dinah PoKempner and prevented several meetings with Mr Assange's lawyers. A statement said: "Ecuador's measures against Julian Assange have been widely condemned by the human rights community." He has been inside the building in Knightsbridge since June 2012 in order to avoid a European Arrest Warrant over a rape claim in Sweden. This investigation has been dropped, but Mr Assange fears he could be extradited to the US over WikiLeaks' publishing of huge amounts of classified information. Lawyers for Mr Assange have said they will also challenge the legality of the Ecuador government's "special protocol", which make his political asylum contingent on "censoring" his freedom of opinion, speech and association. That protocol requires journalists, lawyers and others meeting with Mr Assange to disclose details including social media usernames and the serial numbers of phones and tablets with Ecuador, which can than share the information "with other agencies". In the statement, Mr Assange's legal team claims the Ecuador embassy can seize his property or that of his visitors and, without a warrant, hand it over to UK authorities. WikiLeaks said that US congressmen had written an open letter to Ecuador President Lenin Moreno stating that in order to advance "crucial matters... from economic co-operation to counternarcotics assistance, to the possible return of a USAID mission to Ecuador, we must first resolve a significant challenge created by your predecessor, Rafael Correa - the status of Julian Assange". Story continues The site believes Ecuador is under increasing pressure to hand Mr Assange over to UK authorities. The lawsuit is said to centre around his isolation, the ban on visits, speech restrictions and a failure to live up to international obligations. Last month, an leak of internal WikiLeaks files revealed Mr Assange attempted to flee Britain for Russia . Curfew clamped in Krishnanagar, Kapilvastu The Kapilvastu District Administration Office on Sunday clamped curfew in Krishnanagar, a marketplace near Nepal-India border, after tension flared up over the immersion of Durga idols. Kanchanpur rape, murder case: Police headquarters recommends Home Ministry to sack SP Bista The Nepal Police Headquarters has recommended the Ministry of Home Affairs to dismiss the then Kanchanpur SP Dilli Raj Bista for his negligence in investigating the rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Panta. One arrested for raping 7-year-old in Achham Police have arrested a man in connection to incidents of rape and an attempted rape in Achham district. by Brooks Riley If I could hug a tree a day without seeming a complete idiot, I would. Trees matter to me nowhow fast they grow, how full their crowns, how tall they are, how odd their leaves, how extraordinary their shapes, how thick their trunks, how nearby they are. This late interest has crept up on me, and taken hold in ways I am trying to understand. Its not as if Ive taken leave of humankind, the animal kingdomor my sensesto go live among the stately green giants. I havent given up all that for something else, far from it. But there are aspects of trees that seem to harmonize with what I need: Silence (I dont need to communicate with them.); Design (The complexity of a living organism achieving its biological destiny is somehow reassuring.); Color (The range of hues, from green to orange to yellow to purple to pink, is a technicolor packaging triumph); Variety (The aesthetic intricacy of their bare black branches against a grey sky, or the hoarfrost that turns them white overnight like an old crone); Progress (Those bare branches look a lot like dentrites, reminding me that mine are still growing too); Stillness (They dont have to move to be going somewhere.). The appeal of a tree is almost metaphoric, heralding a time when I too will fall silent, cease to move, and return to the same earth they already occupy. No hooded figure with a scythe will knock on my door. Ill be knocking at the door of their kingdom when the time comes, a willing Philemon with or without my Baucis. I dont anthropomorphize trees the way Peter Wohlleben apparently does in his recent bestselling book. I am happy to learn that trees are just as social as we are, but this news has no bearing on my solitary appreciation of a tree. Across the street from where I lived not long ago, a row of trees was felled to make way for the annex to a home for the disabled. Three of the four trees were justifiable victims of inevitable progress in a big city. But the fourth, a large chestnut with a trunk nearly a meter wide, could have been spared, and should have been spared. It was at the end of the lot, on a swath of grass still there today, untouched by construction of any kind, the annex now long completed. For weeks after its felling, I would walk past its stump on my way to breakfast, and mourn that tree cut down in its prime, so magnificent in recent memory, as I gazed down at the senseless open wound, a sawed-off trunk that had expanded so slowly and so long over the many years of its lifetime, ring by ring. And then one day, it too was gone, uprooted by a specialist who came and forklifted the remains from the earth and carted it away. To mourn a single tree may seem fatuous in the face of escalating human tragedy, not to forget the wholesale destruction of tropical forests in the name of progress. But the mourning of a single tree may be necessarily emblematic of the mourning we would all like to be feeling, but cant, over the global misery we are informed of on a daily basis. They say that with age, childhood memories come flooding back, as though theyd been waiting in the wings for their encore. In my case, it is an old childhood love that has been rekindled. Most of my childhood was surrounded by trees, lots of thembeeches, birches, elms (before Dutch elm disease), oaks, Japanese magnolias, poplars, chestnuts, sycamores, maples, mimosas, dogwoods, weeping willows, mulberry trees, apple trees, spruces, and one special favorite known to me only as the cigar tree (it had fatcat leaves and seedhusks that looked like cigars). I knew every one of them personally and climbed quite a few during the long afternoons after school, left on my own to search for the signs of life that mattered to me thena birds nest (How did he build that thing with no hands?), the seventeen-year-cicadas who left hundreds of discarded cocoons on the trunk of a single copper beech, the red cardinal flushed from a bush as I approached, the possum languishing in the wisteria, the mole under the lawn, the gray squirrels dashing up and down a maple, the woodpecker I could hear but never see, the bats who flew down the chimney on a hot July night, the starlings who settled en masse in one very large spruce. It was a jungle out there and I was Dr. Livingstone, presuming endless discoveries. We already had a menagerie: two cats, a dog, horses, a pony, chickens, a black bunny and two white ducks (no partridges, no pear trees). But they were domesticated, extensions of my own civilization, whereas I was in search of wildlife, that other civilization, much of it inexorably implicated in the glorious presence of those trees. The judge who had designed and built the house where we lived, had also planted those trees many years earlier, more for my enjoyment than for his as it turned out, now that I know how long it takes for such a landscape to emerge. I once saw an old photograph of the house right after its completion. Without a tree in sight, the naked construction loomed like an eyesore on top of a barren hill. By the time we moved there, many years later, the house had become an afterthought embedded in a vast arboretum. If there was artistic intent when the judge went a-planting, I do not know. For me those trees seemed to have dropped from heaven, landing just where they should. I would not have moved a single one of them, unlike Luzhin in Vladimir Nabokovs The Defense, who saw trees as chess pieces on a broad green board to be moved around to please his own strategy, with no regard for strategic beauty in its own right. Like most lucky children, I didnt realize how lucky I was, but I did take full advantage of my environment, exploiting it to satisfy my curiosity. Now those trees have returned to haunt me with their effulgence, their steadfastness, their endurance. Ive googled the former homestead and seen many of my old green friends still standing, continuing to grow at their own leisurely pace to ever greater degrees of maturescence. When I grew up, I left trees behind and moved to New York City where I rarely ventured into Central Park. Those trees, noble tokens of Frederick Law Olmsteds imagination, didnt interest me: They were growing in spite of the city, not because of it. Trees ceased to matter to me at all for most of my adult lifeuntil now. In a recent New York Times survey of famous peoples favorite 2016 books, my somewhat older contemporary, the writer Margaret Atwood, was the only one who cited books about naturea book about water, another about weeds, and the Peter Wohlleben book about trees. Maybe theres something to be learned from her choices: That childlike wonderment doesnt completely disappear with childhood, but returns full force as we age, to ease, embellish and illuminate our earthly denouement. J. M. Coetzee in the Sydney Review of Books: J.M. Coetzee: Balzac famously wrote that behind every great fortune lies a crime. One might similarly claim that behind every successful colonial venture lies a crime, a crime of dispossession. Just as in the dynastic novels of the nineteenth century the heirs of great fortunes are haunted by the crimes on which their fortunes were founded, a successful colony like Australia seems to be haunted by a history that will not go away. The question of what to say or do about dispossession of Indigenous Australians is as alive in the Australian imagination as it has ever been. Could the same be said about Argentina, which has a comparably bloody history behind it? Fabian Martinez Siccardi: The bloody history and the dispossession of indigenous peoples in Argentina, which is not only an issue from the past but also a current one, given the conflicts occurring all over the country over land and other rights, does not seem to be at the centre of discussion in Argentina, not even among the politically progressive and socially sensitive sectors of society. And this is due, in my opinion, to a profound ignorance of history. The massacres, the concentration camps and all of the past and current abuses against indigenous peoples have never made it into the textbooks, and at the same time, the main media outlets are hermetically sealed against indigenous voices, which they normally accuse of being terrorists. An example: In 2017, Santiago Maldonado, a young white man who was participating in a Mapuche indigenous protest, disappeared in Patagonia. Over the months that followed until his body was found, the protests that were held all over the country demanding explanations from the government about Maldonados fate gained supporters, until there were hundreds of thousands. A few weeks after Maldonados body was found, during a conflict over territorial devolution, the Argentine army shot Rafael Nahuel, an unarmed 27-year-old Mapuche man, in the back, killing him. The march to protest his death was attended by 200 people. More here. Warrants sought T. Denny Sanford's email and data records The Argus Leader and ProPublica went to court to win the release of public information. Prev 1 of 4 Next ON FOX ISLAND, Alaska A torrential downpour lulled me to sleep the night before my all-day kayaking expedition in the waters around Fox Island off Alaskas Kenai Peninsula. Through the cracked windows of my log cabin, I watched the waves slap the slate beach as rain pounded the roof. When I awoke, the storm had stopped. In its place, low fog clung moodily to the peaks on surrounding islands. All around, I saw different shades of green and gray, and though the forecast was dubious, I still packed my sunglasses. After all, it was August and I am an optimist, and spending a day kayaking under crystal clear Alaskan skies had been a lifelong dream. I had come to southwestern Alaska with three friends to cap off the summer with an ocean adventure. We signed up for a multiday tour with Pursuit, an adventure travel company, and arrived in Anchorage along with the storm clouds. At first (and naively), I was surprised. Despite Alaskas location in the verdant Pacific Northwest and the states massive temperate rain forest, I somehow expected clear visibility and smooth sailing. I blame picture-perfect marketing materials and my glass-half-full attitude. Nevertheless, I learned an important lesson: When headed to Alaska, especially the coast, pack a durable raincoat, no matter what time of year youre going. As it turned out, the rain didnt limit our experience. From Anchorage we boarded the Alaska Railroad to Seward, a 4-hour, 114-mile journey on the Coastal Classic. Our seats on the double-decker GoldStar Dome car included a full-service breakfast. It was the first time Id ever enjoyed caribou sausage while traveling through old growth forests and past glaciers, and I hope its not the last. In Seward, we spent a night at the Windsong Lodge before boarding a boat for the 12-mile ride across Resurrection Bay to Fox Island, a mountainous island named after the type of farming practiced there around the turn of the 20th century, when farmers bred foxes for their furs. The fox farmers let the canines run free during the day and corralled them at night. I had first learned of Fox Island when I came across Wilderness: A Journal of Quiet Adventure in Alaska by Rockwell Kent, an American artist who retreated to the island in 1918 with his 9-year-old son. The book chronicles how artistic success had eluded Kent, who hoped to find inspiration through surviving an Alaskan island winter. The respite, though challenging Kent and his son weatherproofed a goat shack and learned to forage proved fruitful; upon return to New York, Kents career took off and he became known as a premier American graphic artist, printmaker and illustrator. Todays Fox Island is more hospitable. Staff met us at the boat dock with umbrellas and shepherded us to the main lodge for a hearty lunch of stew and fresh bread. Afterward, my friends and I hiked through the thick, wet forest. A single hiking path leads to one of the islands high points, and after a slippery few hours, we emerged breathless and soaked onto a ridge that, I suspect, affords stunning views when the air is not thick with rain clouds. Fortunately, we each had a cozy waterfront cabin (the wilderness lodge has eight overnight accommodations) with piping hot water for warming up. Then we convened before the wood-burning stove in the intimate guesthouse and savored a glass of wine while scanning for sea otters through the floor-to-ceiling windows. In case it isnt obvious: The Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge is a refuge where the pace is deliciously slow. There is no WiFi or phone service available to guests on the island, although there is a phone in case of emergencies. All the overnight guests dine together on meals prepared by head chef Landon Schoenefeld, a former star restaurateur in the Twin Cities culinary scene who walked away from his hard-charging life after publicly acknowledging depression and unhealthy habits. Our boat tour of Kenai Fjords National Park happened days later. Nothing could have prepared me for the sensory stimulation of this six-hour adventure. Almost 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield into the Kenai Fjord, and the best way to see them is from the sea. Humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, seals, otters, puffins, and more thrive here, and as we navigated the ocean from Fox Island to Aialik Bay, the wildlife viewings were abundant. I sat on the boats bow along with several other hearty travelers, the bracing wind at our faces, and the crisp air keeping seasickness at bay. As we approached the Aialik Glacier, the captain slowed the boat to a crawl. Chunks of ice scattered throughout the sea, and we heard thunderous cracks as parts of the glacier broke off and dropped into the water, a natural process called calving. Established in 1980, Kenai Fjords National Park covers an area of nearly 1,050 square miles and is a stunning combination of jagged peaks, dense forests and receding and melting glaciers. Scientific studies have documented the impact of climate change on the parks glaciers. The melting rate of the states glaciers has increased in recent decades, contributing to a rise in sea level. According to the National Park Service, from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, the rate of glacial thinning in Alaska tripled compared with the period from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. Walker is a writer based in Boulder, Colo. For nearly 10 years, the JCC Book Fest has brought Jewish authors to Albuquerque. This year is no different. This year, the festival will have seven authors participate in events, says Phyllis Wolf, director of arts/culture/education at JCC of Greater Albuquerque. The seventh author will be Amy Kritzer, and the event will take place in January. Wolf says planning for the festival takes some time and she is helped by the JBC Network platform. The organization is designed to benefit communities that offer Jewish book programs and the authors of Jewish-interest books. The JBC Network with roughly 120 member organizations across North America, including JCCs, synagogues, Hillels, Jewish Federations, and cultural centers gives more than 250 authors a platform for sharing their books each year. Wolf says the program connects authors with their readers and promotes Jewish culture through Jewish book events. For authors, this is an opportunity to promote current books of Jewish interest and make connections to communities around North America. Having this network help us really cuts down on all of the work we have to do, Wolf says. Its important for us to have their help because they know which authors have titles out. The book festival will host author Joyce Maynard at noon today with a bagel lunch. Maynards latest book is The Best of Us: A Memoir. Maynards memoir recounts finding her greatest love in her late 50s. Her husbands death four years later and her return from tragedy is a reflection on understanding true love after great loss. Maynard is the author of 17 books, including At Home in the World, the novel To Die For, adapted for the screen for a movie starring Nicole Kidman, and Labor Day, made into a film starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin. I dont think people really know her name, Wolf says. Then you realize the number of books that shes done. Its incredible. Other events include: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, with Izzy Ezagui, who will be signing Disarmed. n 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, with Keith Gessen, who will be promoting his novel A Terrible Country. n 2 p.m. Nov. 1 with Stephen Fried, who will have his Rush: A Biography for signing. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal Its not something thats out there somewhere. Its right out the door. Donald Hume was speaking at a meeting on the opioid crisis in Albuquerque on Saturday. Earlier, on his way inside the KiMo Theatre, he saw people he had talked with before about their drug use, sitting just outside. The crisis is one that has touched communities across the country across lines of class, sex, race and geography and New Mexico has been hit especially hard. Hume, now a peer support specialist at Molina Healthcare, is himself a recovering heroin addict and, to applause, he informed the audience of around 130 people of his 26 years of sobriety. The FBI Albuquerque Citizens Academy Alumni Association hosted the event, Community Crisis: Combating Opioid Addiction in New Mexico, the first of what they hope will become an annual occurrence. The program featured an hourlong documentary titled Chasing the Dragon, made by the FBI and Drug Enforcement Agency. It depicted the lives of young addicts, all of whom started using prescription pills, often in high school, before eventually progressing to heroin. Gilbert Ramirez, deputy director of the citys Family and Community Services and who worked in schools for years, said kids do have access to prescription pills. And much of the time, theyre not taking the pills for physical pain. We have to understand that emotional pain is just as serious as physical pain, Ramirez said. A lot of our children are dealing with some very complex trauma. Ramirez said a relationship with one adult willing to listen can make all the difference in young lives, perhaps between addiction and sobriety. Listen to their stories and what they have to say, he said. Young people do like to talk. James Langenberg, FBI special agent in charge of the Albuquerque Field Office, said his agency is also focusing on education at a younger age, screening Chasing the Dragon for classes to open a discussion. Unfortunately, high school is a time when many young people begin to experiment with drugs, Langenberg said. Our goal is to reach that audience before the problem starts and addiction can take hold. Langenberg cited the good news data released earlier this month, indicating that the states prescription opioid overdose death rate decreased by 4 percent over the previous year and said that overdose deaths due to heroin fell by 9 percent. Its exciting to hear the statistics are decreasing, said Kelly Wascher, manager of clinical services for Lovelace Health System. Wascher was at the event with obstetricians Tessa Schwering and Joel Teicher, who work with the Lovelaces Giving Respect and Compassion to Expecting Moms (G.R.A.C.E.) program, which focuses on caring and providing resources for pregnant, opioid-addicted women. Seeing it in a different perspective is nice, Schwering said. We only see the medical side of it. We dont see the community problems that arise from this. U.S. Attorney for New Mexico John Anderson called the statistics cause for optimism, but said more work is needed. Along with increased education efforts, the Department of Justices Bureau of Justice Assistance has begun awarding grants to fund programs and organizations with localized strategies to combat the epidemic. In fiscal 2018, more than $1 million was given to the Pueblo of Pojoaque and Rio Arriba County for jail and re-entry programs. Another $500,000 went to the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy for improvements to its prescription drug monitoring program, which aims to prevent doctor shopping. Its a combination of enforcement with education, prevention and re-entry components to take a holistic approach to combating the opioid crisis here in New Mexico, Anderson said. While drug enforcement remains a central component of our effort to reduce opioid deaths, we recognize that we cant prosecute or incarcerate our way out of this problem entirely. One killed due to gunfire A person was killed after being accidently shot by his neighbour while trying drive away monkeys from the latter's apple orchard at Ripa of Sarkegaad rural municipality-2 in Humla on Friday. Endorsements in this years general election continue with U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. For election coverage, candidate profiles and voting sites, go to ABQJournal.com. U.S. Senate: Martin Heinrich New Mexico lost a great deal of seniority and clout in Congress when Sens. Pete Domenici, a Republican, and Jeff Bingaman, a Democrat, retired both within the last nine years. Given New Mexicos oversized economic dependence on federal military bases and the national laboratories, its critical we rebuild that seniority and clout, and one way is re-electing Sen. Martin Heinrich. Heinrich, a Democrat, has worked to protect New Mexicos interests, and he serves on two vital committees, Armed Services and Energy and Natural Resources. He has helped secure military construction funding and worked on federal legislation that opened up overseas markets for N.M. oil and gas. He is also working to make Albuquerque a leader in the development of directed-energy lasers and microwaves, technology he says can be used to shoot down drones in the battlefield. Heinrich, who has a B.S. in mechanical engineering, is wrapping up his first term in the Senate. He served in the U.S. House from 2009 to 2012 and was an Albuquerque city councilor from 2003 to 2007. For all hes done in Congress, Heinrich has also faced criticism, with some arguing he hasnt spent much time in New Mexico since being elected to the Senate. And his total support of the SunZia Southwest Transmission Project is concerning, given the potential impact to White Sands Missile Range and its 9,000 or so employees. Heinrich must protect N.M. military installations at all costs. Criticisms aside, Heinrich has committed himself to working across the aisle to improve our state. The Journal recommends voters keep U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich. 1st Congressional District: Janice Arnold-Jones As a state lawmaker, Janice Arnold-Jones, a Republican, wasnt afraid to buck the power structure and demand transparency in the legislative process. And when the powers that be resisted, she took a video camera to a legislative committee meeting and live streamed video of the proceedings, much to the irritation of her colleagues. Arnold-Jones, who served in the state House for eight years, has shown she is willing to put herself on the line to do the right thing. Her time in the Legislature has given her real-world experience in working with other lawmakers to make bills better and get them through the legislative process. She is the only person in the race with Legislative experience. Arnold-Jones, who has a bachelors degree in speech communication from the University of New Mexico, is married to a retired Navy commander and understands the importance of the military and national laboratories to New Mexico. She is a former business owner and entrepreneur with more than 30 years experience in public policy and the private sector. And she served a brief stint as an Albuquerque city councilor. She wants immigration reform, including a partial solution of creating a short-term program for children under 18 in the U.S. illegally to be granted a path to citizenship upon graduation from high school. She supports the 2nd Amendment but is also in favor of removing firearms in domestic violence cases. And she says Russia and others need to be held accountable for their misdeeds. U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, isnt seeking re-election because she is running for governor. The Journal recommends voters pick Janice Arnold-Jones for the 1st Congressional District, which covers Albuquerque and central New Mexico. 2nd Congressional District: Yvette Herrell Voters in the conservative-leaning 2nd Congressional District have generally favored a Republican to represent them in the U.S. House, resulting in a bipartisan congressional delegation that has benefited our state. Yvette Herrell, a Republican from Alamogordo, has served four terms in the state Legislature, gaining valuable experience that would serve her well in Congress. She has said she supports most of President Donald Trumps policies and would work with him to improve our country. She has faced criticism, including from this newspaper, for her failure to list $440,000 in rent payments from two state agencies on her ethics disclosure statements, until the media began asking about it. That state money was paid to a company Herrell is listed as a partner in, although she maintains the company belongs to her father and she was told by a former secretary of state she didnt need to include that income on the disclosure form. Herrell is a real estate agent who graduated from the ITT School of Business. Regarding immigration, she is in favor of a guest worker program for agriculture businesses struggling to find workers. She has championed limited government and supports insurance portability, allowing health insurance to be sold across state lines. And she understands the role that oil and gas, agriculture and the Department of Defense play in New Mexico. U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, a Republican, opted to run for governor rather than seek re-election. The Journal recommends voters select Yvette Herrell for the 2nd Congressional District, which covers southern New Mexico. 3rd Congressional District: Ben Ray Lujan New Mexicos 3rd Congressional District, which encompasses northern New Mexico and includes Rio Rancho and a small part of Bernalillo County, is heavily Democratic. Incumbent Ben Ray Lujan, a Democrat from Nambe, has done a good job representing his constituents and has handily won election to the seat five times. And he continues to advance in leadership roles in D.C. as he gains seniority. Lujan has risen to an important leadership role in Congress, having been elected chairman of the National Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, giving him a megaphone of sorts to support and protect New Mexico. And he has been a staunch advocate for New Mexicos military bases and national laboratories. Lujan, who has a bachelors in business administration from New Mexico Highlands University, says its important to elect leaders ready to restore checks and balances in our nation, build our economy, ensure middle-class families have access to affordable, quality health care, and protect the land, air and water that are vital to N.M.s heritage and economy. The Journal recommends voters in the 3rd Congressional District re-elect Rep. Ben Ray Lujan. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal A new business alliance that earlier proposed a large campus for Albuquerques homeless population be built several miles west of the city has come up with a new concept an all-inclusive services complex along Second Street south of Barelas that would house about 170 people. The Greater Albuquerque Business Alliance recently unveiled an architectural drawing of the proposed campus and outlined its idea during a public comment portion of a City Council meeting. It proposes placing the complex on a now-vacant 7.8-acre piece of property on Second Street, south of Bridge, adjacent to the new Bernalillo County Animal Care and Resource Center. The group acknowledges that it is still in the conceptual stages it does not have funding, is waiting to hear whether the property owners are willing to sell the proposed site and does not have buy-in from service providers or the city or county. The Greater Albuquerque Business Alliance was established this past summer and consists primarily of 40 businesses in the north Downtown neighborhoods, where most of the homeless service providers are located. GABA believes the best solution to address the homeless problem in Albuquerque is to build a single large campus that has on-site housing and social services. Many of that areas business owners have been frustrated with issues caused by the large number of homeless in the area due to their proximity to services. About 20 acres in a remote area for example, on the far West Side near where the emergency winter shelter or the Metropolitan Detention Center are currently located would be ideal, they suggested during a July news conference. The idea met with criticism from some about the distance between such a campus and city amenities. The new proposal involves land owned by three partners who live in California, said GABA president Connie Vigil. Her organization has sent a certified letter to the owners informing them of our interest in buying the land, but has not heard back. Vigil said her organization has been talking to a local real estate agent who has worked with the California group, and believes it is interested in selling. The real estate agent estimated the cost of the land, which is in two lots, to be about $1.4 million. Vigil, who has in the past criticized the county and city for their piecemeal approach to dealing with the homeless population, says the new site would accommodate about 170 people in either tiny homes or dormitory-type buildings, possibly renovated from portable classroom buildings that would be donated or that the organization could purchase for a modest cost. The architectural plan also shows communal buildings that house a cafeteria or food court, a clinic, exercise room, a gymnasium and recreation room, space for classrooms and restrooms and showers. Those selected to live on the campus, Vigil said, would not have mental health or substance abuse issues, and would need services for a short period of time until they get back on their feet. GABA members, she said, have committed to providing skills training and internships to help those people living in the tiny homes village. A former executive with Habitat for Humanity, Vigil said much of the campus will be built using donated material and volunteer labor. We have practically every business youd need to build this complex represented in our membership. Local service providers estimate that at least 80 percent of the homeless have mental health problems and/or addictions. Those people could receive treatment in a second campus, Vigil said, suggesting the West Side overnight winter shelter, which has bed space for 450 people. The city owns that building and pays Heading Home to operate it, said Lisa Huval, deputy director of housing and homelessness for the Department of Family and Community Services. We are moving toward keeping the winter shelter open year round 24-7, and we do want to partner with service providers in the city to offer more robust services on site, she said. Some type of shuttle system would also have to be put in place, she said, so people can travel into the city to look for housing, employment or receive medical care. However, she said, We dont see using the winter shelter in the long term as a feasible way to provide emergency shelter because its too remote and expensive to provide transportation. The citys long-term plan is to build several smaller shelters that are centrally located that could cumulatively provide up to 400 beds for people needing emergency shelter, Huval said. A more decentralized approach is not necessarily a piecemeal approach. Vigil said she has had discussions with Bernalillo County Commissioner Debbie OMalley, who is among those spearheading the drive to create a tiny homes village for the homeless. OMalleys current proposal calls for the pilot project being built in a vacant lot behind the Albuquerque Indian Center at 105 Texas SE. OMalley said she told Vigil that if she wanted to move forward with her plan, I wouldnt get in her way, but Im not endorsing it. But Vigil is hoping her groups vision of a tiny village takes priority. We want to make people as self-sufficient as possible, so they can go on to jobs and get into their own housing, Vigil said. Our campus will not solve all the problems, but it will be a good start and were reaching out to the entire community for support and input. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal Netflix is ready to spread some roots in New Mexico with the purchase of Albuquerque Studios. But the seeds for the relationship between the state and the streaming media giant were planted in early 2015 with production of Adam Sandlers comedy, The Ridiculous 6. Since then, Netflix has brought nine productions to the Land of Enchantment. Within seven of the productions, 1,608 New Mexico crew members, 231 New Mexico actors and 6,700 local background talent were hired for production, according to the New Mexico State Film Office. The latest projects, Daybreak and Rattlesnake, do not yet have employment numbers. Because the productions hire locally, each is eligible for the 25 percent to 30 percent rebate as part of the New Mexico film incentive package. New Mexico was one of the first states to launch a full-fledged film incentive program in 2003. The state currently offers a 25 percent rebate to film companies for most direct, in-state expenditures under 2011 legislation dubbed the Breaking Bad bill. Long-running television programs are eligible for an additional 5 percent credit for 30 percent total. The state also has a yearly $50 million cap for incentives paid out. Netflix is purchasing Albuquerque Studios for more than $30 million, though an exact amount hasnt been made public. The deadline for the deal to be finalized is set for Tuesday. The state is contributing $10 million of Local Economic Development Act funds; Albuquerque is giving $4.5 million of LEDA funds. Because the city is acting as fiscal agent for the LEDA funds, the project needed approval by the City Council and was unanimously approved on Thursday. As part of the agreement, Netflix commits to direct spending on its own productions in New Mexico of at least $600 million in the first five years occupying the studio, and $400 million in direct and indirect spending, which includes leasing the facility to other production companies, in the following five years. The deal would also bring about 1,000 film and television production jobs per year. The purchase is expected to cause a ripple effect that could benefit the other major studios in New Mexico I-25 Studios, Garson Studios, Santa Fe Studios and Las Cruces Studios as other productions seek studio space for their projects. Albuquerque Studios includes nine soundstages, production offices and a backlot. I-25 Studios has six soundstages, Santa Fe Studios and Garson Studios each has two soundstages. Las Cruces Studios has one soundstage. Representatives of each studio said they welcome Netflix to the New Mexico film family. I think its absolutely sensational, said Rick Clemente, CEO of I-25 Studios. They have control over supply and demand, and they will schedule efficiently. The Netflix presence will give a stabilizing base, and it will spill over into what we do. Clemente said having Neftlix in the state wont take any business away from I-25 Studios. They have made commitments to existing shows to stay there and fulfill those contracts, Clemente said. We do anticipate an uptick here at the studios. Weve done all of our improvements here incrementally. Ten years ago, this was a vacant factory building. Weve since turned it into a studio and have the stages to manage at least two series or two features. Meanwhile, Santa Fe Studios has the longest history of working with Netflix. The 2015 feature The Ridiculous 6 was filmed there. Since then, the studio has been home base to Godless, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and Walk. Ride. Rodeo. Everything theyve done thus far is amazing, said Lance Hool, Santa Fe Studios CEO. Now they are going to be in Albuquerque and our hope is that there is enough business. We anticipate getting spillover from them, as well as other people that want to be in New Mexico. Hool said Netflix had also considered Santa Fe Studios when looking into establishing a New Mexico hub. The goal is to grow the film industry. Theres a lot of demand for this, Hool said. New Mexico should be the leader. They arent the only player, there are lots of them. Amazon, Hulu, Apple are all giants. Then you have the traditional content makers like Sony, Viacom and Disney. Its good for everybody, Hool said. We know Netflix really well and have been talking to them for a while to move here. Hool said in order for New Mexico to stay relevant in the film and TV industry, it needed something like Netflix to move in. The most important thing is to have the ($50M) cap removed, he said. Netflix would absorb the cap in a second. Jon Foley, Las Cruces film liaison, said a deal like this helps the film industry in the state grow. One of the biggest things is that it puts a bigger star on the map for New Mexico, Foley said. It means a lot, especially when you are trying to get a production to come out here. The Las Cruces film industry is in its early stages, but has already snagged a few films. It is currently housing production for the independent film Walking with Herb, starring Edward James Olmos, George Lopez, Christopher McDonald and Kathleen Quinlan. I think the film industry has been grown the right way, Foley said. Netflix has committed to spending at least $2.5 million on capital improvements at the Albuquerque Studios facility, as well as to maintain and operate the facility for at least 10 years. The Albuquerque site will be Netflixs first hub purchased in the United States. Earlier this year, Netflix announced it was establishing its first European production hub in Spain. Netflix has changed the way viewers consume its content. A TV series season runs about 10 episodes, which is based on the model of AMCs Breaking Bad, which had shorter, concise seasons. Ty Warren, Netflix vice president for physical production, said that between the infrastructure and existing crew base in New Mexico, it was a win for the company to move here. Of course, we want to take advantage of the beautiful landscape, all of the locations that are in the area, for sure, Warren said. Having state-of-the-art facilities like this here is super-exciting for us. Not every place has beautiful soundstages like this. (Expanding) will depend on the amount of shows were going to do here. The facility is gorgeous as it is. Our plan is to go show by show and see how things evolve. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal This falls unforeseen enrollment tumble at the University of New Mexico has leaders scrambling to plug a corresponding $9.7 million revenue shortfall on this years books. But the dwindling headcount will likely reverberate well beyond today. Newly released breakdowns show UNMs student losses are particularly acute among freshmen, creating what UNMs admissions director calls a four-year problem as the diminished class advances ahead toward degrees. While UNMs total student population sank 7.2 percent, the number of first-time freshmen at New Mexicos largest university plunged 17.6 percent between fall 2017 and fall 2018 a total of 566 students. Officials had forecast only a 2.5-percent enrollment decline. Admissions and Recruitment Director Matthew Hulett said the freshman nosedive is unlike anything in recent memory, and one with longer-term implications. Now the university is searching for the cause and what it can do to prevent it from becoming a trend. Theres the million-dollar question, Hulett said. Some things are already in motion. UNM is establishing an enrollment task force, which Hulett said should yield some new ideas and guidance. The university also recently surveyed prospective students about why they did not choose UNM and will soon gather data showing which other schools those students selected. The university is also making small changes, such as offering specific tours of facilities and schools that suit recruits academic interests rather than more general walks with admissions personnel. More generally, the university will emphasize its contention that UNM which holds the highest research activity designation a doctoral university can achieve is also a great value, Hulett said. We have to make that argument a little stronger, he said. Continued drop UNMs total headcount including undergraduate, graduate and non-degree students has slipped every year since 2012, though it took a sharper-than-expected drop this year. Overall enrollment is down to 24,393 from 26,278. Many schools across New Mexico are weathering population slides. Total statewide postsecondary enrollment fell 18.6 percent between 2010 and 2017, according to New Mexico Higher Education Department data. And the losses continued mounting on many campuses this fall. Except for Western New Mexico University (which gained 161 students or 5.2 percent), total enrollment decreased this fall at all of the states public four-year colleges and universities. The declines ranged from 0.2 percent at Eastern New Mexico University to UNMs 7.2 percent. UNM officials have pinned the enrollment slump on a complex mix of factors that include New Mexicos population stagnation, less regard for higher educations value, fear over campus crime, and an improving state economy that means potential students pick jobs over education. But freshmen losses might have slightly different causes, Hulett said, noting an increasing reluctance among young people to take on debt, and growing price-consciousness. Money emerged as a major factor during a recent survey of freshmen admitted by UNM but who did not ultimately enroll on main campus. Asked the reasons they bypassed UNM, nearly half of the 120 respondents (48.3 percent) said getting a better scholarship or financial aid package at another school significantly influenced their decision. More than a third (36.4 percent) said the high cost of tuition played a significant role in their decision, and 27.5 percent rated the lower costs of community college as a key reason they skipped UNM. Tuition and fees for a full-time New Mexico resident start at $7,322 per year at UNM, though roughly one-third of its undergraduate students get tuition assistance through the New Mexico Lottery scholarship. This is the first year UNM is requiring freshmen to live on campus, and some have questioned what role that played in the enrollment numbers. Eleven percent of the surveyed students who did not pick UNM said the housing rule significantly impacted their decision. UNM is offering exceptions from the housing rule, including for those who live with their parents within a 30-mile radius of campus, are married or meet other specific criteria. Freshmen around the state UNM is not alone in its plight. Fewer freshmen matriculated at ENMU and WNMU this year. But New Mexico State University and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology which, with UNM, are the states only research institutions experienced a freshman surge. After two years of losing freshmen, New Mexico Tech gained 62 this year, a 25.8 percent increase for a school where total enrollment usually hovers around 2,000. Asked how it boosted the first-year ranks, admissions director Anthony Ortiz said, We gave the New Mexico high school kids more attention we went back to the high school more often, we hosted more receptions, we created better relationships with the counselors. New Mexico Tech did not increase scholarships, he said. But that was clearly the strategy at New Mexico State University, which has 10.6 percent more freshmen this fall than last. NMSU which has seen its total enrollment crater 23 percent since 2010 has aggressively raised its scholarship allotment. It went from $9.6 million in the 2016-17 academic year to $14.8 million last year. Its budgeted to jump to $16.4 million this year. The universitys new president and chancellor have credited that for the freshmen growth but have questioned whether it is the right method moving forward, saying it has created budget concerns and not yet raised the institutions total enrollment, which dipped another 1 percent this year. A university spokesman said NMSU would adjust the amount of awards and the qualification requirements for fall 2019. NMSU is among UNMs chief recruiting competitors, though its not clear how many admitted UNM students opted for the Las Cruces-based institution. Hulett said UNM should get more information in the coming weeks about where its prospective students went instead. But Hulett said he heard directly from some potential UNM students who had far greater scholarship offers at NMSU. One young woman, he said, told him she would get $5,500 every year at NMSU, plus the lottery something UNM could not match. Her academic credentials as we have them were below where we could offer her a scholarship, he said. CHICO, Calif. - The first ever "Pull for a Cure" event in Chico kicked off with lots of strong arms on Saturday morning - from those in uniform and even from some young ones who might want to become first responders when they grow up. Dozens of people woke up bright and early to watch local law enforcement don the color pink and pull heavy fire trucks in the parking lot of the Chico Mall. The event was held to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Volunteer Sandra Sim lost her daughter to breast cancer. "She fought until the very end, but she did help a lot of women," Sim said. Sim said it's important to get out there and inspire younger women to get breast checks. "You don't wait until your 40," she said. "You need to start doing the mammograms now and self-check, because you want to catch it soon. Action News Now morning anchor Julia Yarbough emceed the event, which also featured classic cars and other fun family activities. DURHAM, Calif. - A popular Northern California magazine celebrated a big milestone Saturday, by being in business for 25 years. They celebrated the occasion at the Patrick Ranch Museum in Durham at the Family Farm Day & Safety Fair. Families gathered at the ranch to enjoy pony rides, hay rides, to visit a pumpkin patch, and pet some really cute animals. It was all part of the 25th anniversary of North State Parent magazine. The publisher modeled this event after a similar one she attended in Rhode Island. The special day featured lots of art and live music, and opportunties to learn farming skills and techniques. There were also activities like face painting, a hunt, and a build-your-own stick house contest. The publisher of North State Parent magazine, Pamela Newman, says it was a beautiful day for family interaction. The event ended at 4:00 p.m., but the museum will have more hayrides, pumpkins and pony cart rides next weekend. REDDING, Calif. - The second trial is about to start for a Redding man accused in the burning death of a store clerk in Burney. Jury selection is underway for the re-trial of 41-year-old Juan Venegas for murder, mayhem and torture charges. 54-year-old David Wicks died after being set on fire at his job at a gas station convenience store in December of 2016. A mistrial was declared during the first trial for Venegas in August of 2017 because, after more than a week of deliberation, the jury could not reach a consensus on whether or not Venegas committed the crime. With more than 100 potential witnesses, the new trial is expected to last into December. Venegas faces life in prison if he is convicted. UNITED STATES - Whether we live near a coastline or not, seafood is an increasingly popular option for Americans. The U.S. is now the second-largest consumer of seafood worldwide, after China. The Centers for Disease Control says about 20 percent of adults are eating fish at least twice a week. Lisa Rosenberg always asks the managers of her local seafood market to explain where everything comes from. Rosenberg is reassured, "Just knowing that the seafood we're getting is fresh and coming from a country that has shipped it in a timely manner and markets it and is honest with their marketing practices." Those practices have come under fire around the globe with rampant fraud in all stages of the seafood industry. One study of retailers (by the organization Oceana) found seafood like grouper, cod and snapper may be mislabeled up to 87 percent of the time. It is often swapped out for less desirable and cheaper varieties of fish. For example, only seven of their 120 samples of red snapper were actually the real thing. Specifically in Northern California, the study showed that 38 percent of red snapper was mislabeled, and was actually grouper. Southern California has the highest mislabeling rate in the nation at 52 percent, which is 20 percent higher than the national average. Vinny Millbourn says it's a really big problem. He comes from a long line of fishermen. The issue, he said, is "once it's prepared there's really no way to check it other than DNA testing, which a lot of companies are not doing." Millbourn is the fishmonger at Greenpoint Fish and Lobster Company in Brooklyn, New York specializes in local, domestic and traceable species. His storefront acts as a fish market, raw bar and restaurant. When asked where he buys his fish, he says he has a network of small boat fisherman and wharfs all over the country that ship to him daily through the air or by truck. He says they are processing every single day to bring in the highest quality seafood. Millbourn not only knows where his fish comes from, but he can tell a tale about each one. That kind of personal connection is hard to find. It is estimated that more than 90 percent of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported, and less than one percent is tested by the government. Larry Olmstead wrote the book "Real Food, Fake Food." He spent years researching the unregulated food industry, calling the fish the most frequently faked food Americans buy. He says, ""The inexpensive fish that are being substituted, a lot of them are farmed -- in Southeast Asia --from places that have been shown over and over again to use bad practices, banned drugs, banned pesticides." "The bottom line is a lot of fish that we eat, we don't know where it came from or how it was produced at all," continued Olmstead. Is eating seafood dangerous? Olmstead said, "I think it's pretty dangerous. I mean, tens of millions of people that get sick from foodborne illness every year that the C.D.C. cannot explain." When he was asked whether or not it is better to buy organic seafood, Olstead said, "not really." "In this country there's no legal standard for seafood," he continued. "When they did the organic standard for meat, poultry and chicken, they excluded seafood, he explained. "So when you see 'organic' on seafood, it's not a legally enforceable standard -- so they can put that on just about anything." Olmstead is concerned about the future, with the protection of the the ocean paramount. He said the ocean is the single biggest source of protein in the world. "It's really important that we take care of the oceans," he said. Thus, it is often the vaccinated who are spreading disease, despite what the media tell you, media that are heavily supported and influenced by pharmaceutical advertising dollars. Why aren't those who receive live-virus vaccines quarantined in their homes until it can be confirmed that they are no longer contagious with the diseases against which they were vaccinated? Why are they being allowed into schools, hospitals, grocery stores, and the like? Why are those who have received the DTaP and TDaP vaccines not mandated to be tested for pertussis being harbored in their throats before being allowed near newborns and infants? It has recently been discovered that those who are vaccinated with the DTaP and TDaP vaccines, if subsequently exposed to and infected with pertussis, can then harbor pertussis in their throats, for weeks, which can then spread to others causing them to contract pertussis, even if the one harboring it in their throat remains asymptomatic. Talk about a hidden disease vector! Parents of infants should be wary of those who've received either of these vaccines, because if a DTaP or TDaP recipient is infected with pertussis, they may not know it, and since they might not have the telling cough, then no one else has any way to know they might be contagious and transmitting pertussis, either. This certainly dismantles the "cocooning" theory that has been used to scare parents of newborns and infants into not permitting any adult, including Grandma and Grandpa, near their baby who hasn't had a TDaP booster. 1. Has there been any laboratory confirmation of even one case of the supposed measles related to Disneyland? If yes, was the confirmed case tested to determine whether it was wild-type measles or vaccine-strain measles? If not, why not? These are important questions to ask. Is it measles or not? If yes, what kind, because if it's vaccine-strain measles, then that means it is the vaccinated who are contagious and spreading measles resulting in what the media likes to label "outbreaks" to create panic (strange how they've completely missed the Autism outbreak going on for the past 25 years). It would be what one might call vaccine fallout. People who receive live-virus vaccines, such as the MMR, can then shed that live virus, for up to many weeks...and can infect others. Multiply that in your head by all of the people who receive not only the MMR live-virus vaccine, but many others. Other live-virus vaccines include the nasal flu vaccine, shingles vaccine, rotavirus vaccine, chicken pox vaccine, and yellow fever vaccine. Okay, my fellow Americans. Time to turn off your TVs, put down your propaganda-papers (i.e. newspapers), and put on your thinking caps. Vaccines are being touted as a quick fix, for everyone, regardless of age, weight, family history, or health status (before it can even be observed or determined in the case of fetuses, newborns, infants, and toddlers!), for an ever-growing number of infectious and non-infectious diseases, as though there are no adverse side effects or short- and long-term consequences to consider. Clearly, there's a big problem with what people are being told and sold when it comes to vaccines. Yet, worldwide, people are being manipulated by the false promise of the end to all disease with nothing more than a quick jab, pill, or spray up the nose. Beware of being manipulated by such farce. Here are a few facts and thoughts for you to consider, especially with regards to all of the Disneyland measles hype. 2. Did you know that historical statistical figures for reported measles cases have been fraught with error? For but one example, I will refer to doctor-diagnosed "measles" cases in the UK in the late 1990s, where a serious problem emerged. A government scientist discovered that only 1 in 40 reported cases of measles was actually confirmed to be measles after lab testing. This discovery throws into question historical, and current, figures for measles. If reported cases are not required to be lab-confirmed, then this scientists discovery would lead us to believe that there has been gross over-reporting of measles cases, past and present. Daily Telegraph 8 January 1997 London (Europe Today): "97.5% of the times that British doctors diagnose measles they are wrong", says a publication of the Public Health Laboratory service. The mistake being made by National Health GP's was found when the services tested the saliva of more than 12,000 children who had been diagnosed as having measles. Roger Buttery, an adviser on transmissible diseases at the Cambridge and Huntingdon Health Department, said that the majority of doctors "say they can recognize measles a mile off, but we now know that this illness occurs only in 2.5% of the cases." Buttery says that doctors classify as measles many other viruses that also cause spots. He found eight different viruses during the survey in East Anglia. One of them, parvovirus, gives symptoms similar to German measles. The reason for the high rate of error puzzled Buttery. "Doctors are neither vague nor careless," he said. The solution is to defer the diagnosis until more detailed information can be got. There are 5,000 to 6,000 cases of measles registered each year in the United Kingdom, but these findings now call most of them into doubt." Geez, ever wonder if that might be happening at Disneyland, and beyond...and for multiple diseases against which we vaccinate, including the "flu"? 3. Why isnt the media reporting on the ineffectiveness and the dangers of the MMR vaccine, as exposed and evidenced by recent whistleblowers...2 from Merck, and 1 from the CDC? Again, one must ask why America's mainstream media have refused to report on these whistleblowers (can you say cha-ching from those non-stop pharma ads on TV and in the propaganda-papers), especially given the gravity of the vaccine research fraud they have exposed, and what that fraud means for parents making vaccine decisions, not to mention what it means for the vulnerable and innocent children receiving the vaccines. 4. Why have parents been denied choice with regards to being allowed to choose monovalent vaccines over the trivalent MMR vaccine? Ever since Dr. Andrew Wakefield dared to do the unthinkable...i.e. question a vaccine (gasp! like big pharma would ever sell a product that might cause problems, or death...gasp again!), in this case, the MMR vaccine...government officials and committee members decided they did not like the people questioning vaccines, so they colluded with Merck and other profiteers to stop the production of the monovalent measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines, forcing consumers to use the trivalent MMR vaccine (a 3-in-1 vaccine, which has the potential to be far more dangerous than individual vaccines given separately and at different times). *See footnote at the bottom to see Merck's "explanation" of why they discontinued the monovalent M, M, and R vaccines. Then, look up who comprises the ACIP (see anyone who might possibly have a conflict of interest, say someone who might just profit from the approval and sale of vaccines?). Ask yourself who the "professional societies" might be, and if they by chance might just happen to greatly profit from vaccines and their numerous after-effects. And those "scientific leaders", might they be scientists who work at or for Merck, or have a chair endowed for them by Merck? Last mentioned are customers. Guess those customers who want to have a choice, and who want the 3 monovalent vaccines, don't matter much to Merck. 5. Clearly, the MMR is not the highly effective vaccine it is touted to be, as evidenced by so many vaccinated individuals reportedly contracting the measles (and mumps, for that matter). Nor is the MMR vaccine the highly safe vaccine it is touted to be, as evidenced by reports to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System. Many more people in the U.S. have died from this vaccine (and from the MMR-Varicella quadrivalent vaccine) than from the measles in the past 2 decades, and parents need to factor that fact into their decision whether or not to vaccinate their children. 6. If babies under age 12-15 months are contracting actual measles, one must ask 2 questions: a.) Is the mom exclusively breastfeeding so that maternal immunity is being passed on to her baby? If not, the baby misses out on important protection gained from its mothers immunity, and may be more susceptible to illness. (I realize that not every mother is able to breastfeed. I have helped a mother who didnt produce enough breastmilk to connect with other nursing mothers who were willing to share their surplus, which is something moms in this situation might want to consider). If the baby was unable to nurse properly from the get-go, look no further than the effects of the birth dose of the Hep B vaccine, which has been shown to negatively affect innate infant reflexes needed to locate a mothers breast and latch on to it. b.) If the mom was vaccinated with the MMR herself at any point, her ability to acquire and pass on natural, protective immunity to her infant via breastfeeding has been impaired, possibly ruinedmeaning the vaccine is to blame, not the unvaccinated. 7. If parents are taking their very young children to dirty, unsanitary places with thousands and thousands of people, they have made the choice to expose their children to multitudinous germs and illnesses from multitudinous people, leaving them in no position to finger point at others. It can, and should, be argued that to the maximum extent possible, infants should be kept at home for the first few months of life and away from extremely crowded places for perhaps their first couple of years, giving their immune systems time to develop and mature. 8. If vaccines work, the vaccinated should be protected. If they don't work, ask yourself why are you allowing them and exposing your child to such incredible risks? Furthermore, if they don't work, as is often the case, feel free to have your child vaccinated again and again (no one is stopping you), but don't expect others to vaccinate their children with scores of products that have long track records of not working and of wreaking havoc. 9. It was not ever, is not today, and will not be tomorrow my child's job to protect your child, in any way, shape, or form. That is the parent's job. Period. Ask yourself who exactly is making these decisions as to which child is more worthy of living, since death and disability are possible consequences of both the disease and the vaccine. Since there is a decision to be made, it should reside with the parent, or with the vaccine recipient, not with anyone else, and most certainly not with the ones profiting from vaccines, be it directly (pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and hospitals) or indirectly (elected officials, government regulators, and trade industry groups, all of whom enjoy plenty of big pharma dollars and perks). 10. There is no longer any excuse, nor is it acceptable, for any parent, doctor, media person, elected official, or government regulator to state the false claims that vaccines are safe and effective. They are neither, and not even one has ever been proven to be such. As a matter of fact, "highly secret documents" from pharmaceutical companies, in addition to pharmaceutical company and CDC whistleblowers, continue to reveal and expose on a regular basis that vaccines are neither safe nor effective, and never have been. Additionally, the U.S. Supreme Court has officially and legally declared vaccines to be "unavoidably unsafe. For those who find that a hard-to-decipher double negative, that means that vaccines are inherently dangerous, yet, they are mandated for children. As a colleague of mine recently commented, If you dont have a choice about unavoidably unsafe products, what the hell choices do you have that are meaningful? It is also imperative to remember that in 1986, the U.S. Congress was foolish enough to cave in to a bunch of whining vaccine-making pharmaceutical companies who said they weren't going to make vaccines anymore because they were losing so many costly lawsuits due to their vaccines killing and maiming people. This whining, no doubt paired with lobbying, resulted in Congress indemnifying vaccine-making pharmaceutical companies, and those who administer vaccines, from liability for injuries and deaths caused by vaccines. Yes, you heard that correctly. Not Liable. With that Act of Congress, any incentive or means of accountability to make a safe vaccine product flew right out the window. It is critical for any person who is considering vaccination for themselves, their children, or those in their care, such as elderly parents, to take the time to educate himself/herself regarding vaccine history, vaccine ingredients, vaccine adverse events, vaccine trials, vaccine research fraud, vaccine injuries, and vaccine deaths. Vaccination is a risky medical procedure, and as such, it should not be entered into lightly or without due diligence. 11. Vaccine mandates for children are extremely age discriminatory, and parents should begin to sue over this fact. Notice that those doing the mandating aren't rolling up their sleeves and pant legs, and dropping their drawers, for 70+ dastardly vaccine cocktails. Rather, they sit back and order that infants, toddlers, and young children be shot up to hell and back, stripping parents of their rights and freedoms, just so long as those pharmaceutical companies keep filling their campaign coffers and providing perks. 12. It is time to stop delegating your health care decisions to your pediatrician and instead become your own expert. Your child is counting on you. Your child's pediatrician is not the vaccine expert you think he/she is. Their "vaccine training" in medical school, reported to be as brief as 2 hours, revolved around learning how and where to give a tiny baby up to 12 vaccines at one time from 8 syringes. Once you allow the toxic cocktails of heinous vaccine materials to enter your child's body, you can't retrieve them. They have now entered a closed system, a system which includes your child's brain, nerves, and blood, during critical developmental periods. Think about that. Think hard. There is no do-over. Trust me, I speak from experience about the no do-over part. 13. Glimpse of our future, which has actually already arrived. Have you thought about who is going to be able to defend our country now that we have children being environmentally injured to the extent of 1 in 6 having a neurodevelopmental disorder (that's code name for brain damage), 1 in 11 having asthma, 1 in 12 having food allergies (some of which are life-threatening, and all of which are life-altering), 1 in 50 having Autism, 1 in 400 having Type 1 Diabetes, many having GI and colon problems, seizure disorders, etc.? Here's how it's going to look when the alarm sounds and our health- and development-impaired young Americans are called to battle: "Wait! I need to grab my EpiPen!" "Well, I need my inhaler." "I need gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free to-go meals! "I can't find my prescription meds!" "NO ONE can bring peanuts, or any tree nuts for that matter, on this mission!" "Oh no! My insulin pod just fell off, and I don't have a new one to put on!" "I'm having chronic diarrhea, so I can't come along today!" "Well, I haven't pooped for a month and my stomach is killing me, so I cant go either! "I can't follow more than 2 instructions at once, so I'm already confused and we haven't even left yet." And then there are the ones who cant talk at all, arent toilet-trained, and who have the skill level of a toddlerthey wont be eligible to serve in any, way, shape, or form. Apparently, the military is already experiencing this, and has written a report titled Ready, Willing, and Unable to Serve. This is our future, folks. Tragically, these same issues have affected our kids' back-to-school-supplies. Instead of scissors, crayons, and pencils, it's EpiPens, inhalers, insulin, prescription meds, special foods, and lengthy IEPs. 14. If you still are not getting the picture, then please hotfoot it over to your nearest elementary, junior high, or high school and ask to see the special education classrooms (that's right, plural, classrooms). Notice how many kids are in each one. Notice how oddly behaved they are. This is our new normal. Vaccinate your child, and you'll stand a good chance of experiencing firsthand what I'm talking about. 15. A warning, one I wish had been issued to me back in 1992: Beware of those "well-baby" appointments. Your baby may never be well again if you allow him/her to be vaccinated. Please don't be led like a lamb to the slaughter with your baby in hand, and a fistful of syringes in the nurse's hand...syringes destined for your tiny baby's developing body, ready to destroy its immune system, nervous system, neurological development, and health, all in one fell swoop. Those syringes might even take your child's life. Don't be manipulated. Be responsible for making your own well-researched decisions. Laura Hayes Mother of Vaccine Injured Children Passionate about educating others and encouraging them to learn about the myriad dangers and inefficacies of vaccines, the fallacy of the theory behind them, and the vast web of fraud and deception involved in supporting and mandating them *Footnote, on Merck letterhead: October 21, 2009 Dear Health Care Provider: Monovalent vaccines no longer available for measles, mumps, rubella Based on input from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), professional societies, scientific leaders, and customers, Merck has decided not to resume production of ATTENUVAX (Measles Virus Vaccine Live), MUMPSVAX (Mumps Virus Vaccine Live), and MERUVAXII (Rubella Virus Vaccine Live). This science-based decision will support vaccination of the largest group of appropriate individuals. http://www.breakspearmedical.com/files/documents/monovalentMessage.pdf (to read full letter) 1. Yes. Council members appear to have taken time to review each section carefully. 2. Yes. The council has set up town halls and a public hearing to inform the residents. 3. No. The council should have set up a charter review committee, including residents. 4. No. Some of the items proposed so far benefit the council more than the community. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say until after the public has had more opportunities to weigh in. Vote View Results Egypt's Minister of Civil Aviation Younes el-Masri announced the commencement of operations for the Sphinx International Airport Oct. 15. The new facility is located 45 kilometers (29 miles) west of Cairo on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road in Giza governorate. The airport was constructed in just 12 months, and the official opening will be held at the end of the year. Masri flew on the new facility's inaugural flight and called the Sphinx International Airport a great and important addition to the country that will ease pressure on Cairo International Airport, the idea of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The airport will serve the cities of 6th of October and Sheikh Zayed, as well as six governorates including Fayoum, Beni Suef and Minya. The airport can accommodate nine large aircraft at a time and will operate charter flights. Those who come from Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh Red Sea cities, for example, to spend a day on the Giza Plateau will now be able to easily return the same day. The main building consists of an observation tower equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance systems, radar and a water tank for firefighting operations. The facility also boasts thermal monitoring cameras and X-ray detectors. There are 42 service buildings, including a meteorological center and a parking garage with a capacity of 400 cars and 20 buses. Adel Abdel-Razek, a former vice president of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, told Al-Monitor that Egypt sorely needed the Sphinx International Airport, especially now that tourism has significantly recovered after suffering following the 2011 revolution. But we need more than [one] airport in Giza governorate itself, which has many touristic places that need more airports to serve locals and tourists alike, Abdel-Razek added. Giza governorate, the site of the ancient capital of the Pharaonic Old Kingdom, is located on the west bank of the Nile. The Sphinx International Airport is located 12 kilometers (seven miles) from the famed Giza Plateau, home to the pyramids, the Great Sphinx and a number of ancient Egyptian tombs. The airport is also near the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which will open in 2020 and house tens of thousands of unique artifacts and archaeological finds, some of which have never before been shown in public. It is expected to attract tourists from all over the world to see the 21th-century resting place for King Tut and explore the greatness of the Egyptian civilization. Using this airport will save tourists time those who will come to visit the Giza pyramids and the GEM, rather than using the Cairo International Airport, he said. People often use taxis and spend more than two hours reaching the Giza Plateau. The Giza Plateau Development Project is currently underway to make this ancient site more tourist-friendly under the direction of the Armed Forces Engineering Authority. Project director Mohamed Ismail said in a press statement that the project, which started prior to the 2011 revolution and will soon be finished, will include a pedestrian area around the Giza Plateau and a parking area for buses and cars. A number of pathways, portable and fixed toilets, solar-powered lights, bazaars to house vendors as well as buildings for tourism police will be erected as well. The project also includes a visitor center to provide detailed information about every monument and its builders and include displays of the pyramids internal design via augmented reality. Walid el-Batouti, a former Tourism Ministry adviser, praised the creation of the Sphinx International Airport, telling Al-Monitor, It is regarded as a new window for tourism in the country, which will play a great role in boosting it. Batouti added that the airport will also serve the nearby cities residents when they fly to coastal cities in the summer or to the Upper Egyptian cities of Luxor and Aswan in the winter. He pointed out that more hotels are needed in this strategic area to accommodate the growing numbers of tourists expected in the near future, especially after the museum opens. Hariris liberation Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans come-uppance over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul is a windfall for Saad Hariri, who is on the verge of forming a new government in Lebanon. Last month we wrote that Hariri has felt the burn from being too close to the Mohammed bin Salman flame and that the delay in forming a new Lebanese government might have been because Hariri was waiting for a call from Riyadh that might not be coming. Following the Khashoggi murder, that call is definitely not coming. Mohammeds plight has been a kind of liberation for Hariri, who we wrote last year was his own witness in a court of conscience following his captivity under the crown prince. Hariri now has one over his former patron and tormenter. The prime minister, who has kept his own counsel on the details of his captivity until now, could be a potential witness against Mohammed by testifying about the crown prince's previous behavior. If Khashoggis murder had not occurred, the tables might have been turned: Hariri might not have been able to be on the verge of forming a government, and thereby might have been living in fear of Mohammed's whims and reach. As both prime minister and potential witness, Hariri is able to obtain a kind of immunity from further vendetta. The Lebanese people, the international community and probably many or most of the Saudi ruling family will have no stomach for another crown prince-induced spectacle. No one is safe in crown prince's inner circle The pathetic Saudi explanation of the state-ordered murder of Jamal Khashoggi reflects the fragility of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans position, writes Bruce Riedel. The cover-up is trying to put the blame for Khashoggis brutal execution on the Saudi intelligence service, the General Intelligence Directorate. Americas oldest partner in the Middle East is increasingly a danger to regional stability and its own stability. A detailed examination of the Saudis who traveled to Istanbul on Oct. 2 shows almost all are security figures, Riedel reports. They are royal guards, special forces, intelligence and Royal Saudi Air Force. Usually colonel level. Royal guards are the most represented. The Royal Guard Regiment reports directly to the crown prince. It is inconceivable that he would not know about what they were doing. About half show up entering and exiting the United States, always when Mohammed or his father was also in the country. The connection to the royal court and the crown prince is clear. Mohammed has called out Maj. Gen. Ahmed al-Asiri, deputy chief of the General Intelligence Directorate, as the mastermind of the operation. They meet constantly, Riedel writes. Making him the fall guy will send a very dangerous message to the crown princes inner circle: You are not safe. No one is safe. That will increase the odds of a move against the crown prince. Mohammed is already increasingly impulsive and erratic. Riedel adds, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud has removed two crown princes from the line of succession in three years. Many in the family are quietly whispering in his ears to do the same to Mohammed. It was Salman who made possible his sons accumulation of unprecedented power, however, and the release of an incoherent cover-up story suggests that the king stands by his son. Without the king's involvement there is no process for deposing the crown prince. Mohammed may be a pariah for the rest of his life, deservedly, but one who is in power. Bibi needs Putin to keep the peace Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Oct. 8 that the international community must recognize Israels claim to the Golan. As long as it is dependent on me, he added, the Golan Heights will remain under Israeli sovereignty. Otherwise we will get Iran and Hezbollah on the banks of the Kinneret [Sea of Galilee]. Bibis campaign applause line was received with a thud in Washington, Moscow and most capitals. The Golan Heights are not on anyones agenda right now, Yossi Beilin writes. No one is demanding that we return them to the Syrians at this stage. Nevertheless, nor would anyone in the world be prepared to recognize Israels annexation of the territory, either before or after Netanyahus remarks. As far as Jerusalem is concerned, the Golan Heights are a bargaining chip, which could help Israel to reach an agreement with Syria, Iran and Hezbollah, when the timing is right. Efforts to move masses of Israeli citizens to the Golan Heights have failed, so that there are now more non-Israelis than Israelis there. Demilitarization would be an Israeli condition, but if the Syrians agreed to this, it is reasonable to assume that Israel would be ready to withdraw. Even if the parties continued to dispute Syrias demand to reach the waterline of the Sea of Galilee, this could be resolved by a series of access agreements. Netanyahu knows he cant count on Russian President Vladimir Putin to keep the peace on Israels northern border indefinitely. Putin is not UNIFIL; he does not see himself as the regions policeman, and he doesnt work for free. And the risk of inadvertent conflict is growing, especially following Syrias downing of a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance plane following what Russia termed an Israeli provocation. Russia has since provided Syria with S-300 air defenses, which Israel considers escalatory. Moscow reportedly rejected at least two Israeli proposals for meetings after the Il-20 incident, Maxim Suchkov reports. It declined to host a delegation led by national security adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat or to accept Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman or Netanyahu himself, saying that it preferred for contacts to remain at the professional level. Now that Russia has made the move it felt obliged to make after the Ilyushin's downing, Moscow may be more open to high-ranking contacts. Despite apparent differences in approach to conflict management between the Defense Ministry and the Kremlin, adds Suchkov, the ultimate concern in Moscow is to make sure its response, though harsh and just as it should be, in Russias view nonetheless does not corner Netanyahu at home, especially in light of his facing criminal charges and political difficulties in upcoming elections. Putins good chemistry with Netanyahu has proven an asset that is considered to be in the mutual interest of the two countries, which have faced a sudden stress test. That Israeli jets have not bombed Syria in the last couple of weeks is understandable, since doing otherwise under the current circumstances would mean poking the Russians in the eye, writes Suchkov. Yet, it does not mean that Israel will hold back on strikes should it see movements of pro-Iranian forces as menacing. The decision-makers in Moscow are well aware of this. Thus, the situation will continue to demand that both parties maintain the de-confliction line and follow the rules of engagement as well as look for a happy medium on Iran within the context of Russia believing that it has done enough and Israel being certain that there can never be enough when it comes to restraining Tehran in Syria or Lebanon. The hunt for a slain Saudi journalists body was continuing today in Istanbul and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he will make important statements about the case during his ruling Justice and Development (AKP) partys parliamentary group meeting Tuesday. We seek justice; this is not an ordinary case. The incident will be revealed entirely, Erdogan said in Istanbul today. He gave no further details. Erdogans comments came after Saudi Arabia finally acknowledged Oct. 19 that dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi had died during what it claimed was a brawl that had escalated out of control in the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul. Turkish investigators have already searched the consulate building and the Saudi consul generals residence, and the search has extended to the sprawling Belgrad Forest, a rare green space in the teeming city. But the remains of the 59-year-old Washington Post contributor had yet to be found. AKP spokesman Omer Celik sought to quash speculation that Turkey would simply accept the Saudi version of events as part of an unspecified deal. Celik said Turkey owed a debt of honor to reveal what had happened. We are not blaming anyone in advance but we wont accept anything being covered up, Celik said Saturday. But he made no mention of an 11-minute audio recording Turkish officials claim to have in their possession. The recording proves Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate, officials speaking on condition of anonymity to the media have said. Pressure is mounting on Turkey to formally disclose all of its findings, amid ever-louder calls for an independent investigation. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo dismissed claims he heard the tape when he flew to Turkey on Wednesday to discuss the case with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and Erdogan. But US intelligence sources have suggested otherwise. The tape purportedly reveals that the Saudi dissidents body was dismembered after Khashoggi was tortured and then beheaded by a 15-member Saudi hit squad alleged to be acting under orders from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. With Saudi Arabia formally acknowledging that Khashoggi died, the tapes significance now hinges on whether it directly implicates Mohammed or not and at a minimum deconstructs the Saudi narrative. While many credit Turkey for forcing at least one truth out of the Saudis, the bigger prize would be the princes removal from power. Ankara apparently hopes the United States can tip the balance. If President Donald Trump were to pull the plug on Mohammed, the reasoning goes, this would allow the crown princes army of detractors within the royal family to coalesce against him and force the kings hand. But Trump is visibly reluctant to sacrifice the powerful prince, having invested so much capital in Mohammed as a key pillar in the administration's anti-Iran campaign. Trumps initial reaction to Saudi claims that Khashoggi had died in a scuffle was to label them as credible even as Western leaders, including Germanys Angela Merkel and the EUs foreign minister, Federica Mogherini, among others, kept up calls for full accountability and transparency regarding the killing. Today the UK, French and German foreign ministers released a joint statement on Khashoggi, noting Saudi Arabia's preliminary findings but calling for an "urgent need for clarification" on what exactly happened after he entered the consulate Oct. 2. "Nothing can justify this killing," the statement said. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., told CNNs State of the Union today, I am not rushing to judgment. Do I think he [Prince Mohammed] did it. Yes, I think he did it. There has to be a punishment and a price to pay for that. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said today that he does not believe the Saudis' narrative. Absolutely not, it's insulting, he said. The Washington Post has also made clear that it will not let the story be buried anytime soon, however hard the Saudis try. In an interview with the Post, Trump walked back his initial credulity, saying, "Obviously there's been deception and there's been lies." But he then went on to say that he would "love" for the crown prince not to be responsible. A Saudi official speaking anonymously to Reuters relayed a new account of what had happened that he said was based on preliminary results of an ongoing internal investigation. According to this story, Khashoggi, who entered the consulate Oct. 2 never to reappear, was killed in a chokehold when he resisted the Saudi team that had threatened him with being drugged and kidnapped unless he agreed to be flown back home. As part of the cover-up, a team member donned Khashoggis clothes and left the consulate to simulate his exit. This account says Khashoggis body was not cut up, as had been claimed by Turkish officials who leaked details to the media, but rather was rolled up in a carpet and handed over to a local collaborator for disposal. The Saudis say they don't know what the person did with it and it remains unclear whether his identity was shared with Turkish police. The rendition gone wrong scenario appears to be aimed at absolving the crown prince of all culpability by pinning blame on the security team. All 15 have been detained and are under investigation, the Saudi official told Reuters. He did not refer to Ahmed al-Asiri, who was Saudi deputy intelligence chief on Oct. 2, or to top crown prince adviser Saud al-Qahtani. The men were reportedly both fired on the orders of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud. However it all occurred, what the tragedy has done is to cruelly vindicate Khashoggis criticism of the way his country is run. The pathetic Saudi explanation of the state-ordered murder of Jamal Khashoggi reflects the fragility of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans position. The cover-up is trying to put the blame for Khashoggis brutal execution on the Saudi intelligence service, the General Intelligence Directorate. Americas oldest partner in the Middle East is increasingly a danger to regional stability and its own stability. After 17 days of procrastination, the Saudis announced that Khashoggi is dead, and that 18 Saudi officials have been detained, including 15 who flew to Istanbul and back Oct. 2 when Khashoggi was killed. Five others have been removed from office, including Maj. Gen. Ahmed al-Asiri, who is accused of being the mastermind of the operation in Istanbul. Khashoggis body has not been recovered. The Turks are said to have tapes that recorded the gruesome murder and will undercut Saudi claims of a fistfight that got out of control. A detailed examination of the Saudis who traveled to Istanbul on Oct. 2 shows almost all are security figures. They are royal guards, special forces, intelligence and Royal Saudi Air Force. Usually colonel level. The royal guards are the most represented. The Royal Guard Regiment reports directly to the crown prince. It is inconceivable that Mohammed would not know about what they were doing. Using the passports of the 15 published by the Turkish press, The Washington Post made a cross-check with US passport records. About half show up entering and exiting the United States, always when Mohammed or his father was also in the country. The connection to the royal court and the crown prince is clear. Asiri, who was removed as deputy chief of the General Intelligence Directorate, was the spokesman for the Yemen war from the outset. That puts him very close to Mohammed. They meet constantly. At the beginning of the war, Mohammed was eager to be seen as the commander of what was then called Operation Decisive Storm. When it became clear it was not decisive, Asiri became the public face of the war. The war has left 13 million Yemenis malnourished in what the United Nations says is the worst famine in a century. Asiri was not very good at selling the war and blockade. He provided little hard data and was constantly exaggerating Saudi successes. Of course he denied any responsibility for bombing schools, hospitals and other civilian targets or for the blockade that prevents the entry of needed food and medicine. He lost credibility. He was promoted to intelligence because he was loyal. Making him the fall guy will send a very dangerous message to the crown princes inner circle: You are not safe. No one is safe. That will increase the odds of a move against the crown prince. Mohammed is already increasingly impulsive and erratic. Mohammed also has made many enemies at home. Just a year ago he ordered the detention of 326 prominent businessmen and royal princes in the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. Some were tortured. Most surrendered property or cash to secure their release. At least 56 refused to be shaken down and are still in prison. Among those detained without charge are some of the most prominent members of the family with large numbers of loyalists. King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud has removed two crown princes from the line of succession in three years. Many in the family are quietly whispering in his ears to do the same to Mohammed. It was Salman who made possible his sons accumulation of unprecedented power, however, and the release of an incoherent cover-up story suggests that the king stands by his son. Without the king's involvement there is no process for deposing the crown prince. Mohammed may be a pariah for the rest of his life, deservedly, but one who is in power. This leaves his opponents at home only one alternative. Senior officials have told me that they are concerned about plotting to remove the prince by force. King Faisal was assassinated in 1975 by a disaffected prince. The crown prince is shaking up the General Intelligence Directorate now. The shake-up is more about using the organization to spy on Saudi dissidents at home and abroad than finding the killers of Khashoggi. Its another sign of the deep anxieties in the royal palace about conspiracies. The Trump administration is eager to move on from the Istanbul caper. Saudi Arabia is crucial to its policy to confront Iran. The kingdom is the leading Sunni opposition to the Shiite state. Saudi oil is crucial for filling up the markets when sanctions reduce Iranian exports without prices going up. The administration will face a skeptical public, however, and more revelations about the murder will erode the cover story. The Khashoggi affair will also require an explanation for why the kingdom should not be put into the state sponsors of terrorism list produced by the State Department annually. Of course, the administration will not list the Saudis but the media should ask why not? Using state security services to murder a journalist in a diplomatic facility is a blatant abuse. The Saudis' own self-interest argues for avoiding any chance of yet another blunder like the war in Yemen, the Ritz-Carlton shakedown and the Istanbul caper. As long as Mohammed bin Salman is crown prince, however, it is only a matter of time. Killeen, TX (76540) Today Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 62F. Winds NNE at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Clear skies. Low near 35F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Turkeys release of American pastor Andrew Brunson and his immediate departure to the United States last week was followed almost as a rescue operation by the international public. The evangelical missionary, whose case was a flashpoint in worsening Turkish-US ties, had lived for two decades in the western Turkish city of Izmir, running a small Protestant church, when he landed behind bars in 2016 on charges of espionage and links to terrorist groups. Diplomats breathed a sigh of relief as the pastor boarded the special plane that took him home, but what about Turkeys tiny Protestant minority that he left behind? How did the saga affect the community, which numbers only about 7,000 people, mostly converts from Islam? In an interview with Al-Monitor, Soner Tufan, board member and spokesman of the Association of Protestant Churches in Turkey, said the community has emerged stronger from the trauma, much to the surprise of some observers who had expected to find a mood of distress, apprehension and even fear. Of note, Brunson was detained as part of a ferocious crackdown on suspected coup supporters and various oppositionists after the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016. Western nationals, including journalists and rights activists, were also caught in the dragnet as Ankara claimed foreign involvement in the putsch. Recalling what the Protestant community went through, Tufan said, For the past decade, we have been writing reports on rights violations concerning Protestants. Looking at those reports, we see that oppressive practices against non-Turkish Protestants have increased fourfold in the past two years. Many of them have been deported on grounds they lacked the necessary documents to stay in Turkey, while some were kicked out for being a threat to national security. They all left upset, their lives turned upside down at a stroke. Others left without any pressure because they believed they are no longer safe in Turkey. Turkish Christians were also traumatized, he said. And how did Brunsons arrest and high-profile trial bear on the community? People tend to believe the church was weakened by all that happened, but curiously, thats not the case, Tufan said. He explained, The peoples attachment to their church grew stronger. [The Brunson affair] led them to embrace more strongly their faith. I lead services at the Kurtulus Church in Ankara every Sunday. Ive been at this church for 30 years and I can say that the number of people coming to the church increased thrice after what happened to Brunson. The place even began to become jam-packed, with people overflowing out the door. And let me tell you something even more remarkable, he said. Not only Protestants, but also Orthodox and Catholics, people from different sects, grew closer to each other. They offered us solidarity. Describing the sentiment at Brunsons church in Izmir, Tufan said, They were initially shaken thats true. But soon, we witnessed big crowds and solidarity at the Resurrection Church as well. Shortly after Brunsons release, the congregation purchased the building housing the church, a plan that had been suspended following the pastors arrest, Tufan said, adding, This has a symbolic importance. How does the Protestant community feel now that Brunsons trial is over? It feels stronger, Tufan replied. For Christians, suffering is honorable. Recalling the gruesome murder of three missionaries, among them a German, in the eastern city of Malatya in 2007, he added, There were hardships in Malatya for several years, but today, there are more people than before. Andrew Brunsons church experienced setbacks as well, but now more people want to pray there. Tufan conceded that the charges against Brunson and his portrayal as a conspirator in the media had caused vacillation within the community. Sadly, I heard even some of our own asking whether Brunson could be a spy. Those were exceptions like two people out of 100, he said. Yet this shows how powerful the media is in creating perceptions, just as the trial showed how one could create a terrorist out of the most honest and purest and simplest man on earth. Ultimately, Tufan said, things boiled down to how credible Turkeys justice system is. Though the court sentenced Brunson to three years in jail, it ruled to release him based on time already served. Secret witnesses, meanwhile, retracted incriminating testimonies, and the outcome was widely seen as Ankaras acquiescence to US pressure in a sham trial. Tufan voiced disappointment that the Christian community did not see solidarity from other quarters in Turkey, including Muslims, human rights and civic society groups and the left-wing opposition. Brunsons first defense lawyer quit the case. His current lawyer, Ismail Cem Halavut, defended him alone, he said. Only Halavut and community representatives attended the hearings. We saw no one on our side. Asked whether the Protestant community remains anxious, Tufan evoked the notion of suffering and endurance in Christian faith, saying that Brunsons ordeal was neither the first nor the last test for Christians in a land where religious prejudices remain strong. Recounting his own experience, he said, When I first told my family that I had become a Christian, I got such a beating that I had my nose broken. And when I first uttered I was a Christian outside the family, I got such a beating that I was hospitalized for three days. On political level, Tufan said, ethnic and religious groups outside the Turkish-Muslim Sunni majority have always been under the scrutiny of the state. Alevis and Jehovahs Witnesses are the subject of the same scrutiny in this sense, he said. In my view, Protestants are not seen as a big threat at present, but if something happens one day, they might think, Lets stamp them out. The real surprise for me will be if the leaders of this country respect and appreciate me for my faith and recognize my rights. Brunsons lawyer has said he will appeal the pastors conviction. Tufan noted, however, that no legal action was planned against the secret witnesses who were instrumental in the pastors arrest before changing their testimonies two years later. Brunson has forgiven them, he said. This is an opinion column. Im gonna be straight with you. Ive rarely seen an Alabama Constitutional Amendment Id rally behind. Maybe if they proposed one to ditch the old constitution and start over. I could get behind that. Maybe. Depending on who writes the new one. But generally speaking I default to no. Because we already have a constitution as long as Charles Dickens Bleak House and darn near as hard to read. Because a constitution should be a set of carefully considered rights and rules. Not campaign fliers. So if you have a smidgen of doubt vote no on an any Alabama constitutional amendment. Always. Amendment 1, which comes to you in the name of religious liberty. This one, conceived by Senator and Pander-mentarian Gerald Dial, makes a point of saying Alabamian has every right to worship a god or not. Like now. In fact the 1901 Constitution puts it surprisingly succinctly: That no religion shall be established by law; that no preference shall be given by law to any religious sect, society, denomination, or mode of worship; that no one shall be compelled by law to attend any place of worship; nor to pay any tithes, taxes, or other rate for building or repairing any place of worship, or for maintaining any minister or ministry. But Dials freedom phrase is just warmup to his real point, which is to say the Ten Commandments can be displayed on schools or state property. It goes on to say no public money can be spent to defend the constitutionality of doing so. Which means it means nothing. It is just more pandering. Vote no. Amendment 2, the powder keg that declares Alabamas commitment to the sanctity of life and to unborn children. It calls for right to life in all manners and measures appropriate and lawful, and appears to stand for things many Alabamians hold dear. Simple. Except like most political stunts hatched by the Legislature its not really that simple. Theres no consideration for rape or incest or embryos preserved in a lab. If life begins at conception as this amendment implies must those be preserved forever? And if the state uses all means and measures to ensure the life of the unborn, will women who suffer miscarriages be prosecuted at the whims of those who think she should have done something differently? And as long as were talking life, what does standing for its sanctity mean for all those sitting on death row? It clearly wasnt intended to preserve those lives, but it doesnt say that. This thing has unintended consequences written all over it. You can support life and still vote no. Amendment 3, which gives the University of Alabama Board of Trustees more power to control their own wants and needs, removes the State Superintendent of Education from the board and ends the requirement that people over 70 must resign. Call it the Welcome back Paul Bryant Jr. Amendment. Granted, 70 aint what it used to be. But this amendment lets the self-appointing UA board already one of the most powerful forces in the state get what they want and answer to no one. Vote no. Amendment 4 changes the way legislators are replaced if they leave office late in their terms. If a legislator leaves office now, the governor must set a special election for the replacement. Under this amendment, no special election would be set if the lawmaker splits in the last 14 months in office. Which seems to make sense. I mean, we dont really need two elections in a year, particularly when the part-time legislature meets early in the year. But it also could potentially leave some districts without representation during that final session. You guessed it. Just say no. John Archibald, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is a columnist for Reckon by AL.com. His column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register and AL.com. Write him at jarchibald@al.com. City officials want to prioritise pedestrians and complain about hygiene but traders want to protect famed tourist spot. Bangkok, Thailand Every evening Bangkoks Khaosan Road comes alive as bars open, blaring music to tourists and Thais on the hunt for cheap eats and drink. Mobile food carts clog the arteries of the famed backpacker strip. Bangkok has been crowned as the number one city in the world for street food. The Queen of Bangkoks hawkers, Jay Fai, was awarded a Michelin star in 2017 and now serves up her dishes for Thai Airways flights. The city wants to ban street food on Khaosan Road, said Yada Pornpetrumpa, resident of the Khaosan Street Vendors Association. We cant let this happen. A citywide clearance campaign called return the pavement to pedestrians by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is an attempt to rid pavements of ubiquitous food carts and stalls. It has been successful in dismantling Bangkoks most popular markets for street food, but has met resistance on Khaosan Road. They want to make Bangkok look like Singapore. We want Khaosan to remain the same. This is why people visit, Pornpetrumpa said. Khaosan Street Vendors Association is partnered with the Network of Thai Vendors for Sustainable Development a group of 6,000 informal workers in 21 districts of the city. Both groups organised in 2017 to fight hawker evictions. {articleGUID} They marched on Government House in Bangkok last month to protest Deputy Governor Sakoltee Phattiyakuls order to restrict hawking on Khaosan Road pavements from 6pm to midnight only effectively a daytime ban. Protesting has been against the law in Thailand since a 2014 military coup. But the Khaosan Street Vendors Association has staged regular events to raise awareness about the loss of livelihood for many Thai hawkers. Enforcement of this hawking ban the second since August has been sporadic, admits Yada Pornetrumpa. But she wants to see international pressure put on city officials to save the famed tourist haven. But continued tough talk from the city is making hawkers feel uncertain about their future on Khaosan Road. Many have decided to leave the area altogether, states Pornpetrumpa. We don't want Khaosan to end up like other areas of Bangkok. We need to keep it like this. Yada Porpetrumpa, resident of the Khaosan Street Vendors Association This month, Deputy Governor Sakoltee Phattiyakul pledged 88 million Thai baht ($2.7m) to redevelop Khaosan Road. The city now wants to get rid of pavements altogether, make the road level, and construct a roof over it. But the plan would have to be approved by the citys conservation committee. Yada Pornpetrumpa said Khaosan Street Vendors Association has never been consulted by the city on any of its various orders or pledges. The city once promised to exempt Khaosan Road, along with Yaowarat Road in Chinatown, as landmarks for tourism. Both are major tourist and cultural attractions in Bangkoks historic area near the Chao Phraya River. Yada Pornpetrumpa on Khaosan Road on September 25, the day the ban came into effect [Adam Bemma/Al Jazeera] Since 2014, 17,000 hawkers have lost their licences. Some have been offered to relocate to the citys extremities, where they complain about a lack of customers and foot traffic. Five hundred of the 700-plus food vending areas have been removed or demolished by the authorities. Research by Thai academic Narumol Nirathron at Thammasat University states only 210 designated street vending areas will remain about 10,000 hawkers in total. Thats a steep reduction from the estimated 240,000 now selling food and other goods on the streets of Bangkok. If the police come, we [will] protect [the hawkers], Yada Pornpetrumpa said. A question of hygiene? Last month, Bangkoks JJ Green night market was shut down over a leasing dispute. In 2017, two popular night markets on Silom and Sukhumvit Roads were closed forcing many hawkers to hide down Bangkoks sois or alleyways. Before we start enforcement on Khaosan Road, we [have to] do some planning. We have to do some surveys, said Vallop Suwandee, Chairman of the Advisors to the Governor of Bangkok. We have to admit that the city of Bangkok has changed. The street food stalls [have become] so dirty. Maintaining order and hygiene is the citys paramount concern. Many in the administration view street food as an eyesore in its effort to modernise the megacity. We do understand that the city of Bangkok needs to [have] a spot for the tourists. We would like to retain Khaosan and Yaowarat Roads, which is so distinctive for street food, Vallop Suwandee said. But we can not allow total freedom of the vendors to [continue] business as usual. Yada Pornetrumpa on Khaosan Road wearing a We Love Khaosan t-shirt [Adam Bemma/Al Jazeera] Khaosan Road is not a designated area for street food, states Narumol Nirathron. Her soon-to-be-published report Street Vending in Bangkok argues that hawking helps provide economic opportunity and reduce inequality in Thailand. But she mentions how unsanitary some food carts have become in Bangkok. According to Narumol Nirathrons research, 88 percent of Thais buy street food every day. More than 92 percent of Thais interviewed believe cheap food is necessary for Bangkok residents. I believe it's the more high-profile areas that are being targeted with this street food cleanup. The ones that have a lot of tourist traffic, high residential value, high property value or high property potential. Chawadee Nualkhair, food blogger Vallop Suwandee states that many of the citys hawkers dont fit this qualification and are, in fact, quite wealthy Thai farmers. Eighty percent of them are not from Bangkok. Theyre in the agricultural sector. And would like to spend their free time after harvesting their agricultural crops to come to Bangkok and do some vendoring, he said. Some stay here forever. Wed like to send them back to their hometown. Vallop Suwandee doesnt know the exact number of hawkers who originate from Bangkok. But he proposes the city work with private developers to integrate them into new commercial developments. This has yet to happen, but many point to new shopping malls across Bangkok offering street food staples like somtam, or spicy green papaya salad, in designated food courts. This has proven popular with Thais, as office and construction workers now frequent these jaunts often. But, of course, the majority of people still buy food on the street because of its convenience. Some areas of the city where new residential development is booming have seen street food almost disappear, according to a Bangkok food blogger. I believe its the more high-profile areas that are being targeted with this street food cleanup. The ones that have a lot of tourist traffic, high residential value, high property value or high property potential, said Chawadee Nualkhair. Nualkhair believes that street food is too embedded into Thai culture and can never be rooted out entirely. There are several examples of hawkers like Jay Fai, the chef awarded a Michelin star, turning their street food stalls into culinary hot spots in Bangkok, so city officials may be fighting a losing battle against hawking. As a queue starts to form in front of a pad thai noodle cart on Khaosan Road, Yada Porpetrumpa said she wants to protect the areas unique heritage as a destination where the travel guidebooks state east meets west. We dont want Khaosan to end up like other areas of Bangkok, she said as she looked at the hawkers setting up. We need [to keep] it like this. Luckily, it is still not too late to save island nations like my home, the Maldives. But we need to take action now. Thilmeeza Hussain is a former deputy ambassador of the Maldives to the UN and a 2018 Aspen Institute New Voices Fellow. The United Nations latest report on climate change, published on October 10, was yet another warning about the reality the world will soon be facing if we dont very rapidly switch to renewable energy. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that global warming is set to exceed the Paris agreements 1.5C limit by 2040, with catastrophic consequences. The report emphasised that small island states and economically disadvantaged populations are particularly at risk. Scattered across the Indian Ocean, Pacific, Mediterranean, Caribbean and the South China Sea, more than 48 island nations are at risk globally. And one of these nations at risk is my home country, the Maldives, which is made up of 12,000 coral islands stretching across the equator in the Indian Ocean. {articleGUID} A couple of months ago, I went to Thulhaadhoo, a Maldivian island where I spent many of my school vacations, with my six-year-old son and dozens of relatives. During our journey to the island, the sea was relatively rough, though we did, briefly, have an escort of dolphins swimming alongside us. As we approached Thulhaadhoo, I was happy to see the turquoise blue lagoon, white sandy beaches, and lush green trees that I remembered from my childhood. Relatives and close friends were gathered at the jetty to welcome us. We spent the next few days visiting old friends, teaching my son how to fish, snorkelling, and island-hopping to nearby uninhabited islands where my parents took us as kids. Nights were spent sitting on the joli, traditional chairs made of coconut husks, chatting with family and friends. All of it was a reminder of the island life we dearly treasure. But amid this island bliss, my thoughts were often interrupted with anxiety about what lurks around the corner, threatening our homes. {articleGUID} Like many others, this island indeed, an entire culture is threatened by climate change. Next to Thulhaadhoo is my grandfathers island, Hithaadhoo, which is experiencing severe beach erosion and a freshwater aquifer contaminated with salt water due to climate change. Some of the reefs around another island, Muthaafushi, that were once bustling with life are already dead. Yet, people living here havent given up hope. They stack sandbags to protect their homes from the tidal waves that are becoming more frequent. They are also trying to harvest rainwater, although this is becoming a less reliable water source as monsoons are getting more unpredictable. Alongside these practical efforts by locals, we are also working tirelessly to persuade the international community to help us preserve our country, adapt to the challenges we face and take ambitious emission reduction measures to combat climate change. If urgent, dramatic action is not taken our islands will disappear. The current rate of global warming could raise sea levels by several metres over the coming century, according to a paper published in 2016 by James Hansen, the former NASA scientist who is considered to be the father of modern climate change awareness. Many low-lying island nations and coastal communities are already experiencing the slow-onset impacts of climate change, ranging from land loss due to beach erosion, saltwater contamination of freshwater supplies, and challenges to agriculture, commercial fisheries and infrastructure which are forcing people to move. For some, this may mean moving to a place at a higher elevation within the same country. But for others, including us in the Maldives, it means we will lose our homes, identity, our culture, our islands, and our country. The Paris Accord set an aspirational goal of limiting the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees which is necessary for small island states to survive, but that goal is getting harder and harder to reach every passing hour. According to the new IPCC report, we will soon cross a point of no return, following which it will be impossible to keep the earths temperature from rising above two degrees. These may seem like only numbers or benchmarks to most, but to those who are in danger of losing their country because of climate change, they represent an existential threat. However, there is hope. Remarkable gains have been made in renewable and clean energy technology. Innovative finance mechanisms have been created to fight climate change. Nevertheless, all this is not enough. We need political will, not just know-how, to win this race against time. The IPCC report also says if the global community doesnt transition to clean energy sources by 2030, growing the share of renewables by two percent a year, we will be on an irreversible trajectory that will see the temperatures rise beyond two degrees. The transition to renewables will have to be even faster if we are to keep to only a 1.5-degree increase in temperature. This is what we need to do to ensure the survival of small island states like mine and avoid the displacement of millions of people. All peoples of the world, including the peoples of Thulhaadhoo, Hithaadhoo, and every single island in the Maldives are entitled to a dignified life. This is a right guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to all peoples of the world big and small, rich and poor including those of island nations. Climate change is a fundamental threat to that right for many. It is heartening to know that we have a window of opportunity to avert climate disaster and save the lives and homes of millions of people. But at the same time, its heartbreaking to see that chances of success are slim, time is limited and the action needed increasingly dramatic. Millions of people across the world, many of whom will be affected by the detrimental effects of global warming, are passionate about climate change awareness and prevention, but their leaders and governments we have failed to reflect that passion to their actions. We need to make climate change an election issue and we need grassroots organizations to put pressure on politicians to do that. I want to be able to keep taking my son, and one day my grandchildren, to where I grew up and to where my grandparents graves are. I want my son and his future children to have the chance to enjoy our beautiful country. It is not too late. But we need to take action now. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. With the help of the Trump administration, the Saudi regime is trying to sell us a brand new fake investigation. In the age of fake news and alternative facts you, of course, have fake investigations, too the sort that FBI did on Brett Kavanaughs sexual misconduct allegations and now the sort Donald Trump tells us Mohammed bin Salman is doing into allegations of his own suspected involvement in the brutal murder of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Has anyone ever heard anything more absurd for an accused to investigate himself? Yes, of course, we live in Trump time any absurdity is the new normal. The Saudis have now finally admitted that Khashoggi died at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, supposedly after a fistfight, and that 18 Saudi nationals have been arrested for further investigation. The Saudis should have hired what in Hollywood they call a script supervisor before they opened their mouth telling the world what happened to Jamal Khashoggi. So far, they have gone from flat denial to having Khashoggi start a fistfight with 15 cutthroat butchers the Saudis had sent to cut him to pieces. Right now, they are shooting a martial art movie with Khashoggi cast as Bruce Lee. The Saudis know the world is not stupid, but they also know for a fact Jared Kushner is in their pocket. According to Intercepts sources, Mohammed bin Salman bragged that the presidents son-in-law and Middle East adviser is in his pocket months ago. It is payback time. Trump will try to sell this cover-up by the Saudis the same way he sold the FBIs cursory report on Kavanaugh. {articleGUID} Two years into his presidency, the whole world knows Donald Trump runs the US presidency the way he runs his real estate business: with no sense of decency, half a criminal brain, the meagre vocabulary of a failing middle schooler, covered by a cascade vulgarity of a gangster who thinks the whole world is his to cheat, to fool, and to rob. But, and here is the rub, we must never reduce this to Donald Trump himself; for, thanks to Trump and his associates, the world is, in fact, witness to the constitutional DNA of US politics, hitherto successfully hidden behind the thin and beguiling veneer of civility that perhaps Barack Obama best personified. With Trump, we see the real deal. Unabashedly, Trump is rushing to defend and exonerate a suspected Saudi murderer the same way he rushed to exonerate a suspected attempted rapist who now sits on the Supreme Court of the United States. After Professor Christine Blasey Ford came forward with exemplary courage and accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh with attempted rape when they were both in high school and other women, equally courageous, did the same with his misconduct much later into his adult life, Trump did what Trump does best: he faked it. He produced a fake FBI investigation one that simply going through the motions and did not even interview the primary suspect or accuser, and issued a secret report the public could not see, as his Republican accomplices rushed the nomination through a hasty vote cast almost entirely on partisan lines just a few weeks before crucial midterm elections. And Trump and his Republican cohorts won. Professor Ford and countless sexually abused women like her lost. Kavanaugh was confirmed and, in a White House swearing-in ceremony, Trump added insult to injury by publicly apologizing to Kavanaugh for his inconveniences. Trump and his Republican senators chalked that victory, leaving at least half of a stunned nation in bewilderment and moral atrophy. He then took one final victory lap around the arena by leading his morally decrepit base in publicly laughing at a courageous woman, while gloating that his Supreme Court victory had added to his popularity with his supporters and would guarantee Republican victory during the midterm elections. From Brett Kavanaugh to Mohammed bin Salman Trump is now engaging in precisely the same act of moral degeneracy in the case of the disappearance and evident murder of the Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He is advocating for a Saudi investigation into their own presumed crime, with the prime suspect in charge of investing himself. {articleGUID} I think we have to find out what happened first, Trump said in a recent interview, Here we go again with, you know, youre guilty until proven innocent. I dont like that. We just went through that with Justice Kavanaugh and he was innocent all the way, as far as Im concerned. As far as he is concerned, of course, is light years distant from the truth. In this comment, he is publicly informing us he plans to do the same with the charges the Saudi royal family faces that they might be involved in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. What he is doing here, in his typically clumsy and charlatan ways, is gaming the legal verbiage in a proverbial American legalese parlance. You ought to be considered innocent unless proven guilty, which is a fine legal motto, except when it is abused to buy time to wiggle out of a thorny situation like collect enough votes to ratify Kavanaugh or else find a cockamamie rogue elements theory for what seems to be a deliberately vicious murder pointing to Mohammed bin Salman. Bogus justifications Protecting the Saudi royal family is not anything new in the US White House nor indeed limited to Donald Trump. But goaded by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, he is carrying it to ever lower depths. In a crucial Washington Post editorial, Who needs Saudi Arabia?, the paper for which Khashoggi wrote has, chapter and verse, demonstrated that Trump is lying when he says the US needs Saudi Arabia for its purchasing powers or security reasons. The Post categorically denounces the rogue killers gibberish that Trump floated first after talking with the Saudi king. The Post editorial also dismisses the Saudi threat of shutting down the oil supply: Start with the oil. Saudi Arabia, according to the US Energy Information Administration, supplied nine percent of US petroleum imports in 2017, or about 960,000 barrels a day. But thanks to the shale revolution, the United States is essentially energy independent: It, not Saudi Arabia, is now the worlds largest crude-oil producer. The same is true with the claim of arms purchases: As for arms sales, someone needs to brief Mr Trump on the actual results of the promises made to him when he visited Riyadh last year. As Bruce Riedel of the Brookings Institution sums it up, The Saudis have not concluded a single major arms deal with Washington on Trumps watch. The same is true about the Saudis providing intelligence to the US regarding terrorism: Saudi Arabia does supply the United States with counterterrorism intelligence. But as Andrew Miller of the Project on Middle East Democracy points out, stopping it would be a colossal error when theres already a strong perception in Congress and with Americans that Saudi Arabia has fuelled extremism. The conclusion is clear: The reality is that Saudi Arabia, which, as Mr Trump himself has crudely pointed out, would not survive without US security support, has everything to lose from a break in relations, while the United States no longer needs the kingdom as much as it once did. {articleGUID} In a subsequent editorial, Washington Post boldly exposed the White House for trying to cover up for the Saudi prince. Mr Pompeo, the editorial reads, who smiled broadly as he greeted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, appeared less intent on determining the truth than in helping the de facto Saudi ruler escape from the crisis he triggered. The Saudis are said to be preparing a cover story that will attribute Mr Khashoggis murder to the excesses of a team that was dispatched to interrogate him. That would deflect blame from the crown prince, who, in fact, is believed to have ordered and overseen the operation. Jared Kushner, meanwhile, we know from a report by the New York Times, is standing solidly by his buddy MBS, for the rabid Zionist has heavily banked on him pacifying the Palestinians and delivering Mahmoud Abbas, part of a delusional hope that the Palestinian national liberation movement will just disappear. The principal culprit behind saving Mohammed bin Salman is Jared Kushner. According to the Times, Jared Kushner, Mr Trumps son-in-law and Middle East adviser, has been urging the president to stand by the prince, according to a person close to the White House and a former official with knowledge of the discussions. Mr Kushner has argued that the crown prince can survive the outrage just as he has weathered past criticism. If not the Saudis then who else? That latter point brings us to the crust of this game of cat and mouse. If, as Washington Post rightly says, it is neither the arms sales nor security intelligence nor anything else then what is this particular administrations interest in Mohammad bin Salman? Yes, Trump stands to gain personally from his business dealings with the Saudis. Yes, his bogus claim of creating jobs may help Republicans through the midterm elections. But he also told the Saudis bluntly that without his help they will fall in two weeks. So, what particular interest does this White House have in Mohammad bin Salman? Whispering in Trumps ear is the father of his grandchildren, husband to his beloved Ivanka and top adviser Jared Kushner who also happens to be a fanatical Zionist. Like a real estate crook (he is) who refuses to see he has made a bad investment in a building he bought, Kushner is singularly determined to sustain the Saudi-Zionist alliance in a manner that, in his estimations, neutralises and eliminates the Palestinian national aspirations. Kushner sees the key to his ambitious desire to destroy and eliminate the last bastion of Palestinian resistance in this particular Saudi prince. {articleGUID} Aiding and abetting Kushner is an entire industry of neo-Orientalists who like Thomas Friedman rattle their Islamic reform gibberish, by which they mean a kind of Islam that produces Muslim zombies who would not mind seeing Jerusalem, their second-most sacrosanct space, being turned to a Zionist capital. This is what these Zionist neo-Orientalists mean when they say Islamic reform led by Saudi Arabia. Kushner and his ilk, however, are just riding on this Trump wave. The principal calamity is what Trump has unearthed and enabled in American politics. When placed next to the idea of fake news and alternative facts, the feigning of such investigations into Brett Kavanaughs misconduct or Mohammed bin Salmans alleged involvement in Khashoggis death is an exercise in a wholly different platform of deception and subterfuge, where the external shells of truth are completely emptied of any meaning or substance, stuffed with deceit and falsehood, boldly flaunted against facts, and before they are caught lying they have scored their political gains. The mastermind of this deception is the dim-witted Trump. But right now, he and his favourite Saudis are being outsmarted by the clever power game Erdogan is playing by spoon-feeding the media the total truth he knows of what happened to Jamal Khashoggi. None of the players Trump, Erdogan, or least of all Mohammed bin Salman is interested in truth. We are witness to a poker game among three mafia bosses, with the survival of their respective regimes at stake. The Saudis have a lot of money, the Turkish lira is in shambles, Trump has a crucial midterm election on his hand. Jamal Khashoggis mutilated body is still nowhere to be seen. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Facing tightened security, waves of Hondurans continue to try to make it to the US, saying they have no other choice. Esquipulas, Guatemala Reina Madrid breaks down in tears when she mentions her children. She left them with her sister on Thursday afternoon to join a caravan of Honduran migrants and refugees in order to seek work. They were all crying. It was hard, she tells Al Jazeera following a harrowing journey to Esquipulas, a city in southern Guatemala just over the border from Honduras. Madrid and her four children, ages eight through 17, are from Villanueva, a city plagued by violence in northwestern Honduras. Her daughter and three sons are all in school, but they collect and sell firewood to help make ends meet. For years, Madrid had a job as a cook at a restaurant in Villanueva. She smiles as she explains all the different kinds of typical Honduran dishes she can make. I love cooking, she says. But she has not been able to find steady work all year. Last year, Madrids mother became ill and it was no longer possible to both work full-time in the restaurant and take care of her mother, who died in January. Facing electrical bills and school expenses, Madrid decided to join a large group of Hondurans leaving from the San Pedro Sula bus terminal. {articleGUID} She is one of thousands of Honduran migrants and refugees fleeing the Central American nation. An initial caravan left the country one week ago, crossed into Guatemala on Monday, and has since dispersed into waves, as thousands more travel north to join them. Thousands of Hondurans made it to the Mexican border on Friday. Some have been swimming and rafting across into Mexico. Most were stopped before entering and have been taken to shelters while they await processing one group at a time, which may take days. Honduran migrants hike in the forest after crossing the Lempa river, on the border between Honduras and Guatemala, to join a caravan trying to reach the US [Jorge Cabrera/Reuters] Tightened security Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras have been fortifying their borders all week, sending reinforcements to beef up the presence of security forces. Mexico erected fencing at the Tecun Uman border crossing with Guatemala. Honduran police and riot police have been stopping people from leaving. Guatemalan police have set up checkpoints to stop people from advancing. {articleGUID} The additional security measures come as US President Donald Trump continues to ramp up pressure on governments in the region to halt the caravan before it hits the southern US border, which Trump has threatened to shut down. He has also threatened to cut aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and other high-level Honduran officials met on Saturday with their Guatemalan counterparts, including President Jimmy Morales, to address the caravan and coordinate a response. They also reached out to Mexico, they said on Saturday, claiming the caravan was politically motivated. At an air force base in Guatemala, the two presidents presented their Safe Return plan to provide transportation home for caravan participants who wish to return. The Honduran government announced on Saturday that it was shutting down its immigration checkpoint at the Agua Caliente border crossing until further notice, adding that Guatemalas was already closed due to the crisis unleashed by sectors outside of national interests, according to a National Immigration Institute statement. Hondurans stand in front of Honduran police officers blocking the access to the Agua Caliente border with Guatemala as they try to join a migrant caravan heading to the US [Jorge Cabrera/Reuters] Hondurans want to leave and not go back People want to flee Honduras and not go back, says Madrid. She admits she considered the possibility of going back home when she arrived tired and hungry in Esquipulas, with wet clothes and cheap pink sneakers. A call with her son lifted her spirits, she says. Madrid is part of one of several waves of hundreds of people following behind the initial caravan. When she left earlier, the bus terminal was packed with hundreds of people from different parts of Honduras setting out to flee the country for a variety of reasons, but mainly unemployment and violence. Madrid and a crowd set out on foot from the terminal at 11pm. Between walking and a free bus ride offered along the way, Madrid arrived at the Agua Caliente border crossing with Guatemala eight hours later. Honduran police were blocking the highway, preventing people from leaving the country, she says. Those who had lucked into bus rides right from San Pedro Sula had been there all night, and Madrid and others streamed in throughout the morning. Madrid had heard that police told the early arrivals they would be allowed to cross at 8am, but the hours passed and national police officers and members of the Cobra police special forces continued to block the route. Most people had not slept all night or eaten, and many became restless and impatient. We broke through the border, Madrid says. {articleGUID} Police used batons and rocks were thrown back and forth, says Madrid. Four police officers and five migrants and refugees were wounded and treated by paramedics, according to Honduran authorities. Madrid and others say they used tear gas, but according to officials, it was a different aerosol chemical agent. Either way, it stings a lot, Madrid says. The crowd made it through and lined up to present their documentation to Guatemalan immigration agents for processing at the countrys border checkpoint, a few kilometres past the Honduran one. It was after dark by the time everyone made it into Guatemala, and people trickled into Esquipulas all evening, making their way to the local Casa del Migrante Jose shelter. The shelter is affiliated with the Catholic Church, but is run by volunteers of various religious denominations. A caravan in waves The Honduran migrants and refugees arriving at the shelter Friday night joined others from all around the country who had crossed over the previous two days. {articleGUID} Aside from the large groups of hundreds of Hondurans fleeing together, small groups, families and individuals have been making their way across on their own. Unable to get past the Honduran police blocking the way out of the country, dozens of small groups of people have taken to hiking around checkpoints, police lines, and the border. Several refugees at the Esquipulas shelter told Al Jazeera they saw adults and children fall and injure themselves while trekking around checkpoints. Groups lost track of each other, and not everyone made it to Esquipulas. Honduran migrants react after crossing the border between Honduras and Guatemala, in Agua Caliente, Guatemala [Jorge Cabrera/Reuters] At the shelter, Honduran migrants and refugees who have been there since Thursday told Al Jazeera that small groups have set out towards Guatemala City but many have not made it far. Whether people are travelling on foot or by bus, Guatemalan police have stopped many from proceeding. They are transported back down to the Honduran border crossing, multiple refugees, as well as local Esquipulas residents and taxi drivers confirmed to Al Jazeera. Theyre being stopped, says Selvin Santos, who arrived in Esquipulas earlier this week from Choluteca in southern Honduras. There is nothing Santos could have attempted to leave on Friday, but he does not know the way and thinks there is more safety in numbers, he tells Al Jazeera at the Esquipulas shelter, where volunteers were busy all day preparing food and cleaning the space. Many in the caravan prefer to wait until their numbers grow larger, but approximately 70 Hondurans decided to set out on foot from Esquipulas on Saturday and attempt to make it further along the road towards Guatemala City. HAPPENING NOW: A group of migrants and refugees from all over #Honduras who pushed through and/or hiked around Honduran police roadblocks and checkpoints to make it into #Guatemala left Esquipulas on foot. Unclear whether special forces will let them advance. pic.twitter.com/5ajfeFvO2c Sandra Cuffe (@Sandra_Cuffe) October 20, 2018 The group only made it a kilometre or so out of the city before Guatemala police special forces stopped them from proceeding. They were told to stay put on the side of the highway until police obtained further instructions on whether or not to allow them to continue. More special forces agents gradually began arriving, however, and a police bus showed up. The group of Hondurans waited another 15 minutes or so before deciding they did not want to risk being held and transported back to the Agua Caliente border. They walked back to the shelter in Esquipulas. Dozens of Hondurans rest at the side of the highway north of Esquipulas while waiting for directions from Guatemalan police special forces halting their advance [Sandra Cuffe/Al Jazeera] It is not by choice that so many Hondurans are abandoning their country, Santos says. It is need. There are no job opportunities, he tells Al Jazeera, adding that in Honduras, we face hunger. There is nothing. Santos and other Hondurans stuck for now in Esquipulas feel alone, he says. There are few journalists and no human rights personnel visiting or accompanying them at this point. Santos and others tell Al Jazeera they know the Mexican border is now the focus, but they desperately want a media and human rights presence down by Guatemalas southern border. Hundreds of Hondurans continue to seek a path forward to make it to Mexico or all the way into the US, but Madrid is planning to stay in Esquipulas to seek work. Several others plan to do the same in Guatemala City instead of forging on. Two buses were set to leave Madrids hometown of Villanueva for the border Saturday morning, and police at the border told her they were also expecting two buses from Olancho, in eastern Honduras. While she was talking to a Honduran police officer at the border, Madrid says, she was next to a truck filled with riot gear. All of Honduras wants to come here, Madrid says. An old meme has been circulating in light of the current situation in Honduras: May the last one to leave turn off the light. Six children and a woman among victims of explosion in Achin district of Nangarhar, as Afghans vote for a second day. At least 11 people, including six children and a woman, were killed in a roadside improvised explosive device (IED) blast in eastern Afghanistan, a provincial official said. The roadside bomb struck a vehicle on Sunday in the Nangarhars Mamand area of Achin district that was carrying civilians, Attahullah Khogyani, spokesperson for the provincial governor, told Al Jazeera. No one immediately claimed the attack. Attacks across the country have been reported as Afghanistans parliamentary elections were delayed and entered a second day on Sunday due to violence and technical issues. On Saturday, the first day of polling, at least 36 people were killed in nearly 200 attacks across the country, including 27 civilians, according to Deputy Interior Minister Akhtar Mohammed Ibrahimi. He said security forces killed 31 fighters in gun battles. The Taliban had vowed to attack and disrupt the election. There are 21,000 voting stations in 5,100 polling centres across the countrys 33 participating provinces. The election was delayed by a week in the southern province of Kandahar following the killing on Thursday of powerful police chief General Abdul Raziq in an attack claimed by the Taliban. Voting will also not take place in Ghazni because of the precarious security situation the Taliban controls significant parts of the province. There is also an ongoing dispute over how to divide Ghaznis electoral constituencies to have a more balanced ethnic representation. Since late September, when campaigning officially started, at least 10 candidates have killed and two others abducted. The electoral commission has not set a timeline for announcing official results, but preliminary results are expected within a month. Protests erupted in India-administered Kashmir after six people were killed after an unexploded shell went off. Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir Protests have erupted in India-administered Kashmir after six civilians were killed when an unexploded shell went off at the site of a gunfight in the southern district of Kulgam, officials said. Senior superintendent of police in Kulgam, Harmeet Singh, told Al Jazeera on Sunday that the forces had laid a midnight cordon around a dozen houses in Laroo village of the district on a specific information about the presence of rebels. By morning, three militants were killed who were hiding in one of the houses. There was an exchange of gunfire and grenades from both sides, the official said. The official said the rebels were locals and belonged to the south Kashmir villages of Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag. When the fight was over, the forces cleared the area and left. There was stone-throwing from all sides by the people even during the encounter. Despite requests not to visit the site, locals approached the gunfight site and a shell exploded, he said. Deputy commissioner of the district, Shamim Ahmad, told Al Jazeera that six civilians died in the blast and 30 others were wounded, some of them in the clashes. The situation is under control and curfew has been imposed. Phone and internet services have been suspended, the official said. The house where the shell went off when civilians entered after encounter [Sameer Mushtaq/Al Jazeera] After the news of the killings spread, the residents in large numbers in the villages of south Kashmir took to the streets, raising anti-India slogans. Thousands of troopers were rushed to guard the streets as curfew was imposed in the volatile villages of the district, according to officials. At many places, stone-throwing youth clashed with the security forces. Bashir Ahmad, a local from Laroo village in Kulgam, said he saw four dead bodies lying on the ground after a huge explosion. When the crowd tried to go near the house which was in flames, there was an earth-shaking explosion. The people were trying to douse the flames and stop the fire from spreading, he said. I was present at some distance. Everyone ran for survival. What followed was just smoke and dust. It seemed the darkness fell all around. When we went back, I saw four dead bodies with my own eyes and those who were alive were taken to the hospital, he added. Another resident, Muhammad Shaban, from the same village alleged that the army did not clear the site after the gunfight was over. In Kashmir, civilians are treated like animals. The Indian army leaves the shells at the site. It has happened in the past, too, and has even killed children who fiddle with the shells, a resident said. They use heavy ammunition even while fighting one militant, the villager said, adding that one of those killed was a 10-year-old boy, but it could not be officially confirmed. Call for Monday shutdown The districts of southern Kashmir have emerged as the epicentre of anti-India protests in the last two years after the killing of young rebel commander Burhan Wani in July 2016. Wanis killing sparked civilian uprising for five long months. The rebels enjoy an overwhelming support in the region as people often march towards gunfight sites to help them escape. To protest the killing, Kashmiri separatist leaders, who demand an independent state or merger with Pakistan, have called for a complete shutdown in the region on Monday. The violence in the region, meanwhile, continues since Friday when a six-month pregnant woman was killed in crossfire in Pulwama village. Last week, two rebels and a civilian were killed in an early morning gunfight in the main city of Srinagar, which had triggered massive clashes. Human rights activists demanded a credible investigation by the United Nations into the latest incident. The accused are saying they (civilians) were killed by a shell. How do we believe them? Khurram Parvez, a Kashmir-based human rights defender in the region, told Al Jazeera. The army uses excessive grenades and leaves them without even sanitising the site. We demand an investigation by the UN. The use of excessive force and ammunition be also taken into account, he said. Anti-India sentiment runs deep among the Muslim-majority residents of the disputed territory. The gunfights are often followed by civilian protests leading to causalities. Colombias cannabis users light up in protest against crackdown Critics questions whether President Duques decree banning personal drug possession will any effect on criminal organisations, production or trafficking. US Congress condemns Saudi report on Khashoggi murder Bipartisan support is emerging on Capitol Hill to take punitive action against Saudi Arabia and MBS, but US President Donald Trump still seems opposed. Congolese rebels have killed 13 civilians and abducted a dozen children in an attack at the centre of the latest deadly Ebola outbreak, the Democratic Republic of the Congos military said. The Allied Democratic Forces rebels attacked Congolese army positions and several neighbourhoods of Beni in the DRC on Saturday and into Sunday, a senior army official told The Associated Press. The rebels have killed hundreds of civilians in recent years and are just one of several rebel groups active in the DRCs far northeast. Child kidnappings for ransom are a relatively new phenomenon in the North Kivu region, where Beni is located, making exact figures on the issue difficult to find. At least 215 children were abducted in the province and 34 killed in North Kivu in 2017, according to a child protection group cited by The Guardian. Angry over this latest attack, Beni residents on Sunday morning carried four of the bodies to the town hall, where police dispersed them with tear gas. Late last month, Ebola outbreak containment efforts had to be suspended for days in Beni after a deadly rebel attack, deeply complicating work to find and track suspected contacts of infected people. Health workers face distrust and attacks by rebels [Nyka Alexander/WHO Handout/Reuters] Since then, many of the new confirmed Ebola cases have been reported in Beni as the rate of new cases overall has more than doubled. This new attack comes as another armed group shot and killed two medical agents with the DRC army the first time health workers have been killed by rebels in this Ebola outbreak. It is a dark day for everyone fighting the deadly virus, the DRC health minister said late on Saturday. Mai Mai rebels surged from the forest and opened fire on the unarmed agents with the armys rapid intervention medical unit at an entrance to Butembo city, the health ministry said. The daytime attack appeared premeditated, with civilians present left unharmed, the statement said. The medical agents had been placed in dangerous zones to assist national border health officials. Aid under fire Confirmed Ebola cases have now reached 200, including 117 deaths. Aid groups have expressed alarm after the insecurity and sometimes hostile community resistance led the rate of new cases to more than double this month. Health workers in this outbreak, declared on August 1, have described hearing gunshots daily, operating under the armed escort of UN peacekeepers or Congolese security forces and having to end work by sundown to lower the risk of attack. The DRC health ministry has reported numerous aggressions against health workers, and early this month two Red Cross volunteers were severely injured in a confrontation with wary community members in a region traumatised by decades of fighting and facing an Ebola outbreak for the first time. Health agents are not a target for armed groups, Health Minister Oly Ilunga said. Our agents will continue to go into the field each day to fulfil the mission entrusted to them. They are true heroes and we will continue to take all necessary measures so that they can do their job safely. On Wednesday, the World Health Organization said it was deeply concerned by the outbreak but that it does not yet warrant being declared a global emergency. An outbreak must be an extraordinary event that might cross borders, requiring a coordinated response. Confirmed cases have been found near the heavily travelled border with Uganda. In the latest sign of the rumours that pose another serious challenge to containing the deadly virus, the health ministry said 22 youth in Butembo dug up the body of an Ebola victim and opened the body bag, wanting to verify that no organs had been taken from the body by health workers. They ended up touching the highly infectious bodily fluids, the ministry said. The next day, they agreed to be vaccinated, joining the more than 20,000 people who have received vaccinations so far. Turkish president says he will make all necessary statements about killing of Saudi journalist on Tuesday. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised to reveal the naked truth over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying that he will make a new statement on the case on Tuesday. His comments on Sunday are likely to increase speculation that Ankara may be about to reveal some of the results of its investigations into the killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, who disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul on October 2 On Saturday, after weeks of denying any involvement in Khashoggis disappearance, Saudi Arabia said the 59-year-old, a prominent critic of the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), died in a fistfight at the consulate. I will make my statement about this issue on Tuesday at the party group meeting, Erdogan said in a speech in Istanbul. {articleGUID} We are looking for justice here and this will be revealed in all its naked truth, not through some ordinary steps but in all its naked truth, Erdogan added. Erdogan has remained largely silent on the case, although Turkeys pro-government newspapers have released information detailing a 15-member team that purportedly arrived in Istanbul to confront Khashoggi at the consulate. Why 15 people came why 18 people were detained These things have to be told in detail, Erdogan said. Saudi Arabias public prosecutor on Saturday said 18 people were arrested in connection with the incident. Tuesday deadline This is the first time that such a senior official the president has put essentially a deadline as to this ongoing to and fro of different narrations and leaks, said Al Jazeeras Jamal Elshayyal, reporting from Istanbul. Hours after the Saudi admission on Saturday, Omer Celik, spokesperson for Erdogans ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), said Turkey was not accusing anyone in advance, but we dont accept anything to remain covered [up]. {articleGUID} Meanwhile, Numan Kurtulmus, AK Partys deputy head, promised Turkey would not abstain from sharing with the world evidence of Khashoggis death and will never allow a cover-up of what he called an ugly, frightening, inhumane case. Turkish officials say the authorities have an audio recording purportedly documenting Khashoggis killing inside the consulate. Pro-government Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak, citing the audio, said his torturers cut off his fingers during an interrogation and later beheaded him. Thousands of Hondurans facing violence and unemployment cross into Guatemala heading for Mexico. Esquipulas, Guatemala Maria Adela Vasquez does not want to be here. Waiting inside a migrant shelter in southern Guatemala, along with her daughter and niece, she hopes to continue her journey north and into Mexico. Vasquez is from Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, where along with her 17-year-old daughter run a small street-side food stall. But things took a turn for the worse when local gangs and criminal groups began extorting them for money and threatened their lives. They do not forgive. They do not care what kind of business it is. Money is what interests them, Vasquez told Al Jazeera on Saturday. They threatened her (daughter) and said if she did not pay they would kill her. Worried for her daughters safety, Vasquez decided to flee Honduras with her and her niece after seeing the news about the caravan of thousands of migrants and refugees heading north. The route though can be dangerous, especially for women, so Vasquez is relieved to be with others. After crossing the border into Guatemala on Friday in a group of 17 people, including children, she joined many others 10km up the road, at the Casa del Migrante Jose shelter in Esquipulas. We came with company. It gives us a bit more strength and security, said Vasquez. Women and girls make up nearly half of the first wave of the exodus [Sandra Cuffe/Al Jazeera] More than 1,000 migrants and refugees set off on foot and on buses from northwestern Honduras on October 13, with numbers quickly rising to include several thousand more. Thousands of Hondurans have already made it across Guatemalas northern border into Mexico, and groups of varying sizes are following behind throughout Guatemala. Hundreds of others continue to flee every day in the hope of reaching Mexico despite the fortified borders, blockades, police checkpoints and fences they face along the way. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump continues to demand governments in the region halt the exodus and take people back to Honduras, threatening to cut off aid to the governments of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. In a tweet last week, he also threatened to call in the army and shut the southern border of the United States. Escaping violence Women and girls make up nearly half of the first wave of the northbound exodus, according to statistics released on Saturday by officials from a shelter in southern Mexico. Of the 5,109 people accounted for, 1,565 are women and 952 are girls. Honduran women such Vasquez, her daughter and her niece say they find safety in numbers. The route into and through Mexico can be dangerous for undocumented Central Americans. Tens of thousands of migrants and refugees have gone missing along the way over the years, according to estimates by migrant rights groups, and many women and girls have been sexually assaulted. Reina Madrid, a 33-year-old mother of four, crossed over into Guatemala the same day as Vasquez, but with a few hundred other people. Violence against women is a risk along the route through Mexico, but it is also a reality at home, she told Al Jazeera. For years, Honduras has had one of the highest per capita homicide rates in the world. More men than women are murdered, but the lack of justice plagues both. In roughly 90 percent of all homicide cases in Honduras, no one is arrested or prosecuted. The few successful investigations into killings of women are often homicides committed by husbands, boyfriends and ex-partners, a majority trend in much of the world. But the homicides that remain in impunity can be brutal. Honduras has had one of the highest per capita homicide rates in the world [Sandra Cuffe/Al Jazeera] The word encostalado, which roughly translates as in a sack, has become part of the Honduran national vocabulary. It refers to dismembered corpses found stuffed in large sacks, often at the side of roads and highways. Both men and women are sometimes killed in this manner. A womans life is worth nothing [in Honduras]. They are found in sacks, said Madrid. Nothing is done. Madrid is staying in Esquipulas, for now, to look for work, while Vasquez hopes to do the same in Mexico. Although many migrants and refugees are hoping to push further north into the US, an increasing number of them now have plans to settle at different points along the way. On Sunday, Vasquez, her daughter and her niece finally set out from the Esquipulas shelter, walking north with a large group. More migrants and refugees crossing the border from Honduras into Guatemala have already taken their place at the shelter. Decision to demolish Khan al-Ahmar has been temporarily postponed, according to Israeli PM Netanyahu. Israel has announced it was putting on hold the demolition of a Palestinian Bedouin village in the occupied West Bank for a short, fixed period of time. In a statement made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday following a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, he said Khan al-Ahmar will soon be evacuated. This is the decision of the court, this is our policy and it will be implemented, Netanyahu told reporters. I dont intend to postpone it until further notice contrary to what has been reported, but [make it happen] within a short, fixed period of time. The duration we will give to evacuate it in consent will be decided by the cabinet. Khan al-Ahmar, located northeast of occupied East Jerusalem, has been under threat of demolition for the past few months. Netanyahus remarks came a day after sources in the prime ministers office told Israeli daily Haaretz that the evacuation of Khan al-Ahmar will be delayed until further notice. In a statement released by the office earlier on Sunday read: The intention [of the postponement] is to give a chance to the negotiations and the offers we received from different bodies, including in recent days. The fate of Khan al-Ahmar has captured international attention for its years-long legal battle with Israeli authorities over its survival. Israeli authorities set October 1 as the deadline for the residents to dismantle their homes after the demolition was given a green light by an Israeli court last month, under the pretext that it had been built without a permit. But Palestinians say building permits are impossible to obtain, in contrast to the rapid expansion of Jewish-only Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law. The villages location between two major Israeli settlements, Maale Adumim and Kfar Adumim, has been a thorn in the side of the Israeli government, which wants to expand the two in order to build a ring of settlements around East Jerusalem. Palestinian leaders see East Jerusalem as their capital of a future Palestinian state. Khan al-Ahmars destruction would also enable the Israeli government to effectively bisect the West Bank. Rights advocates had said the forcible transfer of the villages 180 residents would violate international law regarding occupied territory. On Wednesday, the International Criminal Courts chief prosecutor warned that Israels planned evacuation by force of the village could constitute a war crime. Israel is a signatory of the Rome Statute of the ICC but it has not ratified the agreement. Residents and activists had been protesting against the planned demolition of the village for more than 100 days. Walid Assaf, head of the commission against the wall and settlements, said on Saturday residents of the village are fighting to cancel the demolition order entirely, not just to freeze the order, local media reported. Last week, Israeli forces entered Khan al-Ahmar with heavy equipment and at least three bulldozers, levelling ground in preparation for its demolition. Several activtsts were injured and were briefly detained after resisting Israeli soldiers who were at the scene. The Israeli government plans to relocate those displaced to either the vicinity of a sewage treatment facility near the Dead Sea or about 12km away from their homes, near the village of Abu Dis, which is near a landfill. By Ritah Kemigisa. Police in Mukono has arrested a woman for allegedly hacking off her boyfriends genitals with a knife after discovering his affairs. 24 year old Rehema Kabayana told police that she waited until her boyfriend 28 year old Anthony Sekawa 28, had fallen asleep then cut off his organ with the 4-inch knife. According to the victim, they got into a fight after since she also wanted to slit open his throat. The Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson Luke Oweyesigyire says the victim has been rushed to Namirembe hospital for treatment while Kabayana has since been arrested and detained at Mukono police station. Oweyesigyire says detectives have discovered that the two had longtime relationship misunderstandings and that the suspect had on several occasions demanded he ceases contact with any other women, including not talking to them, or even smiling at them which the victim failed to adhere to. The victim told police that he loved his girlfriend and believed she maimed his manhood in a grizzly bid to make sure he did not stray looking for other women. Businesses must decide if Saudi Arabias account of journalists killing is enough to continue doing business with them. Theres a conspicuous lack of A-listers in Riyadh this week. Business and financial luminaries are keeping their distance after the fate of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi turned Saudi Arabias annual Davos in the Desert investment summit into a litmus test of corporate values. The three-day conference which kicks off on Tuesday in the Saudi capital was supposed to showcase Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans (MBS) ambitious Vision 2030 plan to wean the kingdom off oil and foster an economy powered by private investment and innovation. But Khashoggis murder and lurid allegations of a bone saw-wielding hit squad have cast a feudal pale over the kingdom, damaging the crown princes image as a progressive, modernising ruler with a vision investors want to buy into. Riyadh has admitted that Khashoggi, a veteran Saudi journalist and contributor to the Washington Post, drew his last breath inside Riyadhs consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul on October 2. But their claim that the 59-year-old was killed in a brawl with officials strains credulity. For more than two weeks, the Saudis insisted Khashoggi left the consulate safely and they had no idea what happened to him. But a steady stream of leaks by unnamed Turkish officials, including allegations of recorded evidence that Khashoggi was dismembered and decapitated by Saudi agents, drove a growing international outcry. A-list exodus In the absence of a credible narrative absolving Riyadh of foul play, business and financial figures had to weigh whether attending the investor conference was worth landing in the crosshairs of social justice warriors and champions of press freedom. Millennials and younger people really want their companies to stand up for what they believe in and to have a strong set of values, said Paul Argenti, professor of corporate communications at Dartmouths Tuck School of Business. Associating yourself with someone or something or some country or some politicians who has done something that goes against the values of the organisation and the people in it is a really big problem. As outrage over Khashoggi intensified, dozens bailed on the investment summit, including US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde. Executives with deep financial ties to the kingdom also bowed out. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi withdrew despite Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund being one of the biggest investors in his company. Richard Branson, the Virgin Group chairman, suspended his directorship in two Saudi tourism projects and halted talks over a one billion dollar Saudi investment in his space tourism companies. {articleGUID} In a blog post, Branson explained that if the Turkish version of events proved true, it would clearly change the ability of any of us in the West to do business with the Saudi Government. A vision in peril Even before the Khashoggi affair grabbed global headlines, Saudi Arabias economic transformation faced major obstacles. Unveiled in April 2016, Vision 2030 involves investing the kingdoms oil wealth in sustainable industries and encouraging the private sector to invest in Saudi Arabia; a radical departure from how business has been done for decades. One of the things we have to recognise about Vision 2030 is how profoundly destabilising it could be, said Steven Cook, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Because politics and business have been done in a certain way for a very long time, there are vested interests around who want to preserve the system, even if it is economically irrational. In November last year, the government demonstrated how determined it was to upend the status quo when it rounded up scores of wealthy and influential Saudis and imprisoned them in Riyadhs opulent Ritz-Carlton hotel. The detainees were released from the Ritz after the government had extracted more than $100bn in settlements, giving the so-called anti-corruption crackdown the appearance of a shakedown. The following quarter saw a big jump in Saudi residents moving bank deposits abroad. Though its difficult to confirm exactly what drove the capital flight, one thing that is certain is that MBSs sales pitch has failed to attract foreign investors. Figures published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development showed foreign direct investment (FDI) in the kingdom fell off a cliff last year, plunging to $1.4bn from $7.5bn in 2016. And theres been little indication that FDI has improved substantially in 2018. Jason Tuvey, senior emerging markets economist at London-based Capital Economics, wrote in a research note that the uncertainty created by last years anti-corruption crackdown is probably one reason why FDI inflows have stayed low this year. Another self-inflicted blow to economic reforms landed in July, when the country shelved plans to sell a five percent stake in state oil giant Saudi Aramco. Billed as the biggest initial public offering in history, the postponement generated speculation that the kingdom was uncomfortable with the level of transparency required for a public offering and that markets would pour cold water on what many saw as MBSs lofty two-trillion-dollar-valuation of the company. Diplomatic missteps have also damaged the 33-year-old crown princes progressive credentials. While Saudi Arabia won plaudits this summer for becoming the last country in the world to allow women to drive, it squandered goodwill by arresting peaceful womens rights and civil society activists. When Canadas foreign ministry tweeted its concern and called for the activists to be released, the Saudis expelled Canadas ambassador and suspended new investment and trade with Ottawa an escalation that struck many observers as an imprudent and immature overreaction. {articleGUID} A matter of time? The Saudi government announced the arrest of 18 Saudi nationals over Khashoggis death, while also announcing the dismissal of five officials. US President Donald Trump questioned the veracity of Riyadhs story, but he continues to endorse MBSs leadership. Trump also raised the possibility of sanctions but said he hoped they would not jeopardise billions of dollars in US arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Some Republican and Democratic members of Congress are not buying Riyadhs explanation, but if sanctions are forthcoming, the Saudi central bank has $510bn in foreign exchange reserves to weather the storm. Meanwhile, Western business and financial firms must decide whether the Saudi version of events which is still deeply at odds with Turkeys absolves the crown prince of complicity to the point where they can comfortably do business with him. Suspending investment plans is a hedge that leaves the door open to restarting talks. And as Khashoggis murder slips into the archives of Saudi misdeeds, the lure of billions of dollars to be made on the kingdoms economic reinvention may be enough for business leaders to move past the crisis. Give it six, nine, 12 months and business will be back, said Cook, from the Council on Foreign Relations. I suspect in a lower profile but people want to do business in Saudi Arabia. Analysts say Riyadhs brawl account of critics killing puts onus on Turkey to disclose any proof it may have. After more than two weeks of denials, Saudi Arabia on Saturday admitted that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul. In a statement read out on state media in the middle of the night, on a weekend the Saudi attorney generals office claimed the 59-year-old died in a brawl. The explanation marked a sharp u-turn for the kingdom which had always insisted that Khashoggi a prominent critic of the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) had left the consulate shortly after he had entered on October 2. It also contradicted leaked information from unnamed Turkish security sources that Khashoggi was tortured, killed and dismembered inside the building. Eighteen men were in custody over the killing, the kingdom said, as it also announced the sacking of two top aides of MBS as well as three other intelligence officials. However, the admission, which came amid increasing pressure on Riyadh, has done little to ease international demands for accountability. After Turkey said it would not allow a cover-up, Germany called the Saudi account inadequate while the United Nations stressed the need for a thorough and transparent investigation. Rights groups, meanwhile, urged the UN to get involved in the probe, saying they were worried about a Saudi whitewash of the circumstances around Khashoggis killing. {articleGUID} Britain, a key Saudi ally, said it was considering the Saudi report and its next steps, while the kingdoms allies in the Middle East Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Yemens government-in-exile praised King Salmans actions over Khashoggi. There was also another notable exception among the critical voices US President Donald Trump. Even as legislators from across the political spectrum in Washington expressed scepticism over the Saudi narrative, Trump on Friday said Riyadhs explanation was credible and called the arrests a good first step. A day later, he appeared to slightly change his tune by saying that he is not satisfied with the Saudi handling of the case but emphasised once again the importance that Washingtons multibillion-dollar arms sales to Riyadh have for US jobs. Finding scapegoats Amid the outrage and the growing calls for answers, including for the whereabouts of Khashoggis body, analysts said the Saudi account by creating scapegoats was aimed at defusing the weeks-long crisis and deflecting blame from the top Saudi leadership, particularly MBS. The crown prince has been drawn closer to the case after media reports claimed Khashoggi was killed by a 15-person assassination team who flew into Istanbul on two chartered planes. One of the 15 suspects was a frequent companion of MBS, according to The New York Times, while three others were reportedly linked to the crown princes security detail. The Saudi admission was not about establishing the truth, argued Andreas Krieg, assistant professor at Kings College London, but about coming up with a story that provides [the kingdom] plausible deniability. It is what Donald Trump thinks is moral to get away with, he said. And as long as he sits in front of the camera, saying I buy this and the Saudis are taking action the Saudis could get away with it. That is why audio and video evidence unnamed Turkish officials claim they have of the killing were critical to establishing accountability, Krieg said. Since Khashoggis disappearance, anonymous Turkish officials have drip fed details of his killing some of it lurid and gruesome to the media. A Turkish official, who spoke to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, said earlier this week that Turkeys authorities have an 11-minute audio recording which indicates that Khashoggi was killed in the consulate. Last week, pro-government Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak, citing the audio, said the journalists killers cut off his fingers during an interrogation. His body was later beheaded and dismembered, the report said. Trump has called on Turkey to share that evidence, if it exists. Those leaks may have helped push the Saudi government to reverse its stance, analysts said. Sultan Barakat, director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies at the Doha Institute, said while Saudi Arabia has managed to find scapegoats for now, it would be difficult for King Salman to stand by his son if Turkey were to reveal the purported evidence. Barakat said Turkeys possible reluctance to do so could be because it cannot own up to where the evidence is coming from as the Turkish government may have tapped the Saudi consulate or infiltrated the Saudi consulate for some time and that will complicate Turkeys relations with Saudi Arabia. Audio and video tapes A key factor in whether Turkey will publicise the alleged audio and video recordings will be the US response in the coming days, said Matthew Bryza, a former US diplomat and long-standing Turkey observer. If Trump becomes part of the effort to whitewash the killing, they will leak this information, he said. Osman Sert, research director at Ankara Institute and former aide to ex-Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, said he expected Turkey to continue its investigation until it uncovers who was behind the order for the killing. Thats because Turkey wants to show foreigners that Istanbul and Turkey will stay a safe and secure place for visitors, whatever their political views are, he said. If powerful elites are allowed to remain free by blaming others, how can they convince the world Turkey is safe? He also noted high-ranking Turkish officials have pledged to prevent a cover-up. Hours after the Saudi admission, Omer Celik, spokesperson for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), said Turkey was not accusing anyone in advance but we dont accept anything to remain covered (up). Meanwhile, Numan Kurtulmus, AK Partys deputy head, promised Turkey would not abstain from sharing with the world evidence of Khashoggis death and will never allow a cover-up of what he called an ugly, frightening, inhumane case. Sert said Celik and Kurtulmus statements should be taken seriously and reflect Turkeys commitment to establish the truth of what happened to Khashoggi. Transparent probe There were geopolitical factors at play, too, Sert said. Observers said the strategy Turkey deployed over Khashoggis killing controlled leaks to the media gives it political leverage over Saudi Arabia Ankara and Riyadh are at odds on a number of regional issues, including a Saudi-led boycott of Qatar and relations with Iran. The case has also presented an opportunity for Ankara to repair its relations with Washington, which had soured over several disputes, including US support for Kurdish fighters in Syria and Turkeys plans to buy a Russian missile defence system. It is precisely the political manoeuvring that has others worried. Mohamed Cherkaoui, professor of conflict analysis and resolution at George Mason University, said neither Turkey nor Saudi Arabia could be trusted to be fully transparent on the Khashoggi case. My concern is there is a heavy-handed diplomatic political force that has suppressed the transparency of the legal investigation by the Turks, and the same thing will be done by Saudi Arabia. Calling for a UN probe into Khashoggis killing, Cherkaoui said: The longer it takes, the more politicised it will become and you need someone who doesnt have any political investment in the process. Khashoggi killing: Trump not satisfied with Saudi explanation The US president insists that he wants answers, but has continued to emphasize his belief that the arms deals with Saudi Arabia are extremely important to the US economy. King Abdullah II says Amman will terminate parts of peace treaty which allowed Israeli farmers to use Jordanian land. Jordan has told Israel that it intends to reclaim two tracts of territories remained in Israeli private ownership under a 1994 peace treaty, King Abdullah II has announced, in a move that was welcomed by activists and civil society groups opposing the deal. As part of the agreement, Israel leased about 405 hectares of agricultural land in the southern sector of its border with Jordan called al-Ghumar, as well as the small al-Baqura area near the confluence of Jordan and Yarmouk rivers. The areas are currently regulated through a special regime in the peace treaty where Israel recognises Jordanian sovereignty with Israeli private land ownership. The territories water-rich farmlands currently cultivated by Israeli farmers, kept in Israeli hands for 25 years, with a 12-month notice period needed to prevent an automatic extension. The deadline for renewing the leases is Thursday, October 25. We have informed Israel of an end to the application of the peace treaty annexes regarding al-Baqura and al-Ghumar, the king said on Sunday, according to the Petra state news agency. Al-Baqura and al-Ghumar have always been on top of my priorities. Our decision is to end the annexes of the peace treaty based on our keenness to take all that is necessary for Jordan and Jordanians, the king added. Al-Baqura and al-Ghumar are Jordanian land and will remain Jordanian. (@KingAbdullahII) October 21, 2018 Following the kings announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would negotiate with Jordan an extension of the leases, which expire next year. We will enter into negotiations with [Jordan] to option an extension of the existing lease agreement, Israeli media quoted him as saying. It is unclear how and when the territories will be returned back to Jordans ownership. The territories have been under Israeli control since 1948. Growing pressure Jordan is only one of two Arab countries that signed a peace treaty with Israel the other being Egypt. Observers said the kings announcement is expected to be positively received by the Jordanian public amid increasing efforts by activists and civil society groups aimed at forcing the government to end the leasing of Jordanian territories to Israel. It also comes a week after 85 Jordanian members of parliament signed a petition urging the king to intervene so that the lease agreement would not be renewed, according to MP Khalil Atiyeh. For over a year, we have been demanding the scrapping of this agreement that was not in the interest of Jordan or the Jordanian people, Atiyeh told Al Jazeera. Oraib al-Rantawi, a political analyst in Jordans capital, Amman, said, The king saw the popular rejection against keeping this agreement with Israel, especially in the last few months where economic decline in the country has led to mass protests and he wisely decided against it. Thousands of angry Jordanians took to the streets in June to protest against price increases, an income tax reform bill and official corruption, in a country where national poverty and unemployment rate stand at around 20 percent. Political activist Hussam Abdallat praised the kings decision as one that would endear him to the public. Sufyan al-Tell, a former United Nations environmental official and outspoken critic of the Israel-Jordan peace treaty, told Al Jazeera the kings announcement is timely and reflects the will of the people of Jordan. Public sentiment in Jordan against Israel is strong because of its continued occupation of Palestinian territories and its treatment of Palestinians. Follow Ali Younes on Twitter: @ali_reports Midterm elections place healthcare in the spotlight The fight over healthcare, particularly the Affordable Care Act, is playing a major role in the US midterm elections as voters worry about spiralling costs and coverage of pre-existing conditions. Kurdish opposition parties say voter fraud complaints have not been resolved, as KDP comes first in regional election. Erbil, Iraq Opposition parties in Iraqs Kurdish region have rejected the final results of the September 30 parliamentary elections. After a delay of three weeks, the regional election commission announced late on Saturday that the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) won the most votes in the elections, securing 45 out of the 111 seats in the local parliament. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) came second, winning 21 seats. Hemin Anwar, a member of the Gorran Movement, which came third in the election with 12 seats, told Al Jazeera that his party does not accept the final results. Falsification was done during the elections, he said. There are more than 1,000 complaints. Some of them have not been finalised, which could change the result of the elections. So, we will pursue an appeal on the results of the election. After the elections, opposition parties accused the KDP and PUK of various electoral violations, including falsification of documents and stuffing ballot boxes. The September 30 vote came a year after an independence referendum which the KRG pressed forward with, despite opposition from some Kurdish political parties, the central government in Baghdad, and the international community, leading to a severe political crisis in the semi-autonomous region. Anwar said that the Gorran Movement, which lost half of its seats in the Kurdish parliament, will decide whether to participate in the next cabinet at an upcoming party meeting. Gorran members held four ministerial positions in the previous Kurdish regional government (KRG). Aram Said from the New Generation movement, which won eight seats, also said that his party rejects the results. We still havent decided whether we will participate [in the next parliament]. If the other opposition parties decide to participate, we will join them, he told Al Jazeera, adding that he suspects that the KDP and the PUK made a political deal. The Kurdistan Islamic Union and Kurdistan Islamic Group also rejected the results. The regional election commission is comprised of representatives of all major parties in Iraqs Kurdish region. In an internal vote, four of the nine commission members rejected the final election results before the announcement was made; the five who voted in favour are all members of the KDP and the PUK. Responding to the oppositions decision to reject the results, KDP press secretary Ahmed Mayi told Al Jazeera that each party is free to say anything. We at the KDP think that the best thing is to be united. The KDP and the PUK will be the two main parties forming the next government, but the door will be open to other parties as well, Mayi added. According to Abdel Hakim Khasraw, an Erbil-based analyst, the reaction of the opposition parties was expected but some of them are likely to change their position in the coming weeks. The opposition parties rejected the results of the May national elections, as well, he said. The Gorran Movement even boycotted the first session of the Iraqi parliament. Yet, when it came to the vote on the president, the Gorran MPs came back to Baghdad and voted. The new Kurdish regional government will be formed with or without the opposition. It is likely that some of these parties will participate in the government formation, perhaps the Gorran movement, Khasraw said. {articleGUID} On October 2, the Iraqi parliament elected PUK member Barham Salih as Iraqs new president. Under a power-sharing agreement concluded after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the presidency is reserved for an ethnic Kurd, the premiership for a Shia Arab and the chairmanship of parliament for a Sunni Arab. Salih competed against Fuad Hussein, the candidate the KDP had put forward in defiance of a previous political arrangement with the PUK. The two major Kurdish parties, which have ruled the Kurdish region under a power-sharing agreement since the late 1990s, have been at odds since last years failed independence referendum. According to Khasraw, the announcement of the parliamentary election results is an indication that the rivals have reached a political agreement, although major disagreements remain. Saudi Arabias foreign minister has said Riyadh is still not aware of where the remains of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi are, calling the killing a rogue operation and a huge mistake. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Fox News on Sunday, Adel al-Jubeir said Khashoggis killing inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul almost three weeks ago was a terrible tragedy that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) had nothing to do with. Al-Jubeir said Khashoggi was approached by Saudi security team when he entered the consulate on October 2. He added that the teams account of what happened after that differed from that of Turkish officials, which prompted the Saudis to investigate. He was killed in the consulate. We dont know in terms of details how. We dont know where the body is, he said. We are determined to uncover every stone We are determined to punish those who are responsible for this murder. Shifting narratives The Saudis have laid out different versions of the circumstances that led to the death of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and a critic of MBS, who was not seen after entering the consulate. Al-Jubeir was the first senior Saudi official to speak on the record since the Saudis admitted on Saturday, after more than two weeks of denials, that Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate in the Turkish city. In a statement read out on state media, the Saudi attorney generals office claimed the 59-year-old died in a brawl. The explanation marked a sharp u-turn for the kingdom which had always insisted that Khashoggi had left the consulate shortly after he had entered. It also contradicted leaked information from unnamed Turkish security sources that Khashoggi was tortured, killed and dismembered inside the building. The Saudi admission, which came amid increasing pressure on Riyadh, has done little to ease international demands for accountability. Turkey has said it will not allow a cover-up, while European leaders have said that hypotheses proposed so far in the Saudi investigation need to be backed by facts to be considered credible. Eighteen men were in custody over the killing, the kingdom said on Saturday, as it also announced the sacking of two top aides of MBS, as well as three other intelligence officials. In the Fox News interview, al-Jubeir called the killing a huge and grave mistake and offered condolences to Khashoggis family. The [18] individuals did this out of the scope of their authority. They were not people closely tied to him (MBS). This was an operation that was a rogue operation, he said. There were pictures of some security officers who may have been part of his security detail from time to time, but this is normal. Security people who deal with security details rotate among different officials, both domestic and foreign. So, having somebody in a picture doesnt imply that they are close at all. Al Jazeera Jamal Elshayyal, reporting from Istanbul, said al-Jubeirs remarks did not hold up. Anybody who knows how the detail of the senior government officials, heads of states, or deputy heads of states as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would know that that personal [security] detail is attached to you, is assigned to you and doesnt really shift, he said. He also cited reports saying that Maher Mutreb, the security officer who appeared in a photo with MBS, made four phone calls to the personal secretary of the crown prince during and after the murder of Khashoggi. Al-Jubeir also said he expected the US-Saudi ties to withstand the aftermath of the Khashoggi murder. The US-Saudi relationship is an historic and strategic one I believe that when the investigation is over, and the facts are revealed, and people know who was responsible, and see those individuals punished, and procedures put in place to prevent this from happening [again], the relationship will weather this, he said. Journalist killed in chokehold, official tells Reuters, in new narrative that contradicts previous Saudi explanations. A senior Saudi Arabian government official has laid out a new version of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, that contradicts previous explanations on key points. The latest account, provided by a Saudi official who requested anonymity to the Reuters news agency, includes details on how the team of 15 Saudi nationals sent to confront Khashoggi on October 2 threatened to drug and kidnap the journalist and then killed him in a chokehold when he resisted. A member of the team then dressed in Khashoggis clothes to make it appear as if he had left the consulate, the official said. After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi, 59, for more than two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning said he had died in a fistfight at the consulate. An hour after the first official statement, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold, which the senior official reiterated to Reuters. Turkish officials suspect the body of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was cut up but the Saudi official said it was rolled up in a rug and given to a local cooperator for disposal. Asked about allegations that Khashoggi had been tortured and beheaded, the official said preliminary results of the Saudi investigation did not suggest that to be the case. {articleGUID} The Saudi official presented what he said were Saudi internal intelligence documents which appeared to show the initiative to bring back dissidents, as well as the specific one involving Khashoggi He also showed testimony from those involved in what he described as the 15-man teams cover-up, and the initial results of an internal probe. He did not provide proof to substantiate the findings of the investigation and the other evidence. This narrative is the latest Saudi account that has changed multiple times. The authorities initially dismissed reports that Khashoggi had gone missing inside the consulate as false and said he had left the building soon after entering. When the media reported a few days later that he had been killed there, the Saudis called the accusations baseless. Asked by Reuters why the governments version of Khashoggis death kept changing, the official said the governments initial account was based on false information reported internally at the time. Once it became clear these initial mission reports were false, it launched an internal investigation and refrained from further public comment, the official said, adding that the investigation is continuing. Turkish sources say the authorities have an audio recording purportedly documenting Khashoggis murder inside the consulate but have not released it. Riyadh dispatched a high-level delegation to Istanbul on Tuesday and ordered an internal investigation, but US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he is not satisfied with Saudi Arabias handling of Khashoggis death and said questions remain unanswered. Germany and France on Saturday called Saudi Arabias explanation of how Khashoggi died incomplete. According to the latest version of the death, the government wanted to convince Khashoggi, who moved to Washington a year ago fearing reprisals for his views, to return to the kingdom as part of a campaign to prevent Saudi dissidents from being recruited by the countrys enemies, the official said. To that end, the official said, the deputy head of the General Intelligence Presidency, Ahmed al-Asiri, put together a 15-member team from the intelligence and security forces to go to Istanbul, meet Khashoggi at the consulate and try to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia. There is a standing order to negotiate the return of dissidents peacefully; which gives them the authority to act without going back to the leadership, the official said. Al-Asiri is the one who formed the team and asked for an employee who worked with (Saud) al-Qahtani and who knew Jamal from the time they both worked at the embassy in London, he said. The official said al-Qahtani had signed off on one of his employees conducting the negotiations. Chokehold According to the plan, the team could hold Khashoggi in a safe house outside Istanbul for a period of time but then, release him if he ultimately refused to return to Saudi Arabia, the official said. Things went wrong from the start as the team overstepped their orders and quickly employed violence, the official said. Khashoggi was ushered into the consul generals office where an operative named Maher Mutreb spoke to him about returning to Saudi Arabia, according to the governments latest account. Khashoggi refused and told Mutreb that someone was waiting outside for him and would contact the Turkish authorities if he did not reappear within an hour, the official said. {articleGUID} Khashoggis fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, has told Reuters he had handed her his two mobile phones and left instructions that she should wait for him and call an aide to Turkeys president if he did not reappear. Back inside the consuls office, according to the officials account, Khashoggi told Mutreb he was violating diplomatic norms and said, What are you going to do with me? Do you intend to kidnap me? Mutreb replied, Yes, we will drug you and kidnap you, in what the official said was an attempt at intimidation that violated the missions objective. When Khashoggi raised his voice, the team panicked. They moved to restrain him, placing him in a chokehold and covering his mouth, according to the governments account. They tried to prevent him from shouting but he died, the official said. The intention was not to kill him. Asked if the team had smothered Khashoggi, the official said: If you put someone of Jamals age in this position, he would probably die. Missing body To cover up their misdeed, the team rolled up Khashoggis body in a rug, took it out in a consular vehicle and handed it over to a local cooperator for disposal, the official said. Forensic expert Salah Tubaigy tried to remove any trace of the incident, the official said. Turkish officials believe that Khashoggis killers may have dumped his remains in Belgrad Forest adjacent to Istanbul, and at a rural location near the city of Yalova, 90 kilometres south of Istanbul. Turkish investigators are likely to find out what happened to the body before long, a senior official said. {articleGUID} The Saudi official said the local cooperator is an Istanbul resident but would not reveal his nationality. The official said investigators were trying to determine where the body ended up. Meanwhile, operative Mustafa Madani donned Khashoggis clothes, eyeglasses and Apple watch and left through the back door of the consulate in an attempt to make it look like Khashoggi had walked out of the building. Madani went to the Sultanahmet district where he disposed of the belongings. The official said the team then wrote a false report for superiors saying they had allowed Khashoggi to leave once he warned that Turkish authorities could get involved and that they had promptly left the country before they could be discovered. Sceptics have asked why so many people, including military officers and a forensics expert specialising in autopsies, were part of the operation if the objective was to convince Khashoggi to return home of his own volition. The official said all 15 team members had been detained and placed under investigation, along with three other local suspects. About the show A weekly programme that examines and dissects the worlds media, how they operate and the stories they cover. Watch The Listening Post every Saturday at 0830GMT By Benjamin Jumbe. The leader of opposition in parliament Betty Aol Ocan has applauded the Speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga and the Ugandan delegation to the Inter Parliamentary Union for efforts to fight homosexuality. This comes after Kadaga spearheaded a spirited fight at the just concluded 139th IPU assembly to ban debate on the subjects of Lesbian, gay, Bisexual and Transgender at the Inter parliamentary Union again. The LGBT agenda had been presented to the Assembly to be debated as an emergency item for the next 140th IPU Assembly. Speaking to Kfm Aol applauds the team for the boldness and fighting to protect Ugandas cultural dignity and morals. There is a change in the weather, a change in the sea of American politics. The state of Massachusetts, its people and academic institutions, continues to play a role in the changing drama of American politics, especially the issue of preferential treatment on the basis of race and ethnicity. Its junior senator, Elizabeth Warren, born in Oklahoma, has provided the argument that people should be judged by the content of their DNA rather than by the content of their character. For some years, she had identified herself, or more often did not object to others identifying her, as American Indian. Her DNA test shows she is between 1/64 and 1/1,024 American Indian and that she may have had an American Indian ancestor six to ten generations ago. That disappointing result can be compared with other tests that show that European-Americans have genomes that are on average 98.6% European, 19% African, and 0.18% American Indian. Warren's test does not entitle her to inherit the mantle of Pocahontas; to membership of the Cherokee Nation, the largest tribe in the U.S.; or to any special privileges on the basis of identity. Argument can appropriately resume on allegations she benefited in her career from affirmative action, at both the Pennsylvania and Harvard Law schools. Opinions about the exact identity of Warren are tantalizing, but much more significant, meaningful, and more complicated are differences on policies of affirmative action and diversity in college admissions, as well as the significance of race in American life. On this issue, Americans are divided, racially and politically. According to Gallup polls, 67% of Americans (75% of white people and 44% of blacks) believe that college applicants should be admitted solely based on merit, while 28% believe that account should be taken of racial and ethnic background. Political and educational differences are apparent. Merit alone is approved by 87% of Republicans, 53% of Democrats, and 69% of independents. Those with postgraduate education are more willing to consider race and ethnic factors than those with less formal education. Differences over the issue of college admissions are not new. In the 1920s, until the practice was eased in the late 1930s, Harvard University established a virtual quota on admission of Jewish students. President Abbott Lawrence Lowell thought there were too many Jews at Harvard, though they had attributes required for success, and held that their number should be limited to 15% of the class. Lowell argued that this limit was good for the Jews, since it would prevent further anti-Semitism. A century later, Harvard is confronted not with quotas of Jews, but with its admissions policy of Asians. Its policy is being scrutinized as a result of a lawsuit filed in 2014 by a group, Students for Fair Admissions, headed by Edward Blum, on behalf of disadvantaged applicants. The suit argues that Asian-American applicants are held to a higher standard than applicants of other races that they are rejected, although they have better grades, for "racial balancing." At the core of the difficulty is the reality that Harvard this year received 40,000 applications for the fewer than 2,000 openings, leading to an acceptance rate of 4.59%. The issue is daunting in many ways. One is that more than 8,000 Harvard domestic applicants had perfect GPAs, more than 3,400 had perfect math scores, and more than 2,700 had perfect verbal scores. Underlying the whole issue is the racial problem. Harvard documents show that if admission were based only on academic performance, only a small number, less than 1%, of black Americans would have been admitted while 43% of Asian-Americans would have been. Harvard authorities defend their policy, arguing that the share of admitted Asian-Americans has grown by 27% since 2010 and that 23% of the 2022 admitted class are Asians. They conclude that there is no statistical evidence of discrimination against Asian-Americans. However, though Asians receive the highest academic rating of any racial group, admission decisions are made on the basis of racial and non-racial factors: grades, test scores, recommendations, and "personal factors." Most controversial is this category of personal rating, a vague mixture of courage, likeability, kindness, and positive personality of a group that is regarded as quiet, shy, math- and science-oriented, and hard workers. On this issue, Asians get the lowest marks of any racial or ethnic group. Harvard's admission policy is palpably unequal. Those on the elitist Dean's Interest List, children of well known people, almost all white, a list mostly proposed by Harvard's fundraising unit, have a considerably higher chance of admission than others. Students with at least one parent who attended Harvard were accepted at 33% compared with 6% for non-legacy students. The new Harvard president, Lawrence S. Bacow, holds that race is one factor among many others in admission policy. He argued that Harvard would be a dull place, and would not likely achieve desirable educational aspirations, "if we shared the same backgrounds, interests and experiences and expectations for ourselves." Justice Lewis F. Powell in the Bakke case held that Harvard College had expanded the concept of diversity to include students from disadvantaged economic, racial, and ethnic groups. Minority representation in the undergraduate body cannot be ignored. Bacow is repeating the inconclusive Supreme Court decisions on the issue. The essential problem is that the Court is divided, as is the whole country, on the issue. In 1978, the S.C. in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke held that quotas are unconstitutional, but race can be used as one factor in the admissions process. This was essentially reaffirmed in 2003, in Grutter v. Bollinger, 5-4, and in a companion case that upheld the University of Michigan Law School admission policy of the "tailored use of race" to further a compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from an ethnically diverse student body. The S.C. held that there is a compelling interest to promote class diversity. This did not amount to a quota system, but a diverse educational environment, the Court ruled, is beneficial for all students. In 2016, Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, the S.C. upheld a limited use of race if race-neutral alternatives did not suffice to promote diversity. In this last case, Justice Anthony Kennedy stated that the Equal Protection Clause does not force universities to choose between a diverse student body and a reputation for academic excellence. A diverse student body, he held, rather optimistically, promotes cross-racial understanding, helps to break down racial stereotypes, and enables students to better understand persons of different races. Student diversity promotes learning outcomes and better prepares students for an increasingly diverse workforce and society. One hopes that the issues in the Massachusetts case will finally be resolved in Washington, D.C. by the so far inconclusive Supreme Court. The complex, divisive issues must be settled: justice for the Asian-Americans, now six percent of the U.S. population; the meaning of a diverse campus; equity in admissions policy; the degree to which and on what basis affirmative action should play a role; and, most important, coming to terms with the question of race which is still haunting academia, as in the rest of the U.S. Harvard, the Supreme Court, and the country must face the reality: ending Harvard affirmative action programs means whites increase their share of admission from 40% to 48% and Asian-Americans from 24% to 27%, while black Americans will drop from 14% to 6% and Hispanics from 14% to 9%. As we approach the 2018 midterms, there is great anticipation as to whether we'll see the reported blue wave being touted by pollsters and media acolytes or Republicans will hold our ground in the House and Senate. If fundamentals were even a modest indicator, we could feel confident that we would hold both houses. The economy is humming, unemployment is at record levels, consumer and corporate confidence are at all-time highs, domestic safety (from terrorism) is much improved from a couple of years ago, and foreign affairs have taken a tack that portends to bode well for America generally and Americans specifically. By almost all accounts, Americans are better off than they were two years ago. But, like I said, if fundamentals were even a modest indicator. They're not. Force of narrative and emotion have taken over where facts and reason (and sanity) once stood. There are five socio-political macro-hurdles that are working against our success in November, into 2020 and beyond. The Media Industrial Complex Technology and Social Media Platforms Election Integrity and Voter Manipulation/Intimidation Education Free Stuff The advantage for the left is, as a collective, once their elites determine a path forward and marching orders disseminated to the mass of social justice warriors, media sycophants, tenured professors, unthinking drones, and election committees, they all work together to pull in exact same direction. I've often said there is nothing (read: nothing) the left won't do to reclaim seats of power. If we think leftists are insufferable now, wait until they reclaim said seats of power. While Republican candidates and political consultants focus (almost) solely on their messaging and why they're better candidates than candidate B, leftists have (for decades) bored themselves into the myriad streams that feed the voter pool. The left deposits its refuse, and we then try to find unadulterated voters from the contaminated pool. Here's how the above listed streams are being infiltrated, and how if we don't counter them now, we are doomed. The Media Industrial Complex The drumbeat of nonsense emanating from leftist media is nauseating, but sadly, for many, it is effective. Yesterday, it was #BelieveHer. When that petered out, it morphed into President Trump, through Jared Kushner, put a hit on a[n American] journalist to serve his business interests. Now it is transitioning to the (bogus) humanitarian crisis at Mexico's southern border. Shouldn't CNN and MSNBC be required to register as political organizations if 99% of their pre-election advocacy benefits the DNC? Technology and Social Media Platforms Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, et al. Each and every one of these platforms is working against our interests. Facebook and Twitter are banning and shadow-banning conservatives. Google has manipulated its algorithms to return leftist-favored search results. How can a citizen be truly informed if there is obvious bias in the content being fed to them on a daily basis? Election Integrity and Voter Manipulation and Intimidation The legitimacy and integrity of our election systems are highly suspect. California and Illinois have issued IDs that could theoretically allow illegal aliens to vote. Texas Democrats have been caught red-handed (no disrespect to Elizabeth Warren) handing out registration forms with citizenship boxes pre-checked. Voter integrity throughout the country has been suspect for generations. A report issued last year showed that the "U.S. Has 3.5 Million More Registered Voters Than Live Adults A Red Flag For Electoral Fraud." As to voter intimidation, we all recall the Black Panthers blocking polling places in Philadelphia in 2008. As we watch Barack Obama rally his constituents Black Lives Matter and Antifa by any means necessary, do not think for a minute that we won't see this type of effort again if not in 2018, surely in 2020. Count on it. Education Progressives ingeniously infiltrated our education system a century ago. A 2016 study found that liberal professors outnumbered conservative professors 12:1. Inculcation of liberal thought is now being pushed into K-12 classrooms, with "diversity" and LGBTQ lessons being hoisted upon students, often against parental wishes. How can we overcome the barrage of "leftist thought" being forced down the throats of our most vulnerable? As Vladimir Lenin quipped, "[g]ive me just one generation of youth, and I'll transform the whole world." Free Stuff Who doesn't want free stuff? Free health care? Sure, why not? Free tuition? Where do I sign up? Free or subsidized housing? Yeah! Universal basic wage? A thousand dollars per month of free money. Whom do I need to vote for to get this? This past week, Kamala Harris proposed giving all poor and middle-class people $6,000 per year. As many don't know where government money comes from, they will think this money grows on trees. While we (attempt to) caution our Millennial minds of mush (hat tip: Rush Limbaugh) of the dangers of socialism (or democratic socialism), all they hear is the utopian vision of free stuff. Students want free college. The elderly want free health care. The middle-aged want free or subsidized housing. Everyone would take $1,000 a month to sit on his duff. While we understand where this "free stuff" leads (see Venezuela), our reasoning and historical perspective are being drowned out. With lying media, manipulative social media platforms, voter integrity and intimidation, mass centers of indoctrination, and the promise of free stuff, we will have many hurdles to overcome going into the midterms and beyond. I pray that we have the stamina and wherewithal to run the race and claim victory. The hurdles, win or lose, will only get worse. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas and Florida are not only leading the nation in creating non-farm jobs, but they are doing it at a record-shattering pace. And they weren't the only states showing significant improvement. CNSNews: Ohio and Pennsylvaniasometimes considered part of the nations Rust Beltalso saw significant job gains from September 2017 to September 2018, with Ohio showing the largest increase for its state in 21 years and Pennsylvania showing the largest increase in 18 years. Thirty-seven states had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment in September, BLS said in its state employment report. The largest job gains occurred in Florida (+407,300), Texas (+406,400), and California (+339,600). The largest percentage gain occurred in Florida (+4.8 percent), followed by Utah (+3.6 percent) and Texas (+3.3 percent). The unemployment rate in Florida was 3.5 percent. In Texas, it was 3.8 percent. In California, it was 4.1 percent. While California ranked third among all states for the number of job gained during the period from September 2017 to September 2018, its statewide jobs growth numbers during that period were actually smaller than they were in two of the previous three September-to-September periods. (From September 2014 to September 2015, California added 493,000 jobs; from 2015 to 2016, it added 393,800 jobs; and from 2016 to 2017, it added 307,500 jobs) Floridas jobs grew 4.8 percent during the latest September-to-September period. Texass jobs grew 3.3 percent. Californias jobs grew 2.0 percent. In Florida, the number of nonfarm jobs rose from 8,435,100 in September 2017 to 8,842,400 in September 2018accounting for the record 407,300 increase. If the Republicans are able to hang on to the House and Senate, you can thank the economy almost exclusively. If you look at how Democrats are framing the issues in this election across the country, they aren't even trying to badmouth the economy - and if they do, they are making it a "fairness" issue. Their focus is on anti-Trump and their usual class warfare angle. The can't run on a bad economy because just about everywhere in the nation, the economy is good - or spectacular. The latest poll numbers show Trump's overall approval underwater, but an outright majority approve of the way he is handling the economy. Whatever trickle down effect for Republicans on the economy, will be positive. This will almost certainly prevent a Democratic sweep and gives the GOP a fighting chance to maintain control of the House. As Brazil prepares to elect Jair Bolsonaro, the Donald Trump-like contender for president currently the frontrunner in polls by a wide margin, the left is responding approximately the same way the left responded over here: They're screaming bloody murder, chasing people from restaurants, rioting, and trying legal maneuvers to nullify the election that they know won't be going their way. Funniest of all is the foreign left, however, which is gradually realizing that 'Tropical Trump' has every intention of pulling out of the Paris climate accord ... and destroying the planet. Because ... rainforest. We all know about the left's rainforest romance, what with Sting and the Amazon's painted natives. Seriously. One of them sounded the screech alarm at the Washington Post, in a column headlined 'How Brazil's Bolsonaro threatens the entire planet.' Ishaan Thraroor wrote: So what he's saying is that the planet will no longer be saved if Brazil pulls out of the crummy little bureaucratic agreement that empowers European Union bureaucrats to act ever more high and mighty on us, with their central planning diktats, the detested Paris climate accord. If Brazil pulls out, he warns, the planet will no longer be saved. Because see, the only thing that can save the planet is the Paris accord. The planet can't be saved otherwise. Can you say 'hyperbole'? The reality is, the U.S. pullout of the Paris accord has been the best thing that has ever happened to the planet. U.S. greenhouse gases, if that's what these people care about, have gone down, not up, and not just down, but below the target levels, while sanctimonious Europe's greenhouse gas levels continue to go up. Anybody criticizing Germany for emitting more greenhouse gases because it got rid of its nuclear power plants? Not hearing anything. And anybody praising the U.S. for cutting its emissions? Nope, not a peep. Yet the U.S. has done that, the only one that has, and this is the result of going it alone, without Paris. According to a recent Investor's Business Daily editorial: The EPA sampled more than 8,000 large factories and found that emissions of greenhouse gases had dropped 2.7% from 2016 to 2017. Most of the decline was due to reductions in CO2. "The Trump Administration has proven that federal regulations are not necessary to drive CO2 reductions," said EPA action Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "While many around the world are talking about reducing greenhouse gases, the U.S. continues to deliver, and today's report is further evidence of our action-oriented approach." This is no one-off, freak decline. Output of gases that can contribute to global warming have fallen sharply in recent years. It's a result of the fracking revolution producing enormous amounts of cheap, clean, plentiful natural gas which has increasingly replaced coal and oil for energy production. What all of this shows is that the Paris accord was not and never was about lowering greenhouse gases. It was just about signing on the dotted line for a feelgood virtue-signal and giving unelected EU- and UN-style bureaucrats more power. Now we return to Brazil, which plainly sees the U.S. example, and wants to elect a president who will achieve the same results, a man who would privatize more land, because that's the best way to get rid of illegal loggers (these environmental bozos have never heard of the 'tragety of the commons') and dump prosperity fettering regulations. The left yells about that, too, as if prosperous Brazilians would somehow be against an environmentally sound country, and only poor ones would keep the country pristine. You can see how stupid this is. Basically, the left is yelling that Bolsonaro's election means the planet will go unsaved. What's really unsaved is the environmental wacko groups out there, financed by lefty billionaires, who have built up such an environmenal-industrial complex that they have a stake in bigger government with more bureaucratic regulators to dictate their orders to. And yes, a Brazil pullout will make the Paris climate accord irrelevant. Some warning. All the rest of us can say is: Bring it on. Image credit: Alpha, via Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0 Socialist candidate for Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is very, very worried about our changing climate. In fact, she calls it an "existential crisis." She also says that we already have a "blueprint" to fight it. All we have to do is "mobilize" the entire economy to achieve 100% renewable energy. Tyler O'Neil at PJ Media: "So when we talk about existential threats, the last time we had a really major existential threat to this country was around World War II, so weve been here before, and we have a blueprint of doing this before," Ocasio-Cortez began. "What we had was an existential threat in the context of war," the candidate added. "And what we did was that we chose to mobilize our entire economy, and industrialize our entire economy, and we put hundreds of thousands if not millions of people to work in defending our shores and defending this country." Then came the kicker: "We have to do the same thing in order to get us to 100 percent renewable energy Was the last existential threat to America really the Nazis? I seem to remember the USSR pointing about 10,000 nuclear weapons at the US for 40 years. But that's OK - she's very young and her knowledge of history is deficient as far as anything that happened before she was born. This is what happens when politicians must rely on talking points to discuss the issues. OC's knowledge of the climate change issue is depthless - not to mention a frightening ignorance about the economy. According to Ocasio-Cortez, climate change is an existential threat, just like Nazi Germany was. Therefore, America has to rethink its entire economy. The government should nationalize entire industries, directing everything to the goal of "renewable energy." In other words, "war socialism" without the war. Ocasio-Cortez later admitted, "It may seem, like, really big. It may seem very ambitious. It may seem very radical ... but we are dealing with a radical truth." Only the craziest, most radical greens are proposing what OC says we must do. A government takeover of the energy sector would be a disaster. Venezuela would like paradise in comparison, especially if, at the same time the government was trying to supply 300 million people with their energy needs, they try to force the economy to change over to "renewable energy." Is OC ignorant because she's a socialist or is she a socialist because she's ignorant? I wouldn't want to make a living off the difference. Waving the flag of the country they're desperate not to be sent back to, and burning tires in front of the Tegucigalpa-located embassy of the nation they're supposedly desperate to live in, the Honduras caravan migrants, their organizers and their supporters don't exactly come off as big fans of the United States. Here's how the Daily Mail captioned one of its photos, seen here: In Tegucigalpa, Honduras protesters burn tires at the US embassy during a march in support of the caravan of migrants on Friday. Hundreds of people marched to express their solidarity with the caravan of migrants trying to reach the United States And as it happened, it was led by the Guatemala-arrested-and-deported organizer of the caravan, the far-left Honduran politician and supporter of Hugo Chavez and Mel "cowboy hat" Zelaya, Bartolo Fuentes. Nor does the caraan come across as entirely free of thugs intent on harming others: According to the Daily Mail: Late Friday night, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said in an address to the nation that a large group of migrants had 'tried to enter Mexican territory irregularly, attacking and even hurting some elements of the Federal Police.' 'Mexico does not permit and will not permit entry into its territory in an irregular fashion, much less in a violent fashion,' he said. The Mail also has some vivid pictures of Honduran-flag waving would-be migrants burning flags in front of the U.S. embassy in Tegucigalpa. It makes these caravaners rather different in kind from past immigrants to the U.S., the people who'd kiss the ground upon their arrival and who would write paeans to the golden door and the shining city on the hill. Not these guys. The caravan is exposing the ugly underbelly of what it's really about -- an invasion of sorts, a conquest, a bid to lay gringo low - rather than a legitimate interest in legally immigrating and assimilating into the American melting pot. The only thing such anti-American haters could possibly want in demanding to be let in, legally or not, seems to be benefits, courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer, and to stick it into law-abiding America's faces that they're the ones who determine what the law is, not the Americans they hate. For the criminal population among them, there's also the bigger mayhem opportunities. The Associated Press reports that the group has gotten into Mexico and has since swelled to 5,000. Al Jazeera reports that "All of Honduras wants to come here." Obviously, the caravan and its organizing leaders are intending to be a test case for President Trump, with a the defiant message that they'll cross the U.S. border any time they like, immigration laws be damned. They're hoping to demonstrate such a reality with huge masses of people, who will ultimately be daring the U.S. military or border guards to fire on them, the better for their leaders to cynically claim a propaganda victory over some migrant's dead body and to ensure that as the U.S. wraps itself in pretzels over its dreaded crimes against unarmed civilians should one of them be fired upon. They know they have allies - we can count on the pope, for one, making a rare condemnation of America in such a scenario, (don't worry, he'll keep ignoring Middle Eastern Christians, shortchanging Ukrainian Uniates, and betraying Chinese Catholics, as well as pretending the pervert priest crisis in the West is a matter of collective guilt, not a particular protection racket), and the congressional Democrats, too. After a brouhaha is established and the media acts as their propaganda handmaid, the border will be free. Because they know that Trump was stopped dead in his tracks when he tried to separate families at the border to disincentivize illegal border busting, and the crying toddler photos flowed in the press. The cynical organizers of this are doing a repeat of that with the caravan, full as it is with military-aged young men, and a few toddlers strategically placed out front, knowing they can beat Trump with such a propaganda weapon, and the large numbers as well. So it makes perfect sense to burn tires and wave Honduran flags at the embassy of the nation they claim a "right" to live in, yet certainly do not like or even love. Nope, it's all about power here, and Trump has got his hands full. Image credit: The Guardian, YouTube video screenshot Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Trump and his Republican Party are determined to beat me. They know I'm one of the most vulnerable senators up for re-election -- and recent polls show me in a dead heat with my extreme right-wing opponent, Josh Hawley. We're in one hell of a fight and we simply cannot afford to come up short. With only 17 days left in this race, I am asking you directly: Will you make a $10 contribution to my campaign and Democrats nationwide? DONATE: $10 DONATE: $25 DONATE: $50 DONATE: $100 DONATE: $200 Or donate another amount. tens of millions of dollars in special interest money to flip this seat red. This November's midterm elections are the most consequential of our lifetime. I get knots in my stomach just thinking about what will happen if we don't defend this seat and elect more Democrats to the Senate. You can bet Republicans will keep trying to gut health care protections, pass another tax scam, and restrict a woman's right to make her own reproductive health care decisions. There is way too much at stake to give Trump another rubber stamp like Josh Hawley to carry out his deeply extremist and right-wing agenda. I'm counting on you to win re-election -- it simply won't happen without your help. Donate $10 to my re-election campaign and Democrats nationwide today. I'm in the toughest race of my entire career. If we don't fight back -- we could come up short. It's that simple. Thanks so much for fighting with me, Claire Claire McCaskill U.S. Senator, Missouri P.S. This race may very well come down to only a handful of votes. With the midterm elections only 17 days away, your contribution could be the difference between winning and losing on November 6. Rush a $10 contribution to support my re-election campaign and Democrats across the country. I am asking for your help to win my re-election campaign and continue fighting for our values in the Senate.Trump and his Republican Party are determined to beat me. They know I'm one of the most vulnerable senators up for re-election -- and recent polls show me in a dead heat with my extreme right-wing opponent, Josh Hawley.We're in one hell of a fight and we simply cannot afford to come up short. With only 17 days left in this race, I am asking you directly:Josh Hawley has some real tricks up his sleeve, and he's shown that he's willing to do whatever it takes to beat me. He has the full and unfettered support of Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, and dark money donors who have already spentThis November's midterm elections are the most consequential of our lifetime. I get knots in my stomach just thinking about what will happen if we don't defend this seat and elect more Democrats to the Senate. You can bet Republicans will keep trying to gut health care protections, pass another tax scam, and restrict a woman's right to make her own reproductive health care decisions.There is way too much at stake to give Trump another rubber stamp like Josh Hawley to carry out his deeply extremist and right-wing agenda. I'm counting on you to win re-election -- it simply won't happen without your help.I'm in the toughest race of my entire career. If we don't fight back -- we could come up short. It's that simple.Thanks so much for fighting with me,ClaireClaire McCaskillU.S. Senator, MissouriP.S. This race may very well come down to only a handful of votes. With the midterm elections only 17 days away, your contribution could be the difference between winning and losing on November 6. Croatian armed forces have performed large military exercises during three days from the 12 to 15 October 2018, code named Velebit 18 - Joint Force. It was the biggest military exercise in the history of the Croatian armed forces. Croatian army main battle tank M84 at military exercise Velebit 18 - Joint Force (Picture source Croatia MoD) The military exercise Velebit 18 - Joint Force" as the main training event of the Croatian Armed Forces in the current year 2018 was presented in the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia on 2 October 2018. "Velebit 18 - Joint Force" was a 72-hour inter-services comprehensive exercise involved all combat units of the Croatian Armed Forces including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Special Forces and cyber forces, conducted at military locations throughout Croatia from 13 to 15 October 2018. It took place at 11 locations throughout Croatia, involving 5,500 soldiers and reservists of all army units. This military exercise was an opportunity for the Croatian armed forces to demonstrate their abilities to perform modern combat operations with different scenarios. Velebit 18 - Joint Force was officially opened by the Croatian President, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and the Croationa Ministry of Defense. "This the largest military exercise in Croatia since the Homeland War, all military forces will demonstrate their high readiness and capabilities to response to the new threats and guarantee the country's security and stability.", said President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. The total number of active military personnel in the Croatian Armed Forces is around 14,500 military personnel and 6,000 reserves working in various service branches of the armed forces. Although the budget has been decreased from year to year, the Croatian Armed Forces were able to maintain military readiness and to participate in major NATO exercises in Croatia and overseas. A long term modernization plan for 2015-2024 has been published on the Ministry of Defense of Croatia website. According to earlier reports from the government, the Croatian Armed Forces are set to receive new combat equipment, including a battalion of self-propelled howitzers, new infantry fighting vehicles, new helicopters and a squadron of fighter aircraft. Do it yourself if you can We accept in principle that private equity can deliver (somewhat) excess returns over most other asset classes. But there are a lot of qualifications attached to that, and most of them are very relevant to whether and how pension funds should invest in private equity. SUV EV And since some of you might wonder how such a Woking animal would look like, we've brought along a rendering.The pixel play awaiting you at the bottom of the page is not the most elaborate other there, since it merely showcases a 720S with an elongated nose. Nevertheless, it does give us a hint on the looks of a McLaren with a front-mid-engined layout.And since such a setup would allow the car to accommodate more than two passengers, there are enough reasons to lust for such a contraption.Then again, there are also plenty of reasons for which McLaren won't build such a toy, at least not in the foreseeable future. For starters, McLaren is still working to build an identity after its 2011 road car return and it doesn't want to confuse its customers with such a change, which is the same thing that prevents it from milking thecash cow.This kind of proposal would require a dedicated carbon structure a building a business case for this isn't easy.Last, but certainly not least, such a machine would remind everybody of the times when McLaren needed Mercedes-Benz to build road cars and we're pretty sure the British carmaker wants to leave that history book closed.Now that we've talked about what the Brits won't build, allow us to remind you that McLaren has released its Track25 plan, letting us know more about the machines that will be born by 2025.The company will release 18 new models and derivatives between this year and 2025. Its range will be 100 percent hybridized by 2024, with this including an Ultimate Series machine as a successor for the P1 In fact, the automaker is even planning a pure, which will land after 2020, once battery technology moves forward.The company has made it clear that its models will continue to be hand-built, while its high-tech features will remain driving enhancers rather than become replacements for driving skill. President Trump has no intention of easing his tariffs on China, according to three sources with knowledge of his private conversations. Instead, these sources say he wants Chinese leaders to feel more pain from his tariffs which he believes need more time to fully kick in. What we're hearing: "He wants them to suffer more" from tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods, said a source with direct knowledge of Trump's thinking, and the president believes the longer his tariffs last, the more leverage he'll have. Why this matters: Trump's trade war with China is at the "beginning of the beginning," according to a source familiar with Trump's conversations. And his team doesn't expect much from the tentatively planned meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires next month. The Trump economic team has done no substantive planning so far for the bilateral meeting's agenda, largely because the purpose of the meeting is for Trump and Xi to reconnect, eyeball each other, and feel each other out amid their escalating trade war. "It's a heads of state meeting, not a trade meeting," a source with direct knowledge told Axios. Between the lines: "Trump is thinking about this meeting as a personal reconnection with President Xi, not a meeting that's going to evolve into detailed discussions," said a source familiar with Trump's thinking. "The sides are very far apart. ... Right now, there's not the common basis for proceeding." Trump isn't focused on the details of a potential China deal. He's focused on creating more leverage, according to another source who recently discussed the U.S.-China standoff with the president. Behind the scenes: Trump has privately boasted that his China tariffs have driven down the countrys stock market. Experts say the trade war has hurt market sentiment, but the stock market has never been a reliable barometer of Chinese economic strength. The generic point Trump makes to aides, per a source with direct knowledge: "'We are strong and they are weak.' ... He believes more pressure will bring them to the table to make a deal." Treasury officials have had contact with key Chinese negotiator Liu He's camp to exchange information. Theres been nothing close to real negotiation, according to sources briefed on them. "There is some contact with mid-level Chinese, but not much. ... I wouldn't overestimate the planning process," a U.S. official with direct knowledge told me. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's team has told the Chinese there's no point in them floating plans to buy U.S. products as the key priorities structural issues like IP theft and market access must be addressed. Treasury officials have told the Chinese that the list of U.S. requirements hasn't changed from the summer, according to sources briefed on their conversations. The bottom line: All signs suggest the trade war between the U.S. and China is just getting started. I've asked sources close to Trump whether he's ever expressed any private concerns over whether his tariffs could backfire due to Chinese retaliation against American consumers or companies. Nobody I've spoken to has heard Trump express anything along these lines. He's all in. Go deeper: The affirmative action trial brought against Harvard by Students for Fair Admissions revealed one of Harvard's deepest secrets its admissions process. The intrigue: Before the trial began, they Ivy League school's process had never been disclosed, according to the New York Times reports. But William Fitzsimmons, the dean of admissions, was required to explain details about the process when he was called to testify. The backdrop: Students for Fair Admissions is suing the school on behalf of Asian-American students who say they are less likely to be admitted because they score low on likability traits despite high academic marks and test scores. An analysis of over 160,000 student records found that Harvard gave Asian-American applicants lower ratings on average than applicants of other races in categories including "positive personality" and being "widely respected." The details: Actual student files were submitted to evidence revealing grades, test scores, intended majors, personality ratings and ethnicity subjects considered during the admissions process. Fitzsimmons also revealed that students from rural areas get an advantage over students from urban areas. The university gives "special consideration" to children of big donors, and those who've already "committed to a building" or have "an art collection which could conceivably come our way," according to the Times. Admissions lingo has been introduced to the court through testimony, per the Times. "'Tips' are bumps given to applicants, the 'deans interest list' is a compendium of applicants with clout, and the 'Z-list' is a sort of back door into the college for students who are borderline academically." The chances of being accepted are slim for everyone. With nearly 43,000 applicants in the Class of 2022, just above 2,000 were accepted. Eight months before he disappeared after entering a Saudi consulate in Istanbul, journalist Jamal Khashoggi described Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) as an ultra-ambitious ruler with a tendency to "shoot first, aim later." Why it matters: Khashoggi relocated to the U.S. because his criticism of MBS had made life too dangerous in his native Saudi Arabia. Now, U.S. intelligence reportedly believes MBS is responsible for his death. An Altamar podcast interview reveals him to be conflicted about the 33-year-old prince, whom he compared to Englands Henry VIII. "I like some of the things hes doing," Khashoggi said, "but I feel that he is doing it the wrong way." Key quotes "Saudi Arabia needed someone like Mohammed bin Salman. It was going through stagnation, it was moving slowly, we need to realize how difficult the world is becoming around it. So somebody had to come and seize the moment." It was going through stagnation, it was moving slowly, we need to realize how difficult the world is becoming around it. So somebody had to come and seize the moment." "I think he wants to see himself as the second founder of Saudi Arabia, inheriting the legacy not of his father but rather of his grandfather who founded the kingdom 100 years ago. As a Saudi citizen, I would really like to see him as a reformist, as somebody who will provide jobs for young Saudis and turn the Saudi economy into a true economy. But also he is seen as repressive, so it is quite confusing. I have mixed feelings about him." inheriting the legacy not of his father but rather of his grandfather who founded the kingdom 100 years ago. As a Saudi citizen, I would really like to see him as a reformist, as somebody who will provide jobs for young Saudis and turn the Saudi economy into a true economy. But also he is seen as repressive, so it is quite confusing. I have mixed feelings about him." "Sometimes I feel his style is shoot first, aim later. He needs proper advisers around him to lead Saudi Arabia into the future. But he does believe in himself, its obvious, he very much believes in himself." The bottom line: "If I was a historian I would see Mohammed bin Salman as somebody who is putting Saudi Arabia on a fast-forward mood. Many of the things he is doing, probably he doesnt foresee how the country will be in ten years time. It is similar to what Henry VIII did when he separated the Church of England from Rome. Maybe he did that only to get divorced, but he changed the discourse and the history of England forever." Go deeper: Listen to the full interview. Before Washington Post Columnist Jamal Khashoggi died after a fight broke out between him and people who met him at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, he was targeted by the Saudi government through social media, reports the New York Times. Why it matters: Khashoggi was attacked daily by Twitter trolls because of his dissenting views of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's regime and the way he ran the country. However, interviews and evidence from the Times' expansive report show Khashoggi was one of many targets of the prince as part of a broad effort to silence the country's critics. The details: Saudi operatives began harassing critics on Twitter after the platform became popular in 2010 during the Arab Spring uprisings. The effort was organized by Saud al-Qahtani, the Times reports, who was one of Salman's top advisors before being fired on Saturday after the country confirmed Khashoggi's death. Officials developed a "troll farm" in homes and offices around Riyadh, where hundreds of young men discussed and searched for dissenting voices to silence on Twitter. They compiled names into lists of people to "threaten, insult and intimate," the Times reports. Employees were sent memes they could use to mock dissenters "akin to the cartoons of Pepe the Frog that supporters of President Trump used to undermine opponents," the Times writes. They at times reported posts from dissenting users as "sensitive material" to Twitter in an effort to silence critics. Khashoggi had come up with a strategy to combat trolls before he was killed. He formed a volunteer army of Twitter users, called "Electronic Bees," to push back against trolls. One key quote: "The mornings were the worst for him because he would wake up to the equivalent of sustained gunfire online," Maggie Mitchell Salem, a friend of Khashoggi's for more than 15 years, told the Times. Angry customers at a restaurant in Louisville confronted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who was dining with his wife, and asked him "[w]hy don't you get out of here? Why don't you leave the entire country?" They then proceeded to throw the senator's leftovers out the door, according to a video obtained by TMZ. Why it matters: McConnell is the latest Republican to be confronted by a protestor in public while dining. Citizens have repeatedly confronted Republican lawmakers and officials over the last few months, including White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in Virginia and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in Washington, D.C. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe High-level CEO conferences are self-fulfilling. Important people attend them because important people attend them. It's a mechanism that works just as effectively in reverse. How it happens: The genius of the "Davos in the Desert" conference, as unveiled last year, was that a large number of CEOs would feel compelled to attend, just to maintain their relationships with the king and the crown prince. That core group then created enough critical mass to attract everybody else. The most successful conferences tend to be multi-day affairs in remote locations (Davos, Aspen, that kind of thing). That format maximizes the probability of serendipitous interactions. And, for a while there, it looked like it could work in Riyadh. tend to be multi-day affairs in remote locations (Davos, Aspen, that kind of thing). That format maximizes the probability of serendipitous interactions. And, for a while there, it looked like it could work in Riyadh. But, but: No one wants to feel uncomfortable at such things, or hypocritical. And they certainly don't want to feel that they have to watch everything they say, for fear of offending their hosts. CEOs are human too, and feel real revulsion at the idea of a Washington Post journalist being tortured and killed. The business leaders who waited before they pulled out of the Saudi conference desperately wanted some kind of Saudi signal that their concerns were being taken seriously. before they pulled out of the Saudi conference desperately wanted some kind of Saudi signal that their concerns were being taken seriously. The Saudis didn't (or couldn't) provide what the CEOs needed. All of the Saudi messaging has been literally unbelievable. Thus did the 2018 Future Investment Initiative unravel. The exodus started with the media types: Andrew Ross Sorkin of the New York Times, Zanny Minton Beddoes of the Economist, Patrick Soon-Shiong of the Los Angeles Times. By early this week, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, Ford Chairman Bill Ford, and MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga were all out. The bank CEO departures were only partially based on moral considerations; after all, they still planned on sending underlings to keep their Saudi relationships alive. Fink gave an uncharacteristically revealing interview to CNBC on Tuesday. He declared himself "a friend" of Saudi Arabia, said that he wanted to preserve his relationships with the country, and outright refused to sever ties even if it was proved that the king or crown prince had ordered Jamal Khashoggi's torture and dismemberment. on Tuesday. He declared himself "a friend" of Saudi Arabia, said that he wanted to preserve his relationships with the country, and outright refused to sever ties even if it was proved that the king or crown prince had ordered Jamal Khashoggi's torture and dismemberment. Fink's reasons for pulling out of the conference center on preserving otherrelationships, with employees and clients who were horrified at the headlines. "What I wanted to do was have this conference delayed," he said, adding that the Saudis "understand that we have many different constituents that we have to balance out." center on preserving otherrelationships, with employees and clients who were horrified at the headlines. "What I wanted to do was have this conference delayed," he said, adding that the Saudis "understand that we have many different constituents that we have to balance out." Fink, by his own admission, wanted the U.S. government to pull out of the conference before him. Instead, it was the other way around: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin finally withdrew on Thursday. Only Fox News was slower to the exit. How will the Saudis react to the international community ganging up on them so publicly? The fear is that they will weaponize the international oil market. But that's unlikely. Saudi Arabia itself would be the biggest victim of such a move. Saudi Arabia is now accepting responsibility for Khashoggi's death. As such, it's hard for the Saudis to retaliate too hard against people and institutions who blame them for just that. Go deeper: Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told Fox News' Bret Baier on Sunday that the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was "a rogue operation" and "a terrible mistake," but argued that the relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia will survive once an investigation is concluded. The big picture: The Saudis' latest explanation is that Khashoggi died after a brawl broke out between him and security officials at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and that it was carried out without the knowledge of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). Lawmakers have largely dismissed this account as either unsatisfactory or false, while President Trump initially said he found the Saudis' story "credible." As consolidation in the media industry has reduced the number of news outlets over the past decade, Sinclair media has managed to imprint its political influence by focusing on local TV markets, writes the New Yorker's Sheelah Kolhatkar in "The Growth of Sinclairs Conservative Media Empire." Why it matters: Local news is trusted more than national news, per a poll from the Pew Research Center. As the largest owner of TV stations in the U.S., Sinclair reaches nearly 40% of American viewers with its 192 stations in 89 markets. "Sinclair has largely evaded the kind of public scrutiny given to its more famous competitor, Fox News." Among the approaches Sinclair has taken: Sinclair anchors have sometimes been encouraged to read from scripts prepared by the company that display a rhetoric echoing President Trump's talking points. On Sinclair's scripts, Dan Rather tweeted: "News anchors looking into camera and reading a script handed down by a corporate overlord, words meant to obscure the truth not elucidate it, isnt journalism. Its propaganda. Its Orwellian. A slippery slope to how despots wrest power, silence dissent, and oppress the masses." The companys executive chairman, David Smith, is a conservative with libertarian views, is suspicions of the government and is against political correctness, Kolhatkar writes. Many instances in past coverage has shown its biases for President George W. Bush and the Iraq War. "In April, 2004, Sinclair forbade its stations from airing a 'Nightline' special produced by ABC News, called 'The Fallen,' in which Ted Koppel read the names of every member of the U.S. armed forces killed in the war." The bottom line: 50% of Americans get their news from TV, according to Pew. Sinclair owns more stations in swing states than any other company, which could have huge impact on how people vote in the midterm elections and looking ahead to 2020. Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) called for Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States to be expelled from Washington "until there is a completion of a third-party investigation" into the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The big picture: Republican and Democratic members of Congress appeared to largely be on the same page during Sunday's morning talk shows, agreeing that the Saudi explanation for Khashoggi's death was not satisfactory. They differed in what they believe the U.S. government should do in response, with some echoing Durbin's demands for harsh retaliation and others stressing the delicacy of the situation due to Saudi Arabia's importance as a strategic ally. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) Corker blamed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for Khashoggi's death on CNN's "State of the Union," saying, "If he's gone forth and murdered this journalist he's now crossed the line and there has to be a punishment and a price paid for that. And, again, I'm not rushing to judgment. Do I think he did it? Yes, I think he did it." for Khashoggi's death on CNN's "State of the Union," saying, "If he's gone forth and murdered this journalist he's now crossed the line and there has to be a punishment and a price paid for that. And, again, I'm not rushing to judgment. Do I think he did it? Yes, I think he did it." Corker added: "We obviously have intercepts from the past that point to involvement at a very high level. So let's let this play out. But my guess is at the end of the day, the United States and the rest of the world will believe fully that he did it. We'll see." Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) On "Fox News Sunday," Paul said the United States "really needs to discontinue [its] arms sales to Saudi Arabia," adding that the country must have "a long and serious discussion about whether or not they want to be an ally or want to be an enemy." Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) On ABC's "This Week," Schiff argued that the killing of Khashoggi "ought to be a relationship-altering event for the U.S. and Saudi Arabia" that should result in sanctions and the suspension of military assistance. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) On CNN's "State of the Union," Sasse said "we don't do arm sales for the purpose of the profits from arm sales. We do arm sales because we want to be allied with different countries around the globe that believe in our values. ... Saudi's got a lot of explaining to do, and I think everything should be on the table." Sasse said "we don't do arm sales for the purpose of the profits from arm sales. We do arm sales because we want to be allied with different countries around the globe that believe in our values. ... Saudi's got a lot of explaining to do, and I think everything should be on the table." Sasse added: "You don't bring a bonesaw to an accidental fist fight." Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) Tillis told NBC's "Meet the Press": "We've got to get to the bottom of this. In Saudi Arabia, you don't do something of this magnitude without having clearance from the top. We need to find out who that is and hold them accountable." Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) Graham didn't appear on the Sunday shows, but he did talk Khashoggi on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Features with Maria Bartiromo": "I find it impossible to believe that the crown prince was not involved, so go after him and his inner circle. Save the alliance. I dont mind military sales but I cannot do business with the current leadership. MBS hes done to me." but he did talk Khashoggi on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Features with Maria Bartiromo": "I find it impossible to believe that the crown prince was not involved, so go after him and his inner circle. Save the alliance. I dont mind military sales but I cannot do business with the current leadership. MBS hes done to me." He discussed MBS' recent trip to the United States: "MBS talks about reforming the country in a way that I liked. I never felt more used in my life. I introduced him when he was in Washington." Flashback: On Friday, President Trump called the Saudis' explanation "credible," telling a roundtable in Arizona that it was "a great first step" while reiterating Saudi Arabia's importance as a U.S. ally. The president expressed more slightly more skepticism about MBS' involvement in an interview with The Washington Post that published late Saturday night: "Nobody has told me hes responsible. Nobody has told me hes not responsible. We havent reached that point. ... I would love if he wasnt responsible." And Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told Fox News' Bret Baier on Sunday that the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was "a rogue operation" and "a terrible mistake." Go deeper: Speaking at a round table in Arizona, President Trump called the Saudi attorney general's statement regarding Jamal Khashoggi a "great first step" and believes it to be credible. The details: "Its a big step. Its a lot of people involved," he said. Trump also told reporters that Saudi Arabia has been a great ally, and the death of Khashoggi was a horrible event that has not gone unnoticed. He said he plans on talking to the Saudi officials and praised them for a speedy investigation. A well-wired Republican texts me the reason President Trump is buying the Saudis' story: "Constraining Iran is the priority and Saudi is a critical ally in that effort. That 'trumps' the horrible human rights violation." Here's how the Saudis last night began trying to defuse the international crisis: "The Saudi government acknowledged early Saturday that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, saying he died during a fistfight," the WashPost reports from Riyadh. "[T]he new account may do little to ease international demands for the kingdom to be held accountable." "The Saudi government said it fired five top officials and arrested 18 other Saudis as a result of the initial investigation. Those fired included Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Ahmed al-Assiri." Reuters notes: "Saudi Arabia provided no evidence to support its account of the circumstances that led to Khashoggis death." Be smart, from BBC: "There can only be one of two possible alternatives here: either as many suspect the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman was to blame or he had lost control of his inner circle, something most observers find hard to believe." In Arizona last night, Trump called Saudi Arabia's announcement a "good first step" and said he would work with Congress on a U.S. response, per AP: Asked by a reporter whether he thought Saudi Arabia's explanation for Khashoggi's death was credible, Trump said, "I do. I do." But he said before he decided what to do next, he wanted to talk to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Go deeper: Turkish official says evidence of Khashoggi's killing will be released Washington Post CEO and Publisher Fred Ryan issued a statement Saturday calling on Congress and President Trump to demand "verifiable evidence" from Saudi officials that columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who worked for the publication, was killed in a fight following a discussion in the Saudi consulate. "This is not an explanation; it is a coverup. President Trump, Congress and leaders of the civilized world should demand to see verifiable evidence. The Saudis cannot be allowed to fabricate a face-saving solution to an atrocity that appears to have been directed by the highest levels of their government." Fred Ryan Go deeper: Saudi attorney general says Khashoggi died in fight at consulate By Sara Israfilbayova Cargo transshipment from Kazakhstans Aktau port increased by 32 percent in the first eight months of 2018, compared to the same period last year. The Ministry for Investments and Development of Kazakhstan told Trend that about 1.3 million tons of cargo were transshipped through the ports of Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan, including 202,000 tons from the Aktau port, 1.141 million tons from the Kuryk port, which is 66 percent more than in the same period last year. The ministry noted that in 2017, 740,500 tons of cargo (266,800 tons of oil, 19,700 tons of dry cargo, 454,000 tons of ferry cargo) were transshipped from the Aktau port to the Baku port, which ensured an increase of 76,900 tons compared to 2016 (663,600 tons). The main cargo item in this direction is ferry transshipment of cars, as well as oil and metals, the ministry said. Partnership in the field of maritime transportation is regulated by the agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan on cooperation in the field of maritime commercial shipping dated April 11, 2012. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in August, 1992. Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Turkic Council, Joint Administration of Turkic Arts and Culture, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan attach great importance to the development of bilateral trade and economic ties. There is a successfully operating Intergovernmental Commission, and business forums are held regularly. For Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan the most important points of cooperation appear to be the contacts on energy issues, oil transportation, agriculture, and the use of the Caspian Sea as an important international traffic artery. Currently, the two countries are working on promotion of a joint transport project - the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), which involves cargo transportation from China via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and further via Turkey and Ukraine to Europe. The trade turnover between the states amounted to $142.1 million in 2017 and to $142 million for the seven months of 2018. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The opening ceremony of a monument to the victims of the Khojaly tragedy took place Oct. 20 in the territory of Talas district municipality of the Turkish city of Kayseri. The ceremony was attended by Ali Hasanov, Azerbaijani presidents assistant for public and political affairs, Azerbaijani MPs, members of the Lower House of Russian Parliament. Addressing the event, Ali Hasanov thanked the Turkish and Russian MPs for a detailed assessment of the Khojaly tragedy. "Many questions have been raised here. Member of the State Duma of Russia Dmitry Savelyev, member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Samil Ayrim made a speach. The chairman of the municipality of Talas and other speakers gave a detailed assessment of the Khojaly tragedy. Civilians were killed in Khojaly. They were killed due to the fact that they were Azerbaijanis, Turks. Everyone was killed that night. Even old people and children leaving the city were killed. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Khojaly tragedy became the bloodiest tragedy that went down in history. Since 1991, the states separated from the USSR began to defend their borders, develop independence and ensure their prosperous life. Since then, the Khojaly tragedy has been the bloodiest page in history. Prior to this, there have been many tragedies in history. But this tragedy has no difference from genocide in terms of its scope and cause. It is the notion of genocide that rightly reflects the essence of this tragedy," he said. He said it is regrettable that the perpetrators of this tragedy are still at large. "They are still building their policies. They represented Armenia in all international organizations. They were given the word despite of the fact that they were criminals. However, the Azerbaijani state, conveying to the whole world the truth about Khojaly, publishing books about Khojaly, erecting monuments in memory of the victims of this tragedy, does not intend to inculcate hostile sentiments against the Armenian people. We want the world community to know those criminals who were representatives of the Armenian people and stayed in power for a long time. We want to convey the essence of the acts committed by them so that such bloody tragedies would not recur. If the history does not give assessment to this, such events may repeat. Therefore, we urge peace-loving humanity to give a proper assessment to this tragedy," Ali Hasanov said. He added that Azerbaijan most of all wants peace in the region. "The leaders of the same aggressive regime keep our lands under occupation. We want to return these lands by peaceful means, because war will again cost the blood of innocent people," he said. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. On Feb. 25-26, 1992, the Armenian armed forces, together with the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops, stationed in Khankendi, committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly. As many as 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people were killed in the massacre. Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both. Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 people still remains unknown. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The opening of the Star oil refinery is a momentous event for Turkey and Azerbaijan, the well-known Turkish expert, Professor Saleh Yilmaz told Trend. According to estimates of the expert, the opening of the Star refinery promises a huge profit for the Turkish economy. "A large investment has been made in the joint venture, and taking into account the economic feasibility of this project, it will bring great profits to the economies of Turkey and Azerbaijan. The Star Oil Refinery is a powerful enterprise, and its launch will expand the scope of bilateral cooperation and will improve coordination of cooperation in the energy sector," Yilmaz said. He noted that Turkey and Azerbaijan have gained good experience in bilateral cooperation in the implementation of large-scale transport projects of international importance, which are well known in the region and the world. "These are the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, the significance of which is of great importance for advancing the economic interests of Azerbaijan and Turkey in the region and the world. Along with the fact that all these mega-projects bring huge profits to our countries, they also play important role in maintaining stability in the region," the Turkish expert said. Ylmaz added that the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) is among the most important joint mega-projects of Turkey and Azerbaijan, which is of great importance in ensuring the security of the region. According to estimates of the expert, the projects implemented with the joint participation of Azerbaijan and Turkey are an indicator of the unity and faithfulness of the two states, based on the national interests of the Turkish and Azerbaijani peoples. Earlier, the solemn opening ceremony of the Star Oil Refinery was held in Izmir city of Turkey, with the participation of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The total oil refining capacity of the refinery will be 10 million tons, and the Azerbaijani state company SOCAR is the main supplier of raw materials for the enterprise. The refinery will significantly reduce the dependence of Turkey on imports of petrochemical products. At the refinery worth $ 6.3 billion, built by SOCAR in the Aliaga district of the Turkish city of Izmir, on the territory of the Petkim petrochemical complex, 1.6 million tons of naphtha, 1.6 million tons of aviation fuel, 4.8 million tons of low-sulfur diesel fuel, 700,000 tons of petroleum coke, 420,000 tons of mixed xylene and 160,000 tons of sulfur will be produced. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has accepted resignations of Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi and Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Shariatmadari, Press TV reported. Rouhani also appointed Mohammad Eslami and Reza Rahmani as the caretaker ministers of road and industry, respectively. Akhoundi released his resignation letter to the public earlier on Saturday, citing disagreements on urban redevelopment as the main reason behind his decision. In the letter, dated back to September 1 and addressed to Rouhani, Akhoundi announced his resignation and asked him to accept it. Akhoundi said he apparently could not implement an "effective" plan on urban redevelopment and criticized interference of President Rouhanis administration in the country's economic situation considering the ongoing circumstances. He added that he opposed the way the Rouhani administration confronts US sanctions as the president's methods violate the principles of the Constitution, respect for the right of ownership and a competitive market. He said he had resigned on three previous occasions and asked Rouhani to accept his resignation before October 22. The Iranian minister of roads and urban development survived two impeachment bids by parliament once in February and the other in March after securing votes of confidence from lawmakers. The embattled minister was being grilled over a number of issues, including a train collision that killed 45 people in the north-central province of Semnan on November 25, 2016. Some lawmakers blamed Akhoundis mismanagement for the deadly crash. Some 103 others were also injured in the deadly collision of two passenger trains. Akhoundi was also blamed for a deadly passenger plane crash that killed all 66 people on board in the southwestern city of Yasuj on February 18, 2018. Other controversial issues during the minister's tenure included a national housing project, which was stopped under Akhoundi, who called it nonsense, and deals for purchasing airliners from Western plane makers. Some lawmakers believed that considering the situation of the countrys roads and railroad transport, purchasing new planes was not a priority, as land transportation needed more attention from the ministry. Some Iranian lawmakers had also been highly critical of the performance of Shariatmadari, particularity in the country's automobile industry and there had been strong indications of his possible impeachment in Majlis in the coming days. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Iran has dismissed the "false and baseless" claim made by the United States about Tehran's efforts to undermine US elections, including next months midterms, saying such allegations are rooted in an "unknown delusion", Press TV reported. "The principled policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is based on non-interference in the domestic affairs of other countries," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Saturday. US intelligence and law enforcement agencies on Friday claimed that foreign governments continued to try to influence US elections, including the upcoming midterm congressional vote in November. We are concerned about ongoing campaigns by Russia, China and other foreign actors, including Iran, to undermine confidence in democratic institutions and influence public sentiment and government policies," the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Justice Department, FBI and Department of Homeland Security said in a joint statement. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said bids by American officials to accuse Iran of seeking to meddle in and influence the US congressional elections are basically false, stressing such allegations are politically-motivated. Qassemi added that the White House tries to level accusations against other countries with "specific domestic political purposes and everyday adds the name of a country to its delusional list in this regard." The allegation comes as US government agencies have said they have no evidence of a compromise or disruption of election equipment yet. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accepted the resignation of Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Shariatmadari and appointed a caretaker minister of industry. On Saturday evening, Rouhani accepted Shariatmadaris resignation and appointed Reza Rahmani as the caretaker minister of industry, IRNA reported on October 20. Rouhani has also proposed him to the parliament for the vacant ministry for the vote of confidence. The president also appointed Mohammad Eslami as the caretaker ministers of road after accepting the resignation of Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi. Akhoundi released his resignation letter to the public earlier on Saturday, citing disagreements on urban redevelopment as the main reason behind his decision. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Jeff Branick was fairly new to government, working as an attorney for then-Jefferson County Judge Ron Walker, when the region was touched by a trio of tropical storms, including the devastating Hurricane Ike. By the time Harvey struck nine hurricane seasons later, Branick had taken over the role of county judge. As the top political officer, he was in charge. Now running for a third term, Branick and his supporters point to his handling of natural disasters and their aftermath as one of the best reasons to re-elect him. Nobody has been a louder voice for Jefferson county and for Southeast Texas than Judge Branick, said Greg Fountain, the countys former emergency management coordinator. He recalls Branick at the operations center, answering calls from residents trapped in their homes or cars and reaching out to state and federal officials to coordinate a response. Branick is running on the GOP ticket for the first time after switching parties last year for national reasons. He was elected twice before as a Democrat. The Port Arthur native is hoping voters look past political labels and consider his years at the helm of the commissioners court and emergency management division. He said the county judges office is more about roads and bridges and the local justice system than it is a bout politics. The decisions I make as county judge since I became a Republican are no different than the decisions I made when I was a Democrat, said Branick, 60. More Information Jeff Branick Age: 60 Relevant experience: Incumbent county judge, private attorney Party: Republican Hometown: Port Arthur Money raised: $250,000 Donors: Residents, doctors, lawyers, businesses including Valero and ExxonMobil PACs See More Collapse Yet the party switch could sway voters in a county with a history as a Democratic stronghold, said Lamar University political scientist Craig Tahaney. Straight-ticket voting could hurt him if Democrats are highly motivated by concerns over the national government. Then again, Tahaney said, Branick has always been conservative and his strong community ties could give him crossover support from Democrats. Most people, if they have an established personal connection, are going to vote for person over party, Tahaney said. Branick studied public affairs at Lamar University, then earned a law degree from Baylor Law School in 1984. He worked with the Provost Umphrey Law Firm for 19 years before opening a neighborhood practice. When I first got out of law school, I had one interest and that was to make money. And I made money and did not find it fulfilling, Branick said. Ive found (being county judge) extremely fulfilling because I feel the most content in life when I forget about myself and focus on others. Branick said he is more interested in making sure that the world is a better place when I leave because I was here than if I had not been here. He was elected as Jefferson County judge in 2010. He ran unopposed for his first and second terms. Judy Nichols, Jefferson County Republican Party chairwoman, said the local GOP felt running an opponent against Branick would not benefit the county as the region was flourishing under his leadership. He brought all kinds of respect for this county and its citizens because of the thoughtful, methodical, respectful way he managed one of the worst catastrophes this country has faced, Nichols said. And that speaks to why, as a party, we were OK with his leadership even though he was affiliated with a different party. Branicks Democratic opponent, former congressman Nick Lampson, said he believes the county needs to plan differently when it comes to disaster preparation. He is proposing creation of a county-wide emergency planning committee formed with city and county officials, law enforcement and clergy members. He says leaders should be proactive, not reactive. But Branick said there is no substitute for the firsthand experience he gained while leading the county through disaster after disaster. Gov. Greg Abbott struck a similar theme when he endorsed Branick, noting that the judge, helped secure over a billion dollars in Harvey aid. Branick said he shares the frustration of residents still recovering from Harvey more than a year later. Its a song I have been singing to the federal and state officials, he said. The county enters into pre-disaster contracts in anticipation of hurricane and natural disaster recovery, Branick said, unlike state and federal agencies that dont have contingency funds in place. Their response took two to six months too long, according to Branick, who said reform at the top is needed to quicken recovery at the county level. Branick has been recognized by state officials and even his opponent for his work to restore the countys storm-eroded shoreline, an operation he says protects both the people and the industries of Southeast Texas. Marshlands from Sabine Pass to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway have been dying and sinking due to constant saltwater intrusion, according to Branick, creating a vast expanse of open water and reducing storm surge protection. If the marsh had not been there during Hurricane Ike, Branick said, water would have been all the way up to Lamar University, flooding every house in the southern part of the county. In the 90 years before Hurricane Rita, Jefferson County lost 42 feet of Gulf coastline to erosion, Branick said. In the 10 years after Rita, he added, the county lost 358 feet and county officials are working to go back and reclaim the lost land, put(ting) us back where we were 100 years ago. Nederland resident Clifton Simoneaux praised Branicks efforts to create more jobs by bolstering local industry. Hes positioning Jefferson County to continue to be a leader in the petrochemical industry, Simoneaux said, pointing to the critical deepening of the Sabine Neches channel as one example. It all works together to get our economy booming again. Branick predicts the expanded waterway will be a job creation monster, increasing competition among companies who will save hundreds of millions by not having to use a second, smaller vessel to carry cargo into the channel. While Branick touts the $50 billion spent on industrial expansion during his time in office, his challenger said the county should look to expand other industries in addition to the petrochemical industry. According to Lampson, young people and families are flocking to cities like San Antonio and Austin for the economic and job diversity. Branick cited Lamar Universitys Center for Innovation and Commercialization as a key to developing technology and innovation here and helping diversify Jefferson Countys economic base. Work to mix up the areas job market is underway, according to Branick, who is hopeful that existing high-paying jobs will attract people from other areas. It remains to be seen the impact of national issues on the local race in this midterm election. People are driven to the polls by national issues, Lamars Tahaney said, and those issues can affect local down-ballot candidates. The contentious hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford, who accused him of sexually assaulting her in high school, could be equally motivating to Democrats who opposed his nomination and Republicans who supported Kavanaugh, Tahaney said. The Kavanaugh factor along with President Donald Trumps administration and a now-conservative Supreme Court could mean that Republicans are less motivated than Democrats to show up on Election Day. Nichols said the local Republican Party has seen a large number of voters switch over to the GOP, saying that a lot of people were distressed by the Kavanaugh hearings. On the other hand, voters like Groves Tammy Taylor said they would not be voting for Branick because of his alignment with the GOP. Republican leaders totally disregarded Blasey Fords statements, Taylor said. Branick acknowledged that people watching the Kavanaugh hearings left with wildly divergent views. But understanding that does not give him control over them, he added. I think certainly what happens nationally, positively and negatively, can impact views of local voters about certain political parties, Branick said. Voters are free to make those choices. Phoebe.Suy@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/PhoebeSuy The 12-day early voting period that begins Monday should be a busy one. The Golden Triangle has seen an increase in registered voters since the last midterm election in 2014, and some counties still dont have a final tally. Election officials in Orange, Hardin and Jefferson counties agree that, based on the signup numbers, there will likely be a strong turnout during the early period that ends Nov. 2. A lot of people are interested this year, said Deborah Yancey, deputy voter registrar for Hardin County. Ive seen people coming in and out of the office, calling all day; there is a lot of interest. Yancey said she expects the final number of registered voters and voter turnout to be higher this year, even though there are fewer first-time voters than in 2017. Jefferson County tax assessor-collector Allison Getz said the number of registered voters tallied as of Friday had reached 148,495. That is nearly 2,500 more registrations tha in 204 and it is encouragingly close to the 149,317 registered in 2016, which she called a benchmark year. People are more eager, Getz said. Social media has changed how people interact with politics so it affects the way people get their news. These are the kinds of numbers we see for presidential elections, not typically midterms. Tina Barrow, elections administrator in Orange County, agreed. More Information Early voting Early voting begins Monday and runs through Nov. 2. Here's where to cast a ballot ahead of the Nov. 6 election: JEFFERSON COUNTY Beaumont Courthouse Main location 1001 Pearl St., Beaumont Oct. 22-26, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 27, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 28, Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Port Arthur Sub-Courthouse 525 Lakeshore Drive, Port Arthur Oct. 22-26, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 27, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 28, Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Rogers Park Recreation Center 6540 Gladys, Beaumont Oct. 22-26, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 27, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 28, Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Port Arthur YMCA 6760 Ninth Ave., Port Arthur Oct. 22-26, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 27, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 28, Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Theodore Johns Library 4255 Fannett Road, Beaumont Oct. 22-26, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 27, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 28, Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. John Paul Davis Community Center 3580 E. Lucas, Beaumont Oct. 22-26, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 27, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 28, Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Marion & Ed Hughes Public Library 2712 Nederland Ave., Nederland Oct. 22-26, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 27, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 28, Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Groves Recreation Center 6150 39th St., Groves Oct. 22-26, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 27, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 28, Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Effie & Wilton Hebert Library 2025 Merriman St., Port Neches Oct. 22-26, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 27, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 28, Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Jefferson County J.P. Precinct 4 Building 19217 FM 365, Beaumont Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Precinct 1 Service Center 20205 W. U.S. 90, China Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. ORANGE COUNTY Orange Public Library 220 N. 5th St., Orange Oct. 22-Oct. 27, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 23, Oct. 30 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Bridge City Public Works Building 220 Nitsche, Bridge City Oct. 22-Oct. 27, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 23, Oct. 30 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Mauriceville Volunteer Fire Department 10691 N. Texas 62, Mauriceville Oct. 22-Oct. 27, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 23, Oct. 30 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Raymond Gould Community Center 385 Claiborne, Vidor Oct. 22-Oct. 27, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 23, Oct. 30 8 a.m.-7 p.m. HARDIN COUNTY Hardin County Courthouse 300 W. Monroe St., Kountze Oct. 22-Nov. 2, 8 a.m.-5p.m. First Assembly of God Church 950 U.S. 96 South, Silsbee Oct. 23, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Lumberton City Hall 836 N. Main, Lumberton Oct. 24, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sour Lake Community Center 350 S. Ann St., Sour Lake Oct. 25, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. See More Collapse All of the political things on TV has people pretty stirred up, she said. Barrow said she expects the uptick in registrations will lead to a comparable increase in people who actually vote. Getz reminded people that registering to vote is just the first step in the voting process. Theres two weeks of early voting and then Election Day, so theres no excuse, she said. Its just so easy and its so important. Getz also is expecting above-average turnout. I think were going to go well past the 36 percent turnout we saw in 2014 and will be much closer to the last presidential election, where we saw almost 60 percent, Getz said. It seems to me that people are just more engaged in what is going on right now. But you never know. haley.bruyn@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/HaleyWrites_BE In 1988, Nick Lampson was keying in voter registration cards on one of the first computers in the Jefferson County Courthouse. Thirty years later, the former teacher and tax assessor-collector, and later a U.S. congressman, is looking to take over the top job in Southeast Texas largest county. Throughout his career, Lampson, a Beaumont native and Democrat, said he has aimed to be involved with the people and their problems, their challenges, and see how I might be able to make a difference. That was the first and foremost thing on my mind, What can I do to be helpful to my community? and thats what I enjoyed when I was in the tax office, in the congressional office, and I think I will be able to do a great deal of positive work in the county judges office, Lampson said. As co-chief operating officer for Beaumont-based Riceland Healthcare, Lampson said his move from the private sector to local office is an extension of what hes been doing since he started his career. If elected in November, he said he would resign from the company. Lampson was 12 years old when his father died. He took a job sweeping floors to earn a little money to help his mother struggling to raise six children. As hard as it was on us we didnt have anything, we were a poor family she (my mother) always had something to give to a family down the street, we were sort of taken care of. Thats something that made a significant impact on me, Lampson said. While at Lamar University, he said, he decided public service was a worthy way to give back to the community. He received his bachelors degree there in 1968 and a a masters of education degree in administration in 1974. More Information Age: 73 Occupation: Co-Chief Operating Officer, Riceland Healthcare Party: Democrat Hometown: Beaumont Money raised: $160,000 Donors: Local residents, including the Houston area See More Collapse Three years later he was sworn in as Jefferson Countys tax assessor-collector, a position he held for nearly two decades. Supporters say Lampson, 73, remains a tireless worker for others. Its just amazing the energy that this man has, said Suggie Daigle, a Hamshire resident who has supported Lampson in every campaign hes run. When he tells you hes going to do something, hes going to do it. As Riceland Healthcares director of administrative services, Daigle said she met Lampson in 2014, the year he started working with the company at its Winnie hospital. She said meeting the politician was like meeting a celebrity. Since then, she has come to know Lampson as a go-getter who has been instrumental in implementing new clinics and medical programs across Southeast Texas. I have a lot of faith in Nick and what he can do for Jefferson County, Daigle said. As county judge, Lampson said he would look to pull people together in forming broad relationships with county leaders and elected officials, including the school board and city council. With many Southeast Texans still in recovery mode after Tropical Storm Harvey, Lampson said one of his top priorities would be to establish a countywide emergency planning committee that would be proactive, not reactive in its approach toward disaster preparation and recovery. The committee would be inclusive, Lampson said, taking in ideas from school and city leaders, including members of the clergy, anyone thats in a position to work with large numbers of people. He is running against incumbent County Judge Jeff Branick, who cites his own experience overseeing emergency response during storms and his ability to attract state and federal recovery funds to the area. When Hurricane Ike was barreling toward the Gulf Coast in 2008, Lampson was serving his fifth and last term in congress as a representative for the 22nd Congressional District, which includes parts of Fort Bend, Brazoria, Galveston and Harris counties. Lampson said his foresight and forethought led him to call for equipment to be sent to Harris County two days before the storm made landfall. He said he also worked to get 5,000 claims to the Federal Emergency Management Agency filed before FEMA officials were officially on the ground. As a former chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Weather Service, Lampson said he was in direct contact with activity in Southeast Texas when storms hit. While both Lampson and Branick have established ties to the community, influencing voters who opt for personal connections over party, Lamar University political instructor Craig Tahaney said Branicks switch to the GOP could still affect the elections outcome. Democrats could be highly motivated to vote for Lampson because of whats going on nationally, Tahaney said. He said he anticipates a natural trend for Democrats to eagerly head to the polls because of the Republican-controlled executive and legislative branches. The pendulum tends to swing quickly, he said. Local Democratic Party chairman Cade Bernsen said President Donald Trumps behavior and policies would undoubtedly have an effect on local races. The Democratic base is energized both by people who are terrified of Trump and really excited about candidates like Lampson. Bernsen said he hoped it would all come together for a great victory in November. Tammy Taylor of Groves said she voted for Branick in his first two campaigns but would be opting for Lampson this time because hes leaning more toward what I believe. Taylor said she is very upset with the Republican Partys treatment of women. Both Branick and Lampson have their strong points, said Fannett resident Michael Therrien. But GOP candidates have aligned themselves with a political entity that has attacked the LGBTQ community, he said. Like Daigle, Therrien voted for Lampson when he first ran for Congress in 1995. The minute I shook his hand and looked him in the eyes, I knew that he was the right one for the job, Therrien said of first meeting Lampson in the 1990s. Lampson represented the Ninth Congressional District from 1996 to 2004 when he lost his seat after redistricting altered his district into a Republican-dominated constituency. Lampsons 2017 book The Death of Washingtons Democracy? delves into the gerrymandering controversy that cut(s) up neighborhoods and communities like butchers, according to a summary of the book. Nederlands Clifton Simoneaux, a Republican who has previously voted for Democrats, said hes sticking with Branick, who switched parties since his last election. He called Branick an awesome county judge as a Democrat and likewise as a Republican. Lampson, Simoneax said, has been out of politics for quite a few years. But for Therrien, Lampson has the resources and the abilities to bring prosperity to the Golden Triangle. I believe Nick has a vision, Therrien said. I really do. Southeast Texas is blessed with its booming petrochemical industry, Lampson said. But, he added, he worries the region could miss out on other opportunities by putting all our eggs in one basket. Too many people leave the Golden Triangle for innovative communities in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Lampson said. Young people and families should have every opportunity to return to Southeast Texas, he said. Daigle and Therrien said they believe the relationships Lampson formed over decades in public service would benefit the county. Lampson said he planned to use those connections to diversify the local economy by bringing in technology and manufacturing jobs. Why cant we be that innovate community? Lampson said. Were losing the community of tomorrow. Major highways, railways and waterways connect in this corner of Texas, Lampson said hed like to make the Jack Brooks Regional Airport a transportation staple by adding more flights to Corpus Christi, Houston and New Orleans. Its up to us to fix ourselves, to make ourselves (the area) more attractive to businesses and entertainers, he said. If elected, Lampson said he would organize quality-of-life committees to identify challenges residents are facing and find ways to meet the goals they have for their community. Southeast Texas is a divided community on multiple issues, including race, economy and religion, but nobodys talking about it. Its up to leaders to address it, Lampson said. What makes me different? Lampson said. Its my ability to have vision and innovation in my thoughts. phoebe.suy@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/PhoebeSuy Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico Mexican authorities for a second straight day Saturday refused mass entry to a caravan of Central American migrants held up at the border with Guatemala, but began accepting small groups for asylum processing and gave out some 45-day visitor permits that would theoretically allow recipients time to reach the United States. Seeking to maintain order after a chaotic Friday in which thousands rushed across the border bridge only to be halted by a phalanx of officers in riot gear, authorities began handing out numbers for people to be processed, a strategy used at the U.S. border. Once they were processed, migrants were bused to an open-air, metal-roofed fairground in the nearby city of Tapachula, where the Red Cross set up small blue tents on the concrete floor. But the slow pace frustrated those stuck on the bridge, where conditions were hot and cramped, and some pleaded at the main gate: "Please let us in, we want to work!" Scarleth Cruz hoisted a crying, sweat-soaked baby girl above the crowd, crying out: "This girl is suffocating." Cruz was among the many who appeared willing to accept any kind of migratory relief Mexico might offer. Cruz, 20, said she was going to ask for political asylum because of threats and repression she faced in Honduras. More than 3,200 people flocked to a cramped hangar with a make-shift stage at Jack Brooks Regional Airport in Beaumont for the chance to see U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and radio/TV personality Sean Hannity at his 28th Texas town hall-style rally. Cruz began his four-stop rally tour Saturday in The Woodlands, followed by two stops in Houston and ending the day in Beaumont. They want to go backwards into the failed policies of (former President Barack) Obama, Hannity told a packed crowd in the ballroom of the Hilton DoubleTree hotel on East Greenway Plaza in Houston. They are hiding what they really want to do: They want to impeach (President) Donald Trump. Beto, Bozo, wants to do it himself. In Beaumont, the duo was greeted by thousands of people, kids and adults, chanting Ted and build the wall as they addressed issues regarding immigration, taxes and foreign relations. The Fox News host called women the backbone of the family and society and referred to CNN as fake news. Hannity received a standing ovation as he mentioned the infamous wall and securing our borders. Cruzs Democratic competitor Beto ORouke shocked the nation by raising more than $61 million a record for any Democrat running for Senate in Texas. As Cruz took the stage, the crowd raised numerous Tough as Texas signs. Weve got a race on our hands, Cruz opened. He boasted that he aims to repeal the train-wreck that is Obamacare, saying that many have lost the ability to pay for health care because of the influx in premiums. He also harped on building the wall, saying it will only make the United States more secure. With early voting starting Monday, he urged registered voters to go get it over with, then to encourage everyone they know to vote in the Nov. 6 election. Cruz is scheduled to appear Monday at a Trump rally in Downtown Houston. Jasper Scherer contributed to this report. Erica.Apodaca@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/Erica_A10 Dayton (Ohio) Outpatient Center was raided by federal agents Oct. 18, the Dayton Daily News reports. Here's what you should know: 1. Several state and federal authorities led an investigation into the pain management clinic that led to the raid. Federal agents from the drug distribution and Medicaid fraud enforcement agencies conducted the raid. 2. Dayton Outpatient Center has a storied past. Clinic physician Suresh Gupta, MD, has five malpractice claims, two personal injury cases, multiple business lawsuits and gross sexual imposition charges tied to his name. No charges have stemmed from the raid. 3. No one involved in the raid or investigation commented to Dayton Daily News. Exact Sciences acquired sample preservation technology developer Biomatrica to support efforts to develop a blood-based cancer detection test. Here's what you should know: 1. The companies aren't disclosing financial terms of the deal. 2. Biomatrica will become a wholly-owned Exact Sciences subsidiary but continue to operate out of San Diego. 3. Biomatrica has eight U.S. utility patents, one U.S. design patent and 36 foreign patents. The company has four patents pending in the U.S. 4. Exact Sciences Chairman and CEO Kevin Conroy said, "To detect cancer at its earliest stages, you need the right team backed by the highest-quality science, data and materials. Biomatrica's preservation chemistry ensures the reliability of results, even when blood and other biological samples undergo the stresses of shipping and storage." Lunaticoutpost.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , anaffiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.Don't be a pest to the forum.No profanity in thread-titles or usernamesNo excessive profanity in postsNo Racism, Antisemitism + HateNo calls for violence against anyone..This website exists for fun and discussion only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. 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The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss (no more than 50% of the source material) provide a link back to the original articleIf you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright please contact [email protected] This website is owned by :Marco ZwaneveldDrijfriemstraat 522516 XR The HagueNetherlands.I will not rent, sell, share or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party.We might contact you from time to time regarding your purchases or the services (like forums and announcement lists) you have subscribed to.Some of the 3rd party advertisers on lunaticoutpost.com may use cookiesto track peformance and/or to serve relevant ads.If you wish to read more and/or opt out of such cookies, please visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/ Robert Holmes has been missing since Wednesday. Credit: PSNI. Police are appealing for the public's help in locating missing Belfast man Robert Holmes. Mr Holmes has been missing since Wednesday, October 17. He was last seen in the Lakeview Avenue area of Newtownabbey shortly after 12:50pm. He is described as being 6ft tall, of slim build with blue eyes, dirty fair hair and facial stubble. He was believed to have been wearing a dark, waterproof coat, a grey/black hooded top and a green beanie style hat. Police are continuing to search the local area and would appeal to Robert, or anyone who has seen him or knows his whereabouts, to make contact with police by calling 101, quoting reference number 557 17/10/18. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has said that the controversial Northern Ireland backstop plan must be ditched if Prime Minister Theresa May wants to extend the United Kingdom's Brexit transition period. The UK is set to leave the European Union on March 29 2019, this will be followed by a transition period until the end of 2020. Read More Prime Minister Theresa May indicated last week she would be open to extending the transition period. Speaking on Thursday morning Mrs May said she would consider extending the Brexit transition period by a "matter of months" in order to avoid a hard border in Ireland. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph Mr Raab said that if the transition period was to be extended it would have to be instead of the backstop, intended to avoid a hard border in Ireland. However, the European Union and Irish government have insisted that the backstop must be part of any withdrawal agreement. The Prime Minister has rightly refused to rule out considering different approaches including extending the implementation period, as an alternative to the backstop," Mr Raab wrote. But we wont sacrifice Northern Ireland, and we must have finality to any backstop whether through a time limit or a mechanism that enables the UK to leave, in case the EU doesnt live up to its promise to get the future relationship in place swiftly. It was reported last week that Mrs May had told Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in a Brussels meeting that she was committed to a permanent backstop in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The backstop is an insurance policy which would keep Northern Ireland in the European Union's customs union and single market in the event of negotiations breaking down. It has been contested and is the major barrier to agreement. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) The DUP have strongly opposed any backstop agreement which would separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the European Union. Mrs May's Conservative Government relies on the support of DUP MPs to pass key legislation through a confidence and supply agreement between the parties. Businessman Peter Casey has decided to remain a candidate in the Irish presidential election after a week of controversy over his views on Traveller culture and ethnicity. In an article in the Sunday Independent today, Mr Casey steadfastly refuses to apologise for his remarks, and attempts to open another front in his controversial campaign by describing Ireland as a "welfare-dependent state" which, he says, has led to a "sense of entitlement that's become unaffordable". Read More The latest opinion poll on the presidential election shows Mr Casey has doubled his support to 2pc. Today, he writes: "We have become a nation of people who expect, no demand, that the State looks after them. Pay all of their bills, provide them with homes, provide all sorts of social benefits." Yesterday, Fianna Fail Social Protection spokesman Willie O'Dea hit back at the businessman, saying his comments were an "attempt to breathe life into outdated rhetoric". Today, Mr Casey, a former Dragons' Den panellist, says he was going to quit politics after he was accused of being a racist over comments he made about the Travelling community. However, he is now "more determined than ever to remain in the race" after being inundated with messages of support. He also refuses to apologise for his comments about Traveller ethnicity because he believes they are "first and foremost" Irish citizens. Mr Casey has faced widespread calls to drop out of the presidential race following his comments about Travellers on Independent.ie's 'Floating Voter' podcast. He has become the most-talked about candidate after claiming Travellers are "basically people camping in someone else's land". He denied adopting Trump-like tactics to try push up his polling figures. "It disappointed me when he got elected, but I did predict it because when you live there, America is a racist society," he said of Mr Trump. "I think his behaviour is indefensible." The Irish-American businessman told Galway Bay FM he is not "in any way racist". He noted that he grew up in Derry where Catholics were discriminated against in terms of voting rights and jobs. The scene of the burglary at St Theresa's Church in Sion Mills. Credit: PSNI. Thieves in Co Tyrone targeted a church as part of a crime spree in the area on Saturday night. St Theresa's Church in Sion Mills was broken into as part of a series of linked burglaries. A restaurant opposite the church was also targeted and two tills and an ATM reader were stolen. These items have since been recovered by police. Police said that those responsible had broken into the church by smashing a window and had left a blood sample behind. "Those responsible gained entry by breaking a stained glass window. In doing so they've cut themselves and kindly left a blood sample for us to forensically examine," a PSNI spokesperson said. "A burglary, like any crime is unacceptable but I'm sure you'll agree that in particular a burglary in a place of worship is particularly sickening and abhorrent! "This is an attack on the people of Sion Mills, local parishioners and local businesss and we would ask anyone in the area who saw anything suspicious, no matter how innocuous it may seem, to please make contact with us on 101. Please quote police reference number 515 of 21/10/2018. "Alternatively information can be forwarded confidentially via Crimestoppers on 0800555111." Sheltie dog Rhea has had a very lucky escape after falling 20ft off a cliff while on a walk at Downhill Strand. The two-year-old was being walked by her owner Maria near Mussenden Temple when she jumped onto a wall and fell over the back of a cliff. Rhea fell 20ft but landed on a ledge. Maria called 999 and the Coleraine and Ballycastle Coastguard teams and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene. It was decided that the safest way to rescue Rhea would be for someone to abseil down the side of the cliff and retrieve her via rope rescue. Rhea's owner Maria told Causeway Coast Community that she was delighted to be reunited with her. "We were out for a walk with Rhea at Mussenden Temple when she jumped up onto the wall not realising how small the wall was or the drop on the other side," Maria said. "She went straight over the wall and fell down the cliff. It was my first time at the temple myself and I didn't realise the sheerness of the drop either." "We looked first before calling 999 but realised it was far too dangerous. We just kept talking to her until help arrived. Crews arrived very quickly to help us and reassured us and told us what they were going to do before they did it. The first responders arrived in under 10 minutes. "I can't thank everyone enough for what they have done to rescue Rhea this evening, the Emergency services have been exceptional, I would specifically like to thank the NIFRS who referred the call to HMCG. The crews from Coastguard were Professional, exceptional and extremely reassuring." Victims of one of the most notorious IRA bombings of the Northern Ireland conflict have said they are still waiting for justice (PA) Victims of one of the most notorious IRA bombings of the Northern Ireland conflict have said they are still awaiting proper justice. A devastating blast reduced Frizzells fish shop on the Shankill Road in West Belfast to a pile of rubble and took nine innocent lives 25 years ago on Tuesday. The killer served less than a year in prison for every life he ended. A series of events is planned to mark the anniversary, including a memorial walk and a special church service. Charlie Butler, 64, scrambled through the rubble along with hundreds of others searching for the wounded. He later discovered his niece, her partner and her child aged just seven had died. Mr Butler said: We did not get justice when a man who walked past women and kids into a shop to blow people to bits, did a couple of years in jail and walked out, never to be repentant. Who drove them there, who made the bomb, who gave the orders? Maybe if we got those questions answered, maybe then things could settle a bit. We have moved on, we want to move on. The Government is considering establishing institutions to seek fresh prosecutions and retrieve more information about thousands of Troubles-era killings. Expand Close Charlie Butler has organised a series of events marking the 25th anniversary of the Shankill bomb (Michael McHugh/PA). / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Charlie Butler has organised a series of events marking the 25th anniversary of the Shankill bomb (Michael McHugh/PA). The IRA said it was targeting an Ulster Defence Association (UDA) leadership meeting due to be held above the Shankill fish shop when the device exploded prematurely. IRA man Thomas Begley also died in the blast. Another, Sean Kelly, walked free from prison early as part of the Good Friday Agreement deal, struck in 1998, which largely ended decades of violence. He served less than a year for each life he took. It just looked as if the whole shop had come down on top of anyone that was thereCharlie Butler Mr Butler said the perpetrators had to walk past women and kids, people with prams and into a packed shop. I think lunatics are the name for them, I dont think you could describe them as anything else. He had hoped that would be the end of the bloodshed. It continued, a few days later loyalists opened fire in the Rising Sun bar in Greysteel on the north coast. The victims of the Shankill have shared their grief with others caught up in atrocities. Mr Butler said: We have told each other, it was not done in our name, and what we are saying is, if it was not done in our name then whose name was it done in? I think lunatics are the name for them, I don't think you could describe them as anything elseCharlie Butler We were both sides of the community here, Catholics and Protestants, whose name was it done in, why was it done? Those are the answers we want. He recalled the day of the bombing, when he was running a taxi company. I got to the bottom of the street and within seconds saw nothing but clouds of dust and smoke. I saw a girl lying in the middle of the road with really bad head injuries and other injuries. I ran over and there were people attending to her. I looked over to where Frizzells shop was, through the dust and smoke saw nothing except ruins. It just looked as if the whole shop had come down on top of anyone that was there. His instinct to help kicked in. I along with hundreds of other people got on the rubble, climbed through it. Unfortunately we knew there were fatalities because as I was digging I came across the body of little Leanne Murray, a 13-year-old schoolgirl. I am not a medic but I knew nothing could be done. He carried her on a stretcher to an ambulance, noticing another three bodies inside the vehicle. He later realised his niece Evelyn Baird, 27, her partner Michael Morrison and her child Michelle Baird aged seven were missing. They had been ordering a wreath for Mr Morrisons father, who had died two days earlier. Two Labour MPs have launched a bid to reform Northern Ireland's abortion laws and introduce same-sex marriage. Armagh-born Conor McGinn and Stella Creasy have tabled amendments to new legislation from Secretary of State Karen Bradley. Read More Mrs Bradley introduced legislation in the House of Commons this week in an attempt to give further decision making powers to Northern Ireland's civil servants in the absence of a Stormont Assembly. The DUP are opponents of both same-sex marriage and abortion rights and Prime Minister Theresa May's government currently relies on DUP MPs to pass key legislation through their confidence and supply agreement. Abortion is currently illegal in Northern Ireland in all but the most extreme cases and as a result on average 28 women a week travel to England for terminations. Campaigns for abortion legislation to be introduced in Northern Ireland have ramped up in the wake of the successful Abortion Referendum in the Republic of Ireland. Labour MP Stella Creasy has been an outspoken supporter of abortion rights for women in Northern Ireland and has raised the issue in the Commons on a number of occasions. In June Supreme Court judges said that Northern Ireland's existing laws were incompatible with human rights law in cases of fatal foetal abnormality and sexual crime. However they dismissed a challenge from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission over the legality of Northern Ireland's abortion law. Mr McGinn, who is originally from Armagh has been campaigning alongside human rights campaigners in an attempt to introduce same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland. Expand Close Stella Creasy (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stella Creasy (Niall Carson/PA) Same-sex couples are allowed to wed in England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, but it is against the law in Northern Ireland. Earlier this year Mr McGinn proposed a Bill to legalise same-sex marriage but it was blocked at its Second Reading, meaning it could not proceed through the Commons. Secretary of State Karen Bradley has said it is the responsibility of devolved authorities to deliver change, but there has been no Stormont Executive in place since January 2017 Speaking to the The Guardian Mr McGinn said that equal marriage rights were "long overdue". Every poll shows that equal marriage has the support of the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland, most of the political parties there and the overwhelming number of MPs in the House of Commons. "This amendment gives the government the opportunity to match its words with deeds and bring Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Activists were campaigning for an end to Northern Irelands ban on same-sex marriage (Peter Morrison/PA) PA Wire/PA Images Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye SDLP MLA and Leader Colum Eastwood NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legisl Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Labour MP Conor McGinn speaks at a marriage equality rally in Belfast. Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured speakers during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured Siobhan Craig with her dog Teddy during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX MP for St Helens North Conor McGinn speaking during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast on June 2. Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured friends Chloe Woods (L) and Charlie Dickie during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured L-R Joe Walsh, Nuala Devenney, Donna Banner, Ciara O'Neill, and Aisling Twomey before the Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured Anthony Kelly with his dog Jesse before the Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured Georgie Roulston (L) with friend Niamh Brennan and her 6 month daughter Lunasa Brennan before the Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured L-R Clare Moore, Lady Portia Di' Monte, Belfast Lord Mayor Nuala McAllister with her son Finn, actress Bronagh Waugh, Amanda McGurk, and Cara McCann before the Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners walking alone Royal Avenue past Asher's Bakery during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured L-R Stephen Millar, Thomas Wells, and Sigle Bhreathnach-Cashell during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye First ever Trans Pride event in Writers Square, Belfast. Theme; Solidarity - come join us and show your solidarity if you believe in equality regardless of gender. GUEST SPEAKERS inc; Kellie Maloney (CBB, Presenter & Speaker) Gerry Carroll MLA (PBP) William Ennis (PUP) Alicia V Perry (Author & Campaigner) Billy Gamble (Equality Commission) Boyd Sleator (NI Humanists) & TBC (Genderjam). Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye Alex Maskey talks to Kelly Maloney First ever Trans Pride event in Writers Square, Belfast. Theme; Solidarity - come join us and show your solidarity if you believe in equality regardless of gender. GUEST SPEAKERS inc; Kellie Maloney (CBB, Presenter & Speaker) Gerry Carroll MLA (PBP) William Ennis (PUP) Alicia V Perry (Author & Campaigner) Billy Gamble (Equality Commission) Boyd Sleator (NI Humanists) & TBC (Genderjam). Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye First ever Trans Pride event in Writers Square, Belfast. Theme; Solidarity - come join us and show your solidarity if you believe in equality regardless of gender. GUEST SPEAKERS inc; Kellie Maloney (CBB, Presenter & Speaker) Gerry Carroll MLA (PBP) William Ennis (PUP) Alicia V Perry (Author & Campaigner) Billy Gamble (Equality Commission) Boyd Sleator (NI Humanists) & TBC (Genderjam). Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye First ever Trans Pride event in Writers Square, Belfast. Theme; Solidarity - come join us and show your solidarity if you believe in equality regardless of gender. GUEST SPEAKERS inc; Kellie Maloney (CBB, Presenter & Speaker) Gerry Carroll MLA (PBP) William Ennis (PUP) Alicia V Perry (Author & Campaigner) Billy Gamble (Equality Commission) Boyd Sleator (NI Humanists) & TBC (Genderjam). Freddie Parkinson / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Activists were campaigning for an end to Northern Irelands ban on same-sex marriage (Peter Morrison/PA) Mrs Creasy described the current situation in Northern Ireland as a "travesty". The inequality in basic human rights between the people of Northern Ireland and their fellow citizens in the rest of the UK is a travesty," she said. "The Prime Minister has repeatedly promised MPs a free vote on these issues its now time to see if she puts principle or staying in power with the DUP first. Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Upper Lisburn Road close to the Blacks Road junction on October 21st 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Upper Lisburn Road close to the Blacks Road junction on October 21st 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Upper Lisburn Road close to the Blacks Road junction on October 21st 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Upper Lisburn Road close to the Blacks Road junction on October 21st 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Upper Lisburn Road close to the Blacks Road junction on October 21st 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Upper Lisburn Road close to the Blacks Road junction on October 21st 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Upper Lisburn Road close to the Blacks Road junction on October 21st 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Upper Lisburn Road close to the Blacks Road junction on October 21st 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Upper Lisburn Road close to the Blacks Road junction on October 21st 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Upper Lisburn Road close to the Blacks Road junction on October 21st 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Upper Lisburn Road close to the Blacks Road junction on October 21st 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A man and a child have been taking to hospital after being injured in a road traffic accident in Belfast on Sunday. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) have confirmed that the incident took place in the Kingsway area around 3:30pm. "Two pedestrians were knocked down by a car, one an adult male and the other a child," a NIAS spokesperson said. Two rapid response paramedics, two A&E crews and a doctor attended the scene. The Air Ambulance was also seen in the area. The adult male was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital and the child was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children. The Upper Lisburn Road remains closed between the traffic lights at Rathmore and Makro. A man has been arrested in connection with the attack. Police arrested a 30-year-old man on Sunday morning in connection with a paramilitary style attack in Londonderry. Detectives from the PSNI Terrorism Investigation Unit detained the man in the Ballymagroarty area. The arrest was in connection with an attack on October 5 in which a man in his fifties was shot in both legs at a house in the Brandywell area. The man has been taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite for questioning. Notorious murderer Fred McClenaghan has died in hospital. McCleanaghan (57) took ill in Magilligan Prison, where he was serving a thirteen-year sentence for murdering former partner Marion Millican. It is understood he was being treated in the Royal Victoria Hospital and passed away there. He was finally jailed in 2017 for the cold blooded shotgun murder of Mrs Millican. The Co Londonderry man blasted his ex-partner in the chest at point blank range after going to the Portstewart laundrette where she had worked on March 11 2011. McClenaghan had previously claimed that the killing of Mrs Millican was an accident committed as he botched his own suicide. He was twice convicted and jailed for life for the killing before having the verdicts overturned on appeal. In September 2017 he finally admitted that he murdered Mrs Millican and was handed a thirteen year sentence. The Northern Ireland Prison Service confirmed that a 57-year-old man had died in custody. Ronnie Armour, Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, said: "On behalf of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, I would like to extend my sympathy to the family of the prisoner. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Did a U.S. Official Threaten an Attack on Russia? The Modest Poster Registered User User ID: 433612 10-21-2018 06:28 AM Posts: 10,446 Post: #1 Did a U.S. Official Threaten an Attack on Russia? Advertisement https://www.popularmechanics.com/militar...on-russia/ The U.S. Ambassador to NATO said the United States would seek to destroy Russian cruise missiles that Washington claims violate a decades-long arms control treaty. Former U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison stated during a press conference the U.S. would take out Russian ground launched cruise missiles that violate the INF Treaty, causing confusion as to exactly what she meant. Did she mean to threaten an attack? Not exactly. The comments came during a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, ahead of a conference of NATO defense ministers. Ambassador Hutchison was asked about the United States bringing new information to the table regarding the United States accusation that Russia has developed a new ground-launched cruise missile in violation of the Treaty on Intermediate Nuclear Forces, or INF Treaty. The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 between the U.S. and Soviet Union, prohibits either country from developing nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 310 miles and 3,100 miles. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russia agreed remained party to the agreement. The treaty was the first that completely eliminated an entire class of offensive nuclear weapons and removed a considerable number of nuclear weapons from the European continent on both sides. Asked what countermeasures the U.S. would take to the alleged treaty violation, Hutchison replied, The countermeasures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty. So that would be the countermeasure eventually. Reuters news agency covered the press conference in alarmist terms, opening an article covering the event with, Russia must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile system or the United States will seek to destroy it before it becomes operational, Washingtons envoy to NATO said on Tuesday. Did a U.S. Official Threaten an Attack on Russia?The U.S. Ambassador to NATO said the United States would seek to destroy Russian cruise missiles that Washington claims violate a decades-long arms control treaty. Former U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison stated during a press conference the U.S. would take out Russian ground launched cruise missiles that violate the INF Treaty, causing confusion as to exactly what she meant. Did she mean to threaten an attack? Not exactly.The comments came during a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, ahead of a conference of NATO defense ministers. Ambassador Hutchison was asked about the United States bringing new information to the table regarding the United States accusation that Russia has developed a new ground-launched cruise missile in violation of the Treaty on Intermediate Nuclear Forces, or INF Treaty.The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 between the U.S. and Soviet Union, prohibits either country from developing nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 310 miles and 3,100 miles. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russia agreed remained party to the agreement. The treaty was the first that completely eliminated an entire class of offensive nuclear weapons and removed a considerable number of nuclear weapons from the European continent on both sides.Asked what countermeasures the U.S. would take to the alleged treaty violation, Hutchison replied, The countermeasures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty. So that would be the countermeasure eventually.Reuters news agency covered the press conference in alarmist terms, opening an article covering the event with, Russia must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile system or the United States will seek to destroy it before it becomes operational, Washingtons envoy to NATO said on Tuesday. (This post was last modified: 10-21-2018 06:29 AM by The Modest Poster .) The Modest Poster Registered User User ID: 433612 10-21-2018 06:30 AM Posts: 10,446 Post: #2 RE: Did a U.S. Official Threaten an Attack on Russia? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 438484 10-21-2018 06:32 AM Post: #3 RE: Did a U.S. Official Threaten an Attack on Russia? LOP Secret Agent Wrote: (10-21-2018 06:28 AM) Did a U.S. Official Threaten an Attack on Russia? https://www.popularmechanics.com/militar...on-russia/ The U.S. Ambassador to NATO said the United States would seek to destroy Russian cruise missiles that Washington claims violate a decades-long arms control treaty. Former U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison stated during a press conference the U.S. would take out Russian ground launched cruise missiles that violate the INF Treaty, causing confusion as to exactly what she meant. Did she mean to threaten an attack? Not exactly. The comments came during a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, ahead of a conference of NATO defense ministers. Ambassador Hutchison was asked about the United States bringing new information to the table regarding the United States accusation that Russia has developed a new ground-launched cruise missile in violation of the Treaty on Intermediate Nuclear Forces, or INF Treaty. The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 between the U.S. and Soviet Union, prohibits either country from developing nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 310 miles and 3,100 miles. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russia agreed remained party to the agreement. The treaty was the first that completely eliminated an entire class of offensive nuclear weapons and removed a considerable number of nuclear weapons from the European continent on both sides. Asked what countermeasures the U.S. would take to the alleged treaty violation, Hutchison replied, The countermeasures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty. So that would be the countermeasure eventually. Reuters news agency covered the press conference in alarmist terms, opening an article covering the event with, Russia must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile system or the United States will seek to destroy it before it becomes operational, Washingtons envoy to NATO said on Tuesday. that kills space programs right there.but corporations arent signed to this agreement,right.so a russian corp could build and lease them out,rigbt? like elon has done in usa? that kills space programs right there.but corporations arent signed to this agreement,right.so a russian corp could build and lease them out,rigbt?like elon has done in usa? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 443824 10-21-2018 06:32 AM Post: #4 RE: Did a U.S. Official Threaten an Attack on Russia? Market collapse November 3rd November 5th. WWIII November 16th. The Modest Poster Registered User User ID: 433612 10-21-2018 06:32 AM Posts: 10,446 Post: #5 RE: Did a U.S. Official Threaten an Attack on Russia? https://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-n...70f1d153b2 The US will unilaterally pull out of a more-than-30-year-old treaty with Russia that bans a wide array of nuclear weapons, US President Donald Trump says. The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) was signed by US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in Washington. It banned nuclear and conventional missiles with ranges of 500 to 5500 kilometres, as well as their launchers. "We're going to terminate the treaty and we're going to pull out," Trump told reporters in Nevada on Saturday, where he was campaigning for a Republican Senate candidate. National Security Adviser John Bolton meanwhile set off for Moscow, where he is expected to discuss the withdrawal, which has already drawn criticism from Russia. US to 'terminate' 1987 missile banThe US will unilaterally pull out of a more-than-30-year-old treaty with Russia that bans a wide array of nuclear weapons, US President Donald Trump says.The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) was signed by US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in Washington.It banned nuclear and conventional missiles with ranges of 500 to 5500 kilometres, as well as their launchers."We're going to terminate the treaty and we're going to pull out," Trump told reporters in Nevada on Saturday, where he was campaigning for a Republican Senate candidate.National Security Adviser John Bolton meanwhile set off for Moscow, where he is expected to discuss the withdrawal, which has already drawn criticism from Russia. Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread The woman has been released on bail. A 35-year-old woman arrested in Belfast on Friday night on suspicion of a number of offences related to running a brothel has been released on bail pending further enquiries. Officers from PSNIs Serious Crime branch arrested the woman in south Belfast. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Bell, head of PSNIs Modern Slavery Human Trafficking Unit, said: A team of officers from the Modern Slavery Human Trafficking Unit made this arrest as part of a proactive investigation into human trafficking. "The woman was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking, controlling prostitution for gain and brothel keeping." Micheal Martin has named a four-strong team to conduct talks on the supply and confidence arrangement (Brian Lawless/PA) Talks on underpinning the Government must be substantive, Micheal Martin has said. The Fianna Fail leader highlighted what he termed a critical delivery deficit on housing, health, broadband and Brexit preparations. He named a four-strong team to conduct talks on the supply and confidence arrangement which has enabled the minority Government to pass budgets and survive no confidence motions since the 2016 general election. It comprises deputy leader Dara Calleary, spokesman for finance Michael McGrath, Brexit spokeswoman Lisa Chambers and agriculture spokesman Charlie McConalogue and discussions are due to begin in the next week. It must be substantive. It must push aside the increasingly empty PR of government claims and deliver a serious review of the critical policies which are of most concern to the publicMicheal Martin Mr Martin said: We are setting no new conditions and we will agree to no new conditions or deadlines. The review must be as we have anticipated from when it was agreed two-and-a-half years ago. It must be substantive. It must push aside the increasingly empty PR of government claims and deliver a serious review of the critical policies which are of most concern to the public. He addressed the Wolfe Tone commemoration in Bodenstown, Co Kildare. Mr Martin said: We have guaranteed stability in the coming months because of the critical phase of the Brexit negotiations, so unless the Taoiseach decides otherwise there is no danger of Ireland being caught without a functioning parliament and stable government due to an election campaign and lengthy government formation period. . @MichealMartinTD meeting with @ALDEParty Prime Ministers and Commissioners at the pre EU Council summit today in Brussels this afternoon. #Brexit was top of the agenda along with migration and internal security. pic.twitter.com/4KvWL0XVNO Fianna Fail (@fiannafailparty) October 17, 2018 Our focus is on delivering stability until the risk of a no-deal Brexit or a major last-minute change is overcome. We are entering the review in good faith. If the Government matches this good faith it can be a constructive process. Fine Gael is pressing for speedy completion of the talks. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he wants to see another election in summer 2020. Fine Gaels team for the confidence and supply review will include Tanaiste Simon Coveney, finance minister Paschal Donohoe, social protection minister Regina Doherty and Martin Heydon TD, chairman of the parliamentary party. The UKs new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth at anchor two miles from Manhattan during its visit to New York City (Georgina Stubbs/PA) The captain of Britains biggest and most powerful warship has said it would be lovely if the Royal Navy had an extra 10,000 personnel. With more than 32,000 people making up the full time force of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, Captain Jerry Kyd said retention and recruitment is a constant battle. Speaking as aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth was anchored off the island of Manhattan for a week-long New York visit, Captain Kyd said he would like to grow the size of the Navy over the coming years. This again is why we are looking at innovative manning, he said. It is a constant battle you have to have a strategy which balances your ends, ways and means. Expand Close The UKs new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is visiting New York City (LPhot Kyle Heller/Royal Navy/MoD/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The UKs new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is visiting New York City (LPhot Kyle Heller/Royal Navy/MoD/PA) It would be lovely if we had another 10,000 people in the Navy we are OK, we are balanced, we are getting back into balance. What is probably the most challenging is making sure there is balance across the different branches of the Navy. It is not numbers as such, it is the right quality of people in the right numbers in the right areas. He said retention rather than recruitment is more of an issue, and that they are constantly looking for ways to make it more attractive as a career. Commodore Mike Utley, the commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, said the armed forces need highly qualified, highly motivated people and they are also usually attractive to industry. We are in competition, it is a marketplace, he said, but added that the global deployments on offer, as well as new ships, aircraft carriers and F-35 jets, are a draw. Expand Close The UKs new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has been praised by Gavin Williamson (Georgina Stubbs/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The UKs new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has been praised by Gavin Williamson (Georgina Stubbs/PA) Captain Kyd also revealed that the sister ship of HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Prince of Wales, is on the gradual build up with more than 500 personnel forming the ships company so far. With HMS Queen Elizabeth due to enter operational service in 2021, he said the combination of aircraft carriers, cutting-edge jets, Type 45 destroyers and astute class submarines will probably mean it is the most potent a military task group we will have put together since 1982. He added: It is a strategic and political tool it is all about deterrence. Discussing the two new aircraft carriers which cost 3.1 billion each, Captain Kyd said they mark a truly profound change for the Royal Navy. He added: And I think very much signposts the future for the Royal Navy for the next 50 years. It is transformational for us in so many ways. This sentiment was mirrored by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, who visited the ship on Saturday and said it is a clear sign and clear demonstration of Britains capability Britain. It is quite obvious to me that she is going to be an enormous asset to the Royal Navy, and really is an outward sign of rebirth of the Royal Navy, and actually a much more global Navy, he said. You can see so much of that happening already in the last year, with HMS Sutherland and HMS Albion playing an important role in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. This is the clearest demonstration that we are back in the league of being a great global navy that is able to project power, project influence and make a difference in every sea and ocean. Police have appealed for witnesses to Thursdays crash (Andrew Milligan/PA) A 68-year-old woman has died following a road crash that saw her car overturn onto its roof. Lily Thom was critically injured in a collision in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, on Thursday and died in hospital the following day. Police Scotland said the driver was travelling north on Silvertonhill Avenue, near Avonbank Crescent, at around 11.20am when her car appeared to lose control and collided with a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. The red Honda overturned onto its roof and a blue Nissan Micra driven by an 84-year-old woman left the carriageway. The Nissan driver suffered a chest injury and both were taken to University Hospital in Wishaw. Officers in Motherwell are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them on 101, quoting incident number 1157 of October 19. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has said it is very important there is a full explanation into the death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at Saudi Arabias Istanbul consulate. It has been claimed on Saudi state television that the Washington Post columnist died after a fight broke out, but the explanation has been met with widespread scepticism. US president Donald Trump said he thought Saudi Arabias explanation was credible, but that what happened was unacceptable. Asked by the Press Association if he agreed with Mr Trump on the credibility point, Mr Williamson said the UK was looking very closely at the information that had been released and was obviously talking with allies. It is very important that there is a full explanation that is offered, and that is something I am sure the Foreign Office is looking at as we speak, he added. Expand Close Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Saudi Arabia is the UKs key ally in the region and a significant trading partner with Britain also rolling out the red carpet for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. During his state visit he was granted rare access to a briefing on foreign policy issues by national security officials alongside his meetings with the Queen and Prime Minister Theresa May. Pressed on whether he thought Britain was at risk of hypocrisy if the Government failed to hold Saudi Arabia to the same standards demanded of Russia following the Salisbury attack, Mr Williamson said: Wherever there is an injustice done there has to be action that is undertaken and there has to be a proper and formal investigation. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is considering the next steps in Britains response to the case, officials said. Mr Hunt has previously warned there would be consequences for the UKs relationship with Saudi Arabia if it was found the journalist was murdered. Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner said he thought the Government should suspend all arms sales to Saudi Arabia. It is very important that there is a full explanation that is offered, and that is something I am sure the Foreign Office is looking at as we speakGavin Williamson Mr Gardiner acknowledged there were a lot of jobs in the UK linked to the defence trade but said this is about who we are as a country. Asked if he agreed that UK arms sales to the kingdom should be suspended, Mr Williamson said: We are very fortunate in Great Britain that we have the very highest standards of any western nation in terms of defence exports, and it is always something that is constantly kept under review. But we have to look at where the information has come in terms of this investigation, and I know that is what the Foreign Office is currently doing. A number of Saudi nationals have been arrested and deputy intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and Saud al-Qahtani, a senior aide to the Crown Prince, have been dismissed, state TV reported. Turkish government sources have alleged that Mr Khashoggi, a critic of the prince and the Saudi government, was tortured and murdered by a hit squad flown in from Riyadh. Expand Close Jamal Khashoggi (Johnny Green/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jamal Khashoggi (Johnny Green/PA) The Saudis first dismissed the claims as baseless, without providing an explanation as to how he disappeared after entering the consulate on October 2. Members of the suspected hit squad reportedly came to Britain during the princes state visit. At least three of the suspects First Lieutenant Dhaar Ghalib Dhaar Al-Harbi, Sergeant Major Walid Abdullah Al-Shihri and Abdul Aziz Muhammad Musa Al-Hawsawi were part of his entourage, the news site Middle East Eye reported. Another suspect, Major General Mahir Abdul Aziz Muhammad Mutrib, was seen emerging from a car in Downing Street during the visit, according to the Daily Mail. The Scottish Government has scrapped plans to appoint an energy specialist to help boost exports to Saudi Arabia. The government said concerns following the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on October 2 were behind the decision. Saudi Arabia said on Friday that Mr Khashoggi was killed at its Istanbul consulate after a fight broke out. The UKs Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said the Gulf kingdoms explanation for the death of the dissident journalist is not credible. @PaulWheelhouse visited @WhittakerEng today to announce funding to appoint five international energy specialists. These energy experts will maximise export opportunities for the Scottish supply chain in markets with significant growth potential. https://t.co/mpvKvXxpoE pic.twitter.com/lQOS9qcFZp Scottish Government Finance and Economy (@scotgoveconomy) October 10, 2018 The Scottish Government announced plans earlier this month to appoint five new in-market energy specialists in countries seen as having significant growth opportunities for energy supply chain exports from Scotland. The were to be based in the US, Mexico, India, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia but recruitment for the Saudi post will now not go ahead. A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: We share the widespread international concern following the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, and in light of those concerns Scottish Development International will not be proceeding with this particular appointment. The proposed appointments for the other countries will proceed as planned and are being jointly funded by the Scottish government, Scottish Development International and Opportunity North East. The Red Funnel car ferry, Red Falcon, which earlier collided with several small boats, leaves East Cowes on the Isle of Wight bound for Southampton (Andrew Matthews/PA) A ferry company whose ship ran aground after it collided with several boats has confirmed passengers who were on-board have been safely discharged. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) received reports shortly after 8am on Sunday that the Red Falcon ferry had collided with at least two yachts in Cowes Harbour. The ferry, operated by the Red Funnel Ferry company, had arrived in to East Cowes from Southampton during heavy fog. A spokesman for HM Coastguard said around the same time they had received a 999 call from a member of the public reporting they had heard cries for help within the harbour. The coastguard has since confirmed that nobody was in the water or missing. They said they have made contact with the person, reported to be safe and well, who was on-board his own vessel and was crying out to try and alert the master of the ferry of the situation. The Red Falcon was re-floated with the assistance of tugs shortly before 11am and is safely alongside in East Cowes. Expand Close The Red Falcon passes the mast of a submerged yacht (Andrew Matthews/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Red Falcon passes the mast of a submerged yacht (Andrew Matthews/PA) Surveyors from the MCA have completed an initial assessment of the vessel and it has been cleared to be relocated to Southampton to undergo further inspections. Fran Collins, chief executive of Red Funnel, said the boats involved in the collision were unmanned, moored yachts and that there were no reported injuries due to the incident. A coastguard search and rescue helicopter was initially deployed to the area but had to turn back due to low visibility caused by heavy fog. The UK Coastguard said that the Cowes RNLI lifeboat, Calshot RNLI lifeboats and coastguard rescue teams from Bembridge, Needles and Ventnor were involved in the extensive search. INCIDENT UPDATE MCA surveyors complete initial assessment of #RedFalcon and clear its relocation to Southampton, without passengers, to undergo further inspection. Once the in water survey has been successfully completed the vessel will be cleared to return to passenger service. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (@MCA_media) October 21, 2018 Ms Collins said: On behalf of Red Funnel, I would like to sincerely apologise to all those affected by this incident. Our staff are contacting passengers to offer them alternative sailings and service details are also available on our website. She said Red Funnel places the safety of passengers and crew as their highest priority and have commenced a full investigation into the incident. Ryanair has been criticised for failing to throw a passenger off a flight (Niall Carson/PA) Ryanair has sparked outrage after apparently failing to remove a passenger from a plane after he launched a racist tirade against the woman in the seat next to him. The man was filmed by a fellow passenger calling the elderly woman an ugly black bastard, and shouting dont talk to me in a foreign language you stupid ugly cow. The footage was recorded on October 19 on Ryanair flight FR015 from Barcelona to London Stansted by Kent resident David Lawrence who uploaded it on to social media. It shows the man shouting at the woman to move seats while her daughter tries to stand up to him, telling him her mother is disabled. He replies: I dont care whether shes f****** disabled or not if I tell her to get out she gets out. The man then calls her an ugly f****** c*** and tells staff to move the woman to another seat, adding: if you dont go to another seat Ill push you to another seat. Staff on the flight seemed to do little to silence the man during the footage, leaving a passenger in the row behind to try and deal with the situation. Expand Close The passenger accused of shouting abuse (David Lawrence/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The passenger accused of shouting abuse (David Lawrence/PA) The cabin crew can be heard to say: Dont be so rude, you have to calm down while other passengers call for the man to be thrown off the flight. The victim can be heard telling the man he stinks and needs a wash, before asking to be moved so she can sit next to her daughter. The daughter of the woman who was targeted said she believed if a black person had behaved in the same way they would have been thrown off the flight immediately. The woman, 53, told the Huffington Post the row had started because her 77-year-old mothers arthritis meant it took her some time to move out of the way so the man could reach the window seat. The daughter said she had taken her mother, who is a Windrush Generation migrant who came to the UK from Jamaica in the 1960s, on holiday to mark one year since the death of her father. My parents were married over 50 years. Shes been feeling really down and depressed, so I thought the trip would raise her spirits. She continued: I know that if I was behaving like he was or any other black person for that matter, police would have been called and we would have been kicked off the flight. Mums really feeling upset and very stressed about this situation, on top of the grief shes already experiencing. As for me, Im upset about the whole thing too the fact that the passenger wasnt taken off the plane and how the situation was dealt with, she said. The woman said that when she had complained to cabin crew they denied hearing any racial slurs and they told her to ring customer services on Monday. News of the incident was retweeted 18,000 times after a user with the handle @StanceGrounded uploaded Mr Laurences clip, prompting widespread condemnation of Ryanair for failing to act swiftly. A number of politicians voiced their concern at Ryanairs apparent lack of action. He should have been removed from the flight and handed over to the police. We assume the aircraft was in the UK. If it was, he definitely committed criminal offences. I fully expect @Ryanair to confirm the situation if In fact it was their flight? https://t.co/ORfww9ZiPg Karl Turner MP (@KarlTurnerMP) October 21, 2018 Labour MP for East Hull and shadow Attorney General Karl Turner tweeted: He should have been removed from the flight and handed over to the police. We assume the aircraft was in the UK. If it was he definitely committed criminal offences. I fully expect @Ryanair to confirm the situation if in fact it was their flight. MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde Stuart McMillan posted: This is really appalling @Ryanair . You will know the identity of the man and the level of training given to your staff. This really is appalling @Ryanair . You will know the identity of the man and the level of training given to your staff! https://t.co/DyMleXQ0vD Stuart McMillan MSP (@StuMcMillanSNP) October 21, 2018 Fellow MSP politician Margaret Ferrier said: Just watched the shocking footage on a @Ryanair aircraft, utterly disgusting. Racist male passenger should have been put off flight before it departed. Flight attendant incapable of responding appropriately. However well done to passenger with black t-shirt that intervened #hero. Just watched the shocking footage on a @Ryanair aircraft, utterly disgusting. Racist male passenger should have been put off flight before it departed. Flight attendant incapable of responding appropriately. However well done to passenger with black t-shirt that intervened #hero Margaret Ferrier MP (@MargaretFerrier) October 20, 2018 The budget airline tweeted on Sunday that it had seen the footage and reported the incident to Essex police. It added: As this is now a police matter, we cannot comment further. A spokeswoman for Essex police said: This incident, which we were made aware of this morning, is believed to have taken place on a plane at Barcelona Airport. Essex Police takes prejudice-based crime seriously and we want all incidents to be reported. We are working closely with Ryanair and the Spanish authorities on the investigation. Scottish Conservative MPs would vote down a Brexit deal which extends the Common Fisheries Policy (David Cheskin/PA) Scottish Conservatives MPs would vote down a Brexit deal if it includes extending the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The policy sets out the rules governing fishing across the EU to manage fish stocks and fleets, including the setting of quotas. The partys Douglas Ross, MP for Moray, said he could not support any deal which includes staying part of the CFP past the current exit date of 2020. I think what's important is that we send out a very strong signal to everyone who is negotiating on behalf of the UK that this is an issue that is extremely important for our Scottish communitiesDouglas Ross MP Concerns were raised this week over the possibility of the UK remaining part of the controversial policy beyond this date, after the Prime Minister indicated the transition period could be extended to secure a Brexit deal. Speaking on the BBCs Sunday Politics Scotland programme, Mr Ross said: I could not support a deal that would include staying in the Common Fisheries Policy beyond December 2020. He said an extension of even three months would be too long. Expand Close Douglas Ross said even a three-month extension to the policy was too long (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Douglas Ross said even a three-month extension to the policy was too long (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament/PA) Questioned if there was unanimity among the Scottish Conservative MPs for this view, he said he understood they could not support such a deal. If the partys 13 MPs vote against the Brexit deal, it would lead to the government losing their House of Commons majority. Mr Ross added: I think whats important is that we send out a very strong signal to everyone who is negotiating on behalf of the UK that this is an issue that is extremely important for our Scottish communities that we represent. My view is it will not come to that (a hard Brexit rather than staying in the CFP). They will see that there is a very clear, distinct message from the Scottish Conservatives, and indeed Scotland, that we cannot have the CFP. SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford told the same programme: What Douglas Ross and the Conservatives have to recognise is that they are threatening a hard Brexit. One person is missing after the blast (Rahman Alanezi/PA) One person is unaccounted for after a suspected gas explosion tore through a flat in north-west London. A man, woman, and a baby were rescued from the first floor of the property in Fulbeck Way, Harrow, after the blast set the building alight on Sunday morning. Images from the scene appeared to show the two-storey property had partially collapsed as it was engulfed in flames. Local resident Rahman Alanezi told the Press Association: Everyone was screaming that there was a baby inside and they took him out. Scores of firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze at the two-storey property after the alarm was raised shortly before 1am. One person is unaccounted for and a search is under way, an LFB spokeswoman said. Expand Close Some 70 firefighters were sent to the scene (Rahman Alanezi/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Some 70 firefighters were sent to the scene (Rahman Alanezi/PA) The first floor is currently alight and has partially collapsed. Firefighters using an aerial ladder platform and breathing apparatus rescued a man, woman, and a baby from the first floor. They were assessed at the scene and taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews. About 40 people were evacuated from nearby properties as a precaution as crews from 10 fire engines tackled the blaze. The LFB has said the cause of the explosion is not known but a gas explosion is suspected. A woman has died after a suspected gas explosion tore through a flat in north-west London, setting the building on fire. The victim was found inside a flat in Fulbeck Way, Harrow, as firefighters searched the property on Sunday morning. A baby was among three people who had to be rescued from the first floor of the two-storey building as emergency services, including 70 firefighters, responded to the incident. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said: The first floor partially collapsed due to the force of the explosion. Sadly, one woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Firefighters using an aerial ladder platform and breathing apparatus rescued a man, woman, and a baby from the first floor. The woman and baby were assessed at the scene and taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews. Expand Close Firefighters had brought the fire under control by about 3.30am (@rahmanalanezi/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Firefighters had brought the fire under control by about 3.30am (@rahmanalanezi/PA) Local resident Rahman Alanezi told the Press Association: Everyone was screaming that there was a baby inside and they took him out. He added that an old lady was missing after the blast. Around 40 people were evacuated from nearby properties as a precaution as crews tackled the blaze for several hours. The LFB said the fire had been brought under control by about 3.30am. The womans body was found at about 4am as firefighters searched the property, the Metropolitan Police said. The LFB and the Met are probing the cause of the blast and the Health and Safety Executive has been informed. An investigation is under way into the cause of a fire at a block of flats in north-west London which left a woman dead. London Fire Brigade (LFB) said they were called to reports of a suspected gas explosion in Fulbeck Way, Harrow, on Sunday morning. A first-floor flat was destroyed in the fire and a woman was found dead as firefighters searched the scene. A baby, man and woman were rescued by ladder from a flat on the second floor, which was not affected by the fire. The trio were taken to hospital as a precaution. Expand Close Firefighters had brought the fire under control by about 3.30am (@rahmanalanezi/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Firefighters had brought the fire under control by about 3.30am (@rahmanalanezi/PA) Local resident Rahman Alanezi told the Press Association: Everyone was screaming that there was a baby inside and they took him out. He added that an old lady was missing after the blast. Firefighters are expected to remain at the scene throughout Sunday, the brigade said. Around 40 people from properties within the block were evacuated due to the blaze, which began shortly before 1am and lasted for more than two hours. Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters attended the scene. The victims body was found at about 4am as firefighters searched the property, the Metropolitan Police said. The LFB and the Met are probing the cause of the blast and the Health and Safety Executive has been informed. Central American migrants are walking towards the US (Moises Castillo/AP) A growing throng of Central American migrants have resumed their advance towards the US border despite Mexican efforts to stop them. Their numbers swelled to about 5,000 overnight and at first light they set out walking towards the Mexican town of Tapachula, 10 abreast in a line stretching approximately a mile. It was not immediately clear where the additional travellers had materialised from since about 2,000 gathered on the Mexican side on Saturday night. They seemed likely to be people who had been waiting on the bridge over the Suchiate River or in the Guatemalan town of Tecun Uman and who decided to cross during the night. At dawn there were still an estimated 1,500 migrants on the Guatemalan side hoping to enter Mexico legally. Expand Close The migrants gather in Ciudad Hidlago (Oliver de Ros/AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The migrants gather in Ciudad Hidlago (Oliver de Ros/AP) They marched on through Mexico shouting slogans like Si se pudo! or Yes, we could! As they passed through Mexican villages on the outskirts of Ciudad Hidalgo, they drew applause, cheers and donations of food and clothing from Mexicans. Maria Teresa Orellana, a resident of the neighbourhood of Lorenzo handed out free sandals to the migrants as they passed. Its solidarity, she said. Theyre our brothers. Olivin Castellanos, 58, a truck driver and mason from Villanueva, Honduras, said he took a raft across the river after Mexico blocked the bridge. No one will stop us, only God, he said. We knocked down the door and we continue walking. He wants to reach the US to work. I can do this, he said, pointing to the asphalt under his feet. Ive made highways. Expand Close A Honduras migrant is comforted by a Mexican paramedic (Oliver de Ros/AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Honduras migrant is comforted by a Mexican paramedic (Oliver de Ros/AP) The migrants, who said they gave up trying to enter Mexico legally because the asylum application process was too slow, gathered on Saturday at a park in the border city of Ciudad Hidalgo. They voted by a show of hands to continue north en masse, then marched to the bridge crossing the Suchiate River and urged those still on it to join them. The decision to re-form the migrant caravan capped a day in which Mexican authorities again refused mass entry to migrants on the bridge, instead accepting small groups for asylum processing and giving out 45-day visitor permits to some. Authorities handed out numbers for people to be processed in a strategy seen before at US border posts when dealing with large numbers of migrants. But many became impatient and circumvented the border gate, crossing the river on rafts, by swimming or by wading in full view of the hundreds of Mexican police manning the blockade on the bridge. President Donald Trump has criticised the Democratic Party over the mass movement of migrants. He has seized on the caravan and border security as a campaign issue ahead of midterm elections in early November. The president tweeted that The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat Party. Change the immigration laws NOW! In a separate tweet, he said that Full efforts are being made to stop the onslaught of illegal aliens from crossing our Souther (sic) Border. Mr Trump added that the United States will turn migrants away if they do not apply for asylum first in Mexico. President Donald Trump says he will pull the United States from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty because Russia has violated the agreement. The 1987 pact, which helps protect the security of the US and its allies in Europe and the Far East, prohibits the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles. Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years, President Trump said after a rally in Elko, Nevada. And were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and were not allowed to. The agreement has constrained the US from developing new weapons, but America will begin developing them unless Russia and China agree not to possess or develop the weapons, President Trump said. China is not currently party to the pact. Well have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say lets really get smart and lets none of us develop those weapons, but if Russias doing it and if Chinas doing it, and were adhering to the agreement, thats unacceptable, he said. National Security Adviser John Bolton is heading to Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. His first stop is Moscow to meet with senior Russian officials at a time when Moscow-Washington relations remain frosty over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race and upcoming US midterm elections. US officials have previously alleged that Russia violated the treaty by deliberately deploying a land-based cruise missile in order to pose a threat to Nato. Russia has claimed that US missile defences violate the pact. In the past, the Obama administration worked to convince Moscow to respect the INF treaty but made little progress. If they get smart and if others get smart and they say lets not develop these horrible nuclear weapons, I would be extremely happy with that, but as long as somebodys violating the agreement, were not going to be the only ones to adhere to it, President Trump said. President Donald Trump has said he needs to learn more about the killing of a Saudi journalist and will be working with Congress on the US response. Speaking after a campaign rally in Nevada, Mr Trump said he will be talking to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman soon. Saudi authorities announced that Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, died in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul after a fight with officials there. That explanation has sparked allegations of a cover-up intended to shield the powerful crown prince. Expand Close Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP) Mr Trump initially said he believed the Saudi account, but has now said he still does not know where Mr Khashoggis body is. The president said: Wed like to find out where it is and what happened And I think were inching our way there. It comes as Germanys foreign minister called into question the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia. Heiko Maas told German public broadcaster ARD that as long as these investigations continue, as long as we dont know what happened there, theres no basis for reaching positive decisions on arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Mr Maas spoke after he and Chancellor Angela Merkel released a joint statement calling on Saudi Arabia to hold to account those responsible for the Washington Post columnists death. Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest buyers of German arms. Asked whether German companies should decline attending a business conference in Saudi Arabia next week, Mr Maas said he certainly wouldnt be attending any events in Riyadh at the moment. The European Union said the emerging details of Mr Khashoggis death are deeply troubling and that a continued thorough, credible and transparent investigation is needed. The EU said the continuing investigation should bring proper clarity on the circumstances of the killing and ensure full accountability of all those responsible for it. US President Donald Trump has said his intention to scrap a landmark arms control agreement with Russia follows years of violations by Moscow in developing prohibited weapons. The Kremlin said the pullout would be a very dangerous step. Britain said it stood absolutely resolute with the US, while Germany called Mr Trumps move regrettable. Heiko Maas said in a statement that the three-decades-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is an important pillar of our European security architecture and Mr Trumps announcement raises difficult questions for us and Europe. The 1987 pact prohibits the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 miles to 3,400 miles. Mr Maas said Germany has repeatedly urged Moscow to clear up the serious allegations of breaching the INF treaty, which Russia has so far not done. He said Germany is urging Washington to consider the possible consequences of its decision, including for a US-Russian nuclear disarmament treaty beyond 2021. Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years, Mr Trump said after a rally in Elko, Nevada. If Russia's doing it and if China's doing it, and we're adhering to the agreement, that's unacceptableDonald Trump And were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and were not allowed to. The agreement has constrained the US from developing new weapons, but America will begin developing them unless Russia and China agree not to possess or develop the weapons, Mr Trump said. China is not a party to the pact. Well have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say lets really get smart and lets none of us develop those weapons, but if Russias doing it and if Chinas doing it, and were adhering to the agreement, thats unacceptable, he said. Mr Trump is sending his national security adviser, John Bolton, to Moscow for meetings with Russian leaders, including foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev, and was expected to relay the news about the presidents decision. This would be a very dangerous step, Russias deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as telling state news agency Tass. He said a US withdrawal will cause the most serious condemnation from all members of the international community who are committed to security and stability. Britains Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said his country stands absolutely resolute with the United States on the treaty dispute. He blamed Russia for endangering the arms control pact and he called on the Kremlin to get its house in order. US-Russia relations are already strained as a result of the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race and upcoming US midterm elections. Mr Trump did not provide details about violations. But in 2017, White House national security officials said Russia had deployed a cruise missile in violation of the treaty. Earlier, the Obama administration accused the Russians of violating the pact by developing and testing a prohibited cruise missile. Russia has repeatedly denied that it has violated the treaty and has accused the United States of not being in compliance. The site of a shooting in which nine farmers were killed at a plantation in Negros Occidental province, central Philippines, is seen in a handout photo provided by the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers, Oct. 21, 2018. Updated at 9:52 a.m. ET on 2018-10-21 Dozens of gunmen killed nine sugarcane farmers, including women and minors, at a farmland that the agricultural workers were occupying in the central Philippines, authorities as well as a human rights group and union said Sunday. The victims, all members of the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers (NFSW), were cultivating part of the Hacienda Barbara plantation in the city of Sagay in Negros Occidental province, police said. The farmers were resting in their tents when some 40 unidentified gunmen attacked them on Saturday, according to reports by police and rights groups. October is a month to commemorate the struggle of the peasant sector, yet nine farmers six men and three women were massacred in Negros Occidental yesterday, said Cristina Palabay of Karapatan, a Philippine rights group. They were strafed by unknown perpetrators while already resting in their respective tents, Palabay said in condemning what she called a brutal and brazen attack. Police identified the victims as Eglicerio Villegas, Anelife Arsenal, Dodong Laurencio, Nec Nec Dumaguit, Bingbing Bantigue, Marchel Sumikad, Jomarie Ughayon Jr., Morena Mendoza, and a certain Pater. Two of the victims Ughayon Jr. And Sumikad were 17 years old, police said. We call on the Commission on Human Rights to conduct an independent and thorough investigation on the massacre, Palabay said. We are one with the kin of the victims in the Sagay massacre in their call for justice. The victims of the late Saturday night killings were from different villages near the hamlet where the incident occurred, Chief Inspector Robert Mansueto, the chief of police in Sagay, told radio station dyHB. During the incident there may have been a shootout between the gunmen and the farmers in which at least two of the victims fired back, Mansueto said, according to the Associated Press. There are groups fighting over that land, AP quoted him as saying. Witnesses say they heard only a few initial shots. Apparently the victims were just being threatened. The National Federation of Sugar Workers immediately accused goons a euphemism for private security personnel hired by plantation owners of being behind the atrocity. Sagay Mayor Alfredo Maranon III, expressed shock and condemned the killings in the strongest possible terms. Police were told to do everything possible to bring justice to the nine families that lost loved ones, he said. NFSW officer Danilo Tabora confirmed that some 75 members of the union had occupied the land on Saturday morning, a day after the harvest at the sugarcane plantation, as part of a campaign to till lands covered by the Philippine governments agrarian reform program. Mayor Maranon confirmed that the land was covered by the Department of Agrarian Reforms land redistribution program. However, he said the process of redistributing the lands was still in its early stage. The land reform program has been in place since the 1980s, but big land owners have refused to give up lands they have held for generations. Froilan Gallardo and Karl Romano in Cagayan de Oro City and Dagupan City, Philippines contributed to this report. This MoU is valid for two years to provide the necessary services according to the needs of patients. Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) and Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA), a member of Qatar Foundation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to co-operate in supporting and assisting diabetes patients in the country. The MoU was signed by the Executive Director of Qatar Diabetes Association Dr Abdullah Omar al-Hamaq and Executive Director of QRCS Yousef Abdullah al-Sada. The MoU reflects the interest of the QRCS in co-operation and partnership with various State institutions, especially as it places medical and health services at the top of its priorities in the development of the community through a variety of programmes and activities. This MoU is valid for two years to provide the necessary services according to the needs of patients, in order to achieve a healthy, comfortable and safe environment by covering the costs of treatment of those unable, based on social case studies to determine their eligibility for assistance. PR Newswire MADRID, Oct. 21, 2018 MADRID, Oct. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Gcobisa Madlolo, an activist, a writer, a proud mother of twins and a fresh, inspiring and powerful voice for young women in her native South Africa and beyond is the recipient of the fifth Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy. Madlolo will accept the award at the opening session of the third HIV Research for Prevention (HIVR4P) Conference in Madrid, Spain on Monday, October 22, 2018. Madlolo was an early adopter of daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and is a powerful advocate for young women's sexual health rights. The award is given by a group of Advocacy Organizations that focus on HIV prevention in memory of Nigerian activist Omololu Falobi, who is remembered by friends and fellow advocates as a talented journalist, an activist for social justice, an advocate for prevention research and a son of Africa who worked tirelessly to ensure Africans were taking ownership of their own HIV care and prevention. In 2018 the award committee sought to recognize, appreciate and honor courageous and inspiring young people who have chosen to participate in clinical trials and/or use new biomedical HIV prevention options and to bravely discuss their experiences, and inspire others in the process. In her nomination of Madlolo, Professor Sinead Delany-Moretlwe of the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI) said, "She's a real powerhouse, and truly the present and future of women's HIV prevention advocacy. Gcobisa grabs every opportunity to share her PrEP journey, the importance of support, how she is able to adhere to PrEP and how going on PrEP was a life changing decision for her." Madlolo participated in the EMPOWER (Enhancing Methods of Prevention and Options for Women Exposed to Risk) study which aimed at development of simple, scalable evidence-informed interventions, adapted for local use in Africa. Her commitment to finding interventions that work for herself and communities is so deep that when EMPOWER ended in 2017, she transitioned into another demonstration project, POWER (Prevention Options for Women Evaluation Research), which is helping to inform the introduction of oral PrEP among African women. "I am grateful to be honored with the Omololu Falobi award," said Madlolo. "This recognition means that I must go out there even more, more especially to the communities where young women have very limited resources to share, and inspire and encourage them to make the right health choices." "I am more determined than ever to be the face of PrEP. I want to go out there to every village, every town, every city and talk to other young people about the importance of protecting themselves. For me, I take PrEP because I cannot put the keys to my own health in someone else's pocket I want young women and men everywhere to realise that they have to take control of their health," she added. Manju Chatani-Gada, Director of Partnerships & Capacity Strengthening at AVAC said, "Omololu was a visionary leader, journalist and HIV prevention activist, who accomplished much in his too-short life. He dedicated himself to HIV prevention research advocacy in Nigeria, Africa and worldwide and to championing the voices of civil society. Omololu would be so proud of Gcobisa and her fierce advocacy on behalf of herself and other young women. And that the award is celebrating the contributions of trial participants." In addition to Madlolo, the award committee honored two other young women advocates: Ruth Nahurira, a former participant in the ASPIRE (A Study to Prevent Infection with a Ring for Extended Use) trial and the HOPE (HIV Open Label Prevention Extension), two studies of the dapivirine vaginal ring. Ruth has used her personal story and experience to help sensitize communities those close to her home in Kampala, Uganda and even globally about the importance of HIV prevention research, particularly for women. Within the trials themselves, she mentored other study participants, encouraging them to use their assigned rings and to comply with study procedures. Mercy Mutonyi Wafula is a passionate advocate and one of the earliest adopters of oral PrEP in Kenya. Mercy has been part of the PrEP journey from trial phase to someone who has chosen PrEP as her intervention of choice for HIV prevention. Her work with sex workers earned her an opportunity to not only work as a lead PrEP Ambassador, but also as a co-investigator of a PrEP demonstration project. She is also the coordinator of a DREAMS Innovations Challenge project at the Bar Hostess Empowerment & Support Programme (BHESP) that is focusing on creating awareness and demand for PrEP among sex workers in Nairobi. Since 2008, the Omololu Falobi award has been presented as ongoing legacy that recognizes his commitment and lasting contributions to HIV prevention research advocacy and honors those who follow in his footsteps. Madlolo received support to attend HIVR4P along with a cash award to help advance her advocacy work for prevention options for young people. The runners up also received a cash award. The Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy was established in 2008 by the African Microbicides Advocacy Group (AMAG) and partner organizations to recognize advocates' contribution to the HIV prevention research field through advocacy. Today the award is presented by AMAG, AVAC, International Rectal Microbicides Advocates (IRMA), Journalists Against AIDS Nigeria (JAAIDS), and the New HIV Vaccine and Microbicides Advocacy Society (NHVMAS). Profiles of Madlolo and the two runners up as well as more information about the award, Falobi, and previous recipients are online at www.avac.org/falobi. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2018-omololu-falobi-award-for-excellence-in-hiv-prevention-research-community-advocacy-celebrates-a-real-powerhouse-young-prep-advocate-300734818.html SOURCE AVAC Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION Update 3.20pm: The Government has warned against complacency as strong favourite Michael D Higgins enters the last week of campaigning for the presidency. The incumbent is in pole position to win the race following next Fridays election and has received the backing of ministers as well as most of the establishment. Another wonderful afternoon meeting supporters in Bray! And stunning weather too! #michaeldforpresident #aras18 pic.twitter.com/4TxxGOnCGM Michael D Higgins (@MichaelDHiggins) October 20, 2018 Controversial outsider Peter Casey confirmed in an interview with a Sunday newspaper that he would remain in the race. He recently drew measures of criticism and support after denying that Travellers could be considered members of an ethnic minority. Writing in The Sunday Independent today he says he has been inundated with messages of support. In the paper, Mr Casey refused to apologise for his Travellers remarks. Mr Casey has also penned an open letter saying that he has "been troubled the last couple days. "To read articles that say I am a racist hurts. To hear the Taoiseach, who I always respected, say people shouldnt vote for me also hurts, deeply. "I was so shaken up by it all; I considered dropping out of the race. To hell with it, I thought, if people want to believe all the nonsense then Im just throwing up my hands and walking away from politics." Mr Casey said since his comments he has received "thousands of texts, emails, and phone calls" supporting him. Addressing Travellers in the letter, the 61-year-old said: "Anyone who has followed my campaign knows my number-one issue has been diaspora. "Having lived around the world, I recognise the strength of the worldwide Irish community. No matter where you go, you would be shocked how many people, many whove never even visited our country, identify themselves first and foremost as Irish. He added: I have spoken at length about all the ways to harness this Irish pride to strengthen Irelands prominence. And I will do whatever I can to unite the worldwide Irish communities, whether they are in Boston, Bombay or wherever. And when someone talked to me recently about the Travelers who have lived in Ireland for centuries, I rightly viewed them as Irish too. They live in our country, go to our schools, and vote in our elections. In fact, I believe, if we all accepted them more as Irish, we would do so much more to remedy their longstanding problems, like chronic unemployment, homelessness, and a suicide rate that is six-times the national average. "I respect the Travelers culture and traditions, but I will always think them first and foremost as Irish too. "If that is wrong, I am not apologising." It is believed he will meet his team tomorrow to set out plans for the last few days of the campaign. The Sunday Business Post newspapers RED C poll surveyed 1,000 voters from Thursday October 11 to Wednesday October 17 and poll findings published suggested that support for Mr Higgins stood at 68%. Pre-election comment has partly centred on Mr Higgins expenses while in office. Fine Gaels Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty said: While the polls look very good for Michael D at the moment, elections are decided by who turns up on the day so we cannot be complacent. The other candidates include Sinn Feins Liadh Ni Riada, businessmen Sean Gallagher and Gavin Duffy and Senator Joan Freeman. On Saturday it emerged the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had disputed Mr Higgins claim that he had to use a private jet to get to an engagement in Belfast for security reasons. Ms Doherty said she was unconditionally supporting Mr Higgins re-election. Combining intellect, empathy, passion and a fantastic fluency with words, he has proven to be a true statesman who reflects the best of what this country is all about, she said. All his life Michael D. Higgins has been an advocate for justice and progress. Both as a member of Seanad Eireann and a TD for Galway West he was fearless in challenging inequity and injustice. For decades he championed issues including decent employment, public housing provision, the rights of people with disabilities and ethical standards for public office holders. As a consistent voice for equality, he fought for elimination of poverty and a citizenship floor of basic rights and participation below which no citizen should fall. He has always maintained a strong interest in justice and peace worldwide. - Digital Desk & Press Association Earlier: Poll shows President Michael D Higgins on track for second term Michael D Higgins retains his significant lead over other candidates contesting the Presidential Election, according to the latest opinion poll. The Sunday Times/Behaviour & Attitudes poll shows that the incumbent is on track for another term in the Aras with 69% of the vote. He is 58% ahead of his closest rival Sean Gallagher who is on 11%. Liadh Ni Riada sits in third on 7%, Joan Freeman has 6% and Gavin Duffy is on 4%. Peter Casey, who is taking the weekend off to consider his position in the race, props up the table on 2%. The poll surveyed 930 voters, and has a 3.3% margin of error. However, the poll was conducted between October 5 and October 16 which was before Mr Casey's comments on the Travelling Community emerged. The former Dragon's Den star sparked controversy this week by saying he does not recognise Travellers as a distinct ethnic minority and they are "basically people camping in other people's land". Mr Casey indicated today that he is likely to continue his bid for the Aras and is more determined than ever to remain in the race. Writing in the Sunday Independent, the businessman says he has received messages of support since he announced he would decide, over the weekend, whether to withdraw from the contest. Digital Desk Gardai are investigating the discovery of the body of a woman at an apartment in Cabra, Dublin. The body of the woman in her early 30s was discovered shortly after 2.30pm this afternoon by Dublin Fire Brigade who alerted Gardai. By Anne Lucey It was a killing that shattered two families, stunned a community and now has divided a county. Michael Ferris was found guilty on Friday of the manslaughter of 73-year-old tillage farmer John Anthony OMahony. Ferris (63) had admitted to gardai to setting out to kill, or at least seriously injury Mr OMahony, on the morning of April 4, 2017. He was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Tralee after a two-week intense trial. Michael Ferris The court heard, after what he said was 30 years of listening to the shotgun-like sounds of a crow banger, Ferris just snapped and drove the forks of his teleporter through the window of O'Mahony's car as it was no good talking to him. Ferris said there was no other way to stop his neighbour from using the loud crow banger - a machine used to frighten birds from crops. In custody since April 2017, Ferris will be sentenced in November. However, there has been strong reaction to the character assassination of the dead man, who was painted as difficult and awkward and as someone out of control throughout the trial. Many in north Kerry feel the true picture of the late Anthony OMahony did not emerge during the trial and are disturbed that a caricature of some kind of ogre was painted. The picture they paint of OMahony is that of the hurler, reader, ground breaking farmer and intelligent man. Yes, he could be odd, but that was because of his devotion to his crops, they said. He grew tomatoes and other vegetables and plants under glass in Rattoo when no-one else did and supplied markets in Dublin and London. He hurled with Ballyduff in his youth and had a great love of sport and the GAA. He was keen on horse racing and enjoyed a flutter. He read the Irish Independent each day and bought a number of farm magazines each week. He had a family of nieces and nephews and a brother and sister, who loved him, all highly respected people. At least one person recalled how he had studied agriculture in Warrenstown college 50 years ago and how one of his former teachers had so much respect for him he attended his funeral. He was a fanatic about husbandry, a real purist, a perfectionist. He was obsessed about his crops. He was meticulous. What was going on in Rattoo was not about getting at the people," the local said. There is also some surprise in North Kerry that no-one approached gardai to complain about Mr OMahony use of the crow banger. According to the trial, the only authority approached was Kerry County Council about the noise. The prosecution argued that the killing had been deliberate and intentional and pressed for a murder conviction. However, the defence had argued there had been accumulated provocation because of the behaviour of Mr OMahony, and the fair and just verdict would be manslaughter. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC said in his closing speech that he made no apology for speaking ill of the dead, which was not a normal thing to do. However, it was to show why Michael Ferris a good man who did a bad thing did what he did. Mr OMahonys family shook their heads and cried as the verdict was read out. Ferris told gardai he set out on the morning of April 4, 2017 and parked his teleporter, an industrial-type machine normally used in construction which had two large prongs at the front, across the road to block Mr OMahonys car. He went away and did a few jobs and when he heard the hooting on the laneway, he knew it was Mahony. He got back into the teleporter and drove the prongs of the machine through the windscreen of the car. The trial was told the car had been lifted clear off the ground and dropped a number of times, that the huge forks of the teleporter had been driven in and out through the body of Mr OMahony and through the car a number of times, and that some of the piercings on the bonnet and the roof had blood stains. State pathologist Margot Bolster spent an hour detailing the catastrophic and horrific injuries to a silent courtroom on the third day of the trial. He (O'Mahony) has been torn to shreds not just in the physical sense. His character was torn to shreds last week, before the nation, and this is causing terrible upset to the family, one prominent local said. A person has been rescued from the River Liffey in Dublin this morning. According to Dublin Fire Brigade, units from Tara St and Phibsborough were tasked to the incident. Three more bus routes are to be switched from Dublin Bus to Go-Ahead from today in order to improve frequency and service levels in the city. New operator Go-Ahead is to take on three more bus routes today including Route 111 Brides Glen to Dalkey. Fans of Hollywood star Will Ferrell will be disappointed but reports that the comic actor has bought a lakeside retreat in Ireland have been dismissed as completely untrue. Rumours were rife after a clearance auction at a property on the shores of Lough Sheelin in Co Cavan at the weekend in preparation for its hand-over to a new owner. The house, at Arley near Mount Nugent, is on the site where the holiday home of Lord Farnham of Cavan once stood and its extensive wooded lands, secluded setting and enviable views sparked curiosity locally about who the new occupants might be. But a source close to the sale said a rumour that Will Ferrell had bought it had got completely out of hand. I was asked today if it was true that Tom Cruise had bought the house. Tom Cruise has not bought the house, Will Ferrell has not bought it. I think it was a case of wishful thinking - of people wishing it was Will Ferrell because everybody adores him and would want to have him as a neighbour. The rumour may have been fuelled by Ferrells publicly declared affection for the region. He has traced his family back to Co Longford, a short distance from Lough Sheelins western shores, and has enjoyed holidays in Ireland. But the source said the buyer was not a public person. They are not a personality. All I can say is that they are American, they live in California and they were simply looking forward to some rain and some quiet which is very different to the blazing sun they get all the time. Mauro Icardi's last-gasp header kept Inter Milan in third place in Serie A after they beat rivals AC Milan 1-0 at San Siro. The Nerazzurri had to wait until the second minute of stoppage time to break the deadlock but Icardi's close-range finish from Matias Vecino's cross extended Inter's winning league run to five games. AC Milan started brightly, with Suso drilling wide from 25 yards early on and Hakan Calhanoglu volleying off target shortly afterwards. Inter sprang into life when Ivan Perisic's header forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into a save, and they almost took the lead after 34 minutes when Stefan de Vrij hooked an effort onto the post. Vecino also had a fine chance to break the deadlock as the first half drew to a close, but he fired over from 10 yards when well placed. Opportunities were few and far between in the second half, with Matteo Politano firing a volley over for the Nerazzurri on the hour mark. Suso wasted AC Milan's best chance in the 80th minute when he tamely shot at Samir Handanovic before Inter captain Icardi struck in added time. Lazio also left it late but picked up their seventh win in nine league games with a 2-0 victory at Parma. Ciro Immobile broke the deadlock with an 81st-minute penalty after Valon Berisha went down in the box, and Joaquin Correa sealed the three points in added time. Chievo remain rock bottom as Josip Ilicic inspired Atalanta to a 5-1 victory with a hat-trick at Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi. The hosts had Federico Barba sent off after 40 minutes but by that time Atalanta were already 2-0 up thanks to goals from Marten de Roon and Ilicic. Slovenia star Ilicic went on to complete his treble with two goals in two minutes at the start of the second period. Robin Gosens added a fifth for the visitors before Valter Birsa grabbed a consolation for Chievo with an 84th-minute penalty. Daniel Ciofani's double failed to inspire Frosinone to a much-needed victory as they were held to a 3-3 draw at home to Empoli. Matias Silvestre's own goal put the Giallazzurri in front but the centre-back atoned for his error by putting Empoli in front in the 48th minute after Miha Zajc had equalised. Ciofani scored his first goal six minutes later and added his second from the spot just after the hour mark to leave his side on the brink of their first win of the campaign. However, Moreno Longo's side, who are second from bottom on two points, were denied in the 79th minute as Salih Ucan popped up with Empoli's leveller. Bologna and Torino were also involved in a high-scoring draw, with Arturo Calabresi completing the Rossoblu's comeback. Torino had taken a two-goal lead inside 54 minutes thanks to efforts from Iago Falque and Daniele Baselli. Federico Santander brought Bologna back into the contest just before the hour mark and Calabresi rescued a point by smashing home with 13 minutes remaining. Fiorentina were also forced to settle for a point after Leonardo Pavoletti cancelled out Jordan Veretout's penalty to earn Cagliari a 1-1 draw. - PA GRUESOME. Various images of the victims, some of them set on fire by the assailants, were photographed by Aksyon Radyo Bacolod. READ: NPA blamed for massacre of 9 farmers by a group of unidentified gunmen in a sugarcane farm in Barangay Bulanon in Sagay City, Negros Occidental Saturday night.Police said the fatalities were members of the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers (NFSW) who occupied the farm at Hacienda Nene in Purok Firetree Saturday morning. The male fatalities were identified as Eglicerio Villegas, 36; Paterno Baron, 48; Rene Dodong Laurencio; and Rannel Bingbing Bantigue, 41, while the females were Angelife Arsenal, 47; Morena Mendoza; and Marcelina Necnec Dumaguit. The two minors were identified as Jomarie Ughayon Jr., 16, and Marchtel Sumicad, 17. The bodies of Mendoza, Bantigue and Dumaguit were allegedly burned by the assailants, the police report said. Investigators led by Chief Insp. Roberto Mansueto, head of Sagay City Police Station, and personnel of 62nd Special Action Force team, proceeded to Barangay Bulanon after receiving information about the shooting that took place at about 9:30 pm. The teams learned that the farm owned by Carmen Tolentino was occupied by NFSW members, a day after the harvest. While the victims and their companions were resting inside improvised tents, a group of about 40 gunmen fired at them, immediately killing the nine. Those who survived were able to run and seek refuge in various areas near the sugarcane farm. Operatives from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Crime Laboratory recovered 12 fired cartridges of 5.56-caliber rifle and seven others of caliber .45 along with a homemade .38-caliber pistol with a live cartridge and a fired cartridge case of the same firerarm.The bodies of the nine victims were brought to FDN Memorial Chapel. The Sagay City Police Station said investigators are eyeing land conflict as the motive of the incident. Surviving witnesses were temporarily in police custody. Chief Supt John Bulalacao, regional director of Police Provincial Office-6, ordered the use of all resources to ensure the arrest of the criminals. He also ordered all filed commanders within the region to exert efforts to prevent similar attacks from occurring. But the leftist Salinlahi Alliance for Childrens Concerns blamed the attack on the Armed Forces of the Philippine and private armies of the landlords, who continue to harass, threaten and kill farm workers. The massacre happened during peasant month in the light of massive land grabbing and land use conversion while peasants and hacienda workers continue to push for a genuine agrarian reform and their right to till their lands, the group said in a statement. In this continuous struggle of peasants and farm workers, the Armed Forces of the Philippines [AFP] and private armies of the landlords continue to harass, threaten and kill them. Premier Gladys Berejiklian had a watertight excuse to avoid the Liberals Wentworth byelection wake at the Double Bay InterContinental on Saturday (great party pies, but few heavy hitters bar Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, religious discrimination expert Philip Ruddock, and, er, Mackellar MP Jason Falinski). She was hosting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for a special Invictus Games reception with a who's who of conservative politics at Sydney Opera House diner Bennelong. Harry and Meghan, seen here earlier in the week, attended an Invictus Games cocktail party hosted by Premier Gladys Berejiklian at the Opera House on Saturday night. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Former prime minister and Dave Sharma-backer John Howard was in the room with wife Jeanette, over the moon at the arrival of a new grandson Winston John Richard Howard. Howard did appear more distracted from the Ian Thorpe-hosted celebration as the (bad) news rolled in about Sharmas electoral fate. The Crime and Corruption Commission have charged four men with fraud and money-laundering offences following an 18-month investigation into a Brisbane-based law firm. On Sunday, the CCC and Queensland Police executed search warrants at residential addresses across Brisbane as part of the investigation named Operation Stockade. Four men were charged by the CCC on Sunday following an investigation into a Brisbane law firm. Credit:File It is alleged some of the men charged were involved in serious fraud offences against Legal Aid to the value of about $340,000 and failing to comply with the Legal Profession Act 2007 in relation to the requirement to deposit over $750,000 into a trust account. It is also alleged the men laundered the proceeds of serious criminal offences. On Sunday the council advised the boil water notice had been lifted for residents of Cedar Vale, Woodhill, Veresdale and Veresdale Scrub. Residents in three Logan suburbs have been told to boil their tap water before drinking after an E. coli outbreak. Credit:Adobe On Friday, more than 2000 Logan residents were advised to boil their tap water or use bottled water after the detection of the potentially harmful E. coli bacteria. Logan City Council has advised residents they no longer need to boil their drinking water. "Results of drinking water tests have complied with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and Queensland Government Public Health Regulations, and is safe to drink and use for normal purposes," a statement from the council said. Residents were advised to flush all water-using fixtures for one minute, drain and flush any ice-making machine and change pre-treatment filters. EARLIER: More than 2000 Logan residents have been warned to boil their drinking water after E. coli was detected in their council water supply. Residents in the rural Logan suburbs of Cedar Grove, Cedar Vale and Woodhill have been advised to either boil their tap water or use bottled water after the detection of the potentially harmful bacteria. Council is working closely with Queensland Health to resolve the situation and we are performing additional testing until we resolve the situation, a Logan City Council spokesman said. A world-first surveillance program that tracks adverse reactions to vaccinations will soon monitor every vaccine on the national immunisation program (NIP). SmartVax was created in response to the 2010 Fluvax disaster, when a spike in convulsions and fever prompted Australias chief medical officer to suspend the flu vaccine program for children under five. SmartVax will soon monitor adverse reactions for every vaccine on the National Immunisation Program Credit:Wayne Taylor "We needed to develop a better way to detect vaccine safety signals [a link between a vaccine and severe side effects] that could mobilise an effective response in a timely fashion, said co-developer and Perth GP Alan Leeb. "Especially for new vaccines and influenza vaccines, which change formulation every year." Diners and supporters of Melbourne's historic tramcar restaurants are shocked the burgundy carriages have stopped rolling after it was brought to a halt over safety concerns. "We cannot let this happen," posted Angela Brullo Powell on the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant Facebook page. The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant. "I have had dinner here many times and cannot speak highly enough of this amazing experience! Please lets keep it going!" Ms Powell is one of many devotees upset the service has ground to a halt after it failed a safety assessment due to wooden structural elements of the vintage trams being badly weathered. A man wielding a machete was disarmed by bottle shop workers and a customer in Perth on Saturday night, police say. "It will be alleged that around 8:30pm the man entered a bottle shop on Carrington Street and approached the till after selecting an item," a police spokesperson said. "The man then produced a machete and demanded that the staff member hand over cash from the register. "He then walked behind the counter at which time the staff member attempted to disarm him." Other staff members and a member of the public helped, holding the man there until police arrived. When it came to a decision between a free festive family evening or supporting sick and disadvantaged children, the choice was clear. Variety WA chief executive Tony Hume had to cancel Carols by Candelight. Carols by Candlelight will not go ahead as planned. Credit:Melissa Adams Weve had to say no to many requests for help this year, being the tough year as it was, so if we were to go ahead this year and put the best part of a few hundred thousands of dollars in to an event that is for the wider community, not just the community that Variety serves, it would inhibit our ability to support our kids that we support, Mr Hume said. Our priority is to help kids who are sick, disadvantaged or who have special needs. Jim Chalmers broke down in tears and begged Kevin Rudd to let him run for Parliament, despite helping orchestrate a carpet-bombing campaign against the former prime minister during Labor's leadership wars. The revelation about the opposition frontbencher, who holds ambitions to become prime minister, is contained in Mr Rudd's new book, The PM Years. In it, Mr Rudd also claims Kim Beazley wanted to be governor-general, Bill Shorten thought a junior ministerial role on disabilities was beneath him, and that Wayne Swan was not just treacherous but an "incompetent" treasurer responsible for the mining tax disaster. As chief of staff to Mr Swan, Mr Chalmers wrote a blistering statement savaging Mr Rudd after he resigned as foreign minister in 2012. Independent candidate Kerryn Phelps has cemented her lead in the Wentworth byelection after a day of astonishing shifts in the provisional tally, with the final outcome to be decided by thousands of postal votes that are yet to be counted. Liberal Party observers believe the government only has a remote chance of a shock comeback over the coming days, with Liberal candidate Dave Sharma falling further behind in the latest count on Sunday night. Dr Phelps has secured 51.1 per cent of the vote in two-party terms, a lead that is substantial enough to withstand the gains Mr Sharma is expected to make when more postal votes are received by the time the deadline passes on November 2. Dr Phelps had a lead of 1626 votes in the update posted by the Australian Electoral Commission at 6.45pm on Sunday, securing 37,719 votes in two-party terms compared to 36,093 for Mr Sharma. The Liberal Party is staging a surprise recovery in the Wentworth byelection to narrow the gap against independent candidate Kerryn Phelps, sparking talk of a recount because the result will be so close. Liberal candidate Dave Sharma is gaining a large share of the postal votes still being counted, in a trend that scales back the astonishing swing that led to early predictions Dr Phelps would win the seat. The Australian Electoral Commission is launching a "fresh scrutiny" of polling booths in Sydney's eastern suburbs amid speculation that the initial count did not properly allocate preferences to Dr Phelps in some booths, such as in Bellevue Hill. The AEC said this check was being undertaken on Sunday in Bondi Beach, Double Bay, Bellevue Hill, Padd'n Central, Darling Point and Bronte. A business administration graduate, Lopez said she couldn't find work in Honduras. She wants to reach the USA but would stay in Mexico if she could find work here. "My goal is to find work for a better future for my daughters," she said. Her husband, David Martinez, said they were tired, but had to push on to reach their goal of making it to the US Olivin Castellanos, 58, a truck driver and mason from Villanueva, Honduras, said he took a raft across the river after Mexico blocked the bridge. "No one will stop us, only God," he said. "We knocked down the door and we continue walking." He wants to reach the US to work. "I can do this," he said, pointing to the asphalt under his feet. "I've made highways." A man carrying a boy gives the child water while walking with a caravan of Central American migrants heading for the US. Credit:AP The migrants, who said they gave up trying to enter Mexico legally because the asylum application process was too slow and most want to continue to the US, gathered on Saturday at a park in the border city of Ciudad Hidalgo. They voted by a show of hands to continue north en masse, then marched to the bridge crossing the Suchiate River and urged those still on it to come join them. The decision to re-form the migrant caravan capped a day in which Mexican authorities again refused mass entry to migrants on the bridge, instead accepting small groups for asylum processing and giving out 45-day visitor permits to some. Authorities handed out numbers for people to be processed in a strategy seen before at US border posts when dealing with large numbers of migrants. But many became impatient and circumventing the border gate, crossing the river on rafts, by swimming or by wading in full view of the hundreds of Mexican police manning the blockade on the bridge. Some paid locals the equivalent of $1.70 to ferry them across the muddy waters. They were not detained on reaching the Mexican bank. Sairy Bueso, a 24-year old Honduran mother of two, was another migrant who abandoned the bridge and crossed into Mexico via the river. She clutched her 2-year-old daughter Dayani, who had recently had a heart operation, as she got off a raft. A group of Central American migrants cross the Suchiate River on the the border between Guatemala and Mexico, in Ciudad Hidalgo. Others attempted to swim across. Credit:AP "The girl suffered greatly because of all the people crowded" on the bridge, Bueso said. "There are risks that we must take for the good of our children." In addition to those who crossed the river, immigration agents processed migrants in small groups and then bused them to an open-air, metal-roof fairground in Tapachula, where the Red Cross set up small blue tents on the concrete floor. Mexico's Interior Department said it had received 640 refugee requests by Hondurans at the border crossing. It released photos of migrants getting off buses at a shelter and receiving food and medical attention. On Sunday, federal police monitored the caravan's progress from a helicopter and had a few units escorting it. Outside Tapachula about 500 federal police briefly gathered along the highway on buses and in patrol units, but officers said their instructions were to maintain traffic on the highway not stop the caravan. They moved on toward Tapachula before the caravan reached them. A group of migrants rests at the central park in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on Satuday. Credit:AP Migrants cited widespread poverty and gang violence in Honduras, one of the world's deadliest nations by homicide rate, as their reasons for joining the caravan. Juan Carlos Mercado, 20, from Santa Barbara, Honduras, says corruption and a lack of jobs in Honduras has stymied him. "We just want to move ahead with our lives," he said Sunday. He said he'd do any kind of work. The caravan elicited a series of angry tweets and warnings from Trump early in the week, but Mexico's initial handling of the migrants at its southern border seemed to have satisfied him more recently. "So as of this moment, I thank Mexico," Trump said Friday at an event in Scottsdale, Arizona. "I hope they continue. But as of this moment, I thank Mexico. If that doesn't work out, we're calling up the military - not the Guard." "They're not coming into this country," Trump added. "The Mexican Government is fully engaged in finding a solution that encourages safe, secure, and orderly migration," State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Saturday, "and both the United States and Mexico continue to work with Central American governments to address the economic, security, and governance drivers of illegal immigration." After an emergency meeting in Guatemala, presidents Hernandez of Honduras and Jimmy Morales of Guatemala said an estimated 5400 migrants had entered Guatemala since the caravan was announced a week ago, and about 2000 Hondurans have returned voluntarily. Elko, Nevada: US President Donald Trump has confirmed that Washington will exit the Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty, triggering a warning of retaliatory measures from Moscow. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, negotiated by then-President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, required elimination of land-based short-range and intermediate-range nuclear and conventional missiles by both countries. "Russia has not, unfortunately, honoured the agreement so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," Trump told reporters on Saturday after a rally in Nevada. "We're not going to be the only one to adhere to it." Latest News New electric vehicle loans the talking point as lender celebrates first profit 183% growth at lender as they set their sights on specialist market segment $530m funding deal to see Pallas Capital team up with Credit Suisse New trust to offer cheaper cost of funds for major commercial real estate deals The mortgage broking industry was celebrated on Friday night with one of Australias top brokers handed the award for Australian Broker of the Year. The 17th annual Australian Mortgage Awards (AMAs), sponsored by Westpac, was held at The Star in Sydney with a record 650 guests in attendance. Some 31 awards were presented on the night to the industrys best brokerages, banks, non-banks, aggregators and individuals from across Australia. The top award of the night was handed to Josh Bartlett from Loan Market Bayside, picking up Westpac Australian Broker of the Year. LoanMarket also picked up the award for OnDeck's Aggregator of the Year (over 500 brokers) and Bartlett was back on stage again to pick up two more awards: Broker of the Year - Productivity and Brokerage of the Year (1-5 staff) for Loan Market Bayside. In a hotly contested category, Alex Veljancevski of Eventus Financial was revealed as the winner of the Australian Young Gun of the Year. After much anticipation, Option Finance Australia Pty Ltd was named Liberty Australian Brokerage of the year. Donovan Blanch from ANZ was crowned MPA Australian BDM of the Year. The gala evening was hosted by one of Australias foremost stand-up comedians Lawrence Mooney. Guests were also treated to music by popular band Furnace and the Fundamentals and soloist Linden Furnell. Photos and video coverage of the event will be available shortly at http://www.australianmortgageawards.com.au/ and the November issue of MPA. GRAND IMPROVISATION America Confronts the British Superpower, 1945-1957 Derek Leebaert Farrar, Straus & Giroux 612 pages; $35 It was cruel of a senior official to swipe two reckless policy directives on trade from President Donald Trumps desk before he could sign them. He should not have left the chief executive to start his working day staring into empty space. Sad. Better to have left the president to contemplate a sheet of paper with a one-line sentence from a former secretary of state: Pottery Barn rule you break it, you own it. Colin Powell deployed ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. 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Digital Editor Heads of the country's top telecom firms will be seen sharing dais during the from October 25-27, where these telcos are expected to discuss critical issues facing the industry. According to the event schedule, Chairman and Chairman are going to be part of the inaugural session on October 25. Vodafone Idea Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla is also expected to join the session. "Promoters of all three telecom operators are going to participate in IMC," Industry body Director General Rajan S Mathews told PTI. Mathews said chief technology officers and chief marketing officers of leading telecom operators are expected to discuss various business proposals at the event. The second edition of the three-day will focus on BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) region telecom sector. Mathews said that delegates from the US, Canada, UK and European Union too have confirmed participation in the upcoming IMC. "We have Mobile World Congress in Barcelona but not everyone can go there. There is no big event in South Asia and South East Asia to showcase potential of the telecom sector and encourage development of technology. This time, we have global speakers like FCC (US telecom regulator) Chairman Ajit Pai, European Commision Vice President Andrus Ansip, (and) leaders from BIMSTEC countries," Mathews said. He said that the government will be more involved in the IMC to meet delegates and industry officers who want to reach out them. "Telecom Minsiter (Manoj Sinha) and DoT secretary (Aruna Sundararajan) will be meeting people at IMC at pre-fixed schedule. Department of Science and Technology will engage with IMC to connect with innovators. We are trying if any fund from government can be made available for select start-ups at the event," he added. Around 300 exhibitors, 2,500 delegates and 10,000 visitors are expected to participate in the event. "We have shortlisted 250 startups. We will work out with Department of Science and Technology to find out if any of their fund can be made available to the best startups," Mathews said. The will start its own business-to-consumer exhibition from this edition of the IMC with participation from Samsung, Huawei and Nokia. "We have reached out to university and colleges where they have specialised interest in telecom sector. At IMC they will get live exposure to industry people and look at advance technologies and accordingly shape their career," the director general said. Live demonstration of 5G will take place at the event, machine-to-machine communications, IoT and other latest technology are scheduled for demonstration at the event, Mathews said. Prime Minister on Sunday launched a fresh attack on led- party for not paying tribute to the policemen who sacrificed their lives while in power for decades by failing to construct the long pending police memorial. Prime Minister Sunday inaugurated a memorial and a museum dedicated to the police of the country in New Delhi. Around 35,000 police personnel martyred in the line of duty since Independence, most of them unsung, will get their names etched in stone for posterity. While speaking at the Police Day, the Prime Minister said, "Today I am proud of the Police Memorial, but there are some questions too. After all, why did this memorial took 70 years since independence to come into existence? I believe that due to some reasons this work was stopped for few years, but if the previous government had a desire, if they had tried diligently, then the memorial would have been built many years ago. But the earlier government had set up dust on the stone laid by Advani ji." The Prime Minister further paid respect to the police personnel and officers of paramilitary forces who sacrificed their lives for the nation and said, "I bow to the families of the policemen who sacrificed their lives for the security of the country. It is my good fortune that I had the opportunity to dedicate the nation the Police Memorial which is a symbol of the Amar Saga of nation's service and dedication." Prime Minister Modi also paid tribute to ten valiant policemen who sacrificed their lives in an ambush laid by heavily armed Chinese troops, while defending the integrity of our motherland at Hot Springs (Parakh). Chinese troops had violated Indian territory in Aksai Chin on October 21, 1959. Six civilians were killed in an explosion at an encounter site in Jammu and Kashmir's district on Sunday after a gunfight that left three militants dead was over, officials said. A police spokesman said the gunfight took place after security forces cordoned off a village in on a tip-off that militants were hiding there. The exchange lasted several hours in which three militants were killed and two Army soldiers injured. The police said despite repeated warnings that civilians should not visit encounter sites unless these are declared safe, dozens of locals rushed there. "Someone from the crowd fiddled with an unexploded substance, resulting in the tragic incident," the spokesperson added. Reports from the village said locals were busy dousing the flames at the house that was damaged during the encounter when a defeating explosion occurred. The district hospital authorities said initially three injured were brought to the hospital who were declared dead on arrival. "Two injured civilians while being taken to a Srinagar hospital died on the way while another was declared brought dead by doctors at the Sher-e- Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar," said the spokesman. A total of six civilians have died in this explosion while the injured were being treated in different hospitals. There is an all-pervasive sense of mourning in Laroo village and other places of the district as locals were rushing to the village to inquire about the well-being of their relatives and friends. Authorities suspended cellphone and internet services and ordered a curfew in Kulgam in a bid to thwart more protests. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti while expressing grief over the incident said: "Civilians are once again caught in the cross-fire of violence, adding fuel to the already volatile situation." Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said alienating the people in the fight against militancy is a "sure-fire recipe for losing the fight". "How long can we go on ignoring the ground realities and living in denial about how bad things are in " The separatist camp called the deaths as 'bloodbath' and urged people to protest on Monday. A seminar highlighting investment opportunities in India has been organised in the Chinese city of Wuhan to harness the potential for greater trade and investment ties. The event held on October 19 was part of the Forum on Global Production Capacity and Economic Cooperation, organised by the embassy in coordination with the Hubei Provincial government. The seminar was attended by around 200 delegates from more than 120 Chinese companies, mostly from automobile, auto-parts, equipment manufacturing, textiles based in Hubei province as well as media personnel and government officials, a statement from the Indian Embassy in Beijing said. The Deputy Chief of Indian Embassy emphasised on the India-China bilateral relationship. The Wuhan spirit generated by this year's informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping has become a new tagline of India-China bilateral relationship, said Acquino Vimal, the Deputy Chief of Indian Embassy in Beijing. Vimal said that the Embassy is working with the Hubei province to harness the potential for greater trade and investment ties, for greater people-to-people exchanges, for greater tourism flows and for greater cultural exchanges between India and Hubei province. A Chinese official urged the Hubei industrial houses to avail of business opportunities offered by India. The relation between India and Hubei is as old as Yangtze River and the Hubei industries should avail business opportunities offered by India, said Zhou Xufeng, vice-president of Hubei Federation of Commerce and Industry. The event was also attended by an official delegation from Madhya Pradesh, consisting Pankaj Agarwal, Principal Secretary of Department of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises and Vivek Porwal, Managing Director of Madhya Pradesh Trade and Investment Facilitation Corporation Ltd and made presentation on investment opportunities in the state. Madhya Pradesh and Hubei both are centrally located provinces and has many complementarities for mutual cooperation, said Agarwal. He said that Madhya Pradesh is looking for investment in the sectors of automobile, auto components, textiles, equipment manufacturing and offers great opportunities for the Hubei industries looking for going abroad. Porwal invited the Chinese investors' community to participate in the Global Investors' Summit, to be held in February 2019 in the state. The Council Secretariat has asked six states, including Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, and the Union Territory of Puducherry, to expeditiously set up appellate authorities to enable aggrieved entities to file appeals against orders of the Authority for Advance Rulings (AAR). Even after one year of implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), six states and Puducherry are yet to set up the Appellate Authority for Advance Ruling (AAAR). In the absence of AAAR, it is not possible for aggrieved entities to contest the verdict passed by the AAR. The AARs in different states have so far passed more than 200 orders. "The Secretariat of the Council has shot off letters to Delhi, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry to fast track setting up of AAARs in their respective states, stating that in absence of such an authority businesses are facing difficulties," an official told PTI. ALSO READ: Finance Ministry extends deadline for filing Sep GST returns to Oct 25 The Council Secretariat had in May written a similar letter to all states, following which a majority of them had set up AAAR and appointed its members. As per the State GST law, the appellate authority will have two members -- the Chief Commissioner of Central Tax as designated by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and the Commissioner of State Tax. The appellate authority has been mandated to pass orders within 90 days of the filing of an appeal. Under the GST law, an aggrieved party can file an appeal against the order of the AAR within a period of 30 days, which may be further extended by a month. As per the law, all states are required to set up at least one AAR for seeking advance ruling over GST levy and one appellate authority to hear appeals against the AAR order. India is likely to emerge as the third-largest economy in the world in just over a decade from now, surpassing Japan and Germany, according to a new report from HSBC Global Research. As seen in Chart 1, China is projected to be the largest economy in the world by 2030, followed by the US and India. According to the report, the advanced economies of Denmark and Norway are likely to be the biggest losers in the coming decade, falling nine and ten positions on global rankings, respectively. On the other hand, as seen in Chart 2, countries like Bangladesh and the Philippines will be the ... Indian-American Nikki Haley, the outgoing US Ambassador to the UN, has poked fun at President Donald Trump's inflated ego and his cultural ignorance, days after announcing that she would be leaving her position representing America at the world body. Haley, 46, announced on October 9 that she is resigning from her UN post, effective at the end of the year. She has since claimed that she has no ambitions to run for president in 2020. Haley, during remarks at the 2018 Alfred Smith Dinner in New York, mocked the president for getting laughed at the last month a spectacle that both she and the president said was intentional, New York Daily Times reported. The former South Carolina started the speech with a joke about Trump's thin skin. "Everyone in Washington called me with advice about this speech. They all said the same thing, do not under any circumstances make any jokes about the president. So, good night everybody," she said to laughter from the crowd. She also joked about the president's ongoing feud with Senator Elizabeth Warren, who recently released the results of a DNA test that strongly supported the existence of Native American ancestry from six to 10 generations ago. "The president called me this morning and gave me some good advice, he said if I get stuck for laughs just brag about his accomplishments. It really killed at the UN, I've got to tell you," Haley said on Thursday night. The outgoing ambassador was recalling a moment during the president's UN speech when delegates laughed at him boasting that his administration had, in two years, "accomplished more than almost any in the history of our country". After that joke, Haley then turned her attention to Warren. Trump has repeatedly mocked Warren with the nickname for Pocahontas for her having claimed previously that she has Native American ancestry. "I get it, you wanted an Indian woman but Elizabeth Warren failed her DNA test," Haley said in New York. She continued to poke fun at Trump's cultural ignorance, the report said. "Actually, when the President found out that I was Indian-American he asked me if I was from the same tribe as Elizabeth Warren." The ambassador poked fun a Trump's response to the recent Bob Woodward book. "The President got really mad at Bob Woodward's book," she said. "The book compared him to a fifth grader. A lot of Democrats seized on that, until they realized that they got beaten by fifth grader. Each morning, Jamal Khashoggi would check his phone to discover what fresh hell had been unleashed while he was sleeping. He would see the work of an army of Twitter trolls, ordered to attack him and other influential Saudis who had criticized the kingdoms leaders. He sometimes took the attacks personally, so friends made a point of calling frequently to check on his mental state. The mornings were the worst for him because he would wake up to the equivalent of sustained gunfire online, said Maggie Mitchell Salem, a friend of Mr. Khashoggis for more ... ordered the country's goods and people border crossings with Gaza to be opened on Sunday, just four days after shuttering them following a Palestinian rocket attack that sparked retaliatory strikes. "The decision comes after a decrease in the violent events in Gaza over the weekend and efforts (militant Islamist Gaza rulers) Hamas made to restrain" demonstrators, a statement from Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman office read. On Wednesday, Lieberman had ordered the closure of the Kerem Shalom goods crossing and the Erez crossing for people, after a rocket from the Palestinian territory hit a home in southern Israel, prompting the Jewish state to strike 20 Hamas targets in Gaza. Hamas disavowed the launch and said it was investigating the incident, as fears of a new war rose. Near daily protests along the border since March 30 against Israel's crippling 11-year blockade of the impoverished enclave have sparked repeated clashes with the army. On Friday, thousands again gathered for protests in northern Gaza, but demonstrators largely remained at least 100 metres (yards) from the border. Hamas officials were seen discouraging protesters from nearing the fence. had on Wednesday also suspended the delivery of fuel for the Palestinian territory's power plant that had been trucked daily into Gaza under a deal brokered by the United Nations. "The decision on the renewal of the fuel from Qatar has been put off as for the time being, and will be examined in a number of days based on the events," the Sunday statement from Lieberman said. Amid the chaos surrounding Saudi Arabia's admission of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, United States President has warned against halting the Riyadh arms deal. Trump, while talking to journalists in Nevada, stated that suspension of the deal with would affect American jobs. "We have $450 billion, $110 billion of which is a military order, but this is equipment and various things ordered from It's over a million jobs; that's not helpful for us to cancel an order like that. That hurts us far more than it hurts them," CNN quoted Trump, as saying. He, however, pointed out that the imposition of sanctions was being mulled over for Riyadh. "But there are other things that could be done, including sanctions," he added. When asked about the Saudi official who was fired in connection with Khashoggi's killing, Trump asserted that he is not satisfied as there are questions that still need to be answered. After days of denial, Saudi Arabia's Attorney General on Saturday confirmed that preliminary investigations pointed towards the death of Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing on October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. The prosecutor added that his death was caused by a physical altercation which ensued in the consulate. US President Donald Trump on Sunday strongly criticised Saudi Arabia for its "deception" and "lies" in the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, even as he defended Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and rejected the cancellation of $110-billion arms deal with the oil-rich country. Trump, in his strongest comments to date on the killing, told The Washington Post that he had seen no evidence to indicate the Crown Prince knew Khashoggi was going to be killed or ordered the killing. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said the ... Dissatisfied with Riyadh's explanation of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death, the European Union has demanded an in-depth probe into his killing. Germany, France, and the EU have not only demanded a full investigation but are also seeking "accountability" over Khashoggi's death, reported RT. Condemning the murder of the Saudi journalist, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that while Riyadh's admission of the journalist's death is the "first step toward the establishment of truth", several questions still remain unanswered. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in a joint statement said, "The information available about events in the Istanbul consulate is inadequate." Taking a firm stand, Maas also talked about halting arms export. "So long as investigations are underway, so long as we don't know what happened there, there is no reason to take positive decisions on arms exports to Saudi Arabia," he said. After two weeks of denial, Saudi Arabia's Attorney General confirmed that preliminary investigations point towards the death of Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing on October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. The prosecutor added that his death was caused by a physical altercation which ensued in the consulate. President has said he is "not satisfied" with Saudi Arabia's account of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but asserted that he would not like to scrap a $110 billion with Riyadh despite a global outrage over the dissident scribe's brutal killing. Saudi Arabia in a statement Saturday said Khashoggi (60) died following a "fistfight" at its consulate in on October 2, without disclosing any details on the whereabouts of his body. Turkish officials believe Khashoggi - a critic of the Saudi government - was murdered and his body dismembered. "I'm not satisfied until we find the answer," Trump said, adding that sanctions were a possibility, but that halting an would "hurt us more than it would hurt them". "It is something that we don't like. It's very serious stuff. And we're going to get to the bottom of it and will make that determination," Trump told reporters in Nevada on Saturday. Trump said it was "possible" that the powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not know about the killing. His comment came when asked about his previous statement that he would be considering severe consequences for Saudi Arabia following the journalist's death. Trump also said the Congress would have a role to play in it."We'll have very much Congress involved in determining what to do," he said. Responding to a question, the US president indicated that he would let the Congressmen take lead on the issue of particularly determining the action that needs to be taken against Saudi Arabia. However, he insisted that he would not like to scrap the mega arms and investment deal with Saudi Arabia as this would impact jobs in the US. "We have $450 billion, $110 billion of which is a military order, but this is equipment and various things ordered from Saudi Arabia," Trump said. "It's over a million jobs; that's not helpful for us to cancel an order like that. That hurts us far more than it hurts them... but there are other things that could be done, including sanctions." The president said he is also speaking with states where jobs could be impacted. "Could be. Could be. We're going to find out. We're going to find out who knows what, where and we'll figure it out," he said, indicating that things might be clearer by Monday. "I might know a lot by Monday. I know a lot already. We're going to know over the next two or three days, we're going to know a lot. We're getting a lot of information in as we speak," he said. Describing Saudi Arabia as a "great ally", he said it has also been a tremendous investor in the US. "They invested, and the jobs are .. we're right now the largest supplier of energy in the world. We are the And it happened, and I hate to tell you, over the last 18 months and we're now the biggest in the world, Trump said. "But still they're a major, major supplier. They're actually number two, and we have to take all of these things into account. Very important, he said. The president said, "Saudi Arabia has been a great ally of ours. That's why this is so sad. Look at what goes on in Iran and the viciousness of that regime, and it's brutal. It's a brutal regime." "The killing, the horror stories, you hear them and you write about them, very well, I've seen you write about them very well. It's a tough part of the world, there's no question about it, Trump said. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has said 18 persons have been arrested and an in-depth investigation into the case is being conducted. Khashoggi had not been seen since entering the Saudi consulate in on October 2. After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning said he had died in a fistfight at the consulate. "Preliminary investigations... revealed that the discussions that took place between him and the persons who met him... at the Saudi consulate in led to a brawl and a fist fight with the citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, which led to his death, may his soul rest in peace," Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said in the statement. However, Top American lawmakers have said the Saudi statement was not credible and demanded action against the Arab nation. Even allies of Saudi Arabia have criticised its account. German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the explanation of Khashoggi's death "inadequate" while French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said many questions "remain unanswered". The UK Foreign Office described it as "a terrible act" and said the people behind the killing "must be held to account". Both the EU and the UN have called for a proper investigation. The Maldives' top court on Sunday ended weeks of uncertainty by rejecting President Abdulla Yameen's controversial bid to annul last month's election results, upholding his landslide defeat to an opposition candidate. The five-judge Supreme Court bench unanimously ruled that Yameen had failed to prove his claim that the election was rigged and a fresh poll was necessary in the Indian Ocean archipelago. Under pressure, Yameen initially conceded defeat after Ibrahim Mohamed Solih emerged the winner in the September 23 poll. But the strongman ruler then filed an appeal this month, throwing the island nation into turmoil and attracting warnings from the United States and regional superpower India to respect the outcome. Opposition activists celebrated outside the Supreme Court in the capital Male after the decision was read out, effectively drawing a line under Yameen's five years of iron-fisted rule. Opposition legislator Mariya Didi said Yameen -- who lobbied the Supreme Court in 2013 to nullify election results in his favour -- should now allow a smooth transition of power. "We are pleased that the court ruled unanimously to uphold the will of the people," Didi said on Twitter. "The case was based on conjecture and conspiracy theories." Yameen claimed magic ink had been used to rig the election and that votes marked for him disappeared inside ballot boxes. The country's independent Elections Commission, through its lawyers, had argued his petition was based on false allegations and should be dismissed. The Supreme Court bench last week refused to accept the testimony of three unnamed witnesses that Yameen's lawyers said would prove the election was fixed. The next day Yameen went on national television to concede defeat a second time, making no reference to his controversial legal bid. "This is my final address to the nation before I leave," said the 59-year-old, whose term in office ends on November 17. "During my tenure, the most difficult thing for me was my failure to learn about the people. I just couldn't find out what shapes their wishes." Ahead of court hearings in the capital Male last week, the United States warned "appropriate measures" would be taken if the will of the Maldivian people was undermined. Europe and India have also issued similar warnings in the past. The situation was similar to 2013, when Yameen convinced the Supreme Court to nullify the first round of voting, which he was trailing to opposition candidate Mohamed Nasheed. A subsequent vote was then twice delayed, allowing Yameen time to forge alliances that helped him narrowly win a contested run-off. He has ruled with an iron fist ever since, crushing dissent and jailing or exiling all his major opponents. In February, Yameen jailed the chief justice and another Supreme Court judge after accusing them of trying to topple him. Yameen had initially suspended the court, parliament and the constitution and declared a state of emergency when legislators were about to impeach him. Since his election defeat, several high-profile political prisoners including his estranged half-brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the Maldives for 30 years until 2008, have been released from jail. The US and its allies have been concerned by growing Chinese influence in the strategically positioned Indian Ocean archipelago, especially under Yameen's authoritarian rule. Mexican authorities on Saturday allowed dozens of women and children from the Honduran migrant caravan to pass into its territory, the country's ambassador to said. Luis Manuel Lopez told AFP the women and children would be processed by immigration authorities and taken to a shelter in the city of Tapachula, 40 kilometers away. The women ran forward when immigration officers unchained a gate that had been pinning back migrants at the crossing. "I'm happy, happy! At last!" shouted a relieved Gina Paola Montes, 21, as she ran onto Mexican territory. One of the women fainted, alarming her relatives. Eva Hernandez, 42, a Honduran activist, says the group had been promised they will receive refugee permits and a safe place to stay. "We better find that shelter today," she said. The women and children are part of a group of thousands of Honduran migrants on the Mexican border with hoping to reach the Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar said that Islamabad has approached the Monetary Fund (IMF) for one last time for a bailout, in a bid to stabilise the country's debt-ridden Speaking at an event at the here on Saturday, Umar was quoted by Geo News saying, "This will be the last IMF programme". Asserting that news organisations were portraying Pakistan's financial condition in a negative light, Umar asserted, "The media is portraying the country's as collapsing but that is not the case. No alarm bells are ringing." He added that financial gap was $ 12 billion in this year. "In the next seven to eight months, the US dollar will see a decrease of 26 per cent to 27 per cent against the Pakistani rupee. The current account deficit, which earlier rose from $ 2.5 billion to $ 18 billion has started to decrease," he added. Umar informed that the central government had announced steps to improve the growth of stock exchange market and the environment for doing investment. ALSO READ: Captain Imran Khan faces many challenges on Pakistan economy front "Doing business in Pakistan has become very expensive (and) the environment for investment and business needs to be improved", he further said. The country's finance minister said that measures will be taken to improve the capital market and increase government's revenue. Earlier this month, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde confirmed that Pakistan formally approached the global lender seeking financial assistance to address its economic challenges. Her comments came after she met Umar, Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Tariq Bajwa and members of their economic team in Indonesia. ALSO READ: IMF loan may come with a political cost for Pakistan PM Imran Khan Lagarde added that an IMF team will visit Islamabad in the coming week to initiate discussions for a possible economic programme. Pakistan's has been in a limbo for a long time. It was already speculated that Islamabad would have to seek a loan package from the IMF following the general elections which were held on July 25. In June, Pakistan's then caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar revealed that the government would be seeking financial help from the IMF in order to balance the deficit gap of $ 25 billion in order to infuse some life into the cash-starved economy. President Donald Trump said on Saturday the United States will exit the Cold-War era treaty that eliminated a class of nuclear weapons due to Russian violations, a move an official in Moscow called a dangerous attempt at blackmail. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, negotiated by then-President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1988, required the elimination of short-range and intermediate-range nuclear and conventional missiles by both countries. "Russia has not, unfortunately, honoured the agreement so we're going to terminate the ... Election-related violence in Afghanistan showed no signs of abating as at least 11 people, including six children were killed in a roadside explosion in eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday, as parliamentary polls in 14 out of 34 provinces is underway. Nangarhar provincial spokesperson Ataullah Khogyani told Xinhua, "A mine planted by terrorists struck a civilian car in Achin district at 11:00 am local time today killing 11 civilians including a woman and six children." The Taliban group has not commented on the explosion so far. Elections were held across the nation on Saturday to the 'Wolesi Jirga' or lower house of the Afghanistan Parliament. The voting has been criticised by many people due to the introduction of the biometric verification system, which has caused technical glitches, slowing down the process. In some places, polling did not begin at the scheduled time 8 am (local time), forcing the country's election commission to continue the voting on Sunday. The polling stations opened at 7 am (local time) in 14 provinces and is are set to close at 4 pm (local time). The country's interior minister Wais Barmak confirmed that 192 security incidents had taken place on the day of parliamentary polling. Meanwhile, polling in Kandahar and Ghazni provinces have been deferred due to security issues. The Taliban had earlier threatened to disrupt the elections in the war-torn country and had also claimed responsibility behind the deaths of numerous candidates in the past. In the run-up to the elections, scores of candidates died in campaign rallies in different parts of the country. Over 2,500 candidates are in the fray for the parliamentary polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After dozens of people were mowed down by a speeding train in Amritsar on Friday, Bharatiya Janata Party leader (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy blamed Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government for not doing enough to safeguard the area near the railway tracks. "The particular boundary where the accident took place belongs to Punjab state. It is the job of the state of Punjab to see that railway tracks are secured from all the sides. The Congress government should be held responsible for this," he said. Swamy said that the Punjab government should have provided a ground for the people to celebrate Dussehra without risking their lives by standing on railway tracks. He also said that an action should be taken against those who gave the permission to install a Ravana effigy near the accident spot. "Why not an open ground with proper fencing was built up to conduct such a big event? Why the organisers never informed the railways about the same? An action should be taken who permitted to celebrate Dusshera near the railway track," he said. However, Punjab Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu tried to dispel the criticism and claimed that several announcements were made, urging spectators to occupy vacant space on the ground. She was the chief guest at the fateful event. "There were vacant seats at Dhobi Ghat ground. Ravana was tied securely and there were no chances of it falling down and creating chaos. There was no stampede. Announcements were made 4-5 times asking people to come inside the ground," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has launched a scathing attack at the Centre, saying that it "doesn't need any friend or political alliance". Addressing a rally in Shirdi on Sunday, Thackeray said, "Atal ji's (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) government was stable because of the support of many political parties. But current government's (Centre) attitude is such that it does not need political alliances or support." In a veiled attack at the Centre, the Shiv Sena chief said that the current government had committed an act of sedition as it came into power by making fake promises to the people of the country. "You came into power by lying to people, this is also a kind of sedition.. Misleading people of this country is also sedition," he said. Thackeray further hit out at the central government over the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and said, "Please tell us that Ram temple construction is only a gimmick. Please say that it will not be constructed so that people get a clear picture of what to do next. People anyway don't have any expectation from you. At least, tell us this truth that Ram temple would never be constructed in Ayodhya. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chaos erupted as Honduran migrants in a caravan surged across a bridge leading to Mexico on Friday. Tear gas and smoke canisters were hurled at the cheering migrants to push them back as they climbed up the steel gate, reported CNN. A number of police personnel were injured and an undetermined number of migrants was wounded in the clashes. Mexico had earlier allowed women and children from the caravan to enter the nation and board buses to proceed towards refugee camps. According to Mexican authorities, migrants with a valid visa or in possession of other documents that meet requirements will be allowed to stay in the country. On Friday, United States Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and said the two officials had a "good conversation". Addressing the caravan situation, Pompeo said, "The Mexican government is making all the decisions on how to address this." According to a release from the US State Department, Mexico told the US that they are trying to find a solution that "encourages safe, secure, and orderly migration." Several migrants also collapsed due to the heat as they were stuck on the border between the US and Mexico. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Members of Hindu Makkal Katchi on Sunday protested in front of the Chennai's Anna Ayyappa temple against the entry of women inside Sabarimala temple in Kerala. Blindfolded and holding placards, protestors raised slogans against women of the prohibited age group, who tried to visit the Lord Ayyappa temple. One of the protestors said, "They are not clean. They spoiled the sanctity of celibacy of Lord Ayyappa. They are not devotees and have come to the temple only for publicity." Earlier in the day, two more women, who were on their way to Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, were brought to the police control room in Kerala's Pamba after they were stopped by the devotees from visiting the holy shrine. They were stopped by the agitators when they were attempting to climb the hill at Pamba. Despite the Supreme Court verdict allowing females of all age groups to visit the Sabarimala temple, devotees have been protesting against their entry to the place of worship. It has been five days since the doors of the shrine opened for the first time after the apex court's verdict, but not a single female between the age group of 10-50 years has been able to enter the Lord Ayyappa temple. Security near the Sabarimala Temple has been stepped up following the volatile situation over the last few days after a few women unsuccessfully tried to enter the shrine with police protection. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chandra Kumar Bose, vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) West Bengal unit, on Sunday led a scathing attack on the Congress party, saying they have distorted the history of India's freedom struggle and converted the country into a dynastic dictatorship. Speaking to ANI, Bose said, "Right from 1857 onwards, with the sepoy uprising, Mangal Pandey's Andolan (movement), then Shaheed Bhagat Singh's sacrifice, Rajguru, Binoy Badal Dinesh, and many others, this entire history of India's freedom struggle has been completely distorted and obliterated by the Congress regime. The Congress party has converted India into a dynastic dictatorship." Bose berated former Congress leader and India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. "Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was the first prime minister of undivided India. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of the divided dominion of India, not of united India. So this history must be told to the youth of our nation," Bose said. "It is also a fact that when the Azad Hind Fauj wanted to come to Delhi and hoist the tricolour at the Red Fort in 1944, it was Pandit Nehru and the Congress leaders, who opposed the Azad Hind government and Azad Hind Fauj with the connivance of the British," he added. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, who on this day in 1943 had established the provincial Azad Hind government in Singapore, is often a topic for a political slugfest between the Congress and the BJP. Earlier on Sunday, after unfurling the flag at the Red Fort to mark the 75th anniversary of the 'Azad Hind government', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "that several good sons of the Nation like him (Bose) as well as Ambedkar (B. R. Ambedkar) and Patel (Vallabhbhai Patel) were forgotten in the favour of one family." The Prime Minister said Bose promised an India where everyone would be undivided by religions and have equal rights, but those dreams, even after years of independence, remain unfulfilled. However, the Congress refuted the Prime Minister's claims, with senior party leader Ashwani Kumar saying that his party has "never neglected" the Netaji's sacrifices. "Congress has always considered Netaji Subhash Bose in high esteem. Not only that, the Congress being the party of freedom movement has given a special place and an honour at all times and at all places to Netaji. In my view, the Prime Minister's statement, given the fact that the elections are just around the corner, is factually wrong and is totally incorrect. I don't agree with him," Kumar said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress party on Sunday allayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that they, while in power for several years, neglected the contribution of freedom fighters like Subhas Chandra Bose. Speaking to ANI, former law minister and senior Congress leader Ashwani Kumar said, "As far as Netaji's sacrifices are concerned neither the Congress party nor the country has never neglected his sacrifices." Earlier on Sunday, after unfurling the flag at the Red Fort to mark the 75th anniversary of the 'Azad Hind government' headed by Subhas Chandra Bose, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said "that several good sons of the Nation like him (Bose) as well as Ambedkar (B R Ambedkar) and Patel (Vallabhbhai Patel) were forgotten in the favour of one family." But Kumar said, "Congress has always considered Netaji Subhash Bose in high esteem. Not only that, the Congress being the party of freedom movement has given a special place and an honour at all times and at all places to Neta ji. In my view, the Prime Minister's statement, given the fact that the elections are just around the corner, is factually wrong and is totally incorrect. I don't agree with him." This day in 1943, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose established the provincial Azad Hind government in Singapore. After nearly a year, in August, his Indian Army captured the Manipuri town of Moirang, which remained under the Azad Hind government for four months during which it had its own currency. This provincial government had been acknowledged by 11 countries, including Japan. The Prime Minister said Bose promised an India where everyone would be undivided by religions and have equal rights, but those dreams even after years of independence, remain unfulfilled. "We have reached 'Swaraj' after lakhs of sacrifices. It is our responsibility to maintain this 'Swaraj' with 'Suraaj'," Prime Minister Modi said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) According to a recent study, unicellular diatoms are able to adapt their behaviour to different external stimuli based on an evaluation of their own needs. This was discovered by scientists of the Friedrich Schiller University and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, together with partners from Belgium. The algae depend on nutrients in order to reproduce. However, they also need sexual mates which they find when they follow pheromone traces. In experiments, Seminavis robusta diatoms directed their orientation either towards nutrient sources or mating partners, depending on the degree of starvation and the need to mate. The tiny organisms demonstrated, in fact, a primitive form of behavioural biology. Diatoms are unicellular microalgae. They dominated marine phytoplankton, which is ubiquitous in our oceans. On shores and beaches, these algae can be observed as biofilms on rocks and other surfaces. Diatoms are not only the food source for many marine animals but also responsible for an extremely important ecosystem service: They contribute significantly to global photosynthesis and thus to the production of oxygen on our planet. Moreover, they are discussed as possible produces of biofuels. The diatom Seminavis robusta is an ideal model organism for behavioral studies in the lab. The cells respond to different environmental conditions and their sexuality can be controlled. The research group of Georg Pohnert, who is Professor of Instrumental Analytics/Bioorganic Analytics at Friedrich Schiller University and head of the Max Planck Fellow Group at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, wanted to know whether the tiny organisms are able to make decisions about what they needed more urgently: food or sexual mates. In order to find out, the scientists cultivated cells under different conditions. In particular, the cells were confronted with different amounts of nutrients and sex pheromones. Since diatoms primarily reproduce asexually by cell division, sexual reproduction may become necessary for their survival if the cells become smaller and smaller after continuous division. After all, the cells die if they become too small and fall below a minimum size. Diatoms also search actively for nutrients they need for the formation of their cell walls. They can trace silicate minerals in their environment and move actively towards this food source. A recent study showed that they are attracted by the odor of the minerals. "It is striking that even unicellular organisms that obviously lack a nervous system can process different stimuli and even evaluate their individual needs. Our study showed that diatoms can adapt their behavior flexibly to environmental changes. They also responded differently depending on their need to sexually mate. We observed that the diatoms moved towards pheromones or food sources depending on how hungry they were for sex or nutrients. Until now, this kind of decision-making has only been attributed to higher organisms," study leader Georg Pohnert summarized the results. The decision of one diatom does not only determine the fate of a single cell. Moreover, it is crucial for the dynamics of biofilms which is composed of communities of countless diatoms. Using mathematical models, the researchers calculated interactions between cell density and the availability of nutrients (silicate minerals) and mating partners (pheromones). Based on these results, the scientists are able to better explain how biofilms are organized and why they are often patchy and show certain patterns. The scientist would now like to find out how the single-cell organisms perceive, process and evaluate chemical signals. "Our goal is to identify the corresponding receptors and signal processing pathways, but this will be a very complex endeavor given the fact that we know so little about this important micoralagae," said Georg Pohnert. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A police officer of Gwinnett County, Georgia, succumbed to injuries after being shot in the line of duty on Saturday. The Gwinnett County Police Department tweeted, "The GCPD officer shot in the line of duty has died as a result of his injuries. Efforts are ongoing to locate the suspect responsible." According to a press release from the police department, Officer Antwan Toney was shot when he was investigating a suspicious vehicle. The vehicle fled the scene but crashed after a short distance. As per the release, as many as four suspects fled the crash site. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One person died while nine others were seriously injured after a jeep in which they were travelling fell into a gorge here on Sunday. The incident took place near Gulaba on Manali-Rohtang road in Himachal Pradesh. The tourists were travelling from Tata Sumo Jeep when at the top of the 14th turn, the jeep fell into the gorge. A tourist died on the spot, while nine other people were injured. Those injured were immediately rushed to the nearby hospital for the treatment. According to the police, all these tourists are residents of Kolkata. Assistant sub-inspector Prem Singh Chauhan and Sub-inspector Yogendra Singh are present at the spot. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday extended its congratulations to Afghanistan for successfully holding parliamentary elections in the country. "India congratulates the people of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for exercising their democratic rights at Parliamentary elections held today. The enthusiastic participation of people, including the women, despite terrorist violence is the testament of resilience of the people of Afghanistan. It reflects their desire and faith in democratic governance and rejection of the evil forces that foment and spread terror and violence," a statement from the MEA read. The MEA further underlined the contribution of the incumbent National Unity Government, the Independent Election Commission and the security forces of Afghanistan for "creating an enabling environment and organising these elections despite numerous challenges." "We hope that these elections would contribute to the strengthening of democratic institutions and deepen inclusive democratic system in Afghanistan. India supports the people of Afghanistan in their efforts to build a peaceful, stable, united, inclusive and prosperous nation," the MEA statement added. Polls were held across the nation on Saturday to elect members to the 'Wolesi Jirga' or lower house of the Afghanistan Parliament. The elections were postponed in Kandahar by one week in the wake of the recent attack which took place in the governor's house that claimed the lives of many, including that of Kandahar Police Chief General Abdul Raziq. Polling in the Ghazni province was also postponed due to security issues and disagreements on reducing constituencies. However, incidents of violence have marred the elections. Afghanistan's Interior Minister Wais Barmak on Saturday confirmed that at least 17 civilians were killed and 83 civilians were injured in these attacks. He also stated that 10 policemen and one Afghan National Army soldier were killed in the attack, while 17 security officers sustained injuries in the attacks. The Taliban had earlier threatened to disrupt the elections in the nation and had also claimed responsibility behind the deaths of numerous candidates in the past. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday expressed his gratitude to the administration and the public alike as the local body elections in the state concluded peacefully. "I would like to thank everyone-- the police, the administration, other security forces, and the people. It is because of them that the elections were concluded peacefully, without violence," Governor Malik said. He categorically thanked the people in the state for coming out to vote. "I would especially like to thank the people for coming out and vote. It is a positive sign that people came out to vote on the last day. As many as 10,000 people came out to vote in Srinagar. The development is taking place gradually," he said. Though the governor refused to comment on the candidates who won, he assured of extending his support in every way possible. "No matter who becomes the Mayor, all we want is to extend them all the support we can from the Centre and the state," he said. Speaking about the ground level situation in the state, Governor Malik said, "We are making efforts to make the situation better at ground level." In total, 52 civic bodies went to polls in four phases from October 8 to October 16 amid tight security arrangements in the state. A total of 3,372 nominations were filed for 1,145 wards. The results came out October 20. Out of 79 municipal bodies, 27 did not go to polls owing either to the fact that there was no candidate or that only one candidate had filed nominations for a particular ward. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bollywood actor John Abraham, who is all set to don the cop's hat in Nikkhil Advani's 'Batla House', has finally started shooting for the upcoming thriller drama. Advani took to his official Instagram account and announced the news of the shoot with a picture of the cast of the film. The post read, "With great power comes great responsibility!" Grateful to #RiteshShah for knocking at my door and thinking I could be entrusted to tell this story. To all those who have chosen to walk this journey with me... Here we go!!!" The flick is inspired by the real Batla House encounter that took place almost a decade ago on September 19, 2008, which is officially known as Operation Batla House. The incident took place against Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorists in Batla House locality in Jamia Nagar, Delhi. The 'Parmanu' actor will be seen essaying the role of Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, who spearheaded the encounter. As the tagline suggests 'The story of India's Most Decorated/Controversial Cop', the case was about this one man who has had 70 encounters, a record 22 convictions from 30 cases and nine Gallantry Awards. The 45-year-old actor had earlier unveiled the poster of the film which featured him in a police uniform. This will be John and Nikkhil's second collaboration, the two have earlier worked together in 'Salaam-E-Ishq'. The movie is written by Ritesh Shah of 'Pink' fame and will hit the big screens on August 15, 2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A civilian, who got injured in an explosion in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Sunday has succumbed to his injuries. Ubaid Laway, son of Mohammed Maqbool Laway of Laroo breathed his last in a Kulgam hospital. The incident happened when some civilians rushed to the encounter site despite security personnel prohibiting them citing the search and combing operation at the spot. Just then the explosives, laid by the terrorist, went off injuring Laway and others. "We request civilians not to visit the site again," Jammu and Kashmir police appealed. Three terrorists were killed after an encounter broke in Larro area of Kulgam district of South Kashmir. Confirming the same, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh told reporters here, "The encounter concluded just now and I have been told that three terrorists were neutralised in it. The operation is being winded up. The identities (of the terrorists) are yet to be ascertained. We will shortly give out the details. There are no casualties from the police side. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday honoured the survivours of 1959 Ladakh's Hot Spring attack, on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day. Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani paid tributes to the policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops, who had violated Indian Territory in Aksai Chin area, on this day in 1959. The Prime Minister marking the Police Commemoration Day also inaugurated a 30-feet-tall and 238-tonne heavy black granite central sculpture honouring the slain troopers, a museum and a wall of valour bearing the names of over 34,800 martyred personnel. Until the autumn of 1959, the Indian Police personnel were responsible for manning the 2,500-mile long border of India with Tibet. On October 20, 1959, three reconnaissance parties were launched from Hot Springs in preparation for further movement of an Indian expedition which was on its way to Lanak La. Two parties returned to Hot Springs by the afternoon of that day, while the third one comprising of two police constables and a porter did not return. A party of about 20 personnel of the Intelligence Bureau and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) led by Karam Singh, DCIO proceeded ahead on horseback, while others followed on foot in three Sections. At about midday, Chinese Army personnel on a hillock opened fire and threw grenades at the party and since there was no cover, most personnel were injured. 10 police personnel died, seven were taken as prisoners by the Chinese and the remaining managed to escape. Bodies of the 10 personnel were returned by the Chinese only on November 28, 1959, after full five weeks of the incident. Since then October 21 is observed as Commemoration Day in all Police Lines throughout India to mark the memory of these policemen who were killed in Ladakh and all other police personnel killed on duty during the year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turns out, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who are expecting their first baby want their child to lead a normal life, away from royal duties. Page Six quoting Sunday Times of London mentioned that a friend of the couple confirmed the same. Currently, the couple is on an official tour of Australia. The family friend further said that both of them are pretty serious when it comes to their child leading a 'normal' life. Meghan is due to give birth in spring next year. On Friday, Meghan cradled her baby bump and discussed her pregnancy symptoms at Bondi Beach in Sydney. Prince Harry, sixth in line to the British throne, and Markle got married on May 19 at Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel. According to Kensington Palace, the two of them are leaving Australia within the next couple of days and heading to Fiji next. The couple has already visited a war memorial dedicated to soldiers from Australia and New Zealand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A security personnel was killed on Sunday evening after terrorists opened fire on a security force establishment at Midoora in Tral area of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The officer identified as Ct Vijay Kumar suffered serious injuries and was subsequently shifted to a nearby hospital. However, he later succumbed to his injuries. Police have registered a case and investigation has been initiated. Earlier on Sunday, three security forces lost their lives while two Pakistani intruders were gunned down in an encounter along the Line of Control in Rajouri district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israels 50-Year Time Bomb, Pushing Palestinians to the Edge Why Is the Trump Administration Compounding Palestinian Distress? In the quest to change Israel's very nature, the Netanyahu government is pushing Palestinians to an edge - with the support of the Trump White House. Recently, a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that deepening rifts between key stakeholders and surging violence in Gaza further imperil prospects for peace. That should not come as a surprise anymore. While economic and strategic polarization is steadily deepening between Israel and the Palestinians, the "peace initiatives" of the Trump White House are undermining half a century of American diplomacy and pushing the region closer to an abyss.In the past, the Netanyahu government has vehemently opposed all parallels with South African apartheid. Unfortunately, new data suggests that under apartheid South African blacks had more to hope for than Palestinians today. Unsettling parallels Between 1994 and 2017, Israeli GDP per capita, adjusted to purchasing power parity, increased by 150%; in West Bank and Gaza, the comparable figure was 160%. Yet, the Palestinian starting-point is so low that progress in living standards is largely fiction. In 1994 - amid the peace talks in Oslo - Palestinian living standards were only 6.4% ($1,526) of the Israeli level ($23,693) (Figure a). At the time, the hope was that peace would bring increasing stability, which would foster prosperity and rapid catch-up growth until the radical-right assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin triggered still another cycle of violence. Last year, Palestinian living standards were about 7.3% ($2,494) of the Israeli level ($34,135). After more than two decades of new wars and friction, terrorism and restrictions, the catch-up has amounted to less than a percentage point. Lets set aside political debates about the causes and only focus on economic facts; i.e., changes in income polarization. And let's compare the last two decades of apartheid South Africa with the past two decades between Israel and Palestinians. In the mid-70s, black South Africans annual per capita income relative to white levels was about 8.6%; that is, two percent higher relative to the Palestinian level vis-a-vis the Israelis. By the time apartheid came to an end with the formation of a democratic government in 1994, black South Africans per capita income relative to the whites had climbed to some 13%. In contrast, the comparable Palestinian level was half of that figure last year (Figure b). Figure Unsettling Comparisons GDP Per Capita PPP: Israel Vs West Bank and Gaza (1994-2017) Living Standards: Palestinians/Israelis and Black/White South Africans Source: a. World Bank. b. Palestinians/Israelis: World Bank. Black and White South Africans: OECD. Ironically, South African apartheid was more conducive to economic progress in its last two decades than life in the West Bank and Gaza in the past two decades. Moreover, the Netanyahu governments economic policies have also dramatically increased economic polarization in Israel. In the early 1990s, the Gini coefficient, a measure of inequality, was around 35 in Israel, at the level of Portugal and Italy. Closer to 43 today, it is among the highest in OECD countries, and at the level of Nigeria and Zimbabwe. But there may be still worse ahead. Undermining Israeli Constitution Protests in Gaza ahead of, and turbulence since Israels Independence Day and the relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem in May, mark the most serious escalation since the 2014 war. With his decision, President Trump departed from the decades-long U.S. executive branch practice not to recognize Israeli sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem. Meanwhile, a steep decrease in Palestinian Authority and external funding to Gaza since 2017 has worsened already dangerous humanitarian conditions there. According to the World Bank, Gazans real per capita incomes have fallen by one-third since 1994, owing largely to the West Bank-Gaza split and to Israels and Egypts tight controls on goods and people transiting Gazas borders. Instead of seeking to alleviate acute distress in the region, the White House has given de facto support to the new nation-state law, which defines Israel as a Jewish nation-state, despite a significant Arab minority. Unsurprisingly, the new law has been opposed by demonstrations and a high-profile petition by Israeli intellectuals - including Amos Oz, David Grossman, A. B. Yehoshua, Eshkol Nevo, Etgar Keret and Orly Castel-Bloom - who demand the Netanyahu government to abolish it: "The nation-state law, according to which the State of Israel is the national state of the Jews only, expressly permits racial and religious discrimination, nullifies Arabic as an official language alongside Hebrew, does not mention democracy as the foundation of the country and does not mention equality as a basic value." In this status quo, Trump's indiscriminate support for the Netanyahu government effectively nullifies any remaining impression about the U.S. as a neutral arbiter in the peace process. What makes the moment even more dangerous is Netanyahu's inclination to ignore the warnings of Israel's highest defense authorities, the willingness of the Trump administration to embolden these fatal shifts, and the erosion of any remaining hope on the Palestinian side. 50 years of missed warnings At the eve of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, when I toured the West Bank and Gaza, what was most striking was the apparent calm on the surface and the lingering tensions behind the official facade. It was this odd mixture of hollow expectations and raw realities that accounted for the nightmares that ensued. After the Yom Kippur War, the Labor coalition began to expand the boundaries of Jerusalem eastward, which encouraged a group of Messianic settlers to create a foothold in the West Bank, including Maale Adumim by the Gush Emunim which sparked a protest by the Peace Now movement. I was there, as was my good friend Amos Oz, the famous Israeli author and one of the leaders of the peace movement. The concern was that if the settlers were permitted to create a substantial de facto presence, it might be legitimized over time with de jure measures, which would undermine Israels foundations, polarize the relationship between Israel and the Palestinians, while fostering cycles of terror and conflicts. Despite a relatively broad popular opposition against the settlements, successive Israeli governments failed to contain them, despite Egyptian President Sadats bold peace initiative. Once again, the writing on the wall was ignored and the 80s wars in Lebanon ensued, along with the first large-scale Palestinian uprising against Israel in the West Bank and Gaza at the turn of the 90s. Thats when the Madrid Conference in 1991 and the subsequent Oslo Accords offered a glimpse of an alternative future scenario but one that perished after Rabins assassination. Today, half a century has passed from the Six-Day War and the Israeli conquest of the West Bank and Gaza. According to the Peace Index by the Israel Democracy Institute, last July three out of every four Israelis (74%) viewed the chances of Trumps peace plan being a success as low or very low. According to the most recent survey, 89% of Israeli Jews do not see peace in the horizon. Almost half of Israeli Jews believe the Palestinians should have a state of their own. More think the two-state solution would be impossible to implement. After a generation of increasing bitterness, the share of the skeptics is relatively higher in younger age groups. The message is fairly clear. Most Israelis believe that President Trumps initiatives are undermining peace in the region. Most support a two-state plan. But since Washington is not seen as a neutral arbiter, a lasting peace plan is not enforceable. As the U.S. provides one-third of the annual budget of the UNRWA, the vital relief agency for Palestine refugees since 1948, and has refused to make further contributions, some 5.4 million Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and Gaza, and in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria find themselves in a new situation. Reportedly, Israel supported only gradual reduction of the UNRWAs funding and no reductions in Gaza until Netanyahu changed course without consulting his own security officials. Meanwhile, leading Israeli defense authorities have suggested that steep UNRWA cuts could further radicalize Gaza and destabilize the West Bank. As the IMF data suggests, the status quo is entering an entirely new stage, in which economic agony could result in a failed state before an actual state is formed, while militarization of the crisis and the absence of hope on the Palestinian side could unleash even more desperate waves of terror internationally. Half a century of policy mistakes should be an adequate warning. Dr Steinbock is the founder of the Difference Group and has served as the research director at the India, China, and America Institute (USA) and a visiting fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Center (Singapore). For more information, see http://www.differencegroup.net/ 2018 Copyright Dan Steinbock - 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. Dan Steinbock Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Former chief minister of Maharashtra and Congress leader Ashok Chavan has criticised the Shiv Sena for not being serious about the Ayodhya temple matter, adding that the name of the temple is being taken as the 2019 general elections are inching closer. Reacting on Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's upcoming visit to Ayodhya, Chavan told ANI on Saturday, "Uddhav Thackeray is giving new statements every other day. The Shiv Sena has never been serious on Ayodhya matter. Ayodhya name is being taken again and again because elections are approaching." Upset with the delay in the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Thackeray, on October 18, announced that he would visit the city on November 25. "We warn everyone who thinks that Hindutva has died. We are still alive. We are saddened that Ram Temple has not been constructed yet. I will visit Ayodhya on November 25," Thackeray had said. Meanwhile, the Congress leader also responded to senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's recent remark that the Supreme Court cannot solve the Ram Temple issue because it is a matter of faith. Chavan said, "Our country functions on the basis of the Constitution. Whatever decision will be taken by courts will be followed by the entire nation." The long-standing Ram Mandir matter is pending before the Supreme Court for its final resolution. The matter will next be heard on October 29. Earlier, the court had asked the stakeholders of the issue to resolve the matter amicably out of the court. The Babri Masjid, built by Mughal emperor Babur in Ayodhya in 1528, was, on December 6, 1992, pulled down allegedly by a group of Hindu activists, claiming that the mosque was constructed after demolishing a Ram Temple that originally stood there. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A surprise thunderstorm struck Qatar on Saturday, causing widespread flash floods due to torrential rains, bringing parts of the tiny Gulf nation to a standstill. In Abu Hamor suburb of capital Doha, 84 mm of rainfall was recorded in less than six hours, easily surpassing the country's average annual rainfall of 77 mm. With this, the desert country received almost a year's downpour in just a single day, Al Jazeera reported. The unseasonal rains also created a record of being the wettest October day that exceeded this month's average rainfall of just 1.1 mm. Road and air traffic were severely affected due to the thunderstorm, with some flights being diverted to neighbouring Kuwait and Iran. The Qatari government has ordered schools, colleges, and government buildings to be closed until the situation improves. Residents have been warned not to venture out on flooded roads and stand near trees and other objects owing to gusty winds. Although the flood waters have receded at many places in Qatar, thunderstorms and rains are forecast on Sunday and Monday, before dry and sunny days return to Doha and around. The downpour is expected to be light and not prolonged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghan Markle's father Thomas Markle, recently, opened up about her daughter's pregnancy and said that it all feels "overwhelming and joyful." "I was filled with love, joy, and happiness for both my beautiful daughter and my son-in-law. A new baby is a blessing and I look forward to seeing a little Meghan or a little Harry," E!Online quoted Thomas' statement to The Daily Mail. Thomas, who has a rather distant relationship with his daughter and the rest of the royals, "wasn't surprised" that his daughter was pregnant as he mentioned that Meghan loves children and she and Harry have been talking about wanting a family from the start. Meghan's half-sister Samantha Markle also spoke out about the Duchess of Sussex's pregnancy and said that she wants Meghan to be happy and calm. Earlier this week, Kensington Palace confirmed the royal baby news and announced that the 'Suits' alum is expecting to deliver in the spring of 2019. Prince Harry, sixth in line to the British throne, and Markle got married on May 19 at Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three persons were killed and six others got injured when their tractor-trolley overturned in Madhya Pradesh's Katni, nearly 360-kilometres from state capital Bhopal. The incident happened late on Saturday when the vehicle was returning after the immersion of Durga idols. The tractor turned turtle while the driver, trying to save a cow, lost control of the vehicle. The injured people were rushed to a hospital in Vijayraghavgarh, nearly 38-kilometres from the accident site. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eleven civilians were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on Sunday as voting for parliamentary elections was underway on the second day, an official said. "A mine planted by militants struck a civilian car in Achin district at 11 a.m. killing 11 civilians including a woman and six children," Xinhua news agency quoted official Attaullah Khogiani as saying. Taliban militants, who had vowed to oppose and disrupt the elections, are yet to comment on the incident. On Saturday, 27 people including 11 security force members were killed and 100 others injured, according to Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs. --IANS mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Atleast 30 Taliban militants were killed in an air raid in Afghanistan's Baghlan province on Sunday, an army spokesman said. "Acting upon intelligence report, the fighting aircraft conducted a series of sorties against a gathering of Taliban rebels in Baghlan-e-Markazi district at around noon, killing 30 rebels on the spot," Xinhua news agency quoted Mohammad Hanif Rezai as saying. Taliban militants launched a series of attacks throughout Afghanistan to disrupt the voting process of the country's parliamentary elections, which began on Saturday. The attacks have claimed 78 lives and injured more than 100 others. --IANS mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four women hailing from Andhra Pradesh were on their way to the Samarimala temple to pray to the presiding deity Lord Ayyappa, when angry protesters blocked their path on Sunday and turned them away. At 10 a.m., two women accompanied by a male devotee were the first to face the wrath of the traditionalists. The pilgrims were about to enter the main pathway at the foothills of the temple town to begin their trek to the shrine at the hilltop when protesters surrounded them. Sensing trouble, police officials formed a security cordon around the two ladies and took them to the police control room at Pamba. Inspector General of Police S. Sreejith told reporters that the two ladies said that they undertook the pilgrimage to Sabarimala after they came to know that the Supreme Court had allowed the entry of all women into the temple. "These women were part of a pilgrimage group from Andhra Pradesh and are visiting various temples in Kerala. When they were told about the protest, they decided that they would like to return and we took them to a vehicle parked at Nilackal," said Sreejith. The Supreme Court had on September 28 overturned a centuries-old practice that barred women of menstrual age (10-50 years) from entering the hill temple, where a celibate deity Lord Ayyappa is worshipped. Protesters have blocked the entry of women in the age group of 10-50, in defiance of the SC order, and ignoring the state government's efforts to ensure the entry of women into the shrine. Soon after turning away the two ladies, protesters found another lady who had already hit the pathway to the temple. They stopped her too, asking her to go back. As the commotion continued, policemen reached the spot. Upon finding out from her Aadhaar card that she was 47, the protesters were further infuriated. The woman felt a bit uneasy amid the ruckus, and was taken to a clinic. She subsequently returned without paying her obeisance to the temple deity. A fourth lady, who used the services of a palanquin to make it to the hilltop, was identified by protesters about a kilometre from the temple. As the protesters milled around her, police came to her rescue, taking her to Pamba. Meanwhile, State BJP President P.S. Sreedharan Pillai on Sunday said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should convene a special session of the Assembly, and recommend to the Centre to promulgate an Ordinance to nullify the SC order. The temple that opened on Wednesday night for the customary monthly five-day puja will close at 10 p.m. on Monday. --IANS sg/shs/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five civilians were killed and over a dozen others injured on Sunday when an explosion occurred a gunfight site in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, police said. According to the police, despite repeated requests not to visit the gunfight site in Laroo village till it was declared safe, civilians went to the gunfight site where an explosion occurred. Some of the injured civilians have sustained critical injuries, according to doctors in the Kulgam District Hospital. Three militants were killed by the security forces in this gunfight. --IANS sq/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kannada actor Sruthi Hariharan on Sunday alleged that she was subjected to "unwanted advances" by south Indian multi-lingual actor Arjun Sarja. "I was subjected to unwanted overtures by Arjun Sarja on the sets of a film in 2016. I could not raise the issue when the issue took place as there was no internal complaints committee in the film industry," Sruthi told reporters. There was a need for an active internal complaints committee in the Kannada film industry, stressed the actress, who was joined by Kannada actor Chetan and film directors Kavitha Lankesh and Roopa Iyer among others, during a media interaction. The 29-year-old actress addressed media a day after she named 54-year-old Arjun of sexually harassing her through a Facebook post. "During a (film) rehearsal, we delivered our lines and Mr Arjun hugs me. With no forewarning or permission, he runs his hands intimately up and down my back. He pulls me closer with my body taut against his and asks the director if we could use this idea of foreplay in the scene," the actress had stated in her post. The incident which took place before 50 of the film's crew had left her "aghast", the actress noted in her post. Arjun, popularly known as 'Action King' who acted in over 150 movies across Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages, has, however, dismissed the allegations as "false". "The allegations being levelled against me are entirely baseless. I am shocked to hear such false allegations," Arjun earlier told a local news channel responding to the sexual harassment charges. Speaking up about the sexual harassment faced had led to several of the actor's fans to intimidate her, the actress said. "I have been constantly getting calls from Arjun's fans since I posted my statement on Facebook. I was prepared for the intimidation after making the statement," she said. Stating that at least four others were sexually harassed by the actor, Sruthi said, "People who claim to be super stars are taking advantage of their popularity to indulge in sexual harassment on sets." Bengaluru-based Sruthi, who has acted in several Kannada and Malayalam films since 2012, said none of her other co-actors had ever made similar physical advances towards her. --IANS bha-fb/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The President of Afghanistan on Sunday officially announced that voting in the Afghan parliamentary elections had closed, with initial data from the election commission estimating that over four million eligible voters exercised their democratic rights over the weekend. President Ashraf Ghani made the remarks in a televised speech broadcast nationwide, Efe reported. "The great nation of Afghanistan, thank you! By casting your votes, you proved to the world that you don't want violence. You proved your will for democracy," the leader said, highlighting the large turnout despite the persistent threat of violence from the Taliban insurgent group. "You proved to the Taliban that no one can bring this nation under their control by force," Ghani added. At least 27 civilians and 10 members of the security forces were killed and over 100 were injured during the two-day voting period as the Taliban launched over 250 separate attacks in a bid to stop people from voting. Ghani described those killed during the election process as martyrs for democracy who sacrificed themselves for the democratic hopes of future generations. He also highlighted the role of women, whether as candidates or as voters, as a success for Afghan democracy. Abdulbadi Sayyad, chairman for the independent election commission in Afghanistan, told a press conference that around four million people - of which 33 percent were women - cast their votes across 32 provinces. "Forty-five percent of eligible voters (of which there are 8.8 million) have taken part in this election," he said, proclaiming it a success. Around 401 polling stations that were kept closed Saturday due to security threats had been scheduled to reopen the following day. However, only 76 of those were functioning throughout Sunday, Sayyad said. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiromani Akali Dal core committee on Sunday demanded immediate sacking of Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and registration of a murder case against his wife and former legislator Navjot Kaur Sidhu as well as organizers of Dussehra function on Friday. Holding Kaur and organisers of the Dusshera function responsible "for abetting the Amritsar tragedy", the core committee, which met here under the chairmanship of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, rejected the magisterial inquiry ordered by the Congress government. It demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court into the tragedy. Terming the "man-made disaster as unparalleled on account of the criminal negligence and sheer abetment by the function organizers", the core committee condemned the cover-up operation launched by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and demanded registration of a fresh case in the matter as per the statement of the victims' families. The core committee said: "The Congress government is now muzzling the voice of the poor by instituting a tailor-made inquiry with the sole aim of giving a clean chit to the culprits and putting the blame squarely on the Indian Railways." "This is being done despite the fact that the victim families were ready to present irrefutable evidence against a Congress councilor as well as Mrs Navjot Kaur Sidhu for abetting the tragedy," it added. It also noted that evidence against the councilor and Kaur was present in the public domain and that this should be taken into account while proceeding against both of them. "Keeping all these facts into account, there was no possibility of a free and fair inquiry by a magistrate who was reporting to cabinet minister Navjot Sidhu and his family," the committee stated. The core committee said it was condemnable that the Punjab government was refusing to take action against the Congress leaders despite available evidence of negligence. The committee also passed a resolution calling for Rs 1 crore compensation to each of the victim families as well as grant of government job to the next of kin of the victims. The meeting also served an ultimatum to the government to register a fresh case as per the statement of the victims and institute a judicial inquiry besides giving compensation as demanded failing which it would initiate an agitation to ensure justice to the tragedy victims. At least 59 people were killed and nearly 60 others injured when the speeding train mowed the people watching Dusshera proceedings while standing on the live railway tracks. --IANS js/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Sunday mocked at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attempting to appropriate the legacy of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and accused the RSS-BJP of trying to distort history. Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Azad Hind government formed by Netaji, Modi on Sunday unfurled the National Flag at the Red Fort and targeted the Nehru-Gandhi family for "neglecting" the contribution of nationalist leaders like Bose. Countering Modi's offensive, the Congress ridiculed the Prime Minister and flayed him for dragging Netaji and Sardar Patel into "The only reason that can be ascribed to the Prime Minister being in mode 24X7 and constantly making allegations is his desperation to try and appropriate the legacy of Netaji and the legacy of Independence Movement. "Modi knows that the Sangh Parivar is bereft of any locus and had absolutely no role to play in the Freedom Movement. So, like a fish out of water, they are desperately trying to appropriate Netaji's legacy and dragging him into politics," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters here. "Those who do not have their own ideas and idols, and have zero contribution to the National Movement, are trying to attribute and appropriate the legacy of our Freedom Fighters, in an attempt to be perceived nationalist. Today, Modi desperately tried to do the same," he said. Rubbishing Modi's allegations that the previous Congress governments did not follow the legacy of Netaji and Sardar Patel, Singhvi said both the leaders were completely against the philosophy of sectarianism and bigotry espoused by Modi's ideological parent - the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha. Seeking to substantiate his assertion that the RSS had "zero role" in the Freedom Movement, Singhvi read out excerpts from then RSS Chief M.S. Golwalkar's letter to the RSS spokesperson Krishna Rao Wadekar, asking the Sangh to stay away from the "Quit India movement". "Today, the RSS and the BJP are praising Netaji for his military endeavours to liberate India, but their ideological ancestors had done totally the opposite. When Netaji was revamping the Azad Hind Fauj in Japan and Gandhiji had given the 'Quit India' call, the RSS was hand-in-gloves with the British. The Hindu Mahasabha under Vinayak Savarkar's leadership organised recruitment camps for the British armed forces," said the Congress leader. Singhvi also took a dig at Modi for attempting to appropriate Sardar Patel's legacy, reminding the Prime Minister that it was Patel who had banned the RSS and held its ideology responsible for the murder of Mahatma Gandhi. --IANS and/shs/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Supreme Court judges are divided over a suggestion to increase the retirement age of judges to 70 years. Those opposed to it say that 65 years is "optimal" and even at this age it is difficult to bear the burden of the court's heavy workload. While Justice K.T. Thomas and Justice K.S. Panikar Radhakrishnan dismissed the suggestion to increase the retirement age, Justice B. Sudershan Reddy endorsed it. In the recent past, Attorney General K.K. Venugopal -- the central government's topmost lawyer -- had on a number of occasions raised the issue of increasing the retirement age of the judges of the higher judiciary, including a three-fold increase in their salaries -- a position not shared by the Narendra Modi government. Those favouring enhancing the retirement age have cited increased life expectancy as a ground and comparing it with the prevailing practices in other countries, including US where Supreme Court judges serve for life, the UK where the retirement age is 70 year and other countries where it is 70 or 75 years. Justifying the suggestion for increasing the retirement age on the grounds of increasing "longevity" and life expectancy, senior lawyer C.S. Vaidyanathan said that "physical and mental ability to work" beyond 65 years is "very much there" -- a view endorsed by former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and senior lawyer K.V. Vishwanathan. There is no rational justification to retire judges at the age of 65, Vishwanathan said, adding: "Judges mature and ripen in their late fifties or early sixties and one must tap their talent beyond 65 years." Buttressing the point, Vishwanathan cited the example of Justice Anthony McLeod Kennedy who rested his pen in US Supreme Court in 2018 at the age of 82. He described Justice Kennedy as a "classic example" of a "prolific writer" at the ripe age of 82. Justice Kennedy was succeeded by Justice Brett Kavanaugh -- whose confirmation hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee saw the burgeoning of the 'MeToo' volcano denting the reputation of many among the high and mighty. All this did not weigh with Justice Thomas and Justice Radhakrishnan, who thought 65 years was a good enough an age to hang up the gown, because at this age, mental and physical wear and tear start manifesting. "There may be one, two or three judges who can carry on with the heavy, demanding work of the Supreme Court with the same tempo. But others find it difficult to work. My colleagues used to tell me the that they find it difficult to carry on," said Justice Thomas, citing Justice P.K. Paripoornan as telling him: "I can't keep up with the volume of work in the Supreme Court." Rohatgi, Vaidyanathan and K.V. Vishwanathan not only favoured increasing the retirement age but also bringing the retirement age of the High Court judges at par with that of the Supreme Court -- an issue on which Justice Reddy differed. While Justice Thomas agreed that the retirement age should be at par, Justice Reddy felt that the "distinction" should remain. Justice Thomas asked: "If Supreme Court judges could work up to the age of 65 years, then why not High Court judges?" Unequivocally asserting that even at 65, handling the Supreme Court's workload is fatiguing, Justice Radhakrishnan said that the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts could be increased, but with the option of quitting before reaching the age of superannuation -- a practice prevailing in Zimbabwe, where a top court judge is appointed to retire at 65 years but can opt to continue till 70. "Personally I was very happy when I retired because for a period of 15 to 20 years you have put in so much work which can't be compared with any other service," Justice Radhakrishnan said, adding: "A really hard-working judge would like to retire at the age of 65 as working for over 15 to 20 years takes its toll." "As a judge I have to do justice to the court," Justice Radhakrishnan maintained, pointing out that "there can't be any comparison with other countries. In America, the Supreme Court has 100 to 130 cases per year. Similar is the case with England and the International Court of Justice." The Supreme Court in India deals with over 65,000 cases per year. However, there is no split view on increasing the salaries of the judges of the higher judiciary which, at the current level, is considered to be on the lower side. In January, the salary of a Supreme Court judge was hiked to Rs 250,000 a month from Rs 90,000 and that of the Chief Justice to Rs 2.8 lakhs from Rs 1 lakh. Justice Sudershan Reddy said that the salary increase of the judges should be "commensurate with the work load they carry". (Parmod Kumar can be contacted at saneel2010@gmail.com ) --IANS pk/vm/tb/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the formation of 'Azad Hind government' headed by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943, an organisation of lawyers and retired government officials on Sunday urged the Centre to declassify all files on Bose and his army. It demanded a judicial probe into the disappearance of the army property. Claiming that the contributions of Bose and the Azad Hind Fauj in the country's freedom struggle were deliberately suppressed by certain politicians as part of a political conspiracy, the forum requested the Centre and all state governments to observe the day of the army's formation every year in memory of the martyrs. "Azad Hind Fauj and Netaji were not given the respect they deserve for their massive contribution towards India's independence. The Centre should start a high-level judicial inquiry to find out about the army's fund worth Rs 72 crore at that time," said Joydeep Mukherjee, lawyer and General Secretary of India Legal Aid Forum. "The contribution of the army was deliberately suppressed by the first Indian government headed by Jawaharlal Nehru and successive governments thereafter. It must be probed whether the army's money was devoured by a certain political family in the country," he said in a veiled dig at the Nehru family. A number of Netaji lovers, followers and veteran freedom fighters from Bengal were also present at the event. The members of the forum also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for hoisting the national flag at the Red Fort on Sunday to commemorate the day for the first time. "The Prime Minister has done a commendable job today by hoisting the tricolour in memory of the army today. The Centre should immediately declassify all the documents on Netaji and his army in the public forum," said former senior Bengal police officer Pankaj Dutta. The government should also release a book written by historian Protul Gupta 'Contribution of Azad Hind Fauj' which is kept in the lockers of the Defence Academy," he added. --IANS mgr/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Strongly condemning the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi consulate in Istanbul, both France and Germany have called for "further" and "comprehensive" investigation into the incident. "With great dismay, we have received the confirmation of the violent death of Jamal Khashoggi," said a statement issued by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday, Xinhua news agency reports. Under massive pressure, Saudi Arabia admitted early Saturday that preliminary investigations by the Saudi Public Prosecution showed the missing journalist Khashoggi died after a fight at the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul. "We condemn the act with utmost sharpness. We expect transparency from Saudi Arabia in light of the circumstances of the death and the background," said the statement. It said that those responsible must be held accountable and that the information given by the Saudi consulate in Istanbul is insufficient. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drianm calling for an in-depth investigation into the journalist's killing, said: "France condemns this murder in the strongest terms. The confirmation of Jamal Khashoggi's death is a first step toward the establishment of the truth." He, however, said that many questions remain unanswered about the circumstances of Khashoggi's death. "... They require a comprehensive and diligent investigation to establish all the responsibilities and to ensure that those responsible for the murder...are held accountable for their actions," the top French diplomat said. The Saudi journalist who lived in the United States, disappeared on October 2 after visiting the consulate to complete paperwork related to his divorce. In an interview with the German public broadcast ARD on Saturday night, Heiko Maas said: "I think as long as the investigations are ongoing and as long as we do not know what happened there, there is no reason to take positive decisions on arms exports to Saudi Arabia," said Maas. Saudi Arabia is the second largest customer of German weapons behind Algeria so far this year. Until September, the German federal government granted export licences worth 416.4 million euros to Saudi Arabia. Prior to the announcement by Saudi Arabia, Heiko Maas had already put travel plans to Saudi Arabia on hold. --IANS nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Germany will not sell arms to Saudi Arabia while the case of the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi remains unclear, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday. Merkel made the remarks at a press conference after a campaign for her party in a regional election, repeating her condemnation of Khashoggi's killing, which took place inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, reports Xinhua news agency. "Firstly, we condemn this act in the strongest terms. Secondly, there is an urgent need to further clarify what happened by the Saudi authorities. We are far from this having been cleared up and those responsible should be held to account," said Merkel. "As far as arms exports are concerned, those can't take place in the current circumstances," the Chancellor added. Saudi Arabia is the second largest customer in the German defence industry just after Algeria so far this year. Until September, the German federal government granted export licenses worth 416.4 million euros to Saudi Arabia. Merkel and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday issued a statement, condemning the murder of Khashoggi, calling for transparency from Saudi Arabia in light of the circumstances of the death and the background. --IANS mr/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Sunday congratulated the people of Afghanistan for exercising their democratic rights in that country's parliamentary elections in the face of terror threats. "India congratulates the people of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for exercising their democratic rights at parliamentary elections held today," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. "The enthusiastic participation of people, including women, despite terrorist violence is testament of resilience of the people of Afghanistan," it stated. "It reflects their desire and faith in democratic governance and rejection of the evil forces that foment and spread terror and violence." According to the statement, the National Unity Government of Afghanistan, the country's Independent Election Commission (IEC) and the security forces "deserve appreciation for creating enabling environment and organising these elections despite numerous challenges". "We hope that these elections would contribute to strengthening of democratic institutions and deepen inclusive democratic system in Afghanistan," it said. "India supports the people of Afghanistan in their efforts to build a peaceful, stable, united, inclusive and prosperous nation." More than three million voters have cast their ballot in Afghanistan's parliamentary elections that were held amidst terror threats, the IEC said on Sunday. In the elections, high turnouts were reported in Kabul, Herat, Daykundi and Nangarhar provinces while the lowest turnout was reported in Uruzgan province. The elections covered 32 out of the country's 34 provinces. More than 2,500 candidates are contesting for the 249-seat lower house of parliament for a five-year term. On Saturday, 27 people, including 11 security personnel, were killed and 100 others injured, according to the Afghan government. --IANS ab/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran's Foreign Ministry on Sunday denied allegations of interfering in the US mid-term Congressional elections. "Iran's policy is not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said, reports Xinhua news agency. In a statement published on the Ministry's website, Qasemi said that attempts by the US officials to say that Iran had been involved in the US mid-term polls was a false allegation. "The White House has for sometime been trying to raise allegations against other countries for specific political reasons," Qasemi added. US intelligence and law enforcement agencies on Friday claimed that foreign governments, including Iran, would try to influence US upcoming mid-term Congressional vote in November. --IANS mr/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israel opened two crossings into the Gaza Strip on Sunday following a decrease in the amount of violence along the border, authorities said. The Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings were closed by Israel on Wednesday after the Israeli Defence Forces claimed that two rockets were launched from Gaza towards the Israeli territory with one of them damaging a residential house, Sputnik news agency reported. While the Erez Crossing allows people to cross the Israel-Gaza Strip border, the Kerem Shalom serves as the only crossing for the delivery of goods into Palestine. The Israeli Defence Ministry said that a decision is yet to be made on allowing the supply of fuel to the Gaza Strip, which had been halted in October due to unrest on the border. The relation between Israel and Palestine near the Gaza border has been increasingly tense for months. Palestinian protesters continue regular clashes with Israeli troops on the border, while Israel accuses Gaza of shelling into their territories. The past weekend saw a significant decrease in the amount of violence along the Gaza border compared to previous weeks. Most of the rioters remained at a distance and did not try to reach the fence, the Israeli Defence Ministry said. --IANS mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Sunday described as "a mistake" the death of in its Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, earlier this month. In an interview with Fox News, Saudi Foreign Minister Abel Al-Jubeir said that this was a "rogue operation". "They made a mistake and killed Jamal Khassoggi in the consulate and they tried to cover up for it," Al-Jubeir said. Khashoggi, and columnist for The Washington Post, had been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. A joint Turkish-Saudi team completed an investigation into the case on Thursday after searching the residence of the Consul General as well as the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The kingdom acknowledged early Saturday that Khashoggi died in a brawl in its consulate, but did not give any explanation on the cause of his death. As of now, 18 Saudi suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the incident and two senior Saudi officials fired. Two months after floods caused havoc in Kerala and flattened major standing crops, leading to losses estimated at over Rs 2,000 crore, the state government has decided to distribute crop inputs, particularly seeds, as a part of the rehabilitation package for affected farmers. Paddy is the worst affected among all major crops, leading to an estimated loss of 2.45 lakh tonnes of rice, Kerala Agriculture Secretary D.K. Singh said, adding the state needed to procure at least 8,000 tonnes of seeds for distribution among farmers. "Other major crops that have suffered huge losses are banana, cardamom, pepper and tapioca, besides vegetables and tubers. The damage is unprecedented, so we are planning to restart the agricultural cultivation processes by providing inputs to farmers," Singh told IANS. "First on the list are seeds, which will be provided free of cost. We are in touch with the seed breeders." The role of pesticides and fertilisers will come into the picture three months later as procurement of seeds and making farms ready for sowing is the priority, he added. The government should also bring agricultural universities and other related agencies on board for crop management activities, said Robin Edwin, Managing Director of Mosaic India, a crop nutrition management company. "It must be ensured that seeds for second sowing are procured and distributed seamlessly. A crop contingency plan with drought-resistant varieties should be developed," he said. Monitoring soil moisture, the area under sowing and types of crop to be cultivated, along with alternative cropping possibilities, should also be undertaken, he added. However, before the farmers can get back into action, the state government has the gigantic job of removing the sludge that has accumulated on the farmland and in the water channels after the flood waters receded. "We are working on how to raise and mobilise resources to make the soil fit for cultivation. The rehabilitation work will be done with the help of multilateral agencies such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB)," Singh said. The Kerala government has prepared a financial plan to tackle the issue and has sought additional funds from the central government. According to a report prepared by the World Bank and the ADB last month, Rs 25,046 crore is required for the rebuilding of the state, with highest impact on agriculture among livelihood sectors, where the estimated loss is Rs 2,093 crore. According to the Kerala government, over 400,000 tonnes of bananas were damaged in the deluge, just days before the harvesting festival of Onam, after 21,000 hectares of plantations came under water. Another major commodity that took a hit is pepper and government estimates show plantations on 98,000 hectares were damaged. Around 35,000 hectares of cardamom fields, 365 hectares of coffee plantations and 122 hectares of rubber plantations reeled under the flood fury, Singh said. The other crops lost in the incessant rain and subsequent flooding include 1.81 lakh tonnes of tapioca and 1.30 lakh tonnes of vegetables and tubers. (Saurabh Katkurwar can be contacted at saurabh.k@ians.in) --IANS spk/vm/tb/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The fiancee of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has published a final message to him, after Saudi authorities admitted he was killed at the country's consulate in Istanbul, the reported on Sunday. "They took your bodily presence from my world. But your beautiful laugh will remain in my soul forever. My darling #jkhashoggi," she wrote on Twitter Saturday evening. Attached to the tweet is a video of Khashoggi giving a TV documentary interview, reports CNN. He is shown being interrupted by a cat which hops on his lap, making him laugh heartily. "You should leave this in the film," a smiling Khashoggi tells the journalist. Cengiz, who was waiting outside the consulate when Khashoggi entered the building, had not previously accepted that he had died. Khashoggi had gone to the consulate on October 2 to conduct paperwork that would allow for the two of them to be married. In the event that he did not emerge, Khashoggi had told Cengiz to call his friend Turan Kislakci, the head of the Turkish Arab Association. "I do not know if Jamal is inside. I want to know where Jamal is. Did they detain him? Did they kidnap him? Is he imprisoned?" Cengiz told CNN outside the consulate, a day after his disappearance. At the time, she asked outlets not to name her. "What is he eating? What is he drinking? Does he deserve this? He is not a terrorist. He is an analyst and a journalist," she added. A journalist and former royal court insider, Khashoggi has been a prominent critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, since he went into self-exile in June 2017. A day after Saudi Arabia's public admission of his death, Turkish media released CCTV footage apparently showing Khashoggi and Cengiz hand-in-hand, entering an apartment building where the journalist had just bought a property for the couple. When Turkish officials privately told media outlets four days later that they believed Khashoggi had been killed, Cengiz tweeted that she refused to believe the news until an official statement was made. That official statement came in the early hours of Saturday, when Saudi Arabia admitted that Khashoggi died in the consulate, claiming he was the victim of a "fistfight" after a discussion turned violent. --IANS ksk/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The top court in the Maldives on Sunday upheld the recent presidential election result, and dismissed a petition by the outgoing incumbent, who accused the electoral commission of vote-rigging. The five-member bench of the Supreme Court unanimously said it found no evidence the commission unfairly aided Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to victory in the September 23 election, which spelled the end of incumbent Abdulla Yameen's tenure, Efe news reported. "We are pleased that the court ruled unanimously to uphold the will of the people. There is zero evidence that the election was fixed. President Yameen should do the honorable thing: accept defeat and ensure a smooth transfer of power," tweeted Mariya Didi, spokeswoman for the president-elect Solih. Yameen conceded defeat a day after the election but later brought his case against the winner to the top court, citing complaints from supporters of his ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). He accused the electoral body of using invisible ink and chemicals to rig votes. --IANS mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday paid tribute to all the brave soldiers of Indian National Army (INA) on the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Azad Hind Government. "Today is the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Azad Hind Government. My heartfelt tribute to all the brave soldiers of INA who fought for India's freedom under the leadership of Netaji. Jai Hind," she tweeted. On Police Commemoration Day, Banerjee also conveyed her best wishes to the police forces of West Bengal and other states. "On Police Commemoration Day, my best wishes to @wbpolice, @kolkatapolice and all the police forces of all other States for their service to the nation. From festivals to disasters, they always work hard to keep us safe." --IANS bdc/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Ayushmann Khurrana has supported the #MeToo movement by saying that men should understand what consent is. Ayushmann visited the PVR Citi Mall here on Saturday to know the audience's reaction for his latest film "Badhaai Ho". Reacting to the #MeToo campaign that has gathered momentum in India, especially in Bollywood, Ayushmann told media: "The #MeToo movement is a good movement, but at the same time, I feel both parties should be given equal opportunities to share their account and to prove their innocence. Having said that, I feel women should be respected and they shouldn't be harassed. "There should be stringent rules at every workplace. It is not only about workplace, but I think that the code of conduct should be followed in every sphere of society, be it our family or where we live." Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has announced the formation of a committee of four retired judges and a lawyer to examine all issues emanating from #MeToo, a movement against sexual harassment. Actors like Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar and Hrithik Roshan have also taken a firm stand against their colleagues, who have been accused in sexual harassment cases. Asked whether these kind of measures are necessary to curb harassment at workplace, Ayushmann said: "I think we should have taken these measures long time ago, but whatever measures we have taken are absolutely correct. "Women should feel safe whether it's in journalism or sometimes we go to shoot, our films are in outdoor locations. We shoot there till late nights and not a single woman should feel unsafe there and men should understand what consent is and without that, you cannot do anything to anyone. "No one can touch other person without his or her consent and if anyone does that, then strict action should be taken against that individual." The #MeToo movement gained momentum in India after actress Tanushree Dutta accused veteran actor Nana Patekar of harassment. --IANS iv/nn/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More than three million voters have cast their ballot in Afghanistan's parliamentary elections that were held on Saturday amidst terror threats, the country's Independent Election Commission (IEC) said on Sunday. In the elections, high turnouts were reported in Kabul, Herat, Daykundi and Nangarhar provinces while the lowest turnout was reported in Uruzgan province, Xinhua news agency quoted the IEC as saying. Voting in Kandahar and Ghazni provinces was postponed due to security reasons. In an effort to provide opportunity to people who failed to vote on Saturday, the IEC will allow them to vote on Sunday, the statement said. The elections covered 32 out of the country's 34 provinces. More than 2,500 candidates are contesting for the 249-seat lower house of the parliament for a five-year term. On Saturday, 27 people including 11 security force members were killed and 100 others injured, according to Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs. --IANS mag/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Protests staged by residents here against the Punjab government and the railways after 59 people were killed when a train crushed them as they were watching Dusshera celebrations, turned violent on Sunday leaving a few policemen injured following stone-pelting. The injured policemen, including Punjab Police commandos, were rushed to a government hospital for treatment. Police officials said that reinforcements were rushed to the area near the Joda Phatak (railway gate) where the situation turned violent on Sunday afternoon. Residents of the area indulged in stone pelting on the police when the latter tried to remove them from the railway tracks where the tragedy occurred on Friday evening. The protestrers were demanding action against organisers of the Dusshera function near Joda Phatak for which hundreds of people had gathered to see the burning of the Ravan effigy. The people were watching the proceedings from the live railway tracks when the Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU (diesel multiple unit) train crushed them. The angry residents blocked traffic from crossing the Joda Phatak (railway gate) to show anger against the authorities not bothering about the families who had lost their loved ones, including women, children and youth. Plying of trains on this section was stopped since Friday evening. Family members of the train tragedy victims said that Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur, who was the chief guest at the Dusshera function on Friday, had not even bothered to meet them despite their loss. The Punjab government on Saturday ordered a magisterial probe into the train tragedy. The railways said it was not responsible for the tragedy. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident, including finding out if mandatory permissions for holding the function were given. Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal demanded that a case of murder be registered against the organisers, who were mostly ruling Congress leaders. --IANS js/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Punjab Police will conduct a separate probe into the train tragedy in Amritsar on Friday in which 59 people lost their lives and nearly 60 others were injured. Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora said on Sunday that "for fixing the criminal responsibility for the Amritsar railway mishap", Additional Director General of Police (Railways) Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota would conduct the enquiry. The DGP said: "There has been negligence on part of someone and that liability has to be fixed for which this probe has been ordered." The police probe into the incident will be separate from the magisterial inquiry ordered in this connection by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday. People watching the Dusshera proceedings from the railway tracks near Joda Phatak in Amritsar on Friday were crushed by the speeding Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU (diesel multiple unit) train. The Indian Railways has given a clean chit to the train driver and other officials saying that they (railways) were not informed about the Ravan effigy burning event so close to the railway tracks and the presence of hundreds of people on the tracks. --IANS js/mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reacting to the Kerala government registering a new case of sexual abuse alleged by solar scam accused Saritha Nair, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday said the move was politically motivated. "This has happened before also and now this fresh development has surfaced because of the issues in Sabarimala. I will deal with this case legally and tomorrow (Monday) in the state capital, I will reveal more details," Chandy said here. In the state capital, Kerala Police chief Loknath Behra on Sunday told the media that a new FIR has been registered and a special team had been constituted to probe Nair's complaint. " Now, let the law takes its course," said Behra. In the complaint, Nair said that in 2012 at Thiruvananthapuram, she was sexually abused by Chandy and Alappuzha Lok Sabha member K.C. Venugopal . This fresh move comes after the Kerala High Court while hearing Chandy's petition over the Solar Judicial Inquiry Commission report, said in May that findings of the commission based on Nair's letter need not be considered. The multi-crore solar energy investment fraud that rocked the Chandy government in 2013 was led byNair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan, as it came to light that a section of the Chief Minister's office had links with the couple. Nair's letter named Chandy and numerous other top Congress leaders for sexually exploiting her. --IANS sg/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha on Sunday held the local administration responsible for the Amritsar tragedy in which 59 people were crushed to death by a train while watching the burning of the Dusshera effigy. "Had the local administration been cautious, the incident would have been avoided. The Railways was not informed about the Dusshera ceremony. Had they informed us, we could have taken measures," he told reporters. Sinha was responding to a query over the incident at Joda Phatak when the passenger train heading to Hoshiarpur from Amritsar came hurtling down. He said: "The incident should not be politicized." Sinha, who laid the foundation stone of projects and inaugurated developmental schemes at various stations between Varanasi and Buxar, also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed not just the political culture, but also the work culture. He said that due to the special interest of the Prime Minister, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are getting more attention towards development of railways and its infrastructure projects. "The investment in railways has been tripled from Rs 48,000 crore to Rs 1.48 lakh crore," he said. On the occasion, Sinha announced various projects worth Rs 32 crore including introduction of a new MEMU train from next month between Buxar and Varanasi. He laid foundation stone for various projects at Dheena, Dildarnagar, Gahmar and other stations. --IANS bns/ahm/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three militants were killed and two soldiers injured on Sunday in a gunfight with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, police said. A joint operation was launched by the troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), the state police's Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) after receiving information about the presence of militants in Laroo village. "As the cordon around the hiding militants was tightened, they fired at the security forces triggering the gunfight. Two of the slain militants were Pakistanis while the third was a local," police sources said. Clashes between civilian protesters and the security forces erupted near the gunfight site. Authorities have suspended both mobile telephone and internet services in Kulgam district as precautionary measure. --IANS sq/ksk (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.) Amid tension and tight security, train services were partially restored on the Amritsar-Jalandhar railway section as the Punjab Police booked unidentified protesters on Sunday who clashed with the police at the spot where 59 people were crushed by a speeding train on Friday. A near-empty passenger train was plied on the railway section amid tight security measures on Sunday evening. Railway services on the track on this section had been suspended following the train disaster. Punjab Police personnel stood guard on both sides of the railway tracks near Joda Phatak (railway gate) area of Amritsar to prevent any protesters from getting near the tracks. Earlier in the day, railway authorities plied a cargo train on the same section. The cargo train also had empty bogies. The police booked unidentified protesters who clashed with them on Sunday morning as the police began clearing the railway tracks in the area. The protesters were booked for rioting and attempt to murder. The protesters indulged in stone-pelting, leaving at least half-a-dozen policemen injured. The police resorted to cane-charge and even arrested one person. Protests staged by residents against the Punjab government and the railways turned violent on Sunday. Police had to rush reinforcements to the area. The injured policemen, including a Punjab Police commandos, were rushed to a government hospital. Residents of the area threw stones at the police when the latter tried to remove them from the railway tracks where the tragedy occurred. The protesters were demanding action against organisers of the Dusshera function near Joda Phatak for which hundreds of people had gathered to see the burning of the Ravan effigy. The people were watching the proceedings from the railway tracks when the Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU (diesel multiple unit) train crushed them. Family members of the train tragedy victims said Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur, who was the chief guest at the Dusshera function on Friday, had not even bothered to meet them despite their loss. The Punjab government headed by Amarinder Singh on Saturday ordered a magisterial probe into the train tragedy. The probe will cover if mandatory permissions for holding the function were given. The railways said it was not responsible for the incident. Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal demanded that a case of murder be registered against the organisers, who were mostly ruling Congress leaders. --IANS js/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Trinamool leader of West Bengal's Birbhum district sustained a bullet injury when he was allegedly attacked by BJP workers on Sunday. "We have been informed that Trinamool leader Dipak Ghosh from Khayrasole was attacked on Sunday. But we are yet to receive any formal complaint," said a senior police officer. Condemning the attack, party's district President Anubrata Mondal said, "The victim helped me a lot in local body polls. He was attacked by BJP workers for the second time." BJP's state President Dilip Ghosh denied involvement of party workers in the incident. "Trinamool activists have been involved in internal fights and murders. To cover these up, they are blaming BJP," he said. --IANS bnd/bdc/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the US on Sunday kicked off a two-week military exercise, state news agency WAM reported. "Iron Magic 19" is part of a series of joint military exercises throughout the year between the UAE armed forces and the armed forces of other countries, WAM said. The exercise seeks to reinforce cooperation, joint actions and exchange of expertise in military areas, it added. This will contribute to "maximizing the combat capabilities and increasing coordination between the UAE and the US armed forces", the report noted. The bulk of UAE military hardware, such as F-16 fighter jets, Mirage jets and Apache Longbow attack helicopters, are mostly manufactured by companies from the US, Britain and France. However, the UAE, a major oil supplier, has established a growing defence industry in recent years, mainly in armoured vehicles and naval military equipment. --IANS mr/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has announced that America was pulling out of the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia, a decades-old agreement signed in 1987. "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years," Trump told reporters on Saturday before boarding Air Force One to leave Nevada following a campaign rally. "And I don't know why President (Barack) Obama didn't negotiate or pull out. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to.We're the ones that have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement. "But Russia has not, unfortunately, honoured the agreement. So we're going to terminate the agreement. We're gonna pull out," he said of the agreement, which was signed in December 1987 by former President Ronald Reagan and former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachecv. The treaty forced both countries to eliminate ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between approximately 300 and 3,400 miles. It offered a blanket of protection to the US' European allies and marked a watershed agreement between two nations at the centre of the arms race during the Cold War. The Trump administration has said repeatedly that Russia has violated the treaty and has pointed to their predecessors in the Obama administration who accused Moscow of violating the terms of the agreement. In 2014, CNN reported that the US had accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty, citing cruise missile tests that dated to 2008. The US at the time informed its NATO allies of Russia's suspected breach. Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the military alliance remained "concerned about Russia's lack of respect for its international commitments, including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the INF Treaty". Moscow's failure to adhere to the agreement was also addressed in the most recent Nuclear Posture Review published by the US Defence Department in February, which said Russia "continues to violate a series of arms control treaties and commitments". However, pulling out of the treaty could provoke a similar arms race across Europe akin to the one that was occurring when the agreement was initially signed in the 1980s, CNN said. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has said that his country will pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia, a decades-old pact limiting strategic weapons development. Trump made the remarks to reporters after attending a rally in the state of Nevada on Saturday. He accused Russia of violating the 1987 treaty without providing any evidence, reported Xinhua news agency. "The agreement has been violated for many years," he said. "We'll have to develop those weapons," Trump added. Trump's words came as his National Security Adviser John Bolton was heading to Russia on Saturday, who has been reported to tell Russian leaders about the US plan to exit the landmark deal. The INF treaty, signed by the former Soviet Union and the United States, bans the development, deployment and testing of ground-launched ballistic or cruise missiles with ranges between 300 miles (483 km) and 3,400 miles (5,472 km). Moscow and Washington have repeatedly accused each other of violating the treaty. In May, a Russian military official claimed that the United States continues testing its missile defence systems and producing missiles which are prohibited by the INF treaty. --IANS nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two men have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 23-year-old Nepali woman here, police said Sunday. Based on the survivor's complaint, the accused Lokesh Saini (19) and Kamal Saini (24) were arrested late Saturday night, said ACP Jaipur South K K Awasthi. The accused had allegedly gang-raped the woman on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, SHO Muhana Police Station area Devendra Kumar said. According to the plaint, the accused had tortured her following which she jumped nude from the third floor of an apartment in Muhana area to escape. The survivor is currently undergoing treatment at Jaipuria Hospital. Medical examination has been done and the matter is being investigated, the SHO added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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 [] A rock burst has ripped through a coal mine in east China's Shandong Province, killing at least two workers and leaving 2o others trapped, officials said. The incident happened in the coal mine in Yuncheng County, state-run Xinhua agency reported. The burst happened on Saturday night and destroyed part of a water drainage tunnel in the coal mine. At that time of the accident, 334 people were working underground, of which 312 were later lifted to safety, Zhai Minghua, an expert with Shandong Energy Group Co. Ltd, which owns the coal mine, was quoted as saying by the report. Ventilation in the coal mine has recovered and rescue work is under way. The two bodies were retrieved on Sunday and search for the remaining 20 trapped workers is underway, Zhai said, adding that the initial rescue operation was hampered by the falling of fractured rocks in the tunnel. In August, 13 miners were killed in a mine explosion in southern China. Rock burst accidents are often caused by fractures in rocks due to mining. Though the number of deaths has reduced at coal mines in recent years, mining accidents are common in China, the world's largest coal producer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There is a 20 per cent growth in demand for 'full stack developers' compared to last year as companies look for multi-skilled professionals, according to a report. A full stack developer is someone who can work on both the front-end and back-end portions of an application. The full stack development process involves work with all three layers of development - presentation layer, business logic layer and the database layer. While a front-end developer is a programmer who codes and creates the features that are directly accessible by the end user, back-end developers build the core functional logic and operations of the application. Thereport by predictive hiring solution provider Belong has revealedfull stack developers in India on the front end side are normally skilled in JQuery, HTML5, CSS and Javascript while on the backend stack are familiar with RubyOn Rails, Python, Java or PHP and multiple databases like SQL, MongoDB among others. Belong co-founder Rishabh Kaul said, "Full stack developers find more relevance in end-to-end product development startups or companies with smaller teams." "Full stack developers in the product space are paid two times more in comparison to ITES sector. Since they have knowledge and experience in front-end and back-end coding, their insights help large enterprise companies as well," he said. With companies now moving to leaner teams, the demand for full stack developers has increased by 20 per cent in the last year according to our research, he added. The talent pool is concentrated in Bangalore, NCR region, Pune and Hyderabad and these four regions make up for 65 per cent of overall talent pool. While Bangalore constitutes roughly 30 per cent of India's full stack developer pool. A majority of the talent pool is employed by the ITES sector and captives with 4-6 years of experience. The minimum compensation of full stack developers ranges from Rs 10-15 lakh per annum in both the ITES and Captive sectors, which goes up to Rs 40 lakhs per annum by the time they gain 8-20 years of experience, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Innovative concepts on using nuclear fusion as a source of energy are likely to be discussed at the 27th Fusion Energy Conference beginning in Gandhinagar Monday. The six-day event is organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and hosted by the Department of Atomic Energy and Gandhinagar-based Institute of Plasma Research. "The 27th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference (FEC 2018) aims to provide a forum for the discussion of key physics and technology issues as well as innovative concepts of direct relevance to the use of nuclear fusion as a source of energy," the IAEA said on its website. Experts from across the world will discuss the new challenges being faced by the fusion community in the light of a number of next-step fusion devices being implemented currently, it said. Among the participants are international bodies like the ITER Organisation and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). The research institutes involved in developing smaller plasma devices will also participate in the conference. "The conference will serve to identify possibilities and means for continuous and effective international collaboration in this area," it said. Scientists across the world are collaborating to use nuclear fusion, the reaction that powers the Sun and the stars, as a source energy, it said. Scientists from different countries collaborate to develop next-step fusion devices such as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Cadarache, France, and the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Greifswald, Germany, it said. "The conference aims to serve as a platform for sharing the results of research and development efforts in both national and international fusion experiments that have been shaped by these new priorities, and to thereby help in pinpointing worldwide advances in fusion theory, experiments, technology, engineering, safety and socio-economics," the IAEA further said. The conference will also set these results against the backdrop of the requirements for a net energy producing fusion device and a fusion power plant in general, and will thus help in defining the way forward, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Vadodara-based businessman has filed a complaint that three persons hailing from New Delhi and Pune duped him of Rs 3 crore in a transaction involving over 64 bitcoins, a senior police official said Sunday. Deputy Police Commissioner Jaydeepsinh Jadeja said that, based on the complaint by Pravesh Nike, a case had been registered against Amit and Ajay Bharadwaj from Delhi and Hemant Bhopena from Pune. Nike claimed that the three, whom he met through an online group trading in bitcoins, reneged on their promise to give a return of ten per cent on bitcoin transactions. He alleged that the three also removed the word "bitcoin" from the agreement documents signed by both parties and replaced it with the term "crypto currency". Jadeja said that a case had been registered against the three under relevant sections of the IPC and Information Technology Act and probe was underway. Bitcoin, a kind of virtual currency, is not legal tender as per Union government laws and therefore have no regulatory permission or protection in India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 32-year-old labourer died while cleaning a Delhi Jal Board sewer in northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri area, police said Sunday. The deceased was identified as Dooman Ray, a native of Katihar in Bihar, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (northwest) A K Lal said. Ray was rushed to the Max Hospital in Shalimar Bagh, where he was declared brought dead. Police got to know about the incident at around 7.30 am. They were told that Ray was brought dead from the Delhi Jal Board Pump House in Jahangirpuri, Lal said. During investigation, it was revealed that Ray was working in a sewer there with three other workers. "The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has given the contract to KK Spun India Ltd for repair and rehabilitation of sewerage in Jahangirpuri. Today at about 5.30 am, Ray went down in sewer hole to open the valve and died," said Lal. In a statement issued here, officials at the Delhi Jal Board said they are looking into the matter. "The DJB is extremely sorry to hear about the loss. The matter is being looked into and action will be taken accordingly," the statement said. In September, five men died after inhaling toxic fumes while working in a sewage treatment plant in west Delhi's Moti Nagar area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Sunday said the force has seized 43 kg charas worth Rs 8.60 crore in international market and arrested one person from Bihar's East Champaran district. Acting on a tip off, an SSB team searched a car in Ramgarhwa area and recovered the contraband, SSB's 47th battalion Commandant Priyavrat Sharma said. The team also arrested one person, a resident of Kanpur district in Uttar Pradesh, in this connection, the Commandant said adding that the charas was seized on Friday. The smuggler entered India from Nepal on October 19, the day of Dusshera, to take the drug to Kanpur from where it was supposed to be distributed in other towns and cities for sale, Sharma said. The arrested man and the seized charas have been handed over to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Patna, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More than 56 years after India's war with China, villagers of Arunachal Pradesh have received nearly Rs 38 crore as compensation for the land acquired by the Army to set up its bases, bunkers and barracks. At a special function held here, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu distributed the cheques to the villagers of West Kameng district on Friday. "A total of Rs 37.73 crore has been given to the villagers. Those were community land. So the huge amount they received will be distributed amongst the villagers," Rijiju told PTI. Among those who received the cheques include Prem Dorjee Khrimey, who received Rs 6.31 crore, while Phuntso Khawa got Rs 6.21 crore andKhandu Glow received Rs 5.98crore. After the 1962 India-China war, the Army had acquired huge tracks of land to set up its bases, bunkers, barracks, construct roads, build bridges and other installations. However, no compensation was given to the land owners till last year. Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, had persuaded with the Defence Ministry and got the compensation amounts sanctioned. "Lands acquired by the Army were done innational interest, but no government has bothered to pay the compensation to the villagers of Arunachal Pradesh since the 1960s. I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharamanfor clearing it finally. Total cheques of Rs 37.73 crore were handed over," he said. In April 2017, Rs 54 crore was distributed among 152 families of three villages of West Kameng district. In September that year, another instalment of Rs 158 crore was distributed among the villagers for the private land taken over by the Army. In February 2018, Rs 40.80 crore was handed over to 31 families in Tawang district. The pending cases of land acquisition related to the districts of Tawang, West Kameng, Upper Subansiri, Dibang Valley and West Siang in Arunachal Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shankaracharya Adhokshjanand Dev Tirth Maharaj has requested President Ram Nath Kovind to abolish the "orthodox practice" of burning of demon king Ravana's effigy as part of the Dussehra festival. Talking to reporters here on Sunday, the Hindu religious leader requested the president to issue orders to "abolish the custom...as it is not only against the basic Hindu culture but it also opens the gate for Joda Phatak-type tragedy". He was referring to the tragedy near Amritsar in Punjab, in which 59 people were mowed down by a train after a crowd of Dussehra revellers had spilled onto railway tracks while watching burning of Ravana effigy. He said that according to Hindu mythology, last rites of a deceased are performed only once, and Ravana's last rites were performed by Vibhishana in the presence Lord Ram. He said burning of effigies in large-scale also cases pollution. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A punjab police commando and a photojournalist were injured Sunday when security personnel removed protesters from a rail track where 59 Dussehra revellers were mowed down by a train, officials said. The agitated protesters blocking the track were removed and train services resumed this afternoon, 40 hours after the horrific accident, a railway spokesperson said. On Friday evening, a gathering of more than 300 people were on the tracks to watch the burning of a Ravana effigy when the speeding train struck leaving 59 dead and scores injured. The first goods train started from Manawala to Amritsar at 1416 hours, Northern Railways spokesperson Deepak Kumar told PTI, adding this is being followed by mail/express trains. The railways got the clearance from local authorities at 12:30 pm to restore services, the railway spokesperson said. "Train services resumed on the affected rail track near Joda Phatak," Senior Divisional Security Commissioner (Railways), Firozpur Division, S Sudharkar said. Earlier in the day, the Punjab Police cleared the track off the protesters who were staging a sit-in. They resorted to stone-pelting and clashed with security personnel after being removed, officials said. A punjab police commando and a photojournalist were injured during the clash, they said. The protestors were raising slogans against the state government and demanding resignation of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. The Punjab police has deployed its personnel, including commandoes, to manage the crowd. The Rapid Action Force was also present in the Joda Patak area, officials said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh directed the Amritsar administration to prepare detailed socio-economic profiles of victims. Singh, who met some of the survivors in hospitals Saturday, was particularly moved by tales of two young women who lost their entire family including children and husbands, and in one case her in-laws, an official release said. Anguished at the plight of such survivors, Singh told Chief Principal Secretary Suresh Kumar that the government needed to do more than just giving Rs 5 lakh ex gratia, especially in cases where victims were poor. The senior Congress leader announced that a proper system would be worked out to ensure that such survivors were rehabilitated by the state at the earliest. He also directed that ration, clothing, medicines etc be provided to the families of the victims as most were from the economically weaker sections of the society. Singh reviewed the relief and rehabilitation work with the Crisis Management Group of ministers headed by state Health Minister Brahm Mohindra, and directed them to take immediate steps for early disbursement of the compensation. All steps should be taken for the effective rehabilitation of the survivors and families of the victims, he added. The Crisis Management Group was set up by the state government on Friday, immediately after the disaster struck. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora on Sunday said Additional Director General of Police (Railways) Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota will conduct an inquiry into the Amritsar train accident to fix responsibility. There has been negligence on someone's part and this probe has been ordered to fix accountability, the DGP told media persons on the sidelines of the 59th Police Commemoration Day parade. Arora said it was a tragic incident and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has already ordered a magisterial probe under Divisional Commissioner, Jalandhar, B Purusartha, who would submit a report within four weeks. He said ADGP Sahota would also conduct an inquiry to ensure that those responsible for the accident are nailed. At least 59 people were killed Friday evening after a crowd of Dussehra revellers that had spilled onto railway tracks while watching the burning of a Ravana effigy was run over by a train near Joda Phatak. At least 300 people were watching the 'Ravana dahan' at a ground adjacent to railway tracks. The opposition Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab Sunday demanded immediate sacking of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and a judicial probe into the circumstances that led to the train accident near a Dussehra event in Amritsar in which at least 59 people died. During a core committee meeting of the party, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also sought registration of murder cases against Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, the chief guest at the event, and organisers of the function, holding them responsible for the accident. The core committee, which met in Chandigarh under the chairmanship of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, rejected the magisterial inquiry ordered by the Congress government in the state and demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court, according to a party release. The party accused the organisers of "criminal negligence". It said the Congress government has instituted a "tailor made inquiry" and was trying to put the blame "squarely on the Railways". "This was being done despite the fact that the victim families were ready to present irrefutable evidence against a Congress councillor as well as Navjot Kaur Sidhu for abetting the tragedy," the party said. "Keeping all these facts into account there was no possibility of a free and fair inquiry by a magistrate who was reporting to cabinet minister Navjot Sidhu and his family," the party release stated. The committee also passed a resolution seeking Rs 1-crore compensation and a government job to one member of each family of the victims. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand scored an expected victory over young gun Raunak Sadhwani while Grandmaster S Kidambi caused a huge flutter by holding Vladimir Kramnik to a draw in the first round of Isle of Man International Chess tournament here. On what turned out to be a tough day for the highly rated and fancied players, Anand maintained his cool amidst wild complications that once threatened to ruin his position against young International Master Sadhwani who played with white. Seeded sixth here, Anand went for the variation he had chosen to beat Eric Hansen of Canada in the just-concluded Chess Olympiad but clearly the Nagpur kid was much better prepared. The idol faced some tough time before he could reach an endgame where his extra pawn did the talking. Kidmabi showed his solid game against fourth seed Kramnik. The Chennai based is known for his deep opening knowledge and that helped initially in maintaining the balance. Once the endgame approached, former World Champion Kramnik tried many tricks but they were all successfully thwarted by the Indian. This was not all from the strong Indian contingent as IM C R G Krishna also played out a draw with Wesley So of the United States. Krishna traded troubled waters for a long time but stood up float in what was a dramatic game of the day. Another young IM Harshit Raja came up with flying colours holding Richard Rapport of Hungary to a draw while Arjun Kalyan also hogged the limelight by splitting points with Le Quang Leim of Vietnam. With eight rounds still to come in what is touted as the toughest open tournament of the world, 11-year old Pranav Anand also got a good grade in the opener holding regarded Grandmaster Gregory Kaidanov of the United States to a draw. The Indian saga is likely to continue here as there are 35 Indians in the fray out of 165 participants. On the flip side from the Indian perspective, Grandmaster Surya Shekhar Ganguly was held to a draw by veteran GM Juan Manual Bellon of Sweden. The Isle of Man International will be played over nine rounds having a first prize of 50000 Pounds Sterling -- a never before first prize for an open tournament. The second round will witness some interesting clashes as well but the trend of upsets is likely to continue in to the half way stage till the field settles down. Important Results after Round 1 (Indians unless stated): S Kidambi drew with Vladimir Kramnik (RUS); Wesley So (USA) drew with C R G Krishna; Raunak Sadhwani lost to Viswanathan Anand ; Sergey Karjakin (RUS,) beat Soumya Swaminathan; Richard Rapport (HUN,) drew with Harshit Raja; Arjun Kalyan drew with Le Quang Liem (VIE,); David Howell (ENG) drew with Rahul Srivastava; Hemant Sharma drew with Gawain Jones (ENG); Alexie Shirov (ESP) drew with S Ravi Teja; Surya Shekhar Ganguly drew with Juan Manual Bellon Lopez (SWE); R Vaishali drew with Bogdan-Daniel Deac (ROU). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A massive audit covering over two lakh students and 80,000 teachers to gauge the usage of ICT equipments and facilities provided to government schools in the state would be conducted from Monday, as part of the Hi-Tech project. The audit, initiated by the Kerala infrastructure and Technology for (KITE) would be conducted in two phases in 4,752schools, where the project aimed at uplifting schools as Centres of Excellence, was implemented, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of KITE, K Anvar Sadath said. Usage details would be directly collected from over 80,000 teachers and over 2 lakh students in as many as 40,083 Hi-Tech classrooms in the state, he noted. As part of the project, KITE has facilitated Laptop, Multimedia Projector, Screen, USB Speaker, Projector Mounting Kit, HDMI Cable and Faceplate, High speed internet connectivity to each of the Hi-Tech classrooms. Besides, the classrooms have also been provided with access to Samagra Resource Portal which provides a Digital Content Repository for classroom learning. The State Department has already provided specific training to all teachers in the State on effective utilisation of the ICT equipments and Samagra portal in a Hi-Tech classroom. The deployment of the remaining ICT components such as Multi-Function Printers, DSLR Camera, Full HD Webcam, LED Television etc to the schools as part of the Hi-Tech school project, would be completed soon, a press release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Accusing the BJP-led Centre of making a "conspiratorial attempt" to appropriate the legacy of Subhas Chandra Bose, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi Sunday said the saffron party was "desperate to rewrite history". In a veiled attack on the Nehru-Gandhi clan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday alleged that the contribution of several great leaders such as Sardar Patel, B R Ambedkar and Bose to the country's freedom struggle was "deliberately" forgotten to glorify "one family". He also said it was high time more Indians got to know about the historic role these stalwarts had played. Donning the famous Azad Hind Fauj cap, the prime minister hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort and unveiled a plaque to mark the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the Azad Hind government by Bose. At a press conference, Singhvi said the Congress had always endeavoured to protect, preserve and propagate the ideals of Bose, the brave patriot and secularist. "Those who do not have their own ideas and idol and had zero contribution in the national movement of freedom struggle are trying to appropriate the legacy of our freedom fighters, in an attempt to be perceived as nationalists. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi desperately tried to do the same. "A desperate BJP is trying to rewrite history and create an imagined rivalry between Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru and between Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Nehru. It has used auspicious occasions for these cheap political tricks," he said. Singhvi pointed out that Bose and Patel were completely against the "philosophy of sectarianism and bigotry that is espoused by Prime Minister Modi's ideological patriarch -- the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha". He said Patel, in a letter to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, had stated that the "activities of the Hindu Mahasabha were a clear threat to the existence of the government and the activities had not died down, despite the ban". Singhvi also pointed out that Nehru was one of the lawyers for Bose during his Indian National Army (INA) trials. "Was there any person from the RSS to support Netaji?," he asked, adding, "The prime minister and the BJP are desperately trying to appropriate every national legacy." The Congress leader alleged that while the RSS and BJP were praising Bose for his military endeavours to liberate India, their "ideological ancestors had done totally the opposite". "When Netaji was revamping the Azad Hind Fauj (or INA) in Japan and Gandhiji had given the Quit India call, the RSS was hand-in-glove with the British," he said. Singhvi also said to get political mileage, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was portraying Bose as Mahatma Gandhi's victim and Jawaharlal Nehru's rival, but in reality, Bose always had the highest regard for both of them. He pointed out that Bose had, in fact, named two INA regiments after Gandhi and Nehru. It was Bose who first gave Gandhi the epithet of "Rashtrapita" or the father of the nation in a radio address from Singapore in 1944, Singhvi said, adding that the same year, Hindu Mahasabha member Nathu Ram Godse had made his first attempt to kill Gandhi. Quoting from public documents, correspondences and books, Singhvi claimed that the Congress was never at odds with Bose. He said the Congress had always welcomed the earlier decisions of the Modi government and the West Bengal government to declassify the files pertaining to Bose. "But the BJP has just played with it. In the last 53 months, the Modi government has only indulged in plants and nothing adverse has come against the Congress party as perpetrated by them. We still want all the Netaji files be declassified," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Accusing the BJP-led Centre of using every "auspicious" occasion as a "political tool", Congress spokesperson Abhishekh Manu Singhvi Sunday said the saffron party was "desperate to rewrite history". Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said a national award in the name of Subhash Chandra Bose would be given every year to those police personnel who did "exemplary work" in the rescue-and-relief operations during any kind of disasters. The announcement came on the 75th anniversary of Bose's declaration of the formation of India's first independent government -- the Azad Hind government -- on October 21, 1943. "A desperate BJP is trying to rewrite history and create an imagined rivalry between Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru and between Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Nehru. It has used auspicious occasions for these cheap political tricks," Singhvi told a press conference. He said Patel, in his letter to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, had stated that the "activities of the Hindu Mahasabha were a clear threat to the existence of the government and the activities had not died down, despite the ban". "On the other hand, the RSS's mentor, (Vinayak Damodar) Savarkar's Hindu Mahasabha, was advocating people to get recruited in the British army. RSS leader (MS) Golwalkar had called the necessity of throwing the British out of the country 'shallow nationalism'," the Congress leader said. He also pointed out that Nehru was one of the lawyers of Bose during his INA trials. "Was there any person from the RSS to support Netaji?," Singhvi asked. "Why does Prime Minister Modi use every auspicious occasion as a political tool? The prime minister and the BJP are desperately trying to appropriate every national legacy," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the long list of renamed Indian cities, could be the latest entrant as the ruling government is considering a proposal to change its name to Shyamala. A campaign has been launched by some Right-wing Hindu groups demanding that the capital of Himachal Pradesh be renamed. (BJP) leader and state health minister Vipin Singh Parmar said many cities in different parts of the country used to have historic names but they were changed. So, there would not be any harm in reverting to those names. If the people want to be rechristened as Shyamala, the proposal can be considered, Parmar told PTI. Notably, social media has been abuzz with discussions on the topic for the past few days. The debate has left people divided with some favouring the name change and others opposing it. Senior Himachal Pradesh leader Harbhajan Singh Bhajji questioned the intention of those who want to be renamed. "What is the justification (for changing Shimla's name)," asked Bhajji as he vehemently opposed the proposal. This is a historical city and if you change its name, it will lose its character, Bhajji argued. What's wrong with the name Shimla? Will the renaming ensure development? The state government should focus on ensuring that the state progresses instead of indulging in such frivolous antics, he added. According to Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) functionary Aman Puri, the popular holiday retreat was originally called Shyamala but as the Britishers found it tough to pronounce, they renamed it Simla, which later became Shimla. Also known as the queen of hills, Shimla was declared the summer capital of British India in 1864. It remained that way till India got independence in 1947. British officer Captain Charles Pratt Kennedy played a pivotal role in transforming Shimla as he built the first house there in 1822, aptly calling it Kennedy House. Boko Haram jihadists razed three villages in northeast Nigeria in attacks that killed two people and injured several others, civilian militia and residents told AFP Sunday. The jihadists arrived in trucks to attack the neighbouring villages of Dala-Melari, Fuguri and Femari villages, six kilometres (3.8 miles) outside Borno state capital Maiduguri. "The terrorists fired indicriminately and forced residents to flee," said militia leader Ibrahim Liman. Liman blamed fighters loyal to Boko Haram factional leader Abubakar Shekau for the attacks. "Two people were killed and several injured." "They completely burnt the villages after looting food supplies," Liman said. A resident, Modu Malari, said the jihadists invaded the villages around 10:00 pm (2100GMT) and "spared nothing". "They stole all our food and burnt all our homes. They killed two of our men," Malari said. The attacks came hours after the jihadists hacked to death a dozen farmers working on their fields in Kalla village, five kilometres away. Liman blamed the same jihadists who killed the farmers for the village raids. In recent days Boko Haram militants have increasingly attacked civilian targets in the region. On Thursday, they looted and burnt a village in northeast Borno state after fighting off soldiers protecting it, a local official told AFP The jihadists believed to be loyal to Shekau invaded Kalli village outside the town of Damboa, 89 killometres from Maiduguri. "The terrorists attacked the village and forced residents and troops to flee after a fight," a local official of Damboa local government said. "They looted food and livestock and set the village on fire, burning it completely," said the official speaking from Maiduguri. Kalli lies on the fringes of the jihadists' Sambisa forest enclave from where the militants launched the attack, according to a civilian militia assisting troops in fighting the jihadists. Boko Haram's nine-year violence has killed 27,000 people and displaced two million more, creating a dire humanitarian crisis. The conflict has spilled into Nigeria's northern neighbours --- Chad, Niger and Cameroon. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BSF Sunday observed police commemoration day here to pay homage to over 400 martyrs including 12 personnel of the force who fell to Pakistani firing along the International border (IB) this year. The deaths in the ceasefire violations by Pakistan marked a manifold increase this year compared to last four years when a total of eight Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were killed and 36 others were injured. Every year, the commemoration day is observed on October 21 to remember the 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men who died fighting Chinese aggression on October 21, 1959, at Hotspring, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir. BSF Inspector General of Jammu, Ram Awtar, led his officers to pay tribute to the slain police and paramilitary personnel at martyrs memorial at its headquarters at Paloura on the outskirts of Jammu, a spokesman of the force said. He said the IG BSF laid wreath and paid homage to the police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty. Addressing the gathering, the IG BSF read out the names of martyrs and said during last one year a total of 414 police and paramilitary person laid their lives in the service to the national, out of which 42 belong to BSF, which is highest among the paramilitary forces. BSF apart from manning Pakistan and Bangladesh border is also deployed in anti-naxal operation in Chhattisgarh and Odisha and for counter insurgency operations in north east states, the spokesperson said. Majority of the police personnel died in firing from Pakistan, fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, Naxals and other law and order duties, the official added. Over 330 ceasefire violations occurred this year, also resulting in injuries to 37 personnel which is also the highest in the last four years. A total of eight BSF personnel were martyred and 36 others injured in 792 ceasefire violations from 2014 to 2017, with highest three deaths reported in 2016 followed by two each in 2014 and 2017 and one in 2015 the year which also saw over 350 ceasefire violations, a BSF official said. Pakistani troops are frequently violating the ceasefire along the IB and the Line of Control (LoC) and the first casualty this year occurred when head constable Radha Hazra achieved martyrdom on Jan 3 followed by the deaths of head constables Suresh and Nagpal Singh on January 17 and 19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an unprecedented move, the CBI has booked its second in command, Rakesh Asthana, on the allegations of receiving bribe from an accused probed by him in a case linked to meat exporter Moin Qureshi -- a charge levelled by the officer on CBI Director in his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary two months ago. The CBI registered the case -- FIR RC 13(A) of 2018 -- against CBI Special Director Asthana on October 15 on the basis of a complaint from Satish Sana, facing probe in the 2017 case allegedly involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, alleging the officer had allegedly helped him to get a clean chit. The CBI has also arrested Manoj Prasad, believed to be a middleman, when he returned from Dubai on October 16. The agency has, however, maintained silence on the issue. It is alleged by Sana that Prasad and his brother Somesh had taken money to arrange clean chit to him. Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Asthana is heading the Special Investigating Team handling crucial cases such as AgustaWestland chopper scam and loan fraud by business tycoon Vijay Mallya. The team is also probing the Moin Qureshi case. Asthana in an exhaustive letter to the Cabinet Secretary on August 24 had given a list of 10 instances of alleged corruption by Verma in which it was alleged that Sana paid the Rs 20 million to get a clean chit in the case, government sources said. This complaint was referred to the Central Vigilance Commission which is probing the matter, they said. Asthana has again written to the Central Vigilance Commissioner on October 19 -- four days after the FIR was registered -- informing him that he wanted to arrest and interrogate Sana for which a proposal was sent to the Director on September 20, 2018, they said. In the letter, he has also referred to his communication to Cabinet Secretary on August 24 in which details of alleged irregularities against the Director were given. He said the Director allegedly held the file for nearly four days and marked to the Director of Prosecution (DoP) on September 24, 2018, who demanded all evidence available on record, the sources said. It was the team under Asthana which had opened a lookout circular against Sana who attempted to flee the country but could not because of the preemptive action, they said. Asthana has said that the file was again placed before the Director on October 3 with answers to the queries raised by the DoP but it has not been returned till date, the sources said. Sana was questioned by the SIT on October 1, 2018, where he stated that he had met a politician, who after meeting Verma, had assured him that his name would be cleared from the case, they said citing submissions of Asthana. The CBI claims to have analysed nine phone calls immediately after middleman Manoj Prasad was held in the alleged bribery case against its Special Director, Rakesh Asthana, to allege that there was panic after the middleman's brother got "wind" of the arrest, officials said Sunday. The investigative agency has registered a case against Asthana on the basis of claims made by a businessman, Sathish Sana, probed by him in a separate case, that he was asked to pay a bribe of Rs 5 crore by Manoj Prasad, an investment banker based in Dubai to get relief from repeated summons and a clean chit in the case, they said. Surprisingly, Asthana, the second-in-command in the agency, had intimated the cabinet secretary nearly two months ago that Sana had allegedly paid a bribe of Rs 2 crore to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Chief Alok Verma to get relief in the case. The agency, however, claimed Sunday that Sana had appeared before the magistrate and stated that he made payments between December, 2017 and October, 2018 to a middleman, who had cited his purported connection with Asthana to ensure relief for him. On the basis of his claims, the agency arrested Manoj Prasad on October 16 when he was returning from Dubai to allegedly collect an installment of the agreed bribe amount. Nowhere in the statement, which is now part of the FIR, made public nearly five days after registration, Sana had mentioned any direct meeting, interaction or payment of bribe to Asthana. According to the call data analysis done by the CBI, the phone calls were allegedly exchanged between Asthana and a senior officer of another intelligence agency, who wanted to confirm the details of the middleman's arrest. The calls were also exchanged between the senior officer and the wife of the middleman Somesh Prasad, brother of middleman Manoj Prasad, among others, an officer claimed. The sources claimed that call data records show that four calls were exchanged between Asthana and the senior officer on October 17, 2018, a day after the arrest. They claimed that Somesh Prasad, "somehow" got of the latter's arrest on October 16, 2018 and immediately called his contact, the senior officer of the intelligence agency on the same day. A call was then made by the officer to Somesh within a minute, they claimed. Next day, the intelligence agency officer allegedly called Asthana to purportedly know the situation. Three more calls were exchanged between the two, the agency claimed. The officer of the intelligence agency also spoke to the wife of Somesh Prasad, they claimed. In addition to the call exchanges, the agency is also depending heavily on the Whatsapp messages recovered from Manoj Prasad's phone, they claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CBI claims to have analysed nine phone calls immediately after middleman Manoj Prasad was held in the alleged bribery case against its Special Director to allege that there was panic after the middleman's brother got "wind" of the arrest, officials said Sunday. The investigative agency has registered a case against Asthana on the basis of claims made by a businessman Sathish Sana, probed by him in a separate case, that he was asked to pay a bribe of Rs 50 million by Manoj Prasad, an investment banker based in to get relief from repeated summons and a clean chit in the case, they said. Surprisingly, Asthana who is second in command in the agency had intimated the nearly two months back that Sana had allegedly paid a bribe of Rs 20 million to (CBI) Chief to get relief in the case. The agency, however, claimed on Sunday that Sana had appeared before the Magistrate where he had stated that he made payments between December, 2017 and October, 2018 to a middleman who had cited his purported connection with Asthana to arrange relief for him. On the basis of his claims, the agency arrested Manoj Prasad on October 16 when he was returning from to allegedly collect installment of the agreed bribe. No where in the statement which is now part of the FIR, made public nearly five days after registration, Sana had mentioned any direct meeting, interaction, or payment of bribe to Asthana. According to the call data analysis done by the CBI, the phone calls were allegedly exchanged between Asthana and a senior officer of another intelligence who wanted to confirm the details, the middleman and the senior officer, wife of middleman with the senior officer and others, an officer claimed. The sources claimed that call data records show that four calls were exchanged between Asthana and the senior officer on October 17, 2018, a day after the arrest. They claimed that Somesh Prasad, brother of middleman Manoj Prasad, "somehow" got news of the latter's arrest on October 16, 2018 and immediately called his contact, the senior officer of the intelligence agency on the same day. A call was then made by the officer to Somesh within a minute, they claimed. Next day, the intelligence agency officer allegedly called Asthana to purportedly know the situation. Three more calls were exchanged between the two, the agency claimed. The officer of the intelligence agency also spoke to the wife of Somesh Prasad, they claimed. In addition to the call exchanges, the agency is also depending heavily on the Whatsapp messages recovered from Manoj Prasad's phone, they claimed. The CBI Sunday tried to defend its Director Alok Verma following allegations of corruption levelled against him by his deputy Rakesh Asthana, booked by the agency on bribery charges last week, saying they are "false and malicious". In his letters to the Cabinet Secretary and Central Vigilance Commission, Asthana had written about 10 cases of alleged corruption and irregularities against the CBI Director Alok Verma, levelling serious corruption charges in some of them. One of the case pertained to Sathish Sana, a businessman facing probe in a corruption case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi in which Asthana had alleged on August 24 that Sana paid Rs two crore to Verma to get relief in the case. Asthana had also alleged that Verma delayed his team's request to arrest Sana in the case. The complaint was referred to Central Vigilance Commission by the Government which is looking into it. Gujarat-cadre officer Asthana, currently number two in the CBI, has also cited instances of alleged irregularities and violation of rules and regulations against Verma. In an unprecedented operation, the CBI registered an FIR against Asthana and his Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, and two alleged middlemen Somesh Prasad and Manoj Prasad on the basis of a statement from Sana that bribe was paid to the middlemen to get relief in repeated questioning by the Asthana's Special Investigation Unit. Asthana had alleged that he had moved a file for the arrest of Sana on September 20, 2018 which was held by the CBI Director Alok Verma and was later referred to Director of Prosecution who demanded the evidence file. He had alleged that it was his team which opened a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Sana who was stopped at immigration and prevented from fleeing the country. In a late night statement, CBI spokesperson said allegations that Director CBI was not aware of LOC issued against Satish Sana is incorrect. "DCBI had seen and ratified the proposal to issue LOC on May 21, 2018," he said. The spokesperson said contention that Director CBI made an attempt to stop Sana's arrest is false and malicious. "The allegation has been made to deflect the charge of receipt of bribe money by CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana and the other public servant named in the FIR," he said. The agency FIR is based on allegations levelled by Sana, who was facing CBI charges, before magistrate under section 164 of the CrPC. The statement attached in the FIR does not make any mention of any direct meeting or call between Asthana and Sana or any direct and confirmed interaction between the two. "Sana was called to the CBI for examination/inquiry on multiple occasions in October/November, 2017. During October/November, 2017, there were four instances in which notices were given to Sana. In order to get relief from frequent notices, Shri Sana approached one Manoj Prasad in Dubai in the month of December, 2017," the spokesperson said. He claimed Rs 2.95 crores was paid to the public servants through Manoj Prasad and Somesh Prasad and Sana was able to obtain relief in the on-going investigation in the Moin Qureshi case. Subsequently, there were no notices issued to him till mid of February, 2018, the spokesman said. He said on February 19, 2018, again notice was issued to Sana who flew to Dubai and met Prasad. "Subsequently, there were no notices issued till end of May/early June, 2018," he said. The spokesperson claimed that an LOC was issued to prevent Sana's escape from the country on May 16 (by the team of Asthana which was probing the matter). On the basis of LOC, Sana was stopped from going abroad by immigration office at Hyderabad on September 24 on the basis of the Look Out Circular. "Subsequently, he was called by investigation officer on October 1, 2018 and again on October 3. Faced with continued harassment, Sana got his statement recorded with the Magistrate Court regarding the entire transaction," he said. Sana also contacted Prasad to get relief from appearance due on October 9, which was promised by Manoj. He had promised to obtain relief till 25th as requested by Sana, the spokesman said. "This relief was obtained with the promise of payment of Rs 2 crore, of which, Rs 25 lakh was paid on October 10, 2018," he said. Manoj was caught on 16th October when he came to India to get the remaining Rs 1.75 crore, the spokesperson alleged. "On 20th, Sathish Sana once again recorded his statement with the concerned court corroborating the facts he mentioned in the complaint," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi will Monday kick off his party's campaign for Chhattisgarh assembly elections by addressing a rally of farmers here. Farmers are being seen as a major vote bank in the state by the ruling BJP and opposition Congress--the twp dominant players in the state "The AICC Chief will arrive at the Swami Vivekanand airport at around 2.10 pm Monday. He is scheduled to address a rally of farmers from the Science College ground at around 3 PM," said state Congress spokesperson Sushil Anand Shukla Sunday. Gandhi would hold meetings with senior party leaders during his brief visit. He will also meet delegations of people representing various sections of the society before leaving for Delhi in evening, said Shukla. This will be Gandhi's first visit to the state after the poll code came into effect on October 6. Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in two phases on November 12 and November 20. Counting of votes will be taken up on December 11. In Chhattisgarh, around 70 per cent of the total population is engaged in agriculture and allied activities. The ruling BJP and opposition Congress always try to win over this significant vote bank, knowing well that they can tilt the poll scales. The Congress has been out of power in Chhattisgarh for the last 15 years. The pre-poll tie-up among an outfit floated by former chief minister Ajit Jogi, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) has added a third dimension to the state which is dominated by the BJP and the Congress. The first phase of polling covers 18 seats spread across eight naxal-affected districts namely Bastar, Bijapur, Dantewada, Sukma, Kondagaon, Kanker, Narayanpur and Rajnandgaon. The remaining 72 constituencies will go to polls on November 20. The Congress has so far announced 12 candidates for all the 12 seats of Bastar division, but is yet to announce the names of candidates for six more seats that fall in Rajanandgaon district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Claire Foy says she dislikes the term "strong women" as it inadvertently drives women to be seen through a "more acceptable" lens in a male world. "The Crown" star said she was not interested in playing the roles that other people deemed as strong. "I have absolutely no interest in portraying what other people think of as strong. It's a way of making women more acceptable in a male world. "I am just not on board with that. I don't think women are crying out to see strong women. I think we know we are all strong but we're just crying out to see women on screen at all!" Foy told Sydney Morning Herald. The actor's latest release is "First Man", in which she played Janet Shearon, astronaut Neil Armstrong's first wife. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia Sunday blamed the state government's "sycophancy" for the "unfortunate" incident during CJI Ranjan Gogoi's visit to the Kamakhya temple. The Leader of the Opposition in the Assam assembly said the incident had exposed the "desperate attempt" by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime to "please" their "political masters". The Chief Justice of India (CJI) and his wife had visited the temple on Wednesday when devotees, including VVIPs such as BJP president Amit Shah, were also there to offer prayers. The CJI had expressed his displeasure to Kamrup (Metro) district Deputy Commissioner Virender Mittal over the "crowd management" at the temple. Following this, the BJP led Assam government Saturday suspended Guwahati (west) Deputy Commissioner of Police Bhanwar Lal Meena for not ensuring adequate security to the Supreme Court judge. It has "once again exposed the desperate attempt by the state government to please political personalities belonging to the ruling dispensation by using government machinery," Saikia said in a statement here. These "misplaced priorities" have resulted in a police officer being made the scapegoat, he added. Taking a cue from the state government, the officers were busy "bending over backwards to please their political masters at the Centre" and did not depute a commissioner-level officer to look after the CJI's visit as per norms, Saikia claimed. "The CJI was kept waiting outside the temple while political personalities were being entertained inside," the Opposition leader asserted. In terms of protocol, the CJI has precedence over any political personality, he said, adding that the security and protocol lapse highlighted the breakdown of Assam's administrative machinery. He demanded that an enquiry by a sitting or retired high court judge be conducted to "fix responsibility for the arbitrary way of assigning protocol duties". The senior Congress leader also demanded that the suspended officer be reinstated immediately. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Sunday hit out at the Congress, saying that the party was being "remote controlled" by four members of the Gandhi family. "The BJP will strengthen and lotus will bloom wherever Rahul Gandhi will hold meetings in the state. The party controlled by four members of the Gandhi family is nervous and so its prime ministerial candidate is taking part in Assembly level meetings," Raje said. Addressing a meeting of BJP workers who came from 35 Assembly constituencies of four districts, she said the party will be voted to power once again due to the development works done in the last five years. BJP state chief Madan Lal Saini urged the party workers to work with self confidence. He said former premier Manmohan Singh faced a lot of criticism for staying silent on crucial issues during the UPA dispensation, whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains available round-the-clock and stands tall on all fronts for the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Crime Branch of the Kerala Police has registered cases against former chief minister Oommen Chandy and MP K C Venugopal, on a complaint of sexual misconduct filed by Solar scam accused Saritha S Nair. Confirming the development, Director General of Police (DGP) Loknath Behara said the cases against the two leaders were lodged on the basis of a complaint from Nair. "Let the law take its own course," he told reporters here. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdul Karim, was constituted to probe the cases, the DGP added. Reacting to the development, Chandy said they were prepared to face the cases legally. He claimed the cases were "politically motivated". By lodging the cases now, the attempt of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the state was to deflect the attention of the people from the Sabarimala issue, Chandy told reporters. Nair has alleged in her complaint that Chandy had sexually exploited her at Cliff House, the official residence of the chief minister, in 2012, while Venugopal had raped her at Rose House, the residence of then state minister A P Anil Kumar. The previous United Democratic Front (UDF) government had formed the G Sivarajan Commission when the allegations against Nair and Biju Radhakrishanan that they had duped several people of crores of rupees by offering them solar panel solutions had surfaced The 1,073-page, four-volume report of the commission, tabled in the state Assembly on November 9 last year, had found that Chandy and four of his personal staff -- Tenny Joppan, Jikkumon Jacon, gunman Salimraj and Kuruvilla, his aid in Delhi, -- had "assisted" Nair and her company, Team Solar, in enabling them to cheat their customers. The report also contained details of the controversial letter written by Nair on July 19, 2013 to the police commissioner, in which she had levelled charges of sexual misconduct and corruption against various Congress and UDF leaders, including Chandy, some of his ministers and two former Union ministers. The Kerala High Court had in May expunged the Solar Commission's findings against Chandy based on Nair's letter, while partly allowing a petition filed by the Congress leader, seeking to quash the panel's findings against him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A criminal carrying a reward of Rs 1.5 lakh on his head was arrested here Sunday, police said. Acting on a tip-off, Sarojini Nagar police and crime branch sleuths arrested Sameer alias Raka from near Transport Nagar metro station, the Lucknow Police said in a statement. A pistol, five cartridges and Rs 11,000 in cash were also recovered from the arrested person, it said. A number of cases pertaining to attempt to murder, bank robbery, dacoity and under the Arms Act were registered against the accused in Lucknow, Faizabad, Sultanpur, Pratapgarh and Gonda, police said, adding that he was sent to jail. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dabang Delhi KC defeated Bengal Warriors 39-30 in the first match of Inter Zonal Challenge of Vivo Pro Kabaddi Season VI here on Sunday. Naveen Kumar scored 11 raid points for Delhi whereas Ravinder Pahal contributed four tackle points. Jang Kun Lee put in an impressive second half performance to score 10 points but it wasn't enough for the Bengal outfit. It was a tight start to the match as both teams were leveled at 2-2 after two minutes with Bengal Warriors getting two tackle points and Dabang Delhi scoring a raid and tackle point. Naveen and Chandran Ranjit scored a raid point each as Dabang Delhi tied the match at 4-4 after five minutes. Maninder Singh scored with a two-point to give Bengal Warriors 8-5 lead in the eighth minute. Dabang Delhi fought back once again to level the match at 8-8 in the 10th minute. Dabang Delhi inflicted the first all out of the match in the 11th minute to lead 12-9. At the end of the first half Dabang Delhi led 16-13. Bengal Warriors' defence didn't get going in the first half as they scored just one tackle point. The second half saw Dabang Delhi assert further dominance as they inflicted an all out in the 23rd minute to lead 25-15. Bengal Warriors' were looking slightly out of sorts but made a strong attempt for a comeback. Lee, who had a quiet first half, made crucial raid points at regular intervals. He ended up with a super 10 for Bengal Warriors. With less than five minutes to go, Lee made a raid to reduce the deficit to 10 points. But Dabang Delhi made no mistakes in the end to register the win. In the next round of matches, U Mumba will face Telugu Titans while Puneri Paltan will take on Bengaluru Bulls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The release of Fox's "Death on the Nile" has been postponed to October 2, 2020. According to Deadline, the film, which is a follow-up to "Murder on the Orient Express", was originally scheduled to open on December 20, 2019. "Death on the Nile" will now avoid clash with "Star Wars: Episode 9". Based on celebrated author Agatha Christie's novel of the same name, the new movie will chronicle Poirot's vacation in Egypt where he discovers a murder on the banks of the Nile as a love triangle goes bad. Kenneth Branagh returns as director and reprises his role of detective Hercule Poirot. Tom Bateman is set to return as Bouc. Gal Gadot and Armie Hammer are also attached to star. The book has been previously adapted into a 1978 film, with Peter Ustinov as Poirot along with Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Maggie Smith, among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi's air quality remained in the "very poor" category for the second consecutive day Sunday even as authorities warned that it may further deteriorate in the next couple of days. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi was recorded at 301, which falls in the 'very poor' category, said the data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). On Saturday, a haze engulfed the national capital and the worst air quality of this season was recorded at AQI 324. Anand Vihar, Mundaka, Narela, Dwarka Sector 8, Nehru Nagar and Rohini all showed 'very poor' air quality and are inching towards severe pollution levels, it said. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe". The Supreme Court appointed Protection Control Authority (EPCA) on Friday held a meeting with state governments and Delhi government officials to discuss the pollution situation in the national capital. An EPCA member on Friday said stock of the situation was taken and it was decided that special attention would be given to vulnerable hotspots where 'poor' or 'very poor' air quality is observed. The PM2.5 (presence of particles in air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) touched a new high at 167. The PM 2.5, also called "fine particulates", can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10. The PM10 level (presence of particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres) in Delhi stood at 293, according to the data from the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). A CPCB official said a number of factors were responsible for the deteriorating air quality, including vehicular pollution, construction activities and meteorological factors like direction of wind which is now flowing from the stubble burning areas. Satellite imagery by NASA shows countless spot fires already burning in Haryana and Punjab. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Friday warned that the city would become a "gas chamber soon" as the Centre, Punjab and Haryana governments did "absolutely nothing" for farmers involved in stubble burning. "V sad that Central, Punjab and Haryana Govts did absolutely nothing for the farmers. As a result, the farmers will suffer on one hand and Delhi will become a gas chamber soon (sic)," he tweeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Commerce Ministry's foreign trade arm DGFT has closed its regional offices at Amritsar, Goa and Puducherry with a view to optimally utilise its human and material resources, an official said. These three offices of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) have been merged with its Ludhiana, Mumbai and Chennai offices. "These offices have been merged as they do not have substantive workload to justify a full-fledged regional office," the official added. However, extension counters have been opened at each of these three places for addressing any immediate issues relating to export and import under its jurisdiction. The directorate, with headquarters at the national capital, is responsible for formulating and implementing the foreign trade policy with the objective of promoting the country's exports. The DGFT also issues scrips/authorisation to exporters and monitors their corresponding obligations through a network of 38 regional offices and an extension counter at Indore. The regional offices are located in different cities, including at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Cuttack, Dehradun, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Moradabad, Nagpur, Panipat, Patna, Pune, Raipur, Rajkot, Shillong, Varanasi and Visakhapatnam. All regional offices provide facilitation to exporters with regard to developments in international trade, that is WTO agreements, rules of origin (place from where the product originated) and anti-dumping issues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A member of Delhi University's Academic Council has written to the vice-chancellor, urging him to immediately disburse the money collected from students during their admission to the respective colleges. Professor Hansraj Suman, a DU professor, said in his letter that the money collected during admission of students is deposited online through the varsity portal and even the fee refund to students is done through it. "The money is disbursed to colleges after six months. The interest generated on the money goes to the varsity," he said in the letter. In the letter, Suman urged the vice-chancellor to ensure that the admission fees is given directly to colleges so that they can decide where they want to spend the money at the beginning of the session. A DU official said last year the system of the fees getting deposited to the varsity was started. He said it ensures students do not have to go to individual colleges to deposit fees and even if they have to withdraw admission from one college, the fee is refunded online. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Sunday met with officials of Tata Steel and Tata Motors and urged them to enlist hospitals run by the companies, under the 'Ayushman Bharat' healthcare scheme. Around 50-per cent patients (non-Tata Group employees) get admitted to such hospitals and the state government would bear their medical expenses under the scheme, an official release said. Das said a state-level committee headed by the health secretary has been formed to resolve issues faced by the empaneled hospitals. The Tata Group officials assured the chief minister that they would prepare a proposal and meet him in the state capital Ranchi soon, and work towards the empanelment of the hospitals run by them here, the release said. Das added that the management of Tata Main Hospital and Tata Motors Hospital will prepare the proposal in 10 days to start the process for empanelment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dry cell battery major Eveready is focusing on the lighting and appliances business to drive its growth and expects the two segments to contribute almost half in its turnover in the next 4-5 years, a senior company executive has said. At present, the Kolkata-based company's total torch and battery business accounts for 70 per cent of its turnover. "Torch and battery business has been growing at a compounded annual growth rateof 2-3 per cent over last few years. We are focusing on other categories to grow our business ortopline,"Anil Bajaj, senior vice-president for sales and marketing, Eveready,toldPTI. "The projection in the next four to five years time is our turnover from the non-torch and battery category should start reflecting 45-50 per cent on our business. For this the challenge is to grow to lighting business andappliance business," he added. It had clocked a turnover of Rs 1,450crorelast fiscal, of which torch and batteries accounted for Rs 950 crore whilelighting business contributed Rs 300crore, the company said. The appliances segment accounted for Rs 100crore and its packet tea segment contributed Rs 70-75crore. This financial year, the company aims to grow at around 15 per cent. Evereadyis estimated to have a 55 per cent market share in batteries in terms of volume and 65 per cent share in value terms. In torch category, it holds over 80 per cent of the total market pie. The battery market is estimated to be Rs 1,300-1400crore, of which the companys share is Rs 750crore. In terms of volume, Eveready sells 1.2 million batteries of the total around 2.2 to 2.3 billion batteries market per year. The torch industry is pegged at Rs 240-250crore, of which Evereadys estimated share is Rs 200crore. The company which spends 3-4 per cent of its turnover on marketing activities, said metros and top 20 towns account for 30 per cent of business. "Urban vs rural consumption for overall business would be 60:40. For batteries it would be more skewed towards rural,Bajaj said. He added that online contributes close to 10 per cent of sales for the appliances business. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An FIR has been lodged against Local Crime Branch and Special Operations Group personnel here in connection with the alleged custodial death of a man suspected of stealing gold, a senior official said Sunday. Surubha Jhala (35), who was detained on October 14 in connection with a gold theft case registered a day earlier at Bagodara police station, had died at a community health centre on October 15, Ahmedabad (Rural) Superintendent of Police R V Asari said. Jhala had complained of uneasiness while he was in the custody of the LCB and was rushed to the health centre in the city's Bopal area where he died, Asari said. "Jhala's family members have alleged that he was tortured and murdered in custody. On the basis of a complaint by the deceased's brother, Mahavirsinh, we filed an FIR Saturday night against unnamed LCB and SOG personnel," Asari informed. The unidentified policemen have been charged under sections 302 (murder) and 330 (voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession) of the IPC, he said. The probe into the case is being carried out by Inspector I M Gohil of Bopal police station under the supervision of deputy SP K T Kamaria, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Haryana Director General of Police B S Sandhu Sunday said free education upto standard XII would be provided to children of police martyrs in police public schools. Speaking at a gathering of police personnel to pay tributes to bravehearts on the occasion of 'Police Commemoration Day' at Police Lines Panchkula near here, Sandhu said, "The nation will always be grateful to the jawans, who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. This year too, two brave police personnel of the state have sacrificed their lives while discharging duties." Paying homage to last year's 414 martyrs from police and Central Armed Police Forces, Sandhu said the supreme sacrifice made by these martyrs for maintaining unity and integrity of the country can never be forgotten. Elaborating on the welfare schemes taken up by the Manohar Lal Khattar-government, the DGP said special ex-gratia grant of Rs 30 lakh was being given to family members of police personnel who died fighting anti-social elements or saving public life and property during natural calamities. Similarly, financial assistance of Rs 15 lakh was being given to terminally injured police personnel. In case of major injury, Rs 10 lakh was given and Rs 5 lakh in case of minor injury. In addition, Rs 30 lakh was also being given under a special agreement of accidental death insurance cover with a private bank. Sandhu said Anti-Terrorist Force 'Kavach' would soon be set up under which 150 police commandos would be specially trained by the National Security Guard in Manesar to deal with 'special situations'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Traders' body CAIT Sunday wrote to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seeking further extension of the deadline for filing summary sales return GSTR-3B for September till December 31, claiming issues arising due to technical glitches on the GST portal. The Finance Ministry Sunday extended the deadline for filing summary sales return GSTR-3B for the month of September by five days to October 25. With this extension, businesses which wish to claim Input Tax Credit (ITC) benefit for July 2017-March 2018 period can do so till October 25. In a letter to Jaitley, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said there are numerous technical glitches on the website because of which the dealers/consultants are unable to file their GSTR 3B return for the month of September. "In the wake of no proper functioning of GST portal causing lot of harassment to tax return filers, we at the first instance urged your good self to extend the due date of filing GSTR 3B for the month of September 2018 till December 31, 2018," CAIT said. The traders' body said this will ensure ITC of FY 2017-18 is not lapsed and further to make it in tune with annual return filing due date. "It may also be inferred from the facts that the intention of the government is to increase the revenue out of late fees income, which is shameful," CAIT said in the letter. It flagged technical issues in the portal since the last 2-3 days claiming it cannot take more than 1,50,000 users at a time and is down due to server. It further said the entered figures are automatically being converted into zero and miscellaneous errors are popping up at the time of uploading. "In such kind of critical situation,a concrete solution is ought to be evolved and make GST a dream law and not a nightmare," CAIT said, urging Jaitley to take the necessary action. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Goa Congress Sunday said it would seek an appointment with ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to apprise him of how BJP leaders and state bureaucrats were taking "advantage" of his absence from office. Congress' Goa unit spokesperson Swati Kerkar said the chief minister's office and the BJP have been claiming that Parrikar's health was improving but appointments sought by her party had been denied on health grounds. Parrikar is suffering from a pancreatic ailment and is currently being treated at his residence here after returning to the state on October 14 from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. "We want to bring to the Chief Minister's notice how his office and the party are taking undue advantage of his absence to threaten staffers whose family members are associated with the Congress," Kerkar said. She alleged that the state administration had "collapsed" and bureaucrats were taking advantage of the situation as there was "no one" to hold them accountable. "Today, if the Chief Ministers health is improving and he is clearing files and chairing meetings through video-conferencing, then the Congress delegation should be allowed to meet him," Kerkar said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Global investors will meet in Goa in December to help finance the start-up community in the state, Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu said Sunday. He said the Centre was thinking of making Goa as the start-up and logistics hub to create more jobs and that it will also promote agricultural export from the coastal state. "One of the problems faced by start-ups is finance. We have called all global players who are into financing. This event, to be held on December 7, will bring in global players for investment in the sector for the first time," Prabhu said. He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the 'green' building centre at Kudaim Industrial Estate by ACC Cement company in partnership with Goa's ALCON group. It is a concept introduced by ACC to provide green solutions for building constructions. Prabhu said the event (to facilitate financing for start-ups) will be held in Goa annually during which the financiers, venture capitalists, investors and growth capital providers will assemble. "We are thinking of creating a national hub of start-ups in Goa," he said, adding that he is also looking forward to see the state become a new hub of "green ideas". "We are working on many things. At the same time we have to create employment for people. If you only talk about green then what happens to people?" he said. The minister said to create employment and to keep it clean "we need to think about cleaner ideas". Prabhu also said a logistics hub will also be set up in Goa as the state has all the infrastructure required for the facility. He said when he became the commerce minister, he had logistics as part of the responsibility as for the first time, the prime minister has created a new department for it. "All logistics-related issues are under my ministry. We are preparing for the first time an integrated logistics plan for India and in that plan, I had said that we will keep a logistics hub in Goa," he said. Goa has a port, railway infrastructure and an airport is also being constructed by the Centre (apart from the already existing airport at Dabolim). "Goa is ideal for creating the logistics hub which will result in huge job creation," Prabhu said. The minister also said that the Centre has earmarked Rs 5,000 crore for providing full support to the service sector and it has identified 12 champion sectors for the services industry. "We want to provide support to services in a big way so that services also become a growth engine. Services are the biggest job providers. I have requested the Goa government to submit a proposal so that we can give part of the money to the state," he said. Prabhu also said that the Centre will promote agricultural export from Goa as part of its policy which will be soon approved by the Union Cabinet. "All farmers of Goa will benefit (out of it). Horticulture products and vegetables can be exported globally. I have already spoken with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and they are willing to import it from india. We will work in a manner that Goa develops but still remains green," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has favoured holding of early election to the Assembly, saying he does not think a popular government can be formed out of the present house after the collapse of the BJP-PDP coalition dispensation in June. The state has been under Governor's rule since Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti resigned as Chief Minister in June following the withdrawal of support by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to her government. There have been speculations about behind-the-scene efforts to put together a new government. No party enjoys a majority in the 87-member Assembly, in which the PDP has 28 MLAs, the BJP 25 and the National Conference 15. Putting such speculations to rest, Malik told PTI in an interview here that he would not be part of any shenanigans. Asked if a popular government can be formed out of the present Assembly, the Governor replied, "I don't think so. At least, I will not be part of any 'dhandli' (shenanigans). I have not been given any such indication either by the prime minister or by any other central leader." To a question on holding of fresh elections to the Assembly whose tenure ends in December 2020, Malik said that he wished that the elections were held at the earliest. "The decision will be taken by the Centre and the Election Commission. My job is to discharge dual responsibility (of Governor and administrator) which I will continue to do... I wish that elections are held at the earliest," he said. On the contentious issue of Article 35A of the Constitution, which empowers the state's legislature to define the permanent residents and provide them special rights, the Governor said that his administration would seek deferment of the hearings on the matter in the Supreme Court. "We will inform the Supreme Court that we are not an elected government and request that the matter be deferred till an elected government is in place," he said. The Supreme Court, in its August 31 order, has directed that the matter be listed in the second week of January next year. The challenge to Article 35A has led to widespread protests in Kashmir Valley and prompted two major mainstream parties -- the National Conference and the PDP -- to boycott the recent local body elections, results of which were declared on Sunday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Greek anarchists protesting the presence of a Canadian goldmining firm Sunday attacked the Canadian embassy in Athens causing material damage, police said, adding that no one was hurt. Around a dozen protesters calling themselves the Rubicon Anarchist Collective, according to a video posted to the internet, sprayed the building in the northern suburb of Halandri with red paint and caused other material damage before fleeing, the Ana agency reported. "We unequivocally condemn the attack on the Canadian embassy building that took place this morning, resulting in material damage," the Greek foreign ministry said in a statement. "Such illegal actions will not affect the excellent relations between our country and Canada, nor the bonds of timeless friendship linking our two nations," the ministry said, adding that those responsible would be found and punished. The anarchists said they were protesting at "the embassy's support for Canadian goldmining companies" such as Eldorado Gold, which has operations in northern Greece that some Greeks claim harm the environment. Rubicon has carried out similar protests in the past on public buildings including embassies and banks, with police making a number of arrests. Its most recent action was a September 17 protest outside the Iranian embassy as the group sought to express "solidarity" with Iranian Kurds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Gujarat Anti Terrorism Squad arrested a man from Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir in connection with a heroin smuggling case, a senior official said Sunday. In August, ATS had arrested two men in Gujarat and seized 5 kilogrammes of heroin worth Rs 14.84 crore in the international market. ATS officials said that one of those arrested in August, Rafiq Adam Sumra, had handed over a large part of the contraband to Kashmir residents Nazir Ahmed Thakar and Manzoor Ahmad Mir at Unjha town in Mehsana district. "Manzoor Ahmad Mir has been arrested from Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir in connection with heroin smuggling case," Gujarat ATS Senior Superintendent of Police Himanshu Shukla said Sunday. Thakar was arrested from Srinagar last month, ATS officials said, adding that Mir's is the fourth arrest in the heroin smuggling case. ATS said that Sumra had received the heroin from another accused, Aziz Abdul Bhagad, also arrested in August. Sumra delivered the drug to Thakar and Mir on the instructions of a Pakistan-based dealer identified as Simranjeet, who is yet to be caught, officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Appreciating the carpet makers' skills that turned the "Made in India" logo into a big brand worldwide, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday that handicrafts were a source of inspiration during the freedom struggle too. Addressing the India Carpet Expo at Varanasi via video conference, Modi said it is for the first time that the expo is being organised at the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul in Varanasi, a PMO statement said. He mentioned Varanasi, Bhadohi and Mirzapur as important centres of the carpet industry, while dwelling upon the government's efforts to encourage handicrafts and small and medium industries. He said India has a long tradition of handicrafts, and Varanasi has played a key role in this regard. On the occasion, he remembered the great saint poet, Kabir, who himself was a weaver and belonged to the same region. The PM said handicrafts were a source of inspiration and self-reliance during the freedom struggle. In this context, he mentioned Mahatma Gandhi's 'satyagraha' and 'charkha'. Modi said India is the biggest producer of carpets today with about 35 per cent of the global market share. The prime minister spoke of the impressive export performance of the carpet industry sector. He said the rising middle classes and the support provided to the carpet industry are the two key factors behind the growth of this sector. Modi appreciated the skills of the carpet makers which turned the "Made in India carpet" a big brand. He spoke of the government's logistic support to the carpet exporters and in creation of world class laboratories to ensure its quality. He also spoke of other measures, including provision of credit facilities to set up modern looms. Modi said the Union Government is committed to ensuring the skill and hard work of the carpet makers becomes one of the strengths of the nation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Today star kids become a household name much before they enter Bollywood, but that was not the case with newcomer Rohan Mehra. Rohan, son of yesteryear actor Vinod Mehra who is looking forward to his debut "Baazaar", says he intended to stay under the radar. After his father's death in 1990, Rohan grew up in Mombasa in Kenya with his mother, sister and grandparents. The actor says people have started talking about him since the film's trailer released. "I feel I am an outsider despite being his son. I don't think I've ever used his name to get an interview or a meeting. Till last year, if I had gone to a Bollywood party, I would've walked and no one would know who I am. "No one even knew I existed. They came to know when the trailer came out," he told PTI. Rohan says he never received any special treatment from anyone in the industry because of which he has "massive respect for the people". "The other so-called star kids we speak about, the ones who are spoken about even before their film has released, I wasn't one of those. I was never on the map. "This is the way I would've wanted it to be. I've never got anything because of my surname." He believes the film industry today welcomes outsiders with open arms. Although he belongs to a film family, Rohan says he had to struggle a lot to bag his first project. "Today, there are so many casting agents and production houses doing a wonderful job of backing new talent. I don't think anyone should feel disheartened that they aren't from the industry. I am not and I have struggled too," he adds. Rohan says initially he was not influenced by cinema but after growing up, he was subconsciously drawn to acting. He says, in Kenya, at the time, there was only one cinema hall and no one looked at films as a career. Rohan was set to become an investment banker after getting degrees in econometrics and mathematics from the UK, till he decided to give acting a shot. "The place where I grew up, while people around me knew my father was an actor but no one really spoke about it. For them, I was just a normal guy. "Genetically may be there is something I have and so I was inclined to acting. But it wasn't that just because my father is an actor so I wanted to be one," he adds. Rohan is both excited and nervous about "Baazaar". The film also stars Saif Ali Khan, Radhika Apte and Chitrangda Singh. "I don't know what I would be doing on the Friday when the film comes out. I'm already so impatient and nervous. I feel it's all coming true. Now it's up to the people to decide," he says. Produced by Nikkhil Adavni and directed by Gauravv Chawla, the film releases Friday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An illegal money transfer racket was busted here Sunday with the arrest of four people and seizure of unaccounted cash to the tune of Rs 2.54 crore from them, police said. Based on a tip-off, a police team intercepted two people on a bike and recovered Rs 1.80 crore in cash from them, a police release said. Following inquiry police searched a flat and arrested two more people including a diamond marchant, from whom Rs 74 lakh was confiscated. The accused took orders through his agents in Mumbai and handed over cash to the specified person for a commission, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an unprecedented move, the CBI has booked its Special Director Rakesh Asthana for allegedly receiving bribes from middlemen to give relief to a businessman being probed by him in a case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, officials said Sunday. The CBI action comes two months after Asthana, the second in command in the CBI, wrote to Cabinet Secretary on August 24 alleging that the businessman had paid CBI Director Alok Verma Rs 2 crore to get relief in the case. The matter was referred to the Central Vigilance Commission which is looking into the allegations. While allegations and counter allegations were coming thick and fast from the camps of CBI number one and two, the agency booked Asthana under charges of criminal conspiracy, corruption and criminal misconduct in a first-of-its-kind case. Besides Asthana, the agency has booked Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, and Manoj Prasad and Somesh Prasad, the purported middlemen, and other unknown officials. They have been booked under Section 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) and Section 13 (2) read with Section 13(1)(d) (criminal misconduct) of Prevention of Corruption Act. They have been slapped with the amended Section 7-A of the Prevention Corruption Act (taking undue advantage to influence public servant by corrupt or illegal means or by exercise of personal influence). The CBI informed that under these sections, no prior permission under Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Amendment Act is needed from the government to initiate probe against an officer. The FIR was registered by the Anti-corruption unit of the CBI based on claims made in the complaint given by Sathish Babu Sana, Hyderabad-based businessman, who had narrated his meetings with various middlemen in New Delhi as well as Dubai before a magistrate. He has alleged that an investment banker Manoj Prasad had assured him that he would get relief from CBI summons if he agrees to pay Rs 5 crore as bribe, the complaint, now part of FIR, alleged. Sana has also alleged that he was assured by Prasad that his brother Somesh manages investments of Asthana in London and he is in touch with two other senior officers of various agencies. The Hyderabad-based businessman had recorded a statement under Section 164 of criminal procedure code before a magistrate on October 4 and October 16. The statement recorded before the magistrate are considered a confessional statement and in case the complainant withdraws from it, the prosecuting agency is well within its rights to file a perjury case. Prasad was arrested by the agency on October 16, when he was returning from Dubai to allegedly collect an installment of the bribe. According to the CBI, it has detected five alleged payments to middlemen by Sana Rs 1 crore on December 10, 2017, Rs 1.95 crore on December 13, 2017, Rs 25 lakh on October 10, 2018 and two tranche of 25,000 Dirham and 3,000 Dirhan on October 14, 2018. The agency has also alleged that it has details of file movements and periodic relief given to Sana on the payment of each installment of bribe which show a pattern of favours to the businessman, they said. The CBI claims that it has corroborated alleged payment with phone intercepts, WhatsApp messages recovered from the phone of middleman Manoj, and tower locations to buttress its charges. The complaint filed by Sana mentioned that one of the middlemen made him to listen to a voice and later told him that it was Asthana, senior officer in the CBI. However, there was no direct meeting between Sana and Asthana mentioned in the statement. Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Asthana is heading the Special Investigating Team handling crucial cases such as AgustaWestland chopper scam and loan fraud by business tycoon Vijay Mallya. The team is also probing the Moin Qureshi case. Asthana in an exhaustive letter to the Cabinet Secretary on August 24 had given a list of 10 instances of alleged corruption by Verma in which it was alleged that Sana paid the CBI chief Rs 2 crore to get clean chit in the case, government sources said. This complaint was referred to the Central Vigilance Commission which is probing the matter, they said. Asthana has again written to the Central Vigilance Commissioner on October 19 four days after the FIR was registered informing him that he wanted to arrest and interrogate Sana, for which a proposal was sent to the Director on September 20, 2018, they said. In the letter, he has also referred to his communication to Cabinet Secretary on August 24 in which details of alleged irregularities against the Director were given. He said the Director allegedly held the file for nearly four days and marked to the Director of Prosecution (DoP) on September 24, 2018 who demanded all evidence available on record, the sources said. It was the team under Asthana which had opened a lookout circular against Sana who attempted to flee the country but could not because of the preemptive action, they said. Asthana has said that the file was again placed before the Director on October 3 with answers to the queries raised by the DoP but it has not been returned till date, the sources said. Sana was questioned by the SIT on October 1, 2018 where he stated that he had met a politician, who after meeting Verma, had assured him that his name would be cleared from the case, they said citing submissions of Asthana. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Army Sunday undertook a challenging wind sailing expedition from Haldia on the east coast up to Porbandar on the west. The expedition, 'Round the Indian Peninsula' being organised by EME Sailing Association, Secunderabad was flagged off by Lieutenant General Paramjit Singh, Commandant, Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, from Haldia, a defence release said here. The expedition is aimed at fostering spirit of adventure among the young soldiers of Indian Army and spreading awareness about Ocean pollution by collecting samples of polluted water from seas, it said. The team led by Major Alok Kumar Yadav would complete the expedition in about 45 days. EME Sailing Association has undertaken off shore expeditions earlier, but on a much smaller scale using Sea Bird class of boats. However, the current expedition being more challenging has been undertaken for the first time in an Ocean going Bavaria Class 44 feet Sail Yacht, it added. The team comprising 50 sailors has representation from all arms and services of the Indian Army. The team would touch all major parts along the Indian coast line including Vishakhapatnam, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Mangaluru, Goa, and Porbandar, the release said. Contingency planning, Safety at Sea, Distress management and Team Building are other aspects which were undertaken during the gruelling training of the sailors, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frozen plans to demolish a strategically located Bedouin village in the occupied West Bank that have drawn international concern, his office said Sunday. The surprise move, which came as Israeli forces were completing preparations for the evictions and demolition of Khan al-Ahmar, raised the ire of Netanyahu's rightwing coalition partners, while the village's Palestinian residents remained skeptical that an amicable solution was possible. "The intention is to give a chance to the negotiations and the offers we received from different bodies, including in recent days," a statement from Netanyahu's office said about Khan al-Ahmar. But speaking later ahead of a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Netanyahu appeared to play down the latest move and insisted the village would still be razed. "It's our policy and it will take place," he said. "I have no intention on delaying it indefinitely, but for a short, limited period." Netanyahu said the length of the delay would be determined by Israel's security cabinet, which was due to convene later Sunday. Israeli authorities say the small village, located east of Jerusalem along a road leading to the Dead Sea, was built illegally, and they have given residents until the beginning of October to leave and demolish their structures. The decision to evict the villagers followed years of legal battles and after negotiated attempts to agree on an alternative site for relocation failed. The fate of Khan al-Ahmar has drawn international concern, with European countries calling on Israel not to move ahead with plans to demolish it. Israel's supreme court on September 5 rejected a final appeal against the demolition, but following that ruling, there have been unofficial attempts to reach understandings, a lawyer representing the village's residents told AFP. "Our offers were based on what we told the court, that we're willing to move a few hundred metres to the north," Tawfiq Jabareen said. The government has yet to respond to the proposals, Jabareen said, refusing to divulge the identity of the person attempting to mediate between the sides. In Khan al-Ahmar, residents said they would stay put and doubted Netanyahu's sincerity. "Our strategy is to stay in our land, and we will not leave it," Eid al-Jahalin told AFP. "Yesterday there was a decision to stop the demolition, but this decision can change at any moment." Ibrahim Abu Dahuk said Netanyahu's decision could be "a trick" to prompt activists camping out at the site to leave ahead of a forceful eviction. "We do not trust the Jews," he said. Netanyahu's move raised the ire of his two major coalition partners, with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman saying he opposed the decision to delay the demolition. Education Minister Naftali Bennett also insisted the law must be upheld, "even if the international community opposes and threatens," pledging his Jewish Home party would "ensure it happens". On Wednesday, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor warned that Israel's planned "evacuation by force" of the village could constitute a war crime. The residents have refused to leave on their own, and Israel had been making preparations to expel the residents and demolish the village. Khan al-Ahmar, home to approximately 200 people, is situated in a strategic spot near Israeli settlements, the expansion of which could effectively cut the West Bank into two. Last month, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Poland and the Netherlands warned that the demolition "would severely threaten the viability of the two-state solution", calling on Israeli authorities to "reconsider their decision to demolish". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frozen plans to demolish a strategically located Bedouin village in the occupied West Bank that has drawn the world's attention, his office said Sunday. "The intention is to give a chance to the negotiations and the offers we received from different bodies, including in recent days," a statement from Netanyahu's office said about Khan al-Ahmar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Country's largest container port JNPT is mulling to acquire three ports in Maharashtra, as it targets to more than double its profits. The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) is also going ahead with its efforts to develop an offshore port at Wadhawan, north of the financial capital. Union Shipping and Ports Minister Nitin Gadkari told PTI that the JNPT, which handles more than half of the overall container traffic, is looking to acquire Vijaydurg, Revas and Dighi ports. It can be noted that of the three, only Dighi is an operational port while the other two are concessions held by corporations with little or no development on the ground. Gadkari said the Revas port, where the concession is held by Reliance Industries, is "in problem" and a solution will have to be found in co-ordination with the Maharashtra government. The minister also said that the port is in talks to acquire Vijay Kalantri-promoted Dighi Port in Raigad district, which is facing financial trouble and has been undergoing resolution in insolvency courts. According to reports, the Dighi Port owes over Rs 1,600 crore to a consortium of banks led by the Bank of India. While Gadkari did not elaborate on the Vijaydurg port buy, it can be noted that the port for which concession is held by BJP MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar promoted Jupiter Capital will act as the home port for the proposed mega refinery at Nanar, to be built by state-run oil marketing companies. Asked if JNPT will be given budgetary support for the acquisitions, Gadkari said money is not an issue and the port, located off the financial capital, has enough reserves as it makes Rs 1,400 crore profits a year. Gadkari said there are "environmental and political" issues with regard to the greenfield Wadhawan port development but added that the ministry is still going ahead with it. Meanwhile, JNPT's acting chairman Neeraj Bansal said the port is targeting to more than double its profits to Rs 3,000 crore in the next seven years and will take it up to Rs 2,000 crore in the next three years. Without elaborating, he said a detailed plan has been prepared to achieve the profit growth. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Journalists and defenders of free expression are among the first casualties of fearless and investigative reporting, a network of editors and journalists from South Asia said on Sunday, demanding swift and transparent investigation into the killing of Saudi commentator Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi mission in Istanbul. "Time and again, journalists and defenders of free expression who are in the front line of seeking transparency but are among the first casualties of fearless and investigative reporting," said a statement by the South Asia Media Defenders Network (SAMDEN). The Saudi government maintains that Khashoggi was accidentally killed in a brawl, but several reports say the incident was premeditated and cited Turkish officials' claim that he was brutally tortured, decapitated and his body dismembered, it said. Some reports have even linked the event to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "The need for governments to look out for the safety of journalists is especially crucial at a time when global media freedom has fallen to its lowest levels since the start of the century. "The atmosphere against free media is further vitiated by statements from US President Donald Trump, who has consistently disparaged independent media and who approvingly spoke of a 'body slam' on a reporter for the Guardian newspaper by a US legislator," the statement said. Reporting conditions are increasingly dangerous in South Asia. Apart from attacks on women journalists in the ongoing confrontation over access to the Sabrimala shrine in Kerala, this past week, Pakistan saw the murder of its fourth journalist this year, it alleged. On Wednesday, October 17, Sohail Khan was shot dead in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, reportedly in connection with his coverage of a drug baron in the area. SAMDEN urged the provincial and federal administrations in Pakistan to bring those responsible to book. It also called for the repeal of the controversial new Digital Security Act (DSA) in Bangladesh, the provisions of which could seriously cripple press freedom and curb free speech in the country. The Act, which was passed last month, contains oppressive new provisions that give the government the power to arrest without a warrant and issue prison sentences for vaguely defined "crimes" such as "publishing information which is aggressive or frightening" and "posting information which ruins communal harmony", among others. "We regard this as a blatant attempt to stifle media freedom and the right to free expression," the statement said. It referred to the predecessor to the DSA -- the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act -- under which the police had arrested celebrated photojournalist Shahidul Alam last August for speaking out about student protests in Bangladesh. SAMDEN urged the Bangladeshi government to release Shahidul Alam and extends its unconditional support to journalists facing violence across Asia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday visited households in the New Delhi area to collect donations and ask for votes for his party in next year's parliamentary polls. People were "very happy" with the work done by the Delhi government and they will give donations and votes to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), he said. Kejriwal's cabinet colleagues, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, MPs and MLAs, along with AAP workers, also took to the streets, visiting people in various parts of the city seeking donations and votes for the party. Interacting with the residents of his New Delhi Assembly constituency, Kejriwal said the BJP MPs in Delhi did nothing except "creating hurdles" in the work of the AAP government. The donation campaign -- "Aap Ka Daan, Rashtra Ka Nirman" -- was launched by Kejriwal last Monday. The campaign will go on for four months, with around 3,000 AAP workers going door to door in all the seven Parliamentary constituencies in Delhi. Kejriwal said it was immaterial for Delhi as to who became the next prime minister, adding that if the AAP won any Lok Sabha seat in the national capital, it would get work done with whosoever was in power at the Centre. "We will tell people not to get concerned about who becomes the next prime minister. The BJP MPs did nothing for Delhi. "By the way, nobody knows who will be the next prime minister. All (parties) are in a poor shape," he said. The AAP, which has already announced party in-charges for all the seven Lok Sabha constituencies, intends to go to the voters asking for votes by claiming that its government has achieved "excellent" results in health, education, water and power supplies. Issues like the Delhi Metro fare hike, alleged "failures" of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs and the ongoing sealing drive in the city are also likely to be raised during the campaign. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A huge cache of banned plastic was seized from an industrial unit in Chakan in Pune district of Maharashtra Saturday night, thanks to the alertness shown by state Minister Ramdas Kadam. The minister spotted a tempo carrying some plastic material while he was on his way to Ahmednagar district, a Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) official said. "While the minister was on his way to Ahmednagar district, he spotted a tempo carrying some plastic material and upon enquiring with the driver it was revealed that thematerielbelongedto a packaging firm in Chakan," said the official. The tempo driver led the minister and the officials accompanying him to the godown in the industrial town, located over 40 kms away from Pune. Officials from Revenue as well as MPCB were summoned at the spot at the behest of the minister, he said. "We have seized around 200 tonnes of raw material (used in the manufacture of packaging products such as bubble sheets, granules etc) and 26 tonnes of finished products at the unit. After conducting the panchnana, the seized materielhas been handed over to MPCB for further action," said Suchitra Amale, tehsildar of Khed region. The MPCB is calculating the value of the seizure, she added. The state government in March this year announced ban on the manufacture, use, sale, distribution and storage of plastic materials, such as one-time-use bags, spoons, plates, PET and PETE bottles and thermocol items. The government started enforcing the ban on a variety of plastic items from June 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man has been arrested for allegedly taking cars from people to deploy them in the tourist circuit and then selling them in other states with forged documents, Thane police said Sunday. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Wagle Estate division, P R Nilewad said Sunday that accused Ashfaque Noor Ahmed Siddiqui has several such cases against his name. He was in the custody of Dahisar police in Mumbai when Thane police, while investigating one such complaint by a local resident, zeroed in on Siddiqui, he said. His interrogation revealed that the modus operandi is to take cars from people for deployment as tourist vehicles after promising them good returns. He said that Siddiqui and his associates would stop contact with the victim once the car and its papers were handed over. They would then forge documents, change registration numbers as well as the colour of the vehicles and sell them in states like Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Siddiqui has allegedly stolen vehicles in this manner from Mumbra in Thane and Mulund in neighbouring Mumbai, the official said. Four vehicles worth Rs 22.72 lakh have been recovered and further probe into the interstate gang was underway, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday paid tributes to freedom fighters on the occasion of 75th anniversary of formation of the 'Azad Hind Sarkar' under leadership of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. "My heartfelt tribute to all the brave soldiers of INA (Indian National Army) who fought for India's freedom under the leadership of Netaji. Jai Hind," Banerjee tweeted. Bose had announced the formation of the country's first independent government - the Azad Hind government - on October 21, 1943. The INA, which was formed by nationalists in alliance with Imperial Japan in 1942, collapsed the same year due to differences among its leaders. It was revived by Netaji the year after. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A six-year-old girl, who went missing over a month ago from west Delhi's Kirti Nagar, was traced from Kurukshetra, Haryana and reunited with her parents, police said Sunday. According to a September 7 complaint lodged by girls' father Jogender Mehto, a labourer, his daughter Laxmi was playing near Mazar Railway Line, Kirti Nagar on September 6 afternoon when she went missing. During the search, CCTV cameras installed in the area were analysed, police said. They also analysed the call detail records of the family members and also searched for the girl at various religious places, children homes. Subsequently, police found a footage of an unidentified person wearing a blue colour shirt and a pair of jeans taking the girl with him. Police managed to trace the route he took after taking the girl. He was seen moving towards Loha Mandi while passing through Patel Nagar, Rajender Nagar metro station and made a halt at a brothel on GB Road to meet someone and then he was seen in a rickshaw proceeding towards New Delhi Railway Station, police said. However, since there were heavy rains on September 6, the CCTV cameras of the New Delhi Railway Station had crashed and no footage could be found that could lead the police to the missing girl, they said. Police also interrogated a large number of people, including the rickshaw puller who had dropped the man and the girl at the railway station but no clue was found. Later, all the states and the child welfare committees across India were informed about the missing girl, police said. On October 17, the Kurukshetra Child Welfare Committee informed the police about a girl who was found in the area and had been kept with them, police said. Subsequently, police reunited the girl with her parents. However, the girl does not have recollection of what had happened and how she reached Kurukshetra, police said, adding she was not sexually abused. It is suspected that the man left her sleeping inside the train and escaped and she was found by someone who handed her over to the Child Welfare Committee, police added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The last rites of veteran Congress leader Narayan Dutt Tiwari were performed with full state honours Sunday at the Chitrashila Ghat in Uttarakhand's Nainital district. His son, Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, lit the funeral pyre at the Chitrashila Ghat on the banks of Gola river in Haldwani. Scores of people and politicians including Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat paid their last respects to the former chief minister. Rawat remembered Tiwari as a leader who served the nation for long. He said Tiwari was also the chief minister of the first elected government in Uttarakhand. "Development was Tiwari's top priority. This is the reason he was hailed as 'Vikas Purush'. He had worked for development rising above His death has left a void in the state and nation," Rawat said. Tiwari, who served in various positions at the Centre and in states and was even a strong contender for prime ministership in 1991, died on his 93rd birthday at a private hospital in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. Born on October 18, 1925 in Nainital, he had served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh multiple times, and was the first chief minister of the new hill state of Uttarakhand that was carved out of UP in 2001. His body was kept at Kathgodam Guest House here for the people to pay their last respects. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and a host of other leaders Sunday paid floral tributes to the state's first chief minister Sri Krishna Singh on his birth anniversary here. The official function was organised near the statue of Sri Krishna Singh in the main secretariat premises here. Kumar and a host of other leaders and dignitaries paid tributes by garlanding the former CM's statue, an official release said. Prominent among those who paid tributes included Bihar Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Road Construction Minister Nand Kishore Yadav, legislators Shyam Rajak, Arun Kumar Sinha, MLC Sanjay Singh and a host of other social and political workers. Artists of Information and Public Relations Department performed arti, bhajans and patriotic songs on the occasion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On the lines of #Metoo, a group of 15 people, including a former French diplomat acquitted in a sexual abuse case in 2017, has launched a #MenToo movement, asking men to come out and speak openly about the sexual harassment faced by them at the hands of women. The campaign was launched here Saturday by NGO Children's Rights Initiative for Shared Parenting (Crisp) to protest against the #Metoo movement, false cases aganist men among others. Speaking on the occasion, National President of Crisp, Kumar V Jahgirdar said the group would fight for gender neutral laws and demand punishment for those filing false cases under #MeToo campaign. Noting that #MeToo was a good movement, he however said it should not be misused to fix somebody by levelling false allegations. "This movement has only resulted in bringing disrepute to men who have worked hard to earn respect in society," he said. Later, talking to reporters, Jahgirdar said unlike #MeToo victims, who bring about sexual abuse stories that happened a couple of decades ago, the #MenToo stories would be related to recent incidents. On #MeToo movement, Jahgirdar further said if the affected women have genuine case of sexual misbehaviour, they should take legal recourse, instead of putting out stories on social media. Former French diplomat Pascal Mazurier, who was accused of sexually abusing his daughter and later acquitted by a city court in 2017 also took part in the protest. He said #MenToo campaign was not at all a counter to #MeToo campaign, but to address the problems of men who do not speak up against women's atrocities. "There is real pain among men.. They are also suffering, but they are not coming out in the open against women and their misdemeanors," he said. The false allegations levelled on men in #MeToo campaign not only destroys children's future, but also families, Pascal noted. "We make laws to protect women. That is fine, but let us not forget half of humanity are men," he added. Pascal is facing a court battle after his wife had moved the Karnataka High Court challenging a city-based court's verdict acquitting him. Pascal's wife has custody of their three children. The #Me Too movement has gathered pace over the past few days with a number of women speaking out on sexual harassment at their workplace and support for them has been pouring in from various quarters. Former Union Minister MJ Akbar, film personalities like Alok Nath, Subhash Ghai, Nana Patekar and Vairamuthu have been accused of sexual harassment by a number of women under the #MeToo movement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has asked state government officials to frame a new and innovative policy to help women and farmers become entrepreneurs. Patnaik gave the instruction on Saturday while he was reviewing the preparedness for the ensuing 'Make in Odisha' conclave, scheduled to begin here on November 11. The chief minister asked all department heads to frame a specific policy in order to encourage the entrepreneurs, both from India and abroad, to invest in the state. The chief minister also asked the state chief secretary to apprise him about the framing of the new investment policy at the earliest. As of now, according to officials, about 60 industrial delegates from several countries, including China, Germany, Japan, Italy, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, are expected to attend the conclave. More than 2,000 representatives from Indian companies, who are investing in different sectors, including steel, food processing, handloom, chemical, aerospace and sports, will also take part in the conclave, the flagship biennial business event of the Odisha government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As opposition parties mull an anti-BJP front for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid says any grand alliance must not be aimed at "containing Congress" and that all its constituents must make sacrifices and adjustments with the sole objective of defeating the BJP-led NDA. Khurshid also feels it will be difficult for the Congress to come to power on its own. "All our leaders have made it very clear that an alliance (is needed) to change the country's government. The BJP must go. Whatever it takes to sacrifice, adjust and negotiate to make the alliance a reality, Congress is willing to do, Khurshid told PTI here in an interview. "But it is only fair that it should be the same attitude of other (opposition) parties. The alliance must not be for containing Congress, the alliance must be for removing BJP and we are willing for anything," he said. When asked whether it is possible for the Congress to come to power on its own, the former external affairs minister said, "It is obviously difficult today". "If that is the objective (majority on its own) then we will have to work over a period of five years. Because you cannot work towards an alliance for three years and then suddenly say we will fight to win (on our own). You have to fight for five years. Today we are committed to the alliance and we will do our very best to ensure that the alliance succeeds," he said. Congress is the only party that gets seats from all over the country and all other (opposition) parties get seats from their respective states, he added. "Now the elasticity in numbers is much greater when you are talking of seats from all over the country and when you are talking of seats only from your state. This is the practical reality with which all the leaders have to deal with an open mind," Khurshid, who also served as minister for law and justice in the UPA II, said. Khurshid's comments on the possibility of a grand opposition alliance come against the backdrop of the opposition's efforts to stitch a united front against the BJP before the 2019 elections and BSP chief Mayawati's decision to go it alone in the upcoming assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh without any truck with the Congress. Assembly elections are also being held in Mizoram. The Samajwadi Party has also decided not to forge an alliance with the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, accusing it of being "non-committal for too long". Khurshid said the objective of the grand alliance is to defeat the Modi government. "If the participants of the grand alliance forget this objective, then obviously it won't happen and it will be a loss for every party and the country," he said. The Congress leader, however, sounded hopeful of getting Mayawati's BSP back in the fold, saying the issues in the assembly polls are different from those of the Lok Sabha polls. "Once the state elections give us some indications of what the public mood is, tying up the grand alliance may become easier," Khurshid, who twice served as party president of Uttar Pradesh, said. The opposition's prime ministerial candidate won't be an issue in forging the grand alliance when its leaders have clearly said this can be decided after the poll outcome, he said. "I think those who are raising this issue (prime ministership) do not want us to succeed against the BJP," he said. While speaking on the revival of the Congress, Khurshid hailed party president Rahul Gandhi for "infusing fresh energy and determination" into the party and said it was a time for making sacrifices and give the best to the party. "We lost some elections, but we won Punjab and kept the BJP away in Karnataka. In some places, we were ahead of the BJP, but they misused power to form government... The upcoming elections in the states will be a measure of how much we have got back on our feet in the last four years," he said. The former Union minister dismissed the BJP's claim that the opposition alliance did not have a leader and said there were "leaders in the opposition alliance" along with four to five strong regional parties and that the "Congress even in its weak form is strong across the country". About the foreign policy of the present dispensation, he alleged that the Modi government had failed to build upon on what it had got from the previous governments and nothing much to show in terms of accomplishments. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid feels it is difficult for the party to come to power on its own in the present situation, but opposition alliance must not be formed at the "cost of containing Congress". The allies should also be ready to make sacrifices and adjustments for defeating the BJP in the 2019 general elections, he told PTI here in an interview. "All our leaders have made it very clear that an alliance (is needed) to change the country's government. BJP must go. Whatever it takes to sacrifice, adjust and negotiate to make the alliance a reality, Congress is willing to do. "But it is only fair that it should be the same attitude of other (opposition) parties. The alliance must not be for containing Congress, the alliance must be for removing BJP and we are willing for anything," Khurshid said When asked whether it is possible for Congress to come to power on its own, the former external affairs minister said "it is obviously difficult today". "If that is the objective (majority on its own) then we will have to work over a period of five years. Because you cannot work towards an alliance for three years and then suddenly say we will fight to win (on our own). You have to fight for five years. Today we are committed to the alliance and we will do our very best to ensure that the alliance succeeds," he said. Congress is the only party that gets seats from all over the country and all other (opposition) parties get seats from their respective states, he said. "Now the elasticity in numbers is much greater when you are talking of seats from all over the country and when you are talking of seats only from your state. This is the practical reality with which all the leaders have to deal with an open mind," Khurshid, who also served as minister for law and justice in the UPA II, said. Khurshid's comment on the alliance comes in the backdrop of the opposition's efforts to stitch a united front against the BJP before the 2019 elections and BSP chief Mayawati's decision to go it alone in the upcoming assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The Samajwadi Party has also decided not to forge an alliance with the Congress in Madhya Prdaesh, blaming it of being "non-committal for too long". Khurshid said the objective of the grand alliance is to defeat the Modi government. "If the participants of the grand alliance forget this objective, then obviously it won't happen and it will be a loss for every party and the country," he said. The Congress leader, however, sounded hopeful of getting Mayawati's BSP back in the fold, saying the issues in the assembly polls are different from those of the Lok Sabha polls. "Once these five state elections give us some indications of what the public mood is, tying up the grand alliance may become easier," Khurshid, who twice served as party president of Uttar Pradesh, said. The post of prime minister won't be an issue in forging the grand alliance when opposition leaders have clearly said that the issue will be decided once the alliance win the election, he said. "I think those who are raising this issue (prime ministership) do not want us to succeed against the BJP," he said. While speaking on the revival of Congress, Khurshid hailed party president Rahul Gandhi for "infusing fresh energy and determination" into the party and said it was a time for making sacrifices and give the best to the party. "We lost some elections, but we won Punjab and kept the BJP away in Karnataka. In some places, we were ahead of BJP, but they misused power to form government...the upcoming elections in five states will be a measure of how much we have got back on our feet in the last four years," he said. The former Union minister dismissed BJP's claim that the opposition alliance did not have a leader and said there were "leaders in the opposition alliance" along with four to five strong regional parties and that the "Congress even in its weak form is strong across the country". About the foreign policy of the present dispensation, he said the Modi government had failed to build upon on what they had got from the previous governments and nothing much to show in terms of accomplishments. Khurshid rated the four-and-half-year-old Modi government as "disastrous" and said it had injected disharmony in the society. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sixteen fishermen from Okha in Gujarat's Devbhoomi Dwarka district have reportedly been detained in the Arabian Sea by Pakistan maritime authorities, a fish workers' forum functionary said Sunday. Manish Lodhari, secretary of the Porbandar-based National Fishworkers' Forum, said that the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) had seized two Indian boats with 16 fishermen near the International Maritime Boundary Line. "We have been told by fishermen sailing in the Arabian Sea that at least two fishing boats with 16 fishermen were apprehended by the PMSA from near the IMBL. Both the boats were registered at Okha," he said, adding that the number of those held might vary. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A suspected Pakistani intruder was gunned down Sunday while he was trying cross the International Border into India in Rajasthan's Sriganganagar district, a Border Security Force (BSF) official said. The man in his 30's was trying to sneak into the Indian territory near the Kailash Post when BSF jawans shot him dead, BSF DIG M S Rathore told PTI. He said the body would be handed over to the Sriganganagar police if the Pakistani Rangers refused to accept it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend Monday the fourth edition of the NITI Lecture Series focussed on 'leveraging artificial intelligence for inclusive growth', according to an official statement. Modi will attend the lecture series in which the key note address will be delivered by Jensen Huang, president and co-Founder of US-based technology firm NVIDIA Corporation, the Niti Aayog said Sunday. The government think tank said the 2018 theme for the lecture series 'AI for All: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Inclusive Growth' is part of the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence aimed at evolving a robust ecosystem in India for AI research and adoption. Union ministers, policy makers, experts from different walks of life along with Niti Aayog vice chairman, CEO, members and other senior officials will also be present on the occasion. The Union Budget 2018 had mandated the Niti Aayog to come up with a national programme on employing artificial intelligence towards national development and since the Aayog has published a National Strategy for artificial intelligence (AI). The Aayog said its has signed statements of intent (SoI) with industry leaders such as Google, Microsoft and IBM to leapfrog India into global arena of future technologies and enable use of AI in key, high gain sectors of social development -- healthcare, agriculture, smart mobility, education and infrastructure. The Aayog said it has launched multiple projects in areas of precision agriculture, creating AI led healthcare solutions, and bridging India's diversity of languages by creating a digital 'Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat' platform using Natural Language Processing (NLP). The NLP is a system of protocols which allow machines or computers to understand and interact with human speech and symbols. The Niti Aayog said it has also identified barriers that need to be addressed to achieve success in use of artificial intelligence with the aim to use the technology across all sectors. It has also proposed setting up of a Centre of Research Excellence (CORE) to focus on developing better understanding of existing core research, it said. The 'NITI Lectures: Transforming India' was inaugurated by Modi in August 2016 featuring eminent speakers from across the world. The first key note address 'India and the Global Economy' was delivered by the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Bill Gates, Co-Founder, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, delivered the second lecture in November 2016, and in May 2017, Michael Porter, the Bishop William Lawrence University Professor at Harvard Business School, had delivered the third lecture of the series. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Inspector General of police, Jammu, S D Singh Jamwal paid rich tributes to martyrs on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day here on Sunday. Participating at an event in the Police Martyrs Memorial in the railway station here, Jamwal prayed for peace for departed personnel and also for the prosperity and welfare of their families. Later, Jamwal inaugurated a blood donation camp where many personnel of the force volunteered to donate blood. A number of senior police officers attended the event, a police spokesman said. "National Police Day" popularly known as Police Commemoration Day is celebrated every year in the memory of ten CRPF personnel, who laid down their lives when resisting an attack by the PLA at the Hot Spring in Ladakh at a height of 4,681 metres on this day in 1959. Impressive functions were organised in all 10 districts of Jammu province, where many current and retired senior police officers, members of martyrs' families and members of civil society participated, the spokesman said. In the winter capital, the main function was conducted at Gulshan Ground where the IGP took the salute of the commemoration day parade. The spokesman said Jamwal read out the names of 415 martyrs of the country in the last year, which included martyrs from police organisations and paramilitary forces. Lauding the role of martyrs, the IGP said Jammu and Kashmir police has been rendering yeoman service to the nation and the society under hostile and challenging circumstances at the cost of personal safety and comforts. Later, the IGP interacted with next of kin of the martyrs. He heard the grievances of the kin of martyrs and assured full support and timely action. Another impressive function was organised in the evening at the Police Martyrs Memorial in the railway station here where a large number of police personnel and civilians assembled to pay their tributes, the spokesman said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nagaland on Sunday joined the nation in observing 'Police Commemoration Day' by remembering the sacrifices made by security personnel in the line of duty. Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton along with Director General of Police T John Longkumer led the rank and file of police officers and paramilitary personnel in laying wreaths on a martyrs' memorial at Phesama here. Highlighting the significance of the day, Longkumer said, "Every year, on October 21, we remember and honour jawans who lost lives in Ladakh ambush in 1959." The DGP also paid tributes to 424 personnel, who laid their lives defending the nation from September 1, 2017 to August 31, 2018. Ten members of Central Reserve Police Force were killed at Hot Springs, Ladakh, on October 21, 1959, while trying to thwart incursions by soldiers from China. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana E S L Narasimhan Sunday said everyone should remember the glorious sacrifices made by the police personnel and pledge to take the spirit further to protect the country. Addressing an event organised as part of the Police Commemoration Day here, the Governor said, "We owe a great debt to the police personnel who have really been able to maintain peace and public order. "Let us recall their glorious sacrifices and promise ourselves to take forward their spirit and the ideals for which they sacrificed their invaluable lives,"he said adding "we all should stand by the families of Martyr's and support them." In his address, Telangana Director General of Police M Mahendar Reddy said the department was striving to ensure that policing was done with human touch. Earlier,Narasimhanreleased Martyrs' book and handed over a copy to the DGP and another one to the Hyderabad Commissioner of Police Anjani Kumar. The Governor, the DGP and all the senior, retired Police officials paid homage to the Martyr's memorial with flowers. Meanwhile, caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao also paid rich tributes to the police personnel who were martyred while discharging their duties. Recalling the services rendered by the police on the occasion, Rao said the people and the country would never forget the supreme sacrifices of the martyrs. He wanted the police force to rededicate itself to the ideals shown by the martyrs and for the maintenance of peace, order and harmony of the society, an official release said. The Telangana government was according highest priority to the welfare of the families of the martyrs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Online insurance aggregator Policybazaar.com has set a target to sell 11 lakh policies during the current financial year due to the increased awareness about the online medium and change in consumer behaviour, a top official said. The company had offered motor insurance policies to six lakh vehicles last year of the total 12 lakh that were insured through online mode, Policybazaar.com, Motor Insurance Head, Sajja Praveen Chowdary said here. "For 2018-19, we expect entire market (size) looks to be 2.2 crore cars getting insured. Because there will be 25-30 lakh brand new cars that will come into the market. About five lakh cars which are older than 15-20 years will move out of market", he told PTI in an interaction. Elaborating, he said, "of the 2.2 crore vehicles that are expected to be insured, roughly about 18 lakh insurance policies will be done online and we (policybazaar.com) will be expecting (to offer insurance for) about 11 lakh of them." To a query, he said, the company was witnessing a change in consumer behaviour particularly in terms of the ability to compare insurance policies offered by various companies in one place through policybazaar.com. "You can compare policies offered by various companies on policy bazaar.com... That awareness was lacking (earlier) but is now slowly building up. Secondly, penetration (of online insurance products) is growing across the country.", he said. The company has tied up with 18 insurance companies to offer its service and recently launched self-video cashless claims features on the mobile application for easier and faster claims processing, he said. Public sector insurance companies--New India Assurance and United India Insurance have been the first companies to adopt the new feature with Policybazaar.com, he said. The new feature allows consumers to overcome the hassle of physical inspection for claims and allows them to self-upload a video through the application for evaluation of damages on a vehicle, making entire inspection process in minutes while approval in hours. Chowdary said the company under its expansion plans forayed into the United Arab Emirates market marking its maiden foray in the international market. "This is the first international expansion for us. We have started off there. We are working with a few motor insurance companies...," he said. To a query, he said the company was looking at launching health and life insurance apart from offering motor insurance in the UAE market "very soon". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir Sunday expressed deep anguish over the death of six civilians in a blast at an encounter site in Kulgam district after a gunfight in which three militants were killed. The officials said immediately after the gunfight ended and the forces withdrew from the spot, civilians rushed to the encounter site where an explosive substance went off resulting in the death of six civilians. "Despite requests to not visit the spot till thorough search is done for explosives, several civilians visited the encounter site immediately after the operation. While they were there, some explosive substance went off, resulting in on the spot death of a civilian and injuries to several others," they added. National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah expressed shock and deep anguish over the death of civilians near the encounter site in Laroo area of Kulgam in south Kashmir. "It is heart rending to learn about such incidents which have become norm of the day. The situation calls for immediate de-escalation from all sides, Abdullah said. Expressing anguish over the "highly unfortunate" incident, NC vice-president said little good can their words do to those who lost their loved ones. "I pray for peace to the souls of those who lost their lives and a speedy recovery for all the injured. I pray to Almighty to give courage to the families of victims to bear the loss. He said six civilian casualties in Kulgam "do not augment well for peace to return back to our state. A whole new generation is growing in conflict and what needs to be done is to start time bound and result oriented dialogue process, he said. Omar also took to Twitter, saying, "Terrible coming out from Kulgam. May the deceased find place in Jannat (heaven). Alienating the people in the fight against militancy is a sure fire recipe for losing the fight. How long can we go on ignoring the ground realities & (and) living in denial about how bad things are in Kashmir?. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed profound "grief and shock over the death of six civilians and injuries to others. In a statement, the PDP president appealed Governor S P Malik to ensure that all standard operating procedures (SOPs) are strictly adhered to while dealing with the security situations and all the security agencies are advised to take precautions to avoid any collateral damage. Mehbooba said she was extremely saddened by the of the Kulgam incident, where civilians were once again caught in the cross fire of violence, thus adding fuel to the already volatile situation. All words of condemnation, condolence sound very hollow at this tragedy, she said. Conveying her heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families, the PDP president sought immediate release of ex-gratia and other assistance in the favour of deceased civilians and aid to the injured. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) vice-president Ghulam Nabi Monga also lamented the civilian deaths and blamed the Centre's "wrong policies towards Kashmir for the casualties. In a statement Monga said it is painful to see innocent civilians being killed in Kashmir in such a manner. "Two days back, a lady was killed in Pulwama district in similar circumstances. It is the arrogance of BJP Government at the Centre which is the root cause for such killings, he said in a statement. The woman was killed on Friday night in the cross-firing between militants and security forces as the ultras attacked an Army camp in Pulwama district, police said. The JKPCC vice-president said the BJP Government's policy "revolves around the use of bullets only. The Congress leader expressed serious concern over the prevailing situation in Kashmir and said the initiatives taken in Kashmir during the United Progressive Alliance's 10-year rule "have been reversed and washed away by the incumbent Government. CPI(M) leader and MLA Kulgam M Y Tarigami also expressed grief over the loss of civilian lives and demanded a probe into the incident. "It is really so painful to see such killings happening everyday in Kashmir. But unfortunately, New Delhi is watching all this like a mute spectator and seems in no mood to address the issues politically. There is a deep sense of alienation among Kashmiris, especially youth. It is this deepening alienation and anger which is driving young and old towards the deadly encounter sites, Tarigami said in a statement. He said given the rising toll of casualties and no visible efforts by New Delhi to hold meaningful dialogue, there is apprehension that the situation may get more complex. Besides, persistent arrogance and repression is bound to aggravate the situation further, he said. He also demanded a magisterial enquiry into the Kulgam incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has arrived in Israel on a five-day visit to strengthen cooperation with the Jewish nation in sectors such as agriculture, horticulture and dairy. Singh, accompanied by a delegation of officials, reached Israel Sunday evening. He will be visiting several facilities and institutions working in sectors such as agriculture, horticulture, dairy and waste water management to tap opportunities that can address Punjab's requirements, and boost the state's internal security apparatus. Ahead of his visit, the Punjab chief minister had said his government was keen to tap technological advancements on offer by the country. On Tuesday, a seminar, "Investment Opportunities in Punjab" has been organised to attract investments in the state from Israel. The Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) will be signing MoUs with the Tel Aviv University and the Galilee Institute for cooperation in the field of agriculture. Another MoU will be signed in the field of water conservation by the visiting delegation. Singh has emphasised that farmers in Punjab should diversify their crop pattern and get out of the paddy-wheat cycle, replicating the latest practices of drip irrigation and hydroponics in view of the depleting water table in the state. During a meeting with an Israeli delegation ahead of his visit, he had evinced interest in adopting Israeli know-how to boost the dairy sector. He had also expressed interest in visiting Israeli orchards and nurseries to secure first-hand knowledge of the technological advancements in hybrid production of plants. Punjab is also seeking Israeli assistance in improving the quality of citrus fruits as the state is a leading producer of Kinnow and wants to go for mass plantation of sweet oranges, which finds a remunerative market. The Singh-led delegation will be also given a presentation on Israeli expertise in the homeland security sector and will visit the academy of a leading Israeli security company during the trip. Security officials from the state are said to have also made trips earlier to Israel to tap state-of-the-art technology and gain expertise in intelligence and homeland security to boost Punjab's security apparatus. Singh is scheduled to call upon Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel and Minister of Energy and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz during his trip. He will be also visiting the cemetery of Indian soldiers who laid their lives during the War of Liberation of Haifa in 1918. Haifa celebrated the centenary year of its liberation by Indian cavalry units in September paying warm tributes to the courage shown by them in what is considered by most of the War Historians as the "last great cavalry campaign in history". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leaders of the Grand Alliance in Bihar chose the state's first chief minister Sri Krishna Singh's birth anniversary function in Patna on Sunday to band together against the NDA, where RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav slammed the BJP-JD(U) government by likening it to "Rakshas Raj" (reign of the devil). The Grand Alliance leaders from the Congress, the RJD and the HAM(S) vowed to uproot the NDA governments at the Centre and in the state. They came down heavily on the two governments, alleging that both the dispensations failed on all fronts, especially in taming price rise, corruption and crime. The Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee organised the function at S K Memorial hall. RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav slammed JD(U) chief and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, likening the state government to "Rakshas Raj" (reign of the devil). "These people (NDA leaders) used to talk about 'Jungle Raj' (during the 15 years of Lalu-Rabri rule in Bihar). But there is 'Rakshas Raj' in Bihar today. State-sponsored crime is on the rise. This is the double-engine government of crime and corruption," Yadav said. Taking a swipe at Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, who had termed Lalu Prasad's younger son as "rumour-monger", Tejashwi asked what has Bihar got from the Modi government in its four and a half years. "When will the special category status be accorded to Bihar? BJP has cheated the people of the state as it has no concern for them," Tejashwi said, adding sarcastically that the BJP has more concern for Lalu Prasad's family. People should be wary of "back-stabbers", he said without naming anyone. Former Bihar CM and HAM(S) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi demanded the Bharat Ratna for Sri Krishna Singh, the first chief minister of Bihar and powerful leader from the Bhumihar caste who occupied the post till his death in 1961. Manjhi also sought 15 per cent reservation for upper castes by amending the Constitution. The party's national general secretary and Bihar in-charge Shakti Sinh Gohil said, "We will fight together to uproot the NDA government and install Congress government at the Centre... We will come out with a blueprint for Bihar's overall development and will fulfil our commitment". Former Union minister and Bihar Congress Campaign Committee chairman Akhilesh Prasad Singh announced that the party would soon hold a mega rally at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna to "send out a message". Singh, a Rajya Sabha member, said it would be a "Parivartan rally" (rally for change), the date for which would be announced soon. Singh, who has been organising birth anniversaries of Sri Krishna Singh for the past 15 years, said the Nitish Kumar government, which would complete 15 years of rule in Bihar, has ditched the upper castes as it did nothing for them, and even forgot to implement the recommendations of 'Sawarn Aayog' (commission for upper castes). The Nitish Kumar government just used upper castes as its "vote bank", he said. Celebration of Shri Krishna Singh's birth anniversary is seen as an attempt by the Congress to win back a section of the upper castes who have traditionally been its voters in the state but have gravitated towards the BJP recently. Bihar Congress chief Madan Mohan Jha, former governor Nikhil Kumar, former Union minister Shakeel Ahmad, senior party leaders Vijay Shankar Dubey and other senior leaders spoke at the function. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Activist Rehana Fathima, who had made an attempt to enter Sabarimala temple, has been expelled from the Muslim community for "hurting the sentiments of lakhs of Hindu devotees", the Kerala Muslim Jama'ath Council said. Initiating action against Rehana, Kerala Muslim Jama'ath Council president A Poonkunju said in a press statement Saturday that she had been expelled from the community. He said the Council has also directed the Ernakulam Central Muslim Jama'ath to expel her and her family from the membership of Mahallu. "Her act hurt lakhs of Hindu devotees," the statement said. Her act was also against the rituals of Hindu community, it said. Pookunju said Rehana, who had participated in 'Kiss of Love' agitation and acted nude in a film, "has no right to use a Muslim name". The activist's house was allegedly vandalised by unidentified persons while she was away trying to climb the holy hills on Friday. She made a failed attempt to reach the temple with heavy police protection. The attackers reached Rehana's house in Panambilly Nagar here while she was climbing the hills. Rehana, a model and activist who was part of the 'Kiss of Love' movement in Kochi in 2014 against alleged moral policing, was among the two women who had reached the hilltop, but had to return before reaching the sanctum sanctorum following massive protests by Ayyappa devotees. Rehana and Hyderabad-based journalist Kavitha were taken to the hills with heavy police protection. A mother of two and employee of the BSNL, the activist had kicked up a row last year by posing for topless photos with watermelons in protest against a Kozhikode-based college professor's statement comparing women's breasts to watermelons. Meanwhile, a case has been registered by police in Pathanamthitta against the activist for hurting religious sentiments. The case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by one Radhakrishna Menon. On September 28, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by then chief justice Dipak Misra had lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine, but a section of devotees is protesting the decision. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hundreds of people, including Keralite women, took out a march in Raipur Sunday and vowed that females in the banned age group from their families would not enter the famous Sabarimala shrine in Kerala. The Supreme Court had recently ordered lifting the age restriction on entry of women to the hill abode of Lord Ayyappa. "The march in taken out in Tatibandh area here was a message that women of banned age group should stay away from the shrine," said Vinod Pillai, president of Shree Ayyappa Sewa Sangham, in Chhattisgarh. Besides Keralites, members from Andhra Association and Tamil Association also participated in the procession, which culminated into a public meeting in rhw Ayyappa temple premises in Tatibandh, he said. "The women members took the suo motu decision that they would not allow women of particular age group in their families to visit the shrine," said Pillai. He said the restriction on the entry of women in the menstrual age is part of centuries-old traditions that should not be violated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiromani Akali Dal core committee Sunday demanded immediate sacking of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and registration of a murder case against his wife and Dussehra event organisers, saying they were "responsible for abetting" the Amritsar tragedy. The core committee, which met here under the chairmanship of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and was attended by SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and other senior party leaders, also rejected the magisterial inquiry ordered by the Congress government, a party release said. "The party demands a judicial probe by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court instead," a party release said. Terming the man-made disaster as "unparallel on account of the criminal negligence and sheer abetment by the function organisers", the SAD core committee condemned the "cover up" operation allegedly launched by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and demanded registration of a fresh case in the matter on statements of the victims' families. The core committee said similar to what it has been doing to every other section of the society, the Congress government was now muzzling the voice of the poor by instituting a tailor-made inquiry with the sole aim to give a clean chit to the culprits and putting the blame on the Indian Railways. It said this was being done despite the fact that the victims' families were ready to present "irrefutable evidence" against a Congress councilor and Navjot Kaur Sidhu for abetting the tragedy. The SAD panel said the evidence against the councilor and Sidhu was present in the public domain and the same should be taken into account while proceeding against both of them. It said taking all these facts into account, there was no possibility of a free and fair inquiry by a magistrate who was reporting to Cabinet minister Navjot Sidhu and his family. It also condemned the "casual attitude" of Navjot Singh Sidhu. The core committee said it was condemnable that the state was refusing to take action against the Congress leaders despite worldwide condemnation of the incident and the demand "to prosecute the guilty, however high and mighty they may be." It noted that even the heads of States, including those of Russia, Canada and Pakistan, have expressed shock at the tragedy. It said the entire world was watching and if the government failed in giving justice to the victims, it would invite international condemnation to itself as well as the country. The committee also passed a resolution, calling for Rs one crore compensation to each of the victims' families as well as grant of a government job to the next of their kin. It said a separate government programme should be initiated to adopt the victims' children. The SAD panel also served an ultimatum to the government to register a fresh case on statements of the victims' families and institute a judicial probe besides giving the demanded compensation, failing which it would initiate an agitation to ensure justice to the victims. Senior leaders who attended the meeting, included SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia faced a growing chorus of incredulity Sunday over its belated explanation of how critic Jamal Khashoggi died inside its Istanbul consulate, as world powers demanded answers and the whereabouts of his body. After a fortnight of denials, Saudi authorities admitted on Saturday that the Washington Post columnist was killed after entering the consulate on October 2, a disappearance that sparked outrage and plunged the Gulf kingdom into a spiralling international crisis. Turkish officials have accused Riyadh of carrying out a state-sponsored killing and dismembering the body, with pro-government media in Turkey reporting the existence of video and audio evidence to back those claims. Police have searched a forest in Istanbul where they believe his body may have been dumped. After initially saying Khashoggi left the consulate unharmed, and then that they were investigating his disappearance, Saudi authorities backtracked and admitted the 60-year-old was killed in a "brawl" with officials inside the consulate. But that narrative -- combined with the absence of Khashoggi's body -- quickly drew scepticism and scorn from many, including staunch allies. Ankara vowed to reveal all the details of its own inquiry as US President Donald Trump said he was unsatisfied with Saudi Arabia's response to the columnist's death while the EU, Germany, France, Britain, Australia, Canada and the UN also demanded greater clarity. The controversy has put the kingdom -- for decades a key ally in Western efforts to contain Iran -- under unprecedented pressure. It has also evolved into a major crisis for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a Trump administration favourite widely known as MBS, whose image as a modernising Arab reformer has been gravely undermined. "This feels the most seismic moment in Middle East since the Arab Spring," tweeted Michael Stephens, a Middle East expert at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. "If only Jamal knew what impact he would have on a region he cared so deeply about." Britain was among the latest countries to question Riyadh's version of events. "I don't think it's credible," Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC on Sunday, adding there was a "serious question mark over the account that has been given". "We support the Turkish investigation into it and the British government wants to see people held to account for that death." Ankara has said it has a "debt of honour" to reveal what happened. "We are not accusing anyone in advance but we don't accept anything to remain covered (up)," said ruling Justice and Development Party spokesman Omer Celik. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said many questions remained unanswered while German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged transparency, adding that "available reports on what happened in the Istanbul consulate are insufficient." The EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini and UN chief Antonio Guterres both called for a proper investigation and for the perpetrators to be held to account. Senior Republican Senator Marco Rubio was stark in his assessment. "Saudi Arabia's changing stories on #KhashoggiMurder is getting old. The latest one about a fist fight gone bad is bizarre," he tweeted Saturday, renewing his call for sanctions against those responsible. Trump initially said he found the Saudi explanation credible, but later expressed more scepticism -- although he warned against scrapping a multibillion-dollar arms deal with the conservative kingdom. "No, I am not satisfied until we find the answer," he told reporters. "It was a big first step. It was a good first step. But I want to get to the answer." Saudi Arabia's Gulf ally, the United Arab Emirates, welcomed the Saudi disclosures, as did Egypt, Kuwait and Oman. The front pages of Saudi newspapers on Sunday were branded with headlines of support for the kingdom's government. Okaz's front page said "Justice continues... accountability is coming", while Al-Riyadh daily said there was a "wide welcome" of the government's "justice and firmness" in the case of Khashoggi. In the Saturday admission, Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb also announced a series of moves including against people linked to the crown prince, who Khashoggi had criticised in his writings. He said 18 Saudis had been arrested and two top aides of Prince Mohammed had been sacked, together with three other intelligence agents. The Saudi king also ordered the establishment of a ministerial body under the chairmanship of the crown prince -- his son -- to restructure the kingdom's intelligence agency and "define its powers precisely," Saudi state media said. Saudi officials have roundly denied that the crown prince had any involvement in the affair. But one suspect identified by Turkey was said to be a frequent companion of the young heir to the throne, three others were linked to his security detail and a fifth is a high-level forensic specialist, according to The New York Times. The decision to overhaul the intelligence apparatus and sack members of Crown Prince Mohammed's inner circle is designed to "distance the crown prince from the murder", said analysis firm Eurasia Group. In a recent off-the-record interview published posthumously by US magazine Newsweek, Khashoggi described the 33-year-old heir apparent as "an old-fashioned tribal leader", but said he would have accepted an offer to work as his adviser. "I'm not calling for the overthrow of the regime," the one-time royal insider said. "I'm just calling for reform of the regime. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A school teacher was killed when a police van hit his motorcycle near Khatma village in Bihar's Vaishali district Sunday, a senior police officer said. The incident occurred when a police van on its way to police line at Hajipur from Mahnar hit the teacher's motorcycle, Superintendent of Police, Manavjit Singh Dhillon said. The SP said the deceased has been identified as Sanjay Singh Rathor, a resident of Muravvarpur village of the district. Action would be taken against the erring driver once a complaint is received from the deceased's family in this regard, the SP said. Angry over the incident, local people gheraoed Mahnar police station and blocked the road leading to railway station at Mahnar bazaar for some time, he said adding that the blockade was lifted after an assurance was given that action would be taken against erring person in the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After a sublime third round, Shubhankar Sharma shot a modest 74 to finish a distant Tied-55th at the CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES here on Sunday. Sharma had four birdies and four bogeys and an eagle in his round of 74 as he totaled 1-under 287. His third round of 64 had seen him rise to T-26 and raised hopes of coming inside Top-20 after a T-10 finish at CIMB Classic a week earlier. The star of the day was three-time major champion and 2018 PGA Tour Player of the Year Brooks Koepka, who produced a commanding 8-under 64 with a closing eagle to beat back the opposition by four shots. Koepka totaled 21-under total of 267. With the victory, Brooks Koepka moves to No. 1 in the official rankings for the first time in his career, passing Dustin Johnson for the top spot. Koepka has now won three of his last 11 starts on the PGA TOUR. Gary Woodland started the day five strokes behind Koepka but pulled level after making six birdies in seven holes on the front nine. As the two battled it out on the back nine, Koepka again pulled ahead only to see Woodland birdieing 15th and 16th again pull level. However, Koepka did the same, and a bogey by Woodland on the par-3 17th gave Koepka the cushion he needed to close out the win despite a birdie on the 18th by Woodland. The biggest moment came on the 16th. Koepka went from a fairway bunker to just left of the green, about 70 feet away. Koepka hit a chip-and-run that was stopped by the pin and dropped for the birdie. Koepka finished with a 25-foot eagle putt for a 29 on the back nine. Woodland finished second after a 63, while Ryan Palmer birdied his last seven holes of the final round to set the course record with a 10-under 62 to finish in a tie for third place with Rafa Cabrera Bello (65), four strokes behind Koepka. Defending champion Justin Thomas finished at 5-under after a 68 Sunday. The reigning PGA TOUR Player of the Year has now won each of the first two editions of THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES with Koepka winning in 2018 and Justin Thomas winning the inaugural edition in 2017. It was Koepka's 12th victory worldwide, including four wins on the European Challenge Tour. He now has won in seven countries - the U.S., South Korea, Spain, Italy, Japan, Turkey and Scotland. Woodland held a share of the 36-hole and 54-hole lead at last week's CIMB Classic on his way to a T5 finish and was second here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu Sunday targeted the Indian Railways, raising several questions about its functioning and asked how a "clean chit" was given to the loco-pilot of the train, which mowed down at least 59 people watching a Dussehra event in Amritsar, in "one day". The statement from Sidhu, whose wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the chief guest at the event at Joda Phatak on Friday evening, came a day after Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said there was no negligence on part of the railways. The railways has said it was not informed by the organisers or the local administration that a Dussehra event was being organised near the tracks. It said Saturday the tragedy was a case of trespassing and ruled out any probe. "What sort of commission did you set up that you gave a clean chit to him (loco-pilot) in one day. Either the driver was permanent or he was engaged for one day. Why do not you say?" said Sidhu. "When you stop (the train) for cow, you even get an FIR registered if someone is found sitting on a track. And you ran over...people and you did not stop. And what was the speed of train? It was more than 100 km per hour Zip it goes," he claimed. Opposition parties have sought action against those who allowed the event near the railway tracks. The Akali Dal has demanded Sidhu's dismissal from Punjab's Congress government, alleging his wife presided over an "unauthorised" event. The state government has ordered a magisterial probe into the circumstances that led to accident. Sidhu also pointed fingers at the railway gateman at Joda Phatak, claiming he could have seen the lights installed at the Dussehra event from 300 metres and alerted railway and local authorities. "Near the accident site, there is a railway barrier which is manned by a gateman. From a distance of 300 metres, he can see LED lights installed at the event and people were making videos of the event with their mobile phones," he said. Sidhu claimed that the train was running at a speed of more than 100 kmph. "Train was running at a speed of more than 100 km per hour. Some people say the top light of the train was not working. If top light was not there, you cannot get it out of the yard. If top light was working then you can see three km because train had a glass (window) at the front for view," he said. Railways has said the loco-pilot had managed to slow down the train to around 68 kmph from the speed of 91 kmph, which he was assigned to reach. Sidhu said some people say that this train does not pass by the area at a speed of more than 30 kmph and two trains had passed by just before the tragedy. On questions raised about the event being organised near railway tracks, he said the permission was sought from police was for organising the event "within four walls" of a campus near the tracks. "This tragedy did not occur within the four walls of the site," Sidhu said. Defending his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, he said she was supposed to attend six Dussehra events that evening. "It was her fourth function and she reached the site at 6:40 pm. When she was going for the fifth function, she came to know about the tragic incident. When she enquired from police commissioner, he dissuaded her from visiting the site. Then, she directly went to the hospital (where some of the victims were taken)," he said. He claimed seven times announcements were made from the stage that people should not stay near the track and come inside the campus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Smriti Irani on Sunday urged labourers working in the carpet industry to help fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of achieving an educated India by ensuring that their children receive higher education. Addressing the India Carpet Expo organised by Carpet Export Promotion Council in Varanasi, she said the labourers who work in the carpet industry must educate their children. Citing a 2009 data, she said only 1 per cent of children of weavers and craftsmen were able to receive higher education. The Union government has made arrangements to provide 75 per cent fee for the education of children of poor artisans, who can avail the benefits by enrolling themselves in NIOS and IGNOU, she said, adding that the government wants to celebrate the strength and vibrancy of this industry. The four-day expo was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi via a video link from Delhi. The Union minister said the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Trade Facilitation Centre, where the expo is being organised, is one of the finest examples of "speed of governance" of the BJP government. The centre was built in 23 months in Prime Minister Modi's Lok Sabha constituency and was dedicated to the nation, she said. Responding to a request from a member of Carpet Export Promotion Council to give the industry tax concessions, she said, "It seems you wrongly thought I am the finance minister." But, she added, the government was aware of the challenges the industry had to face in past and efforts were being made to solve those issues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The son of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council Chairman Ramesh Yadav was found dead at his residence in mysterious circumstances, police said Sunday. Abhijeet Yadav's (22) body was found at his Darul Shafa residence and his family members informed the police, they said. "As of now it seems to be an unnatural death... Whether the death is natural or not will be clear only after the post-mortem examination is conducted," a Lucknow Police official said. He also said a mark resembling that of strangulation was also visible on the neck, but the police were awaiting the post-mortem examination report. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the death and prayed for the departed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 20-year-old man was arrested from Buxar district in Bihar in connection with the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in Gujarat's Surat, officials said Sunday. The accused Anil Yadav was arrested on Friday. He was produced before a magistrate in Buxar and taken to Gujarat on Saturday after a transit remand was obtained, Buxar Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Satish Kumar said. "Yadav was arrested under Dhansoi Police Station limits where a raid was conducted by the Gujarat police team, assisted by the local police. Although the accused was a resident of Itarhi Police Station area, he had been staying away from home," Kumar told PTI over phone. The Gujarat police team had camped in Buxar for a couple of days before Yadav was finally nabbed, he added. The three-year-old girl went missing from her house in Godadara locality of Surat and her body was recovered from a locked building in the area on October 16. Yadav, named as the main suspect in the case, lived on the ground floor of the building where the girl's family, from Maharashtra, lived on the first floor. The accused has confessed to the crime before the police, Superintendent of Police Upendra Nath Verma said. Yadav also admitted that he had consumed liquor on that day when he raped and killed the minor girl, he added. The incident had come close on the heels of the rape of a 14-month-old girl in Sabarkantha which had triggered attacks on migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh across Gujarat. The ruling BJP has been blaming Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor for the violence while the opposition party has been accusing the party in power of failure to take action. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of people took to the streets in Brazil to protest the candidacy of presidential front-runner Jair Bolsonaro, shouting "Not him!" which has become the rallying cry against the far-right former army captain. On Saturday, in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and 24 other cities, large crowds filled avenues and squares a week before the Oct. 28 second-round vote polls suggest Bolsonaro is likely to win. Bolsonaro, who has angered many Brazilians by praising the country's 1964-1985 military dictatorship and making comments offensive to gays, women and blacks, won the first round of voting on Oct. 7, getting 46 percent against 29 for Fernando Haddad of the Workers' Party. In front of the Sao Paulo Art Museum, people beat drums and waved gay pride flags as they denounced Bolsonaro. Many carried cardboard signs bearing Haddad's name and photo. Tiago Silva, a 27-year-old philosophy teacher, said Bolsonaro "represents the fascism, intolerance and violence we are seeing in Europe and in the United States." "It will be a disaster if he wins and it looks like he will," he added. Vinicius Bento, a 27-year-old lawyer, said voting for Haddad is "the only way to stop Bolsonaro and his racist, misogynist and fascists views from reaching the presidency." "We have to get Haddad elected," he said, acknowledging that he didn't vote for him in the first round because he'd "lost faith" in the Workers' Party as a result of the corruption scandals it has been involved with. The left-leaning party governed Brazil between 2003 and 2016, and has been dogged by the massive "Carwash" corruption investigation. Bolsonaro has appealed to many Brazilians weary of crime and corruption by promising a violent crackdown on drug gangs and other criminals, and by highlighting the corruption that took place under past Workers' Party administrations. He has also promised a return to "traditional Brazilian values." Haddad, the hand-picked successor to jailed former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has promised to bring back the boom times Brazil experienced under da Silva, fight inequality, invest more in education and improve state services. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man was allegedly mauled to death by the Royal Bengal Tigress 'Sundari' at Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha's Angul district on Sunday morning, police said. The tigress was brought from Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh on June 28 and released into the core area of Satkosia Tiger Reserve on August 18. The deceased was identified as Trinath Sahu (60), who had gone for fishing when the tigress allegedly attacked him, officials said, adding that the victim belonged to nearby Tainsi village. The forest department has sent a team to capture the tigress. "The tranquillisation team constituted for such exigencies has already proceeded to Satkosia (to capture the tigress)," Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), Wildlife, Sandip Tripathy told PTI. Tripathy said further follow up action would be taken after due consultation with National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. "The compensation of Rs 4 lakh has been sanctioned for the next of kin of the deceased person," Tripathy said. This was the second person who was allegedly killed by the tigress. Earlier Sundari had killed a woman Kailashi Sai of Hatibari village on September 12, officials said. Following the death of the woman, irate villagers had ransacked the Dhandatopa Forest Beat House and Tikarpara Forest Range Office and set them on fire. Meanwhile, tension gripped Satkosia area after the death of Trinath Sahu. The villagers allegedly thrashed and detained an Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Srikant Behera, who had gone to Tainsi village in the morning to verify the incident. The ACF was later released by the villagers, police said. "Some forest officials were detained and attacked by the villagers," said Angul Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) V Kartik The villagers also vandalised a police van and set ablaze another vehicle on National Highway-55 while staging a road blockade, demanding the shifting of the tigress Sundari from Satkosia Sanctuary. The police had to resort to lathicharge and lob teargas shells to disperse protesters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader was shot at and critically injured by unidentified persons in West Bengal's Birbhum district Sunday, police said. TMC Khayrasole block president Dipak Ghosh was riding a motorcycle with a party worker when unidentified persons fired at him near Khayrasole village, they said. Ghosh received bullet injuries on his shoulder and lower part of the body, the police said, adding he has been admitted at a private nursing home in Durgapur in a serious condition. The Birbhum district TMC president Anubrata Mondal alleged that goons hired by the BJP attacked Ghosh. The BJP district president Ramkrishna Roy denied the allegations of Mondal and instead alleged that TMC group rivalry was behind the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Antarrashtria Hindu Parishad president Pravin Togadia Sunday said he would launch an "abki baar, Hinduyon ki sarkaar" (Hindus' government this time) campaign from Ayodhya on October 23. "Our demand (from the BJP government in the Centre) to fulfil promises. Build a Lord Ram Temple in Ayodhya after bringing an ordinance or enacting a law in Parliament. Make education cheaper, reduce the petrol price and make farmers karj-mukt (debt free)," Togadia told reporters here, enlisting his demands. "We want a Ram mandir and also a Ram Rajya-like prosperity in our homes," he added. He said he would also spell out the details of his "abki baar, Hinduyon ki sarkaar" campaign in Ayodhya on October 23. "In Ayodhya, there will be two programmes. These programmes will be focussed on 'Ram mandir nahin, to Hinduyon kaa vote nahin (no Hinuds' votes without a Ram temple). On October 23, the plans pertaining to Hindus' government this time will also be worked out," he said. Asked why he has adopted an aggressive posture now on building Lord Ram temple, Togadia said, "Earlier we were hopeful that they (the Modi government) will fulfil their promises. We constantly reminded them for four years. But they remembered neither Ram, nor farmers nor youths during the last four years." He also recalled that in June, the AHP had given a call for "Ayodhya kooch" (march to Ayodhya). "We had hoped something will happen in ensuing four months, but nothing happened," Togadia said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A top South African leader has lauded the contribution of Indian-origin population in the country and said the community has played a vital role in the nation's freedom struggle. Addressing an event of the South African Tamil Federation here, the premier of the Gauteng Province, David Makhura, said South Africans of Indian descent have played a key role in the country's resistance movements in different eras. Right from our fight against colonialism and apartheid to the fight against corruption in present times, the Indian-origin community has always supported us, he said. Gauteng, the economic hub of South Africa, has 1.4 million South Africans of Indian origin. The first Indians arrived during the Dutch colonial era, as slaves, in 1684. In the second half of the 19th Century, Indians came to South Africa in two categories -- as indentured workers in 1860 and later as 'free' or 'passenger' Indians. Noting the contribution of Thambi Naidoo and child martyr Valliamma Moodliar, who had joined Gandhiji in his fight against apartheid and colonialism in South Africa, Makhura said "Mahatma Gandhi learnt the concept of 'Satyagraha' here." "Many others (Indians) suffered and sacrificed their lives so that our country can be free. Many of them were tortured and detained. Many died, many were detained and some went into exile, he said. Thambi Naidoo is one of the most important figures in the history of the Satyagraha campaign in South Africa. He was an early collaborator of Mahatma Gandhi and fought against pre apartheid racial repression by the local white and the colonial British authorities in Durban. Moodliar, a South African Tamil girl, was 10 years of age when she joined Gandhiji. She died at the age of 16 in 1914 after being released from prison. She was jailed by the Britishers for her fight against apartheid. Makhura also lauded the Indian community for its role in uplifting other groups in South Africa. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump has said that "full efforts" were underway to halt the progress of thousands of Honduran migrants toward the United States. "Full efforts are being made to stop the onslaught of illegal aliens from crossing our Souther(n) Border," Trump tweeted on Sunday. "People have to apply for asylum in Mexico first, and if they fail to do that, the U.S. will turn them away. The courts are asking the U.S. to do things that are not doable! "The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat Party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump Sunday strongly criticised Saudi Arabia for its "deception" and "lies" in the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, even as he defended Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and rejected the cancellation of USD 110 billion arms deal with the oil-rich country. Trump, in his strongest comments to date on the killing, told 'The Washington Post' that he had seen no evidence to indicate the Crown Prince knew Khashoggi was going to be killed or ordered the killing. Trump's remarks came after Saudi Arabia's acknowledgement that Khashoggi, 60, was killed in a "fist-fight" inside its consulate in Istanbul after a series of shifting explanations. "Obviously there's been deception, and there's been lies," Trump said even as he maintained his support for the Saudi Crown Prince and described him as a strong ruler. "Nobody has told me he's responsible. Nobody has told me he's not responsible. We haven't reached that point... I would love if he wasn't responsible," Trump told the daily. Trump insisted that he was against doing anything with the mega Saudi arms order worth USD 110 billion, which he said was important for jobs in the US and American companies. "It's the largest order in history. To give that up would hurt us far more than it hurts them. Then all they'll do is go to Russia or go to China. All that's doing is hurting us. With that being said, something will take place," he said. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters in Jerusalem that it was premature to talk about sanctions against Saudi Arabia. "It would be premature to comment on sanctions and premature to comment on really any issues until we get further down the investigation and get to the bottom of what occurred," he said. Mnuchin said he was not attending the Saudi financial summit, but would be travelling to the Kingdom to talk with his counterparts on combatting terror financing. "I did not think it was appropriate to go and speak at this conference but we continue to have important issues with Saudi and that is why I am going there," he said. Meanwhile the opposition Democratic party continued to build up pressure on the Trump administration seeking strong action against Saudi Arabia. "We ought to formally expel the Saudi ambassador from the United States until there is a completion of a third-party investigation into this kidnap, murder and god-knows-what-followed that occurred in Istanbul," Dick Durbin told NBC The top Democrat alleged that the Saudi Crown Prince "has his fingerprints all over" Khashoggi's death. Khashoggi, a known critic of the Saudi Crown Prince, lived in the US as a legal permanent resident and worked for 'The Washington Post'. He was last seen on October 2 entering his country's consulate in Istanbul. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkish prosecutors have summoned more witnesses to testify as part of the investigation into the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, local television reported Sunday. Twenty-five more people will be quizzed as witnesses, the private NTV broadcaster said, without providing any further details. On Friday, prosecutors questioned staff members of the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul inside Istanbul's main courthouse, including the consulate driver, technicians and accountants. Early on Saturday Saudi Arabia finally admitted that Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi leadership and a Washington Post contributor, was killed inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate. For more than two weeks they had insisted that he left the building alive. Turkish police and prosecutors this week searched both the consulate and the consul's residence in Istanbul, as well as a large forest in the city, hunting for his body. Turkish media outlets have reported that the authorities here have audio tapes in which Khashoggi's alleged killers tortured him by cutting his fingers off before his decapitation. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and top government figures have remained cautious in their public statements, stopping short of pinning the blame on Saudi Arabia and referring instead to the prosecutors' investigation. After the Saudi admission on Saturday, Omer Celik, spokesman for Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said Ankara was not putting the blame on anyone in advance. But they would not accept any cover-up, he added. "Turkey will reveal whatever had happened. Nobody should ever doubt it," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Sunday to reveal within days the "naked truth" over the death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. US President Donald Trump has refused to take a harsh stance against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom the US leader has defended as an invaluable trade partner even as world powers demand answers over the October 2 killing of Khashoggi, a vocal critic and Washington Post columnist who fell out of favour with Riyadh. But the Saudi foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, insisted on Sunday that Prince Mohammed was "not aware" of the killing and that the kingdom does not know where the body is. Erdogan, whose ties to Saudi Arabia appear to have further soured over the Khashoggi case, said he would reveal the findings of his country's investigation into the killing in the coming days. The Turkish leader's statement came one day after Saudi authorities conceded Khashoggi had been killed inside their diplomatic compound in Istanbul. "We are looking for justice here and this will be revealed in all its naked truth, not through some ordinary steps but in all its naked truth," Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul. Erdogan is expected to make a full statement to his party's MPs on Tuesday. Turkish officials have said they believe that 15 Saudi men who arrived in Istanbul on two flights on October 2 were connected to his death. Riyadh reacted by claiming one of the 15 had died in a car accident years ago. Saudi officials originally said Khashoggi, who entered the diplomatic mission on October 2, had left unharmed, before announcing Friday he was killed inside the building in what they described as an altercation. The kingdom has since admitted Khashoggi died in a "brawl" inside the consulate and said it has fired five top officials and arrested 18 others in an investigation into the killing. Khashoggi, who would have been 60 this month, sought refuge in the United States after he fled his native Saudi Arabia following the 2017 appointment of strongman Mohammed bin Salman as heir to the throne. The journalist, who has espoused both Islamist and liberal views throughout his decades-long career in the press, was engaged to a Turkish citizen. His killing has further soured relations between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, already at loggerheads over Qatar, with which Riyadh cut ties in 2017 and to which Ankara has deployed aid and troops. Turkish officials now accuse Riyadh of carrying out a state-sponsored killing and dismembering the body, with pro-government media in Turkey reporting the existence of video and audio evidence to back those claims. And as Erdogan took a harsh stand on the killing of Khashoggi -- a move analysts say will bolster Turkey's standing among Western states -- US President Donald Trump said he remained confident in the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "Obviously there's been deception and there's been lies," he said of the shifting accounts of Khashoggi's death offered by Riyadh. "Their stories are all over the place." Several senior members of Trump's Republican Party said they believed Prince Mohammed, the kingdom's de facto ruler, was linked to the killing, and one called for a "collective" Western response if a link is proved. Trump has stopped far short of calling for the prince to be replaced, emphasising as he has before how important the US-Saudi relationship is to Washington's regional strategic goals. He described the 33-year-old prince, widely known as MBS, as a "strong person; he has very good control." "He's seen as a person who can keep things under check," added Trump. "I mean that in a positive way." The controversy has put the kingdom -- for decades a key ally in Western efforts to contain Iran -- under unprecedented pressure. It has also evolved into a major crisis for Prince Mohammed, a Trump administration favourite widely known as MBS, whose image as a modernising Arab reformer has been gravely undermined. Britain, France and Germany have shown a united front on the Khashoggi killing, demanding Saudi Arabia clarify how the journalist died inside its Istanbul consulate "backed by facts ... considered credible". "There remains an urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened on October 2nd -- beyond the hypotheses that have been raised so far in the Saudi investigation, which need to be backed by facts to be considered credible," the three countries said in a joint statement. "We thus stress that more efforts are needed and expected towards establishing the truth in a comprehensive, transparent and credible manner. "We will ultimately make our judgement based on the credibility of the further explanation we receive about what happened and our confidence that such a shameful event cannot and will not ever be repeated." Australia, Canada and the UN have also demanded greater clarity around Khashoggi's death. The EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini and UN chief Antonio Guterres both called for a proper investigation and for the perpetrators to be held to account. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ravindra Singh, who works at a parking lot near the iconic Ramjhula in the Tehri-Garhwal district, said he felt heartbroken the day he learned of the demise of Uttarakhand former chief minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari. Singh, in his late 40s, points to the granite plaque that was unveiled by Tiwari in his capacity as the chief minister in 2005, at the inauguration of the upper storey of the parking lot that faces the Sivananda Ashram at scenic Muni ki Reti, about 3 km from the holy town of Rishikesh. "I was present at the ceremony when Tiwari ji had come to inaugurate the facility. He contributed a lot to the development of our state. He was was a 'Vikas Purush' (man for development)," he told PTI on Sunday. Singh said he read about Tiwari's death the next day through the newspapers. "I didn't watch the TV on Thursday, and the on Friday came as a shock. He was very dear to the people of Uttarakhand." A Congress veteran, Tiwari who served in various positions at the Centre and in states and was even a strong contender for prime ministership in 1991, died at a private hospital in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. Born on October 18, 1925 in Nainital, he had served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh multiple times, and was the first chief minister of the new hill state that was carved out of UP in 2001. He had the unique distinction of having served as the chief minister of two states, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where his native place is located. In Haridwar, local resident Anil Thapliyal said, Tiwari is still remembered by people of the state for "steering the growth story" of Uttarakhand. "While taking a holy dip in the Ganga at Har ki Pauri Ghat, I also prayed for the repose of his soul," he said. Tiwari was cremated with full state honours Sunday at the Chitrashila Ghat in Nainital district. As the mortal remains of Tiwari were consigned to flames, ordinary people of the hill state, including in capital Dehradun, recalled the former chief minister's contribution to the state. Umesh Negi, a front desk staff at a hotel in Dehradun, said, "Tiwari ji was respected by both senior political leaders and the common man. It is sad he left us, but he did a lot for Uttarakhand as a CM." Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had paid tributes to Tiwari, hours after his death at Max Hospital in south Delhi, where he was admitted September last year after he had suffered a brain stroke. "Uttarakhand will never forget the contribution of Tiwari ji, he played an instrumental role in making the new state stand on its feet through economic and industrial development," he had tweeted on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of various parties had also expressed grief over the death of the veteran politician. "Saddened by the passing away of Shri ND Tiwari Ji. A towering leader, he was known for his administrative skills. He will be remembered for his efforts towards industrial growth & working for the progress of UP and Uttarakhand, a state he steered in its initial days," the Prime Minister had tweeted. Tiwari, who was undergoing treatment at Max Super Speciality Hospital, breathed his last at 2.50 pm on Thursday after he suffered a heart attack, hours after he had turned 93. The body of Tiwari was first sent from Delhi to Lucknow where people paid their respects. It was then brought to Pantnagar in Uttarakhand on Saturday in an air ambulance from Lucknow. From there, it was taken via road to the Kathgodam Guest House for people to pay their respects. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the first of his statewide rallies, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray Sunday made a veiled attack on the BJP by claiming that the ruling dispensation at the Centre "did not need political alliances". Thackeray Sunday addressed public meetings at Shirdi and Ahmednagar. "When Atal ji's (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) government was there (at the Centre), it had the support of many political friends. (However), the current government does not need any political alliances," he said. In another swipe at the Union government, of which his party is a constituent, Thackeray asked people to find out the veracity of claims made in the speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I am asking party workers to find out how many people really benefited from the schemes of the BJP-led Central government. You should put up a poster of your findings next to that of PM Modi and let people decide," Thackeray told the gathering. He targeted the BJP for "spreading lies" and raising the issue of construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya for electoral gains. Speaking at a rally in Shirdi, Thackeray also addressed the frequent criticism of the Sena for hanging on to power (at the Centre and in Maharashtra) despite differences with the BJP. "I am in power to get those things done that would benefit people. I am not one who will wag his tail in front of power. I am not hankering for power," Thackeray said. In an apparent reference to the BJP, Thackeray said that "attaining power by spreading lies is sedition". Training his guns on the Devendra Fadnavis government in the state, Thackeray said that its farm loan waiver scheme was a fraud and fiasco. "If farmers have not benefited from the loan waiver, then we should speak about it," he said. Thackeray confirmed that sitting Lok Sabha MP from Shirdi constituency, Sadashiv Lokhande, would be renominated for the 2019 general elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UK government is looking at closing a loophole in the anti-terror laws that allowed the early release of Pakistani-origin radical Islamist preacher, Anjem Choudary, from the jail earlier this week, according to media reports Sunday. The release of Choudary after serving just half of his five-and-a-half-year sentence for inciting support for the Islamic State (IS) terror group had led to UK security minister Ben Wallace's assurance that "jihadists convicted of inviting support for terrorist groups such as ISIS would no longer be eligible for such an early release", The Sunday Times reported. The 51-year-old preacher was charged with one of the few terror offences that prohibits a UK judge from imposing an "extended determinate sentence" (EDS), which allows a "dangerous" offender to be kept inside jail beyond the halfway point of his sentence. Responding to his release, Wallace said that the offence Choudary had committed would be brought "within the scope" of the EDS regime, the report said. Choudary was freed from the London's high-security Belmarsh jail on Friday for reported "good behaviour" and moved to a bail hostel under 25 strict conditions on his movement and interactions with the outside world. There was widespread outrage that the so-called "preacher of hate", whose followers have been linked with the London Bridge terror attack in June last year and included Indian-origin ISIS fighter Siddhartha Dhar, was released so early. It has since emerged that 35-year-old Dhar, a former salesman from Walthamstow in east London who converted to Islam and became known as Abu Rumaysah, has been killed in Syria. Dhar, one Choudary's key followers, had gained notoriety by appearing in an ISIS video in 2016 in which he shot a prisoner in the back of the head while making threats to David Cameron, then British Prime Minister. When Justice Holroyde sentenced Choudary at the Old Bailey court in London September 2016, he said he thought the cleric would continue to spread his poisonous ideology, but added that he had "no power to impose an extended sentence". According to a report in 'The Sunday Telegraph', the UK-born preacher has been shunned by many of the imams across London's mosques since his release. Choudary is only permitted to attend a single place of worship that has been approved by officials from the UK's Ministry of Justice. He was asked to submit a list of mosques he wished to visit, but when they were approached by the UK authorities asking if they objected to him attending, many of the imams said he would not be welcome. "As part of his strict licensing conditions, Choudary is only permitted to attend one mosque that has been given prior approval," a source told the newspaper. "He was asked to submit a list of his preferred options and then they were asked if they would be willing to accommodate him. However, it was clear that many of the mosques he wanted to visit did not want him mixing with their worshippers," the source added. The father of five is understood to have applied for state-funded legal aid to try to fight the strict 25 rules that limit his movements and actions while serving the rest of his prison term outside jail. They include wearing an electronic tag, monitoring of whom he can associate with, not being allowed the use of the internet or speak to anyone aged under 18. It is believed that the human rights law firm Birnberg Peirce, who are acting for him, has written to the Ministry of Justice claiming the restrictions breach his human rights. If Choudary is held in breach of any of the conditions, he will be returned to prison to complete the remaining half of his five-and-a-half-year sentence for pledging an oath of allegiance to IS behind bars. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scientists claim to have developed the first accurate method to identify which machine a 3D-printed object came from, paving the way for law enforcement agencies to track the origin of printed guns, counterfeit products and other goods. According to researchers from University at Buffalo in the US, 3D-printers leave unique 'fingerprints' on its products, which can be identified by their "PrinTracker". "3D printing has many wonderful uses, but it's also a counterfeiter's dream. Even more concerning, it has the potential to make firearms more readily available to people who are not allowed to possess them," said Wenyao Xu, an associate professor at University at Buffalo. Like a common inkjet printer, 3D printers move back-and-forth while "printing" an object. Instead of ink, a nozzle discharges a filament, such as plastic, in layers until a three-dimensional object forms. Each layer of a 3D-printed object contains tiny wrinkles -- usually measured in submillimetres -- called in-fill patterns. These patterns are supposed to be uniform. However, the printer's model type, filament, nozzle size and other factors cause slight imperfections in the patterns. The result is an object that does not match its design plan. For example, the printer is ordered to create an object with half-millimetre in-fill patterns. But the actual object has patterns that vary 5 to 10 per cent from the design plan. Like a fingerprint to a person, these patterns are unique and repeatable. As a result, they can be traced back to the 3D printer. "3D printers are built to be the same. But there are slight variations in their hardware created during the manufacturing process that lead to unique, inevitable and unchangeable patterns in every object they print," Xu said. To test PrinTracker, researchers created five door keys each from 14 common 3D printers. With a common scanner, the researchers created digital images of each key. From there, they enhanced and filtered each image, identifying elements of the in-fill pattern. They then developed an algorithm to align and calculate the variations of each key to verify the authenticity of the fingerprint. Having created a fingerprint database of the 14 3D printers, the researchers were able to match the key to its printer 99.8 per cent of the time. They ran a separate series of tests 10 months later to determine if additional use of the printers would affect PrinTracker's ability to match objects to their machine of origin. The results were the same. The team also ran experiments involving keys damaged in various ways to obscure their identity. PrinTracker was 92 per cent accurate in these tests. Xu likens the technology to the ability to identify the source of paper documents, a practice used by law enforcement agencies, printer companies and other organizations for decades. While the experiments did not involve counterfeit goods or firearms, Xu said PrinTracker can be used to trace any 3D-printed object to its printer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) To curb power pilferage in the state, the Uttar Pradesh government has introduced a plan to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to districts with less than 15 per cent line losses, a minister in the state cabinet has said. "As an incentive, the state government would ensure uninterrupted power supply in the district where line loss of power is less than 15 per cent," Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Shrikant Sharma told reporters here Saturday. The incentive is meant for promoting and encouraging the honest consumers, he said. The minister said the state government has prepared a comprehensive plan to provide round-the-clock power supply in every district of the state by the year 2034. He said the process of revamping, production, transmission and distribution has been geared up. Efforts are underway to reduce line losses and bring it down to the minimum level to a single digit, Sharma asserted. Now account of power of every sub station, would be maintained and feeders registering more line loss ,would be identified, the minister said adding that officers responsible for more line loss would also face punitive action. He said he would also check anomalies in more than 100 KW connections and fix responsibilities in such cases. The target of electrification of villages and homes by forthcoming December is going on war footings, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Regional 12-hour Assam bandh on Oct 23 in protest against Citizenship Bill GUWAHATI, OCT 20 (AGENCIES) | Publish Date: 10/20/2018 12:14:01 PM IST Over 40 organizations belonging to different indigenous communities have called for a dawn-to-dusk bandh on October 23 opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, according to Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi. The bandh call was announced by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity, Asom Jatiyadabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad, All Assam minority Students union and 39 other organizations. They said the protest was against the BJPs decision to go ahead with the Citizenship Bill. The BJP government in Assam came to power promising to protect Jati, Mati, and Bheti (community, land and foundation) of Assam. However, it has made a U-turn on its promises and is hatching a conspiracy against indigenous communities, said Gogoi while addressing a press conference. Gogoi also slammed the joint parliamentary committee(JPC) on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill for going to hold meeting with the officials of Union ministry of Home affairs and External affairs ministry on the bill without visiting Assam for the second time to take the views of individuals and organisations of the state, who are opposing the bill. When the JPC had visited Assam in May this, the panel assured us that it would visit the state once again but now without paying any visit, they are going to hold meeting with Home as well as External Affairs ministry. We strongly oppose such a move, Gogoi told reporters here. Meanwhile, AGP, an alliance of the BJP-led government, will also be holding a massive rally in Guwahati against the Citizenship Bill. The US Sunday congratulated Bhutan on successfully conducting the recently-held elections and said it was looking forward to strenghten its friendly ties with the Himalayan nation. Bhutan went to polls on Thursday with voters handing an overwhelming victory to the new centre-left party Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT), which won 30 of the 47 national assembly seats. Formed in 2013, the DNT is headed by Lotay Tshering, a 50-year-old urology surgeon who trained in Bangladesh and Australia. "The United States commends the evolution of democracy in Bhutan, which has been an inspiration to the region," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said. She congratulated the people of Bhutan on the conclusion of successful national elections and Tshering on his party's victory, a statement said. "We look forward to working with Dr Tshering and his government to further develop friendly relations between our countries and our peoples," Nauert said. Bhutan does not have diplomatic relations with any of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, including the United States. Although Bhutan and the US have never established formal diplomatic relations, the two countries maintain warm, informal relations via the US Embassy in India, and Bhutan's Mission to the United Nations in New York, according to a State Department fact sheet. This was the third elections in Bhutan since democracy was introduced in 2008. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia's crown prince "crossed a line" in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and must pay a price, a leading US Senate Republican said Sunday, in a sign of growing tensions between the United States and its Gulf ally. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Saturday on CNN's "State of the Union" that he believed Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi royal known as MBS, was behind the killing of Khashoggi, who vanished after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Pro-government media in Turkey have reported that a hit squad travelled from Saudi Arabia to kill the Saudi critic. Saudi Arabia gave a different version of events on Saturday, saying Khashoggi died in a "fistfight" in the consulate and that 18 Saudi suspects were in custody and intelligence officials had been fired. Although officials close to Prince Mohammed were targeted, Saudi Arabia stopped short of implicating the heir-apparent of the world's largest oil exporter. The Saudi account was met with widespread international skepticism and allegations of a cover-up, as well as calls for an international investigation led by a UN-appointed panel. The crown prince has "now crossed a line and there has to be a punishment and a price paid for that," Corker said on CNN. He also urged Turkey to turn over purported recordings of Khashoggi's killing inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The existence of such evidence has been reported in Turkish media in a series of leaks, though Turkish officials have yet to confirm they have recordings. "The Turks have been talking more to the media than they have us," Corker said of the NATO ally. Previously, Republican Sens Marco Rubio and Jeff Flake had threatened tough punitive action by Congress against Saudi Arabia, including a possible halt of military sales, if it were confirmed that Khashoggi was indeed killed inside the Saudi consulate. US President Donald Trump had also talked about possibly punishing Saudi Arabia, though said he didn't want to halt a proposed $110 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia because, he maintained, it would harm U.S. manufacturers. Speaking late Saturday after a campaign rally in Nevada, Trump said he needs to learn more about the killing and will be working with Congress on the U.S. response. He also said he will talk soon to Prince Mohammed. Trump initially said he believed the Saudi account. On Saturday, he said he still does not know where Khashoggi's body is. "We'd like to find out where it is and what happened... And I think we're inching our way there," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Polling for Pakistan's second round of by-elections in three national and provincial assembly constituencies in Karachi and Peshawar were underway amidst strict security. A total of 858,866 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the by-polls, which were necessitated after the candidates elected on them in the July 25 general elections tendered their resignations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly four months have passed since the U.S. fired the opening trade salvo on July 6, slapping tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese imports and unleashing a trade war that many analysts believe is unlikely to conclude any time soon. Ongoing trade tensions are weighing on investor sentiment across the worlds economies and contributed to China recording its slowest quarter of growth since 2009 in the third quarter this year. How should China respond to continued U.S. economic pressure at this juncture, and what options does it have at its disposal? Fan Gang, the director of Chinas influential National Economic Research Institute, said that China should not let the spat move outside the confines of trade policy, and should not be tempted by calls to open new fronts in financial relations or harass the operations of U.S. companies in retaliation. So far I think that Chinas response is still very reasonable and restrained, Fan Gang said in a recent lecture on the topic. So far, China has not gone to any extremes or taken on board any bad ideas in its responses, he added. China cannot match the U.S. by simply expanding the range of goods subject to tariffs because U.S. exports to China are much lower than Chinas shipments to the U.S., he noted. Nevertheless, China must also avoid the mistaken idea that China should sell a portion of the U.S. Treasury securities it owns. This would open up a new front and transform the trade war into a financial war, Fan warned. But Chinas finances are very fragile at present, while the U.S. financial market is huge. The more than $1 trillion of U.S. debt that China holds does not actually constitute a major proportion of the U.S.s total debt. And once China sells that debt, there is nothing better for it to buy with the U.S. dollar it would receive. On top of that, the move would have a very uncertain effect on the renminbis exchange rate, he added. Another bad idea that has been suggested is to use non-tariff barriers -- such as delays in license approvals or increased inspections of operations -- to make problems for U.S. companies operating in China, Fan said. But U.S. President Donald Trump is only too eager to encourage China to do this, as it would strengthen his argument that U.S. companies doing business in China are not treated fairly. American companies working in China are an integral part of the Chinese economy. They are also the most likely to speak up for China in the U.S. because they want to maintain a healthy economic relationship between the worlds two largest economies. If China tries to disrupt American companies by impairing their movement of goods or implementing policies that interfere with their operations, it will simply drive the US companies out of China, Fan warned. This would also be counterproductive because Trump and many Americans will gauge success in the trade war precisely by the number of companies returning to the U.S. [and] how much employment is being created there as a result. In response to U.S. trade measures, China should continue to fight solely in the trade sphere, Fan stressed. It could impose additional tariffs on U.S. products or impose a higher tax rate for U.S. goods based on U.S. rates, or some other method of taxation. But China could do something even better, Fan argued. Fundamentally [China] could levy more, but it should not, and thereby show it is a taking the high road. Rather than going all out with the U.S., we should demonstrate our goodwill. We cant suffer much harm this way, and it will be beneficial for us in the long run. Fan believes Chinas most important strategy is to a continue its reforms and to create a strong and level playing field for business. As long as we dont open up new areas of conflict, China will retain the moral high ground, he said. China should also consider that the Trump administrations trade policies are not just aimed at China, but are part of a larger U.S. move to withdraw from a multilateral approach to global issues. This means China can create a united front with other like-minded countries and work with them to give voice to the international system, Fan said. As an example of united action, Fan Gangs cited this weeks move by China, the European Union, Norway and several other countries to file a complaint at the World Trade Organization, asking it to investigate the U.S. decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports in March. In Fan Gangs view, those in China who argue against making any concessions in the trade war are making a mistake, because in a competitive market, you have to consider the interests of others as well as your own. In the past, we were very weak and needed protection. But as we have gradually become stronger, our market protections should at least be reduced to a reasonable degree. But when you use non-market methods to protect your industries and enterprises, and you dont pay a price in one area [because of that protection], you will pay it elsewhere. Other countries can use the same means to sanction you, as happened to ZTE. Often people complain that relaxing these rules and allowing for an equal market would sell out the country, he said. But maybe not making these changes would be the surest way to harm China, as this way would eventually drag everyone down and we will be unable to sell anything. Editors note: This article has been translated and adapted from the original piece in Chinese. Contact reporter Ke Dawei (daweike@caixin.com) Read more about the China-U.S. trade war. October 20, 2018 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement: Canada condemns the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has confirmed took place in its consulate in Istanbul. The explanations offered to date lack consistency and credibility. We also express our sincere condolences to Hatice Cengiz and the family and loved ones of Mr. Khashoggi. The pain they are enduring as a result of this tragedy is heartbreaking. We reiterate our call for a thorough investigation, in full collaboration with the Turkish authorities, and a full and rigorous accounting of the circumstances surrounding Mr. Khashoggis death. Those responsible for the killing must be held to account and must face justice. news, crime A Canberra man will fight allegations of drug dealing after police found a book titled the Cocaine Diaries in his apartment last Wednesday. The book contained Blackberry device codes, documents tendered in court on Monday allege. During the raid on James Coles Phillip flat police also allegedly found a handwritten drug recipe, cocaine, Inositol (a known cutting agent for cocaine), knuckledusters and more than $100,000 in cash. There was no one home at the time of the raid but Mr Cole, 34, was arrested at Canberra Airport after getting off a flight on Sunday. On Monday, he pleaded not guilty to the charges in the ACT Magistrates Court. He told police he works as a mechanic. Mr Coles application for bail was opposed by prosecutors but his lawyer, Michael Kukulies-Smith, argued for Mr Coles release while he answered the charges. He was granted bail by Special Magistrate Margaret Hunter. Mr Cole is charged with drug trafficking, money laundering and possession of a prohibited weapon. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is due back in court in January. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/a2d18923-8464-4b5a-8163-1b5e92d4b34f/r3_0_998_562_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news "We can't leave a Mr Fluffy house standing in Canberra." In the four years since then chief minister Katy Gallagher made that statement, the ACT government's position on the asbestos crisis that rocked the residents of 1023 ACT homes has not changed. But what happens to the homeowners who won't participate in the government's voluntary buyback and demolition scheme or arrange a private demolition before 2020, when the government wants the final Mr Fluffy homes razed? Nobody knows. Not the homeowners. Not even the government. "You've got this thing hanging over you, but you can't see it, you can't touch it, you can't do anything with it," Mr Fluffy homeowner Lorraine Carvalho said. "But it stops you going forward." A stand-off is brewing between the ACT government and homeowners like Mrs Carvalho, who still lives in her Mr Fluffy home in Lyons and wants to know how the government will respond if she refuses to leave. There are 77 properties still on the Asbestos Response Taskforce's affected residential premises register as the buyback and demolition scheme's expected end date of mid-2020 draws closer. Of those 77 properties, the ACT government requires 48 to have an asbestos management plan. The government says 21 are considered non-compliant and a further four are partially compliant, with no change to those figures since last month despite WorkSafe ACT commissioner Greg Jones writing to non- or partially compliant homeowners for the fourth time on September 26 to remind them of their legal obligations. Mrs Carvalho said she didn't need a management plan because three separate inspections have cleared living areas in her home of asbestos, which had been only found beneath the original section of the house. She refused to participate in the buyback and demolition scheme after being offered $985,000 for her property in 2014, believing it was undervalued and was actually worth more than $1 million at the time. With a smaller block nearby having recently sold for $1.35 million, Mrs Carvalho said the government had better make her a better offer or come with a court order if they wanted her and husband Leo to move out. "They won't get me out of here unless it's an involuntary acquisition, or if we come to terms before 2020, but it'll have to be a lot better than what they've offered," she said. Ministerial responsibility for the ACT government's Asbestos Response Taskforce sat, until August, with Mick Gentleman. Despite the looming end of the buyback and demolition scheme, Mr Gentleman told an ACT government select committee on June 29 that the issue of Mr Fluffy homeowners refusing to leave their homes in 2020 was "a hypothetical question". Opposition leader Alistair Coe refused to accept that response, insisting it was a real scenario and one the government had had years to consider. "At this stage, there has been no decision on that," Mr Gentleman replied after being asked what the government would do if a homeowner said, "No, I'm not budging." Rachel Stephen-Smith became the minister responsible for the taskforce after a reshuffle in August, but the situation has not changed, with no clear exit strategy in place to dictate how the ACT government will deal with owners who refuse to move out. "The ACT governments position remains that properties affected by loose-fill asbestos insulation should be vacated as soon as possible, and that the only way to remove the physical, financial and social risks is through demolition," a government spokesman said this week. "The [Asbestos Response] Taskforce continues to work with homeowners and individuals affected by loose-fill asbestos insulation and will work to determine the best course of action between now and 2020." In the meantime, those who remain in their Mr Fluffy homes are left in the dark about their futures. That situation is all too familiar according to Felicity Prideaux, a former Mr Fluffy homeowner who acts as a spokeswoman for the Mr Fluffy Homes Full Disclosure group. The former public servant and Mrs Carvalho were unaware of the change in ministerial responsibility for the taskforce until told by the Sunday Canberra Times, despite the ACT government's insistence that it maintained regular contact with affected homeowners. Asked how often she and other Mr Fluffy homeowners found out about major developments in the Mr Fluffy crisis through the media or the rumour mill, Mrs Prideaux replied: "Every time." "As far as [the government] is concerned, the less they can tell the Mr Fluffy people, the better," she said. "There is a complete lack of communication, except for threatening letters, between the government and the Mr Fluffy community. It's horrendous. "The stress on [the homeowners] is enormous." Mrs Prideaux's reference to threatening letters relates to WorkSafe ACT's correspondence with homeowners who don't have an asbestos management plan in place despite the government requiring them to have one. In the fourth round of letters, sent on September 26, WorkSafe ACT commissioner Greg Jones repeated the government's warning that regulatory action could be taken against owners who failed to comply. The letters were sent after The Canberra Times revealed last month that more than half the ACT homes required to have asbestos management plans were non-compliant or partially compliant, and that WorkSafe ACT was open to taking regulatory action on a case-by-case basis. Mrs Carvalho, who refuses to pay what she calls "dead money" for a two-yearly asbestos management plan, which can cost more than $1000, said the latest letter was almost identical to the three others she had received from the work safety commissioner since May 2017. The only real differences, Mrs Carvalho said, were that her name had been spelt incorrectly this time and that the latest letter included a new list of phone numbers for people who required an interpreter. "It's virtually the same thing I've had before and my position hasn't changed; I'm not getting one," Mrs Carvalho said. "We didn't cause the problem and neither did the other 1000-odd [Mr Fluffy] homeowners, so we shouldn't have to keep paying for it." Mrs Carvalho said given living areas in her Lyons home had been cleared of contamination and because she was getting no value from the buyback and demolition scheme, it would not be unreasonable for the government to cover the costs of the assessment. Mrs Prideaux agreed, saying the ACT government should put money towards more than just the buyback and demolition scheme. After participating in an Australian National University study that found a link between living in a house with loose-fill asbestos and developing mesothelioma, Mrs Prideaux fears she and her husband could one day be struck down by a disease contracted in their former Mr Fluffy home in Hackett. "What about providing some health testing for people [who lived in Mr Fluffy homes]?" Mrs Prideaux said. "The government hasn't even offered to help with that. "If they're really, really worried about helping people, why don't they start with health testing?" An ACT government spokesman said the Asbestos Response Taskforce would continue to work with Mr Fluffy homeowners in the lead-up to 2020. He said seven homeowners had brought forward their surrender dates in 2018, with one self-funded private demolition also taking place this year and a further four being considered or already underway. "The taskforce expects movement in surrender dates and private demolitions to occur over the next year, further decreasing the number of remaining affected properties," the government spokesman said. "It would therefore be premature to provide advice now when the final number and circumstances of those remaining is not known." Far from being unclear about her circumstances, Mrs Carvalho knows exactly where she wants to be in 2020. "We're going to paint the house, probably this spring," she said. "I want to live out my days here." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/6b56552e-c8eb-48d0-9dea-168f62dd98f9/r0_207_4116_2533_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] news, latest-news Only about half the present population were around paying any sort of attention to politics when Graham Richardson was a great power in the Labor Party, in the Hawke and Keating governments and in the land. He had power and menace, and openly relished a reputation for ruthlessness, faithlessness and a complete lack of sentimentality in pushing what he would claim to be in the interests of party re-election. Anything policy, platform or principles or anyone as long as it was not him in the way of what he thought best for the party was excess baggage had to be disposed of, without delay or excessive emotion. Richardson was the quintessential NSW Labor Right machine man, as focused on waging war against the party Left as against the Liberal or National Parties. He was a very shrewd judgment of personality, if with more focus on human weakness than intrinsic nobility. He was naturally treacherous, of the but what have you done for me lately? school, but, like all Labor traditionalists (and John Howard) fervently of the view that ratting could never be forgiven, because a person who has ratted once cannot be relied upon never to do it again. Most of the most scurrilous stories about him, even many that reflected poorly on his character, originated from him, if only because they underlined the fact that he was a man to be feared, and not to be crossed. He could, and would, interfere in preselections and ministerial appointments. From being general secretary of NSW Labor, he went, as most of his successors have, smoothly into parliament the senate so as to avoid the inconvenience of ratification by the electorate. He virtually invented the modern career path for many old machine men (people like him are always men) of leaving politics to work as a lobbyist and adviser to enemies of the Labor Party, particularly media moguls, and for gambling, liquor and property development interests. Far from accepting that they are prostituting their inside knowledge of the party, their access and their contacts, many indignantly believe that they have a right to make a quid after years of serving the party for peanuts. Except that it has rarely been for peanuts. He labelled his memoirs Whatever it takes with no pretence of contrition about some of the things he had done, without blinking, without remorse, and, as often as not, without pretence about throwing his own personal interests, or personal feuds and grudges, into his calculations. If he was a man for sacrifices, it was by other people. But sometimes, he claimed a certain nobility of purpose. In the early 1980s, for example, he judged that Labor had a better chance of winning the 1983 election than the then-leader of the Opposition, Bill Hayden. Having failed, first, to persuade Hayden to go, and having helped engineer a challenge by Hawke that failed, he set out to wound and undermine Hayden, in the public as well as the party eye, until Hayden was not only politically dead, but paranoid about leaking, uncertain where the next betrayal would come from. Richardson called it playing with Haydens head, wanting him to lose confidence and popularity and party support, to the point where he could be toppled by his colleagues. It worked, if, as it turned out, only just in time. And less than a decade later, Richardson was doing much the same thing to Hawke, trying to force him out so that Paul Keating could take over. Except that his fervour for Keating seemed somewhat strained, and it appeared to many that his treachery, disloyalty, leaking, and calculated bastardry owed more to personal payback after Hawke had failed to put him in the portfolio he had wanted. The portfolio, communications, focused mainly on the reward and punishment of media moguls, in pursuit of the perpetual political illusion that the support of these moguls is obtained for favours done, as opposed to favours not yet delivered. Richardson is now a regular columnist with The Australian as well as a commentator on Sky polemical shows, trading more in his shrewd political judgment and capacity to recognise political pitfalls and turning points, rather than inside knowledge. He rarely does Labor any favours, but never consciously does one for the Liberals. A good deal of what he says, about either party is common sense, even if tribal Liberals would be wise to realise that much of his advice to them is not intended for their benefit. Some observers have confused what Scott Morrison has been doing this week, in abrupt policy reversals and running announcements of policy, as some sort of bow to the Richardson whatever it takes tradition. Nothing could be further from the truth. Richardson knew what he was doing. Morrison gives little sign of being in charge of events, and much of what he has been doing has seemed mere panicked and ill-judged reactions to events, or poor generalship as he has moved into battle. Whether Morrison wins or loses Wentworth, he has done serious damage to himself, his party, the Coalition, and probably the national interest by what has been done in his efforts to get Dave Sharma over the line. Australian voters have become used enough, in recent decades, to politicians who govern by opinion poll, or to appease powerful interests, or put out, or distract from, embarrassing fires. They have also seen politicians who think that the public purse is a private chequebook able to be used to secure political favours or to buy support. This sits with perceptions that too many politicians are lining their own pockets with entitlements, and over the perception that there are privileged classes of insiders particularly in big business - with the ear of, and inside access to, ministers beyond anything possible for ordinary voters. It is small wonder that ordinary public cynicism about politicians has moved to hatred and contempt, and, in some quarters at least, a loss of faith in the power of existing institutions to deal with the problems of today. Reversals of policy engineered by Richardson were often messy, and quite often angered and infuriated people, in and out of the party, who were attached to sound policy, consistency, and the objects, or people, intended to be served. But, abrupt as the changes might be (sometimes to the consternation of the person in charge) they rarely seemed to come into being out of sheer immediate panic, let alone give the appearance of having been dictated, at gun point, by some powerful lobby to government. And, important as it was to win by-elections, the general flow of ordinary government and the longer term image and message of the party was rarely compromised in a frantic search to find goodies for a particular set of voters, to put out some instant fire, or to create some fake crisis or emergency. Hawke, like Howard after him, was quite capable of making complete U-turns, and sometimes admitted ruefully that he had misinterpreted or underestimated public opinion. But both were reasonably capable of giving the appearance of smooth progress across the water, even as they were paddling desperately underneath. Scott Morrison has made an array of announcements over recent weeks. Some have been focused on marketing himself as a sensible, perhaps boring character who is rarely fazed and who is determined to get on with the normal processes of government. He has tended to blandly deny problems, or to insist that he is not being distracted by continuing tensions within the governing parties, or by a day-to-day parade of embarrassing blunders or excesses in parliament, restaurants and on the hustings. Continuing signs of apprehension within the party about election prospects are making it harder and harder to appear professional, to sell a message of calm and steady management, to pretend unity, or to persuade voters that the opposition is both evil incarnate and a clear and present danger to personal savings, secure borders or balanced budgets. All the more so when announcements seem to come from nowhere, with little evidence of lead-up, intensive discussion and Cabinet debate and keen eye for the national interest. The decision to announce that the government would consider moving our embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, following the example of President Trumps United States, is perhaps the best example of government on the run, but it is far from the only one. Whether it is a good idea or not (and it was not) it was a decision that called for careful consideration, and extensive and calm investigation of the potential consequences. The idea that there was some pressure to make an announcement because of an impending vote in the UN was ludicrous. The claim that the announcement was not motivated entirely by panic at apparently poor polling for the Liberal candidate in Wentworth was far from convincing, and few, apart from the Prime Minister, even tried to convince. It was true that there was Cabinet discussion of the question, in Turnbulls Time (before a firm decision not to follow Trumps initiative), but the argument that there was a lengthy, and well-informed recent Cabinet discussion, that canvassed all of the considerations, before the announcement was false. All of the evidence suggests that this was primarily a captains call on short notice, in a last-minute effort to attract Jewish votes in Wentworth. And the evidence confirms that Morrison, like Turnbull and Abbott before him, makes rotten captains calls, particularly on the run. And, like Abbott and Turnbull before him, the primary problem is a lack of instinct for public opinion, and, probably, a failure to recognise that the opinions of the shock jocks to whom he is in thrall are hardly representative of wider public opinion. And, for a good many in the audience, chairmans efforts to declare the debate over, and demands that we move on, are not enough. The same sort of panic and confusion was evident in the shuffling about on the issue of gay children in private schools, and a few days later, in what happened as government senators were completely wrong-footed over Pauline Hansons Its OK to be white provocation. Just as damning were the efforts made to explain what was called an administrative error. Morrison can hardly be unaware that most of his problems come from within, perhaps from people playing with his head. The leak of selections from the Ruddock report on religious freedom was sabotage from within, at a time calculated to cause damage to him and to force his hand at the most inconvenient time during the byelection. The several damaging days afterwards were, of course, own goals. The havering and indecisiveness about homosexual students and teachers before he responded, not to his instincts but to public opinion, could only have underlined questions about whether he is up to the job. But many of the other problems, whether about immigration, our maltreatment of refugees, whiteness and white rights, and even about school funding owe more to the culture wars going on inside his party than to a general debate going on outside it. He seems no more in charge of his party than of the general ship of state. That he is faced with the acute embarrassment of efforts by Queensland Nationals to roll the deputy prime minister perhaps, though this seems impossible to imagine, even from the Nationals, for a restoration of Barnaby Joyce - is hardly helping either. If events are being manipulated by some Machiavellian character of the Graham Richardson type, it is hard to imagine the agenda. A loss of Wentworth loses the government its technical majority, but will probably have little effect on the capacity of the Coalition to limp to a general election at a time of its choosing. But it could hardly fail to have a massive impact in party and Coalition morale akin, perhaps to that in Bass in 1975 or Canberra in 1995. But there will be many critics, including in business and commerce, who will be unimpressed even if the seat is retained, given the damage the government has done to its reputation over the past few months. Morrison is failing to make any headway, and it is becoming clearer that he doesnt have whatever it takes. Its too late to change leaders again, but the boat is burning, and efforts will now be on saving the passengers, crew and deck cargo as possible. In the meantime national interests can go to hell. Jack Waterford is a former editor of The Canberra Times jwaterfordcanberra@gmail.com.au /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/d367723d-6ed3-4316-af62-17bf87303c19/r0_227_3582_2251_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, act-politics Forcing developers to pay bonds on apartment blocks they build could improve construction quality in Canberra, the ACT's peak strata body says. Canberra is in the middle of its biggest apartment boom since records began, with the number of tower cranes around the city at a two-year high and forecast to keep rising. More than 3000 apartments in blocks higher than four storeys were approved in Canberra between January and August, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show. That equates to more than 60 per cent of residential building approvals in that period. High-rise residential building approvals in the city were worth about $870 million, around 58 per cent of the $1.5 billion worth of residential building work approved from January to August. But Strata Community Association ACT president Robert Craven says concerns about building quality were having a chilling effect on consumer confidence. A legal firm recently told an ACT Legislative Inquiry it had advised 80 property owner corporations in relation to building defects since 2010, although apartment owners in buildings above three storeys had "no recourse against their builders whatsoever" to fix defects. Mr Craven said the ACT's privatised building certification industry had "opened up another avenue for any number of things to go wrong". He said systemic problems in Canberra's building industry had worsened since building certification was wholly privatised. "It's another element the government has to regulate without directly controlling. The proof is in the pudding. Buildings throughout the territory are being certified that shouldn't be," Mr Craven said. He said he had seen a building in Canberra's north where certification was given to an emergency lighting installation that was in clear breach of the Australian standard at the time. "The standard hadn't changed in the five years before the installation was done. Whether through malfeasance or incompetence, it was incorrectly certified," Mr Craven said. He said complaints made to the registrar were not always "as effectively dealt with as they could be", as its powers were not as far reaching as many people believed. Builders could also "duck and weave" rectification claims via phoenixing, Mr Craven said, leaving owners with spiralling strata fees or out-of-pocket costs in the tens of thousands of dollars. "When people think buying an apartment means they need to be ready for trouble, that drags down several industries. It has a pretty wide-ranging effect," he said. Mr Craven said while it wasn't feasible to bring certification back under the remit of government, introducing a strata buildings bond scheme could help restore consumer confidence. Since January, NSW developers have been forced to lodge a 2 per cent building bond before applying for an occupation certificate, if their development is four storeys or higher. Buildings must also be checked for defects by an independent inspector as part of the scheme. The bond must be held for at least two years, to allow time for defects to emerge, and developers can be fined up to $1.1 million for failing to lodge a building bond. Mr Craven said the ACT should bring in a similar scheme. "It doesn't provide a silver bullet to the problem, but it does help to hold builders accountable for the work they do," he said. "That model is a good starting point, but it could do with some more refinement." He said the building registrar's powers should also be beefed up and the agency should be better resourced. Building certification privatisation began in the mid 1990s. Since then, all jurisdictions except Western Australia have some percentage of privatised certification. A 2010 ACT Planning and Land Authority submission to a Legislative Assembly inquiry said the widespread failure of the private certification system had not been demonstrated at that stage; but the government acknowledged concerns about building quality. ACT Building Quality Minister Gordon Ramsay last month flagged changes that would mean developers have to submit a minimum number of documents to get a building approved. He also said Access Canberra had created a rapid regulatory response team in the building inspectorate to assess building complaints quickly, ideally on the same day. "These are just two of our immediate reforms. The Improving the ACT Building Regulatory System review identified 43 reforms, which we accepted and are rolling out in a coordinated and systemic way," Mr Ramsay told the Assembly. However, reforms that could make it easier to force directors of insolvent or phoenixed building companies to rectify defects have been postponed, pending the outcome of the federal government's review of security of payments. That review was finalised last December. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/0aefe224-6078-4f71-b42a-6f9cd8596a0f/r0_298_5568_3444_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg A man prosecuted last year in connection with the death of a Japanese woman in Vancouver was found guilty of murder on Friday, a Canadian court said. William Schneider, 50, had admitted to stuffing the body of Natsumi Kogawa, then a 30-year-old student at a language school, into a suitcase in 2016 but denied the charges of murdering her, according to local media. Kogawa, a native of Aomori Prefecture, went missing sometime after she was seen walking with Schneider on a surveillance video in downtown Vancouver on Sept 8, 2016. Black Friday deals and gift ideas. Who's on your list? We've gathered gift ideas to help you buy smart and find the sweetest deals and best bargains. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Fifty-nine percent of millennials who grow up in the US church drop out. We've pressed on with thoughtful outreach programs, and we have been fueled with evangelistic zeal. But when it comes to interacting and engaging with millennials, time and time again the church has been criticized for coming up short. The harshest critics call us 'irrelevant' and the sympathetic commentators call our endeavors empty. As we turn our pockets inside out, and examine our best efforts it appears as if we have little to offer hungry, searching millennials. One thing is overwhelmingly clear: millennials are deeply spiritual and live with ease in the non-material aspects of life. But the church is clearly failing to translate this soul searching into church going. What will it take to compel a generation? As a non-American I often ask the question why does it matter that there is this decline in the US? After all, faith is growing rapidly amongst Christian young people in the developing world and there is also no significant drop off in this age group in other major religions. It does matter. And it matters to the world at large. For over 40 years that I've spent working as a banker and as a church leader I have had the privilege of engaging with American commerce and with churches and young leaders across the country. I have had extensive exposure to the financial and religious sectors in the country. The USA has been both a source of great energy, global capital and a rich well of theological dialogue made generously available to the world at large. To find millennials disengaged and to fail to reach a generation with the good news of the gospel is not only bad news for America, it is bad news to the world. It is vital that this generation of Americans does not lose its confidence in the Christian message. Although Christianity still claims the highest market share of American millennials, this generation identifies as religiously unaffiliated at higher rates than any other generation. The US religious tide of this generation is shifting and changing. I believe its destructive force can and needs to be turned urgently. In establishing an approach, we must recognize that Jesus was unapologetic about the "Strange Kingdom" he had come to establish. Jesus didn't try to dilute or water-down his message to attract others. Today we suffer from two extremes. On the one hand in an effort to win millennials an anaemic presentation of the gospel is advanced. On the other we have the pre-packaged certainties which are advanced with deep conviction and little reason. Neither of these approaches are honed for a thoughtful generation. We have to reassert out firm belief that we can disagree well. That the gospel is counter-cultural and the kingdom of God even more so. Fake news is not a new concept. Jesus' mock trial was littered with fake news making it easier to push Jesus to the side of society. Pilate thought it easier and better for him to wash his hands of Jesus, he sent Jesus away; we shouldn't be surprised when people do the same thing today. Secondly, we need to apologize for trying to attract millennials to this Strange Kingdom by assuming there is a 'millennial profile.' No outsider can suggest: "This is what Millennials are thinking" or that "Millennials want this" as if we're trying to dissect some foreign entity. I believe there is a stronger, more compelling way to think about reaching this generation than focusing on generational stereotypes. The 'millennial void' that plagues many churches can be recognized and resolved when we move away from trying to 'target' them as a potential audience, but instead, we listen to them as their ideas and thoughts serve as answers to the demands of this age. In addition we need to develop a theology that allows for disagreement and to learn to disagree well while maintaining the overriding command to love our neighbors as ourselves. Taking this into consideration, three things come clearly to me as I reflect on what this means for us today. In particular, what we need to recognize about millennials and what this Strange Kingdom holds for them: A core story to live for: This generation has lots to live with and little to live for, and yet it is hungrier and more informed than ever. Steve Job's famous Stanford University Commencement address encouraged graduates to "stay hungry, and stay foolish." Not to settle or to become complacent. To keep pushing forward with purpose. Purpose is what the next generation longs for, but has to deal with more distractions, options and choices than ever before. We can offer them a purpose that is rooted and grounded in love, a purpose that is generated not from outside but from within. Churches and their leaders can co-write a core story for the generation based on the resurrection power of Jesus which spurs us on to live for a cause that will outlast us, yet include us in its advancement. A community to live with: Being challenged to expose our truest self can at times cause us to isolate ourselves and drive us into hiding. This generation is more connected than any other generation. To this there is the global scourge of prevailing and pervasive loneliness. The Strange Kingdom that Jesus inaugurates distributes courage through authentic community. Moreover, this generation has voiced their disillusionment at distortions from institutional leaders and those in power. We must draw upon the fact, this Strange Kingdom we're inviting people into is an irresistible community where Jesus develops resilience through fellowship, and dissects our doubts through conversation with one another. Seeking and sharing stories of transformation, exchanging different ideas, grappling with the key themes and concepts of our times. For us to invite a generation, we must foster an irresistible community of dialogue, discussion and transparency. A counter-culture to live out: I believe that fueled and energized by the resources made available to us by the power of the Holy Spirit we can live counter culturally, with humility and a sense of profound hope. Daring to be different, pursuing both reconciliation and unity with those that are different to ourselves. Above all this generation is passionate about justice which Martin Luther King reminded us is the arc to which human history bows. And so together - across the generations and denominations - we become co-workers in pursuing peace. Engaging in the hostility that can be created in our work-spaces and becoming true peacemakers. This alone will allow us to get our bearings and design a world which reflects and represents this strange kingdom. To reach millennials, we need to mentor and model a lifestyle which brings to life the vision of a better world redeemed, restored and replenished. This is the world that the generation longs to be captured by and to see established. This is also the future hope for the church of tomorrow. NOTE: This story originally published in 2015: Over the last 150 years the San Antonio Express-News has covered many gruesome and ugly crimes. Few though were as horrid as those associated with the infamous Texas serial killers in the slideshow above. Tommy Lynn Sells was the most recent of Texas' notorious serial killers to meet his fate through the prick of a Texas Department of Criminal Justice hypodermic needle. He was put to death a little more than a year ago for the murder of 13-year-old Kaylene "Katy" Harris. While imprisoned, Sells confessed to many more murders. Officially, he was suspected in about seven others at the time of his execution. Other serial killers in recent Texas history have also been put to death by the state. Some died while serving their time and others remain serving out life sentences. One, however, is scheduled to be released in 2018. Information gathered from www.biography.com , Wikipedia, murderpedia.org and San Antonio Express-News story archives. Bollywood Dance Night Bollywood Dance Night will come to Central Green Park on Oct. 21. Learn about the various forms of Indian dancing as you watch students from Bollywood Dancing Stars perform classical, folk and Bollywood dancing. The free event will be from 5-6:30 p.m. The park is located at 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd. Pumpkin Patch First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 22101 Morton Ranch Road, will host Fall in the Patch every day in October from noon to dusk. Visit www.fcckaty.com/pumpkin-patch/ or call 281-492-2693 for information. Pumpkin Patch The Student Ministries again is sponsoring a Pumpkin Patch on the front lawn of St. Peters United Methodist Church, 20775 Kingsland Blvd., through Oct. 31. The patch will be open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Sunday. Email info@stpkaty.org or call 281-492-8031 for information. Oct. 22 Quickbooks for business Fort Bend County Libraries Cinco Ranch Branch Library, 2620 Commercial Center Blvd., Katy, will present a free, special program for business managers, QuickBooks Made Profitable, on Monday, Oct. 22, from 6-8 p.m. Charlene Quah, CPA and QB ProAdvisor, will provide an overview of QuickBooks, an accounting software program that helps one accept and manage payments, perform payroll functions, and much more. forecasts and projections. Call 281-395-1311 or 281-633-4734 for information. Katy Sings Central Green Park, 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., will present Katy Sings on Oct. 22. The free concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will feature varsity mixed choirs from all eight high schools in the Katy Independent School District. The schedule is Taylor High at 6:30 p.m., Katy High at 6:45 p.m., Morton Ranch High at 7 p.m.; Paetow High at 7:15 p.m.; Tompkins High at 7:30 p.m., Seven Lakes High at 7:45 p.m., Mayde Creek High at 8 p.m. and Cinco Ranch at 8:15 p.m. Oct. 23 Book signing Books-A-Million Katy, 5000 Katy Mills Circle, Ste, 221, will feature Myquillyn Smith signing her new book Cozy Minimalist Home on Oct. 23, from 7-8 p.m. Visit https://www.face book.com/events/2862 02981987742/ for details. Author signing Grace Graven will sign copies of the first book in her new fantasy series Phoenix Unbound from 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, at Katy Budget Books, 2450 Fry Road, Katy. Visit https://www.katybooks. com/ for details. Pages by the Pint Pages by the Pint book club will meet Oct. 23 at No Label Brewery, 5351 1st St., Katy, to discuss And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. Pick up a copy of the book at the front desk of the Katy Branch Library, 5414 Franz Road. The club will meet at 8 p.m. Call the library for information at 281-391-3509. Oct. 24 Trunk-Or-Treat St. Peters United Methodist Church will host its annual Trunk-Or-Treat from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 24 at its campus at 20775 Kingsland Blvd. The evening will feature trunks, candy, games, food trucks, popcorn sno cones, dunk booths, a rock wall and more. Dress up in a favorite Halloween costume; no scary, clown or political costumes. The event is free but remember to bring money for the food trucks. Organizers will be collecting small items or toys for boys and girls ages 2-16 for Operation Christmas Child. Email wpeper@stpkaty.org for information. Oct. 25 Partners in Progress Forum The West Harris County Regional Water Authority board of directors will host a Partners in Progress Forum Thursday, Oct. 25, from 6-8 p.m. at the Fry Road MUD Administration Building, 20111 Saums Road in Katy. The event will include a presentation of a new documentary video addressing the authoritys progress in securing a long-term water supply. The evening will include a question-and-answer period. Visitors can visit with board members before and after the presentation. Refreshments will be available. A Night to Remember Katy Christian Ministries is presenting its annual A Night To Remember the Lives of Those Lost To Domestic Violence on Oct. 25, from 6-8:30 p.m. The free community event that includes dinner will be at Westland Baptist Church, 1407 West Grand Parkway S. Katy. Email susan.hastings@ktcm.org or visit www.ktcm.org/silentwitness for required reservations. Keynote speaker will be Carvana Cloud, Division Chief, Family Criminal Law Division, Harris County District Attorneys Office. Oct. 26 FallFest Crosspoint Community Church will present its 2018 FallFest from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, at 700 Westgreen Blvd. The free family event will include games, inflatables, trunk or treat, storytime and candy. Go to https://lifeatcrosspoint.elvanto.net/form/9853b02b-1ef0-4f7e-aaf4-9b02b4ec6853 to participate in trunk or treat. Three of the five men snagged in an illegal gaming room bust last week were released Saturday after a judge determined there wasn't probable cause to hold them due to a paperwork technicality. Thy Nguyen, James Wang, and Andy Vo and Vu The Vo were all charged Thursday with felony money laundering after a two-year-long investigation targeting Chinatown gambling parlors. A fifth man - Houston police officer Thomas Lam - was hit with a pair of misdemeanor gaming room violation charges. The Harris County District Attorney's Office announced the arrests Friday morning, but a day later a local magistrate decided there wasn't enough cause to keep Nguyen, Wang or Andy Vo in jail and instead ordered their release because a date listed on court papers didn't match the date range of the alleged crimes. Prosecutors chalked it up to a paperwork error. "We remain confident there is sufficient evidence that these three defendants should be charged with a crime, as have more than three dozen others in this operation," district attorney spokesman Dane Schiller said Sunday. "The magistrate's decision is rooted in a paperwork technicality that should be resolved Monday when prosecutors present evidence to a grand jury that will vote on whether to issue an indictment." READ MORE: HPD officer among 5 arrested in crackdown of Chinatown gambling sites The court filings only listed a single date in 2018, but the crimes the three men were charged with dated back to 2013 - so the magistrate questioned whether prosecutors had sufficiently tied the men to the full scope of the crimes they're charged with over the entire time frame. All five men were arrested Thursday a gambling parlor operating out of Cafe Than Quynh at 10804 Bellaire Boulevard, officials said at a press conference. Lam - who officials say acted as the gaming room bouncer - was already released on $1,000 bail for both charges, while Vu The Vo is still jailed on $50,000 bail. The sting raked in about $21,000 in cash seizures from a gambling operation officials said was run out of hidden rooms housing gambling machines. Kai Bang gang members were among the underground parlor's regulars, officials said, though there's no evidence any of the five men arrested had gang connections. An 11-year veteran of the police force, Lam acted as the gaming room bouncer, prosecutors alleged. The others arrested included the alleged owner of the facility, a manager and other game-room workers. "The officer decided who could get through the door to gamble," District Attorney Kim Ogg said Friday. "He is a prolific gambler and he gambled away his career." He does not appear to have an attorney yet, but is due back in court Friday, according to court records. Including the five latest charges, the overall operation has now netted 41 arrests, including two other police officers. Authorities have seized $2.4 million in cash throughout the multi-year undertaking. A Webster man arrested by Friendswood police escaped on the way to the county jail early Sunday, fleeing into the bayou and eluding capture even while handcuffed. Khaled Abdelrahman Azzeh was taken into custody a day earlier, when he ran from police and was charged with evading arrest. He's also the suspect in a number of burglaries, authorities said, and was still at large by mid-day Sunday. A resident in the 3500 block of Arezzo Circle initially called police about a suspicious person opening vehicle doors and peering into windows, according to Friendswood police. PAPERWORK TECHNICALITY: 3 suspects from gaming room bust released When officers showed up to investigate, Azzeh - who was already out on $15,000 bond for felony vehicle theft - allegedly tried to run away. But police took him into custody and booked him into the Friendswood City Jail. Then Sunday around 3:15 a.m., an officer drove him to the county jail. As she took him to the inmate processing area, he allegedly pushed her down and ran away into Buffalo Bayou, still wearing handcuffs and a black-and-white jail shirt. A Harris County jailer chased after him on foot, and the Houston Police Department showed up with canines to help with the hunt, scouring the brush near the water. "It's a handcuffed male wearing a black and white shirt and red shorts," Houston police Lt. Larry Crowson told reporters at the scene. "If anybody sees that male in the downtown area, please give us a call." Azzeh is described as a 6-foot-tall white man, about 200 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He has a tattoo of a star with a skull on his shoulder, a tattoo of a panther on one arm and a tattoo of a clown with a gun on his back. He's also suspected in a series of burglaries in the Terra Bella and Autumn Creek neighborhoods, according to police, and now escape charges are pending as well. As Addison Hemphill started her first semester at the University of Houston, something didnt feel right. Her classes were boring, and the campus didnt feel like home. The jets taking off overhead from nearby Hobby Airport as the Anahuac native hurried to class each day offered a glimpse of another life. Less than three years later, Hemphill walked along the tarmac at Ellington Airport for this weekends Wings Over Houston aircraft showcase a place that feels much more like home. Thats where the 20-year-old pilot comes for flying lessons two to three times a week in pursuit of a career flying planes for Southwest Airlines. As soon as we take off and were in the air, Im happy, Hemphill said. Now a senior studying aeronautics and aviation safety at Embry-Riddle Universitys Houston campus, Hemphill is also one of three recipients of the Wings Over Houston scholarship, an award worth $5,000. Her selection is noteworthy because just 7 percent of pilots flying in the United States are women, according to Women in Aviation International. That stark statistic was on display during Wings Over Houston, an annual event planned by nonprofits centered on the preservation of World War II-era aircraft. Each year, a big-name flying demonstration squad, like this years Navy Blue Angels, will headline an afternoon of aerobatics up above grounded aircraft. Of the half-dozen pilots and teams performing in Houstons skies on Saturday, just one woman world-champion aerobatics performer and flight instructor Debby Rinh-Harvey was slated to take off. Low-hanging clouds led to several cancellations on Saturday, however, and Rinh-Harvey didnt perform. Although Hemphill doesnt know any other female pilots at Embry-Riddle, a school well-known for its aviation programs, she is unfazed by the challenges she may face as a pilot. It does worry me that I might experience (harassment) one day, but Ill just quickly shut it down, Hemphill said. Im not going to go into an industry and let people bully me because Im the only woman. Todays steep price tag for aviation training serves as a roadblock for would-be pilots who opt not to enlist in the military. Before moving on to earning an airline transport pilot license the certification that allows pilots to fly commercial planes Hemphill needs to log 1,500 hours flying smaller planes, like the Grumman Cheetah she uses for training. At this point in her flight education, Hemphill pays at least $180 an hour to fly out of Ellington Airport, with costs split between the plane rental and instructor fees. At the same time, shes paying tuition year-round for Embry-Riddle, a private school. Warren Benson, the chief instructor for the Flying Tigers, Hemphills flight school, thinks family obligations continue to steer women away from flight school. The former Southwest Airlines captain retired early to be able to spend more time with his wife and children. I didnt think about it until I started flying, and I didnt have much time with my family, said Benson, 64, of Seabrook. Maybe women think about that ahead of time. The benefits of enlisting in the Navy or Air Force, despite the militarys own history of sexism, was attractive to many young women who attended Wings Over Houston. Junior ROTC-Air Force cadet Genesis Carreon, 17, graduates from Klein Forest High School soon, but will most likely enlist in the Air Force before donning the cap and gown. Carreon and her mother were volunteering with JROTC at Wings Over Houston on Saturday. Shes not sure yet if she wants to fly, but her older cousins experiences in the Air Force have convinced Carreon that its the right branch for her. When she enlists, Carreon will be the fifth cousin in her family to serve in the U.S. military. For females, its a whole lot easier if you go into the Air Force or the Navy, said Reyna Carreon, 47, Genesis mother. In the Army, its a little more (misogynistic). The whole atmosphere is different. Despite that branchs reputation within the Carreon family as more welcoming to women, Reynas niece experienced such extreme sexism on an Air Force base in Montana that it brought tears to Reynas eyes when she heard about the abuse. That will get me ready for the real world, Genesis Carreon said. Because I know thats how people are going to be sometimes, and thats just going to open my eyes and show me that its OK to be strong. Two other 17-year-old seniors, best friends Angel Caballero and Tabbata Robles of Cypress Lakes High School, decided to enlist in the Navy. Robles had already enlisted prior to Saturday, but she brought Caballero who was torn between the Air Force and Navy to Wings Over Houston to speak to military recruiters, who took up much tarmac space. After a few hours, a virtual reality experience and a conversation with a Blue Angels member, Caballero decided to stick with her friend. Shes interested in flying, but poor eyesight disqualifies her for now. If the U.S. Naval Academy will have her, however, Robles does hope to train as a pilot. We get a lot of discouragement, Robles said. If you have such-and-such woman doing this, then any other woman should be able to do it, too. twitter.com/emilyrburleson emilyrburleson@gmail.com The sounds of drums and Indian dance music echoed Saturday night through Skeeter Stadium in Sugar Land, a place usually filled with fans cheering to the crack of baseball bats. Yellow banners reading Jai Shri Ram, or Victory to Lord Rama, hung from the walkways ceiling. Dozens of red-tented vendor booths strung together with twinkle lights showcased saris, linens, candles and jewelry. Gold bangles glittered under the fluorescent lights. This year marks the seventh annual Diwali and Dussehra festival by Shri Sita Ram Foundation, a nonprofit that provides funding to programs that promote Vedic culture. The holiday, which falls around Nov. 7, is also called the Hindu Festival of Lights and recognizes the victory of good over evil. Its an event to display our culture, Indian heritage, said Kris Marepelli, event commander. Marepelli said she expected a crowd of 10,000 people to come to this years festival, which featured Gov. Greg Abbot as chief guest and U.S. Rep. Pete Olson as parade marshal. The Indian community is one of Houstons fastest-growing populations, jumping 83 percent from 2000 to 2012, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Children acted in plays of Indian epics on a stage in the middle of Constellation Field, and families took photos with people dressed as gods and goddesses from Indian scriptures. A parade and fireworks closed out the celebration. Nila Patel, owner of OmniHeena in Sugar Land, was selling henna tattoos, drawing flowers and swirl designs on hands at her booth. Patel, 30, learned how to tattoo with henna when she was young and has had at booth at this event for the past three years. Its really fun. People really like this henna, she said. They really like the color because it stays up to seven days. Saif Adil, 34, said he came to the festival with his wife and 5-year-old, Kabil, to connect with the Indian community. While Kabil was jumping in a bounce house, Adil noted that the little boy hasnt spent much time in India. Hes more Texan than I will ever be, Adil said. Its for him to see and watch and learn and continue to be a part of [the community]. A man was shot and killed in his car early Saturday while driving west on the Interstate 610 South Loop, causing his car to crash into a wall along the freeway in southwest Houston. Houston police were dispatched to the scene about 12:45 a.m. and discovered the man, identified as 21-year-old Jermaine Deshane West, had been struck by several rounds of gunfire inside his vehicle. BEIJING - China's domestically developed amphibious aircraft completed a takeoff from water for the first time on Saturday in Hubei Province. The Chinese government says that the AG600, one of the largest planes of its kind, is developed mainly for search and rescue operations at sea. But some experts say it is possible that China aims to use the AG600 for military activities in the South China Sea, where the country has been building military strongholds. WASHINGTON - Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said Sunday that working with President Donald Trump on certain issues is "a message that plays across the United States," striking a more bipartisan note than other members of his party ahead of next month's hotly contested midterms. In an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," Durbin was asked about a recent Senate campaign ad for Rep. Jacky Rosen that emphasizes the Nevada Democrat's efforts to work with both parties. "Jacky Rosen wrote legislation to improve veterans' health care, and President Trump signed it into law," states the ad, which also distances Rosen from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Asked about the ad, Durbin said Rosen "obviously knows the pulse of Nevada." "She has come forward with a message that plays across the United States: Agree with the president when he's right, be prepared to fight him, if necessary, when he's wrong," Durbin said. He went on to tout his own efforts to work with the Trump administration to improve the transparency of TV ads for prescription drugs - before returning to a more partisan theme moments later. "But there are many differences, and they get down to pre-existing conditions, these basic entitlement programs, and making sure that this president has someone in Congress who's going to keep an eye on him when he goes to an extreme position," Durbin said. Rosen is vying to unseat Republican Dean Heller in one of the country's most competitive Senate races. Trump campaigned for Heller on Saturday, while former Vice President Joe Biden spoke at a rally for Nevada Democrats the same day. David Lawrence had just settled into seat 22F on a Ryanair flight on Thursday when he heard a commotion brewing on the other side of the plane. A few rows behind him, a ruddy-faced man with gray hair and dark-rimmed glasses was yelling at a black woman seated along the aisle. "I heard this man shouting at this woman, saying, 'You're in my way, get out! I don't want you here next to me!' " Lawrence told The Washington Post in a phone interview Sunday. "I couldn't believe what I heard." Lawrence grabbed his phone and started to record the encounter, which took place before a flight from Barcelona to London Stansted Airport. By then, the woman's daughter had come up and confronted the man. "She said, 'Who are you talking to? Don't shout at her, that's my mother, she's disabled,' " Lawrence recalled, noting that the elderly woman had boarded the plane in a wheelchair. "He then was saying, 'I don't care.' " In the video, the man can be heard yelling back at the younger black woman, all while other passengers continue shuffling down the aisle. A male flight attendant with his back to Lawrence's camera apparently attempts to calm the situation, to little effect. "I tell you, I hope somebody sits there," the man tells the elderly woman, gesturing toward the empty middle seat between them. "'Cause I don't want to sit next to your --..." The rest of the sentence is unclear, though he appears to call her "sickly," "fat" and "ugly. " The flight attendant then asks the woman whether she would like to sit elsewhere. "Put her to another seat!" the male passenger shouts, before turning to the woman. "I tell you this. If you don't go to another seat, I'll put you to another seat!" The elderly woman says something back at him, prompting the man to retort angrily: "Don't talk to me in a f---ing foreign language, you stupid ugly cow!" and then "Ugly black bastard!" The shouting had a mixed effect on surrounding passengers. One man, wearing a black T-shirt and sitting in the row directly behind, physically tried to intervene, sticking his hand between the seats in front of him and telling the irate passenger to keep his voice down. "Stop," the man in the black shirt pleads. "There's no need for that at all. Just stop. It's really easy to close your mouth. " Lawrence, while recording the video, can be heard saying, "Throw him off the flight. Throw him off the flight. Get rid of him!" Eventually, the elderly woman asks to sit next to her daughter and begins to move out of the row, visibly fed up. To his surprise, Lawrence said, the flight took off shortly afterward, with no apparent repercussions for the male passenger, who effectively enjoyed "extra leg room" in a row to himself. "I thought the flight attendant was going to call someone and escort the man off the flight," Lawrence told The Post. "They moved the woman instead of moving him. That was shocking to me. " He decided to upload his video to Facebook the following day out of frustration. "It was just so disturbing," Lawrence said. "Because there was no response from the other passengers on the flight at the time, I thought, OK, well, somebody needs to know what happened here. That's why I kept the video running and captured as much as I could." Over the weekend, the video garnered nearly 3 million views and has been shared tens of thousands of times. Lawrence later uploaded the video to YouTube, where it has more than 100,000 views. Scores of commenters expressed outrage over how the matter was handled and demanded to know why Ryanair's flight crew didn't remove the male passenger before the plane took off. Representatives for Ryanair did not immediately respond to requests for comment Sunday. However, the Dublin-based budget airline company said in a Twitter post Sunday that it was aware of the video and had reported the incident to Essex Police. "We operate strict guidelines for disruptive passengers and we will not tolerate unruly behavior like this," Ryanair told BBC News. "We will be taking this matter further and disruptive or abusive behavior like this will result in passengers being banned from travel. " Essex Police confirmed to BuzzFeed News that it was investigating the matter and encouraged people with information to contact them. "Essex Police takes prejudice-based crime seriously and we want all incidents to be reported," the police department told the news site. "We are working closely with Ryanair and the Spanish authorities on the investigation. " The woman's unnamed daughter told HuffPost UK that her mother, identified only as "Mrs. Gayle," is a 77-year-old retiree who immigrated to Britain from Jamaica in the 1960s. They were returning from a vacation to mark the anniversary of the death of Gayle's husband, the daughter added. "She's been feeling really down and depressed, so I thought the trip would raise her spirits," Gayle's daughter, 53, told the news site. "The underlying reason behind the man's abusive behavior comes down to the fact that my mum is a black woman and he didn't want her sitting next to him. He says it in the video. " Gayle's daughter said the encounter left her outraged and her mother "upset and very stressed, on top of the grief that she's already experiencing. " Lawrence, 56, told The Post that he spoke with the mother and daughter after the flight and said they were both disappointed and disgusted. His parents also were part of the "Windrush generation," immigrants who moved from the Caribbean to Britain from 1948 to 1971, so Lawrence said he could understand why the elderly woman agreed to switch seats rather than escalate the situation. "The racism they suffered on a daily basis is historic. Our parents have learned over the years - because they have never received any kind of justice - they've just learned to live with it," Lawrence said. "They kind of have this attitude, like, 'Well, what can we do?' sort of thing. The lady was like, this has happened so many times. I just want to go home. " Lawrence has since posted multiple more times about the incident on social media, urging people to put pressure on Ryanair for turning "a blind eye to racial discrimination." The airline's acknowledgment of his video was hardly a sufficient apology, he said. "It's not good enough," he said. "It certainly falls so short of what we expect an airline to provide for, in terms of protecting their customers. It's shameful. It's shameful. " President Donald Trump says he plans to pull out of a major arms control treaty with Russia, claiming the Kremlin breached the accord on intermediate-range nuclear weapons. "We're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement," Trump said Saturday after a campaign rally in Elko, Nevada. "We're going to terminate the agreement." Trump's threat prompted a Russian demand for explanations, concern in Germany and a warning by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with then-President Ronald Reagan in 1987. U.K. Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson was quoted as blaming Russia for the standoff. The U.S. has been warning Russia it could resort to strong countermeasures unless Moscow complies with international commitments to arms reduction under the INF treaty, which is considered a landmark of Cold War detente. North Atlantic Treaty Organization defense ministers this month discussed concerns that Russia was developing a medium-range ballistic missile. The U.S. ambassador to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison, has said Russia's non-compliance would compel the U.S. to match its capabilities to protect the interests of the U.S. and European allies. NATO has credited the INF treaty with playing a crucial role in ensuring security for 30 years by ending the proliferation of ground-launched intermediate-range nuclear missiles. Trump commented as National Security Adviser John Bolton headed to Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. In Moscow, he's expected to meet the Russian defense and foreign ministers as a follow-up to Trump's meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki in July. Russia, which has repeatedly rejected accusations of breaching the Soviet-era treaty, expects "substantive explanations" from Bolton while he's in Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax news agency early Sunday. For now, Russia views the U.S. position as an "ultimatum," he was quoted as saying. Gorbachev told Interfax that Trump's plan is a "very weird" mistake, raising doubt about his wisdom. The treaty helped end the nuclear arms race, introducing control "that could not be found in other documents," Gorbachev was cited as saying. "This must be cherished." Trump's plan also is causing jitters in Germany, site of peace protests in the early 1980s against the stationing of U.S. intermediate-range nuclear missiles to counter the threat of Soviet SS-20s. The announcement "raises difficult questions for Europe," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in statement. While Russia has failed to resolve allegations of treaty breaches, the U.S. should "reflect on the possible consequences" of a pullout, he said. "The treaty must be upheld to prevent a nuclear arms race in Europe," Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee from Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party, told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper. The U.K. stands with the U.S. in "hammering home a clear message that Russia needs to respect the treaty obligation that it signed," the Financial Times quoted defense secretary Williamson as saying during a visit to the U.S. While the U.K. wants to see the treaty continue, "it is Russia that needs to get its house in order." Trump and Putin may meet next month in Paris during commemorations marking 100 years since the end of World War I, or at the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires that begins Nov. 30, according to a U.S. official. --- Bloomberg's Bill Faries and Elena Mazneva contributed to this report. A man was hit in a drive-by shooting early Sunday in Sunnyside, according to police. The shooter cruised by the 3100 block of Grassmere around 4 a.m. and opened fire in the direction of a garage where several people were gathered. First responders rushed one man to the hospital with an apparent gunshot wound, but authorities later realized he'd been only hit by shrapnel, according to Houston police Lt. Larry Crowson. No one else was wounded. The shooter drove off and police could not immediately offer a description of the suspect or the vehicle. The Oracle Challenger III biplane, with its specialized wings, propeller and tail, lives up to its name. It took pilot Sean D. Tucker two years and more than 1,000 flights to master the Challengers controls. This after Tucker already had clocked decades of professional aerobatic flying. Now the wings become my arms, Tucker said. The days of Tucker and the Challenger front-flipping, back-flipping and tumbling through the skies, however, are coming to an end. Tucker will perform his last solo act in the Challenger this weekend at the Wings Over Houston Airshow at Ellington Field. Tucker, based in California, will go on to lead a four-plane aerobatic team, while the bright red Challenger will permanently land at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in a new general aviation exhibit opening in 2021. I only get one more year to fly this girl and I get to deliver it to the Smithsonian, Tucker said. The museums recognition marks the latest achievement in the pilots storied 42-year career. He performed in his first airshow in 1976, was named one of the 25 Living Legends of Flight by the National Air and Space Museum in 2003, and was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2008, among numerous other awards. During his last trip to Houston in 2016, Tucker received the Lloyd P. Nolen Lifetime Achievement in Aviation Award, one of the highest honors in the industry. Sean is an icon, said Don Johnson, chairman of the board of Houstons airshow. The Challenger, designed per his specifications, has taken Tucker into the clouds for the last eight years, three times a day weather permitting. He has invested near $600,000 into the biplanes construction and maintenance. It is one of the only aerobatic flying machines with eight ailerons, or hinged surfaces that control for lateral balance. This allows Tucker to make precise movements including his signature Triple Ribbon Cut, where he flies the plane 20 feet off the ground at 210 miles per hour to cut three sets of ribbons attached to poles. Its an evolution of what Ive always wanted in an airplane over the last 40 years, he said. To have his plane in the forthcoming Thomas W. Haas We All Fly Smithsonian exhibit means Tucker will be able to do what he loves almost more than flying: inspiring the next generation of pilots. Getting into the aviation industry is becoming more expensive each year, Tucker said. And sources of inspiration are becoming harder to come by. Unfortunately, the world of general aviation has contracted, especially after 9/11, he said. Gone are the days when kids could sit on the grass near an airport and watch the planes take off like Tucker used to do with his siblings. Airports now are tightly restricted areas, leaving airshows as one of the remaining options for those eager to see the art of flight up close. Tuckers interest in getting younger generations airborne is not just a personal goal. Earlier this year, Boeing projected there would be a demand for more than 790,000 pilots over the next 20 years, or double the current workforce. Organizations like the Commemorative Air Force, which puts on the Houston airshow, have tried to address this demand by offering scholarships to college students pursuing a career in aviation, and ensuring children have access to pilots like Tucker at big events, said Johnson of the Houston airshows board. Airshow flying is just such a powerful emotion for the performer, Tucker said, Youre sharing your passion of the third dimension with people on the ground. ileana.najarro@chron.com twitter.com/IleanaNajarro Hurricane Harvey returned to southeast Texas Saturday night but this time there was no need to stock up on bottled water. Instead, all the commotion was over the premiere of Harvey, the locally produced feature film about a group of Houstonians ensnared in the disaster. With musicians, a performance by Houstons Fountain of Praise Drill Team, a recorded message of support from U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, and a red carpet for director Michael Sterling, star April Grant and other participants in the film, the event which began two hours before the film unspooled at the Regal Grand Parkway 22 theater in Richmond had the trappings of Hollywood. But instead of chatter about what designer youre wearing, there was talk of where you were and how you overcame. One of those was Ric Saldivar who lost his parents and their four great-grandchildren in the flooding that came in Harveys wake. Saldivar has a role in the movie. RELATED: Ric Saldivar reflects on life after Harvey, one year later. Im trying to keep their memories alive, he said before the screening. Hopefully, this movie can help me do that. Taking the stage after the movie with his brother, Samuel, whos also in the film, Saldivar said, Id like to thank Michael for letting us be a part of this and letting us get our familys story out. It was pretty touching trying to do the graveside scene and all that other stuff but it was the part of the story that needs to get out. If you notice theyre not even talking about Harvey any more but its a lot of people still suffering, Sterling told the crowd. A lot of people were, like, This happened to me and why you didnt talk about that? It was a lot of pressure putting this movie together. The 75-minute, low-budget film, which also stars Antrone Harris and Tabitha Grant, focuses largely on a group of apartment complex residents whose lives intersect after the water rises, originally was set to debut at Regal Grand Parkway 22 on Sept. 22. However, that premiere was canceled because of circumstances beyond our control, producer Nkem DenChukwu said at the time. There were no such snags Saturday, as Harvey was greeted with clapping when the credits rolled. Sterling acknowledged technical issues as he invited feedback to make the movie better and admitted it was a little choppy. Let me know what yall think. We want to go back. We want to fix some things. We want to add some things My skin is thick. We just went through Harvey so it doesnt get harder than that, said Sterling to applause. Patron Shawna Scott of Richmond said she would recommend the movie to friends after some editing. Things could have been better, she said, but it was a good story though. Another screening is set for 7 p.m. Nov. 29 at the Landmark River Oaks theater in Houston. Tickets are $20 through eventbrite.com. cary.darling@chron.com CLEVELAND, Ohio - FirstEnergy Solutions is hoping to emerge from federal bankruptcy court as a competitive nuclear power company, backed by new state subsidies and operating under new federally mandated market rules. The company already has begun the groundwork for that transformation, hiring a team of experienced lobbyists who have been quietly talking to state lawmakers about developing new legislation to subsidize the continuing operation of the Perry nuclear power plant in Lake County and the Davis-Besse nuclear plant in Ottawa County, east of Toledo. Simultaneously, the company has begun bankrolling a new grassroots campaign consisting of locally elected mayors, commissioners and school officials, as well as trade unions and economic development groups. The Ohio Clean Energy Jobs Alliance became public about 10 days ago with a news conference in the Ohio statehouse aimed at letting people know what the company believes the impact of closing the Perry and Davis-Besse plants will have on Ohio's economy. The event occurred the day after the Lordstown Energy Center, the state's latest large gas turbine power plant began operating. Gas-fired power plants have been one of the primary reasons nuclear plants are failing. The FES plan is to convince state lawmakers that saving the nuclear plants with new customer-paid subsidies is a better and less costly scenario than letting them close, said David Griffing, FES vice president of government affairs and Donald Moul, president and chief nuclear officer of FES generation companies, in an interview this week. Griffing said details of the subsidy - such as how much more an average retail customer would have to pay and for how long - have not been worked out. The legislation would be the company's third effort to convince lawmakers that saving the power plants is worth spending the political capital. The company's first two efforts to win nuclear subsidies through a program of "Zero Emission Credits" stalled amidst heavy opposition from the Ohio Consumers' Counsel and the Ohio Manufacturers' Association as well as a number of environmental groups. The legislation never made it out of House and Senate public utilities committees despite multiple hearings. The first proposal would have added about $5 a month to the electric bills of homes served by FirstEnergy, but much more to commercial and industrial bills, raising $300 million a year in new money for the company for 16 years. A second, amended proposal would have cost consumers about $2.50 a month extra, or $30 a year for 12 years. Commercial and industrial customers would have seen an additional 5 percent on top of their monthly bill, or $3,500, whichever was lesser and would have raised about $180 million a year in new money for the company. "Are we going to take another run at this? The answer is yes," Griffing said. "So we have been talking to people. We have been talking about what didn't work last time, you know what were their concerns last time. "What does a new one need to look like? So we have been structuring that and pulling that together. We haven't circulated that [specific proposal] with anyone yet, anywhere." That will change after Nov. 6 when Ohioans decide who will be the next governor and some seats could change in the House and Senate, leading to possible changes in legislative leadership. "Our plan, post-election, we would begin to work with the leadership and we believe this is something that needs to be on the legislative agenda very early in 2019," said Griffing. "You will have a new governor in place with a whole slew of new leaders. We have been doing our best to educate both sides. We are not trying to pick winners and losers." The company hopes lawmakers would approve the plan by June or July, allowing it to order new fuel for Davis-Besse, now scheduled to shut down in May 2020. FES is also looking at the success of nuclear companies in Illinois, New York and New Jersey in winning state subsidies by arguing that nuclear power plants are economic drivers as well as sources of "carbon-free" electricity. In other words, nuclear energy is clean energy, at least when compared to coal and natural gas. In New Jersey, a bill approved in May of this year authorized a state-wide rate increase raising about $300 million annually to help the Public Service Electric & Gas Co. keep its nuclear plants running. The bill included a new rule mandating an increase in "clean energy," eliminating all fossil fuel (such as coal, gas and oil) by 2050. And in Illinois, a 2016 measure to subsidize Exelon nuclear plants and save the jobs they provide won support, or at least no opposition, from the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club and the Environmental Defense Fund because the bill included subsidies for energy efficiency and renewable energy. Moul explained the argument this way: "Ninety percent of the zero carbon generation in Ohio comes from Davis-Besse and Perry. If you really care about carbon, these plants are very important. "If you really believe a megawatt of generation coming from wind or solar is worth a boost [subsidy], why is nuclear any different?" he argued. The laws creating the nuclear subsidies in New Jersey and Illinois also mandate statewide rate increases, affecting every household and business in the state, whether or not they buy power from the utility owning the nuclear plants. Will FES try that in Ohio this time around? "That's a great question," said Griffing. "That would take some negotiation, but our view is that the zero-emission generation is a value to the entire state." The company may have already tipped its hand on the issue of statewide rate increase versus utility-only in a recent filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. FERC in June tossed out certain market rules PJM Interconnection had proposed and asked for new rules that allow states to subsidize some power plants without affecting the entire 12-state PJM market. FERC also asked for written comment from the utilities and others. In its FERC filing FES argues that a statewide rate increase to subsidize a power plant makes sense. Given the Commission's intent to "confine the cost of a particular state policy decision to consumers within the state that made that policy decision," the most efficient approach may be to develop an average, state-wide ... capacity rate paid for by all load [customers]within that state," the company's lawyers wrote. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Republican Rep. Jim Renacci and Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown moved to new ground when attacking each other on Saturday during the second debate in Ohio's U.S. Senate race. Renacci's repeat line was to go after Brown for the record $27 million his campaign has raised, and question how it might influence his legislative decisions. The script indeed has flipped this election for Brown, who likes to cast himself as an underdog and outspent by his rich adversaries. But he's raised roughly four times as much as Renacci this time around (including the $4 million Renacci loaned his own campaign), and deep-pocketed Republican outside political groups have ignored Ohio this year. Brown, meanwhile, seized on the $779 billion federal deficit, announced on Monday as larger than expected. He said Renacci and other Republicans drove up the deficit with their tax-cut plan, and now want to plug the hole by cutting Medicare and Social Security. The nearly hour-long debate at WOSU-TV studios in Columbus, went on as planned after last-minute arguing between the two sides, fueled by Renacci's recent escalation of personal attacks against Brown, raised the possibility it may be canceled. The candidates otherwise largely fell back on familiar lines as they were quizzed about health care, taxes, money in politics, climate change, guns and relations between minority communities and police. Brown said Republicans' policies benefit the rich at the expense of workers, and promised to change the Republican tax-cut plan. Renacci said Brown is too liberal and, as he remains in Washington longer, is increasingly politically out of touch with moderate Ohio. As he has for weeks, Renacci also raised the topic of Brown's ugly 1986 divorce, during which his ex-wife, after successfully seeking a restraining order against him, said Brown pushed her and frightened her while picking up their children. She since has said the divorce led "only to angry words" and has demanded in a video released by the Brown campaign that Renacci stop referencing this issue in his campaign. Renacci brought it up in a section of the debate, 30 minutes into the event, in which he was allowed to ask Brown a direct question. He asked Brown if he believes that domestic violence or sexual assault allegations disqualify someone from serving in Congress. Brown responded by saying he's "answered that question numerous times." "My former wife has asked you to stop attacking our family. The state's newspaper [editorial boards] have asked you to stop making these disgusting allegations. You should be ashamed of yourself," Brown said. Renacci shortly afterward was asked by moderator Colleen Marshall about allegations of sexual assault and physical violence President Donald Trump's ex-wife made against him, and whether they should disqualify him from office. Renacci responded by referencing the restraining order against Brown. But he then refused to directly the answer as it pertained to Trump. "Look, if the senator wants to run against the president in 2020, he can use that information against him. But this race is about Sherrod Brown and Jim Renacci, and he should be disqualified," Renacci said. At the opening of the debate, Brown had the opportunity to ask a question about Renacci. He asked Renacci what he thought about his work with Sen. Rob Portman to fight the opioid crisis. Renacci responded by describing his own platform on fighting opioid addiction. As for his campaign contributions, Brown said his average donation is $42 from 155,000 total donors. Both candidates have said steps should be taken to reduce the amount of money in political campaigns. "I take a backseat to no one in standing up to Wall Street and drug companies and the oil industry when they attack workers in my state," he said. Brown raised the budget deficit several times during the debate, giving him the chance to attack. In a Tuesday interview with Bloomberg News, Republican Senate President Mitch McConnell blamed the deficit on unwillingness by Congress to take steps to reduce the costs of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. But Brown tied the deficit to the Republican tax plan, which the Congressional Budget Office projected last year will add $1 trillion to the federal deficit over 10 years. "They blew this big hole in the federal budget deficit, and his leaders want to close the budget deficit by cutting Medicare and Social Security," Brown said. "I think that's bad economics, and it's just wrong. Renacci answers questions from local media after the U.S. Senate debate. After the debate, Renacci told reporters that he favors an "all of the above approach" in addressing Social Security and Medicare -- while keeping benefits in place for current retirees and people who will retire soon -- so they're available to future generations. This could mean raising the retirement age. Renacci also has expressed support for setting a maximum income someone could make while still collecting Social Security. "We ought to quit using politics like Sherrod Brown uses to stop scaring seniors," Renacci said. "Look, we can fix this system if we want to work together and get it done." As for the deficit, Renacci said: "Our problems are not the 15 percent related to the tax cut, our problems are the 85 percent of the spending that Sherrod Brown doesn't want to talk about." Brown left shortly after the debate without making himself available to reporters. Brown and Renacci are scheduled to meet for a third and final debate on Friday, Oct. 26 at Miami University in Oxford. Early voting in Ohio is ongoing. The election is on Nov. 6. Kathleen Clyde Like many states, Ohio chooses its chief elections officer in a partisan election. That's created an unfortunate yo-yoing on election oversight and rules, seen most recently in Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted's aggressive voter purges. Husted's voter culling led to a legal challenge that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which earlier this year found the Ohio voter purges to be legal and constitutional. Husted -- who is running for lieutenant governor with GOP gubernatorial candidate Mike DeWine -- has said his office would not resume the purges until after the November elections. And to his credit, Husted has: helped push through other policies to make it easier to vote, such as online voter registration; documented how rare are cases of voter fraud in Ohio; and run in expert fashion the office's other duties, including oversight of campaign finance and business filings. It's critical that the next secretary of state build on Husted's strengths while doing much more to make voting easier. That includes aiming voter purges at those actually ineligible to vote, or who've moved out of state or died, not at citizens who simply have failed to vote for a few years. The secretary of state also sits on the Ohio Redistricting Commission, which under recent reforms in Ohio will have a key role in congressional and Statehouse redistricting after the 2020 Census. One thing that can be said for certain is that the next Ohio secretary of state will be the youngest statewide officeholder. All three candidates on the Nov. 6 ballot are under the age of 40. They are Democratic state Rep. Kathleen Clyde of Kent; Republican state Sen. Frank LaRose of Hudson; and Libertarian Party nominee Dustin R. Nanna of Delaware. Clyde and LaRose are both 39. Nanna is 24. LaRose and Clyde long have been their respective parties' point persons on election laws and voting. LaRose, a veteran of the U.S. Army's Special Forces, later earned an undergraduate degree at Ohio State University. Clyde is a graduate of OSU's Moritz College of Law, which has a nationally respected election law center. Nanna, a personal care professional who ran unsuccessfully last year for Delaware City Council, wants to change an Ohio law enacted in 2013 with LaRose's support that makes it more burdensome for third parties to reach and stay on Ohio's ballot. LaRose says he's open to modifying the law. Both Clyde and LaRose said in the endorsement interview that they would not resume the aggressive voter purges pursued by Husted. LaRose said his earlier statements supportive of the Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling in the case were because the court had "found that what we're doing [in Ohio] is not unconstitutional. That's a good thing. We don't want to be doing something that's unconstitutional." Clyde, an election law expert, has been a steady supporter of Ohioans' voting rights and of making it easier for Ohioans to exercise those rights. Voters should elect Kathleen Clyde as Ohio's next secretary of state. Early in-person and absentee voting for the Nov. 6 election has begun. For more resources, consult the League of Women Voters' voters' guide. Read all endorsements issued by our editorial board for the November elections in our endorsement roundup. Democratic state Rep. Kathleen Clyde of Kent, Republican state Sen. Frank LaRose of Hudson, and Libertarian Dustin R. Nanna of Delaware all seek to become the next Ohio secretary of state. The three candidates were interviewed by the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer on Sept. 27. 2018 as part of its endorsement process. Listen to audio of this interview below: About our editorials: Editorials express the view of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer -- the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the news organization. Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions about our editorial board or comments on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. * Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the "Follow" option at the top of the comments, & look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com Maureen O'Connor is chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- I am encouraged that Ohio's major news outlets, including The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com, came out against state Issue 1 after reading it carefully and considering its implications. I commend the news media for this true public service. Still, misleading information continues to reach the public through advertising as Ohioans go to the polls to decide the fate of this issue. These false assertions need to be addressed and, frankly, the list is long. So, I will comment here on one major falsehood from supporters of Issue 1 - that the state has done little to combat Ohio's drug problems. Each of the three branches of state government -- across party lines -- has worked hard for decades to help Ohioans battle their substance abuse. As the problem increased exponentially in the past decade, the response of government and nongovernmental organizations has risen as well. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been targeted at aiding individuals and families directly, and spent well. We now have 245 Specialized Dockets courts in 61 of Ohio's 88 counties. More than half of those -- 170 -- are drug courts. And nearly all the rest deal with drug issues borne by families, veterans and Ohioans with mental illness. Most of the Specialized Dockets growth has occurred in recent years as our drug problems have skyrocketed. This transformation has taken place so quickly because the judiciary of this state sized up the problem as it developed and acted on it, with help from other professionals. Our boots on the ground include first responders, health care workers, and drug court judges and their staffs. Their caring and toil produces knowledge that is shared and enhanced, and has saved hundreds and hundreds of lives. These courts are producing graduates of their programs, one by one by one. One major takeaway from years of expanding these courts is that Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) must be part of the drug court program. After decades of study of the biology of addiction, we know that human brains must be weaned off addictive substances. This is accomplished through supervised medication. Our drug courts are the places where this supervision takes place. Offenders choose treatment over incarceration. Issue 1 would decimate this process. As a constitutional amendment, Issue 1 would forbid judges from using the proven incentive of jail that encourages addicts to participate in treatment. We have created an enormous web of help in Ohio - spurred to action by public employees, nongovernmental organizations, faith-based communities, foundations and philanthropic groups. Can we do more? Yes, we can! But Issue 1 would provide neither the means nor the methods for more treatment. Drug abuse in Ohio and our nation is a moving target. That is why it is so difficult to fix. Yet, we are engaged. We are committed, as a judiciary, to fight this crisis, and our other branches of government are doing the same. Should Issue 1 pass, we lose the progress we've made. And, worst of all, we leave thousands of addicted Ohioans without the incentive to get treatment, stay sober and to live. If Issue 1 passes, Ohioans will die needlessly. Maureen O'Connor is chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. *********** Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the "Follow" option at the top of the comments, and look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com. Rob Walgate is vice president of the American Policy Roundtable. CLEVELAND -- The language on the wrapping paper is carefully worded to sound compassionate. Words such as "safe," "healthy" and "community" surround Ohio's Issue 1 on the Nov. 6 ballot. The funders are almost all from out of state, from Silicon Valley and beyond. They are the new billionaires who are awakening to "social justice" and are now linked up with a few old hands like George Soros, the international progressive billionaire with a more-than-checkered legal and political past. Almost every dollar spent to place this amendment on the ballot has come from out-of-state donors. So why do Mark Zuckerberg and his allies, including Mr. Soros, want to own a whole new section of the Ohio Constitution? Why are they suddenly concerned about reforming drug laws in Ohio? Their amendment is sending shivers down the collective spines of Ohio judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers. Placing a six-page, poorly defined law in the Ohio Constitution is the first offense. Matters as fluid and personal as criminal sentencing on drugs are matters for the Ohio Revised Code where the elected legislature can hold public hearings and make changes as time and circumstances demand. The constitution is not the proper place for this kind of law. Issue 1 is also frightening to people who have endured the scourge of addictions, especially the tragedy of opioid-driven deaths. Issue 1 grants a blanket exemption from serious prosecution for any form of drug in Ohio, making possession and use of any drug a simple misdemeanor. A misdemeanor in legal practice is about the equivalent of getting a traffic ticket. Legal experts, such as former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer, have rightly rejected this proposed amendment. Why, in an age of growing addictions and tragedies, do we want to make drug offenses less onerous? Why do we want to send a message to drug traffickers that Ohio has the most lax drug laws in the nation? Issue 1 handcuffs Ohio judges while giving criminals a "get out of jail free card." Judges will lose options and discretion on how to best deal with offenders before the courts. Issue 1 will also permit those already convicted for prior drug offenses the right to petition the courts for early release based on the reduced sentencing provisions of this amendment. The saddest fact about Ohio Issue 1 is that it trivializes and politicizes a very serious issue. Drug addiction knows no boundaries of race, religion, politics or economics. The more we learn about the science of the human mind and the potency of modern drugs, the more we realize that our approach to drug prescriptions, mental health practices and "convenience" drugs are all in serious need of reform. Along with the criminal justice questions these issues all require serious debate, serious reforms and constant legal update and review. Issue 1 offers only a "quick fix" slapped into the Ohio Constitution that will actually work against this kind of serious dialogue and reform. Lawmakers will use the amendment as a reason to do nothing more. Lawyers will have a field day arguing over the poorly worded definitions and timelines. The courts will be clogged with people arguing about the meaning of this new amendment. And we the people of Ohio will be stuck with having to pass more amendments to undo this mess because, by law, the General Assembly cannot override the constitution. Issue 1 is a bad idea and a bad approach to a very serious problem. Ohio voters will do well to reject this measure on the November ballot and protect their constitution and fellow citizens from this dangerous false alternative to real reform. Rob Walgate is vice president of The American Policy Roundtable, founded in Ohio in 1980 as an independent, nonprofit organization. The Roundtable has been involved in the legal construction, legislation, litigation, passage and defeat of ballot issues on term limits, campaign finance reform, tax reform, bond issues, school funding, the Lottery and casino gambling. *************** Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the "Follow" option at the top of the comments, and look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com. Self-made billionaire and "Shark Tank" star Mark Cuban has been hustling since he was a kid. One early business scheme, collecting and re-selling valuable stamps, even earned him enough to help pay for college. "I was about 16 when I started a stamp company," Cuban told American Business Owner in 2010. "I started going to stamp shows and trade shows and just working a little bit harder than other people at these shows. I would trade up from one stamp to the next. I went to a show starting with only a quarter and started with buying a single stamp." Success helped him gain confidence: "I left that show with $50 thinking, 'Hey, if I could do this, I could do anything.'" And, as he told the United States Postal Service, "collecting stamps is an amazing way to start to understand business. Each stamp has its own level of scarcity, of demand, of price, and as a collector you have to make decisions on when to keep a stamp, trade or sell it, and when to invest in a new stamp for your collection." The experience, overall, was a great education for him, he said: "I bought, sold and traded so many that the experience taught me as much about business as any class I have ever taken." Cuban started looking for ways to earn money when he was 12 years old and his dad declined to buy him a pair of sneakers. "My dad said, 'Those shoes on your feet look like they're working pretty well. If you want a new pair of sneakers, you need a job and you can go buy them,'" he recalled during a 2014 episode of Bloomberg's "Masters in Business" podcast. So he started selling trash bags around his neighborhood in Pittsburgh: "I would literally go door to door to door: 'Hi, does your family use garbage bags?' And who could say no? So that's where I learned to sell." He's not the only billionaire who hatched business schemes as a kid. Warren Buffett earned $5,000, the equivalent of about $53,000 today, before he turned 20, thanks to various business ventures. One of his most lucrative ideas involved setting up pinball machines in barber shops all over Washington, D.C., where his family lived at the time. A year later, Buffett sold the business, which he'd started with just $25, for over $1,000. There's value in learning how to hustle from a young age, says Cuban. To succeed, "you've got to grind. It takes work. There are no shortcuts," he told Smart Hustle Magazine at SXSW in 2016. "There's gonna be things that upset you. There's gonna be failure and if you're not able to hustle, if you're not able to grind, you're not gonna be able to fight through those things." Don't miss: Warren Buffett bought a pinball machine for $25 in 1946 and started 'the best business I was ever in' Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube! Getting a chance to lead one of the four major broadcast networks NBC, CBS, ABC or Fox is rare. A woman has never had the CEO spot at any of them. That should change, and CBS Corp. should be the company that changes it. CBS started a search for a CEO after Les Moonves departed following sexual misconduct allegations. Joe Ianniello, Moonves' chief operating officer, is acting as the company's interim CEO and Dick Parsons, the company's interim chairman, had been leading the effort to decide on a full-time replacement until his sudden departure was announced Sunday night, citing health concerns. CBS has spoken with executive search firms including Heidrick & Struggles, Korn Ferry and Spencer Stuart to help with the search, which will kick off in earnest in the next few weeks, according to people familiar with the matter who declined to identify themselves because the process is private. They spoke before the Parsons' resignation was announced. A CBS spokesman declined to give a timeline on the search process, though people familiar with the matter expect a decision by early 2019. The search will be methodical, as many of CBS' directors are new and have to figure out what the company should do next. Controlling shareholder Shari Redstone named six new independent directors in September after the Moonves scandal. These board members need to familiarize themselves with the company and determine a strategic direction: Should CBS stay as a stand-alone company or buyer of smaller media companies, or should it look to sell? The answer will inform the CEO search. Whichever way they go, selecting a female executive for the job would have obvious and immediate positive effects on a company culture that has been mired in sexual misconduct scandals. In addition to Moonves, "CBS This Morning" co-host Charlie Rose lost his job after The Washington Post reported eight women said he sexually harassed them. Three women have subsequently sued him and CBS News, which they claim knew about Rose's behavior for decades. Jeff Fager, the former chairman of CBS News and former executive producer of "60 Minutes," also lost his job after threatening a reporter for looking into allegations of sexual harassment against him. Hiring a woman would also break a particularly resistant glass ceiling. Very few media companies are run by women. There are a number of viable candidates too many to list here. But CNBC spoke with some current media executives about whom they'd recommend for the job: President Donald Trump has turned one familiar feature of midterm election campaigns inside out: Democrats are now more likely to vote than Republicans. That remarkable finding emerges from the new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll just two weeks before Election Day. As the president's job approval rose to an all-time high of 47 percent, Republicans narrowed their double-digit September deficit for control of Congress to seven percentage points among all registered voters. But among the smaller group considered likely voters, the Democratic advantage grows to nine points, 50 percent to 41 percent. "It's something I've never seen before," said Bill McInturff, the veteran Republican pollster who conducts the NBC/WSJ survey with Democratic counterpart Peter Hart. "The likely voter model tips toward the Democrats." That signals a break, at least temporarily, in recent midterm pattern of Democratic candidates suffering from sub-par turnout among sympathetic constituencies, especially Latinos and younger voters. In October 2010, just before Republicans recaptured the House, and 2014, the electorate became more Republican as the universe of those registered was winnowed to likely voters. In the 2018 homestretch, rising interest among millenials, Latinos and women alienated by Trump has flipped the script. Compared to four years ago, interest has surged more than twenty percentage points among younger women and women with college degrees. The emotion-fueled campaign season has galvanized Democrats and Republicans alike, presaging high turnout overall. The war over Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh accelerated partisan mobilization already underway in fierce battles for pivotal House and Senate seats. Fully 65 percent of all voters express high interest in the battle for Congress, exceeding pre-election levels in 2006, 2010, and 2014. But the poll showed interest slightly higher among Democrats than Republicans, among those who backed Hillary Clinton in 2016 than Trump voters, among women than men, among non-whites than whites. The telephone survey of 900 registered voters, conducted Oct. 14-17, has a margin for error of 3.27 percentage points. For the 645 respondents deemed likely voters, the margin for error is 3.86 percentage points. Projecting who will actually vote is hardly an exact science. NBC/WSJ pollsters combine information about respondents' stated interest, age and past voting behavior to create a model of the likely electorate. Last week, Google complied with the European Commission's $5 billion antitrust ruling by changing how it bundles its apps, and allowing phone manufacturers to make devices with modified or "forked" versions of Android alongside phones with Google's version. But as details leak out about how exactly these changes will be structured, it's hard to imagine that they'll make a dent in Google's mobile dominance in the EU. From the beginning, Google has denied stifling competition and is still appealing the EU's decision, though these changes prevent it from having to pay additional fines in the meantime (it had 90 days to change its conduct before facing charges of up to 5 percent of Alphabet's average daily worldwide revenue). Still, Android, which Google gives away for free, has 74 percent market share in Europe, according to StatCounter. In July, EU antitrust regulators ruled that Google was using this dominance to push consumers towards its own search engine and other services where it makes money and weakening rival app makers in the process. A demonstrator dressed as Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (C) with blood on his hands protests outside the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC, on October 8, 2018, demanding justice for missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. As Saudi Arabia faced intensifying international skepticism over its story about the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a senior government official laid out a new version of the death inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul that in key respects contradicts previous explanations. The latest account, provided by a Saudi official who requested anonymity, includes details on how the team of 15 Saudi nationals sent to confront Khashoggi on Oct. 2 had threatened him with being drugged and kidnapped and then killed him in a chokehold when he resisted. A member of the team then dressed in Khashoggi's clothes to make it appear as if he had left the consulate. After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi, 59, for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning said he had died in a fistfight at the consulate. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold, which the senior official reiterated. Turkish officials suspect the body of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was cut up but the Saudi official said it was rolled up in a rug and given to a "local cooperator" for disposal. Asked about allegations that Khashoggi had been tortured and beheaded, he said preliminary results of the investigation did not suggest that. The Saudi official presented what he said were Saudi internal intelligence documents which appeared to show the initiative to bring back dissidents as well as the specific one involving Khashoggi. He also showed testimony from those involved in what he described as the 15-man team's cover-up, and the initial results of an internal probe. He did not provide proof to substantiate the findings of the investigation and the other evidence. This narrative is the latest Saudi account that has changed multiple times. The authorities initially dismissed reports that Khashoggi had gone missing inside the consulate as false and said he had left the building soon after entering. When the media reported a few days later that he had been killed there, they called the accusations "baseless." Asked by Reuters why the government's version of Khashoggi's death kept changing, the official said the government initial account was based on "false information reported internally at the time." "Once it became clear these initial mission reports were false, it launched an internal investigation and refrained from further public comment," the official said, adding that the investigation is continuing. Turkish sources say the authorities have an audio recording purportedly documenting Khashoggi's murder inside the consulate but have not released it. Riyadh dispatched a high-level delegation to Istanbul on Tuesday and ordered an internal investigation but U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he is not satisfied with Saudi Arabia's handling of Khashoggi's death and said questions remain unanswered. Germany and France on Saturday called Saudi Arabia's explanation of how Khashoggi died incomplete. According to the latest version of the death, the government wanted to convince Khashoggi, who moved to Washington a year ago fearing reprisals for his views, to return to the kingdom as part of a campaign to prevent Saudi dissidents from being recruited by the country's enemies, the official said. To that end, the official said, the deputy head of the General Intelligence Presidency, Ahmed al-Asiri, put together a 15-member team from the intelligence and security forces to go to Istanbul, meet Khashoggi at the consulate and try to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia. "There is a standing order to negotiate the return of dissidents peacefully; which gives them the authority to act without going back to the leadership" the official said. "Asiri is the one who formed the team and asked for an employee who worked with (Saud) al-Qahtani and who knew Jamal from the time they both worked at the embassy in London," he said. The official said Qahtani had signed off on one of his employees conducting the negotiations. Protests in Washington over the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Oct. 10, 2018. Umar Farooq | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Saudi Arabia on Sunday called the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul consulate a "huge and grave mistake," but sought to shield its powerful crown prince from the widening crisis, saying had not been aware. The comments from Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir were some of the most direct yet from Riyadh, which has given multiple and conflicting accounts about Khashoggi's killing on Oct. 2, first denying his death and later admitting it amid an international outcry. The weeks of denial and lack of credible evidence in the face of allegations from Turkish officials that Khashoggi had been killed have shaken global confidence in ties with the world's top oil exporter. U.S. Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin said Saudi Arabia's admission that the Washington Post columnist was killed in a fistfight was a "good first step but not enough," though he added it was premature to discuss sanctions against Riyadh. Three European powersGermany, Britain and Francepressed Riyadh to provide facts, and Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would not export arms to Saudi Arabia while uncertainty over Khashoggi's fate persisted. Late on Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency said both Saudi King Salman and Prince Mohammed had called Khashoggi's son, Salah, to express condolences. Jubeir, the Saudi foreign minister, had extended condolences to Khashoggi's family earlier on Sunday. "This is a terrible mistake. This is a terrible tragedy. Our condolences go out to them. We feel their pain," Jubeir told the U.S. broadcaster Fox. "Unfortunately, a huge and grave mistake was made and I assure them that those responsible will be held accountable for this." He said the Saudis did not know how Khashoggi, a Saudi national and U.S. resident, had been killed or where his body was. He also said Prince Mohammed was not responsible. "This was an operation where individuals ended up exceeding the authorities and responsibilities they had. They made the mistake when they killed Jamal Khashoggi in the consulate and they tried to cover up for it." Khashoggi vanished after entering the consulate to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. After two weeks denying any involvement in the 59-year-old's disappearance, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, died during a fight in the building. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold. "Nothing can justify this killing and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms," Germany, Britain and France said in their joint statement. "There remains an urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened ... beyond the hypotheses that have been raised so far in the Saudi investigation, which need to be backed by facts to be considered credible." Reflecting international skepticism over its account, a senior Saudi government official laid out a new version that contradicts previous explanations. The latest account includes details on how 15 Saudis sent to confront Khashoggi had threatened him with being drugged and kidnapped and killed him in a chokehold when he resisted. A member of the team dressed in Khashoggi's clothes to make it appear as if he had left the consulate. Erdogan to speak Turkish officials suspect Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate by the Saudi agents and his body cut up. Turkish sources say authorities have an audio recording purportedly documenting Khashoggi's murder. In a speech on Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared to suggest he was getting ready to release some information about the Turkish investigation, and would do so at his weekly speech to members of his ruling AK Party in parliament. Erdogan has remained largely silent on the case, although Turkey's pro-government newspapers have released information about events at the consulate. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close May summoned to see 1922 Committee on Wednesday, as numerous Conservative MPs say she is on course for no confidence vote this week Shes in the killing zone and has 72 hours to save her job Mail on Sunday Itll be a show trial Sunday Express She will face a snap leadership coup if no deal by Christmas Sun on Sunday Heres what happened this week. Is she facing her political funeral? The Sunday Times numerous Tory MPs said May was on course to face a vote of no confidence this week as all wings of the party united against her. An ally of David Davis, the former Brexit secretary who is tipped as an interim leader, said May was entering the killing zone. One who hopes to succeed added: Assassination is in the air. The prime minister has been summoned to plead for her job before the back-bench 1922 committee on Wednesday a process dubbed a show trial by one Tory. She is now under attack from her MPs on five fronts as it was claimed that: Up to 46 MPs have sent a letter demanding a contest, two short of the number needed; A handful of cabinet members would vote against May in a secret ballot The Sunday Times Editorial: Her time is running out The Sunday Times Davis sets out what will be seen as his manifesto David Davis today steals a march on Tory leadership rival Boris Johnson by setting out what will be seen as his manifesto for Downing Street including adopting a much more militant attitude towards Brussels. With both former Cabinet Ministers on high alert this weekend for the sudden triggering of a no-confidence vote in Theresa May, the former Brexit Secretary uses a trenchant article in todays Mail on Sunday below to slam the Prime Minister for proposing to extend the transition period for withdrawing from the EU by a year. Arguing that Mrs May has managed to anger not just Leavers but ardent Remainers as well, Mr Davis calls for a change in tactics to a more uncompromising approach. Mail on Sunday Meanwhile, Johnson says May is planning a stitch-up Sunday Express >Today: ToryDiary: Davis waves away at the crown Mercer: I was deliberate in my choice of words. This administration cannot function I cannot continue to support an administration that cannot function, to the point where it allows cases such as the one affecting Dennis. For Dennis read Windrush, Grenfell and Brexit. When all is said and done, politics is about people, the lives of real people. It is not a stage to prance around on in London, feigning strength and conviction. It is how it actually feels to the British people. It does not feel right, and the country knows it. We are not an extreme country, and Britain is getting restless with a political scene that does not represent our nation. The Sunday Times >Today: Neil Shastri-Hurst in Comment: McCain in America, Mercer here in Britain. Its time for soldier-statesmen to take the lead An estimated 700,000 march for a second referendum The centre of London ground to a halt as an estimated 700,000 people from all over the UK marched peacefully on parliament to demand a second referendum on Brexit. It was the biggest outpouring of public opposition to government policy since the anti-Iraq war protest in 2003. The number who descended on the capital to call for a peoples vote exceeded all expectations of both the organisers and police. Addressing the crowds, which included dozens of MPs from all political parties, the TV personality and food writer Delia Smith said Brexit threatened to cause unmitigated chaos. The only way we can avoid this total madness and win back our future has to be a peoples vote, she declared to loud cheers. Observer The organisers claim 670,000 were there. Khan and others spoke Mail on Sunday The stereotypes abounded Sunday Telegraph Hannan calls it utterly illegitimate Sunday Express Civil servants wargame second referendum The Sunday Times Comment: Remain has the energy Will Hutton, Observer The marchers are risking democracy Tim Montgomerie, Mail on Sunday Editorial: Weve already had a peoples vote. Back in June 2016 Sun on Sunday Raab: I remain confident about a good deal. An indefinite customs union is not acceptable EU wants to stop UK becoming low-tax economy after Brexit I remain confident we can reach a good deal. At the same time, our no deal planning and preparations will continue. We are building on the 106 technical notices we have published explaining how we will avoid, manage or mitigate the short-term risks of a no deal scenario and make a success of Brexit. It is natural that our EU partners feel as frustrated as we do with this whole process. After all, it was the UK that voted to leave. And yet through their response, Brexit will define the EU at a critical juncture in its history. Seeking to lock the UK into an indefinite customs union is simply unacceptable. Proposals to carve up the economic regime that binds the UK are doubly irresponsible given separatist pressures on the continent and are hardly a compelling advert for a political club that stands for European unity. History will not look kindly on the EU if it precipitates no deal on these grounds. Sunday Telegraph Michel Barnier and his negotiating team want Britain to be shackled to EU tax policies after Brexit, a leaked document suggests. The EUs Brexit Task Force met with the European Parliaments TAX3 secretariat last week to discuss how Britain will align its tax rules with the EU. Campaign groups fear this proposal will be used to deliberately undermine a post-Brexit economy. The draft documents, written by the TAX3 committee, state: The intention is that they commit to continue to alignment with EU standards, including for their overseas countries and territories. The mandate for the negotiating team is to define and create a level playing field, taking into consideration four main areas, of which one is taxation. Campaign group Leave.EU hit out at the proposals, and said: We voted Leave to take back control of our country, but now the corrupt EU wants to control our tax rates after Brexit. Mail on Sunday Hammond refuses Javids demand for extra funds for police Meanwhile, former police chief blames peace process for preventing justice Belfast News Letter Philip Hammond has dismissed calls for more money for the police, leading to warnings in government that the chancellor risks undermining the fight against terrorism. Well-placed sources said a budget showdown last week between Hammond and Sajid Javid, the home secretary, did not go well. Javid has demanded several hundred million pounds in three parts: money for general policing, a new pot of cash to fund counter-terrorism and greater leeway for local authorities facing a crime crisis to raise a local tax called the precept. The Sunday Times Comment: Heres how to fight crime Rod Liddle, The Sunday Times Will compulsory purchase of discounted land be announced in budget? Councils would be able to strip landowners of large portions of profits from the sale of their land, under proposals expected to be unveiled in the Budget, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose. An official review commissioned by Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, is to endorse controversial calls for the state to capture more of the increase in value of sites when they are granted planning permission. Downing Street and the Treasury are now believed to be locked in discussions over how radical an approach the government could endorse. Sir Olivers final report could go as far as recommending the compulsory purchase of land at discounted prices that exclude the uplift in value from planning permission. Sunday Telegraph Councils to use new powers to build more houses Observer Over 40 MPs call for extra money for UC Sunday Telegraph Will the NHSs 20bn be spent on debt? Observer Publishers want e-book levy scrapped Sun on Sunday Minford says Canada Brexit would allow Hammond to cut VAT by 4 per cent in 2020 Sunday Express Hammond relations with McVey so bad he wants Truss to replace her Williamson backs Trump on Russian nuclear pact criticism A bitter row has erupted between Philip Hammond and welfare chief Esther McVey over claims of a 2 billion black hole in the Governments flagship benefits reform. Relations between the two are said to be so bad that the Chancellor wants Miss McVey sacked and replaced with his deputy, Liz Truss. One Treasury source even took aim at Ms McVeys immaculate hair, saying: The only thing she knows how to do well is a blow dry. But allies of Miss McVey accuse Mr Hammond of lobbying for her removal because she stands up to the Chancellor and gets more cash for her Work and Pensions department. Mail on Sunday Britain stands absolutely resolute with the United States, the UK defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, has said, after Donald Trumps announcement he would pull out of a decades-old nuclear weapons pact with Russia. Williamson blamed Russia for endangering the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, which was agreed by the US and the Soviet Union in 1987, and called on the Kremlin to get its house in order. Our close and long-term ally of course is the United States and we will be absolutely resolute with the United States in hammering home a clear message that Russia needs to respect the treaty obligation that it signed, he told the Financial Times. Observer Meanwhile, May plans electoral law overhaul to block foreign spending and stop interference Mail on Sunday Hinds to ask private schools to share their pools More criticisms of Bercow after he berated stunned aide at airport A bid to get more school children to take the plunge and learn to swim will be launched today. Education Secretary Damian Hinds will unveil plans to boost youngsters swimming skills by getting more private schools to share their facilities with those in the state sector. The move comes amid concerns that although swimming is compulsory in the national curriculum, almost half of primary school pupils are unable to swim the required 25 metres by the age of 11. Mr Hinds acknowledged last night that many private schools already shared their pools, but called for more to follow suit. He said: As a parent, I want my children to enjoy swimming as part of an active lifestyle, and as Education Secretary, I want to make sure our children grow up safe and water-confident. Mail on Sunday Commons Speaker John Bercow berated a stunned aide in an airport check-in queue, it was claimed yesterday. Stunned passengers looked on as he flew into a rage at his private secretary over a travel documents mix-up. Officials told of Mr Bercows fiery temper as he faced calls to step down over the bullying and sex pest row sweeping Westminster. One said: He has a short fuse. Ive seen him storming down corridors, slamming doors and swearing. He can be quite scary when he loses it. He once hit the roof with a private secretary and humiliated her in front of a line of other passengers. A former Commons clerk who quit over bullying accused Mr Bercow of belittling her because he couldnt lay his hands on an envelope. Sun on Sunday Commons staff could strike over culture revealed in Cox report The Sunday Times Comment: Bercows not fit for public office David Leakey, Sun on Sunday Dwan: Its easy to feel as if truth is in decline Gender identity has been pushed centre stage Melanie McDonagh, Mail on Sunday Few people oppose trans equality. Thats not what this is about Iain Macwhirter, Herald News in Brief Clegg and Facebook Sarah Manavis, New Statesman Oh, the placards Steerpike, Spectator Investigating MBS Robin Wright, New Yorker On Berlin Henry Hardy, TLS Nonetheless, its easy to feel worried that truths empire is in decline. George Orwell was one of truths Cassandras, but he tended to relate the rise of authoritarianism not to a dogmatic objectivity, but to the advance of relativism. Nazis were the worst sinners: Nazi theory specifically denies that such a thing as the truth exists. There is no such thing as science. There is only German science, Jewish science etc. Incoherent as it may be, Orwell worried that relativism was fed by the great modern disease of nationalism and the subdivision of the world into discrete and hostile units. Indifference to objective truth, he complained, is encouraged by the sealing-off of one part of the world from another. Despite Chinas best efforts, this type of isolation is hard to effect in an internet age. Yet as we have seen, the fragmentation of news sources and the rise of social media have produced new forms of collective solipsism in which lies are circulated with alarming speed. Observer Neil Shastri-Hurst is a former British Army Officer, doctor, and Conservative activist in the West Midlands Last week, Johnny Mercer spoke out. In a typically honest and forthright interview he pulled no punches, as one would expect from a former commando. He told The House Magazine that he was no longer sure that his set of values and ethos were still aligned with the Conservative Party. He peppered his analysis with some choice words. His views could not be misconstrued. Mercers words made me cast my mind back to September his year, and John McCains funeral. McCain was an All American Hero. A veteran, defined by his courage whilst a prisoner of war, a legislator in both Houses of Congress, a presidential candidate. Whether one agreed with his politics or not, McCains dedication to service and duty made Americans and countless others across the globe proud. He was a maverick, but also a conciliator. He worked across the aisle in order to deliver for his country. In the days following his death, there were many other such tributes to the man. The contrast with his approach to politics and that of the current White House administration has been emphasised repeatedly and pointedly. Meghan McCain paid tribute to her father during his memorial service at Washingtons National Cathedral as follows: The America of John McCain has no need to be made great again, because America was always great. The subsequent break in protocol and spontaneous eruption of applause highlighted the importance of his impact on American politics. So too did his choice of former presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush to be amongst those who delivered eulogies: two former opponents who lauded him for putting his principles and country before his party and his politics. In a world increasingly dominated by populist political rhetoric, in which chasing a headline and provoking a reaction is the apparent aim, McCains approach to politics really matters. During his lifetime, he called on his fellow politicians to do better for those that they serve. He understood the meaning of service in its truest sense. Whilst that service has not disappeared it does, at times, appear in short supply in todays politics. The after-effects of McCains political contributions will reverberate for some time to come. There must be a hope that he will inspire a new generation of soldier-statesmen to take up the mantle. In the UK, there are a number of parliamentarians who have previously earned the Queens Shilling in service of their country. These men and women offer a solution to a nation and a wider world crying out for leadership. They truly get the concepts of duty, service, and nationhood. Like McCain, Mercer and his fellow former servicemen and women are innately more comfortable in taking a bipartisan approach to their politics to find workable and achievable solutions to the challenges they face. In short, they believe in the power of their nation over that of their party. With swathes of the public on both sides of the Pond disenchanted with the political leadership currently on offer, the resurgence of the warrior-statesman may be just what the doctor ordered. Their patriotism and sense of nationhood having the resonance of genuineness that so often eludes the political classes, they have been in the privileged position to live and operate alongside the whole spectrum of society; a unique experience to most modern political leaders. So, long after the final eulogies have disappeared in the wind, perhaps McCain will have one final contribution to make to the world. Theresa May has been kept in place since the last election, first, by the view that to change Prime Minister during the Brexit talks would stop the negotiation, and that it would not re-start in time for a deal; second, by the lack of an agreed successor and, third, by the absence of an alternative plan. All these factors seem close to collapse. Some Conservative MPs now believe that, with the talks apparently stuck over the backstop and the rejection of Chequers in Salzburg last month, the negotiation has effectively broken down anyway and that claims that May will be rescued by Angela Merkel and other EU27 leaders are just so much whistling in the dark. There is also an alternative plan Canada Plus Plus Plus or, for those concerned that we might not have such a deal agreed by the end of transition, or who want no transition at all, the Norway-to-Canada scheme. And now there is also an alternative leader. The Prime Minister, we have been reading for a week, should be replaced by David Davis. He could complete the negotiation, serve in Downing Street for a year, and then push off with the thanks of a grateful nation. This might be acceptable to the young turks who want generational change at the top, since the near-70-year-old Davis would not stay in Downing Street for very long and even, perhaps, to such middle-aged turks as Boris Johnson. Davis would stand; other candidates would withdraw; he would thus be crowned. And at his third attempt, Davis would duly become Conservative leader: not so much the Comeback Kid as the Comeback Oldie. So say friends or allies, if you prefer another Fleet Street term. So, yes, there is a possible alternative leader who might command assent. And, yes, he has been studying Norway-to-Canada, and mulling its strengths and weaknesses. Now, there is a case for Davis and a case against him, as there is for many things. But before debating it back and forth, its necessary to ask: does he actually back this scheme in the first place? Davis distrusts coronations of the Conservative kind, that is. There is irony in that fact, since he is the only serving Tory politician who has guaranteed one, withdrawing in 2003 in favour of Michael Howard. But he recognises that a Conservative leader needs to command the Party; that authority usually flows from winning a leadership election, fair and square, and that Mays leadership would have been been acquired an extra layer of legitimacy had the contest she won in 2016 gone to the membership stage. Furthermore, the prospect of an uncontested poll looks like a Westminster fantasy. Why should a Sajid Javid or a Penny Mordaunt to name only two Cabinet members who might be put by their colleagues before party members not seize their moment to win the leadership, rather than risk it fading away? Either of them let alone Johnson might fancy a smash-and-grab raid on it. That, after all, was what David Cameron launched in 2005. The man he beat was Davis. Next, remember the condition of the Commons. Tory MPs can change their leader, but they cant change the numbers. The Conservatives have no majority. A new leader would risk emerging from a bloody leadership poll with party unity even weaker than before. The logic of a leadership election points to a general election sooner rather than later, to give our imaginary new leader the prospect of implementing his or her new plan, rather than see it stuck in a chamber in which there may be no majority for any plan at all. And Tory MPs, especially those in marginal seats, are petrified of a poll. Another candidate might soft-soap them, promising not to call one, if he or she wins. Our best bet is that Davis wouldnt. That would lower his vote, to put it mildly. Finally, has anyone asked him whether, having clambered to the top of the greasy pole at the third attempt, he would be willing to slide back down it after a mere twelve months or so? We doubt it. Almost anything can happen in politics, of course. In Julius Caesar, the ruler after whom the play is named is offered the crown by Mark Anthony and, as I told you, he put it by oncebut, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered it to him again, then he put it by againbut, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered it the third time. He put it the third time by. In circumstances that we cant see, maybe Davis would be less fastidious. None the less, there is no evidence that the man himself is up for a coronation; that he thinks it likely that there would be one, anyway; that he would eschew seeking a general election as Prime Minister, to the horror of many of his colleagues and the depression of his potential vote; and that he would be willing to serve in Number Ten for a year or so only. One sometimes reaches an age or state where one wants something only on ones own terms. David Lidington said of leadership plots last summer that his colleagues had been drinking too much prosecco. Autumn is here and the weather is cooler. But some of them, at least as far as this plan is concerned, are still knocking it back. CORNWALL, Ontario The Cornwall business community got to learn about the challenges and advantages of cross-border commerce at Bridges to Better Business on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2018. The keynote speaker was Rick Tachuk, National Chairman of AmCham Canada, an organization dedicated to cross border commerce. Tachuk explained how the cross-border business landscape had changed in light of the recently revamped North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) now known as the U.S., Mexico, Canada trade agreement (USMCA). Tachuk said that one positive that Canada managed to keep in their new agreement with the U.S. were the clauses that pertained to labour mobility, something that the Trump Administration had wanted to remove completely. We are living in an era of uncertainty, said Tachuk. The U.S.s policies of America First means that Canada needs to act now to become more competitive. He explained that making efforts to remove red tape for businesses would strengthen Canadas position, as would reducing their taxes. When companies look at new investments to Canada, they may start to look at the U.S. instead, he said. Canada need to move quickly to create a positive business environment. Tachuk said that both countries are facing challenges when it comes to labour. Both countries are facing labour shortages, he said. It will be up to local businesses and governments to create better employment opportunities. The reality is that it is up to businesses on both sides of the border to work together for the future, he concluded. However perceived or articulated, the dislike many state voters harbor for Gov. Dan Malloy could be the result of several things. For starters, hes a know-it-all workaholic whose collaborations with state legislators were ... ah ... limited over these eight years. But one thing that even those vaguely aware of public policy cant begrudge the governor is the monumentally sad, gut-wrenching job he shouldered for Connecticut on that deadly Friday morning. It was nearly six years ago when a pathetic, disturbed shut-in assassinated his mother while she was sleeping, then drove to Sandy Hook Elementary School to live out a twisted fantasy, murdering 20 first-graders and six educators with a military-style rifle before killing himself. Hours later, in the grim, emotion-saturated atmosphere of the nearby firehouse, it was Malloy who announced the reality to the families of the slaughtered, joining in their sorrow. Soon thereafter, within five months of the Newtown massacre, Malloy shamed call it lobbying or leadership, if you want the General Assembly into adopting some of the nations toughest gun-safety measures. Assault-style rifles are banned for sale or importation. Same thing with magazines containing more than 10 bullets. Criminal background checks are required for all firearm sales, even ammunition. The semi-automatic, AR-15 type weapons already in the possession of state residents had to be registered. This irked the National Rifle Association to no end. Today, violent crime is way down and prison populations are at historic lows. Two of the three major candidates for governor, Democrat Ned Lamont and the unaffiliated Oz Griebel, are happy to talk about this success and voice their support for gun control. Republican Bob Stefanowski, not so much. He has the top Aq rating from the NRA, the highest grade an untested state candidate can get. Mark Boughton, the Danbury mayor who was the winner of the Republican endorsement at its May convention took an F. So did Ned Lamont. Stefanowksi doesnt say much about his Aq, except to pledge support for Second Amendment rights. But Stefanowski filled out a detailed 24-question semi-secret quiz given him last spring by the NRAs Political Victory Fund. Its tailored for Connecticut. Considering current Connecticut firearm law, one of the preliminary questions asks, changing to boldface do you support any additional restrictive state legislation regulating the sale, use or possession of firearms or ammunition? Do you support state legislation banning the manufacture, possession, ownership, purchase and/or transfer of any firearm? I suppose the answer they want is clear enough. The NRA-PVF makes it even more obvious further into the document, in a long, slanted question on the 2013 post-Sandy Hook law, leading an applicant to agree that more money should go into fixing the broken mental-health system and less into regulation. The first of three responses is to support repeal of the law. An American hero was at the University of Connecticut the other day, and he had a lot to say about the NRA. James Comey, the former FBI director who would not pledge personal loyalty to the president, then was fired in May of last year, appeared on campus for a 90-minute monologue and Q-and-A before more than 2,000 students and faculty. He warned that the national gun debate is being used as a political tool. He recalled living in Westport, where he was legal counsel for a hedge fund at the time of the Sandy Hook School massacre. He said there remain many impediments for law enforcement, health care and educators to work together on the issue. We are sold fear on a regular basis that incapacitates our public conversation, said Comey, recalling the federal background-check system run by the FBI. The largest single-monthly sale of firearms came right after Sandy Hook, he recalled. Fear resulted. Theyre coming to take your guns. Theyre coming to take your guns. The Constitution of the United States assures lawful ownership, he stressed. The people who sell us fear dont want us to think of it that way, Comey said. Trumps been very bad for business, in a way. Trump is coming to take your guns doesnt sound as good as Obama is coming to take your guns. Nothing sells quite like fear. So, since Stefanowski wont detail his positions on guns, and many other things besides the claim that he would run the state like a business, lets say its safe to hypothesize that he would give the NRA what they want. Ken Dixon, political editor and columnist, can be reached at 203-842-2547 or at kdixon@ctpost.com. Visit him at twitter.com/KenDixonCT and on Facebook at kendixonct.hearst. Connecticut is in serious trouble, but its not too late to create a better future. Our last governor has already left the state and our current governor recently announced that he is taking a job out of state when he leaves office. They are just two examples of the increasing number of people who are leaving Connecticut to retire or obtain jobs due to failed state economic and fiscal policies. Shockingly, Connecticut faces a $4.6 billion budget deficit over the next two fiscal years. This despite the fact that Governor Malloy proposed and the Democrat-controlled legislature passed two of the largest tax increases in state history during the past eight years. Its time to change course. Bob Stefanowski rightfully recognizes that our state faces a real crisis. He has promised to declare a Fiscal State of Emergency, and he recently released a five-step fiscal framework to balance the budget and provide room for the tax cuts that have been a centerpiece of his campaign. Those five steps are: 1. Rightsize Connecticut has too many government entities, too many layers of management, too many outdated practices, and too much outdated technology. State government also engages in many activities that can be performed in a more economical, efficient, and effective manner by non-profits and the private sector. Bob will take the necessary steps to rationalize the size and scope of state government. He will also take steps to rationalize existing state owned properties. 2. Reprioritize Connecticut needs to build a budget from the ground up. Mandatory spending continues to grow and now consumes more than half of the budget. This is unacceptable and unsustainable. Bob will adopt zero-based and performance-oriented budgeting practices to help improve performance, reduce costs and reprioritize state spending. 3.Restructure Connecticut has more than $100 billion in state debt and unfunded pension and retiree health care obligations. Connecticuts current retirement plans are at risk due to years of irresponsible actions by career politicians and labor leaders. Connecticut state retirement plans need to be competitive and affordable while ensuring that, after the needed restructuring, the state will deliver on what it promises. Bob will restructure current state pension and health care plans in a fair, equitable and sustainable manner in order to help save the state, enhance retirement security and restore fiscal sanity. 4. Reform Connecticuts current welfare programs are very generous and subject to significant fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement. Bob will modernize our state welfare systems while maintaining a solid social safety net for those truly in need. He will vigorously pursue federal funding options to make sure that Connecticut obtains its fair share. He will also develop clearly defined, consistently applied, and transparent criteria for providing fair and reliable educational assistance to municipalities. 5. Revitalize At least four of Connecticuts largest cities face serious financial and competitiveness challenges. A strong Connecticut economy requires attractive and competitive cities that effectively address socio-economic and racial barriers. Bob will pursue federal opportunity zones and alternative ways for cities to restructure municipal finances and reduce their property tax burdens. By taking the above steps, Connecticut can save billions in the annual spending and significantly reduce unfunded retirement obligations. This will enable us to balance the budget, provide much needed tax relief and invest in our future. As governor, Bob will lead an effort to turn around Connecticut. However, he will need a supportive legislature and a top-flight cabinet to help save our state from further decline. This election represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to elect people who will change Connecticuts steady and bad habit of taxing and spending its way into economic weakness and fiscal unsustainability. Its important. Please vote David Walker, of Bridgeport, is a former U.S. Comptroller General. For Subscribers Who are the top 25 county boys high school athletes since 2001? Wrestling champs and track, soccer, baseball, football and basketball stars, it's the top 25 athletes from Somerset County high schools this century. A police officer has died in a shooting in unincorporated Snellville, Gwinnett County Police said. SWAT teams and K-9 units flooded the area, which consists of residential subdivisions and wooded areas. Toney, along with other officers, arrived near Shiloh Middle School in Snellville about 2:30 p.m.in response to a report of "a suspicious vehicle", police said. The 30-year-old from Southern California had been with the Gwinnett County Police Department for almost three years. "Tafahree Maynard needs to turn himself in", Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers said at a press conference. A second suspect Tafahree Maynard, 18, has been charged with aggravated assault and felony murder but remains on the loose. Authorities say the suspects crashed their vehicle a short time later and witnesses reported seeing as many as four people running from the scene. Police said in April 1964, Officers Jerry Everett, Ralph Davis, and Jesse Gravitt were shot and killed investigating suspicious activity in Duluth. That second officer, whose name has not yet been released, pulled Officer Toney out of the line of fire. An officer who was searching the area encountered Pretlow about 3 p.m. Police say Pretlow pointed a gun at the officer, who fired shots. It was his first police job. Investigators said the bullet missed the vest worn by the 30-year-old officer. Officer Toney's family and friends erected a memorial for Officer Toney on Saturday and gathered to remember his life on Saturday night. Police presence was heavy Saturday evening in neighborhoods a few miles east of Stone Mountain as officers, SWAT and K9 teams searched for Maynard. This is the fifth death the Gwinnett County Police Department has experienced in the line of duty. According to WSB, they remembered him as a jovial man who loved his job as a police officer. "We are mourning the loss with you". Dear Editor: When I bought my house, I had no knowledge that commercial weddings were being held at the house next to me, as there was no approval filed for this except on a one-off basis. As it turned out, approvals for occasional events became every weekend from May to mid-November. I had to work hard to bring the permit violations to the attention of the town. The noise has been very disruptive to the quiet enjoyment of my property. There is also a traffic risk, as the speed limit is 55 mph in front of my house. If there were to be an official designation for special events, the weddings would be allowed again. I am outraged to think about this. Research presented at a Town Hall meeting demonstrated that property values could be reduced by 10 percent. Who will this benefit aside from a few people seeking to use residential property for weddings, festivals and concerts? And does residential zoning have any meaning going forward? Why not force the attention to those few property owners seeking the creation of event spaces, and give their neighbors a right to object? The proximity to other residential properties, available parking, and safety issues should be assessed on a case-by-case basis. It seems that Marbletown is seeking to pass a law that will take away the rights of certain residential property owners to expand the rights of a very limited number of residential tax payers who will have the combined benefits of residential and commercial zoning. Marbletown readers should protect property values, public safety and the quiet enjoyment of Marbletown residential properties by signing the petition. Inquire at Marbletownpetition@gmail.com. Mary-Etta Schneider Marbletown, N.Y. And while immigration was a key issue in the president's 2016 victory, a CBS News poll out Friday says his approval rating on immigration is just 39 percent- the lowest on any issue. The Mexican government has tried to not to make matters worse with President Donald Trump who has unloaded a heavy stream of vitriol against Mexican leaders threatening military action and an end to a recently inked trade agreement Thursday over Twitter and during a campaign rally if Mexico didn't put a stop to the caravan. On Friday afternoon, hundreds of the migrants poured through Guatemala's frontier posts towards the closed Mexican border on a bridge spanning the Suchiate River that bisects the two countries, Mexican television footage showed. Mr. Pompeo is expected to meet with Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray, Foreign Secretary-designate Marcelo Ebrard, and departing President Enrique Pena Nieto. The caravan of thousands started as 160 people nine days ago but its numbers have swelled as more have joined in an attempt to leave poverty and violence behind them. Since the mid-1970s, migrants from Central and Southern America have exploited Mexico's relatively lax policies on border security to enter the US illegally. Dozens of Hondurans fleeing poverty and violence abandoned their efforts to cross through Mexico to the USA amid mounting fear and exhaustion, more than a week into the gruelling journey north. Trump said that Democrats are "openly inviting" illegals to pour across the border into the United States. Early Thursday, he threatened to close the USA border if Mexico let the migrants advance. A large, US -bound group of Central American migrants that President Donald Trump has been attacking all week reached Mexico's southern border Friday and started to cross over after a clash with law enforcement. Cristian, who declined to give his last name because the gangsters had threatened him, estimated that about 30 per cent of the migrants want to apply for refugee status in Mexico, while the rest want to reach the United States. Others prepared to cross the river in rafts, the traditional way migrants enter. "Meanwhile, we must accompany our fellow countrymen", he said on Friday. There are reports that some of the migrants broke through Guatemalan border fences before clashing with Mexican riot police in no man's land. Pompeo, who also met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, said the situation is quickly reaching a point of crisis and the caravan must be stopped before it reaches the USA border. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said via Twitter on October 19 that he had asked permission from Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales to send Honduran civil protection personnel to the bridge to help the migrants. "One way or another, we will pass", the migrants chanted as they moved toward the bridge that connects the two countries as a disorganized crowd of women, men and children. This appears to be a shift from previous policies, in which humanitarian or transit visas were issued, and migrants were given the option of continuing their journey north if they didn't want to seek asylum in Mexico. "It's the third time that I'm trying to cross", said the 22-year-old who dreams of finding a construction job in Los Angeles. Mexican Federal Police officers try to prevent Honduran migrants from crossing the border. "So as of this moment, I thank Mexico", Trump said Friday at an event in Scottsdale, Arizona. "Why would I want to go to the United States if I'm going to be persecuted" there as well, she said. Human rights groups have criticised the USA and Mexican response to the caravan. He should be happy because we're going to work. In EU negotiations, Theresa May flounders between wild fake militancy, to protect her right flank, and pathetic weakness her actual position, writes Hitchens Negotiation is a test of strength. And Britain is far weaker than the giant German empire that is the EU. Sooner or later, if we truly want to get out of that empire, we are going to have to grasp this. Poor, hopeless Theresa May hasnt a chance, not least because she has never really wanted to leave. So she flounders between wild fake militancy, adopted to protect her right flank, and pathetic weakness her actual position. But I have even less time for the posturing braggarts, on all sides of the question, who now pretend that their positions are so pure and wonderful that they cannot give an inch. The Europhiles are ghastly, especially their dangerous call for a second referendum. It was one of them, the disastrous David Cameron, who lumbered us with the first referendum. Now, like a man with a crushing hangover who reaches with trembling hands for the bottle that gave it to him, they whimper for another one. But worst of all are those who demand a total, pure exit from the EU, even if it means a catastrophic walkout with nothing agreed. As I sometimes point out, I dont recall seeing most of these heroes around when I was one of the few voices calling for British independence in the long years before 2016. Back then, most of these born-again, all-or-nothing fanatics, in politics and the media, were keen allies of Mr Cameron, perhaps the worst Prime Minister this country has ever had. Remember how he derided anyone who objected to the loss of national independence as silly old fools banging on, or as fruitcakes. Well, it seems, they are all fruitcakes now. Though their obsessions are strange. I wanted to get out of the EU, and still do, because I believe continental law and forms of government will eventually destroy English law and our unique free Parliament. I couldnt give a farthing for the freedom to import chlorine-washed chicken from the USA, or fling our markets open wide to Asia. In fact, I rather fear it. I do not think that, by leaving the EU, we will suddenly export more. Why would that happen? Our goods are not especially cheap and we make little that the world actually wants. I think we will import more. What I want to do is rip up our allegiance to the European Arrest Warrant, a grave breach of our ancient liberties which everyone seems to have completely forgotten about. I want to get rid of the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, now our real Supreme Court. And I want to stop rubber-stamping European Commission directives and pretending they are our own laws. And I would also like to shake free of the crazy policy of pushing the EU eastwards into Ukraine and the Caucasus. If Brussels and Washington really want a war with Russia, then let them have one. But Britain has no interest at all in reviving this grubby, aggressive conflict, which has already convulsed Europe twice in one century. These aims can be achieved by doing what I have now been urging for months the Norway Option. This needs no permission from Brussels. It formally takes us out of the EU, so fulfilling the referendum vote. It would make the Irish border as relaxed as the current frontier between Norway and Sweden, which is pretty relaxed. It frees us from three-quarters of EU interference in our laws and life. It keeps us in the European Economic Area, so there is no risk to the economy. It frees us from the EUs damaging Common Agricultural Policy and from the daylight robbery of the Common Fisheries Policy. It hugely cuts our contributions to Brussels. But, thanks to strident, inflexible groups of MPs whose main concern is their future careers, it has barely been considered. I cant stop them. But if they manage to lead us into chaos and an economic crash, then I shall at least try to make sure that their selfish folly is not forgotten. I am rather ashamed now by how unmoved I was by the original Moon landings in 1969. It was only after I saw, in a Moscow museum, the tiny fire-blackened capsule in which Yuri Gagarin returned to Earth that it came home to me just how much courage astronauts needed to go into space. Ryan Gosling plays Neil Armstrong in the powerful - but gloomy - film First Man The powerful if rather gloomy film First Man, in which Ryan Gosling plays Neil Armstrong, is a useful reminder of an astonishing episode which I lived through, but which is now as remote as the first flight of the Wright brothers was to me in my childhood. Its also amusing to be reminded that man went to the Moon in supposedly archaic miles, feet and inches, not modern metres. A whiff of decay swirls around Britain I have often predicted that we would soon be applying for full membership of the Third World. But I think we may actually have secretly joined it. In the last week, my regular railway line, in the throes of a vastly expensive and interminable modernisation, grossly behind time and over budget, was shut down. Why? Because a test train ran along it and managed to pull down 500 yards of newly installed electric cable. But this was just an inventive new sort of mess. Normally it closes, or slows down to the speeds of the 19th Century, every few days for a signal failure or because the weather is too hot, too cold or too windy, or because of mysterious disappearances of train crew. Are they being abducted by aliens? While I endure this, I am unceasingly hectored by automated announcements, the latest being a creepily friendly voice that urges me to hold the handrail as I go up the stairs on the station footbridge. The fewer and later the trains, the more announcements there are. But when everything goes totally wrong, silence falls, staff disappear and electronic screens go blank. On my way to the station, I have to pick my way past unending roadworks (I do not think the three-mile journey has been free of these for a single day in the past three years). Most of the time nothing at all is actually happening, and it would take a trained archaeologist to work out what has changed from one weeks end to the next. At the luxurious cinema in a newly built shopping mall (which took longer to complete than the Pyramids), buckets recently appeared to catch leaks from the ceiling after some moderately heavy rain. Its air-conditioning was overpowered by the summer heatwave, which is surely what it was built to deal with. And ever and again, as I walk or bicycle down the streets of modern British cities, which are flashy and modern on the surface, my nose picks up the ancient, unmistakable smell of malfunctioning drains, which you might expect to encounter in Baghdad, Cairo or Bombay, but is something new here. And if its not that, it is the equally unwelcome aroma of marijuana, that is now legal here in all but name. Perhaps the two are connected. Why do British police forces keep going on about county lines, a fancy name for drug dealers from big cities extending their operations to small towns? We dont have county lines in Britain, we have county boundaries, so the American phrase has no meaning here. In any case, can any police chief explain why they still more or less enforce the law against selling drugs, but not the law against buying them? The engine of the whole trade comes from the money handed over by buyers. So why are buyers left alone? It makes no sense. And it doesnt work. If you want to comment Peter Hitchens, click here I dont know what the hells happened, the Cabinet insider said to me. The whole things imploded. It has. This week the Prime Ministers Chequers strategy fell apart. An attempt to bounce her Ministers into supporting a proposal that would have seen Northern Ireland effectively carved off from the rest of the UK was dumped in the face of a furious revolt. A plan to extend the no deal Backstop without a fixed end date was junked after the Chief Whip, Julian Smith, told Mrs May there was no way he could guide it through the Commons. And her last-ditch effort to cut a deal with the EU over extending the length of the transition period floundered after Mrs May was forced to publicly deny even floating the idea. Chief Whip Julian Smith has told Theresa May there is no way he can guide the Brexit Backstop deal through parliament Up until now the problem for the Prime Minister has been a perception among her Ministers and backbenchers that she is pursuing a politically unworkable Brexit plan. But this morning a new view is forming. That she has no plan at all She thought shed walk away from the summit with the deal done, one Minister explained. But the opposite has happened. Were all sitting here with no clear idea what it is that were even proposing. Up until now the problem for the Prime Minister has been a perception among her Ministers and backbenchers that she is pursuing a politically unworkable Brexit plan. But this morning a new view is forming. That she has no plan at all. You know that moment when youre out with your friends, and youre having a half-decent time, and someone says lets try somewhere new. So you all wander off and then after about 15 minutes one of you asks, OK, where are we going? and everyone just looks at everyone else, and you realise youre all just standing there in the rain. Thats what its been like this week, says an official. Cabinet confidence in May has collapsed. Across Government there was utter incredulity when it emerged a deal had been proposed that would have involved carving out a special status for Northern Ireland something the Prime Minister has always said she would never entertain, and that her DUP partners have warned would imperil their support for her administration. How did they think they would get that past anyone? one Minister asked in exasperation. Dominic Raab [the Brexit Minister] had to get on the Eurostar to clear up the mess and tell Barnier to his face it was a non-starter. Why 36 adds up to doom for Jezza The key number to watch is 36. Thats how many MPs Labour rebels are aiming to recruit to form a new party or to at least a breakaway faction. Thats the minimum number were aiming for, a senior plotter tells me. Its how many we need to replace the SNP as the second-largest opposition. This is important because it would give the leader of the new grouping a guaranteed speaking slot at Prime Ministers Questions, as well as permitting an injection of public funding or Short Money. Allies of Jeremy Corbyn believe such a figure is wildly optimistic, but his opponents think that after last months Labour conference in which the partys rules were amended to make the deselection of sitting MPs easier a split on this scale is achievable. Therell be no move before Brexit, one rebel explains, but after that all bets are off. Advertisement Two explanations are being floated. One is that negotiations have now been completely hijacked by Olly Robbins, the senior civil servant in charge of the day-to-day talks, and a mandarin regarded with hostility by Brexiteers who believe our man in Brussels is in reality Brussels man in Whitehall. Robbins knew exactly what he was doing, said a Minister. It was his plan, and he tried to force it through even though he knew it would be politically toxic. That Robbins was party to an attempt to effectively bounce the Cabinet into annexing Northern Ireland from the Union is not in dispute. But another member of the Cabinet thinks he is merely being scape-goated for the Prime Ministers own loss of nerve. Theyre hanging Robbins out to dry. The problem is May. The Salzburg ambush has changed everything, he explained. The EU now think shes prepared to cave into just about whatever they want in order to get a deal through. Downing Street had a detailed post-Brexit game plan. But Brussels has steadfastly refused to follow it. No10s belief was that May would be able to separate the member states from EU negotiators, that the loss of two senior Cabinet Ministers (Boris Johnson and David Davis) over Chequers would demonstrate the PM had gone as far as she could in granting concessions, and that the European panjandrums would respond accordingly. They havent. No10 sources insist significant progress has been made on the details of the Chequers settlement. But, according to Cabinet insiders, what progress has been made is simply because May is capitulating to the EUs demands. Before Salzburg the idea was we would meet the EU 50:50. But now its more like 70:30 or 80:20, said one. Some Downing Street officials still cling to the hope of being thrown a threadbare EU lifeline. Were actually very close now, says one. But even one of Mays few remaining Cabinet allies believes this may be wishful thinking. A lot of the backlash has come from Ministers who want to be in the Cabinet but like to pretend people will forget theyve been in the Cabinet when we get to a leadership election. DD rallies his troops? Nick Wood, former media adviser to Tory leaders William Hague and Iain Duncan Smith, has been spotted in the corridors of Parliament deep in conversation with key members of the David Davis leadership team. As well as his extensive list of journalistic contacts, Wood enjoys close links with the partys Eurosceptic wing. The DD campaign appears to be stepping up a gear. Advertisement But to be honest, even if she does get a deal now, where are the votes for it in the Commons? Is she really going to be able to get Chequers past with Labour votes? The consensus among both Tory Brexiteers and Remainers is that she cant. And that, if anything, opposition to Chequers is now hardening. There are going to be a series of conversations this weekend, one Tory grandee told me. People are considering their options. None of them are especially palatable. Many backbenchers are hoping the Cabinet revolt can be leveraged into a full-scale challenge to Mays leadership. Conversely, a number of members of the Cabinet conscious of the old adage that he who wields the dagger never wears the crown are now privately hoping the threshold of 48 signatures for a no-confidence vote may at last be reached. What everyone is agreed on is that if a confidence vote were to be triggered, the events of the past days would make it hard for May to survive. I think theres a minimum of 100 MPs who wouldnt back her now, says one backbencher, and thats probably being generous. If she loses that much support then theres no way she can cling on. She has clung on before. But that was when it was perceived the PMs doggedness and determination were the qualities necessary to find a route through the Brexit maze. Now the sense is that just like that group looking for a new restaurant she is lost. Her Chequers strategy is in tatters and there is no fall back plan. Its cold. Its raining. And Theresa May has nowhere to go. As the speculation over the launch of a new party intensifies, Westminster observers were also intrigued to see leading Corbyn critic Ian Austin hosting Tony Blair on a visit to his Dudley constituency last week. Austin worked as a senior spin-doctor to Gordon Brown prior to his own election in 2005, and signs of a rapprochement between the Blairite and Brownite tribes will have been noted with alarm by Team Corbyn. Emma Deicke had just won the coveted prize of Miss Rodeo Australia 2017 when bull rider Sam O'Connor, 28, reached out to her. Knowing she would be travelling every weekend to a rodeo, the 24-year-old was reluctant to start a relationship with the charming boy from Queensland. 'He was very persistent and nothing like anyone else so I thought "what the hell" get to know the guy and then see,' Emma told FEMAIL. Scroll down for video Emma Deicke had just won the coveted prize of Miss Rodeo Australia 2017 when bull rider Sam O'Connor, 28, reached out to her (both pictured) Knowing she would be travelling every weekend to a rodeo, the 24-year-old was reluctant to start a relationship with the charming boy from Queensland 'We instantly clicked, like two people that were really meant to be. He was my best friend from day one and was always in my corner to defend me and help me with every little annoying thing I wanted done.' But on New Year's Eve, still very much in love, the pair would endure one of the toughest relationship tests a couple are likely to face. 'Sam and I were in Rockhampton for the Professional Bull Riders event and it was like any other event,' Emma explained. 'Sam and I were in Rockhampton for the Professional Bull Riders event and it was like any other event,' Emma explained (Sam pictured) But on New Year's Eve, still very much in love, the pair would endure one of the toughest relationship tests a couple are likely to face 'He had been suffering a bit with his riding hand but nothing that has stopped him from competing. 'It was going to be quick trip down and back on New Year's Day. We were going fishing in the coming days and were both so excited because my parents had just bought a new boat.' But plans for the new year shifted entirely when Sam entered the arena. 'He was the last one out in his section and when the bull came out he was in the right position but the bull was just a little too powerful,' Emma said. 'Sam was thrown over the top and landed in a scorpion position. He said he could still feel everything at that point but when the bull lost its footing and scrapped over him (in that position), that's when the break occurred. 'He was the last one out in his section and when the bull came out he was in the right position but the bull was just a little too powerful,' Emma said 'He was completely awake throughout the whole thing which I am thankful for. It was like a light switch Sam later explained to me.' The events of that night may have changed Sam physically, but it hasn't altered the way the couple support each other. Released from hospital on April 20 - which also happened to be their one year anniversary - Sam is now completing his physiotherapy on the Gold Coast. He's currently in a wheelchair. 'We go to training every day (except weekends) and train one on one and by ourselves in that week,' Emma said. Released from hospital on April 20 - which also happened to be their one year anniversary - Sam is now completing his physiotherapy on the Gold Coast 'We go to training every day (except weekends) and train one on one and by ourselves in that week,' Emma said 'Sam and I are 100 per cent positive he will walk again, it just takes time, guts, drive and determination which he has in spades.' On her social media accounts Emma shares the daily workout routines she does alongside Sam, whether it be with arm weights, in the pool or getting a 'proper hug' from him when he stands. The pair's confidence and admiration of one another is obvious in every interaction they have, but Emma said sometimes the reaction from others surprises her. 'A lot of people tell me that they admire what I am doing for Sam, yet I don't particularly think I need the praise as I am doing what I know is what my life laid out for me,' she explained. 'It might not be the exact way I would have liked to have the first year of our relationship but I wouldn't change it, because changing it would mean not finding the love of my life and soul mate. On her social media accounts Emma shares the daily workout routines she does alongside Sam, whether it be with arm weights, in the pool or getting a 'proper hug' from him when he stands 'A lot of people tell me that they admire what I am doing for Sam, yet I don't particularly think i need the praise as I am doing what I know is what my life laid out for me,' she explained 'I didn't fall in love with him because he could ride a bull or fix a fence or walk! I fell in love with him for his cheeky smile, sense of humour, charm and for the way he made me feel like a princess with one look. 'Those things have never changed, he is still the exact same person in my eyes, so much so that I honestly do not notice the wheelchair at all, it doesn't even register to me anymore.' In the 10 months since the accident Emma and Sam 'have spent every single second of every day together', and she believes it has made them stronger as a unit. In the ten months since the accident Emma and Sam 'have spent every single second of every day together', and she believes it has made them stronger as a unit 'My advice to other couples is to not forget the little things in your relationship that made you love each other from the start,' she said, particularly to those going through a similar experience. 'Don't forget that there is always going to be hard times and always going to be something or someone that is going to try and stop you from achieving those goals and try to beat you down but don't ever let someone else define your future because you write your own story. 'And that is what Sam and I are doing, writing our own ending, not one that the doctors said will happen... one where we can both walk. 'It's extremely hard, I'm not going to lie, but when you get to be with the one you love every day it's better then being alone. And I know for 100 per cent fact that if the roles were reversed he wouldn't have left my side either.' You can follow Emma Deicke's Instagram here to follow along with the couple's progress. Chinese-born entrepreneur Pocket Sun is a woman with a multi-million dollar empire at her feet, but it wasn't always that way. After an unlucky turn in the US visa lottery led to Ms Sun losing her tech-based job in Chicago, she turned misfortune into opportunity by going back to university for a masters in entrepreneurship. At the age of 24, the gifted businesswoman became one of the youngest people in history to grace the cover of Forbes magazine. Now 27, Ms Sun runs the multi-million dollar investment company SoGal which supports female and minority led start-ups. The Singapore-based entrepreneur shared her inspiring story with FEMAIL and revealed her hopes for the next generation of women in business. Pocket Sun (pictured) is the founder of the investment fund SoGal which supports female and minority led businesses 'When I had to leave my job in Chicago, I decided to go to grad school in southern California to study entrepreneurship and innovation,' Ms Sun told Daily Mail Australia. 'In hindsight, losing out on a visa was actually the best thing that's ever happened to me because otherwise I wouldn't have been inspired to found SoGal.' Historically, there has only been one voice in business the one that that belongs to men. We want to represent the future, and that's women and minorities; we can't afford to leave half the world behind. The concept of SoGal, which Ms Sun describes as her 'life's work', emerged in response to a problem she saw with how modern business is done. 'Since most investors are male, women sometimes feel unwelcome in the corporate space, not taken seriously. I saw this as a problem, experimented with solutions and the end result was SoGal. 'Historically, there has only been one opinion and one voice in business that has been valued and respected, the one that belongs to men. 'I was always one of the only women in the room at technology events, and my entrepreneurship classes had very few female speakers. Ms Sun said that environment risked alienating half the world's population, and missing out on the ideas that female entrepreneurs were generating. 'There are so many opportunities waiting to be discovered by looking through a different lens and taking marginalised people seriously.' 'We can't afford to leave half the world behind -with SoGal, I want to represent the future and that means supporting women and minorities' 'The Forbes cover was not part of the plan, but I guess that's what being an entrepreneur is about - there is no plan!' 'The Forbes cover was not part of the plan, but I guess that's what being an entrepreneur is about - there is no plan! 'I was 24 at the time and an editor from California nominated me; somehow the selection committee thought what I was doing was interesting, and they made me the featured honoree in the finance and venture capital category.' In 2017, Ms Sun was featured in the motivational career book 3 Billion Under 30. Losing my job was actually the best thing that's ever happened to me. SoGal now has two arms, a venture capital firm which invests in start-up companies with diverse founding teams. 'Our aim is to support diversity, and we think of that in a broad sense: gender, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, language - all of this matters.' The other branch of Ms Sun's swiftly growing empire is the SoGal Foundation, which promotes education for women, youth and marginalised minorities. 'Know what you stand for, take the time to figure that out and be your own agent - you can do anything once you take ownership' Asked what advice she would give young women and, indeed, her younger self, Ms Sun said girls in particular need to invest in themselves. 'Never underestimate the power of your thinking and your ideas - really focus on yourself and think about your brand and reputation. 'You should be constantly thinking about going out on your own, creating something yourself. I firmly believe your best potential and ideas cannot be generated in an environment where you are undervalued or underappreciated. 'Take time to figure out what you stand for and be your own agent - you can do anything once you take ownership of your path.' And if there was ever a case of practicing what you preach, Ms Sun is a shining example. To date, SoGal Ventures has invested in more than 50 startups worldwide To date, SoGal Ventures has invested in more than 50 startups along with world-class founders in the United States, Asia-Pacific and Europe. 'SoGal is a way of thinking, it's an empire - I hope we can bring change to every industry so future generations can do business differently,' she said. Pocket Sun will be speaking at StartCon Sydney on November 30. CEO of StartCon Cheryl Mack said: 'Pocket Sun is an inspiration. Her story is one of fearlessness, ingenuity and determination. 'She has helped to show women they have the power to create and lead truly groundbreaking, change making businesses.' They have been close friends for seven years, and now Jess Mulroney is supporting Meghan as she prepares to welcome her first child. The stylist is believed to be helping the Duchess of Sussex curate her maternity wardrobe after flying from Toronto to Sydney - albeit in an 'unofficial capacity' - to join her on her first major overseas tour as an expectant mother. Meghan, 37, is believed to be up to 16 weeks pregnant and with her baby bump beginning to show, there are few better placed than mother-of-three Mulroney to advise her on dressing her growing tummy. A fan of bright colours, tight trousers and towering heels, Mulroney's pregnancy style was true to form - and offers some fascinating clues into how how Meghan might dress her own bump in the coming months. Jess Mulroney (pictured second left, with husband Ben and her in-laws) wears a strapless blue lame gown at a charity gala in Toronto, April 2010, around five months pregnant with her twins Brian and John. The fashion guru is believed to be helping BFF Meghan Markle curate her maternity wardrobe as she prepares to welcome her first child The Canadian fashion guru, 38 shares five-year-old Ivy and seven-year-old twins Brian and John - who were part of Meghan's bridal party in May - with husband Ben, and has spoken at length about getting back into shape after her pregnancies. In April 2010, the fashion doyenne - around five months pregnant with her twins - dazzled in a strapless blue gown streaked with gold accents, subtly accentuating her bump, as she joined her husband at a swanky gala evening in Toronto. Commenting on the look, Lucas Armitage, stylist and creative director of poisedlondon.com, told MailOnline: 'The blue strapless gown with its Grecian pleat detail perfectly floats over the five month bump and shows of her glowing decolletage to perfection.' Fast forward to March 2013 and Jess - who was three months away from welcoming daughter Ivy - opted for an ultra-flattering, figure-hugging black bodycon dress teamed with stilettos. 'A classic LBD is a go to in any womans wardrobe and that doesnt change whilst pregnant,' notes Lucas. 'Here, the Bardot style neckline keeps things fun and the body fitting black stretch shows of the bump to perfection.' Jess in March 2013 at at glitzy event in Toronto with husband Ben. She was expecting daughter Ivy at the time and dressed her growing baby bump in a tight-fitting black dress and heels A pregnant Jess Mulroney wears comfy leggings and a patterned jacket teamed with a vibrant red scarf in April 2013 at the opening of Stuart Weitzman's Toronto boutique. She would have been around seven months pregnant when this snap was taken The following month, Jess attended a fashion launch, once again wearing black but teamed with a jaunty cropped jacket and bright red scarf. 'The use of a bold scarf for a more casual event draws the eye up and the attention to her face, using black as a base and a statement blazer is also a clever styling trick Im sure we will see her use on Meghan,' notes Lucas. 'Jess Mulroney demonstrates how to do pregnancy style with a chic and sophistication many mums to be will aspire to. 'Many stylists will struggle with a pre-partum wardrobe but as Jessica has had experience styling a bump its safe to say Meghan is in safe hands.' Mother-of-three Jess, seen with the now Duchess in Toronto in 2016, was Meghan's unofficial maid of honour at the royal wedding in May. Her daughter Ivy was a flower girl, and her twin sons John and Brian were page boys Meghan's best friend and unofficial stylist Jessica Mulroney - seen with her daughter, Ivy - is joining the royal couple on the tour, suggesting she may be supporting the Duchess as she navigates multiple engagements in the early stages of pregnancy The mumpreneur was described as Meghan's unofficial wedding planner ahead of her big day in May and has styled her for subsequent royal engagements - and it's likely the Duchess will now turn to her close friend for advice on navigating her first pregnancy, too. The stylist and wedding planner speaks openly about her family life on social media, and regularly shares tidbits of how she juggles a busy career with raising three small children with her fans. As a seasoned pro at balancing public life with raising children, Jessica is well placed to support and advise her best friend through this newest chapter, too. A mother has spoken about the stress and fear of raising a teenager who suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - a condition that will be with him for the rest of his life. Jen Temm, 53, from Sydney's Chatswood, has a 15-year-old son, Luke, and for the past five years he's been constantly unwell - and heartbreakingly there's no end in sight. 'Luke first became ill when he was 10,' Ms Temm recalled. 'He caught a winter flu that never seemed to quite clear up.' 'We first took him to our usual GP and she thought it was a nasty viral infection, and told us to let him rest.' Luke Anderson first became ill with flu-like symptoms when he was 10-years-old (Luke pictured, aged 12) Jen Temm (pictured with Luke) said when her son first got sick they took him to the family GP who thought he was suffering a nasty viral infection But Luke didn't get better and his symptoms continued to become more severe. 'We had his bloods examined and we saw an immunologist,' Ms Temm told FEMAIL. 'Eventually, we were told he had "some sort of post viral fatigue" and that it wasn't serious because there weren't any issues with his blood.' Ms Temm also revealed doctors advised her son 'would grow out of it'. The family spent two years visiting doctors and immunologists in a bid to find out what was wrong with their son Before his official diagnosis, specialists also told her to try making an effort to 'normalise' Luke's sleeping patterns. What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complicated disorder characterised by extreme fatigue that can't be explained by any underlying medical condition. The fatigue may worsen with physical or mental activity, but doesn't improve with rest. This condition is also known as systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID) or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Sometimes it's abbreviated as ME/CFS. The cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is unknown, although there are many theories - ranging from viral infections to psychological stress. Some experts believe chronic fatigue syndrome might be triggered by a combination of factors. Source: Mayoclinic.org Advertisement This meant forcing Luke get up earlier in the day in order to push him through the fatigue as well as making him go to school and exercise. Unfortunately, this didn't work, she said, and 'trying to get him up earlier and pushing him into greater activity made him so much worse'. Luke's condition also started to affect his schooling - his symptoms were lasting weeks instead of just days, and his 'well times' were shorter and less frequent. When their son first became unwell, Ms Temm said his school attendance dropped to about 80 per cent - by Year 7 it had dropped to 20 per cent. Making things even harder for the family was the fact it took a couple of years to uncover Luke suffered from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, a condition also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. 'Doctors aren't trained in ME/CFS in Australia and we were basically on our own,' she said. 'We turned to the Internet, as you do, and eventually found good health and advocacy organisations dedicated to ME/CFS where we were given helpful advice on resting and never pushing Luke into greater activity.' Making things even harder for the family was the fact it took a couple of years to uncover Luke suffered from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis While Luke's condition is characterised by a number of different symptoms, the "hallmark symptom" of ME/CFS is Post Exertional Malaise or PEM. Ms Temm explained this is where Luke will crash. If he has done too much or if he has caught a cold or some other bug, his symptoms will flare-up causing him to become bed-bound - and this can go on for months at a time. Luke also experiences low blood pressure and a fluctuating heart-rate, two issues that make it hard for the 15-year-old to stand or even sit upright sometimes because he feels so dizzy. 'One of the best tools we learned about is using a heart-rate monitor to keep Luke within his limited energy range and not run his battery down to zero,' Ms Temm said. When Luke first became unwell, Ms Temm said his school attendance dropped to about 80 per cent - by Year 7 it had dropped to 20 per cent The unpredictable nature of Luke's illness means he hasn't been out of his home in nearly a year - a situation the 'easy going' teenager does his best to make work. He has friends who drop in to visit when he's well enough; he does some study by distance learning; he loves music, gaming and art and writing is his passion. What makes me most sad is that at 15, this has taken more than a third of his life, so his defining life experience right now is his illness 'He misses school and friendships and he misses being able to go out and about,' Ms Temm said. 'Being able to go to a friend's house, go to a party or just his grandparents is impossible now.' Ms Temm said the family were 'very lucky' because their son was such a naturally cheerful kid but as parents they struggled with how much he was missing. 'What makes me most sad is that at 15, this has taken more than a third of his life so his defining life experience right now is his illness. 'I hope we can change that as he gets older and he finds a bigger window into the world pursuing his interests and studies.' Ms Temm said the family were 'very lucky' because their son was such a naturally cheerful kid but as parents, they struggled with how much he was missing out on Ms Temm is Luke's full-time carer. She left her job as a journalist and editor when he started to decline badly in Year 7, a decision she called a 'no-brainer'. One of the big problems with ME/CFS is it's uncertainty 'Like Luke, there are good days and bad days for me. Being a carer for a child who is housebound means that effectively I am too,' Ms Temm said. 'While I can get out and run errands now that he's a little older, I don't like being away for long and when he's really ill, I don't leave at all. 'So my life has changed enormously too.' Although Luke's illness will remain with him for life, he's hit a period where he is more stable and his symptoms are fluctuating less. Ms Temm said while this is common around the five-year mark, it could also be a result of learning how to manage his illness better - and quite possibly a combination of the two. 'Our approach is to hope for the best - a cure, or that we can manage his symptoms so well that we see some improvement,' Ms Temm said (pictured far left with her family) Sadly she revealed one of the big problems with ME/CFS is its uncertainty. 'We don't know and no one can tell us if Luke will get worse, better or stay the same,' Ms Temm said. 'Our approach is to hope for the best - a cure, or that we can manage his symptoms so well that we see some improvement - but also be pragmatic and plan for the worst in case he gets worse. 'Reality is always somewhere in the middle, that's all we know for sure.' For more information about ME/CFS please visit Emerge Australia Jordan said on Sunday that it informed Israel's government that Amman would not renew an Israeli lease of two tracts of territory along the countries' border. "Our decision is to terminate the Baquoura and Ghamar annexes from the (1994 Jordan-Israel) peace treaty out of our keenness to take all decisions that would serve Jordan and Jordanians", said the King in his tweet. As part of a 1994 peace treaty, Israel retained private land ownership and special travel rights in Baqura in the northwestern part of the kingdom and Ghamr in the south for 25 years, with a one-year notice period needed to keep the lease from automatically extending. The 25-year lease expires next year. Israel's Jerusalem Post newspaper reported that Israel could use the deal that allows planes travelling between Europe and Jordan to fly over Israel as leverage in persuading Jordan to renew the lease. On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that despite the monarch's announcement, the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty is "an agreement of true peace". Netanyahu said the "accord as a whole is an important thing", and called the peace deals with Jordan and Egypt "anchors of regional stability". As put by former premier, Abdul Salam Majali, in a recent TV interview, Jordan may have to buy back the land from owners, or just hope that the Israeli side will return it to Jordan free of charge. The two areas in the fertile Jordan Valley, the breadbasket for Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories, are recognised Jordanian territory with temporary Israeli land ownership rights. However, the Jordan King noted that he wants to reclaim the land, citing national interests. Internal pressure might be a major reason for the King's decision, but not necessarily the only one. Jordanian security forces stand on guard as protesters wave Jordanian flags and chant slogans during a demonstration near the Israeli embassy in the capital Amman on July 28, 2017. The Jordan Bar Association sent an official letter to Prime Minister Omar a-Razzaz about the issue, while 87 out of 130 Jordanian parliament members, signed a request to carry out that body's recommendation to cancel the lease. Despite the two sides sharing close security ties, there has been increased tensions between Jordan and Israel over the Israeli governments "provocative" measures ranging from placing restrictions on the Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque and the Noble Sanctuary - recognised in the peace treaty as under Jordanian custodianship - to the continued construction of settlements on 1967 territory. "We will go into negotiations with them on the option of extending the existing agreement", Netanyahu said. Relations between Jordan and Israel deteriorated previous year when an Israeli security officer shot and killed two unarmed Jordanian men in the Israeli embassy in Amman. The Duchess of Sussex drew plaudits earlier this week online, after she whipped up a loaf of banana bread to bring to a picnic-style lunch on the second day of the royal tour. And while pregnant Meghan Markle's revamped recipe went down a treat and was hailed as 'delicious', it was one ingredient that set her loaf apart from most. By adding ginger to her bread, Meghan made a twist to a classic, and one that might have been more telling about her pregnancy than she thought. The Duchess of Sussex (pictured) drew plaudits earlier this week online, after she whipped up a loaf of banana bread to bring to a picnic-style lunch on the second day of the royal tour And while pregnant Meghan Markle's revamped recipe went down a treat and was hailed as 'delicious', it was one ingredient that set her loaf apart from most - ginger (pictured: the loaf) According to Ten Daily, it could be a sign that the 37-year-old mum-to-be is suffering more than she's letting on. 'Ginger is one of the most widely reported treatments for morning sickness and nausea,' nutritionist and TV chef Zoe Bingley-Pullin told the publication. 'Research suggests that compounds in ginger impact serotonin receptors in the central nervous system, helping to improve digestion which may help to reduce symptoms of nausea and morning sickness.' Including ginger in her recipe (pictured) could be a sign that the pregnant Duchess is suffering from morning sickness Ginger is known for helping with morning sickness and pain relief and is something the Duchess of Cambridge tried when struggling in her pregnancies (pictured: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry) It's not only morning sickness that ginger can help with. Zoe said the spice has a broad range of benefits, including anti-inflammatory benefits and pain relief. Meghan's sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, famously turned to ginger biscuits last year to help with her morning sickness. Speaking to guests at a charity reception and awards ceremony for the Metropolitan and City Police Orphans Fund last year, Prince William said Kate was 'feeling better', but that the ginger hadn't helped much. Recipe: Chocolate chip and ginger banana bread loaf It is not known which recipe the Duchess of Sussex used, but this one, from Elizabeth Stark at Babble, features the same chocolate chips and ginger that proved popular with guests at the picnic-style lunch. INGREDIENTS 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1 1/2 cups very ripe mashed banana (about 3 medium) 2 eggs 1/4 whole-milk yoghurt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons for top 1 teaspoon ground ginger 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon finely ground coffee 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 semisweet chocolate chips 1/3 cup minced crystallised ginger METHOD Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally butter a standard-size loaf pan, and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a regular mixer, beat the bananas to a puree. Add in the butter, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla. In a another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, ground ginger, ground coffee, baking soda, and salt. Then mix in the chocolate chips and candied ginger. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, and mix just until combined. Pour the batter into the pan, and sprinkle the top with two tablespoons of sugar. Bake the bread for 55 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, and then remove to platter and store well-covered at room temperature. Advertisement The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured) were invited to join a family of farmers for an informal buffet at their property outside of Dubbo, rural New South Wales, on Wednesday Meghan Markle was believed to have baked the loaf herself in the kitchen of Admiralty House, the Australian Governor-General's mansion in Sydney, on Tuesday night following a busy first day of engagements. The loaf, which was sprinkled with chocolate chips and a touch of ginger, proved a hit with guests, with one declaring it 'delicious' and another giving it 'five stars'. Photos taken just minutes apart show how it was quickly devoured. It is not known which recipe was used, but Meghan is an avid baker and amateur chef and took great pride in her now-defunct food and lifestyle blog, The Tig, before shutting it down ahead of her engagement to Prince Harry. Harry, 34, is known to be a huge fan of banana-flavoured bakes. At one point the couple were even rumoured to have incorporated the fruit into their wedding cake. It appears the Duchess of Sussex had him in mind when she chose the recipe for the lunch on Friday. She is most often seen looking perfectly polished, but the Duchess of Sussex proved she can also pull off a casual look as she joined Prince Harry for an Invictus Games event on Sunday. Pregnant Meghan, 37, swapped her favoured sky high stilettos for a pair of trainers as the couple headed out on a boat to watch a sailing race in Sydney Harbour. It marks the first time mother-to-be Meghan has worn trainers on an official royal appearance. The Duchess of Sussex, 37, has been seen wearing trainers for the first time on a royal event. She donned 115 sneakers by eco-friendly brand Veja for a sailing event on Sydney Harbour with her husband Prince Harry, 34 Meghan matched the stylish trainers with an Invictus Games branded waterproof jacket and black jeans, finishing off the look with a pair of round sunglasses Refreshed and revitalised, the Duchess of Sussex rejoined her husband Prince Harry for a busy afternoon of royal tour engagements including heading out into Sydney Harbour to take in the action of an Invictus sailing event, pictured The eco-friendly shoes (pictured) are made from fromorganic cotton, vegetable-tanned leather and sustainably managed rubber While her sister-in-law the Duchess of Sussex is known for her love of Superga casual trainers, Meghan opted for a stylish 115 pair from French footwear brand Veja. In keeping with her pattern for promoting eco-conscious brands, Veja makes their shoes fromorganic cotton, vegetable-tanned leather and sustainably managed rubber. Earlier in the day Meghan wore her favourite Aquazzura Deneuve Bow Pumps, which retail for $1,053 (573), along with a $935 (509) blazer by Californian brand L'agence and a black turtleneck jumper by Australian company Wolford. By the afternoon Meghan was dressed down for the fast paced event on the Harbour. She matched the trainers with a pair of black jeans and chic round sunglasses. The couple looked in high spirits as they stood up to see the race in action, laughing and smiling as the boats went by (pictured) The Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrated a victory as they watched the action of an Invictus Games sailing competition unfold on Sydney Harbour, pictured. The sporting competition was founded by Prince Harry The Duchess of Sussex embraced one of the sailors as she congratulated him following the event on Sunday afternoon The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared a joke with the USA sailing team, pictured, as they stopped by after the race She accompanied her equally as casually dressed husband Prince Harry, who wore blue jeans and a pair of grey Adidas Gazelle trainers with his waterproof jacket. The couple and their entourage took a rib out to a yacht a 40-foot Hanse 400 model - where they met an American couple who were cheering on their son. Despite the slightly choppy water, the couple stood up to see the race in action laughing and smiling as they held on to railings for support. The Duke and Duchess then disembarked the yacht and got back in their rib. The couple are currently on a 16-day tour of Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands. After a morning rest Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, joined her husband out on the water for the sailing race. The boats were swept by expert police teams before the royals boarded Harry waved to onlookers as the couple, rugged up in dark jackets, took a skiff out to the boat where they were joined by others After the lunch reception, the Duke and Duchess then boarded a family friend's boat in Farm Cove to watch the Invictus Games sailing final on Sydney Harbour A playful Prince Harry stuck out his tongue and posed for photographs during the sailing final on Sunday The Duke of Sussex encouraged his pregnant wife to slow down after she felt tired when the opening of the Invictus Games overran by nearly two hours, royal sources said. Sources told MailOnline it wasn't that the duchess was feeling ill, but that they were trying to 'pace' her given how many engagements they have coming up. 'We have to try to pace her. We have to make sure she is well paced and not overdoing it. She had a very late night last night,' they said. 'She wants to do everything, but Prince Harry is encouraging her to pace herself. We want to make sure she gets enough rest at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day. Earlier in the day Meghan wore her favourite Aquazzura Deneuve Bow Pumps, which retail for $1,053 (573), along with a $935 (509) blazer by Californian brand L'agence and a black turtleneck jumper by Australian company Wolf 'If it has been a very late night due to unforeseen circumstances, we have to adjust for that.' The couple's busy schedule includes 76 events over the 16-day tour of Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands. It is understood that Meghan will fly to Fraser Island with her husband on Monday as planned, but will not undertake many engagements due to the uneven terrain. Marks & Spencer sent shoppers into a frenzy when it shared topless campaign shots of model David Gandy. The Essex-born star, 38, stripped off in his latest campaign for the retailer's men's sleepwear range, unveiled on Instagram this weekend. Hundreds of fans were quick to comment on the snaps, with one asking cheekily: 'Does he come with the PJs?' Another requested the star be 'sent to her room.' Scroll down for video Marks & Spencer sent shoppers into a frenzy with topless campaign shots of model David Gandy, including the one pictured. The 38-year-old star stripped off in his latest campaign for the retailer's men's sleepwear range, unveiled on Instagram this weekend Hundreds of fans were quick to comment on the snaps, with one asking cheekily: 'Does he come with the PJs?' Another requested the star be 'sent to her room' Gandy, who is expecting his first child with his criminal lawyer girlfriend next month, has starred in several M&S campaigns. The latest shoot sees Gandy modelling two pairs of pyjama bottoms from his own range of Autograph sleepwear. The post on the official M&S Instagram account reads: ' Add a sophisticated touch to your weekend with our luxurious @davidgandy_official for Autograph sleepwear. 'With their subtle houndstooth design and drawstring waist for a comfy fit, these pyjama bottoms are perfect for lounging around the house or enjoying a lazy lie-in in.' Gandy, who is expecting his first child with his criminal lawyer girlfriend next month, has starred in several M&S campaigns. The latest shoot sees Gandy modelling two pairs of pyjama bottoms from his own range of Autograph sleepwear (pictured) 'Im definitely buying my husband some if it means hes gonna look like that! Phew!', another fan wrote, while one admitted: 'Sweet Jesus my temperature has just soared' But shoppers seemed to be paying more attention to the man beneath the clothes and were quick to reply with gushing comments. One wrote: 'Looking at this has made my Saturday'. Another added: 'Yum yum.' And when one follower commented jokingly: 'How much is David Gandy please?',the retailer responded: 'Ooh we couldn't possibly put a price on him'. Meanwhile another asked hopefully: 'Does he come with the pjs?', and one protested: 'Only buying them if he is in them'. In June, David told for the first time of his joy at his impending fatherhood and joked: 'I think we're going to need a bigger car!' The country's highest paid model confirmed he is having a baby with his girlfriend of two years. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Gandy said: 'We're expecting our first in November. We're both thrilled. Absolutely delighted. 'It's our first. It's all very new to us. We're taking every day and week as it comes. It should be fun.' The Duke of Sussex was lifted off his feet by an excited Invictus Games sailor in a touching moment captured on camera. US Air Force veteran Rob Hufford was filmed pulling Harry, 34, into an enormous bear hug after boarding a boat to meet the royal and his pregnant wife Meghan, 37, as they watched the Invictus Games sailing finals on Sydney Harbour on Sunday. The force of the embrace was enough to lift Harry off his feet - leaving the Duchess of Sussex clasping her hands and giggling in delight. The hilarious moment was captured by a camera person filming the competition from the air. US Air Force veteran Rob Hufford was filmed pulling Harry, 34, into an enormous bear hug after boarding a boat to meet the royal and his pregnant wife Meghan, 37, as they watched the Invictus Games sailing finals on Sydney Harbour on Sunday Harry's wife Meghan Markle, 37, later gave hugs to the other members of the crew (pictured), who had jumped on their boat after the race At the start of the video a jubilant Harry is seen punching the air as the boat carrying the US sailing team pulls up to the royals' dinghy in the harbour. When they are just inches apart Hufford jumps onboard and lifts Harry into the air. The move is technically a breach of protocol, which dictates members of the public should not touch royalty, but laid back Prince Harry appeared laid back about the situation and the Duchess of Sussex looked thrilled. She then got to her feet and gave Hufford a hug, before embracing other members of the US crew. In the amusing video Harry is lifted into the air by the burly sailor, while a delighted Meghan, seen sitting down at the front of the boat, looks on in hysterics Other members of the royal couple's crew looked shocked (pictured), with several people putting their hands over their mouths while Harry was in the air Before the race the couple and their entourage took a rib out to a yacht a 40-foot Hanse 400 model - where they met an American couple who were cheering on their son. Despite the slightly choppy water, the couple stood up to see the race in action laughing and smiling as they held on to railings for support. The team event was raced in elliott keel boats with a mixed gender four-person crew in the open category. Each boat was allocated a World Sailing accredited instructor to act as a fifth member of crew and provide guidance on safety if required. It is the first year that Sailing has taken place at the Invictus Games. Refreshed and revitalised, the Duchess of Sussex rejoined her husband Prince Harry for a busy afternoon of royal tour engagements including heading out into Sydney Harbour to take in the action of an Invictus sailing event, pictured The couple looked in high spirits as they watched today's sailing final (pictured), with both of them wearing matching Invictus Games waterproof jackets Meghan also wore a pair of of 115 sneakers by eco-friendly brand Veja with a black of black jeans and a pair of chic round sunglasses. Harry wore a pair of blue jeans and grey Adidas Gazelle trainers The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared a joke with the USA sailing team, pictured, as they stopped by after the race Australia came first, Denmark second, Canada fourth, and USA fifth. Dressed in a pair of 115 sneakers by eco-friendly brand Veja, black jeans and an Invictus Games branded waterproof, Meghan looked in high spirits as she cheered on the sailors. The Duke of Sussex encouraged his pregnant wife to slow down after she felt tired when the opening of the Invictus Games overran by nearly two hours, royal sources said. After a morning rest Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, joined her husband out on the water for the sailing race. The boats were swept by expert police teams before the royals boarded Harry waved to onlookers as the couple, rugged up in dark jackets, took a skiff out to the boat where they were joined by others After the lunch reception, the Duke and Duchess then boarded a family friend's boat in Farm Cove to watch the Invictus Games sailing final on Sydney Harbour Sources told MailOnline it wasn't that the duchess was feeling ill, but that they were trying to 'pace' her given how many engagements they have coming up. 'We have to try to pace her. We have to make sure she is well paced and not overdoing it. She had a very late night last night,' they said. 'She wants to do everything, but Prince Harry is encouraging her to pace herself. We want to make sure she gets enough rest at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day. The couple are currently on a 16-day tour of Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands. Pictured: The couple at The Pavilion Restaurant in Sydney on Sunday Move aside gin, pour away that Pisco sour the latest trendy tipple is . . . vinegar. Yes, really. Aficionados claim that just one tablespoon of celebrity favourite apple cider vinegar (diluted with water and sometimes sweetened) is rich in natural minerals, vitamins and enzymes and can help regulate blood sugar levels, boost the immune system, aid weight loss and improve the general health of the gut. Sales of the stuff are soaring and supermarkets and health food shops have got in on the act and started to market vinegar as a drink. More than that, they have started to sell pre-mixed vinegar concoctions, often fizzy and sweetened, as grown-up soft drinks. Some claim to boost vitality, others to be naturally detoxifying. But what do they taste like? Lip-smacking or wince-worthy? We put them to the test . . . Viva la Vinegar by Soupologie Harry Wallop shared his views on a selection of the latest vinegar infused drinks. He claims Viva la Vinegar by Soupologie in strawberry and basil flavour (pictured left) burns the back of your throat Flavour: Strawberry and basil Price: 1.90 for 250ml Available from: Sainsburys Sold in the chiller cabinet and packaged in little smoothie bottles, Viva la Vinegar looks healthy and is just 32 calories a serving. A slight improvement on the brands kiwi and kale variant (which smells like a compost heap and doesnt taste much better), this does taste of strawberry but I cant discern any basil. Soupologie, who make the brand, claim its unfiltered apple cider vinegar contains the Mother. This is the cloudy bit that occurs naturally during the making of unpasteurised vinegar (usually floating to the top) and is believed to contain the greatest amount of natural protein, enzymes and friendly bacteria. Unfortunately, the hit of vinegar burns the back of your throat. Not pleasant. 2/5 The Picklery Drinking Vinegar Flavour: Chasselas grape Price: 13 for 500ml (undiluted) Available from: The Little Duck Picklery Harry claims The Picklery Drinking Vinegar (pictured) is a delicious, grown-up drink that tastes like a non-alcoholic gin sour when mixed with soda The Picklery specialises in making vinegars, preserves and pickled products from seasonal fruits and vegetables. Beetroot is one of its most popular vinegars when its in season. This chasselas grape and apple vinegar with sugar, black cardamon and cinnamon is fascinating. Picklery recommends mixing it with soda. The result is like a non-alcoholic gin sour, with lovely, peppery layers of flavour. A proper, grown-up, complex and delicious drink. 5/5 Bragg apple cider vinegar drink Flavour: Pomegranate and goji berry Price: 2.99 for 473ml Available from: Holland & Barrett Harry says Bragg apple cider vinegar drink (pictured) has a horrid taste of artificial sweetener From California, this brand boasts on the bottle of being both kosher and organic, and just to cover all bases it has a little Christian message: Heres to health, peace & love, 3 John 2. The brand was founded by the late Paul Bragg, a pioneer of the early American health movement, who advocated fasting, deep breathing and exercise. But he clearly lacked any taste buds. Yet its favoured by Liz Hurley. Its a really good thing I use it a lot, she has said. Note the word use, not drink or, heaven forfend, enjoy. It uses stevia sweetener so comes in at just 30 cals a large bottle, but tastes of artificial sweetener, Sarsons vinegar and cough medicine. Horrid. 1/5 Lo Bros apple cider vinegar tonic Flavour: Ginger and turmeric Price: 2 for 330ml Available from: Sainsburys Harry was skeptical of the health benefits available from drinking Lo Bros apple cider vinegar tonic (pictured) Lo Bros boasts of this being full of gut lovin ingredients, though if you look at the ingredients list carefully, it contains a mere 3 per cent apple cider vinegar. As a result, this is very mild and extremely refreshing. It tastes like a watered down Canada Dry ginger ale, not a vinegary, fermented drink. I have no idea if it would do any good for my gut, but I could glug this one down happily. 4/5 Comvita manuka honey apple cider Flavour: Golden kiwi fruit Price: 2.99 for 250ml Available from: Holland & Barrett Harry says Comvita manuka honey apple cider (pictured) is more like a wine than a tonic Comvita is one of the biggest apple cider brands but it is expensive. Per millilitre, it costs as much as a decent bottle of wine thanks to the New Zealand manuka honey. Its a good drink the honey balances out the acidity of the vinegar and the lack of bubbles makes it more like a wine than a tonic. So is it as good as a Chablis? No, but I wouldnt object to drinking a bottle of this a day. 3/5 Nonsuch Shrubs drinking vinegar Flavour: Peach & basil Price: 3.50 for 250ml Available from: Borough Wines Harry says he wouldn't waste his calories on Nonsuch Shrubs drinking vinegar (pictured) This Suffolk-based brand uses the traditional name for drinking vinegar, shrubs, and is packaged in a nice bottle. However, Beyond alcohol, beyond soft drinks, quite literally beyond compare is a bold claim. The liquid is golden, and there is a hint of exoticism on the nose. But it tastes more of mastic and pine than peach. Not pour-down-the-sink foul, but a long way from being delicious. It works out more expensive than a good bottle of wine, too. And at 105 calories, with 7g of sugar per 100ml, I wouldnt waste my calories on this. 2/5 Raw vibrant living ACV infusion Flavour: Turmeric and ginger Price: 4.19 for 500ml Available from: Ocado Harry says Raw vibrant living ACV infusion (pictured) has a strong taste of spicy ginger and dry turmeric when mixed with tonic water Requires diluting it is 70 per cent apple cider vinegar, with the rest made up of water, ginger, turmeric and chilli. Mixed with tonic water, it is not bad. You can really taste the spicy ginger and dry turmeric. It turns the tonic water into something different though, to be perfectly honest, I might prefer the tonic on its own. 3/5 Coconut Merchant organic coconut Harry claims Coconut Merchant organic coconut (pictured) is unforgivingly acidic and that he struggled to taste any coconut Flavour: Coconut Price: 3.99 for 250ml Available from: Ocado Made from the coconut sap, diluted with water it makes a naturally detoxifying drink, the bottle says. Created in Sri Lanka, this is eye-wateringly astringent on the nose and would be more effective than smelling salts in stopping you fainting. You may need a lie down after a sip it is unforgivingly acidic and you cant taste any coconut, which is a shame. One for the masochists. 2/5 During the first tumultuous months of their affair, Vivien Leighs consuming passion for Laurence Olivier was conspicuous even on the screen. In 1937 she appeared with Rex Harrison in St Martins Lane, and in one scene she is caught in the light of a street lamp. Her sleepy smile evaporates, her eyes widen, and for an instant she seems carnal and needy. This animal vitality, according to Larry Adler, who was also in the cast, had a simple explanation: Oliviers appearances on the set. They would disappear into her dressing room and it was quite a business to get her back to work. The couple had been cast earlier that year as young lovers in the Elizabethan costume drama Fire Over England. Vivien told Olivier how much she looked forward to their working together. Well probably end up fighting, he replied. People always get sick of each other making a film. Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh arriving at Rome airport, 1953. Leighs consuming passion for Olivier was conspicuous even on the screen In fact, they were soon enmeshed in a tempestuous passion. The many embraces and lingering kisses their scenes together required meant they could practically make love on set. When Vivien told the director Alexander Korda they were in love, he just smiled. Of course, my dear. Everybody knows. Its not the stunts, Olivier complained to a fellow actor who remarked how tiring his part must be. Its Vivien. Its every day, two, three times. Both were already married with children, but the mutual attraction had been obvious even before they were introduced. Even when she was sleeping with me, said an actor who had had a brief fling with Vivien, she was talking of Laurence Olivier. In her, Olivier saw an attraction of the most perturbing nature I had ever encountered. When rushed home for the birth of his son during the filming of Fire Over England, his wife Jill Esmond noticed the smell of Vivien Patous Joy, her signature scent. Real passion, reflected Jill of Oliviers affair with Leigh after he had finally left her: Ive only seen it that once. If you are ever hit by it, God help you. Theres nothing you can do. Olivier tried to give Vivien up but finally left Jill, and he proposed to her. The couple appeared together on stage in 1937 as Hamlet and Ophelia, and moved in together at Durham Cottage in Chelsea, which would be their London home for nearly 20 years. Leigh in Waterloo Bridge, 1940. Vivien flung herself at life and gave her all in her acting At the end of 1938, Vivien secured the coveted leading role as Scarlett OHara in Gone With The Wind. While she was in Hollywood on the shoot, Olivier, while appearing on stage in New York, would post letters addressed to My Little Rhapsody and My Darling Carnation. Vivien regularly sent him bouquets of flowers, and he would pluck a carnation from them and wear it inside his underpants, before posting it back to her. She reciprocated by mailing him her panties, which he arranged in his hotel room as a kind of shrine. After Gone With The Winds producer David Selznick had allowed Vivien a couple of days off to meet Olivier, she wrote to him that we went upstairs and we f***** the whole weekend. In 1940 they married on a ranch in Santa Barbara, California. Vivien had always flung herself at life and given her all in her acting, but her state of mind was starting to cause concern. While filming A Yank At Oxford in 1938, she had become fixated on the need for special shoes to protect an injured foot, and when her agent queried this uncharacteristically diva-ish behaviour it sparked an alarming over-reaction. She yelled at him and then became chillingly quiet. Her voice turned suddenly hard. But the worst thing was her eyes They were the eyes of a stranger. Vivien was soon apologetic, and clearly aware of some mental disturbance. More eruptions followed but Olivier dismissed such episodes as merely an actresss artistic temperament. In 1944 Vivien fell heavily while filming Caesar And Cleopatra and suffered one of several miscarriages. Though she was soon back on set, an innocuous oversight concerning her costume unleashed yet another spitting fury. Some put the outburst down to the distress of the miscarriage, but in truth the increasing frequency of these mood swings was evidence of a more profound disturbance. Olivier, meanwhile, was now in his pomp as an actor, and the same year used the money from his triumphant film of Henry V to purchase his dream home, Notley Abbey in Buckinghamshire. The house was soon to offer Vivien a refuge, when in 1945 she fell seriously ill with tuberculosis, and had to spend nine months there recuperating. But the hectic pace of their life together didnt relent for long, and 1948 saw an Old Vic tour of Australia and New Zealand. It would keep them away nearly a year and prove, said Viviens understudy, very, very tiring. Their relationship began to give under the strain. It was still a terrible shock to Olivier, however, once they had returned from Australia, when, at Durham Cottage one sunny spring day, Vivien said to him: I dont love you any more. The central force of my life, Olivier wrote, my heart in fact, as if by the worlds most skilful surgeon, had been removed. But Vivien, always unsentimental, was simply redefining their marriage. She had come to realise that, much as Olivier loved her, he loved acting more. Marry him if you must, George Devine would later advise Joan Plowright, who would become Oliviers third wife. But dont act with him too often or he will destroy you. The balance of their relationship had subtly shifted as the white heat of their initial affair inevitably cooled. In 1949, Vivien was offered the role of Blanche DuBois in the London opening of Tennessee Williamss Broadway success A Streetcar Named Desire, with Olivier directing. Some of her friends were worried, however: what effect would this searing study of a mind slipping into madness have on Viviens fragile psyche? Eight months into the run , the physical and mental exhaustion had indeed taken its toll. After the curtain came down one night, a friend found Vivien shaking like an autumn leaf and her lips were trembling. She clutched me and put her head on my shoulder and said in no more than a whisper, Was I all right? Am I mad to be doing it? Vivien reprised the role two years later in the film version with Marlon Brando. Though the director Elia Kazan boasted of a brief affair with her, rumours of a liaison with Brando are also unsubstantiated. But they got on well and she found him a thrilling performer to work with. The film of Streetcar remains her outstanding screen performance, but what Oliviers daughter remembered of the shoot was the fights between Vivien and her father real theatrically pitched arguments behind closed doors. The performance won Vivien an Oscar, but the effort saw her sink into one of her worst episodes: a serious bout of depression. Olivier took her to see a psychiatrist in New York and, though she found the consultation unhelpful, for the first time her condition was diagnosed: Vivien was very ill with manic depression (bipolar disorder). From now on, Viviens mental health and the couples marriage became increasingly unstable. In 1952, Olivier, appearing in Peter Brooks film of The Beggars Opera, began an affair with fellow cast member Dorothy Tutin. Later the same year, Vivien went to Ceylon to shoot Elephant Walk with Peter Finch, a man with a strong sexual drive and something of a hellraiser. Vivien was beguiled by Finchs Eastern mysticism and his talk of twin souls and karma, and they began an affair. The two of them disappeared into the cooler hills and stayed out all night. Some nights she never slept. Drink exacerbated her instability. Actor Marlon Brando with Vivien Leigh on the set of 'A Streetcar Named Desire', in 1951 Matters came to a head once the shooting of Elephant Walk transferred to Hollywood. A panic attack on the flight to LA saw Vivien screaming and trying to rip off her clothes, and then on set she seemed lost, calling Finch Larry and speaking dialogue from Streetcar. A call was put out to David Niven, whom she had got to know among the English colony in Hollywood, to come and help. He slowly walked Vivien off the set and took her home. There, he related later, she appeared naked at the top of the stairs, hair in clumps, mascara and make-up streaked down her chin. Summoned from holiday in Ischia, Olivier flew out to an encounter more dreaded than any other in my life. He found Vivien with her face in her hands, her eyes reduced to pin-pricks. He took her back to England, where she was taken to a mental hospital and sectioned. She spent several weeks there, and later underwent electro-convulsive therapy. Vivien remained far from well. One day she asked Olivier if he was in love with this girl (Tutin), and when he said yes, her response was sympathetic. But a few days later, in the middle of the night, she exploded, hitting him across the face with a wet face cloth. He locked himself in another room; Vivien hammered on the door. Something snapped in my brain, Olivier recalled later. He pulled Vivien along the landing and flung her across the bedroom, where she cut her eyebrow on the bedside table. I realised with horror, he admitted, that each of us was quite capable of murdering or causing death to the other. By now Olivier had come to think of Viviens illness as living with the monster, and concluded they must part. In 1957 the couple moved to Londons Eaton Square. That year Olivier played opposite Dorothy Tutin in John Osbornes The Entertainer. Joan Plowright then replaced Tutin, and now she and Olivier started a relationship. In 1958, in Duel Of Angels, Vivien took up with Peter Wyngarde. On November 5, 1959, Viviens birthday, Olivier took her out to dinner, gave her a Rolls-Royce and told her they should part. Two nights later no one would have known, however, when at Les Ambassadeurs in Mayfair they threw what the press termed the party of the year. Olivier presented every woman with a red rose; Vivien, resplendent in aquamarine silk, gave each man a red carnation. The allusion to the love tokens they had sent each other back in 1939 was unmistakable. It was to be their last major public appearance together. I always thought that whatever happened between us, Vivien later wrote to Noel Coward, eventually we would be completely together as we used to be I shall never love anyone as I love him Ever since The Entertainer I have watched Larry change. To Olivier she wrote that I intend to divorce you on the grounds of desertion mental and physical. But it would be another two years before the marriage was eventually dissolved. Oliviers birthday was May 22, and on that day in 1960 he got up to read in the papers that Lady Olivier wishes to say that Sir Laurence has asked for a divorce in order to marry Miss Joan Plowright. She will naturally do whatever he wishes. He had no warning: Vivien had told the television news the day before. Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, in 1940. That year they married on a ranch in Santa Barbara, California Viviens later life is often portrayed as a personal and professional decline. But this is far from the truth. She continued acting until the end of her life, turning in distinguished performances including two Broadway productions and a Hollywood film. After Olivier, she found happiness with Jack Merivale, an English actor who helped her manage her depression. In 1967 she suffered a severe recurrence of tuberculosis, and on July 8 she died at the age of 53. Merivale got news to Olivier, and when he arrived at Eaton Square, Merivale showed him into Viviens bedroom and left him alone with her. I stood and prayed for forgiveness, wrote Olivier later, for all the evils that had sprung up between us. Vivien had borne Olivier no ill will; she wished for his happiness. Olivier never lost touch with her or stopped caring about her. They had shared a life, he wrote, that resembled nothing so much as an express lift sky-ing you upwards and throwing you downwards in an insanely non-stop fashion. Dark Star: A Biography Of Vivien Leigh by Alan Strachan is published by I B Tauris on October 30, priced 25. Offer price 20, with free p&p, until Nov 11. Pre-order at mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640 Viviens fiery battle to become Scarlett OHara After a two-year search, the Hollywood mogul David O Selznick had still not cast the most sought-after leading role in cinema history. He wanted a new girl to play the iconic Southern belle with the arresting face, pale green eyes without a touch of hazel and magnolia-white skin in the film of Margaret Mitchells worldwide bestseller of the American Civil War. The girl I select, added the original director George Cukor, must be possessed of the devil and charged with electricity. Leigh, said Stewart Granger, had two passions: her love for Larry and her determination to play Scarlett OHara Vivien Leigh was no Southern belle: in St Martins Lane, her one previous film requiring an accent, her cockney barely passes muster. She was not even American, let alone of French and Irish descent. And there was one crucial difference between her and Mitchells heroine, encapsulated in the novels first five words: Scarlett OHara was not beautiful. Vivien Leigh was very beautiful indeed. And, said Stewart Granger, she had two passions: her love for Larry and her determination to play Scarlett OHara. Selznick planned to launch his film at the end of 1938 with a night shoot of the burning of Atlanta, setting fire to old sets using gallons of kerosene. Viviens agent timed her arrival on the film lot just after the fire reached its height. Her hair was loose under a black hat; a touch of eye shadow accentuated her blue-green eyes. Hey, genius, her agent called to Selznick and Cukor as Vivien stepped forward. Suddenly the dying flames sparked into life, illuminating her face, highlighting her eyes as strikingly as the most gifted cameraman could have devised. Meet your Scarlett OHara! Anyone who knew Lale and Gita Sokolov well was aware their forearms had been inked with their history. Each of them bore a blue five-figure tattoo identifying them as Holocaust survivors, inmates of the Auschwitz concentration camp. What the couple never revealed was that it was Lale who had etched those numbers on his own wife, as well as countless thousands of others. He had been the camps Tatowierer, its tattooist. As Gita waited in line for hers, 34902, ragged, filthy and shorn of her hair and her dignity, it had been love at first sight. It was something they rarely spoke about to each other, their son Gary or the Jewish community in Melbourne where they fled from the chaos of post-war Europe. But after Gita died, Lale started talking and did not stop. Lale and Gita Sokolov. It is the Sokolovs love story that gives Morriss book its emotional engine, juxtaposing the evil done in the camp with the finest parts of human nature As he finally faced his own mortality, his stories of token collaboration and secret insurrection, of hidden diamonds and stolen chocolate, of love letters and sudden savage death at the hands of camp doctor Josef Mengele, flooded out. His fictionalised memoir, The Tattooist Of Auschwitz, has become this years sleeper hit, a global bestseller now being turned into a TV series by the team responsible for the BBCs acclaimed drama The Cry. It will be broadcast in early 2020, just before the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the camp. Author Heather Morris says, Lale rationalised his work by deciding that if you came to him for numbering then you were one of the lucky ones it meant you got to see the sun come up the next day, and maybe the day after that too. He had a unique position in Auschwitz and he used it to save as many people as he could. Recently a woman told me she and her father owed their lives to Lale without ever having known his real identity. Her father had been a 17-year-old prisoner due to die. A much older man had volunteered to take his place and Lale had re-inked their numbers in secret, swapping their identities. That teenager grew into a man, got married, had a family and a future because of the tattooist. In the years after Auschwitz Lale had an uncanny ability to live life in the now. He was very skilled at shutting down his past. It took me three years of visiting him two or three times a week to piece together those memories. He had survivors guilt, a pain hed buried for 60 years. There was an element of the confessional about it but his primary focus was telling the world about Gita after she had died. He kept asking me, Have you finished yet? I need to hurry up and join her! It is the Sokolovs love story that gives Morriss book its emotional engine, juxtaposing the evil done in the camp with the finest parts of human nature. It begins in April 1942 when the Nazis forced one volunteer from each Jewish family in Slovakia to go and work for the German war machine. The then 24-year-old Lale reported for duty in a sharp suit, a crisp white shirt and a tie. Forty-eight hours later, covered in oil, sweat, vomit and faeces, he was herded off a cattle train by SS stormtroopers and into Auschwitz at gunpoint. He took on the role of camp tattooist, a privileged job which he leveraged to keep himself and others alive. As well as changing or obliterating the tattoos of the condemned, he bartered gems pilfered from Nazi treasure troves for food and medicine for those in most need, and used his knowledge of half a dozen languages to knit together snippets of intelligence. In liberation he lost Gita, but he never doubted they would be reunited. Indeed, hed only been back in Slovakia for a fortnight when, quite by chance, she stepped out in front of his horse and cart. The first words from his mouth were a marriage proposal and they wed in October 1945. A general view of Auschwitz Concentration Camp. It is seen here in a 1944 black and white photograph, with the railway tracks leading to the main railway entrance Auschwitz survivor Mr. Leon Greenman, prison number 98288, displays his number tattoo. Library photo It was, says Morris, their Hollywood moment. The Sokolovs emigrated to Australia in 1949 and built a textile business. Gary, their miracle baby, was born in 1961. It was Gary who found Morris, a friend of a friend and told her his father might have a story worth telling. Morris is a warm and motherly character, a social worker who has made a career from inviting emotional trust and dealing with damaged people. So while she was not an obvious choice as writer, she proved to be an excellent one. She and Lale, who died aged 90 in 2006, developed a close friendship, and since she was originally planning to write a screenplay, she would drive him to movies so he could create his fantasy cast list. He began with Brad Pitt but quickly moved on to Ryan Gosling to play himself. For Gita it was only ever going to be Natalie Portman, she laughs. Even on the eve of his 90th birthday Lale still saw himself as that dapper young man, the man hed been before Auschwitz. He never lost that sense of himself. The Tattooist Of Auschwitz by Heather Morris is out now, published by Zaffre, available in paperback, eBook and audio One of the ideas being bandied around by Jeremy Corbyn's Labour if they win the next election is to force large companies to hand over a third of the places on their boards to workers. The very thought of being coerced by a Socialist government into ceding so many chairs round the mahogany table to a bunch of trade unionists modelling themselves on Citizen Smith will fill most shareholders with horror. Labour's remedies would be disastrous but it is hard to argue with their analysis that there is a dysfunctional and incestuous culture at the top of UK plc. Criticism: Jeremy Corbyn's Labour have been critical of the culture at the top of UK plc The list of FTSE 100 chairmen is a roll-call of the British business establishment. A Daily Mail investigation found that more than nine out of ten in 2017 were men, and that there were a dozen knights plus a solitary Dame. The vast majority of chairmen are former senior executives, top accountants or civil service mandarins. Their average pay came in around 475,000, but can be much higher: 800,000 and above is the going rate for chairing a bank. It's hard, then, to dismiss the implicit criticism from Labour that these people are not the best-placed to challenge a faulty status quo, and that appointments need to be made from a broader pool. The FTSE 100 is meant to be an elite index so every company in it ought to be a beacon of best boardroom practice. It's not always the case. At corporate raider Melrose, which shot into the FTSE this year when it took over GKN, the chairman is Christopher Miller, one of the entrepreneurs who set up the business. He received more than 42million last year alongside his three co-founders. Now Miller may well deserve his multi-million pound windfall for the growth delivered to shareholders, but a payment of that scale is at odds with his responsibilities as chairman. Bluntly, with that much money at stake, it's hard for anyone to be independent. 'Mr 131m': Jeff Fairburn, chief executive of housebuilder Persimmon The company itself has acknowledged as much in a boardroom overhaul and Miller is stepping aside as chairman next year. And why have one FTSE 100 chairmanship when you can have two? This is the case for several chairmen, including Roberto Quarta, who presides at WPP where there was an imbroglio over former boss Sir Martin Sorrell and at medical devices group Smith & Nephew. There is no express prohibition against this, but it's ridiculous. People will be caught short if there are crises at both firms at once as Peter Long found out when trouble hit Royal Mail and Countrywide and it increases the risk of mono-think. Despite their high rewards, chairmen do not always fulfil their responsibilities with distinction. The chair of Unilever, Marijn Dekkers, who received more than 650,000 last year, could surely have managed its plans to move its HQ to Rotterdam rather better. And why have two successive chairmen of Persimmon allowed Jeff 'Mr 131m' Fairburn to stay in his job? As for the chairs of pay committees, their average going rate on the FTSE 100 was 127,000 last year. That soon adds up if you have several of these part-time roles, like Orna Ni-Chionna, who presides over the pay committee at Royal Mail, where 70 per cent of investors voted against its pay report. She receives almost 300,000 a year from a variety of non-executive directorships. You don't have to be a rabid socialist to conclude that too many of Britain's boardrooms remain blinkered and self-satisfied. They risk having themselves to blame if the Corbynite nightmare becomes a reality. We round up the Sunday newspaper share tips. This week, Midas in the Financial Mail on Sunday looks at cyber attack prevention firm Osirium and updates on ventilation company Volution. Meanwhile, the new stock watch column takes a look at high street banks ahead of results. The Sunday Times assesses the prospects of gene-editing firm Horizon Discovery while the Sunday Telegraph mulls over Electrocomponents. FINANCIAL MAIL ON SUNDAY Last week, the National Cyber Security Centre warned that the UK faces a major, life-threatening cyber-attack in the near future. A Government agency, the Centre advises companies on how to avoid security threats. It has handled more than 500 cases in the past 12 months alone and the numbers are growing by the week. The stakes are high. When TalkTalk suffered a data breach, it cost more than 40million and customers were furious. British Airways has yet to reveal the cost of its cyber-attack last month but it could run into hundreds of millions of pounds, let alone the reputational damage that the company has suffered. Osirium aims to prevent these types of attacks. The company is relatively small but it is a market leader in its field and growing fast. >> Read the full Midas column Just over a week ago, Volution chief executive Ronnie George bought 10,000 shares in his firm. The purchase, at 170p a share, cost 17,000 and took his stake in the ventilation business to nearly 3 per cent. George called the move as 'a protest' his way of saying that the shares were undervalued. The stock closed at 178p on Friday so George has already gone some way to proving his point. But brokers who know the firm well believe it has a lot further to go. Volution makes ventilation products from bathroom extractor fans in bathrooms to sophisticated air purifier systems, increasingly used in new homes, offices and warehouses. >> Read the full Midas update Analysts reckon share prices of many big banks could be on the verge of a hefty jump. Ahead of a spate of company results this week, one analyst says bank stocks look 'outrageously cheap'. Ian Gordon, banking analyst at Investec, said Barclays, Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland all of which are set to post third-quarter numbers were likely to produce 'relatively clean' figures, marginally ahead of the market's expectations. >> Read the new Stock Watch column SUNDAY TELEGRAPH The trouble with being likened to Amazon is that the numbers don't always add up. Take Electrocomponents, the once-dusty distributor of radio parts and other widgets, or the 'Amazon of electronics' as it doesn't seem to mind being called these days. It's true that the company keeps delivery men bust, sending off more than 50,000 parcels a day. But it has some way to go to emulate Amazon. Earlier this month, it was a big casualty in the market correction, with a peak-to-trough share price fall in October of a whacking 17 per cent that wiped out five months of gains. With opportunities for its own brand in US and bolt-on acquisitions to drive growth, it is a buy. SUNDAY TIMES Analysts who met Terry Pizzle in his first outing as chief executive of gene-editing specialist Horizon Discovery were struck by his snappy dress sense as much as his promise to grow sales. However, it is commercial nous and Horizon's new CRISPR gene-editing technology that have attracted his latest visitor. Value Act, the San Francisco activist fund, appears on its share register at the beginning of last month. By September 17, its take had risen to just under 10 per cent. It bought the shares from star stockpicker Neil Woodfood. Value Act is known of seeking boardroom influence at its investments. Value Act coming on board should be a vote of confidence in Horizon and a signal that change could be ahead. Buy. Jailed businessman and disgraced former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has launched a multi-million dollar claim against a Sydney property developer from his prison cell. Mehajer, who in June was jailed for 11 months for electoral fraud, has written the 39- page claim from Cooma prison detailing why six former business partners owe him $72.5 million. In neat, cursive handwriting, the 32-year-old admits his document is 'unorthodox' in its format and apologises for any 'typographic errors'. A prison guard has signed every page as his witness. 'Due to restricted computer access I have handwritten the attached affidavit to which I rely on to be used in these proceedings,' Mehajer's states in the affidavit. Scroll down for video Salim Mehajer (pictured) has handwritten a claim for $72.5 million from inside the four walls of his cell at Cooma Correctional Centre, where he is currently serving an 11-month sentence Mehajer used a blue pen and notepad (pictured) to put together the claim against six former business partners relating to his Skypoint Towers development at Lidcombe, in Sydney The handwritten prison document is to be used as part of his ongoing NSW Supreme Court battle over his controversial Skypoint Towers complex at Lidcombe, in western Sydney. Receivers for two of his failed companies are selling off apartments in the towers, which are now estimated to be worth $20 million. Mehajer's six business partners and lenders are also now pursing the former Auburn deputy mayor for $100 million in damages over the development. While Mehajer admits in his affidavit he doesn't have a lawyer, he 'strongly anticipates' he will by the time the matter is next in the Supreme Court. I apologise in advance for the unorthodox format of this document, including any typographic errors The planning for Skypoint Towers began in 2012, three years before Mehajer soared to prominence with his $25 million 'wedding of the century' to now ex-wife, Aysha Learmonth. In 2012 he began buying land parcels along John Street in Lidcombe for his 'Sky' development. Mehajer spent almost $13 million on the land from which he expected to turn into a profit of $40 million, he states in the affidavit. The document reveals Mehajer's claim for $72.5 million relates to a $40 million profit he estimates he missed out on, as well as $30.5 million in damages. In the submission, Mehajer states problems with Sky Towers first arose when he sought finance. After signing a lending deal for $60 million with an Australian fund, the businessman claims he was soon introduced to a new lawyer through a 'friend'. Mehajer claims his new legal firm encouraged him to backflip on his first agreement and instead accept a 'better, safer, more secure and readily available' loan from an offshore lender. The new deal would see his potential profit rise from $38 million to $42 million. 'I felt that I had nothing to lose and felt safe with my lawyer,' he writes in the affidavit. The former deputy mayor of Auburn council is currently serving an 11-month prison sentence at Cooma Correctional Centre (pictured) for electoral fraud Mehajer allegedly has debts of $100 million relating to the 11-storey Skypoint Towers (above) Mehajer embraces lawyer Zali Burrows after walking free on bail in April after spending three months in custody on charges of perverting the course of justice But Mehajer claims that over the next few months his new lenders used a 'strategy' to deliberately 'force me into default by not selling (units) and as a result not meeting presales target'. Among the alleged tactics claimed in the affidavit was the employment of a real estate agent and the construction of a sale office at the Skypoint Towers site for $150,000. Mehajer claims that up until that point 'the units at Sky were selling themselves', but when the new agents were employed sales dried up. The businessman claims he soon launched an 'investigation' and that when he and his employees called the agents to ask about Sky, they were wrongly told units were sold. 'After further investigations it was confirmed that the unit of enquiry was in fact not sold - and still available according to the list of available units,' Mehajer states. WHAT SALIM SAYS HAPPENED TO 'SKY TOWERS': - Salim Mehajer is suing six former business partners involved in controversial Sky Towers project for $72.5 million - Mehajer claims in an affidavit that problems first arose when he sought $60 million in finance - His loan was approved by an Australian fund, before his lawyer encouraged him to switch to a 'better' and 'safer' loan from an offshore lender - Mehajer claims over the next few months his new lenders used a 'strategy' to attempt to 'force me into default' - Among the tactics alleged by Mehajer in the affidavit were that potential buyers were told units in the complex were sold, when they were not sold - Mehajer's claim for $72.5 million relates to a $40 million profit he estimates he missed out on, as well as some $30.5 million in damages Advertisement Mehajer has appeared in court regularly in recent years for a variety of different matters Mehajer first made headlines in 2015 for his extravagant multi-million dollar wedding to now ex-wife Aysha Learmonth (pictured) He demanded a switch back to his old real estate agent, who he claims 'immediately started performing' again. Mehajer claims the lenders then agreed to pay a debt that was 'already paid', as part of 'an engineered solution to start a method to collapse the companies' into 'voluntary administration'. The businessman claims that despite the rising tensions between them, his lending firm continued to transfer him 'hundreds of thousands of dollars' regularly, which left him feeling assured. That was until in November 2016 the lenders did not pay a $200,000 invoice as they had previously agreed, leaving his companies in default. In January this year Mehajer was arrested and charged with perverting the course of justice, after allegedly faking a car crash on his way to a Sydney court date last year. The now bankrupt businessman regularly showed off his wealth on Instagram, including a trip to the United States last year to watch Floyd Mayweather (pictured) fight Conor McGregor He was remanded in custody for three months before walking free on bail in April when a $200,000 surety was posted. In June he was sentenced to 21 months in prison for electoral fraud, with a minimum of 11 months behind bars. 'I continue to work in the best interest of those legitimate creditors, and trust the court does see this as a complex matter,' the jailed businessman claims in the affidavit. Daily Mail Australia has approached Mehajer for comment. Northwest Reverb - Reflections by James Bash and others about classical music in the Pacific Northwest and beyond When single mother Rebecca Gray's phone would ring often and it said 'Mum's mobile', her boyfriend thought nothing of it. Sean Fry, 32, had been supporting his lover, who he met on Tinder, through her cancer diagnosis and treatment - or so he thought. But little did he know at the time, Gray was also dating two other men she met online, one of whom was saved in her phone as 'Mum's mobile'. In Perth Magistrates Court on this week, Gray pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud after she faked cancer to scam $11,000 out of three men she met on the dating site, including Mr Fry. Now Mr Fry has revealed the elaborate lengths Gray went to in order to dupe him and her other lovers out of thousands of dollars she claimed was for her life-saving treatment. Rebecca Gray (pictured) convinced Sean Fry she had was suffering from PTSD, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and had a miscarriage during their 18-month relationship 'From the first night we spent together she was up having aches and pains, and I'd ask her and she would say nothing was wrong - this was obviously planting the seed,' Mr Fry said. 'After five or six dates, she told me she had liver cancer. That was a pretty big shock to the system, that this woman you're starting to fall for is going to die. 'She said it was a six-month prognosis - it was immediate and it was serious. I was just thinking, "what else can you do but help the baby and her?"' Over the course of their relationship, Gray, 32, would send Mr Fry detailed messages on her illness and how she was becoming more and more unwell. 'My liver has semi packed up. I've got blood poisoning,' one message reads. For most of the 18 months Mr Fry spent with Gray he believed everything she said and did. 'If someone tells you they've got cancer, you just think they have cancer,' he said. 'Why would you lie about that? 'I get by but I'm not loaded, there's no reason I'd be a target for something like this. It makes more sense that someone's got cancer and is dying than that they would lie about it.' 'After five or six dates, she told me she had liver cancer,' Sean Fry (right) said. 'That was a pretty big shock to the system, that this woman you're starting to fall for is going to die' 'Ok. My liver has semi packed up. I've got blood poisoning. The combination of doing a load of exercise when I didn't have the car yesterday and then drinking was enough to overload it' In December 2016, Mr Fry, Gray and her son drove across the Nullarbor, from Perth to Adelaide, so Gray could meet Fry's parents. He convinced her to stay in the city for his birthday, December 29, and it was there that she announced she was pregnant. Shortly after, Gray convinced Mr Fry to stay in Adelaide while she drove back to Perth on her own. 'I resisted a lot, but she was so adamant and headstrong,' he said. When Mr Fry returned home, things carried on as one would expect. The couple began to get excited about the baby, Gray told him her senses were heightened, and the couple joked about sloganned baby clothing. Everything was perfect, until the baby - who never existed in the first place - was lost. 'On the 27th of January, I got a message saying she'd been bleeding and was waiting for the ambulance, and then she says she's had a miscarriage,' Mr Fry said. 'She went into great detail about what the nurses and doctors were saying, and she'd asked me to tell my parents, because we had announced the news to them already.' Mr Fry says Gray's lies about being pregnant were 'one of the biggest displays of her callous destructiveness.' While Mr Fry was reeling from the loss of his child, things were beginning to fall apart for Gray's other boyfriend, who has declined to be identified. The other man had called Gray's phone one night to help her find it, only to discover his number had been saved as 'mum mobile'. 'That made a lot of sense to me because "mum mobile" rang a lot when she was over at my place and she'd sigh and go "oh it's mum again",' Mr Fry explained. '[The other man] ended up saying "it's too much", and went through her phone, where he saw our messages.' He got in contact with Mr Fry over Facebook, and revealed they had been dating the same woman. Rebecca Gray conned Sean Fry: 'She said it was a six-month prognosis - it was immediate and it was serious. I was just thinking, "what else can you do but help the baby and her?"' 'It didn't make any sense to me, because I was thinking "when did she have time to be with you all this time, she's been in hospital", and that's when it all started to fall down,' Mr Fry said. 'We got in touch with her dad, and he told us she'd been doing the cancer thing for the last four years with him. We got in touch with her family, and they said she'd been doing it since 2007, and it all just started to fall down.' Mr Fry discovered all the times Gray had claimed to be in hospital she had been with her other boyfriend. When she demanded Mr Fry stay in Adelaide so she could drive the Nullarbor on her own, she had been driving back with her other boyfriend. And when she had claimed to have miscarried their child, Gray had actually been on an Australia Day camping trip with the other man. For most of the 18 months Sean Fry spent with Rebecca Gray (both pictured) he completely believed everything she said and did. He has no idea how much money he lost to her scam All lies: 'Ffs I've had a reaction to the dye they use in my test. I'm not going anywhere tonight' 'There's no reason I'd be a target for something like this,' scam victim Sean Fry (centre) said. 'It makes more sense that someone's got cancer and is dying than that they would lie about it' More lies: 'They managed the whole transfusion so now it's just a matter of seeing what my blood pressure looks like when they do checks this morning and then I can hopefully go' In December 2016, Sean Fry (pictured), Rebecca Gray and her son drove across the Nullarbor from Perth to Adelaide so Gray could meet Fry's parents. She then announced her 'pregnancy' Lies never stopped: 'They were talking to me about staying in for a week and having multiple blood transfusions. Said I shouldn't be driving any more and should look at hospice support' Another stunt: Serial con artist Rebecca Gray who tricked two men into believing she had terminal cancer, rorting them of thousands of dollars, leaves court in a wheelchair on Tuesday Rebecca Gray (pictured) pleaded guilty in a Perth court on Tuesday to three counts of fraud Sean Fry discovered all the times Rebecca Gray claimed to be in hospital she had been with her other boyfriend. When she claimed to have miscarried their child she was actually off camping Both men broke up with Gray and decided not to pursue their lost money but the 32-year-old wasn't done with them. She told police Mr Fry had been stalking her, and when officers knocked on his door, he snapped. 'I had all the evidence of what had been happening, so [the officer] closed the stalking case and opened up the fraud case,' he said. Gray pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud on Tuesday after scamming the men out of $11,000 and lying about her deteriorating health. Mr Fry says he lost much more than that, but wouldn't know how to start counting it. He says he had to ask for an $8,000 loan from his parents. Gray will be sentenced in December. Plastic surgeons who strategically use 'soft porn' images on social media to promote their businesses have been slammed by an appearance psychologist. Professor Emerita Nichola Rumsey spoke to cosmetic surgery professionals at the Breast Masters Symposium, in Sydney, reported The Age. She said she was 'deeply uncomfortable', with the kind of advertising the industry was engaging in. Professor Rumsey said that using sexualised images of procedures on Instagram 'gives patients unrealistic expectations of the likely outcomes, contributes to negative body images and should change'. Professor Rumsey, from the University of the West of England, is working with the Australian Foundation for Plastic Surgery (AFPS) to help them reduce their role in perpetuating poor body image. Her comments come after a worrying new study found that more and more Australians are going under the knife, including a sharp rise in girls as young as 11- seeking vaginal cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgeons who use 'soft-porn' Instagram images to drum up business have been slammed for exploiting patients' poor body image (Pictured: Kylie Jenner) Professor Rumsey criticised plastic surgeons' choice to use 'soft porn' images on Instagram, saying it gave patients unrealistic expectations and contributed it to body dysmorphia and anxiety. Australians & Plastic Surgery - Australians spent more than $1 billion on cosmetic surgery in 2017 - That equates to over 500,000 procedures including: - 20,000 boob jobs - 30,000 lipo suction procedures - $350 million worth of botox Source: The Feed Advertisement 'We know that people who are most active on social media tend to be more vulnerable to negative body image and anxiety about their appearance,' she said. 'The cosmetics industry is creating more and more faults in appearance; faults we hadn't thought of ourselves a week ago, and it offers solutions in the same breath.' Her remarks came after a presentation by Dr Michael Miroshnik who told colleagues they had to use social media to stay across beauty trends. Professor Emerita Nichola Rumsey (pictured) criticized plastic surgeons' choice to use 'soft porn' images on Instagram, saying it gave patients unrealistic expectations and contributed it to body-dis-morphia and anxiety. He said plastic surgeons needed to constantly check on social media to stay up to date with beauty trends, pointing to Kylie Jenner and other surgically enhanced influencers. He said the patient requests had now changed and that many girls wanted sideboob, underboob, high nipple placements and breasts that look good without a bra. In a damning statement plastic surgeon Dr Amira Sank said: 'We have sold our souls to Instagram, social media and review websites in order to gain a constant stream of patients.' Scientific convenor of the Symposium Associate Professor Mark Magnusson, questioned the plastic surgeons techniques, asking if they were 'feeding the beast' of bad body image that social media already creates. Despite her talk, Sydney's eastern suburbs plastic surgeon Dr Michael Miroshnik said he looked highly upon social media for the progress of his business and altered techniques to what influencers such as Kylie Jenner (pictured) were doing Dr Michael Miroshnik's professional Instagram is flooded with influencers who have gone under the knife (pictured) But he added that posts that were '100 per cent ethical and 100 per cent professional may be 100 per cent ignored'. The comments come after a Mission Australia study found that poor body image was in the top three concerns for young Australians with more than 500,000 people going under the knife in 2017. LabiaTalk also reported that almost 23.5 percent of vaginal cosmetic surgeries were performed on young women and girls aged five to 25. The body of Charlotte Moye, 63 (pictured), of Flomaton, Alabama, was found in a Central Texas on Tuesday after floodwaters slept away the RV she was staying in A body found on the shore of a Central Texas lake is that of an Alabama woman who went missing two weeks ago when floodwaters overwhelmed an RV park. Officials from the Burnet County sheriff's office said the body of Charlotte Moye, 63, was found on Lake Lyndon B Johnson near Kingsland on Tuesday. Moye went missing on October 8 after the Llano River river flooded and washed away several RVs in the South Llano RV Park where she was visiting her cousin. In addition to Moye, three men also went missing from the RV park. Two were found six miles downstream an one near Yates Crossing in Junction, according to authorities. Moye was the last of the four missing to be accounted. Her body washed downstream for about 100 miles before it was recovered. Kimble County Sheriff Hilario Cantu said the medical examiner confirmed her identity on Friday after her family provided dental records. According to WKRG, the Escambia County Sheriff's office said Moye called her husband in Alabama not long before she went missing. She allegedly told him that the water was rising fast and she wasn't sure if she would make it out. Moye was working as a secretary at a insurance company for 30 years in Flomaton before retiring, Gina Cofield, a family friend, told the Austin-American Statesman. 'She loved her family,' Cofield told the newspaper. 'She was a kind, loving person.' In addition to her husband, Moye leaves behind three children and five grandchildren. Authorities said it the flooding of the Llano River, which extends about 80 miles from Junction to Kingsland, was the worst since 1935. Moye was the last of the four missing to be accounted. Her body washed downstream for about 100 miles before it was recovered. Pictured: Water from the Colorado River pours over the Max Starcke Dam in Marble Falls, Texas, on October 16 Authorities said she was visiting her cousin in Junction. She called her husband the day she went missing and said she didn't know if she would make it out. Pictured: An RV park is Junction, Texas, is destroyed as the search continues on October 9 Authorities said it the flooding of the Llano River, which extends about 80 miles from Junction to Kingsland, was the worst since 1935. Pictured: The flooding in Kingsland, Texas is seen in this still image taken from a social media video obtained on October 16 Cantu said on Saturday that one of the men has been identified as Darin Hartman of San Angelo, Texas. The other two men were Joseph 'Joey' Huss Jr and Mike McGee, both of Flomaton, which is on the Florida border. Texas has been besieged in recent weeks by heavy rains that have caused widespread flooding. Governor Greg Abbott cautioned to residents along the Gulf Coast and South Texas to be cautious as engorged rivers send floodwaters downstream, during a news conference on Friday. Flooding along the Llano, Guadalupe and other rivers likely will continue for another week, he said. Conditions could worsen in some areas with another round of rain forecast to move over the state next week. More than 50 counties are part of a state disaster declaration that could result in state and federal aid for cleanup efforts. All six men in a pickup truck were killed on Friday when a dump truck driver who is accused of having been 'drunk and high' at the time crossed the median and struck their vehicle, head-on. The driver of the pickup truck was identified as 62-year-old Efrain Cardenas. The dump truck driver, Jamie Don McKenzie, 41, was treated for minor injuries and booked on suspicion of six counts of automobile homicide, following the accident that occurred on a state highway near Heber at around noon, authorities said. Investigating officers found prescription pills and open containers of alcohol inside the dump truck, the Utah Highway Patrol said. 'In my 13-year career, this is probably the worst crash Ive ever seen,' Patrol Sgt. Lawrence Hopper told The Salt Lake Tribune. Two more people in a Jeep were also injured as a result of the crash, when the driver of the Jeep lost control while trying to avoid the trucks. Authorities were still working on Saturday to identify the other victims, Hopper said. All six men in a pickup truck were killed on Friday when a dump truck driver who is accused of having been 'drunk and high' at the time crossed the median and struck their vehicle, head-on, on State Route 40 near the Jordanelle Reservoir in Heber, Utah The highway patrol reported that just before the accident other drivers had contacted authorities to say that the dump truck was being driven erratically. Authorities said they had received multiple calls about the driver cutting off other vehicles and swerving. The westbound dump truck vaulted over the middle barrier on State Route 40 near the Jordanelle Reservoir and slammed, at freeway speed, into the driver's side of the eastbound pickup, police said. Three of the men who died were thrown out of the vehicle while the other three remained inside. The driver of an eastbound Jeep lost control of her vehicle when she tried to avoid the two trucks. The Jeep rolled over and landed upside down, authorities said. The driver and a female passenger were taken to a hospital in Park City for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Open containers of beer and liquor and bottles of prescription drugs were found inside the cab of the dump truck, Hopper said, and troopers said they smelled alcohol on McKenzie's breath Open containers of beer and liquor and bottles of prescription drugs were found inside the cab of the dump truck, Hopper said, and troopers said they smelled alcohol on McKenzie's breath. McKenzie denied that he had drank any alcohol on the day of the crash, instead telling police at the hospital that he had drank alcohol the night before. He was en route to deliver dirt for a Park City company at the time of the crash, according to jail records. McKenzie was booked into Wasatch County Jail. Heber, where the crash occurred, is located about 15 miles (25 kilometers) south of Park City. Parents who let their children skip school could be fined almost $1,600 and face criminal charges. The Queensland state government has issued a reminder for parents to ensure their children attend school every day - or face hefty consequences. Parents who fail to comply could be slapped with a $801 fine for a first offence, or up to $1,566 for multiple violations. In the past decade, the penalty range for parents has increased from $1,413.60. Parents who let their children skip school could be fined almost $1,600 and possibly face criminal charges (stock image) Education Minister Grace Grace said while the fines and charges issued were often a last resort, parents have been prosecuted in the past for failing to comply. Government data revealed that as of August, 16 Queensland parents were charged for allowing truancy, while up to 21 parents were charged last year, according to The Courier Mail. 'Of course, before any referral to police, our schools work closely with families to attempt to improve a child's attendance,' Ms Grace told The Courier Mail. Ms Grace said there is a significant decrease in attendance during the end of the school year. 'Unfortunately, the last term of school is typically when we can start to see an increase in unexplained student absences,' she said. 'But its very important for parents and carers to continue to send their children to school every day of the school year'. Education Minister Grace Grace (pictured) said that while the fines and charges were often a last resort, parents have been prosecuted in the past for failing to comply The Queensland government launched an 'Every Day Counts' campaign to improve school attendance. The initiative stresses that all children should be enrolled and attend daily. It also states that schools should actively monitor and implement strategies to encourage attendance. The campaign emphasises that letting children skip school could place them in unsafe situations and impact their employability in the future. Dominic Raab said a time limit is not the only way Britain would accept an end to the Irish backstop today in a new hint at concessions to Brussels. The Brexit Secretary appeared to concede to EU demands that the backstop - the arrangement that will apply to Northern Ireland if there is no full trade deal after the Brexit transition - must not automatically expire. He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Britain would still not accept any backstop that last indefinitely. Mr Raab also said Britain needs to have a deal by the end of November - or it may be too late to pass the necessary laws in time for exit day. Dominic Raab (pictured on the Marr show today) said a time limit is not the only way Britain would accept an end to the Irish backstop today in a new hint at concessions to Brussels In his Marr interview (pictured), the Brexit Secretary appeared to concede to EU demands that the backstop - the arrangement that will apply to Northern Ireland if there is no full trade deal after the Brexit transition - must not automatically expire The remarks suggests the backstop could now include language suggesting it would automatically stop once a comprehensive EU-UK trade deal was in place. But dropping a time limit will anger Brexiteers already furious at new concessions, including the suggestion the Brexit transition could last beyond December 2020. Mr Raab attempted to calm nerves today by suggesting an extension could be as short as three months and only to ensure businesses only need to adjust to one set of rule changes at the end of transition and the start of a trade deal. Mr Raab told Marr: 'It could be time limited, there could be another mechanism. There needs to be something that allows us to control how long we are there for. 'We are open to ideas. Various ideas have floated around. Mr Raab (pictured at the BBC this morning) told the BBC's Andrew Marr Britain would still not accept any backstop that last indefinitely 'What we can't do is allow ourselves to indefinitely stay in that limbo.' Mr Raab said he believed the exit agreement needed to be done 'towards the end of November' to allow time for legislation to be passed. His Marr interview came after he suggested to the Daily Telegraph any extension would only be acceptable if the EU abandoned its backstop plans. Mr Raab's threat could wipe out any progress made in the Brexit talks at this week's tense EU summit. The extension to Brexit transition is intended by the EU to make it easier for Mrs May to accept its version of the backstop by making it less likely it will ever be used - not to replace it. But writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Raab said: 'The Prime Minister has rightly refused to rule out considering different approaches, including extending the implementation period for a limited period of a few months, as an alternative to the backstop. 'But we won't sacrifice Northern Ireland, and we must have finality to any backstop - whether through a time limit or a mechanism that enables the UK to leave, in case the EU doesn't live up to its promise to get the future relationship in place swiftly.' France's Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau (pictured today on Marr) said what was needed was 'definitive answers or at least no temporary measures which disappear and we don't know what to do after' over the Irish border France's Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau said what was needed was 'definitive answers or at least no temporary measures which disappear and we don't know what to do after' over the Irish border. Cross party support builds for joining simpler European trade zone the EEA Cross party support continued to build today for trying to push Britain into the European Economic Area after Brexit. The EEA includes EU members plus several other nations including Norway and Switzerland. It offers access to the single market at lower cost - but means accepting EU rules and free movement without having a say in EU rules. Frank Field, the former Labour MP and a Brexiteer, endorsed the proposal today. It has been pushed by former Tory minister Nick Boles in recent days as an alternative to May's Brexit deal. The idea has supporters on both sides of the Commons but is loathed by Brexiteers as the worst of all worlds. Mr Field told the Sunday Times: 'On Friday I will begin petitioning for a binding motion that would mean if we don't get a deal the default mode for the government is that we join the EEA and then work towards a Canada trade deal.' Advertisement Pressed about whether a proposed backstop cannot be temporary, she told Marr: 'We need to have a British answer to what we have proposed - the ball is in London's court and we are waiting. It's about a question of weeks now until we are sure that we can have a good agreement. 'But on the Irish border issue, we agreed together - London and the 27 - that the situation has to be as similar as possible to the current one, meaning no hard border, no controls between Northern and southern Ireland, so there has to be a solution, but you cannot only rely on negotiation about the future relationship.' Ms Loiseau said it is something which needs to be 'fixed by London' as the UK took the decision to leave the EU. Talks have stalled over a disagreement over the backstop - an insurance policy to ensure there will be no return to a hard border in Ireland, a former focal point for sectarian tensions - if a future trading relationship is not in place in time. But so far the European Union has said the backstop of Ireland must remain in place to proceed with the divorce negotiations. Mr Raab's threats come after Theresa May faced a fierce backlash across the Tory party for floating the idea of extending the transition period. Mr Raab's deputy Suella Braverman told Sky News today Britain would accept an extended transition as the price for ending the Northern Ireland backstop impasse. And Mr Raab said a time limit was not the only way for Britain to escape the backstop - conceding Britain would now accept a mechanism for ensuring it would not last forever instead. Mrs May (pictured today in Maidenhead) has suggested delaying the UK's final departure from the EU's until 2021 in a last ditch bid to end the deadlock over the border issue Mr Raab's deputy Suella Braverman told Sky News today (pictured) Britain would accept an extended transition as the price for ending the Northern Ireland backstop impasse Former party leader Iain Duncan Smith said such a move would see the UK paying 'tens of billions of pounds' extra to the EU. Mrs May has suggested delaying the UK's final departure from the EU's until 2021 in a last ditch bid to end the deadlock over the border issue. Following a tense summit in Brussels, Mrs May said Britain was not asking to extend the time it spends in the exit room - but that there could be a mechanism to prolong it once the detail of a trade deal was clear. The EU Commission President said the longer transition period was on offer to Britain to help deliver a free trade deal. Mr Juncker said it was 'a good idea' and added 'this prolongation of the transition period probably will happen.' Theresa May insisted at the end of the latest summit failure Britain was not asking for a longer transition after Brexit day in March but admitted there could be a mechanism to extend it for a few months. Endorsing the plan saw new calls for Mrs May to quit, with critics branding the idea 'mad' amid claims it could cost Britain an extra 15billion in EU subscription fees. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said it was 'a good idea' and added 'this prolongation of the transition period probably will happen.' A woman whose boyfriend allegedly tried to throw her off a cruise ship to her death had previously voiced her excitement over their planned holiday. David James Fysh, 46, was arrested and charged with attempted murder on Thursday after the 'Radiance of the Seas' docked in Hobart. Police allege Fysh tried to throw his girlfriend from a balcony on the boat by grabbing her under her arms following an argument at 3.30am. Other passengers said they heard an alarm and screaming around the time of the incident, according to Newscorp. David James Fysh (pictured with partner) was arrested and charged with attempted murder on Thursday when the 'Radiance of the Seas' docked in Hobart Police allege Fysh tried to throw his girlfriend from a balcony on the boat by grabbing her under her arms following an argument at 3.30am (pictured) The Radiance of the Seas, a five-night cruise from Sydney to Tasmania, departed on October 16. Weeks before, Fysh's girlfriend expressed her excitement about the trip on social media. 'Tassie here we come! Radiance of the Seas owner's suite holiday we so deserve,' she wrote. 'My beautiful man has rented a Mercedes for the day to take me to Table Cape Tulip Farm and eat as many oysters as I can smash,' the post continued. The father-of-three, 46, pleaded not guilty to the charge on Friday afternoon in Hobart Magistrates Court. Bail was not granted and the case is due before the Supreme Court in February. 'Our security staff responded to the incident, and Tasmania Police were notified and attended the ship on arrival in Hobart,' a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said. 'The safety and security of our guests and crew is our highest priority.' Australian parents who flee the country with their children could face up to three years behind bars under new laws. Until now, it has not been a criminal offence for parents to leave the country with their children without permission from the other parent. As of next year, international parental child abduction laws will come into effect, allowing federal police to track runaway parents down, The Daily Telegraph reported. Parents leaving Australia with their children without permission from the other parent has not be a criminal offence previously The Federal Police will have the power to investigate the parents emails and text messages in suspected abduction cases. Extradition will also be possible. Cases where parents flee due to domestic violence will have a defence against the charges. Attorney-General Christian Porter said parental child abduction was traumatic and criminalising it would provide a strong deterrent. He said it also provided a tool for law enforcement to pursue and prosecute. Former Family Court judge Nahum Mushin said international child abduction was worthy of criminal punishment. 'Unilaterally removing a child is very serious and, as such, making it a criminal offence is justifiable.' Australian parents fleeing the country with their children will face up to three years behind bars under new laws that will enable federal police to track them down A prominent case that made headlines across the world involved Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner, who attempted to retrieve her children from Beirut, where they live with their father. There were 80 Australian parents who sought 143 allegedly abducted children taken overseas in the past financial year. About 36 per cent of those children had been taken to New Zealand, while 17.5 per cent had been taken to the United States or United Kingdom. Criminals could be free because police failed new rules on fingerprint evidence Trials could collapse and criminals walk free because the police have failed to meet strict new rules governing fingerprint evidence. Every force in the UK was ordered by the forensics watchdog three years ago to ensure their laboratories met international standards for studying marks found at crime scenes. But The Mail on Sunday has learned that just one in ten hit the deadline to gain accreditation from the watchdog, the Forensic Science Regulator, confirming they met these standards at the start of October. Trials could collapse and criminals walk free because the police have failed to meet strict new rules governing fingerprint evidence (file photo) Police from forces without this accreditation will now have to admit in court that they have missed the target before the start of trials where fingerprints are presented as evidence. These could include rape and murder cases. Defence lawyers are also more likely to challenge fingerprint evidence presented by police from these forces and order their own tests. Police chiefs have created an emergency group to make sure their labs gain accreditation as soon as possible. Chief Constable James Vaughan, national lead for forensics, said: We are treating delays in gaining accreditation as a critical incident. If police labs do not have the appropriate accreditation, forces are open in providing declarations to courts and evidence of the activity undertaken to ensure high standards of work. Every force in the UK was ordered by the forensics watchdog three years ago to ensure their laboratories met international standards (file photo) It is then for the court to test the veracity and admissibility of the evidence. A spokesman for Dr Gillian Tully, the Forensic Science Regulator, said last night: The consistent failures to meet the Regulators quality standards are unacceptable. Dr Tully has led a drive for police-run laboratories to meet international standards. At a meeting in July, chief constables complained about how high the bar was being set in terms of accreditation. But Dr Tully said there would have been ample time to approach the process over a longer time period, had there been earlier action. Womens washrooms are being built at the Commando Training Centre in Devon Royal Marines have complained that their living quarters are being reduced to make way for female facilities even though they dont have any women recruits. Womens washrooms and toilets are being built beside dormitories at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines in Lympstone, Devon. The renovations, which have left male recruits competing for space to store equipment and possessions, were given the green light despite the failure of female Royal Marine candidates to qualify for the corps 32-week basic training course. Marine Commandos on the assault course at the The Royal Marines Commando Training Centre To date, every female candidate to attempt the four-day Potential Royal Marines Course has failed. One marine in training said: Weve been assured there wont be any drop in standards to get women through the door, which is great, but theyre building facilities in our block for female recruits who dont exist. Male marines have been told to stop complaining or face being hauled before top brass. To date, every female candidate to attempt the four-day Potential Royal Marines Course has failed (pictured, Commando Training Centre Royal Marines in Lympstone) Notices in their living quarters read: Do not drip [complain] about it, it is happening! Around 1,350 women are thought to have inquired about joining the Royal Marines since the ban on women serving in ground close-combat roles was lifted by David Cameron in 2016, with none of about 20 shortlisted candidates successful. A Royal Navy spokesman said: We are committed to giving women the same opportunity as men to enjoy challenging, fulfilling and rewarding careers. I am not a sheep, I have my own mind I have had enough of being told what and how to think Whilst we are still allowed the remnants of free speech, I will speak out. I also reserve the right to discuss less controversial matters should I feel the urge. Some of Australia's most prolific terrorists, murderers and high profile criminals are being granted play dates with one another in a supermax prison. The founder of notorious 'Brothers 4 Life' gang, Bassam Hamzy, has earned the opportunity to mingle with other inmates at Goulburn prison after a period of good behaviour. The Sunday Telegraph reported Hamzy has formed a number of friendships since the program begun and socializes with terrorist Khaled Cheikho, who is spending 27 years in jail for his crimes, and Bilal Khazal, a former baggage handler who doubled as a close friend of Osama Bin Laden. The founder of notorious 'Brothers 4 Life' gang, Bassam Hamzy (pictured) earned the opportunity to mingle with other inmates at the Goulburn prison after a period of good behaviour Hamzy is authorised to spend time with Bilal Khazal inside prison, a former baggage handler who was arrested on terror charges These three men have been authorised to play with one another on the exercise courts within the prison after a thorough assessment by guards and personnel. Both inmates have to request the play date before the application is passed through a handful of people to ensure there are no historic feuds or factors that could place either man at risk. Hamzy, who created the Brothers 4 Life gang behind bars, does have certain restrictions from other inmates. Hamzy socializes with terrorist Khaled Cheikho (pictured), who is spending 27 years in jail for his crimes Hamzy (pictured) has taken up a number of approved friendships since the program begun, including terrorist Khaled Cheikho, who is spending 27 years in jail for his crimes, and Bilal Khazal, a former baggage handler who doubled as a close friend of Osama Bin Laden He is not permitted to associate with the Brothers 4 Life Blacktown chapter's president, Farhad 'The Afghan' Qaumi, due to the long and deadly history between the pair. They embarked on a series of tit-for-tat murders that escalated with the death of Hamzy's cousin, the leader of the Bankstown faction. Hamzy is serving time at Goulburn Supermax for murder, conspiracy to murder and commercial drug supply after being jailed at the age of 20. He is not permitted to associate with the Brothers 4 Life Blacktown chapter's president, Farhad 'The Afghan' Qaumi (pictured), due to the long and deadly history between the pair Hamzy is serving time at Goulburn Supermax for murder, conspiracy to murder and commercial drug supply after being jailed at the age of 20 Prison play dates are booked daily at 9:30am or 12:30pm. Inmates generally share the limited sessions among themselves. While Hamzy and many other inmates take full advantage of the luxury, others steer clear of social interactions. The publication reported notorious backpack murderer Ivan Milat does not attend. The 73-year-old prefers to remain in his cell and 'avoid the cold.' Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has complained about a proposed tax to support the homeless in San Francisco, arguing that it is unfairly structured. In a tweetstorm fired off on Friday, Dorsey argued that the new taxes under Proposition C would disproportionately hit Square, the payment processing company he also leads. It followed Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who has a net worth of $6.2 billion, bashing Dorsey in an interview for 'hoarding' his own $5.3 billion fortune. The measure, which is up for a vote on November 6, seeks to raise up to $300 million to support homeless services by imposing a 0.175 per cent to 0.69 per cent tax on gross receipts for businesses with over $50 million in gross annual receipts. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey (above) has complained about a proposed tax to support the homeless in San Francisco, arguing that it is unfairly structured Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff (above), who has a net worth of $6.2 billion, bashed Dorsey in an interview for 'hoarding' his own $5.3 billion fortune Homeless people hang out on the sidewalk in the Mission district in San Francisco in April. The city has roughly 7,500 homeless and a new corporate tax is on the ballot in November 'I admit that while I come at this as a citizen first, there's an unfairness I see in my role of CEO of Square (this does not apply to Twitter),' Dorsey wrote in a tweet. 'Companies like Square and Stripe would be taxed at a significantly larger total contribution than much larger companies like Salesforce,' he continued. 'Hypothetically Square could pay over $20m more in 2019, while Salesforce (4x bigger than Sq) pays less than $10m. Taxes would grow at rates multiple times our adj. revenue, which no company can sustain,' Dorsey wrote. Square would be impacted because its net revenue, taxable under the scheme, includes fees which the company splits with banks and payment networks such as Visa and MasterCard. In the second quarter, the company's net revenue was $815 million - more than double its adjusted revenue of $385 million, which strips out the fees that pass to partners. Dorsey argued that much larger companies such as Salesforce, which sells subscriptions to business software, would end up paying proportionally far less of their adjusted revenue, due to the different structure of their business. Homelessness is on the rise in San Francisco, irking residents and bringing the problem under a spotlight as a proposed tax to support homeless services is under debate Salesforce CEO Benioff has been a vocal supporter of the new tax, and has even bashed Dorsey over his reservations. 'He just doesn't want to give, that's all. And he hasn't given anything of consequence in the city,' Benioff said of Dorsey to the Guardian. 'We have 70 billionaires in San Francisco. Not all of them are giving money away. A lot of them are just hoarding it,' Benioff said. 'This is a critical moment where I think Prop C kind of illuminates who is willing to be a San Franciscan and actually support our local services,' he added. Dorsey included in his tweetstorm what appeared to be a veiled threat to leave San Francisco if Prop C passes. 'We're happy to pay our taxes. We just want to be treated fairly with respect to our peer companies,' he said. 'Otherwise we don't know how to practically grow in the city. That's heartbreaking for us as we love SF and want to continue to help build it.' San Francisco mayor London Breed has opposed the new tax, saying the measure is 'well intentioned' but lacks proper controls to ensure the funds raised are properly spent. San Francisco has about 7,500 homeless people on the streets on any given night. Earlier this year, a United Nations official passing through the city compared conditions for the homeless there to those in a third world country. Theresa May's pledge to clear bursting prisons by kicking out foreign criminals has been exposed as a sham by new figures revealing that just one convict a day is being deported. At the current rate, it would take decades before those scheduled for removal among the current foreign prisoner population of 9,066 are actually sent home. According to official figures, just 1,583 have been removed from the UK in the past four years, despite the UK having agreements with about 70 countries to send them home. It makes a mockery of a promise in 2016 by Mrs May, the then Home Secretary, to crack down on the problem. Foreign nationals who commit crimes here should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them, she said in response to a Select Committee report about the difficulties clearing the backlog. But officials are still failing to kick out many of the criminals before they complete their sentences, meaning they are released on to the streets to commit more crimes or simply vanish. The Government admitted last year that it had lost track of almost 500 overseas nationals who were facing removal from the UK after serving prison sentences for their crimes during the previous two years. Data obtained under Freedom of Information rules show a total of 494 foreign national offenders absconded while they were subject to deportation action from 2014 to the end of March 2016. The Mail on Sunday last week revealed that Yaqub Ahmed, a Somalian whose deportation was halted after a mutiny among airline passengers, was a convicted gang rapist. Yaqub Ahmed, 19, was jailed for his part in luring a teenage girl back to a Crouch End flat and gang raping her Yaqub Ahmed, centre, during the confrontation on the Turkish Airlines flight at Heathrow Like Ahmed, many of the foreign prisoners who have escaped deportation have been convicted of violent offences. And many have gone on to commit fresh crimes following their release. They include Iranian Noureden Mallaky-Soodmand, 41, who was arrested for carrying knives in London but escaped deportation. He is serving a four-year jail term for running amok with a knife, screaming: I am ISIS and my people will cut off your b****, Christians. In another case, convicted sex offender Mansor Fatholli, 46, who should have been booted out of Britain, was later caught in a drugs den with bags of cocaine and more than 3,000 in cash. And Abdi Waise, 28, an illegal immigrant from Somalia who was served with a deportation order in 2013 after being given eight years for raping a 21-year-old woman, is back behind bars for trying to kidnap and molest four schoolchildren. When she was Home Secretary, Theresa May pledged to crack down on the problem The figures also reveal a steep rise in the number of Albanian nationals clogging up British jails. The country has jumped from fifth place to second with 742 criminals, compared to 492 the previous year. Poland remains top of the list with 822 prisoners, down from 965 in 2016. Ireland is third with 720 inmates, down slightly from 762 in 2016, and Romania is fourth with 644 of its nationals behind bars. The figures do not relate to foreign offenders who have completed their sentences and are in the process of being deported. Under current legislation, all offenders from outside the EU jailed for more than 12 months are referred for automatic deportation. In most cases, criminals from the EU can also be deported after two years, or one year if the conviction is for a sex attack. However, criminals can appeal placing a huge financial burden on the UK or in many cases they simply abscond while awaiting deportation. Glyn Travis, assistant secretary of the Prison Officers Association, said: The large number of foreign nationals in our jails adds to the pressure on a creaking system. Prisoners from different cultures and backgrounds have their own requirements and our members strive to help them on a fair and equal basis. However, given the financial cuts and staff reductions, it is becoming harder and harder to make things work. Last night the Ministry of Justice said it had removed nearly 6,000 foreign offenders last year and more than 44,000 since 2010, a figure that includes convicts deported after being released from prison. A spokesman said: This Government does all it can to deport foreign criminals while they are behind bars or once they are released. Two young men who had to face the ordeal of a Crown Court trial after they were wrongly accused of rape have called for Britain's chief prosecutor to be denied a New Year's Honour. Alison Saunders, who is stepping down as director of the CPS this month, has come under fire over failures to disclose evidence which led to the collapse of numerous rape cases. However she is still expected to receive a damehood, as all her predecessors reportedly have since 1880. Liam Allan and Samuel Armstrong - who were both put on trial for crimes they had not committed - have urged a break with precedent and slammed Saunders over the CPS's 'devastating failures', the Daily Telegraph reported. Alison Saunders (pictured), who is stepping down as director of public prosecutions, has come under fire over failures to disclose evidence which led to the collapse of numerous rape cases They said: 'We were wronged by a justice system that was supposed to protect us. 'In the botched processes that followed, many of us lost jobs, homes and relationships. 'Such devastating failures cannot be allowed to ever happen again. That's why - as victims - we say that the exception must be made to the 'automatic gong principle' for Alison Saunders.' Mr Allan, 23, was accused of rape spent almost two years on bail ahead of a trial at Croydon Crown Court. It collapsed in December after messages undermining the case were found, with prosecutors later apologising for their errors in not disclosing them earler. A review into the collapsed case found more than 57,000 messages were recovered from the complainant's phone, but only some were served in evidence. Student Mr Allan said at the time: 'Every day is just sort of a different battle, you either wake up and you give up on the day or you wake up and you're ready to sort of face the day. 'But from start to finish after I was arrested we had hope because we knew the truth, we knew it wasn't true and you have that hope.' Mr Armstrong, 25, who worked as as senior aide for Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay, was cleared in a trial last year of raping a woman in his boss's Westminster office. He said that crucial evidence had been disclosed to his defence team just eight working days before the trial at Southwark Crown Court. Liam Allan (left) and Samuel Armstrong (right) who were both put on trial accused of crimes they had not committed - have urged a break with precedent and slammed Alison Saunders A committee of MPs found earlier this year that Saunders 'did not sufficiently recognise the extent and seriousness' of failures in the disclosure process. The Justice Commitee said the correct disclosure of evidence by the police and CPS is too often seen as an 'administrative headache'. The CPS said in a statement: 'It's fundamentally untrue to suggest the CPS has ever sought convictions at any cost. 'In fact the conviction rate over the last five years has remained steady despite a more complex caseload and challenging financial climate. 'The police and CPS apologised to Liam Allan for the investigative and disclosure issues in his case. Samuel Armstrong was acquitted by a jury after trial. 'We have worked with police to tackle the long-standing and system wide issues around disclosure. Putting this right is our top priority and a comprehensive programme of work is under way to drive lasting improvements.' Comes after Home Secretary Sajid Javid backed use of medical cannabis in July Intervention after Canada became first Western nation to fully legalise the drug Former Scotland Yard chief Bernard Hogan-Howe has called on the Government to set up an urgent review to examine the legalisation of cannabis. His controversial intervention comes just days after Canada became the first Western nation to fully legalise the drug. It will ramp up the debate on drugs in Britain after Home Secretary Sajid Javid backed use of medical cannabis in July and former Tory leader William Hague said cannabis laws were inappropriate, ineffective and utterly out of date. Bernard Hogan-Howe has called on the Government to set up an urgent review to examine the legalisation of cannabis In an exclusive article for The Mail on Sunday today, Lord Hogan-Howe proposes that a panel of experts should examine the accumulating evidence on legalisation with open minds and report back within two years. This could include whether they feel the evidence suggests cannabis should be safely legalised, he writes. It is hard to justify criminalising a substance less harmful than products we can buy in a shop and at some level has medical benefits. But critics warned against loosening drug laws. Parents will throw their arms up in despair that you would even consider looking at normalising use of cannabis, said Elizabeth Burton-Phillips, founder of the charity Drugfam. She said many of the 1,400 monthly calls to the charitys helpline were due to concerns over the drug. For those falling foul of cannabis use, it is a lifetime of mental illness, she added. The remarks were criticised by campaigner Janie Hamilton, who lost her son James following a battle with schizophrenia brought on by heavy cannabis use. The retired teacher, 66, who now works with police in schools, said: The people who are considering the pros and cons of legalisation have many facts at their disposal as they debate this issue. But the youth will just take one message from that - It must be OK if the government says it is legal. Personally, I could never bring myself to endorse the legalisation of a drug that derailed my sons life and so many other young peoples that I have seen in mental health wards. James died aged 36 from testicular cancer, with his inquest recording part of the cause was his cannabis-induced psychosis, which had led him to refuse life-saving treatment. Mrs Hamilton added: I have seen people who are drunk and I have seen people who have psychosis and the two are not comparable. The former police chiefs dramatic move follows a visit to Colorado, one of the first US states to legalise cannabis in 2014, for a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary to be screened tomorrow. Hogan-Howe Britains most senior police officer before retiring last year talked to doctors, politicians and police, and visited a cannabis club and farm. He says there was general acceptance reform has worked out, even from a former opponent such as the mayor of Denver. Taxes on cannabis have funded a new police station in one town and higher pay for officers. His controversial intervention comes just days after Canada became the first Western nation to fully legalise the drug But he also found there was still a black market for under-age users, admits he was dismayed to see a sharp rise in the drugs potency, and was left worried about young users developing psychosis. But he also found there was still a black market for under-age users, admits he was dismayed to see a sharp rise in the drugs potency, and was left worried about young users developing psychosis. Hogan-Howe writes: We know prohibition of cannabis has resulted in criminal gangs using violence as they compete for trade and territory. But evidence shows that alcohol causes more violence every night of the week. Critics of legalisation agree Britain must monitor reforms elsewhere. I dont think it is a good idea, said Tory MP Andrew Bridgen. But lets see how it goes in Canada. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others. BERNARD HOGAN-HOWE: It's a danger to health... but so is alcohol Kaylum was impressive as he walked into the room. Well over 6ft, he was strongly built but had a quiet presence. He had been taking cannabis in Liverpool for seven years, starting as a teenager, but had recently developed psychosis and been sectioned in hospital. Doctors believe cannabis is linked to his condition. Yet Kaylum finds comfort in smoking the drug and does not want to stop using it. His story reminded me of a lecture I heard 15 years ago, when experts said those who take cannabis before the age of 16 are four times more likely to suffer severe mental illness. This informed my work as a police commissioner, taking a tough line on cannabis. But more and more states in America are now legalising cannabis. Canada last week became the first major Western country to do so. I wanted to see the effects of legalisation first-hand, so I went to Colorado in the United States, where using cannabis was legalised in January 2014, to investigate for Channel 4 Dispatches. Intervention will ramp up the debate on drugs in Britain after Home Secretary Sajid Javid backed use of medical cannabis in July My first observation was that legitimate competition has driven down the price of cannabis from $500 an ounce before legalisation to $100 today. The potency of the drug has also increased hugely: the content of THC which gets users high has risen from 14 per cent to more than 90 per cent in some products. There are more ways of taking the drug, too. You can buy it as a patch, a balm or a bar of chocolate. One company is making $400 million a year. The 5,000 inhabitants of Edgewater, a small town I visited, have gained $1 million in extra tax a year, enabling them to build a new police station and civic centre. They plan to give the police a pay rise. There is a general acceptance in Colorado that reform has worked out, despite some issues. Even the mayor of Denver, a past opponent, believes it has been successful. But in a hospital emergency ward, a doctor told me the legalisation was the worst thing the state had done. Doctors report seeing overdoses among those who have taken edible cannabis, presumably because the drug takes longer to have effect when eaten, so they take more. But supporters say this can be tackled through education and, as many people told me, no one dies from cannabis. Another doctor at the University of Colorado Medical Centre told me he has seen a fourfold increase in patients with a psychiatric disorder attributable to cannabis, although absolute numbers remain small. Usage has not changed. The higher potency appears to lead users to find their best doses. You may drink six bottles of beer in a night but not six bottles of whisky and cannabis users are no more foolish than drinkers. Denvers police chief told me he could not see major problems due to cannabis legalisation. There is still a black market, however, which ironically supplies Colorados young, who must be 21 before they can buy it legally. Cannabis is also smuggled to neighbouring states where it remains illegal. If Britain were to consider legalisation, I would prefer the Canadian way. In America, each of the nine states that has legalised the drug has held a referendum, resulting in a licensing framework that differs from state to state. Former Tory leader William Hague said cannabis laws were inappropriate, ineffective and utterly out of date Some states permit medical use, some recreational. Legal limits on age, cultivation and possession vary. Cannabis use remains illegal on a federal level, so universities cannot get funding to research long-term effects of reform. In Canada, the legislation has been introduced nationwide only after MPs asked experts to examine all available evidence. Then politicians went to work on legislation focused on limiting harm to users and protecting children. So what would I do if I was Home Secretary? Follow the evidence, as I did for 40 years in the police. Thankfully, we do not need to be pioneers and can learn from experiments elsewhere. I would set up a body of experts to report within two years. They should be asked to look at the accumulating evidence on legalisation with open minds, and report their conclusions, including whether they feel the evidence suggests cannabis could be safely legalised. We know prohibition of cannabis has resulted in criminal gangs using violence as they compete for trade and territory. But evidence shows that alcohol causes more violence every night of the week. Besides, with medical cannabis arriving in Britain within the next few months, we can expect some to slide into the recreational market, as evidence has shown elsewhere. It may be a poor argument to say we should legalise something because it is as bad as other legal products. But equally it is hard to justify criminalising a substance less harmful than products we can buy in a shop and at some level has medical benefits. Without cause for celebration, pro-Brexit ministers opted for wine over champagne Pizza club plot loses its fizz... The secret pizza club of pro-Brexit Cabinet Ministers well, secret until revealed by this newspaper last week enjoyed appropriately global wine choices as they plotted over thin-crust margheritas on Monday: a dry white from New Zealand and a full-bodied Aussie red. Flamboyant Attorney General Geoffrey Cox tried to steal the show by turning up with champagne. It remained unopened, Dog is told. We dont have an awful lot to celebrate at the moment. Allies of Michael Gove are not amused to learn that as well as doing a passable impression of Boris Johnson, Philip Hammond mimics the Environment Secretarys unmistakable Scottish brogue and politeness. One Goveite hit backs: At least Michael has characteristics you can imitate... more than you can say for Spreadsheet Phil. Would-be Labour leader Emily Thornberry pulled out all the stops to get an invitation to the 50th birthday bash of ex-Jeremy Corbyn aide Simon Fletcher. Why? Because Fletcher masterminded Corbyns rise to party boss, says a Labour insider. Not that anyone needs more proof Emily is hell-bent on succeeding Jeremy. Liz's enemies milk it after 'farm fiasco' Already mocked over her That. Is. A. Disgrace 2014 Tory Conference speech about cheese imports, Treasury Chief Secretary Liz Truss, left, is now the target of wicked rumours about another dairy-related fiasco. On a recent farm trip, it is claimed, she mistook a bull for a cow and tried to milk it until the farmer intervened. Her stone-faced spokesman says: There was a bull she didnt try to milk it. Britain's Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss arrives in Downing Street, London. Rumours have spread that Truss tried to milk a bull on a recent visit to a farm Tory leadership hopeful Jeremy Hunt clearly doesnt see Priti Patel as a serious rival. The Foreign Secretary was overheard in the Commons Tea Room taunting Priti about her resignation as International Development Secretary last year over unofficial meetings with Israeli officials. Been on hols, Priti? Havent you done enough to get a free trip to Israel yet? he quipped undiplomatically. An opportunity knocked John Bercow may vacate the speaker's chair Talk of John Bercow having to vacate the Speakers chair over the latest instalment of the Pestminster bullying row jogs Sir Vince Cables memory. The septuagenarian Lib Dem leader recalls being asked by Labour and Tories to stand against Bercow when the Speakers job was last up for grabs in 2009. If Id stood and won, at least Id have avoided the Coalition, sighs Vince wistfully. MPs happy to overlook the Speakers temper tantrums laud him as a moderniser who has swept aside unnecessary pomp such as the knee breeches and tights worn by his predecessors. But apparently not all the flummery has disappeared. At private meetings, he insists on his secretary ostentatiously pulling out his chair as if hes dining at the Ritz, snipes an enemy. Dog owners worried about their pets in the run-up to Bonfire Night should play reggae music to keep them calm, a new study has found. Researchers played a variety of music to dogs at a rehoming centre and then assessed their behavioural changes. The mutts were found to be happiest when listening to tracks by Bob Marley and UB40. Researchers played a variety of music to dogs at a rehoming centre and then assessed their behavioural changes (file photo) Other advice for owners ahead of November 5 is to build a den for pets and cuddle them. Professor Neil Evans, of Glasgow University, said the most positive behaviour changes came when reggae and soft rock were played. Four men have been charged with allegedly stealing $2,500 worth of baby formula and cosmetics from a Sydney shopping centre. Police were called at 4.30pm on Saturday after two men allegedly stole cans of baby formula from a Mount Annan store in Sydney's south west. Camden Police stopped four men as they exited the store and sat in a vehicle in a car park. Police were called at 4.30pm on Saturday after two men allegedly stole cans of baby formula from a Mount Annan store in Sydney's south west (stock image) Cosmetics were also seized by police, along with baby formula and drug paraphernalia (stock image) Baby formula and cosmetics worth $2,500 were allegedly seized in the car, as well as drug paraphernalia, according to police. The items were allegedly stolen from two supermarkets inside the shopping centre. The four men, aged 55, 33, 35 and 36, were arrested and taken to Narellan Police Station. They were each charged with stealing from a retail store and possessing goods that are suspected to be stolen items. Four men have been charged with allegedly stealing $2,500 worth of baby formula and cosmetics from a Mount Annan shopping centre in Sydney's south west (pictured) The men were given conditional bail but they are set to appear at Picton Local Court on the 13th of November. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has accused university bosses of a 'shameful' attack on freedom of speech after charging Tory students for security for his visit. The Conservative MP also branded the move politically biased, saying it would lead to only 'Corbynite speakers' as they were less likely to attract protests than Right-wing ones. Mr Rees-Mogg addressed Bristol University Conservative Association (BUCA) earlier this year just two weeks after he was accosted by protesters at the nearby University of the West of England. Jacob Rees-Mogg addressed students at the Bristol University Conservative Association who were charged 500 for extra security by college authorities But it emerged last week that, in the wake of that incident, Bristol University chiefs put on extra security and charged the university's Tory association nearly 500 for it. The bill has allegedly led to the association being 'bankrupted' and forced to stage an emergency auction to raise cash. But Mr Rees-Mogg condemned the move last night and called on university chiefs to meet the cost. He said: 'It didn't occur to me that a university association would have to pay a fee for a speaker to come. 'It means you can have Corbynite speakers but not Conservative ones. You cannot have any speaker from the Right because they are more likely to attract protests. Mr Rees-Mogg said the association had been 'bankrupted' and needed an emergency auction to raise the cash 'This is really hostile to freedom of speech. If the university does not provide basic security for visiting speakers, what are students paying their fees for?' He suggested charging students for security would make it almost impossible to have elected MPs as their speakers. Bristol University hit back last night, saying it was 'firmly committed to upholding freedom of speech as well as ensuring events are conducted safely'. It said there had been 'safety concerns' about Mr Rees-Mogg's visit and that BUCA had been made aware of that and the 496 cost. A spokesman said: 'Jacob Rees-Mogg praised the professionalism of both security and police on the evening.' Adolf Hitler was turned into a murderous dictator by a hypnotist trying to cure him of the effects of a World War I gas attack, a new book has suggested. German medic Dr Edmund Forster is claimed to have treated Hitler for 'hysterical blindness' in 1918 by appealing to his 'desire to be like a God'. The 'treatment' is said to have inspired Hitler to think he had a mission to lead Germany to greatness, potentially setting in motion the events which led to his rise to power and ended with the horrors of the Holocaust and World War II. Dr Forster is claimed to have killed himself in 1933, the year Hitler came to power, after realising the consequences of what had happened, the Daily Express reported. German medic Dr Edmund Forster (left) is claimed to have treated Adolf Hitler (pictured right in the 1930s) for 'hysterical blindness' in 1918 by appealing to his 'desire to be like a God' Hitler claimed in his infamous work Mein Kampf to have been attacked with mustard gas by British troops in Belgium during World War I. He said the British had attacked in October 1918 south of Ypres using a 'yellow gasunknown to us'. David Lewis, who has written the book Triumph of the Will? - a reference to a Nazi propaganda film - says Hitler was rushed to hospital apparently blind. Doctors did not think he had physical eye injuries but diagnosed 'hysterical blindness' and sent him for treatment with Dr Forster. The German doctor is claimed to have told him: 'With your symptoms, an ordinary person would be blind for life. 'But for a person with exceptional strength of will-power and spiritual energy there are no limits. 'You know Germany now needs people who have energy and faith in themselves.' The book claims that Hitler's vision was restored as a result of the 'treatment' and suggests that it led him on the path to dictatorship. Dr Forster is said to have committed suicide in 1933, supposedly to protect his family after Hitler came to power and apparently sought to remove any trace of the episode. Hitler was appointed Chancellor on January 30, 1933, and within months had turned Germany into a one-party dictatorship. Ohio Democrat Richard Cordray and Republican Mike DeWine are among the candidates in crazy-close governors races this year. Photo: Paul Vernon/AP/REX/Shutterstock The pre-midterm obsession with trends in close House and Senate races is so powerful at the moment that elementary school kids in metro Washington can probably cite Beto ORourkes quarterly fund-raising haul or the latest polls from Californias 48th district. But an unusually large number of gubernatorial barn burners may have a more immediate and practical effect on the 260 million or so Americans who live in the 36 states whose governorships are at stake on November 6. Democrats are almost sure to make some kind of net gains in total governorships, given a landscape in which Republicans are defending 26 seats in the midle of a midterm pro-Democratic trend. Indeed, according to the Cook Political Report, Democrats are favored to hold onto their own states and take back GOP governors offices in Illinois, Michigan and New Mexico. (Republicans are favored to oust Alaskas independent Governor Bill Walker). But Cook has an amazing 11 gubernatorial (nine in states currently held by Republicans, two by Democrats) races rated as toss-ups. Lets go through them briskly, in order of their likelihood to go Democratic. After each, we will note how each race is rated by Larry Sabatos Crystal Ball and RealClearPolitics, along with the more specific projections made by FiveThirtyEight. Lean Democrat 1) Connecticut Can Democrats overcome the shadow of Dan Malloy? This race is Open D (the incumbent governor is a Democrat, but is not running for reelection). The deep unpopularity of outgoing Democratic Governor Dan Malloy has made this race in deep blue Connecticut competitive. But Republican nominee Bob Stefanowski has been endorsed by Donald Trump, which is not very helpful in a state where the presidents approval ratio is 39 to 56. Democrat Ned Lamont is best known for his nearly successful Senate race against Joe Lieberman in 2006. Both candidates are wealthy and have opted out of the states public campaign financing system. Lamont has had a steady high-single-digit lead in the limited polling in the race. It looks like the states partisan lean and the national environment could keep Democrats in charge in Hartford. Sabatos Crystal Ball: Leans D RealClearPolitics: Leans D FiveThirtyEight: Democrat Lamont has 5 in 6 chance of winning. 2. Oregon Will Partisanship Trump Kate Browns Unpopularity? Incumbent D. This is another deep blue state where an incumbent Democratic governor is in some unexpected peril. Kate Brown ascended to the governorship when scandal-plagued veteran Governor John Kitzhaber in 2015. She won a special election for the remainder of his term, but not by an impressive margin for a Democrat in a presidential year. After signing major tax increases. her approval ratio is underwater (39 to 46, according to Morning Consult) and Republicans were able to come up with a moderate opponent for her in state legislator Knute Buehler. Brown has maintained a narrow lead in the polls, but Democrats are nervous. Sabatos Crystal Ball: Leans D RealClearPolitics: Toss-up FiveThirtyEight: Democrat Brown has 6 in 7 chance of winning. 3. Maine Can Democrats finally overcome independents and win in this state? Open R (incumbent is term limited). Maine may be suffering from fatigue over the two-term reign of its fiery conservative Governor Paul LePage, whose current approval ratio is a sour 40 to 54. That should help the Democratic candidate to succeed him, Attorney General Janet Mills, against Republican Shawn Moody, a LePage ally. But just as LePage won both his elections with a plurality as independents siphoned off more moderate voters, Moody could as well, thanks to the presence on the ballot of two independents, including current state treasurer Terry Hayes. There has been no public polling of this race since August. Sabatos Crystal Ball: Toss-up RealClearPolitics: Toss-up FiveThirtyEight: Democrat Mills has an 11 in 12 chance of winning. 4. Iowa Is This Big State for Trump in 2016 ready to flip? Incumbent R. Kim Reynolds became governor when longtime incumbent Terry Branstad was appointed ambassador to China last year. She is a staunch conservative, probably best known nationally for signing the nations most restrictive abortion law. Her approval ratio is a tepid 43 to 38 according to Morning Consult. Her Democratic opponent, Fred Hubbell, is a classic midwestern fiscally conservative, socially liberal centrist Democrat, and a self-funder. The context of this race is a red-hot environment in which Democrats are battling to reverse two straight heavily pro-Republican election cycles in the state (capped by Trump carrying the state by nine points in 2016 and the GOP finally winning total control of the legislature). Hubbell has maintained a small, but steady, lead in recent polls. Sabatos Crystal Ball: Toss-up RealClearPolitics: Toss-up FiveThirtyEight: Democrat Hubbell has a 6 in 7 chance of winning. 5. Florida Andrew Gillum on the edge of matching his primary shocker with another in the general election. Open R (incumbent Republican Rick Scott is running for the U.S. Senate). Democratic mayor of Tallahassee Andrew Gillum was the upset winner of his partys primary, defeating heavily favored Gwen Graham on the strength of a powerful urban vote. An African-American and a self-identified progressive (he was endorsed by Bernie Sanders and received major financial backing from Tom Steyer and George Soros), Gillum offers a sharp contrast to Republican nominee, Representative Ron DeSantis, who got an early endorsement from Donald Trump (though the president has reportedly been angry at DeSantis for failing to back up his weird claims about the Hurricane Maria death toll in Puerto Rico). The campaign was all but frozen for a couple of weeks by Hurricane Michael, which was good news for Gillum, who had opened up a narrow lead in most polls. DeSantis has tons of money remaining, and the two parties are as usual slugging it out over early voting (a huge factor in the state). Its possible DeSantis will lose crucial votes in the storm-battered Panhandle region, though Rick Scott is using his emergency powers to provide special voting opportunities there. Sabatos Crystal Ball: Toss-up RealClearPolitics: Toss-up FiveThirtyEight: Democrat Gillum has a 5 in 7 chance of winning. 6. Wisconsin Scott Walker in deeper trouble than ever but weve heard that before! Incumbent R. This is a race that has a strong sense of either deja vu or chickens coming home to roost. Thats because conservative lightning rod Scott Walker is running for his third term as governor. Counting the recall he survived in 2012, this is his fourth tough race in eight years. And the relatively small slice of Wisconsin voters who dont intensely like or dislike him could be getting a little tired of him by now. His Democratic opponent, state school superintendent Tony Evers, is well positioned to capitalize on disgruntlement with Walkers public education budget cuts. In fact, Walker himself has echoed Everss own proposals to reestablish a state commitment to pay for two-thirds of total school costs. In the end this race will probably come down to an expensive voter mobilization effort. Walker and his allies have outspent Evers and his friends on TV by about a 2-to-1 one margin during the general election campaign. But then again, Evers has led in most of the polls (though the latest version of the gold-standard Marquette Law School poll gave Walker a one-point edge among likely voters). A wild card is Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwins big lead in the U.S. Senate race, which could serve as a drag on Walker or could enable either or both parties to divert resources to the governors contest. Sabatos Crystal Ball: Toss-up RealClearPolitics: Toss-up FiveThirtyEight: Democrat Evers has a 5 in 8 chance of winning. True Toss-ups 7. Nevada Its a crapshoot in Nevada. Open R (incumbent is term limited). Nevadas gubernatorial race is one of two statewide contests (the other involving Republican Senator Dean Heller and Representative Jacky Rosen) that are dead even in a battleground state where voter mobilization is a fine art. While Democrat and Clark County (Las Vegas) Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak is a fairly conventional representative of his party, Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt has a personal background that often overshadows his very conservative ideology. His mother was the daughter of legendary Nevada Republican Senator Paul Laxalt, and his father (as publicly acknowledged fairly recently) was the late New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici. He was the product of an affair between his parents. He grew up and lived in the Washington, D.C., area (working for John Bolton at the State Department and then serving as a JAG officer in Iraq) before moving to Nevada and soon running successfully for attorney general. His single biggest problem in the general election is his estrangement from popular incumbent Brian Sandoval, who has refused to endorse him, in part because Laxalt has threatened to repeal an education tax he championed as governor. Polls have gone both ways. A peculiar factor is the independent candidacy of militia icon Ryan Bundy, who could siphon votes from Laxalt. Sabatos Crystal Ball: Toss-up RealClearPolitics: Toss-up FiveThirtyEight: Republican Laxalt has a 5 in 9 chance of winning. 8. Georgia A racially polarized slugfest could go either way. Open R (the incumbent Republican governor is term limited). This contest is often discussed as a matched set with Florida. As in the Sunshine State, Democrats are represented by an African-American progressive while Republicans are running an abrasively conservative Trump loyalist. The contrast has been particularly sharp because Republican Brian Kemp, the longtime secretary of state and election supervisor, has a reputation as a skilled vote suppressor, while Democrat Stacey Abrams has staked her campaign on registering and mobilizing underrepresented voters, especially African-Americans. Abrams is not as conspicuously progressive on the issues as Floridas Gillum, but she is significantly to the left of past Democratic statewide candidates in Georgia (where no Democrat has won the governorship or a Senate race in 20 years). Demographic change has made Georgia more competitive, though. Theres a wrinkle, though: Georgia law requires a December runoff if no candidate wins a majority. With a Libertarian candidate likely to win about 2 percent of the vote, that could definitely happen. Every poll taken since the primaries has shown a race within the margin of error. Sabatos Crystal Ball: Toss-up RealClearPolitics: Toss-up FiveThirtyEight: Republican Kemp has a 4 in 7 chance of winning. 9. Ohio Another 2016 Trump state with buyers remorse. Open R (incumbent is term limited). In the early running this race to succeed John Kasich looked like former Senator Mike DeWines to lose. A bruising Democratic primary was won by former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Richard Cordray, who has fought his way into a toss-up. Like Nevadas Laxalt, DeWine has not been endorsed by the Republican he wants to succeed. And like Laxalt, DeWine is being hit for his participation as the states attorney general in a lawsuit that would bring down Obamacare and its protections for people with preexisting conditions. Cordray has gone after DeWine for waffling on Republican plans to pass an antiunion right-to-work law. Theyve been relatively even in fund-raising during the stretch run to the election. And the background is that Ohio is another Rust Belt state that trended heavily Republican in 2016, but seems to be experiencing buyers remorse. Incumbent Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown is running away with his reelection race. Sabatos Crystal Ball: Toss-up RealClearPolitics: Toss-up FiveThirtyEight: Republican DeWine has a 4 in 7 chance of winning. Lean Republican 10. Kansas Kobach may be saved by indie Orman. Open R (incumbent was defeated in a primary). Much as Donald Trump is the dominant figure in American politics, his friend and ally Kris Kobach dominates Kansas politics at present. Having narrowly defeated incumbent Governor Jeff Colyer (who assumed the governorship when Sam Brownback took a diplomatic appointment) in a primary, the famous nativist and voter-suppressor drove a lot of prominent moderate Republicans to endorse his Democratic opponent Laura Kelly. Kobach would probably be losing if it were not for independent candidate Greg Orman, who is a convenient vehicle for Republicans who cant stand Kobach but wont defect to the other party. As it is, polls show the Kelly-Kobach race as dead even. Sabatos Crystal Ball: Toss-up RealClearPolitics: Toss-up FiveThirtyEight: Republican Kobach has a 5 in 8 chance of winning. 11. South Dakota A Competitive Race Out of the Blue. Open R (incumbent is term limited). South Dakotas gubernatorial election has been one of the sleeper races in the country. It was assumed to be an easy hold for Republicans (incumbent Dennis Daugaards approval ratio is a solid 59 to 27) under at-large Representative Kristi Noem. But Democrat Billie Sutton, a ranch-bred banker and a former rodeo star before an injury in an event left him with paraplegia) has run an effective campaign aimed at state government corruption, and federal officeholder Noems background in the Swamp hasnt equipped her to respond very well. Sutton is also pro-gun and anti-abortion. Theres been scant public polling in the race, but a lot of national buzz of late. If Sutton pulls off the upset, hed be the first Democratic governor of his state in 40 years. Sabatos Crystal Ball: Leans R RealClearPolitics: Safe R FiveThirtyEight: Republican Noem has an 8 in 9 chance of winning. In an election cycle as wild as this one, a gubernatorial contest not among these 11 could be surprisingly close. And the implications for day-to-day governance and for redistricting after the 2020 census could be formidable. An airliner came within 10ft of crashing into a drone in the closest-ever near miss involving a passenger jet, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The incident took place on June 25 over Central London, as a Virgin Atlantic jet doing 250mph and flying at 3,200ft approached Heathrow. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which can carry up to 264 passengers, was passing over residential streets north of Clapham Common when it was almost hit. The drone passed within 10 feet of the Virgin Atlantic Dreamliner similar to this jet A report by the UK Airprox Board (UKAB), which investigates near misses, said the 'drone-like object was seen to pass just below the right wing, avoiding impact with the engine by an estimated 10ft'. Giving the incident a rating of Category A, meaning there was a 'serious risk of collision', it added: 'The Board considered that the pilot's overall account of the incident portrayed a situation where providence had played a major part in the incident and/or a definite risk of collision had existed.' The Civil Aviation Authority said the near miss was believed to be the closest between a drone and a commercial airliner over the UK. Virgin Atlantic confirmed the incident and called for tighter rules on drones. The Virgin Atlantic jet was on its way to Heathrow when a drone flew within 10 feet of it 'It's vital that action is taken to regulate the use of drones near airports, and we urge the Government to consider further proposals,' a spokesman said. Drone operators are normally only permitted to fly below 400ft and are expected to stay well clear of airports and aircraft flight paths. The number of near misses between aircraft and drones rose from 29 in 2015 to 92 last year. Experts fear they could disable an engine or injure pilots if they smash into a plane's windscreen. The 911 dispatcher's log from the morning that a 13-year-old girl went missing following her parents' murders in Wisconsin has revealed grim details about the ordeal and how quickly she may have vanished. Denise Closs, 46, and her husband James Closs, 56, were shot and killed in their Barron, Wisconsin home on Monday in a double murder that has shocked the nation. Their teenage daughter Jayme Closs is believed to have been at home at the time of the call but was gone by the time officers arrived, which was less than 10 minutes later, the 911 call log showed, as reported by Fox News on Friday. Her wounded father answered the door for police before dying from the gunshots, Fox News reported based on its interpretation of the log. Jayme's been missing ever since, landing her the top spot on the FBI's kidnapped and missing persons list. Jayme has been described as 5 feet tall, weighing 100 pounds, with green eyes and blonde or strawberry-blonde hair. The 911 dispatcher's log from the morning that Jayme Closs, 13 (pictured), went missing following the murder of her parents, Denise and James Closs, in Wisconsin has revealed that Jayme may have vanished within minutes Family and investigators are clueless as to why the Wisconsin couple that worked at a turkey plant may have been targeted. Denise called police moments before she was killed. Cops arrived to the couple's Barron home minutes after receiving a cryptic 911 call at 12.53am on Monday from Denise's cell phone. It was a brief hangup call, which the dispatcher traced to Denise's phone and then sent three police officers to the Closs's home. Denise (left) and James Closs (right) were found inside the home, with Jayme missing, when deputies arrived just minutes after Denise made a desperate final 911 call on Monday Cops arrived to the couple's Barron home minutes after a cryptic 911 call came in at 12.53am, logged by the dispatcher (the office of which is shown) at 12.56am on Monday In that cryptic 911 call no one spoke to the dispatcher but a 'lot of yelling' and loud noises could be heard in the background. The log entry from 12.56am reflected those details: 'RECEIVED A 911 CALL FROM XXX-XXX-XXXX AND COULD HEAR A LOT OF YELLING. CALLED NUMBER BACK AND WAS UNABLE TO LEAVE A VOICEMAIL. PHONE PINGED TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. ADVISED 317, 325, & 329.' At 1.03am, officers that had arrived on the scene advised dispatch that the call may have been a possible suicide attempt, which the log reflected at that time. The log entry from 1.05am seemed to show officers on the scene were not yet aware of Denise's presence. It reads: '325 ADVISED ONE MALE DOWN, MULTIPLE ROUNDS SPENT. REQUESTED THAT ADMIN BE NOTIFIED.' James, who was wounded, may have answered the door when officers arrived, which had been kicked in, according to the log entry at 1.06am, which read: '...ADVISED THE DOOR HAS BEEN KICKED IN. ADVISED THAT THE MALE WHO IS DOWN HAD ANSWERED THE DOOR. UNKNOWN IF ANYONE IS MISSING.' Both James and Denise were then reported unresponsive within minutes of the report that James was down, according the 1.11am log entry: '317 ADVISED TWO SUBJECTS DOWN.' Investigators believe that the killer came to the home with the specific intention of abducting Jayme, an FBI source told RadarOnline.com. The log wasn't updated to reflect she had vanished until 3.57am, with an entry that read: 'ENTERED JLC AS A MISSING JUVENILE.' 'There is a report that someone allegedly knocked on the door and as the father went to answer it gunfire erupted through the door. That has not been confirmed yet as it's an active investigation,' the FBI source said. The door of the home (above) was kicked in, and investigators believe that the father was shot first, and was Denise killed after barricading herself in the bathroom and calling 911 The front door of the Closs home is seen on Wednesday. It appears to be covered with plywood and a blanket, and sources say it was kicked in during the home invasion 'The mother appeared to have barricaded herself in the bathroom and called police,' added the source. It now appears that the dispatcher may have been hearing Denise's panicked final moments as the killer stormed into the bathroom where she hiding. 'It's a shock to the system,' a family member said to Fox News. Denise was described as 'the family's angel...she would take vacation days if you needed help,' the relative added. Denise was a doting mother who often posted on Facebook sharing snaps of Jayme. A relative close to the family said that Denise was so kind 'she would take vacation days if you needed help;' Denise Closs is pictured above in an undated photo For Jayme's birthday in July 2017 Denise shared a touching post for her daughter writing: 'Happy Birthday to My Daughter Jayme Closs who is Growing up to be the Sweetest and most kind Hearted GirlLove you to the Moon And Back..Hope you Have the Best Day Ever' Jayme responded saying: 'Thank you for Awesome Birthday Mom and Thank you Aunt Sue for Everything. love you all' The hunt for Jayme continues. Earlier in the week Miami police said a witness claimed to have possibly seen Jayme at a gas station in Miami, Florida, but it was later considered not to be a credible lead. The FBI has moved Jayme to the top of its missing persons list and distributed this flyer to field offices and media partners across the country as the search for the teenager goes nationwide Jayme was first reported missing after officers were summoned to her home in Barron just before 1am on Monday; The teen is not a suspect in the homicides Some locals have speculated that Jayme might have had a boyfriend or met someone who took advantage of her and killed her parents. However neither authorities or family members have indicated that Jayme had any type of boyfriend. 'It's a tough pill to swallow. We're not ruling anything out,' the family member who described Denise said. The Barron County Sherriff, Chris Fitzgerald, released a statement on Friday urging anyone who knew the Closs family or had recently been with them to come forward. 'We are seeking information about the victims Denise and James Closs. We are hopeful to learn more about the Closs family to help bring Jayme home. If you spent time with members of the Closs family recently or if you have ever had a misunderstanding with any members of the Closs family or know someone who has, please call the tip line,' Fitzgerald wrote in an online post. Jayme is described as 5ft, 100 pounds, with green eyes and blonde or strawberry-blonde hair A group of volunteers searched the ditches along highway 8, in Barron, Wisconsin near the home where 13-year-old Jayme Closs lived with her parents, James and Denise 100 volunteers took park in the search and police say they have received 1000 tips Fitzgerald said nothing of evidentiary value has been found in a ground search of field and forests near the home and the search was called off on Friday. The search began on Thursday with 100 volunteers. The police department has received hundreds of tips. Fitzgerald believes Jayme is alive and in danger. The sheriff has so far declined to elaborate as to why investigators believe Jayme is not a runaway, saying that disclosing more information would compromise their investigation. 'I'm telling you, Jayme is missing and endangered,' Fitzgerald said. 'We want to bring Jayme home and put that smile back in her family's hands.' 'Is it a random attack or a targeted attack? I don't know that answer. That's why those leads are so important,' the sheriff added. Anyone with information about Jayme's whereabouts is urged to call the Barron County Sheriff's Office at 1-855-744-3879, or contact your local FBI office, American Embassy or Consulate. As the Liberal Party faces disaster with a likely defeat in Wentworth after Saturday's by-election, supporters are looking for someone to blame. New Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been the subject of criticism after a leadership spill usurped former PM Malcolm Turnbull, a fan favourite in the electoral division. Mr Morrison said the loss of Wentworth was a 'big price' to pay for his victory in the most recent leadership coup, with many angry voters calling for an early federal election. As members of the public stormed the polls on Saturday afternoon, they were bombarded by cardboard cutouts of the former leader, accompanied by the words 'Where's Malcolm?' However, Mr Turnbull subtly made his presence known, liking a suggestive Tweet made by independent Dr Kerryn Phelps' supporters. A cardboard cutout of absent former leader Malcolm Turnbull greeted voters in Wentworth The former leader liked a photo by Kerryn Phelps' supporters before quickly undoing it The like was swiftly undone, but not before a screenshot captured it. In it, Dr Phelps' supporters say they are 'no longer wondering' where Mr Turnbull is, but rather 'hoping for a strong independent win'. Supporters of independent Dr Phelps, who initially was deemed the winner of the by-election only 90 minutes into the counting of the votes, have used Mr Turnbull's absence from the political scene as fuel for their agenda. He has remained quiet in the weeks leading up to Saturday's crucial by-election, adamantly not voicing support for party leader Mr Morrison. Instead, his son, Alex Turnbull, urged voters to support the independent Dr Phelps, calling her Saturday night victory a 'great day for Australian democracy'. Dr Phelps' supporters used Mr Turnbull's silence as evidence that Mr Morrison doesn't even have the confidence of his predecessors. Independent Dr Kerry Phelps is set to make history by becoming the first independent to claim the seat of Wentworth Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the loss of Wentworth a 'big price' for the leadership coup Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was a fan favourite in Wentworth's electoral district Mr Turnbull held a commanded lead in the popularity vote in Wentworth before he was axed. In a two-party preferential vote had Liberal leading by nearly 18 per cent under Malcolm Turnbull. But a monumental 23 per cent swing saw his former party concede the seat in dramatic fashion. Not all hope is lost for Mr Morrison, however, with more than 1,000 postal votes yet to be counted. The most recent update has an 884 vote gap between the two parties, but a recount will be ordered if the final count comes within 100 votes. Dr Phelps still remains the favourite, but analysts are saying the overnight catch-up could be indicative of how the rest of the count will go. Many say Wentworth voters denounced the Liberal Party after the infamous August spill One voter used their ballot paper to write an indignant message, saying they liked Mr Turnbull Another voter used their ballot paper to voice their indignation, invalidating their vote to voice their belief Mr Turnbull should still have been in power. In each of the boxes where voters list their preference in candidates from, one voter instead left a personalised message. 'I liked M. Turnbull,' he wrote, one letter in each of the 16 boxes. Along the side of the ballot, he repeated the sentiment with a bit more flair. 'Bring back Malcolm Turnbull! You muppets!' the message on the side of the ballot paper reads. Before he seized control in the leadership spill, Mr Morrison had infamously called his own party a 'Muppet show'. The anonymous author's vote would not have counted against Liberal candidate Dave Sharma. A bitter row has erupted between Philip Hammond and welfare chief Esther McVey over claims of a 2 billion black hole in the Government's flagship benefits reform. Relations between the two are said to be so bad that the Chancellor wants Miss McVey sacked and replaced with his deputy, Liz Truss. One Treasury source even took aim at Ms McVey's immaculate hair, saying: 'The only thing she knows how to do well is a blow dry.' Esther McVey leaves a Cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street in central London But allies of Miss McVey accuse Mr Hammond of lobbying for her removal because she stands up to the Chancellor and gets more cash for her Work and Pensions department. The row emerged ahead of reports that Mr Hammond may be forced to use his Budget on October 29 to find more money to bail out the DWP over the controversial project to combine benefits into Universal Credit (UC). The nationwide roll-out of UC, which merges six benefits, has been plagued by delays and soaring costs. Iain Duncan Smith, the original architect of UC, is calling for an extra 2 billion to be put into the scheme to replace money cut from it by then-Chancellor George Osborne two years ago. One Treasury source took aim at Ms McVey's immaculate hair, saying: 'The only thing she knows how to do well is a blow dry.' But Miss McVey is infuriating the current Chancellor over how she is handling the initiative. A Treasury source said: 'She obviously never deals with serious matters of state as there is never a hair out of place. She's a pain in the arse and costing us money.' Last night, allies of Miss McVey hit back, claiming the only reason Mr Hammond wanted to 'install' Treasury Chief Secretary Ms Truss in the job is because she would be 'more pliant'. One said: 'Esther has been a bit too successful in government for Hammond's liking that's the problem.' A spokesman for Mr Hammond denied he had any ambitions to replace Miss McVey with Ms Truss. The spokesman insisted that Mr Hammond had very good relations with the Work and Pensions Secretary, and had hosted an event in London on behalf of Ms McVey's local Tatton Conservative constituency association only last week. Vulnerable old people face being 'effectively imprisoned' in care homes if Ministers press ahead with cost-cutting changes to the way that residents are assessed, campaigners fear. They argue that care home managers will become 'both judge and jury' in cases involving the freedom of their clients, many of whom have dementia. At present the friends or family of those lacking the mental capacity to decide where they live can object to a home's decisions about their care by applying for an independent review. But the Government is scrapping the existing Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) system because they say it is too slow and expensive. Vulnerable old people face being 'effectively imprisoned' in care homes if Ministers press ahead with cost-cutting changes to the way that residents are assessed, campaigners fear The Government published a Bill in July to establish new Liberty Protection Safeguards. Ministers say it will save councils 200 million a year and give 'swifter access to assessments'. But critics say the move will strip vital rights from the most vulnerable. Crucially, the new rules would do away with the automatic right to a review by an independent 'best interest assessor'. Instead, care home managers will carry out 'consultations' about what should happen to a resident. Crucially, the new rules would do away with the automatic right to a review by an independent 'best interest assessor'. Instead, care home managers will carry out 'consultations' about what should happen to a resident Judy Downey, from the Relatives & Residents Association, said: 'Care home managers will become both judge and jury in cases in which they may well be involved. That is neither fair nor appropriate.' She added: 'Staff on our helpline hear far too many examples of people deprived of their liberty, seemingly for no reason except that it's thought best by the care home. 'At the moment they or their relatives can challenge such decisions. But under these short-sighted proposals they will lose that right, raising the frightening possibility that individuals will be effectively imprisoned in homes that are totally unsuitable for them.' The Department of Health and Social Care said: 'The Bill ensures that authorisations for people to be deprived of their liberty in care homes are determined by responsible bodies such as local authorities or clinical commissioning groups.' Advertisement More than 2,000 Hondurans have vowed to march north towards the United States despite President Donald Trump's warning to Mexican authorities not to allow migrants to cross its border from Guatemala. The group said Saturday they will aim to get to the city of Tapachula in the morning after crossing the river to get into Mexico while others waited on a bridge in hope they would be able to register as asylum seekers. 'We don't yet know if we will make it to the (US) border, but we are going to keep going as far as we can,' Rodrigo Abeja said. More than 2,000 migrants vowed to march north towards the US border in defiance of Donald Trump after risking a perilous river crossing to Mexico in makeshift rafts. Migrants are see gathered in Ciudad Hidlago on Saturday after crossing the border Mexican authorities allowed dozens of women and children from a US-bound Honduran migrant caravan to enter the country. Men, women and children are seen crossing the Suchiate River on makeshift rafts on Saturday Thousands were left stranded on a border bridge Saturday as women and children were allowed into Mexico A Honduras migrant mother and her son walk across the bridge after crossing the border between Guatemala and Mexico, in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico Migrants tired of waiting to cross into Mexic, jumped from a border bridge into the Suchiate River, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Friday Dozens of Honduran migrants crossed the Suchiate River, which separates Guatemala from Mexico, on foot and boats Tapachula, 25 miles away, is where Mexico's ambassador to Guatemala Luis Manuel Lopez said women and children would be taken to a shelter after being processed by immigration authorities. Dozens of mothers and their youngsters ran forward when immigration officers unchained a gate that had been pinning back migrants at the crossing. 'I'm happy, happy! At last!' Gina Paola Montes, 21, shouted as she entered the country. A whopping 5,100 migrants have been registered in three shelters in the Mexican border town of Ciudad Hidalgo, while another 2,000 had camped out for the night in the town's central square, said Gerardo Hernandez, head of the local government's emergency services. 'It's really full. You can't even walk, there's just so many people,' he said referring to the plaza. 'So far, they're all peaceful, thank God.' These are the Hondurans who have crossed into Mexico. They are marching to the river to convince the migrants still in Guatemala to cross. pic.twitter.com/UyrOaKMvk3 Kate Linthicum (@katelinthicum) October 20, 2018 Immigrants are seen arriving in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico on Saturday after crossing the border from Guatemala Migrants from Honduras cross the river Suchiate, which connects Guatemala and Mexico, with on raft on Saturday An immigrant is pulled from the current of the Suchiate River while crossing the border from Guatemala into Mexico The caravan of thousands of Central Americans, mostly from Honduras, hopes to eventually reach the United States Thousands of migrants made their way through Guatemala's northwestern border and flooded onto a bridge leading to Mexico, where riot police battled them back. Others made their way through the water Immigrants wade through the Suchiate River while crossing the border from Guatemala into Mexico on October 20 Hundreds of unregistered people resorted to crossing the Suchiate River on makeshift rafts and police did not intervene as they clambered up the muddy riverbank on the Mexican side. Many of them had spent more than 24 hours on the packed bridge where heat and hunger was adding to a growing sense of despair. Some travelers, like 22-year-old Alex Benitez, paid locals to take him across the river border on a raft made from huge truck tires. 'They promised they will give us a visa but the people are there (on the bridge) since yesterday and they have not given us anything,' Benitez said. Honduran migrants heading in a caravan to the US prepare to jump into the Suchiate River from the Guatemala-Mexico international border bridge in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on Saturday Honduran migrants slept in the main square of Tecun Uman, Guatemala, on the border with Mexico Bryon Rivera, 25, had decided to give up on trying to get into America due to the fear of being deported once he reached Mexico. 'It is better to go back. It is very hard. There is a lot of disorder,' said Rivera. About 2,500 migrants had either already been repatriated to Honduras or were in transit back home, many using free bus tickets doled out by Guatemalan police, it has been reported. US President Donald Trump suggested the caravan was politically motivated while speaking at a rally in Elko, Nevada Saturday. 'The Democrats want caravans, they like the caravans. A lot of people say 'I wonder who started that caravan?'' he said, thanking Mexico for blocking the caravan's progress. 'Mexico has been so incredible. Thank you Mexico and the leaders of Mexico, thank you. And you know why, because now Mexico respects the leadership of the United States.' US President Donald Trump (left) suggested the caravan was politically motivated while speaking at a rally in Elko, Nevada Saturday. Meanwhile, Secretary Kirstjen Neilsen (right) said the Department of Homeland Security was supporting the US' 'Mexican partners' Nielsen said she had been in 'constant contact with my foreign counterparts in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras' Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto described the situation as 'unprecedented'. Meanwhile, Secretary Kirstjen Neilsen said the Department of Homeland Security was supporting the US' 'Mexican partners'. 'I have been in constant contact with my foreign counterparts in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. Closely monitoring developments and providing any requested assistance,' she tweeted Saturday. She later added: '@DHSgov will continue to support our Mexican partners as they take steps to confront the crisis on their southern border. The Mexican Federal police are handling this in a professional and humane manner.' Trump thanked 'Mexico and the leaders of Mexico'. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (pictured) described the situation as 'unprecedented' Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez (left) and his Guatemalan counterpart Jimmy Morales (right) agreed with Trump that the caravan was political at a news conference in Guatemala City on Saturday Last week, Trump threatened to cut aid to the region, deploy the military and close the US-Mexican border if authorities did not stop the migrants. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and his Guatemalan counterpart Jimmy Morales agreed with Trump at a news conference in Guatemala City on Saturday that the caravan of migrants is political. 'This migration has political motivations which is violating the borders and the good faith of the states and of course putting at risk the most important thing, people,' said Morales. Hernandez also deplored 'the abuse of people's needs' for 'political reasons.' 'Without a doubt, we have a lot to do so that our people can have opportunities in their communities,' he said. A Guatemalan firefighter carries an baby near the border. Migrants are generally fleeing poverty and insecurity in Honduras, where powerful street gangs rule their turf with brutal violence Migrants bound for the US-Mexico border wait on a bridge that stretches over the Suchiate River, connecting Guatemala and Mexico, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, early Saturday Migrants bound for the US-Mexico border wait on a bridge that stretches over the Suchiate River, connecting Guatemala and Mexico, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, early Saturday The caravan originated in the Honduran town of San Pedro Sula a week ago, with about 2,000 would-be migrants drawn together by social media. It is notably different from the 'Migrant Viacrucis' organized in April every year by NGOs to draw attention to the plight of Central American migrants. The caravan of mainly Honduran migrants had surged through a series of police lines and barricades up to the final fence on Mexico's southern border on Friday. With a homicide rate of 43 per 100,000 citizens, Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world Sections of the crowd hurled rocks and other objects at hundreds of riot police, who responded with rubber bullets and tear gas - stalling the caravan determined to reach the United States. Several people were injured. Police used tear gas to drive the migrants back and calm was restored. Organizers of the caravan said a section of the crowd had confronted the police and spoiled what had been an orderly attempt to cross into Mexico. The migrants are generally fleeing poverty and insecurity in Honduras, where powerful street gangs rule their turf with brutal violence. With a homicide rate of 43 per 100,000 citizens, Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world. A young man is in critical condition after his boat collided with a jetski on Saturday morning. Matt Rowe, 21, was rushed to St George Hospital, where he was scheduled to undergo surgery before being transferred to intensive care. Mr Rowe was driving the boat just south of Sydney with his 24-year-old brother, who was also hurt in the crash and has been discharged from hospital with minor injuries. A young man (pictured is Matt Rowe) is in critical condition after his boat collided with a jetski south of Sydney on Saturday morning Matt Rowe (pictured), 21, was treated at the scene before being taken to St George Hospital Two rescue helicopters were called to the Georges River at Illawong, south of Sydney, about 9.30am following reports of the collision. The 45-year-old male jetski rider suffered serious back and hand injuries and was also taken to St George Hospital. Locals reported hearing a loud bang and screams at the time of the incident, according to Newscorp. An investigation is being conducted by officers from the Marine Area Command with the assistance of Sutherland Police. Emergency Services attend the scene on the Georges River at Illawong south of Sydney Officer Antwan Toney, 30, was killed on Saturday in Snellville, Georgia One suspected is in custody and another is sought after a police officer was fatally shot in Georgia. Gwinnett County police officer Antwan Toney, 30, was shot on Saturday while responding to a call about a suspicious car parked in a residential area near a middle school in Snellville. Hours after the shooting, Isaiah Pretlow was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. Police said that suspect Tafahree Maynard is still at large, but has been charged with felony murder and aggravated assault in connection with with the shooting. Police say that Toney and other officers were approaching the vehicle parked in a neighborhood near Shiloh Middle School when shots rang out from the inside at about 3pm. Isaiah Pretlow (left) was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. Tafahree Maynard (right) is still at large, but has been charged with felony murder and aggravated assault The other officers returned fire and pulled Toney to cover after he was shot, and the suspect vehicle sped off. Toney was rushed to Gwinnett Medical Center, where he died as a result of his injuries. Meanwhile, the suspect vehicle crashed about a mile away from the scene of the shooting. Police flooded the area near a middle school after a police officer was shot As many as four suspects are believed to have fled the crash scene on foot. A witness at the scene was only able to describe one of the suspects, saying he was a black male standing about six feet, with long dreadlocks, wearing green sweatpants and a white T-shirt. SWAT teams and K-9 units flooded the area, which consists of residential subdivisions and wooded areas. Toney (left and right) had been on the Gwinnett Police for three years. It was his first job as a cop - he had previously worked as a security guard and grew up in California Police are uncertain whether any of the suspects were injured when police returned fire. Toney joined the Gwinnett County Police three years ago. He is originally from California and celebrated his birthday just days ago. It is the agency's fifth death in the line of duty. Snellville is about 25 miles northeast of Atlanta. Wrestling with your gender identity? Me neither. But those who are unhappy either with the gender they were born into, or with the whole male-female divide, are very much centre stage right now. Just last week I was filling in an online form from Mind, the mental health charity, which is working with my 11-year-old daughters school on its policies for parents, staff and pupils. Question 3, are you Male or Female, is followed by a third option Another: please specify. I was tempted to identify as Mermaid, on the basis that this is non-binary, but thought better of it. The fourth question asked: Have you ever identified as transgender, now or in the past? Ive gone to confession all my life but have never faced anything as intrusive as this. Maria Miller, chairwoman of the women and equalities committee, who recommended passing the Gender Recognition Bill into law, which would allow anyone to identify as a different gender without so much as a doctors certificate Thats the thing, though. Questions that never actually occurred to us are now presented as routine. Left to ourselves, without any prompting from activists or officialdom, how many of us, let alone our children, would actually see our gender as an issue? My own guess is, vanishingly few. But that didnt stop the Government which obviously hasnt enough to do right now from launching a grand consultation about whether the law on gender recognition should be liberalised. Now the golden rule in politics is: never consult on anything to which you dont know the outcome before you start. So, I guess that means the Government has already made its mind up to pass the Gender Recognition Bill into law, which would allow anyone to identify as a different gender without so much as a doctors certificate, let alone surgery. Transgender charity Mermaids consulted on the three-part ITV programme, Butterfly, starring Anna Friel but Transgender Trend charity is concerned the new show is 'one-sided narrative' that may encourage children to swap gender Thats right: you simply declare that your sex at birth is different from the one you feel, and your passport and birth and marriage certificates can be amended accordingly. Its not just the Tories who are tying themselves in knots here. This paper reports today on an ugly spat in the Labour Party between a transgender activist born as male and a party official, and another trans member, about the wisdom of passing the Gender Recognition Bill. The activist tweeted an extremely offensive remark to the member during the row and a complaint was made to Labour HQ about it. The member was concerned about an issue raised by a Girl Guide leader recently, about how a change in the law might affect the safety of young guides. For instance, if a biological man identifying as a woman becomes a Guide leader with responsibility for young girls on expeditions, what might happen? Former girl guides leader Helen Watts near her west London home. Watts was sacked after clashing with guide leadership over transgender rights Good question, to which the response of the Guides was to sack the woman who raised the issue. Labour, for its part, appears to be backing its activist, Can we get one thing clear? Theres nothing to stop any of us from identifying as whatever we like. I used to know a former admiral who passed as a woman without the benefit of the law. I have a transvestite friend in Ireland who identifies as Annabelle on his trips to Dublin, and dresses accordingly. Any of us can identify as man, woman or unicorn, and live our lives accordingly without asking the law to be complicit in a fraud. Its not just that were being asked to collude in a legal fiction. Its that making gender identity an issue in the first place creates confusion, self-doubt and worry in young people the ones whose mental health were so worried about. And, as feminist groups point out, allowing trans people with penises otherwise known as men into women-only spaces compromises womens safety in prisons or refuges. The Governments official consultation closed on Friday. But it has to decide now whether to act on the findings. So, lets tell our local MPs what we think. And what I think is that were being asked to accept a lie, that gender is all in the mind. People can do what they like. But changing the law to go along with the pretence, thats another thing altogether. Dolce & Gabbana has brought out a lipstick range. Lovely colours, fab packaging. But 36? You know things are getting out of hand when one persons lipstick costs the same as anothers pair of shoes. Nick Clegg has accepted a job with Facebook So, Nick Clegg goes to Silicon Valley as communications head for Facebook to help tech become the servant of progress. I know Mr Clegg a bit; hes a very nice man. But other than niceness, what does he have to offer Mark Zuckerberg? In my journalistic dealings, I rarely came across anyone with less news sense than Clegg. But if Zuckerberg is out to get a perfectly formed example of the European elite, hes got his man. There's something increasingly weird about the way we treat children. On the London Tube the other day, I made my 11-year-old daughter sit on my knee to leave space for an adult to sit down, only to have grown-ups on either side of me offer her their seat. Recently, I saw a sturdy boy of about ten stay put as a feeble man with a crutch boarded a train; it was me who had to ask the child to give up his seat. We've got this all wrong. Old school justice for graffiti dunce Its bad enough to spray-paint graffiti on a wall. Its that bit worse when you do it in someone elses country. Its worse still when you do it on an 800-year-old fortress. But Lee Furlong from Liverpool capped all that when he put his name on the Tha Phae gate in Thailand. He couldnt even spell it right: what the Thais got was Scousse Lee. Remember that bit in the Life Of Brian where the Romans find an insurgent writing graffiti in bad grammar (Romanes Eunt Domes)? They make him do it 100 times correctly. When Mr Furlong gets back home, someone should force him to write Scouse 20 times on his own wall. Thatll learn him. A backpacker from Liverpool is facing jail after spraying 'Scousse Lee' on an 800-year-old Thai fortress. Lee Furlong, 23, was caught on CCTV using a can of black spray paint to tag the historic Tha Phae gate in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand A chick-LIT sorry, womens fiction author, Liane Moriarty, says its wrong to describe it thus because women read more than men. True. But chick-lit is in fact useful shorthand for: rubbish books about relationships written by women. Lets learn to talk about death, the NHS says. Younger doctors feel awkward about raising the issue with older patients. There are good and bad ways of doing it, though. When I took my mother to see a consultant in Ireland, we could hear him bellow at another patient through the wall: YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET BETTER. Re murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi reported to have had his fingers cut off one by one. If this is how the Saudis treat dissidents who work for The Washington Post in their consulate in Turkey, imagine what they do to them back home. Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammad bin Salman. Britain will be under increasing pressure to act against Saudi Arabia after the Gulf kingdom admitted dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed at its Istanbul consulate Huddersfield the latest child-grooming scandal, to follow Rotherham, Oxford, Rochdale, Derby, Banbury, Telford, Peterborough, Aylesbury, Bristol, Halifax, Keighley, Newcastle. All of them involved the revolting sexual exploitation of vulnerable girls by men, almost all of them Asian, nearly all from Pakistan. When the Catholic Church had to address the issue of clerical abuse, it set up an independent commission and instituted reforms to change things. Its more difficult for whole communities to do the same. But its time to try. Whats the other thing the Huddersfield gang-grooming has in common with all the other gang- grooming (see above)? Thats right. When the girls families told police that Asian men were brutalising their daughters, the police did precisely zero. They were more worried about Islamophobia accusations than protecting girls. An idiot police spokesman declared: Lessons have been learned. Yeah, right. How about sacking the police chiefs who presided over what looks rather like collusion in rape? The incredible love story behind the photograph of a terminally ill woman soaking up the sun's rays during her final trip to the beach has been revealed. Joyce and her husband, who declined to share his last name, chose to retire in Hervey Bay, in north Queensland's, after becoming smitten with the serene beach during a romantic stroll. While walking hand-in-hand, the retired couple decided to spend their final years in the coastal town. After being placed on palliative care years later, Joyce divulged her story with two paramedics, Graeme Cooper and Danielle Kellam, as they drove her to her home so she could die surrounded by family. But one week later, Mr Cooper and Ms Kellam were asked to pick up Joyce and bring her back to the hospital. Joyce was able to hear and see the water, and Mr Cooper rounded out her experience by fetching saltwater and sand and bringing it back to her After arriving at Joyce's home, Mr Cooper and Ms Kellam decided to make a stop at the ocean so Joyce could look out over the peaceful beach that carried so many fond memories, the Courier Mail reported. 'I went straight to Joyce and whispered in her ear "would you like to go back via the beach?" on the way back,' Mr Cooper said. He soon found a picture-perfect spot and placed Joyce, who was strapped to a stretcher, on a knoll overlooking the ocean. Joyce was able to hear and see the water, and Mr Cooper rounded out her experience by fetching saltwater and sand and bringing it back to her so she could dip her fingers in. Hervey Bay paramedic Graeme Cooper and Danielle Kellam (pictured together) transported Joyce to hospital 'Her eyes lit up, her heart rate increased,' Ms Kellam said. Ms Kellam took a candid snap of the intimate moment, before Joyce decided it was time for her to go. Two days later, she passed away in her hospital bed. Mr Cooper and Ms Kellam have since been praised for their compassion and humanity. They were officially invited by Kensington Palace to join the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, at a lunch during their tour of Australia. The pair said it was a great honour to be recognised by the royal family, with Mr Cooper citing all the great work Harry has done with the Invictus Games. But recognition isn't why the pair get up and go to work every morning. 'If I lost my compassion for the public, that would be the day to hang my shirt up because I'd know I wouldn't have what I need to do the job,' Mr Cooper said. erome Smikle, 27, and Kayongo Shuleko, 25, have been charged with murder Two men have been charged with murder after a 28-year-old man was shot dead in Northampton. Father of two Joshua Bains, died of a gunshot wound on the evening of October 4 during an incident on Webb Drive in Upton. Jerome Smikle, 27, and Kayongo Shuleko, 25, both of St Leonard's Road, Far Cotton, were arrested following a raid of an address on Dunster Road, The Mounts. Father of two Joshua Bains, above, died of a gunshot wound on the evening of October 4 during an incident on Webb Drive in Upton They are due to appear at Northampton Magistrates' Court on Monday, Northamptonshire Police said. Mr Bains' family said he was a 'fantastic son, brother, partner and father to two wonderful children'. DCI Ally White, of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit Major Crime team, said the force was still appealing for witnesses. 'We are still appealing for witnesses to the incident on October 4 in Upton and, in addition, we are seeking information from the public who may have seen the drivers of a Vauxhall Astra and a Ford Focus acting suspiciously in the village of Norton, near Daventry, shortly afterwards,' DCI White said. Residents went out to see the victim collapsed on the ground close to the Upton Mini Market, above, in Northampton at around 9pm on October 4 A third man, 22-year-old Lewis Carmody, has been charged with assisting an offender in connection with the killing after being remanded into custody on October 10. A 25-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and a 23-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder have been released under investigation. A fourth man arrested on suspicion of a possession of a firearm has been released with no further action. A hunt is underway for a man who attacked a 32-year-old woman after he posed as a property industry executive and forced his way inside her home. The man knocked on the door of the woman's Eight Mile Plains home in Brisbane's south east at 4 pm on Saturday. The man shoved the woman's head into a table and a mirror after she told him her house was not up for sale, according to police. A hunt is underway for a man who attacked a 32-year-old woman after he showed up at her Brisbane home (pictured) '[The victim] received some injuries to her head which will need some hospital treatment and he has demanded some property from her,' Queensland Police spokesman Steve Flori told 9 News. The woman is suffering from facial cuts and items on her table were destroyed, according to police. Shortly after the assault, the victim called for help. Police are searching for the man, who is said to be in his 30s with an Australian accent and of Asian appearance. The alleged offender was last seen wearing a blue suit, a white shirt and a tie. Anyone with information is urged to contact Policelink or Crime Stoppers. Selma Blair has revealed she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in a heartfelt tribute to the people who have been helping her get by as she struggles in everyday life and on the set of Netflix's Another Life. Blair, 46, shared on Saturday that she received the news in August, after finally seeing a doctor at the urging of fellow actor and friend Elizabeth Berkley Lauren. 'I was in this wardrobe fitting two days ago. And I am in the deepest gratitude. So profound, it is, I have decided to share,' Blair wrote in an Instagram post. 'The brilliant costumer #Alisaswanson not only designs the pieces #harperglass will wear on this new #Netflix show [Another Life], but she carefully gets my legs in my pants, pulls my tops over my head, buttons my coats and offers her shoulder to steady myself. I have #multiplesclerosis.' In the days leading up to the post, she shared smaller pieces of a puzzle that made much more sense once her diagnosis was revealed. She said on Saturday she'd most likely had MS for the better part of the last two decades. Actor Selma Blair revealed on Saturday that she's been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, in a heartfelt tribute to those helping her through her struggles in life and on set of Netflix's 'Another Life,' along with a photo she took during a fitting on Thursday 'Since my diagnosis at ten thirty pm on The night of August 16, I have had love and support from my friends, especially @Jaime king @sarahmgellar @realfreddieprinze @tarasubkoff @noah.d.newman,' Blair wrote on Saturday. 'And the biggest thanks to @elizberkley who forced me to see her brother #drjasonberkley who gave me this diagnosis after finding lesions on that MRI. 'I have had symptoms for years but was never taken seriously until I fell down in front of him trying to sort out what I thought was a pinched nerve.' MS is defined as 'an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body,' according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The Cruel Intentions star got very candid about the challenges she's been facing while dealing with her MS. On Thursday, Blair shared an image of not the MRI, but an x-ray, ahead of her announcement on Saturday 'I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken gps. But we are doing it,' she wrote. 'And I laugh and I dont know exactly what I will do precisely but I will do my best.' On Thursday, Blair shared an image of not the MRI, but an x-ray, ahead of her announcement on Saturday. She wrote with the image: 'Throwback Thursday to mid August. My neck pain was so severe I finally got an x Ray. Notice that straightened neck. We dont want that. #kyphosis #stenosis #degenerativediscdisease and this was just the beginning. Btw. Arent x rays fascinating? Anyone have anything to add? This is fun #c4 #c5 #c6 smushed #aging #equestran #whiplash It is also how you can eventually get that awful hump you sometimes see [emoji with gritted teeth] with age.' On Friday, Blair shared a photo of her face in her hands, while still in bed, with her hair covering much of here eyes. She wrote, then: 'When you wake up and remember you have great hair color and a manicure that makes you feel polished. Makes scrambled brain of mine feel so much better.' On Friday, Blair shared a photo of her face in her hands, while still in bed, with her hair covering much of here eyes, writing: 'When you wake up and remember you have great hair color and a manicure that makes you feel polished. Makes scrambled brain of mine feel so much better' Blair shared on Saturday that as her symptoms are worsening, she remains thankful to the people on her team who have stood by her and enabled her to continue to make Hollywood magic. Blair is shown here attending Netflix's 'Lost In Space' premiere on April 9 in Los Angeles Blair shared on Saturday that as her symptoms are worsening, she remains thankful to the people on her team who have stood by her and enabled her to continue to make Hollywood magic. 'I am in an exacerbation. By the grace of the lord, and will power and the understanding producers at Netflix, I have a job. A wonderful job,' she wrote. She shared appreciation for virtually the entire team on Netflix's new production, Another Life, where Blair plays a 21st century influencer who uses every tool at her disposal in her efforts to break one of the biggest stories ever told. 'My producers #noreenhalpern who assured me that everyone has something. #chrisregina #aaronmartin and every crew member... thank you. I am in the thick of it but I hope to give some hope to others. And even to myself,' she wrote. In the heartwrenching post, Blair acknowledged that there are things she simply can't do by herself right now, and enduring exhaustion has been a particularly tough challenge for her. She's shown doing here in Los Angeles on October 14 What is multiple sclerosis (MS)? MS is an an immune system disorder. This is when something goes wrong with the immune system and it mistakenly attacks a healthy part of the body in this case, the brain or spinal cord of the nervous system. In MS, the immune system attacks the layer that surrounds and protects the nerves, called the myelin sheath. This damages and scars the sheath, and potentially the underlying nerves, meaning that messages travelling along the nerves become slowed or disrupted. Exactly what causes the immune system to act in this way is unclear, but most experts think a combination of genetic and environmental factors is involved. Advertisement In the heartwrenching post, Blair acknowledged that there are things she simply can't do by herself right now, and enduring exhaustion has been a particularly tough challenge for her. 'You cant get help unless you ask. It can be overwhelming in the beginning. You want to sleep. You always want to sleep. So I dont have answers,' she wrote. 'You see, I want to sleep. But I am a forthcoming person and I want my life to be full somehow. I want to play with my son again. I want to walk down the street and ride my horse. I have MS and I am ok. 'But if you see me, dropping cr** all over the street, feel free to help me pick it up. It takes a whole day for me alone. Thank you and may we all know good days amongst the challenges.' She ended the post with the stark realization that she's been battling this disease without even knowing it for a very long time, and now that she has the knowledge, she's also gained a small amount of relief. 'I have probably had this incurable disease for 15 years at least. And I am relieved to at least know. And share,' she wrote. '[Black heart emoji] my instagram family... you know who you are.' A 21-year-old man who does not attend the University of California, Los Angeles has been arrested in connection with a sexual assault at a party off-campus. Nima Bendavood surrendered Saturday afternoon after law enforcement launched a manhunt and detectives shared images of the suspect Thursday. The man showed up at the campus police station and was booked for sexual penetration. Nima Bendavood, 21, surrendered to detectives Saturday afternoon at the campus police station after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman The alleged incident took place at a fraternity party October 12 and the suspect then allegedly fled the scene He is currently being held at the Los Angeles County Jail on $100,000 bail, police said in a statement. Bendavood is due to appear in court Wednesday, reports KTLA. The victim, a student whose age has not been disclosed, told UCLA police the incident occurred just before 12.30am on October 12 at a fraternity bash in the Westwood neighborhood. She did not know the man prior to the incident. A report was filed about 12 hours after the alleged assault in the 600 block of Gayley Avenue. A report was filed about 12 hours after the alleged assault in the 600 block of Gayley Avenue (pictured) in the Westwood neighborhood Police said they are not releasing the name of the fraternity where the assault took place at this time while they are still investigating the incident. During the manhunt, it was said the suspect was believed to be of Persian or Indian descent. He had a short beard on the night of the alleged attack, when he was seen wearing a T-shirt with a tuxedo photo on it and black pants. Photographs were shared by a Good Samaritan that who at the gathering, Lieutenant Kevin Kilgore said. They used their cellphone to snap the man after hearing details of the assault. High-profile independent Kerryn Phelps on Saturday night claimed victory when she achieved an unprecedented swing of more than 20 per cent in the Wentworth by-election But that changed on Sunday as the margin between Dr Phelps and her opponent Dave Sharma narrowed to just 884 votes with postal ballots still being counted. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is holding out hope Mr Sharma could still snatch a win for the government, said the result wasn't final and would depend on the count. 'We will just simply wait for that normal, robust, democratic, credible process to follow its course before we are in a position to know who the successful candidate will be at that by-election,' Mr Morrison he said. Independent Dr Kerry Phelps made history by becoming the first independent to claim the seat of Wentworth Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the loss of Wentworth a 'big price' for the leadership coup (pictured centre with Dave Sharma right) ABC election analyst Antony Green, who called the win for Dr Phelps on Saturday night, said the count for four pre-poll booths and postal votes was done late on the night. He said Saturday's voting booths where skewed to Dr Phelps, showing that there had a been a late surge for her. Mr Morrison on Sunday again conceded the electorate had vented its anger at the government for the by-election caused when Malcolm Turnbull quit parliament after being rolled as prime minister. 'The event of two months ago angered and outraged many Liberals and particularly those in the seat of Wentworth. That's on us, the parliamentary Liberal Party.' On Sunday, the margin between Dr Phelps (pictured) and her opponent Dave Sharma narrowed to just 884 votes with postal ballots still being counted Prime Minister Scott Morrison , who is holding out hope Mr Sharma could still snatch a win for the government, said the result wasn't final and would depend on the count If Dr Phelps is confirmed the winner, there will be a crossbench of six members in the House of Representatives with Labor holding 69 seats and the coalition one short of a majority with 75. Mr Morrison on Saturday night described it as a 'tough day' and pledged to 'listen, learn and accept the blows'. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Liberal Party would continue to 'seek assurances' from crossbenchers to hold off the threat of an early election. Dr Phelps said she would set two priorities: action on climate change and getting asylum seeker children off Nauru. She might also lend support for a national integrity commission that has been promoted by Labor, the Greens and crossbenchers for some time. Mr Morrison on Saturday night described it as a 'tough day' and pledged to 'listen, learn and accept the blows' (pictures is Mr Sharma) Dr Phelps said she would set two priorities: action on climate change and getting asylum seeker children off Nauru On Sunday, she repeated she would provide stability but not tick off on government legislation. 'I''ll support good legislation. I would reject bad legislation,' she told the Nine Network. 'We can talk about whatever is in the middle in terms of negotiating better outcomes for Australians because I think the role of the cross bench is to hold government to account.' Independent Bob Katter said he did not want to see the government destabilised or an early election called. Fellow independent Andrew Wilkie said he would not guarantee confidence or supply, while fellow crossbencher Cathy McGowan declined to comment. Rebekha Sharkie said she would not hold the government to ransom. President Donald Trump has again blamed Democrats for the caravan of Central American migrants marching north to the U.S. 'The Democrats want the caravans, they like the caravans. A lot of people say "I wonder who started that caravan?"' Trump said at a midterm campaign rally in Elko, Nevada on Saturday. This weekend, about 2,000 of the migrants crossed into Mexico from Guatemala by fording the Suchiate River, after violent clashes with Mexican riot police who blocked most of them from crossing on a bridge. 'Mexico has been so incredible. Thank you Mexico and the leaders of Mexico, thank you. And you know why, because now Mexico respects the leadership of the United States,' Trump said. 'The Democrats want the caravans, they like the caravans. A lot of people say 'I wonder who started that caravan?'' Trump said at a rally in Elko, Montana on Saturday A group of Central American migrants cross the Suchiate River into Mexico aboard a raft made out of tractor inner tubes and wooden planks on Saturday, as others watch from the bridge 'Democrats want America to become - it's not even they want it but that's what's going to happen - Venezuela,' Trump said. He called Democrats an 'angry ruthless unhinged mob determined to get power by any means necessary,' adding: 'The new platform is radical socialism and open borders that lead to crime.' As he had in prior speeches, Trump said he believed that Republicans can win in November by touting the successful confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and pushing a hard line on immigration. Meanwhile, with the election just over two weeks away, top Congressional Democrats attempted to shift the conversation toward healthcare, where they perceive an advantage for their message. 'The president is desperate to change the subject from health care to immigration because he knows that health care is the number one issue Americans care about,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a joint statement on Saturday. 'Democrats are focused like a laser on health care and will not be diverted,' the statement added. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (left) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (right) tried to shift the conversation toward healthcare with the midterms drawing near Trump's speech in Elko (above) was part of a barnstormer tour through the western states, delivering speeches that focused heavily on immigration ahead of the midterms However, the migrant caravan loomed large in the headlines, bolstered by images of thousands streaming across Mexico's southern border illegally and thousands more camped in squalor on a bridge awaiting asylum claim processing. More than 5,100 migrants have been registered in three shelters in the Mexican border town of Ciudad Hidalgo, while another 2,000 had camped out for the night in the town's central square, said Gerardo Hernandez, head of the local government's emergency services. 'It's really full. You can't even walk, there's just so many people,' he said referring to the plaza. 'So far, they're all peaceful, thank God.' Throngs of people continued to wait on the bridge border crossing, where on Saturday morning many pressed for limited opportunities to plead their case to immigration officials, while many others opted to cross the river illegally, either on jury-rigged rafts or by swimming. Thousands of migrants crossed the Suchiate River to pour into Mexico on Friday and Saturday In Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, migrants camp out in the central square on Saturday Meanwhile, some migrants remain camped on the bridge awaiting asylum claim processing Trump has threatened to cut off foreign aid to countries that continue to allow such caravans, and has vowed to seal the border using the military of needed. At the rally, Trump reflected on the crisis and even sympathized with the plight of the migrants, briefly. 'Did anybody see that bridge over the weekend?' Trump asked the crowd. 'Is that an incredible situation? It's sad. And it's sad honestly it's sad from both sides, it's sad from their side also.' He said he'd 'already figured it out' but mused that he'd 'keep it a little bit low key until the election.' Trump also mentioned the recent Democrat hobbyhorse, healthcare, albeit in the context of his own. 'The Democrats don't care about what their extremist immigration policies will do to your communities, to your hospitals,' Trump said. 'What about your hospitals?' When President Donald Trump announced his run for the presidency in 2015, he had Trump Tower employees dress up as his political supporters in order to make it look like a big crowd, former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci has claimed. Scaramucci, who famously lasted just 11 days in the job before being unceremoniously fired by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, made the revelation in a new book - Trump, The Blue-Collar President. In the book, The Mooch says he never expected Trump to defeat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Excerpts of the book, which is scheduled for release this coming Tuesday, were obtained by the New York Post. When President Donald Trump announced his run for the presidency in 2015, he had Trump Tower employees dress up as his political supporters in order to make it look like a big crowd, former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci has claimed On June 16, 2015, Trump and his wife, Melania, rode down the escalator at Trump Tower. Trump would announce that he was running for president. It looked, on television at least, like the atrium was packed with adoring fans, wrote Scaramucci. I would learn later from a few friends on the campaign that all of that was smoke and mirrors. There wasnt a big crowd at all. Scaramucci, who famously lasted just 11 days in the job before being unceremoniously fired by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, made the revelation in a new book They had given building workers Make America Great Again Tshirts and had them line the balcony so the place would look full. Scaramucci also recalls a day on the campaign trail. Six months before the November election, The Mooch was on Trumps private jet as they were headed to a rally in Albuquerque. Trump was in his office working on boxes filled with papers. Trump looked at them the way I look at a big plate of pasta around dinnertime, The Mooch recalled in the book. What in the world are you doing? Scaramucci asked Trump. Elevator-equipment contracts, the then-GOP candidate said. For these new condominiums. The Mooch was surprised that in the thick of a hotly contested campaign, Trumps mind seemed to be elsewhere. Trump said he was ready for the rally. He showed The Mooch a piece of paper which listed three, handwritten bullet points. Before getting off the plane, Trump turned around and smiled at Scaramucci. Do you think Hillary is doing this? Trump asked. Running a business from her campaign plane. Scaramucci wrote that after he was hired as communications director on July 21, 2017, he had a conversation with Steve Bannon, who at the time was Trumps chief strategist. You have zero chance of being the White House communications director, Bannon told The Mooch by phone. Zero. The Mooch was fired by John Kelly (above) after Kelly replaced Reince Priebus as White House Chief of Staff When The Mooch was hired, Trump gave him a mandate to root out the leakers. In the Oval Office, Trump addressed the issue during a meeting with The Mooch, Bannon, and Reince Priebus, who was chief of staff at the time. You two are the biggest leakers I know, Trump told Priebus and Bannon. I dont want any of your taint on Anthony. Priebus eventually resigned as Chief of Staff on July 28. Scaramucci lasted just 11 days as communications director. His downfall came as a result of an interview he gave to journalist Ryan Lizza of The New Yorker. In the interview, The Mooch said Priebus was a f*****g paranoid schizophrenic. He also had some choice words for Bannon. Im not Steve Bannon, Im not trying to s*** my own c***. The Mooch added: Im not trying to build my own brand off the f*****g strength of the president. Im here to serve the country. In his book, Scaramucci recalls his meeting with Kelly on the first day he became chief of staff - July 31. He told me that he didnt think I would ever be able to get past the phone call with Ryan Lizza, wrote Scaramucci. Not in this town, he said. The Mooch added: I remember thinking that we had gotten past the Access Hollywood tape, but I didnt say that to him. The Access Hollywood tape is a reference to the audio footage in which Trump is heard bragging to Billy Bush that he grabbed women by their genitals. US President Donald Trump appeared to backtrack on comments he had earlier made about Saudi Arabia's explanation of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death. The American leader answered questions from the media regarding the Kingdom finally admitting the US-based writer died at the Saudi consulate October 2, after 17 days of denial they had anything to do with his disappearance. 'No, I'm not satisfied until we find the answer. But it was a big first step. It was a good first step. But I want to get to the answer,' he said after stopping in Nevada Saturday for a rally ahead of the November 6 mid-term elections. Scroll down for video US President Donald Trump told reporters he was 'not satisfied' with Saudi Arabia's explanation of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death He also seemed less eager to defend the Kingdom when asked whether he thought it was possible Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman didn't know about Khashoggi's death in Istanbul, Turkey. 'Possibly. You don't know that, but it's possible,' he replied. He said he'll be speaking to the royal 'soon, maybe today' and denied claims Mike Pompeo had seen video or heard audio that allegedly reveals how Khashoggi died. 'I'd tell you if we had,' he told press. 'Nobody seems to know,' he said about where Khashoggi's body is. 'Somebody knows. Nobody in the investigation groups but we'll find out. 'It is a concern. We like to find out where it is and what happened. We're inching our way there,' he said. Trump initially said he found the explanation 'credible'. Asked whether he thought the Saudi explanation was credible, he replied: 'I do. I do.' Trump said it is a concern that Jamal Khashoggi's body was missing and said 'We like to find out where it is' The leader then warned on Saturday against scrapping a multibillion-dollar arms deal with the conservative country. Trump told reporters it would not be bad news for his rate of unemployment if the US canceled military equipment orders. He added that sanctions were on the table if punishment was necessary. 'With all that being said though, we have $450 billion, $110 billion of which is a military order,' he added. 'I think it's over a million jobs. That's not helpful for us to cancel an order like that. That hurts us far more than it hurts them. 'For the military equipment they go to China, they go to Russia...they don't have great equipment like we do.' He continued: 'But there are other things that can be done, including sanctions.' He said about Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: 'Nobody has told me he's not responsible. We haven't reached that point' Despite Trump saying he believed the country had not been totally honest in the last two-and-a-half weeks, the 72-year-old was not willing to place blame on the crown prince after many reports he was behind the killing of his critic Khashoggi. 'Nobody has told me he's responsible. Nobody has told me he's not responsible. We haven't reached that point. I haven't heard either way,' Trump said in a phone interview with The Washington Post. 'Obviously there's been deception, and there's been lies,' he said. His comments came after 22 senators sent a letter to Trump demanding an independent probe into Khashoggi's disappearance and alleged murder. Under the 2016 Global Magnitsky Act the White House has 120 days to carry out a probe and impose sanctions on anyone responsible. Turkish officials have accused Riyadh of carrying out a state-sponsored killing and dismembering the body, with pro-government media in Turkey reporting the existence of video and audio evidence to back those claims. Ankara vowed to reveal all the details of a two-week inquiry, while the EU, Germany, France, Britain, Australia, Canada and the UN also demanded greater clarity. Following the widely unaccepted announcement Khashoggi died after a 'fistfight' at the consulate, 18 Saudis were arrested and two top aides of MBS were fired, together with three other intelligence agents. The Saudi king ordered the establishment of a ministerial body under the chairmanship of his son to restructure the kingdom's intelligence agency. Saudi state media said it would 'define its powers precisely'. Saudi officials have denied that the crown prince had any involvement in the affair. However it is alleged he sent a 15-man hit squad after Khashogg. President Donald Trump snapped at a New York Times reporter by calling her a baby when she challenged his claims about migrants being hardened criminals. Trump was fielding questions from the press while hosting a roundtable Friday at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix. The president was asked questions about the large caravan of migrants that was heading through Central America on its way to the U.S.-Mexico border. Some of these people are hard criminals, Trump said. Hardened criminals - not good people. These are some bad people coming through.' These arent babies these arent little angels coming into our country. President Donald Trump on Friday snapped at Emily Cochrane (right), a New York Times reporter, calling her a baby when she challenged his claims about migrants being hardened criminals At one point during the briefing, Emily Cochrane, a reporter for The New York Times, asked Trump: What evidence do you have that these are hardened criminals that are coming to the United States? Trump appeared agitated. 'Oh please. Please, dont be a baby, OK, the president said. Take a look, just take a look, look at whats happening, look at the Mexican soldiers that are laying on the ground. Take a look. These are hardened - I didnt say in all cases but in many cases these are hardened criminals. These are tough, tough people. And I dont want them in our country and neither does our country want them in our country. More than 2,000 migrants vowed to march north towards the US border in defiance of Trump after risking a perilous river crossing to Mexico in makeshift rafts. Migrants are seen gathered in Ciudad Hidlago on Saturday after crossing the border Mexican authorities allowed dozens of women and children from a US-bound Honduran migrant caravan to enter the country. Men, women and children are seen crossing the Suchiate River on makeshift rafts on Saturday Earlier this week, Trump tweeted that if the caravan was permitted to get to the U.S., Washington would retaliate by cutting aid to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Trump suggested the caravan was politically motivated while speaking at a rally in Elko, Nevada Saturday. 'The Democrats want caravans, they like the caravans. A lot of people say 'I wonder who started that caravan?'' he said, thanking Mexico for blocking the caravan's progress. 'Mexico has been so incredible. Thank you Mexico and the leaders of Mexico, thank you. And you know why, because now Mexico respects the leadership of the United States.' More than 2,000 Hondurans have vowed to march north towards the United States despite Trump's warning to Mexican authorities not to allow migrants to cross its border from Guatemala. The group said Saturday they will aim to get to the city of Tapachula in the morning after crossing the river to get into Mexico while others waited on a bridge in hope they would be able to register as asylum seekers. 'We don't yet know if we will make it to the (US) border, but we are going to keep going as far as we can,' Rodrigo Abeja said. Thousands were left stranded on a border bridge Saturday as women and children were allowed into Mexico A Honduras migrant mother and her son walk across the bridge after crossing the border between Guatemala and Mexico, in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico Migrants tired of waiting to cross into Mexico, jumped from a border bridge into the Suchiate River, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Friday Dozens of Honduran migrants crossed the Suchiate River, which separates Guatemala from Mexico, on foot and boats Tapachula, 25 miles away, is where Mexico's ambassador to Guatemala Luis Manuel Lopez said women and children would be taken to a shelter after being processed by immigration authorities. Dozens of mothers and their youngsters ran forward when immigration officers unchained a gate that had been pinning back migrants at the crossing. 'I'm happy, happy! At last!' Gina Paola Montes, 21, shouted as she entered the country. Many had spent the night on the bridge where hundreds slept without shelter. Others laid in the main square of Guatemalan border town Tecun Uman. Immigrants are seen arriving in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico on Saturday after crossing the border from Guatemala Migrants from Honduras cross the river Suchiate, which connects Guatemala and Mexico, with a self-built raft An immigrant is pulled from the current of the Suchiate River while crossing the border from Guatemala into Mexico The caravan of thousands of Central Americans, mostly from Honduras, hopes to eventually reach the United States Thousands of migrants who forced their way through Guatemala's northwestern border and flooded onto a bridge leading to Mexico, where riot police battled them back Hundreds of unregistered people resorted to crossing the Suchiate River on makeshift rafts and police did not intervene as they clambered up the muddy riverbank on the Mexican side. Many of them had spent more than 24 hours on the packed bridge where heat and hunger was adding to a growing sense of despair, reports AFP. Some travelers, like 22-year-old Alex Benitez, paid locals to take him across the river border by rafts made from huge truck tires. 'They promised they will give us a visa but the people are there (on the bridge) since yesterday and they have not given us anything,' Benitez said. Immigrants wade through the Suchiate River while crossing the border from Guatemala into Mexico on October 20 Bryon Rivera, 25, had decided to give up on trying to get into America due to the fear of being deported once he reached Mexico. 'It is better to go back. It is very hard. There is a lot of disorder,' said Rivera. More than 300 people have taken up a government offer of a bus ride home to their country, police said. Honduran migrants heading in a caravan to the US prepare to jump into the Suchiate River from the Guatemala-Mexico international border bridge in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, on Saturday Honduran migrants slept in the main square of Tecun Uman, Guatemala, on the border with Mexico Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto described the situation as 'unprecedented'. Meanwhile, Secretary Kirstjen Neilsen said the Department of Homeland Security was supporting the U.S.' 'Mexican partners'. 'I have been in constant contact with my foreign counterparts in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. Closely monitoring developments and providing any requested assistance,' she tweeted Saturday. She later added: 'DHSgov will continue to support our Mexican partners as they take steps to confront the crisis on their southern border. The Mexican Federal police are handling this in a professional and humane manner.' US President Donald Trump (left) suggested the caravan was politically motivated while speaking at a rally in Elko, Nevada Saturday. Meanwhile, Secretary Kirstjen Neilsen (right) said the Department of Homeland Security was supporting the US's 'Mexican partners'. Nielsen said she had been in 'constant contact with my foreign counterparts in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras' Trump thanked 'Mexico and the leaders of Mexico'. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (pictured) described the situation as 'unprecedented' Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez (left) and his Guatemalan counterpart Jimmy Morales (right) agreed with Trump that the caravan was political at a news conference in Guatemala City Last week, Trump threatened to cut aid to the region, deploy the military and close the US-Mexican border if authorities did not stop them. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and his Guatemalan counterpart Jimmy Morales agreed with Trump at a news conference in Guatemala City. 'This migration has political motivations which is violating the borders and the good faith of the states and of course putting at risk the most important thing, people,' said Morales. Hernandez also deplored 'the abuse of people's needs' for 'political reasons.' 'Without a doubt, we have a lot to do so that our people can have opportunities in their communities,' he said. A Guatemalan firefighter carries an ailing baby. Migrants are generally fleeing poverty and insecurity in Honduras, where powerful street gangs rule their turf with brutal violence Migrants bound for the US-Mexico border waited on a bridge that stretches over the Suchiate River, connecting Guatemala and Mexico, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, early Saturday Migrants bound for the US-Mexico border wait on a bridge that stretches over the Suchiate River, connecting Guatemala and Mexico, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, early Saturday The caravan originated in the Honduran town of San Pedro Sula a week ago, with about 2,000 would-be migrants drawn together by social media. It is notably different from the 'Migrant Viacrucis' organized in April every year by NGOs to draw attention to the plight of Central American migrants. The caravan of mainly Honduran migrants had surged through a series of police lines and barricades up to the final fence on Mexico's southern border on Friday. With a homicide rate of 43 per 100,000 citizens, Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world Sections of the crowd hurled rocks and other objects at hundreds of riot police, who responded with rubber bullets and tear gas - stalling the caravan determined to reach the United States. Several people were injured. Police used tear gas to drive the migrants back and calm was restored. Organizers of the caravan said a section of the crowd had confronted the police and spoiled what had been an orderly attempt to cross into Mexico. The migrants are generally fleeing poverty and insecurity in Honduras, where powerful street gangs rule their turf with brutal violence. With a homicide rate of 43 per 100,000 citizens, Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world. US President Donald Trump says he could roll out a huge tax cut for middle-income earners before the November 6 elections. The 72-year-old revealed the plan Saturday as he prepared to board Air Force One after a rally in Elko, Nevada. But the businessman-turned-politician says the move is not to benefit fellow business owners necessarily. US President Donald Trump revealed a new tax plan was coming November as he prepared to board Air Force One after a rally in Elko, Nevada on Saturday Instead the changes are designed to help out those with a more modest salary. 'We are going to be putting in and are studying very deeply right now, around the clock a major tax cut for middle-income people,' Trump told reporters. 'Not for business at all. For middle-income people.' In December, Trump signed the biggest tax overhaul since the 1980s into law. It saw the corporate rate reduced from 35 percent to 21 percent. It was also a temporary relief for most individual taxpayers. Businessman-turned-politician said the move is not to benefit business owners 'Now the last was for middle income and for business, and our business is now coming back because of it,' he continued. He added that the Republican representative for Texas and the 54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives were making sure it happened. Trump continued: 'But we are looking at Kevin Brady's working on it Paul Ryan is working. We're all working on it. And we're looking at a major tax cut for middle-income people who need it.' The average household income in the country was approximately $55,000 in 2016, according to the US Census Bureau. Trump said before he headed back to Washington DC that the new taxes could be unveiled 'sometime around the first of November' Trump added before he headed back to Washington DC that the new taxes could be unveiled 'sometime around the first of November, maybe a little before' but further details were not shared. The Treasury Department said on Monday that US government ended the 2018 fiscal year with a $779 billion deficit this week. Reuters reported that the deficit figure was the highest in six years. It will be tough task to pull together a plan before the elections however as lawmakers are not set to be back in session until November 13. Trump will present a fiscal 2020 budget proposal to Congress in early 2019. He told his Cabinet to figure out how to reduce spending by their agencies by 5 percent and suggested the military may not be subject to the standard. A four-year-old girl who was deemed a safety risk has been expelled from her child care centre after a series of allegedly aggressive incidents. According to the child's mother, the day care in Stanmore Bay, north of Auckland, said the toddler had slammed a teacher's foot in the door, thrown furniture, swore, and hurt other children. The mother has made a formal complaint to the Ministry of Education, saying she received a letter from Pukeko Early Learning Centre discontinuing her daughter's education. A four-year-old girl who was deemed a safety risk has been expelled from her child care centre after a series of allegedly aggressive incidents (stock image) 'I think they were just against me and making her out to be this monster she wasn't,' she told Stuff. 'It guts me. As her mum, I feel like I failed her.' Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education assigned an early intervention teacher to help the centre deal with her behaviour. However, the mother still received nine calls from the day care in a four-week period before she was expelled. Pukeko ELC director Kathryn Flay said the decision to expel the child had been investigated by the Ministry and was found to be appropriate. 'Obviously we had the best interest of the child at heart, so we are very concerned that the outcome is the best for her,' Flay said. The Ministry of Education said they were in communication with the mother and were making sure she had information about the investigation. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Pukeko Early Learning Centre for comment. A beachside paradise and celebrity hot-spot has been dubbed an immunisation black spot due to an increase in anti-vaxxers. Despite drastically improved vaccination numbers within New South Wales - 94 per cent of children - popular holiday destination Byron Bay is dragging the overall number down. Byron Bay's vaccination rate sits at 66.8 per cent, the Daily Telegraph reported. While New South Wales as a whole has improved drastically on vaccination numbers, with 94 per cent of children fully vaccinated by 12 months, holiday hot spot Byron Bay is dragging the overall number down Several councillors in the region are openly anti-vaxx, with some locals sharing an open distrust of medicine and science. LOWEST VACCINATION STATISTICS IN NEW SOUTH WALES 1. Byron Bay (Northern NSW) - 66.8 per cent 2. Bellingen (Mid North Coast) - 82.3 per cent 3. Kyogle (Northern NSW) - 85.5 per cent 4. Lismore (Northern NSW) - 89.7 per cent 5. Tweed (Northern NSW) - 90.6 per cent Advertisement The Byron Shire Council recently voted in support of allowing anti vaccination campaign propaganda to be displayed on council-owned venues. Dubbed the home of anti-vaxxers, the picturesque beachside suburb is well below state standards, which all average well into the 90 per cent mark. Despite Chris Hemsworth, Matt Damon and Miley Cyrus frequenting Byron Bay, the locals appear to be trapped within their alternative bubble, Dr Sue Page said. 'In that alternative lifestyle set you are sold homeopathic products or organic food and any small business is trying to build a market... They don't go and see a doctor because he or she is in the pocket of the pharmaceutical companies, they go see a naturopath,' she said. Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting celebrities who frequent the area support anti-vaxxing. The town is often frequented by the likes of Chris Hemsworth (left) and Matt Damon (right). Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting that any celebrities who frequent the area also support anti-vaxxing Chris and his brood were spotted in Byron Bay recently, and call the seaside suburb home in between Chris' filming commitments Chris and his brood were spotted in Byron Bay recently, and call the seaside suburb home in between Chris' filming commitments In contrast, many of the smaller rural communities have managed to vaccinate 100 per cent of local children. Gundagai and Boorowa in New South Wales Murrumbidgee region, as well as Bombala in Southern New South Wales and Blayney in Western New South Wales, have vaccinated every child in their regions. The state's No Jab No Play laws have helped to strengthen the upward trend of vaccinations in recent years across the majority of the nation. The law states that children who are not completely vaccinated will be unable to enroll in childcare or school. A frantic city-wide search is underway to find a heavily-tattooed prisoner who is on the loose. Geoffrey John Campbell, 39, was reported missing from the Townsville Correctional Centre, north Queensland, at around 7.20am on Sunday morning. Campbell is currently serving a nine month sentence for the selling, possessing and using prohibited weapons and explosives. Escaped prisoner Geoffrey John Campbell, 39, (pictured) is on the run after failing to show up for headcount at a correctional centre in Townsville, north Queensland Campbell was last seen at 4am and was reported missing when he failed to turn up to headcount as reported by the Townsville Bulletin. Several police crews are patrolling the city but have failed to locate the escapee. Campbell is described as 175cm tall with a small build, fair complexion, hazel eyes and light brown hair. He also has several identifiable tattoos on his body, including a skull on his upper right shoulder, a dragon and sword on his upper left arm and a tribal band on his right bicep. Campbell also has a distinct scar on his right thumb. Police are warning the public not to approach him but to contact Crime Stoppers if you have any information regarding his whereabouts. President Donald Trump has warned against voter fraud, threatening 'maximum penalties' for anyone caught cheating at the polls. 'All levels of government and Law Enforcement are watching carefully for VOTER FRAUD, including during EARLY VOTING,' Trump wrote in a tweet on Saturday evening. 'Cheat at your own peril. Violators will be subject to maximum penalties, both civil and criminal!,' he continued. Early voting has already begun in a number of key states, including Nevada, where Trump spoke on Saturday afternoon at a rally in Elko, wrapping up his barnstormer tour of western states. Trump warned against voting fraud on Saturday, after wrapping up a tour of western states Trump's concern over voter fraud echos his remarks after the 2016 election, when he claimed without evidence that millions of people had voted illegally. The President convened at Voter Fraud Commission last year, but disbanded it in January, claiming that states were refusing to provide commissioners with data needed to proceed. There were reports that the commission had turned up scant evidence of the kind of widespread voter fraud Trump claimed, however. Still, there have been investigations and prosecutions of voter fraud violations on a more limited scale in recent months. In August, the U.S. attorney's office in Raleigh announced that 19 foreign nationals had been charged with registering to vote or casting ballots illegally because they weren't U.S. citizens. More than half were indicted by a grand jury in Wilmington, according to an August 24 news release from U.S. Attorney Bobby Higdon's office. Trump is seen speaking in Nevada on Saturday, where early voting has already begun Last month, a woman in Houston was ordered deported after pleading guilty to illegally voting in the 2016 election. Laura Janeth Garza, 38, entered the country as a young girl. She was about 12 years old, her lawyer said, when her mother and uncle told her assume the identity of a cousin who was a U.S. citizen but had moved to Mexico. The lawyer didn't know how Garza voted, but said she offered to return to Mexico if the charges were dropped. Last year, a jury in Fort Worth sentenced Mexican national Rosa Maria Ortega to eight years in prison for illegal voting in a case that drew widespread attention because of the severity of the punishment, since voting fraud convictions many times result in probation. Ortega, who was accused of improperly casting a ballot five times between 2005 and 2014, was a permanent U.S. resident whose attorney said mistakenly thought she was eligible to vote. Ortega, who has four teenage children, is likely to face deportation upon leaving prison. A disabled man had died after his mobility scooter burst into flames in front of horrified onlookers. The 63-year-old man was riding the scooter in a park in Geraldton, north of Perth, when it caught fire. Members of the public watched as the flames engulfed the man in Spalding Park on Saturday afternoon, Nine News reported. A disabled man had died after his mobility scooter burst into flames in front of horrified onlookers at Spalding Park (pictured) The 63-year-old man was riding the scooter in a park in Geraldton, north of Perth, when it caught fire Officers believe the fire was caused by a battery malfunction and dubbed the incident as 'tragic and awful'. The entire mobility scooter was quickly engulfed in flames shortly after the blaze was triggered. Multiple members of the public called emergency services who witnessed the man crying for help but couldn't assist due to the flames. Sergeant Jeremy Ashworth-Preece told the ABC that although members of the public wanted to help, they were unable to because of the flames. 'The male person was on the mobility scooter and was distressed,' he said. Sergeant Ashworth-Preece said in his almost 40 years of policing, he'd never seen anything like it. 'I've been a police officer both in the UK and here for 36 years and I've never encountered anything as unusual as this,' he said. Paramedics and fire crews rushed to the scene but the 63-year-old man had already passed away by the time they arrived. The entire mobility scooter was quickly engulfed in flames shortly after the blaze was triggered (stock image) An engineer is expected to inspect the scooter, which was mostly destroyed in the horrific incident. A report is being prepared for the coroner, but the incident is not being treated as suspicious. Police say witnesses and emergency services were extremely distressed by what they saw and will be offering counselling to those who need it. 'We will hopefully determine the cause of the incident and try and prevent something as tragic and awful as this from happening again,' Sergeant Ashworth-Preece said. Dozens of military dogs were put down last year after they were found to be unfit for service. A total of 41 were euthanised when they could no longer perform the demanding roles they were trained for. The dogs were found to have illnesses and chronic conditions while others were healthy and judged to be unsuitable for being rehomed with civilians. A total of 41 military dogs were euthanised this year after being found to be unfit for service Despite this, 121 dogs were rehomed in 2017 under a scheme known as Military Working Dogs, according to Freedom of Information figures. In the same year 14 Military Working Horses were euthanised and 52 rehomed. There are currently hundreds of Forces dogs who are often exposed to traumatic events while working in war zones and doing dangerous work such as clearing explosives. Dog behaviourist Debbie Connolly, founder of SafePets UK, said she believed some animals which were put down could have been spared. The dogs were found to have illnesses and chronic conditions while others were healthy and judged to be unsuitable for being rehomed with civilians Kelly Wolstencroft (pictured) with two Army dogs which helped save thousands of lives while on duty in Afghanistan which were put down in 2017 She told the Mirror: 'Occasionally I get them and put them through rehab. 'The problem is that the MoD don't seem to be keen on working with anyone else. It's just them deciding. 'I'm not pretending this is a fluffy bunny business where every dog can be rehabilitated. But they should be given the chance.' The MoD have defended this and said every effort has been made to rehome the animals but at times, rehoming does pose a risk. There are currently hundreds of Forces dogs who are often exposed to traumatic events while working in war zones and doing dangerous work such as clearing explosives The decisions are made following a full assessment by military veterinarians and dog behaviourist experts. Two military dogs who helped save thousands of lives were put down last year after they were found to be 'unsafe' to be rehomed. The dogs, Kevin and Dazz, worked with troops to locate explosives in Afghanistan. A live snake has taken a wild ride across the Tasman Sea after hiding behind a dashboard in an imported truck. The reptile, believed to be a tree snake, was discovered when New Zealander Jimmy Calder saw it appear between his legs while driving. He drove the vehicle to Te Anau police station on the country's South Island on Sunday afternoon to report the stowaway. The reptile (circled), believed to be a tree snake, was discovered when New Zealander Jimmy Calder saw it appear between his legs while driving Police secured the Nissan Nivara outside the station while they waited for fumigation experts to arrive. Jimmy's son Warren said the snake had probably been hiding in the Nissan, which had been shipped from Australia around three months ago, because of the cold weather in Te Anau. Calder Jr told Stuff: 'It actually popped out between his legs.' He said his father was relatively nonplussed by the surprise discovery, though, because he had 'been around that stuff a lot before'. A Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) told the website a snake expert had identified the reptile as a tree snake from a photo. No snakes are allowed in New Zealand, even in zoos, with the isolated nation one of a handful of islands on earth where there has never been a native snake population. Police secured the Nissan Nivara outside the Te Anau station (pictured) while they waited for fumigation experts to arrive (stock image) Only yellow-bellied sea snakes have been known to wash up on Kiwi shores, but are native to the warmer waters of the Indian and western Pacific Ocean. The MPI said the snake would be fumigated in quarantine, which would kill it. It is not known how the snake got into the vehicle, but the MPI said it would be investigating whether the car had been checked properly before it entered New Zealand. A Portuguese mechanic has been spared jail despite confessing to the horrific rape of a British hitchhiker on the Algarve. Tiago Curado de Sousa, 33, received a four-and-a-half year suspended prison sentence after being convicted of the attack. He was also ordered to pay his 24-year-old victim, who was trying to get to Faro Airport to fly home after attending a festival, 2,000 euros (1,750) in compensation. Tiago Curado de Sousa, 33, who avoided a prison sentence after being convicted of rape Curado de Sousa (pictured) attacked a British tourist as she tried to hitchhike to an airport and fly home Curado de Sousa admitted forcing himself on the tourist at a one-day trial at a court in the holiday resort of Lagos. The hearing and sentencing were held in private, as is customary in Portugal in cases involving alleged sex crimes. Prosecutors were seeking a prison sentence of more than five years before Curado de Sousa's court confession. In Portugal rape is punishable by up to ten years in prison. The state prosecution case against Curado de Sousa - detailing the April 14, 2017 rape close to the town of Praia da Luz where Madeleine McCann disappeared in May 2007 - was laid out in a five-page written indictment. The court heard how he agreed to take his victim to Lagos in his tow truck after spotting her by the side of a main road running through nearby Aljezur with a sign reading 'Faro'. Instead of helping her, he pulled over 10 miles down the road claiming he had to collect a broken-down vehicle. He then walked round to the passenger side and exposed himself, saying 'come on baby' in English. The indictment said: 'As the woman refused his sexual proposition, he used physical force and grabbed her by the shoulders to pull her from the vehicle and take her to the back of the tow truck. 'Using physical force again, he turned her over on his side and made her lie down.' Prosecutors said he raped her twice without any protection during the horrific attack, insisting: 'He knew he was acting against her wishes but it didn't stop him from pursuing his intentions. 'He knew his behaviour was illegal and banned by law.' A vehicle identical to the one Curado de Sousa was driving when he picked up the young woman from the roadside Sources close to the case said he fell to his knees during the sex attack and apologised before confessing his crime to police and taking them to the place it happened. Curado de Sousa's victim, who is now receiving counselling, gave evidence by video-link at the trial earlier this month. Sentencing took place during a separate court session on Wednesday. The British woman's lawyer Miguel Teixeira said afterwards he would need to speak to his client before deciding whether to appeal. Curado de Sousa going into court in Lagos, Portugal But he added: 'There was a full confession so a sentence of this kind was to be expected.' He said: 'She is receiving psychological support in England. She has been left very traumatised by what happened. 'It was her first trip to Portugal. She came here with a group of friends for a concert and was on her way back to Faro Airport to catch a flight home when it happened. Basically she was on holiday.' In June a 23-year-old British holidaymaker was arrested after allegedly raping a 17-year-old tourist in the street. They had left a bar in the famous Strip area of the Algarve resort of Albufeira, which is near Oura Beach and known for its vibrant nightlife. Two police officers were injured as they tried to stop him after a chase. In April police in Albufeira arrested a barman on suspicion of raping a British holidaymaker. The 19-year-old tourist told detectives she was forced to have sex at a nightspot in the resort after having her drink spiked. The unnamed 28-year-old Portuguese barman was released on bail pending an ongoing criminal investigation after appearing before a judge in a closed court hearing. He was told he must sign on regularly at court as part of his bail conditions. It was not clear today if any decisions on prosecution had been made in either of those two cases. Fearsome or fearful? A new book reveals the lesser-known side of King Henry VIII He has been known for centuries as one of England's most fearsome monarchs, a single-minded autocrat, who had no qualms about divorcing two of his wives and beheading another two. But Henry VIII also had a side that was 'vulnerable, insecure and loyal', according to a new book about the infamous Tudor monarch. Using documents from those who served the king, including his servants, barbers, physicians and jesters, leading historian Tracy Borman has uncovered a wealth of evidence suggesting that Henry VIII was far from the boorish tyrant history has made him out to be. Speaking to Dalya Alberge for The Observer, Borman, who is joint chief curator for Historic Royal Palaces, said: 'A study of Henry through the eyes of the men, rather than the wives, has never been done before and offers a genuinely new perspective.' For example, among the household accounts and letters found in the National Archives, British Library and private collections, Borman discovered that Henry looked kindly on his jester, Will Somer, who likely had learning difficulties and gifted him with clothing. Borman, whose research features in her new book, Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him, explained: 'Household accounts show he was appointed a 'keeper' to look after him, and Henry lavished unstinting care and attention upon him for the rest of his life.' Historian Tracy Borman has uncovered documents from servants who saw the 'real' Henry Henry, who had six wives, was also found to have bequeathed a generous legacy to Thomas Cawarden, his master of revels, while other letters from courtiers disclose that the king grew close to his physician, William Butts. This friendship was much to the courtiers' chagrin, as Butts was known to hold radical views on religion and may well have influenced Henry's views on splitting from the Catholic church. Divorced and beheaded: Henry VIII's wives, Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn Died and divorced: Henry's third and fourth wives, Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves Beheaded and survived: Henry's fifth and sixth wives, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr Borman concludes that while Henry was still in many ways deserving of being called autocratic and fearsome, he 'just doesn't deserve the caricature we've come to know and despise'. Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him: The Secret History Behind The Tudor Throne by Tracy Borman, is published next month by Hodder & Stoughton. WHO WAS HENRY VIII? Henry VIII was a domineering king Henry VIII was a domineering king who broke with Rome and changed the course of England's cultural history. His predecessors had tried and failed to conquer France, and even Henry himself mounted two expensive, yet unsuccessful attempts. He was known to self-medicate, even going as far as making his own medicines. A record on a prescription for ulcer treatment in the British Museum reads: 'An Oyntment devised by the kinges Majesty made at Westminster, and devised at Grenwich to take away inflammations and to cease payne and heale ulcers called gray plaster'. The king was also a musician and composer, owning 78 flutes, 78 recorders, five bagpipes, and has since had his songs covered by Jethro Tull. He died while heavily in debt, after having such a lavish lifestyle that he spent far, far more than taxes would earn him. He possessed the largest tapestry collection ever documented, and 6,500 pistols. While most portraits show him as a slight man, he was in later life very large, with one observer calling him 'an absolute monster'. Advertisement The boss of a leading youth charity has called on the government follow Canada and legalise cannabis. Matt Noffs is the chief executive of the Ted Noffs Foundation which helps disadvantaged youngsters get a better start in life. He claims Australia should prepare for cannabis legislation by ensuring the country has the best health and safety measures implemented. Mr Noffs wrote that legalising the drug is not a matter of 'if' but 'when', in an ABC column. Matt Noffs, the chief executive of the Ted Noffs Foundation, claims Australia should prepare for cannabis legislation by ensuring the country has the best health and safety measures implemented (stock image) Mr Noffs said that legalising the drug is not a matter of 'if' but 'when' (stock image) 'History has taught me that our drug laws good or bad take time to untangle once we realise they don't work,' he said. While Australia has led the charge with tobacco reforms, Mr Noffs argues it will fall behind other countries when it comes to implementing effective cannabis legislation - despite having one of the highest rates of cannabis users. The charity exec is worried about the implication of delayed legislation and laws that lack control. 'I am not for legalising cannabis without control. I am for more control and right now. When it comes to cannabis in Australia, we have very little,' he said. In the legalisation of cannabis, Canada has banned advertising, enforced plain packaging, regulated the display of ingredients and limited how many shops can sell it (stock image) Poll Should Australia legalise cannabis? Yes No Should Australia legalise cannabis? Yes 298 votes No 56 votes Now share your opinion In the legalisation of cannabis, Canada has banned advertising, enforced plain packaging, regulated the display of ingredients and limited how many shops can sell it. The minimum age to purchase the drug is 19, except in two provinces where 18 year-old's are permitted. In the column, Mr Noffs is also calling for greater research into the drug, notably, 'who' cannabis effects negatively. Despite the drugs criticism for causing anxiety and depression, Mr Noffs claims alcohol is known for causing the same mental health issues. He acknowledges cannabis can be addictive but says it is not as addictive as nicotine. He also points out that youths will continue the use the drug whether it is legal or not. 'Against the odds, we've reduced the number of young Australians smoking (tobacco) despite it being legal let's do the same for cannabis,' he said. The Ted Noffs Foundation provides services to socially disadvantaged and disconnected young people and those from the Indigenous and culturally diverse backgrounds. The area of expertise is treating those who suffer from drug and alcohol related problems. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not seek a royal title for their first child in the hope that he or she can lead a 'relatively normal life', a source has told The Sunday Times. As the royal couple begin their official overseas tour, the source close to the royal couple said the word 'normal' is an important consideration for the soon to be parents. Earlier this week the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who married in May, announced they were expecting the arrival of their first baby next year. The royal couple will not seek a royal title for their child so that he or she can lead a 'normal life', a source told The Sunday Times The couple, who have just embarked on their official 16-day Autumn tour in Australia, will have their baby in spring of next year and have no plans for the new member of the royal family to have a royal role. 'That word "normal" looms very large for Harry and Meghan when it comes to their child's future', a source told The Sunday Times. It is understood the couple are considering following in the footsteps of Princess Anne who famously turned down the offer to give her children royal roles in a break from tradition. Both Zara Tindall, formerly Zara Phillips, and Peter Phillips do not carry a royal title, unlike their cousins Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. Yesterday Prince Harry was seen practicing his Invictus Ceremony opening ceremony speech in an empty Sydney Opera House in front of his wife Meghan It is understood that the move will enable the couple to protect their baby from the pressures that come with being a part of the royal family and also allow them to shield their child from public scrutiny. While Harry and Meghan will postpone their visit to America next year, it is understood Meghan, 37, will continue with her programme of official engagements until the birth of her baby. The baby will be the Queens eighth great-grandchild and seventh in line to the throne. It is understood the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are considering following in the footsteps of Princess Anne who famously turned down the offer to give her children Zara and Peter royal titles Yesterday the prince was seen rehearsing his speech at the Sydney Opera House in front of a supportive Meghan in preparation for the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games on day one of the couple's tour. They were also seen attending the Anzac Memorial service in Hyde Park to pay tribute to Australia's war dead. The couple are visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand during their official 16-day Autumn tour. Blood-soaked clothes on a quiet Sydney backstreet are all that remains of a savage box-cutter attack that saw a man slashed in the face and body by a friend. The 27-year-old victim was found by emergency services on Orwell Street, Potts Point, in Sydney's east about 3.30 am on Sunday. He was treated at the bloody scene by paramedics for wounds to his face, back, shoulders and arms before being rushed to St Vincent's Hospital. The victim was treated at the bloody scene by paramedics before being rushed to St Vincent's Hospital Officers from Kings Cross Police Area Command established a crime scene and questioned witnesses who said the victim was involved in an argument with another man (pictured) The victim will need to undergo surgery but his injuries are not considered life-threatening. Officers from Kings Cross Police Area Command established a crime scene and questioned witnesses who said the victim was involved in an argument with another man. The alleged attacker, a 37-year-old man, is known to the victim. 'It's a fairly serious offence, fairly confronting,' Inspector Michael Lauricella told the media on Sunday. 'There is some information they have lived in the same hostel.' The weapon has not yet been found. Police are urging anyone with further information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. An emaciated dog was discovered lying in a kennel and refusing to leave its dead siblings in a 'truly horrendous' case of animal abuse. The frightened one-year-old was discovered in Runcorn, Cheshire, huddled beside the bodies of two other terriers which had been decomposing for days. An RSPCA worker who visited the scene described it as 'the saddest sight I have seen in 12 years in the job'. The emaciated dog was found dumped in a kennel and refused to leave the side of its dead siblings Gareth Forshaw made the grim discovery when his own dog barked in the direction of the kennel while on a walk. He said: 'When I peered inside I could see two dead dogs and the smell of their decomposition hit me. 'Me and a neighbour went to get some water and food for the poorly dog and backed away from the kennel. 'She then came out from where she was hiding and drunk all the water and ate all the food before jumping back in the kennel and laying on the dead dogs. 'She was so scared. 'It was awful and really upsetting for all the neighbours who were trying to help, especially as we knew she had been left with the dead animals which were probably family members. The frightened dog had large patches of fur missing, irritated skin and was so starved that her rib cage was poking through her flesh The dog was found with large patches of fur missing, irritated skin and was so emaciated that her rib cage was poking through her flesh. Mr Forshaw called the RSPCA who advised him to get the dog on a lead and hold her until an inspector arrived so she wouldn't run away. He said there was another dog outside the kennel that ran off when he approached. Inspector Lisa Lupson, who attended the scene, said: 'It was truly horrendous, the poor dog was so ill and frightened. 'She still wanted to be with the dead dogs, which we believe were her siblings. A neighbour made the grim discovery when his own dog barked in the direction of the kennel while on a walk 'Initial reports suggest they had been dead for a number of days.' The sick dog was rushed to Greater Manchester Animal Hospital where she is being treated for severe mange and weight loss. Lisa added: 'She is the sweetest little thing. When we got to the hospital I gave her biscuit and in spite of all she had been through she wagged her tail, so we've decided to call her Biscuit.' The RSPCA have released the photographs to highlight the issue of animal abuse and attempt to catch the culprits in this case. Agatha Christie may not have written her best-selling detective novels had she not volunteered as a nurse during the First World War. The beloved author behind iconic characters including Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple had the idea for writing such stories after working in a dispensary in her hometown of Torquay, Devon. Newly released volunteer records from the British Red Cross reveal Christie put in 3,400 hours of service at Torquay's Town Hall Hospital from October 1914 until September 1918. Christie's service card has been made public in the British Red Cross's new online archives ahead of Armistice Day commemorations next month. Agatha Christie (pictured c. 1926) may not have written her best-selling detective novels had she not volunteered as a nurse during the First World War Staff at Toquay's Town Hall Hospital where Agatha Christie volunteered for most of the war Christie began as a trainee nurse who fainted at the sight of blood but worked to care for the wounded, help with surgeries and clean up after amputations. But later, she was taken off nurse duties and dispensed medicine at the hospital until the end of the year. She was paid 16 a year. It was while working in the dispensary that she acquired the knowledge of deadly toxins that she used to kill off characters in her much-loved novels. When she signed up, at the age of 24, she was 'inexperienced' with handling the trauma of war, Alasdair Brooks, heritage manager for the British Red Cross, told the Observer. 'It is ironic that, given the grisly endings many of her characters met, there wasa time when she fainted at the sight of blood,' he added to the newspaper. Newly released volunteer records from the British Red Cross reveal Christie put in 3,400 hours of service at Torquay's Town Hall Hospital from October 1914 until September 1918 Christie began as a trainee nurse who fainted at the sight of blood but worked to care for the wounded, help with surgeries and clean up after amputations. Pictured, the hospital 'It was the power of kindness shown by Christie, and over 90,000 other volunteers who gave their time, that was the backbone of the British red Cross's support during the First World War. 'But had Christie not been taken off hospital duty to work in a dispensary, she might not have acquired her thorough knowledge of poisons which she used in her compelling plotlines.' It was while volunteering at the hospital that Christie first tried her hand at a detective novel in 1916. Poison features in many Agatha Christie novels, including A Caribbean Mystery 'It was while I was working in the dispensary that I first conceived the idea of writing a detective story.' Christie recalled in her autobiography. 'Since I was surrounded by poisons, perhaps it was natural that death by poisoning should be the method I selected.' The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which was published in 1920, is a whodunit in which the killer has used strychnine and the author introduces of her most famous characters, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. In later novels, cyanide is her poison of choice and used to off characters in The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side, And Then There Were None and Sparkling Cyanide. When the Second World War broke out, Christie worked as a pharmacy assistant at University College Hospital in London which again surrounded her with the poisons that play such big parts in her novels. She had written 66 detective novels by the time she died at the age of 85 in 1976. She is listed as the best-selling novelist of all time by Guinness World Records, having sold around two billions copies of her books. A billionaire friend of Prince Andrew was invited to Princess Eugenie's wedding even though he had been investigated over an alleged rape, reports claim. Chinese internet tycoon Richard Liu, who sponsors one of the Duke of York's business initiatives, attended the October 12 ceremony with his wife Zhang Zetian. The 45-year-old's appearance at Windsor Castle came six weeks after he was arrested in America on suspicion of 'criminal sexual conduct'. Chinese internet tycoon Richard Liu at Princess Eugenie's wedding in Windsor with his wife Zhang Zetian on October 12 Prince Andrew, Duke of York, arriving at his daughter's wedding to Jack Brooksbank in Windsor It was the first time he had been seen in public with his 24-year-old wife of three years since the scandal broke. Liu, who is worth an estimated 5.7billion, denies the allegation and was released without charge. But questions have been raised about why he was invited to the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. US prosecutors are considering whether to pursue formal charges and he could also face a civil action from his alleged victim, The Times report. The Duke of York has visited China at least seven times in the past 14 years. Liu pictured after his arrest in America In May, during a 10-day trip, he met Liu and visited the Beijing headquarters of his internet retail company JD.com. He also met with President Xi Jinping. Liu's wife has been the public face of the firm's fashion portfolio. She shot to fame in China when a photo of her holding a glass of Taiwanese bubble tea went viral. Another controversial guest at Princess Eugenie's wedding was convicted Libyan gun smuggler Tarek Kaituni. The cost to taxpayers for security measures at the wedding was approximately 2million. A Kensington Palace spokesperson told MailOnline: 'JD.com is a corporate partner of Pitch@Palace, an initiative set up by The Duke of York to champion entrepreneurship in the UK and overseas. 'JD.com has been a long term strategic partner in the same way as a number of other organisations, providing resources, support and advocacy for the initiative and those it works with.' Anjem Choudary, seen returning to his hostel on Sunday morning, said it was 'the duty of every Muslim' to support IS in a new recording from 2016 that has now surfaced Freed hate preacher Anjem Choudary revealed he would continue supporting jihadism and said it was 'the duty of every Muslim to give their allegiance' to IS, as detailed in a recording that has now surfaced. The 51-year-old Islamist, who was released on Friday after serving two years for inciting others to support IS in videos posted to YouTube, made the revelations in 2014. Speaking to a Sun on Sunday investigator before his conviction, Choudary, who was given five-and-a-half years in prison, but served less than half of his sentence, said: 'As Muslims we have no choice but to support the Islamic State. 'It is not a question of whether we chose to support IS or not it is a matter of Islamic responsibility and duty for every Muslim to give their allegiance to the caliph and obey him if he orders them to do something.' The audio also revealed that Choudary - who is expected to launch a 'human rights' legal battle against the 25 conditions of his release - would disregard British law and only follow instead his caliph, IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Choudary was spotted smiling this morning, his electronic tag visible around his right ankle, as he stepped out of a bail hostel in north London. He is set to receive free unsold food from the likes of Pret a Manger and Tesco at the hostel which backs on to a 15,000-a-year private school as police monitor him in a security operation set to cost 2million annually. Choudary smiled as he strolled along the street - with his electronic tag on show - on Sunday It is thought Choudary has been set the strictest conditions ever imposed on a released prisoner in the UK. The notorious Islamist cleric was swept out of Belmarsh Prison in south-east London in a blacked-out people carrier followed by a convoy of unmarked cars carrying police and MI5. Choudary, branded Britain's most dangerous extremist, still has his long beard and wore blue Adidas trainers and a long white robe. Choudary was spotted on Friday, shortly after his release, at his bail hostel in north London As part of his release, Choudary must submit to 25 licence conditions drawn up by the security services, police, probation service and the Ministry of Justice. These include being forced to live in an approved hostel, electronic tagging, a night-time curfew, only being allowed to attend pre-approved mosques, no use of the internet without prior permission, not being allowed to speak to the media and a ban from preaching. Legal battle: Choudary is expected to appeal against his 25 bail conditions on the grounds that they breach his human rights, and has secured a legal team from Birnberg Peirce Yesterday it was reported that Choudary is expected to apply for legal aid before launching a court battle against the conditions of his release, because they 'breach his human rights'. Choudary and a legal team from Birnberg Peirce are set to argue that the conditions breach his human rights, because the licensing conditions are disproportionate to the crime for which he was convicted. His co-defendant and close friend Mizanur Rahman, 34, is also preparing for his release from the same sentence. Convicted in 2016 for inciting hate, Choudary founded a breeding ground for the Islamic extremism which plagued Britain over the last two decades. Choudary was convicted in 2016 of encouraging support for IS and backing jihadism Former law-student Choudary, who previously called for adulterers to be stoned to death and branded UK troops 'cowards', always hid behind free speech rules whenever challenged by the authorities. But the group he helped to set up were linked to a series of terrorist attacks, as easily-influenced young men became inspired by his twisted vision of jihad. The best known of his disciples was Muslim convert Michael Adebolajo, who, along with Michael Adebowale, attacked Fusilier Lee Rigby with a meat cleaver in Woolwich in 2013 in a murder which shocked the country. Adebolajo was a supporter of Choudary's al-Muhajiroun group and was pictured standing behind the hate preacher in 2007. After the incident, Choudary said Adebolajo was 'a practising Muslim and a family man' who he was 'proud of'. But he denied encouraging the killer to carry out the attack, insisting he was 'channeling the energy of the youth through demonstrations and processions'. Hate preacher's 25 bail conditions Choudary will face 25 licence conditions. Any breach could result in a return to custody. They have been drawn up by the security services, police, probation service and the Ministry of Justice, they include: Being forced to live in an approved hostel Electronic tagging A night-time curfew Keeping in contact with his supervising probation officer Handing over his passport A ban on travelling outside the M25 Only being allowed to attend pre-approved mosques Only being allowed one mobile phone, which he must hand over to the authorities for checking on request A ban on contacting individuals who he knows or believes to have been charged with or convicted of extremist-related offences without prior approval No use of the internet unless with prior permission No unsupervised contact with children Not being allowed to speak to the media A ban from preaching Not being allowed to convene meetings Advertisement London Bridge attacker Khuram Butt also joined one of Choudary's rallies, this time on College Green outside the Palace of Westminster in 2013. There, Butt 'verbally assaulted' a moderate Muslim leader who had opposed Choudary's extremist rhetoric. Meanwhile, Mohammed Reza Haque, thought of as Choudary's bodyguard, disappeared from Britain in 2014. A photograph taken in Syria showed him in a balaclava and camouflage clothing, brandishing an AK-47 assault rifle and he has since been suspected as being a tall figure in ISIS's horrific execution films. Anjem Choudary was at the centre of a web of extremists who operated in London Siddhartha Dhar, who once ran Choudary's media operation, was also seen posing in a military style coat and boots, brandishing an assault rifle and holding his new born baby in Syria, labelling the picture 'Generation Khilafah'. In December 2014, two other close associates were discovered in the back of a lorry at Dover as they tried to leave the country. Westminster attacker Khalid Masood was also linked to Choudary through Ibrahim Anderson, an al-Muhajiroun activist convicted of inviting support for ISIS in 2016. Five British Army soldiers who were active on the front line have died suddenly in just one week. The tragic deaths of the servicemen come as it was revealed as many as 42 former or serving servicemen and women are believed to have committed suicide this year alone. Five people died between September 26 and October 1 in tragic circumstances, according to the Sunday Times. They are believed to have served in the forces in conflicts including Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Ministers have now announced a study into the 'caused of death including rates of suicide' from anyone who has died since serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. There have been repeated complaints about the way post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans and serving soldiers is managed. British airmen shelter from the dust thrown up from a helicopter in Basra, Iraq in 2009 The Government does not currently collect information on the deaths of ex services men and women once they have left the army. Suicide rates are therefore unknown. However, cases are beginning to emerge. Earlier this year, two friends both took their own lives within weeks of one another, as family members spoke of their 'undeniable bond' after having served on the front line together. John Paul Finnigan and Kevin Williams of 2nd Battalion The Rifles served in Iraq and formed but both struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder when they left the army. In March, Williams took his own life at the age of 29. Twelve weeks later Finnigan, 34, from Merseyside, also killed himself. Before he died Mr Finnigan revealed he was struggling while Williams, who was the youngest soldier ever deployed to Iraq said he felt 'sad all the time'. Mr Finnigan, who was medically discharged in 2010 wrote in a text: 'I suffer from feelings of rage, anger and at my worst was close to ending my life on several occasions. I'm starting to accept that PTSD will be a part of me for the rest of my life.' Former Staffordshire Regiment lance corporal David Jukes, 49, took his own life on October 9. Missing Afghanistan war hero Danny Johnston, 35, took his own life after battling PTSD Mr Jukes was suffering from PTSD after having served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Northern Ireland. Viv Johnston's son Danny, 35, took his own life in May after serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia. Mrs Johnston has called for coroners 'to be more aware' of the entire problem, rather than addressing She told the Sunday Times: 'Until we understand the problem we can't begin to address it.' Mr Johnston had been kicked out of the army for being in possession of sedatives - but his mother said he had self medicated with Valium through fear of being discharged if he admitted mental health struggles. Chief executive of Combat Stress Sue Freeth said little funding is put into helping those who are identified as struggling. Mr Johnston (left) was afraid to tell anyone in the Army about his struggles with mental health and self-medicated The charity is in high demand with as many as five phone calls to their dedicated helpline per day. But programmes could be cut. Mrs Feeth said: 'We receive no Government funding in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for our residential PTSD intensive treatment programme, the only one of its kind in the UK. 'We're now at risk of having to cut this vital programme.' Ninety-five soldiers who took part in the Falklands conflict took their own life, Government officials revealed - 31 years later. The new study will ensure these details are compiled faster this time. 'The study will investigate cause of death, including rates of suicide, for all personnel who deployed to conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014,' a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said. Anyone seeking help or suffering from depression can get confidential help by contacting Samaritans 116 123 or online here. Advertisement Thousands of punters will be hoping for a more relaxing end to their weekend after letting their hair down for a day of festivities at Melbourne's Caulfield Cup on Saturday. Some could be nursing heavy heads after braving the showers at Caulfield Racecourse for one of Australia's richest races. The meet comes a week after Sydneysiders dressed to impress for a gripping day of racing at Royal Randwick. Wet conditions in Melbourne's south-east did not dampen spirits and many racegoers enjoyed tins of beer, cider or glasses of sparkling wine. It's not entirely clear what the two people pictured on the left were trying to do in this photo, but it was a source of much amusement for their companion wearing pink Security kept a close eye on the thousands of racegoers at the Caulfield Cup race day in Melbourne on Saturday Victoria Police were expecting a busy day on Saturday, saying they would not tolerate 'unruly' behaviour at the Melbourne event Wet conditions at the race grounds in Melbourne's south-east did not stop attendees from attempting to outdo Randwick's party atmosphere complete with tins of beer, cider and glasses of sparkling wine. One racegoer literally kicked her heels off as she was pictured clutching a stiletto inside the venue in Melbourne's south-east One female attendee looked like she was starting a 100m race as she lost her footing on the grass inside the venue's grounds It was clear those in attendance at the event cared as much about partying as they did about the racing itself, and global DJ Grant Smilie helped build a festival atmosphere within the venue by spinning the decks It was clear those in attendance at the event cared as much about partying as they did about the racing itself, and global DJ Grant Smilie helped build a festival atmosphere within the venue by spinning the decks. He flew out from Los Angeles to be the headline act for the BMW Caulfield Cup and was backed up by Aussie rock band The Temper Trap in thrilling Victoria's race fans. One set of race fans appeared to be making the most of the festivities on offer as they held tins of lager and rocked out to the music. Another group of friends huddled under an umbrella were all smiles despite the downpour, much more so than the gentleman stood to their left who looked like he had let the miserable conditions get to him. DJ Grant Smillie flew out from Los Angeles to be the headline act for the BMW Caulfield Cup and was backed up by Aussie rock band The Temper Trap in thrilling Victoria's race fans One racegoer used an anorak provided by organisers to brave off the rain that fell throughout the day at Caulfield Racecourse Melbourne's Spring racing season is now in full swing, with a little more than two weeks before the Melbourne Cup is held. For many, though,the priority for their day at the races was keeping their expensive clothing dry. One racegoer used an anorak provided by organisers to brave off the rain, but for another she was forced to use a makeshift shelter consisting of a foil pie dish. A male reveller showed off his chivalrous side and was pictured with his arm around a female guest keeping warm thanks to his suit jacket. As DJ Smillie wowed thousands of dancing partygoers, one attendee audaciously attempted a handstand - all while wearing chinos and brogues. As DJ Smillie wowed thousands of dancing partygoers, one attendee audaciously attempted a handstand - all while wearing chinos and brogues. A male reveller showed chivalry was not dead yet as he was pictured with his arm around a female guest keeping warm thanks to his suit jacket. One attendee was spotted teaming his blue collard shit and black jacket with a frilly pink fascinator perched next to his sunglasses on his head. Another proudly sporting a mullet clutched two cans as he celebrated with friends wearing a pink shirt, paisley tie and light blue suit. Melbourne's Spring racing season is now in full swing, with a little more than two weeks before the Melbourne Cup is held. The less-than-stellar weather conditions appeared to get a bit too much for one fan, though, as she was pictured looking downtrodden while huddled with her friend in a picnic blanket Thousands of punters will be hoping for a more relaxing end to their weekend after letting their hair down for a day of festivities at Melbourne's Caulfield Cup on Saturday As one elegantly dressed lady perhaps celebrated a win, another opted to take a selfie to capture the moment The less-than-stellar weather conditions appeared to get a bit too much for one fan, though, as she was pictured looking downtrodden while huddled with her friend in a picnic blanket. Victoria Police were expecting a busy day on Saturday, saying they would not tolerate 'unruly' behaviour at the Melbourne event. Inspector Morgan said: 'Our message to the small minority of punters who choose to do the wrong thing is that offensive and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.' Transit Police and Protective Services Officers patrolled the transport network around the venue on the day. Racegoers were told to plan their journey to and from the race grounds and use a designated driver if they were planning on drinking. Racegoers dressed in brightly coloured dresses and matching hats celebrated a victory at the Caulfield Racecourse One racegoer teamed a fur throw with an intricately-shaped head piece, while another lady sported an orange-frilled dress Some racegoers opted for brightly couloured outfits while others sported striped-pieces for the Caulfield Cup Smiling racegoers posed for photos dressed in their racing finest as the Melbourne Spring racing season kicked into gear Striking headpieces were a key feature of the day, with racegoers proudly displaying their fascinators Racegoers were spotted making their way through the Caulfield Racecourse in eye-catching outfits at one of Australia's richest races Saudi Arabia's foreign minister has said the country does not know where murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi's body is, amid claims it was rolled up in a rug and smuggled out of the consulate in Istanbul. Adel al-Jubeir insisted on Sunday that the kingdom's crown prince was 'not aware' of the killing and the regime was still working on finding the body, saying Khashoggi had been killed in a 'rogue operation'. A senior official had earlier claimed Khashoggi was killed in a chokehold and his body hidden in a rug so that a 'co-operator' could dispose of it away from the Saudi consulate. Meanwhile a member of the 15-man 'hit squad' - allegedly sent from the kingdom to confront Khashoggi on October 2 - is claimed to have dressed in his clothes to make it look like he had left the building alive. President Donald Trump yesterday accused the regime of lying and said he was not satisfied with Saudi Arabia's handling of the matter. It comes as Saudi Arabia faces intensifying international scepticism over its story about the death of the journalist. Scroll down for video Jamal Khashoggi (pictured) was killed in a chokehold and his body was rolled up in a rug and smuggled out of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, a senior Saudi government official revealed Foreign minister Jubeir said today: 'This is a tremendous mistake. This is a terrible tragedy. Our condolences go out to [his family]. We feel their pain. 'He was killed in the consulate. We don't know in terms of details how. We don't know where the body is. 'This was an operation that was a rogue operation, this was an operation where individuals ended up exceeding their authorities and responsibilities they had; they made a mistake when they killed Jamal Khashoggi in the consulate and they tried to cover up for it. 'We are determined to uncover every stone. We are determined to punish those who are responsible for this murder.' After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi, 59, for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said he had died in a fistfight at the consulate. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold, which the senior official reiterated. The latest account, provided by a Saudi official who requested anonymity, includes details on how the team threatened Khashoggi with being drugged and kidnapped and then killed him in a chokehold when he resisted. In his strongest intervention yet, President Trump said on Saturday: 'Obviously there's been deception and there's been lies. Their stories are all over the place.' The UK's Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said the Saudi explanation about Khashoggi's death in Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate is not credible and that the culprits must be 'held to account'. But the UK government has faced a growing chorus of criticism from MPs calling on ministers to cut ties with the Saudis. Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir (pictured) insisted on Sunday that the kingdom's crown prince was 'not aware' of the killing and the regime was still working on finding the body CCTV footage shows journalist Jamal Khashoggi and his fiancee Hatice Cengiz together just hours before his death on October 2 Labour, the SNP, the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and the Greens said in a joint letter it was 'hard to imagine what crime the Saudi government would need to commit' to earn a rebuke from Downing Street, the Guardian reported. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and and critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, went missing after entering the consulate on October 2 to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. Days later, Turkish officials said they believed he was killed in the building and his body cut up. But the Saudi official said it was rolled up in a rug and given to a 'local cooperator' for disposal. Asked about allegations that Khashoggi had been tortured and beheaded, he said preliminary results of the investigation did not suggest that. The Saudi official presented what he said were internal Saudi intelligence documents which appeared to describe an initiative to bring dissidents home to Saudi Arabia, including the specific one involving Khashoggi. He also showed testimony from those involved in what he described as the 15-man team's cover-up, and the initial results of an internal probe. CCTV video shows a black van in front of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 A journalist shoots video behind barriers blocking the road leading to Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, where Khashoggi died The official said all 15 team members had been detained and placed under investigation, along with three other local suspects. However, he did not provide proof to substantiate the findings of the investigation and the other evidence. This narrative is the latest Saudi account that has changed multiple times. According to the latest version of the death, the government wanted to convince Khashoggi, who moved to Washington a year ago fearing reprisals for his views, to return to the kingdom as part of a campaign to prevent Saudi dissidents from being recruited by the country's enemies, the official said. To that end, the official said, the deputy head of the General Intelligence Presidency, Ahmed al-Asiri, put together a 15-member team from the intelligence and security forces to go to Istanbul, meet Khashoggi at the consulate and try to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia. 'There is a standing order to negotiate the return of dissidents peacefully; which gives them the authority to act without going back to the leadership,' the official said. Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, (pictured) said he had handed her his two mobile phones and left instructions that she should wait for him and call an aide to Turkey's president if he did not reappear 'Asiri is the one who formed the team and asked for an employee who worked with (senior royal adviser Saud) al-Qahtani and who knew Jamal from the time they both worked at the embassy in London,' he said. The official said Qahtani, who worked for the crown prince, had signed off on one of his employees conducting the negotiations. According to the plan, the team could hold Khashoggi in a safe house outside Istanbul for 'a period of time' but then release him if he ultimately refused to return to Saudi Arabia, the official said. Things went wrong from the start as the team overstepped their orders and quickly employed violence, the official said. Khashoggi was ushered into the consul general's office where an operative named Maher Mutreb spoke to him about returning to Saudi Arabia, according to the government's account. Khashoggi refused and told Mutreb that someone was waiting outside for him and would contact the Turkish authorities if he did not reappear within an hour, the official said. According to the latest version of the death, the Saudi government wanted to convince Khashoggi (pictured), who moved to Washington a year ago fearing reprisals for his views, to return to the kingdom Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, has told Reuters he had handed her his two mobile phones and left instructions that she should wait for him and call an aide to Turkey's president if he did not reappear. Inside the consul's office, according to the official's account, Khashoggi told Mutreb he was violating diplomatic norms and said, 'What are you going to do with me? Do you intend to kidnap me?' Mutreb replied, 'Yes, we will drug you and kidnap you,' in what the official said was an attempt at intimidation that violated the mission's objective. When Khashoggi raised his voice, the team panicked. They moved to restrain him, placing him in a chokehold and covering his mouth, according to the government's account. 'They tried to prevent him from shouting but he died,' the official said. 'The intention was not to kill him.' Asked if the team had smothered Khashoggi, the official said: 'If you put someone of Jamal's age in this position, he would probably die.' To cover up their misdeed, the team rolled up Khashoggi's body in a rug, took it out in a consular vehicle and handed it over to a 'local cooperator' for disposal, the official said. The Saudi official said the local cooperator is an Istanbul resident but would not reveal his nationality. Forensic expert Salah Tubaigy tried to remove any trace of the incident, the official said. Turkish officials suspect the body of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured arriving at Downing Street earlier this year), was cut up Meanwhile, operative Mustafa Madani donned Khashoggi's clothes, eyeglasses and Apple watch and left through the back door of the consulate in an attempt to make it look like Khashoggi had walked out of the building. Madani went to the Sultanahmet district where he disposed of the belongings. The official said the team then wrote a false report for superiors saying they had allowed Khashoggi to leave once he warned that Turkish authorities could get involved and that they had promptly left the country before they could be discovered. Asked why the government's version of Khashoggi's death kept changing, the official told Reuters the government initial account was based on 'false information reported internally at the time.' 'Once it became clear these initial mission reports were false, it launched an internal investigation and refrained from further public comment,' the official said, adding that the investigation is continuing. Saudi authorities initially dismissed reports that Khashoggi had gone missing inside the consulate as false and said he had left the building soon after entering. When the media reported a few days later that he had been killed there, they branded the accusations 'baseless.' An activist dressed as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman marches in front the White House during a demonstration calling for sanctions against Saudi Arabia on Friday Turkish sources say authorities in Turkey have an audio recording purportedly documenting Khashoggi's murder inside the consulate, but have not released it. Turkish pro-government newspaper Yeni Safak published what it said were details from the audio. It said Khashoggi's torturers cut off his fingers during an interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him. Turkish officials have told Reuters that Khashoggi's killers may have dumped his remains in Belgrad Forest adjacent to Istanbul, and at a rural location near the city of Yalova, 55 miles south of Istanbul. SAUDI ADMISSION SHOCKS CITIZENS WHO BELIEVED KINGDOM HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH KHASHOGGI'S DEATH Saudi Arabia's belated admission that journalist Jamal Khashoggi died in its consulate in Istanbul sent shockwaves through the kingdom - where many had believed the government's claims of having nothing to do with his death. Saudi authorities initially claimed Khashoggi left the consulate unharmed on October 2, and then that they were investigating his disappearance. But after a fortnight of denials, they admitted Saturday that the Washington Post columnist, a prominent critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed inside the diplomatic compound. Nevertheless, it has faced a growing chorus of incredulity over its explanation that he died after a fight broke out - as world powers demanded answers and the whereabouts of his body. Turkish officials have accused Riyadh of carrying out a state-sponsored killing and dismembering the body, with pro-government media in Turkey reporting the existence of video and audio evidence to back those claims. The admission stunned many in Saudi Arabia who had believed the government's initial accounts but others said they didn't believe the new narrative, Bloomberg reports. 'A very sad day for this nation, to see what the country had descended into,' one Saudi man, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as the Saudi government does not tolerate dissent, told the website. 'No country is perfect, but used to be proud that the country had a certain morality that aligned with Arabian values. We lost that forever unfortunately.' Another said: 'I'm so broken right now. I thought the Turks did it.' He was referring to rumours spread online by supporters of the Saudi government which alleged the kingdom's rivals like Turkey, Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood - were behind Khashoggi's disappearance. Another Saudi added that e 'hates when Saudi officials get carried away and torture people.' But a 24-year-old woman in Jeddah remained sceptical about the Saudi government's latest version of events. 'Why couldn't they say where they dumped the body?' she said. Advertisement Turkish investigators are likely to find out what happened to the body 'before long,' a senior official said. The Saudi official said investigators were trying to determine where the body ended up. Riyadh dispatched a high-level delegation to Istanbul on Tuesday and ordered an internal investigation. Meanwhile, sceptics have asked why so many people, including military officers and a forensics expert specialising in autopsies, were part of the operation if the objective was to convince Khashoggi to return home of his own volition. The disappearance of Khashoggi, a Saudi insider turned critic, has snowballed into a massive crisis for the kingdom, forcing the 82-year-old monarch, King Salman, to personally get involved. It has threatened the kingdom's business relationships, with several senior executives and government officials shunning an investor conference in Riyadh scheduled for next week. Some US lawmakers are putting pressure on Trump to impose sanctions and stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia. On Sunday, the UK's Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said there was a 'serious question mark over the account that has been given'. Asked if he believed the Saudi government's explanation, Mr Raab said: 'No, I don't think it's credible.' 'I think it's a terrible case,' he told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show. 'We support the Turkish investigation into it and the British government wants to see people held to account for that death.' But the Cabinet minister said the British government was not terminating its relationship with the state. 'We are not throwing our hands in the air and terminating the relationship with Saudi Arabia, not just because of the huge number of British jobs that depend on it but also because if you exert influence over your partners you need to be able to talk to them,' he said. Mr Raab dismissed calls to ban arms sales to the kingdom. 'We have got one of the most rigorous export regimes in the world which makes sure arms are very carefully monitored. 'The problem with Labour's position is it would cost thousands of British jobs. So, what we would rather do is support the investigation, find out what happened.' The Foreign Office on Sunday issued a joint statement from Britain, Germany and France condemning Khashoggi's killing, saying there is an 'urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened.' In a statement, the governments said attacks on journalists are unacceptable and 'of utmost concern to our three nations.' They said the 'hypotheses' proposed so far in the Saudi investigation need to be backed by facts to be considered credible. They stressed that more efforts are needed in order to establish the truth, and added that they reserve judgment until they receive further explanation. 'The violent death of Jamal Khashoggi, within the premises of the Saudi Consulate General in Istanbul had been feared for many days but its confirmation still comes as a shock,' the statement said. 'Nothing can justify this killing and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms. 'Defending freedom of expression and a free press are key priorities for Germany, the United Kingdom and France. 'The threatening, attacking or killing of journalists, under any circumstances, is unacceptable and of utmost concern to our three nations.' It added: 'Our thoughts are today with Mr Khashoggi's family, his fiancee, and his friends - who have worried about him for weeks, and to whom we extend our most heartfelt condolences.' It added: 'We take note of the Saudi statement which gives their preliminary findings. 'Yet there remains an urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened on October 2nd beyond the hypotheses that have been raised so far in the Saudi investigation, which need to be backed by facts to be considered credible. 'We thus stress that more efforts are needed and expected towards establishing the truth in a comprehensive, transparent and credible manner. 'We will ultimately make our judgement based on the credibility of the further explanation we receive about what happened and our confidence that such a shameful event cannot and will not ever be repeated. 'We therefore ask for the investigation to be carried out thoroughly until responsibilities are clearly established and that there is proper accountability and due process for any crimes committed.' 'We will stay in close contact with our Saudi partners in that regard. 'The quality and significance of the relationship we have with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also rests with the respect we have for the norms and values to which the Saudi authorities and us are jointly committed under international law.' Philip Hammond has rejected pleas from the Home Secretary for extra money for the police in the Budget amid alarm at rising crime, it was claimed today. Sajid Javid appealed for more funding in Budget talks with the Chancellor. But the discussions 'did not go well', sources told the Sunday Times. Philip Hammond (pictured in Downing Street on Tuesday) has rejected pleas from the Home Secretary for extra money for the police in the Budget amid alarm at rising crime, it was claimed today Crime statistics out this week showed dramatic increases in crime generally, with a surge in murders and violent crime causing particular concern (file image) Mr Hammond is fending off demands from ministers for extra cash in a Budget where he is already committed to billions extra for the NHS and an end to cuts. The Chancellor has little room for manoeuvre as significant tax hikes to cover the spending will be vetoed by Tory MPs. A Whitehall source warned failure to increase police spending would come back to haunt the Tories. Crime statistics out this week showed dramatic increases in crime generally, with a surge in murders and violent crime causing particular concern. The source warned: 'We can no longer say that crime spikes are (London Mayor) Sadiq Khan's fault when it is rising in Norfolk and Devon as well. 'We are at the point where we need more money just to stand still.' Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson is also set to go disappointed when Mr Hammond presents his latest Budget in eight days time on October 29. A Cabinet source told the paper: 'All departments are in the same position. 'He's telling everyone to get lost.' Sajid Javid (pictured in Downing Street this week) appealed for more funding in Budget talks with the Chancellor amid warnings failure to increase police spending would come back to haunt the Tories Crime figures out on Thursday showed the number of murders in the UK has soared by 14 per cent as the number of knife crimes and robberies also rises. London is at the centre of fears of rising levels of violence, after the number of killings in the capital topped 100 this summer. But statistics released today show the number of homicides nationwide is up from 630 to 719, with overall recorded crime up by almost 10 per cent. The number of offences registered as involving a knife or sharp instrument, 39,332, was the highest since 2011, when comparable records started. A wealthy family named on the Sunday Times Rich List are embroiled in a bitter court battle over a 28.7 million inheritance. The Folkes family, whose ancestral home is Stourton Hall in Staffordshire, are involved in a long-running feud over the will of their mother Patricia Folkes, who died in 2014 aged 85. Her daughter Jane Griffin, 63, accuses her elder brother Constantine Folkes, 65, of exploiting their mother's dementia and pressuring her into handing 26.5 million plus 100,000 of jewellery to him and his son. She alleges that Mr Folkes wanted to ensure his son Samson would inherit the 300-year-old family business and become the ninth generation of Folkes men to lead it In 2008 the family, who run Folkes Holdings, featured on the Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated fortune of 106 million. Jane Griffin, 63, (left with mother Patricia Folkes)and elder brother Constantine Folkes, 65, are embroiled in a long-running court battle over the 28.7million inheritance left by their mother Ms Griffin alleges Mr Folkes (above with wife Angela and daughter Amy) exploited their mother's dementia and pressured her into handing money to him and son The bitter feud began when Ms Griffin discovered that her mother's estate had been reduced to 2.2 million when she died and she was left 50,000. Ms Griffin, who has two children and lives near the family estate, said: 'I felt my mother had been let down. Money was not the driver for me. I wanted justice.' She also accused her elder brother of subjecting their mother to 'financial abuse'. However Mr Folkes, who is the head of Folkes Holdings, denies any wrong doing and claims his sister is 'rather unhinged'. The father-of-three, who lives in Stourton Hall, said: 'It appears Jane felt this was a gamble worth taking. 'If my mother were alive today she would be livid to see this turn of events, with the three esteemed professionals she chose over many years being cast aside for someone she had never met.' He claimed that much of the estate had been squandered on unnecessary legal costs. Patricia Folkes was diagnosed with dementia in 2010 after suffering from memory loss for some years, and died in 2014 at the age of 85. However the father-of-three (right with son Samson), who lives in Stourton Hall, denies the claims and said: 'It appears Jane felt this was a gamble worth taking' When she discovered that the estate's value had been reduced to 2.2 million Ms Griffin pursued a legal battle, claiming that without her older brother's influence, the value would have been 28.7 million. The dispute over the family fortune began in 1991, when Patricia and her husband John drew up wills. These shared their wealth equally between their three children - Constantine, Jane and James. Stourton Hall (pictured), near Stourbridge, is home to Ms Griffin's brother Constantine Folkes However in March 1993 Patricia's will was changed after a suggestion from Mr Folkes to leave all her shares in the family business to Samson, then aged one. Ms Griffin, then living in Los Angeles, was removed as executor of the will. In July 2011 Patricia, who by now had been diagnosed with dementia, signed a letter prepared by her solicitor. It said she had given belongings including works by the wildlife painter Charles Tunnicliffe, silver tea caddies and the contents of a gun room, plus all the fixtures and fittings in Stourton Hall to Mr Folkes. A month later Patricia signed another document, which Ms Griffin had drawn up, confirming that the contents of Stourton Hall and her second home in Anglesey were still part of her estate - and had not yet been handed to Mr Folkes. When she died in 2014, the family's solicitors acted as executors of the will and the value of her estate dwindled from about 28.7 million to 2.2 million. At this point Ms Griffin issued a court claim to remove the executors, demanding an investigation of why her mother's estate was now so small and where items that she had been promised had gone. The judge said the dispute had been 'extremely bitter, long-running and costly'. He dismissed 12 of the 17 allegations made by Jane, but said the rest required investigation by the new executors. Mr Folkes and the other defendants were ordered to pay costs of at least 150,000. The Folkes family solicitors will be replaced as executors of Patricia's will as a result of a court case, which ended this month. The new executors will be responsible for collecting his mother's assets, paying debts and distributing legacies. The family business, Folkes Holdings, has extensive property, investment, tourism and engineering interests in Britain and South Africa and is based in Stourbridge, near Stourton Hall. A grandmother-of-three has been killed after a gas explosion blaze tore through her flat. Tributes have been paid to retired maths teacher Ratna Alexander, 82, who perished in her upstairs flat in the early hours of this morning. More than 70 firefighters were called to the scene with neighbours screaming 'there's a baby in there' during the rescue. Grandmother-of-three, Ratna Alexander, has been killed after a gas explosion blaze tore through her flat (pictured) in the early hours of this morning Tributes have been paid to retired maths teacher Mrs Alexander, 82, who perished in her upstairs flat in the early hours of this morning More than 70 firefighters were called to the scene with neighbours screaming 'there's a baby in there' A baby boy and his parents were treated for smoke inhalation after being carried out by firefighters on ladders A baby boy and his parents were treated for smoke inhalation after being carried out by firefighters on ladders from a second floor window in an adjoining flat, witnesses said. But the body of Mrs Alexander was recovered from her end-of-terrace flat in Harrow, north west London, at about 4am. Neighbour Lauren Jackson, 53, saw firefighters rescue the family after being woken up by the blast just before 1am. The support worker for autistic people at Dimensions UK said: 'There was quite a few people outside shouting 'get them out, get them out'. 'It was just horrendous seeing the flames like that. 'The family were carried out on the ladder and I saw them going and taken to hospital. The body of Mrs Alexander was recovered from her end-of-terrace flat in Harrow, north west London, at about 4am. The flat's landlady this morning told her the couple living below her were on holiday abroad when the fire broke out parked cars delayed firefighters from getting an aerial crane close enough to battle the blaze for up to 20 minutes Around 40 people were evacuated from nearby homes as a precaution after the blaze 'The firefighters had to get the ladder up there to get them out. I saw the ladder by the top window and the couple that were with the baby.' She added that parked cars delayed firefighters from getting an aerial crane close enough to battle the blaze for up to 20 minutes. Neighbour Uzma Chaudhry, 43, said Ms Alexander was like a 'mother' to her and feared the fire started in the downstairs neighbours' flat. She explained Mrs Alexander, originally from Pakistan and whose pilot British husband died when she was 28, lived in a single-bed flat above a rented ground floor property. A baby boy and his parents were treated for smoke inhalation after being carried out by firefighters on ladders from a second floor window in an adjoining flat, witnesses said She said the flat's landlady this morning told her the couple living below her were on holiday abroad when the fire broke out. Mrs Chaudhry, a part-time helper for children with special needs, said: 'She was like a mum to me, always if I needed help. 'It was so much of a shock. 'She was a teacher in a south London secondary school. She taught maths - she helped my sons. 'She does love animals. Every day at six in the morning she would come out and feed the birds. 'She was feeding the foxes there and she's even vegetarian but still gave meet to the foxes. 'She was a smart-dresser you can say that - a lot of people knew her, she nows all people on the street, she was a respectable woman.' She said a mother, father and their baby boy were rescued from the adjoining flat one level higher than Ms Alexander's. She said: 'The man was okay, he came back from hospital. He said just carbon was in his baby's lungs.' Firefighters were called to the scene in the early hours of Sunday but they were unable to save Mrs Alexander Investigators are probing the scene after what was believed to be a gas explosion wrecked a home in London A couple who lived in a single-bed flat below her neighbour's home were on holiday. Mrs Chaudhry said: 'The landlady said she called them and it was an international line, they were not there.' More than 70 firefighters as well as police and paramedics were called to the scene. A spokesman for London Fire Brigade (LFB) said: 'The first floor partially collapsed due to the force of the explosion. Sadly, one woman was pronounced dead at the scene. 'Firefighters using an aerial ladder platform and breathing apparatus rescued a man, woman, and a baby from the first floor. 'The woman and baby were assessed at the scene and taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.' Local resident Rahman Alanezi said: 'Everyone was screaming that there was a baby inside and they took him out.' Around 40 people were evacuated from nearby properties as a precaution as crews tackled the blaze for several hours. The LFB said the fire had been brought under control by about 3.30am. A Scotland Yard spokesman said a woman's body was found at about 4am as firefighters searched the property. LFB and the Met are probing the cause of the blast and the Health and Safety Executive has been informed. Firefighters tweeted from this scene this morning that the woman had sadly been found at the scene. Germany's finance minister has proposed a global minimum tax rate and tougher measures in an effort to crack down on firms looking to stash their profits in tax havens. In a guest article for Welt am Sonntag, Olaf Scholz, a social democrat in conservative chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government, fleshed out proposals that he was considering jointly with France to make it harder for international firms to evade tax. Both France and Germany are seeking ways to ensure that firms like Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google and digital platforms such as YouTube and Airbnb pay domestic taxes in proportion to the profits they earn in Europe's largest markets. Germany has proposed a global minimum tax rate to stop firms like Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook and digital platforms like YouTube and AirBnb putting their profits in tax havens Attempts to harmonise tax rates across the European Union have however met stiff resistance from lower-tax members like Ireland. 'We need a worldwide minimum tax level that no state may go below,' Scholz said in the article, adding that any such rules would need to be accompanied by measures to make it harder to move money into tax havens. Scholz said the internet economy 'was exacerbating a problem that we recognise from globalisation and that we are trying to address: the placing of profits in low-tax locations.' Germany, Europe's largest consumer market, is particularly fertile ground for US-based internet giants. Apple is among those accused of minimising their tax exposure by using offshore structures Many have used offshore structures to minimise their tax exposure in what remains a relatively high-tax economy. But there are concerns that such a move could be seen by Washington as an attack on Silicon Valley's corporate giants and pose a threat to Germany's car exports. France has rallied EU partners for a year to draw up the tax, which Paris says is necessary to ensure tech giants pay their way. 'We require coordinated mechanisms which prevent the displacement of revenues to tax havens,' added Scholz. The founder of a well-known Australian dance music festival has died overnight in police custody. Spiro Boursinos, who founded the popular Earthcore festival, was pinned down and handcuffed by police following a fight at Antique Bar in Melbourne's Elsternwick on Saturday morning. Mr Boursinos lost consciousness during ordeal and died at the scene, and now the mother of the 45-year-old is considering legal action. Bush doof pioneer, Spiro Boursinos (pictured) who founded popular Australian music festival has died while being pinned down and handcuffed by police after bar brawl 'I'm a mother and nobody feels the way I feel right now,' Christine Boursinos told 9NEWS. Police say Mr Boursinos was involved in a fight at the inner-city suburb bar at around 2.15am and had to be pinned down by fellow patrons before police arrived. After losing consciousness, paramedics rushed to the scene but attempts to resuscitate him failed. Ms Boursinos believes that if the ambulance had arrived earlier, her may have survived and is saying she will pursue litigation as she's 'very, very hurt'. His mother Christine Boursinos (left) and sister Helen (right) are devastated with their loss and are demanding answers, with Ms Boursinos even threatening legal action Mr Boursinos, was involved in an altercation inside Melbourne's Antique Bar (pictured) in the early hours of Saturday morning and was pinned down by several punters Pictures inside the bar show discarded pillows, smashed glass and other scattered items as details behind the reasoning of the scuffle are still unknown Mr Boursinos was a respected veteren in the alternative music scene, with friends saying he pioneered the parties now known as a 'bush doof'. 'Spiro pioneered this whole subculture which turned into a lifestyle for thousands of people. I'm in shock.' friend Gary Neal told the Sunday Herald Sun. He was said to be out on Friday evening to celebrate securing a new site for the annual Earthcore festival. Police have gathered CCTV from the bar and are hoping it will provide pivotal vision of what happened during the brawl. Anyone who recorded video from their mobile inside the bar are being urged to contact Crime Stoppers. Mr Boursinos (pictured) was a respected veteren in the alternative music scene, with friends saying he pioneered the parties now known as a 'bush doof'. A lost tortoise has been rescued by paramedics after it was found roaming along a California sidewalk. The Heartland Fire Department say medics came across the 'rather interesting patient' in the city of El Cajon, just outside San Diego, last Thursday. The injured tortoise was found and taken to the El Cajon Animal Shelter to be treated. Photos showed the tortoise strapped to an ambulance stretcher and later slowly crawling in front of a fire truck. The Heartland Fire Department say medics came across the 'rather interesting patient' in the city of El Cajon, just outside San Diego, last Thursday Authorities had appealed for the owner of the lost tortoise to come forward. 'Anyone missing a tortoise?,' they wrote in a Facebook post. 'Heartland Paramedics from AMR came across a rather interesting patient slowly traveling down the sidewalks of El Cajon. 'Unable to outrun the paramedics, and possibly suffering from a little "shell shock" - it was transported to our El Cajon Animal Shelter to be checked out and held until the owner can come by and claim it.' The tortoise was cared for at the shelter until its owner came forward on Saturday to claim his lost pet. A man who claimed he was the victim of a Westminster paedophile ring - sparking a 2.5million inquiry - has appeared in court charged with perverting the course of justice. The 50-year-old 'fantasist' said he was raped and abused in the 1970s and 1980s by powerful men including former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath. He also claimed to have witnessed the murders of three young boys during sex games. The man has appeared at Newcastle upon Tyne magistrates' court (pictured) Operation Midland was launched by Scotland Yard in 2014 to investigate his claims, but was closed in 2016 when no evidence was found to support them. The defendant, only known as 'Nick', appeared at Newcastle upon Tyne magistrates' court yesterday. Nick is charged with 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud. He claims the alleged abuse took place when he was aged between seven and 16. The fraud charge relates to him being awarded 22,000 compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. The 50-year-old 'fantasist' said he was raped and abused in the 1970s and 1980s by powerful men including former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath (pictured) The unidentified man has been charged with fraud and perverting the course of justice following his claims of a Westminster (pictured) paedophile ring Prosecutor Elizabeth Reid told the court he had made allegations of 'sexual and physical abuse by a number of people of public prominence'. 'He also said he witnessed the murders of three young children,' she said Northumbria Police passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service in September last year, which led to the charges being brought against Nick. He will appear against at Newcastle Crown Court on November 19. A young mother who sustained severe brain injuries while 'tram surfing' as a teenager has won 485,000 in compensation. Rebecca Kelly was just 13-years-old when she held onto the outside of a Luas tram in Dublin before falling back and hitting her head on the tracks. Ms Kelly, now 20-years-old, has received a staggering payout from the High Court in Dublin despite admitting the accident was her fault. Rebecca Kelly (left and right), 20, was awarded 485,000 in compensation after sustaining severe brain injuries while 'tram surfing' on a Luas tram in Dublin as a teenager The incident took place on September 3, 2010, as the tram departed Fatima station on the Red Line. After falling onto the tracks Ms Kelly's friends and onlookers rushed to pull her out of the way of an oncoming tram. Through her mother Elizabeth Kelly, the 20-year-old sued the tram operators, Veolia Transport Dublin Light Rail Ltd and Veolia Transport Ireland Ltd, claiming there had not been any adequate visual systems employed. The young mother said that the driver was unable to see the non-platform side of the tram before leaving. She also claimed that the driver had not observed the non-platform side before pulling off. The incident took place on September 3, 2010, as the tram departed Fatima station on the Red Line. Ms Kelly was only 13-years-old at the time The tram company denied any allegation of negligence and added that Ms Kelly had exposed herself to the risk of injury. Bruce Antoniotti, representing Ms Kelly, told the High Court that his client accepted responsibility for the accident and did not want to blame the driver. He called the case 'tragic' and said that the young mother acknowledged she should not have been tram surfing. Mr Justice Cross approved the settlement and told Ms Kelly it was unnecessary to state she had done a 'silly thing' but commended her for her honesty. Between 2005-2010 there have been 54 incidents of 'tram surfing' recorded on Luas trams however metal strips have since been placed on the outside of trams to stop the dangerous practice. Dozens of people have been hospitalized after they fell several feet when the floor of an apartment building collapsed during a party near Clemson University in South Carolina. A huge portion of the floor gave way in the early hours of Sunday morning as the large crowd of partygoers were dancing at Woodlands of Clemson apartment complex. Shocking footage shot from the inside the party showed people jumping while they danced just as the floor collapsed. The crowd was swallowed up as they fell from the first floor into the basement. A huge portion of the floor gave way in the early hours of Sunday morning as the large crowd of partygoers were dancing at Woodlands of Clemson apartment complex in South Carolina People could be heard screaming as they tried to claw their way out of the pool of injured bodies People could be heard screaming as they tried to claw their way out of the pool of injured bodies. Stunned partygoers could be seen peering down into the huge gaping hole. Authorities said 30 people were rushed to nearby hospitals to be treated. The incident occurred on the first floor of the clubhouse - a common area within the apartment complex just three miles from Clemson University. The area had been rented out for a private party. Raven Guerra, a 20-year-old who was at the party, told GMA: 'By the time I had put one foot out the door, I felt that something was weird and that's when everyone just collapsed and the guy behind me disappeared. Shocking footage captured the floor collapsing and swallowing up the crowd as they fell from the first floor into the basement Police tape surrounds the apartment complex after the floor collapse early Sunday The scene of a floor collapse at a Clemson apartment complex. The Clemson Police Department said no one was trapped in the ordeal and none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening 'Everyone was on the floor and people were screaming and there was wood sticking up from the floorboards. 'Turning around and seeing a bunch of people who used to be on the second floor now on the basement was really surreal and people were crying. It was a lot to take in.' The Clemson Police Department said no one was trapped in the ordeal and none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening. Clemson University had won a football game against North Carolina state just hours before the incident occurred. Shocking footage shot from the inside the party showed people jumping while they danced just as the floor collapsed Authorities said 30 people were rushed to nearby hospitals to be treated Witnesses at the scene said some of the people being taken away by paramedics had suffered broken arms and legs President Donald Trump says his plans to scrap a landmark arms control agreement with Russia follows years of violations by Moscow in developing prohibited weapons. Mr Trump said the U.S. are 'not going to be the only one to adhere to it' as he voiced his frustration with the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The Kremlin said the pullout 'would be a very dangerous step' and Germany called the move 'regrettable', but Britain said it stood 'absolutely resolute' with the U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to media before boarding Air Force One at Elko Regional Airport, Nevada, on Saturday The pact prohibits the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 miles to 3,400 miles. It helps protect the security of the U.S. and its allies in Europe and the Far East. Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement on Sunday that it is 'an important pillar of our European security architecture'. He said Trump's announcement 'raises difficult questions for us and Europe' and that Germany is urging Washington to 'consider the possible consequences'. Maas added that Germany has repeatedly urged Moscow to 'clear up the serious allegations of breaching the INF treaty, which Russia has so far not done.' Speaking on Saturday after a rally in Elko, Nevada, Trump said: 'Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years. 'And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to.' The agreement has constrained the U.S. from developing new weapons, but America will do so unless Russia and China agree not to possess or develop them, he said. China is not a party to the pact. Mr Trump added: 'If they get smart and if others get smart and they say let's not develop these horrible nuclear weapons, I would be extremely happy with that, but as long as somebody's violating the agreement, we're not going to be the only ones to adhere to it. Britain's defense secretary, Gavin Williamson, said his country stands 'absolutely resolute' with the United States on the treaty dispute 'We'll have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say let's really get smart and let's none of us develop those weapons, but if Russia's doing it and if China's doing it, and we're adhering to the agreement, that's unacceptable.' Trump is sending his national security adviser John Bolton to Moscow for meetings with Russian leaders, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev. 'This would be a very dangerous step,' Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, was quoted as telling state news agency Tass on Sunday. He said a U.S. withdrawal 'will cause the most serious condemnation from all members of the international community who are committed to security and stability.' But Britain's defense secretary Gavin Williamson said his country stands 'absolutely resolute' with the United States on the treaty dispute. Williamson blamed Russia for endangering the arms control pact and he called on the Kremlin to 'get its house in order.' Williamson told the Financial Times on Sunday that Moscow had made a 'mockery' of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. U.S.-Russia relations already are strained as a result of the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race and upcoming U.S. midterm elections. In 2017 White House national security officials said Russia had deployed a cruise missile in violation of the treaty. Earlier, the Obama administration accused the Russians of violating the pact by developing and testing a prohibited cruise missile. Russia has repeatedly denied that it has violated the treaty and has accused the U.S. of not being in compliance. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis previously suggested that a Trump administration proposal to add a sea-launched cruise missile to America's nuclear arsenal could provide the country with leverage to persuade Russia to come back in line on the arms treaty. Russia's Foreign Ministry said in February that the country would only consider using nuclear weapons in response to an attack involving nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, or in response to a non-nuclear assault that endangered the survival of the Russian nation. An independent Russian political analyst, Dmitry Oreshkin, said: 'We are slowly slipping back to the situation of cold war as it was at the end of the Soviet Union, with quite similar consequences, but now it could be worse because (Russian President Vladimir) Putin belongs to a generation that had no war under its belt.' Trump's decision could prove controversial with European allies and others who see value in the treaty, said Steven Pifer, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who focuses on nuclear arms control. 'Once the United States withdraws from the treaty, there is no reason for Russia to even pretend it is observing the limits,' he wrote in a post on the organization's website. 'Moscow will be free to deploy the 9M729 cruise missile, and an intermediate-range ballistic missile if it wants, without any restraint.' EDL founder Tommy Robinson says he expects to be sent back to prison when he appears for his contempt hearing this week Tommy Robinson says he expects to be sent back to prison - having sacked his legal team ahead of his contempt hearing this week - as it emerges that he benefited from a 'massive payday' of public attention and 2million in donations after his stint in jail earlier this year. The EDL founder was arrested and imprisoned in May after he set up a live Facebook video from outside a court and filmed men of Pakistani origin, who were on trial for their alleged involvement in a Asian sex grooming gang. He was charged with contempt, having broken a reporting ban that was imposed to prevent jurors in one case being influenced by another, because the abusers were dealt with in a series of trials. Robinson's video was viewed on social media 250,000 times within hours. At the time of jailing him, Judge Marson told Robinson his actions could have caused the trial to be re-run, costing 'hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds'. On Friday, 20 gang members were jailed for a combined total of more than 220 years after being convicted of sexually abusing vulnerable girls as young as eleven in Huddersfield. Robinson - whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - was released in August on appeal, pending a hearing at the Old Bailey on Tuesday. Public attention: Following his arrest and conviction, scores of supporters celebrated outside the Royal Courts of Justice when Robinson was released on bail, pending a hearing this month Support: The EDL founder vastly increased his profile - and bank account - following the case Now the 35-year-old far-right activist has revealed he has parted with his solicitors and does not want to admit his guilt, having previously admitted the contempt in August. The Sunday Times reports that Robinson, in an interview with German political blog, PI News, said: 'I sacked my solicitors because they tried to broker a deal where I apologise and I admit guilt, and then if I do that then I go home. 'And I said, I'm never going to do that. 'I'd rather go to jail for the next 25 years than accept guilt for telling the truth.' A return to prison might also prove of benefit to Robinson: After his arrest in May, he received a huge amount of public attention, and according to a former assistant,2m in mostly small donations from supporters around the world. Robinson has told a German political blog that he has sacked his solicitor ahead of his hearing Labour will not bail out Theresa May by voting for her deal just to avoid a crash out without any agreement at all, Sir Keir Starmer warned today. The shadow Brexit secretary said it was not true to say, as the Prime Minister does, that the choice before Parliament will be her deal or no deal. Mrs May faces the real possibility Brexiteer rebels on her own side will ally with Labour to vote down any deal she strikes. Sir Keir told the BBC's Andrew Marr that it would not be enough for Mrs May to return from Brussels with a temporary customs union inside the so-called backstop for Northern Ireland. Mrs May has proposed to the EU that the whole UK should follow the customs union rules if there is no UK-EU trade deal after the Brexit transition period ends. A permanent customs union would end Brexiteer hopes of striking independent trade deals outside the EU. Labour will not bail out Theresa May by voting for her deal just to avoid a crash out without any agreement at all, Sir Keir Starmer (pictured today on the Marr show) warned Sir Keir told the BBC's Andrew Marr (pictured) that it would not be enough for Mrs May to return from Brussels with a temporary customs union inside the so-called backstop for Northern Ireland He told Marr there is a 'real lack of confidence' that Mrs May can bring back 'anything by way of a good deal'. He said it was not in the national interest to back a bad deal. 'What we're going to see is even if there's a deal, the Tory Party will try to rip it up next year - some of them are already saying they're going to do that - so this idea of an historic moment just before Christmas in the national interest isn't going to happen,' he told Marr. 'They will not stop fighting about this.' On whether a temporary customs was enough, Sir Keir said: 'For the time being is not good enough so far as we're concerned. 'But in any event we do not accept this proposition it's that or no deal. And it's not just us. 'There's a huge majority in parliament that will not accept that the alternative to Theresa May's deal or if there is one, is no deal. And that majority will speak when we get to this vote.' Sir Keir and Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab were head to head on the BBC's Marr show today (pictured) Sir Keir insisted he had been assured in private talks in Brussels a UK-EU customs union would be a hard task but was possible. He said: 'I have discussed it across the EU. I'm not going to disclose confidential meetings, but Andrew I would never have surfaced that idea if I'd not had those discussions, not only in Brussels but in other EU countries. 'The idea of a customs union being made to work is something that people are very interested in and they would discuss. 'And it would be a million miles from where we are now. But I would never put that on the table if I hadn't had those discussions.' He added: 'I would not have surfaced this as a Labour Party position if I hadn't had the assurance that this was a negotiation that could be had.' A self-described 'Muslim soldier' has opened up about his dark past and links to notorious criminals but insists he is a 'softy' who can't wait to have more children. Hossein Balapour, known by his 100,000 adoring Instagram fans simply as 'Yakiboy', claims he is often mistaken as a gangster or bikie because of his bad-boy image. But the 28-year-old - who fled to Australia by boat as an Iranian refugee five years ago - insists he's an honest family man who makes a living from social media. Despite his humble upbringing, Mr Balapour boasted about his $65,000 gold and diamond-toothed smile, Versace bedsheets and lavish lifestyle in western Sydney. Scroll down for video A self-described 'Muslim soldier' has opened up about his dark past but insists he is a 'softy' who can't wait to have more children Hossein Balapour, known by his 100,000 adoring Instagram fans simply as 'Yakiboy', has recently welcomed a baby daughter The 28-year-old - who fled to Australia by boat as an Iranian refugee five years ago - insists he's an honest family man 'I like to be, like, tough. People tell me, ''Oh, you tough man.'' I don't want gangster. Everyone tries to be gangster. Try to,' he told Channel Seven's Sunday Night. Mr Balapour claimed police in Tehran, the capital of Iran, tried to convince him to become a standover man for them after spotting him at underground street fights. The jujitsu teacher fled the country in fear and spent five days without food on a boat with the hope of starting afresh in Australia. 'Too many bad memories,' he said, describing the Islamic Republic as a land of 'no opportunities' with an oppressive government which 'rips off the people'. Known as 'Yakiboy' (pictured) the heavily tattooed gym junkie is often mistaken as a 'gangster', bikie or underground figure 'I like to be, like, tough. People tell me, ''Oh, you tough man.'' I don't want gangster. Everyone tries to be gangster. Try to,' he told Sunday Night (pictured) Yakiboy said some people may be jealous of him because 'he's sexy, he's tall, he has a goatee' Once settled in Australia, Yakiboy hit the gym but attracted even more negative attention. Pasquale Barbaro, a known underworld figure with connections to the mafia, bikies and drugs, approached Yakiboy at a gym in Sydney's west. 'I was training by myself at the gym, and he was training there too. And then, uh, we see each other, like, couple of times. ''Hi, bye,'' that's it. And then after, he come to me, said, ''Boy, you look good - train good. Let's train together.'' I wasn't know him. I said, ''OK, let's do it'',' Mr Balapour said. Barbaro, who was accused of working as an informant for the police, was fatally shot in Sydney's inner-west two years ago. 'You know, I didn't care he get killed, because he done a lot of bad - to everyone, not just me. Lots - many boys. Everyone knows,' Yakiboy told Seven's Melissa Doyle. When asked if Barbaro was a police informant, Yakiboy responded adamantly with: 'Everyone knows that.' Once settled in Australia, Yakiboy hit the gym where he attracted even more attention from the wrong people - including notorious underworld figure Pasquale Barbaro Pasquale Barbaro (pictured, left), a known underworld figure with connections to the mafia, bikies and drugs, approached Yakiboy at a gym in Sydney's west Despite knowing the criminal, Yakiboy says he was not connected to the underground world and was focused on making a living as an Instagram model. 'Nah. Maybe look like a bad boy, but... Maybe the people judge with the eyes. Inside very important. My heart. That's for me very, very important,' he said. Mr Balapour admitted his appearance might make him look dangerous, but insisted he's more of a 'softy' than people realise. The 'Muslim soldier' has recently welcomed a beautiful daughter which has inspired him to want more children. Despite having no room for a tattoo dedicated to his daughter, Mr Balapour said she was in his heart and 'that's the best thing'. Despite his humble upbringing, Mr Balapour boasted about his $65,000 gold and diamond-toothed smile, Versace bedsheets and lavish lifestyle in western Sydney Yakiboy admits his appearance might make him look dangerous and like a criminal but he's more of a 'softie' than people realise In an interview with Daily Mail Australia in June, Mr Balapour slammed 'jealous' men who criticised his tattoos as 'haram', or forbidden by the Islamic faith, saying his full-body ink was 'like my skin'. The towering bodybuilder admitted he had bikie friends, but insisted he was not a bikie himself. 'I get a lot of random messages (saying), are you a drug dealer, can you let us know how you make money? 'I never message them back -- I don't want to look bad. 'I'm scary (looking), I don't want people to think I make money from drugs.' He said he was not rich and lived in a two bedroom apartment in Sydney's south with a few lavish decorations. 'I make money from my body.' A couple who flew to Italy for a family wedding were 'held hostage' and forced to take out a 4,000 (3528) loan when they accidentally damaged a marquee. Rosie and Jack Deverson have described the 'terrifying interrogation' they endured at Villa Silvana near Sorrento, in which they were locked behind iron gates for four hours. Their ordeal started when Jack, 24, threw sparklers over a balcony which had not completely gone out, to avoid being burned by them, at the August wedding. But the hot rods landed on the wedding marquee, erected for Rosie's cousin's big day. Rosie and Jack Deverson in Italy in August. The holiday turned into a nightmare when the pair were 'held' for four hours and forced to take out a loan The damage was caused when Jack, 24, accidentally burnt the venue's marquee with sparklers during the cake cutting at Rosie's cousin's wedding reception. Pictured: Rosie and Jack in Italy Sparklers were given to the guests to enjoy at the Villa Silvana but worried about being burned Jack dropped his over the balcony The hot sparkler caused damage to the marquee when it landed on the plastic The couple from Folkestone, Kent, immediately ran down and confessed to the 'minimal damage'. The following day, determined to ensure her cousin's deposit would not be lost, Rosie returned to the venue with her husband. However, what happened next shocked both of them. Office manager Rosie said she was forced to take out a loan via her phone and would not have been allowed to leave otherwise. She told the Daily Star Sunday: 'I had to show my face, it was the decent thing to do to make sure my cousin didn't lose her deposit. The damage caused consisted of three larger burns and some small holes in the marquee It was not clear to the guests where they should dispose of the sparklers at the wedding Rosie Deverson with sister Elle Fitzpatrick (L) and her brothers James and Rory Fitzpatrick Jack and Rosie were subjected to a frightening ordeal and told they will be billed 8000 Office manager Rosie Deverson took out a loan which will take two years to pay off 'But as soon as we got there the gates were locked behind us. It was a horrible situation and we were told the damage would cost 8,000 (7056) to fix. 'They made us sign documents which said we were solely responsible for the damage. 'We were completely intimidated and we would not have been able to leave without paying 4,000 there and then.' The damage was small burn marks, according to the couple who had used the sparklers provided for guests while the cake was being cut. Rosie said: 'I made the payment on their card machine. I felt terrified. I've now got a loan that will take me two years to pay off.' 'I couldn't wait to get home, it was just awful. 'We're both distraught and I never want to go to Italy again. It ruined the wedding for me.' Rosie also claims that venue bosses made the couple hand over their address and passports, and were told to expect a bill for the remainder of the cash at home. Now safely back at home, Rosie and Jack have done all they can to seek legal help from solicitors and have contacted the police both here and in Italy, to no avail. However, the villa staff said they planned to bill them soon for the other half. The Deversons contacted the police in the UK and in Italy and have consulted a lawyer. Heartbroken parents of a mother-to-be who was murdered when heavily pregnant have blasted police and prosecutor blunders that led to her death. Eystna Blunnie, 20, was killed by Tony McLernon, 24, in 2012 after he viciously kicked and stamped on her in the middle of a road in Harlow, Essex. Parents Kevin and Sue Blunnie believe a series of police errors led to the murder of their daughter and her unborn child, who was to be named Rose. Kevin and Sue Blunnie believe a series of police and prosecutor blunders led to the murder of their daughter Eystna Blunnie, 20, was brutally killed on a road near her home in Harlow, Essex, two days before her due date to give birth Their lives were shattered when McLernon, who was jailed for 27 years, killed Miss Blunnie after luring her with a text saying: 'I've got a surprise for you.' Mr Blunnie, 59, went out to look for his daughter and came across the horrific police scene. The couple reveal to the Sunday People that the Crown Prosecution Service mistakes 'cost our daughter her life'. Two month before her death, Miss Blunnie went to the police station in Harlow, Essex, bruised from an assault after McLernon had threatened to kill her because he did not think their baby was his. Miss Blunnie had notes put on her file, saying: 'There are numerous previous incidents (involving McLernon) with numerous previous partners, one of which included a knife. 'He has the potential to seriously harm Eystna, however, they are not living together.' Miss Blunnie (pictured left and right) was known to police to have suffered domestic abuse at the hands of McLernon Despite the warning, the latest assessment which officers had made showed she was at 'medium risk', largely because she was not living with McLernon. At Eystna's inquest, former chief crown prosecutor for the east of England, Grace Ononiwu said McLernon should have been charged with assault. Mrs Blunnie, 56, the Sunday People: 'If he had been charged, we would have been more aware. It wouldn't have happened. There's no "probably" about it.' The couple first met in April 2011 and were engaged a few months later before Miss Blunnie found out she was pregnant. Tony McLernon, 24, was jailed for 27 years for the horrific murder of Miss Blunnie and her unborn baby McLernon was arrested by police two months before Miss Blunnie's death went she went to the police station to report an assault She subsequently left home and when her parents tracked her down six months later they found that she appeared to act differently. McLernon was repeatedly violent towards Miss Blunnie who was now skinny and nervous, wore dirty clothes and had sores on her face. The killer would force her to transfer her benefits straight into his account and banned her from having a bath or flushing the toilet at night. Mrs Blunnie noticed bruises on her daughter's arm and realised that she was being physically beaten. Miss Blunnie had numerous bruises from McLernon and was nervous, skinny and wore dirty clothes The heavily pregnant Miss Blunnie was then lured in the early hours of the morning in 2012 on the false pretenses that she would see his family dog. Unemployed McLernon, fuelled by alcohol and cannabis, forced her to the ground and beat her so badly a passing lorry driver thought she had been hit by a car. Residents living near the scene of the attack, that took place minutes from Miss Blunnie's home, heard her 'horrific' screams and the impact of the blows. The couples' campaigning against domestic abuse has given them a 'purpose' and to help other victims The Blunnies' took hand and footprints of their granddaughter Rose who died alongside her mother in the brutal murder The Blunnies' now mourn their lost granddaughter and took photos and hand prints and footprints of the baby. When Miss Blunnie died, her profile picture on Facebook featured a recent ultrasound scan. She told friends she 'could not wait' to be a mother and added: 'Only 17 days and counting.' Miss Blunnie and her daughter Rose even had separate coffins to show the significance of McLernon's horrific murders. Miss Blunnie and her daughter Rose even had separate coffins to show the significance of their horrific murders The couples' campaigning has led to police wearing body cameras to investigate domestic abuse and the training of officers to identify victims. Mr Blunnie said: 'Campaigning gives us a purpose, to hopefully help even one person and to not let Eystna and Rose be forgotten.' A project was set up which by Harlow Council which was inspired by Miss Blunnie and Rose, and they leave cards with domestic abuse helpline numbers around the area. After the inquest, Essex police said: 'We will review the inquest evidence to see if it can further inform how we deal with domestic abuse.' Liberal Senator Bernie Sanders slammed President Donald Trump as a 'pathological liar' and a 'terrible example' for his seven grandchildren ahead of speculation he may make another presidential bid in 2020. 'I've got four kids, seven grandchildren - young kids - we try to raise our kids to be honest and treat other people with respect and compassion and what kind of terrible example, regardless of your political views - doesn't matter whether you are conservative or progressive - you want your kids to be honest and decent. What kind of terrible example is this person in the White House giving to our children?' Sanders said at the rally in Columbia, South Carolina, on Saturday. The senator was speaking at a conference of Our Revolution SC, the state chapter of the organization that spun off from his unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016. Bernie Sanders slammed President Donald Trump as a 'pathological liar' and a 'terrible example' for his seven grandchildren Sanders is one of several Democrats considering a challenge to President Trump in 2020 The appearance was billed as a 'Medicare for All' rally. And while Sanders did talk about health care, he sounded more like a presidential candidate, thanking his supporters from 2016, throwing red meat remarks to his liberal base, and attacking the president. 'I know this is going to shock you, but Donald Trump lied,' Sanders said of the president's policies as the crowd roared with laughter and applause. There were nearly 1,000 people there to cheer Sanders on, according to the Associated Press. The senator is on a campaign swing for the 2018 midterms, but the trip is filled with hints of what may come in 2020 - taking him through the early voting states of South Carolina, Iowa, and Nevada. He's also making a stop in California - whose state is increasing in importance for the 2020 primary. California's primary date is in the process of being moved up on the calendar, giving it more weight in picking the Democrats' nominee, and Sanders' liberal policies could play well in that state. Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont who caucuses with Democrat, also criticized Trump as an 'embarrassment' and a 'pathological liar.' 'What is an embarrassment to me,' Sanders said at his South Carolina appearance, 'is that we have a president who is a pathological liar.' 'There is no politician in history who doesn't stretch the truth in order to make his or her point, that's politics but we have never had a president who lies all the time and it's quite possible he doesn't even know the difference between a truth and a lie,' he noted. He also said it was 'criminal' the way the president has acted in regard to the climate. 'All he is doing is standing with the fossil fuel industry,' Sanders said. But Sanders said there is one 'core' problem with Trump that concerns him the most. 'Presidents of the United States - whether liberal or conservative - understood that the major responsibility of the president of he United States is to bring people together,' he said. 'Today we have us a president who for cheap political gain - or what he perceives as political gain - is trying to divide us up by the color of our skin, by our gender, by where we were born and by sexual orientation, or by the religion that we practice. It is an absolute disgrace,' Sanders added. Sanders isn't the only potential presidential candidate to show up in South Carolina. Senators Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey have visited South Carolina ahead of 2020 speculation Former Vice President Joe Biden and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg have also visited South Carolina Sanders is on a 2018 campaign swing for Democrats including this stop in Michigan Former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Cory Booker, and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg have all visited the state. Sanders has said he'll make a decision about 2020 after the November midterms. In his remarks on Saturday, he pointedly thanked out those who supported him in his last bid. 'It was no easy task because everyone knows this was a state we were not going to do well in,' he said. In the 2016 South Carolina Democratic primary, Sanders received a scant 26 percent to Hillary Clinton's 74 percent. 'So there are progressives in South Carolina! I was told that nobody would come out to a meeting like this,' Sanders told the cheering crow. 'Thank you all very much for being here.' Britain's top Brexit negotiator is being head hunted by City firms willing to pay him 1million to advise them on quitting the EU. Olly Robbins is the Prime Minister's personal EU adviser and is leading the details negotiations in Brussels. He has been harshly criticised by Brexiteers who believe he is using his senior role in the talks and influence over the PM to force a soft exit from the bloc. Mr Robbins (pictured in Westminster in July) has been furiously criticised by Brexit supporting MPs who believe he is pushing Mrs May to the softest possible deal with Brussels But his role has also made him a desirable hire to financial firms desperate for intelligence on the Brexit deal following exit day next year. Mr Robbins has long been seen as a leading candidate to be Britain's top Civil Servant, the Cabinet Secretary - a powerful post in Downing Street. His high profile role negotiating Brexit may have left him too controversial for the job. Working for a merchant bank or other City firm would also be vastly more profitable. The Cabinet Secretary earns about than 200,000. A source told the Sunday Times: 'Olly has his exit strategy. 'Every man and his dog in the City wants him.' Mr Robbins would not be allowed to lobby his former colleagues in Government. The acting Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill this launched a public attack on Brexiteer critics of Mr Robbins in a rare fightback from Civil Servants. The unusual statement - made in a letter to The Times - was been personally signed off by Theresa May. Mr Robbins has been furiously criticised by Brexit supporting MPs who believe he is pushing Mrs May to the softest possible deal with Brussels. The boss of the Civil Service Mark Sedwill (file image) launched a furious attack on 'shameful' Brexiteers criticising official Olly Robbins in a rare public statement He has also been targeted by vicious anonymous briefings to the press, including The Times last week which branded him 'Rasputin'. Mr Sedwill wrote a formal letter to the paper praising Mr Robbins' 'extraordinary dedication and professionalism'. He blasted: 'The anonymous sources on whose sniping it also draws should be ashamed of themselves, especially in a week when another senior civil servant reported having been threatened because of comments about Brexit implementation. Tory MP Michael Fabricant (file image) told MailOnline Mr Sedwill and other senior civil servants should 'look to themselves' for why they were being criticised 'This has to stop. Civil servants have always trusted that our fellow citizens, whatever their views, know that we are doing our duty to implement the decisions of the governments they elect.' Tory MP Michael Fabricant told MailOnline Mr Sedwill and other senior civil servants should 'look to themselves' for why they were being criticised. He said: 'While I appreciate that vilifying civil servants is undesirable, there is some evidence that the political naivety of the civil servants negotiating team is damaging Brexit progression. 'Only on Sunday when Dominic Raab and Geoffrey Cox had to intervene to stop civil servants from agreeing an unworkable EU solution unacceptable to Parliament and the British public. 'Top civil servants need to look to themselves rather than bleating in the press.' Mr Robbins, who Mrs May appointed as her personal Brexit adviser last year, helped draw up the Chequers strategy, which is threatening to split her party. Last 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 at the Salzburg summit in September 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. In evidence to MPs last month, Mr Robbins refused to say whether he believed leaving the EU would be a 'good thing'. A $17,000-a-year Melbourne private school has decided to ban young girls from wearing skirts or dresses. Teachers at the exclusive school claim the change will lead girls to participate more in school life. The move by Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School came after they conducted an 18-month audit and found the uniform its female pupils were asked to wear was not 'fit for purpose'. It is believed to be the first policy of its kind in Victoria. $17,000-a-year Melbourne private school Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar (pictured) has decided to ban young girls from wearing skirts or dresses - with teachers claiming it will lead to them participating more in school life The traditional school uniform for girls will be replaced with pants for pupils in kindergarten, prep and year one. A choice including shorts, jumpers, shirts and dresses will be available for girls from year two and upwards, according to The Herald Sun. Principal Elisabeth Rhodes said: 'We know research that points to the fact young girls are not as active as their male counterparts and we looked at things that might inhibit them.' 'We wanted to encourage them if they wanted to hang upside down on the monkey bars or run around outside. 'A change was needed.' The new pants have been custom-designed for girls, according to Ms Rhodes, and a year-round wardrobe has been designed for pupils to reflect the school's contemporary values. The traditional school uniform for girls will be replaced with pants for pupils in years one and two (stock image) Lowther Hall's policy change comes after Victoria implemented new laws last year mandating all state schools to give girls the choice of wearing either pants or shorts (stock image) Lowther Hall's policy change comes after Victoria implemented new laws last year mandating all state schools to give girls the choice of wearing either pants or shorts. Private schools were exempted from the rules, however, and school councils are still responsible for deciding dress codes. The laws were partly inspired by six-year-old Catholic school student Asha Cariss - who won the right to wear trousers at school in 2016 after her mother launched an online petition. There are more than five times as many Russian intelligence officers now than there were during the Cold War, according to a report uncovered by Andrew Gilligan for The Sunday Times. The findings come from a report to be published next week by the Henry Jackson Society think tank following their interviews with former intelligence officials. The report will reveal that there are an estimated 200 spies in the UK and at least 500 agents providing information. The figures come amid an increasing fear of Russian infiltration and espionage in the country following the attempted murders of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March this year. The report, authored by Dr Andrew Foxall uncovered an estimated 200 spies in the UK and at least 500 agents The father and daughter, who were poisoned with a military grade Novichok nerve agent, were discovered unconscious on a bench in Salisbury on March 4 before rescue services were called to the scene. Months later police were investigating a second case of Novichok poisoning after victims Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley were exposed to the nerve agent. Mother-of-three Mrs Sturgess, 44, died after her exposure to the lethal poison. Two Russian men, travelling under the names of Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, were later charged for the poisoning in Salisbury, Wiltshire. Following the attempted murder of the former KGB spy Sergei Skripal, 23 suspected intelligence officers were expelled from the UK. However the report will expose that about half of the 56 accredited Russian diplomats still in London are still believed to be involved in intelligence work. It comes amid an increasing fear of Russian infiltration and espionage in the country following the attempted murders of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March this year It will also unveil that there are several spies based at the Russian trade delegation office in Highgate and the Rossotrudnichestvo cultural centre in Kensington High Street. Author of the report Andrew Foxall said that the capital is 'ill-equipped' to deal with the worrying espionage figure and calls for the country to follow the steps similar to those in Estonia, according to The Sunday Times. In Estonia an annual report is published naming those working for organisations with links to Russian intelligence. The concerning figure marks a significant rise to that recorded in 2010. In 2010 the MI5 had said the number of Russian intelligence officers in London was at the same level as in Soviet times. On their website they had written: 'We estimate that at least 20 foreign intelligence services are currently operating in the UK against UK interests. The Russian and Chinese intelligence services are particularly active, and currently present the greatest concern.' Former Wikileaks whistleblower Chelsea Manning is recovering from gender transition surgery. Manning, 30. shared a photo, which shows her lying in a hospital in a gown, on Twitter on Saturday afternoon. '[A]fter almost a decade of fighting - thru [sic] prison, the courts, a hunger strike, and thru [sic] the insurance company - I finally got surgery this week,' the caption read. So far, the photo has received more than 24,000 likes and has been shared more than 1,200 times. Scroll down for video Chelsea Manning, 30. shared a photo, which shows her lying in a hospital in a gown, on Twitter on Saturday afternoon During a public appearance in the UK earlier this month, Manning (left and right) spoke about how living in the U.S. feels like a prison. Recently, she placed her name in the running for a US Senate seat in Maryland, but lost in the Democratic primary During a public appearance in the UK earlier this month, Manning spoke about how living in the U.S. feels like a prison. 'This whole notion that you get out of prison and you are free now turned out to be a bit of a downer in that sense,' she said on Monday at the Royal Institution in London, she said. 'Because what happened, we really built this large, big prison, which is the United States, in the meantime - it was already happening, it just really intensified. She said that the surveillance system and police officers are not much different from her life in a cell. 'You think about the surveillance systems, the cameras, or the police presence and you think about the fact that we have walls around our country, and that is very much the same thing that is inside a prison,' she told the crowd. 'I see a lot of similarities between the world out here and the world that was in there.' Manning (pictured, August 2018) served seven years of a 35-year-sentence after she leaked more than 750,000 classified and sensitive military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks in 2010 At the time of her arrest, she was known as Private Bradley Manning. In January 2017, her sentence was commuted by then-President Barack Obama. Picturd: Manning in October 2012 Manning served seven years of a 35-year-sentence after she leaked more than 750,000 classified and sensitive military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks in 2010. At the time of her arrest, she was known as Private Bradley Manning. In 2013, she came out as transgender. In January 2017, her sentence was commuted by then-President Barack Obama. Then-President-elect Donald Trump took to Twitter calling her a 'traitor' who should never have been released from prison. When asked by the Press Association about whether she regretted her decision to leak the files, Manning replied : 'I did what I did because of what I had available to me. 'In that timeframe, what I knew and what I understood, and the background that I had and who I am, the values set that I have, and also the short time that I had to make decisions. 'The way I see it, is I don't go back in time...what I really try to tell people is that if I had done anything differently it would have been a completely different person.' Recently, Manning placed her name in the running for a US Senate seat in Maryland, but lost in the Democratic primary A Texas toddler is lucky to be alive after he was partially scalped when he was dragged for 35 feet under a reversing car while playing outside his home. Two-year-old Sage Wilson was left serious injured when a large portion of his scalp was ripped off as a family friend accidentally drove over him last month. The little boy spent two weeks in Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth following the ordeal and has undergone multiple surgeries to treat his gruesome wound and skull fracture. Sage has had surgery to cut a portion of his skull that had gravel embedded in it and a graft to transplant skin from one side of his scalp to the other. Scroll down for video Two-year-old Sage Wilson was left serious injured when a large portion of his scalp was ripped off as a family friend accidentally drove over him in Fort Worth, Texas last month Despite the surgeries, Sage will be scarred for life and will never grow hair on that part of his head again. The toddler currently has to wear a wound vac 24 hours a day, which is a device to help his would heal cleanly. His mother, Jamie Wilson, said her son is a 'little miracle'. 'I do feel that it could have been so much worse. He's in high spirits despite everything he's been through. He doesn't understand what has happened,' she said. Wilson said the accident happened on September 27 when she was watching Sage and her other two children play on a swing set in their front yard with her friend. She said she went inside to use the bathroom for five minutes but her friend decided to leave and reversed over Sage on the driveway. Wilson said her friend didn't even realize she had run over the little boy and dragged him before driving off. The little boy spent two weeks in Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth following the ordeal and has undergone multiple surgeries to treat his gruesome wound and skull fracture The toddler currently has to wear a wound vac 24 hours a day, which is a device to help his would heal cleanly Sage has had surgery to cut a portion of his skull that had gravel embedded in it She said she came back outside to find a screaming Sage covered in blood with his skull exposed on the left side. 'There was blood everywhere and the skin had been completely pulled off a part of the left side of his head, so much so that I could see a large part of his skull,' she said. 'I screamed when I saw Sage's injuries.' Wilson and her husband Blake started rushing to the hospital before emergency services advised them to pull over and wait for an ambulance. 'He was conscious in the car but everything was covered in blood,' Wilson said. Sage was then transferred to an emergency helicopter so doctors could perform surgery as soon as he arrived at the hospital. 'They said he was lucky because if a rock had hit a major blood vessel the situation would have been so much worse,' Wilson said. Despite the surgeries, Sage will be scarred for life and will never grow hair on that part of his head again Sage, pictured prior to the accident, will have to undergo multiple surgeries in the future to help treat his injuries Sage was dragged 35-feet down the driveway (above) when his mother's friend left their home 'He went into surgery for three hours and they cleaned out his wound. 'On October 4 he had a skin graft from one side of his head to the other to help close the wound. He will never grow hair on those parts of his head again. He also fractured the back of his skull.' Despite her son's horror injuries, Wilson said she doesn't blame her friend for the accident. 'After my son had gotten the helicopter I text my friend to tell her she had run him over, she had no idea,' she said. 'It was a complete accident and I know that. We are still friends. She feels terrible.' Grayson County Sheriff's office who attended to the scene confirmed that they have deemed the incident an accident. A GoFundMe page has been set up for Sage to help cover medical costs. President Donald Trump is down playing his son-in-law Jared Kushner's friendship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the wake of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death, saying they are just 'two young guys' who are 'the same age.' He also said Kushner barely knows MBS - the crown prince is known by his initials - even though the two men have had several one-on-one meetings and are reported to communicate with each other via WhatsApp - a private messaging system. 'They're two young guys. Jared doesn't know him well or anything. They are just two young people. They are the same age. They like each other, I believe,' the president told The Washington Post. Kushner is 37 and MBS is 33. President Donald Trump, flanked by White House senior advisor Jared Kushner, meets with Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh in May 2017. Trump is down playing his son-in-law's close relationship with the prince Jared Kushner was key to Trump's first foreign visit as president, which took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in May 2017 Trump's new tone on the two comes as Saudi Arabia admits Khashoggi, the dissident writer who worked for The Washington Post, died in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul after days of denial. But the details of what happened have changed repeatedly and officials are questioning the versions of the story and the crown prince's role in the matter. The president is said to be frustrated that his son-in-law's close relationship with the crown prince has become a liability in the international crisis and has left him with no good options. Kushner, a senior adviser in the Trump administration, has been urging the president to stand by the prince, according to The New York Times, arguing the crown prince can survive this just as he has survived past criticism. MSB and Kushner held their first White House meeting in March 2017. They have had additional face-to-face meetings at least four more times and are said to have bonded given their close ages and powerful positions within their families. Trump, meanwhile, was heavily critical of Saudi's explanation for Khashoggi's death, telling The Post 'obviously there's been deception, and there's been lies.' But he also defended the Kingdom as an 'incredible ally' and kept open the possibility that MBS did not order Khashoggi killed. It has been alleged he was behind the order. 'Nobody has told me he's responsible. Nobody has told me he's not responsible. We haven't reached that point . . . I would love if he wasn't responsible,' Trump said. Kushner was reported to have spoken with MBS after Khashoggi disappeared - but before his death was confirmed - and urged him to launch a full investigation into the matter. But he has kept his role behind the scenes, not accompanying Secretary of State Mike Pompeo when he went to Riyadh last week. Khashoggi went missing after entering the Saudi consulate on October 2 to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. Saudi Arabia originally said Khashoggi left the Embassy but Turkish officials claimed the journalist was tortured and killed. The Kingdom changed its story several times on what happened to Khashoggi. According to the latest version, the government wanted to convince Khashoggi, who moved to Washington a year ago fearing reprisals for his views, to return to as part of a campaign to prevent Saudi dissidents from being recruited by the country's enemies, an official. So they put together a 15-member team from the intelligence and security forces to go to Istanbul, meet Khashoggi at the consulate and try to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia. They claim Khashoggi struggled with them. During the fight, his mouth was covered as part of their efforts to restrain him and he choked and died, they claimed. President Trump meets with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House in March 2017 Jared Kushner is said to have developed a close relationship with the prince Skeptics have asked why so many people, including military officers and a forensics expert specializing in autopsies, were part of the operation if the objective was to convince Khashoggi to return home of his own volition. President Trump and his administration has treaded carefully on the issue as international outrage against the Kingdom grows. There are $110 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia on the table and Trump said last week he does not want to jeopardize jobs and business for Americans by punishing Saudi Arabia, if it was responsible, with sanctions that affect the purchase of weapons. Amid the growing crisis for the Saudi Kingdom and reports focusing on the friendship of Kushner with MBS, comes the president's efforts to down play the relationship between the two men. But Kushner cultivated ties with MBS early on in his time in the Trump White House, when his portfolio of issues was developed to include foreign and domestic policy. Trump's son-in-law took on the job of drafting a peace framework in the Middle East between the Israelis and Palestinians. He worked with MBS in the hopes of getting Saudi backing for his plan. Kushner was also key in arranging Trump's first foreign visit at president, which took place in May 2017 in Riyadh, where the president was welcomed with all extravagant displays of royal pageantry. He's also visited Saudi Arabia on his own, including during a tour of the Gulf in June. And MBS, in return has visited the White House, where's he had lunch with Kushner and the president. MBS was appointed crown prince in 2017 by a royal decree from King Salman, an aging ruler who is thought to be a figurehead. Trump dismissed the king is ill. 'I spoke to him two days ago, he's very sharp, he's a wise man, he's a wise person,' he told The Post. The crown prince has promoted reforms in the Kingdom but his talk was met with skepticism in the wake of several critics in his country being imprisoned and tortured. Craig Minogue, now 56, was convicted for the 1986 bombing of the Russell Street Police Headquarters in Melbourne The notorious Russell Street bomber has declared he has 'no allegiance or loyalty' to Australia and asked to be deported to the United Kingdom as he begs to be released from jail early. Craig Minogue, now 56, was convicted for the 1986 bombing of the Russell Street Police Headquarters in Melbourne and was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 30 years. The March 27 bombing injured 21 people and killed police Constable Angela Taylor, who was engulfed in fire. Minogue was jailed for life in 1988, with a non-parole period of 28 years, for murdering policewoman Angela Taylor in the deadly car blast. This week Minogue, whose 28-year non-parole period expired in September 2016, will launch a bid to the High Court to challenge a legislative where police killers will be denied parole under laws by the Victorian government. The Age obtained recordings of Minogue saying he has 'done more than anyone in the history of Australia to rehabilitate myself'. 'I went from being a functionally illiterate criminal outsider to a person with a research PhD in ethics and human and social services,' he said. The March 27, 1986 bombing injured 21 people and killed police Constable Angela Taylor (pictured), who was engulfed in fire Minogue was jailed for life in 1988, with a non-parole period of 28 years, for murdering policewoman Angela Taylor in a car bomb blast at Russell Street Paramedics arrive at the scene of the bombing, which occurred about 1pm on March 27, 1986 He has repeatedly called on Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to denounce is Australian citizenship, claiming he has 'never felt any affinity' with Australia and has an 'inalienable right' to be registered as a British citizen. He denies his bid for deportation is a stunt, tweeting on October 19: 'I hope Peter Dutton relieves me of the burden of Australian Citizenship'. The Home Affairs Department is requesting proof of Minogue's British citizenship - which he claims he become on January 1, 1983, by descent at birth - before renouncing his approving his renunciation. 'I inherited UK citizenship by the circumstances of my birth & I am a dual Aust /UK citizen, just as Fiona Nash & members of the Federal Parliament were. Peter Dutton is considering my application to renounce Aust. Citizenship so my deportation is an option,' he tweeted on October 10. Minogue has repeatedly called on Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to denounce is Australian citizenship claiming he has 'never felt any affinity' with Australia Following the legislation changes by the Andrews Government, Minogue won an appeal in June 2018, where the High Court ruled the law did not apply to him A spokeswoman for the British High Commission in Canberra told the publication that she could not comment on specific cases. She said the Home Office in London was responsible for all UK immigration and citizenship matters. Following the legislation changes by the Andrews Government, Minogue won an appeal in June 2018, where the High Court ruled the law did not apply to him. 'The plaintiff was no sentenced on that basis,' the judge said at the time. 'The offence committed was indiscriminate and no particular person or class of persons was targeted.' Minogue is expected to file a writ to the High Court against the laws which are 'effectively seeking to re-sentence me'. A desperate search is carrying on throughout the night for a missing nine-year-old boy after he went missing on Sunday evening. Zion Flaws was last seen at around 8pm on Sunday evening on Greer Crescent, Tawa, Wellington on New Zealand's north island. Police said the boy is wearing a grey Fila t-shirt, blue jean shorts and white converse shoes. A desperate search is carrying on throughout the night for missing nine-year-old boy Zion Flaws (pictured) after he went missing on Sunday evening Zion's family and police have serious concerns for the boy's safety. A spokesman for NZ Police told Daily Mail Australia at 2am on Monday morning the search was still ongoing and the boy had not yet been found. Anyone who has seen Zion or has any information as to his whereabouts is urged to ring police on 111. Advertisement One week after hundreds of tonnes of chalk came crashing down onto a beach from crumbling cliff edges - hapless walkers have ignored warnings to once again diced with death by walking over them. Signs are erected around the coastline telling visitors to stay well away from the huge drops - but the repeated advice is being disregarded despite the very real danger, images show. This weekend, dog walkers and couples strolling around Seaford Head in Sussex were spotted getting extremely close to the edges, up to 79ft feet above the beach. Just one week ago, Newhaven Coastguard Rescue Team warned the public to remain far away from the edges when walking after a major rockfall. Officials warned there was the possibility of more falls after the period of heavy rain, which increases the risk of cliff instability and makes cliff falls more likely. A dog walker and her pet come close to the edge of the cliffs at at Seaford Head in Sussex which, like many others in the UK, can crumble quickly A walker could be spotted moving backwards on top of the cliffs in Sussex where people have been warned to stay well away from the edge Walkers look over the cliff edge despite the huge risk of falling down the sheer drop onto the ground below Exactly one week since hundreds of tons of chalk feel from cliffs at Seaford Head in Sussex walkers were once again putting themselves in danger this weekend Seven Sisters cliff where there was recently a large rockfall. Despite cliff edge warnings people continue to walk close to the edge A spokesman for Sussex Council said: "The chalk cliffs are in a constant process of erosion caused by the sea and weather. Cliff falls can occur at any time of year and can be of a significant size such as the 50,000 ton fall which occurred at Seaford Head during the summer of 2017. There have been similar issues in Dorset. Despite warnings all summer - and reports of injuries from falling rocks - people are still getting as close to the edge as they can -with some even posing for selfies. In August, a teenage girl was airlifted to hospital after part of a cliff overlooking Happisburgh beach in Norfolk collapsed and fell on top of her. In the same area a 27-year-old climber broke his ankle after plunging 40ft onto rocks below. Hundreds of tonnes of chalk fell from the cliff edge down into then water yet walkers continue to come within inches of the edge The Liberal Party's briefly revived hopes of hanging onto the seat of Wentworth appear to have been dashed, with independent Kerryn Phelps expected to keep her lead once postal votes are tallied and booths are recounted. Dr Phelps celebrated on Saturday night after early results showed a swing of more than 20 per cent against Liberal candidate Dave Sharma in the by-election sparked by the resignation of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The margin quickly narrowed to just 884 votes on Sunday as postal votes were recounted and pre-poll results were released, briefly raising Liberal hopes of a turnaround in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs. Recounts at Bondi Beach, Bellevue Hill and Vaucluse only boosted Dr Phelps' margin. Independent Dr Kerryn Phelps celebrated on Saturday night after achieving a swing of more than 20 per cent against Liberal candidate Dave Sharma in the Wentworth by-election (pictured) The margin quickly narrowed to just 884 votes on Sunday with postal votes counted and the release of four large pre-poll voting centres at about midnight (pictured: Scott Morrison and Liberal candidate Dave Sharma at Wentworth by-election function on Saturday evening) On Sunday night, Dr Phelps was leading Mr Sharma, 51.1 per cent to 48.9 per cent after preferences, with 37,700 votes to her Liberal opponent's 36,084, updated Australian Electoral Commission figures showed. So far, the high-profile independent, who previously led the Australian Medical Association and campaigned for gay marriage, has achieved an 18.9 per cent swing against the government. It's the biggest swing against a sitting federal government at a by-election since 1992. ABC election analyst Antony Green said it should be enough for Dr Phelps to hold on to the victory. 'Kerryn Phelps is ahead and she's probably just far enough ahead to survive the trend of the further postal votes,' Mr Green said. 'Scrutineer reports coming to me that the preference check count at Bondi Beach has widened Phelps' lead by 679 votes,' Mr Green tweeted on Sunday afternoon. Dr Phelps' lead was estimated to be roughly 1,600 votes as of Sunday night, but the official results may not be known for days. Amid the chaos, the Liberal recriminations began, with both the conservative and moderate wings of the party blaming each other, The Australian reported. Moderates Trent Zimmerman, Jason Falinski and Tim Wilson, who represent affluent Liberal electorates, urged Prime Minister Scott Morrison to work towards meeting the Paris emissions targets on climate change. Mr Zimmerman, a North Sydney MP, said the 'the Liberal base in Wentworth abandoned us' after the ousting of Mr Turnbull and said the biggest policy problem during the campaign was the confused climate change and energy policies. 'Following the collapse of the national energy guarantee, the government will have to do more to outline how we will meet our Paris targets,' Mr Zimmerman said. Mr Wilson, who represents the Melbourne electorate of Goldstein, said voters expected the government takes climate change seriously. 'There's clearly a strong protest vote against removing Malcolm, but I know from my own voters there is a justified expectation we take reducing emissions seriously and develop a credible policy that helps drive investment to grow the economy, reduces prices and cuts emissions. And it is a view I share,' Mr Wilson told The Australian. ABC election analyst Antony Green said it should be enough for Dr Phelps to hold on to the victory (pictured: Dr Phelps celebrating at her Wentworth by-election function on Saturday evening) According to the ABC election count, Dr Phelps had a lead of more than 1,600 votes after preferences at around 7pm on Sunday evening but Mr Green said the official result may not be known for days (pictured: Liberal candidate Dave Sharma) Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has openly acknowledged the voter dissatisfaction with his party following the axing of Malcolm Turnbull, said the result wasn't final and would depend on the count. 'We will just simply wait for that normal, robust, democratic, credible process to follow its course before we are in a position to know who the successful candidate will be at that by-election,' Mr Morrison said. 'The event of two months ago angered and outraged many Liberals and particularly those in the seat of Wentworth. That's on us, the parliamentary Liberal Party.' Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the result was 'deeply disappointing' and the Liberal party had been punished by the leadership spill in August. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has openly acknowledged the voter dissatisfaction with party following the axing of Malcolm Turnbull, said the result wasn't final and would depend on the count If Dr Phelps is confirmed the winner, there will be a crossbench of six members in the House of Representatives with Labor holding 69 seats and the coalition one short of a majority with 75 If Dr Phelps is confirmed the winner, the Liberal-National coalition will be reduced to 75 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives, with Labor holding 69 and the other six held by independents and minor parties. That would necessitate agreement with the crossbenchers to get any legislation passed, and left the government vulnerable to a no-confidence motion. Dr Phelps had previously said she could support such a motion before later backtracking. 'All governments should go full term unless there are exceptional circumstances, and the next election is due in May next year and that's time enough,' Dr Phelps said. On Sunday, she repeated she would provide stability but not tick off on government legislation. 'I''ll support good legislation. I would reject bad legislation,' she told the Nine Network. Dr Phelps said she her two priorities would be action on climate change and getting asylum seeker children out of detention in Nauru. Amid the chaos, moderate Liberal MPs have called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to take action on climate change Five men have been arrested and charged for their part in a an illicit tobacco importing synicate. The Australian Border Force (AFB) managed to catch the men after months of surveillance. The total amount of duty evaded is estimated $6.7million, the AFB said last night. After months of surveillance, the Australian Border Force (ABF) put a stop to a major tobacco (pictured) smuggling ring Five men were arrested in regards to the multi-million dollar crime syndicate, operating out of Sydney's south-west Four tonnes of loose leaf tobacco, over three million cigarettes, and a sea cargo consignment of 340,000 cigarettes were seized by the Border Force. Evidence gathered during armed raids lead authorities to a shipping container where the tobacco was hidden. Out of the five men, investigators allege three of them were delivery drivers hired by the syndicate ringleaders. Fake addresses were put on packages disguised as toilets and speakers in order to get into the country. All five men aged 28, 34, 36, 36 and 61, have been charged with either importing or possessing smuggled tobacco under the Customs Act 1901. It's believed the cigarettes are counterfeits purchased for just a few dollars in Asian markets, but are sold in Australia for ten times the price. Four tonnes of loose leaf tobacco, over three million cigarettes and a sea cargo consignment of 340,000 cigarettes were seized by the Border Force All five men have been charged with either importing or possessing illegally smuggled tobacco ABF Investigations Commander Clinton Sims said if the men got away with the operation, the profit could fund future crimes. 'We are talking about thousands of packages we've detected over the past 10 months, containing four tonnes of loose leaf tobacco and three million cigarettes, which would have defrauded the Commonwealth of millions of dollars of legitimate revenue,' Commander Sims said. 'The arrest of these individuals, including delivery drivers, should send a clear message to organised crime groups about the ABF's ability to investigate, detect and disrupt illicit tobacco, anywhere in the supply chain.' Commander Sims urges Australians not to buy illegal cigarettes, as they would then be supporting a market dominated by criminal syndicates. The maximum penalty for tobacco smuggling is ten years imprisonment or a fine of up to five times the amount of duty evaded. The maximum penalty for tobacco smuggling is ten years imprisonment or a fine of up to five times the amount of duty evaded Shocking footage has revealed prisoners taking drugs, displaying mobile phones and violently hitting each other in UK prisons. Footage from several jails across the country has highlighted the crisis faced by the current prison system. A video taken from within Liverpool jail shows one prisoner laid zombie-like on the floor and shaking as another stumbles around the room smoking from a pipe thought to contain the drug Spice, reports the Sunday Mirror. Shocking footage has shown prisoners inside Liverpool jail laying zombie-like on the floor (left) and embarrasing other inmates by pulling down their shorts (right) The man with a tattoo on his left arm tries to grab hold of a wall for support as he moves around but another man humiliates him and pulls down his shorts. One giggling inmate in the room says: 'This is what you get, the consequences of smoking Spice.' As the man starts to come round a bucket of water is thrown over him while in the other corner of the room the man in black shorts and socks is completely unaware of what is happening. This alarming clip has been sent to The Ministry of Justice along with other shocking footage from within Buckley Hall jail in Lancashire, Pentonville in North London and Featherstone jail in Staffordshire. Mark Fairhurst, national chair of the Prison Officers' Association, said: 'The POA are dismayed but by no means shocked. He added that the POA have asked for security to be upped so that 'everybody entering' a prison would be 'searched in the same way as at an airport.' A stash of phones are shown off by brazen inmates at Buckley Hall jail. Also seen is drugs said to be cocaine, vials of steroids, bag of Spice and syringes One inmate (left) can be seen smoking a drug in what looks like a toilet cubicle before stumbling out as his 'pals' laugh. A prisoner at Pentonville (right) can also be seen being hit repeatedly over the head in another shocking clip In the clips from Buckley Hall jail brazen inmates show off their stash of mobile phones, drugs said to be cocaine, vials of steroids, bag of Spice and syringes. A man can be heard describing the haul and saying: 'HMP Buckley Hall, belting, what a jail.' A video said to be filmed in 2017 from inside Pentonville shows a prisoner being repeatedly hit over the head as others watch. Labour's Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon said: 'The shocking footage shows the chaos in our prisons. They are in crisis, fuelled by the Tories' reckless cuts agenda.' The Ministry of Justice confirmed the Liverpool video was under 'urgent investigation.' A spokesperson told the Mirror: 'This is absolutely unacceptable. Anyone found behaving in this way can expect to spend significantly longer behind bars. 'To stop drugs from entering prisons we are investing 40million in safety and security, 14million each year targeting organised crime and a further 2million to detect and block mobile phones.' Russian authorities are encouraging farmers from South Africa to move abroad in the hope of boosting the country's agricultural industry. This follows the announcement from the council for the city of Ekurhuleni to seize acres of land from private owners to build housing. This summer South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he wanted to change the country's constitution to allow expropriations, a move which received widespread condemnation throughout the country. Russian authorities are encouraging South Africans to move abroad in the hope of boosting the country's agricultural industry following President Cyril Ramaphosa (above) expropriation laws Putin's government has already removed the tourist visa requirements for South Africans enabling them buy potential homes Critics said the plans, which allows the authorities to seize white-owned land without giving compensation, was evident of the government not respecting the rule of law. However the plans could now see Russia benefit and acquire skilled labourers, with experts travelling to the country to talk about trade with locals. According to The Daily Star Vladimir Poluboyarenko, a government liaison from the Stavropol region in southern Russia, said: 'I want them to know that Russia can be their mother country, too.' The Russian Government have also removed the tourist visa requirements for South Africans enabling them to buy potential homes. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses people during a hand over of 4,586 hectares of land to the community of KwaMkwanazi in Empangeni In August white farmers in South Africa were seen trying to flog their land as fears grew that the government was about to start a widespread campaign of seizures. Two farms in the north of the country reportedly became the first targets for seizures after talks between the government and owners about buying the land broke down. Agri SA union, which represents mainly white commercial farmers, warned that the land expropriations may rob South Africa. According to The Daily Star Omri van Zyl, of agricultural industry association AgriSA, said: 'The Russian agricultural sector is very interesting to us, and we are also interested in the Russian market. 'The Russians support us very much from this point of view, because you have already been through this.' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to reveal the 'naked truth' over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. 'We are looking for justice here and this will be revealed in all its naked truth, not through some ordinary steps but in all its naked truth,' Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul on Sunday. He said he will announce details of the Turkish investigation into Khashoggi's death on Tuesday. Saudi authorities conceded on Saturday that Khashoggi, the Washington Post columnist and a critic of the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed inside the kingdom's Istanbul diplomatic compound. Their admission came after a fortnight of denials with the insistence that the journalist left the consulate alive. Scroll down for video Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (pictured) has vowed to reveal the 'naked truth' over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi Turkish officials have claimed they believe that 15 Saudi men who arrived in Istanbul on two flights on October 2 - the day when Khashoggi entered the consulate - were connected to his death. Riyadh said it fired five top officials and arrested 18 other Saudis as a result of the initial investigation. 'Why did those 15 men come here? Why were 18 people arrested?' Erdogan asked in Istanbul. He said he would make a full statement on the case when he would address his ruling party MPs in parliament on Tuesday. The Turkish leader has so far refrained from making strong statements about the death of Khashoggi, often referring to a prosecutors' investigation into the killing. Analysts see this as an attempt to avoid provoking a full rupture of relations with Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities conceded on Saturday that Khashoggi (pictured) was killed inside the kingdom's Istanbul diplomatic compound 'We are looking for justice here and this will be revealed in all its naked truth, not through some ordinary steps but in all its naked truth,' Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul on Sunday Erdogan's remarks come as the Foreign Office on Sunday issued a joint statement from Britain, Germany and France condemning Khashoggi's killing, saying there is an 'urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened.' In a statement, the governments said attacks on journalists are unacceptable and 'of utmost concern to our three nations.' They said the 'hypotheses' proposed so far in the Saudi investigation need to be backed by facts to be considered credible. They stressed that more efforts are needed in order to establish the truth, and added that they reserve judgment until they receive further explanation. 'The violent death of Jamal Khashoggi, within the premises of the Saudi Consulate General in Istanbul had been feared for many days but its confirmation still comes as a shock,' the statement said. Turkish officials believe 15 Saudi men who arrived in Istanbul on two flights on October 2 - the day when Khashoggi (pictured) entered the consulate - were connected to his death 'Nothing can justify this killing and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms. 'Defending freedom of expression and a free press are key priorities for Germany, the United Kingdom and France. 'The threatening, attacking or killing of journalists, under any circumstances, is unacceptable and of utmost concern to our three nations.' It added: 'Our thoughts are today with Mr Khashoggi's family, his fiancee, and his friends - who have worried about him for weeks, and to whom we extend our most heartfelt condolences.' It added: 'We take note of the Saudi statement which gives their preliminary findings. 'Yet there remains an urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened on October 2nd beyond the hypotheses that have been raised so far in the Saudi investigation, which need to be backed by facts to be considered credible. 'We thus stress that more efforts are needed and expected towards establishing the truth in a comprehensive, transparent and credible manner. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, was a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman 'We will ultimately make our judgement based on the credibility of the further explanation we receive about what happened and our confidence that such a shameful event cannot and will not ever be repeated. 'We therefore ask for the investigation to be carried out thoroughly until responsibilities are clearly established and that there is proper accountability and due process for any crimes committed.' 'We will stay in close contact with our Saudi partners in that regard. 'The quality and significance of the relationship we have with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also rests with the respect we have for the norms and values to which the Saudi authorities and us are jointly committed under international law.' The wife of Mexican drug lord El Chapo has been living the life of luxury as her husband sits in a New York prison awaiting trial. Emma Coronel, a former Mexican beauty queen, regularly showcases her glamorous life in photos posted on her social media account. In recent months, the 29-year-old has shared photos of herself beach-side in a bikini, soaking up the sun in Los Cabos and showing off her Prada purses. El Chapo's wife Emma Coronel, a former Mexican beauty queen, regularly showcases her glamorous life in photos posted on her social media account In recent months, the 29-year-old has shared photos of herself beach-side in a bikini, soaking up the sun in Los Cabos and showing off her Prada purses In one photo on Instagram, Emma also posed alongside her twin daughters who were each brandishing designer handbags. The mother-of-two made headlines just last month for the elaborate Barbie-themed birthday party she threw for their seven-year-old daughters, Emaly and Maria. The party featured huge arches made of pink balloons and an abundance of Barbie paraphernalia. 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. Some Mexicans reacted with fury after news of the lavish birthday party emerged as they accused the former beauty queen of using 'blood money' from her 61-year-old husband's drug empire. In one photo on Instagram, Emma also posed alongside her twin daughters who were each brandishing designer handbags The former Mexican beauty queen regularly showcases her glamorous life in photos posted on her social media account as her husband remains in prison Mexican drug lord El Chapo's twin daughters have just celebrated their 7th birthday with an elaborate Barbie-themed party The party featured an abundance of Barbie paraphernalia, including personalized water bottles 'The whole story with her is so surreal,' a retired DEA agent told the New York Post. 'She goes around and flaunts her wealth and lifestyle in front of everyone's face.' The drug lord is currently locked up in a high security prison in New York following his extradition from Mexico in January last year. He has been charged with 17 crimes, among them that of leading the extremely dangerous Sinaloa drug cartel and of transporting at least 200,000 kilos of cocaine to the US from Mexico. Emma, who El Chapo married in 2007, has US nationality. Their daughters Maria and Emaly were born in the US but live in their father's home state of Sinaloa. His wife and their two daughters have been spotted at El Chapo's various court appearances in New York in the past year. Jury selection for his trial is set for November 5 even though his attorneys insist that they cannot be ready to represent him due to the huge number of documents in the case. The trial is expected to take four months. His wife and their two daughters have been spotted at El Chapo's various court appearances in New York in the past year Four American tourists and their tour guide have been killed in a weekend rafting accident in Costa Rica. Three rafts flipped on the Naranjo River Saturday around 3 pm and the five victims were carried away downstream, according to the Judicial Investigation Organism. Other passengers managed to cling to the rafts and some were rescued by another guide in a kayak. The group of Americans were from Miami were all alumni of Christopher Columbus High School and in Costa Rica to celebrate a friend's bachelor party. Images of the rescue search efforts in Costa Rica where four American tourists were killed Three rafts flipped on the Naranjo River in Costa Rica on Saturday, pictured is the ambulance responding to the scene In total there were 14 tourists aboard the rafts and five guides when three rafts capsized Costa Rican officials identified those who died as Ernesto Sierra, Jorge Caso, Sergio Lorenzo and Andres Dennis. The local guide who died was identified as Kevin Thompson Reid (pictured) The local guide was identified as Kevin Thompson Reid. In total there were 14 tourists aboard the rafts and five guides. The Americans had arrived in Costa Rica October 18 and had been renting a house in Playa Hermosa de Jaco, according to the government. Authorities said the river was swollen by rains The National Emergency Commission maintained an alert in the area due to the possibility of flooding. The Naranjo River is one of the most popular rivers for rafting and water sports in Costa Rica. 'Fourteen tourists and three guides on board three rafts, and a kayaker, were on the Naranjito river in Quepos, Puntarenas when the accident occurred,' Alexander Morales of the Red Cross told AFP. The Red Cross said via Facebook that the rafts overturned near Liverpool de Quepos. Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado expressed his dismay about the accident on Twitter. He asked authorities to provide all possible support to the victims' families. Tory rivals for Theresa May's (pictured today in Maidenhead) job were warned to 'get a grip' today after a raft of threats were made against the PM in lurid and violent language Tory rivals for Theresa May's job were warned to 'get a grip' today after a raft of threats were made against the PM in lurid and violent language. The Sunday newspapers were overflowing with anonymous claims that the Prime Minister faced a bloody end over her Brexit plans. She was said to be in a 'killing field', faced 'assassination' and was ordered to 'bring her own noose' to a 'show trial' convened by back-bench Tory MPs. A former minister is said to have warned the PM she faces being stabbed in the chest with a hot knife - that would then be twisted. The violent claims about Mrs May's fate come just over two years after MP Jo Cox was assassinated on the streets of her Batley and Spen constituency and amid growing alarm at violent rhetoric in politics. Former Cabinet minister Theresa Villiers, a Brexiteer, said the comments about the PM in the newspapers were 'disturbing'. She told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend: 'I think it's really unhelpful. We have got to trust the Prime Minister to do the job on the negotiations. 'I don't think a leadership election would be remotely helpful at this stage and I think it's important for this kind of speculation to stop.' Asked about comments in the newspapers about Mrs May, Mr Halfon said: 'I say to the people giving those quotes, this is not the way to change things. 'This just confirms what many of the public think of us, that we are all potentially out for ourselves and not on the side of working people.' SNP leader and Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: 'This morning I've seen quotes from Tories to the effect that PM is 'entering the killing zone', faces 'assassination' and should take 'her own noose' to a meeting. 'Few disagree with her more than I do, but language like this debases politics. Get a grip, Tories.' Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon condemned the violent language and warns it 'debases politics' (pictured is her statement on Twitter today) Ms Sturgeon (pictured in London earlier this week) said few disagreed with Mrs May more than her but said her Tory critics should 'get a grip' Labour MP Mary Creagh said: 'Violent dehumanising language of ''lame cockroach'' and ''bring her own noose'' to describe the PM by former Cabinet Minister deeply concerning. 'Brexit is corrupting the norms of public decency and public life.' Another Labour MP Paula Sherriff tweeted: 'It won't come as a surprise to many that I wholeheartedly disagree with the PM on many things but the language being used across the media, including ''bring a noose'' to the 1922 committee is unnecessary, inappropriate and disturbing. 'It must stop.' Rank-and-file MPs last night told the Mail on Sunday Mrs May that she was in the 'last chance saloon' and called on her to face them at their 1922 Committee meeting on Wednesday. She was given the chilling warning that she should 'bring her own noose' to the showdown as rivals step up their campaigns to succeed her in No 10. Former Cabinet minister Theresa Villiers (file image), a Brexiteer, said the comments about the PM in the newspapers were 'disturbing'. A Cabinet minister told the Sunday Times the PM was 'endangering her own government' by refusing to take a different approach to Brexit. They said: 'This is the first time I've thought it could fall over. She's not listening. That's kamikaze.' An ally of David Davis told the paper Mrs May was in the 'the killing zone' while a wannabe leadership candidate said: 'Assassination is in the air.' A former minister told the same paper Mrs May would be 'dead soon': 'There is a growing consensus that she's utterly hopeless. 'I'm not going to put a letter in but when I find myself in a private polling booth I just cannot see how I would vote for her. 'The moment is coming when the knife gets heated, stuck in her front and twisted.' Labour MP Mary Creagh slammed the violent metaphors and warned 'Brexit is corrupting the norms of public decency and public life' Attorney Michael Avenatti has thrown his hat firmly into the ring to become the next Democratic candidate for President against Donald Trump. Avenatti gave a series of rallying statements at Politicon on Saturday and issued battle cries on behalf of the Democrats urging the Party to fight a 'brutal campaign' against Trump in 2020. The 47-year-old expressed doubts that any current major Democratic candidates could succeed in beating Trump in an election within two years. But he boasted his 'unique skill set' was an asset to beating Trump and a 'threat' to Republicans. The California attorney, who represents porn star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Trump, offered up his blue print for success over the Republicans in the future. Attorney Michael Avenatti has thrown his hat firmly into the ring to become the next Democratic candidate for President against Donald Trump. Pictured: Avenatti, August 2018 Avenatti gave a series of rallying statements at Politicon on Saturday and issued battle cries on behalf of the Democrats urging the Party to fight a 'brutal campaign' against Trump in 2020. Pictured: Stormy Daniels and Avenatti, May 2018 He said Trump would be hard to beat in 2020, especially if the left tackles him with a 'message of puppies and daisies.' While he publicly says that he is undecided if he will run, his fiery comments at Politicon in Los Angeles on Saturday evening spelled out much of his policies on subjects including gun control and immigration When asked directly if he has plans to run for POTUS, Avenatti said that he's been working on the Get Out To Vote campaign for the midterm elections but that he's received support himself. 'I have have been speaking at a number of events, I have been gauging enthusiasm. I have been very humbled by the outpouring of support that I have received. 'Here is what I am concerned about; when I look into the field of potential democrat nominees I see a number of very highly qualified, accomplished politicians many of whom would make an exceptional President. 'But what I don't see is any of whom could actually beat Donald Trump.' Avenatti said it was telling that Trump beat out 16 other candidates during the primaries in 2016 and won against Hillary Rodham Clinton, calling her 'the most qualified individual to ever seek the office of President'. He added: 'The bottom line is the Democrat Party has no business nominating somebody that cannot beat Donald Trump.' Avenatti admitted that his party needs to step up their political work against their opponents. 'The 'Republicans are changing and are very good at winning,' he said. 'They are better than the Democrats at winning. We are allowed the Republicans to paint the Democrat as weak, even though we are not weak.' 'The only way is to change that and to fight what matters for the United States.' He even confessed that he is considering his Vice Presidential options. 'I have given some thought to the following that in the event that someone like me, and there are others in the field, were to be the nominee, what kind of vice presidential running mate should be in light of the current situation and what would the match up be. Let me stress this - this is all about the match up.' Avenatti insists he will only run against Trump or Pence for the White House, but no others. The 47-year-old expressed doubts that any current major Democratic candidates could succeed in beating Trump in an election within two years. Pictured: Avenatti at Politicon on Saturday The California attorney, who represents porn star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Trump, offered up his blue print for success over the Republicans in the future. Pictured: Daniels and Avenatti, April 2018 'If Donald Trump announces tonight or tomorrow or any other day, that he is not going to run 2020, the appetite I have for running goes down by 50 percent,' he said. 'If Mike Pence then announces he is not going to run, I will not seek the office of the [president] of the United States. 'I do not consider myself the chosen one or any of this nonsense that people try to assign to me. I believe I have a unique skill set for this particular moment in time we find ourselves in, but if you change the opponents then my thought process changes expediently.' Avenatti criticized his potential rivals in the Democratic primary as qualified and well-studied but not sufficiently pugilistic. 'Part of the problem is that we don't have enough Democrats that will actually stand toe-to-toe with this bully Donald Trump and fight for the rights and values of this republic,' he said. We are in a fight for the future of this republic. We have too many Democrats that want to talk puppies and daisies, and expect to beat Donald Trump. 'If you want to fight for this republic, if you want to take this nation back, you're going to have to engage in a brutal campaign, as it relates to taking this nation back. And that is what is going to have to happen in 2020, and I finally believe that.' Avenatti also brought up the comments made by former Attorney General Eric Holder at a campaign event earlier this month. Borrowing from former first lady Michelle Obama's phrase from the 2016 Democratic National Convention, 'When they go low, we go high,' Holder said the Democrats needed to adopt a different need to go in a new direction. At the event, Avenatti boasted his 'unique skill set' was an asset to beating Trump and a 'threat' to Republicans. Pictured: Avenatti, April 2018 'No. When they go low, we kick them. That's what this new Democratic Party is about,' he said. Avenatti claimed Holder 'appropriated' his comments about tackling Trump and his party. 'When they go low, we hit harder, which I firmly believe needs to be the approach of the Democrats,' he said. 'And I'm not talking about violence, but I'm talking about the fact that we need somebody that goes toe-to-toe with this guy. We can't wait for him to elevate the discourse and hope to beat him.' He also bemoaned that he doesn't believe Trump takes the presidency seriously. 'A fundamental problem with Donald Trump is that he governs the way he campaigns, he has never taken the job seriously since he has been elected,' he said. 'He has forgotten that he is the President for all The United States. He thinks he he is on contestant campaign. 'And the bottom line is that there's only one way that these tweets and this behavior and this conduct and this misogyny is going to end, and it's only going to end if you displace Donald Trump from the White House.' Avenatti insists that his media packed and photo call packed anti Trump activism so far has been low key. 'If anything I don't think I have gone far enough.' He said he hoped had hoped Trump's behavior would improve after the election. Avenatti, who has been a popular presence at Politicon, was asked to pose for pictures with fans and hounded by the media at the event on Saturday. But he lost his cool when challenged about how some in the media cited him as being responsible for blurring the lines on the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Justice hearings. 'That is a bunch of bullsh*t. This is a complete fallacy. 'This is driven by the fact that the right is not used to having a fighter on the left. I am a threat and I am going to continue to be a threat to the Republican and this disgrace of a President Donald Trump.' He was vigorously cheered by the audience, and added: 'If I wasn't a threat to the Republican Party an Donald Trump they wouldn't be talking about me. Ted Cruz, [Mitch] McConnell, the President, they are very very concerned and they should be.' He added women will not vote for Trump in 2020. 'This is a man who has been demeaning women his whole adult life,' Avenatti continued. 'The only way we are going to solve this problem is defeating him and removing him from office.' Avenatti admitted that he is most 'fired up' by Trump's foreign diplomacy. 'This president Of the United States has stood shoulder to shoulder with Vladamir Putin and now Saudis against USA Americans and he seems to be more concerned about protecting his business interests relating to Russia and the Saudis than he does United States citizens. I think it is an absolute outrage. 'For the conservatives in the audience. Ask yourself this? What would Ronald Reagan say if he were alive today? He would be outraged and most rightfully so. 'This situation with the Saudis is an absolute murder and a decapitation of a US resident and journalist. It should be an outrage to everybody in this room. He added that Trump 'wouldn't be talking about me' if he wasn't a threat to the Republicans. Pictured: Trump in Mesa, Arizona, on Friday Avenatti used Politicon to spell out his policies on immigration and gun control during a series of answers, which prompted many cheers but also boos from the crowd. Avenatti admitted that he would 'stop that caravan', referring to the hundreds of immigrants traveling from Honduras trying to force their way into the US. He added: 'It is vital to the national security to have a strong border in the United States. I don not believe unlike many of the likely Democrat nominees, the idea that we are going to eliminate ICE is a disaster.' 'However we cannot allow ICE to carry out the policies like they have in the last 18 months. We cannot have ICE separating families at a southern borders, ripping kids from their parents, breaking down people's doors and removing people that have been in this country for five, 10, 20 years contributing to our society. 'We have to always be a beacon of light to the rest of the world. We have to be true to what made America America. We have to provide for more legal immigration, a path of citizen to dreamers; we have to clean up the issue but we have to reasonable about it. 'And we can't build a wall to the tune of billion of dollars, which is not going to work anyway.' He joked: 'If anybody sees the check in the mailbox from Mexico to pay for the wall please call the White House because they are looking for it.' Jordan's King Abdullah II today announced he has decided not to renew parts of his country's landmark peace treaty with Israel. Abdullah released a statement that he intends to pull out of two annexes from the 1994 peace agreement that allowed Israel to lease two small areas, Baqura and Ghamr, from the Jordanians for 25 years. The leases expire next year, and the deadline for renewing them is Thursday. The lands were leased to Jewish farmers early last century, but then became part of Jordan after the kingdom gained independence in 1946. Baqura, in the northern Jordan Valley, was captured by Israel in 1950. Ghamr, near Aqaba in southern Jordan, was seized in the 1967 Mideast War. Jordan's King Abdullah II (pictured left in 2017 and right in 2007) today announced he has decided not to renew parts of his country's landmark peace treaty with Israel Under their peace agreement, Jordan agreed to grant Israeli farmers and military officers free access to the enclave. Abdullah said he informed Israel of his decision. 'We are practicing our full sovereignty on our land,' he said. 'Our priority in these regional circumstances is to protect our interests and do whatever is required for Jordan and the Jordanians.' Abdullah has faced escalating domestic pressure to end the lease and return the territories to full Jordanian control. Last week, demonstrators demanding an end to Israeli ownership of the lands marched in Jordan's capital of Amman last week. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today that 'Jordan reserved the right to receive the territory,' but added that he expected to enter negotiations with Jordan 'about the possibility of extending the existing agreement.' Netanyahu said the 'accord as a whole is an important thing,' and called the peace deals with Jordan and Egypt 'anchors of regional stability.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured) said today that 'Jordan reserved the right to receive the territory,' but added that he expected to enter negotiations with Jordan 'about the possibility of extending the existing agreement' He spoke at a memorial for the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who signed the peace deal with Jordan. Israel's former ambassador to Jordan, Oded Eran, said he was not surprised by Jordan's decision, adding that there was still time for the two countries to re-negotiate the agreement. He dismissed the possibility that Jordan might pull out of other parts of the broader peace treaty. 'For its own interests, the continuation of the adherence to the peace treaty is in Jordan's interest as indeed it is in the interest of Israel,' Eran added. Tensions between Israel and Jordan have mounted in recent months over such issues as the contested status of Jerusalem and its holy sites, stalled Mideast peace talks, and last year's shooting of two Jordanian citizens by an Israeli embassy guard in Amman, which ignited a diplomatic crisis. Relations thawed after Israel replaced its ambassador to Amman and Netanyahu met with Abdullah last summer to stress the importance of economic and security cooperation between the two countries. Advertisement Fascinating images of the first war to ever be documented in pictures offer a rare glimpse into what military life was like in the mid-1800s. The collection, some dating back a remarkable 160 years, document the infamous Crimean War of the 1850s. They were taken by British photographer Roger Fenton over the space of just three months between March and June 1855 in extremely testing conditions. Fascinating images of the first war to ever be documented in pictures offer a rare glimpse into what military life was like in the mid-1800s. Here a Chief of Staff to the French General Bosquet sits with another soldier at their base camp in what is now Ukraine The collection, some dating back a remarkable 160 years, document the infamous Crimean War of the 1850s. Pictured: A Turkish General sits on horseback alongside his officers during the Crimean War They were taken by British photographer Roger Fenton over the space of just three months between March and June 1855 in extremely testing conditions. Here, Mr Fenton had to wheel his camera equipment around on a carriage named 'Photographic Van' Although he was unable to capture any battle scenes due to the effort of setting up his lumbering equipment, images do include rows of tents at a British cavalry camp in what is now the Ukraine. Others show a majestic navy ship at the Balaklava harbour, with further shots showing a war council in progress toward the end of the conflict. The Crimean War took place between October 1853 and March 1856, and was fought between a coalition of the British, French, Ottoman Empire and Sardinia against the Russian Empire. Although he was unable to capture any battle scenes due to the effort of setting up his lumbering equipment, images do include British troops at a cavalry camp in the Ukraine. Pictured: General Sir George Brown seated, and officers of the Light Division of the British Army, most standing, wearing uniforms and hats The Crimean War took place between October 1853 and March 1856, and was fought between a coalition of the British, French, Ottoman Empire and Sardinia against the Russian Empire. Pictured: A British Captain on horseback with another man, possibly a servant, standing at the head of the horse Here, a majestic navy ship docks at Balaklava harbour beside the old Genoese Castle. Balaklava is a former city on the Crimean Peninsula and part of the city of Sevastopol Rows upon rows of tents are seen at the British cavalry camp in Ukraine looking towards Kadikoi , about one mile north of Balaklava. The Battle of Balaklava was fought on the hills and valleys to the north of Kadikoi in 1854 On paper, the conflict began because of a dispute between France and Russia over who should have authority over the Christians residing in the Ottoman Empire. In reality, however, it was about power. France's new emperor, Napoleon III, wanted France to re-stamp her authority on the international stage, and saw the gradual weakening of the Ottoman Empire as an opportunity for France to flex her muscles and attempt to intimidate the Ottomans into bowing to French pressure. After the Ottomans refused to renege on their previous deal with the Russians France essentially threatened them into changing their allegiance, something which the Russians were none too pleased about. Britain, whose relations with France had been at best shaky up to this point, decided to side with the French in any case as they did not want to see Russia expand her influence as the Ottoman Empire began to recede. On paper, the war was sparked because of a dispute between France and Russia over who should have authority over the Christians residing in the Ottoman Empire. In reality, however, it was about power. Here, Allied leaders sit at a table The graves of Brigadier-General Strangways, Brigadier-General Goldie and General Cathcart on Cathcart's Hill. The site, named after the grave of General Cathcart, was the main cemetery for British soldiers killed during the Crimean War. It was also used as an observation point as from it commanders could view the progress of the Siege of Sevastopol After Russia attacked a fleet of Ottoman ships docked in Sinop, destroying several, both France and Britain joined the Ottomans in declaring war on them. What followed was a long, drawn-out campaign which consisted of several set piece battles, namely in Crimea, The Crimea and Azov, the last of which took place at sea. The Crimea campaign featured the infamous charge of the light brigade, and actually saw public opinion in Britain turn against a war they had earlier been in favour of. After Russia attacked a fleet of Ottoman ships docked in Sinop, destroying several, both France and Britain joined the Ottomans in declaring war on them What followed was a long, drawn-out campaign which consisted of several set piece battles, namely in Crimea, The Crimea and Azov, the last of which took place at sea. Pictured: Captain Hall and a group of the 14th The Crimea campaign featured the infamous charge of the light brigade, and actually saw public opinion in Britain turn against a war they had earlier been in favour of. Pictured: Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Burghersh The war was eventually brought to an end by the Congress of Paris, which saw Russia return certain areas to the Ottomans while they themselves were returned several ports which had been seized by the British and French during the conflict. All in all, The Ottomans lost an estimated 45,000 men, the French a staggering 135,000 and the British 40,000, while the Russians were reported to have lost over 500,000 men. The vast majority of the casualties suffered in the war were from disease or non-combat related reasons, rather than being killed in action. Saudi Arabia's foreign minister denied Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had any prior knowledge of the incident that resulted in the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and said it was a 'rogue operation.' Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir also told Fox News they do not know where Khashoggi's body is. 'This was an operation that was a rogue operation. This was an operation where individuals ended up exceeding the authorities and responsibilities they had. They made the mistake when they killed Jamal Khashoggi in the consulate and they tried to cover up for it,' al-Jubeir said. Saudi Arabia's foreign minister denied Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had any prior knowledge of the incident that resulted in the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi The foreign minister dismissed reports Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman' security team was involved Saudi Arabia is dealing with international outrage over the disappearance and death of Khashoggi. The country originally denied he was killed in the consulate - saying he had left the building - but they later claimed he was killed in a fight. Skeptics have doubted the story and the details. And most intelligence experts believe the crown prince would have known about the operation ahead of time given his level of control in the country. Now Saudi officials are touting a theory voiced by President Donald Trump last week. The president suggested without evidence that 'rogue killers' could have been responsible Khashoggi. 'It sounded to me like maybe it could have been rogue killers, who knows?' Trump told reporters after he held a phone call with Saudi King Salman last week. 'Were going to try get to the bottom of it very soon but his was a flat denial.' He also said the royal family denied any knowledge of what happened to Khashoggi. 'I can only tell you that his denial to me in this one very you know relatively fast phone call, probably lasted 20 minutes, his denial to me could not have been stronger that he had no knowledge. And it sounds like he and also the crown prince had no knowledge,' Trump said. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said the 'rogue' agents tried to cover up their actions in regards to Khashoggi. 'There obviously was a tremendous mistake made and what compounded the mistake would be the attempt to try to cover up,' he said. He said they do not know where Khashoggi's body is located. 'We discovered that he was killed in the consulate. We don't know in terms of details how. We don't know where the body is,' he said. He also pushed back against reports that said the prince's security detail was involved in the incident. One of the suspects in the incident at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul where Khashoggi entered and was never seen again was identified by Turkish officials as a close companion of MSB - the crown prince is known by his initials. Three others were linked to MSB's security detail. But al-Jubeir said security details change constantly and the photos did not prove any links to the prince. 'There weren't people closely tied to him who were involved in this operation. There were pictures of some security officers who may have been part of his security detail from time to time, but this is normal. Security people who deal in security details rotate among different officials both domestic and foreign,' he said. Turkish intelligence officials said a 15-member team from the Saudi intelligence and security forces was at the consulate to deal with Khashoggi, including an autopsy expert whose job was to dismember the journalist's body. But al-Jubeir said he doubted that part of the story. 'I dont believe all 15 members were in the consulate when this happened. We are looking at every individual member of the team. We are trying to find out what how they were assembled, how they were dispatched,' he said. 'And were trying to ascertain the facts as to what happened in the consulate and what and what happened subsequent to that. And we have said that when we put out the initial results that these are initial results, theyre not conclusive, the investigation is still in its early phases and were determined to pursue this to the end in order to uncover the truth and make sure that everybody knows what happened and we have the full picture and we know whos responsible and we hold them accountable,' he added. He also denied the Kingdom is an autocracy and claims there are checks and balances on the government. 'Were not an authoritarian government, were a monarchy. We have our checks and balances, we have our systems. The individuals who did this did this outside the scope of their authority,' he said. He said authorities are determined to discover what happened to Khashoggi. 'We are determined to uncover every stone. We are determined to find out all the facts. And we are determined to punish those who are responsible for this murder. And we are determined to ensure that the institution that we have that deals with intelligence has checks and balances, and to ensure that something like this can never happen again,' he said. He also apologized to Khashoggi's family. 'This is a terrible mistake, this is a terrible tragedy. Condolences go out to them. We feel their pain and wish that this didnt have to happen and I wish that this could have been avoided. Unfortunately a huge and grave mistake was made and I assure them that those responsible will be held accountable for this,' he said. He also cautioned people to not jump to conclusions and let the investigation play out. 'I see a lot of hearsay and I see a lot of gossip and I just caution people to be cautious,' he said. Khashoggi went missing after entering the Saudi consulate on October 2 to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. Saudi Arabia originally said Khashoggi left the Embassy but Turkish officials claimed the journalist was tortured and killed. The Kingdom changed its story several times on what happened to Khashoggi. Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said they do not know where Khashoggi's body is located Khashoggi disappeared from the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir apologized to Khashoggi's family And intelligence experts say it's unlikely anything happened to the journalist without the knowledge of the crown prince. According to the latest version, the government wanted to convince Khashoggi, who moved to Washington a year ago fearing reprisals for his views, to return to as part of a campaign to prevent Saudi dissidents from being recruited by the country's enemies, an official. So they put together a 15-member team from the intelligence and security forces to go to Istanbul, meet Khashoggi at the consulate and try to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia. They claim Khashoggi struggled with them. During the fight, his mouth was covered as part of their efforts to restrain him and he choked and died, they claimed. Skeptics have asked why so many people, including military officers and a forensics expert specializing in autopsies, were part of the operation if the objective was to convince Khashoggi to return home of his own volition. But al-Jubeir was insistent it was a 'rogue' operation that went bad. 'The reports we were getting from Turkey did not comport with the reports that the team had provided to us after their return to Saudi Arabia. The king then directed the public prosecutor to launch an investigation, which he did about nine days ago,' he said on Sunday. Asked if Khashoggi was dismembered as Turkish reports have suggested al-Jubier did not directly answer. 'We're working on this. We're working on this with our Turkish colleagues,' he said. A sheriff's department dispatch log from the morning that a 13-year-old girl went missing following her parents' murder has revealed new details about the case. Denise Closs, 46, and her husband James Closs, 56, were shot and killed in their Barron, Wisconsin home on Monday in a double murder that has shocked the nation. Authorities believe Jayme was home at the time the mysterious 911 call was made but vanished before police arrived, which was four minutes later. She has been missing ever since, landing her the top spot on the FBI's kidnapped and missing persons list. The teen is not a suspect in the homicides. According to the log released by the Barron County Sheriff's Department on Friday, nobody on the line spoke to the dispatcher and, when the dispatcher called back, the voicemail greeting said the phone belonged to Denise Closs A sheriff's department dispatch log from the morning that Jayme Closs, 13 (left and right), went missing following following her parents' murder has revealed new details about the case The log reveals nobody on the line spoke to the dispatcher and, when the dispatcher called back, the voicemail greeting said the phone belonged to her mother, Denise Closs (pictured) Denise, 46 (left), and her husband James Closs, 56 (right) were shot and killed in their Barron, Wisconsin home on Monday in a double murder. James, who was wounded, may have answered the door when officers arrived New details included that the dispatcher said they 'could hear a lot of yelling' during the 911 call but couldn't make out any voices. When deputies responded, they told dispatch that 'the door has been kicked in.' Officers found the family dog when they arrive, which eventually was taken to a relative's home. The log entry from 12.56am reflected many of the new details learned: 'RECEIVED A 911 CALL FROM XXX-XXX-XXXX AND COULD HEAR A LOT OF YELLING. CALLED NUMBER BACK AND WAS UNABLE TO LEAVE A VOICEMAIL. PHONE PINGED TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. ADVISED 317, 325, & 329.' At 1.03am, officers that had arrived on the scene advised dispatch that the call may have been a possible suicide attempt, which the log reflected at that time. The log entry from 1.05am seemed to show officers on the scene were not yet aware of Denise's presence. It reads: '325 ADVISED ONE MALE DOWN, MULTIPLE ROUNDS SPENT. REQUESTED THAT ADMIN BE NOTIFIED.' James, who was wounded, may have answered the door when officers arrived, which had been kicked in, according to the log entry at 1.06am, which read: '...ADVISED THE DOOR HAS BEEN KICKED IN. ADVISED THAT THE MALE WHO IS DOWN HAD ANSWERED THE DOOR. UNKNOWN IF ANYONE IS MISSING.' Both James and Denise were then reported unresponsive within minutes of the report that James was down, according the 1.11am log entry: '317 ADVISED TWO SUBJECTS DOWN.' Investigators believe that the killer came to the home with the specific intention of abducting Jayme, an FBI source told RadarOnline.com. The log wasn't updated to reflect she had vanished until 3.57am, with an entry that read: 'ENTERED JLC AS A MISSING JUVENILE.' The front door of the Closs home is seen on Wednesday. It appears to be covered with plywood and a blanket, and sources say it was kicked in during the home invasion Investigators believe that James was shot first and Denise was killed after barricading herself in the bathroom and calling 911. Pictured: The Closs's home following the murders 'There is a report that someone allegedly knocked on the door and as the father went to answer it gunfire erupted through the door. That has not been confirmed yet as it's an active investigation,' the FBI source said. 'The mother appeared to have barricaded herself in the bathroom and called police,' added the source. It now appears that the dispatcher may have been hearing Denise's panicked final moments as the killer stormed into the bathroom where she hiding. 'It's a shock to the system,' a family member said to Fox News. Denise was described as 'the family's angel...she would take vacation days if you needed help,' the relative added. Denise was a doting mother who often posted on Facebook sharing snaps of Jayme. A relative close to the family said that Denise was so kind 'she would take vacation days if you needed help". Pictured: Denise Closs, undated For Jayme's birthday in July 2017, Denise shared a touching post for her daughter writing: 'Happy Birthday to My Daughter Jayme Closs who is Growing up to be the Sweetest and most kind Hearted GirlLove you to the Moon And Back..Hope you Have the Best Day Ever' Jayme responded saying: 'Thank you for Awesome Birthday Mom and Thank you Aunt Sue for Everything. love you all' The hunt for Jayme continues. Earlier in the week Miami police said a witness claimed to have possibly seen Jayme at a gas station in Miami, Florida, but it was later considered not to be a credible lead. Some locals have speculated that Jayme might have had a boyfriend or met someone who took advantage of her and killed her parents. However, neither authorities or family members have indicated that Jayme had any type of boyfriend. 'It's a tough pill to swallow. We're not ruling anything out,' the family member who described Denise said. The Barron County Sherriff, Chris Fitzgerald, released a statement on Friday urging anyone who knew the Closs family or had recently been with them to come forward. The FBI has moved Jayme to the top of its missing persons list and distributed this flyer to field offices and media partners across the country as the search for the teenager goes nationwide Authorities believe Jayme (pictured) was home at the time the mysterious 911 call was made but vanished before police arrived, which was four minutes later. The teen is not a suspect in the homicides A group of volunteers searched the ditches along highway 8, in Barron, Wisconsin, near the home where Jayme lived with her parents 'We are seeking information about the victims Denise and James Closs. We are hopeful to learn more about the Closs family to help bring Jayme home. If you spent time with members of the Closs family recently or if you have ever had a misunderstanding with any members of the Closs family or know someone who has, please call the tip line,' Fitzgerald wrote in an online post. Fitzgerald said nothing of evidentiary value has been found in a ground search of field and forests near the home and the search was called off on Friday. The search began on Thursday with 100 volunteers. The police department has received hundreds of tips. Fitzgerald believes Jayme is alive and in danger. The sheriff has so far declined to elaborate as to why investigators believe Jayme is not a runaway, saying that disclosing more information would compromise their investigation. 'I'm telling you, Jayme is missing and endangered,' Fitzgerald said. 'We want to bring Jayme home and put that smile back in her family's hands.' 'Is it a random attack or a targeted attack? I don't know that answer. That's why those leads are so important,' the sheriff added. Jayme has been described as five feet tall, weighing 100 pounds, with green eyes and blonde or strawberry-blonde hair. Anyone with information about Jayme's whereabouts is urged to call the Barron County Sheriff's Office at 1-855-744-3879, or contact your local FBI office, American Embassy or Consulate. Prince Charles has annoyed Australians by bringing along a 'travelling yeoman' as part of a 13-strong entourage during a trip in March and April this year, which led to a bill of more than 160,000. Republicans jumped on the revelation as an example of royal extravagance, with one critic branding the staff member 'a baggage man with an ancient title'. However, royalists would note that the travelling yeoman fulfils the important role of ensuring 'the right clothes are in the right place at all times' - a must for a trip with numerous different engagements. Prince Charles visits the Larrakeyah Defence Precinct on April 10, 2018 in Darwin, Australia. He brought along a 'travelling yeoman' to organise his clothes But critics were unconvinced, with Michael Cooney of the Australian Republic Movement saying the Australian government should be spending their money on supporting farmers suffering from drought. 'The Government should explain to drought stricken Dubbo farmers why we could afford to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars before Prince Charles had even arrived in Australia,' he told News.com. 'Prince Harry may carry his own bag but the next King of Australia has more staff than a VIP plane can carry.' Despite claims of extravagance, Prince Charles and Camilla had actually shrunk the size of their entourage, which stood at 18 during an earlier visit in 2012. Despite claims of extravagance, Prince Charles and Camilla (pictured on Broadbeach in Australia on April 5) actually had a smaller entourage than during an earlier visit The last time the travelling yeoman hit the news was in 1999, when the previous one fed whisky and gin to the Queen's corgis at Buckingham Palace. Who made up Prince Charles' entourage? Deputy private secretary; private secretary to Her Royal Highness; communications secretary; assistant communications secretary; operations and logistic manager; doctor; head of digital; personal assistant; travelling yeoman; dresser; butler; hairdresser; valet. Advertisement The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are currently in Sydney during their 16-day tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga, with 76 events on their schedule. Meghan pulled out of an arranged meeting with participants to rest after Saturday's opening ceremony of the Invictus Games overran by two hours. But she later re-joined Harry as the couple took to the water to support those taking part in the sailing final in Sydney Harbour. The pair braved the choppy seas and took a small rib boat out to a 40ft Hanse 400 yacht, where they lunch and smiled while watching the racing, standing up at times for a better view of the action. A top NHS official is moving from Wales to England so her husband can receive cancer treatment after losing faith in her nation's health care system. Professor Siobhan McClelland has been one of the top Welsh NHS policy makers and administrators. But she is fleeing the country because she said the Welsh NHS is flawed from top to bottom. Siobhan McClelland said the Welsh NHS is flawed from top to bottom Professor McClelland said it has failures in policy making that were directly affecting the care of patients - including her husband who has advanced prostate cancer. She said: 'We have put our house on the market and are planning to move away,' The Sunday Times Reported. 'We've lost confidence and trust in the healthcare system here not the staff. The healthcare system here is a key factor in our decision to move. She said there was 'neither capacity or sufficient capability' in the Welsh Government to be making 'really good health policy'. 'We have a void in the Welsh Government where robust , rigorous innovative heath policy should be made, ' she said. Professor McClelland also said that there had been delays in getting appointments for her husband and in getting him diagnostic services. She said one of of his scans was misread - resulting in the spread of his cancer not being recognised. Her local health board Hywel Dda has since apologised. Health has been devolved in Wales since 1999, meaning the NHS is run by the Welsh government in Cardiff. McClelland was a senior manager in the former Gwent heath authority and a professor of health policy at the Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care. She also served as vice-chairwoman of the Anuerin Bevan University heath board. Her comments have caused a row in Wales, with the Plaid Cymru heath spokesman, Rhun ap Iorwerth telling the Welsh Parliament that her words were 'as damning an indictment as you could hear of your running of the Welsh NHS'. But Vaughan Gething, the Labour health secretary rejected McClelland's criticism. The Welsh NHS has received criticism for many years for failing to meet targets. In 2016 a report by the UK Parliament found Wales was failing on the speed of cancer referrals. The report also also criticised the organisation over the time it took for basic diagnostic tests. The professor isn't the first NHS boss to leave the country over cancer care. Mary Burrows, who ran Cadwaladr University health board in North Wales moved to England for cancer care. Mrs Burrows died soon after moving to London for treatment at the Royal Marsden Hospital. Due to overspending by Hwel Dda, the health board that covers Pembrokeshire, the county where Prof McClelland lives, overspent by 70m last year and plans to close two A&E departments at hospitals in Hatherfordwest and one in neighbouring county, Carmarthenshire. Closure of the departments would result in the nearest general hospital being 90 minutes drive away from the west coast. According to the board there are plans to build a new hospital, although no funding or site has been allocated. Mandy Rayani, the director of nursing at Hwel Dda said the heath board strives to provide the very highest standards of care and on this occasion it 'failed to meet them'. She added the organisation has 'put in a number of measures to avoid anything like this happening again'. Tennessee Republican Senator Bob Corker says the United States must impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia over the murder of a journalist, if it is revealed that the Crown Prince had him killed. Corker admitted however, that the US faces a delicate situation in taking any punitive measures, should it be revealed that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman inside of the country's embassy in Turkey. 'Obviously, if he's gone forth and murdered this journalist, he's now crossed the line, and there has to be a punishment and a price paid for that,' the Senate Foreign Relations chairman said Sunday on CNN's State of the Union. While Corker said he does believe that Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist, was 'purposefully murdered' in a Saudi operation directed by the Crown Prince, he says he still wants to see a completed investigation. The Saudi's official story behind Khashoggi's killing has changed drastically in the weeks since he first disappeared in the embassy on October 2 after going inside for paperwork to marry his Turkish fiancee. On October 4, Saudi government officials said he had left the consulate through a back door. Eventually it became clear that he never walked out. On October 19, the next story was that he was killed fist fight inside the consulate. Scroll down for video The Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and President Trump pictured in the Oval Office in March. While Trump admits that the Saudi government's stories as to the killing of the Washington Post journalist have been 'all over the place' he has still heaped praise on the Crown Prince's governing- and said he hasn't heard 'either way' if he is responsible Tennessee Republican Senator Bob Corker (left) says he believes Jamal Khashoggi was killed at the directive of the Crown Prince but wants to see the full investigation completed before the US takes any action. He says if that is the case, the US must impose sanctions President Trump said earlier this week 'Their stories are all over the place,' about the Saudi government's varied claims as to how Khashoggi died. In the interview, Corker said Saudi Arabia had 'lost all credibility as it relates to explaining what has happened.' 'I don't think anybody believes that story,' Corker said of the alleged fistfight in the embassy that the Saudi government is spinning. Trump has been criticized for still playing favorites with the Saudi government. While he denounced their factitious stories about Khahoggi's death, he still praised the Crown Prince. 'He's seen as a person who can keep things under check,' Trump said of Bin Salman to the Washington Post in an interview late Saturday, adding in, 'I mean that in a positive way.' 'He truly loves his country,' said Trump, who added in that he hadn't 'heard either way' whether the Crown Prince was responsible for the journalist's killing. Corker said he did not believe President Trump was trying to help the Saudis cover-up what had happened, however he noted the precarious position the United States is in diplomatically with the wealthy foreign power. He told CNN, that with an understanding that the Crown Prince can be in power for the next several decades, he 'can understand the President wanting to keep open channels.' Corker also added that the Crown Prince's father, King Salman 'is not particularly coherent.' Meanwhile Corker is hoping that Turkey turns over the purported tapes of Khashoggi being murdered that their government previously said they had. He says, as of now, he does not believe the US has received those alleged tapes. Corker said he was still hoping for Turkey to turn over purported tapes of what happened, but that after a conversation with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, he did not believe the US had received the tapes as of early Saturday afternoon. 'We also need to think about the fact that Saudi Arabia is a country that is a fairly important country,' Corker said. 'And so, we've got to figure out a way to have a nuanced response to this situation. But, again, if he directed it, we need to put the same types of sanctions in place that we've done with other people, who have done the same thing.' There's a growing chorus from a bipartisan group of lawmakers for Saudi Arabia - and possibly Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman - to face harsh consequences for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Republican Sen. Bob Corker, the chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the U.S. should punish the crown prince if an investigation shows he was behind Khashoggi's death. 'Obviously, if he's gone forth and murdered this journalist, he's now crossed the line, and there has to be a punishment and a price paid for that,' Corker said Sunday on CNN's 'State of the Union.' Sen. Bob Corker said the U.S. should punish the crown prince if an investigation shows he was behind Khashoggi's death Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin called on the Trump administration to expel the Saudi ambassador Saudi Arabia has denied the crown prince had any previous knowledge of an operation against the dissident journalist but intelligence officials express doubt how the authoritarian ruler could not have known. Corker said he personally thinks MSB - the crown prince is known by his initials - is guilty of ordering Khashoggi's death. 'Do I think he did it? Yeah. I think he did it,' he said. Turkey and Saudi Arabia have been at odds over what happened to Khashoggi since he entered the Saudi consulate on Oct. 2 and was never seen again. Turkish officials claim a 15-man hit squad tortured and killed the journalist, bringing in a forensic expert to dismember him. Saudi officials originally said Khashoggi left the consulate but dramatically changed their story on Saturday, claiming he was killed in a fist fight in the consulate. Officials said an investigation is ongoing. But Corker said their changing story meant that Saudi Arabia had 'lost all credibility as it relates to explaining what has happened.' He added that 'it's just not a credible story for somebody to walk in with 15 other people and get into a fistfight and lose their life.' His words were echoed by fellow Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska. 'You don't bring a bone saw to an accidental fist fight,' Sasse said on CNN Sunday. 'The Saudis have said a whole bunch of crap that's not right, accurate, or true.' Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Khashoggi died as a result of a 'rogue' operation the crown prince had no knowledge of. 'This was an operation that was a rogue operation. This was an operation where individuals ended up exceeding the authorities and responsibilities they had. They made the mistake when they killed Jamal Khashoggi in the consulate and they tried to cover up for it,' al-Jubeir said. President Donald Trump and his administration has treaded carefully on the issue as international outrage against the Kingdom grows. There are $110 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia on the table and Trump said last week he does not want to jeopardize jobs and business for Americans by punishing Saudi Arabia, if it was responsible, with sanctions that affect the purchase of weapons. 'It's $110 billion. I believe it's the largest order ever made. It's 450,000 jobs. It's the best equipment in the world. But if they don't buy it from us, they're going to buy it from Russia or they're going to buy it from China, or they're going to buy it from other countries,' he explained. But Republican Sen. Rand Paul said military sales don't equal jobs. 'I don't think arms should ever be seen as a jobs program,' he said on 'Fox News Sunday.' He weighed in on the crown prince's role, saying he thinks MSB is responsible. 'There's no way 15 people were sent from Saudi Arabia to Turkey to kill a dissident without the approval of the Crown Prince,' he said. 'You don't bring a bone saw to an accidental fist fight,' Sen. Ben Sasse said on CNN Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff (left) said the U.S. should end arms sales to Saudi Arabia while Republican Rep. Peter King (right) said Trump is in a diplomatic dilemma Sen. Rand Paul called on the crown prince to be replaced And, he said, because of that the armed sales should end and sanctions should be put in place against the Kingdom. Finally he called on the crown prince to be replaced. 'I feel certain the crown prince was involved and he directed this and that's why I think we cannot continue to have relations with him. I think is going to have to be replaced, frankly. But I think that sanctions don't go far enough. I think we need to look at the arm sale,' he said. Paul has been one of the most critical voices on Saudi Arabia in the Senate. He added: 'I think if we were to have a vote in the next couple of weeks on whether or not to sell arms to Saudi Arabia we would win overwhelmingly. I think the powers that be will try to prevent us from having that vote.' But Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir urged lawmakers to wait on the investigation before they made any conclusions. 'I would respectfully urge members of Congress to wait until they have the facts and then judge the results of the facts and take positions then, but not jump to conclusions before something is concluded. There is the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. In this case, people have turned it upside down, unfortunately,' he said on Fox News. According to the latest version of the death, the Saudi government wanted to convince Jamal Khashoggi (pictured), who moved to Washington a year ago fearing reprisals for his views, to return to the kingdom Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman should be punished if he is found guilty in Khashoggi's death And Congressman Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, echoed the call to end military sales. 'We ought to suspend military sales, we ought to suspend certain security assistance, and we ought to impose sanctions on any of those that were directly involved in this murder,' he said on ABC's 'This Week.' 'This really ought to be something that causes us to do a reexamination of our relationship with Saudi Arabia.' But Republican congressman Peter King defended Trump, saying he was in a diplomatic dilemma. King told ABC's 'This Week' that Trump is 'in a very delicate diplomatic spot' with Saudi Arabia. 'Let's have a certain time out when it comes to making the partisan shots,' he said. 'Let's not be questioning the motives of our president right now.' Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin went further however, calling on the Trump administration to expel the Saudi ambassador. 'Here's what we ought to do, and we ought to do it tomorrow morning, we ought to expel - formerly expel - the Saudi Ambassador from the United States until there is a completion of a third party investigation into this kidnap, murder, and god knows what followed that occurred in Istanbul,' he said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' He also said he thinks MSB is guilty. 'The crown prince has his fingerprints all over this and the fact that he is heading up the investigation makes it totally incredible,' he said. A victim of the nurse known as the Angel of Death has demanded that she be moved from a psychiatric hospital to a regular prison. Bradley Gibson who was five when serial killer Beverley Allitt tried to murder him said his attacker was 'living the life of Riley' in Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire. Baby-faced Allitt was 22 when she murdered four children and tried to kill nine others by tampering with their injections at Grantham Hospital in Lincolnshire in a 59-day period in 1991. Allitt was diagnosed with Munchausen's syndrome in which she invents illness and inflicts injury on herself to attract attention and also the same syndrome by proxy, in which she harmed children for the same effect. Softly spoken: Beverley Allitt (left) and Bradley Gibson as a boy (right). Allitt received 13 life sentences in 1993 after she was found guilty of four counts of murder, three of attempted murder and six counts of grievous bodily harm She received 13 life sentences in 1993 after she was found guilty of four counts of murder, three of attempted murder and six counts of grievous bodily harm. Mr Justice Latham described her as 'cunning and manipulative', and told her she would never be released. The court heard two expert psychiatrists offer different advice as to where she should be kept and the judge said the choice between prison or hospital should be left to the then home secretary Michael Howard. Allitt has spent almost 27 years in Rampton Hospital instead of a prison. Mr Gibson, 32, said: 'She's a criminal, she's a murderer, she's a child murderer. She's been living the life of Riley in [Rampton]. She should be serving her life sentences in a prison behind bars.' His view is shared by several experts. Psychiatrist Jeremy Coid said: 'She doesn't sound like somebody who has a severe mental illness or a personality disorder so severe that she needs to go to Rampton.' Criminologist Elizabeth Yardley added: 'When we start talking about mental ill health, we're looking at people who aren't in control of their actions, but Beverley Allitt knew exactly what she was doing. Bradley Gibson, now 33, says of Allitt: 'She's been living the life of Riley. She should be serving her life sentences in a prison behind bars.' 'She knew it was wrong and she chose to do it anyway. I think somebody who has committed murder knowingly, willingly, should be in prison. This woman is an incredibly manipulative individual. 'She's somebody who has managed to pull the strings of other people for years and years before she was even convicted of these crimes. So, why would she have changed her behaviour?' Mr Gibson was admitted to the special children's unit at Grantham with pneumonia in March 1991. One night he told Allitt that his drip was causing him some discomfort. Instead of helping him, she administered an almost-fatal dose of potassium. Beverley Allitt pictured in 1992. Mr Justice Latham described her as 'cunning and manipulative', and told her she would never be released He suffered a heart attack and doctors gave him at least eight electric shocks in a desperate attempt to save his life. After 32 minutes, they were about to give up on him when they detected a weak heartbeat. Mr Gibson told ITV: 'I lost the use of my legs, so I wasn't able to get out of bed, wasn't able to move around. I couldn't control my bladder for a number of years afterwards. I had nightmares. I remember waking up quite a number of nights, just screaming. You put so much faith and trust in nurses. They're supposed to help you.' Allitt had started attacking children a month previously when seven-month-old Liam Taylor was admitted with a chest infection. The softly spoken nurse went out of her way to reassure his parents that he was in safe hands. She volunteered for extra night duty so she could inject him with insulin without being watched. Two cardiac arrests left Liam with brain damage so severe that his parents took the decision to turn off his life support machine. The Angel of Death was not questioned about Liam's death and went on to kill 11-year-old Timothy Hardwick, two-month-old Becky Phillips and 15-month-old Claire Peck. Alarmed at the death toll, hospital staff finally called in detectives. By then, Allitt had tried to kill nine others. Trevor McDonald and the Killer Nurse, ITV, Wednesday at 9pm President Donald Trump has praised Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a 'strong person' with 'very good control' despite top U.S. lawmakers saying they believed he may have ordered the killing of a Washington Post writer. Trump on Saturday criticized Saudi Arabia's explanation about the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at their Turkish consulate as he accused them of lying. 'Obviously there's been deception and there's been lies. Their stories are all over the place,' Trump told the Washington Post. But in the same interview, Trump defended Crown Prince Mohammed's leadership and praised him for having 'very good control'. He went on to say he had seen no evidence that the Crown Prince ordered, or even knew about, the killing of Khashoggi. President Donald Trump has praised Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (above in March) as a 'strong person' despite top U.S. lawmakers saying they believed he may have ordered the killing of a Washington Post writer 'Nobody has told me he's responsible. Nobody has told me he's not responsible. We haven't reached that point. I haven't heard either way,' Trump said. 'There is a possibility he found out about it afterward. It could be something in the building went badly awry. It could be when that's he found about it. He could have known they were bringing him back to Saudi Arabia.' It comes as top U.S. lawmakers turned their ire on the Crown Prince, saying they believed he ordered the killing of the Saudi journalist earlier this month. 'Do I think he did it? Yes, I think he did it,' Republican Senator Bob Corker, the influential chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in an interview with CNN. Corker, who said he received a classified briefing on the case on Friday, said he was waiting for investigations to be completed and hoped that Turkey would share any audio tapes of the killing of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago. However, he made it clear that he believed the murder was directed by Crown Prince Mohammed, who has consolidated power in the world's top oil exporter and courted Trump. 'Let's let this play out, but my guess is that at the end of the day the United States and the rest of the world will believe fully that he did it,' Corker told CNN's 'State of the Union.' Crown Prince Mohammed has denied involvement with the disappearance of Khashoggi, a fierce critic of his policies. Crown Prince Mohammed has denied involvement with the death of Jamal Khashoggi - a fierce critic of his policies - earlier this month at their Turkish consulate A journalist shoots video behind barriers blocking the road leading to Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, where Khashoggi died His foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, went on U.S. television to insist that the killing was a mistake, and sought to shield the powerful prince from the widening crisis. Khashoggi went missing after entering the consulate to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. After denying any involvement in the 59-year-old's disappearance for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, had died during a fight in the building. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold. On Saturday, Trump joined European leaders in pushing Saudi Arabia for more answers after Riyadh changed its story and acknowledged that the journalist died at the consulate. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who is traveling in the region, said on Sunday the Saudi explanation was a 'good first step but not enough.' He said it was premature to discuss sanctions, in line with Trump administration efforts to censure a killing that has drawn international outrage while also protecting relations with the Saudis. However, a number of Trump's fellow Republicans joined their Democratic colleagues in Congress in expressing impatience with the shifting Saudi responses to the disappearance of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist. An activist dressed as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman marches in front the White House during a demonstration calling for sanctions against Saudi Arabia on Friday Corker said the Saudis have 'lost all credibility' and fellow Republican Senator Ben Sasse said they 'have a lot of explaining to do.' Both Republicans and Democrats have turned their attention to the role of the crown prince, with whom Trump and his son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner have cultivated a close relationship. 'I think it stretches credulity to believe the crown prince wasn't involved in this,' Senator Rand Paul, a Republican close to Trump, said on 'Fox News Sunday.' 'In Saudi Arabia, you do not do something of this magnitude without having clearance from the top,' Senator Thom Tillis, another Republican, said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' Senator Dick Durbin, the No.2 Democrat in the Senate, said he believed 'the crown prince has his fingerprints all over this,' and called on the Trump administration to expel the Saudi ambassador and ask allies to do the same. Corker said that if the crown prince had ordered the murder, 'he's now crossed the line, and there has to be a punishment and a price to pay for that.' What that price will be is a thorny issue for Congress, as well as some European allies who also sell arms to the Saudis and have other business interests in the kingdom. The United States could impose sanctions on Crown Prince Mohammed if he were found culpable in the killing, Corker said, but there should be a collective response with U.S. allies that are looking to Washington for leadership. A number of lawmakers, including Paul, have called for an end to arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Members of Congress have the power to block such sales. But Trump said last week he saw no reason to cut off weapons sales to Saudi Arabia in response to Khashoggi's disappearance. Corker said a nuanced response was needed. 'Sanctions are a blunt instrument. They're good but they're not that great,' Corker said. 'And so we need to think of other ways to deal with this kind of behavior.' Seven network owner Kerry Stokes' leading role in the break down of James Packer's engagement to Mariah Carey has been revealed - causing the pop star to accuse Mr Stokes of kidnapping. Mr Stokes took charge of his friend's private affairs in 2016 as Mr Packer's life spiralled into chaos due to extreme debts related to his Crown Resorts business. Mr Packer admitted to feeling manic and paranoid after his company was handed a $362million bill from the Australian Tax Office in 2016 related to his failed attempt to enter the American casino market. Adding to his stress was a settlement with his sister over the family fortune and slumping Crown shares. Soon after, the billionaire received a call from another friend at his home in Aspen telling him to trust in Mr Stokes, subsequently putting a wedge between the famous couple. Scroll down for video Seven network owner Kerry Stokes' leading role in stopping James Packer's marriage to Mariah Carey (couple pictured) has been revealed Kerry Stokes (left), James Packer (centre), and Mariah Carey are seen in Portofino, Italy in 2015 Mr Stokes said Mr Packer was 'confused' before his looming wedding to Carey in March 2016. Mr Stokes said he worried about the couple's lifestyle and was forced to turn down a request from Carey to spend $250,000 on her wedding dress. Another request from Carey to charter a plane from Las Vegas to Israel was also denied - angering the star and her personal assistant Stella Bulochnikov. 'I was accused of separating the lovebirds,' Mr Stokes said in The Price of Fortune, Mr Packer's biography, The Australian reported. Mr Stokes ordered unscheduled maintenance for Mr Packer's plane, a move which angered Carey and her management. Mr Stokes felt he was acting in Mr Packer's best interests. 'They were threatening to go to the police for me kidnapping James - there were some strong words,' Mr Stokes said. Mr Stokes said he and Mr Packer agreed it would be best if the embattled Crown boss spent time in Israel to receive treatment for his mental health issues. 'Away from all the controversies and the pressures and the intensities... My concern was that (he and Mariah) were both in bad places and that James needed some space,' Mr Stokes said. 'I did postpone his wedding... James was upset at not seeing her. But he wasn't sure. He was obviously engaged to her. He was obviously emotionally involved. The fact it was postponed, he was happy to get the chance to get himself into a better place.' Mr Stokes took control of his friend's private affairs in 2016 as Mr Packer's life spiralled out of control due to extreme debts related to his Crown Resorts business Mr Packer's relationship with Carey was put under strain when Mr Stokes took control of his personal affairs Mr Packer and Mr Stokes had earlier been photographed with their arms around each other in deep discussion on board Mr Packer's luxury yacht the Arctic P in the Mediterranean Sea in June 2015. Mr Stokes said he liked the singer and enjoyed spending time with her, noting that they seemed 'truly happy' together. Mr Packer still wanted to marry Carey after his return from Israel, but the relationship 'fell apart'. 'In retrospect, that was good for James.... James' welfare was paramount. He needed care at that stage,' Mr Stokes said. Pulling out of a historic US-Russia arms treaty endangers life on Earth, Mikhail Gorbachev warned Donald Trump yesterday. The former Soviet leader said Mr Trump was showing a lack of wisdom and risked undermining nuclear disarmament efforts. The US President wants to quit the pact which bans medium-range nuclear missiles because Moscow has violated it for many years. But 87-year-old Mr Gorbachev, who signed the agreement with former president Ronald Reagan at the White House in 1987, said: Do they really not understand in Washington what this could lead to? He added: Is it really so hard to understand that dropping these agreements... shows a lack of wisdom? Getting rid of the treaty is a mistake. All the agreements aimed at nuclear disarmament and limitation of nuclear arms must be preserved to save life on Earth. US President Donald Trump addresses a "Make America Great Again" rally at Elko Regional Airport in Elko, Nevada Mr Gorbachev, who played a major role in ending the Cold War, warned that Mr Trumps move would undermine all the efforts put in by the Soviet leadership and by the US itself to reach nuclear disarmament. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty prohibits the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles. Konstantin Kosachev, head of the foreign affairs committee in Russias upper house of parliament, said that a US withdrawal from the treaty would mean mankind is facing full chaos in the nuclear weapons sphere. In London, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson insisted he stood absolutely resolute with the US. He blamed Russia for endangering the pact and called on the Kremlin to get its house in order. Our close and long-term ally of course is the United States and we will be absolutely resolute with the United States in hammering home a clear message that Russia needs to respect the treaty obligation that it signed, Mr Williamson said. We of course want to see this treaty continue to stand but it does require two parties to be committed to it and at the moment you have one party that is ignoring it. Mr Trump said on Saturday: Weve honoured the agreement, but Russia has not ... so were going to terminate the agreement. He did not provide details on the violations. The INF treaty eliminated a whole category of nuclear weapons from the US and Russian arsenals. Mikhail Gorbachev speaks to the Associated Press during an interview at his foundation's headquarters in Moscow But in 2012 the US accused Russia of violating the treaty with a range of weapons, including the SSC-8 cruise missile test-launched as early as 2008. Russia has in turn accused the US of violating the treaty with its missile defences. Russian analyst Dmitry Oreshkin said: We are slowly slipping back to the situation of Cold War as it was at the end of the Soviet Union ... but now it could be worse because Putin belongs to a generation that had no war under its belt. Steven Pifer, a former US ambassador to Ukraine, said: Once the United States withdraws from the treaty, there is no reason for Russia to even pretend it is observing the limits. Moscow will be free to deploy the 9M729 cruise missile [Russias name for the SSC-8], and an intermediate-range ballistic missile if it wants, without any restraint. Republican senator Rand Paul said it was a big, big mistake to flippantly get out of this historic agreement, adding that he wanted a rational discussion between Moscow and Washington to settle their differences. But another Republican senator, Lindsey Graham, backed the President, saying pulling out was absolutely the right move because the Russians have been cheating. The German government said it regrets the planned withdrawal and it will require discussion among Nato countries, calling the treaty an important element of arms control. MPs have piled pressure on the British Government to cut ties with Saudi Arabia despite the kingdom's alleged role in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Foreign affairs representatives from five parties have written to Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt after the Gulf kingdom finally admitted Khashoggi had been killed. Labour, the SNP, the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and the Greens said it was 'hard to imagine what crime the Saudi government would need to commit' to earn a rebuke from the UK Government, the Guardian reported. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said it was a 'terrible case' but the UK government was 'not throwing our hands in the air' because thousands of jobs depended on relations with the country. Turkish government sources have claimed that Khashoggi (pictured), a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was tortured and murdered by a hit squad flown in from Riyadh. Saudi Arabia is the UK's key ally in the region and also a significant trading partner and Britain rolled out the red carpet when the Crown Prince visited in March. A former head of MI6 has said Khashoggi's murder is likely to have been ordered by allies of the prince but Saudi Arabia has denied he knew about the killing. During his state visit he was granted rare access to a briefing on foreign policy issues by national security officials alongside his meetings with the Queen and Mrs May. The government has come under pressure from Labour and the Liberal Democrats to ban arms sales to the kingdom but Mr Raab insisted the UK's export regime was 'one of the most rigorous' in the world. 'The problem with Labour's position is it would cost thousands of British jobs. So, what we would rather do is support the investigation, find out what happened,' he said. The Saudi regime insisted on Sunday that the regime was still working on finding the body, saying Khashoggi had been killed in a 'rogue operation'. Turkish government sources have claimed that Khashoggi, a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Saudi government, was tortured and murdered by a hit squad flown in from Riyadh. Foreign affairs representatives from five parties have written to Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured) after the Gulf kingdom finally admitted Khashoggi had been killed Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is considering the 'next steps' in Britain's response to the case. Mr Hunt has previously warned there will be 'consequences' for the UK's relationship with Saudi Arabia if it was found the journalist was murdered. US President Donald Trump suggested sanctions against Saudi were a possibility but said that halting arms deals would 'hurt us more than it would hurt them'. Oliver Sprague, Amnesty International UK's arms expert, said the UK should have halted arms sales to Saudi Arabia long ago over its military intervention in Yemen. He added: 'On the one hand, ministers defend weapons sales to the Saudi coalition with claims that the coalition properly investigates when airstrikes kill Yemeni civilians. 'Yet, on the other, ministers are quite rightly sceptical over Saudi Arabia's ability to properly investigate over a high-profile case like Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia is the UK's key ally in the region and also a significant trading partner and Britain rolled out the red carpet when the Crown Prince visited in March (pictured) 'This issue boils down to trust: the Government has time and time again been willing to trust Saudi promises over proper investigations despite overwhelming evidence of its reckless military behaviour in Yemen.' Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said that those responsible will be held accountable for 'this huge and grave mistake'. Saudi Arabia finally admitted on Friday that Khashoggi was killed after he entered the consulate on October 2. The kingdom has also said 18 suspects are in custody and that intelligence officials have been fired. A senior official had earlier claimed Khashoggi was killed in a chokehold and his body hidden in a rug so that a 'co-operator' could dispose of it away from the Saudi consulate. Victims of the contaminated blood scandal were persuaded to sign away their legal rights without knowing they had a second deadly condition, the Daily Mail can reveal. More than 1,200 patients who had been infected with HIV were forced to sign a contract with government officials promising to drop all legal action. After they signed, they were told they had also been infected with hepatitis C. More than 1,200 patients who had been infected with HIV were forced to sign a contract with government officials promising to drop all legal action (file picture) The contracts were signed in 1991 and victims were each paid a cash sum of about 24,000, depending on their age, marital status and whether they had children. The Department of Health was aware in 1989 that the patients had hepatitis C which causes severe liver damage but didnt tell them until after the contracts had been signed. Patients with both HIV and hepatitis C tend to die much more quickly than those with just one of the viruses. The contracts expose a shocking cover-up by the Government in what is considered the NHSs worst treatment disaster. Up to 7,500 patients are thought to have been infected with diseases after being given blood products or transfusions in the 1970s and 1980s. The contracts were signed in 1991 and victims were each paid a cash sum of about 24,000, depending on their age, marital status and whether they had children (file photo) Many had the blood-clotting disorder haemophilia and relied on regular injections of a medicine called Factor VIII, made from human blood. Britain was running low on Factor VIII so imported supplies from the United States where they had been donated by prisoners, the homeless and prostitutes for cash. Many were contaminated with HIV and hepatitis and they were never screened or heat-treated. The patients made to sign the contract all had haemophilia and had been trying to take a group legal action against the Department of Health after finding out they had HIV. Campaigners say the Government was desperate to keep the scandal away from the court for fear of the publicity, criminal charges and compensation claims that might follow. The Department of Health was aware patients had hepatitis C (pictured, an illustration) which causes severe liver damage but didnt tell them until after the contracts had been signed The contract, sent out via patients solicitors, states: I undertake not to bring any proceedings against the Crown or any health service body now or at any time in the future in respect of the said infection of (blank space for name) by human-immuno deficiency virus or hepatitis virus. Jason Evans, the founder of Factor 8, whose father died in 1993 after being infected from both hepatitis C and HIV, said: It was the greatest trick the Department of Health would ever pull on them. My lawyer told me to sign it before I die Adrian, who is in his 50s and lives in the West Midlands, is one of just 240 victims with both HIV and hepatitis C still alive. He has haemophilia and was told by his doctor he had been infected an incalculable number of times with the viruses through Factor VIII injections in the 1970s and 1980s. He found out he had HIV when he was in his early 20s and began taking legal action against the Department of Health and local health bodies alongside 1,240 haemophiliacs who also had the virus. But in 1991, he was urged by his solicitors to sign a contract a waiver promising to end the legal action in return for 24,000. Adrian, who does not want to disclose his full identity due to the stigma of HIV, said he believed his solicitors were leant on by the department to persuade all patients to accept the money. He said: Myself and my wife had to go to our solicitor and he told us there was an ex-gratia payment, but it wouldnt be paid if one person didnt sign this particular bit of paper. There was 1,243 of us initially infected. You were made to feel guilty that if you didnt sign it then nobody else would get the money either. At the time people were dying and they were severely ill. We were really press-ganged into it. The solicitor told me that a court case would drag this out and I wouldnt see the end of it. At the time, Adrian didnt know he had hepatitis C, although the Department of Health was fully aware that all victims had been infected with the virus. He said he was puzzled as to why the document mentioned hepatitis when he thought he only had HIV but he didnt pursue the matter further. I was having to get my house in order and prepare to die. It seemed like signing this thing was no other option. My solicitor said to me if this goes to court you wont see it through youll be dead. Advertisement The Government and Civil Service in this country wanted to bury the truth about what happened. They had their reasons: criminal prosecutions were occurring in other countries such as France, the potential liability was enormous and senior officials stood to be in real trouble. Labour MP Diana Johnson, who campaigned for the public inquiry into the scandal, said: The scale of the contaminated blood scandal is truly shocking. As the public inquiry proceeds, further disturbing revelations will no doubt come to light both regarding the original errors that were made and the efforts to cover it up over several decades. More than 7,500 patients were infected with HIV and hepatitis after being given contaminated blood by the NHS in the 1970s and 1980s Sharon Hodgson, Labours shadow health minister, said: This is a horrifying and shameful series of events. One patient who was made to sign the contract said he was told by his solicitor that if he refused, none of the other patients would get their money. Adrian, who doesnt wish to reveal his full identity, said: He told us it had to be everybody, or nobody. If one person didnt sign, the financial thing wouldnt happen. A public inquiry began last month and it is being chaired by a former High Court judge, Sir Brian Langstaff (left) Most patients only found out they had been infected with hepatitis C in 1994 and 1995 when the Department of Health carried out further testing and results were shared with doctors. Had patients found out earlier, they could have been given treatments to encourage their immune system to attack the virus. Although the drugs werent as advanced as those available today, they would have significantly improved the patients survival chances. What is hepatitis C and how can it be treated? Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage. Today, chronic hepatitis C is usually curable with oral medications taken every day for two to six months. However, about half of those infected with hepatitis C don't know they're infected, mainly because they have no symptoms, which can take decades to appear. These include bleeding and bruising easily, fatigue, poor appetite, yellowing of the eyes and skin, dark colored urine and itchy skin. Hepatitis C spreads when blood contaminated with the virus enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person. People who have received a piercing or tattoo in an unclean environment are also at risk, as are individuals who have injected or inhaled illicit drugs. Advertisement The Mail has seen documents which show that Department of Health officials were aware in 1989 that the patients had hepatitis C. Tests had been carried out on patients blood without their knowledge when they attended haemophilia clinics. A letter sent by an official from the department in October 1989 states: In the case of NANB hepatitis (hepatitis C), the majority of haemophiliacs became infected after frequent use of concentrate, more quickly if commercial rather than UK concentrate was used. It adds: The new hepatitis C antibody test has shown the majority of severe haemophiliacs to be positive. Despite the scale of the scandal, none of the government officials, doctors or drug companies responsible has faced criminal charges. In France, which used the same blood products, up to 30 people have been prosecuted over charges including negligence and deception. Two people have been jailed. The public inquiry began last month and it is being chaired by a former High Court judge, Sir Brian Langstaff. Over three days of preliminary hearings, victims and relatives gave emotional accounts of how their lives had been devastated after being diagnosed with HIV and hepatitis. The inquiry is now gathering evidence in the form of written documents and statements from witnesses. It will begin hearing from victims at the end of April, followed by doctors and government officials, and is expected to last at least two years. A Department of Health spokesman said it was unable to comment due to the ongoing inquiry. Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci is snapping back at White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, the man who fired him, as someone who has 'hurt the president' and 'has hissy fits.' 'He hurt the morale inside the place, and he's hurt the president, and he has hissy fits,' Scaramucci, known as 'The Mooch,' said on NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday. Scaramucci, who famously lasted just 11 days in the job before being fired by Kelly, is promoting new book -Trump, The Blue-Collar President. Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci is promoting his new book 'Trump, The Blue-Collar President' John Kelly fired Scaramucci as one of his first acts as chief of staff Asked if he was angry at Kelly, Scaramucci said: 'He didn't need to fire me the way he fired me.' He added: 'I gave a tremendous amount of money to the campaign, raised a tremendous amount of money, did countless hours of media advocacy during the campaign and the transition and even after the president was inaugurated. There was a better way to fire me, but he was trying to make a spectacle out of it and so he got the spectacle that he wanted. And listen, it was, it was upsetting at the time.' In one of his first acts after being sworn in as Chief of Staff - he replaced Reince Priebus - Kelly invited Scaramucci to his office and told him he was being let go. Host Chuck Todd had asked Scaramucci about reports that Kelly had an angry and profane shouting match with National Security Advisor John Bolton just steps from the Oval Office on Thursday. The argument grew so tense that some aides wondered whether one of the men would step down, according to reports. Scaramucci said the way President Donald Trump set up the West Wing made it a tough place to work. 'I know that the West Wing and the way the president set up the West Wing, it's tough in there for people,' he said. Scaramucci, appearing on NBC's 'Meet the Press,' said President Trump makes the West Wing a tough place to work Scaramucci, who famously lasted just 11 days in the job before being unceremoniously fired by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, made the revelation in a new book But Scaramucci pointed to accounts of Kelly in the media recently - the fight with Bolton and allegations in Bob Woodward's book 'Fear' that Kelly called the president an 'idiot' and 'unhinged' - as validating his complaints about the chief of staff. 'You know the good news is, I'm being vindicated by that because he's demonstrating his personality now the way he really is,' he said. He also said Kelly - a retired Marine Corps general - has a much different style from Trump, who is known for a more free-wheeling working style. 'I applaud the general's service to the country, obviously forty years in the U.S. Marine Corps, but this is a very different job. This is a civilian-based job, and I think he's tried to apply military-like management style to a group of civilians and so that doesn't necessarily work. And by the way, you know the president has a free-wheeling style, that's very different from John Kelly's,' Scaramucci said. In his book, Scaramucci recalls his meeting with Kelly on the first day he became chief of staff - July 31. He told me that he didnt think I would ever be able to get past the phone call with Ryan Lizza, wrote Scaramucci, according to an excerpt obtained by The New York Post. Not in this town, he said. The Mooch added: I remember thinking that we had gotten past the Access Hollywood tape, but I didnt say that to him. The Access Hollywood tape is a reference to the audio footage in which Trump is heard bragging to Billy Bush that he grabbed women by their genitals. Mark Carney (pictured on April 7) spent about 16,800 a month between March and May totalling 50,664 on foreign business travel, car hire and taxis The Bank of England governor spent more than 50,000 on travel for just three months work, it has been revealed. Amid rising criticism over high expenses claims from senior officials at the Bank, Mark Carney spent about 16,800 a month between March and May totalling 50,664 on foreign business travel, car hire and taxis. It comes after Mr Carney, who earned nearly 900,000 last year, and two of his closest advisers, Donald Kohn and Anil Kashyap, were forced to justify their staggering claims to a select committee in June. MPs heard that Mr Carney racked up expenses of more than 300,000 from December 2015 to February 2018 equivalent to 11,100 a month while Mr Kohn and Mr Kashyap claimed a combined 390,000. Further analysis by the Daily Mail revealed top brass at the Bank have claimed 1million in little over two years. The Bank was blasted by critics who said the enormous sums had disturbing echoes of the MPs expenses scandal. Following the hearing, a senior Bank official said it would review and refresh its travel and expenses policy and report back to MPs. Nicky Morgan, chairman of the Treasury select committee, said: The committee will keep a watchful eye on the review, and its impact on the Banks expenses. However, the latest figures show that in the three months before the hearing, on top of Mr Carneys 50,664, Mr Kohn and Mr Kashyap claimed expenses totalling more than 54,000 between them. Mr Kohn spent nearly 31,000 on travel, including just three return flights from Washington to London and a further 595 on car hire and taxis. Mr Kashyap splashed out 22,266 on three return flights from Chicago to London and a further 337 on car hire and expenses. The Bank of England is owned by the Government and part-funded by taxpayers, but also raises money by investing cash on behalf of building societies and banks. MPs heard that Mr Carney racked up expenses of more than 300,000 from December 2015 to February 2018. Pictured: The Bank of England In June, Mr Carney attempted to defend the vast sums, saying that overseas travel expenses were justified. But John OConnell, of the TaxPayers Alliance, said last night that the latest figures showed the Bank of England was out of touch. A reasonable expenses bill to get the job done is one thing, but taxpayers will struggle to understand how bills many times the average wage are stacked up, he said. The governor is already one of the best-remunerated public sector employees before perks like this and a housing allowance, and when ordinary families pay their own bills from their hard-earned salaries its little wonder that they see the public sector elite as well out of touch. The Bank of England did not return requests for comment. Photos of Selma Blair walking with the aid of a cane have emerged after the actress revealed she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The pictures show Blair using the cane as she walks toward a medical building in Beverly Hills. Blair appeared to have trouble using her left arm and left leg, carrying the cane in her left hand as she made her to way to her doctor's office. Photos of Selma Blair walking with the aid of a cane have emerged after the actress revealed she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis The pictures show Blair using the cane as she walks toward a medical building in Beverly Hills The photos were taken just weeks before Blair revealed her MS diagnosis to the world in a heartfelt Instagram post. Blair, 46, shared on Saturday that she received the diagnosis in August after finally seeing a doctor at the urging of fellow actor and friend Elizabeth Berkley. 'I was in this wardrobe fitting two days ago. And I am in the deepest gratitude. So profound, it is, I have decided to share,' Blair wrote in an Instagram post from the set of Netflix's Another Life. 'The brilliant costumer #Alisaswanson not only designs the pieces #harperglass will wear on this new #Netflix show, but she carefully gets my legs in my pants, pulls my tops over my head, buttons my coats and offers her shoulder to steady myself. I have #multiplesclerosis.' Blair appeared to have trouble using her left arm and left leg, carrying the cane in her left hand as she made her to way to her doctor's office The photos were taken just weeks before Blair revealed her MS diagnosis to the world in a heartfelt Instagram post She said on Saturday she'd most likely had MS for the better part of the last two decades. 'Since my diagnosis at ten thirty pm on The night of August 16, I have had love and support from my friends, especially @Jaimeking @sarahmgellar @realfreddieprinze @tarasubkoff @noah.d.newman,' Blair wrote on Saturday. 'And the biggest thanks to @elizberkley who forced me to see her brother #drjasonberkley who gave me this diagnosis after finding lesions on that MRI. Blair revealed on Saturday that she's been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, in a heartfelt tribute to those helping her through her struggles in life and on set of Netflix's Another Life 'I have had symptoms for years but was never taken seriously until I fell down in front of him trying to sort out what I thought was a pinched nerve.' MS is defined as 'an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body,' according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The Cruel Intentions star got very candid about the challenges she's been facing while dealing with her MS. 'I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken gps. But we are doing it,' she wrote. 'And I laugh and I don't know exactly what I will do precisely but I will do my best.' On Thursday, Blair shared an image of not the MRI, but an X-ray, ahead of her announcement on Saturday In the days leading up to the post, she shared smaller pieces of a puzzle that made much more sense once her diagnosis was revealed. On Thursday, Blair shared an image of not the MRI, but an x-ray, ahead of her announcement on Saturday. She wrote with the image: 'Throwback Thursday to mid August. My neck pain was so severe I finally got an x Ray. Notice that straightened neck. We don't want that. #kyphosis #stenosis #degenerativediscdisease and this was just the beginning. Btw. Aren't x rays fascinating? Anyone have anything to add? This is fun #c4 #c5 #c6 smushed #aging #equestran #whiplash It is also how you can eventually get that awful hump you sometimes see with age.' On Friday, Blair shared a photo of her face in her hands, while still in bed, with her hair covering much of here eyes. She wrote, then: 'When you wake up and remember you have great hair color and a manicure that makes you feel polished. Makes scrambled brain of mine feel so much better.' On Friday, Blair shared a photo of her face in her hands, while still in bed, with her hair covering much of here eyes, writing: 'When you wake up and remember you have great hair color and a manicure that makes you feel polished. Makes scrambled brain of mine feel so much better' Blair (pictured in April) shared on Saturday that as her symptoms are worsening, she remains thankful to the people on her team who have stood by her Blair shared on Saturday that as her symptoms are worsening, she remains thankful to the people on her team who have stood by her and enabled her to continue to make Hollywood magic. 'I am in an exacerbation. By the grace of the lord, and will power and the understanding producers at Netflix, I have a job. A wonderful job,' she wrote. She shared appreciation for virtually the entire team on Netflix's new sci-fi series about an astronaut searching for signs of alien intelligence. 'My producers #noreenhalpern who assured me that everyone has something. #chrisregina #aaronmartin and every crew member...thank you. I am in the thick of it but I hope to give some hope to others. And even to myself,' she wrote. In the heart-wrenching post, Blair (pictured in October) said there are things she simply can't do by herself right now, and enduring exhaustion has been a particularly tough challenge In the heartwrenching post, Blair acknowledged that there are things she simply can't do by herself right now, and enduring exhaustion has been a particularly tough challenge for her. What is multiple sclerosis (MS)? MS is an an immune system disorder. This is when something goes wrong with the immune system and it mistakenly attacks a healthy part of the body in this case, the brain or spinal cord of the nervous system. In MS, the immune system attacks the layer that surrounds and protects the nerves, called the myelin sheath. This damages and scars the sheath, and potentially the underlying nerves, meaning that messages travelling along the nerves become slowed or disrupted. Exactly what causes the immune system to act in this way is unclear, but most experts think a combination of genetic and environmental factors is involved. Advertisement 'You can't get help unless you ask. It can be overwhelming in the beginning. You want to sleep. You always want to sleep. So I don't have answers,' she wrote. 'You see, I want to sleep. But I am a forthcoming person and I want my life to be full somehow. I want to play with my son again. I want to walk down the street and ride my horse. I have MS and I am ok.' 'But if you see me, dropping cr*p all over the street, feel free to help me pick it up. It takes a whole day for me alone.' 'Thank you and may we all know good days amongst the challenges.' She ended the post with the stark realization that she's been battling this disease without even knowing it for a very long time, and now that she has the knowledge, she's also gained a small amount of relief. 'I have probably had this incurable disease for 15 years at least. And I am relieved to at least know. And share,' she wrote. Malcolm Turnbull has returned to Australia after controversially fleeing to New York to avoid the by-election in his former seat of Wentworth. As the Liberal Party braced for a likely and unprecedented defeat in Australia's richest postcodes, party faithful blamed the deposed prime minister for failing to publicly endorse Liberal Party candidate Dave Sharma. Mr Turnbull quit Parliament in August, sparking a by-election in his former Sydney eastern suburbs seat of Wentworth, which saw the Liberal Party suffer a 19 per cent swing against it on Saturday, leaving Prime Minister Scott Morrison without a majority. Scroll down for video Malcolm Turnbull (pictured at Sydney airport with wife Lucy) has returned to Australia after controversially fleeing to New York to avoid the by-election in his former seat of Wentworth The multi-millionaire former prime minister Mr Turnbull and his wife Lucy had been staying in their luxury $4.5million apartment in Manhattan, overlooking Central Park, in the months leading up to Saturday's by-election. After flying into Sydney from Singapore on Monday morning, the Turnbulls had walked past waiting camera crews. In August, Mr Turnbull told media in New York the couple were 'just here privately on a break'. He had reportedly refused several pleas from inside government asking him to publicly endorse Mr Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel. Mr Sharma made a last ditch attempt for Mr Turnbull's public endorsement last week, calling the former prime minister himself on Thursday evening, but to no avail, The Australian reported. High-profile independent Kerryn Phelps was leading the Liberal Party's Dave Sharma, 51 to 49 per cent, after preferences, following a 19 per cent primary vote swing against the government at the weekend by-election. Prime Minister Scott Morrison blamed the mammoth swing in Wentworth on Mr Turnbull being undermined by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who launched two leadership challenges in three days in August. Saturday's polls were swamped with people wielding cardboard cutouts of the former leader with the words 'Where's Malcolm?' (pictured) He described Wentworth's loss of Mr Turnbull as a 'big price' to pay in the latest leadership coup - leaving many calling on an early federal election. Saturday's polls were swamped with people wielding cardboard cutouts of the former leader with the words 'Where's Malcolm?'. In seemingly his only public move surrounding the citicism, Mr Turnbull liked a tweet of independent candidate Kerryn Phelps, but later un-liked it. The tweet stated Dr Phelps' supporters were 'no longer wondering' where Mr Turnbull was, instead they were 'hoping for a strong independent win'. Meanwhile in seemingly his only public move surrounding the citicism, Mr Turnbull liked a tweet of independent candidate Kerryn Phelps, but later un-liked it Supporters of Dr Phelps, who leads by about 1,676 votes, used Mr Turnbull's absence from the political scene as fuel for their agenda. He remained quiet ahead of the weekend's crucial by-election and made no public announcement in favour of the Liberal Party or the Morrison Government. Instead, his Singapore-based son, Alex Turnbull, urged Wentworth voters via social media to avoid backing the Liberal Party. After initially backing Labor's Tim Murray, he threw his support behind Dr Phelps, calling her election night victory a 'great day for Australian democracy'. His father Malcolm Turnbull had been a popular local member since 2004 and only two years ago won 62 per cent of the primary vote. In 2016, the former prime minister won Wentworth with a two-party margin of almost 18 per cent, making it one of the Liberal Party's safest seats. Wentworth, Australia's wealthiest electorate, has been held by the conservative side of politics since it was created in 1901. Not all hope has been lost for the Liberal Party, however, with more than 1,000 postal and pre-election votes still to be counted as of Monday. Defence chiefs are paying as much as 38 to boil a kettle during winter because of a scheme designed to save energy in winter. The Ministry of Defence has put up notices telling recruits to turn off lights, shut down computers and avoid using microwaves during peak hours. Military bosses have signed up to the scheme despite repeated warnings over UK military funding and fears of a 20billion hole in funding for the armed forces. The warning notices in military bases around the country tell staff to 'play your part in helping MoD reduce energy use and costs', The Sun reported. Defence chiefs are paying as much as 38 to boil a kettle during winter because of a scheme designed to save energy in winter Under the pricing system, explained in the warning notices, the cost of boiling a kettle for two minutes rises from two pence to a staggering 38. Running a 900W microwave for three minutes can cost 14 instead of one penny while the price of using a games console for an hour would shoot up from two pence to 2.70. A 60W lightbulb would cost 90 pence to run for an hour instead of the usual one penny, the signs say. Recruits are told to save energy when EDF, which supplies the MoD's electricity, alerts it to likely spikes in demand. The huge costs are the result of a price-setting system known as 'triads' in which the National Grid records the half-hours of heaviest usage during the winter. The figure is based on how much electricity the 100,000 heaviest users consume during three undisclosed half-hour periods between November and February. During these periods the price of electricity spikes and the money is later reclaimed by the National Grid to cover investment in the system. Domestic energy consumers are not subject to the inflated prices under the triads system which is meant for commercial customers. The MoD has reportedly signed up to the scheme. The Ministry of Defence has put up notices telling recruits to turn off lights, shut down computers and avoid using microwaves during moments of peak demand An MoD spokesman told the newspaper: 'The Triad system is a National Grid initiative to help industry and commercial customers reduce energy consumption and save money during periods of high demand. 'We have a number of measures in place to alert personnel to these Triad periods and ensure we use energy in the most efficient way and minimise our energy bills.' Earlier this year a watchdog warned defence chiefs were facing a 20billion black hole in the armed forces equipment budget that could jeopardise operations unless urgent action is taken. In June a former head of the armed forces has warned ministers they must increase spending on defence if Britain is to remain a world military power. General Lord Houghton said the UK was at a 'strategic crossroads' and the Government had to decide what sort of country it wants to be in a post-Brexit world. He said the current defence programme, as set out in David Cameron's 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, was 'wholly unaffordable' based on existing resources. Affluent voters overwhelmingly supported the Liberal's Dave Sharma, but it was Dr Kerryn Phelps backing from beachside dwellers that helped her win the Wentworth seat. Dr Phelps become the first independent candidate to hold the blue-ribbon seat after defeating Mr Sharma in Saturday's by-election. The former president of the Australian Medical Association claimed 23 of the 35 booths in Wentworth, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, in a victory which saw the government forced into minority rule. Dr Kerryn Phelps, pictured here outside the Bellevue Hill polling booth on Saturday, claimed 23 of the 35 booths at the Wentworth by-election Dave Sharma, pictured here in Paddington, only claimed 12 of the booths as voters savaged the Liberal Party following Malcolm Turnbull's removal as Prime Minister Dr Phelps enjoyed strong support around the beachside suburbs of Bondi, Bronte and Clovelly as voters deserted the Liberal Party in droves. In Bronte, the Liberal's vote collapsed by a whopping 27 per cent, with Dr Phelps edging out Mr Sharma 489 votes to 430. Dr Phelps gained 1,300 votes at the Bondi Beach Public School booth, to Mr Sharma's 1,087 - a 20 per cent drop in the Liberal vote. She was also overwhelmingly backed around the inner-city suburbs of the electorate, including Darlinghurst, Elizabeth Bay, Paddington and Kings Cross. At the Darlinghurst Public School booth, Dr Phelps received 320 votes to Mr Sharma's 162, while in Elizabeth Bay, 791 voters put her first compared to 437 for her competitor. Mr Sharma, by contrast, enjoyed majority support around the middle of the electorate, in the affluent suburbs of Vaucluse, Darling Point, Double Bay, Bellevue Hill, Rose Bay, Dover Heights and Watsons Bay. Dr Phelps enjoyed strong support in the beachside and inner-city suburbs of the electorate and in places such as Waverley (pictured) while Mr Sharma received majority support through the middle of Wentworth, including affluent areas such as Vaucluse At the Bronte Public School booth (pictured), Dr Phelps received 489 votes to Mr Sharma's 430 votes - a 27 per cent collapse in the Liberal's vote In Darling Point, Mr Sharma amassed 887 votes to 487 for Dr Phelps, while in Double Bay, he received 1,665 votes to his competitors 835 even with the Liberal vote dropping by about 20 per cent at both booths. He went on to win the first-preference count, receiving 31,853 votes - or 43.17 per cent - to Dr Phelps 21,503 votes or 29.14 per cent. But thanks to preferences, Dr Phelps claimed victory on a two-party preferred basis, 37,700 (51.1 per cent) votes to Mr Sharma's 36,084 (48.9 per cent), at the most recent count. The result represented a 19 per cent swing against the Liberal Party compared to the 2016 election - one of the largest ever swings in a federal by-election. Dr Pehlps (pictured) became the first independent to claim Wentworth when she won Saturday's by-election Mr Sharma (pictured) managed to win the first-preference vote but lost out on the two-party preferred vote The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who quit politics after he was forced from the top job in the Liberal Party's brutal leadership spill. Mr Tunbull was overseas during the vote, returning to Australia on Monday morning after a trip to New York and Singapore. In the July 2016 federal election, Mr Turnbull won Wentworth 67.75 per cent to Labor's 32.25 per cent. Labour could back a second referendum following the very significant march by protesters calling for a final say on Brexit, Sir Keir Starmer said yesterday. The shadow Brexit secretary broke ranks with Jeremy Corbyn to praise the so-called Peoples Vote rally, which attracted up to 700,000 demonstrators to London on Saturday. Sir Keir said last month that Labour would vote against any deal struck by Theresa May. The partys official position is to push for a general election if the deal gets voted down. Scroll down for video Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer was speaking on BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning Starmer told Marr Labour wouldn't back a Brexit deal struck by Theresa May But Sir Keir yesterday acknowledged that Labour could not force an election and suggested it may then switch to backing a second referendum. He told the BBCs Andrew Marr show: If theres no deal brought back or the deal is voted down, then other options are on the table, one of which is a public vote. And in that public vote no options are ruled out, including the option of remain. Mr Corbyn is reported to have banned shadow ministers from attending Saturdays march. This was denied yesterday, but no shadow ministers attended. The Labour leader has made no public comment on the march and faced criticism for avoiding it, preferring to spend the day in Geneva, speaking to victims of General Pinochets brutal military regime in Chile. Asked if he would have attended the march in other circumstances, Sir Keir smiled and said: Look, 700,000 people, its a very significant number. I think the fact of the march, the size of the march is significant and where people came from. But I think it actually reflects a much, much bigger group, I think both Leave and Remain, who are utterly losing confidence in the Prime Ministers ability to bring back a deal. So it is significant in itself, but also because it reflects this much bigger concern about where all this is going. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab (left) appeared alongside Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer Mrs May is expected to repeat her opposition to a second referendum today when she briefs MPs on the Brexit negotiations. Earlier this month she dismissed the idea, saying: We have had a peoples vote and the people voted to leave. A handful of Tory MPs attended the march, including former ministers Anna Soubry and Philip Lee, and Commons health committee chairman Sarah Wollaston. Former cabinet minister Greg Hands said: I campaigned to remain in June 2016 but... a second referendum isnt the answer, and will likely be highly detrimental. Nick Boles, another pro-remain former minister said: A second referendum would deepen divisions in our country and offer an opening to extremists. So I will not support it under any circumstances. The shadow Brexit secretary broke ranks with Jeremy Corbyn to praise the so-called Peoples Vote rally, which attracted up to 700,000 demonstrators to London on Saturday The march was backed by a close ally of Angela Merkel, however. In an unusual move, German economy minister Peter Altmaier encouraged the so-called Peoples Vote campaigners to step up their efforts, saying: Good luck to all of you. He posted on Twitter: The Peoples Vote march is the most impressive and deeply moving support for Europe Ive ever seen. Millions across Europe feel with you! Thx so much!!! Danke! Merci! Sarah Wellgreen, a 46-year-old beautician, was last seen on Tuesday, October 9 Hundreds of volunteers have joined a huge search for a mother-of-five who vanished nearly two weeks ago. They scoured woodland close to Sarah Wellgreen's home in New Ash Green near Dartford, Kent, as concern grew for her safety last night. Miss Wellgreen, a 46-year-old beautician, was last seen on Tuesday, October 9. One resident helping out on the search, who asked not to be named, said: 'Everyone is so shocked that Sarah just vanished. As a community we wanted to help out, so we approached Kent Police and they were happy for us to help out. 'There were about 100 people throughout Saturday and also about 100 today. Police seem to be focusing on woodland area.' Miss Wellgreen's car was left at home during the evening of her disappearance. It was reported that she has not used her bank card or mobile phone since her disappearance. An area of woodland close to her home has been taped off by police officers who have been carrying out a detailed search there since Wednesday. A man in his 30s was arrested last Tuesday in connection with the missing person inquiry, but was released pending further inquiries until Friday, November 16. An area of woodland close to Sarah's home has been taped off by police officers who have been carrying out a detailed search there since Wednesday Hundreds of volunteers and police officers have scoured woodland close to Sarah's home in New Ash Green Sarah's son Lewis Burdett, 22, says her disappearance is completely out of character. He posted on his Facebook page: 'MISSING!!! My Mum, Sarah Jane Wellgreen, hasn't been seen or heard from since last Tuesday night. Police have got involved now. Please share this as much as you can we are all worried about her and miss her. 'Last seen in New Ash Green Kent, car was left at home, please contact me or 101. The slightest bit of information could help so much, thank you.' Mr Burdett said: 'This behaviour is so unlike her she's never done anything like this before.' A Kent Police spokesman said: 'Inquiries to locate Sarah Wellgreen are continuing and anyone who may have seen her, or has any other information, is asked to call Kent Police.' Karen Matthews (pictured in 2008) became angry after being told to wait in line at the Royal Berkshire Hospital Karen Matthews called NHS nurses 'f*****g Hitlers' after they refused to give her a private room in case she was recognised by the public before a hospital check-up. The 43-year-old - dubbed 'Britain's worst mum' for kidnapping her daughter, Shannon - became angry after being told to wait in line at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. She also ranted at an elderly Alzheimer's sufferer, telling his family, 'Take him away, he's giving me a headache', before being escorted out of the building by security staff. Matthews had surgery three weeks ago and went to hospital a week later complaining of complications. 'They told her she would have to wait like everyone else and she went crazy,' a patient told The Sun. The mother-of-seven was seen by a doctor and sent home. She spent eight years behind bars after being arrested in 2008 for kidnapping daughter Shannon, who turned 20 last month. Matthews (left, in 2008) spent eight years behind bars after being arrested for kidnapping daughter Shannon, (right) who turned 20 last month The child was nine when she was taken from near her home in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, sparking a month-long police search. Matthews and her boyfriend at the time, Craig Meehan, made several public appeals for help to find the schoolgirl. They were hoping to collect the reward money. Shannon was found on March 14 at the flat of accomplice Michael Donovan in nearby Batley Carr. She had been drugged and kept in a small compartment under the bed. Donovan was also found guilty of kidnap and served half of his eight-year sentence. Matthews is now living under a new identity. The Royal Berkshire Hospital said yesterday: 'We are aware of the situation. We have a zero-tolerance approach to disruption. We are very sorry to anyone who suffered distress.' The wreck of a German submarine sunk in an engagement with the Royal Navy during World War One with the loss of the entire crew has been found. Haunting images of U-87 have been seen for the first time since she was rammed by a British sloop on Christmas Day in 1917. The precise location of the wreck has not been known until now as scientists use state of the art technologies to survey a section of the British coastline. The wreck of the German submarine U-87 which sank 10 miles off Bardsey Island in North Wales which has been found thanks to a survey by scientists at Bangor University Images show the boat to be in remarkable condition sitting upright on the sandy seabed hundreds of feet down in the Irish sea. The U-Boat was found as part of a scientific survey using new imaging techniques of a university project to map 168 wrecks around the Welsh coast. The aim is to use the information to help show how the tides and currents have removed or deposited sediments around the wrecks on the seabed which will benefit the marine renewable energy sector. The German submarine sunk in an engagement with the Royal Navy during WW1 on Christmas Day in 1917 where the entire crew onboard died The U-Boat was found as part of a scientific survey using new imaging techniques of a university project to map 168 wrecks around the Welsh coast (Pictured German submarines flying the white flag in 1918) Staff from the Centre for Applied Marine Sciences at Bangor University have recently undertaken a number of 'multibeam' surveys around the coast of Wales as part of the marine renewable energy SEACAMS 2 project. The data collected has resulted in a number of very high-resolution models and images of the seabed and shipwreck sites of interest, such as the U 87. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales based in Aberystwyth hopes the research will contribute towards a commemorative project about the forgotten U-Boat war around the Welsh coast in the 1914-18 conflict. Despite witness accounts, the new images of the stricken U-boat show it lying entire on the seabed. What happened to the U-87? The U-87 was a prolific attack submarine and was on its fifth operational tour when it was sunk. On December 25, 1917, she attacked a convoy in the Irish Sea and targeted the 4812-ton British steamship Agberi. One of the convoy escorts, a Royal Navy Sloop P56, was just 150 yards away from the Agmeri when the merchant ship was struck and turned to ram the submarine. Another escort sloop, HMS Buttercup, fired and hit its conning tower. Within 10 minutes the submarine had sunk 10 miles off Bardsey Island off the north Wales coast with all her 44 crew as well as the Agberi. Some witness accounts claim the stricken sub was sliced clean in half, and that the bow section remained afloat for ten minutes with men visible within the submarine. Advertisement Although the U-boat had been fatally holed, it sank to the seabed without breaking up. A large cut in the hull made by the ramming by P56 can be seen slanting back to the conning tower. The Royal Commission's research has established that the U-87 was an ocean-going attack boat built by Kaiserliche Werft, Danzig. It was commissioned on 26 February 1917. After a training period, it undertook five patrols sinking twenty-three ships and damaging two others. On its fifth and final patrol, the U-87 left Wilhelmshaven on December 8, 1917 under the command of Kptlt. Freiherr Rudolf von Speth-Schulzburg and headed to the western end of the English Channel via the Dover Straits. It sank two small sailing vessels on the way, and then on Christmas Eve, sent the 3238ton British steamer Daybreak to the bottom of the sea off Northern Ireland. But she was sunk in action as she targeted and sank the Agberi. Over the next two years, marine scientists from Bangor University will be surveying the coast of Wales as part of the ERDF-funded SEACAMS2 project led by the University in partnership with Swansea University. One of the lead researchers on the project, Dr Michael Roberts of the School of Ocean Sciences said: 'It is well understood that submerged structures such as wrecks and MRE devices will affect the flow of water around themselves, depending on the design of the structure, as well as the strength and direction of the tidal flow and the type of seabed on which they sit. 'There are ways to model such effects but as with all such techniques, you need observational data to help validate and refine these models so that they can provide crucial information to the marine renewable energy sector at finer scales and over longer timeframes. The sonar technology which was used to find the wreck will help show how tides and currents move around wrecks to benefit the marine renewable energy sector Research by the Royal Commission has revealed amazing detail about the vessel including a list of the the crew recorded as lost on the U-Boat (Pictured German submarine stops the Spanish transatlantic Infanta-Isabel-de-Borbon for an inspection Spain in March 1918) 'It is hoped the data will also improve our understanding of marine processes across a range of sites throughout Welsh waters and provide developers with answers to some basic but very important questions.' Deanna Groom, the Royal Commission's Senior Investigator (Maritime) said: 'We're really thankful for the surveys which Bangor University are undertaking. 'They are allowing us - for the first time in perhaps 100 years - to actually see the relics of the Great War as fought at sea just off our own coast. 'These are the underwater, out-of-sight memorials, rarely visited, poignant, thought-provoking, resonate reminders of the cost in lives of the life during the wartime. 'Encounters between merchant ships and enemy submarines, such as U-87, are by far the greatest cause of the 170 losses in Welsh waters - that is, in comparison to losses caused by ships setting off contact mines. Research by the Royal Commission has revealed amazing detail about the vessel including a list of the the crew recorded as lost on the U-Boat. She's one of Hollywood's best-dressed stars. And on Saturday Reese Witherspoon proved that sentiment again when she stepped out in tony Santa Monica. The 42-year-old Walk the Line actress looked quite chic yet relaxed in an airy navy blue number. Pretty! On Saturday Reese Witherspoon proved she is still one of Hollywood's best dressed when she stepped out in tony Santa Monica The frock fell to her mid-thigh, which meant her toned legs were on full display. It also featured a white and green floral pattern as well as an incorporated drawstring belt. White low-top sneakers with gold stripes completed her California-friendly look. Accessories included a tan purse slung over her left arm, a straw sun hat, some thick gold hoop earrings and a pair of oversize sunglasses. Cool casual: The 42-year-old Walk the Line actress looked quite chic yet relaxed in an airy navy blue number Busy day? She also appeared to be listening intently to her phone for some of her outing She also appeared to be listening intently to her phone for some of her outing. It seems the mother-of-three was quite busy on Saturday, as she also shared a recipe notification to social media. In the post the Louisiana native looks to be rolling out a baked good in a designer kitchen. Enviable gams! The frock fell to her mid-thigh, which meant her toned legs were on full display While she appears to wear a black top, she protects the rest of her outfit with a blue and white floral apron. 'Saturdays are for baking biscuits,' wrote the Oscar winner, before adding the plug '(recipe in #WhiskeyInATeacup!)' Of course Whiskey In A Teacup is Reese's new lifestyle book that was released back in September. She released her sophomore cookbook just last month. And it seems Chrissy Teigen, 32, is slowly but surely building an empire outside of her career as a model and author as she kicked off the launch of her Becca Cosmetics Cravings collection on Saturday. The model looked sensational as she arrived to the SEPHORiA: House of Beauty occurrence at The Majestic Downtown in Los Angeles, CA, wearing a sparkly oversized blazer. Sparkly attire: Chrissy Teigen looked sensational in her glittery blazer as she made her arrival at the SEPHORiA: House of Beauty event in Los Angeles on Saturday Teigen rocked a sophisticated hairstyle, which saw her bangs parted to one side while the other half was neatly tucked behind her right ear. And, of course, the Lip Sync Battle host wasn't going to miss out on capturing the busy outing with her 20.7 million Instagram fans watching. Teigen had first taken to the social media platform using the Story feature - as she prepared for the event while getting changed in her dressing room. She sure has a lot to smile about: Teigen showed a little cleavage in her slight revealing attire It's all matching: The television presenter appeared more than happy to be launching her makeup collection, which was initially inspired by her Cravings cookbook Smile for Instagram: Teigen was in positive spirits as she posed with fans at the event Her follow-up video saw dozens of fans flock to the event, who appeared more than eager to know more about Teigen's makeup line. 'everyone gets products,' the mother-of-two wrote in her Story as she gifted a number of people in the crowd with items from her collection. The SEPHORiA beauty occurrence appeared to have been a successful one. And in her standard comical form, Teigen concluded her Instagram Story with a slow motion video of herself strutting toward the exit door of the building. Almost time: Teigen had first taken to the social media platform as she got ready in her dressing room Success! Judging by the event's turnout, Teigen seemed rather pleased as she told fans she would be back tomorrow 'See you tomorrow,' the New York Times best-selling author captioned her video, noting that she's not done with the promotion of her cosmetics brand aspect yet. During the event, Teigen had also used social media to share a humor-driven advert of herself gushing about the makeup collection being the ultimate holiday present. 'Everything you need to beat that face,' Teigen gleefully says after sniffing the packaged products on what appears to be a cooking tray. Gushing about her new venture: The two-time mommy made sure to use her social media platform to once again plug her makeup line She snatches a kitchen whisk and twists it around before breaking out into a clumsy grin. Fans assumed this to be a reference to the funny facial expressions she's known to make at award ceremonies when usually accompanying her husband John Legend. Meanwhile, in a recent interview with Allure, the Utah native explained why she chose to go with nothing but sweet flavors for her cosmetics. Model-turned-businesswoman: Teigen can now add cosmetics designer to her long line of career achievement 'They all smell very delicious we went with a vanilla cake-like scent this time around,' she revealed to the publication. Given that the holidays are coming up, Teigen says her range of beauty products - particularly with its vanilla scent - remind her of when she smells sweet treats being prepared in the kitchen. 'I don't think there is anything better than walking into a kitchen or somebody's home during the holidays and being able to tell what they're making. It makes you so happy.' She has long professed her desire not to enter into a relationship, having famously Tweeted: 'I'll die as I lived, alone by choice', in 2015. However, Lee Lin Chin has admitted that there's one Hollywood hunk who could convince her to cast aside her single lifestyle - actor Tom Hardy. 'He has the most beautiful lips in the world,' the former SBS newsreader gushed to Stellar magazine while confirming her single status on Sunday. 'He has the most beautiful lips in the world': Lee Lin Chin revealed her celebrity crush and confirmed her single status in an interview with Stellar magazine this Sunday As for whether she would ever start a family, Lee Lin told the publication: 'I love children but never desired any of my own.' Meanwhile, the popular media personality, who departed SBS earlier this year after nearly four decades with the network is said to be in hot demand at the moment, according to media sources. Speaking to Stellar about the future of her career, Lee Lin confirmed that she has something exciting in the works. 'My desire is to have fun,' she said, adding that she she recently nabbed a small screen role that will 'surprise everyone. It will be unexpected, but I think people will like it.' 'He has the most beautiful lips in the world': Lee Lin admitted that there's one Hollywood hunk who could convince her to cast aside her single lifestyle - actor Tom Hardy (pictured) No kids: As for whether she would ever start a family, Lee Lin told the publication: 'I love children but never desired any of my own In July Confidential reported the lauded newsreader could find herself on popular Channel Ten current affairs show with industry insiders claiming she would be a natural fit for the format. 'Her popularity with the younger demographic would be something Ten would be keen to capitalise on,' the source said. The claim was given further credence in late July when Lee Lin told Ten Daily that she would be 'happy' to move to the network. It will be unexpected, but I think people will like it': Speaking to Stellar about the future of her career, Lee Lin confirmed that she has something exciting in the works 'I'd like to point out that, once a newsreader, always a newsreader,' she said. 'I would be very happy to read the news on a casual basis in the future if someone were willing to have me... I'm sure I could give ten a ratings boost.' However, it seems it is not just Ten that could be eyeing off Lee Lin's talents with an insider from Channel Seven telling the publication the network has already made inquiries as to her interest. 'We have reached out to her through her management and have told her we would be open to discussions about a role,' the insider said. As the host of The Voice Australia and co-host on Today Extra, Sonia Kruger has achieved considerable success in her showbiz career. And in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph this week, the 53-year-old joked that she only pursued her TV star dreams due to her large family. Sonia revealed that has 75 first cousins and said they were the reason she left her family and her home state of Queensland behind more than two decades ago. 'I was scared I might accidentally marry one of them': Sonia Kruger jokes having 75 cousins inspired her to move to Sydney and chase a TV career 'I was scared I might accidentally marry one of them,' she told the publication in jest. The blonde bombshell explained that her grandmother gave birth to 17 children, which in turn led to such a large number of kids in the next generation. 'She was a war bride and came out from England. [Sonia's grandfather] was injured as a soldier in Gallipoli and so they went to Kingaroy [in Queensland] and she never left because she got pregnant every year,' Sonia said of her grandmother. 'She got pregnant every year': Sonia revealed her grandmother had 17 children and 75 grandchildren Sonia has spoken about her extremely large family in the past, opening up to Woman's Day in 2017. 'Our family is enormous and very spread out,' she told the magazine. She added that she hasn't met all her cousins, revealing: 'I don't know all of my family, either.' 'Our family is enormous and very spread out' The Channel Nine TV personality has spoken about her numerous cousins in the past Sonia, who is in a long-term relationship with Today Tonight executive producer Craig McPherson, has since added to the family herself. In 2015, she welcomed the couple's first child, a daughter named Maggie. She previously said of her pregnancy journey: 'I wanted to be really clear and let everyone know that I did go through IVF and I did have an egg donor. 'When you get to my age, to use your own eggs to have a baby... you're not really going to be successful.' Kristen Wiig has listed her Silver Lake home for a cool $5.1 million, and if she gets her asking price, the sale would net her a solid profit. Radar Online reports that the actress paid $1.7 million for the four bedroom, four bathroom house in 2014, exactly three times the $5.1 million she's asking for the home now. The 3,515 square-foot house was built in 1954, and has been completely renovated, sitting on a 17,000 square foot double lot that overlooks the trendy Los Angeles suburb. On the market: Actress Kristen Wiig is putting her Silver Lake house on the market for $5.1 million Time to sell: The house was built in 1954, and has been completely renovated, sitting on a 17,000 square foot double lot that overlooks Silver Lake The home has been described by realtor Trulia as a, 'spectacular collaboration of refined innovative mid-century design, combined with elegant 21st century state-of-the-art technology and artistry.' Among the home's amenities are formal living and dining rooms, a brand new screening room, office and a den. There is also a separate, 'multi-purpose living space,' a guest property that includes a sauna and a studio. Home highlights: Among the home's amenities are formal living and dining rooms, a brand new screening room, office and a den Spacious bedroom: The home has been described by realtor Trulia as a, 'spectacular collaboration of refined innovative mid-century design, combined with elegant 21st century state-of-the-art technology and artistry' Guest house: There is also a separate, 'multi-purpose living space,' a guest property that includes a sauna and a studio Other amenities include floor to ceiling windows with voluminous light & indoor/outdoor transparency. The home also includes, 'elegant architectural materials,' such as Western Red Cedar ceilings, American Black Walnut & rift-sawn White Oak. There are also custom ceramic heath tile bathrooms, & stained glass paneling. Fully loaded: Other amenities include floor to ceiling windows with voluminous light & indoor/outdoor transparency Cozy home: The home also includes, 'elegant architectural materials,' such as Western Red Cedar ceilings, American Black Walnut & rift-sawn White Oak Ready to entertain: There are also custom ceramic heath tile bathrooms, & stained glass paneling Also included are multiple outdoor living spaces w/ patios & wraparound deck, arresting pool & spa, landscaped grounds & 2-car garage/workspace. The actress sold another home in the Silver Lake area last year for a cool $2 million, and there are still several other properties she currently owns. She also owns a property in Pasadena, California that she bought for $2.96 million, a $2.46 million property in Massachusetts and a $1.5 million apartment in New York City. Cozy home: Also included are multiple outdoor living spaces w/ patios & wraparound deck, arresting pool & spa, landscaped grounds & 2-car garage/workspace Time to sell: The actress also sold another home in the Silver Lake area last year for a cool $2 million, and there are still several other properties she currently owns More homes: She also owns a property in Pasadena, California that she bought for $2.96 million Multiple properties: The actress also owns a $2.46 million property in Massachusetts and a $1.5 million apartment in New York City Wiig is currently filming Wonder Woman 1984, playing the villainous Barbara Minerva, a.k.a. Cheetah. She also returns to voice Ruffnut Thorston in How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World, arriving in theaters in 2019. She will next be seen in director Richard Linklater's Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, which is slated for release on March 22, 2019. New villain: Wiig is currently filming Wonder Woman 1984, playing the villainous Barbara Minerva, a.k.a. Cheetah Outdoor living: The actress' home overlooks the popular Silver Lake area of Los Angeles She sat down for an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Friday in New York City. And Robin Wright dished about the sixth and final season of her Netflix political series, House of Cards, in which her Claire Underwood finally becomes President of the United States. The 52-year-old surprised the host when she revealed that she had wanted him to take on a role in the series - specifically her Press Secretary. On the promo trail: Robin Wright dished about the sixth and final season of her Netflix political series, House of Cards, on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Friday in New York City 'Did I say no? I take it back if I said no. I say yes,' Stephen fired back. The beautiful blonde replied: 'I heard a rumor that you wouldnt audition, that "youd have to offer it to me. ' Laughing, he replied: 'No, I wont audition.' Then he added: 'Ohhhh, you gotta do another season, CBS will let me out, right. That breaks my heart.' New Job: The 52-year-old surprised the host when she revealed that she had wanted Stephen to take on a role in the series - specifically Press Secretary to her President Claire Underwood The last season of House Of Cards starts on November 2 with Claire as President of the United States following husband Frank's death at the end of the previous season. Played by Kevin Spacey, Netflix cut ties with the actor after he was accused of sexual impropriety last year. Stephen kicked off: 'You can't tell me much I'm sure but what is her meeting with Kanye like?' referring to President Donald Trump's recent tete-a-tete with the rapper. Here's what happened: 'I heard a rumor that you wouldnt audition,' she shared, much to Stephen's mortification who admitted that was true. The sixth and final season of House Of Cards starts on Netflix on November 2 She avoided the question as the audience laughed, however she couldn't resist the chance to lay a zinger on Trump. 'I was like, yeah, I'm the first female President of the US but I know nothing about politics but that's kinda close to home.' 'Yes,' Stephen agreed. 'It's no longer a requirement for the job - it's all on-the-job training.' Craig Revel Horwood, 53, lifted the lid on how he keeps all of his lovers quiet to dodge headlines in the latest shocking claim following the release of his new book. In the pages of his tell-all book In Strictest Confidence, the judge has revisited the intricate details of his experiences of love including his romance with Damian Scott. The Strictly star admitted he makes his lovers sign a non-disclosure agreement or he rules out dating them as he insisted they won't be able to 'cope' with his fame. 'I worry all the time': Craig Revel Horwood, 53, admitted he silences his lovers with contracts as he shared secrets of his love life (London, October 2018) He told The Daily Star: 'I worry about the people I meet going to the papers with every detail so I get everyone to sign confidentiality agreements now. 'And I mean everyone in my life from the builders to my lovers sign them, so I have exacting working versions for employees and more user-friendly ones for my friends. 'If I go on a date, I get them to sign the agreement and if they wont do that, I wont date them. If they cant cope with that, theyll never cope with my life. Its just a bit of paper to say they wont run to the tabloids for a kiss and tell.' Private: The Strictly star admitted he makes his lovers sign a non-disclosure agreement or he rules out dating them as he insisted they won't be able to 'cope' with his fame (with Jonathan) The television star also shared he gives all of his dates prior warning their romance will be 'quite public' and revealed it is difficult to have a 'discreet cosy' night out. It was only after the bitter breakdown of his three-year romance with Damian Scott, 39, in 2016 that Craig started to gag his lovers with a legally binding contract. The judge claimed puppeteer Damian was the only boyfriend he was unable to remain on civil grounds after their split. Former flames: It was only after the bitter breakdown of his three-year romance with Damian Scott, 39, in 2016 that Craig started to gag his lovers with a legally binding contract (2014) He said previously: 'With my other lovers and boyfriends Ive remained friends. But theres no way with Damon. 'There is nothing really you can do about it because there is a side to everybodys story, everyones broken relationship.' Since then, Craig has mended his heartache with his younger love Jonathan Myring. Early on in their romance, he told The Sun: Hes absolutely adorable, gorgeous and super intelligent. Its a bit too early for the L word but we really, really like each other. This one is definitely a keeper. Isla Fisher has come a long way since her days on Australian soap Home and Away. And over the weekend, the 42-year-old actress claimed to be mixing with some of Britain's biggest stars - yet all was not as it seemed. Clad in a toga-style dress, Isla posed alongside songstress Pixie Lott and a pair of lookalikes - with Rod Stewart and Simon Cowell doppelgangers posing with the star for an Instagram post. 'Just had a really interesting meeting': Isla Fisher actress to be mixing with some of Britain's biggest stars - yet all was not as it seemed 'Just had a really interesting meeting with @simoncowell @sirrodstewart @pixielott,' Isla wrote in the caption, however failed to point out the imposters. Indicating the shot was for a new film project, Isla added the hashtag: 'greedmovie'. Last week, the Now You See Me star was spending time with more A-listers as she celebrate husband Sacha Baron Cohen's 47th birthday. Isla shared a loving snap commemorating her husband's big day as he proudly posed alongside a huge chocolate cake and pal Sarah Silverman, 47. Happy birthday! Last week, Isla shared a loving snap commemorating her husband's big day as he proudly posed alongside a huge chocolate cake and pal Sarah Silverman, 47 Marking the occasion with an Instagram post showing the celebratory scene, Isla captured a glimpse of the cake which featured the words 'happy birthday Sacha' in green icing. The fiery-haired Australian actress captioned the post with a single heart emoji while making sure to tag Sacha and Sarah's Instagram pages. Isla married Sacha in 2010 after the lovebirds met at a party in Sydney back in 2002. Shining star! Isla has found success in Hollywood after first shooting to fame on Home And Away in the 1990s The couple share three children: Olive, 10, and Elula, eight, and Montgomery, three. Discussing what life is like married to the British star, Isla was previously asked on UK chat show Lorraine whether comedian Sacha often comes home in costume. 'Of course he does, it's hard to drop the accent if you're doing it all day on set,' she said. 'Obviously the kids get very confused. When they were tiny and The Dictator would be holding Elula, it was very strange!' Laura Anderson confirmed her romance with Max Morley as she kissed and cuddled him during a boozy Saturday night. The Love Island star, 29, looked smitten as she smooched the show's 2015 winner, 25, in a seriously steamy make-out session in the back of a car after a night of wild partying in central London. Documenting their PDA on her Instagram Stories, the Scottish air hostess proved she's fully moved on from her ex Paul Knops as she sat on Max's lap with her arms around his neck. Pucker up! Laura Anderson has confirmed her romance with Max Morley as she kissed and cuddled him during a boozy Saturday night Max, who had watched Man United draw against Chelsea earlier in the day, looked slightly worse for wear as he chanted 'United! United' into Laura's cheek. A smiling Laura asked him: 'How much do you love Man United babe?' Max groaned and replied: 'Honestly I love them so much' before burrowing his face in the blonde beauty's jumper. He then went in for a steamy kiss, as Laura - while initially surprised - soon reciprocated. Racy: The Love Island star, 29, looked smitten as she smooched the show's 2015 winner, 25, in a seriously steamy make-out session in the back of a car after a night of wild partying in central London Cheeky: Documenting their PDA on her Instagram Stories, she sat on Max's lap with her arms around his neck It's over: The Scottish air hostess proved she'd fully moved on from her ex Paul Knops, who she split from last month In another clip, Max was seen singing along to Scouting For Girls' tune I Wish I Was James Bond on the car radio. As he sang 'I wish I was James Bond' Laura quipped drily: 'But you're not.' In the same playful spirit, after singing the words: 'Just for the day, kissing all the girls,' he leaned in and kissed a beaming Laura on the cheek. Laura previously touched on their relationship in an Instagram post hitting out at claims she's a 'bitter ex' of Paul's earlier this week. She wrote: 'Regarding today's press; I think it's quite clear from how I acted in the villa that I'm not a "bitter ex". Busting a tune: In another clip, Max was seen singing along to Scouting For Girls' tune I Wish I Was James Bond on the car radio Wild night: Laura shared another clip of Max posing goofily and dancing along to a live band in the street 'Regardless of what has been inaccurately printed ad what I was informed about Paul, I'm not the one selling stories on the matter. 'He is in the past which I'd like to keep that way. I've moved on, I'm happily seeing someone else which I have chosen to keep private. It really is just boring now.' Max rose to reality fame in 2015, when he coupled up with Jessica Hayes and went on to win the top prize on Love Island just 40 days before they called it quits. Since then, he went on to date former Miss GB Zara Holland, ahead of her stint on Love Island the following year. Making the announcement: Laura previously touched on their relationship in an Instagram post hitting out at claims she's a 'bitter ex' of Paul's earlier this week Man: Max rose to reality fame in 2015, when he coupled up with Jessica Hayes and went on to win the top prize on Love Island just 40 days before they called it quits He was also romantically linked to Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby in 2015, but their relationship ended after she shared a kiss with her on/off beau Gaz Beadle. Laura, who along with Paul missed out on Love Island's top prize as Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham were crowned the winners, recently told MailOnline she was 'gutted' that her relationship with the handsome model didn't work out. The blonde beauty said: 'It didnt work out but what can you do? But I'm gutted to be honest. Better to find out sooner rather than later though, right? And anyway, there are plenty of fish in the sea.' Adamant she wouldn't divulge precisely what she 'found out' about her now-ex, Laura joked: 'Ask me when I'm drunk!' Rise to fame: He was also romantically linked to Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby in 2015, but their relationship ended after she shared a kiss with her on/off beau Gaz Beadle After his split from Laura, Paul explained the shocking reasons behind his decision as he told The Sun he was looking for 'a wife' yet insisted that Laura did not fit the mould for him, leading to the 'sore' split which left her 'very upset'. His words may come as a shock to fans, with the hunky reality star alleging he did not use the former air hostess as they were both in the same competition, while he said: 'Laura wouldnt have come second without me and vice versa.' Laura and Paul parted ways last month, becoming the second couple to dramatically break-up following Samira Mighty and Frankie Foster's split and before Charlie Brake moved on from his romance with Ellie Brown. Their split came shortly after the couple were forced to fend off break-up rumours when they were spotted having a furious argument during a date night at The Cuckoo Club in Mayfair before finally admitting they were done. He recently broke his silence about his split from Jennifer Aniston, 49. And on Friday, Justin Theroux looked downcast as he took his dog for a walk in New York City. The American Psycho actor had taken a break from a photo shoot to make the outing as he strolled through the streets of the Big Apple looking rather crestfallen. Tensed: Justin Theroux appeared downcast while walking his dog in New York City on Saturday Theroux dressed casually in his navy denim jeans and a white shirt which he wore underneath a dark cashmere coat. The 47-year-old's choice of wear also included a pair of navy suede boots which appeared to correlate well with his upper attire. But the Mulholland Drive star didn't seem his usual cheerful self. Solo: Theroux had made the dog walk without the companionship of his famous friends Last month, in a candid interview with The New York Times, Theroux spoke out about his split with Aniston for the first time since their separation announcement in February. 'The good news is that was probably the most I'm choosing my words really carefully it was kind of the most gentle separation, in that there was no animosity,' the Washington D.C. native shared. And while the split may have come as a shock to fans, Theroux notes that his marriage to Aniston never actually ended on bad terms. 'Again, neither one of us is dead, neither one of us is looking to throw hatchets at each other,' he continued. Happier times: The couple attended the 2017 Vanity Fair Oscar Party together in Beverly Hills 'It's more like, it's amicable. It's boring, but, you know, we respected each other enough that it was as painless as it could be. And while having described the split as a challenging time in his life, the Hollywood star adds that the dynamic had drastically changed between him and Aniston. Theroux seemed well aware that parting ways with his ex would make it difficult for the former couple to still remain close friends. But that's starting to change. Emotional: Theroux says that splitting with Aniston was 'heartbreaking,' 'It was heartbreaking, only in the sense that the friendship would not be the same, as far as just the day to day,' the Wanderlust movie star continued to tell the publication. 'But the friendship is shifting and changing, you know, so that part is something that we're both very proud of.' Their division was declared through the couple's rep in February. During the months following their breakup, the SAG Awards nominee had spent a good amount of time working on the set of several upcoming motion pictures. That list includes Travis Knight's Bumblee, which enters theaters in December, while his latest TV series Maniac made its recent premiere on Netflix. Jennifer Garner and Natalie Portman stole the spotlight at the L.A. Dance Project & Dom Perignon gala on Saturday night. The Hollywood actresses led a cavalcade of celebrities for an evening of dance and champagne at the Hauser & Wirth gallery in downtown Los Angeles. Jennifer, 46, cut a sophisticated figure in an all black ensemble as Natalie, 37, was ravishing in red with a couture number. Glamour goddesses: Jennifer Garner, 46, and Natalie Portman, 37, stole the spotlight at the L.A. Dance Project & Dom Perignon gala on Saturday night Daring to impress, the Peppermint actress swathed her famous figure in the chic wardrobe that featured a sleeveless design. Her toned and tanned arms were on full display as a peek at her decolletage was had by the v-neck detail. She styled her trademark brunette tresses long and loose as they cascaded over her shoulders framing her youthful face. The Jackie alum looked every inch the glamorous movie star as she commanded attention in the bold red dress. Back in black! Jennifer cut a sophisticated figure in an all black ensemble Impressive: Daring to impress, the Peppermint actress swathed her famous figure in the chic wardrobe that featured a sleeveless design She cemented her reputation as a style icon with the plunging outfit that highlighted her toned physique. Allowing her natural good looks to shine, the Oscar winner went virtually makeup free with only a bold stripe of berry lip. Natalie added a simple matching clutch as a set of diamond drop earrings hung under her chestnut locks. She was named co-chair with Reese Witherspoon for the event that benefits a 'platform for the development, creation, support and presentation of world-class dance in Los Angeles' according to the L.A. Dance Project website. Ravishing: The Jackie alum looked every inch the glamorous movie star as she commanded attention in the bold red dress Style icon: She cemented her reputation as a style icon with the plunging outfit that highlighted her toned physique Hair story: They both styled their trademark brunette tresses long and loose And the event was curated by Natalie's husband Benjamin Millepied. Reese brought along her mini-me daughter Ava for the celeb-strewn soiree. Constance Wu showed off her wild side in an animal print gown. America Ferrara took a fashion chance in a fabulous tuxedo ensemble. Mega-watt: The Hollywood beauties flashed their smiles Sweet couple: The event was curated by Natalie's husband Benjamin Millepied Getting close: The couple couldn't keep their hands off each other In charge: Natalie was named co-chair with Reese Witherspoon for the event Twinsies: Reese brought along her mini-me daughter Ava for the celeb-strewn soiree Stunners: Constance Wu showed off her wild side in a Victoria Beckham animal print gown as America Ferrara took a fashion chance in a fabulous tuxedo ensemble. Group hug: Ave, Reese, Natalie, and Benjamin took over the red carpet AFL WAG, Nadia Bartel and husband, Jimmy welcomed their second son, Henley into the world last week. And on Sunday, the fashion blogger offered her 407,000 fans a closer look at her adorable newborn as she discharged from one of Victoria's best maternity hospitals. The glamorous brunette took to her Instagram story to share two clips of her and the Geelong Cats legend leaving Epworth Freemasons with their bundle of joy in tow. Scroll down for video 'My cutie!' AFL WAG Nadia Bartel (pictured) showed off her adorable newborn son Henley as she's discharged from exclusive hospital in Melbourne Nadia filmed the beaming doting father carrying their very sleepy newborn out of the exclusive Melbourne hospital and added the caption: 'Home time.' Meanwhile in the second video, the freshly minted mother-of-two zoomed in on her snoozing bundle of joy, who was dressed in an achingly cute white suit. 'My cutie,' the smitten mother captioned the clip. 'Home time!' Nadia filmed the beaming doting father (pictured) carrying their very sleepy newborn out of the exclusive Melbourne hospital and added the caption: 'Home time' Later, Nadia took to the photo-sharing app to flaunt her impressive post-baby body in a form-fitting black ensemble. 'HOME TIME! Big love to my amazing OB Dr Len Kliman and everyone at Epworth Freemasons, so much incredible support the last few days,' she captioned the image. However the fashionable WAG revealed she's encountered some less-than-glamorous moments since giving birth to her second son last week. 'My cutie': Meanwhile in the second video, the freshly minted mother-of-two zoomed in on her snoozing bundle of joy, who was dressed in an achingly cute white suit (pictured) The joys of motherhood! However the fashionable WAG (pictured) revealed she's encountered some less-than-glamorous moments since giving birth to her second son last week Over the weekend, Nadia admitted she is suffering from postpartum swelling as she shared a picture of her swollen feet and ankles from her hospital bed. Clad in a black dress, the brunette beauty's usually slender and petite limbs and toes appeared visibly puffy. Not so glamorous! AFL WAG Nadia Bartel reveals her extremely swollen feet and ankles days after giving birth to her second son Henley Nadia captioned the photo, 'Hi glorious swollen feet and legs' and added a smirk face emoji. According to Baby Centre, swollen legs, ankles and feet, otherwise known as 'edema', occurs during pregnancy when a woman is carrying more fluid in her body than usual. Meanwhile, Nadia shared a short and sweet clip of her eldest son Aston, two, meeting her newborn for the first time last week. Cute: Nadia shared a short and sweet clip of her eldest son Aston meeting her newborn for the first time last week, alongside her husband Jimmy Bartel Aston was clearly enamoured with his little brother as he asked his mother a series of questions about his baby brother before leaning in to give him a kiss. 'Aston was so excited to meet Henley yesterday! Already wanting to play trains and cars with him, and asking why he couldn't walk,' Nadia captioned the short clip. In a touching Instagram post shared to her page last Wednesday, Nadia was seen cradling the newborn as Jimmy gazed adoringly at their bundle of joy. 'Our hearts exploded when Henley Roy Bartel came into the world today weighing 3.98kgs,' she captioned the image. Advertisement It was the final challenge of The Block this season and the teams were giving it all in the last chance to secure an advantage come auction day. They had been tasked with working together to overhaul the 'challenge apartment' together with each pair responsible for making their own space shine. The teams were given a brief to make the apartment effuse a St Kilda luxury theme and while some rose to the challenge, others floundered under the pressure. From pink neon light artwork to a grand piano centrepiece on the terrace: Inside The Block's final challenge apartment... as Courtney (right) and Hans (left) win $40,000 off their reserve price with their 'sensual gantry' style kitchen Despite stressing about how to perfectly style their gantry, Courtney and Hans managed to score first place and won $40,000 off their reserve price. Judges described their kitchen design as 'sensual' and likened it to a stylish St Kilda cafe. The judges were concerned the fridge was located a little far away from the kitchen as it was placed in the butler's pantry, but admitted the generous space 'more than compensates'. Winning style! Judges described Courtney and Hans' kitchen design as 'sensual' and likened it to a stylish St Kilda cafe Frontrunners Kerrie and Spence were close behind in second place, knocking $15,000 off their reserve, with their efforts. The couple overhauled the terrace and created a sleek space with a grand piano feature piece. The space also featured a bar with a picturesque view as well as vintage poster art, which the judges loved. Kerrie and Spence received high praise, with the judges claiming the execution was 'superb' and describing the area as 'the exclamation mark on the house'. Impressive: Kerrie and Spence overhauled the terrace and created a sleek space with a grand piano feature piece 'The exclamation mark on the house' The judges gave the couple high praise for their work Slipping in on third place was controversial couple Hayden and Sara, who had been stuck with the largest area to take care of. While the judges critiscised the execution of details like paintwork, they were impressed by the functional luxury Sara and Hayden were able to achieve in their study, laundry and hallway and powder room areas. Elsewhere, Jess and Norm had overcome dramas with their neon lights as they attempted to deliver a room that made a statement. Initially, their artwork - which were the words 'It's all good' written in pink neon lights - failed to work properly. But once fixed, it took pride of place on the wall, and along with a spacious circular dining table, helped leave a positive mark on the judges. They praised the space for being 'simple, effortless and absolutely beautiful'. Third place: While the judges critiscised Hayden and Sara's execution of details like paintwork, they were impressed by the functional luxury of their laundry 'It's all good': Jess and Norm's pink neon lights took pride of place on their wall 'Simple, effortless and absolutely beautiful': The judges complimented their design, and particularly like the dining table Not faring so well, however, were Bianca and Carla. The judges were left saddened by their efforts, and said the low quality didn't match the benchmark set in the rest of the house. 'I'm upset for them that they're ending on this note. But I don't think this is them at their best, I think they're ending on their worst,' judge Shaynna Blaze bluntly said. The others appeared to agree, and the room was slammed as looking 'low cost' and similar to a 'uni student's room' and the women scored last place. Tara Reid is mourning the sudden death of her mother Donna. Taking to her official Instagram page to share the devastating news with her fans, the American Pie actress declared her pain in a lengthy caption under a throwback photo of her parents together. 'Today has been one of the most heartbreaking days of my life,' the 42-year-old began the caption. Sad news: Tara Reid revealed on Saturday that her mother Donna had passed away 'My mother Donna Reid just passed away. My heart breaks - who am I gonna call everyday, what do I do?' The unsettling news comes just two years after Tara had lost her father Thomas Reid, making the demise of yet another parent all the more difficult. The blonde beauty continued to stress that though she's heartbroken by the passing of her mother, she assures herself that Donna can finally be reunited with the socialite's father. Announcement: Tara had posted quite the endearing message on Instagram as she mourned the loss of yet another parent Family! The American beauty smiled for plenty of photos with her mother in tow; it would be their last public event together; pictured in August '2 yrs ago I lost my father and I never felt such a pain.' 'now I just lost my mom. But the one thing I know is they are together again. Mom & Dad, I love you! RIP, your baby girl Tara.' There was no doubt that the Alone in the Dark star shared a close bond with her mother. It was just in August when Donna had supported her daughter at the premiere of Syfy's The Last Sharknado: It's About Time in Los Angeles, CA. Mother-daughter duo: It seemed rather apparent that the two shared a close bond between one another; photographed in 2003 Donna managed to crack a smile as her daughter endearingly assists in operating her wheelchair while gracing the red carpet at the event. An outpouring amount of support was sent Tara's way as her comment section began to flood with messages from fans urging the TV personality to remain strong. 'Hang in there, girl! So sorry for your loss [sad emoji],' one user began to express. 'You've shown how resilient you are every day of your career. You've got this. You will thrive and honor her memory perfectly. You make everyone proud of you. Keep going!' Another touching message from a fan read: 'Praying for you. My husband lost his mom a year ago in December. It's been such a tough year, it never gets easier but somehow you learn to adapt.' Tara is currently said to be shooting her upcoming movie The Fifth Boro. It's unclear whether production will be halted in respect to the actress' sudden loss of her parent. She hit the big time with her powerhouse portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in Netflix' The Crown. But Claire Foy has admitted her disdain for the term 'strong women', often used to describe female characters on screen. 'I have absolutely no interest in portraying what other people think of as strong. It's a way of making women more acceptable in a male world,' the 34 year-old told Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday. 'It's a way of making women more acceptable in a male world!' The Crown's Claire Foy, 34, has revealed why she hates the term 'strong women' 'I am just not on board with that. I don't think women are crying out to see strong women.' The actress continued: 'I think we know we are all strong but we're just crying out to see women on screen at all!' The admission comes after the British thespian spoke candidly about how she felt utter disdain around being paid less than her male co-star Matt Smith, after they both starred in The Crown. Speaking out: The admission comes after the British thespian spoke candidly about how she felt utter disdain around being paid less than her male co-star Matt Smith, after they both starred in The Crown Speaking to NET-A-PORTERs digital magazine PorterEdit earlier this month, she said; 'I was deeply hurt by [the pay gap], because I'd been working on that show for two years. I loved everybody on it. 'And then I realised, there's been a big, fat, dirty secret that nobody's ever talked about. Then there was also that thing [of being] an inadvertent spokesperson. Why did it have to be me?' Despite playing Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix series, producers revealed in March that Claire had been paid significantly less than her co-star because of his Doctor Who fame. Shocking: Back in March, it was revealed by producers that Claire had been played significantly less for her role in the Netflix period drama Following the outrage over the gender pay gap, Claire said that she has had her 'eyes opened' and plans to do more to ensure there is no sexism in the industry. However, in July she quashed any reports that she was promised back pay from Left Bank Pictures and Sony Pictures Television for Netflix, despite varying reports that she was owed 100,000 by the companies. Married to actor Stephen Campbell Moore, the mum of one is currently riding a wave of success with starring roles in First Man alongside Ryan Gosling and The Girl in the Spider's Web. She's expecting her first child with husband, Carl Fox. And Today show weather presenter, Natalia Cooper, 33, has revealed it was love at first sight when they met for the first time at a pub in Perth, nine years ago. 'Our eyes met across the room I saw him walk in and was like, straight away, 'I want to talk to that guy, who's that guy?' she told Nine Honey on Saturday. 'I was instantly smitten': Pregnant Today weather presenter Natalia Cooper (right) reveals it was love at first sight when she met her hubby Carl Fox (left) at a pub in Perth 'I was instantly smitten I think I knew that night.' Having reached week 24 in her pregnancy, Natalia said they share intimate moments when the little bub starts to kick. 'Now that I'm about twenty-four weeks in, we're starting to feel kicks... He can actually put his hands on my tummy and feel them it's a really special moment between the two of us,' she said. Bumping along nicely: Having reached week 24 in her pregnancy, Natalia said they share intimate moments when the little bub starts to kick. 'Now that I'm about twenty-four weeks in, we're starting to feel kicks... He can actually put his hands on my tummy and feel them it's a really special moment between the two of us,' she said Although the lovebirds have already chosen names, they said wish to keep the gender of their bundle of joy a secret. Speaking about her current relationship with her beau, Natalia gushed over his admirable qualities. In September, Natalia revealed she's pregnant with her first child during an episode of the Today show by sharing an ultrasound of her baby - surprising her co-stars. Baby joy: Although the lovebirds have already chosen names, they said wish to keep the gender of their bundle of joy a secret Natalia and her husband Carl Fox tied the knot back in March 2016. The couple wed at Merribee House on the South Coast of New South Wales surrounded by family and friends. She's been planning her fairy tale themed baby shower for weeks. And on Saturday, Kenya Moore, 47, looked regal in a gold gown and matching headdress as she celebrated her unborn child among friends and family. The guest list included The Real Housewives Of Atlanta castKandi Burruss, Cynthia Bailey, Porsha Williams, and Claudia Jordan. Expecting! On Saturday, Kenya Moore, 47, looked regal in a gold gown and matching headdress at her fairy tale themed baby shower in Atlanta alongside husband Marc Daly Moore's baby shower outfit was a masterpiece. All eyes were on Kenya as she arrived wearing a white cape made entirely out of feathers. The Bravo star showed off her baby belly in a gold velvet dress that she paired with elbow-length gloves and a beaded headdress. Royal baby: Kenya was seen wearing elbow-length gloves as she posed alongside her co-star Cynthia Bailey, who donned a gold crown Bumping around: Moore showed off her baby belly in a gold velvet dress that she paired with a white cape made out of feathers Prior to the shower, Kenya was particularly concerned about the presents she may or may not receive from her guests. On Sunday, the Detroit native revealed that only nine items had been purchased from her Buy Buy Baby registry of 72 items (totaling $4,791). Among the hot ticket items on Kenya and her husband Marc Daly's registry were a $929 UPPAbaby 'Vista stroller in Henry' and a $499 Doona infant car seat/stroller with a latch base. Gal pals: The guest list included The Real Housewives Of Atlanta castKandi Burruss, Cynthia Bailey, Porsha Williams, and Claudia Jordan Baby shower guests on a budget could buy smaller items such as the $8 Green Sprouts three-pack 'Milk Catcher' bibs. '#Etiquette101 if you cannot attend a monumental life changing event in a friend's life, it's nice to send a gift anyway. (Weddings, graduations, baby showers),' Moore said on Instagram. 'Or it's about class? It's not about a dollar amount it's to show you care the same way the person cared to invite you to share a moment in their life.' Gaga for gifts: Prior to the shower, Kenya was particularly concerned about the presents she may or may not receive from her guests. On Sunday, the Detroit native revealed that only nine items had been purchased from her Buy Buy Baby registry of 72 items (totaling $4,791) Takers? Among the hot ticket items on Kenya and her husband Marc Daly's registry were a $929 UPPAbaby 'Vista stroller in Henry' (L) and a $499 Doona infant car seat/stroller Kenya and Marc, who wed 16 months ago, conceived their bun in the oven through in vitro fertilization. The CEO of Kenya Moore Hair Care confirmed on October 1 that she would not appear on the 11th season of RHOA, which premieres November 4 on Bravo. 'I have decided to take this season off to focus on my high-risk pregnancy in a healthy and drama-free environment,' the Saints & Sinners actress - who joined TRHOA in 2012 - told Us Weekly in a statement. 'I thank Bravo for this amazing platform that has allowed me to grow, flourish and appreciate the value of what is truly important in life.' 'Countdown to the baby shower of the year': Moore had a custom pink and blue, regal Baby Daly shower logo designed by Pink Sugar Shoppe She's long been the subject of rumours that she may have had cosmetic enhancements. And on Sunday, Ada Nicodemou once again ignited surgery chatter when she took to Instagram to show off her makeup look for a friend's wedding. It was the 41-year-old's lips that caught the attention of her fans, with her pout looking especially puffy. 'Where do you get your lips done?' Fans question Ada Nicodemou's newly puffy pout as the the Home and Away star shows off her wedding look One fan commented under the image: 'Where do you have your lips done? They are gorgeous'. Another fan was less complimentary, commenting: 'Stop lip injections'. In the series of photos, the Home and Away star shows off her over-lined lips, on which she wears a bright, matte pink lipstick. Kiss kiss: The 41-year-old's lips that caught the attention of her fans, with her pout looking especially puffy One fan commented under the image: 'Where do you have your lips done? They are gorgeous' Another fan was less complimentary, commenting: 'Stop lip injections' It's not the first time the actress has been the subject of rumours that she may have undergone cosmetic procedures. In July, Woman's Day magazine claimed that the Greek Cypriot-born TV personality has had a 'full body upgrade'. Surgeon Dr Meaghan Heckenberg, who has not treated the actress herself, claimed to the publication that she believes Ada has had 'rhinoplasty, muscle-relaxing injections and dermal fillers'. Update? It's not the first time the actress has been the subject of rumours that she may have undergone cosmetic procedures. Pictured left in 2008, and right in 2017 Claims: In July, Woman's Day magazine claimed that the star has had a 'full body upgrade' including 'rhinoplasty, muscle-relaxing injections and dermal fillers'. Pictured left: Ada in 2005. Right: Ada in 2018 'Ada looks like she's had rhinoplasty and probably some muscle-relaxing injections and dermal fillers to give her that fresh look,' Dr Heckenberg told Woman's Day. In January 2017, Ada was the subject of speculation she had undergone breast augmentation when a 'close friend' reportedly told Woman's Day that the star booked the surgery in Sydney over the Christmas and New Year's break. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Ada Nicodemou for comment. Upgrade? Talk: In January 2017, Ada sparked speculation she had undergone breast augmentation. Right: Pictured in 2008. Left: Pictured in 2017 Ada told New Idea in April last year that she wouldn't rule out using Botox or laser treatments in the future, as it was important to do 'whatever makes you feel good'. 'I think these days most people are doing bits and pieces. Botox and lasers are like facials were 20 years ago,' Ada said, adding that women should be honest about work they have had done. 'I hate when people lie about it. People need to be truthful. There's nothing wrong with it within reason,' she said. Kim Kardashian released another promotional photo for her eye cosmetics line Flashing Lights on Saturday. The 37-year-old reality star channeled her best angelic pose as she was surrounded by two gorgeous male models looking up at her with adoration. The posting follows other risque snaps she released for the makeup collection that include several topless pics of the raven haired beauty. Angelic: Kim Kardashian, 37, released another promotional photo for her eye cosmetics line Flashing Lights on Saturday Daring to impress, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was flooded by a light as the muscular models held their hands up to surround her flawless face. In another photo, glistening blue tears rained down from her eyes, presumably digitally added later to the snapshot by photographer David LaChapelle. Kim, who had her hair done by Chris Appleton and her makeup by Sam Visser, wrote: 'Turqouise Tears' in her caption before plugging the makeup line. The reality queen, who will turn 38 on Sunday, showcased her ample cleavage as she cosied up to a hunky male model in another campaign shot for her Flashing Lights Collection, shot by David LaChapelle. 'Turqouise Tears': Kim Kardashian, who posted a topless snapshot to Instagram during the day on Friday, continued doing so into the evening Defiant: Kim proved she wasn't letting the criticism over her naked photo get to her as she shared another eye-popping topless photo to Instagram on Friday Striking a sultry pose, the brunette beauty let her tousled raven locks cascade down her chest on to her taut midriff, protecting her modesty in the Lady Godiva inspired shoot. Oozing confidence, the star was embraced by a male model, who had a white dove resting on his hand. The star tenderly held his hand as she pointed up into the sky. Her stunning features were enhanced with 60s style powder and navy eyeshadows, with feline flicks of liner accentuating her peepers. A pop of rose blush and frosted lipgloss on her plump pout completed the showstopping look. So Kim of her!The photo was a demure departure for the star who provoked ire among her fans with a saucy image shared on Thursday The photo was a demure departure for the star who provoked ire among her fans with a saucy image shared on Thursday. The diva, was naked as she partially covered her chest with her fingers and had only the corner of a silver sheer over her lower half. Immediately her followers went wild with comments with one saying, 'U have a husband and kids!' and another asking, 'Is she selling boobs or something?' In the eyes: As she lay down on a bed looking up, the star revealed a full face of makeup that appeared inspired by the 1960s. She had on silver eye makeup and a light pink lip A third fan said she was 'spicy' as another added the 'flashing lights' makeup name was very appropriate. And one especially harsh critic wrote: 'This was the only idea you could come up with to advertise eye shadow?' Her caption read, 'A little silver eye this morning!' As she lay down on a bed looking up, the star revealed a full face of makeup that appeared inspired by the 1960s. She had on silver eye makeup and a light pink lip. The new makeup collection goes on sale Friday. She knows how to get attention on social media: Her caption read, 'A little silver eye this morning!' Push back: Some of her followers did not like her decision to pose naked This comes the day after she posted another eye-opening image that shocked her 119m followers. The high school graduate was seen on her knees in a silver leotard and clear above-the-knee boots as a naked man held up a mirror for her. Mrs Kanye West was announcing that she was introducing new jewel toned colors for KKW Beauty. New look: The pinup posted another risque photo o Instagram on Wednesday Ready to rock: The TV star and producer was seen on her knees in a silver leotard and clear above-the-knee boots as a naked man held up a mirror for her Kim proudly captioned the exotic image: 'Kkwbeauty by David LaChapelle! A New collection featuring 7 Pressed & Loose Powder Pigments, all in bright & jewel-toned shades!!!!!' Kim has worked with LaChapelle on one of her family Christmas cards. On her KKW Beauty side more was said: 'To celebrate Kim Kardashians birthday this weekend were releasing a brand new collection featuring 7 Pressed Powder Pigments & 7 Loose Powder Pigments, all in bright & jewel-toned shades for the ultimate party vibe.' Like a Blade Runner character: The mother-of-three wore heavy purple eye shadow "Legends': Also on Friday, Kim posted a throwback photo of her parents Kris Jenner and Robert Kardashian and her maternal grandparents Mary Jo Campbell and Robert Houghton Deep colors: On her KKW Beauty side more was said: 'To celebrate Kim Kardashians birthday this weekend were releasing a brand new collection featuring 7 Pressed Powder Pigments & 7 Loose Powder Pigments, all in bright & jewel-toned shades for the ultimate party vibe' Like amethysts and emeralds: The packaging is no-nonsense in small KKW Beauty containers Also on Friday, Kim posted a throwback black and white photo of four 'Legends' - her parents Kris Jenner and Robert Kardashian and her maternal grandparents Mary Jo Campbell and Robert Houghton. This post comes after West wants to have a total of seven children with wife Kim. That is what the rapper told Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni as he visited the State House in Entebbe for a brief meeting on Monday. His wife looked stunned by the news. The couple already have three kids: North, aged five, Saint, aged two, and Chicago, only nine months old. Seven IS a lucky number: Kanye West wants to have a total of seven children with Kim. That is what the rapper told President Yoweri Museveni as he visited the State House in Entebbe for a brief meeting on Monday When the president asked how many kids they have, Kanye got right to it. 'We have three. I would like to have seven,' said West. The camera panned over to Kim, who sat patiently several feet away. The Playboy cover girl looked shocked and at first could not speak, but then she muttered: 'I would not like to have seven.' The star was smiling a bit as if she were embarrassed to be put on the spot. She loves wildlife: This image shared on Thursday morning showed two giraffes in Africa In the past, Kim has said she may want another child. And she added that they have more embryos so it would not be as much effort on their part. They would likely use the same gestational carrier they used for Chicago. But Kim has never spoken of having seven kids. Adding four more kids to their family would take a lot of time and planning. Kim and Kanye jetted to the East African Nation over the weekend with their daughter North for a vacation in one of the country's national parks. Visiting the locals: On Wednesday Kim and North were seen at the Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans Helping others: And the KUWTK star and producer shared this image with North and Kanye It seems as if Saint and Chicago stayed home. Since then, Kanye has been seen jamming out to local music and performing. He is said to be recording his ninth album, Yandhi, while he is there. The visit to the State House on Monday comes less than a week after his bombastic, headline-making trip to the White House to meet with Trump. During that meeting, he pounded on the Resolute Desk, said he felt like 'Superman' whenever he wore his Make America Great Again Hat and went on a long rant which left the often garrulous president speechless. They've recently confirmed their romance. And Wiz Khalifa and Winnie Harlow looked loved up as they left the Lakers game at the Staples Center in LA on Saturday. The supermodel, 24, sported Fendi-print leggings and a matching crop top while the rapper, 31, supported the team by wearing a low slung bright yellow trousers and an open purple shirt, the colours of the Lakers. Loved up: Wiz Khalifa , 31, and Winnie Harlow, 24, looked loved up as they left the Lakers game at the Staples Center in LA on Saturday Fashion forward: The supermodel sported Fendi-print leggings and a matching crop top while the rapper wore low slung bright yellow trousers and an open purple shirt Winnie wore head-to-toe Fendi, pairing her white printed leggings and skin-tight polo neck with a grey leather heeled boot and matching bag. The former America's Next Top Model contestant showed off her gym-honed abs with a small flesh window revealing a peak of her midriff. Styling her glossy tresses in a sleek 'do, she rocked a glamorous make-up look as she placed a pair of sunglasses over her forehead. Beauty: Styling her glossy tresses in a sleek 'do, she rocked a glamorous make-up look as she placed a pair of sunglasses over her forehead Fendi: The star, who led the Fendi show in Paris earlier this year, wore an outfit solely from the Italian fashion house with her shoes matching the side print of her leggings and bag Model pose: The former America's Next Top Model contestant showed off her gym-honed abs with a small flesh window revealing a peak of her midriff Meanwhile Wiz commanded attention in box fresh white trainers and a brightly coloured tracksuit in the colours of the LA Lakers. The Black and Yellow hitmaker showed off his heavily-inked chest and torso with an unbuttoned jacket and backwards white cap. He paired the bold look with three gold chains including one reading 'CAM', a shortened version of his real name Cameron Jibril Thomaz. Striking: Meanwhile Wiz commanded attention in box fresh white trainers and a brightly coloured tracksuit Official: The Canadian cover girl and Khalifa confirmed their romance back in August Approval: Wiz's ex-wife, Amber Rose, has since given her blessing. 'I met Winnie on several different occasions. I think she's a f**king sweetheart,' she told Us Weekly The Canadian cover girl and Khalifa confirmed their romance back in August. And Wiz's ex-wife, Amber Rose, has since given her blessing. 'I met Winnie on several different occasions. I think she's a f**king sweetheart,' she told Us Weekly. Get fit: Harlow is hitting the gym hard in preparation for her first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in three weeks Hard work: '#TRAINLIKEANANGEL means so much more to me than just being in the gym. For my first year walking for VS, I want to make sure my body is the best it's ever been AND I want to keep my mind right,' she said on Instagram Friday 'I love my ex-husband in a way where...it's you know, he's my best friend. In a weird way it's like he turned into my brother. It's like 'God, I love you so much. I want you to be so happy.' Meanwhile, Winnie has recently showed off her gruelling gym routine as she prepares to walk the Victoria Secret show. '#TRAINLIKEANANGEL means so much more to me than just being in the gym. For my first year walking for VS, I want to make sure my body is the best it's ever been AND I want to keep my mind right,' she said. 'My goals this year are to stay very hydrated and to read some new books. Nick Cummins was rumoured to be dating chicken heiress, Lucy Steggles, on Sunday, with reports claiming they met recently on the Kokoda Trek. However, The Honey Badger has also hinted at a potential romance with Instagram model, Amanda Hinchcliffe. On Saturday, the pair posed for a picture together at the Supercars Vodafone Gold Coast 600 and Nick dropped a not so subtle clue on Instagram. Scroll down for video 'This girl is a keeper': Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins appears to hint at romance with Instagram star Amanda Hinchcliffe ...after being linked to chicken heiress Lucy Steggles After Amanda posted a cosy snap on Instagram, former Wallabies star Nick, 31, swiftly 'liked' the photo. He then 'liked' a very telling comment posted by a fan. 'You two suit each other @nickbadger this girl is a keeper,' the since-deleted comment read. Has he found love? The pair posed for a picture together at the Supercars Vodafone Gold Coast 600 on Saturday. Nick 'liked' a very telling comment posted by a fan 'You two suit each other @nickbadger this girl is a keeper,' the comment, which has mysteriously now been deleted, read when Nick appeared to endorse it on Amanda's very sexy profile which features several scantily-clad pictures Nick attended the event as a VIP and Amanda, a former pageant queen and model, was working there as a promotional model for Monster Energy Drink. Amanda appeared equally as keen, responding to someone that branded Nick 'Australia's biggest flog' by writing: 'Couldn't disagree more.' It comes after The Sunday Telegraph's report that Nick has been enjoying a romance with chicken heiress Lucy Steggles. The pair have been friends for a number of years but their 'friendship turned romantic,' on the 60-kilometre track in Papua New Guinea, according to the report. Who is his type? The online flirtation appears to contradict The Sunday Telegraph 's report that the ex-Wallabies star has been enjoying a romance with chicken heiress Lucy Steggles The curly-haired reality star is said to have met the blonde beauty through Lucy's sister's boyfriend, who is Nick's trainer. Nick had traveled to Papua New Guinea in order to complete the challenging track prior to The Bachelor finale airing in Australia. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Nick and Amanda for comment. On Saturday, Teresa Palmer announced that she's expecting her third child with husband Mark Webber. And on Sunday, the 32-year-old took to Instagram to share a picture of her burgeoning baby bump. The Australian actress took the opportunity to thank her fans for the outpouring of well wishes she'd received. Scroll down for video 'We are overjoyed but mostly very grateful': Teresa Palmer shares touching image of her baby bump after announcing she's expecting her third child with husband Mark Webber She captioned the image: 'Thank you for all the beautiful messages. We are overjoyed but mostly very grateful.' In the photo, Teresa stands by the sea, waves lapping at the shore, as the sun sets behind her. Her silhouette in shadow, the Lights Out star cradles her belly as she tenderly looks downwards. Husband Mark also shared a second, similar black and white image, in which Teresa cradles her belly as children play in the ocean in the distance. Thank you: Husband Mark also shared a second, similar black and white image, in which Teresa cradles her belly as children play in the ocean in the distance Good news! The mother-of-two revealed her pregnancy in a fun Instagram video on Friday, where she and her brood are seen dancing to The Beatles' Twist & Shout It's a girl! In the clip, Teresa pulls up her shirt to reveal the baby's sex, having written the word 'girl' across her growing belly as her husband Mark (left) points at the word It comes after the mother-of-two revealed her pregnancy in a fun Instagram video on Friday, where she and her brood are seen dancing to The Beatles' Twist & Shout in their home. Clad in a striped T-shirt and jeans, Teresa then pulls up her shirt to reveal the baby's gender, having written the word 'girl' across her growing belly. 'Yep we're that dorky,' Teresa captioned the video, which she shared with her 792,000 followers. Happy: Teresa wed American actor and director Mark in 2013 (pictured right) Happy family: The couple welcomed their first child, son Bodhi Rain in 2014 and added to their brood in December 2016 with the birth of son Forest Sage. Pictured with Forest Sage [left], one, and Bodhi Rain [right], four Teresa wed American actor and director Mark in 2013, and welcomed their first child, son Bodhi Rain in 2014. The couple added to their brood in December 2016 with the birth of son Forest Sage. Teresa has also taken on the role of stepmother to Mark's son Isaac, who he shares with actress Frankie Shaw. Camille Grammer said I do. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills married lawyer David C. Meyer on the Big Island in Hawaii on Saturday according to People. 'This is my next chapter. Im so excited to start our life together,' said the 50-year-old beauty. Big news! Camille Grammer, 50, married lawyer David C. Meyer on the Big Island in Hawaii on Saturday The star had previously been married to Frasier and Cheers actor Kelsey Grammar from 1997 to 2011. Grammers fellow Housewives Teddi Mellencamp, Dorit Kemsley and Lisa Rinna looked on as Kyle Richards was a bridesmaid. 'Its gonna be in Hawaii and I want to feel authentic,' she revealed to Us in April. 'Hes gonna wear a tux and Im going to wear a full-length wedding gown.' Camille's 16-year old daughter Mason helped her pick out her dress, which was designed by her close friend and celebrity stylist Malan Breton, and will also serve as her one of her maids of honor. According to a statement issued by the designer, Camille's dress featured 'five flowers from the islands of Hawaii, in particular Plumeria which has a meaning in the native culture of new life or birth'. 'Each flower was hand and laser cut and sewn individually to the embroidered silk organza in Paris,' the statement continued. 'The sash was beaded by the Royal School of Needlework, who did Kate Middletons gown., using ancient bead patterns symbolizing Japanese snow, which in Japanese culture is a symbol of rebirth. '[The dress also] includes sea glass and pearls, a symbol of prosperity and protection in the embellishment.' Malan also designed the groom's tuxedo, which featured Chinese water patterns that act as symbols of eternity. Fun in the sun: Camille Grammer shared a picture of her in Hawaii ahead of her wedding Drama: Camille's RHOBH castmate Lisa Vanderpump (far right) reportedly decided not to attend the wedding to avoid any unnecessary strees 'My reasoning for these elements is the gift of rebirth, new and eternal love,' designer Malan explained. 'Camille has become a part of my family, Im so honored to have been asked to design the bride and grooms couture.' David proposed to Camille in October 2017 after nearly two years of dating, and the television personality has been looking forward to her new life with her husband. 'I miss being married. I dont miss my ex, but I really loved being married, so I really look forward to having a lifetime companion and somebody to spend my life with and share special moments with. She added: 'Weve both been through divorce, we understand each other Hes very bright and hes successful in his own right, so its not somebody that I have to support or train, you know?' A show of support: Several of Lisa's RHOBV castmates are expected to attend her wedding According to Hollywood Life, The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star has agreed to film her wedding. Former castmates Kyle Richards, Teddi Mellencamp, and Lisa Rinna are expected to all be on hand for Camille's big day. But Lisa Vanderpump has reportedly refused to attend despite a big push to show up by representatives from the Bravo network. 'Lisa is both stressed and relieved as she finally made the decision yesterday (Tuesday) not to attend Camilles wedding,' a source close to RHOBH revealed. New love: This is the second marriage for Camille, who was previously married to Frasier and Cheers star Kelsey Grammer from 1997 to 2011; the couple are pictured in Dec 2017 'Lisa refuses to handle the stress of the event and doesnt see the point in putting herself in an uncomfortable situation.' The relationship between Lisa and her castmates reportedly took a turn for the worse after Dori Kemsley adopted a dog from Lisa's rescue and then returned it. Both Erika Girardi and Denise Richards couldn't make it to the wedding due to previous work or family commitments. Camille started her run on RHOBH back in 2011. She has also worked as a dancer, model and actress over her career. From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... They've been taking subtle swipes at each other on social media since their split in June. And on Sunday, Instagram model Tammy Hembrow said she's done with dating months after her split from ex-fiance, Reece Hawkins, 23. The Gold Coast mother-of-two responded to fan questions about her dating life. 'I don't need a man!': Tammy Hembrow (left) reveals she's done with dating after split from ex-fiance Reece Hawkins (right)... as he moves on with busty model London Goheen (right) Upon being asked whether she is dating a new man, the 24-year-old offered a surprisingly candid response. 'Just focused on my babies & my business. No man needed,' she cheerfully penned. Later, Tammy responded to another fan, writing: 'All women are queens, that's what I'll teach my daughter.' 'Just focused on my babies & my business. No man needed,' she cheerfully penned in the comment section of a selfie posted to Instagram on Sunday Wise words: Later, Tammy responded to another fan, writing: 'All women are queens, that's what I'll teach my daughter' Tammy, who is the daughter of Australian film director Mark Hembrow, has two children of her own - daughter Saskia, two, and son Wolf, three - who she shares with Reece. Shortly after their split in June, Reece debuted his new girlfriend London Goheen, 20, in early October. On Friday, the father-of-two now seemed to be taken aim a the mother of his children when he shared a photo of himself alongside a cryptic caption. Former flames: Tammy and Reece have been taking subtle swipes at each other on social media since their split in June 'Be who you are and say what you think, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind,' the personal trainer wrote. Reece shared an Instagram snap with London earlier this month, which prompted Tammy to respond with her own cryptic post that was swiftly deleted. 'Man if people knew the TRUTH about some people. Biting my tongue so hard it's gonna bleed when I'm done,' the post read. In response to this, London, 20, took a thinly-veiled swipe at Tammy by quoting the lyrics to Avril Lavigne's 2007 single Girlfriend. The brunette captioned a selfie: 'Hey, hey, you, you, I don't like your girlfriend.' They are said to have jetted off to Dubai in a bid to save their romance. And Vicky Pattison appeared to be having the time of her life as she shared an eye-popping bikini snap from her sunshine break with fiance John Noble on Sunday. The former Geordie Shore star, 30, oozed confidence as she struck a sultry pose on a balcony overlooking the United Arab Emirates city, showing off her gravity-defying assets in her skimpy bikini top. Busty: Vicky Pattison appeared to be having the time of her life as she shared an eye-popping bikini snap from her sunshine break with fiance John Noble on Sunday The brunette beauty also revealed her slender midriff and tiny waist in a pair of matching, and scanty, tie-side bikini bottoms. Her tresses were pulled back into a chic bun while she sported glamorous oversize shades. The star's pretty features were enhanced with a radiant dusting of make-up. The star's scantily clad display comes amid claims she and John are said to have gone on a make or break holiday after reportedly clashing over her showbiz lifestyle in London and reluctance to settle down and have kids. Earlier in the week Vicky took to Instagram to share a picture of her toned physique in a tiny black bikini while pulling her trademark pout. 'Make or break': They are said to have gone on a make or break holiday after reportedly clashing over her showbiz lifestyle in London and reluctance to settle down and have kids Hot stuff: Vicky Pattison showed off her sensational figure during her romantic getaway with her fiance John Noble on Friday Vicky teamed the skimpy swimwear with a collection of gold necklaces and oversized black sunglasses. She captioned the picture with: 'Vitamin D is important... @fivepalmjumeirah Outfit (or lack thereof) details tagged.' The picture comes after Vicky shared several loved-up snaps with her fiance John as the pair enjoyed a luxurious holiday in Dubai. Their loved-up display comes amid claims the duo - who got engaged in July 2017 - were apparently not on speaking terms until Tuesday and had severed ties on social media, with sources claiming their relationship is 'hanging by a thread'. 'Vicky and John's relationship is hanging by the thinnest of threads, but they both think what they've got is worth fighting for,' an insider told The Sun. 'When they first rekindled their flame two years ago John was exactly the kind of stable man Vicky wanted, but as time's gone on she's found it harder to commit to a quiet life up North when all her mates are still down here in London. What drama?: The picture comes after Vicky shared several loved-up and defiant snaps with her fiance John as the pair enjoyed a luxurious holiday in Dubai 'It's been causing massive rows and John has warned her if she doesn't start making him a priority over her pals and work it's over.' Vicky reportedly asked John to accompany her in Dubai where she's working at the moment so they can 'talk things through'. John had allegedly felt like he was playing 'second fiddle' to Vicky's busy lifestyle in London. The businessman is also reportedly desperate to start a family while Vicky was said to be less keen. Rumour has it: The smitten photos come amid claims the duo - who got engaged in July 2017 - were apparently not on speaking terms until Tuesday and had severed ties on social media MailOnline has contacted representatives for Vicky for comment. Vicky appeared to hint at troubles in their romance when she shared a cryptic post about the 'perfect relationship' on Instagram on Wednesday. Sharing a snap of the couple enjoying a rooftop dinner, she wrote: 'I can't promise you a perfect relationship, but what I can promise you is if you're trying, I'm staying.' What's going on?: Vicky sparked split fears among her fans with a series of emotional posts on Instagram over the weekend Concerns: Shortly after, the reality star spilled white wine on her clothing and captioned the clip: 'I am pretty sure this is what a breakdown looks like' The claims come after Vicky sparked concern among her fans with a series of emotional posts over the weekend. Taking to her Instagram stories, she claimed she's having a 'breakdown' as she spilled wine on herself. The TV personality also shared a cryptic quote which read: 'I'm going to make a very beautiful life for myself no matter what it takes.' They've been teasing their rumoured romance via social media for almost two months now. But over the weekend, Love Island Australia's Tayla Damir and Dom Thomas finally made their relationship Instagram official with a pair of lovey-dovey posts on their respective accounts. However, upon closer inspection, their touching relationship confirmation appears to be a sponsored post for a luxury Airbnb. How romantic? Love Island Australia's Tayla Damir (R) and Dom Thomas (L) confirmed their relationship with a string of sponsored social media posts over the weekend To promote it, the reality TV couple shared a string of cringeworthy photos of themselves flirting and frolicking in the accommodation. 'Cats out of the bag,' wrote Tayla. 'Most amazing week away surrounded by friends, family and my boyfriend at the Temple Farmhouse.' 'Most amazing week away surrounded by friends, family and my boyfriend at the Temple Farmhouse,' Tayla wrote in the post, which was to promote a luxury Airbnb Tayla and Dom aren't the only Love Island Australia rejects to cash in on their newfound fame. Series villain Cassidy McGill recently revealed that she's quit her job and is now working as a social media influencer after amassing thousands of Instagram followers during her time on the show. A social media influencer is somebody who monetises their profiles on platforms such as Instagram by sharing branded content and sponsored posts to fans. Cha ching! The ladies of Love Island Australia have been living it up as socialites and social media influencers since shooting to fame on the show When asked if she thinks a career as an influencer is commercially viable full time, Cassidy told Daily Mail Australia: 'Yes, I think it is.' However, it doesn't seem the star will simply be spending her whole life from this point sharing selfies full time. 'I don't want to be seen as an influencer forever and I have a few things I'm working towards,' the aspiring actress teased. She is on a glamorous boating holiday in San Miguel de Cozumel, Mexico. But on Sunday Roxy Jacenko suffered a mishap when she was stung by a pesky jellyfish. The 38-year-old took to Instagram stories to share a photo of the injury, which was covered in a soothing cream. 'Jellyfish - 10. Me - Zero!' Roxy Jacenko suffers a painful sea creature sting on her leg while on a glamorous boating holiday in Mexico It shows the PR queen's tanned, slender leg in frame, seemingly in a bathroom, with a large smear of white gel around the reddened sting site. Roxy captioned the photo: 'Jellyfish 10. RJ [Roxy Jacenko] 0' indicating that the sea creature had gotten the better of her. The Sweaty Betty PR founder left Sydney Airport on a flight bound for Mexico on Monday morning. Lucky! Roxy is on a glamorous boating holiday in San Miguel de Cozumel, Mexico and has been posting a series of photos of her water-bound adventure to social media Girls' trip: In one photo, Roxy poses alongside her friend Zsanett Der-Levine (left) both women in bikinis on the back of a speed boat The mother-of-two indicated she was preparing to meet up with socialite Francesca Packer-Barham, 23. She has since been posting a series of photos of her water-bound adventure to Instagram. In one photo taken this weekend, Roxy poses alongside her friend Zsanett Der-Levine, both women in bikinis on the back of a speed boat, and in another snap the pals wear matching Arabella London green bikinis as they pose on a dock. Fun in the sun: In another, the pals wear matching Arabella London green bikinis as they pose on a dock. Roxy is pictured with Zsanett Der-Levine (left) Staying glam: Yet another post shared to Instagram shows the glamourous businesswoman with neat hair and indicates that she found a hairdresser in Mexico to tend to her locks Yet another Instagram post shows the glamourous businesswoman with neat hair and indicates that she found a hairdresser in Mexico to tend to her locks. The Ministry of Talent founder captioned the photo, which was shared on Saturday: 'Sources hairdresser no matter what country' and added a laughing emoji. It appears the entrepreneur is enjoying the getaway solo, leaving her husband Oliver Curtis in Sydney with their children, Pixie, seven, and Hunter, four. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle aren't the only royals in Australia. As the power couple continue their whirlwind tour across the country, Harry's cousin Lady Kitty Spencer, 27, has been raising funds at the Perth Telethon 2018. Kitty, the niece of Princess Diana, arrived in Western Australia on Thursday for the event, which supports children with life threatening diseases. Scroll down for video Another royal Down Under! Princess Diana's niece Lady Kitty Spencer oozes glamour in two chic outfits at Perth Telethon while raising money for sick kids The English fashion model was photographed on a panel for the Telethon at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Perth on Saturday. Lady Kitty looked every inch a royal as she donned a sparkling sequined gold dress for the public appearance Down Under. She was joined by Home and Away actor Patrick O'Connor on the panel, among several others during the Telethon's first day. And it appears Patrick may have broken some kind of royal protocol alongside Kitty as he whipped his shirt off at one stage, much to the audiences delight. Golden girl! Kitty, the niece of Princess Diana, arrived in Western Australia on Thursday from Dubai Hunk alert! She was joined on a panel by Home and Away actor Patrick O'Connor (left) among several others during the Telethon's first day on Saturday Lady Kitty opted for a more casual look at the event on Sunday. Returning to the panel she wore a long floral dress with towering black heels. Just like Harry and Meghan during their time in Australia, Lady Kitty mingled with the locals and took selfies with several attendees in the auditorium. Prior to appearing on the panels over the weekend, Lady Kitty visited several of the children which the Telethon aims to raise funds for on Friday. After meeting patients at Perth Children's Hospital, the royal said on Instagram: 'What an emotional morning meeting the courageous and inspirational children.' A floral delight: Lady Kitty changed into something more comfortable as she returned to the panel at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Perth on Sunday An unlikely guest? Lady Kitty looked somewhat amused as a puppet joined her on stage Dressed to impress! The 27-year-old looked every inch the royal during her public appearances as she oozed glamour in both outfits Speaking to The West, she added: 'It was lovely to meet people face-to-face and to hear from them what things like Telethon mean to them and the difference it actually makes. 'I think it was a really important visit and I met some very, very strong children and strong parents. 'I really have respect for the grace they have in what they're going through.' Lady Kitty also hosted an morning tea party on Friday to raise even more funds. The Perth Telethon Weekend raised more that $36.4million in 2017, and this year Lady Kitty, and other stars, are hoping to raise even more. Meet and greet: Just like cousin Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been doing, Lady Kitty happily mingled with the locals She's become one of the most watched faces on TV as a fiery judge on ITV's X Factor. But Ayda Field, 39, has revealed she nearly became one of the best paid actresses on the small screen as she narrowly missed out on the role of Penny in the Big Bang Theory. The part went to 8 Simple Rules star Kaley Cuoco, 32, who now earns $1million an episode. Missed out: Ayda Field, 39, (right) revealed she nearly became one of the best paid actresses on the small screen as she narrowly missed out on the role of Penny in the Big Bang Theory to Kaley Cuoco, 32, (left) who now earns $1million an episode Hurts: Ayda said 'I tested against Kaley Cuoco for The Big Bang Theory. Not getting that hurts'. Pictured: Kayley in character as Penny with on-screen husband Leonard Hofstadter Talking about previous hard times trying to make it in Hollywood the US actress told the Mirror: 'I tested against Kaley Cuoco for The Big Bang Theory. Not getting that hurts. And you read articles like, "highest-paid actress in television". 'I've had jobs taken away. You have to audition the day after. You've got to do it, but I can't be funny. 'Or when I'd broken up with Rob. You're testing for this comedy, [but think] "I can't do it'." Loved up: The mother-of-three went on to tell the newspaper her husband Robbie Williams, 44, broke up with her three times before they wed in a lavish ceremony at their Beverly Hills home She added: 'I'm an underdog. You just have to know you are capable of a lot more than you think.' The mother-of-three went on to tell the newspaper her husband Robbie Williams, 44, broke up with her three times before they wed in a lavish ceremony at their Beverly Hills home in 2010. While the star missed out on the lucrative role, she is far from counting pennies. The actress has been in the limelight for almost 20 years and has her own 'success, fans and career' from starring in American soap opera Days Of Our Lives and Blue Collar TV. Successful: The actress has been in the limelight for almost 20 years and has her own 'success, fans and career' from starring in American soap opera Days Of Our Lives and Blue Collar TV A source told The Sun the Loose Women panellist 'was earning $1 million a year aged 21 in the cult American soap opera Days Of Our Lives' and that she had 'her own success, fans and career.' And her success has continued as she's forged a career in the UK. Former Take That heartthrob Robbie and Ayda are thought to be receiving a 10 million pay check for their judging roles on the X Factor. The couple share three children, Charlton Valentine, three, Theodora Rose, six, and newborn Colette Josephine. Advertisement He's known for playing TV's favourite detective Sherlock Holmes. But Benedict Cumberbatch, 42, swapped his Victorian detective's overcoat for a 1960s get-up as he got himself into character as a spy on the set of new film Ironbark in east London on Wednesday. The dapper actor smoked a cigarette and sported a 60s trilby hat and a pencil moustache as he got set to play Cold War spy Greville Wynne. Dapper: Benedict Cumberbatch, 42, swapped his Victorian detective's overcoat for a 1960s get-up as he got himself into character as a spy on the set of new film Ironbark in east London on Wednesday Dashing: He later channelled his public school boy roots as he donned a dashing red and blue rugby shirt and black shorts to run around in the rain The hunk looked handsome in a pinstriped tie, white shirt and slate grey suit, paired with a matching overcoat. He later channelled his public school boy roots as he donned a dashing red and blue rugby shirt and black shorts to run around in the rain. Looking cool, calm and collected as filmed scenes for the drama, the star was every inch the undercover agent. The film, due to be released in 2019, tells the true story of British spy Wynne, who helped halt the Cuban Missile Crisis. Wynne went undercover in the Soviet atomic programme but was caught and jailed for two years in Moscow in 1963, before being released in a spy swap. British weather: The film, due to be released in 2019, tells the true story of British spy Wynne, who helped halt the Cuban Missile Crisis Emmy-winning Marvellous Mrs Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan, 27, also stars in the Dominic Cooke directed blockbuster. The Oscar-nominated star showed he was a true gentleman recently after discussing how he helped stop a robbery in London. The actor was in the back of an Uber driving through the capital with his wife Sophie Hunter when he saw a man on a bicycle surrounded by a gang of young men. True to life: The dapper actor (right) sported a 60s trilby hat and a pencil moustache as he got set to play Cold War spy Greville Wynne (left) for new movie Ironbark He told the Ellen DeGeneres show how he rushed out of the car and desperately tried to calm the four 'kids' down who were about to attack the delivery worker. 'I saw a Deliveroo guy on a bicycle getting surrounded by some guys on a very cold November night and I just stopped the Uber that we were in and got out and tried to calm the kids down. 'And I tried to calm him down, it looked like he was about to fight for his life' he told the host. Hero: The Oscar-nominated star showed he was a true gentleman recently after discussing how he helped stop a robbery in London Surreal: 'I saw a Deliveroo guy on a bicycle getting surrounded by some guys on a very cold November night and I just stopped the Uber that we were in and got out and tried to calm the kids down' he said He added that he didn't think about how the incident could have escalated with 'knives or acid or any of the other things that can be part of that situation' before intervening to save the victim. Refusing to take full credit for the situation, Ellen asked him if he 'stopped it from happening', to which he replied: 'I don't know, I literally just got in the way.' The Sherlock star said he tried to block the road with his Uber and stop traffic so other people would witness the incident. Powerful: The Sherlock star said he tried to block the road with his Uber and stop traffic so other people would witness the incident Ellen then asked the Academy Award-nominee to what extent the Uber driver, later identified as Manuel Dias, 53, came to the aid of the delivery man. Dias previously told The Sun 'it all got a bit surreal' when he realised it was Cumberbatch who was trying to help him - just down the road from where his character Sherlock Holmes lived at 221B Baker Street. 'Here was Sherlock Holmes fighting off four attackers just round the corner from Baker Street,' Dias said. 'I had hold of one lad and Benedict another.' Let it rain! The Harrow-educated star sheltered himself from the British weather as he filmed for the new role in east London Brave: He added that he didn't think about how the incident could have escalated with 'knives or acid or any of the other things that can be part of that situation' before intervening to save the victim Stretch it out: The star appeared to be running through east London in a rugby kit as he prepared for the big role Unusual: Dias previously told The Sun 'it all got a bit surreal' when he realised it was Cumberbatch who was trying to help him - just down the road from where his character Sherlock Holmes lived at 221B Baker Street Just like his school days! Benedict wore dirty white plimsolls and pull up socks with black shorts and a rugby shirt as he stretched on steps outside a house in east London As well as a busy working schedule, Benedict Cumberbatch is a proud parent to sons Hal Auden, 18 months, and 3-year-old Christopher 'Kit' Carlton. with wife Sophie Hunter. Sophie and Benedict, who have been friends for 20 years, took their romance public in spring 2014, before tying the knot the following year - months before the playwright gave birth to son Kit. In 2016, Benedict revealed some of his fans - famously known as 'Cumberb****es' - claimed his family unit is in fact an elaborate PR stunt. Dad duty: As well as a busy working schedule, Benedict Cumberbatch is set to become a father for the third time, as his wife Sophie Hunter is reported to be pregnant Hitting out at the rumours, he stated: 'There are people who believe that my wife is a PR stunt and my child is a PR stunt. I think really it's to do with the idea that the 'Internet's boyfriend' can't actually belong to anyone else but the Internet. 'It's impossible he belongs to anyone but me. And that's what stalking is. That's what obsessive, deluded, really scary behaviour is." Benedict's eldest son was born two weeks before he began rehearsing for London stage production 'Hamlet' and he has found that becoming a father helped him with his role in the Shakespearean play. Third time lucky: Sophie and Benedict, who have been friends for 20 years, took their romance public in spring 2014, before tying the knot the following year - months before the playwright gave birth to son Kit and is now thought to be pregnant with baby number three Busy: Benedict's eldest son was born two weeks before he began rehearsing for London stage production 'Hamlet' and he has found that becoming a father helped him with his role in the Shakespearean play He previously said: 'Having a baby - it's massive. And on a very unexpected level. Suddenly I understood my parents much more profoundly than I ever had before. 'I was expecting, with 'Hamlet', that it might be a hindrance to be a father, because it's all about being a son. But it's the opposite. You understand much more about being a son, becoming a father.' Olivia Attwood has responded to her ex Chris Hughes' apparent dig at her this week, by branding him 'bitter'. After Chris tweeted Love Island 2018 star Sam Bird, following the demise of his relationship with co-star Georgia Steel, offering him a word of support, Olivia retorted with: 'What in the bitter ex is going on here then?' This was after Chris posted a tweet, intended for Sam: ''Deja vu... Smile on mate, see you tomorrow.' Ex marks the spot: Olivia Attwood has responded to her ex Chris Hughes' apparent dig at her this week, by branding him 'bitter' This was after Sam claimed he found a secret selfie of 'loyal' Georgia in bed with her ex-boyfriend. In February, Chris and Olivia split up, after meeting on Love Island and months of relationship setbacks, with the blonde beauty getting back together with her ex Bradley Dack (they have also split since). At the time, a friend told MailOnline: 'Chris broke up with Olivia over the weekend due to a breakdown in trust in the relationship. 'Everybody knew that Olivia was still up to no good with her ex and the tweets proved it. Hitting back: After Chris tweeted Love Island 2018 star Sam Bird, following the demise of his relationship with co-star Georgia Steel, offering him a word of support, Olivia retorted with 'What in the bitter ex is going on here then?' No holding back: Chris appeared to make a sly dig at his ex-girlfriend Olivia on Friday as he compared her to Georgia Steel Support: The Love Island star reached out to Sam Bird, who recently split with 'loyal' Georgia Steel after claiming he found a secret selfie of her in bed with her ex-boyfriend Sly dig?: Responding to the personal trainer's statement on Instagram, Chris replied with, 'Deja vu... Smile on mate, see you tomorrow' 'It all got too much for Chris so he called her and ended it, its sad because he adored her.' Olivia dismissed his claims, with friends insisting his 'inappropriate' behaviour led to a breakdown in the relationship. A source told MailOnline: 'Chris has publicly humiliated Olivia on many occasions - messaging Katie Price and lying about it, kissing a girl in the Sugar Hut and being verbally abusive at her work event, saying f**k Rita Ora and Liam Payne, Im Chris Hughes. Yet she has stood by him despite people telling her to leave him. 'There are countless incidents where he has behaved in appropriately. Olivia feels used by Chris; shes stuck by him believing he loved her but the realisation is it was all about monetising their situation.' Meanwhile, speaking to The Sun, Sam claimed his suspicions were first aroused after Georgia didn't return home from a PA, and went onto find secret messages to her ex on her phone. It comes after Georgia exclusively told MailOnline she did spent the night at her ex's but in the spare room, confessing she felt 'trapped' in their relationship and only stayed with Sam to prove a point to the public. Brutal: Sam told The Sun his suspicions were first aroused after Georgia didn't return home from a PA, and went onto find secret messages to her ex on her phone Not my fault: It comes after Georgia exclusively told MailOnline that while she did spent the night with her ex it was in the spare room, and she did NOT cheat on Sam Sam said: 'I looked at her phone and found messages she sent to her mates and one of them had a selfie of her in bed with her ex and she put the word 'oops' and joked about it and I thought that's not right. 'Telling your ex you want their d*** isn't banter. I saw these messages late at night while she was asleep and I screenshot them so she couldn't lie about it. I wanted proof so she couldn't get out of it. 'My gut feeling was found to be true. She's not the person I thought she was.' But Georgia exclusively told MailOnline that while she did spend the night with her ex, it was in a spare room and did not cheat on him. The self-confessed 'loyal' star added that she fell out of love with Sam and that led to the split, admitting that she stayed in the 'loveless' relationship just to prove a point to the public. She said: 'There was NO third party involved in the break up between him and I. 'Sam thinks I cheated because he went through my phone and threatened to sell the screenshots to the press. 'He read and took screen shots of banter I had between me and my best mate. 'The banter was about my ex boyfriend from which he's then put two and two together and come up with an imaginary scenario.' All over: The couple went their separate ways just hours after this photo was taken at the ITV Palooza on Tuesday night - but Georgia says she did remain loyal to Sam However, Georgia admitted she hasn't been completely innocent. She said: 'I will put my hands up and say yeah I do admit I went round [to my ex's] house and stayed the night in the spare room but NOTHING did happen. 'I'm honestly not like that. I went over to collect some things which he had of mine which I needed for the flat and then ended up having a heart to heart as I was very down as me and Sam had been constantly arguing. 'Sam now wants to believe that I did cheat on him but in reality the relationship ended due to the fact I fell out of love.' Georgia has implied there is now no going back for the couple. She said: 'He was a lovely boyfriend and I did really love him but moving in so soon and the public pressure did make me feel very trapped. 'I gave our relationship everything as I really did want it to work and I was loyal throughout. But you can't help your feelings. 'I'm stubborn and wanted to prove the public wrong about me and him but the reality is it just didn't work. 'I really do hope he finds the girl for him as he has so much to give and does deserve to find love. And I really hope I find the man for me too in the future.' On screen they're mother and daughter but, off screen Mandy Moore and Chrissy Metz are the best of friends. The pair were snapped together over the weekend attending a swanky private dinner at a ranch in Malibu for Mandy's new line of Fossil watches. While the This Is Us castmates looked lovely, it was hard to notice anything but Mandy's impeccably groomed eyebrows after she had posted a regrettable flashback post on Instagram the day before. Family love: On screen mother and daughter Mandy Moore and Chrissy Metz looked like the best of friends at an event for Mandy's new line of Fossil watches on Saturday in Malibu Flashback fail: Earlier, Moore shared a set of hysterical photos for #FlashbackFriday from a regrettable time when she dyed her eyebrows On Friday, the 34-year-old took a walk to remember down memory lane with a flashback post of epic proportions. The year was 2001, the place was a red carpet, the star was Mandy Moore and the eyebrows, well, they were blonde. Always willing to have a laugh, Mandy Moore posted a series of old red carpet pictures from a embarrassing time when she'd dyed her eyebrows a yellowy blonde. 'Rolling into the weekend like..... #fbf #dontdyeyoureyebrows #2001,' wrote Mandy Moore in the caption. Ravishing! The 34-year-old hosted an intimate dinner with a group of girlfriends perched on a rustic mountainside Lady in red: Moore looked beautiful in a bold red dress with a modest cut 'Don't dye your eyebrows:' Moore warned her legion of social media followers about the risks of dying your eyebrows in flashback photos from a 2001 movie premier 'This. Is. Everything:' Shane West, Mandy's A Walk to Remember costar got in on the fun in the comments section The actress was attending the premiere of Angelina Jolie's Original Sin with her Walk to Remember director Adam Shankman. Her costar and love interest from the sappy film, Shane West, couldn't resist chiming in. 'This. Is. Everything,' he wrote in the comments. 'It was right after Walk and I went blonde again and my poor bangs,' Moore responded. Girls night: Mandy Moore and a group of friends attended a private dinner together Saturday night What a view! The rustic outdoor event was held at sunset and captured a stunning California sky Back to nature: The event was held at the beautiful and innovative farm, One Gun Ranch 'STILL cute as hell,' Shane responded. He also took a playful shot at Shankman's all denim ensemble: 'What's [he] wearing?' On Saturday, Moore had moved past her beauty faux pas and looked as glam as ever at an event for her line of watches with Fossil. The event was held at Southern California's spectacular One Gun Ranch and the theme was all about women empowering women. Sisterhood: Mandy shared some snaps with her besties on social media from the event Dinner time! The group dined family style at a long banquet table Delish! Rustic options like pizza were on the menu, as well as a whole host of other delectable goodies In a sponsored post, Mandy took to social media to thank the gaggle of gals who came out to support her collaboration with Fossil. 'Thank you @fossil for giving me the platform to highlight the importance of female friendships in our campaign together and then giving us all an excuse to come together and celebrate on a beautiful Saturday evening at @onegunranch.' She added: 'I know I am better for all of the incredible ladies I have in my life and am grateful to all who came out to share in that sentiment.' The star was radiant in red against a picturesque Malibu backdrop. Do you have the time? The This Is Us star made sure to showcase a piece from her new collection with Fossil in the photos Terrazzo: Mandy's hair stylist added shards of rose gold tiles that were inspired by the Terrazzo tile in her new home Mandy donned a modest cut dress in the bold hue with a scoop neck and caped sleeves that wrapped loosely around her arms and tied off into a small belt. The Candy crooner's shoulder length brunette tresses were scooped back in a half-up style and adorned with shards of rose gold mirrors. On social media she thanked her hairstylist for the 'terrazzo-inspired glitter tiles' that embellished her hair and wrote, 'I dont think Ill ever recover.' Moore has been renovating her new home with fiance Taylor Goldsmith and documenting it all over social media. Pink lady: Chrissy Metz opted for a bold paisley printed wrap dress in pinks and blues So supportive: The This Is Us castmates are super close in real life Friends! Katherine Schwarzenegger was also in attendance at the intimate ranch dinner So cute! The working ranch has animals like pigs and horses that the guests could mingle with She recently installed Terrazzo - a type of tile - throughout her spectacular renovated residence. Mandy's collection of watches with Fossil was actually inspired by some pieces from her new home. The beauty oped for simple hoops, black strappy sandals and, of course, a Fossil watch. The event to celebrate her new line of timepieces was a rustic, intimate al fresco dinner with some friends. There were horses, pigs and even a teepee. Dressed for the occasion: The guests embraced the theme and were spotted dressed for the ranch in boots and sweaters Whoa there! Katherine Schwarzenegger posed with some beautiful horses Friends! Mandy wrote on Instagram that the event was all about female friendships Grateful: The star expressed her gratitude to Fossil for letting her host her ladies in such a beautiful local to celebrate female friendships. Mandy's on screen daughter Chrissy Metz was there in support of her friend. The 38-year-old also rocked a half-up-do and looked ravishing in a 3/4 length sleeve pink and blue paisley wrap dress with flat black slingback shoes. Another star in tow was Chris Pratt's new lady love, Katherine Schwarzenegger, who was stunning in a short sleeve prairie dress. At the event, the ladies enjoyed a spectacular west coast sunset and dined together on rustic pizzas at long outdoor banquet table. A year ago, Gemma Collins made headlines when she took a tumble off the stage at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards - a clip that went viral within moments. And despite threatening to 'sue' the broadcaster for the accident at the time, she has now returned for the 2018 ceremony - this time making an entrance to remember. Determined to top the spectacle from last year, she spoke to the 12,500-strong audience before her arrival to tell them: 'Im currently over the sky of Wembley. Scroll down for video Back with a bang: Gemma Collins made sure she topped her epic fall last year at the Radio 1 Teen Awards... by SKYDIVING into the Wembley Arena for Sunday's 2018 ceremony 'After what happened last year, I'm not leaving anything to chance, so I am going to arrive GC style. I'm going to be skydiving into Wembley!' And, indeed, she delivered per promise - sort of. The TOWIE star, 37, announced that she was circling the London venue in 'Gem Force 1', and that she would be dropping into the Arena to take to the stage. 'Okay I can see the arena, someone open the roof,' her voice could be heard shouting, followed by: 'Guys, I'm stuck in the roof, I think I can wiggle free if I move my unicorn. Here I come!' And indeed, a pink-jump-suited figure was seen plummeting from the high ceilings, cascading down to the stage, with Gemma appearing unharmed seconds later - GC sewn onto the front of her outfit and on a helmet slung over her arm. One year later: A year ago, Gemma Collins made headlines when she took a tumble off the stage at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards - a clip that went viral within moments Down she goes: Gemma was seen plummeting from the roof, landing unscathed on the stage Incoming: A pink-jump-suited figure was seen plummeting from the high ceilings, cascading down to the stage She then chatted to hosts Nick Grimshaw and Clara Amfo about being back at the scene of the crime, following last year's drama. 'I'm going to be really honest: it's honestly been amazing being here but it brings back last years fall. But that fall was the making of my career!' she said. She went on to credit the incident as bringing her and on/off lover James Argent together, finally. 'I'm so happy and in love at the moment. Listen how weird is this: we weren't together this time last year. When I fell, he said he fell in love with me a little bit more,' she recounted. Quite a year: 'I'm going to be really honest: it's honestly been amazing being here but it brings back last years fall. But that fall was the making of my career!' she said 'It's thanks to the Teen Awards that we got together. I'll never forget. I can't thank the fall enough. I think it made me more famous than I ever was!' Those in attendance went wild for the stunt, with audience members taking to Twitter to post their excitement over The GC's grand comeback. Gemma Collins should be prime minister, one person commented, as another typed: 'GEMMA COLLINS SKYDIVING INTO WEMBLEY?????? I CANT!' Another wrote: 'Only Gemma Collins could fall from the top of Wembley!' A fourth person posted: 'QUEEN OF THE TEEN AWARDS LMAOOOO I LOVE GEMMA COLLINS!' Back for more: She then chatted to hosts Nick Grimshaw and Clara Amfo about being back at the scene of the crime, following last year's drama Upstaging herself: Last year she threatened to 'sue' the broadcaster for the accident at the time [pictured this time last year at the 2017 Teen Awards] Last year, the reality star - who has also appeared on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and Celebrity Big Brother - took to the stage to announce Love Island as the winner for Best TV Show when she was taken by surprise and fell through the trap door on the stage, into the depths below her. Not realising that the stage dropped down, Gemma began to dance and twirl around to Ariana Grande's Into You when she accidentally fell on top of ITV2 stars Jamie Jewitt, Amber Davies and Marcel Somerville. Jamie and Marcel quickly turned towards Gemma to help her get back to her feet, as Gemma called out to packed out crowd: 'Oh my god. Guys sorry about that. This is live, this is what happens.' Although embarrassed about the mishap, Gemma admitted in an interview with show host Rita Ora later that she was still having a ball. Despite this, it was later reported that she would sue the BBC over the potentially-dangerous incident. Brave face: Although embarrassed about the mishap, Gemma admitted in an interview with show host Rita Ora later that she was still having a ball Drama: It was later reported that she would sue the BBC over the potentially-dangerous incident After the event, she claimed she thought she was 'going to die' and planned to speak to a lawyer about it. She told The Sun last October: 'I'm in total shock. It is a miracle I am living to tell the tale. I could have died or at least been disabled at the end of it. I could have been legless. 'I didn't even know there was a hole there. No joke, my life did flash before my eyes. I thought I was dead.' She added: 'I've got to consult a lawyer, yeah. The BBC, they've not been in touch with any compensation or anything - or even an apology. 'It's very important this gets sorted out because really you know what it is - it's negligence. The BBC hasn't sent any flowers. Nothing.' Accident prone: Last year, the reality star took to the stage to announce Love Island as the winner for Best TV Show when she was taken by surprise and fell through the trap door on the stage, into the depths below her Back on her feet: Not realising that the stage dropped down, Gemma began to dance and twirl around to Ariana Grande's Into You when she accidentally fell on top of ITV2 stars Jamie Jewitt, Amber Davies and Marcel Somerville The reality TV star claimed that she was not given proper instructions about the stage. She told the newspaper that she had no idea there was a hole and that she was not adequately briefed by the female worker who was looking after her before she presented the award. She said: 'Not at one point did she say, "If you move to the right you are going to fall". 'Afterwards she had tears in her eyes, I'll never forget it, and she just went, "If you tell anyone I didn't tell you to not move off your mark I'm going to get the sack and lose my job, I'm in the firing line".' A doctor examined Gemma after the fall and warned her that her injuries could get worse. A Radio 1 spokesman told MailOnline at the time: 'We're glad Gemma is OK and she is a proper trooper.' About Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profile Katie Price has been seen filming for her new reality show outside of rehab facility The Priory in South West London. The mother-of-five, 40, is currently in the middle of a 28-day recovery program and was seen exiting the centre with a film crew in tow. Reports have claimed she has been forced to film outside of the centre, as she has bee 'denied access' to film within the grounds. Back in front of the camera: Katie Price has been seen filming for her new reality show outside of rehab facility The Priory in South West London Her appearance outside of The Priory with cameras has sparked outrage among some, with sources telling The Sun: 'It's outrageous she is bringing a film crew near the centre when people are battling serious injury.' When contacted by MailOnline a representative for Katie Price declined to comment. The former glamour model was seen in high spirits as she filmed for the new series of her reality show My Crazy Life, with her mother Amy joining her. Good spirits: At one point she was seen smiling and making peace signs with her hands - appearing to pose for a picture - while her film crew were nearby Documenting her recovery: The mother-of-five, 40, is currently in the middle of a 28-day recovery program and was seen exiting the centre with a film crew in tow Reunion: Reports have claimed Katie - who was joined by mother Amy - has been forced to film outside of the centre, as she has bee 'denied access' to film within the grounds Backlash: Her appearance outside of The Priory with cameras has sparked outrage among some, with sources telling The Sun : 'It's outrageous' 'Outrage': Sources added: 'She is bringing a film crew near the centre when people are battling serious injury' - a representative for Katie declined to comment Katie was clad in a bright yellow Tommy Hilfiger jumper and complementing navy tracksuit bottoms. She sported a pair of white trainers and wore her brunette locks up into a high ponytail, along with a full face of make-up. The Celebrity Big Brother star has been battling a string of personal woes, leading to her stint in the famous facility as she receives treatment for PTSD after a drink-drive arrest. Despite her troubles of late, Katie appeared at ease as she conversed with her mum Amy and members of her film crew. At one point she was seen smiling and making peace signs with her hands - appearing to pose for a picture - while her film crew were nearby. Another series: The former glamour model was seen in good spirits as she began filming for a new series of her reality series titled My Crazy Life Entourage: She was seen with a member of her team outside the rehab facility while a film crew set to work filming her exit Casual: Katie was clad in a bright yellow Tommy Hilfiger jumper and complementing navy tracksuit bottoms Back together again: The embattled star appeared pleased to be reunited with her mother Amy, 64, on camera and the duo were seen putting on a touching display The embattled star appeared pleased to be reunited with her mother Amy on camera and the duo were seen putting on a touching display. Amy, 64, is currently battling a life-threatening lung illness, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which reduces the ability to breathe and currently has no cure. She cut a glamorous figure in a pair of stone trousers, a black quilted coat and zebra-printed scarf. Katie, meanwhile, has been seeking treatment following a series of concerning incidents, including her arrest, a series of drink and drug related scandals and her money woes. Loving: Amy, 64, is currently battling a life-threatening lung illness, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which reduces the ability to breathe and currently has no cure Rehab: Katie has been seeking treatment following a series of concerning incidents, including her arrest, a series of drink and drug related scandals and her money woes Treatment: She is on a 28-day treatment plan at The Priory after her family urged her to seek help following her recent wild partying antics in Mallorca She is on a 28-day treatment plan at The Priory after her family urged her to seek help following her recent wild partying antics in Mallorca. The reality TV star was reportedly confronted by her loved ones after shocking footage emerged of her rapping 'I love coke' during a booze-fuelled hen do. TV personality Katie broke down after the intervention and admitted she needed help to get over her chaotic behaviour which has been blamed on her PTSD. Not only did the star discover her husband Kieran Hayler had been unfaithful for a fourth time, she learned just days before that her mother is battling a lung condition with no known cure. Leaving rehab: Katie was filmed driving her vehicle outside of The Priory gates Making a change: TV personality Katie broke down after an intervention from her family and admitted she needed help to get over her chaotic behaviour, which has been blamed on PTSD Support: Following her daughter's check in to rehab, Amy said: 'I am relieved that Katie has admitted she needs help to cope, to recognise her shortcomings and erratic behaviour' Following her daughter's check in to rehab, Amy said: 'I am relieved that Katie has admitted she needs help to cope, to recognise her shortcomings and erratic behaviour, and to learn to love herself to find the person inside she really is.' Meanwhile, Katie is reportedly 'stressed and tearful' after realising she can't afford a new home should her looming bankruptcy deadline result in her mansion being lost. According to The Sun, the star is keen to find herself a new place to live, but has become disheartened after coming to terms with the fact that her living space would have to be significantly downsized to fit her tight budget. Wanting the best for Katie: Her mother Amy continued: '[She has to] learn to love herself to find the person inside she really is' Financial woes: Katie is reportedly 'stressed and tearful' after realising she can't afford a new home should her looming bankruptcy deadline result in her mansion being lost Heartache: According to The Sun, the star is keen to find herself a new place to live, but has become disheartened that her living space would have to be significantly downsized Troubles: It's alleged Katie has only a couple of weeks to pay off her debts before she is declared bankrupt Scandal: Katie was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving after crashing her 75,000 Range Rover into a bush after attending her ex Kris Boyson's 30th birthday party It's alleged Katie has only a couple of weeks to pay off her debts before she is declared bankrupt. Prior to her rehab stint, she was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving after crashing her 75,000 Range Rover into a bush after attending her ex Kris Boyson's 30th birthday party. This comes after it was alleged she still has bailiffs turning up at her house as her bankruptcy deadline looms. During her stay at The Priory, Katie has reportedly had debt collectors turning up to her home every week but she can't do anything about it, insiders claim. Doing her best: Katie is said to be trying to sell her 2million West Sussex mansion which she bought in 2014 A source told the website that the troubled star still hasn't paid off a lot of her debts for items such as horse feed and farm supplies. They said: 'Katie still hasn't paid off a lot of her debts so the door is always going with companies who want their money back. 'Katie can't do anything about it now she's in rehab she's just focused on her recovery and she doesn't have a ready supply of cash to pay bills. Reality star Katie's father is currently staying on the property in a motorhome but she has apparently insisted that they are her debts and she will deal with them because she doesn't want her family to get involved. Katie, who is currently dating toyboy Alex Adderson, 25, narrowly avoided bankruptcy back in August, when she was given three months to come up with a plan to pay off her debts, totalling more than 250,000 including more than 20,000 in tax debt. Happy families: Katie loves her big family and is no doubt keen to work out her problems Making festive plans: Kieran Hayler has revealed he wants his two children with estranged wife Katie son Jett, five, and daughter Bunny, four to spend Christmas with him Family: Amid her woes, a source has revealed to MailOnline that she plans to spend Christmas with her two elder children Junior, 13, and Princess, 11, despite reports to the contrary She has been bidding for months to stave off bankruptcy as her once-lucrative media empire began to fall apart following the demise of her third marriage and the collapse of her businesses. Katie is said to be trying to sell her 2million West Sussex mansion which she bought in 2014, as her bankruptcy deadline is up on October 30. Yet the TV personalty is reportedly on the verge of getting a lifeline amid her financial woes, as it's TV bosses are said to be planning a third season of her reality show My Crazy Life. Weeks after it was initially claimed that the future of her series was 'hanging in the balance' as she stumbled from one scandal to another in recent months, it has now been claimed that bosses at TV network Quest Red are eager to resume production. A source told The Sun: 'She knows this is her financial lifeline.' Oscar winner Angelina Jolie treated three of her six children to a Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles on Saturday night. The 43-year-old actress-turned-humanitarian paid special attention to her daughter Vivienne Marcheline as they ate a the sushi bar. At one point, the Mon Guerlain brand ambassador affectionately embraced and held her French-born 10-year-old with estranged husband #3, Brad Pitt. Family bonding: Oscar winner Angelina Jolie treated three of her six children to a Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles on Saturday night Vivienne's twin brother Knox Leon sat to Angelina's left while her 14-year-old son Pax Thien - whom she adopted from Vietnam in 2007 - was glued to his cell phone. Jolie - who relies on stylist Jen Rade - was dressed way down in a cozy grey sweater, black skinny jeans, and knee-high boots. The Maleficent stunner wore minimal make-up for the outing and she scraped her signature brunette locks into a fuss-free bun. Missing from the family meal was the Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' 17-year-old son Maddox, 13-year-old daughter Zahara, and 12-year-old daughter Shiloh. Mama's girl: The 43-year-old actress-turned-humanitarian paid special attention to her daughter Vivienne Marcheline (2-R) as they ate a the sushi bar PDA: At one point, the Mon Guerlain brand ambassador affectionately embraced and held her French-born 10-year-old with estranged husband #3, Brad Pitt Typical teen: Vivienne's twin brother Knox Leon (L) sat to Angelina's left while her 14- year-old son Pax Thien (R) - whom she adopted from Vietnam in 2007 - was glued to his cell phone Casually clad: Jolie - who relies on stylist Jen Rade - was dressed way down in a cozy grey sweater, black skinny jeans, and knee-high boots According to The Blast, child custody evaluator Dr. Stan Katz submitted his evaluations on Brangelina's blended brood to LA Superior Court on October 8 - bringing the exes closer to a permanent custody order. This, after TMZ reported in August that the judge criticized Angelina for 'not allowing the children to properly interact' with the 54-year-old Oscar-winning producer, whom she separated from in 2016. Pitt's temporary custodial arrangement entitles him to visit his children for 'no less than four hours every other day on school days and 12 hours every other day on non-school days.' Last week, Jolie wrapped her role as a blonde Victorian woman called Rose on the Los Angeles set of Brenda Chapman's Come Away, which is a prequel to the stories of Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. Mother-daughter duo: The Maleficent stunner wore minimal make-up for the outing and she scraped her signature brunette locks into a fuss-free bun With their dad? Missing from the family meal was the Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' son Maddox, 17; daughter Zahara, 13; and daughter Shiloh, 12 Closer to a permanent custody order: Child custody evaluator Dr. Stan Katz submitted his evaluations on Brangelina's blended brood to LA Superior Court on October 8 Bearded bodyguard (R) at the wheel: In August, the judge criticized Angelina for 'not allowing the children to properly interact' with the 54-year-old Oscar-winning producer The children's adventure fantasy flick also features David Oyelowo, Michael Caine, Derek Jacobi, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. 'I'm filming a Peter Pan prequel next called Come Away. The kids love the connection with Great Ormond Street children's hospital, which owns the rights to Peter Pan,' the former Hollywood wild child told Hello! earlier this month. 'I think first of my family when I'm deciding to take a job, like any parent. [My next film] The One and Only Ivan is a book that Shiloh loved and brought to me, and that's when I joined the development of the film years ago. 'Shi has a sanctuary for wounded elephant and rhino in her name in Namibia and my character in the film, Stella the elephant, calls sanctuaries "where humans make amends."' Brangelina pictured in 2014: Pitt's (L) temporary custodial arrangement entitles him to visit his children for 'no less than four hours every other day on school days and 12 hours every other day on non-school days' Some of Hollywood's most well-known stars headed to Denver this weekend to strut their stuff in the 10th annual Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show. Dakota Johnson and Heather Graham looked ravishing on Saturday as they took the stage at the stylish event to benefit the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. A-list celebrities like Jamie Foxx, Jeremy Renner and members of the Denver Broncos were also giving their best Blue Steel as they headed down the catwalk. A good cause: Dakota Johnson took the stage along with a hoard of celebrities for the 10th Annual Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show to benefit the Global Down Syndrome Foundation Stunning! Actress and advocate Heather Graham took a spin down the catwalk in a black and silver gown at the event Saturday marked the 10th anniversary of the foundation's tentpole event which was held at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in Colorado. Dakota Johnson, 29, was spotted smiling in the crowd in a simple black button up shirt and black slacks. The daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith pulled her brunette hair, with her her signature bangs, back in a ponytail that was held together with a satin ribbon. While the look was simple, the star added a pair of enormous architectural silver statement hoops. Advocate: The 48-year-old stunner is a long time activist for various causes All smiles: Despite recently having to shut down pregnancy rumors, Dakota Johnson smiled broadly in the crowd Big moment: Jamie Foxx took the microphone on stage with Broncos star Von Miller and actor John C McGinley Big night! Dakota took the stage with her costar Zach Gottsagen who was a recipient of the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award (Q Award) Glam! Heather Graham took to the catwalk with Zach gottagen and showed off their fabulous fashions Shining star! Graham manged to get outdone by her partner when he shrugged off his coat and showcased a silvery vest Film stars: Dakota looked pleased as punch to be at the podium to honor her fellow actor The 50 Shades star recently dispelled a report by TMZ that she was pregnant after the outlet erroneously claimed she and boyfriend Chris Martin hosted a gender reveal party. Dakota took the podium at the event alongside actor Zack Gottsagen, who along with Collin Farrell, were this year's recipients of the prestigious Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award (Q Award). The 2017 recipients were actress and producer Eva Longoria and Australian model Madeline Stuart who's been dubbed, 'the world's most famous model with Down syndrome.' Previous honorees included Jamie Foxx and John C McGinley who both walked the runway at Saturday's event. Feeling the love! Shia LaBeouf (right) joined the group on stage for the big moment Emotional: The actress couldn't hide her emotions as she gave Zach a big hug at the event New flick: Zach, Dakota and Shia are starring together in 2019's The Peanut Butter Falcon which is based on Zach's life Fun times! Shia and director Tyler Nilson were caught by a photographer having a great time On stage: Denver Broncos Player Von Miller, 2017 Fashion Show chair Peter Kudla and actor John McGinley were spotted together for a quick photo Zack looked debonair in an impeccably tailored black suit with a slate colored vest and a purple bow tie. He sauntered down the catwalk alongside famed actress and advocate Heather Graham. The 48-year-old bombshell wore a black and silver printed one-shoulder gown and had her signature strawberry blonde hair coiffed with curls. How cute! Jamiee Foxx might have had the best date of the night; he brought his nine year old daughter Annalise Amazing! Colin Farrell also received the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award (Q Award) Amazing dad: The actor's son has a genetic disorder that causes developmental disabilites called Angelman syndrome Strike a pose! Farrell walked the runway with Sophia Whitten and 2018 Global Ambassador Sam Levin Gottsagen, who happens to have Down syndrome, stars alongside Dakota in his upcoming 2019 flick The Peanut Butter Falcon which is based on his life. Another of the film's co-stars, Shia LaBeouf, was one of the featured faces who trotted down the runway at Saturday's fashion show. His fellow honoree, actor Collin Farrell, was handsome as ever in a black suit with a printed tie. Models: Jeremy Renner strutted down the runway with Walt Snodgrass and Charlotte Fonfara LaRose Smile! Jamie Foxx posed with his daughter Annalise Foxx and his fellow Q Award winner DeOndra Dixon Handsome men: Academy Award Nominee Jeremy Renner and Academy Award Winner Jamie Foxx smiled for the cameras before the event Good times: Wendel Hutchins II, Aaniya Hutchins, Jamie Foxx and Annalise Foxx strike a pose Farrell is the father to a son with Angelman syndrome and has previously served as the official games spokesman for the Special Olympics World Games. Angelman syndrome is 'a genetic disorder causing developmental disabilities and nerve-related symptoms.' According to the foundation, the yearly event which is head during Down Syndrome Awareness Month, is 'the single largest fundraiser for Down syndrome research in the country' and has raised over $16 million. Other celebrities who lent their star power to the good cause included Jeremy Renner, Von Miller, Jamie Foxx, John C. Mcginley, Deondra Dixon and Amanda Booth. The true story of comedy duo Laurel and Hardy has been portrayed on the big screen for the first time in Jon S. Baird's new film Stan & Ollie. The biopic premiered on the closing night of the BFI London Film Festival in London's Leicester Square on Sunday, with its leading men Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly making sure to milk their big moment. The actors, who are well-established comedians in their own right, decided to mimic their onscreen alter egos as they took to the red carpet in Laurel and Hardy inspired matching kilts and bowler hats. Look familiar? Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly decided to mimic their onscreen alter egos at the premiere o new biopic Stan & Ollie in Leicester Square on Sunday night Coogan, 53, appeared in high spirits as he entertained crowd-goers outside of the cinema with his amusingly animated facial expressions and staged picture opportunities. The star plays Stan Laurel in the biopic, while his co-star Reilly takes on the role of Oliver Hardy. The actors were unmissable at the premiere in their matching outfits, where they were joined by the likes of Nina Arianda, Shirley Henderson, Rufus Jones and Jeff Pope - who wrote the movie. Highly anticipated: Stan & Ollie premiered on the closing night of the BFI London Film Festival Nicely done: The actors, who are well-established comedians in their own right, donned matching kilts and bowler hats Pope wrote previously worked with Coogan on 2013 Oscar-nominated film Philomena. Stan & Ollie is directed by Jon S. Baird - best known for his work on Filth. Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda portray Hardy's wife Lucille (Henderson) and Laurel's partner Ida (Arianda). Arriving for the premiere, Shirley seemed in great spirits as she stepped out sporting a patterned floral frock that boasted a ruffled collar and sleeves. Funny man: Coogan, 53, appeared in high spirits as he entertained crowd-goers outside of the cinema with his amusingly animated facial expressions Comedic duo: The entertainers made sure to put on a show for the crowd Amusing: The actors brought Laurel and Hardy's comedic flare to life on the red carpet Watch your hat! Actor Coogan appeared to lose his hat in a gust of wind She wore her brunette locks back into a loose up-do and sported black heels on her feet. Nina, meanwhile, oozed glamour in a strapless black bandeau dress. Her floor-length gown made sure to sheath her slender frame and the acting talent finished off her getup with immaculate make-up and perfectly curled locks. Also making an appearance at the festival had been British actress Hannah Arterton. Iconic role: Coogan plays Stan Laurel in the biopic, while his co-star Reilly takes on the role of Oliver Hardy Men of the moment: The actors were unmissable at the premiere in their matching outfits, where they were joined co-stars Nina Arianda, Shirley Henderson and Rufus Jones Hamming it up: Coogan was seen pulling staged moments on the red carpet as he was snapped by photographers All in good humour: He and his co-star Reilly were seen having a giggle together as they arrived on the red carpet The Safe actress put on a very chic display in a black silk crepe jumpsuit and jacket with swarovski crystal embroidery. She teamed her Jennifer Clair outfit with yellow satin mules and a stylish up-do. Stan & Ollie follows the iconic comedy duo in their twilight years as they embark on what would become their final gruelling tour in the UK in 1953. The double act first came to prominence in the silent film era, and worked together for 25 years in a hugely successful career that spanned 107 short films, feature films, cameo roles, as well as countless comedy tours. A trailer for the anticipated movie was released last month and opens with the duo arriving in the UK but there's trouble as the once sell-out act find themselves playing to half empty variety halls. All the gear! Coogan donned a kilt, knee-high socks and a bowler hat for the occasion Hilarious: The duo couldn't resist pulling faces as they showcased their sense of humour Biopic: Stan & Ollie follows the iconic comedy duo in their twilight years as they embark on what would become their final gruelling tour in the UK in 1953. Much-loved: The double act first came to prominence in the silent film era, and worked together for 25 years in a hugely successful career Doing it justice! Coogan and Reilly appear to be fit to fill the shoes of the iconic comedic duo 'We were empty last night, I guess people just don't want to see Laurel and Hardy anymore,' Stan says. The pair's increasingly fraught relationship is also shown as they have a showdown over Hardy's solo work. 'We had a good thing going but you got a big chip on your shoulder because I did a picture with someone else,' an irate Hardy tells his partner. 'You're just a lazy a** who got lucky because you met me,' Laurel retorts, only for Reilly's character to tell him: 'Lucky? To spend my life with a man who hides behind his typewriter?' Support: Coogan made sure to interact with fans waiting on the red carpet for the film's stars Beaming: He appeared in great spirits as he celebrated the premiere of his latest project After: Steve and John changed outfits as they attended the 62nd BFI London Film Festival Closing Night Gala Party at The Tanks at Tate Modern Hardy's increasingly ill health, the star suffered from heart a heart condition and would die of a stroke in 1957, is also shown in the trailer as his beloved wife Lucille, played by Shirley Henderson tells him: 'I love you, but I won't stand by and watch this nutty tour put you in a wooden box.' The film also features Nina Arianda as Laurel's partner Ida and is directed by Jon S. Baird (best known for Filth), and written by Jeff Pope, who worked with Coogan on 2013's Oscar-nominated Philomena. 'I am aware of the huge responsibility of bringing their characters to life, but I have not treated the boys with kid gloves or looked at them through rose-coloured specs,' Pope has told The Telegraph. Leading ladies: Shirley Henderson (L) and Nina Arianda (R) portray Hardy's wife Lucille (Henderson) and Laurel's partner Ida (Arianda) Beautiful: Shirley dazzled in a glittering dress that boasted a floral pattern and ruffled collar Stunning: Nina, meanwhile, oozed glamour in a strapless black bandeau dress Red carpet ready: Her stylish frock made sure to sheath her slender frame Delight! Nina finished off her look with immaculate make-up and her hair in curls 'They are living and breathing characters, with flaws and shortcomings. The research into this story threw up so many details and facts that I had no idea about.' 'But everything I have done has come from a place of love and more than anything else I hope this shines through.' Of the film, Filth director Jon S. Baird said: 'Im really proud to be able to give the film its world premiere in London; a city thats so dear to myself and I know was to Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. 'Stan & Ollie, at its heart, is a love story between old friends, who just happen to be two of the most iconic comedic characters in Hollywoods history. 'Im really excited to have the closing night film and to bring the movie to a festival audience.' Dapper: Also in attendance were Stan & Ollie director Jon S. Baird (L) and the movie's writer Jeff Pope (R) VIP: Also making an appearance at the festival had been British actress Hannah Arterton Chic: The Safe actress put on a very chic display in an embellished peplum top and tailored trousers that she teamed with yellow satin mules and a stylish up-do Plunging! The design of her top teased a hint of cleavage as Hannah took to the red carpet Suave: Stan & Ollie actor Rufus Jones cut a dapper figure in a burnt orange velour blazer Strike a pose: Rufus stopped for photographers before joining his co-stars inside Starring role: Rufus plays Bernard Delfont in the biopic Twins: Reilly was the spitting image of the American comic as he sported a small moustache, and wore a black bowler hat, high-waisted suit trousers and short tie Movie: Stan & Ollie follows the iconic comedy duo in their twilight years as they embark on what would become their final gruelling tour in the UK in 1953 Matching: Coogan also channelled his real-life counterpart in an oversized black jacket, red polka dot bow-tie, and matching bowler hat It was revealed earlier this week that Sam Bird and Georgia Steel had split, with the personal trainer claiming he found a secret selfie of her in bed with her ex-boyfriend. And Megan Barton-Hanson and Wes Nelson have hit out at their former Love Island co-star's break up at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards held at Wembley Arena in London on Sunday. The blonde beauty, 24, and Dancing On Ice contestant, 20, even went on to reveal that they're not shocked and the word 'loyal', which Georgia uses to describe herself, has been devalued. Scroll down for video Not shocked: Megan Barton-Hanson and Wes Nelson have hit out at their former Love Island co-star's break up at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards held at Wembley Arena in London on Sunday Talking about whether they were surprised over the couple's split, Megan said: 'I'm not, I'm not going to lie, I'm not at all.' To which Wes added: 'The nation saw it coming, she's "loyal boo".' Megan continued: 'Even in the statement she put out, "I'm very stubborn, I wanted to prove the nation wrong". I'm like: "Yeah, exactly, that's the only reason!"' 'I do feel sorry for Sam in this circumstance like, I would love to stick up for Georgia but i just can't see how that went down,' Wes added. Brutal: The blonde beauty, 24, and Dancing On Ice contestant, 20, even went on to reveal that they're not shocked and the word 'loyal' has been devalued (Sam and Georgia pictured in July) No holding back: Talking about whether they were surprised over the couple's split, Megan said: 'I'm not, I'm not going to lie, I'm not at all.' The nuclear and electrical systems design engineer went on to reveal that he thinks the word 'loyal', which was used by Georgia after kissing Laura Anderson's former flame in the villa Jack Fowler and in her break up statement, has been devalued. He continued: 'That word [loyal] has been devalued, there's no value to that word anymore.' With Megan adding: 'I can't use that word seriously anymore!' Wes went on to reveal that Sam and Georgia's split didn't need to be so public, also including Charlie Brake and Ellie Brown's high-profile break up. Going strong: To which Wes added: 'The nation saw it coming, she's "loyal boo".' 'Loyal': Megan continued: 'Even in the statement she put out, "I'm very stubborn, I wanted to prove the nation wrong". I'm like: "Yeah, exactly, that's the only reason!"' (Georgia pictured in July) He said: 'I don't think that it did, the way that it happened as well, it's the same with Charlie and Ellie, that happened online - he didn't speak to her before hand.' With Megan adding: 'The first Ellie knew about it was Charlie's message that he put on his story, so it is bad, but that's how it is these days.' The couple admitted that they 'don't play up to social media' and don't 'broadcast their relationship over social media'. Wes said: 'If it's amazing, it's amazing, just enjoy it together. If it's bad, it's bad.' Public splits: Wes went on to reveal that Sam and Georgia's split didn't need to be so public, also including Charlie Brake and Ellie Brown's (pictured) high-profile break up To which Meg added: 'It is sad the way it played out and I do feel bad for Sam. It is bad because it's not just between them, not only have you been cheated on, everyone knows it as well. I can't imagine how that feels.' The couple went on to reveal that they've been living with each other since the first week of coming out the Love Island villa and have just put a deposit down on a two bedroom house in Camden, London. However, they won't be getting a dog, cat or hamster, like their co-stars Jack Fincham and Dani Dyer who just got a puppy, as they jokingly revealed they 'need to take care of themselves first'. High profile break up: Love Island's Sam has claimed he broke off his relationship with Georgia after finding a secret selfie of her in bed with her ex-boyfriend (pictured on Love Island's AfterSun in July) Love Island's Sam has claimed he broke off his relationship with Georgia after finding a secret selfie of her in bed with her ex-boyfriend. Speaking to The Sun, the 25-year-old claimed his suspicions were first aroused after Georgia didn't return home from a PA, and went onto find secret messages to her ex on her phone. It comes after Georgia exclusively told MailOnline she did spent the night at her ex's but in the spare room, confessing she felt 'trapped' in their relationship and only stayed with Sam to prove a point to the public. Ben Affleck has reprioritized his life the wake of a recent 40-day stint in rehab and finally ending his divorce from Jennifer Garner, 46. The 46-year-old star was spotted smiling outside of church on Sunday in Los Angeles. While Ben was at church, his ex-wife was seen taking the former couple's six-year-old son for a haircut. Handsome devil! Ben Affleck was spotted flashing his boyish good looks for the cameras as he headed into church alone on Sunday in Los Angeles New look: While Ben was at church, ex Jennifer Garner was seen taking their six-year-old son for a haircut It seems like the Oscar winner is really working to turn his life around recently and has been spotted taking it easy and spending time with his children. On Sunday, Ben looked as handsome as ever as he smiled for cameras on his way to praise the Lord. At the same time Ben was worshiping at church, Jen was spending some time with their son Samuel. Camera's spotted the Peppermint star holding her son's hand as they headed out of the hairdressers. Lookin' good: The 46-year-old was clean cut and put together as he strolled into the house of worship Samuel looked happy with his fresh cut in a pair of blue sweatpants and a grey T-shirt while carrying a book. And, the actress kept it casual in simple jeans and a grey sweater with a pair of sneakers and a ponytail. Meanwhile, the Batman star looked dapper in a pair of dark denim jeans that he cuffed at the ankle over some structured leather Oxford shoes. Fit fiend: Ben started working out and staying healthy when he checked into a treatment facility in August On top he sported a simple tan colored button up shirt that featured pocket detailing over his chest. The father of three looked casual but clean and put together with some cropped facial scruff and a pair of sunglasses. Ben grinned in the early fall sunshine as he walked past the waiting paparazzi. Solo: No one appeared to be attending church services with the actor Snack attack: The Oscar winner enjoyed refreshments before the service Before heading into the service, the actor was spotted enjoying a nice healthy snack of green grapes that he carried in a disposable polka dot cup. The Affleck-Garner family frequently attend church together and after completing rehab, Ben was even spotted attending services with his estranged wife and their kids. The Gone Girl star remains focused on family and has been all about his children recently. Healthier choices: Seems like Ben turned a corner from his usual trips to Jack In The Box and is opting for better options like grapes Finally done: Just this month, Ben and Jen Garner finally wrapped up the loose ends in their divorce On Friday, the actor was spotted collecting his three young children from school; Ben and Jen share, Violet, 12, Seraphina, nine, and Samuel, six together. Garner was instrumental in getting her ex-husband to commit to his most recent rehab stint. It was the Alias star who actually staged the intervention and picked up some fast food for Ben before she drove him to the treatment facility. IMG Model Bella Hadid returned to her native Los Angeles over the weekend to soak up 'a few more minutes of Vitamin D before' returning to 'the cold' of Manhattan. The bicoastal 22-year-old - who was raised in Malibu and Santa Barbara - flaunted her bikini body in a pink two-piece while visiting a Malibu home on Friday. The half-Jordanian, half-Dutch socialite was glued to her phone while sunning her slim 5ft9in figure in a cheeky thong and matching bandeau. Home sweet home! IMG Model Bella Hadid returned to her native LA over the weekend to soak up 'a few more minutes of Vitamin D before' returning to 'the cold' of Manhattan Raised in Malibu and Santa Barbara: The bicoastal 22-year-old flaunted her bikini body in a pink two-piece while visiting a Malibu home on Friday Bella went make-up free beneath her brown sunglasses and she rocked large gold hoop earrings, bracelet, and rings for her sunbathing session. It's hard to believe Hadid takes '30 pills and self-administers two shots a day in the keester' just to properly function with her Lyme Disease - according to InStyle. The True Religion collaborator was joined in the hot tub by a brunette in a green string bikini and a blonde in a white and purple swimsuit. The Malibu High School grad grew up in wealth and privilege thanks to her millionaire parents, real estate developer Mohamed and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Yolanda. Pert: The half-Jordanian, half-Dutch socialite was glued to her phone while sunning her slim 5ft9in figure in a cheeky thong and matching bandeau Ribs: Bella went make-up free beneath her brown sunglasses and she rocked large gold hoop earrings, bracelet, and rings for her sunbathing session Chronic condition: It's hard to believe Hadid takes '30 pills and self-administers two shots a day in the keester' just to properly function with her Lyme Disease Gal pals: The True Religion collaborator was joined in the hot tub by a brunette in a green string bikini and a blonde in a white and purple swimsuit Nepotism: The Malibu High School grad grew up in wealth and privilege thanks to her parents, real estate developer Mohamed and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Yolanda Inspired by cornrows: Bella kept her shoulder-length brunette locks off her face by braiding it into in a partial updo Influencer: Hadid - who boasts 21.5M Instagram/Twitter followers - made sure to share a flattering snap of herself reclining in the terry cloth swimwear Bella kept her shoulder-length brunette locks off her face by braiding it into in a partial updo inspired by cornrows. Hadid - who boasts 21.5M Instagram/Twitter followers - made sure to share a flattering snap of herself reclining in the terry cloth swimwear. On Saturday night, the Parsons School of Design drop-out indulged in a pasta dish at Madeo Restaurant alongside her older half-sisters Marielle and Alana as well as their 69-year-old father It was a belated family birthday bash for the self-described sneakerhead - who technically celebrated on October 9 with her 54-year-old mother, older sister Gigi, and on-again boyfriend The Weeknd. Siblings: On Saturday night, the Parsons School of Design drop-out indulged in a pasta dish at Madeo Restaurant alongside her older half-sisters Marielle (L) and Alana (R) as well as their 69-year-old father Make another wish! It was a belated family birthday bash for the self-described sneakerhead - who technically celebrated on October 9 with her 54-year-old mother, older sister Gigi, and on-again boyfriend The Weeknd Meanwhile, Bella's younger brother Anwar Insta-storied a video of himself Saturday smoking a joint, which he captioned: 'My dad is blocked from watching this' Meanwhile, Bella's younger brother Anwar Insta-storied a video of himself Saturday smoking a joint, which he captioned: 'My dad is blocked from watching this.' By Sunday morning, the globe-trotting glamazon was already back in New York where temperatures dipped down to 48F. Hadid was likely eager to back to work and reunite with the 28-year-old Grammy winner (Abel Tesfaye), whom she's been romancing on and off since 2015. Big Apple skyline: By Sunday morning, the globe-trotting glamazon was already back in New York where temperatures dipped down to 48F 'Home': Hadid was likely eager to back to work and reunite with the 28-year-old Grammy winner (Abel Tesfaye), whom she's been romancing on and off since 2015 (pictured Tuesday) Yazmin Oukhellou and her boyfriend James Locke admitted that their relationship is far from mended as they reached breaking point during Sunday's episode of The Only Way is Essex. During a night out the couple sat down for chat and confessed how they were really feeling, following Yazmin's break from the show amid her 'severe depression' battle. James confronted his girlfriend and told her that he felt like they were pretending they were fine but in reality they are far from it. Scroll down for video Rocky: Yazmin Oukhellou and her boyfriend James Locke admitted that their relationship is far from mended as they reached breaking point during Sunday's episode of The Only Way is Essex Yaz admitted that the couple 'bicker', however James was quick to correct her and told her that they more than bicker, they 'row'. He said that he feels like people are laughing at him because he loves her so much that he just lets her get away with things. Following her return to Essex James said that although he feels like Yaz is in a better place their old habits are already slipping back. Beginning to cry, Yaz said that she has a lot of insecurities and worries about James cheating on night's out with someone more attractive than her. Candid: During a night out the couple sat down for chat and confessed how they were really feeling, following Yazmin's break from the show amid her 'severe depression' battle 'We're pretending': James confronted his girlfriend and told her that he felt like they were pretending they were fine but in reality they are far from it As they heated conversation reached boiling point, James asked Yaz if she wanted him to move out, to which she replied that he could if he wanted to. Earlier in the episode, after spending some time apart following Yazmin's trip away her and James told pals they have decided to find their own hobbies. Talking to his pal Pete Wicks, James said that he is interested in buying a horse, and in order to get into the spirit of things he made Pete dress up as a jockey. Clearly unimpressed by the situation, Pete said: 'You're just picking on me for being small, you've got loads of mates but you picked me because I'm small'. Row: Yaz admitted that the couple 'bicker', however James was quick to correct her and told her that they more than bicker, they 'row' James candidly confessed: 'I love horses, now that me and Yaz are mending our relationship, now we've had time apart we've released we spend too much time together so I'm finding other things to do with my time.' Elsewhere, during a singing session with Bobby Norris, Yaz revealed that her undiscovered passion was singing. She told Bobby: 'I wanted to give singing a go, maybe see if it progresses or if not it's just something that makes me happy, I'm going to do this and he's going to find his own hobby'. Confrontation: Meanwhile, also looking for drama was Amber, who bumped into her boyfriend's friend Diag's and confronted him about calling her clingy Looking much happier than she has in recent weeks, Yaz said that she is feeling like a different person already. Adding that she was previously always thinking about James and catering for his needs, but now they plan to spend more time apart so that they have more things to talk about. 'Being a way a couple of weeks I feel like a different person already, I was always thinking about James and catering for him.' Yaz said that she thought previously her and James were spending too much time together, and needed other things to talk about which is why they have taken on new hobbies. She said: 'It's not fair because the time you were speaking about in Newcastle, all the girls were being boring and I wanted to go out' Following a productive couple of weeks Yaz said that she is feeling much more chilled and calm, as Bobby broached the subject of speaking to Amber Turner after their feud. Accepting that it was probably time to try and make amends with her former friend, Yaz sent Amber a text asking to make amends. During a coffee date, Tommy Mallett and his girlfriend Georgia Kousoulou met up with their friend Sam Mucklow and discussed baby plans. The conversation was sparked by Tommy's new business venture which is launching kid's version of his shoe brand, Malletts. Furious: In another scene, a fuming Shelby confronted Saffron after discovering the TOWIE newbie had been maliciously talking behind her back with her former flame Georgia said that when she thinks about children, she imagines their outfits and matching with their dad if they were a little boy. Tommy admits that he also feels broody but jokes that it is all down to Georgia when these big events happen. He said that she previously told him that if he asked her to marry him she would say no because she wants to focus on her career first. In another scene, a fuming Shelby Tribble confronted Saffron Lempriere after discovering the TOWIE newbie had been maliciously talking behind her back with her former flame. Biting back: Yet proving she's no push over, Saffron bit back asserting she has the right to speak her mind about what she thinks Slating her: Saffron didn't shy away from addressing the real reason why she had slated Shelby to her ex-boyfriend Pete when he asked for Gemma Collins' BFF's opinion 'You went to everyone else but me. You went to my ex-boyfriend,' she moaned. 'Its unfair as youre judging me.' Yet proving she's no push over, Saffron bit back asserting she has the right to speak her mind about what she thinks. 'I was asked what I thought of you and I said it,' she said with confidence. Saffron didn't shy away from addressing the real reason why she had slated Shelby to her ex-boyfriend Pete when he asked for Gemma Collins' BFF's opinion. Looking for love: While things were looking up for Dan and Amber, Diags was also on the hunt for love as he was offered a helping hand from Dan and Kady in the romance department The unimpressed newbie criticised Shelby for not shutting down the gossip about her best friend Clelia Theodorou. Saffron explained: 'On my first experience with you, it wasnt positive. The first time I met you you were in a room full of people, clearly being slagged off. You didnt shut that down as a best friend so as a friend I thought Im not sure about her.' She elaborated: 'Its about you. It could have been everyone about their best friend.' Shelby hit back that Saffron had only known the beauty for 'five minutes' while she had a rewarding and flourishing friendship of six years under her belt. She says: 'I've been friends with her for six years, you've been friends with her for five minutes. I didnt want confrontation.' Helping hand: During a meet up, Kady tells the boys that Myles has gone to Africa with work for two weeks, as Dan tells her that he is on a mission to find Diags and asks for help Owning her honesty, Saffron said: 'I'm not going to lie. I'm not two faced.' Saffron, who is GC's BFF, has been on TOWIE all of five minutes and she has already found herself well and truly at the forefront of the drama. Meanwhile, also looking for drama was Amber, who bumped into her boyfriend's friend Diag's and confronted him about calling her clingy. She said: 'It's not fair because the time you were speaking about in Newcastle, all the girls were being boring and I wanted to go out.' Amber became upset and asked Diags if he was saying the person she is now isn't the person Dan fell in love with. She tells Diags that if Dan doesn't want her around as much then she will happily give him space, before admitting that she 'always thinks the worst' when it comes to her relationship. Not happy: During a night out later in the show, Amber told Chloe and Courtney that Kady had been helping Dan find Diags a date Diags was quick to reassure her than none of the lads meant it in a spiteful way, before Dan told her that he didn't want to spend less time with her later in the episode. While things were looking up for Dan and Amber, Diags was also on the hunt for love as he was offered a helping hand from Dan and Kady in the romance department. During a meet up, Kady tells the boys that Myles has gone to Africa with work for two weeks, as Dan tells her that he is on a mission to find Diags and asks for help. Dan asked her: 'I was thinking from a girls point of view you must have someone in mind who's single, will get him out the house, I don't want him to go missing again for three years. Wrong choice: She said: 'Kady doens't know Diags that well, I feel like us girls would be better at finding us someone' 'I have someone in mind,' Kady replied. During a night out later in the show, Amber told Chloe and Courtney that Kady had been helping Dan find Diags a date. She said: 'Kady doens't know Diags that well, I feel like us girls would be better at finding us someone.' Before the conversation can progress Amber received a text from Yaz asking if she could meet her for a chat. Amber said that she feels the two women need a sit down chat, admitting that she never wanted their relationship to fall apart as she was a close friend. Reassurance: Dan told Amber her that he didn't want to spend less time with her later in the episode She said: 'If there's going to be a progression I want her to be honest and apologise for what she's done.' Moments later, new girl Jodie walked in, who Kady has brought along as a potential love match for Diags. As Dan greeted Jodie, Amber screws up her face and begins a conversation about her with the other two girls. They remark on her hooped earrings, leading viewers to comment on their 'mean girl' ways. Newbie: New girl Jodie walked in, who Kady has brought along as a potential love match for Diags Jodie is then introduced to Diags, who asks her who she has met so far out of the group to which she replied that she had just met Dan. Diags sweetly admitted that he is an animal lover and wants to open a sanctuary for street animals. He then confessed that he finds it hard to judge whether girls like him, but said that he thinks Jodie is gorgeous and asked for her number, to which she obliged. Later reflecting on her spat with Saffron, Shelby told Sam that she had been judged on not jumping to defend Clelia. However Sam attempted to cheer her up by asking her on a date, after admitting in a previous scene that he fancied her. Doctor Who tackled the topic of racism in America in its latest episode, as our gang came face to face with Rosa Parks just days before her iconic bus protest. After accidentally landing in Montgomery, Alabama, we see our gang experience first-hand the brutal discrimination faced by the African American community, desperate to keep Rosa Parks protest on track. While the episode did have its alien element in the form of a time-travelling criminal messing with history, it predominantly centred around our gang keeping Rosa on-track to refuse to give up her seat on the bus and therefore changing history. Going down in history: Doctor Who tackled the topic of racism in America in its latest episode, as our gang came face to face with Rosa Parks just days before her bus protest In typical Who fashion we meet our gang after accidentally landing in 1955 Alabama, their ninth attempt at returning to Sheffield in the modern day. After a flashback to the first time Rosa (played by Vinette Robinson) considered protesting the bus segregation law, Ryan gets a brutal warning of the abuse given to the African American community, as he is punched by a white man for returning his wifes handkerchief. Despite keeping his cool, it is Rosa who steps in to calm the situation, before telling our Time Team to leave the city. Back in time: After accidentally landing in Montgomery, Alabama, we see our gang experience first-hand the brutal discrimination faced by the African American community But The Doctor is typically suspicious of why they were sent to America, especially as she picks up Artron energy that hints at an alien presence around Rosa. Another sign of the racial ignorance from that time comes when the team are asked to leave a restaurant, with the waitress saying they dont serve black people or Mexicans (Yaz is not Mexican but of Asian descent hence the ignorance). We are then introduced to the villain of our tale - though you could argue the racism is its main antagonist - with a leather-jacket clad figure scanning Rosa and following her around (played by Josh Bowman). Baddie: We are then introduced to the villain of our tale - with a leather-jacket clad figure scanning Rosa and following her around (played by Josh Bowman) Luckily our gang soon figure out that this alien - Krasko - is trying to alter history so that Rosa does NOT refuse to give up her seat...perhaps changing the 20th Century and the course of the Civil Rights Movement. We also discover that Krasko has been somewhat neutered following his release from an alien prison, unable to kill or maim. After dodging a suspicious police officer, we see Yaz and Ryan candidly speaking about the discrimination they still face in the modern day, both as police and BY police. Close: After dodging a suspicious police officer, we see Yaz and Ryan candidly speaking about the discrimination they still face in the modern day It seems Yaz and Ryans close bond is being played on more and more as the series progresses, so perhaps a Who romance could be on the cards. A large chunk of the episode is then taken up by our gang putting everything in place to make sure Rosa does get on that bus, and that it is driven by James Blake. Ryan follows Rosa to a meeting with other African Americans...one of which is Dr Martin Luther King himself. Iconic: A large chunk of the episode is then taken up by our gang putting everything in place to make sure Rosa does get on that bus Luckily everything falls into place, with Ryan apprehending Krasko by transporting to another time - sparking a sweet moment when he congratulates himself! Despite the gang saying they didnt want to get involved in history, for the plan to work they are forced to stay on the bus when Rosa is ordered to move - sparking a tense moment that mirrored the programme's opening. But she does not move, and thus history follows its natural course with her arrest by police - beautifully scored by Andra Rays Rise Up. Our episode ends with the Doctor explaining what happened to Rosa, and in a Who twist reveals she has even given the name to an asteroid millions of years later. Part of history: Despite the gang saying they didnt want to get involved in history, for the plan to work they are forced to stay on the bus Supercars co-driver James Moffat has been banned from the final Porsche Carrera Cup race on the Gold Coast after an off-track altercation with a rival driver. Moffat, who partnered with Ford's Chaz Mostert to win Saturday's 300km Supercars race on the streets of Surfers Paradis, got into a clash with Glen Wood during the opening race of the weekend for the support category earlier in the day. The pair had a run-in on track before continuing their disagreement in the closed park area after the race. Moffat has been fined $5000, half of which is suspended, after an investigation into the incident deemed him guilty of physical retaliation. The son of Australian motorsport great Allan Moffat has also been banned from taking part in Sunday's final race of the Carerra Cup season. The findings have no bearing on Moffat's partnership with Mostert, meaning he is free to race in Sunday's 300km Supercars event. Wood was fined $500 after being found guilty of verbal abuse. Four men have been charged with fraud and money laundering offences following an 18-month investigation by the Crime and Corruption Commission into a Queensland law firm. The Brisbane men were arrested after investigators uncovered fraud offences against Legal Aid Queensland to a value of about $340,000 and a failure to comply with the Legal Profession Act 2007, a CCC spokesman said on Sunday. Two men, aged 30 and 47, will appear in court on Monday, while two other men, aged 28 and 30, will face court on November 19. US-backed members of the Syrian Democratic Forces launched an offensive against jihadist forces based in eastern Syria on September 10 An offensive by US-backed forces against the Islamic State group's last redoubt in eastern Syria killed 35 jihadists on Saturday, a Britain-based war monitor said. Twenty-eight IS members were killed in air strikes by the US-led coalition around the town of Hajin, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Another seven jihadists were killed in ground fighting with the Syrian Democratic Forces, who launched a coalition-backed offensive against the IS-held pocket in the Euphrates Valley last month. Fighting has killed 414 jihadists and 227 SDF fighters in total since the assault began on September 10, the Observatory said. Coalition air strikes on IS targets in another part of the pocket on Thursday and Friday killed at least 41 civilians, 10 of them children, the monitor said. IS overran large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across the land it controlled. But the jihadist group has since lost most of its territory to various offensives in both countries. In Syria, its presence has been reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and the Hajin pocket in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor near the Iraqi border. Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. Police inspect passports in Bangkok's Patpong district during an "X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner" operation Allegedly aimed at busting visa abusers and illegal migrants, a Thai police operation called "X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner" has raised questions about racial profiling and fears for asylum-seekers caught in its web. Tens of millions of tourists come to Thailand each year for the cheap living and postcard-perfect beaches, with some seeking out the seedier thrills of a bustling sex industry. But as weak law enforcement, porous borders and corruption help make the country a hub for transnational crime, Thai authorities are intensifying Operation X-Ray -- a programme that started about a year ago -- with more than 1,000 people arrested in recent weeks, most for overstaying their visa. Although the vast majority caught in the dragnet are migrants from nearby countries, the racial overtones of the campaign have sparked concerns about profiling based on skin colour. A man is questioned in Bangkok's Nana district during an "X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner", allegedly aimed at busting visa abusers and illegal migrants "Our job is to classify who are the good dark-skinned people and who are the ones likely to commit crimes," said immigration bureau chief Surachate Hakparn. He told AFP that the operation was aimed at weeding out visa overstayers and nabbing criminals -- especially "romance scammers" who lure lonely locals online to defraud them of cash. He insisted that the romance scammers are often Nigerian or Ugandan. - 'Suspicious targets' - At the start of one night time operation witnessed by AFP in Bangkok's rowdy Nana district earlier this month, about 75 Thai police officers stood in rows at a briefing. "The suspicious targets are the dark-skinned people," shouted an officer. "First, we search their bodies, then we search their passports." Thai authorities are intensifying Operation X-Ray -- a programme that started about a year ago -- with more than 1,000 people arrested in recent weeks, most for overstaying their visa Soon they began stopping suspects, including three people from Mali who were tested for drugs on the spot. By 11:55 pm, almost 30 individuals -- about half of whom were black -- had been rounded up. Only one was Caucasian, a Frenchman caught smoking marijuana. Surachate's staff said details on the breakdown of nationalities was "confidential". But in the first two weeks of October, police arrested a Korean citizen wanted by Interpol for sexual assault, and busted a team of four Nigerians and 16 Thais allegedly involved in romance scams, according to authorities. They also found a Laos national who had overstayed his visa by more than 11 years. - Escaping persecution - Thailand's reputation as a place to disappear and reinvent yourself combined with lax visa rules can be a headache for law enforcement. The junta that seized power in 2014 justified its power grab by promising stability amid street protests and political upheaval. Officers conducting the "X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner" operation are told that darker-skinned people are the "suspicious targets" But rights groups warn that refugees and asylum seekers who transit through Bangkok en route to a third country for resettlement are also being ensnared in the latest police operation as they lack legal protections. According to rough estimates from the non-profit Fortify Rights, there are about 100 adults and 30 children who fit this description, mainly from Pakistan but also from Syria and Somalia. "Thailand's immigration crackdown has swept up refugees and asylum seekers, sent young children into horrid, prison-like conditions, and appears to have clear aspects of racial profiling against South Asians and Africans," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. According to immigration chiefs, Thailand is home to more than 6,000 people who ought to have left the country already Thailand is not a party to the UN convention recognising refugees and made headlines in 2015 for deporting more than 100 Uighurs back to China. More than 70 Pakistani Christians were rounded up and detained this month by police under charges of illegal entry and overstay even though they were assumed to be in transit and escaping religious persecution in their Muslim-majority homeland. But the authorities remain unapologetic. According to immigration chief Surachate's count, Thailand is home to more than 6,000 people who ought to have left the country already. "In order to clean house, we need to bring in the good people and deport the bad people so that the country will have sustained stability," he said. Palestinians load bags into a bus before travelling to Egypt through the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, on September 26, 2018 Separated from the impatient crowd by a flimsy barrier, Palestinian policemen read out names, their voices barely audible above the din. Those called file forward, relieved to finally be leaving the crowded and ramshackle Gaza Strip for neighbouring Egypt, some for the first time. Many have a single large suitcase or holdall as they sit on benches in the gymnasium which serves as a waiting room in the southern Gazan town of Khan Yunis. From there, they board a bus for the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, about 20 minutes away. Since mid-May, after five long years in which the frontier was largely closed, Egyptian authorities have opened the crossing several days a week. About 200 people make the trip in a day, a small number compared to the nearly two million people crammed into Gaza. Yet it represents one of only two routes out of the strip and the only one not controlled by Israel. Since Islamists Hamas seized control of the 360 square kilometre (139 square mile) territory in 2007, Israel has maintained a crippling blockade and imposes tight restrictions on its sole people crossing. A member of the Palestinian security forces stands guard at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip on September 26, 2018 For much of that time Egypt has opened its Rafah border only intermittently, meaning those leaving didn't know if and when they may be able to return. Mosleh Derby, 21, waits in the sunshine, watching the tea and cigarette pedlars calling out their wares. A medical student in Cairo, he had not been home to Gaza for three years until June for fear of getting stuck. Despite registering for his return journey with the Gazan authorities in advance, Derby said he has been so delayed that he has already missed the first two weeks of class. Some students who paid extra fees travelled earlier, he claimed. - Thousands waiting - Inside the gymnasium, many travellers reluctantly admit having paid between $1,500 and $2,000 for what they call "coordination" to travel. Hamas interior ministry spokesman Iyad al-Bozum denied that Palestinian border officials took payments. Palestinians load bags atop a taxi before travelling to Egypt through the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, on September 26, 2018 "But some citizens can get in touch with officials on the Egyptian side of the crossing and make it easier for them to leave," he said. Bozum said there is currently a list of thousands of Gazans waiting to exit the strip, who are notified online when their turn comes. Since Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was overthrown in 2013 and his Muslim Brotherhood movement quashed, Egypt has kept its Gaza border largely closed. Cairo accuses Hamas, which began as an offshoot of the Brotherhood, of supporting militants fighting its security forces in the largely uninhabited Sinai region bordering Gaza. Hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed. Egypt destroyed many tunnels for smuggling under the border, exacerbating Gaza's isolation. But relations between Hamas and Egypt have thawed somewhat, allowing Rafah to be opened regularly since May. Palestinians wait to travel to Egypt through the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, on September 26, 2018 Only students, those in need of medical treatment, Muslim pilgrims or people with foreign citizenship or residence papers are allowed through. The flow of travellers remains a trickle compared to the past, said Abdallah Shahin, 32, who has been a porter at the crossing for 15 years. Under Morsi, he said, "every day, 30 buses crossed the border, it was about 1,800 people." Nowadays, he says, "those who leave do not come back, they emigrate." - 'No return' - Such is the dream of an architecture student who gives his name only as Khalil. He wants to go back to Germany, where he was born but never obtained citizenship. "One way, no return," he said. "Abroad it's different... someone creative can succeed." Palestinians wait to travel to Egypt through the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, on September 26, 2018 Two of his friends have already left, he said, calculating the cost for himself at more than $3,000, including at least $2,000 to get across the Rafah border. At the departure point the bus starts its engine to a cacophony of farewells. "On the Egyptian side, if all goes well, you wait for around six hours. Otherwise you spend the night there and sleep at the border post," said Derby, the medical student. The forced overnight stay is because of Sinai curfew regulations preventing travel at night, an Egyptian border official told AFP. The remaining trip to Cairo is a long one, because of repeated stops at security checkpoints. "Before 2007 I used to arrive in Cairo in six hours, now it takes at least 48 hours," said Hosam al-Ajuri, 35, heading to complete his history studies in Egypt. Left behind in Khan Yunis is Aida Baraka, 52, who since June has been waiting for permission to visit her sick niece in Jordan. Although her name was not once of those posted online she came to try her luck anyway. Palestinians wait to travel to Egypt through the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, on September 26, 2018 "Where is the humanity?" she asked, her niqab revealing only her dark eyes. She accused Egypt of not doing enough to help. "The nearest ones to us are the Egyptians," she said. "I want them to be human!" Palestinian Bedouin schoolchildren play in the yard of their school in the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem, in the occupied West Bank Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frozen plans to demolish a strategically located Bedouin village in the occupied West Bank that have drawn international concern, his office said Sunday. The surprise move, which came as Israeli forces were completing preparations for the evictions and demolition of Khan al-Ahmar, raised the ire of Netanyahu's rightwing coalition partners, while the village's Palestinian residents remained skeptical that an amicable solution was possible. "The intention is to give a chance to the negotiations and the offers we received from different bodies, including in recent days," a statement from Netanyahu's office said about Khan al-Ahmar. But speaking later ahead of a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Netanyahu appeared to play down the latest move and insisted the village would still be razed. "It's our policy and it will take place," he said. "I have no intention on delaying it indefinitely, but for a short, limited period." Netanyahu said the length of the delay would be determined by Israel's security cabinet, which was due to convene later Sunday. Israeli authorities say the small village, located east of Jerusalem along a road leading to the Dead Sea, was built illegally, and they have given residents until the beginning of October to leave and demolish their structures. The decision to evict the villagers followed years of legal battles and after negotiated attempts to agree on an alternative site for relocation failed. The fate of Khan al-Ahmar has drawn international concern, with European countries calling on Israel not to move ahead with plans to demolish it. A Palestinian woman walks in the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem, in the occupied West Bank Israel's supreme court on September 5 rejected a final appeal against the demolition, but following that ruling, there have been unofficial attempts to reach understandings, a lawyer representing the village's residents told AFP. "Our offers were based on what we told the court, that we're willing to move a few hundred metres to the north," Tawfiq Jabareen said. The government has yet to respond to the proposals, Jabareen said, refusing to divulge the identity of the person attempting to mediate between the sides. In Khan al-Ahmar, residents said they would stay put and doubted Netanyahu's sincerity. "Our strategy is to stay in our land, and we will not leave it," Eid al-Jahalin told AFP. "Yesterday there was a decision to stop the demolition, but this decision can change at any moment." Ibrahim Abu Dahuk said Netanyahu's decision could be "a trick" to prompt activists camping out at the site to leave ahead of a forceful eviction. "We do not trust the Jews," he said. - Coalition partners angered - Netanyahu's move raised the ire of his two major coalition partners, with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman saying he opposed the decision to delay the demolition. Education Minister Naftali Bennett also insisted the law must be upheld, "even if the international community opposes and threatens," pledging his Jewish Home party would "ensure it happens". On Wednesday, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor warned that Israel's planned "evacuation by force" of the village could constitute a war crime. The residents have refused to leave on their own, and Israel had been making preparations to expel the residents and demolish the village. The planned destruction of the Bedouin Khan al-Ahmar village in the West Bank has sparked protests Khan al-Ahmar, home to approximately 200 people, is situated in a strategic spot near Israeli settlements, the expansion of which could effectively cut the West Bank into two. Last month, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Poland and the Netherlands warned that the demolition "would severely threaten the viability of the two-state solution", calling on Israeli authorities to "reconsider their decision to demolish" it. Keiko Fujimori has increasingly come under the spotlight as prosecutors investigate millions of dollars in illicit campaign contributions to several former presidents A Peruvian court will decide on Sunday whether to grant a prosecutor's request to place opposition leader Keiko Fujimori in preventive detention for 36 months, which would likely scupper her 2021 presidential hopes. Anti-corruption prosecutor Jose Domingo Perez has asked the court to hold Fujimori and 11 others for the lengthy period as his team investigates who benefited from millions of dollars in campaign bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. Her lawyer Giuliana Loza described the prosecutor's request as "an outrage." Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho of the First Preliminary Investigation Court will hear the case on Sunday morning, the judiciary said. He is the same judge that earlier this month allowed Lopez's request to hold Fujimori in preventive detention for 10 days. Peru's constitution allows for suspects to be held without trial for up to 36 months in complex cases such as the Odebrecht investigation, which involves tracing millions of dollars in illicit payments. It also ensures that suspects cannot interfere with evidence or witnesses in an ongoing investigation. Acceding to the prosecutor's request would all but end Keiko's chances of the presidency, after she lost run-offs in 2011 and 2016. Lopez lodged his request Friday, only two days after an appeals court ordered Fujimori's release from a week-long stay in prison as part of the same investigation. - Under scrutiny - The 43-year-old daughter and political heir to disgraced ex-president Alberto Fujimori, Keiko has increasingly come under the spotlight as prosecutors investigate millions of dollars in illicit campaign contributions to several former presidents. Opposition leader Keiko denies all wrongdoing They say former presidents Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Alan Garcia and Alejandro Toledo all took undeclared campaign contributions in exchange for pledges to have the Brazilian construction giant win local tenders. Their key witness, former Odebrecht Peru chief Jorge Barata, said he doled out millions of dollars to Peruvian presidential candidates between 2001 and 2016. Prosecutor Perez believes Fujimori -- leader of the main opposition Popular Force party -- received more than $1.2 million from Odebrecht for her 2011 presidential campaign. She denies all wrongdoing. Odebrecht has admitted spending hundreds of millions of dollars to buy politicians' favor in governments all across Latin America. The appeal court's decision to release Fujimori after a week of her previous detention was a setback for both the judge and the prosecutor, who have gained notoriety by prosecuting top politicians over the Odebrecht scandal. New Interior Minister Carlos Moran, a former police general, immediatly ordered police to tighten security around Lopez. "The Peruvian Police will step up protection for prosecutor Domingo Perez as well as for his family and his home," he said on Twitter. - 'Remove judge' - Fujimori, who is not obliged to attend Sunday's hearing, has petitioned the court to remove Judge Concepcion Carhuancho from the case. "The first thing we have to resolve is the recusal," she told reporters. The case could drag on, as her legal team can appeal. The fortunes of the Fujimori familiy have dominated Peru's politics for the past year. Former president Alberto Fujimori recently had his humanitarian pardon for crimes against humanity revoked Though Keiko's Popular Force party is the biggest in Congress, her public feud with her younger brother Kenji -- who leads a rival wing of the party -- and their legal woes have chipped away at her popularity. Kenji is facing trial for bribery. Meanwhile, the 80-year-old patriarch, former president Alberto Fujimori, had his humanitarian pardon for crimes against humanity revoked by a court last month and is once again in hospital. His chronic ill health means a return to prison would be a "death sentence", he has told the authorities. He has publicly pleaded with his children to join forces and Keiko said after her week in prison that she had taken time to reflect on "the unity of my family." The country's president, Martin Vizcarra -- who has made fighting corruption his priority -- has meanwhile risen steadily in the polls. Two of six critically endangered black rhinos have died of unknown causes five months after being flown from South Africa to Chad in a pioneering project to re-introduce the animals, officials said Sunday. Rhinos in Chad were wiped out by poaching nearly 50 years ago, and the six rhinos were intended to establish a new population in the country after intensive anti-poaching measures were put in place to protect them. 'We can confirm that these two rhinos (a male and a female) were not poached,' the South African environment department and Chad government said in a joint statement. 'However, the exact cause of death is not yet known.' In July, there was widespread outrage and a bitter row over responsibility when 11 black rhinos in Kenya died after being transferred to a new sanctuary, mainly due to toxic levels of salt in borehole drinking water. The black rhinos were shipped over to Chad from South Africa as part of an ambitious plan to reintroduce the species there after poachers had wiped them out The sedated black rhinos were shipped to Zakouma National Park in steel crates accompanied by vets The rhinos in Chad had been roaming free in Zakouma National Park since late August after a gradual acclimatisation process that saw them first released into small enclosures. The carcasses of the cow and bull were discovered on October 15. The surviving four rhinos are being closely monitored, the statement said, adding that a specialist veterinarian had travelled to the park to conduct postmortems. It said the cause of death would be announced as soon as possible. In May, the six rhinos were sedated with darts, put in special ventilated steel crates and driven under police escort from Addo park in South Africa to Port Elizabeth airport. They were then flown to Chad on a 3,000-mile (4,800-kilometre) flight, accompanied by a team of vets checking their stress levels. The high-profile transfer, which took two years of planning, was hailed as major conservation breakthrough, with translocation organiser African Parks describing it as a 'truly hopeful story'. All but one of 11 critically endangered black rhinos died soon after they were moved to their new home in Tsavo East National Park in Kenya earlier this year The only black rhino to survive the relocation to Tsavo National Park in Kenya that killed ten others died after succumbing to injuries from a lion attack There are fewer than 25,000 rhinos left in the wild in Africa due to a surge in poaching, and only 5,000 of them are black rhinos. Black rhinos are rated as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Rhinos are targeted to feed a booming demand for rhino horn in China, Vietnam and other Asian countries, where it is believed to have medicinal qualities. Northern white rhinos disappeared from Chad several decades ago and the last western black rhino was recorded there in 1972, after decades of poaching pushed both subspecies to local extinction. Earlier this year, 11 tragic rhinos caught up in a bungled relocation to a Kenyan wildlife park all died from salt poisoning and stress. Disaster struck in August when the critically endangered black rhinos were moved from the Nakuru and Nairobi national parks to Tsavo National Park. Shortly after their arrival the rhinos began to collapse and die despite the round the clock efforts of veterinarians and the tragedy made headlines round the world. One surviving rhino was thought to have escaped the fate of the others but two months ago it was attacked by a lion but had been left so weak it could not fight it off. Many in Kashmir support rebels who have been fighting for decades for independence or a merger with Pakistan Violence across Kashmir left at least 14 people dead Sunday, police and military officials said, including six civilians killed when an explosion detonated among a crowd protesting against Indian rule. Thousands of demonstrators, some hurling stones, marched on a village in southern Kulgam town where Indian government forces were battling an unknown number of armed fighters. Three alleged rebels were shot dead in the exchange but a subsequent explosion at the scene killed five demonstrators, said inspector-general of police Swayam Prakash Pani. "Protestors ignored warnings and soon overwhelmed the site, where five died after being hit when leftover explosives went off," he told AFP. A sixth civilian injured in the explosion later died in a hospital in Srinagar, the main city in Indian-administered Kashmir. At least 30 others were wounded in clashes with police, some seriously. Mobile telephone services were suspended in the area as protests spread, including to Srinagar where police used tear gas to disperse angry crowds. Elsewhere, fighting near the de facto border dividing the contested Himalayan region between India and Pakistan also left three soldiers and two unknown fighters dead. The troops died in "a fierce encounter with heavily armed Pakistani intruders", said Indian defence spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand. Many in Kashmir support rebels who have been fighting for decades for independence or a merger with Pakistan, which like India also claims the territory in full. India has some 500,000 troops deployed in Kashmir. Popular unrest has been rising since 2016 when a charismatic young rebel leader was shot dead by Indian forces. More than 100 civilians died in subsequent weeks of protest. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training militants to attack Indian forces. Pakistan says it only provides diplomatic support for Kashmir's right to self-determination. Tens of thousands, mostly civilians, have died in the decades of fighting across Indian Kashmir. This year at least 186 militants, 80 civilians and 75 government forces personnel have died in clashes across the Indian controlled part of the territory. SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - A 21-year-old suspect in the rape and slaying of a Bulgarian television journalist said Friday that he killed Viktoria Marinova, but didn't mean to. Handcuffed and surrounded by police officers, Severin Krassimirov spoke to reporters inside a courtroom where he appeared for a custody hearing. "I regret it so much. I cannot believe I did it," Krassimirov said of Marinova's killing. The young man's defense lawyer had asked for the hearing to be held behind closed doors, but the court in Ruse denied the request. The lawyer joined Krassimirov after he had spoken to the media and told him to remain silent. Prior to that, Krassimirov said he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs when he got into an argument with a woman he didn't know on Oct. 6. He said he hit her in the face and threw her into bushes, but does not remember what happened next. "Whatever I get, even if it is life in prison, I will serve it," he said when asked what punishment he thought he deserved. Severin Krasimirov, the suspect arrested in the rape and slaying of a Bulgarian television journalist, prior to his first appearance in court in Ruse, Bulgaria, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. Prosecutors said he told them he hadn't meant to kill Viktoria Marinova. He denied raping and robbing her. (AP Photo) Marinova's body was found by the Danube River in Ruse on Oct. 6. Investigators said she was raped, hit on the head and suffocated. So far, they have rejected suggestions the 30-year-old journalist's slaying could be linked to her work, which included highlighting alleged corruption. Interior Minister Mladen Marinov said Friday that the evidence collected by investigators included DNA and fingerprints that allegedly match Krassimirov's. Police said they found Marinova's cellphone buried near the place she was assaulted. Krassimirov was extradited to Bulgaria on Wednesday from Germany, where his mother lives. He was arrested Oct. 9 near Hamburg on a European warrant. The district court in Ruse ordered him held in custody until his trial on murder and rape charges. If convicted, Krassimirov could be sentenced to life in prison. Severin Krasimirov, the suspect arrested in the rape and slaying of a Bulgarian television journalist, prior to his first appearance in court in Ruse, Bulgaria, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. Prosecutors said he told them he hadn't meant to kill Viktoria Marinova. He denied raping and robbing her. (AP Photo) Severin Krasimirov, the suspect arrested in the rape and slaying of a Bulgarian television journalist, prior to his first appearance in court in Ruse, Bulgaria, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. Prosecutors said he told them he hadn't meant to kill Viktoria Marinova. He denied raping and robbing her. (AP Photo) TECUN UMAN, Guatemala (AP) - The Latest on a caravan of Central American migrants hoping to reach the United States (all times local): 9:20 p.m. Migrant Gonzalo Martinez says he is voluntarily returning to Honduras from a bridge connecting Guatemala and Mexico because he was disappointed in the unruliness of caravan members and just wanted to head home. "We thought the caravan was passive but there were unruly people, I was disappointed," said the 37-year-old farmer as he boarded a bus in Tecun Uman, Guatemala to take him back to Honduras. Martinez was referring to the clashes with police when migrants forced their way through a Guatemalan border fence and some then tried to get into Mexico, only to be prevented by Mexican police. He said he was trying to migrate from the province of Lempira to the United States because of the violence in Honduras. A group of Central American migrants gather in the central park of Ciudad Hidlago, Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. Mexican authorities for a second straight day refused mass entry to a caravan of Central American migrants held up at the border with Guatemala, but began accepting small groups for asylum processing and gave out some 45-day visitor permits that would theoretically allow recipients time to reach the United States. (AP Photo/Oliver de Ros) "They killed some relatives; they shot my father and they also tried to kill me," he said, adding that the roughly $4 he earns in daily wages is not enough to feed his family of seven. Martinez was one of more than 500 Honduran migrants who voluntarily returned to their country. ___ 5:30 p.m. About 2,000 Central American migrants who crossed a river from Guatemala into Mexico have voted in a show of hands to re-form their caravan and continue their march northward. The migrants in question crossed the river without registering unlike others who were processed by Mexican immigration officials at a border bridge. Rodrigo Abeja is one of the caravan's leaders. He says that tomorrow morning they will move on toward the city of Tapachula. In his words, "We don't yet know if we will make it to the (U.S.) border, but we are going to keep going as far as we can." The migrants gathered in a park on the Mexican side of the river are shouting "Let's all walk together!" and "Yes we can!" Some of them are marching to the bridge to urge those still there to join them. ___ 5:10 p.m. Mexico's governmental National Human Rights Commission says it has been working to guarantee the rights of migrants in a mass caravan that stalled at the country's southern border with Guatemala. The commission says in a statement that its agents have been providing bottled water and medical care for minor injuries as a result of falls, scuffles, tear gas and anxiety after the migrants were blocked by police on Friday. It says it has treated nine children; 18 women, two of them pregnant; six men; police officers who were hurt in the clash; and a reporter from Quadratin Noticias who was also injured. Commission personnel are providing legal advice to migrants, including procedures for making refugee applications. Still, it says there has been no confirmation regarding the migratory status of people who have been taken to a provisional shelter. The commission urges authorities to provide that. ___ 4:40 p.m. By Saturday afternoon the Guatemala-to-Mexico border bridge where thousands of migrants spent the night after being blocked from passing by Mexican police is considerably emptier. Lots have opted to cross the Suchiate River to Mexican soil by wading, swimming or on rafts operated by local residents charging the equivalent of about $1.25. Others have applied for refuge and been allowed to pass in small groups. Many of those remaining on the bridge are women, children, elderly people. As kids scamper around and play, the adults are sitting on curbs and wondering, What next? There are numerous mounds of trash and cast-off clothing. Carlos Martinez is a 24-year-old man from Santa Barbara, Honduras. Locals from the Guatemalan side brought food for the migrants, and the plate of chicken with rice was the first bite to eat he'd had all day. Martinez called the donated food "a blessing" that gives him courage "to keep waiting, as long as I can." Another group prayed to God for passage into Mexican territory. ___ 1:15 p.m. Mexican authorities have allowed a second group of about 45 migrants to be processed at the border with Guatemala. They have also started giving some people 45-day visitor's permits, which in theory could allow them time to reach the U.S. border. Other migrants have been applying for refugee status in Mexico. Once they're processed, the migrants are being bused to an open-air, metal-roofed fairground in the city of Tapachula. There, the Red Cross is setting up small blue tents on the concrete floor. At least three women have fainted at the processing center just beyond the gates. The bridge is crowded, and whenever a small side gate opens to receive migrants, there is a desperate crush of bodies that push forward in the heat. People at the gate are clamoring: "Please let us in, we want to work." Under the bridge a raft loaded with about 10 migrants crossed to the Mexican side. About a dozen other migrants swam across. None were apparently detained despite the presence of hundreds of police lining the bridge. __ 11:50 a.m. Many Central Americans in a mass caravan at the Mexican border with Guatemala appear inclined to apply for any kind of refugee status in Mexico, even though most initially intended to make it to the United States. Twenty-year-old Scarleth Cruz says she is going to apply for political asylum in Mexico because of threats and repression she faced back home in Honduras from the governing party of President Juan Orlando Hernandez. She said: "Why would I want to go to the United States if I'm going to be persecuted" there as well. Hondurans have also cited poverty and gang threats as their reasons for joining the mass caravan. Hector Aguilar is a 49-year-old sales manager who worked as a taxi driver in Yoro province to feed his four children. Aguilar says he had to pay the two main gangs there protection money in order to work. On Thursdays he gave the 18th Street gang the equivalent of $12.50, and on Saturdays he gave the same amount to MS-13. That's a significant amount in low-wage Honduras. On Saturday, Mexican agents unlocked a small side gate and allowed a group of about 40 migrants through for processing. In the heat and crush of bodies, one woman fainted and was carried to the Mexican side in the arms of rescuers. ___ 11:10 a.m. Mexican officials are refusing to yield to demands from a caravan of Central American migrants that they be allowed to enter the country en masse from a border bridge with Guatemala where they camped out overnight. Officials announced they would hand out numbers to those waiting to cross and allow them to enter in small groups. It's a strategy similar to what's been seen in U.S. border cities when they became overwhelmed by large numbers of migrants. Those on the bridge watched with desperation Saturday as workers began erecting tall steel riot barriers. Twenty-year-old Scarleth Cruz hoisted a crying, sweat-soaked baby girl above the crowd. She cried out: "This girl is suffocating." Some tore open a fence on the Guatemala side of the bridge and threw two young children, perhaps age 6 or 7, and their mother into the Suchiate River about 40 feet below. They were taken safely on a raft to Mexican territory. ___ 8:50 a.m. Organizers of a caravan of migrants trying to cross into Mexico and ultimately the U.S. appear intent on avoiding a repeat of a rush on the border with Guatemala that ended when Mexican security forces with riot shields and pepper spray drove them back. Some women and children made their way toward the front of the caravan Saturday, while men were at the back. They have also moved about 30 feet (9 meters) back from the gate that separates them from Mexican police to establish a buffer zone. They had broken through the gate Friday but police drove nearly all of them back. About 1,000 migrants now remain on the bridge between Guatemala and Mexico. Selvin Flores, a 35-year-old shopkeeper from the Honduran city of Nacaome, says people who "were causing disorder" have been expelled from the group and handed over to Guatemalan police. He says the remaining migrants "do not want misunderstandings." Flores has three children and says that he sometimes skips meals to ensure that they eat. He said he wants to reach the U.S. to work and save money before returning to Honduras. He says it's painful for him to leave his country but he did it "out of necessity." ___ 7:30 a.m. Thousands of Central American migrants participating in a caravan heading toward the United States woke up on a bridge that divides the borders of Guatemala and Mexico. The migrants have no fresh supplies of water or food and slept amid garbage that has piled up at the crossing. Without bathrooms, a foul odor wafted through the air. Jose Yanez woke up at 5 a.m. and said that his back hurt. The 25-year-old farmer had no blanket to fend off the chill, but vowed to continue on. "From here, we're going on. From here, there's no turning back," he said. He said that he makes 150 lempiras a day, or about $6, and has no work benefits. On the Mexican side of the border, a group of about 30 migrants sang the national anthem of Honduras. Migrants bound for the U.S.-Mexico border wait on a bridge that stretches over the Suchiate River, connecting Guatemala and Mexico, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, early Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The entry into Mexico via the bridge has been closed. The migrants have moved about 30 feet back from the gate that separates them from Mexican police to establish a buffer zone. About 1,000 migrants now remain on the bridge between Guatemala and Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) This frame grab from video provided by Televisa, shows migrants bound for the U.S.-Mexico border waiting on a bridge that stretches over the Suchiate River, connecting Guatemala and Mexico, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. The gated entry into Mexico via the bridge has been closed. The U.S. president has made it clear to Mexico that he is monitoring its response. On Thursday he threatened to close the U.S. border if Mexico didn't stop the caravan. (Televisa via AP) A Honduras migrant mother and her son walk through the bridge after crossing the border between Guatemala and Mexico, in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. Mexican officials are refusing to yield to demands from the caravan of Central American migrants that they be allowed to enter the country en masse but announced they would hand out numbers to those waiting to cross and allow them to enter in small groups. (AP Photo/Oliver de Ros) Migrants bound for the U.S.-Mexico border wait on a bridge that stretches over the Suchiate River, connecting Guatemala and Mexico, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, early Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The entry into Mexico via the bridge has been closed. The migrants have moved about 30 feet back from the gate that separates them from Mexican police to establish a buffer zone. About 1,000 migrants now remain on the bridge between Guatemala and Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Migrants bound for the U.S.-Mexico border wait on a bridge that stretches over the Suchiate River, connecting Guatemala and Mexico, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, early Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The entry into Mexico via the bridge has been closed. The migrants have moved about 30 feet back from the gate that separates them from Mexican police to establish a buffer zone. About 1,000 migrants now remain on the bridge between Guatemala and Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Migrants bound for the U.S.-Mexico border wait on a bridge that stretches over the Suchiate River, connecting Guatemala and Mexico, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, early Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The entry into Mexico via the bridge has been closed. The migrants have moved about 30 feet back from the gate that separates them from Mexican police to establish a buffer zone. About 1,000 migrants now remain on the bridge between Guatemala and Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Migrants tired of waiting to cross into Mexico, jumped from a border bridge into the Suchiate River, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. Some of the migrants traveling in a mass caravan towards the U.S.-Mexico border organized a rope brigade to ford its muddy waters. (AP Photo/Oliver de Ros) Migrants bound for the U.S.-Mexico border wait on a bridge that stretches over the Suchiate River, connecting Guatemala and Mexico, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. The entry into Mexico via the bridge has been closed. The U.S. president has made it clear to Mexico that he is monitoring its response. On Thursday he threatened to close the U.S. border if Mexico didn't stop the caravan. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) On Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced the countrys plans to exit the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) treaty over alleged Russian violations of the agreement. If the US continues to withdraw unilaterally from agreements, then Russia will adopt a range of retaliatory measures, including military ones, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Sputnik. "The issue is too serious to be dealt with through public debate. If the United States continues to act so clumsily and harshly, as we can see it do on numerous occasions, if it continues to unilaterally withdraw from agreements, different kinds of accords and mechanisms, and the examples are piling up from the JCPOA on Iran to the Universal Postal Union then we will have nothing left to do but to take retaliatory measures, including ones of military and technological nature. But we would like to avoid that. The US clumsy and harsh politics sees more and more rejection in a lot of countries and wide circles of international community. Washington should not underestimate these shifts in sentiment," Ryabkov said. "We are treating with concern and condemnation the United States' new attempts to force Russia to make concessions in the sphere of international security and strategic stability via blackmailing. The Russian side has repeatedly said that the US side has no reasons for accusing Russia of allegedly violating this treaty. After all these years, they have failed to substantiate their fanciful claims by clear explanations why they are doing this," Ryabkov added. Ryabkov said that the US accusations toward Russia regarding the INF treaty seem to be aimed at concealing its own violations of the treaty. He added that the US has no reason to say that Russia is violating the INF treaty, and that all of the accusations were unsubstantiated. Russia will continue to insist on dialogue with the US on resolving issues with the INF treaty, Ryabkov stressed. According to him, Moscow condemns Washington's recent attempts to persuade Russia to make concessions which would threaten its strategic stability. On Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced the country's unilateral withdrawal from the INF treaty over Russia's alleged violations of the agreement. "We are counting on obtaining clear explanations from him regarding the nature of the United States' intentions and further steps [regarding the treaty]," Ryabkov said. LEIPZIG, Germany (AP) - Hundreds of history buffs have re-enacted the 19th-century Battle of Leipzig, which saw the defeat of Napoleon I's army by combined forces from Prussia, Austria, Russia and Sweden. Enthusiasts from across Europe, dressed in period costumes, fired muskets and cannons at each other Saturday as spectators looked on near Germany's eastern city of Leipzig. The Battle of Leipzig took place from Oct. 16-19, 1813. It pitted hundreds of thousands of soldiers against each other and is considered one of the bloodiest battles in European history. Troops fight during the reconstruction of the Battle of the Nations at the 205th anniversary near Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16-19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) Troops fight during the reconstruction of the Battle of the Nations at the 205th anniversary near Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16-19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) Troops arrive during the reconstruction of the Battle of the Nations at the 205th anniversary near Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16-19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) Troops fight during the reconstruction of the Battle of the Nations at the 205th anniversary near Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16-19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) Troops fight during the reconstruction of the Battle of the Nations at the 205th anniversary near Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16-19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) Troops fight during the reconstruction of the Battle of the Nations at the 205th anniversary near Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16-19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) Riders arrive during the reconstruction of the Battle of the Nations at the 205th anniversary near Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16-19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) Troops fight during the reconstruction of the Battle of the Nations at the 205th anniversary near Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16-19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) Troops fight during the reconstruction of the Battle of the Nations at the 205th anniversary near Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16-19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) Troops fight during the reconstruction of the Battle of the Nations at the 205th anniversary near Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16-19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) Troops fight during the reconstruction of the Battle of the Nations at the 205th anniversary near Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16-19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP) - A growing caravan of Honduran migrants streamed through southern Mexico on Sunday heading toward the United States, after making an end-run around Mexican agents who briefly blocked them at the Guatemalan border. They received help at every turn from sympathetic Mexicans who offered food, water and clothing. Hundreds of locals driving pickups, vans and cargo trucks stopped to let them clamber aboard. Besi Jaqueline Lopez of the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula carried a stuffed polar bear in a winter cap that seemed out of place in the tropical heat. It's the favorite - and only - toy of her two daughters, 4-year-old Victoria and 3-year-old Elisabeth, who trudged beside her gleaming with sweat. A business administration graduate, Lopez said she couldn't find work back home and hopes to reach the United States, but would stay in Mexico if she could find employment here. "My goal is to find work for a better future for my daughters," she said. In dozens of interviews along the journey, they have said they are fleeing widespread violence, poverty and corruption in Honduras. The caravan is unlike previous mass migrations for its unprecedented large numbers, and because it largely began spontaneously through word of mouth. Central American migrants walking to the U.S. start their day departing Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Despite Mexican efforts to stop them at the border, about 5,000 Central American migrants resumed their advance toward the U.S. border early Sunday in southern Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Guatemala's migration agency confirmed that another group of about 1,000 migrants crossed into the country from Honduras on Sunday. After praising Mexico for its no-nonsense response when police at a southern border bridge pushed the migrants back with riot shields and pepper spray, U.S. President Donald Trump again hammered Democratic Party opponents over what he apparently sees as a winning issue for Republicans a little over two weeks ahead of midterm elections. After blaming the Democrats for "weak laws" on immigration a few days earlier, Trump said via Twitter: "The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat party. Change the immigration laws NOW!" "Full efforts are being made to stop the onslaught of illegal aliens from crossing our Souther (sic) Border," he said in another tweet. "People have to apply for asylum in Mexico first, and if they fail to do that, the U.S. will turn them away. The courts are asking the U.S. to do things that are not doable!" Hundreds of migrants from the caravan did just that - applied for refugee status in Mexico in the southern city of Ciudad Hidalgo. By Sunday evening, the Interior department reported that it had received more than 1,000 requests. But a far bigger group forded the Suchiate River from Guatemala to the Mexican side individually and dozens at a time, and resumed the trek at first light, marching 10 abreast on the highway. "Si se pudo!" they chanted in Spanish - "Yes, we did!" The throng grew even larger than when the migrants arrived at the border bridge, swelling overnight to 5,000. It was not immediately clear where the additional travelers came from since about 2,000 had been gathered on the Mexican side Saturday night. But people have been joining and leaving the caravan daily, some moving at their own pace and strung out in a series of columns. Their destination Sunday was the city of Tapachula in Chiapas state. Under a blazing sun, small groups of 20 to 30 paused to rest in the shade of trees on the side of the road, and by afternoon the caravan had evolved into long lines of walkers straggling for miles. Jesus Valdivia, of Tuxtla Chico, Mexico, was one of the many who pulled his pickup truck over to let 10 or even 20 migrants hop in at a time, sometimes causing vehicles' springs to groan under the weight. "You have to help the next person. Today it's for them, tomorrow for us," Valdivia said, adding that he was getting a valuable gift from those he helped: "From them we learn to value what they do not have." Passing freight trucks were quickly boarded by dozens of migrants, and straining tuk-tuks carried as many as a half-dozen. Brenda Sanchez of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, who rode in Valdivia's truck with three nephews ages 10, 11 and 19, expressed gratitude to "God and the Mexicans who have helped us." She even had kind words for Mexican police: "We are very grateful to them because even though they closed the doors to us (at the border), they are coming behind us taking care of us." Federal police monitored the caravan's progress from a helicopter and had a few units escorting it. Outside Tapachula, about 500 black-uniformed officers briefly gathered along the highway on buses and in patrol units, but they said their orders were to maintain traffic and not to stop the caravan. They moved on toward the city before the caravan reached them. As the migrants passed through villages on the outskirts of Ciudad Hidalgo, locals applauded, shouted encouragement and donated supplies. Maria Teresa Orellana, a resident of Lorenzo, handed out sandals. "It's solidarity," she said. "They're our brothers." Mexico's Interior Department said in a statement that federal and Chiapas state authorities were providing assistance to migrants, including legal counseling for those who applied for asylum. It released a video showing workers doling out food, medicine and medical treatment. In comments to reporters after a rally in Elko, Nevada, on Saturday night, Trump said of Mexico's response: "I just want to say, on behalf of the American public, that we appreciate what Mexico is doing. They've really stepped up, and it will not be forgotten." Trump also repeated: "I will seal off the border before (the migrants) come into this country, and I'll bring out our military, not our reserves." Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he was suggesting to Trump that the United States, Canada and Mexico seek an agreement to invest in development in Central America and southern Mexico, which is home to many of that country's poor. "In this way we confront the phenomenon of migration, because he who leaves his town does not leave for pleasure but out of necessity," said Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1. Mexican authorities had refused to allow the caravan mass entry from Guatemala, instead accepting small groups to process asylum requests and handing out some 45-day visitor permits. An estimated 1,500 were still on the Guatemalan side of the Suchiate, hoping to enter legally. But police could do little if anything in the face of the throngs who avoided the official entry point and crossed the notoriously porous border elsewhere. Migrants marching north Sunday said they gave up on Mexico because the application process was too slow, and most wanted to continue to the United States anyway. "We're warriors, we got to get to the place we got to get to. We're gonna keep on going and we're not gonna stop," Luis Puerto, 39, of Colon, Honduras, said in English. For Puerto, that place is North Carolina, where he has a wife and two daughters. He said he was recently deported from the United States after a brush with the law that he did not specify. "We are going to get to the border of the U.S.," he said. "I am not going to stop. I don't care if I die." ___ Associated Press writers Sonia Perez D. in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, and Peter Orsi in Mexico City contributed to this report. Central American migrants making their way to the U.S. in a large caravan wave a Mexican flag as they arrive to Tapachula, Mexico, after a truck driver gave them a free ride, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Despite Mexican efforts to stop them at the Guatemala-Mexico border, about 5,000 Central American migrants resumed their advance toward the U.S. border Sunday in southern Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Central American migrants walking to the U.S. start their day departing Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Despite Mexican efforts to stop them at the border, a growing throng of Central American migrants resumed their advance toward the U.S. border early Sunday in southern Mexico. Their numbers swelled to about 5,000 overnight. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Central American migrants making their way to the U.S. in a large caravan cling to the trucks of drivers who offered them free rides, as they arrive to Tapachula, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Despite Mexican efforts to stop them at the Guatemala-Mexico border, about 5,000 Central American migrants resumed their advance toward the U.S. border Sunday in southern Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) A Central American migrant carrying a child walks with a caravan making its way to the U.S., upon arrival to Tapachula, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Despite Mexican efforts to stop them at the Guatemala-Mexico border, about 5,000 Central American migrants resumed their advance toward the U.S. border Sunday in southern Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Central American migrants walk north toward Tapachula, after departing Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Despite Mexican efforts to stop them at the Guatemala-Mexico border, about 5,000 Central American migrants resumed their advance toward the U.S. border early Sunday in southern Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Federal police stand guard along the road being used by a U.S.-bound, large caravan of Central American migrants walking from Ciudad Hidalgo toward Tapachula, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Officers who would not identify themselves say their instructions are to maintain the flow of traffic, not to stop the caravan. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Central American migrants making their way to the U.S. arrive by foot to Tapachula, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Despite Mexican efforts to stop them at the Guatemala-Mexico border, about 5,000 Central American migrants resumed their advance toward the U.S. border Sunday in southern Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Central American migrants making their way to the U.S. arrive by foot to Tapachula, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Despite Mexican efforts to stop them at the Guatemala-Mexico border, about 5,000 Central American migrants resumed their advance toward the U.S. border Sunday in southern Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Central American migrants making their way to the U.S. arrive by foot to Tapachula, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Despite Mexican efforts to stop them at the Guatemala-Mexico border, about 5,000 Central American migrants resumed their advance toward the U.S. border Sunday in southern Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghanistan's second day of parliamentary elections marred by violence and delays caused by technical issues came to a close as a roadside bomb on Sunday brought the death toll over the past two days to over 50, including several children. Independent Elections Commission Chairman Abdul Badi Sayat congratulated voters for turning out, saying that around 4 million people out of the 8.8 million registered voters cast their ballots over the past two days at 4576 polling centers across the country. He added that the commission still hasn't received the final turnout reports from all 32 provinces. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also thanked citizens for their participating during a speech carried on state TV. "Afghans did not only show their enemies that they would not surrender to any threats or warnings, but that they also have the power and will to defeat their enemies," Ghani said, referring to threats by the Taliban and Islamic State affiliate warning voters against casting ballots. The biggest turnout was in Kabul and the lowest in the southern Uruzgan province, according to IEC officials. In this Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, photo, an employee of Independent Elections Commission, left, prepares a ballot paper for a young female voter before casting her vote at a polling station in Faizabad, center of northern Badakhshan province, Afghanistan's parliamentary elections entered a second day on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018, following violence and chaos that caused delays and interruptions on the first day of polling. (AP Photo/Omer Abrar) Polling on Sunday continues at 401 voting centers, including 45 in Kabul. Preliminary results will not be released before mid-November and final results will not be out until December. The first parliamentary elections since 2010 are being held against a backdrop of near-daily attacks by the Taliban, who have seized nearly half the country and have repeatedly refused offers to negotiate with the Kabul government. The U.S.-backed government is rife with corruption, and many Afghans have said they do not expect the elections to be fair. Officials at polling stations struggled with voter registration and a new biometric system that was aimed at stemming fraud but instead created enormous confusion because many of those trained on the system did not show up for work. The biometric machines arrived just a month before polls and there was no time to do field testing. The U.N. mission in Afghanistan praised those who had made an effort to vote despite the technical issues, many of whom waited in long lines for hours as polling stations remained open late. "Those eligible voters who were not able to cast their vote, due to technical issues, deserve the right to vote," it said in a statement. The Taliban had vowed to attack the election, and on the first day of polling at least 36 people were killed in nearly 200 attacks, including 27 civilians, according to Deputy Interior Minister Akhtar Mohammed Ibrahimi. He said security forces killed 31 insurgents in gun battles. On Sunday, a roadside bomb in the eastern Nangarhar province struck a vehicle filled with civilians, killing 11 people, including six children, according to Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor. No one immediately claimed the attack. The Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate are both active in Nangarhar. Afghan civilians are often killed by roadside bombs intended to target security forces. In the northern Balkh province, insurgents shot and killed four men who were on their way to a polling station late Saturday, said Sher Jan Durani, spokesman for the provincial police chief. Durani says the men were carrying their national IDs with stickers proving they had registered to vote. He blamed the attack on the Taliban, who have warned people not to participate in the election. In this Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, photo, an employee of Independent Elections Commission, left, sticks a biometric sticker on a mother, who is feeding her baby, before casting her vote at a polling station in Faizabad, center of northern Badakhshan province, Afghanistan. Badakhshan province, Afghanistan's parliamentary elections entered a second day on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018, following violence and chaos that caused delays and interruptions on the first day of polling. (AP Photo/Omer Abrar) Afghan election workers count ballots during the parliamentary elections at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Te elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan election workers count ballots during the parliamentary elections, at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan election workers counts ballots during the parliamentary elections, at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) An Afghan election worker counts ballots while monitors observe the process, during parliamentary elections, at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) A ballot lies on a table at a polling station during parliamentary elections, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan election workers count ballots during the parliamentary elections, at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) An Afghan election worker counts ballots while monitors observe the process, during parliamentary elections, at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan election workers count ballots during the parliamentary elections, at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan election workers counts ballots while monitors observe the process, during parliamentary elections, at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan election workers count ballots during parliamentary elections, at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Election observers watch the counting of ballots during parliamentary elections, at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Election observers watch the counting of ballots during parliamentary elections, at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) An Afghan election worker counts ballots while monitors observe the process, during parliamentary elections, at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The elections entered a second day after delays caused by violence and technical issues, as a roadside bomb killed nearly a dozen civilians on Sunday, including several children. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) SRINAGAR, India (AP) - Three local rebels were killed in a gunbattle with Indian government forces in disputed Kashmir on Sunday, and six civilians were killed in an explosion at the site after the fighting was over, officials and residents said. Meanwhile, three Indian army soldiers and two suspected militants were killed in a gunbattle along the highly militarized line of control dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan. The fighting erupted after troops cordoned off a village in the southern Kulgam area on a tip that rebels were hiding there, India's military said. The exchange lasted for several hours, and three militants were killed and two soldiers injured, the military said. Residents said soldiers blasted a civilian home with explosives while fighting the rebels, a common charge by Kashmiris who deeply resent the Indian army's presence. As the fighting raged, anti-India protesters tried to reach the site of the standoff. They threw stones at government forces hoping to help the trapped rebels escape. Government forces fired shotgun pellets and tear gas at the protesters, leaving at least 35 injured. As counterinsurgency police and soldiers hastily left the place after the fighting was over, hundreds of civilians converged on the site. An explosion occurred as people tried to extinguish a fire at the blasted house, residents said, killing at least one civilian and wounding 10 others who were hospitalized in critical condition. Five other civilians died at hospitals. An elderly Kashmiri villager cries during the funeral of Uzair Mushtaq in Kulgam 75 Kilometers south of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Three local rebels were killed in a gunbattle with Indian government forces in disputed Kashmir on Sunday, and six civilians were killed in an explosion at the site after the fighting was over, officials and residents said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) S.P. Pani, a top police officer, said the civilians assembled at the site despite repeated requests to stay away as soldiers were still clearing the area. "Someone from the crowd fiddled with an unexploded explosive substance, resulting in the tragic incident," he said. Authorities suspended cellphone and internet services and ordered a curfew in Kulgam in a bid to discourage further protests. But anti-India protests and clashes still erupted at several places in the region, including in the main city of Srinagar, where protesters hit the streets demanding an end of Indian rule over Kashmir. They threw stones at government forces who fired tear gas and pellets to quell the spiraling protests. There were no immediate reports of casualties in the latest clashes. Separatist leaders who challenge India's sovereignty over Kashmir called for a general strike on Monday to protest the killings. Other fighting on Sunday flared up along the de facto front line in Sunderbani sector when a heavily armed group of militants infiltrated from the Pakistani side of Kashmir into the Indian-controlled part, said Lt. Col. Devender Anand, an Indian army spokesman. He said the fighting left three soldiers and two militants dead. There was no independent confirmation of the incident. India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim it in its entirety. Most Kashmiris support rebel demands that the territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country, while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control. In recent years, mainly young Kashmiris have displayed open solidarity with the rebels and sought to protect them by engaging troops in street clashes during military operations. 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. Kashmiri women and girls watch the funeral procession of a civilian Uzair Mushtaq in Kulgam 75 Kilometers south of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Three local rebels were killed in a gunbattle with Indian government forces in disputed Kashmir on Sunday, and six civilians were killed in an explosion at the site after the fighting was over, officials and residents said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) Kashmiri men take an injured civilian on a stretcher inside a hospital in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Three suspected rebels were killed in a gun battle with Indian government forces in disputed Kashmir on Sunday, and at least three civilians were killed in an explosion at the site after the fighting was over, officials and residents said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) Kashmiri villagers shout pro-freedom slogans as they carry the body of Uzair Mushtaq during his funeral in Kulgam 75 Kilometers south of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. Three local rebels were killed in a gunbattle with Indian government forces in disputed Kashmir on Sunday, and six civilians were killed in an explosion at the site after the fighting was over, officials and residents said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) LONDON (AP) - Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pulled out of an Edinburgh conference because former White House strategist Steve Bannon is scheduled to speak at the event. In a tweet Saturday, Sturgeon said she believes "passionately in free speech" but declares she "would not be part of any process that risks legitimizing or normalizing far-right, racist views." Bannon is to be interviewed by a BBC journalist and answer questions at News Xchange, a media conference in Edinburgh on Nov. 14-15. BBC News is a host partner. "The email the BBC sent to my office justifying Bannon's inclusion described him as a 'powerful and influential figure ... promoting an anti-elite movement.' This kind of language to describe views that many would describe as fascist does seem to me to run the risk of normalization," Sturgeon said. In a statement defending its decision to invite Bannon, seen Sunday on its website, Edinburgh conference organizers said Bannon is "a key influencer in the rise of populism - one of the dominant political trends of our times." Bannon, who played a central role in the 2016 campaign of U.S. President Donald Trump, has been making the rounds in Europe as part of his plans for a foundation, called The Movement, to boost far-right parties in Europe. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks at the Royal Society of Arts in London, Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. Sturgeon plans to set out an alternative to the Brexit choices outlined by Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool Photo via AP) He appeared at a rally in Rome in September organized by a small far-right Italian opposition party, Brothers of Italy, where he heaped praise on Italy's populist government. He was also in Rome for the March 4 election that brought the populists to power. Bannon spent seven months working in Trump's administration, leaving in August 2017. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, as the head of the provisional government of Azad Hind, declared: Now, that the dawn of freedom is at hand, it is the duty of the Indian people to set up a provisional government of their own, and launch the last struggle under the banner of that government. But with all the Indian leaders in prison (in India) and the people at home totally disarmed it is not possible to set up a provisional government within India or to launch an armed struggle under the aegis of that Government. It is, therefore, the duty of the Indian Independence League in East Asia, supported by all patriotic Indians at home and abroad, to undertake this task the task of setting up a Provisional Government of Azad Hind (Free India), and of conducting the last fight for freedom, with the help of the Army of Liberation (that is, the Azad Hind Fauj or the Indian National Army) organised by the League. The provisional government is entitled to, and herby claims, the allegiance of every Indian. It guarantees religious liberty as well as equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens. It declares its firm resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation equally and transcending all the differences cunningly fostered by an alien government in the past. In the name of God, in the name of bygone generations who have welded the Indian people into one nation and in the name of the dead heroes who have bequeathed to us a tradition of heroism and self-sacrifice we call upon them to launch the final struggle against the British and all their allies in India and to prosecute that struggle with valour, perseverance and full faith in final victory until the enemy is expelled from Indian soil and the Indian people are once again a Free Nation. (Proclamation of the provisional government of free India, October 21, 1943) The Indian National Army, the Army of Liberation of India, or as it is popularly known, the INA, fought on the Indo-Burma front, and finally entered India in early 1944. In March 1944, the INA was able to cross the frontier of India and finally fight with the enemy on Indian soil. The thrust was towards the north-eastern gateway of India towards Imphal and Kohima. The high point came when the INA raised the Indian tricolour on Indian soil at Moirang in Manipur on April 14, 1944, when their march to Delhi was halted. The superior military might of the British, the joint Anglo-American forces and the torrential monsoons turned the tide against the INA and they had to beat a retreat. In the military defeat of the INA lay the seed of their ultimate victory over British imperialism. As Netaji had predicted, once the news of the heroic exploits of the INA men and women with their ultimate sacrifice for the freedom would reach India, it would galvanise the people to rise against the British Raj. This miscalculation on the part of the British authorities helped it to happen in no small measure. With Japans surrender on August 14, 1945, came the end of the war and the British began to repatriate the INA soldiers and officers to India. The British refused to give them the status of prisoners of war and labelled them as traitors and deserters. Thousands of returning INA soldiers began to tell stories about their leader Subhas Chandra Bose. While the British authorities considered how and when to put these men on trial, popular adoration, respect and support spread like wildfire and the demand for the release of the INA men and women increased rapidly. Bose was the man of the hour and his dream and strategy unfolded dramatically even in his absence. When the three officers of the INA Captain Shah Nawaz Khan, Captain PK Sahgal and Lieutenant GS Dhillon were put on trial at the Red Fort, the British did not take long to realise that their game was over. The officers were released and they were hailed by their countrymen as heroes. India finally attained independence on August 15, 1947, and there is no doubt about the role the INA and its leader Netaji played in this ultimate triumph of freedom over bondage. Netajis dream had been finally realised but it was only a pale reflection of his dream of a united, vibrant and prosperous India where there would be no discrimination on the basis of caste, creed or religion and everyone would enjoy equality of opportunities. His dream is yet to be realised. On July 8, 1945, Netaji laid the foundation stone of the INA War Memorial to commemorate the unknown warriors of the INA. The words inscribed upon the memorial were the motto of the INA: Unity (Ittefaq), Faith (Etmad) and Sacrifice (Kurbani). Paying homage to the martyrs of the INA, Netaji had said: The future generation of Indians who will be born not as slaves, but as free men, because of your colossal sacrifice, will bless your names and proudly proclaim to the world that you, their forebears, fought and suffered reverses in the battle of Manipur, Assam and Burma. But, through temporary failure they paved the way to ultimate success and glory. After its foundation by Netaji, the Japanese built the memorial within a month. When the British returned to Singapore later in 1945, Lord Louis Mountbatten, head of Southeast Asia Command of the British, ordered the INA War Memorial to be destroyed. Mountbattens intention was to remove all traces of rebellion against British imperialism. In 1995, the site where the memorial once stood was marked by the National Heritage Board as a historical site and subsequently with financial donations from the Indian community in Singapore a new monument commemorating the original was erected by the Singapore government. The memorial was rebuilt by the Singapore government to honour the INA soldiers who gave up their lives to liberate India from the clutches of British imperialism. We complete 75 years of the establishment of the Azad Hind government on October 21, 2018. Many programmes are being planned to mark the diamond jubilee celebrations, but the most essential demand from the people of our nation is to hoist the tricolour from the ramparts of the Red Fort. The request has already been submitted to the Honble Prime Minister- Narendra Modi on behalf of the Bose family, surviving members of the Azad Hind Fauj and Netajis admirers across the globe. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, as the first head of state of United Free India and Supreme commander of the Azad Hind Fauj, was committed to hoist the national flag at the Red Fort. Circumstances did not permit him to do so, but we the people of our great nation would like to fulfil his dream, setting a precedent to be followed every year. Also read: Truth behind Subhas Chandra Bose's death: Why we need a closure Contrary to views expressed by those who glorify Sir Syed as a messiah for the Muslim community, he worked ceaselessly for the creation of a separate Muslim nation which proved to be expensive for the community Creator of Pakistan, a hero in India was the heading of an Article this writer wrote for The Pioneer dated October 23, 2017. This made me recall in detail the pivotal role Sir Syed Ahmed Khan played in furthering the divide between Hindus and Muslims in the sub-continent and propagating a paradigm leading to the creation of an Islamic Pakistan. However, efforts to glorify and eulogise him continue unabated, falsifying history and creating a spurious narrative in the process. A case in point is an article, Sir Syed Khan: The renaissance man, by Mr MJ Warsi, published in these column on October 17, 2018. The writer uses all possible adjectives to praise Sir Syed. He has described him as a dynamic person, a versatile genius, a scholar, social reformer, educationist, historian, archaeologist and linguist, gifted with rare vision and intellect. He further adds, Eventually, Sir Syed became the man whom destiny had chosen to play the role of a messiah for the community. Mark the word a messiah for the community, for a man who unabashedly worked to strengthen the British empire, called upon his fellow Muslims to support the foreign masters in the name of Islam, quoted (or misquoted) Quran to buttress his thesis that Hindus and Muslims were two separate nations and can never live as equals. The messiah worked ceaselessly for the creation of a separate Muslim nation. His misadventure proved to be expensive for the community. It divided the Muslims of the sub-continent into three separate countries. Sir Syeds biggest contribution is claimed to be the setting up of Mohammedan Anglo Oriental College (MAO) in 1877, which eventually blossomed into the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in 1920. In 1941, Mohammad Ali Jinnah had paid a handsome tribute to the AMU students when he described the university as the arsenal of Pakistan. Addressing the AMU students on August 31, 1941, Liaquat Ali Khan declared: We look to you for every kind of ammunition to win the battle of independence of the Muslim nation. In 1943, Jinnah had called the Khan my right hand. For a decade before independence, he was at the centre of all the Leagues activities. He was the first Prime Minister of Pakistan. In January, 1941, the AMU students union passed a resolution that The best way to achieve Indian freedom and to bring about lasting peace in the country is to strive for the establishment of independent states in the regions of Hindu and Muslim majorities. This divisive AMU mindset has its origins in the rare vision and intellect of Sir Syed, described by Warsi as a versatile genius. Speaking in Meerut in March 1888, Sir Syed laid the outline of a disastrous roadmap leading to the bloody Partition of the country in 1947, and in furthering hostalities between Hindus and Muslims in the sub-continent. Here are excerpts from his speech in which he contemptusly refers to Congressmen as Bengalis. The first of all is this in whose hands shall the Administration and the Empire of India rest? Now, suppose that all the English and the whole English army were to leave India, taking with them all their cannons and their splendid weapons and everything, then who would be rulers of India? Is it possible that under these circumstances two nations the Mohammedans and the Hindus could sit on the same throne and remain equal in power? Most certainly not. It is necessary that one of them should conquer the other and thrust it down. To hope that both could remain equal is to desire the impossible and the inconceivable. At the same time, you must remember that although the number of Mohammedans is less than that of the Hindus, and although they contain far fewer people who have received a high English education, yet they must not be considered insignificant or weak. Probably they would be by themselves enough to maintain their own position. But suppose they were not. Then our Musalman brothers, the Pathans, would come out as a swarm of locusts from their mountain valleys, and make rivers of blood to flow their frontier on the north to the extreme end of Bengal. This thing who after the departure of English would be conquerors would rest on the will of God. But until one nation had conquered the other and made it obedient, peace cannot reign in the land. This conclusion is based on proofs so absolute that no one can deny it. I believe that the Bengalis (read congressmen/Hindus) have never at any period held sway over a particle of land. They are altogether ignorant of the method by which a foreign race can maintain its rule over other races. Therefore, reflect on the doings of your ancestors, and be not unjust to the British Government to whom God has given the rule of India; and look honestly and see what is necessary for it to do to maintain its Empire and its hold on the country. You can appreciate these matters, but they cannot who have never held a country in their hands nor won a victory. Oh, my bother Musalmans! I again remained you that you have ruled nations, and have for centuries held different countries in your grasp. For seven hundred years in India you have had imperial sway. You know what it is to rule. Be not unjust to that national which is ruling over you, and think also on this how upright is her rule. I do not think the Bengali (read Congress) politics is useful for my brother Musalmans. Our Hindu brothers of these provinces are leaving us and are joining the Bengalis. Then we ought to unite with that nation with whom we can unite. No Mohammedan can say that the English are not people of the Book No Mohammedan can deny this: That God has said that no people of other religions can be friends of Mohammedans except the Christians. He who had read the Quran and believes it can know that our nation cannot expect friendship and affection from my other people. (Thou shalt surely find the most violent of all men in enmity against the true believers to be the Jews and the idolaters: And thou shat surely find those among them to be the most inclinable to entertain friendship for the true believers, who say we are Christians, Quran, Chap V). This is Sir Syed, spelling out his divisive agenda in his own words. Invoking the holy Quran to ensure loyalty of Indian Muslims to a colonial power. If he is hailed as an icon, is there hope for the country? (The writer is a political commentator and a former BJP Rajya Sabha MP) India has exhibited measures to disrupt and deter the activities of terror groups and their patrons and would not hesitate to do so again if required, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday, in a veiled reference to cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. Sitharaman, speaking at a meeting of ASEAN Defence Ministers in Singapore, also said that the presence of terrorist infrastructure and support to terrorists in the immediate neighbourhood constantly tested Indias patience and as a responsible power it exercised great restraint in dealing with the menace. However, India had exhibited measures to disrupt and deter the activities of terrorist groups and their patrons and would not hesitate to do so again if required in future, she said, according to a statement released by the Defence Ministry in New Delhi. Sitharaman emphasised Indias concern on the grave challenges to international peace and stability due to the threat of terrorism. Condemning the use of terror as an instrument to further state policies, she said that the interplay between states and non-state actors used as proxies to foment violence had worsened this menace. Speaking at the Fifth ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), she reiterated Indias view on the Indo-Pacific, as outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as an open, balanced region, connected by open and secure seas, integrated by balanced trade and shaped by a rules-based order, and anchored in ASEAN centrality. She asserted that India was committed to maintaining a sustained focus of its Act East policy in terms of economic, cultural and developmental engagement of the region. The theme of this years dialogue was Strengthening Cooperation, Building Resilience. The dialogue adopted two resolutions on Countering the Threat of Terrorism and Practical Confidence Building Measures. Sitharaman lauded the ADMM-Plus mechanism for emerging as a credible and effective platform forging practical cooperation among the members of the armed forces. She informed the partners of Indias active participation in all the ADMM-Plus mechanism contributing effectively to their success. India and Myanmar are the co-chairs for the Expert Working Group for Military Medicine for this cycle and a standalone Field Training Exercise on Military Medicine will be held in Lucknow in March 2019 along with the release of ASEAN Military Medicine Handbook, Sitharaman said. 7 civilians killed in blast, 3 terrorists, 2 Pak intruders neutralised, 3 jawans martyred The State of Jammu & Kashmir witnessed a bloody Sunday with 15 deaths reported from different parts of the State in incidents of firing, explosion, and attack by the Border Action Team (BAT) of Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LoC) in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri. Seven civilians lost their lives in accidental blast in Laroo area of South Kashmirs Kulgam district soon after the security forces neutralised three local terrorists in a fierce gunfight early on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, three Indian soldiers attained martyrdom after the BAT, comprising heavily armed terrorists and elite commandos, ambushed patrol party of the Indian Army in the forward area of Sunderbani sector on Sunday afternoon. Two Pakistani intruders were later neutralised by the Indian soldiers in the fierce gunfight. The surprise attack was purposefully carried out by the Pakistan BAT team close to the LoC with an aim to provoke strong Indian retaliation. The latest incident is set to further escalate the tension in the area. In Jammu, Ministry of Defence Spokesperson Lt-Col Devendra Anand said, At about 1.45 pm on Sunday, the Indian Army in Sunderbani Sector on the LoC had a fierce encounter with heavily armed Pakistani intruders. The patrol party killed two intruders and recovered warlike stores including two AK-47 rifles. Immediate reaction from other posts effectively cordoned the area and the search and destroy operation is in progress, he added. Lt-Col Devendra Anand said, In the ongoing operation three Indian soldiers attained martyrdom while fighting the intruders and one soldier suffered grievous injuries and has been air evacuated to Army Command hospital, Udhampur. His condition is reported to be stable. Ground reports suggested massive cordon and search operations were launched in the forward area to track down presence of another group of intruders in the vicinity. The three soldiers martyred along the LoC in Sunderbani hailed from Jammu region have been identified as Havildar Kaushal Kumar, resident of Nowshera; Lance Naik Ranjeet Singh, resident of Doda and Rifleman Rajat Kumar Basan, resident of Pallanwala Another injured soldier has been identified as Rifleman Rakesh Kumar resident of Samba. Since January 1, 2018 this year more than 1,050 incidents of ceasefire violations have been reported along the 740 km long LoC between India and Pakistan. As many as 145 infiltration attempts have been made this year. Of them, 70 have been successful. Tensions had escalated between the two neighbouring countries ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in September 2018 following abduction of BSF jawan in Ramgarh sector of Samba along the International border across Jammu frontier. The dead body of the Indian soldier was later recovered in badly mutilated state with slit throat and marks of bullet injuries and torture close to the barbed wire fence along the International border in the forward area. In Srinagar, at least seven civilians were killed in a blast triggered soon after joint team of security forces eliminated three local terrorists in Laroo area of South Kashmirs Kulgam district early Sunday morning. Due to impact of the blast, these civilians received grievous injuries and were rushed to the nearby hospital where they succumbed to their fatal injuries. Chaos prevailed in the area soon after the security forces called off the operation. According to local reports, Large number of locals in the area converged inside the house to clear the debris and retrieve valuables from inside the house when powerful blast took place injuring large number of civilians. Police spokesman in Srinagar said, Immediately after the gunfight ended and the forces withdrew from the spot, civilians rushed to the encounter site where an explosive substance went off resulting in death of six civilians. Another civilian succumbed to his fatal injuries late in the evening, police spokesman said. Despite requests to not visit the spot till thorough search is done for explosives, several civilians visited the encounter site immediately after the operation. While they were there, some explosive substance went off, resulting in on spot death of a civilian and injuries to several others, the police official said. Adviser to the Governor, K Vijay Kumar, and DGP Dilbag Singh have expressed regret over the loss of civilian lives at the encounter site and conveyed their profound condolences to the bereaved families. He said such sites should be avoided by civilians till they are properly sanitised. Reacting to the news of loss of civilian lives, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah termed it as terrible news. Terrible news coming out from Kulgam. May the deceased find place in Jannat. Alienating the people in the fight against militancy is a sure fire recipe for losing the fight. How long can we go on ignoring the ground realities & living in denial about how bad things are in Kashmir? Omar wrote on Twitter. The slain civilians were identified as Ubaid Laway, son of Mohammad Maqbool Laway; Uzair Ahmad, Mansoor Ahmad, Talib Maqbool of Laroo, Tajamul Ahmad of Denew Bogund and Irshad Ahmad of Shurat. All three terrorists were locals and affiliated with Jaish-e-Muhammad. They have been identified as Shahid ul Islam Tantray of Wangam Shopian, Yazil Makroo of Arwani Bijbehara and Zubair Lone of Ahwatoo Kulgam. Meanwhile, Joint Resistance Leadership has called for shutdown on Monday against the killings. Knocks on Govt, CVC doors; Asthana files 2nd complaint against Alok Verma The ugly war within the CBI has intensified as Special Director Rakesh Asthana has approached the Government and the Central Vigilance Commission complaining that a false FIR was registered by the agency against him for the allegations of bribery levelled by CBI Director Alok Verma. Asthanas complaint, dated October 18 to the CVC, also marked to the Cabinet Secretary, comes soon after the CBI booked him in a bribery case on October 15 for allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 2 crore from controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi. This is Asthanaa second official complaint against his boss. In a complaint to the Cabinet Secretary on August 24, Asthana alleged that Verma had received a bribe from Satish Sana, the complainant against Asthana. Satish is also an accused in the Qureshi case. The CBI has registered a criminal case against Asthana on October 15 bearing no RC 13 (A) of 2018 under IPC Sections relating to criminal conspiracy and under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act on the basis of complaint filed by Satish alleging that Manoj Prasad and his brother Somesh Prasad demanded and obtained illegal gratification in lieu of stopping his further interrogation for clean chit in a CBI case. Manoj, a resident of Dubai, was taken into custody on October 16 upon his arrival from Dubai. He was formally arrested on October 17 and is currently under police custody till October 25. Satish, a Hyderabad-based businessman, is an accused in criminal case registered vide RC 01 of February 16, 2017 against Qureshi and others. On receipt of information that Satish Babu paid illegal gratification to Sh Alok Verma, Director, CBI, the same was brought to the notice of the Cabinet Secretary by Asthana through his letter dated August 24 this year. The CVC has initiated an enquiry and sought the relevant files from the CBI, Asthana alleged in his plaint to the CVC. Asthana has alleged in his letter to the CVC that Satish Babu Sana, one of the accused proposed to be arrested, attempted to flee but could not leave the country, owing to the LOC opened by SIT headed by him (Asthana). The file was submitted back on October 3 to the CBI Director answering all his queries and providing all the documents sought by DoP, the file has never returned. Meanwhile, Satish Babu Sana appeared before the IO on October 1, 2018. He stated that he approached Shri CM Ramesh, MP, (Rajya Sabha), TDP who in turn personally met the CBI Director. Later, CM Ramesh assured that Satish Sana would not be called again by the CBI. On October 4, ED also examined Sana, Asthana alleged. Meanwhile, the CBI transferred the Moin Qureshi case to JD (policy) AK Sharma with malafide intention to shield the bribe payer and bribe receiver. It is clear that active efforts are underway to falsely implicate the undersigned (Asthan), Asthana alleged in his second complaint to CVC on October 19. Sharma is said to have verbally ordered the flight of controversial businessman Vijay Mallya against whom a Look Out Circular (LOC) was pending. Asthana also sought transfer of eight cases including the Moin Qureshi case to the SIT. In his earlier complaint to the CVC on October 18, Asthana said, On the basis of reasonable grounds and apprehension, LOC was got opened against them (Moin Qureshi and others) on May 16, 2018 as they are facing serious charges and can flee from justice, and may not return to India. During September 2018, as soon as the CVC called for relevant files including the files related to RC 2242017 A0001-AC-VI/SIT, Delhi (against Moin Qureshi and others), CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma came to know about possible allegations in the instant case. A proposal to arrest and (subject) custodial interrogation of Satish Babu Sana and others was submitted by the Investigating Officer (IO) on 12.09.2018, which was duly endorsed by the SP/SIT on 12.09.2018 and by JD/SIT on 20.09.2018. I also endorsed the arrest proposal on 20.09.2018 and, put up to the CBI Director for approval. However, Alok Kumar Verma, after four days, in a deviation from the procedure generally adopted by the CBI and violation of Para 12.3 of CBI (Crime) Manual, 2005, marked the arrest proposal to OP Verma, Director of Prosecution (DoP) on 24.09.2018. Verma marked on the file that all the statements in the case recorded by the CBI and ED be put up before the DoP who will give an opinion on the arrest of the accused Satish Sana and others, Asthana said. A 32-year-old man allegedly died after he drowned in a sewage tank on Sunday morning at around 5:30 am. The deceased along with three other persons were tasked with repairing and rehabilitation of the Delhi Jal Board Pump House sewerage at G-Block Jahangir Puri, police revealed. According to a senior police official, information was received by Jahangir Puri police station at around 7:30 am from Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh. The hospital informed police that one person Dooman Ray, resident of Katihar District, Bihar was brought dead from Delhi Jal Board Pump House, G-Block, Jahangir puri. Delhi Jal Board has given contract to M/S KK Spun India limited for repair and rehabilitation of sewerage in Jahangirpuri. Today about 5.30 AM the deceased Dooman Ray went down in sewerage hole to open the volve and he drowned and died. A six-year-old girl child kidnapped from Delhis Kirti Nagar on September 6 this year, was traced and found from Kurukshetra on October 17. The childs chilling ordeal was captured in CCTVs after police analysed the route the accused took across the city. According to police, the accused was seen picking her up on September 6, while she was playing and took her to Kotha number 41 in GB road and then to New Delhi railway station. The entire movement was captured in CCTVs along the city but ended when heavy rain crashed a camera at the railway station. Police then began searching for her in other States and footages of the person and the child was flashed in All India Railway Network System and Child Welfare Committees were informed accordingly. The child was traced in Kurukshetra and found on October 17, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Monika Bhardwaj stated. Under the NIGEHBHAN Scheme, of Delhi Police numerous CCTVs have been installed in the vicinity in collaboration with the RWAs and Market Associations. CCTVS of the area were analysed and the girl child, who was wearing a white colour frock and playing. Further on repeated analysis of CCTVs revealed a very faint image of a person wearing blue colour shirt and slue colour jeans carrying the child. Taking this image as the first clue, anticipating the necessary path taken by the culprit and going through all the CCTV cameras falling on the route the path of the accused was confirmed, the DCP revealed. Amidst criticism for going ahead with his Israel tour days after Amritsar rail tragedy, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday made it clear that the decision was taken after feeling completely satisfied with the relief and rehabilitation measures being carried out for the victims of the Amritsar train tragedy and following assurances by his ministerial colleagues that everything will be taken due care of Earlier, Capt Amarinder was scheduled to visit Israel on Friday evening, but had cancelled it at the last moment, following the train accident in Amritsar around the same time. Chief Minister, who will be on five-day visit to Israel, is scheduled to hold meetings from Monday. While the Chief Minister spent complete day in Amritsar on Saturday, he remained busy on Sunday and closeted with his ministerial colleagues and senior officers to take stock of the situation. He also issued instructions to the officials and ministerial crisis management group to take all the measures required for relief to the victims. While the Chief Minister had earlier decided to postpone the visit indefinitely following the Amritsar tragedy, he was, however, advised to go ahead as he was supposed to sign three important memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in Israel on Agriculture, preserving of water resources and dairy development. All these proposals hold lot of significance for Punjab, particularly in terms of agricultural diversification and saving the depleting water resources in the state, said the Chief Ministers spokesperson, while adding that Israel recycles 90 percent of its water using modern technology, which Punjab can also adopt. Moreover, the Chief Minister is also scheduled to meet the Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on October 23. Besides, he has separate meetings scheduled with the Israeli Minister for Agriculture Uri Ariel, and the Minister for Energy and Water Resources Dr Yuval Steinitz for signing the Memoranda of Understanding on agriculture and water resources. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister will be in regular touch with the crisis management group of the ministers headed by the Heath Minister Brahm Mohindra as also senior functionaries in the government and the district administration at Amritsar. He has been directly and regularly communicating with the officials of the district administration since Friday evening to take feedback from the ground and issue necessary instructions. The Chief Minister on Sunday asked the Amritsar Deputy Commissioner and the Police Commissioner to ensure that emergency relief is provided to each and every needy family. A special team has been constituted for the purpose, which has been asked to visit every affected families to inquire about their urgent needs, which will be provided for instantly on the spot. The Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress have declared the names of their candidates for mayoral and other posts in the urban local body elections. While Sunil Uniyal Gama will be the BJPs mayoral candidate for Dehradun, former Cabinet Minister Dinesh Agarwal has been fielded by the Congress in the election to this post. Shortly after declaration of the names, dissent by party workers and supporters of contenders left out by the party leadership was witnessed in both the national parties. Late on Saturday night, the BJP finalised the names of its mayoral candidates and those to be fielded for posts of municipal council and Nagar Panchayat heads. Apart from Gama, the BJP declared Annu Kakkad as its mayoral candidate in Haridwar, Neetu Rawat in Kotdwar, Jogender Rautela in Haldwani, Usha Chaudhary in Kashipur, Rampal Singh in Rudrapur and Anita Mamgai in Rishikesh. Later on Sunday, the party also released the list of its candidates for the post of councillors in the local bodies. Meanwhile, on the directions of Pradesh Congress Committee president Pritam Singh, the PCC vice president Suryakant Dhasmana released the list of the party candidates for the local body polls on Sunday. Apart from Agarwal for the mayoral post in Dehradun, the party has fielded Lakshmi Sajwan in Rishikesh, Anita Sharma in Haridwar, Hemlata Negi in Kotdwar, Sumit Hridayesh in Haldwani and Mukta Singh in Kashipur. Shortly after the candidates were announced, some party workers and supporters of ticket hopefuls opposed the selection in both the BJP and Congress. The BJP State president Ajay Bhatt was confronted at Dehradun airport by a group of party workers unhappy with the selection. In a video-clip of the argument which soon spread on the social media, the workers are seen questioning the selection of the mayoral candidate for Rishikesh. Telling them to calm down, Bhatt is heard telling them that the CM is topmost in the selection process. He, then, calls MP Ramesh Pokhriyal while directing the person making the video clip to stop doing so. In the Congress too, there was objection to selection of candidates at the Congress Bhawan itself with some of the workers voicing their opposition openly. Later in the day, PCC spokesman Sanjay Bhatt resigned from the post citing unfair treatment of Garhwalis and anomalies in the candidate selection process specifically questioning the selection of Dinesh Agarwal. To give an edge to the BJP in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, four spokespersons from the party's Uttar Pradesh unit have been dispatched to the neighbouring State for effective media management. The spokespersons will be responsible for disseminating information pertaining to various welfare measures initiated by the Centre and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, where voting will be held on November 28. Alok Awasthi, Tarunkant, Shalabh Mani Tripathi and Rakesh Tripathi have already left for Madhya Pradesh, a senior UP BJP leader told here Sunday adding that they were likely to remain there till the last day of campaigning. Alok Awasthi has been assigned with the duty of media management in Shahdol division of MP that covers Shahdol, Umaria, Anuppur districts. Besides, Tarunkant has been assigned the Rewa division and will look after the districts of Rewa, Satna, Sidhi and Singrauli. Shalabh Mani Tripathi will handle Gwalior division, which consists of Gwalior, Ashoknagar, Shivpuri, Datia and Guna districts. Rakesh Tripathi will be responsible for Sagar division covering districts of Sagar, Chhatarpur, Damoh, Panna, Tikamgarh and Niwari. State BJP Spokesman Rajneesh Agrawal told The Pioneer that this is a routine process. Party leaders from one State to other are sent during elections. In the past, leaders from Madhya Pradesh have worked in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and other States. According to the Election Commission of India, the issuance of notification for the MP Assembly election will be done on November 2, while November 9 is the last day of nominations. Scrutiny of nominations will be done on November 12 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is November 14. Voting will be held on November 28, and counting of votes will be held on December 11. In the 2013 Assembly elections, BJP bagged a lion-share of 165 out of 230 seats, while Congress got 58 seats. BSP was able to win four seats, while three seats went to independents. The Delhi police has arrested a member of notorious Neeraj Bawana and Naveen Bhanja gang, who was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 on Saturday near Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station. Absconding since March this year, Abhishek (24) was wanted in an attempt to murder case. He along with his associates had fired at a Jewelers son and his friend in southeast Delhi, when they denied giving the accused persons money. On March this year, an incident of firing took place at Pisori Chicken Dhaba, Lajpat Nagar. Two persons including a jewelers son and his friend, sustained bullet injuries and were shifted to AIIMS Hospital. During investigation, accused Shibu, Praveen Singhal and Honey Chaudhary were arrested in April by the Special Staff of South-East District. However, co-accused Abhishek was absconding and was carrying reward of Rs 50,000 on his arrest, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal revealed. Information was received about Abhishek on Saturday, stating that he would be arriving behind Humayun Tomb near Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station. At about 12:20 PM, Abhishek was seen coming from Railway Station side. Police team signaled him to stop, but on seeing the police he whipped out a country made pistol and tried to fire on the police party, however he was overpowered by Head Constable Vikas Solanki. Abhishek was arrested and one pistol and five cartridges were seized, Said the DCP. During sustained interrogation Abhishek disclosed that he used to work for one Shibu, who worked with gangsters Neeraj Bawana and Naveen Bhanja and started extorting money from people, on their directions. Abhishek became their recovery goon, he said. On March 27 this year, he along with Shibu and his other associates went to extort money from a jeweler in Lajpat Nagar. They demanded money from the said jeweler, but the jewelers son, denied. Abhishek and his associates assaulted the jewelers son brutally at Lajpat Nagar. Further, accused Shibu with 15-20 associates encircled the victim at Pishori Chicken Restaurant, Lajpat Nagar and started beating him in public. When the victim tried to escape from there, accused persons opened fire upon the jewelers son and his friend, the DCP added. Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, OP Dhankar on Sunday said that the present Government is leaving no stone unturned to give honour and respect to the martyrs and their dependents in the state. The State Government has increased the ex-gratia given to the dependents of martyrs from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, 225 dependents of martyrs have been given jobs, Gram Gaurav Pats are being put up in villages to inspire people with the tales of bravery of martyrs and memorials are being set up to commemorate their memories, the Minister said while speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the memorial to Prithvi Singh, martyr of the India-China war in 1962 in Gijarodh village of Jhajjar district. Referring to a meeting with the Union Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, regarding setting up a sainik school in Matanhel, he said the Central Government would set up a memorial in the memory of martyrs of Rejangla. We can sleep peacefully at night just because our soldiers are guarding the countrys' borders. A martyr never dies, his story of bravery lives on, and continues to inspire the countrymen, he said. A memorial has been set up after 53 years. This area is land of brave hearts; it has two Victoria Cross recipients blonging to the pre-Independence era, brave heroes of 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars, and the Kargil War he added. Dhankar announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh from his voluntary fund and full support for the construction of martyr Prithvi Singh memorial. Central Reserve Police Force personnel on Sunday donated four hundred and nineteen units of blood at its Sembo Group Centre in Dhurwa to mark the Police Commemoration Day. The occasion is observed to remember the bravery and sacrifice of the force to protect the motherland. Addressing a gathering on the CRPF IG Sanjay Lathekar said, Police Commemoration Day is observed to remember the gallant fight put up by the CRPF personnel against Chinese incursions at Hot Spring in Ladakh on October 21, 1959. Thwarting a hostile incursion 10 CRPF brave hearts laid down their lives and seven others were injured. He said every personnel of the force must be ready to make big sacrifice for integrity and sovereignty of the county. The CRPF also honoured dependents of the martyred personnel with mementoes and commendation letters. A CRPF press release in this regard stated that Jharkhand boasts of producing brave sons who have made the supreme sacrifice to ensure internal security of the nation. A total of 54 CRPF personnel hailing from the state have laid down their lives across various operational theatres whereas 113 CRPF personnel have attained martyrdom in Jharkhand since the creation of the State in 2000. Besides, the force has played a premier role in containing the Maoists in Jharkhand adding deployment of CRPF has thinned the extremists presence to a larger extent and has restored the situation to normalcy in recent years. CM announces Mandyal House at Solan Shimla: Himachal Government would provide appropriate land to construct Mandyal House at Solan to organise various functions and events, said Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday. While presiding over the function of Mandyal Sabh, he said the Sabha is rendering a great service by keeping alive the culture and tradition of Mandi away from the district. In the present era of information technology, the world has changed into a global village but still organising such events would go a long way in strengthening the emotional bound between the people of the particular region or area, he added. He announced Rs. 51,000 from his discretionary fund for the children who presented a colourful cultural programme on the occasion. CM chairs conference of Orthopaedics Association Shimla: Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur presided over 27th Annual Conference of Himachal Pradesh Orthopaedics Association held in Mandi and said that the orthopaedic specialists were doing commendable job in providing better medical facilities. He said that in a hilly state, like Himachal Pradesh, where the chances of accidents were high, the role of orthopaedic specialist becomes very important. The government was diligent to set up more trauma centres, in order to provide immediate medical assistance to the people in the event of accidents, he said. 34.86 LMT paddy procured in Punjab Chandigarh: Government agencies and private millers have procured 34,86,102 metric tonnes paddy in Punjab till October 20. Out of the total procurement from various procurement centres in the State, the government agencies procured 34,41,230 MT of paddy while 44,872 MT has been procured by the millers. Central Government agency, Food Corporation of India (FCI) has procured 65,417 MT paddy. PSDM hosts two-day workshop Chandigarh: Punjab Skill Development Mission hosted two-day joint training workshop on placement verification and tracking of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY Scheme). The workshop was conducted by National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad, (NIRD&PR) for the states of Punjab and Haryana. Institutes director Shankar Dutt addressed the Skill Mission teams of the two states, and his team gave detailed insight into mechanism of placement and tracking of the beneficiaries. A review meeting was also conducted to review the progress of 22 DDU-GKY projects running across Punjab. Dutt also evaluated performance of project implementing agencies on the basis of achieved training target, assessment and certification, placement figures etc. Choosing humility over ego is the ultimate virtue Mohali: Under the prachar yatras for the welfare of humanity, Niranakri Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj on Sunday gave her divine blessings during Nirankari Sant Samagam organised in Mohalis Sector 62, (Phase-VIII), near YPS Chowk. Satguru Mata, who was on her first visit to Punjab after becoming the Missions spiritual head, expressed happiness to see saints from nearby and far off areas in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir becoming a part of the Samagam. Besides thousands of devotees from tricity, and nearby areas, Punjab Cabinet Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, also attended the samagam. Tata Motors encourages farmers in Haryana Hisar: Haryana, one of the promising and fast growing state in India, backed by Government policies and infrastructure support, has seen a total industry volume growth of 41% in H1 FY19 for the SCVs business. During this period, Tata Motors has grown by 64% resulting in significant gain in MS. Reaffirming its commitment towards encouraging self-employment and entrepreneurship in this region, Tata Motors displayed its most successful Small Commercial Vehicles (SCV) range of products at the 8thedition of Krishi Darshan Expo Hisar, 2018. The products exhibited were Tata Yodha, Ace Mega and ACE Gold, which gave the customers, especially farmers, an additional edge for revenue generation. PHD Chamber organized a seminar on RERA Chandigarh: PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry organized a seminar themed on Real Estate Regulatory Act (RERA) which was attended by industry members at PHD House, Sector 31. The session was chaired by NS Kang, chairman RERA who emphasized of such robust act which has made this sector much more organized and transparent. He said, RERA has moved through the legislative contours to finally becoming a regulation not only catering the industry players but helping the end customers. The passage of the RERA was most significant reform that the real estate sector has seen in the recent times. The sector had become huge in terms of large number of transactions and its contribution to the overall GDP of the nation. Younger women being diagnosed of breast cancer Chandigarh: A Breast Cancer Awareness and Detection Camp was organized by Indian Medical Association (IMA) at IMA Complex in Sector 35 here. Senior medical experts from IMA and Fortis Hospital examined over 100 women and educated them about self-breast examination. Free mammography was performed on women by Asha Jyoti Charitable Trust. In addition, free ECG and blood sugar services were provided to senior citizens. A talk and an interactive session were organized at the event, which was held in collaboration with Fortis Hospital, Mohali. Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta termed the proposed strike called by petrol pump owners on Monday is a result of apathy of the Delhi Chief Minister to bring down the price of Petrol and Diesel. The intended strike would cause immense difficulty to the commuters and create a situation of chaos on Delhi roads. The Government needs to take steps to avert Mondays strike at all cost, he said. Gupta said that the strike is a consequence of anti-people policies of the AAP Government. People are forced to come on streets to demand because of the Government anti-people policy, he said. It may be noted that the Union Government had reduced excise duty on Petrol and Diesel by Rs 1.50 per litre and directed oil marketing companies to reduce price by another Rs 1 per litre. Welcoming the decision of the Union Government, most of the state governments also reduced Value Added Tax by another Rs 2.50 per litre to provide a relief of Rs 5 per litre to its people, he informed. Gupta said that CMs refusal to lower down the prices of Petrol and Diesel by Rs 2.50/ litre is causing three-fold loss. It is causing a heavy burden on the common man, who is forced to shell out more money to buy Petrol and Diesel. It has led to decrease in sale for petrol pump owners who are now forced to go on a strike and also caused a loss of revenue to the government of Delhi, he said. As a result, people are forced to visit neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to buy Petrol and Diesel. The Government had arbitrarily imposed VAT to the extent of 12 per cent on petrol and 10.5 per cent on diesel during its regime. The consumers of petrol products are being over-burdened by continuation of the arbitrarily imposed taxes, he said A delegation of the Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) including senior politicians and office bearers of the BJP would visit Sadhu Bet riverbed of Narmada River in Gujarat where the worlds tallest Statue of Unity is to be dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 of this month. The list of visitors may also include Chief Minister Raghubar Das as Minister of Revenue inGujaratGovernment Kaushik Bhai Patel would meet him and Governor Droupadi Murmu on Monday to extend formal invitation for the ceremony to them. The visiting Minister from Gujarat along with Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand Parimal Nathwani on Sunday met office bearers of FJCCI and extended the invitation to them. The 182 meter Statue of Unity is dedicated to countrys first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and being built after collecting iron equipments from all over the country. Jharkhand has been one of the premier States which contributed in the making of the Statue of Unity. A campaign in the had taken place in January, 2014 aimed to collection of iron made equipments used in agricultural activities in villages spreading across length and breadth of the State. Panchayat level representatives had actively participated into the collection drive and as many as 4,000 collection kits across were distributed amongst them comprising invitation letters to them, a signature form to seek moral support of people, posters, and bags for collecting soil and iron tools. Jharkhand has contributed its bit to the statue making which is largest in the world. It is a matter of pride for the people of the State to take part in the inauguration ceremony. The team from Gujarat met us and representatives from FJCCI would surely attend the ceremony, said FJCCI general secretary Kunal Ajmani. Besides that, organizations like Patanjali Yogapeeth, members of Vikas Bharati, Citizen Foundation and several other likeminded organisations would also go to Gujarat that had played their roles in building public opinion at grass root level. The statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is coming up on Sadhu Bet riverbed of Narmada River and around 3 km from the Sardar Sarovar dam and scheduled to be unveiled on October 31by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the iron mans birth anniversary. The former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Narayan Dutt Tiwaris mortal remains were cremated will full State honours at Chitrashila Ghat on the banks of the Gaula river in Ranibagh here on Sunday. A large number of people, apart from Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers and politicians from various parties were among those present on the occasion. Tiwaris funeral procession began from the circuit house to the Chitrashila Ghat where his son Rohit Shekhar Tiwari lit the pyre. Earlier, Chief Minister, Trivendra Singh Rawat, paying tribute to Tiwari, said that he used to work above party lines and will be remembered for his developmental works. He said that the present State Government will take forward the works carried out by him. Calling him the Bhishma Pitamah of politics, Rawat said that Tiwari will always be remembered as a popular leader. Vidhan Sabha Speaker Premchand Aggarwal said that Tiwari was a political guru and his demise has caused an irreparable loss to the country and society. Union Minister of State for Textiles Ajay Tamta, MPs and ex CMs Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Ramesh Pokhriyal, Finance Minister Prakash Pant, Transport Minister Yashpal Arya, Agriculture Minister Subodh Uniyal, Cooperative Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, Women Welfare and Child Development Minister Rekha Arya, former CM and AICC general secretary Harish Rawat, leader of opposition Indira Hridayesh, BJP State president Ajay Bhatt various MLAs and members of the public paid their last respects to the veteran leader on the occasion. The general public were allowed to pay their tributes to the departed leader at circuit house. Bokaro Superintendent of Police Kartik S said that the National Police Commemoration Day is observed every year on October 21 remembering the brave policemen who sacrificed their lives while discharging their duties. Rich tributes are paid to the martyrs on this day. The SP paid tributes to 20 martyred police personnel in Bokaro, who were killed on duty specially in Naxal operations in Bokaro over the past 18 years.Their sacrifices couldn't be forgotten, added the SP. He showed his condolences on the solemn occasion at the Police Memorial in Bokaro. Senior police officers and various other police in-charge were reportedly present on the occasion to pay respect and homage to the martyrs. The Inspector cum Officer-in Charge Prameshwar Leyangi of Bokaro thermal police station and others police officials observed police commemoration Day. Floral tributes to all 20 police personnel who lost their lives in Naxal operations were paid by officers. They also observed two minutes silence. All police stations of Bokaro including Nawadih, Gandhinagar, Gomia, Paterwar, Mahuatard, Jaridih, Kasmar, sector IV,Chas, sector IX, and others were also observed Commemoration Day and paid floral tributes. Police sources said that on October 21, 1959, twenty Indian soldiers were attacked by the Chinese troops in Ladakh. This altercation between the troops led to the death of ten policemen. Seven of the others who were also imprisoned, managed to escape from the Chinese troops. On November 28, 1959, the Chines troops handed over the dead bodies of the martyred policemen to India. Their cremation was held with full Police honours at the Hot springs in Ladakh. Ever since the incident, this day on October 21 is observed for their martyrdom. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) core committee on Sunday demanded the immediate expulsion of Punjab Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, besides registration of a criminal case against his wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu as well as the organizers of Dussehra function responsible for abetting the Amritsar tragedy. SADs core committee, which met under the chairmanship of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and attended by SAD president Sukhbir Badal and other senior leaders, rejected the magisterial inquiry ordered by the Congress Government while demanding a judicial probe by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Terming the man-made disaster as unparalleled on account of the criminal negligence and sheer abetment by the organizers, the core group condemned the cover-up operation launched by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, and demanded registration of a fresh case in the matter as per the statement of the victim families. The core committee said that like it was doing to every other section of society, the Congress Government was now muzzling the voice of the poor by instituting a tailor-made inquiry with the sole aim of giving a clean chit to the culprits and putting the blame squarely on the Indian Railways. It said that this was being done despite the fact that the victim families were ready to present irrefutable evidence against a Congress councillor as well as Dr Navjot Kaur for abetting the tragedy. Evidence against the councillor and Sidhu is present in the public domain and this should be taken into account while proceeding against both of them, the party noted. Keeping all these facts into account, there is no possibility of a free and fair inquiry by a magistrate who is reporting to Cabinet Minister Navjot Sidhu and his family, said the party while condemning Sidhus casual attitude. The core committee said that it was condemnable that the State was refusing to take action against the Congress leaders despite worldwide condemnation and a demand that the guilty be prosecuted however high and mighty they may be. It noted that even heads of State including those from Russia, Canada and Pakistan, had expressed shock at the tragedy. The entire world is watching, and in case, the Government continued to fail to give justice in the case, it would invite international condemnation on itself as well as the country, said the party. The committee also passed a resolution calling for Rs one crore compensation to each of the victim families as well as grant of government job to the next of kin of the victims. It said a separate government programme should be initiated to adopt the children of the victims. The meeting also served an ultimatum to the Government to register a fresh case as per the statement of the victims and institute a judicial inquiry besides giving compensation as demanded failing which it would initiate an agitation to ensure justice to the tragedy victims. 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 assured on 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 comes 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 as why he did not speak against the amendments when they were tabled in Parliament. To this, Scindia alleged that Congress were not allowed to speak in Parliament when such proposals come up for discussion. Huge police force was present due to proposed protest organisations opposing the SC/ST Act amendments. Protesters had also reached the doors of Scindia's Jai Vilas Mahal in Gwalior vent their ire against the amendments to the SC/ST Act and show the Guna MP black flags. However, Scindia got a whiff of the ruckus brewing at the palace gates and managed to leave from the back door of the sprawling estate. He then proceeded to Shivpuri. 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. Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday visited hospitals and met with those injured in Fridays train accident. At civil hospital in Amritsar, Vicky Sanotra, who lost his 17-year-old son Vasu Sanotra asked Sidhu if the Minister would accompany him to register an FIR against the local Congress councillor, who was the main organiser of the Dussehra event. Sidhu, who has been facing flak from the opposition parties over the incident as his wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the chief guest at the Dussehra celebration at Jora Phatak in Dhobi Ghat area, replied, Bhai, iss baare mein hum baithkar baat karenge (Brother, we will sit and talk about this later). Sidhu is MLA from Amritsar East, in which Dhobi Ghat ground is located. Dr Navjot Kaur stated that she was finding out if the organisers had taken the requisite permission for the event or not. Meanwhile, the police maintained that the permission was given for events at 20 places in Dhobi Ghat. We gave permission for a certain event in a certain area, now obviously there is no permission to be on the tracks or anything. Lapses are under inquiry. We had security for the whole city including the main venue and the function venue, said Amritsar Commissioner of Police SS Shrivastava. The Uttar Pradesh government has warned that the state employees going on strike will lose their salary as action will be taken against them on the principle of no work no pay. The government also reiterated that strict action will be taken against those causing damage to the public property during the work boycott period. The government has asked all divisional commissioners and district magistrates to set up control room in each district and keep a close watch on the agitation by the state employees and teachers. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of state employees and teachers has given notice for going on indefinite strike from October 25 in support of their demands, including rollback of the new contributory pension scheme (NPS) and restoration of old pension scheme. Responding to the indefinite strike notice served by the state employees and teachers, the UP government has directed all divisional commissioners and district magistrates to establish direct communication with the employees and their leaders to clear the misconception about the new pension scheme. The state government has directed the commissioners to set up special camps for enrolment of employees in new pension scheme and registration of the retired employees under the scheme and allotment of permanent retirement account number to them. UPs Chief Secretary Anup Chandra Pandey issued directives to the field officers through video conferencing on Sunday, asking them to establish dialogue with the employees and their leaders and apprise them of the benefits of the new pension scheme. He said the employees should be apprised of the fact that their interests are fully protected under the new pension scheme. Pandey said the confusion over the new pension scheme could be cleared only by dialogue with the state employees and their leaders. The Chief Secretary said that immediate measures be taken for enrolment of the state employees who had not yet been enrolled in the new pension scheme. He said besides organising special camp for NPS, on-line facility for enrolment in the scheme was also provided. The Chief Secretary said the state employees reporting on duty during the strike period would be provided security by the police. He asked the officials to ensure that the government office functioned in normal manner during the working hours. He also asked the officers to prevent disruption and ensure normal functioning of the essential services in urban areas and also public transport. The Uttarakhand police faces various challenges, which it would be able to overcome in a planned manner. Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said this after paying tribute at martyrs memorial during the Police Commemoration Day parade at the police lines here on Sunday morning. The Chief Minister also honoured the families of martyrs from the Uttarakhand police and paramilitary forces on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Rawat said that in the last one year, 414 personnel from the States and paramilitary forces in the country had laid down their lives while protecting the nation. Two of these martyrs were policemen from Uttarakhand-constables Ramesh Lal and Subhash Kumar who laid down their lives in the line of duty. Referring to the strategic importance of the State, he said that the State police too faces various challenges. Police have an important role in strengthening peace and law and order in the State. Referring to the challenges, he expressed hope that the police will be able to face these in a planned manner. Apart from the upcoming Kumbh Mela and Kanwad Yatra, the police will also play an important role in fairs and religious programmes. The director general of police, Anil Kumar Raturi also addressed the gathering on the occasion. Finance Minister Prakash Pant, Education Minister Arvind Pandey, Minister of State for Higher Education Dhan Singh Rawat, MPs Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh, DGP AK Raturi, additional chief secretaries Om Prakash and Radha Raturi also paid tributes to the martyrs on the occasion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated and dedicated to the nation a refurbished national police memorial here and a newly-built museum for the khaki-donning forces. A 30-feet-tall and 238-tonne heavy black granite central sculpture honouring the slain troopers, a museum and a wall of valour bearing the names of over 34,800 martyred personnel were unveiled during the event held to to mark the National Police Commemoration Day. The PM was accorded a ceremonial salute upon his arrival at the memorial which is built on a 6.12-acre land in central Delhi's Chanakyapuri area. He was received by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the venue. He then led the people present for the event into laying wreaths on the memorial in the honour and memory of the jawan killed in the line of action. Ministers of state in the Home Ministry Kiren Rijiju and Hansram G Ahir, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval along with senior officers and personnel of various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and state police forces were present during the event. Intelligence Bureau Director Rajiv Jain said 34,844 police personnel from central and state police forces have laid down their lives in the line of duty since Independence, 414 did so over the last year. The day is observed to pay homage to the 10 policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh's Hot Spring area. Numerous other personnel who laid down their lives protecting the country's unity and integrity are remembered on the occasion. The memorial, built a few years ago, has now been refurbished and the central structure has been enhanced by replacing the old rock structure. The museum capturing the history, artefacts, uniform and gear of central and state police forces is an underground facility in the premises of the national police memorial. The museum project is being steered by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in coordination with the central armed police forces (CAPFs) that function under the command of the Union Home Ministry. US President Donald Trump has alleged that his predecessor Barack Obama had done nothing despite being advised by the FBI on likely Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential elections. He was responding to a question on the Russian meddling in the US elections after a rally in Nevada on Saturday, ahead of next months midterm polls. Russia, however, has denied the allegations. Ive already said that. I always say this an youve heard me say this many times... President Obama was contacted by the FBI in September, long before the election in November, and they told him there may be meddling by the Russians, and he did nothing about it, because he thought Hillary Clinton would win, Trump said. He said the present Government has taken adequate steps to protect the upcoming elections. He (Obama) did nothing He didnt lift a finger he didnt spend a dime. Weve done a lot to protect the elections coming up very shortly, Trump said. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. 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The following companies are subsidiares of Banco Santander: 2 & 3 Triton Limited, A & L CF (Guernsey) Limited (f), A & L CF June (2) Limited, A & L CF June (3) Limited, A & L CF March (5) Limited, A & L CF September (4) Limited, AFB SAM Holdings S.L., ALIL Services Limited (b), AN (123) Limited, ANITCO Limited, Abbey Business Services (India) Private Limited, Abbey Covered Bonds (LM) Limited, Abbey National, Abbey National Beta Investments Limited, Abbey National Business Office Equipment Leasing Limited, Abbey National International Limited, Abbey National Nominees Limited, Abbey National PLP (UK) Limited, Abbey National Property Investments, Abbey National Treasury Services Investments Limited, Abbey National Treasury Services Overseas Holdings, Abbey National UK Investments, Abbey Stockbrokers (Nominees) Limited, Abbey Stockbrokers Limited, Ablasa Participaciones S.L., Administracion de Bancos Latinoamericanos Santander S.L., Aduro S.A., Aevis Europa S.L., Afisa S.A., Albert., Aljardi SGPS Lda., Alliance & Leicester, Alliance & Leicester Cash Solutions Limited, Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments (Derivatives) Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments (No.2) Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments Limited, Alliance & Leicester Limited, Alliance & Leicester Personal Finance Limited, Altamira Santander Real Estate S.A., Alternative Leasing FIL, Amazonia Trade Limited, Amherst Pierpont, Andaluza de Inversiones S.A., Aquanima Brasil Ltda., Aquanima Chile S.A., Aquanima Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Aquanima S.A., Arcaz - Sociedade Imobiliaria Portuguesa Lda., Argenline S.A. (b), Asto Digital Limited, Athena Corporation Limited, Atual - Fundo de Invest Multimercado Credito Privado Investimento no Exterior, Atual Servicos de Recuperacao de Creditos e Meios Digitais S.A., Autodescuento S.L., Autohaus24 GmbH, Auttar HUT Processamento de Dados Ltda., Aviacion Antares A.I.E., Aviacion Britanica A.I.E., Aviacion Centaurus A.I.E., Aviacion Comillas S.L. Unipersonal, Aviacion Intercontinental A.I.E., Aviacion Laredo S.L., Aviacion Oyambre S.L. Unipersonal, Aviacion Real A.I.E., Aviacion Santillana S.L., Aviacion Suances S.L., Aviacion Triton A.I.E., Aymore Credito Financiamento e Investimento S.A., BEN Beneficios e Servicos S.A., BRS Investments S.A., BZW Bank, Banca PSA Italia S.p.A., Banco Bandepe S.A., Banco Madesant - Sociedade Unipessoal S.A., Banco PSA Finance Brasil S.A., Banco Popular, Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A., Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso 100740, Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso 2002114, Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso GFSSLPT, Banco Santander - Chile, Banco Santander Consumer Portugal S.A., Banco Santander International, Banco Santander International SA, Banco Santander Mexico S.A. 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Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, SAM Investment Holdings S.L., SAM UK Investment Holdings Limited (b), SANB Promotora de Vendas e Cobranca Ltda., SCF Eastside Locks GP Limited, SDMX Superdigital S.A. de C.V., SMPS Merchant Platform Solutions Mexico S.A de C.V, Sancap Investimentos e Participacoes S.A., Santander (CF Trustee Property Nominee) Limited, Santander (UK) Group Pension Schemes Trustees Limited, Santander Ahorro Inmobiliario 1 S.A., Santander Ahorro Inmobiliario 2 S.A., Santander Alternatives SICAV RAIF, Santander Asesorias Financieras Limitada, Santander Asset Finance (December) Limited, Santander Asset Finance plc, Santander Asset Management - S.G.O.I.C. S.A., Santander Asset Management Chile S.A., Santander Asset Management LLC, Santander Asset Management Luxembourg S.A., Santander Asset Management S.A. Administradora General de Fondos, Santander Asset Management S.A. 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Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Santander Insurance Agency U.S. LLC, Santander Insurance Services UK Limited, Santander Intermediacion Correduria de Seguros S.A., Santander International Products Plc. (d), Santander Inversiones S.A., Santander Investment Bank Limited, Santander Investment Chile Limitada, Santander Investment I S.A., Santander Investment S.A., Santander Investment Securities Inc., Santander Investments GP 1 S.a.r.l., Santander Inwestycje Sp. z o.o., Santander Lease S.A. E.F.C., Santander Leasing LLC, Santander Leasing S.A., Santander Leasing S.A. 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S.G.I.I.C., Santander Private Banking UK Limited, Santander Private Banking s.p.a. in Liquidazione (b), Santander Private Real Estate Advisory & Management S.A., Santander Private Real Estate Advisory S.A., Santander Real Estate S.A., Santander Retail Auto Lease Funding LLC, Santander Rio Asset Management Gerente de Fondos Comunes de Inversion S.A., Santander Rio Trust S.A., Santander Rio Valores S.A., Santander S.A. 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S.A., Santusa Holding S.L., Services and Promotions Delaware Corp., Services and Promotions Miami LLC, Servicio de Alarmas Controladas por Ordenador S.A., Servicios de Cobranza Recuperacion y Seguimiento S.A. De C.V., Sheppards Moneybrokers Limited, Shiloh III Wind Project LLC, Sociedad Integral de Valoraciones Automatizadas S.A., Sociedad Operadora de Tarjetas de Pago Santander Getnet Chile S.A., Socur S.A., Sol Orchard Imperial 1 LLC, Solarlaser Limited, Sovereign Community Development Company, Sovereign Delaware Investment Corporation, Sovereign Lease Holdings LLC, Sovereign REIT Holdings Inc., Sovereign Spirit Limited (f), Sterrebeeck B.V., Suleyado 2003 S.L. Unipersonal, Summer Empreendimentos Ltda., Super Pagamentos e Administracao de Meios Eletronicos S.A., Superdigital Argentina S.A.U., Superdigital Colombia S.A.S., Superdigital Holding Company S.L., Superdigital Peru S.A.C., Suzuki Servicios Financieros S.L., Swesant SA, TIMFin S.p.A., TOPSAM S.A de C.V., Taxagest Sociedade Gestora de Participacoes Sociais S.A., Teatinos Siglo XXI Inversiones S.A., The Alliance & Leicester Corporation Limited, The Best Specialty Coffee S.L. Unipersonal, Time Retail Finance Limited (b), Tonopah Solar I LLC, Toque Fale Servicos de Telemarketing Ltda., Tornquist Asesores de Seguros S.A. (b), Totta (Ireland) PLC, Totta Urbe - Empresa de Administracao e Construcoes S.A., Trabajando.com Mexico S.A. de C.V. en liquidacion (b), Trabajando.com Peru S.A.C., Trans Rotor Limited (b), Transolver Finance EFC S.A., Tresmares Growth Fund Santander SCR S.A., Tresmares Santander Direct Lending SICC S.A., Tuttle and Son Limited, Universia Brasil S.A., Universia Chile S.A., Universia Colombia S.A.S., Universia Espana Red de Universidades S.A., Universia Holding S.L., Universia Mexico S.A. de C.V., Universia Peru S.A., Universia Uruguay S.A., Uro Property Holdings SOCIMI S.A., WIM Servicios Corporativos S.A. de C.V., WTW Shipping Designated Activity Company, Wallcesa S.A., Wave Holdco S.L., Waypoint Insurance Group Inc., and Wirecard (Technological Assets). Roots Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides apparel, leather goods, footwear, and accessories under the Roots brand in Canada and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Direct-To-Consumer, and Partners and Other. The Direct-to-Consumer segment sells products through the company's corporate retail stores and e-commerce. The Partners and Other segment primarily engages in the wholesale of Roots branded products to the company's international operating partners. This segment is also involved in licensing Roots brand to manufacturing partners; and wholesaling Roots branded products to retail partners. As of January 30, 2021, it operated 111 corporate retail stores in Canada, two corporate retail stores in the United States, 117 partner-operated stores in Taiwan, 26 partner-operated stores in China, and two partner-operated stores in Hong Kong, as well as an eCommerce platform and partner-operated eCommerce channels in Taiwan and mainland China. W. Roots Corporation was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. engages in the natural gas midstream, and intrastate transportation and storage businesses in the United States. The company's Intrastate Transportation and Storage segment transports natural gas from various natural gas producing areas through connections with other pipeline systems, as well as through its ET Fuel System and HPL System. This segment owns and operates approximately 7,900 miles of natural gas transportation pipelines and three natural gas storage facilities in Texas. Its Interstate Transportation and Storage segment provides natural gas transportation and storage services; owns and operates approximately 11,800 miles of interstate natural gas pipelines; and has interests in various natural gas pipelines. The company's Midstream segment gathers, compresses, treats, blends, processes, and markets natural gas. It owns and operates natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) gathering pipelines, natural gas processing plants, natural gas treating facilities, and natural gas conditioning facilities. The company's NGL and Refined Products Transportation and Services segment transports mixed NGLs and other hydrocarbons; stores mixed NGLs, NGL products, and petrochemical products; and separates mixed NGL streams into purity products. This segment owns and operates various NGL pipelines, NGL and propane fractionation facilities, and NGL storage facilities. Its Crude Oil Transportation and Services segment engages in the transportation, terminalling, and acquisition and marketing of crude oil; and operates crude oil trunk and gathering pipelines. The company's All Other segment engages in the natural gas compression equipment business; provides natural gas compression equipment and compression services; manages coal and natural resources property, sells standing timber, and leases coal-related infrastructure facilities; and generates electrical power. Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. was founded in 1995 and is based in Dallas, Texas. Read More Novan, Inc., a clinical development-stage biotechnology company, provides nitric oxide-based therapies to treat dermatological and oncovirus-mediated diseases. Its clinical stage dermatology drug candidates include SB204, a topical monotherapy for the treatment of acne vulgaris; SB206, a topical anti-viral gel for the treatment of viral skin infections; SB208, a topical broad-spectrum anti-fungal gel for the treatment of fungal infections of the skin and nails, including athlete's foot and fungal nail infections; and SB414, a topical cream-based gel product candidate for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. The company also develops SB207, an anti-viral product candidate for the treatment of external genital warts; WH602, a nitric oxide-containing intravaginal gel to treat high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV); WH504, a non-gel formulation product candidate to treat high-risk HPV; and SB019 for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Novan, Inc. has a license agreement with Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; and a strategic alliance with Orion Corporation. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique) Limitada, Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Philippines), Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico) Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Private Limited, Abbott Laboratories A/S, Abbott Laboratories Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Abbott Laboratories B.V., Abbott Laboratories C.A., Abbott Laboratories Finance B.V., Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Abbott Laboratories International LLC, Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited - Laboratoires Abbott Limitee, Abbott Laboratories NZ Limited, Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Laboratories Products B.V., Abbott Laboratories Residential Development Fund Inc., Abbott Laboratories S.A., Abbott Laboratories SA, Abbott Laboratories Services Corp., Abbott Laboratories Slovakia s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc., ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics. GMS, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in the distribution of wallboard and suspended ceilings systems and complementary interior construction products. It operates through the following segments: Geographic Divisions, Other, and Corporate. The firm offers ceilings products, including suspended mineral fibers, soft fibers, and metal ceiling systems primarily used in offices, hotels, hospitals, retail facilities, schools, and various other commercial and institutional buildings. It also provides steel framing products, such as steel tracks, studs, and various other steel products used to frame the interior walls of a commercial or institutional building; and insulation, lumber and other wood products, ready-mix joint compound, and various other interior construction products, as well as ancillary products comprising tools, fasteners, and safety products. The company was founded by Richard K. Mueller and Richard A. Whitcomb in 1971 and is headquartered in Tucker, GA. Read More Shares of iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF reverse split before market open on Monday, November 7th 2016. The 1-4 reverse split was announced on Friday, October 14th 2016. The number of shares owned by shareholders was adjusted after the market closes on Friday, November 4th 2016. An investor that had 100 shares of iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF stock prior to the reverse split would have 25 shares after the split. The following companies are subsidiares of 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. The following companies are subsidiares of Boston Scientific: 34 Biomedical Merger Corp., 9357-1867 Quebec Inc., Acurate Industria e Comercio Ltda., Advanced Bionics, Advanced Stent Technologies, American Medical Systems, American Medical Systems Europe B.V., Apama Medical, Apama Medical Inc., Asthmatx, Atritech, Augmenix, Augmenix Inc., Augmenix K.K., BSC International Medical Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BSC Medical Device Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BTG, BTG Australasia Pty Ltd, BTG Europe B.V., BTG IM Holdings Ltd., BTG International (Holdings) Limited, BTG International Asia Limited, BTG International Canada Inc., BTG International Germany GmbH, BTG International Healthcare Inc., BTG International Healthcare LLC, BTG International Healthcare Limited, BTG International Inc., BTG International Limited, BTG Limited, BTG Management Services Limited, BTG Medikal Limited Sirketi, Bard Electrophysiology, Barosense, Biocompatibles Inc., Biocompatibles International Limited, Biocompatibles UK Limited, Boston Scientific (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Boston Scientific (South Africa) Proprietary Limited, Boston Scientific (Thailand) Ltd., Boston Scientific (UK) Limited, Boston Scientific AG, Boston Scientific Argentina S.A., Boston Scientific Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Boston Scientific Benelux NV, Boston Scientific Canada Limited, Boston Scientific Ceska republika s.r.o., Boston Scientific Chile SpA, Boston Scientific Colombia Limitada, Boston Scientific Comercial de Costa Rica BSCR S.R.L., Boston Scientific Far East B.V., Boston Scientific Gesellschaft m.b.H., Boston Scientific Group plc, Boston Scientific Hellas S.A., Boston Scientific Hong Kong Limited, Boston Scientific Iberica S.A., Boston Scientific India Private Limited, Boston Scientific International B.V., Boston Scientific International Finance Limited, Boston Scientific International S.A., Boston Scientific Israel Ltd., Boston Scientific Japan K.K., Boston Scientific Korea Co. Ltd., Boston Scientific Lebanon SAL, Boston Scientific Limited, Boston Scientific Ltd., Boston Scientific Medical Device, Boston Scientific Medical Device Limited, Boston Scientific Medizintechnik GmbH, Boston Scientific Middle East FZ-LLC, Boston Scientific Middle East SAL, Boston Scientific Nederland B.V., Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation, Boston Scientific New Zealand Limited, Boston Scientific Nordic AB, Boston Scientific Peru S.A.C., Boston Scientific Philippines Inc., Boston Scientific Polska Sp. z o.o., Boston Scientific Portugal - Dispositivos Medicos Lda, Boston Scientific Pty Ltd, Boston Scientific Romania S.R.L., Boston Scientific S.A.S., Boston Scientific S.p.A., Boston Scientific Scimed, Boston Scientific Scimed Inc., Boston Scientific Services Private Limited, Boston Scientific TIP Gerecleri Limited Sirketi, Boston Scientific Technology & Engineering Services Private Limited, Boston Scientific Uruguay S.A., Boston Scientific Vietnam Company Limited, Boston Scientific de Costa Rica S.R.L., Boston Scientific de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Boston Scientific del Caribe Inc., Boston Scientific do Brasil Ltda., Bravo Bidco Limited, BridgePoint Medical, Cameron Health, Cardiac Pacemakers Inc., Cardiac Pathways Corp, Catheter Innovations, Claret Medical, Claret Medical Inc., Cosman Medical, Cosman Medical LLC, CryoCor, Cryterion Medical, Cryterion Medical Inc., Cryterion Medical Ireland Limited, EKOS LLC, EMcision, EMcision International Inc., EP Technologies, EP Technologies Inc., Electron Acquisition Corporation, EndoChoice, EndoChoice Holdings Inc., EndoChoice Inc., EndoChoice Innovation Center Ltd., EndoChoice Israel Ltd., Endotex, Enteric Medical Technologies, Galil Medical Inc., Galil Medical Ltd., Galil Medical UK Limited, Guidant, Guidant Delaware Holding Corporation, Guidant Europe NV, Guidant Puerto Rico B.V., Hong Kong Medtech Trading Limited, Intelect Medical, Millipede, Millipede Inc., NXT Merger Corp., Notebook Merger Sub Ltd., Novate Medical Limited, NxThera, NxThera Inc., PT Boston Scientific Indonesia, PneumRx GmbH, PneumRx LLC, PneumRx Liimited, Protherics Medicines Development B.V., Protherics Medicines Development Limited, Protherics UK Limited, Provensis Limited, RMI Acquisition Corp., Remon Medical Technologies, Rhythmia Medical, Robert S. Smith M.D. Inc., Roxwood Medical Inc., SNS Merger Corp, Sadra Medical, Sadra Medical Inc., Securus Medical Group, Securus Medical Group Inc., Special K Merger Corp., StarMedTec, Stream Enterprises LLC, Symetis, Symetis SA, Target Therapeutics, Target Therapeutics Inc., The LumenR Tissue Retractor System, Veniti, Veniti Inc., VertiFlex, Vertiflex Inc., Vessix Vascular, Xlumena, Zuma Investment Pty Ltd, iogyn, nVision Medical, and nVision Medical Corporation. The following companies are subsidiares of 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.. 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. Bank of America Corp. is a bank and financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking and nonbank financial services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth and Investment Management, Global Banking, Global Markets, and All Other. The Consumer Banking segment offers credit, banking, and investment products and services to consumers and small businesses. The Global Wealth and Investment Management provides client experience through a network of financial advisors focused on to meet their needs through a full set of investment management, brokerage, banking, and retirement products. The Global Banking segment deals with lending-related products and services, integrated working capital management and treasury solutions to clients, and underwriting and advisory services. The Global Markets segment includes sales and trading services, as well as research, to institutional clients across fixed-income, credit, currency, commodity, and equity businesses. The All Other segment consists of asset and liability management activities, equity investments, non-core mortgage loans and servicing activities, the net impact of periodic revisions Read More American Water Works Co., Inc. engages in the provision of complementary water and wastewater services. It operates through the following segments: Regulated Businesses; Market-Based Businesses; and Other. The Regulated Businesses segment provides water and wastewater services to customers. The Market-Based Businesses segment is responsible for Military Services Group, Contract Operations Group, Homeowner Services Group, and Keystone Operations. The Other segment includes corporate costs that are not allocated to the Company's operating segments, eliminations of inter-segment transactions, fair value adjustments and associated income and deductions related to the acquisitions that have not been allocated to the operating segments for evaluation of performance and allocation of resource purposes. The company was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Camden, NJ. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Exxon Mobil: AKG Marketing Company Limited, Aera Energy LLC, Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company, Ampolex (Cepu) Pte Ltd, Ancon Insurance Company Inc., Barnett Gathering LLC, Barzan Gas Company Limited, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Celtic Exploration Ltd., Coral FLNG S.A., Cross Timbers Energy LLC, Ellora Energy Inc., Esmeroon Oil Transporta Imperial Oil Limited, Esso (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, Esso Deutschland GmbH, Esso Erdgas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Chad Inc., Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited, Esso Global Investments Ltd., Esso Italiana S.r.l., Esso Nederland B.V., Esso Norge AS, Esso Petroleum Company Limited, Esso Raffinage, Esso Societe Anonyme Francaise, Exxo Holdings Inc., Exxon Azerbaijan Limited, Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., Exxon International Finance Company, Exxon Luxembourg Holdings LLC, Exxon Mobile Bay Limited Partnership, Exxon Neftegas Limited, Exxon Overseas Corporation, Exxon Overseas Investment Corporation, ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil (Taicang) Petroleum Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil Abu Dhabi Offshore Petroleum Company Limited, ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc., ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd, ExxonMobil B Resources Company, ExxonMobil Capital Finance Company, ExxonMobil Capital Netherlands B.V., ExxonMobil Central Europe Holding GmbH, ExxonMobil Cepu Limited, ExxonMobil Chemical France, ExxonMobil Chemical Gulf Coast Investments LLC, ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V., ExxonMobil Chemical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Company Limited, ExxonMobil Development Africa B.V., ExxonMobil Development Company, ExxonMobil Egypt (S.A.E.), ExxonMobil Exploracao Brasil Ltda., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Limited, ExxonMobil Finance Company Limited, ExxonMobil Financial Investment Company Limited, ExxonMobil France Holding SAS, ExxonMobil Gas Marketing Europe Limited, ExxonMobil General Finance Company, ExxonMobil Global Services Company, ExxonMobil Golden Pass Surety LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Company Holland LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Norway AS, ExxonMobil Hong Kong Limited, ExxonMobil International Services SARL, ExxonMobil Iraq Limited, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas S.r.l., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc., ExxonMobil LNG Services B.V., ExxonMobil Lubricants Trading Company, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, ExxonMobil PNG Limited, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical BVBA, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical Holdings Inc., ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH, ExxonMobil Production Norway Inc., ExxonMobil Qatargas (II) Limited, ExxonMobil Qatargas Inc., ExxonMobil Ras Laffan (III) Limited, ExxonMobil Rasgas Inc., ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, ExxonMobil Russia Kara Sea Holdings B.V., ExxonMobil Sales and Supply LLC, ExxonMobil Technology Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Funding Ltd., Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Golden Pass LNG Terminal Investments LLC, Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures LLC, Imperial Oil Limited, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited, Imperial Oil/Petroliere Imperiale, Infineum Italia s.r.I., Infineum Singapore Pte. Ltd., InterOil Corporation, Jurong Aromatics Corporation Pte Ltd, MPM Lubricants, Marine Well Containment Company LLC, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited, Mobil California Exploration & Producing Asset Company, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, Mobil Chemical Products International Inc., Mobil Corporation, Mobil Equatorial Guinea Inc., Mobil Erdgas Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Mobil Exploration & Producing Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil International Petroleum Corporation, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast Inc., Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mobil Producing Texas & New Mexico Inc., Mobil SerLimited, Mobil Venezolana De Petroleos Inc., Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical Company Inc., Mobil Yanbu Refining Company Inc., Mountain Gathering LLC, Mozambique Rovuma Venture S.p.A., Palmetto Transoceanic LLC, Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas Global Company LDC, Permian Express Partners LLC, Phillips Exploration LLC, Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (II), SPI Limited, Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Company Ltd., Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co., SeaRiver Maritime Inc., South Hook LNG Terminal Company Limited, Tengizchevroil LLP, Terminale GNL Adriatico S.r.l, Trend Gathering & Treating LLC, Wolverine Pipe Line Company, XH LLC, XTO Delaware Basin LLC, XTO ENERGY, XTO Energy Canada, and XTO Holdings LLC. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF's stock was trading at $38.50 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EFV stock has increased by 34.4% and is now trading at $51.76. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Deutsche BArse AG operates as an exchange organization in Europe, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific. The company operates through seven segments: Eurex (Financial Derivatives), EEX (Commodities), 360T (Foreign Exchange), Xetra (Cash Equities), Clearstream (Post-Trading), IFS (Investment Fund Services), and Qontigo (index and analytics business). The company engages in the electronic trading of derivatives, electricity and gas products, emission rights, and foreign exchange; operating of Eurex Repo over the counter (OTC) trading platform and electronic clearing architecture; and operating as a central counterparty for on-and-off exchange derivatives, repo transactions, and OTC and exchange-traded derivatives. It also operates in the cash market through Xetra, BArse Frankfurt, and Tradegate trading venues; operates as a central counterparty for equities and bonds; and provides listing services. In addition, the company offers custody and settlement services for securities; investment fund services; global securities financing services; and global securities finance and collateral management, as well as secured money, market transaction, and repos and securities lending transaction services. Further, it develops and markets indices, as well as portfolio management and risk analysis software; markets licenses for trading and market signals; provides technology and reporting solutions for external customers; and offers link-up of trading participants. Deutsche BArse AG was founded in 1585 and is headquartered in Eschborn, Germany. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of UnitedHealth Group: 1031387 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, 1070715 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, 1st Avenue Pharmacy Inc., 310 Canyon Medical, 310 Canyon Medical LLC, 4C MSO LLC, 4C Medical Group PLC, 5995 Minnetonka LLC, ABCO International Holdings LLC, ACN Group IPA of New York, ACN Group IPA of New York Inc., ACN Group of California, ACN Group of California Inc., AHJV, AHJV MSO, AHN Accontable Care Organization LLC, AHN Central Services LLC, AHN Target Holdings LLC, AMIL International, AMIL International S.a.r.l., APS Assistencia Personalizada a Saude Ltda., ARC Infusion, ASC Holdings of New Jersey LLC, ASC Network LLC, ASI Global, ASI Global LLC, Access Administrators Inc., Access HealthSource Administrators Inc., Access HealthSource Inc., Access I.V., Administradora Clinica La Colina S.A.S., Administradora Country S.A., Administradora Medica Centromed S.A., Advanced Care, Advanced Care Pharmacy, Advanced Pharma Inc., Advanced Surgery Center of Clifton LLC, Advanced Surgical Hospital LLC, Advantage Care Network Inc., Advocate Condell Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Advocate Sherman Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Advocate Southwest Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Advocate-SCA Partners LLC, Alere Health, Alere Health Improvement Company, Alere Healthcare of Illinois, Alere Wellbeing, Alere Wellology, Alere of New York, Aliansalud Entidad Promotora de Salud S.A., All Savers Insurance Company, All Savers Life Insurance Company of California, Alliance Surgical Center LLC, Aloha Surgical Center LLC, Ambient Healthcare, Ambient Healthcare Inc., Ambient Healthcare of Central Florida, Ambient Healthcare of Georgia, Ambient Healthcare of Northeast Florida, Ambient Healthcare of S. Florida, Ambient Healthcare of West Florida, Ambient Holdings, Ambient Holdings Inc., Ambient Nursing Services, AmeriChoice, AmeriChoice Corporation, AmeriChoice Health Services, AmeriChoice of Connecticut, AmeriChoice of New Jersey, AmeriChoice of New Jersey Inc., American Health Network of Indiana Care Organization LLC, American Health Network of Indiana II LLC, American Health Network of Indiana LLC, American Health Network of Ohio Care Organization LLC, American Health Network of Ohio II LLC, American Health Network of Ohio LLC, Amico Saude Ltda., Amil, Amil Assistencia Medica Internacional S.A., Amil Lifesciences Participacoes Ltda., Antelope Valley Surgery Center L.P., Analisis Clinicos ML S.A.C., Apothecary Holdings Inc., Apothecary Shop of Phoenix Inc., AppleCare Medical Management, AppleCare Medical Management LLC, Aquitania Chilean Holding SpA, Arise Physician Group, Arizona Physicians IPA, Arizona Physicians IPA Inc., AssuranceRx, AssuranceRx LLC, Athens ASC Holdings LLC, Audax Health Solutions, Audax Health Solutions LLC, Austin Center for Outpatient Surgery L.P., Avella Patient Access Program Inc., Avella Specialty Pharmacy, Avella of Austin Inc., Avella of Columbus Inc., Avella of Deer Valley Inc., Avella of Denver Inc., Avella of Gilbert Inc., Avella of Las Vegas II Inc., Avella of Orlando Inc., Avella of Phoenix III Inc., Avella of Sacramento Inc., Avella of Scottsdale Inc., Avella of St. Louis Inc., Avella of Tampa LLC, Avella of Tucson II Inc., Avella of Tucson Inc., Aveta Arizona, Aveta Health Solutions Inc., Aveta Inc., Aveta Kansas City, Aveta Tennessee, AxelaCare Health Solutions, AxelaCare Intermediate Holdings, AxelaCare Intermediate Holdings LLC, AxelaCare LLC, B.R.A.S.S. Partnership in Commendam, Banmedica Colombia SpA, Banmedica Internacional SpA, Banmedica S.A., Beach Surgical Holdings III LLC, Behavioral Healthcare Options, Behavioral Healthcare Options Inc., Belleville Surgical Center Ltd. an Illinois Limited Partnership, Benefit Administration for the Self Employed L.L.C., Benefitter Insurance Solutions Inc., Birmingham Outpatient Surgical Center LLC, Blackstone Valley Surgicare GP LLC, Blue Ridge GP LLC, Bordeaux (Barbados) Holdings I SRL, Bordeaux (Barbados) Holdings II SRL, Bordeaux (Barbados) Holdings III SRL, Bordeaux Holding SpA, Bordeaux International Holdings Inc., Bordeaux UK Holdings I Limited, Bordeaux UK Holdings II Limited, Bordeaux UK Holdings III Limited, Bosque Medical Center Ltda., Brandon Ambulatory Surgery Center LC, BriovaRx, BriovaRx, BriovaRx Infusion Services, BriovaRx Infusion Services 102 LLC, BriovaRx Infusion Services 200 Inc., BriovaRx Infusion Services 204 Inc., BriovaRx Infusion Services 209 Inc., BriovaRx Infusion Services 305 LLC, BriovaRx Infusion Services 402 LLC, BriovaRx Infusion Services Inc., BriovaRx Specialty LLC, BriovaRx of California, BriovaRx of California Inc., BriovaRx of Florida, BriovaRx of Florida Inc., BriovaRx of Georgia, BriovaRx of Georgia LLC, BriovaRx of Hawaii, BriovaRx of Indiana, BriovaRx of Louisiana, BriovaRx of Louisiana L.L.C., BriovaRx of Maine, BriovaRx of Maine Inc., BriovaRx of Massachusetts, BriovaRx of Massachusetts LLC, BriovaRx of Nevada, BriovaRx of New York, BriovaRx of New York Inc., BriovaRx of Texas, BriovaRx of Texas Inc., CDC Holdings Colombia S.A.S., CLISA Clinica de Santo Antonio S.A., CMO Centro Medico de Oftalmologia S/S Ltda., CMS Central de Manipulacao e Servicos Farmaceuticos S.A., CNIC Health Solutions Inc., COI Participacoes S.A., COI Clinicas Oncologicas Integradas S.A., Cabin Enterprises LLC, Cabin Holdings LLC, California MedTrans Network IPA LLC, California MedTrans Network MSO LLC, California Medical Group Insurance Company Risk Retention Group, Camp Hill-SCA Centers LLC, Capital City Medical Group L.L.C., Cardio Management, Cardio Management Inc., Care Improvement Plus Group Management, Care Improvement Plus Group Management LLC, Care Improvement Plus South Central Insurance Company, Care Improvement Plus Wisconsin Insurance Company, Care Improvement Plus of Texas Insurance Company, Casa de Saude Santa Therezinha Ltda., Casa de Saude Santa Therezinha S.A., Castle Rock SurgiCenter LLC, Catalyst360, Catalyst360 LLC, Catamaran Finance (Ireland) Unlimited Company, Catamaran Health Solutions, Catamaran Holdings I, Catamaran IPA III, Catamaran Mail, Catamaran PBM of Illinois II, Catamaran PBM of Puerto Rico, Catamaran PD of Pennsylvania, Catamaran PD of Puerto Rico, Catamaran Rebate Management, Catamaran S.a.r.l., Catamaran Senior Services, Catamaran of Pennsylvania, Cedar Park Surgery Center LLC, Cemed Care - Empressa de Atendimento Clinico Geral Ltda., Cemed Care Empresa de Atendimento Clinico Geral Ltda., Central Indiana Care Organization LLC, Central Ohio Care Organization LLC, Central de Compras SpA, CentriHealth Corporation, CentriHealth UK Limited, CentrifyHealth LLC, Centro Medico Hospitalar Pitangueiras Ltda., Centro Medico Odontologico Americano S.A.C., Centro Medico PJ Ltda., Centro de Entrenamiento en Reanimacion y Prevencion Limitada (CERP), Centro de Servicios Compartidos Banmedica S.A., Centromed Quilpue S.A., Centros Medicos y Dentales Multimed Ltda., Centurion Casualty Company, Channel Islands Surgicenter L.P., Channel Islands Surgicenter Properties LLC, Charleston Surgery Properties LLC, Charlotte-SC LLC, Childrens Surgery Center LLC, ChinaGate (Hong Kong) Limited, ChinaGate Company Limited, Citrus Regional Surgery Center L.P., Clinica Oftalmologica Danilo de Castro Sociedade Simples, Clinical Partners of Colorado Springs LLC, Clinica Alameda S.A., Clinica Bio Bio S.A., Clinica Ciudad del Mar S.A., Clinica Davila y Servicios Medicos S.A., Clinica Medico Cirurgica de Santa Tecla S.A., Clinica San Borja (La Esperanza del Peru S.A.), Clinica San Felipe S.A., Clinica Santa Maria S.A., Clinica Sanchez Ferrer S.A., Clinica Vespucio S.A., Clinica del Country S.A., Coachella Valley Physicians of PrimeCare, Coachella Valley Physicians of PrimeCare Inc., Coalition For Advanced Pharmacy Services, Coalition for Advanced Pharmacy Services Inc., Coastal Physicians Management Inc., Collaborative Care Holdings, Collaborative Care Holdings LLC, Collaborative Care Services, Collaborative Care Services Inc., Collaborative Care Solutions, Collaborative Realty, Collaborative Realty LLC, Colmedica Medicina Prepagada, Colonial Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Colorado Innovative Physician Solutions Inc., Colorado Springs Surgery Center Ltd., Comfort Care Transportation, Comfort Care Transportation LLC, Commonwealth Administrators, Connecticut Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Connecticut Surgery Properties LLC, Connecticut Surgical Center LLC, Connextions, Connextions HCI, Constructora e Inmobiliaria Magapoq S.A., Consumer Wellness Solutions Inc., Country Scan Ltda., Crescent Drug Corp., Cypress Care, Cypress Care Inc., DBP Services of New York IPA, DBP Services of New York IPA Inc., DTC Surgery Center LLC, DWIC of Tampa Bay, DWIC of Tampa Bay Inc., DaVita Magan Management Inc., Danbury Surgical Center L.P., Day-Op Surgery Consulting Company, Day-Op Surgery Consulting Company LLC, Definity Health, Dental Benefit Providers, Dental Benefit Providers Inc., Dental Benefit Providers of California, Dental Benefit Providers of California Inc., Dental Benefit Providers of Illinois, Dental Benefit Providers of Illinois Inc., Derry Surgical Center LLC, Diagnostico Ecotomografico Centromed Ltda., Diasnostico por Imagenes Centromed Ltda., Dilab Medicina Nuclear Ltda., Diplomat Pharmacy, Distance Learning Network, Distance Learning Network Inc., Doctor + S.A.C., Dry Creek Surgery Center LLC, Dublin Surgery Center LLC, Duncan Printing Services, Duncan Printing Services LLC, E Street Endoscopy LLC, ELG FZE, EP Campus I, EP Campus I LLC, East Brunswick Surgery Center LLC, Electronic Network Systems, Electronic Network Systems Inc., Elual Participacoes S.A., Empire Physician Management Company, Empire Physician Management Company LLC, Employers Health Choice PPO Inc., Empremedica S. A., Endoscopy Center Affiliates Inc., Enterprise Life Insurance Company, Equian, Equian LLC, Equian Parent Corp., Esho Empresa de Servicos Hospitalares S.A., Etho Empresa de Tecnologia Hospitalar Ltda., Evercare Collaborative Solutions, Evercare Collaborative Solutions Inc., Everett MSO Inc., Excellion Servicos Biomedicos Ltda., Excellion Servicos Biomedicos S.A., Excelsior Insurance Brokerage Inc., Executive Health Resources, Executive Health Resources Inc., Executive Surgery Center LLC, Eye Clinic Oftalmologia Clinico Cirurgica e Diagnostico Ltda., FMG Holdings, FMG Holdings LLC, FOR HEALTH OF ARIZONA, Family Health Care Services, Family Home Hospice, Family Home Hospice Inc., First Rx Specialty & Mail Services, Florida MedTrans Network LLC, Florida MedTrans Network MSO LLC, For Health, For Health Inc., For Health of Arizona Inc., Fortified Provider Network Inc., Fortify Technologies Asia LLC, Fortify Technologies LLC, Foundation Financial Services Inc., Franklin Surgical Center LLC, Freedom Life Insurance Company of America, Freeway Surgicenter of Houston LLC, Frontier MEDEX Limited, Frontier Medex Tanzania Limited, FrontierMEDEX, FrontierMEDEX (RMS), FrontierMEDEX (RMS) Inc., FrontierMEDEX Government Services, FrontierMEDEX Government Services LLC, FrontierMEDEX Inc., FrontierMEDEX Kenya Limited, FrontierMEDEX US, FrontierMEDEX US Inc., Fundacion Banmedica, GRANTS PASS SURGERY CENTER LLC, Gadsden Surgery Center LLC, Gadsden Surgery Center Ltd., Gainesville Surgery Center L.P., Gainesville Surgery Properties LLC, Genoa, Genoa Healthcare Inc., Genoa Healthcare LLC, Genoa QoL Wholesale LLC, Genoa Technology (Canada) Inc., Genoa Technology Inc., Genoa Telepsychiatry Inc., Genoa of Arkansas LLC, Glenwood Surgical Center L.P., Glenwood-SC Inc., Golden Outlook, Golden Outlook Inc., Golden Rule Financial Corporation, Golden Rule Insurance Company, Golden Triangle Surgicenter L.P., Grapevine Finance LLC, Greater Hartford ASC LLC, Grove Place Surgery Center L.L.C., Guardian Health Systems Limited Partnership, H&W Indemnity (SPC), H&W Indemnity (SPC) Ltd., H.I. Investments Holding Company LLC, HCP ACO California LLC, HCP ACO Nevada LLC, HCentive Technology India Private Limited, HMI NewCo LLC, Harken Health Insurance Company, Hayes-Strub LLC, Health Business Systems, Health Care-ONE Insurance Agency Inc., Health Inventures Employment Solutions LLC, Health Inventures LLC, Health Net Insurance of New York, Health Net Services (Bermuda) Ltd., Health Plan of Nevada, Health Plan of Nevada Inc., Health Technology Analysts Pty Limited, HealthAllies, HealthAllies Inc., HealthCare Partners ASC-LB LLC, HealthCare Partners Management Services California LLC, HealthCare Partners RE LLC, HealthFirst IPA Inc., HealthMarkets Group Inc., HealthMarkets Inc., HealthMarkets Insurance Agency Inc., HealthMarkets LLC, HealthMarkets NewCo Inc., HealthMarkets Services Inc., HealthSCOPE Holdings Inc., HealthScope Benefits Inc., Healthcare Partners Plan of Nevada Inc., Healthcare Solutions Inc., Heartland Heart and Vascular LLC, Help S.A., Help Service S.A., Highlands Ranch Healthcare, Highlands Ranch Healthcare LLC, Home Care I.V. of Bend, Home Infusion With Heart, Home Medical S.A., Hospice Inspiris Holdings, Hospice Inspiris Holdings Inc., Hospitais Associados de Pernambuco Ltda., Hospital Alvorada de Taguatinga Ltda., Hospital Ana Costa S.A., Hospital Maternidade Promater Ltda., Hospital Samaritano de Sao Paulo Ltda., Hospital Santa Helena S.A., Hospital de Clinicas de Jacarepagua Ltda., Humedica, Humedica Inc., Hygeia Corporation, Hygeia Corporation (Canada), Hygeia Corporation (DE), Hygeia Corporation (Ontario), INOV8 Surgical at Memorial City LLC, INSPIRIS of New York IPA, INSPIRIS of New York Management, INSPIRIS of New York Management Inc., INSPIRIS of Texas Physician Group, IRX Financing I LLC, Illinois Independent Care Network, Imed Star Servicos de Desempenho Organizacional Ltda., Impel Consulting Experts, Impel Consulting Experts L.L.C., Impel Management Services L.L.C., Indian River Surgery Center Ltd., Indian River Surgery Properties LLC, Indiana Care Organization LLC, Infusource, Ingram & Associates, Ingram & Associates LLC, Inmobiliaria Apoquindo 3001 S.A., Inmobiliaria Apoquindo 3600 Ltda., Inmobiliaria Apoquindo S.A., Inmobiliaria Clinica Santa Maria S.A., Inmobiliaria Vinamed Ltda., Inmobiliaria e Inversiones Alameda S.A., Inspiris, Inspiris Inc., Inspiris Services Company, Inspiris of Tennessee, Instituto do Radium de Cammpinas Ltda, International Psychological Services Pty Limited, Inversiones Clinicas Santa Maria S.A., Isapre Banmedica S.A., Isapre Vida Tres S.A., Johnston Surgicare L.P., Joliet Surgery Center Limited Partnership, LHI, Laboratorio ROE S.A., Laboratorios Medicos Amed Quilpue S.A., LifePrint Health, LifePrint Health Inc., LifeStyles Marketing Group Inc., LifeWell Ltd. Co., Lifeprint Accountable Care Organization, Lifeprint Accountable Care Organization LLC, Lifeprint East, Lifeprint East Inc., Logistics Health Inc., Lotten-Eyes Oftalmologia Clinica e Cirurgica Ltda., Louisville S.C. Ltd., Louisville-SC Properties Inc., Loyola Ambulatory Surgery Center at Oakbrook Inc., Lusiadas - Parcerias Cascais S.A., Lusiadas A.C.E., Lusiadas S.A., Lusiadas SGPS S.A., MAMSI Insurance Resources, MAMSI Life and Health Insurance Company, MD Ops, MD Ops Inc., MD-Individual Practice Association, MD-Individual Practice Association Inc., ME AHS UC LLC, MEDEX Insurance Services, MEDEX Insurance Services Inc., MGH/SCA LLC, MHC Real Estate Holdings, MHC Real Estate Holdings LLC, MIAMI SURGERY CENTER LLC, MSLA Management LLC, MXMD Centros De Cancer, Mamoeco Mamografia e Ecografia Centro de Diagnostico, Managed Physical Network, Managed Physical Network Inc., March Holdings, March Holdings Inc., March Vision Care, March Vision Care Inc., Marin Surgery Holdings Inc., Maryland Ambulatory Centers, Maryland-SCA Centers LLC, Massachusetts Assurance Company Ltd. PIC, Massachusetts Avenue Surgery Center LLC, Mat-Rx Development, Mat-Rx Fort Worth GP, MedExpress Development, MedExpress Development LLC, MedExpress Urgent Care Alabama LLC, MedExpress Urgent Care Inc. - Ohio, MedExpress Urgent Care Maine Inc., MedExpress Urgent Care New Hampshire Inc., MedExpress Urgent Care of Boynton Beach, MedExpress Urgent Care of Boynton Beach LLC, MedSynergies, MedSynergies LLC, MedSynergies North Texas, Medalliance Net Ltda, Medalliance Net Ltda., Medica Health Plans of Florida, Medica Health Plans of Florida Inc., Medica HealthCare Plans, Medica HealthCare Plans Inc., Medical Clinic of North Texas PLLC, Medical Hilfe S.A., Medical Preparatory School of Allied Health, Medical Support Los Angeles Inc., Medical Surgical Centers of America Inc., Medical Transportation Services, Medical Transportation Services LLC, Medication Management Systems Inc., Melbourne Surgery Center LLC, Memorial City Holdings LLC, Memorial City Partners LLC, Memphis-SC LLC, Memphis-SP LLC, Mesquite Liberty LLC, Metro I Stone Management, Metropolitan Medical Partners LLC, Metropolitan Medical Transportation IPA LLC, Mid Atlantic Medical Services, Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of Tennessee, Midwest Center for Day Surgery LLC, Mile High SurgiCenter LLC, Mississippi Surgery Holdings LLC, Mississippi Surgical Center Limited Partnership, Mobile Medical Professionals, Modern Medical Inc., Monarch Management Services, Monarch Management Services Inc., Montgomery Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Mountain View Medical Group LLC, Mt. Pleasant Surgery Center L.P., Multiangio Ltda., Muskogee Surgical Investors LLC, Mustang Razorback Holdings, Mustang Razorback Holdings Inc., My Wellness Solutions LLC, NAMM Holdings, NAMM Holdings Inc., NSC Fayetteville LLC, NSC Greensboro LLC, NSC Lancaster LLC, NSC Seattle Inc., NSC Upland LLC, Nashville-SCA Surgery Centers Inc., National Foundation Life Insurance Company, National MedTrans LLC, National Pacific Dental, National Pacific Dental Inc., National Surgery Centers LLC, Neighborhood Health Partnership, Neighborhood Health Partnership Inc., Netwerkes, Netwerkes LLC, Nevada Medical Services LLC, Nevada Pacific Dental, New Orleans Regional Physician Hospital Organization L.L.C., New West Physicians Inc., Newton Holdings LLC, North American Medical Management - Illinois, North American Medical Management California, North American Medical Management California Inc., North Puget Sound Center for Sleep Disorders LLC, North Puget Sound Oncology Equipment Leasing Company LLC, Northern Nevada Health Network, Northern Nevada Health Network Inc., Northern Rockies Surgicenter Inc., Northwest Surgicare LLC, Northwest Surgicare Ltd., Nutritional/Parenteral Home Care, Nutritional/Parenteral Home Care of Huntsville, OC Cardiology Practice Partners LLC, OSB Tecnologia e Servicos de Suporte Ltda., Omesa S.A., OmniClaim LLC, Oncocare S.A.C., OneNet PPO, OneNet PPO LLC, Optimum Choice, Optimum Choice Inc., Optum, Optum Bank, Optum Bank Inc., Optum Biometrics, Optum Biometrics Inc., Optum Care Inc., Optum Care Services Company, Optum Clinical Services, Optum Clinics Holdings, Optum Clinics Holdings Inc., Optum Clinics Intermediate Holdings, Optum Clinics Intermediate Holdings Inc., Optum Digital Health Holdings LLC, Optum Finance (Ireland) Unlimited Company, Optum Global Finance (Ireland) Unlimited Company, Optum Global Solutions (India) Private Limited, Optum Global Solutions (Philippines), Optum Global Solutions (Philippines) Inc., Optum Global Solutions International B.V., Optum Government Solutions, Optum Government Solutions Inc., Optum Growth Partners LLC, Optum Health & Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, Optum Health & Technology (Hong Kong) Limited, Optum Health & Technology (India) Private Limited, Optum Health & Technology (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Optum Health & Technology (UK) Limited, Optum Health & Technology (US), Optum Health & Technology (US) LLC, Optum Health & Technology FZ-LLC, Optum Health & Technology Holdings (US), Optum Health & Technology Holdings (US) Inc., Optum Health & Technology Servicos do Brasil Ltda., Optum Health Services (Canada) Ltd., Optum Health Solutions (Australia) Pty Ltd, Optum Health Solutions (UK) Limited, Optum Health and Technology FZ-LLC, Optum Healthcare of Illinois, Optum Healthcare of Illinois Inc., Optum Hospice Pharmacy Services, Optum Hospice Pharmacy Services LLC, Optum Inc., Optum Infusion Services 100 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 101 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 103 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 201 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 202 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 203 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 205 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 206 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 207 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 208 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 301 LP, Optum Infusion Services 302 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 308 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 401 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 403 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 404 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 501 Inc., Optum Insurance of Ohio, Optum Insurance of Ohio Inc., Optum Labs, Optum Labs Dimensions, Optum Labs Dimensions Inc., Optum Labs Inc., Optum Labs International (UK) Ltd., Optum Life Sciences (Canada) Inc., Optum Management Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Optum Management Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Optum Networks of New Jersey Inc., Optum Nevada Accountable Care Organization LLC, Optum Operations (Ireland) Unlimited Company, Optum Palliative and Hospice Care, Optum Palliative and Hospice Care Inc., Optum Palliative and Hospice Care of Pennsylvania, Optum Palliative and Hospice Care of Pennsylvania Inc., Optum Palliative and Hospice Care of Texas, Optum Palliative and Hospice Care of Texas Inc., Optum Perks LLC, Optum Pharmacy 701 LLC, Optum Pharmacy 702 LLC, Optum Pharmacy 703 LLC, Optum Pharmacy 705 LLC, Optum Public Sector Solutions, Optum Public Sector Solutions Inc., Optum Rocket, Optum Rocket Inc., Optum Senior Services LLC, Optum Services, Optum Services (Ireland) Limited, Optum Services (Puerto Rico) LLC, Optum Services Inc., Optum Solutions UK Holdings Limited, Optum Solutions do Brasil Tecnologia e Servicos de Suporte Ltda., Optum Technology, Optum Technology LLC, Optum UK Solutions Group Limited, Optum Women's and Children's Health, Optum Women's and Children's Health LLC, Optum of New York Inc., Optum360, Optum360 LLC, Optum360 Services, Optum360 Services Inc., Optum360 Solutions LLC, OptumCare ACO Florida LLC, OptumCare ACO Holdings LLC, OptumCare ACO New Mexico LLC, OptumCare Clinical Trials LLC, OptumCare Colorado ASC LLC, OptumCare Colorado LLC, OptumCare Colorado Springs LLC, OptumCare Endoscopy Center New Mexico LLC, OptumCare Florida CI LLC, OptumCare Florida LLC, OptumCare Health Plan of California Inc., OptumCare Holdings Colorado LLC, OptumCare Holdings LLC, OptumCare Holdings New Mexico LLC, OptumCare Management LLC, OptumCare New Mexico LLC, OptumCare New York IPA Inc., OptumCare South Florida LLC, OptumHealth Care Solutions, OptumHealth Care Solutions LLC, OptumHealth Financial Services, OptumHealth Financial Services Inc., OptumHealth Holdings, OptumHealth Holdings LLC, OptumHealth International B.V., OptumInsight, OptumInsight Holdings, OptumInsight Holdings LLC, OptumInsight Inc., OptumInsight India Private Limited, OptumInsight Life Sciences, OptumInsight Life Sciences Inc., OptumRx, OptumRx Administrative Services, OptumRx Administrative Services LLC, OptumRx Discount Card Services, OptumRx Discount Card Services LLC, OptumRx Group Holdings, OptumRx Group Holdings Inc., OptumRx Health Solutions LLC, OptumRx Holdings, OptumRx Holdings I LLC, OptumRx Holdings LLC, OptumRx Home Delivery of Illinois, OptumRx Home Delivery of Ohio, OptumRx Home Delivery of Ohio LLC, OptumRx IPA III Inc., OptumRx Inc., OptumRx NY IPA, OptumRx NY IPA Inc., OptumRx PBM of Illinois, OptumRx PBM of Illinois Inc., OptumRx PBM of Maryland, OptumRx PBM of Maryland LLC, OptumRx PBM of Pennsylvania, OptumRx PBM of Pennsylvania LLC, OptumRx PBM of Puerto Rico LLC, OptumRx PBM of Wisconsin, OptumRx PBM of Wisconsin LLC, OptumRx PD of Maryland, OptumRx PD of Pennsylvania LLC, OptumRx Pharmacy, OptumRx Pharmacy Inc., OptumRx Pharmacy of Nevada, OptumRx Pharmacy of Nevada Inc., OptumRx of Pennsylvania LLC, OptumServe Technology Services Inc., Orlando Center for Outpatient Surgery L.P., OrthoNet Holdings, OrthoNet Holdings Inc., OrthoNet LLC, OrthoNet New York IPA, OrthoNet New York IPA Inc., OrthoNet Services, OrthoNet Services Inc., OrthoNet West, OrthoNet West Inc., OrthoNet of the Mid-Atlantic, OrthoNet of the South, OrthoNet of the South Inc., Ovations, Ovations Inc., Oxford Benefit Management, Oxford Benefit Management Inc., Oxford Health Insurance, Oxford Health Insurance Inc., Oxford Health Plans (CT), Oxford Health Plans (CT) Inc., Oxford Health Plans (NJ), Oxford Health Plans (NJ) Inc., Oxford Health Plans (NY), Oxford Health Plans (NY) Inc., Oxford Health Plans LLC, P2 Lower Acquisition, P2P Link LLC, PCCCV, PCCCV Inc., PCN DE Corp., PHC Subsidiary Holdings, PHC Subsidiary Holdings LLC, PHYS Holding Corp., PHYSICIANS DAY SURGERY CENTER LLC, PMI Acquisition, PMI Acquisition LLC, PMSI, PMSI Holdco II, PMSI Holdings, PMSI Holdings LLC, PMSI LLC, PMSI Settlement Solutions, PMSI Settlement Solutions LLC, POMCO Inc., POMCO Network Inc., PPH Holdings LLC, PacifiCare Health Systems, PacifiCare Life Assurance Company, PacifiCare Life and Health Insurance Company, PacifiCare of Arizona, PacifiCare of Arizona Inc., PacifiCare of Colorado, PacifiCare of Colorado Inc., PacifiCare of Nevada, PacifiCare of Nevada Inc., Pacific Casualty Company Inc., Pacifico S.A. Entidad Prestadora de Salud, Paoli Ambulatory Surgery Center, Paoli Surgery Center L.P., Parkway Surgery Center LLC, Pasteur Plaza Surgery Center GP Inc., PatientsLikeMe, PatientsLikeMe LLC, Patrimonio Autonomo Nueva Clinica - PANC., Payment Resolution Services, Payment Resolution Services LLC, Peoples Health, Peoples Health Inc., Pharmaceutical Care Network, Pharmacy Review Services, Pharmacy Software Holdco Inc., PhyServe Holdings, Physician Alliance of the Rockies LLC, Physician Care Partners, Physicians Health Choice of Texas, Physicians Health Choice of Texas LLC, Physicians Health Plan of Maryland, Physicians Health Plan of Maryland Inc., Physicians Plaza Holdings LLC, Plano de Saude Ana Costa Ltda., Plus One Health Management Puerto Rico, Plus One Health Management Puerto Rico Inc., Plus One Holdings, Plus One Holdings Inc., Polar II Fundo de Investimento em Participacoes, Polar II Fundo de Investimento em Participacoes Multiestrategia, Polo Holdco, Polo Holdco LLC, Pomerado Outpatient Surgical Center Inc., Pomerado Outpatient Surgical Center L.P., Precision Dialing Services Inc., Preferred Care Partners, Preferred Care Partners Holding, Preferred Care Partners Holding Corp., Preferred Care Partners Inc., Preferred Care Partners Medical Group, Preferred Care Partners Medical Group Inc., Premier Choice ACO, Premier Choice ACO Inc., Premier Surgery Center of Louisville L.P., Prime Health, Prime Health Inc., PrimeCare Medical Network, PrimeCare Medical Network Inc., PrimeCare of Citrus Valley, PrimeCare of Citrus Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Corona, PrimeCare of Corona Inc., PrimeCare of Hemet Valley, PrimeCare of Hemet Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Inland Valley, PrimeCare of Inland Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Moreno Valley, PrimeCare of Moreno Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Redlands, PrimeCare of Redlands Inc., PrimeCare of Riverside, PrimeCare of Riverside Inc., PrimeCare of San Bernardino, PrimeCare of San Bernardino Inc., PrimeCare of Sun City, PrimeCare of Sun City Inc., PrimeCare of Temecula, PrimeCare of Temecula Inc., ProHEALTH Fitness of Lake Success, ProHEALTH Fitness of Lake Success LLC, ProHEALTH Medical Management LLC, ProHealth Medical Management, ProHealth Physicians, ProHealth Physicians ACO, ProHealth Physicians ACO LLC, ProHealth Physicians Inc., ProHealth Proton Center Management, ProHealth Proton Center Management LLC, Procura Management, Procura Management Inc., Progressive Enterprises Holdings, Progressive Enterprises Holdings Inc., Progressive Medical, Progressive Medical LLC, Progressive Solutions, Promotora Country S.A., Pronetics Health Care Group, Pronounced Health Solutions Inc., Prosemedic S.A.C., Prospero Management Services LLC, Pueblo-SCA Surgery Center LLC, Pulse Platform LLC, QoL Acquisition Holdings Corp., Quality Software Services, QuarterMaster Newco LLC, R&H Family Fitness Unlimited LLC, Rally Health, Rally Health Inc., Real Appeal Inc., Recaudacion y Cobranzas Honodav Ltda., Redlands Ambulatory Surgery Center, Redlands-SCA Surgery Centers Inc., Reliant MSO LLC, Research Surgical Center LLC, River Valley ASC LLC, Riverside Electronic Healthcare Resources Inc., Riverside Medical Management, Riverside Medical Management LLC, Riverside Surgical Center of Meadowlands LLC, Riverside Surgical Center of Newark LLC, Rocky Mountain Health Maintenance Organization Incorporated, Rocky Mountain HealthCare Options Inc., SC Affiliates LLC, SCA Alaska Surgery Center inc., SCA Athens LLC, SCA Austin Holdings LLC, SCA BOSC Holdings LLC, SCA California Surgical Holdings LLC, SCA Capital LLC, SCA Cedar Park Holdings LLC, SCA Clifton LLC, SCA Danbury Surgical Center LLC, SCA Development LLC, SCA EHSC Holdings LLC, SCA EWASC Holdings LLC, SCA Hays Holdings LLC, SCA Heartland Holdings LLC, SCA HoldCo Inc., SCA Holding Company Inc., SCA Holdings Inc., SCA IEC Holdings LLC, SCA Indiana Holdings LLC, SCA Nashville ASC LLC, SCA Pacific Holdings Inc., SCA Pennsylvania Holdings LLC, SCA Premier Surgery Center of Louisville LLC, SCA ROCS Holdings LLC, SCA Rockledge JV LLC, SCA SSC Holdings LLC, SCA SSSC Holdings LLC, SCA Sage Medical LLC, SCA Sage Medical MSO LLC, SCA Southwestern PA LLC, SCA Specialists of Florida LLC, SCA Stonegate Holdings LLC, SCA Surgery Center of Cullman LLC, SCA Surgery Holdings LLC, SCA Surgery Partners LLC, SCA Surgicare of Laguna Hills LLC, SCA Teammate Support Network, SCA eCode Solutions Private Limited, SCA of Clarksville Inc., SCA-Albuquerque Surgery Properties Inc., SCA-Alliance LLC, SCA-Anne Arundel LLC, SCA-Applecare Partners LLC, SCA-Bethesda LLC, SCA-Blue Ridge LLC, SCA-Bonita Springs LLC, SCA-Brandon LLC, SCA-Castle Rock LLC, SCA-Central Florida LLC, SCA-Charleston LLC, SCA-Chatham LLC, SCA-Chevy Chase LLC, SCA-Citrus Inc., SCA-Colorado Springs LLC, SCA-Connecticut Partners LLC, SCA-DRY CREEK LLC, SCA-Davenport LLC, SCA-Denver LLC, SCA-Denver Physicians Holdings LLC, SCA-Derry LLC, SCA-Doral LLC, SCA-Downey LLC, SCA-Dublin LLC, SCA-Encinitas Inc., SCA-Eugene Inc., SCA-First Coast LLC, SCA-Florence LLC, SCA-Fort Collins Inc., SCA-Fort Walton Inc., SCA-Franklin LLC, SCA-Frederick LLC, SCA-Freeway Holdings LLC, SCA-Ft. Myers LLC, SCA-GRANTS PASS LLC, SCA-Gainesville LLC, SCA-Gladiolus LLC, SCA-Grove Place LLC, SCA-Hagerstown LLC, SCA-Hamden LLC, SCA-Hilton Head LLC, SCA-Honolulu LLC, SCA-Houston Executive LLC, SCA-IT Holdings LLC, SCA-Illinois LLC, SCA-JPM Holdings LLC, SCA-Kissing Camels Holdings LLC, SCA-MC VBP Inc., SCA-Main Street LLC, SCA-Marina del Rey LLC, SCA-Mecklenburg Development Corp., SCA-Memorial City LLC, SCA-Merritt LLC, SCA-Midlands LLC, SCA-Midway Management LLC, SCA-Mobile LLC, SCA-Mokena LLC, SCA-Mokena Properties LLC, SCA-Morris County LLC, SCA-Mt. Pleasant LLC, SCA-ND VBP Inc., SCA-Naperville LLC, SCA-Naples LLC, SCA-New Jersey LLC, SCA-Newport Beach LLC, SCA-Northeast Georgia Health LLC, SCA-PORTLAND LLC, SCA-Palm Beach LLC, SCA-Palm Beach MSO Holdings LLC, SCA-Paoli LLC, SCA-Phoenix LLC, SCA-Pocono LLC, SCA-Practice Partners Holdings LLC, SCA-River Valley LLC, SCA-Riverside LLC, SCA-Riverside Partners LLC, SCA-Rockville LLC, SCA-Sacred Heart Holdings LLC, SCA-San Diego Inc., SCA-San Luis Obispo LLC, SCA-Sand Lake LLC, SCA-Santa Rosa Inc., SCA-Shelby Development Corp., SCA-Somerset LLC, SCA-South Jersey LLC, SCA-Sparta LLC, SCA-Spartanburg Holdings LLC, SCA-St. Louis LLC, SCA-St. Lucie LLC, SCA-SurgiCare LLC, SCA-Swiftpath LLC, SCA-VERTA LLC, SCA-Wake Forest LLC, SCA-Western Connecticut LLC, SCA-Westover Hills LLC, SCA-Wilmington LLC, SCA-Wilson LLC, SCA-Winchester LLC, SCA-Winter Park Inc., SCA-Woodlands Holdings LLC, SCAI Holdings LLC, SCP Specialty Infusion, SCP Specialty Infusion LLC, SHC Atlanta LLC, SHC Austin Inc., SHC Hawthorn Inc., SHC Melbourne Inc., SPINETRACK 20/20 Inc., SRPS LLC, SXC Comet, Sacred Heart ASC LLC, Saden S.A., Salem Surgery Center LLC, Salveo Specialty Pharmacy, Salveo Specialty Pharmacy Inc., Sand Lake SurgiCenter LLC, Santa Cruz Endoscopy Center LLC, Santa Helena Assistencia Medica S.A., Santos Administracao e Participacoes S.A., Savvysherpa Administrative Services LLC, Savvysherpa Asia Inc., Savvysherpa LLC, Scanner Centromed S.A., ScripNet, ScriptSwitch Limited, Seisa Servicos Integrados de Saude Ltda., Senate Street Surgery Center LLC, Senior Benefits L.L.C., Senior Care Partners, Serquinox Holdings LLC, Serquinox LLC, Servicios Integrados de Salud Ltda., Servicios Medicos Amed Quilpue S.A., Servicios Medicos Bio Bio Limitada, Servicios Medicos Ciudad del Mar Ltda., Servicios Medicos Santa Maria Limitada, Servicios Medicos Vespucio Ltda., Servicios de Entrenamiento en Competencias Clinicas Ltda., SharedClarity LLC, Shelby Surgery Properties Inc., Sierra Health Services, Sierra Health Services Inc, Sierra Health Services Inc., Sierra Health and Life Insurance Company, Sierra Health and Life Insurance Company Inc., Sierra Health-Care Options, Sierra Health-Care Options Inc., Sierra Home Medical Products, Sierra Home Medical Products Inc., Sierra Nevada Administrators, Sierra Nevada Administrators Inc., Sirona Infusion, Sistema de Administracion Hospitalaria S.A.C., Small Business Insurance Advisors Inc., Sobam Centro Medico Hospitalar S.A., Sociedad Editorial para la Ciencia Limitada., Sociedad de Inversiones Santa Maria S.A., Somerset Outpatient Surgery L.L.C., Southwest Medical Associates, Southwest Medical Associates Inc., Southwest Michigan Health Network Inc., Southwest Surgery Center LLC, Southwest Surgical Center of Bakersfield L.P., Space Coast Surgical Center Ltd., Specialists in Urology Surgery Center LLC, Specialized Pharmaceuticals Inc., Specialty Benefits, Specialty Benefits LLC, Spectera, Spectera Inc., Spectera of New York IPA, Spectera of New York IPA Inc., Spotlite, Spotlite Inc., St. Cloud Surgical Center LLC, StoneRiver P2P Link, StoneRiver Pharmacy Solutions, Stonegate Surgery Center L.P., Streamlines Health LLC, Summit Home Infusion, SunSurgery LLC, Surgery Center Holding LLC, Surgery Center at Cherry Creek LLC, Surgery Center at Kissing Camels LLC, Surgery Center of Boca Raton Inc., Surgery Center of Clarksville L.P., Surgery Center of Colorado Springs LLC, Surgery Center of Des Moines LLC, Surgery Center of Easton LLC, Surgery Center of Ellicott City Inc., Surgery Center of Louisville LLC, Surgery Center of Maui LLC, Surgery Center of Muskogee LLC, Surgery Center of Rockville L.L.C., Surgery Center of Southern Pines LLC, Surgery Center of Spokane LLC, Surgery Center of Summerlin LLC, Surgery Center of The Woodlands LLC, Surgery Center of Vero Beach Inc., Surgery Center of Wilmington LLC, Surgery Center of Wilmington Properties LLC, Surgery Centers of Des Moines Ltd. an Iowa Limited Partnership, Surgery Centers-West Holdings LLC, Surgical Care Affiliates, Surgical Care Affiliates LLC, Surgical Care Affiliates Political Action Committee, Surgical Care Partners of Melbourne LLC, Surgical Center of South Jersey Limited Partnership, Surgical Center of Tuscaloosa Holdings LLC, Surgical Health LLC, Surgical Health of Orlando LLC, Surgical Hospital Holdings of Oklahoma LLC, Surgicare LLC, Surgicare of Belleville LLC, Surgicare of Jackson LLC, Surgicare of Joliet Inc., Surgicare of La Veta Inc., Surgicare of Minneapolis LLC, Surgicare of Mobile LLC, Surgicare of Oceanside Inc., Surgicare of Owensboro LLC, Surgicare of Salem LLC, Surgicenters of Southern California Inc., Symphonix Health Holdings, Symphonix Health Holdings LLC, Symphonix Health Insurance, Symphonix Health Insurance Inc., THE SURGICAL CENTER OF THE TREASURE COAST L.L.C., TeamMD Holdings Inc., TeamMD Iowa Inc., TeamMD Physicians of Texas Inc., TeamUP Insurance Services Inc., Tecnologias de Informacion en Salud S.A., The Advisory Board (Chile) SpA, The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company, The Lewin Group, The Lewin Group Inc., The Magan Medical Group, The Outpatient Surgery Center of Hilton Head LLC, The Polyclinic MSO LLC, Thomas Johnson Surgery Center LLC, Thousand Oaks Endoscopy Center LLC, Three Rivers Holdings, Three Rivers Holdings Inc., Three Rivers Surgical Care L.P., Tmesys, Tmesys LLC, Topimagem Diagnostico por Imagem Ltda., Touchpoint Health Plan, Trails Edge Surgery Center LLC, Travel Express Incorporated, TriMed LLC, Trinity Infusion, Trio Motion LLC, Tucson Arizona Surgical Center LLC, U.S. Behavioral Health Plan, U.S. Behavioral Health Plan California, UHC Finance (Ireland) Unlimited Company, UHC Global Health Services BC Ltd., UHC International Services, UHC International Services Inc., UHC of California, UHCG Holdings (Ireland) Limited, UHCG Services (Ireland) Limited, UHCG FZE, UHG Brasil Participacoes S.A., UHIC Holdings, UHIC Holdings Inc., UICI Funding Corp. 2, UMR, UMR Inc., USHEALTH Academy Inc., USHEALTH Administrators LLC, USHEALTH Advisors L.L.C., USHEALTH Career Agency Inc., USHEALTH Funding Inc., USHEALTH Group Inc., USMD Administrative Services, USMD Administrative Services L.L.C., USMD Affiliated Services, USMD CT (Mo), USMD Cancer Treatment Centers, USMD Cancer Treatment Centers GP, USMD Diagnostic Services, USMD Holdings, USMD Holdings Inc., USMD Inc., USMD PPM, USMD PPM LLC, USMD of Arlington GP, Ultima Rx, Unidad Medica Diagnostico S.A., Unimerica Insurance Company, Unimerica Life Insurance Company of New York, Unison Administrative Services, Unison Health Plan of Delaware, Unison Health Plan of Delaware Inc., United Behavioral Health, United Behavioral Health of New York I.P.A., United Behavioral Health of New York I.P.A. Inc., United Group Reinsurance Inc., United Health Foundation, United HealthCare, United HealthCare Services Inc., United Management Services Inc., United Resource Networks IPA of New York, United Resource Networks IPA of New York Inc., UnitedHealth Advisors, UnitedHealth Advisors LLC, UnitedHealth Group Finance Inc., UnitedHealth Group Global Healthcare Services Limited, UnitedHealth Group Global Services, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated, UnitedHealth Group Information Services Private Limited, UnitedHealth Group International Finance (Ireland) Unlimited Company, UnitedHealth Group International GP, UnitedHealth Group International L.P., UnitedHealth International, UnitedHealth International Inc., UnitedHealth Military & Veterans Services, UnitedHealth Military & Veterans Services LLC, UnitedHealth UK Limited, UnitedHealthcare, UnitedHealthcare Benefits Plan of California, UnitedHealthcare Benefits of Texas, UnitedHealthcare Benefits of Texas Inc., UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation Inc., UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Inc., UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of California, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of California Inc., UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Georgia, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Georgia Inc., UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio Inc., UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas L.L.C., UnitedHealthcare Consulting & Assistance Service (Beijing) Co., UnitedHealthcare Consulting & Assistance Service (Beijing) Co. Ltd., UnitedHealthcare Europe S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare Europe S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare Global Canada Limited, UnitedHealthcare Global Medical (UK) Limited, UnitedHealthcare Inc., UnitedHealthcare India Private Limited, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of Illinois, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of the River Valley, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Designated Activity Company, UnitedHealthcare Integrated Services, UnitedHealthcare Integrated Services Inc., UnitedHealthcare International Asia, UnitedHealthcare International Asia LLC, UnitedHealthcare International I B.V., UnitedHealthcare International I S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare International II B.V., UnitedHealthcare International II S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International II S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare International III B.V., UnitedHealthcare International III S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International III S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare International IV S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International IV S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare International V S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare International VI S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International VII S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International VIII S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International X S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance Company, UnitedHealthcare Plan of the River Valley, UnitedHealthcare Plan of the River Valley Inc., UnitedHealthcare Service LLC, UnitedHealthcare Services Company of the River Valley, UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits, UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits LLC, UnitedHealthcare of Alabama, UnitedHealthcare of Alabama Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Arizona, UnitedHealthcare of Arizona Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Arkansas, UnitedHealthcare of Arkansas Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Colorado, UnitedHealthcare of Colorado Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Florida, UnitedHealthcare of Florida Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Georgia, UnitedHealthcare of Georgia Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Illinois, UnitedHealthcare of Illinois Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Kentucky, UnitedHealthcare of Kentucky Ltd., UnitedHealthcare of Louisiana, UnitedHealthcare of Louisiana Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Mississippi, UnitedHealthcare of Mississippi Inc., UnitedHealthcare of New England, UnitedHealthcare of New England Inc., UnitedHealthcare of New Mexico, UnitedHealthcare of New Mexico Inc., UnitedHealthcare of New York, UnitedHealthcare of New York Inc., UnitedHealthcare of North Carolina, UnitedHealthcare of North Carolina Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Ohio, UnitedHealthcare of Ohio Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Oklahoma, UnitedHealthcare of Oklahoma Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Oregon, UnitedHealthcare of Oregon Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Pennsylvania, UnitedHealthcare of Pennsylvania Inc., UnitedHealthcare of South Carolina Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Texas, UnitedHealthcare of Texas Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Utah, UnitedHealthcare of Utah Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Washington, UnitedHealthcare of Washington Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Wisconsin, UnitedHealthcare of Wisconsin Inc., UnitedHealthcare of the Mid-Atlantic, UnitedHealthcare of the Mid-Atlantic Inc., UnitedHealthcare of the Midlands, UnitedHealthcare of the Midlands Inc., UnitedHealthcare of the Midwest, UnitedHealthcare of the Midwest Inc., UpFront Insurance Agency LLC, Upland Holdings LLC, Upland Outpatient Surgical Center L.P., Urgent Care Holdings, Urgent Care Holdings Inc., Urgent Care MSO, Urgent Care MSO LLC, Urology Associates of North Texas, Urology Associates of North Texas P.L.L.C., VERTA MANAGEMENT SERVICES LLC, Valley Hospital L.L.C., Valley Physicians Network, Valley Physicians Network Inc., Vida Tres Internacional S.A., Vidaintegra S.A., Vivify Health Canada Inc., Vivify Health Inc., WESTMED Practice Partners LLC, Wauwatosa Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Wauwatosa Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Wayland Square Surgicare Acquisition L.P., Wayland Square Surgicare GP Inc., WebInsure Benefits LLC, WellMed Medical Management, WellMed Medical Management Inc., WellMed Medical Management of Florida, WellMed Medical Management of Florida Inc., WellMed Networks DFW, West Coast Endoscopy Holdings LLC, Western Connecticut Orthopedic Surgical Center LLC, WillowB Labs LLC, Wilmington ASC LLC, Winchester Endoscopy LLC, Winter Park LLC, XLHealth Corporation, XLHealth Corporation India Private Limited, Your Health Options Insurance Services, Your Health Options Insurance Services Inc., Your Partner in Health Services, divvyDOSE, eCode Solutions LLC, gethealthinsurance.com Agency Inc., hCentive Inc., inPharmative, inPharmative Inc., and ppoONE. Fraport AG operates airports in Germany, rest of Europe, Asia, and the United States. The company primarily focuses on the operation of Frankfurt Main airport. It operates through four segments: Aviation, Retail & Real Estate, Ground Handling, and International Activities & Services. The Aviation segment operates landside and airside infrastructure, which covers the area of airport charges. The Retail & Real Estate segment engages in retail activities, including marketing of real estate properties and land. This segment also manages buildings and facilities, and parking and retail areas; and rents advertising space. The Ground Handling segment provides loading, baggage, and passenger services through airmail and luggage transport to freight handling. The International Activities & Services segment acquires, operates, maintains, develops, and expands airports and infrastructure facilities. This segment also offers integrated facility and corporate infrastructure management, airport expansion south, and information and telecommunication services. Fraport AG was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Read More Kinder Morgan, Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company. The firm engages in the operation of pipelines and terminals that transport natural gas, gasoline, crude oil, carbon dioxide (CO2) and other products and stores petroleum products chemicals and handles bulk materials like ethanol, coal, petroleum coke and steel. It operates through the following segments: Natural Gas Pipelines, CO2, Terminals, Product Pipelines and Kinder Morgan Canada. The Natural Gas Pipelines segment engages in the ownership and operation of major interstate and intrastate natural gas pipeline and storage systems, natural gas and crude oil gathering systems and natural gas processing and treating facilities. The CO2 segment focuses on the production, transportation and marketing of CO2 to oil fields that use CO2 as a flooding medium for recovering crude oil from mature oil fields to increase production. The Terminals segment consists of the ownership and operation of liquids and bulk terminal facilities located throughout the U.S. and portions of Canada that trans load and store refined petroleum products, crude oil, chemicals, ethanol and bulk products, including coal, petroleum coke, fertilizer, Read More Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut. Read More The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. is an insurance and financial services company. The company provides life insurance, group and employee benefits, automobile and homeowners insurance and business insurance, as well as investment products, annuities, mutual funds, and college savings plans. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Property & Casualty Other Operations, Group Benefits and Hartford Funds. The Commercial Lines segment provides workers compensation, property, automobile, liability and umbrella coverage under several different products, primarily throughout the U.S., within its standard commercial lines, which consists of The Hartford's small commercial and middle market lines of business. The Personal Lines segment includes automobile, homeowners and home-based business coverage to individuals across the U.S. The Property & Casualty Other Operations segment includes certain property and casualty operations, currently managed by the company, that have discontinued writing new business and substantially all of the company's asbestos and environmental exposures. The Group Benefits segment offers group life, accident and disabi Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Hyatt Hotels: CHANCELLOR STREET CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION INC., GLENDALE HOTEL PROPERTIES L.L.C., HT-SEATTLE HOLDINGS LLC, 1379919 ALBERTA INC., 319168 ONTARIO LIMITED, 3385434 CANADA INC., ADMINISTRACION DE PERSONAL ANDARES S. DE R.L. DE C.V., AIC HOLDING CO., AIRPORT PLAZA ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, AIRPORT PLAZA HOTEL LLC, AIRPORT PLAZA OFFICE BUILDING LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, AMERISUITES FRANCHISING L.L.C., ARANCIA LIMITED, ARUBA BEACHFRONT RESORTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, ARUBA BEACHFRONT RESORTS N.V., ASIA HOSPITALITY INC., ASIA HOSPITALITY INVESTORS B.V., ASIAN HOTEL N.V., ATRIUM HOTEL L.L.C., AUSTIN RESORT BEVERAGE LLC, AmeriSuites Hotel, BAKU HOTEL COMPANY - AZERI, BAKU HOTEL COMPANY - CAYMAN, BASTROP MARKETING L.L.C., BAY II INVESTOR INC., BELLEVUE ASSOCIATES, BH PLAZA LLC, BRE/AMERISUITES PROPERTIES L.L.C., BRE/AMERISUITES TXNC GP L.L.C., BRE/AMERISUITES TXNC PROPERTIES L.P., BURVAN HOTEL ASSOCIATES, CAL-HARBOR SO. PIER URBAN RENEWAL ASSOCIATES L.P., CELAYA RESORTS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., CHESAPEAKE COMMUNITIES LLC, CHESAPEAKE RESORT LLC, CIUDAD DEL CARMEN DIAMANTE RESORT S. DE R.L. DE C.V, COAST BEACH L.L.C., COMPAGNIE HOTELIERE DE LAGON BLEU, CPM SEATTLE HOTELS L.L.C., CRW INVESTMENT LLC, CTR INTEREST HOLDCO INC., DALLAS REGENCY LLC, DENVER DOWNTOWN HOTEL PARTNERS LLC, DESARROLLADORA HOTELERA ACUEDUCTO S. DE R.L. DE C.V., DH BEVERAGE LLC, DIAMANTE RESORT LA PAZ S. DE R.L. DE C.V., DISTRICT HOTEL PARTNERS LLC, EXHALE ENTERPRISES GIFT SERVICES COMPANY, EXHALE ENTERPRISES II L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES III INC., EXHALE ENTERPRISES IV L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES V L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES VIII INC., EXHALE ENTERPRISES X INC., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XIV L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XIX L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XV L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XV TCI LTD., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XVI L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XVII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XVIII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XX L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXI INC., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXIV L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXV L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXVI L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXVII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXVIII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXXI L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXXII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXXIII INC., FAN PIER L.L.C., FAR EAST HOTELS INC., G.E.H. PROPERTIES LIMITED, GAINEY DRIVE ASSOCIATES, GALAXY AEROSPACE COMPANY LLC, GHE HOLDINGS LIMITED, GRAND HYATT BERLIN GMBH, GRAND HYATT DFW BEVERAGE LLC, GRAND HYATT SAN ANTONIO L.L.C., GRAND HYATT SF L.L.C., GRAND RIVERWALK BEVERAGE LLC, GRAND TORONTO CORP., GRAND TORONTO VENTURE L.P., GREENWICH HOTEL LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, H.E. ATLANTA CENTENNIAL PARK HOLDINGS L.L.C., H.E. AUSTIN L.L.C., H.E. BERMUDA L.L.C., H.E. CAP CANA L.L.C., H.E. DRISKILL LLC, H.E. GRAND CYPRESS L.L.C., H.E. IRVINE L.L.C., H.E. KANSAS CITY L.L.C., H.E. LENOX L.L.C., H.E. NASHVILLE L.L.C., H.E. NEWPORT L.L.C., H.E. ORLANDO L.L.C., H.E. PHILADELPHIA HC HOLDINGS L.L.C., H.E. PHILADELPHIA HC HOTEL L.L.C., H.E. PHILADELPHIA HC PARKING L.L.C., H.E. PHILADELPHIA HC RETAIL L.L.C., H.E. PHILADELPHIA SANSOM L.L.C., H.E. PORTLAND HC L.L.C., H.E. PORTLAND L.L.C., H.E. PROPERTIES HOLDING L.L.C., H.E. PROPERTIES L.L.C., H.E. SAN ANTONIO I L.L.C., H.E. SAN ANTONIO L.L.C., H.E. TUCSON HOLDINGS L.L.C., H.E. TUCSON JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., H.E. TUCSON JV L.L.C., H.E. TUCSON OWNER L.L.C., HAPP INVESTOR LTD., HARBORSIDE HOTEL LLC, HARBORSIDE LAND LLC, HC PORTLAND JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., HC ROYAL PALMS L.L.C., HCV CINCINNATI HOTEL L.L.C., HE ORLANDO HOTEL LLC, HGP (TRAVEL) LIMITED, HH NASHVILLE HOLDINGS L.L.C., HH NASHVILLE JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., HH PORTLAND L.L.C., HHMA BURLINGTON BEVERAGE L.L.C., HI HOLDINGS (SWITZERLAND) GMBH, HI HOLDINGS BAJA B.V., HI HOLDINGS BRAZIL S.A.R.L., HI HOLDINGS CELAYA B.V., HI HOLDINGS CIUDAD DEL CARMEN B.V., HI HOLDINGS CYPRUS LIMITED, HI HOLDINGS CYPRUS-INDIA LIMITED, HI HOLDINGS GUADALAJARA B.V., HI HOLDINGS HP CABO B.V., HI HOLDINGS HP TIJUANA HOTEL B.V., HI HOLDINGS KYOTO CO., HI HOLDINGS LA PAZ B.V., HI HOLDINGS LATIN AMERICA B.V., HI HOLDINGS NETHERLANDS B.V., HI HOLDINGS PLAYA B.V., HI HOLDINGS RIO S.A.R.L., HI HOLDINGS RIVIERA MAYA B.V., HI HOLDINGS VIENNA S.A.R.L., HI HOLDINGS ZURICH S.A.R.L., HI HOTEL ADVISORY SERVICES GMBH, HI HOTEL INVESTORS CYPRUS LIMITED, HIHCL AMSTERDAM B.V., HIHCL HP AMSTERDAM AIRPORT B.V., HIHCL HR AMSTERDAM B.V., HILP HOTEL SERVICE PROVIDER LLC, HOTEL AM BELVEDERE HOLDING GMBH, HOTEL AM BELVEDERE HOLDING GMBH & CO KG, HOTEL INVESTMENTS HOLDING CO LLC, HOTEL INVESTMENTS L.L.C., HOTEL INVESTORS I INC., HOTEL INVESTORS II INC., HOTEL PROJECT SYSTEMS PTE LTD, HOTEL SERVICES CIUDAD DEL CARMEN S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HOTELS CS CELAYA S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HP ATLANTA CENTENNIAL PARK JV LLC, HP AUSTIN L.L.C., HP BEVERAGE DALLAS DFW AIRPORT LLC, HP BEVERAGE SUGAR LAND LLC, HP BOSTON HOLDINGS L.L.C., HP GLENDALE JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., HP GLENDALE L.L.C., HP INDIA HOLDINGS LIMITED, HP LAS VEGAS BEVERAGE L.L.C., HP M STREET L.L.C., HP ROUTE 46 TEXAS LLC, HP SAN FRANCISCO L.L.C., HP SAN JUAN L.L.C., HP TEN TEXAS LLC, HPHH ATLANTA L.L.C., HPHH DENVER L.L.C., HPHH SAN JOSE JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., HPHH SAN JOSE L.L.C., HQ CHESAPEAKE LLC, HR LOST PINES RESORT LLC, HR MC HOTEL COMPANY S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HR MC SERVICES II S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HR MC SERVICES S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HRHC LLC, HT- WAILEA LLC, HT-AVENDRA GROUP HOLDINGS L.L.C., HT-AVENDRA L.L.C., HT-CHESAPEAKE COMMUNITIES INC., HT-CHESAPEAKE RESORT INC., HT-HOTEL EQUITIES INC., HT-HUNTINGTON BEACH INC., HT-JERSEY PIER INC., HT-JERSEY PIER L.P., HT-JERSEY PIER LLC, HT-LONG BEACH L.L.C., HT-MIAMI BEACH L.L.C., HT-PARK 57 INC., HT-SEATTLE LLC, HT-SIERRA L.L.C., HT-VANCOUVER INC., HTLB L.L.C., HTS - NS L.L.C., HTS - NY L.L.C., HTS-ASPEN L.L.C., HTS-BC INC., HTS-INVESTMENT L L.C., HTSF L.L.C., HTW BEVERAGE LLC, HY LONG BEACH HOTEL LLC, HYATT (BARBADOS) CORPORATION, HYATT (JAPAN) CO. LTD., HYATT (THAILAND) LIMITED, HYATT ARUBA N.V., HYATT ASIA PACIFIC HOLDINGS LIMITED, HYATT AUSTRALIA HOTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LIMITED, HYATT AUSTRIA GMBH, HYATT BEACH FRONT N.V., HYATT BORNEO MANAGEMENT SERVICES LIMITED, HYATT BRITANNIA CORPORATION LTD., HYATT CC OFFICE CORP., HYATT CHAIN SERVICES LIMITED, HYATT CRYSTAL CITY LLC., HYATT CURACAO N.V., HYATT DISASTER RELIEF FUND, HYATT DO BRASIL PARTICIPACOES LTDA, HYATT EQUITIES L.L.C., HYATT FOREIGN EMPLOYMENT SERVICES INC., HYATT FRANCHISING CANADA CORP., HYATT FRANCHISING L.L.C., HYATT FRANCHISING LATIN AMERICA L.L.C., HYATT FULFILLMENT OF MARYLAND INC., HYATT GLOBAL SERVICES INC., HYATT GTLD L.L.C., HYATT HOC INC., HYATT HOLDINGS (UK) LIMITED, HYATT HOSPITALITY SERVICES L.L.C., HYATT HOTEL MANAGEMENT LIMITED, HYATT HOTELS CONSULTANCY SERVICES ASIA PACIFIC LIMITED, HYATT HOTELS CORPORATION OF KANSAS, HYATT HOTELS CORPORATION OF MARYLAND, HYATT HOTELS FOUNDATION, HYATT HOTELS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, HYATT HOTELS OF CANADA INC., HYATT HOTELS OF FLORIDA INC., HYATT HOTELS OF PUERTO RICO INC., HYATT HOUSE CANADA INC., HYATT HOUSE FRANCHISING L.L.C., HYATT HOUSE HOTEL HOLDING COMPANY L.L.C., HYATT INDIA CONSULTANCY PRIVATE LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL (ASIA) LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL (EUROPE AFRICA MIDDLE EAST) LLC, HYATT INTERNATIONAL - JAPAN LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL - SOUTHWEST ASIA LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL -ASIA PACIFIC LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL -SEA (PTE) LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, HYATT INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS CO., HYATT INTERNATIONAL HOTEL MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO. LTD., HYATT INTERNATIONAL MILAN L.L.C., HYATT INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO. LTD., HYATT INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL SERVICES INC., HYATT JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., HYATT LACSA SERVICES INC., HYATT LOUISIANA L.L.C., HYATT MAINZ GMBH, HYATT MARKETING SERVICES INC., HYATT MARKETING SERVICES NIGERIA COMPANY LIMITED, HYATT MINNEAPOLIS LLC, HYATT MINORITY INVESTMENTS INC., HYATT MSS L.L.C., HYATT NORTH AMERICA MANAGEMENT SERVICES INC., HYATT OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, HYATT OF BAJA S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HYATT OF CHINA LIMITED, HYATT OF FRANCE S.A.R.L., HYATT OF GUAM LIMITED, HYATT OF ITALY S.R.L., HYATT OF LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN L.L.C., HYATT OF LATIN AMERICA S.A. DE C.V., HYATT OF MACAU LIMITED, HYATT OF MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., HYATT OF PHILIPPINES LIMITED, HYATT PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS L.L.C., HYATT PLACE ANNE ARUNDEL BEVERAGE INC., HYATT PLACE CANADA CORPORATION, HYATT PLACE FRANCHISING L.L.C., HYATT PLACE OF MARYLAND INC., HYATT REGENCY COLOGNE GMBH, HYATT REGENCY CORPORATION PTY. LIMITED, HYATT SERVICES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED, HYATT SERVICES CANADA INC., HYATT SERVICES CARIBBEAN L.L.C., HYATT SERVICES GMBH, HYATT SERVICES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, HYATT SHARED SERVICE CENTER L.L.C., HYATT TRINIDAD LIMITED, HYCANADA INC., HYCARD INC., HYSTAR L.L.C., Hyatt Corporation, INFORMATION SERVICES LIMITED, INTERNATIONAL RESERVATIONS LIMITED, JOINT VENTURE ITALKYR CLOSED JOINT STOCK COMPANY, JUNIPER HOTELS PRIVATE LIMITED, KSA MANAGEMENT INC., KYOTO HOLDING CO., LHR-PARTNERS LTD., LORING PARK ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, LOST PINES BEVERAGE LLC, MACAE PARTNERS S.A.R.L., MAHIMA HOLDINGS PRIVATE LIMITED, MARION RESERVATION CENTER L.L.C., MEXICO CITY HOTEL INVESTMENTS B.V., MILAN HOTEL INVESTMENTS B.V., MIRAVAL ARIZONA GUARANTOR LLC, MIRAVAL GROUP LLC, MIRAVAL RESORT ARIZONA HOLDINGS LLC, MIRAVAL RESORT ARIZONA LLC, MIRAVAL RESORT ARIZONA OPERATING CO. INC., MIRAVAL RESORT TUCSON LLC, MONROE MR HOLDINGS I LLC, MONROE MR HOLDINGS II LLC, MONROE MR HOLDINGS III LLC, MONROE MR HOLDINGS LLC, MONROE MR HOLDINGS TRUST, MRG ATX BEVERAGE HOLDINGS LLC, MRG ATX HOLDINGS II LLC, MRG ATX HOLDINGS LLC, MRG ATX INVESTMENT LLC, MRG ATX MANAGEMENT I LLC, MRG ATX MANAGEMENT II LLC, MRG ATX OPERATIONS LLC, MRG CRW HOLDINGS LLC, MRG CRW MANAGEMENT I LLC, MRG CRW MANAGEMENT II LLC, MRG CRW OPERATIONS LLC, MUNICH OPCO GMBH, Miraval Resort, OASIS LUXURY RENTALS INCORPORATED, PARIS HOTEL COMPANY B.V., PARK HYATT HAMBURG GMBH, PARK HYATT HOTEL GMBH, PARK HYATT WATER TOWER ASSOCIATES L.L.C., PH NEW YORK L.L.C., PHMC RESIDENCIAS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., POLK SMITH REGENCY LLC, PT HYATT INDONESIA, PVD INVESTMENT COMPANY S.A.R.L., Peabody Hotels & Resort, RCG PROPERTIES LLC, REGENCY BEVERAGE COMPANY LLC, REGENCY RIVERWALK BEVERAGE LLC, RESERVATIONS CENTER L.L.C., RIO JV PARTNERS PARTICIPACOES LTDA., RIO PRETO PARTNERS HOTEIS LTDA., RIO PRETO PARTNERS S.A.R.L., ROSEMONT PROJECT MANAGEMENT L.L.C., ROUTE 46 MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES CORP., RUNWAY HOLDING L.L.C., RUNWAY L.L.C., SAO PAULO INVESTMENT COMPANY INC., SAO PAULO INVESTORS LIMITED, SASIH, SDI EQUITIES INVESTOR L.L.C., SDI INC., SDI SECURITIES 11 LLC, SDI SECURITIES 6 LLC, SELECT HOTELS GROUP L.L.C., SELECT JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., SEOUL MIRAMAR CORPORATION, SERVICIOS DE HOTELERIA SAN JOSE S. DE R.L. DE C.V., SERVICIOS HOTELEROS LA PAZ S. DE R.L. DE C.V., SETTLEMENT INVESTORS INC., SHG PUERTO RICO INC., SIERRA HEALTHSTYLES LLC, SJC DESARROLLOS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., SKS CORP. N.V., SMC HOTELS B.V., SOROCABA PARTNERS HOTEIS LTDA, SOROCABA PARTNERS S.A.R.L., STANHOPE L.L.C., STARHILL LORING PARK L.L.C., SUGAR LAND/HP LLC, THE GREAT EASTERN HOTEL COMPANY LIMITED, THE GREAT EASTERN HOTEL HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED, TIJUANA PARTNERS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., TR MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT LLC, TUCSON VILLAS HOLDINGS LLC, TUCSON VILLAS LLC, TWO SEAS HOLDINGS LIMITED, Two Roads Hospitality, WAILEA HOTEL & BEACH RESORT L.L.C., WAILEA HOTEL HOLDINGS L.L.C., WAILEA MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION L.L.C., WAILEA RESORT VILLAS HOLDINGS L.L.C., WAILEA RESORT VILLAS L.L.C., WEST END RESIDENCES L.L.C., XENIA ASSURANCE COMPANY INC., XENIA ASSURANCE COMPANY OF ILLINOIS, ZURICH ESCHERWIESE HOTEL GMBH, and ZURICH HOTEL INVESTMENTS B.V.. Infineon Technologies AG designs, develops, manufactures, and markets semiconductors and related system solutions worldwide. Its Automotive segment offers automotive microcontrollers; 3D ToF, magnetic, and pressure sensors; discrete power semiconductors; IGBT modules; industrial microcontrollers; power and radar sensor integrated circuits (ICs); transceivers; silicon carbide diodes, MOSEFTs, and modules; and voltage regulators for use in assistance and safety systems, comfort electronics, infotainment, powertrain, and security products. The company's Industrial Power Control segment provides bare dies, discrete IGBTs, driver ICs, SIC diodes, and IGBT modules and stacks for home appliances, industrial drives, industrial power supplies, industrial robotics, industrial vehicles, and traction, as well as for energy generation, storage, and transmission. Its Power & Sensor Systems segment offers gas sensors, MEMS microphones, and pressure sensors chips; discrete low-voltage, mid-voltage, and high-voltage power MOSFETs; control ICs; customized chips; GaN power switches; GPS low-noise amplifiers; low-voltage and high-voltage driver ICs; radar sensor ICs; RF antenna switches and power transistors; transient voltage suppressor diodes; and USB controllers for use in audio amplifiers, automotive electronics, BLDC motors, cellular communications infrastructure, electric vehicle charging stations, human machine interaction, high-reliability components, Internet of Things, LED and conventional lighting systems, mobile devices, and power management applications. The company's Connected Secure Systems segment provides connectivity solutions, embedded security controllers, microcontrollers, and security controllers for authentication, automotive, consumer electronics, government identification document, Internet of Things, mobile communication, payment system, ticketing, access control, and trusted computing applications. Infineon Technologies AG is headquartered in Munich, Germany. Read More Intu owns and manages some of the best shopping centres, in some of the strongest locations, in the UK and Spain. Our UK portfolio is made up of 17 centres, including eight of the top-20, and in Spain we own three of the country's top-10 centres, with advanced plans to build a fourth. We are passionate about creating compelling experiences, in centre and online, that make our customers smile and help our retailers flourish. We attract around 400 million customer visits and 26 million website visits a year offering a multichannel approach that truly supports retail strategies. Our strategic focus on prime, high-footfall flagship destinations, combined with the strength and popularity of our brand, means that intu offers enhanced footfall, dwell time and loyalty. This helps our tenants flourish, driving occupancy and income growth. We are committed to our local communities, with our centres supporting nearly 130,000 jobs (representing about 3 per cent of the total UK retail workforce), and to operating with environmental responsibility. We have already met or exceeded a significant number of our 2020 environmental targets. Read More Joules Group Plc, together with its subsidiaries, designs and sells lifestyle clothing, related accessories, and home ware products under the Joules brand in the United Kingdom and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Retail, Wholesale, and Other. Its product portfolio includes womenswear, such as shirts, dresses, tunics, rainwear, and cold weather coats and accessories; menswear, including tops, chinos, rugby shirts, and denims, as well as rainwear; boys and girls, and baby collections; footwear; homeware comprising kitchen textiles, crockery, bedding, cushions, picnic ware, and throws; accessories, such as watches, eyewear, bedding, sofas, toiletries, umbrellas, stationery, and others; and pet beds, travel beds, leads, dog coats, toys, etc. The company markets its products through retail stores, e-commerce, franchises, county shows and events, and wholesale. As of May 31, 2020, it operated approximately 128 retail stores, 33 concessions, and 3 franchise stores. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Market Harborough, the United Kingdom. Read More The Williams Cos., Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company, which explores, produces, transports, sells and processes natural gas and petroleum products. It operates through the following segments: Transmission and Gulf of Mexico; Northeast G&P; and West. The Transmission and Gulf of Mexico segment comprises of interstate natural gas pipelines, Transco and Northwest Pipeline, as well as natural gas gathering and processing and crude oil production handling and transportation assets in the Gulf Coast region. The Northeast G&P segment includes midstream gathering, processing, and fractionation businesses in the Marcellus Shale region primarily in Pennsylvania and New York, and the Utica Shale region of eastern Ohio. The West segment consists of gas gathering, processing, and treating operations in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado and Wyoming, the Barnett Shale region of north-central Texas, the Eagle Ford Shale region of south Texas, the Haynesville Shale region of northwest Louisiana, and the Mid-Continent region which includes the Anadarko, Arkoma, and Permian basins. The company was founded by David Williams and Miller Williams in 1908 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Read More The following companies are subsidiares of SAP: Abakus, Abakus Europe Limited, Abakus Ukraine Limited Liability Company, Adatfeldolgozasban Informatikai Kft., Altiscale, Ambin Properties Proprietary Limited, AppGyver, Ariba, Ariba Czech s.r.o., Ariba Inc. Palo Alto, Ariba India Private Limited, Ariba International, Ariba International Holdings, Ariba International Singapore Pte Ltd, Ariba Slovak Republic s.r.o., Ariba Software Technology Services (Shanghai) Co., Ariba Technologies India Private Limited, Ariba Technologies Netherlands B.V., Beijing Zhang Zhong Hu Dong Information Technology, Business Objects, Business Objects Holding B.V., Business Objects Option LLC, Business Objects Software Limited, CNQR Operations Mexico S. de. R.L. de. C.V., Callidus Software, CallidusCloud, Christie Partners Holding C.V., Clear Standards, ClearTrip Inc., ClearTrip Inc. (Mauritius), Cleartrip MEA FZ LLC, Cleartrip Private Limited, Coghead, ConTgo Consulting Limited, ConTgo Pty. Ltd., Concur (Austria) GmbH, Concur (Canada), Concur (France) SAS, Concur (Germany) GmbH, Concur (Japan) Ltd., Concur (New Zealand) Limited, Concur (Philippines) Inc., Concur (Switzerland) GmbH, Concur Czech (s.r.o.), Concur Holdings (France) SAS, Concur Holdings (Netherlands) B.V., Concur Technologies (Australia) Pty. Limited, Concur Technologies (Hong Kong) Limited, Concur Technologies (India) Private Limited, Concur Technologies (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Concur Technologies (UK) Limited, Concur Technologies Inc. Bellevue, Contextor, Coresystems, Crystal Decisions (Ireland) Limited, Crystal Decisions Holdings Limited, Crystal Decisions UK Limited, Emarsys, EssCubed Procurement Pty. Ltd., Extended Systems, Factory Logic, Fedem Technology AS, Fieldglass Europe Limited, Financial Fusion, FreeMarkets Ltda., Frictionless Commerce, Gigya, Gigya Australia Pty Ltd, Gigya Ltd., Gigya UK Ltd, GlobalExpense Limited, Highdeal, Hipmunk, Hybris (US) Corp., Hybris GmbH, Inxight Federal Systems Group, KXEN, Khimetrics, LLC "SAP Labs", LLC "SAP Ukraine", LLC SAP CIS, MaXware, Merlin Systems Oy, Multiposting Sp.z o.o., Nihon Ariba K.K., OpTier, OutlookSoft, OutlookSoft Deutschland GmbH, PLAT.ONE, PT SAP Indonesia, PT Sybase 365 Indonesia, Pilot Software Inc., Plat.One Inc., Plat.One Lab Srl, Plateau Systems LLC, Quadrem Africa Pty. Ltd., Quadrem Brazil Ltda., Quadrem Chile Ltda., Quadrem Colombia SAS, Quadrem International Ltd., Quadrem Netherlands B.V., Quadrem Overseas Cooperatief U.A., Quadrem Peru S.A.C., Qualtrics, Recast.AI, Right Hemisphere, Roambi, Ruan Lian Technologies (Beijing) Co., SAF, SAP (Beijing) Software System Co., SAP (Schweiz) AG, SAP (Schweiz) AG Biel, SAP (UK) Limited, SAP (UK) Limited Feltham, SAP AZ LLC, SAP America, SAP America Inc. Newtown Square, SAP Andina y del Caribe, SAP Argentina S.A., SAP Asia (Vietnam) Co., SAP Asia Pte Ltd, SAP Australia Pty Ltd, SAP Australia Pty Ltd. Sydney, SAP Belgium NV/SA, SAP Beteiligungs GmbH, SAP Brasil Ltda, SAP Brasil Ltda Sao Paulo, SAP Bulgaria EOOD, SAP Business Compliance Services GmbH, SAP Business Services Center Nederland B.V., SAP CR, SAP Canada, SAP Chile Limitada, SAP China Co., SAP China Co. Ltd. Shanghai, SAP China Holding Co., SAP Colombia S.A.S., SAP Commercial Services Ltd., SAP Concur, SAP Costa Rica, SAP Customer Experience, SAP Cyprus Limited, SAP Danmark A/S, SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG, SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG Walldorf, SAP Dritte Beteiligungs- und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, SAP EMEA Inside Sales S.L., SAP East Africa Limited, SAP Egypt LLC, SAP Erste Beteiligungs- und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, SAP Espana - Sistemas Informatica, SAP Estonia OU, SAP Fieldglass, SAP Financial, SAP Finland Oy, SAP Foreign Holdings GmbH, SAP France, SAP France Holding, SAP France Levallois Perret, SAP Global Marketing, SAP Hellas S.A., SAP Holdings (UK) Limited, SAP Hong Kong Co., SAP Hosting Beteiligungs GmbH, SAP Hungary Rendszerek, SAP India (Holding) Pte Ltd, SAP India Private Limited, SAP India Private Limited Bangalore, SAP Industries, SAP Industries Inc. Newtown Square, SAP International, SAP International Panama, SAP Investments, SAP Ireland Limited, SAP Ireland US - Financial Services Designated Activity Company, SAP Israel Ltd., SAP Italia Sistemi Applicazioni Prodotti in Data Processing S.p.A., SAP Italia Sistemi Applicazioni Prodotti in Data Processing S.p.A. Vimercate, SAP Japan Co., SAP Japan Co. Ltd. Tokyo, SAP Kazakhstan LLP, SAP Korea Ltd., SAP Labs, SAP Labs Bulgaria EOOD, SAP Labs Finland Oy, SAP Labs France SAS, SAP Labs India Private Limited, SAP Labs Israel Ltd., SAP Labs Korea, SAP Latvia SIA, SAP MENA FZ L.L.C., SAP Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., SAP Malta Investments Ltd., SAP Mxico S.A. de C.V., SAP National Security Services PA, SAP Nederland B.V., SAP Nederland B.V. s-Hertogenbosch, SAP Service and Support Centre (Ireland) Limited, SAP SuccessFactors, SAP d.o.o., SeeWhy, Signavio, SuccessFactors, SuccessFactors Inc. South San Francisco, Sybase, Syclo, TopTier Software, Triversity, Vimercate, Virsa Systems, Visiprise, Wicom Communications, and conTgo limited. Software Aktiengesellschaft provides software development, licensing, and maintenance; and information technology (IT) services worldwide. It operates through three segments: Digital Business Platform, Adabas & Natural, and Professional Services. The company offers Adabas & Natural, a transaction processing platform; Alfabet for use in IT planning and portfolio management, as well as enterprise architecture management; Apama, a platform for streaming analytics and automated actions on big data; and Architecture for Integrated Information Systems, a platform that makes processes transparent, controlled, manageable, and agile. It also provides cloud-based Platform-as-a-Service suite, such as CONNX that offers real-time read/write SQL data access and integration; Cumulocity, which provides Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity for networked digital devices and sensors through a cloud-hosted IoT device management and application enablement platform; Terracotta, a platform that enables digital enterprises to access and store data in-memory; TRENDMINER, an industrial analytics for time-series data for plant managers and process engineers to analyze, monitor, and predict process and asset performance; webMethods, which enables customers to integrate systems, partners, data, devices, and Software as a Service applications; and Zementis that enables predictive analytics with artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. Further, the company provides digital transformation and platform consulting, performance ready content, platform rapid innovation methodology, training, and support services. It offers its products and services for customers in banking, energy and natural resources, government, insurance, manufacturing, retail, transportation, and utilities, as well as communication, media, and services industries. Software AG has a partnership with Tech Mahindra. The company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany. Read More DowDuPont Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in agriculture, materials science, and specialty products businesses in the United States, Canada, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The company's Agriculture segment produces, and sells hybrid corn seed and soybean seed varieties; sunflowers, wheat, alfalfa, canola, cotton, rice, and sorghum; silage inoculants; and crop protection products that include weed control, disease control, and insect control. Its Performance Materials & Coatings segment manufactures and sells architectural paints and coatings, and industrial coatings; performance monomers and silicones; standalone silicones; and home and personal care solutions. The company's Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure segment offers ethylene oxides, propylene oxide derivatives, cellulose ethers, redispersible latex powders, and acrylic emulsions; sustainable solutions; and chlorine and caustic soda. Its Packaging & Specialty Plastics segment provides ethylene, and propylene and aromatic products; and polyolefin elastomers and ethylene propylene diene monomer rubbers. The company's Electronics & Imaging segment offers materials and systems for mobile devices, television monitors, personal computers, and electronics. Its Nutrition & Biosciences segment provides specialty ingredients, as well as cellulosic- and alginates-based pharma excipients; and enzymes, biomaterials, biocides, and antimicrobial solutions and process technologies. The company's Transportation & Advanced Polymers segment offers engineering resins, adhesives, lubricants, and parts for transportation, electronics, healthcare, industrial, and consumer end-markets. Its Safety & Construction segment provides engineered products and integrated systems for construction, worker safety, energy, oil and gas, transportation, medical device, and water purification and separation industries. The company was founded in 1897 and is headquartered in Midland, Michigan. Read More UniFirst Corp. engages in the design, manufacture, personalization, rental, cleaning, delivery, and sale of a range of uniforms and protective clothing. It operates through following segments: U.S. Rental and Cleaning, Canadian Rental and Cleaning, Manufacturing, Specialty Garments Rental and Cleaning, First Aid, and Corporate. The U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning segment purchases, rents, cleans, delivers and sells uniforms and protective clothing and non-garment items in the United States and Canada. The Manufacturing segment designs and manufactures uniforms and non-garment items primarily for the purpose of providing these goods to the U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning reporting segment. The Specialty Garments Rental and Cleaning segment sells specialty garments and non-garment items primarily for nuclear and cleanroom applications and provides cleanroom cleaning services at limited customer locations. The First Aid segment provides first aid cabinet services and other safety supplies as well as maintains wholesale distribution and pill packaging operations. The Corporate segment consists of costs associated with its distribution center, sales and marketing, informatio Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Bristol-Myers Squibb: 1096271 B.C. ULC, 345 Park LLC, A.G. Medical Services P.A., AHI Investment LLC, AbVitro LLC, Abraxis BioScience Australia Pty Ltd., Abraxis BioScience Inc., Abraxis BioScience International Holding Company Inc., Abraxis BioScience LLC, Abraxis BioScience Puerto Rico LLC, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Adnexus, Adnexus a Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D Company, Allard Labs Acquisition G.P., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Amira Pharmaceuticals Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Apothecon LLC, B-MS Generx Unlimited Company, BMS Benelux Holdings B.V., BMS Bermuda Nominees L.L.C., BMS Data Acquisition Company LLC, BMS Forex Company, BMS Holdings Sarl, BMS Holdings Spain S.L., BMS International Insurance Designated Activity Company, BMS Investco SAS, BMS Korea Holdings L.L.C., BMS Latin American Nominees L.L.C., BMS Luxembourg Partners L.L.C., BMS Omega Bermuda Holdings Finance Ltd., BMS Pharmaceutical Korea Limited, BMS Pharmaceuticals Germany Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals International Holdings Netherlands B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Korea Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Mexico Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Netherlands Holdings B.V., BMS Real Estate LLC, BMS Spain Investments LLC, BMS Strategic Portfolio Investments Holdings Inc., Blisa Acquisition G.P., Bristol (Iran) S.A., Bristol Iran Private Company Limited, Bristol Laboratories Inc., Bristol Laboratories International S.A., Bristol Laboratories Medical Information Systems Inc., Bristol-Myers (Andes) L.L.C., Bristol-Myers (Private) Limited, Bristol-Myers Middle East S.A.L., Bristol-Myers Overseas Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Israel) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (NZ) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Proprietary) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (West Indies) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb A.E., Bristol-Myers Squibb Aktiebolag, Bristol-Myers Squibb Argentina S. R. L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Axia Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb B.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Business Services Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada International Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Delta Company Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Denmark Filial of Bristol-Myers Squibb AB, Bristol-Myers Squibb EMEA Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Egypt LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Epsilon Holdings Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Ltda., Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Portuguesa S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb GesmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH & Co. KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holding Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings 2002 Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Ireland Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Pharma Ltd. Liability Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Ilaclari Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Company Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Investco L.L.C., Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K., Bristol-Myers Squibb Kft., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg International S.C.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb MEA GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Marketing Services S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Middle East & Africa FZ-LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Norway Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Nutricionales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Peru S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (HK) Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (Thailand) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Holding Company LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Ventures Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Polska Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Products SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico/Sanofi Pharmaceutical Partnership Puerto Rico, Bristol-Myers Squibb Romania S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.A.U., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Service Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Services Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Spol. s r.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Theta Finance Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Trustees Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Colombia S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Guatemala S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb/Astrazeneca EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership, Bristol-Myers de Venezuela S.C.A., CHT I LLC, CHT II LLC, CHT III LLC, CHT IV LLC, CR Finance Company LLC, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals Inc., Celem LLC, Celem Ltd., Celgene, Celgene A.B., Celgene AS, Celgene Ab (Finland), Celgene Alpine Investment Co. II LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. III LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC, Celgene ApS, Celgene B.V., Celgene BVBA, Celgene Brasil Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda., Celgene CAR LLC, Celgene CAR Ltd., Celgene Chemicals Sarl, Celgene China Holdings LLC, Celgene Co., Celgene Corporation, Celgene Distribution B.V., Celgene EngMab GmbH, Celgene Europe B.V., Celgene Europe Limited, Celgene European Investment Company LLC, Celgene Financing Company LLC, Celgene Global Holdings Sarl, Celgene GmbH [Austria], Celgene GmbH [Germany], Celgene GmbH [Switzerland], Celgene Holdings East Corporation, Celgene Holdings II Sarl, Celgene Holdings III Sarl, Celgene Ilac Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Celgene Inc., Celgene International Holdings Corporation, Celgene International II Sarl, Celgene International III Sarl, Celgene International Inc., Celgene International Sarl, Celgene K.K., Celgene Kft., Celgene Limited [Hong Kong], Celgene Limited [Ireland], Celgene Limited [New Zealand], Celgene Limited [Taiwan], Celgene Limited [UK], Celgene Logistics Sarl, Celgene Ltd, Celgene Luxembourg Sarl, Celgene Management Sarl, Celgene NJ Investment Co, Celgene Netherlands B.V., Celgene Netherlands Investment B.V., Celgene Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. 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The company operates in two segments, Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. It offers artificial lift systems, including reciprocating rod, progressing cavity pumping, gas, hydraulic, plunger, and hybrid lift systems, as well as related automation and control systems; pressure pumping and reservoir stimulation services, such as acidizing, fracturing and fluid systems, cementing, and coiled-tubing intervention; and drill stem test tools, and surface well testing and multiphase flow measurement services. The company also provides safety, downhole reservoir monitoring, flow control, and multistage fracturing systems, as well as sand-control technologies, and production and isolation packers; liner hangers to suspend a casing string in high-temperature and high-pressure wells; cementing products, including plugs, float and stage equipment, and torque-and-drag reduction technology for zonal isolation; and pre-job planning and installation services. In addition, it offers directional drilling services, and logging and measurement services while drilling; services related to rotary-steerable systems, high-temperature and high-pressure sensors, drilling reamers, and circulation subs; managed pressure drilling, conventional mud-logging, drilling instrumentation, gas analysis, wellsite consultancy, and open hole and cased-hole logging services; reservoir solutions and software products; and intervention and remediation services. Further, the company provides equipment and drilling tools; tubular handling, management, and connection services; equipment rental services; and onshore contract drilling and related services through a fleet of land drilling and workover rigs. Weatherford International plc was incorporated in 1972 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. Read More Seguin, TX (78155) Today Windy. Cloudy skies will become partly cloudy in the afternoon. High around 65F. Winds NNE at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 44F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. The commitment is expressed in a joint statement issued by Vietnams Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Cecilia Malmstrom following their meeting on October 19 in Brussels on the sidelines of the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM 12).The statement said the Vietnamese Government is preparing plans to fulfill obligations under the free trade agreements while the EC stands ready to support the necessary reforms and adjustments through technical assistance.Both sides acknowledged the relevance of the trade and sustainable development chapter of the FTA and agreed to jointly promote initiatives in this field, including the ratification of the outstanding fundamental ILO conventions.At their meeting, both sides spoke highly of the efforts and advancement made after completing the legal review process for the two free trade pacts last summer. The Vietnamese minister lauded the European Commission for its approval and submission of the deals to the European Council for approval on October 17. Vietnamplus Cao Thuc Uy, CEO of Cao Phat Co Ltd, one of the countrys leading cashew processors and exporters, said last year, 1.3 million tonnes of raw materials were imported.In the first eight months of this year, 825,000 tonnes were imported, mostly from West African countries.If the export volume this year is equal to that of last year, we will need to import 300,000 tonnes, Uy said.Vietnam exported 353,000 tonnes of processed cashew nuts last year. Four kilogrammes of raw cashew yield a kilogramme of nuts.In the first eight months of this year, 242,000 tonnes have been exported.At a recent international cashew conference, African suppliers said their inventories were still very high.Uy and other Vietnamese processors said they could buy the raw cashew but only if they meet standards. They complained about the quality of African materials, saying the quality is often lower than stated in contracts, and they incur losses as a result.We need high-quality products, Uy said.Pham Van Cong, President of the Vietnam Cashew Association (Vinacas), said next year the association would use Vietnam National Standard TCVN:2018 for imports of raw cashew.It is expected to be a basis for Vietnamese companies and foreign raw cashew suppliers to trade and deal with trade disputes if any, he said.Accordingly, from next year, imports must meet certain requirements such as grading, sensory requirements, physical properties and food safety.Adama Coulibaly, Director General of the Ivory Coasts Cashew and Cotton Council, said his country produced over 710,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts last year, but only processed about 178,000 tonnes.It wanted to cooperate with Vinacas to develop its cashew sector, he said.Nguyen Minh Hoa, Vice President of Vinacas, was quoted by the International Nut and Dried Nut Council as saying global raw cashew output would continue rising, especially in east and west Africa.Global output is forecast to reach 3.8-4 million tonnes by 2020. Four million tonnes may be the saturation point for the global cashew consumption market.Vietnam is the global leader in cashew processing and technology and also the largest raw cashew importer, accounting for a third of global output. Vietnamplus Heads of the country's top telecom firms will be seen sharing dais during the India Mobile Congress from October 25-27, where these telcos are expected to discuss critical issues facing the industry. New Delhi: Heads of the country's top telecom firms will be seen sharing dais during the India Mobile Congress from October 25-27, where these telcos are expected to discuss critical issues facing the industry. According to the event schedule, Reliance Jio Chairman Mukesh Ambani and Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal are going to be part of the inaugural session on October 25. Vodafone Idea Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla is also expected to join the session. "Promoters of all three telecom operators are going to participate in IMC," Industry body COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews told PTI. Mathews said chief technology officers and chief marketing officers of leading telecom operators are expected to discuss various business proposals at the event. The second edition of the three-day India Mobile Congress will focus on BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) region telecom sector. Mathews said that delegates from the US, Canada, UK and European Union too have confirmed participation in the upcoming IMC. "We have Mobile World Congress in Barcelona but not everyone can go there. There is no big event in South Asia and South East Asia to showcase potential of the telecom sector and encourage development of technology. This time, we have global speakers like FCC (US telecom regulator) Chairman Ajit Pai, European Commision Vice President Andrus Ansip, (and) leaders from BIMSTEC countries," Mathews said. He said that the government will be more involved in the IMC to meet delegates and industry officers who want to reach out them. "Telecom Minsiter (Manoj Sinha) and DoT secretary (Aruna Sundararajan) will be meeting people at IMC at pre-fixed schedule. Department of Science and Technology will engage with IMC to connect with innovators. We are trying if any fund from government can be made available for select start-ups at the event," he added. Around 300 exhibitors, 2,500 delegates and 10,000 visitors are expected to participate in the event. "We have shortlisted 250 startups. We will work out with Department of Science and Technology to find out if any of their fund can be made available to the best startups," Mathews said. The COAI will start its own business-to-consumer exhibition from this edition of the IMC with participation from Samsung, Huawei and Nokia. "We have reached out to university and colleges where they have specialised interest in telecom sector. At IMC they will get live exposure to industry people and look at advance technologies and accordingly shape their career," the director general said. Live demonstration of 5G will take place at the event, machine-to-machine communications, IoT and other latest technology are scheduled for demonstration at the event, Mathews said. Washington: The meme world seems to be in danger as many countries are now trying to curb the free flow of memes. In September, the European Parliament passed a copyright law that some consider "meme ban." Similarly, Sweden's advertising watchdog has termed the famous "distracted boyfriend" meme as sexist. Following the lead, academics have now told British lawmakers that internet memes may be contributing to the obesity crisis in the United Kingdom. According to a report by CNN, researchers from Loughborough University, in a letter to a British parliamentary committee, claimed that online memes convey harmful health-related messages and take unhealthy eating habits very lightly. "A substantial number of individuals on Twitter share health-related Internet memes, with both positive and negative messages and many even contain inappropriate material," the letter read. To prove the point, the researchers also added a meme to the letter. The picture featured an overweight child with a caption, "Free food? Count me in!" Washington: Several studies have talked about the dangers of women smoking during pregnancy. However, according to a recent research, men's exposure to nicotine can also cause problems in future generations of their children. The Florida State University College of Medicine study in mice produced results that suggest nicotine exposure in men could lead to cognitive deficits in their children and grandchildren. Further studies will be required to know if the same outcomes seen in mice would apply to humans. The results were published in the journal PLOS Biology. "Our data raise the possibility that some of the cognitive disabilities found in today's generation of children and adults may be attributable to adverse environmental insults suffered a generation or two ago," said Pradeep Bhide. "Cigarette smoking was more common and more readily accepted by the population in the 1940s, '50s and '60s compared to today. Could that exposure be revealing itself as a marked rise in the diagnoses of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism?" The study found that changes in the father's sperm attributed to nicotine exposure led to problems in genes that play a role in memory and learning. These epigenetic changes are believed to be temporary, Bhide said, though some could be long-lasting. More research is needed to understand how long the changes last, he said. Nicotine's harmful effects for cells in the lungs and brain are part of the body of evidence cited in the orders doctors give to avoid smoking. Absent in the conversation has been research demonstrating how nicotine affects germ cells -- or changes DNA in the sperm. Nicotine exposure for women is recognised as a significant risk factor for behavioral disorders such as ADHD. With men, there has not previously been enough evidence to separate genetic risk factors from environmental influences. "Doctors may not warn men that their smoking could be harming their unborn child even if the mother never smoked," Bhide said. "I think our study brings this to the fore," he concluded. Activist Rehana Fathima's house was allegedly vandalised by unidentified persons while she was away trying to climb the holy hills on Friday. (Photo: File/PTI) Kochi: Activist Rehana Fathima, who had made an attempt to enter Sabarimala temple, has been expelled from the Muslim community for "hurting the sentiments of lakhs of Hindu devotees", the Kerala Muslim Jama'ath Council said. Initiating action against Rehana, Kerala Muslim Jama'ath Council president A Poonkunju said in a press statement Saturday that she had been expelled from the community. He said the Council has also directed the Ernakulam Central Muslim Jama'ath to expel her and her family from the membership of Mahallu. "Her act hurt lakhs of Hindu devotees," the statement said. Her act was also against the rituals of Hindu community, it said. Pookunju said Rehana, who had participated in 'Kiss of Love' agitation and acted nude in a film, "has no right to use a Muslim name". The activist's house was allegedly vandalised by unidentified persons while she was away trying to climb the holy hills on Friday. She made a failed attempt to reach the temple with heavy police protection. The attackers reached Rehana's house in Panambilly Nagar here while she was climbing the hills. Also Read: Undeterred by protests, 2 women trek to Sabarimala temple amid security Rehana, a model and activist who was part of the 'Kiss of Love' movement in Kochi in 2014 against alleged moral policing, was among the two women who had reached the hilltop, but had to return before reaching the sanctum sanctorum following massive protests by Ayyappa devotees. Rehana and Hyderabad-based journalist Kavitha were taken to the hills with heavy police protection. A mother of two and employee of the BSNL, the activist had kicked up a row last year by posing for topless photos with watermelons in protest against a Kozhikode-based college professor's statement comparing women's breasts to watermelons. Meanwhile, a case has been registered by police in Pathanamthitta against the activist for hurting religious sentiments. The case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by one Radhakrishna Menon. On September 28, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by then chief justice Dipak Misra had lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine, but a section of devotees is protesting the decision. Also known as the queen of hills, Shimla was declared the summer capital of British India in 1864. It remained that way till India got independence in 1947. (Photo: PTI | file) New Delhi: In the long list of renamed Indian cities, Shimla could be the latest entrant as the ruling BJP government is considering a proposal to change its name to Shyamala. A campaign has been launched by some right-wing Hindu groups demanding that the capital of Himachal Pradesh be renamed. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and state health minister Vipin Singh Parmar said many cities in different parts of the country used to have historic names but they were changed. So, there would not be any harm in reverting to those names. If the people want Shimla to be rechristened as Shyamala, the proposal can be considered, Parmar told PTI. Notably, the social media has been abuzz with discussions on the topic for the last few days. The debate has left people divided with some favouring the name change and others opposing it. Senior Himachal Pradesh Congress leader Harbhajan Singh Bhajji questioned the intention of those who want Shimla to be renamed. "What is the justification (for changing Shimla's name)," asked Bhajji as he vehemently opposed the proposal. This is a historical city and if you change its name, it will lose its character, Bhajji argued. What's wrong with the name Shimla? Will the renaming ensure development? The state government should focus on ensuring that the state progresses instead of indulging in such frivolous antics, he added. According to Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) functionary Aman Puri, the popular holiday retreat was originally called Shyamala but as the Britishers found it tough to pronounce, they renamed it Simla which later became Shimla. Also known as the queen of hills, Shimla was declared the summer capital of British India in 1864. It remained that way till India got independence in 1947. British officer Captain Charles Pratt Kennedy played a pivotal role in transforming Shimla as he built the first house here in 1822 aptly calling it-- Kennedy House. A Punjab police commando and a photojournalist were injured as the protestors, who were staging a sit-in at the site, started pelting stones and indulged in brick-batting. (Photo: ANI screengrab) Amritsar: Over 40 hours after the accident in Amritsar in which 61 Dussehra revellers were mowed down by a train, protesters were cleared off the tracks and services resumed on Sunday afternoon, a railway spokesperson said. The railways got the clearance from local authorities at 12:30 pm, the spokesperson said. "First goods train started from Manawala to Amritsar at 1416 hours," said Northern Railways spokesperson Deepak Kumar. This train will be followed by mail/express trains, he said. Senior Divisional Security Commissioner (Railways), Firozpur Division, S Sudharkar told news agency PTI, "Train services have resumed on the affected rail track (Joda Phatak). A goods train was allowed to run on this track." Earlier in the day, the Punjab Police cleared the track off the protesters who were staging a sit-in. When they were removed, the agitated protestors resorted to stone-pelting and clashed with security personnel, officials said. A Punjab police commando and a photojournalist were injured as the protestors, who were staging a sit-in at the site, started pelting stones and indulged in brick-batting, they said. The protestors were raising slogans against the state government and demanding the resignation of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu Officials said that personnel from the Punjab Police and Rapid Action Force have been deployed alongside the state police commandos. The clash started minutes after the security forces removed the protestors, numbering in hundreds, from the track to clear it for traffic, the officials said. Also Read: Amritsar train tragedy: Trace those missing, give adequate aid, demand protesters Local residents have been protesting at the site and blocking the railway track since Friday evening when 61 Dussehra revellers were mowed down by a speeding train. The district administration has said that out of 59 people who were mowed down by the speeding Jalandhar-Amritsar train Friday, 40 have been identified. UNICEF said that India has made significant progress in improving maternal health and reducing child mortality. (Photo: File) New Delhi: India would be the host for a global meet of stakeholders from nearly 100 countries on issues related to maternal and child health, the UNICEF has said. The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health forum will emphasise the importance of people-centred accountability bringing forward the voices and lived realities of women, children and adolescents through innovative programming and creative projects. The forum will be hosted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) this December. The UNICEF said Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the keynote address. Gagan Gupta, the Chief of Health at the UNICEF, told PTI that India has made significant progress in improving maternal health and reducing child mortality. "India has performed better than rest of world in this field and the number of under-five children dying has fallen by 30 per cent since 2012, from 1.4 million to 9,89,000," he said. According to a new report by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, under-five mortality rate in India was recorded below one million in 2017 for the first time in five years. Gupta said the forum will be held on December 12 and 13 at Vigyan Bhawan and see participation from heads of state, ministers and 1,200 partners from nearly 100 countries. "India will get an opportunity to present its success story in improving its maternal and child health at a world stage," he said. Moreover, the forum would also bring various stakeholders on a common stage to share their ideas, he said. This is the second time India is hosting the forum -- the first was in 2010. Previous chapters of the forum have been held in Johannesburg in South Africa in 2014 and Dar es Salam in Tanzania in 2007. The forum will include online interactive programming and dialogue through a multi-channel virtual broadcast paired with interactive discussion formats, according to a UNICEF official. The forum will centre on improving multisectoral action for results and sharing country solutions. It will also focus on capturing the best practices and knowledge within and among the health sector and related sectors, she said. Noting that #MeToo was a good movement, he however said it should not be misused to fix somebody by levelling false allegations. (Representational Image) Bengaluru: On the lines of #Metoo, a group of 15 people, including a former French diplomat acquitted in a sexual abuse case in 2017, has launched a #MenToo movement, asking men to come out and speak openly about the sexual harassment faced by them at the hands of women. The campaign was launched here Saturday by NGO Children's Rights Initiative for Shared Parenting (Crisp) to protest against the #Metoo movement, false cases against men among others. Speaking on the occasion, National President of Crisp, Kumar V Jahgirdar said the group would fight for gender neutral laws and demand punishment for those filing false cases under #MeToo campaign. Noting that #MeToo was a good movement, he however said it should not be misused to fix somebody by levelling false allegations. "This movement has only resulted in bringing disrepute to men who have worked hard to earn respect in society," he said. Later, talking to reporters, Jahgirdar said unlike #MeToo victims, who bring about sexual abuse stories that happened a couple of decades ago, the #MenToo stories would be related to recent incidents. On #MeToo movement, Jahgirdar further said if the affected women have genuine case of sexual misbehaviour, they should take legal recourse, instead of putting out stories on social media. Former French diplomat Pascal Mazurier, who was accused of sexually abusing his daughter and later acquitted by a city court in 2017 also took part in the protest. He said #MenToo campaign was not at all a counter to #MeToo campaign, but to address the problems of men who do not speak up against women's atrocities. "There is real pain among men.. They are also suffering, but they are not coming out in the open against women and their misdemeanors," he said. The false allegations levelled on men in #MeToo campaign not only destroys children's future, but also families, Pascal noted. "We make laws to protect women. That is fine, but let us not forget half of humanity are men," he added. Pascal is facing a court battle after his wife had moved the Karnataka High Court challenging a city-based court's verdict acquitting him. Pascal's wife has custody of their three children. The #Me Too movement has gathered pace over the past few days with a number of women speaking out on sexual harassment at their workplace and support for them has been pouring in from various quarters. Former Union Minister MJ Akbar, film personalities like Alok Nath, Subhash Ghai, Nana Patekar and Vairamuthu have been accused of sexual harassment by a number of women under the #MeToo movement. Joda is one of the few candidates for state office who can clearly state what he will actually do when elected to state office. This is a product of his strong work ethic and the education he received from the public schools of East Ridge and UTC. Hes a remarkable young man and deserves your vote. Joda supports expansion of Medicaid, because working people should never have to choose between earning a living or the healthcare they need. Joda is a fierce advocate for stronger public schools, higher teacher pay, and fully-funded classrooms to ensure every child has access to a great education. Thats what he has benefited from in his life and this is a great example of pay-it-forward. Joda will ask the legislature to raise the minimum wage, because anyone who does good work should get paid fairly. Makes sense. Joda was born and raised in East Ridge to a hard working family. He is an optimistic young leader. Joda is smart, cooperative, and caring. He will raise the level of civil discourse in Nashville. Surely we can all agree that is a good thing in our politics. Consider too the Tennessee values he supports through the policies he plans to implement. Vote Joda for District 30 and be proud that you did. Hes the future of Tennessee. Lee Davis Devotees protest as several female devotee arrive to offer prayers at Sabarimala temple on Sunday. (Photo: PTI) Pamba: Six women were prevented from the entering the Sabarimala temple Sunday by a large number of devotees of Lord Ayyappa as the stand-off over entry of women of menstrual age into the famous hill shrine continued for the fifth day. The devotees, up in arms against the implementation of the Supreme Court order lifting the ban on entry of women in 10-50 age group, chanting Ayyappa mantras blocked the four Telugu speaking women from reaching the famed shrine amid high drama. Sunday is the fifth day since the temple gates were opened for the monthly puja after the apex court last month lifted the centuries-old ban. Though attempts were made by some young women, including an activist, to enter the temple of the 'Naishtik Brahmachari', the eternally celibate deity, since Wednesday, the devotees backed by priests have stood their ground, saying they would not allow the tradition to be breached. By all available indications, not a single woman in the age group of 10 and 50 has so far reached the temple which will close tomorrow at the end of the monthly puja. Also Read: Activist Rehana ousted from Muslim group for attempting Sabarimala trek BJP demanded a special assembly session to seek the Centre's intervention, while Congress sought an ordinance by the NDA government. The Pandalam royal family, the traditional custodian of the Sabarimala temple, alleged the CPI(M)-led LDF government was trying to destroy the sanctity of the shrine of the "Naishtik Brahmachari" by taking women in the menstrual age group there. On Sunday, a 47-year old woman reached up to the 'Nadappandhal' close to the sanctum sanctorum, but was prevented by the devotees chanting "Swamiye Saranam Ayyapa" after three others were stopped en route to the hills. The woman, who complained of uneasiness, was brought to a hospital here by the police. An elderly woman devotee who was present at the spot said as the identity card of the woman showed she was born in 1971 and had not attained the 'permissible age", the other devotees started chanting Sarana mantra. Earlier, the protesters prevented two women, in their 40s, at the foothills itself. The women were accompanied by their relatives. The police, who took the women to the safety, said the two informed them that they came to Sabarimala without knowing the customs of the temple. They were part of a pilgrims group visiting temples in Kerala and other women not in the 'banned' age group were allowed to climb the holy hills by the protesters. After the women were brought Nilakkal, the base camp, they gave in writing to the police that they did not want to break the centuries-old custom of the temple, sources said. Another woman was blocked by the devotees at Marakkoottam en route to the shrine and sent back on suspicion that she has not reached the permitted age of 50. Amid mounting protest in the state against the Supreme Court order, BJP Sunday urged the Kerala government to convene a session of the assembly and pass a resolution seeking the centre's intervention to overcome the crisis. A small group of BJP leaders was arrested for violating ban orders in force under Section 144 of the CrPC at Nilakkal, a key entry point to Sabarimala. Meanwhile, the Sabarimala Karma Samithi intensified its agitation against the CPI(M)-led government's "hasty" move to implement the court order. The state has been witnessing massive protests by Lord Ayyappa devotees opposing the entry of girls and women of menstrual age into the Sabarimala temple since the government decided to implement the apex court order. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled national flag at Red Fort to mark 75th anniversary of the proclamation of Azad Hind government headed by Subhash Chandra Bose. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday unfurled the national flag at the Red Fort to mark the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of Azad Hind government headed by Subhash Chandra Bose. Donning the famous Azad Hind Fauj cap, the Prime Minister also unveiled a plaque to mark the anniversary. Traditionally, the prime minister hoists the national flag at the Red Fort on Independence Day. PM Modi used the event to attack the Nehru-Gandhi family and said that to keep "one family" above the rest, efforts were made to forget the contributions leaders such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Subhash Chandra Bose made in the Independence struggle. "But now our government is changing all that," the prime minister said. "In an effort to highlight the role of one family, efforts were made to deliberately ignore and forget contributions made by others in the independence struggle, and later in creating a new India," he said. These leaders included Sardar Patel, Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Subhash Chandra Bose, the Prime Minister added. Addressing the event, PM Modi said, Netaji had promised an India where everyone has equal rights and equal opportunities. He had promised a prosperous nation which was proud of its traditions, development in all areas. He had promised to uproot 'divide & rule'. However, even after so many years, those dreams remain unfulfilled, he added. Prime Minister also said, We have attained 'Swaraj' after lakhs of sacrifices. It is our responsibility to maintain this 'Swaraj' with 'Suraaj'. He said while Bose focused on the East and Northeast India, the two regions did not get due recognition. Now, he said, his government is working to make the Northeast the "engine of growth". Hailing Bose's spirit of nationalism, PM Modi said as a 16-year old, he was aggrieved at the plight of India under the British rule. "His ideology was nationalism, he lived by nationalism," he said. Hailing the BJP-led Centre, PM Modi said that the government made big and tough decisions to strengthen defence sector. In last 4 years, several measures were taken to strengthen the defence. Best technologies were brought to the defence. This government has strength to make big and tough decisions, it'll continue. Be it surgical strike or making the files of Netaji public, decision was taken by our government, he said. The plaque unveiled by the PM Modi will be placed at barrack number three at the Red Fort where members of the Azad Hind Fauj faced trial. A museum will be also set up in the barrack. According to reports, the decision to hoist the national flag at the Red Fort was taken in August this year by a group of Netaji followers and family members, including his grand-nephew and BJP Bengal vice-president Chandra Kumar Bose. They had then requested the PM to join them in the celebrations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced his decision to attend the ceremony during an interaction with BJP workers via video-conference. Accusing the Congress of neglecting the contributions of many great personalities towards Indias freedom, PM Modi said that the BJP respects everybody who served the country, irrespective of party affiliation. (With PTI inputs) The protesters raised slogans against the district administration and vent their ire against the railways for not slowing down the train. (Photo: PTI) Amritsar: A group of youths held protests on Sunday morning near the Amritsar mishap site where at least 59 Dussehra revellers were mowed down by a speeding train. They raised slogans against the district administration claiming that some people were still missing. The protesters demanded that the missing person be traced and also adequate compensation be given to the families of the victims. "Two labourers who were living in my area are still missing," said Kamal, who is a resident of an area near Joda Phatak where at least 59 people were killed Friday evening after a Dussehra gathering watching the burning of a Ravana effigy was run over by a train. Kamal raised apprehensions that the death toll could be higher than the figure given by the government. On Saturday, after visiting the accident site and the hospitals where the injured were admitted, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had said 59 people were killed and 57 injured. Sub-divisional magistrate Rajesh Sharma, however, said 61 people lost their lives. At the Sunday protest, another local, named Raju, said a man was still looking for the body of his father who died in the incident. "He had gone to collect a piece of cloth to cover the body of his father, but when he returned he could not find the body," said Raju. Another local, Ram Kumar, claimed that four members of Kajal's family, who are vegetable-sellers, are missing. Anju, whose brothers Vikas and Ninderpal were killed in the incident, accused leaders of indulging in politics over this incident. "When everybody knows that Dussehra function had been organised here for the past several years, appropriate steps should have been taken beforehand to prevent such kind of tragedy," she said. Another man was inconsolable. He could just find the slippers of his brother Sonu. He carried the slippers to the police station prayed them to help him find his missing brother. The protesters raised slogans against the district administration and vent their ire against the railways for not slowing down the train. Meanwhile, shops near the Joda Phatak area remained closed. At least 300 people were watching the 'Ravana dahan' at a ground adjacent to railway tracks when the train struck. Travancore Devaswom Board officials are worried that some organisations were trying to create unrest at Sabarimala over the Supreme Court verdict on the womens entry. Thiruvananthapuram: Travancore Devaswom Board officials are worried that some organisations were trying to create unrest at Sabarimala over the Supreme Court verdict on the womens entry. But they are happy that the daily collections have not gone down despite the chaos. Though the police are in charge of law and order, the board officials are also on tenterhooks. Mr K.P. Sankaradas, board member, told DC that despite the protests by Hindu organisations, the flow of pilgrims and their offerings had not gone down. On Saturday he had flayed the action of 30 parikarmis (priests who assist the chief priest in conducting daily pujas) for protesting in front of the 18 holy steps at Sannidhanam against the police decision to escort two women to the temple. Though two more days are left for the closure of the temple, the flow of pilgrims continues, he said. The board officials had not disobeyed the SC verdict, he said. The officials praised the police force led by Mr Manoj Abraham, Inspector-General of Police, Thiruvananthapuram Range, who gave shape to Operation Refuse at Sabarimala to deal with anti-social elements. The shrine will close on Monday evening after the five-day monthly puja. The state health department also formed a five-member committee on Saturday to investigate, examine and track Zika virus disease in pregnant patients of first trimester. (Representational Image) New Delhi: Six more people tested positive for Zika virus in Rajasthan's Jaipur district Sunday, taking the total number of such cases to 123, a government official said. Of the 123 patients, around 105 have recovered after treatment, he said. The state health department also formed a five-member committee on Saturday to investigate, examine and track Zika virus disease in pregnant patients of first trimester. The committee will submit the report to the director public health from time to time, an order said. Most of the cases which have been reported are from Shastri Nagar area here where fogging and other anti-larvae activities are being carried out to prevent the spread of the virus. The virus, transmitted through the aedes aegypti mosquito, causes fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain. It is harmful to pregnant women, as it can lead to microcephaly, a condition in which a baby's head is significantly smaller in newborns. In India, the first outbreak was reported in Ahmedabad in January 2017 and the second in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district in July that year. Both these outbreaks were successfully contained through intensive surveillance and vector management. The disease is under surveillance of the Union Health Ministry although it is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under WHO notification since November 18, 2016. Visakhapatnam: The worlds first robot citizen, Sophia, is expected to steal the show at the Vizag Fintech Festival to be held in Vizag from October 22 to 26. The festival will showcase product launches, innovations, and augment the forethought through conference and exhibition. Sophia, a Saudi Arabian citizen, was first activated on April 19, 2015 and is able to display more than 62 facial expressions. Hong Kong-headquartered Hanson Robotics has said that its social humanoid robot will now help research artificial general intelligence (AGI). JA Chowdary, Special Chief Secretary and IT Advisor to AP government said Sophia will also interact with the participants who will be experts in the financial technologies, regulators, investors and IT professionals. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will be present. Brussels/New Delhi: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is on a three-day visit to the European country for the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit on Saturday dined at Saravana Bhavan, a popular south Indian restaurant in Brussels. Vice President Naidu was accompanied by the Indian delegation, including the Ambassador of India to Belgium, Gaitri Issar Kumar. "Delighted to have a meal at Saravana Bhavan, an Indian restaurant in Brussels, with Indian delegation including the Ambassador of India to Belgium today. @IndEmbassyBru #Belgium #SaravanaBhavan," the Vice President tweeted. Delighted to have a meal at Saravana Bhavan, an Indian restaurant in Brussels, with Indian delegation including the Ambassador of India to Belgium today. @IndEmbassyBru #Belgium #SaravanaBhavan pic.twitter.com/qyCBUtfv4R VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) October 20, 2018 Saravana Bhavan is the largest south Indian vegetarian restaurant chain in the world, founded in 1981 in Chennai. The outlet has more than 33 locations in India and 47 across several countries in southeast Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America. Earlier on Saturday, Vice President Naidu paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi's statue at the Provincial House in Antwerp. During the 12th ASEM summit on Friday, the Vice President called for international cooperation to deny shelter to economic offenders and combating of terrorism, which he called it as "major threat to global peace and security", among other prominent issues. He also held several meetings with world dignitaries to review the bilateral cooperation between the respective nations. Police take Balamma, a native of Andhra Pradesh, to a hospital at Sabarimala Sannidhanam after she collapsed when protesters blocked her way on Sunday. (Via web) PAMPA: Protesting devotees continued to prevent young women from entering Sabarimala temple for the fifth day on Sunday. They turned back five women below 50 from Gundoor, Telangana, halfway. At 10 am, two young women Adhiseshan, 41, and Vasanti, 42, along with seven elderly women, who were trekking to the hill shrine without seeking police protection, were stopped right in front of Swamy Ayyappan Road. They asked the women scared by frenzied chants of Ayyappa slogans to show their identity proof. But they didnt have any documents to prove their age. When the women moved forward, a few men lay down on the ground, obstructing them. Meanwhile, a woman from AP, Ballamma, fainted when protesters blocked her path. Cops intervene, run background check on women As the protesting mob grew, the police intervened and moved the women safely to the guard room and checked their background. Inspector-general S. Sreejith told reporters that they came on pilgrimage in a group which had visited various temples in South India. They had not sought police protection as they were unaware of the temples customs and the Supreme Court verdict overturning it. The IG also said the police would book those who stopped the women. A few hours later at around 2.30 pm, a woman Pushpalatha, 46, had to return before trekking. New Delhi: Mr Modi lamented that post Independence, Indias policies were based on the British system as things were seen through British glasses. Policies, including those related to education, had to suffer because of this, he said, adding that, Subhash babu always took pride in Indias history and our rich values. He taught us that not everything must be seen from a non-Indian prism. He said in the later decades of independent India if the country had got the guidance of personalities like Subhash babu and Sardar Patel, the conditions would vary greatly. Mr Modi said that his government was changing that now. It is unfair to glorify one family, the contribution of several other great leaders was deliberately forgotten. It is high time more Indians knew about the historic role of stalwarts Sardar Patel, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, he said. The Congress on its part dismissed Mr Modis claim that they, while in power for several years, neglected the contribution of freedom fighters like Bose. Accusing the BJP-led Centre of using every auspicious occasion as a political tool, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi Sunday said the saffron party was desperate to rewrite history. Dr Singhvi further added that in August 1947, the first PM of India Jawaharlal Nehru raised the Indian national flag above Lahori Gate. The murder was plotted by Patras wife Aruna who had an affair with the BSF man after the duo met on Facebook, police added. BHUBANESWAR: A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan has landed in jail in Odisha for murdering husband of his Facebook friend in a bid to marry her, police said on Sunday. The BSF jawan, identified as Sanjay Kumar, was arrested from Dibrugarh in Assam. He was posted on the Nepal-Assam border, the police informed. According to police, the BSF jawan, hailing from Haryana, had killed Mantu Patra, a native of Medinapore of West Bengal running a jewellery store in Dhenkanal town of Odisha. The murder was plotted by Patras wife Aruna who had an affair with the BSF man after the duo met on Facebook, police added. Briefing reporters here, Dhenkanal superintendent of police Harekrushna Pradhan said the woman had told the BSF jawan that she will marry him if he can eliminate her husband. After devising a strategy, the woman called her boyfriend to execute their plan. Hyderabad: All-India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi will be touring Telangana State within a week again. The Congress election campaigning committee which met in a hotel in Hyderabad on Sunday has decided to initiate the second phase of election campaigning. Mr Gandhis tour is expected to take place on October 27 or 28. Mr Gandhi will address the meetings in Karimnagar and Warangal. The campaigning committee will meet again on Monday to finalise the second phase of campaigning. The Congress will not take up any election campaigning in the constituencies, where the seat is shared by other Prajakutami parties. The campaigning will be taken along with the other parties in those constituencies. ADILABAD: Congress leaders left their star campaigner actress Vijayashanti speechless at party president Rahul Gandhis meeting at Bhainsa on Saturday. She was not allowed to address the meeting, and was left fuming. Ms Vijayashanti questioned the state party leadership, including TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy and campaign committee chairman Mallu Batti Vikramarka, about not being allowed to speak, but received no answers. Ms Vijayashanti was reportedly invited to the Bhainsa meeting as a star campaigner. Once there, all she was allowed to do was wave to the crowd twice before Mr Rahul Gandhi arrived. After that, she was confined to her seat. Ms Vijayashanti has reportedly described the way she was treated as an insult to women. After she spoke her mind, one of three AICC observers reportedly apologised to her. However, some sources said Ms Vijayashanti had refused to address the gathering before the arrival of Mr Rahul Gandhi. They said she wanted to speak in the presence of the Congress president, but was not given a chance. The party had not fine-tuned its schedule for the meeting. Some leaders did not follow protocol and walked about on the dais while others were seen standing near their chairs and waving to the crowd. TPCC working president A. Revanth Reddy was asked to speak after Mr Rahul Gandhi had addressed the gathering, which is against protocol. Mr Gandhi was seen pointing to his watch while speaking to AICC general secretary R.C. Khuntia, clearly indicating that he wanted Mr Revanth Reddy to complete his speech quickly as he wanted to travel to Kamareddy for the next meeting. As a result, nearly 985 private junior colleges, about 2,300 schools, 185 degree and 85 post-graduate colleges are closed. The colleges are unable to maintain standards of education due to lack of funds. Hyderabad: Alleging lack of development in the education department, the Telangana KG to PG Joint Action Committee (JAC) will be starting a #WeToo movement to fight the TRS. The JAC which claims to represent all institutions from KG to PG has invited students, education and social activists, families of martyrs of the Telangana movement to participate saying that it was unhappy because students were suffering. JAC convener Gouri Satish said, We had tried to meet the TRS government to suggest some changes in the education department but they never fulfilled what they had promised. Therefore we decided to start the #WeToo movement. Even though our problems were heard many times and assurances given, we are very disappointed with the lack of implementation of the promises made to us. He said the fee reimbursements pending from last year and scholarships had not been paid. As a result, nearly 985 private junior colleges, about 2,300 schools, 185 degree and 85 post-graduate colleges are closed. The colleges are unable to maintain standards of education due to lack of funds. The government has not appointed teaching faculty. It is also not encouraging private institutions, Mr Satish said. JAC president Ramana Reddy said the TRS had promised many things during the statehood agitation and the 2014 election campaign but had fulfilled only a few of them. "We never expected this kind of rule because of which every section of society is suffering. He said the JAC would launch the #WeToo movement on Wednesday and create awareness to defeat the TRS. We have waited for four-and-a-half years to see whether the promises made to us were fulfilled. Caretaker Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao shares a light moment with former Assembly speaker Madhusudhanachary and MLC Palla Rajeswar Reddy after a meeting at TRS Bhavan in Hyderabad. (DC) HYDERABAD: TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday held lengthy discussions with all 105 contestants. The party will hold similar meetings in Warangal, Khammam and Karimnagar on dates that will be finalised shortly, he said. He told the candidates that there was no dissidence in the party and if there was, the district in-charge ministers would take care of it. He said the TRS did not recognise the Prajakutami or alliance of Opposition parties as a serious challenge. With just 45 days of campaigning left before the Assembly elections in the state, Mr Rao issued a fiat to candidates not to be seen in Hyderabad and told them to reach out to the maximum number of voters, and highlight the development activities of the TRS administration. Mr Rao called each contestant and disclosed his/her strengths and weaknesses and urged them to improve their performance. Mr Rao exhorted the candidates to meet every voter and tell them about the schemes the government had implemented for the greater good of society. It is estimated that every constituency has about 60,000 beneficiaries apart from Rythu Bandhu beneficiaries, he said. Is Sabarimala still a Hindu temple even after the famous verdict of the Supreme Court or is it just a resort? If it is a Hindu temple, only Hindu women of all ages are entitled to pray there as a matter of right. The majority judgment annulling the exclusion of women of a certain age group from temple entry was for enforcing their fundamental rights under Article 25. That judgment, as I understand, did not guarantee entry into Sabarimala to Rehanas and Marys to enable themselves to get in to the Guinness Book of Records. Sabarimala is a Hindu shrine and will continue to be so and despite the judgment, the Devaswom board can officially and openly restrict the entry to believers only. In the case of triple talaq, where a Muslim woman a citizen of India aggrieved by the practice of talaq, challenged its constitutional validity. The court had to decide the issue; the exclusion of some women from entering Sabarimala shrine based on a tradition of unknown antiquity was not challenged by any woman or any believer; some busy bodies who did not claim to be believers of Lord Ayyappa were the petitioners before the court. Considering the fact that the ancient practice did no harm to society and the possible repercussions and reactions of ruffling a hornets nest, a wise course would have been to rule out involvement of any public interest in this case. Though my introduction to the Constitution of India was through the first edition of D.D. Basus Shorter Constitution of India, I have kept pace with the changing texts and revolutionary interpretations that followed and I venture to say that our Supreme Court is not a proverbial Hyde Park open to interlopers to speak on any subject in addition to indenting on precious judicial time. Locus of a petitioner is not just technical it is the starting line; if you foul it you should be out of the race. Thanks to Justice Indu Malhotra for assuring and demonstrating that doors of courts have been and should be open only for persons aggrieved by the cause in issue or else the dignity and sanctity of the courts will be lost. The term aggrieved may on occasions receive a liberal interpretation. But a petition by a group of young lawyers with no claims for devotion to the temple in other words interlopers should not have been entertained. The justification for this reasoning is a stunning reality. Justice Malhotra said, In a pluralistic society comprising of people with diverse faiths, beliefs and traditions, to entertain PILs challenging religious practices followed by any group, sect or denomination, could cause serious damage to the constitutional and secular fabric of this country. The other four learned judges on the bench ignored this aspect. In addition, their preoccupation with the high principles of constitutional morality and the like, appears to have made them mistake the matter in issue to be one relating to menstruation while the real issue was the existence of a religious belief among a large section of Hindus for ages that to a shrine dedicated to a deity conceived as an eternal bachelor, women of sexually active age 10 to 50 should not be allowed entry. Maybe this prohibition was also because of the desire to keep women away from the male devotees who had lived a life of strict celibacy for 41 days before visiting the temple. When it comes to religious beliefs, the rule is that the judicial inquiry stops at finding out whether such a belief in fact exists and never to go in to the logic or reason behind it. Let me quote Justice Malhotra again, The prayers of the petitioners, if acceded to, in its true effect, amounts to exercising powers of judicial review in determining the validity of religious beliefs and practices, which would be outside the ken of the courts. The issue of what constitutes an essential religious practice is for the religious community to decide. The learned judge based her conclusion on several precedents, some of them are worth reproducing. If this is the belief of the Zoroastrian community, a secular judge is bound to accept that belief it is not for him to sit in judgment on that belief. He has no right to interfere with the conscience of a donor who makes a gift in favour of what he believes to be the advancement of his religion and the welfare of his community or mankind. Our personal views and reactions are irrelevant. If the belief is genuinely and conscientiously held, it attracts the protection of Article 25, but subject, of course, to the inhibitions contained therein. Article 25 is an article of faith in the Constitution, incorporated in recognition of the principle that the real test of a true democracy is the ability of even an insignificant minority to find its identity under the countrys Constitution. This has to borne in mind in interpreting Article 25... Judicial review of religious practices ought not to be undertaken, as the court cannot impose its morality or rationality with respect to the form of worship of a deity. Doing so would negate the freedom to practice ones religion according to ones faith and beliefs. It would amount to rationalising religion, faith and beliefs, which is outside the ken of courts. She proceeded to hold, In the case of the Sabarimala temple, the manifestation is in the form of a Naishtik Brahmachari. The belief in a deity, and the form in which he has manifested himself is a fundamental right protected by Article 25(1) of the Constitution. What about the rights of the excluded women to pray at Sabarimala? The answer is that not one of them questioned the exclusion maybe because there are enough temples for them to pray. Or on the realisation that none can claim that she has a right to pray in any temple of her choice on her own terms, ignoring the sentiments of a larger number of other women who may respect the custom of exclusion. Despite the Supreme Court declaring that women during menstruation can visit temples, the believers will continue to stick to existing customs; despite adultery no longer being an offence, the Seventh Commandment will continue to be respected. In the space of one dramatic week, India-Sri Lanka ties, seemingly ready to implode, were patched up again. The importance of mutual ties may have been made obvious in the long meeting between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Ranil Wickremasinghe. As a neighbouring nation of consequence, India has to continue to view the island as a desirable strategic partner even if Sri Lanka may have tended to lean towards China, but at considerable economic cost in infrastructure projects, as it found out in its struggles to service even the interest payments. Sri Lanka had to give away control of the Hambantota port for 99 years in lieu of the debt, which is when it may have realised the economic benefits of partnering with India on a wide range of infra projects, besides buying Indian cars and white goods that are still effectively priced because of lesser transportation costs. A leaked Cabinet confidence last week about an assassination plot against President Maithripala Sirisena had deliberately spread misinformation about it being the Indian spy agency RAWs handiwork. The President rang Mr Modi and spoke at length to clarify the position. Mr Sirisenas colleague Rajitha Senaratne also clarified his President had said to the Cabinet that attempts were being made to implicate RAW in the alleged plot in order to create a wedge between the two nations. The feeling that there may be differences between Mr Sirisena and Mr Wickremasinghe about collaborating on projects vis-a-vis China and India had also caused a few furrows in New Delhi. Going by the list of projects India has been asked to help out with on the island, it does appear that Mr Wickremasinghes pro-India stance may have prevailed in wide ranging talks he held with the defence and home ministers, besides meeting his counterpart. There are two views of Sri Lanka the first in New Delhi of an important neighbour to be kept on our side to check Chinas increasing influence and economic clout and the other in Chennai of the country across the Palk Strait that keeps persecuting Indian fishermen for crossing the international maritime border. Just last week, Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami wrote to the PM to apprise him of the illegal actions of the Sri Lankan judiciary in sanctioning fishermen from the state and detaining them for not paying the hefty fine. It does appear New Delhi is far less inclined to bring up the subject of fishermens livelihoods and other related issues seriously enough to make any difference to the situation on the seas. The capital view tends to favour friendly relations despite Sri Lankas island mindset in order to serve the larger South Asian objective at a time when Maldives may also swing a bit away from Chinas influence when the Abdulla Yameen regime ends next month. There is perhaps nothing more striking about Prime Minister Narendra Modis present tenure which ends in a few months than its silence on matters where the clear choice of right and wrong, moral versus immoral, ethics or the want of it, and adherence to the Constitution or its negation, has presented itself. Since a clear endorsement of what society considers bad, wrong, undesirable or lacking in constitutional propriety or probity cannot be a public good, and may cost at election time, remaining quiet is designed as a clever tactic. Its purpose is to offer comfort to wrongdoers (sometimes evildoers) and suspected criminals, thus causing injury to the notion of whats right, valid and appropriate conduct for an elected government. That, in turn, amounts to a violation of the compact between the government and the countrys citizens, and causes visible injury to the oath every minister of the government takes at the time of being sworn in. In the process the state and the government lose their authority. The emperor begins to be seen as being denuded. There may be murmurs of rebellion but the people do not rise in revolt because too much force is ranged on the other side. They would rather bide their time. Two recent instances come to mind though several more can be cited of the regimes sly silence. Consider first the case of M.J. Akbar in relation to the vigorous #MeToo campaign and the stunning allegations of sexual predation made against him by more than 20 women. The minister of state for external affairs was eventually forced to resign under the weight of his omissions and commissions in the course of dealing with young women over whom he had authority. But the point here is the reaction of the BJP, the ruling party; the RSS, which holds that partys moral compass and is its moral arbiter; and more importantly the government, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who made Mr Akbar minister, and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj under whom he served. It would be understandable if all the above had remained circumspect and quiet when the minister was overseas on assignment. But BJP and RSS spokesmen, speaking on television, were anything but discreet. They in fact went out of their way to attack the women who had accused Mr Akbar asking for proof of allegations of sexual misconduct as if these can ever exist (by the very nature of the alleged crime) and the RSS representatives, in particular, maintaining that India is not a banana republic and the rule of law exists here. In effect, the victims of the ministers alleged predatory conduct were sought to be demonised and traduced. Those engaging in this sport gave no evidence of appreciating that moral uprightness is a requirement in governance, not legal proof, when confronted with allegations of wrongdoing. They had obviously not heard of a former Prime Minister, a man called Lal Bahadur Shastri (who had resigned as railway minister in the Nehru Cabinet, accepting constructive responsibility when a train accident occurred). This may be the RSS idea of morality, but the Narendra Modi government should have had its own mind on the matter since, unlike the RSS, the government is a creature of the Constitution. The Prime Minister was morally duty-bound to give the minister marching orders upon his return to India if only to make the point that a sustained record of alleged crimes against women cannot be tolerated as it robs the government as well as the society of its dignity, and the entire class of women of their very being and soul. But Mr Modi maintained a sphinx-like silence as is his wont, and this encouraged Mr Akbar to file a case of criminal defamation pointedly not civil defamation against the first woman to have raised her finger. The governments ear-splitting silence was consistent with its lack of any communication with the public whenever serious crimes against women rocked the country, signifying that the Union government had no sympathy for the females whose bodily integrity had been criminally encroached upon. Two shameful episodes illustrate this the Kathua gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old child near Jammu and the subsequent open public defence of the criminals by ministers of the J&K government to the shock of the entire country, with the government at the Centre remaining stoical. The second numbing episode is that of a BJP MLA in Uttar Pradesh, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, raping a minor girl and having her father tortured and murdered at a police station when he went there to lodge a complaint. The second recent instance of governmental encouragement through the use of silence as tactic concerns RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat. During his recent three-day outreach programme in New Delhi, the RSS leader declared, in effect, that while the Supreme Court may be adjudicating the Ayodhya title dispute, in reality it was the Temple Construction Committee (of the Hindutva outfits) that would decide the construction of the Ram temple (at the site where the Babri mosque was felled in 1992) irrespective of the outcome of the courts labours. This was nothing if not heaping humiliation on the highest court of the land. But the government just stood and watched in a neutral stance. Perhaps the regimes thinking is in harmony with the outrageous proposition outlined by the top boss of a dangerous outfit whose mention comes up in riot after riot (to recall the title of a book authored by Mr Akbar in his pre-BJP days). This is not the only serious infraction the RSS leader is guilty of. Just weeks afterward, delivering his Vijayadashami address on October 18, Mr Bhagwat referred to the permitting of the entry of women to the Sabarimala temple (by a recent order of the Supreme Court) in inflammatory and prejudicial terms, choosing to renew his assault on the top court with an emotional pitch to the target audience, doubtless with a view to rabble-rousing. In the context of the Sabarimala judgment, the man actually said that repeated and brazen onslaughts happened to Hindu society alone. In a Hindu-majority country, this is a call to arms for the Hindus on a false and hypocritical premise. The call to arms is not against the Supreme Court, not even only against the traditionally targeted minorities, but on the Constitution itself. Once again, the government answered the challenge with silence. It is time to ponder if the leader of the RSS would have thought it prudent to speak in this manner and idiom if he didnt have under his command a trained paramilitary-style volunteer force, which receives the benign attention of the government. Its also worth wondering whats left of the sheen of the government and the majesty of the law. Big trouble lies ahead. We may as well brace for it. Its titanic mass is one million billion times that of the Sun. Scientists have discovered a primitive "supercluster" of galaxies forming in the early Universe, just 2.3 billion years after the Big Bang. The structure, nicknamed Hyperion, is the largest and most massive to be found so early in the formation of the Universe, which sprang into existence around 13.7 billion years ago. Its titanic mass is one million billion times that of the Sun. "This is the first time that such a large structure has been identified at such a high redshift, just over two billion years after the Big Bang," said Olga Cucciati, a researcher at the Astrophysics and Space Sciences Observatory in Bologna and lead author of a study detailing the discovery. Redshift is a measure of the changing wavelength of light travelling away from an observer. "Normally these kinds of structures are known at lower redshifts, which means when the Universe has had much more time to evolve and construct such huge things," Cucciati said. Located in the constellation of Sextans (The Sextant), Hyperion was identified by analysing the vast amount of data obtained from the VIMOS Ultra-deep Survey, which provides a unique 3-D map of how more than 10,000 galaxies are distributed in the distant Universe. Hyperion is similar in size to nearby superclusters, though it has a very different architecture, the researchers said. The findings were published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. "Superclusters closer to Earth tend to have a much more concentrated distribution of mass with clear structural features," explains co-author Brian Lemaux, an astronomer from the University of California at Davis. "But in Hyperion, the mass is distributed much more uniformly in a series of connected blobs populated by loose associations of galaxies." This contrast is most likely due to the fact that nearby superclusters have had billions of years for gravity to gather matter together into denser regions a process that has been acting for far less time in the much younger Hyperion. Over time, Hyperion will likely evolve into something like the Virgo Supercluster, which contains our own galaxy, the Milky Way. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. You've heard enough of Swedish design and ABBA and meatballs. Instead of getting stuck in the Stockholm syndrome, let this writer take you on a journey of the West coast of this stunning Scandinavian country through her own prism of experience. Travelling 6400 kms away to set up home in a new country that I'd never even visited? 'Sure, why not? I can do that,' I thought. I started to read up on Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city and home to the massive Volvo group HQ, the company where my husband works (and the reason we were embarking on this adventure in the first place). One of the first fascinating things that I came across was the story of an Indian artist named Pradyumna Kumar Mahanandia who made this same journey in 1977, getting there on a secondhand bicycle in four months and three weeks just to meet his lady love, a Swedish woman named Charlotte Von Schedvin. If he could do it on a bike 40 years ago, so could I, I reasoned. All I had to do was pack up all my stuff and board a couple of flights with my significant other! Here are some of my experiences from this life-changing trip Forest of Stendammen, Svartedalen pic by Kjell Holmner, Goteborg & Co We've just got settled into my new home in Gothenburg (the locals call it Goteborg). I'm thrilled because it's a beautiful apartment at the very heart of the city, right across a famous statue of Poseidon in the area called Gotaplatsen! It seems this historic plaza and all the iconic buildings outside my front door the Gothenburg Museum of Art, the City Theatre and the Concert Hall were inaugurated during the world's fair in 1923, also the city's 300th anniversary. Kungsportsplatsen, pic by Per Pixel Petersson, Goteborg & Co Avenyn, a beautiful 19th century boulevard that's considered the Champs-Elysees of this Scandinavian city, starts from outside our building. For others, it's all about high-end shopping and sitting in the sunshine at street-side cafes. Me, I'm heading to the local Coop here to buy my groceries. Tomorrow, I'll venture further and further into this fascinating city. It's spring and the skies are getting bluer every day and I spot flower buds sprouting and more smiles everywhere. Along with the green shoots in the parks, I spy an impressive copper statue of a man astride a horse at Kungsportsplatsen. It's a 114-year-old depiction of King Karl IX, founder of the first city of Gothenburg in 1607. Vinga island on the Southern Archipelago Pic by Frida WinterGoteborg & Co While the rest of Sweden loves its meatballs and lingonberry jam, the West coast is crazy about fresh seafood. Scandinavia's largest fish auction is held in this harbor and when we step out for date night, we indulge in some Norwegian salmon, barely kissed by the flame as it's freshly taken from the sea only four hours ago! Seafood is almost a religion here so no wonder that the fish market hall that dates back to 1874 is called Feskekorka (fish church) and actually resembles a church! A morning here can be the highlight of many a pescetarian's day. I've just attended an orientation session that gave me interesting insights into the Swedish way of life. From the custom of drinking pea soup at home with family on Thursdays in winter and the ritual of fika with office colleagues every Friday through the year (more on that later). Of lagom, which means just right, not too much or too little. The lady explaining points to the length of her skirt to demonstrate! There are tips on acceptable social behaviour everything from 'don't call attention to yourself', always join for coffee if invited by someone you know to no sarcasm or irony. Oops, too late for that, I think! Inside the Fiskekyrkan Pic by Frida Winter, Goteborg & Co I'm intrigued by fika. It's sacrosanct, it's convenient, it's ingenious. It's basically drinking coffee and eating sweet baked confections but the Swedes have evolved it into an art form, with its own rules. If two or more people get together for fika, they must remain undisturbed by the rest of their family or colleagues. A more new-agey trend allows you to fika by yourself too, an institutionalised version of me time. In offices, the Friday fika is something that no one must forget. Lists are drawn up to decide which team is due to bring the cake. The early afternoon fika ritual subtly signifies the end of the work week and all conversations veer towards weekend plans (although, to be honest, these discussions usually begin by Wednesday!). Jokes apart, I deduce that this mingling and sharing is key in a culture where most people are otherwise quite low context. We explore the charming neighbourhood called Haga to mark our first fika together. The car-free area with cobblestoned-streets and tall houses flies banners bearing the legend Shopping and Fika Since 1634. That's certainly a history of hedonism. And that's just what we do. After exploring all the elaborate antique stores, the hipsterish artisanal boutiques and the traditional shops selling handmade treasures, we sit down at a sunlit table outside a cafe to gorge on gorgeous cream pastries slathered with fresh berry compote washed down by aromatic coffee. And we talk. And we enjoy the companionable silence. And we sit some more and watch fat sparrows fly up to peck at our crumbs. And the fuss about fika suddenly makes sense. The giant cinnamon buns from Cafe Husaren on Haga Nygata (it's the place where they were first made) are hot favourites, but we choose a smaller one of the sticky sweet rolls to take with us on our climb up the 100 steps up to Skansen Kronan, a small fortification crowning the top of the hill. From here, it's fun to see the way the city zigs and zags. In fact, an aerial view of Gothenburg reveals just how much the old part of the city has been influenced by its Dutch builders, with graceful canals and bridges crisscrossing to and fro. Haga pic by Frida Winter, Goteborg & Co We head to the island of Marstrand, home to a fort, a very active harbour filled with private boats, as well as several beaches, some of which are clothing optional. Just a ferry ride to the North away from Gothenburg, we have a delightful day traipsing around the island, meeting friendly fluffy cats and just soaking in the serenity of this pleasure island that's been a favourite of Sweden's swish set for decades. Our appetites for adventure on the sea whetted by Marstrand, we want to see why the islands of the archipelagos are considered so special. Of the two directions, we pick the Southern Archipelago as all the islands here are car free. The blue-and-white tram to the Saltholmen boat terminal and the ferry ride to various islands such as Kopstadso, Styrso Bratten, Styrso Tangen, Branno, etc work like clockwork and there's a genteel charm in the way the crew and the islanders conduct their commute with absolute politeness. Once they reach their destination, the crowd disperses and almost disappears into thin air on bicycles! We are left to walk across the island in peace. Agnholmen island near Saltholmen Pic by Per Pixel Petersson, Goteborg & Co Branno is all colourful wooden homes, hand-painted mailboxes and shy but smiling residents. At the harbour, the sea is so still it feels like it's holding its breath. The reflection of the sky in the glass-like surface of the ocean is like a dream within a dream. With not a soul other than us at the shore, there's a surreal sensation of having come to another planet. Afraid of breaking the spell the silence has cast around us, we slip away from the scene on tip toe. Later, we stop at Branno Vardshus, a lively local bar that makes its own beer called - what else - Brannol! But we prefer to savour the potent yet delicious brandy they bottle using St John's Wort that grows profusely around the island. At home, I listen to radio stations play everything from Western classical to the most cutting-edge tracks. Sweden is big on music festivals too. Although I don't attend a concert, I have this aha-moment right in my home. I'm watching reruns of British home makeover shows wrapped up in my soft blankie on the couch. Suddenly, I can hear the strains of Sun is Shining wafting in on the still evening air, followed by an arena-full of cheers. I check online to see what's on at Ullevi, the largest outdoor stadium in Scandinavia, which is just a few kms away and realise that it's an Axwell Ingrosso show! This is the Swedish dance music DJ duo that made up two-thirds of the world-famous Swedish House Mafia whom I heard so much of back in India. Such islands of unexpected pleasure are characteristic of Sweden. From the apparent calm can burst forth unbridled joy, beauty, music. All you need to do is keep yourself open to the magic. Forest of Stendammen, Svartedalen pic by Kjell Holmner, Goteborg & CoKungsportsplatsen, pic by Per Pixel Petersson, Goteborg & ConnnVinga island on the Southern Archipelago Pic by Frida WinterGoteborg & ComInside the Fiskekyrkan Pic by Frida Winter, Goteborg & CoHaga pic by Frida Winter, Goteborg & CoAgnholmen island near Saltholmen Pic by Per Pixel Petersson, Goteborg & Co Trump claims Russia has long violated the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, signed in 1987 by president Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. (Photo: File | AFP) Washington: President Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday that the United States plans to leave a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty with Russia, which criticised the move as Washington's latest effort to be the sole global superpower. Trump claims Russia has long violated the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, known as the INF, was signed in 1987 by president Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. But a foreign ministry source told the RIA Novosti state news agency that Washington's "main motive is a dream of a unipolar world," one that won't be realised. "We're the ones who have stayed in the agreement and we've honored the agreement, but Russia has not unfortunately honored the agreement, so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," Trump told reporters in Elko, Nevada. "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years. I don't know why president (Barack) Obama didn't negotiate or pull out. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons (while) we're not allowed to." Trump spoke as his National Security Advisor John Bolton was set to meet next week with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, ahead of what is expected to be a second summit between Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin this year. Bolton was also set to meet with Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and Putin aide Yuri Ushakov. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a "possible meeting" was being prepared between Putin and Bolton. The Trump administration has complained of Moscow's deployment of 9M729 missiles, which Washington says cam travel more than 310 miles (500 kilometers), and thus violate the INF treaty. The treaty, which banned missiles that could travel 310 to 3,400 miles, put a term to a crisis that began in the 1980s with the deployment of Soviet SS-20 nuclear-tipped, intermediate-range ballistic missiles targeting Western capitals. US or Russia at fault? The Russian foreign ministry official accused Washington of implementing policy "toward dismantling the nuclear deal." Washington "has approached this step over the course of many years by deliberately and step by step destroying the basis for the agreement," the official said, quoted by Russia's three main news agencies. "This decision is part of the US policy course to withdraw from those international legal agreements that place equal responsibilities on it and its partners and make vulnerable its concept of its own 'exceptionalism,'" the official said. Russian senator Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter that the move was "the second powerful blow against the whole system of strategic stability in the world" with the first being Washington's 2001 withdrawal from the Anti- Ballistic Missile treaty." "And again the initiator of the dissolution of the agreement is the US," Pushkov wrote. Bolton himself is pressuring Trump to leave the INF and has blocked any negotiations to extend the New Start treaty on strategic missiles set to expire in 2021, according to The Guardian newspaper. A US withdrawal from the INF could also target China. As a non-signatory, Beijing can develop without constraints intermediate-range nuclear weapons. US-Russia ties are under deep strain over accusations that Moscow meddled in the 2016 presidential election, as well as tension over Russian support for the Syrian government in the country's civil war, and the conflict in Ukraine. On Friday, the finance chief of Russia's leading troll farm was indicted in the US for interfering with US elections, the first person to face charges involving the 2018 congressional midterm vote. Russia accused the US of fabricating the charges. Washington is, however, looking for support from Moscow in finding resolutions to the Syria war and putting pressure on both Iran and North Korea. No new summit between Trump and Putin has been announced, but one is expected in the near future. The two leaders will be in Paris on November 11 to attend commemorations marking the end of World War I. A senior Trump administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said another potential date would be when the presidents both attend the Group of 20 meeting on November 30 to December 1. Oikyafront finally gets permission for Sylhet rally UNB, Sylhet : Jatiya Oikyafront has finally been given permission for holding its rescheduled public rally at the city's Registry Field on Wednesday. "Oikyafront has been given permission for its rally," Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) Commissioner Golam Kibria told UNB on Sunday evening. Sylhet district unit BNP general secretary Ali Ahmad said they got permission, and they are now taking preparations for holding the rally. He said Oikyafront leaders will offer fateha at the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal and Shah Paran and at the grave of General MAG Osmani, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces during the War of Liberation, in Sylhet on October 24, and then hold the rally. Earlier in the day, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader at a programme in the capital said, police gave Oikyafront permission, but its leaders are unnecessarily staging a drama over it as they did not get official letter in this regard. He also said the Prime Minister instructed them so that everyone can hold rallies without ant restriction. On Friday, Jatiya Oikyafront leaders at a meeting in the capital deferred its maiden public rally in Sylhet to October 24 as it was denied permission to hold the programme on October 23. On October 13, BNP together with Dr Kama Hossain-led Jatiya Oikya Prokriya, JSD and Nagorik Oikya launched the Jatiy Oikyafront to press for their seven-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party administration. The latest account, provided by a Saudi official who requested anonymity, includes details on how the team of 15 Saudi nationals sent to confront Khashoggi on October 2 had threatened him with being drugged and kidnapped and then killed him in a chokehold when he resisted. (Photo: File) Riyadh: As Saudi Arabia faced intensifying international scepticism over its story about the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a senior government official laid out a new version of the death inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul that in key respects contradicts previous explanations. The latest account, provided by a Saudi official who requested anonymity, includes details on how the team of 15 Saudi nationals sent to confront Khashoggi on October 2 had threatened him with being drugged and kidnapped and then killed him in a chokehold when he resisted. A member of the team then dressed in Khashoggis clothes to make it appear as if he had left the consulate. After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi, 59, for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning said he had died in a fistfight at the consulate. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold, which the senior official reiterated. Turkish officials suspect the body of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was cut up but the Saudi official said it was rolled up in a rug and given to a local cooperator for disposal. Asked about allegations that Khashoggi had been tortured and beheaded, he said preliminary results of the investigation did not suggest that. The Saudi official presented what he said were Saudi internal intelligence documents which appeared to show the initiative to bring back dissidents as well as the specific one involving Khashoggi. He also showed testimony from those involved in what he described as the 15-man teams cover-up, and the initial results of an internal probe. He did not provide proof to substantiate the findings of the investigation and the other evidence. This narrative is the latest Saudi account that has changed multiple times. Authorities initially dismissed reports that Khashoggi had gone missing inside the consulate as false and said he had left the building soon after entering. When the media reported a few days later that he had been killed there, they called the accusations baseless. Asked by Reuters why the governments version of Khashoggis death kept changing, the official said the government initial account was based on false information reported internally at the time. Once it became clear these initial mission reports were false, it launched an internal investigation and refrained from further public comment, the official said, adding that the investigation is continuing. Turkish sources say the authorities have an audio recording purportedly documenting Khashoggis murder inside the consulate but have not released it. Riyadh dispatched a high-level delegation to Istanbul on Tuesday and ordered an internal investigation but US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he is not satisfied with Saudi Arabias handling of Khashoggis death and said questions remain unanswered. Germany and France on Saturday called Saudi Arabias explanation of how Khashoggi died incomplete. According to the latest version of the death, the government wanted to convince Khashoggi, who moved to Washington a year ago fearing reprisals for his views, to return to the kingdom as part of a campaign to prevent Saudi dissidents from being recruited by the countrys enemies, the official said. To that end, the official said, the deputy head of the General Intelligence Presidency, Ahmed al-Asiri, put together a 15-member team from the intelligence and security forces to go to Istanbul, meet Khashoggi at the consulate and try to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia. There is a standing order to negotiate the return of dissidents peacefully; which gives them the authority to act without going back to the leadership the official said. Asiri is the one who formed the team and asked for an employee who worked with (Saud) al-Qahtani and who knew Jamal from the time they both worked at the embassy in London, he said. The official said Qahtani had signed off on one of his employees conducting the negotiations. Chokehold According to the plan, the team could hold Khashoggi in a safe house outside Istanbul for a period of time but then release him if he ultimately refused to return to Saudi Arabia, the official said. Things went wrong from the start as the team overstepped their orders and quickly employed violence, the official said. Khashoggi was ushered into the consul generals office where an operative named Maher Mutreb spoke to him about returning to Saudi Arabia, according to the governments account. Khashoggi refused and told Mutreb that someone was waiting outside for him and would contact the Turkish authorities if he did not reappear within an hour, the official said. Khashoggis fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, has told Reuters he had handed her his two mobile phones and left instructions that she should wait for him and call an aide to Turkeys president if he did not reappear. Back inside the consuls office, according to the officials account, Khashoggi told Mutreb he was violating diplomatic norms and said, What are you going to do with me? Do you intend to kidnap me? Mutreb replied, Yes, we will drug you and kidnap you, in what the official said was an attempt at intimidation that violated the missions objective. When Khashoggi raised his voice, the team panicked. They moved to restrain him, placing him in a chokehold and covering his mouth, according to the governments account. They tried to prevent him from shouting but he died, the official said. The intention was not to kill him. Asked if the team had smothered Khashoggi, the official said: If you put someone of Jamals age in this position, he would probably die. Missing body To cover up their misdeed, the team rolled up Khashoggis body in a rug, took it out in a consular vehicle and handed it over to a local cooperator for disposal, the official said. Forensic expert Salah Tubaigy tried to remove any trace of the incident, the official said. Turkish officials have told Reuters that Khashoggis killers may have dumped his remains in Belgrad Forest adjacent to Istanbul, and at a rural location near the city of Yalova, 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Istanbul. Turkish investigators are likely to find out what happened to the body before long, a senior official said. The Saudi official said the local cooperator is an Istanbul resident but would not reveal his nationality. The official said investigators were trying to determine where the body ended up. Meanwhile, operative Mustafa Madani donned Khashoggis clothes, eyeglasses and Apple watch and left through the back door of the consulate in an attempt to make it look like Khashoggi had walked out of the building. Madani went to the Sultanahmet district where he disposed of the belongings. The official said the team then wrote a false report for superiors saying they had allowed Khashoggi to leave once he warned that Turkish authorities could get involved and that they had promptly left the country before they could be discovered. Sceptics have asked why so many people, including military officers and a forensics expert specialising in autopsies, were part of the operation if the objective was to convince Khashoggi to return home of his own volition. The disappearance of Khashoggi, a Saudi insider turned critic, has snowballed into a massive crisis for the kingdom, forcing the 82-year-old monarch, King Salman, to personally get involved. It has threatened the kingdoms business relationships, with several senior executives and government officials shunning an investor conference in Riyadh scheduled for next week and some US lawmakers putting pressure on Trump to impose sanctions and stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The official said all 15 team members had been detained and placed under investigation, along with three other local suspects. But casting doubt on the claim that Khashoggi was killed during a fist fight, the Washington Post reported on Saturday that the CIA had listened to audio recordings from Turkish officials that show he was brutally killed and dismembered by a team of Saudi agents. (Photo: File | AP) Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's admission -- after emphatic denials -- over the killing of critic Jamal Khashoggi is aimed at shifting the responsibility away from the powerful crown prince, whose position so far appears unshaken, analysts say. The kingdom sacked two top aides to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as well three intelligence officials and arrested 18 Saudi suspects, in what some analysts called a scapegoating to quell the global outrage over Khashoggi's killing. After 17 days of vehement denials, the kingdom's assertion on Saturday that the journalist was killed in a "brawl and fist fight" inside a Saudi consulate in Istanbul -- without revealing the whereabouts of his body -- fell on sceptical ears around the world. Saudi Arabia had previously roundly rejected allegations by Turkish officials that Khashoggi was killed by Saudi agents who dismembered his body, insisting he had walked out of the consulate alive. "Here is Saudi Arabia's biggest problem," said Michael Stephens, a Middle East expert at the Royal United Services Institute. The inconsistences in the Saudi statements "now totally undermines their position," he said. Aside from the crisis of credibility, the international furore over Khashoggi's disappearance prompted fevered speculation that the 33-year-old prince, widely known as MBS, was at risk of being unseated from power by other royal family members. But that danger appears to have subsided, analysts say. The prince has amassed power to a level unseen by previous rulers after sidelining potential rivals, with only 82-year-old King Salman -- the prince's father -- in a position to oust him. But the monarch issued a royal decree on Saturday to form a ministerial committee -- headed by the prince -- to revamp the kingdom's intelligence services, indicating that he was keen for him to stay. "Despite speculation that the crisis spells the end of Mohammad bin Salman, the recent announcements prove that the king still believes that the current line of succession is suitable," said Eurasia Group, a risk consultancy. The unprecedented crisis apparently prompted the king -- who appears to have handed over day-to-day affairs to MBS -- to intervene, including handling a diplomatic outreach with Turkey and the United States. 'Aiming For Accountability' The king also ordered the sacking of deputy intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and royal court media adviser Saud al-Qahtani, both part of Prince Mohammed's inner circle. "The decision to remove members of Mohammad bin Salman's inner circle is designed to demonstrate real accountability in the process and distance the crown prince from the murder," Eurasia Group said. But the dramatic moves early Saturday have yet to stem the tide of global condemnation of Prince Mohammed, whose image as a modernising Arab reformer has been tarnished with his crackdown on dissent. It has also tainted his reform program known as Vision 2030 -- to prepare the kingdom for a post-oil era. "Dismissing Saud al-Qahtani and Ahmad al-Assiri is as close to MBS as it is possible to go," said Kristian Ulrichsen, a fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute in the United States. "Interesting to see if these moves prove sufficient to end the crisis. If the drip-drip of additional details continue, there's no buffer to shield MBS any longer." US President Donald Trump also appears to have thrown his weight behind the prince, swiftly endorsing Saudi Arabia's explanation about the death of Khashoggi and calling it an "important first step". But casting doubt on the claim that Khashoggi was killed during a fist fight, the Washington Post reported on Saturday that the CIA had listened to audio recordings from Turkish officials that show he was brutally killed and dismembered by a team of Saudi agents. US authorities have so far officially denied listening to any recordings. 'No Cover-Up' Pro-government Turkish media have also repeatedly claimed that Khashoggi was tortured and decapitated by a Saudi hit squad. One Saudi agent identified by Turkey was said to be a frequent companion of Prince Mohammed, three others were linked to his security detail and a fifth is a high-level forensic specialist, according to The New York Times. The kingdom's sudden admission on Saturday appears aimed at taking the heat off its rulers. But people close to the Saudi leadership insist there was no cover up. "The removal of two top officials, a cabinet ranking, very powerful and close advisor of MBS and the deputy head of intelligence ... cannot be written off as a cover up," tweeted Ali Shihabi, head of pro-Saudi think tank Arabia Foundation which is said to be close to the government. But Shihabi himself contradicted the Saudi narrative, saying "Khashoggi died from a chokehold during a physical altercation, not a fist fight", citing a senior Saudi source. Meanwhile, global calls are growing for Turkey to call on the UN secretary general to authorise an independent, international investigation in the case. Turkey, on its part, vowed Saturday to reveal all it knows about the death of Khashoggi, but has yet to divulge details about the investigation. "The Saudi regime must not be allowed to hide behind lies in order to literally get away with murder," said Summer Lopez, senior director of free expression at PEN America. Seven civilians were killed when an explosive shell went off after an encounter between security forces and militants in south Kashmirs Kulgam ended on Sunday in which three ultras of Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit were shot dead. Officials and eyewitnesses said dozens of civilians were injured in the blast after a five-hour-long gunfight between militants and security forces ended in Larnoo village of Kulgam district, 70 kms from here. While three among the injured were declared brought dead at district hospital Kulgam, four more injured succumbed at SMHS and SKIMS hospitals in Srinagar, they said. Reports said protesters clashed with security forces soon after the encounter, leaving many injured. There are conflicting reports if all the civilians were killed in the explosion or some of them died in forces firing during the clashes. However, police said, that soon after troops withdrew from the encounter site, civilians rushed in to douse a fire at a neighbourhood house where an unexploded shell exploded. Civilians visited the encounter site immediately after operation in spite of request not to visit as thorough search is to be made for explosives once flames douse .They didnt listen and visited the spot immediately after forces withdrew and some explosive substance went off, a police spokesman said. Advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Governor K Vijay Kumar and state police chief Dilbag Singh expressed regret over the loss of civilian lives. They have expressed profound condolences to the bereaved families. Such sites should be avoided by civilians till they are properly sanitised, an official spokesman said. However, separatists blamed security forces for the civilian killings and called for a shutdown on Monday to protest the deaths. To strongly condemn &protest the mayhem unleashed in Kulgam by the ruthless Indian state in which so far 5 civilians & 3 armed youth killed besides injuries to tens of scores of injured, JRL calls for complete #Shutdown tomorrow, JRL will hold a #ProtestSitin on Tuesday at LaLchowk (SIC) tweeted moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar. Earlier the gunfight, which erupted after security forces launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) in Laroo village, 70 kms from here, left three local militants of Jaish outfit dead and two army personnel injured. As the cordon was tightened, the militants fired at the forces, triggering a gunfight. In the initial firing two soldiers were wounded, a police officer said, adding that the militants escaped from the house where they were trapped. However, three militants were trapped by the forces in a paddy field and were neutralised after intense exchange of firing, the officer said and added the injured soldiers were rushed to a hospital for treatment. Police identified the slain militants as Zubair Lone, Shahid Tantray, Yazil Makro, all locals affiliated with Jaish outfit. Sources said two militants managed to escape from the security cordon. Reports said mobile telephony and Internet services were blocked in Kulgam district while a strict curfew was in place in Kulgam town. Clashes broke out between youths and security forces in the area. Police had to use some force to quell the protests and around two dozen persons were injured in the clashes, a police official said. Since last week, security forces have killed 10 militants, including AMU scholar-turned-Hizbul Mujahideen commander Mannan Wani in various encounters. Sharing 98% its borders with four countries, Northeast India is increasingly being used as a transit by Myanmar-based smugglers to pump in Chinese gold into India. The demand for gold in the country goes up before Diwali every year, especially down south, from neighbouring Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) claims that their investigation revealed that a strong network of international smugglers from Myanmar is using the Northeast and North Bengals borders with Myanmar, China, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh to smuggle gold into India. The smugglers network in Myanmar brings in gold mainly from China and uses the borders with Moreh in Manipur and Champai district in Mizoram. Siliguri in North Bengal is also used to smuggle Chinese gold via Nepal and Bhutan. The middlemen use road, rail or air routes to reach the markets in Chandni Chowk in Delhi or Barabazar in Kolkata, an official in DRIs zonal office here told DH on Sunday. China is the worlds largest gold producer followed by Australia, Russia and the United States. The DRI, with the help of other security agencies, has seized 298.173 kg of smuggled gold and gold jewellery worth Rs. 90.84 crore in the current financial year so far. Last year, it seized 430 kg gold in the east and the Northeast, worth Rs 110 crore. The involvement of Myanmar-based smugglers came to light again on Friday when a joint team of DRI and Assam Rifles arrested two Myanmarese nationals with 7.482 kg gold bars worth an estimated at Rs 2.45 crore while they were on their way to Silchar in neighbouring Assam from Mizoram capital Aizawl. The smuggled gold is fed into the markets of Kerala and Tamil Nadu which has people from adjoining Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh as customers. A person is allowed to buy bulk gold only from authorised banks, Reserve Bank of India branches or the Metals and Minerals Corporation of India. But these organisations seek various documents including PAN cards and sell them at prices fixed in the legal gold markets. In the legal markets, one kg of gold is priced at Rs 31 lakh today but its cheaper in black markets. Our investigation has revealed that a smuggler earns at least Rs 4 to 5 lakh from one kg gold in the black market, the DRI official added. During interrogation, they disclosed that the recovered gold was smuggled in from Myanmar through the Indo-Myanmar border of Zokhawtar in Mizoram and was to be delivered at Guwahati for transport to either Delhi or Kolkata. They could not produce any document of import and possession of the gold biscuits and so they were arrested, he said. The DRI official said there is another network of smugglers in Bangladesh who smuggle Swiss-gold through the borders with Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Bengal, mainly for markets in Kolkata. The DRI sleuths from Bengaluru also revealed to DH that Northeastern states alone account for 60% of the seizure. Smugglers take the Northeastern route owing to the inhospitable terrain which is difficult to monitor to smuggle what is often called Burmese Gold. The temperature in Tamil Nadu's political circles is expected to shoot up the in the coming week beginning Monday with speculations that the Madras High Court might deliver the much-awaited verdict in the disqualification of 18 rebel AIADMK MLAs soon. The verdict is keenly awaited in political circles, not just in Tamil Nadu but at the national level, too, since it has the potential to chart the future course of politics in the state. Before the verdict, both sides the ruling AIADMK and the rebel group led by T T V Dhinakaran are busy charting their future course of action, even as they indulge in verbal duel in public. The verdict, whichever way it comes, could prove tricky for Chief Minister E Palaniswami, since his government is now surviving on a wafer-thin majority. If the Speakers decision is upheld, the state will face by-elections to 20 constituencies, including two owing to the death of its members, which will serve as an acid test to the AIADMK government, which emerged a distant second in last years bypolls to R K Nagar seat. If the Speakers decision is struck down, the EPS government will plunge into a minority and the rebel MLAs might force a floor test on him. The 18 MLAs, who owe allegiance to Dhinakaran, were disqualified from their membership after they submitted a letter to then Governor C H Vidyasagar Rao, expressing no confidence in Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. The legislators moved the Madras High Court seeking quashing of their disqualification by Speaker P Dhanapal, but the first bench consisting then Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice S Sundar, delivered a split verdict, handing over the case to a third judge, M Sathyanarayana, who has reserved his orders in the case. Anticipation of the verdict has heightened political activity in the state in both ruling and Opposition camps. The DMK, which is hoping that the Assembly elections will be held simultaneously along with the Lok Sabha elections, has called a meeting of its district secretaries on October 25. Already, the party held consultations with its senior members on the preparedness for the Lok Sabha polls. Bhutanese voters have given a decisive mandate to the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) in the just-concluded final round of the countrys third general elections. A new party, established only in 2013, the DNT secured 54% of the votes and won 30 of the 47 seats in the National Assembly. With 17 seats, runner-up Druk Phuensum Tshogpa will sit in the opposition. Bhutanese voters have reaffirmed their support for democracy. Around 71.46% of the voters exercised their franchise, indicating significant voter enthusiasm in democratic processes. In each election so far, the Bhutanese people have voted out the incumbent ruling party. In doing so, they have voted for change. It is heartening that they are expressing their support for change via the ballot box. Bhutanese voters have also elected seven women to parliament, the highest so far. Unlike the rest of South Asia, which elects rather aged persons to parliament, Bhutans new parliament has 14 representatives in their 30s, 13 in their 50s and just two in their 60s. In its election manifesto, the centre-left DNT promised to incentivise agricultural work, increase public sector wages and focus on healthcare. It is expected to work on diversifying the Bhutanese economy, which is heavily reliant on the hydroelectric sector where India is not only the main investor but also the largest buyer. To avoid politicising foreign policy, the DNT and the DPT agreed to keep discussion of Bhutans foreign relations out of the election campaign. Yet, the looming presence of India and China could be felt in the Himalayan kingdom throughout the election, especially with the ruling, pro-India Peoples Democratic Party being ousted in the preliminary round of the election. The face-off at Doklam has impacted Bhutan immensely and people, politicians and parties are anxious about the route that foreign policy will take under the new government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done well to reach out to Bhutans prime minister-elect, Lotay Tshering. He must follow this up with a visit to discuss the steps the new government would like India to take to strengthen Bhutans economy and enhance its sense of security. An important issue on the minds of many Bhutanese is the question of sovereignty. As a sovereign country, they would like to pursue an independent foreign policy and establish relations with countries of their choosing. This, of course, means that they would like to establish diplomatic and economic relations with China. Hitherto, the Bhutanese have discussed the issue in whispers. That could grow louder now. Does India have a strategy in mind to deal with Bhutan opening up to China? Hopefully, the Modi government has learnt its lessons and will not allow Bhutan to go the Nepal way into Chinas embrace. 6 bodies including 4 bullet-hit found in Dhaka, N'ganj Staff Reporter : At least six unclaimed bodies, including four bullet-hit, were found in Narayanganj and Dhaka districts on Sunday. The identities of the deceased, aged between 30 and 35, could not be known immediately, police said. In Narayanganj, police recovered the bullet injuries bodies of four young men with their heads smashed in front of Panchrukhi Government Primary School in Araihazar upazila of the district, Officer-in-Charge of Araihazar Police Station MA Haque said. The law enforcers also recovered two pistols and a microbus from the spot, our Narayanganj correspondent reports quoting the OC. The police who discovered the bodies believe that the four youths died in "gangland violence". Abdullah Al Mamun, Additional Superintendent of Police, said they seized bullets, two pistols and a microbus from the scene. "The dead have not been identified. Our initial investigation, which found pistols and bullets at the scene, suggests that an altercation between gangs and criminals may have resulted in the deaths," he said. All four had bloody wounds on the back of their heads, but no other injuries on their bodies, according to him. He said that the bodies were sent to Narayanganj General Hospital for autopsy. According to local resident Raihan, he heard four gunshots in the night. He did not leave his home then, but saw the bodies by the road in the morning. "One of them wore a lungi and a purple T-shirt. The rest were wearing jeans and T-shirts. The backs of their heads were bloody and damaged," he said. In Dhaka, two decomposed bodies were found from a grass field at Uttara Sector 16 under Turag Police Station, said OC of Turag Police Station Nurul Muttakin. "There are no buildings nearby. It seems as if the two bodies have been here for a few days. We do not yet know how the two died," he said. "Both of the men are between 30 and 35 years of age. One of them wore trousers and a shirt, while the other was in trousers and a T-shirt. The two are yet to be identified," the OC said. The bodies were sent to the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital morgue for the autopsy, he said. Imrul hits ton Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe Imrul Kayes of Bangladesh celebrating his century against Zimbabwe in their first One Day International (ODI) match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city\'s Mirpur on Sunday. Sports Reporter : Favourites Bangladesh registered an easy 28-run victory over Zimbabwe in the first ODI at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city's Mirpur on Sunday. Electing to bat first, Bangladesh piled up a comfortable total of 271 for the loss of eight wickets in the stipulated 50 overs and then restricted Zimbabwe to 243 for the loss of nine wickets in 50 overs. Bangladesh had a shaky start as they lost two wickets at the cost of 17 runs. Then Imrul Kayes and Mushfiqur Rahim repaired the early damage contributing 49 runs for the third wicket partnership before Mushfiqur Rahim (15) was caught behind by wicketkeeper BRM Taylor off B Mavutu when Bangladesh's total was 66 for the loss of three wickets. Imrul Kayes notched up a splendid 144 from 140 deliveries. His career-best third century was studded with six sixes and 13 fours. After dismissal of Mushfiqur, Kayes and Mohammad Mithun put on together 71 runs for the fourth wicket stand before Mithun was caught behind by Taylor off KM Jervis when the Tigers' score was 137 for the loss of four wickets. Mithun made 37 from 40 balls featuring three sixes and one four. Later, Bangladesh lost two wickets within two runs. Then Kayes and Mohammad Saifuddin salvaged their team from danger adding together 127 runs in the six-wicket stand before Kayes was caught by PJ Moor off Jervis when Bangladesh's total was 266 for the loss of seven wickets. Mohammad Saifuddin hit 50 from 69 balls amid three fours and a sixer. It was Saifuddin's maiden ODI half century. Jervis claimed four wickets at the cost of 37 runs, while TL Chatara captured three wickets instead of 55 runs. Later, Zimbabwean batsmen failed to chase Bangladesh's challenging total. SC Williams remained unbeaten with exact 50. His 58-ball knock was laced with five fours and a six. C Zhuwao, PJ Moor, K M Jervis added 35, 26 and 37 runs to the Zimbabwean total respectively. Mehidy Hasan Miraz grabbed three wickets for 46 runs, while Nazmul Islam Apu bagged a pair of wickets instead of 38 runs. Besides, Mahmudullah and Mustafizur Rahman took one wicket each for 24 and 29 runs respectively. Imrul Kayes was adjudged the Man of the Match for his match-winning innings. Saudia Arabia is, as President Trump and the secretary of state have said, a cherished ally in the Middle East. It is a major purchaser of U.S. military equipment, which translates into many jobs in this country, and it is a key partner in regional struggles that include containing Iranian influence and countering terrorism. But those benefits added together cant equal the importance of Americas moral authority on the international stage. The disappearance and apparent murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who advocated democracy and was highly critical of the Saudi government, puts the United States in a difficult position. But ultimately, it should not be so difficult. If the evidence suggests Saudi authorities killed Khashoggi, and that the murder was linked to the crown, the United States must act quickly, decisively and appropriately. The U.S. cannot afford to send the message that it is willing to overlook or excuse atrocities in exchange for money and influence. That would put it on a par with some of the worlds worst regimes. Saudi Arabia has long posed diplomatic conundrums for the United States. Of the 19 men who hijacked aircraft and attacked key U.S. landmarks on Sept. 11, 2001, 15 were Saudi, and allegations about senior Saudi involvement in those attacks remain fuzzy. Meanwhile, the kingdom has a poor record on human rights and political freedom. Khashoggis case cuts to the heart of a free press and the basic human right to speak out against atrocities. Those are fundamental values that define American liberty. Long before the Trump administration, U.S. diplomatic officials argued the United States had to accept the world as it found it, rather than wait for allies to reform themselves before the U.S. would cooperate with them. In the case of Saudi Arabia, its strategic importance in the fight against terrorism and Russian-backed influences, as well as its rich oil reserves, made it a vital partner. All of that makes sense, but there must be limits. Khashoggis case cuts to the heart of a free press and the basic human right to speak out against atrocities. Those are fundamental values that define American liberty. So far, a great deal of circumstantial evidence has surfaced suggesting Khashoggi was killed during a visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The Turkish government has said it has a recording indicating people in the consulate beat, killed and dismembered the journalist. Time-stamped photos have emerged showing a frequent companion of the crown prince entering the consulate before the incident, and potential links have surfaced between other members of the crown princes security detail and the alleged killing. President Trump has seemed quick to dismiss much of this, even pushing, at one point, the notion of rogue killers committing the alleged murder. He even compared those who suspect Saudi involvement to the people who challenged Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaughs confirmation based on allegations of sexual assault. We understand all that is at stake in terms of money and influence, but if the president is interested in learning the facts of this case, his official statements ought to at least be more impartial. Whether dealing with a friend or foe, the United States must put the need for justice in what appears to be a cold-blooded political murder ahead of all other considerations. Rest assured, the world is watching and taking careful note. Everybody looks to the president of the United States to be the worlds policeman. However, sometimes there is no solution. This week, Washington, D.C., is abuzz with a murder mystery that even Agatha Christie could not have dreamed up. President Trump is really on the spot the outrageous atrocity of Saudi Arabian agents killing and dismembering the body of a Saudi journalist is an extremely cruel, medieval story unbelievable. If any fiction writer had written such a repulsive, horrible story it would have been rejected by any responsible publisher as it couldnt happen in 2018 in our civilized times. Perhaps Ivan the Terrible might have done something like this in a bygone time. Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (not an American citizen), went to the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Turkey. Mr. Khashoggi was apparently living in Turkey and he went to the Saudi Arabian Consulate to obtain a document he needed to marry his fiancee of Turkish citizenship. The document was apparently a certification of his divorce to a Saudi citizen. When Mr. Khashoggi arrived at the consulate, he was met by a 15-member special Saudi Arabian squad of killers who beheaded him. They had come through Turkish airport inspection and checked-in an electric bone saw. The killers used that bone saw to cut Mr. Khashoggis body into several pieces. His remains have not been recovered at the time of this writing. How should President Trump respond? His foreign policy options are very limited by practical concerns. He is hesitant and waiting for more information. The president has telephoned the King of Saudi Arabia and protested. But the real culprit appears to be Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who really rules Saudi Arabia at this time. President Trump made his first foreign trip as president to Saudi Arabia. He has done personal business with the Saudis in the past and very much wants to be close to Saudi Arabia. President Trump has been brutally honest and open about his concerns. He has pointed out that we have a $120 billion arms sale agreement with Saudi Arabia. If we shut that off, the president argues that we will lose that business and employment, plus the Saudis will quickly buy the arms elsewhere. The point is in this age of international trade, the economies of major countries have become so intertwined that the president cant just shut off commercial or diplomatic relations without consequences that will hurt us almost as much. The dilemma of this foreign policy situation is what the Saudis did is so absolutely outrageous in terms of normal ethics that it leaves us speechless. There is no simple solution. Probably the United States government and other critical governments will have to swallow hard and accept what the Saudis did. Yes, there will be letters of objections, monuments erected, and strongly worded condemning statements issued. However, as a practical matter, essentially nothing will be done. The United States is financially supporting Saudi Arabias position in the nasty civil war in Yemen. Maybe we could lessen our support there (as a Vietnam veteran, I think we should pull out of Yemen entirely as nobody seems to know what our objectives are there other than to help the Saudis). If we did pull the support of Saudi allies in Yemen, we would probably be hurting U.S. policy objectives at the same time. So, what does the president do? He can procrastinate for several days in the hopes that Mr. Khashoggi will turn up or there will be a sudden revelation that tells us this nightmarish story did not happen. However, in reality, it did happen. I think the president should admit that it is very difficult in the affairs of great powers for one country to break off relations completely with another great power. The United States cannot be the worlds policeman for all such incidents. The president should try to get a resolution through the United Nations severely condemning Saudi Arabia for this, and hopefully this will gain support. But it is possible that Saudi Arabia will continue to lie about this incident and ignore action by the U.N. Sometimes our government is faced with a moral dilemma in which there is no clear course of action. Mr. Khashoggi was not a U.S. citizen and he was killed on Turkish territory in a Saudi consulate. Out of Mr. Khashoggis death, perhaps a glimmer of good will come. The Washington Post published a full-page column from Mr. Khashoggi in the Thursday, Oct. 18, issue. Its headline is What the Arab World Needs Most: Free Expression. However, in reality, Mr. Khashoggis expression will go unheeded. In all probability, the United States and world community will do nothing beyond expressing their gravest concerns. A columnist such as me usually ends with a sweeping, brilliant recommendation to the president. Alas, I must admit that I do not have one. The murder of Mr. Khashoggi is something we will just have to live with. Of course, we should condemn and re-condemn the Saudi government, and in particular, Prince Mohammed. But none of this will bring Mr. Khashoggi back to life. At best, U.N. resolutions will be passed, but they will be worthless. SALT LAKE CITY A voting Utah residents dream just came true. What happened: Social media user Quinn Rollins tweeted a photo of himself mailing in his ballot. In his tweet, he asked Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox for some help receiving an I Voted sticker. I'm ready to mail in my ballot, but I'm sad that mail-in voters don't get the I VOTED sticker, which is my entire motivation for civic engagement. Can you just make some handmade stickers for me? Your crafting skills are legendary, he tweeted. Hey @SpencerJCox, I'm ready to mail in my ballot, but I'm sad that mail-in voters don't get the I VOTED sticker, which is my entire motivation for civic engagement. Can you just make some handmade stickers for me? Your crafting skills are legendary. #utpol pic.twitter.com/OwD5gDAm8Q Quinn Rollins (@jedikermit) October 15, 2018 It didnt take long for Cox to respond. Ill see what I can do, he said. Ill see what I can do. Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) October 15, 2018 Ok, @jedikermit , Ive been working on your sticker. Well get it mailed out to you. I hope I dont have to do too many of these, Cox tweeted at Rollins. Ok, @jedikermit, Ive been working on your sticker. Well get it mailed out to you. I hope I dont have to do too many of these. pic.twitter.com/sUELowC95U Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) October 15, 2018 Cox later told social media he didnt think he could make stickers for everyone, according to KSL-TV. He said if we mail stickers with every ballot, a person who doesnt vote might wear a sticker. That would lead to chaos and anarchy and the end of our Republic. We cant let that happen! As soon as the legislature makes sticker-fraud a capital offense, we will mail them. SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City's biggest outdoor farmers market closed out its 27th season Saturday with sunshine, pumpkins for sale and a poodle in costume for a Halloween contest. Construction in Pioneer Park has colored the market differently this season, forcing it to forgo a central music stage and cutting off a walkway through the center of the park. The change has troubled some food vendors who saw less foot traffic this year. "The construction definitely forced us to change our flow and the layout of our food," said Alison Einerson, director of the Downtown Farmers Market. In summer, crews put up a fence blocking the public from the park's center as they clear out sycamore trees and make way for a multipurpose lawn. The renovation has had no detectable effect on attendance, Einerson said. Based on sales numbers reported by vendors, she estimates that at least 150,000 people and up to 175,000 visited between June and October. And sales are up about 10 percent from last year. But Brian Passey and Parker Jenkins, part of the team operating MaMa Linda's Chile Verde, believe some would-be diners have been turned off by the fenced-in area with exposed dirt. They have sold burritos and other pork-filled plates at the market for 17 years, and say business has slowed after the construction cut off a main artery through the park in July. "It's just been really inconvenient," Jenkins said. The booth typically goes through three pots of pork to meet demand on Saturdays, but now are making their way through about two. Farmers, whose stands are stationed on the perimeter of the park, have largely been unaffected by the construction. "I haven't noticed it," said John Borski, who has sold produce from his farm in Kaysville at the market for 25 years. "I've had as good a year as I've ever had." He and his wife, Heather Borski, joined by their dog Sway, an 11-year-old Australian shepherd, sold garlic and fingerling potatoes to marketgoers early Saturday. Competition, more than construction, has posed an issue for their business, John Borski said. An early adopter of organic farming methods, Borski began selling produce to Salt Lake City restaurants almost three decades ago, and later joined about 10 other farms bringing fruits and vegetables to the market on Saturday mornings, routinely selling out by noon. He has turned to specialty crops to stay competitive, pedaling gourds that he also uses to make and sell birdhouses, along with fresh mint and rosemary, arugula and heirloom potatoes. It's a much different line of work than his first career as a dancer with the New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. When he decided to leave ballet behind, he said, he was drawn back to his family's land in Davis County. Even as competition from other farmers has risen over the years, so has a sense of community, he said. He barters with other vendors at the market, trading them vegetables for bread and pastries. "This is about small farms just trying to get by and working hard, making a living," Borski said. Linda Hart, who makes and sells jewelry she fashions from vintage tin, said she had concerns about how the construction might affect business and was disappointed to see beautiful, mature trees cut down to make way for the lawn. The construction is close to stands of craftsmen and women selling artwork, jewelry and other wares. Still, she said, business this year has been good for her. And despite the park's perception as a sometimes unsavory environment, she said, "I just feel like it's a really safe place to be." Dani Plothow, a nurse who lives in Salt Lake City, said she often comes to the market on Saturdays when she's not working. "I love the atmosphere," she said as she waited for the pet costume contest to begin. Plothow was dressed as Russell from the animated movie "Up," and her miniature Pinscher, Indiana, as the house from the movie that is carried across the sky by balloons. A poodle dressed as a taco and a black lab wearing fairy wings also waited for the competition to begin nearby. Over the past decade or so, several other farmers markets have popped up around the city, noted Einerson, the director of the downtown market. But she believes the expansion is a good thing. "Our mission is to support agriculture in Utah," she said. "We're not competitive. We're collaborative." The market has four full-time employees and 10 seasonal workers, with funding coming from sponsors and it cut of vendor sales, plus some assistance from Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County, she said. Those who enjoy picking up produce, a treat or other goods at the weekly market will still be able to do so come Nov. 10, when the smaller, weekly winter version at the Rio Grande Depot opens. The winter market takes place weekly on Saturdays from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. HEBER CITY Officials have identified of one of the six victims in a deadly collision between a dump truck and a pickup on U.S. 40 Friday afternoon. Efrain Cardenas, 62, of Salt Lake City, was driving the pickup truck eastbound on U.S. 40 with five other men when a westbound dump truck crossed the median and barrier just before noon near Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County, the Utah Highway Patrol said. Names of the other victims have not been released as the medical examiner's office is still working to identify the bodies and notify next of kin, which Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Lawrence Hopper said has been difficult as some of the men are not local. Court records identify the man driving the dump truck as Jamie McKenzie, 41. He was treated for injuries then booked into the Wasatch County Jail Friday night for investigation of six counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of driving under the influence causing serious injury as well as open container, reckless driving and speeding violations. Utah Highway Patrol troopers reported they found open containers of alcohol and prescription pills in McKenzie's vehicle. McKenzie refused to submit to a blood alcohol test, according to jail booking documents, so the UHP got a search warrant to draw his blood. According to the probable cause statement, McKenzie said knew he had been in a crash, but he did not remember details. Officers could smell alcohol on his breath, but he denied drinking any that day, the documents say. "I asked him about the open containers of alcohol in the truck we found and he said they were in his lunch box but he hadnt had lunch today," the statement reads. A woman who was lucky to survive the accident when the Jeep she was riding in rolled after being clipped by the dump truck, says she can't imagine how the families of the victims are coping. "It's unfair. Like, I get to wake up and my family is totally fine. I'm fine and my mom is fine. They're all waking up with one less family member," said Dallas McCullough, 19, of Salt Lake City. Her mother was driving a Jeep Rubicon in front of the pickup on the highway. The back of their car was clipped by the dump truck, sending them rolling four times into a ditch. McCullough fractured her hand, and her mom suffered a broken nose. Police say they received reports of a recklessly driven dump truck prior to the accident. McCullough saw the dump truck coming their way before the crash. "I watched him all the way from the median, all the way to our car and I just closed my eyes, she said. She also expressed anger that, according to crash investigators, the dump truck driver may have been intoxicated. "I mean, you just took six people off this Earth because you were that selfish and that reckless, she said. "Gosh, it's horrible. There are no words." Contributing: Alex Cabrero Dixie State volleyball pushed its winning streak to four straight and broke a program hitting percentage record in a convincing 3-1 victory at New Mexico Highlands on Saturday night inside the NMHU John A. Wilson Complex. The victory, coupled with a Colorado Mesa loss on Saturday, moved the Trailblazers (18-4, 13-2 RMAC) into sole possession of second place in the RMAC standings, one game behind Colorado School of Mines (20-3, 14-1 RMAC) with three regular-season matches remaining. The Trailblazers came out of the gate swinging as DSU rolled to a quick 2-0 match lead. Dixie State scored the first six points of set one and never looked back on its way to a 25-10 win, and it kept the momentum going with a 9-0 run to begin set two to race to a 25-9 triumph. The Cowgirls (7-16, 5-10 RMAC) avoided the sweep with a 25-18 win in the third frame, however, that was as close as NMHU got as the Blazers took command to start the fourth frame and closed out the match with a 25-12 victory. Dixie State shattered the programs NCAA era single-match attack percentage record by hitting .491 with 61 kills and just nine attack errors in 106 attempts. The Blazers performance bested the previous record of .440 set in a 3-0 sweep of Molloy College during the 2015 season. The Trailblazers were red hot in all three set wins as they hit .640 in the opening frame, followed by a .556 percentage in set two and a .542 clip in the decisive fourth stanza. DSUs .640 percentage in the first set was also the second-highest single set percentage in program history (.667 in fifth set vs. Hawaii Pacific on October 2, 2007). Three Trailblazers connected for double figures in kills, led by sophomore Megan Treanor who tallied 15 kills along with three assists and three total blocks. Junior Toa Faleao-Baich tied a career high with 13 kills, and junior Lauren Gammell hit a career-best .800 en route to 12 kills to go with three block assists. While the Trailblazer offense was on fire, the DSU defense stifled NHMU as the Cowgirls posted a .084 attack percentage with 22 errors and 32 kills. Dixie State collected 10.0 total team blocks, including a combined nine block assists from seniors Malary Marshall (five) and Shannon Sorensen (four). Dixie State concludes the 2018 regular season with a three-match homestand, starting with a pair of crucial conference matches vs. Colorado Christian on Friday, Oct. 26, followed by a date vs. third-place Regis on Saturday, Oct. 27. TALLAHASSEE, Florida The southern end of the U.S. Atlantic coast has been on the business end of the adversity over the past several weeks. First came Hurricane Florence, inundating the Carolinas with rain and overflowing inland rivers. Then Hurricane Michael arrived on the Florida Panhandle with historic, violent winds that turned tourist towns into rubble. But adversity didnt originate with the recent storms. Difficulties have been around since the beginning of time and everyone will be battered by lifes blows at some point in their lives, said President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Read the full Church News article here. HEBER CITY A man and a woman were taken to the hospital in critical condition early Saturday morning after a man allegedly driving a stolen vehicle crashed head-on into them on U.S. 40, police say. Tyson Uresti, 22, was driving west in a black Ford Explorer when he overcorrected and swerved into an oncoming silver Audi about 13 miles southeast of Heber City, according to Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Lawrence Hopper. Hopper said Uresti fled the scene on foot, but officers were able to locate and apprehend him. He was evaluated at the hospital then booked on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle and other charges, Hopper said. The man in the Audi was flown to Utah Valley Hospital, and the woman believed by troopers to be pregnant was transported by ground then also flown to Utah Valley. The crash occurred less than 48 hours since the first of two deadly accidents on highway 40 on Thursday and Friday. SALT LAKE CITY The man accused of killing six people while driving drunk on U.S. 40 has a history of driving intoxicated and with open containers dating back 20 years, according to court records. Jamie Don McKenzie, 41, of Heber City, was arrested for investigation of six counts of automobile homicide, two counts of causing serious injuries while driving intoxicated, having an opening container in a vehicle, reckless driving, unsafe lane travel and speeding. Just before noon on Friday, McKenzie was driving a large dump truck when it "crossed the median and vaulted over the cable barrier" and broadsided a Dodge Ram pickup truck, according to the Utah Highway Patrol. Three people were thrown from the pickup. The other three were still in the pickup when the dump truck came to rest on top of their vehicle, crushing the cab. All six occupants were killed on impact, according to UHP. "Their injuries that caused their deaths were so severe that their identities are still trying to be determined," police wrote in a Wasatch County Jail booking report. As of Sunday, the only victim that had been identified was Efrain O. Cardenas, 62, of Salt Lake City. Two other women suffered broken bones when their Jeep was clipped by the dump truck and rolled off the shoulder of the road, coming to rest upside down. A driver who was behind the dump truck said McKenzie was "swerving across all lanes and speeding (70-75 mph)" before the crash, according to the report. After the crash, troopers found an open bottle of liquor and an open beer, the report states. McKenzie, who was driving a truck with a Heber City construction company logo on the door, told troopers he was taking a load of dirt to Brown's Canyon. He said he knew he had been in a crash, but he did not remember details. After he was released from the hospital, McKenzie was arrested. As he was being transported to jail, "Jamie told me that he had been drinking alcohol last night and had not had any alcohol today. I asked him what kind of alcohol he was drinking and he said whiskey. I asked him about the open containers of alcohol in the truck we found and he said they were in his lunch box but he hadnt had lunch today," the arresting officer wrote in his report. According to court records, McKenzie has a history of being pulled over and ticketed for various traffic offenses, including just four days before the fatal crash. On Monday, he was cited by Heber City police for following another vehicle too closely and causing an accident, according to court records. On Oct. 9, McKenzie pleaded guilty to assault and intoxication in a domestic violence incident, according to court records. The plea was held in abeyance. A judge ordered McKenzie during sentencing to "complete an alcohol/substance abuse evaluation (and) comply with any recommended treatment," according to court records. He was also ordered to complete an anger management class. According to a Wasatch County Jail booking report from that incident, the arresting officer noted that McKenzie "was extremely intoxicated, he had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, his balance was off and he smelled very strong of an alcoholic beverage." On July 28, he was cited by a state Parks and Recreation officer in Wasatch County for having an open container in his vehicle, court records state. In 2013, McKenize pleaded no contest to impaired driving and having an open container in his vehicle, according to court records. In 2012 he was charged with intoxication, but Heber City later declined prosecution and the case was dropped, court records state. In 2002, McKenzie took another plea in abeyance in another domestic violence related incident, court records state. A judge ordered him at that time to "continue in alcohol counseling," the report states. In a separate case, he was charged in 2002 with seven counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He pleaded guilty to two counts, both second-degree felonies, and was sentenced to 270 days in jail. In 1998, McKenzie was convicted in one case of supplying alcohol to minors, in another of having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle, and a third case of having an open container, according to court records. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit So me and my french fiancee recently got married in the US and had no idea that we still needed to have the banns published until it was too late. Now that everything is done through Washington for my side of the US, I'll give a bit of context of what's been worrying me as of late. We started the process for the family booklet transcription and asked to attend an interview in which they did for us separately, as far as we know once we discussed it after it was over, all our answers were in align with each other. At the end they told us that the certificate of capacity to marry given by the French consulate was a requirement and if they told us that and we said no. Which makes no sense since on their website they give an option for those "who did not acquire the certificate/for those whose certificate is 2 years old." If it's a requirement, then why give the option to begin the process for those who didn't bother to recieve it anyway? I digress. So interview is done and I've decided to read up on the civil code referenced on the website of the Washington French consulate in the marriage section and a specific code is confusing me. Civil code 191 "A marriage not publicly celebrated" is grounds for annulment for those interested to do so, so far haven't seen any cases where someones marriage got annulled over this civil code. However, I've read around that the French is required to see our marriage as legal anyway, haven't found any information on this either. So now I'm confused and worried. I don't want our marriage to be annulled and I can't find any clarity of the meaning of civil code 191, not to mention I couldn't find much information on the experience of those couples who did not publish the banns beforehand and transcribed their marriage anyway. Any advice, information, or experience to shed light on my worries? Privacy Settings This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit. NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using. Welcome to the News Release Wire Selection Control Panel. Instant News Wire Redwoods are at risk with our hot weather, let's find out how to help Hazel, Fellow and Scout! Get to BB SweatClub and work out! Back to School with Movement and Personality, Nature, Nurture, and Science. As part of the Fall academic year, elementary children at Liggett, Plummer, and at the new Woodland Hills site are learning how to succeed at school through ecology (learning about their home) and those housed at the gym, their bodies. Kids First So Cal is opening today at its gorgeous new classroom in Woodland Hills.You are invited to head to the Tae Bo Nation site in Woodland Hills and workout to celebrate working by with Billy Blanks and his trainers today. Providing mind-body-spirit-health integration within academics and child development on site at THE BILLY BLANKS SWEAT CLUB 1-4:30 pm today Sunday, October 21st at the site of the former "ciara dance studio" 21250 Califa St. Ste 105 a, 818-888.7744, adjacent or street parking, you can join New Education Options, Kids First, the TaeBo Nation and all comers in dedicating the space to new generations young and old of learners. Find out about Academic Enrichment, Tutoring, and STEM/STEAM R is for River for your child this year or in the near future. You can enroll in the Fall, Winter Break or Thanksgiving programs now. In Sherman Oaks and Panorama City, New Education Options (nonprofit sponsoring Kids First and using NASA citizen science protocols) began introducing 2nd and 3rd graders this week to new vocabulary and core study concepts. It anchored "Big Shakeout" earthquak-prep teaching on campus with reinforcement through its own unique offering of combining the power of movement and sound. Words "stop, drop, cover and hold" were part of an Earth Sciences, Social Studies, and Culture concept revealed through subject integration curricula and state researched content focused on English and Math acceleration. During the week, Administrator Joi Staves, at the Church of the Chimes helped NEO out by modeling how one can teach families about science, autonomy and stewardship. The aka "Burl Gurl's" measured the trees and made primative baseline calculations in an informal science journal. The scientific duo included Neo's educator/director Bo Lebo with Ms. Staves acting in order to join the District's burgeoning community science activities in the older grades in ESC NW or Supervisoral District and City District 3. They took their first Tree Campaign actions to protect and discover the property's 3 Redwoods at the Church of the Chimes property just a few days before their Saturday rummage sale. The previous weekend their Festival featured First Kids First So Cal materials now on display in the Hamilton parlor on a featured easel looking for NEO volunteers to work with the GLOBE Trees Around the GLOBE campaign on the property throughout the next two years or to learn the protocol and bring to other neighborhoods and classrooms. Whether an invite to today's workout in Woodland Hills or an ongoing invite to bring GLOBE to elementary schools, they anchored NEO's STEM community goals to both fill childcare seats at Califa and selected school participating sites and raise both capital. With a bigger board, some donations, and building an endowment, it will be able to create jobs, publish, develop its curriculum, and simultaneously build science literacy between church goers, locals, adjacent schools and businesses. Yahoo! By helping a general baseline about these three trees (aka Hazel, Fellow, and Scout), Joi and Bo, with the help of the Church of the Chimes Board, envision an expanding band of citizens, students, teachers, and parents coming on property to use GLOBE observer apps, They will learn about informal and formal science and get into both focus and groove by exercising their smart equipment, their bodies and their phones in actively solving problems created by the drought. With digitals tools in an active learning community, whether at Burbank and Hazeltine , or online with redwoods that also need human support, they will eventually dialogue with Robbie Breadon's Common Ground farm in Five Mile Town, Fermanagh, North Ireland and with projects in Alaska, Hawaii, and France. While elementary students were measuring, planning for solutions this Thursday singing about earthquakes, Denise Ovaldsen, director of the Celtic Arts Center and Ms. Lebo were looking at songs, dances, stories, and activities that can involve North Hollywood, Burbank, and surrounding areas this Halloween. Join the ultimate workout this afternoon, October 21st, this Sunday at the Billy Blanks Sweat Club and class studio with Billy, obviously the fun and discovery has just begun. Find out about the Califa Site to enroll your K-5 children at 1-1:15pm today with Ms Lynda. Newcomers will receive a 10% discount on joining the studio. Childcare resource center eligible parents can talk to Ms. Reichbach about childcare subsidies. Get Kids First year round calendar or consider enrolling today. For more info about New Education Options, GLOBE Trees Around the GLOBE, the aerosol protocol, or what we are up to, call us for a year end donation, a discussion, a calendar of upcoming science training, or to join in our goal to buy a bus and to get our legacy endowment started this quarter 818-742-5099. ______________________________________________ www.waterbuddyca.org _______________________________________________ Find out about our trees, up close: https://churchofthechimes.org ________________________________________________ Redwoods and Oaks are precious in California and Ireland, study these trees and more on the GLOBE site: www.globe.gov ____________________________________________________________ Kids First is part of the Billy Blanks Sweat Club opening in Woodland Hills, celebrating their new home: www.kidsfirst.la ______________________________________________________________ The Billy Blanks Sweat Club Announcement: Today, 21259 Califa St Ste 105 a, adjacent or street parking, 1-4:30pm, visit Kids First or work out, please join in! ______________________________________________________ Learn about the farm either in narrative or soon in photos and videos or live streaming: CCEA "Anything's Possible!"/Science through Stories and working with a real farm through virtual science and reading: www.commongroundni.org http://ccea.org.uk/curriculum/sciencethroughstories _______________________________________________________ NB: GLOBE is working with snow melt, urban heat, trees and blossoming, teacher training, aerosol measurements, and so many more measurements. Find out about the NASA Earth Observer App this fall available in Apple or Android operating systems. Oil rose from a one-month low after U.S. President Donald Trump promised "very severe" consequences in the case of a missing critic of Saudi Arabian leaders. Futures gained 0.7 percent in New York on Friday, trimming its weekly loss to 3.1 percent. Trump's remarks came as multiple investigations into Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance dragged on more than two weeks after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Ex-U.S. solicitor-general Ted Olson's law firm said it is no longer lobbying on behalf of the kingdom, and noted oil IHS Markit Ltd. analyst Dan Yergin won't attend the 'Davos in the Desert' event in Saudi Arabia. Although the Saudis appear unlikely to follow through on threats to use oil as an economic weapon, "they could potentially do something if they wanted to," said Josh Graves, senior market strategist at RJO Futures in Chicago. WTI LIGHT: Permian drillers selling new, lighter crude oil grade Trump on Thursday told reporters that it "certainly looks" like Khashoggi is dead, even as his administration awaits the results of probes by Turkish authorities and the Saudi themselves. Crude has retreated nearly 10 percent since reaching an almost four-year high earlier this month on concern that high prices will hurt demand, particularly in emerging economies already beset with other financial strains. West Texas Intermediate for November delivery rose 47 cents to settle at $69.12 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Total volume traded was about 16 percent below the 100-day average. THE FUTURE: Wind, solar and electric vehicles will dominate by 2035 Brent for December settlement rose 49 cents, or 0.6 percent, to close at to $79.78 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global benchmark's premium was $10.50 to WTI for the same month. In the U.S., the Energy Information Administration said nationwide crude inventories rose by 6.49 million barrels last week, more than the 2.5 million-barrel increase forecast in a Bloomberg survey. Stockpiles have risen more than 22 million barrels over the past four weeks as domestic drillers ramped up production, while refineries halted some operations for seasonal maintenance. --With assistance from Tsuyoshi Inajima, David Marino, Sharon Cho and Grant Smith. 2018 Bloomberg L.P. WASHINGTON - The Trump administration's struggles to curtail illegal immigration have exposed a deep rift among the president and his top advisers, one that could lead to changes in the Cabinet and undermine the government's response to a record surge of migrant families at the southern border. Even as President Donald Trump continues to believe immigration will be a political winner next month in helping turn out his conservative base for the midterm elections, tensions in the West Wing have reached a boiling point. A profane shouting match over immigration this week among top aides prompted Chief of Staff John Kelly to storm out of the White House and marked the culmination of weeks of mounting anxiety, several senior administration officials said. Trump's own escalating frustration has led him to excoriate aides for not taking more aggressive actions and to offer his own ideas, officials said. He has ruminated this week over the possibility of sending more soldiers to the border, even though thousands of National Guard troops have been deployed there since April with no evidence of a deterrent effect. In the summer, the president was so upset by the border numbers that he proposed sealing the entire 1,954-mile U.S.-Mexico border, including shuttering legal ports of entry, blocking trade flows and halting tourism and travel, according to the senior administration officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. "Close the whole thing!" Trump demanded at one point during an Oval Office meeting, the officials said. He was talked out of it by advisers who highlighted the effect such a measure would have on more than $600 billion in U.S.-Mexico annual trade, as well as the potential damage to bilateral relations, according to the officials. The worsening immigration numbers are particularly fraught for Trump, who centered much of his 2016 campaign around incendiary vows to build a border wall - which has not been built - and has begun focusing on immigrants as a dire threat in the final weeks before the Nov. 6 midterms. Experts said the White House is straining under the same political dilemma that past administrations encountered in trying to manage the massive U.S. immigration system despite Congress's inability to strike a comprehensive legislative reform package. Trump is hitting the limits of what he is legally able to do through executive authority, they said, and the United States has relatively few tools to deal with the gang violence, poverty and hunger propelling a mass exodus of Central American migrant families over the past five years. "The tension between the White House and the Department of Homeland Security reminds me of when people tried to characterize stopping illegal immigration as a willingness problem - and accused the Obama administration of not wanting to stop it," said John Sandweg, who served as a high-ranking DHS official under President Barack Obama. "This administration is learning the hard way - it's not a lack of willingness. It's just our ability [as a government] to do so that is limited." White House officials have sought to play down the tensions. After news broke Thursday about the squabble just outside the Oval Office between Kelly and national security adviser John Bolton over the performance of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, press secretary Sarah Sanders issued a statement saying Bolton and Nielsen had patched things up. But Kelly was audibly cursing as he left the White House grounds and he did not return that day, according to people with knowledge of the situation. The blowup came after Nielsen, during a White House meeting, had touted an effort by the Mexican government to enlist help from the U.N. Refugee Agency to process asylum claims from a caravan of thousands of Honduran migrants traveling north toward the United States. Trump has demanded that the Mexican government disband the group and threatened to cut off foreign aid or upend a new trade deal if it fails to do so. Nielsen characterized the United Nation's involvement as a significant measure that could help stem the flow, according to administration officials. Bolton, a longtime critic of the United Nations, responded that the international body was ineffective and expressed disbelief at Nielsen's view, the officials said, prompting an argument over the DHS chief's performance. Kelly, who served as the head of that agency for the first six months of Trump's tenure and handpicked Nielsen to replace him, jumped in to defend her. "The White House wants to see more passion, energy and a more proactive approach, rather than waiting for the president to get pissed off and then come up with a solution," one senior DHS official familiar with the dispute said of Nielsen. Trump backed Bolton and another influential senior White House aide, Stephen Miller, who also has been critical of Nielsen. The conflict has reverberated through DHS amid speculation that Nielsen is among the Cabinet members most at risk of losing her job after the midterms. Kelly has defended Nielsen repeatedly, drawing eyerolls from other staff members. At senior staff meetings, he has often praised Nielsen even though her name had not come up, according to two people who have attended the meetings. "It was counterproductive for her," one of these people said. "Kelly's overprotection of her actually hurt her." A former colleague of Nielsen's said there would be no immediate replacement if she departs, noting that the deputy DHS secretary role has been vacant since Elaine Duke's departure in February. "I'm sure she's exhausted, but I think she would like to stay a little bit longer, at least to serve for a year," the person said, noting that Nielsen has been in the role for only 10 months. The internal strife threatens to make an already challenging situation even more arduous. In 2014, the Obama administration faced a humanitarian crisis at the border when tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors and families with children overwhelmed patrol stations. The situation prompted a broad emergency response from the federal government that included Congress approving new resources, including additional money to house the children, and a $750 million aid package to Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras - the Northern Triangle nations where most of the migrants were coming from. The numbers of families and children this year have surpassed the 2014 totals. Trump has responded by threatening to cut off foreign aid to those nations, a move experts said would only exacerbate the problems. Amy Pope, who as deputy homeland security adviser under Obama helped coordinate the 2014 response, said that crisis sparked some disagreements among agencies, including DHS, the State Department and Health and Human Services - though she did not recall any shouting matches. "Trump threatening to curtail all foreign assistance to Honduras is actually counterproductive," Pope said. "All evidence shows a couple dominant reasons why people leave - violence and a lack of economic opportunity and no judicial accountability. It's what foreign assistance is meant to address." At campaign rallies and on Twitter, Trump has sought to blame Democrats and foreign leaders for the mounting number of families at the border. In private, he has summoned Nielsen to the West Wing for regular meetings, aides said. Trump is pushing for a more muscular response, and he favors sending more U.S. soldiers to the border. About 1,600 National Guard troops are deployed in four states after Trump ordered the move in the spring, according to Homeland Security officials. But DHS officials say they need more legal and legislative firepower. The vast majority of Central American migrants who reach the border are turning themselves in to Border Patrol agents, claiming a fear of return and a desire to seek asylum. More National Guard troops and the border wall that Trump has proposed would be largely irrelevant, experts have said. By Friday afternoon, video clips showed the Honduran migrants, having made their way through Guatemala, attempting to cross into Mexico, some wading through a river. Back in Washington, one senior DHS official put the scene into perspective. "We see the equivalent of a caravan cross our border every day," the official said. "We're catching 1,500 people a day." --- Video Embed Code Video: President Trump on Oct. 19 threatened to deploy the military to the U.S.-Mexico border to stop a migrant caravan from entering the U.S., calling a 'big percentage' of the migrants criminals.(The Washington Post) Embed code: Yvonne Mintz is editor and publisher of The Facts. She has worked at the paper since 1997, first as a reporter, then as senior reporter and city editor before becoming managing editor in 2004. Follow Yvonne Mintz Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The second-floor classroom was not filled with expensive equipment just a few maps, a print of George Washington crossing the Delaware and two dozen ninth-graders in white button-down shirts, the boys in khakis and the girls in blue plaid skirts, facing each other for a Socratic discussion. Robert Funes, the teacher, launched a conversation about freedom of the press by quoting Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville: If anyone could point out an intermediate and yet a tenable position between the complete independence and the entire servitude of opinion, I should perhaps be inclined to adopt it. Before jumping in, Sunnel Kim, 14, had a question. Can we define tenable real quick, on page 100? Adam Shumway, also 14, relied on the schools classical focus for the answer. I think it would be like sustainable because you can see the Latin tenere, which means to hold. The scene might seem straight out of a private college prep school, but it was the Humane Letters seminar at Great Hearts Northern Oaks, a free, open-enrollment public charter school that received a score of 90, for a preliminary grade of A, when Texas rolled out its controversial new method of rating schools in August. Now Playing: Great Hearts Northern Oaks ninth-grade students, led by teacher Robert Funes, use the open-ended Socratic method to discuss the book Democracy in America by Alexis DeTocqueville, in October 2018. Video: Billy Calzada, Express-News Long before that debut, the accountability system was criticized as unfair to high-poverty campuses, where students tend to receive less academic support at home and score lower on standardized tests. Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath rejects that criticism because the system compares students progress to that of their peers at demographically similar schools a feature that he says weakens the relationship between a schools relative poverty and the grade it gets from the state. But in Bexar County, a stronger correlation exists between campus scores and students income levels than the statewide numbers show. Experts dont agree whether to blame the rating system. Its a relationship that has been documented all over the country. Local educators said national research and firsthand experience tell them low-income students face a variety of disadvantages. They can lack college-educated role models, quality early childhood education, adequate nutrition and health care. Their parents often work longer hours to make ends meet, reducing the time they can spend with their children. Statewide, 59 percent of students are considered economically disadvantaged, with family incomes that qualify them for free or reduced-price school meals. At the neighborhood elementary school in the affluent North Side area around Great Hearts Northern Oaks, the number is 29 percent and 12 percent at the charter school itself, which this year enrolls students in kindergarten through 10th grade. Meanwhile, at Collier Elementary in Harlandale Independent School District on the South Side, 97 percent of students last year were economically disadvantaged. The state gave the school a 71 percent grade right in the middle of the range of scores received by schools with the same proportion of students who qualify for meal subsidies. The school, with a Mexican-style arched facade facing Southcross Boulevard, has a commitment to social and emotional education that the states preliminary letter grade of C does not reflect, said Samantha Gallegos, Harlandales assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. Theres so much more than just the reading, the writing, the math, she said. But those things are important, and not all Collier students start the year reading at the expected grade level, Gallegos said. The school is trying a number of things to close the literacy gap, Principal Patricia Garcia said. There is a chapter book club spanning multiple grades. Students can come to school as early as 7 a.m. to read in the library. Theyre encourged to wear College Bound shirts on Fridays. The school holds pep rallies to recognize its most prolific readers. In Peggy Trejos second-grade class on a recent afternoon, about 20 students chatted in small groups as they practiced writing stories to inform or entertain. Now Playing: Second-grade teacher Peggy Trejo works with students at Collier Elementary School, which is in the Harlandale Independent School District in October 2018. Video: Billy Calzada, Express-News Christopher Aguillon, 7, filled most of a sheet of notebook paper with thoughts about the Halloween party the class had been promised. He planned to dress as the blue ninja from the Lego movie. Christopher, an aspiring police officer, knew the assignment had helped him. Now I draw and write better, he said. Mike Villarreal, a former state legislator who now teaches and directs the Institute for Urban Education at the University of Texas at San Antonio, was not surprised by the local relationship between campus scores and students family income. The statewide picture includes rural areas where peoples incomes vary less, so poverty has less social stigma and teachers have more status, he said. The nature of a relationship between a students socio-economic background and their academic achievement is multifaceted, Villarreal said. Its not just about finances. Its also about how they see themselves. He agreed with almost all the local school superintendents in criticizing the states accountability systems old and new for the weight they gave the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, in ranking schools. This whole discussion about accountability measures is a game that entertains policymakers, but it doesnt move the needle on student outcomes, Villarreal said. Were using data that has serious limitations and stretching the purpose of the data to accomplish other purposes, and in this case its to categorize school programs. The new accountability systems use of socio-economic factors when comparing schools is similar to a technique the Houston-based nonprofit Children at Risk has used for years to publish its own rankings, complete with letter grades. The states system is not that unfair to Bexar County schools because the county has too few high-performing, high-poverty schools, compared with other parts of the state, said Bob Sanborn, Children at Risks president and CEO. Because of differences in methods, the state classifies about half its high-poverty schools as high-performing, he said, while Children at Risk awards that label to only about 20 percent of high-poverty schools and in Bexar County, only 7 percent. Schools in other low-income areas such as the Rio Grande Valley and El Paso are generally doing better, said Sanborn, who credited reform-oriented superintendents. He said Superintendent Pedro Martinez of San Antonio ISD, which is in the fourth year of a five-year turnaround plan, has gained some momentum that could inspire neighboring high-poverty districts, including Edgewood and Harlandale, to boost performance. Much of the economic diversity in Bexar County can be seen in its largest school district, Northside ISD, which does its own comparisons of schools STAAR performance to their economically disadvantaged proportion of students, said Janis Jordan, deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction. The analysis helps the district make adjustments where necessary, but Northside is careful not to place too much importance on STAAR, she said. Briscoe Middle School, near Alamo Ranch outside Loop 1604, had a 21 percent economically disadvantaged enrollment last year and an accountability score of 88 percent, fitting the trend for Bexar Countys wealthier public schools. But Ross Middle School, on Callaghan Road in the Culebra Park neighborhood, got a score of 82 with an 84 percent economically disadvantaged rate. Ross is an outlier, but it succeeded because teams of teachers created their own low-stakes tests and used the results to make quick curriculum changes, Jordan said. We are talking about this issue and were making sure that we dont view it as an excuse, and were just going to focus on continuous improvement, she said. There are some students and some campuses that simply need more resources. Sunnel Kim, now in his fifth year at a Great Hearts school, had attended Vineyard Ranch Elementary, a North East ISD school outside Loop 1604 that last year had an 11 percent economically disadvantaged rate. His classmates Tatum Uhlrich and Sofia Garcia, both 14, went to private schools before they came to Great Hearts. I love having the seminars where I can hear other students thoughts, Tatum said. Sofia has also been home-schooled and attended Harmony School of Science, another high-performing charter. She wants to go to the University of Dallas and become an obstetrician but said she chose Great Hearts for the classical education. The thing about classical education is it doesnt only care about the academics, Sofia said. It cares about the virtues that the student body cultivates. Great Hearts just opened a Western Hills campus on Ingram Road, where about 30 percent of students are economically disadvantaged, said Andrew Ellison, executive director of Great Hearts San Antonio. It is near Evers Elementary, which has a 49 percent economically disadvantaged rate. The low-income and nonwhite populations in the charter networks San Antonio schools have increased every year, Ellison said, and will continue to do so as more people find out about us, as we do a better and better job of making sure that we are effectively marketing to all different kinds of communities. Ellison said he didnt think the states new accountability system was unfair to low-income students. At Great Hearts, he said, teachers work to close learning gaps that cut across socio-economic lines. But he agreed the states letter grades dont tell the full story. Despite its high score, Great Hearts Northern Oaks has targeted a few courses to improve eighth-grade social studies, for example. Were also really happy about how our students are doing in Latin and drama and music and ancient Greek philosophy and other things that were passionate about teaching, and that arent assessed on state accountability nor should they be, Ellison said. We measure our success according to our own standards. Alia Malik covers several school districts and the Alamo Colleges District in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | amalik@express-news.net | Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN Fox News host Sean Hannity and former Gov. Rick Perry unloaded on Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke and national Democrats Saturday at a rally here for Sen. Ted Cruz, with the senator also taking the stage to continue framing his race as one with clear ideological choices. During his red meat-heavy stump speech, Hannity adopted a nickname for O'Rourke Bozo and accused Democrats of lacking a plan "to help the forgotten men and women in this country." "They want to go backwards into the failed policies of [Barack] Obama," Hannity told a packed crowd in the ballroom of the Hilton DoubleTree hotel on East Greenway Plaza. "They are hiding what they really want to do: They want to impeach Donald Trump. Beto, Bozo, wants to do it himself." Ahead of Cruz's Monday rally here with Trump, Hannity lauded the two Republicans for passing "the biggest tax cut in American history." "Bozo wants the crumbs back," Hannity said, alluding to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's characterization of tax bill bonuses. "I say that money belongs in your pocket." Perry, the U.S. Energy secretary who served as Texas governor for 14 years, predicted Cruz would beat O'Rourke by "a substantial margin" thanks in part to the state's booming oil and gas industry. He played up Cruz's relationship with Trump, calling Cruz "one of the powerful influences on this president." Perry also cast Cruz's election against O'Rourke as a "pivotal" moment in Texas' history, and took a couple shots at the El Paso congressman. "Robert Francis O'Rourke thinks that because he's got a Hispanic nickname, he's gonna get the Hispanic vote," Perry said. "Ain't gonna happen, Robert." Cruz stumped for about half an hour to close out the hour-long rally, focusing mostly on widening the contrast between himself and O'Rourke. He hit many of the same notes from prior rallies including on immigration, judicial appointments and regulations and newly announced he was "proud" that the Houston Chronicle editorial board had endorsed O'Rourke. "There is a caravan marching north right now," Cruz said at one point. "I'm just waiting to see Beto O'Rourke come down and start leading the caravan." Upon taking the stage, Cruz who once had a stormy relationship with Hannity commended the radio and TV host for "stepping forward and battling political correctness," "the forces of socialism," "open borders" and "stupidity." From Houston, Hannity and Cruz are traveling to Beaumont, where they will hold another rally at 3:30 p.m. O'Rourke this weekend is holding events near Corpus Christi and in Dallas-Fort Worth before heading to the Houston area. We asked the sides for and against the San Antonio charter amendments to answer some questions about the measures. Reinette King, a spokeswoman for the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association, answers for the pro-amendments side. Answering for the Go Vote No campaign is Mayor Ron Nirenberg. We hope this helps you decide. Early voting begins Monday. The election is Nov. 6. Q. What is the harm/good in lowering the number of petition signatures required to bring a council decision to a referendum? This is what Proposition A proposes. Nirenberg: Lowering the petition threshold creates numerous problems for citizens. For starters, it means nearly constant paralysis, as every decision made by the council is in limbo for six months while someone tries to gather signatures for a referendum. And it allows even the narrowest of special interests with enough money ($2 per signature is what the union paid) to buy their way onto the ballot. This takes power away from the people by end-running their elected representatives in favor of monied interests who can buy the outcome they want. King: Proposition A would require fewer signatures to give the people a voice on issues and how their money is spent when City Hall acts and spends recklessly while ignoring or failing in their fiduciary duty. The other side, in its quest for taxpayer dollars, enjoys almost exclusive access to our council, mayor and the city manager. Citizens need the right of refusal to force the other side to defend and justify a questionable project, issue or its costs. Both our country and city rely on checks and balances to keep power in check. A referendum enables debate on the pros and cons of an issue to inform the people before they vote. Citizens are too busy making a living to micromanage City Hall; so historically, there have been few referendums unless they were high cost issues and controversial, like the dome, term limits, salaries for council and one requiring a referendum on rail. Q. If you know, what do other Texas cities with this petition ability require? Nirenberg: There is no major city in Texas that sets a petition threshold this low, while also extending the time period to six months for collecting them. The closest any city comes is Austin, which has a number of restrictions on what can be placed on a ballot by petition and a population that is half a million people fewer than San Antonio. Austin is also voting to raise taxes this fall. King: Since 2012 when Austin voted to lower petition signatures to 20,000 and increased the number of days to 180 days to collect them, there has been no abuse. Issues should pass or fail on merit, and being compared to California is not only insulting, but not valid. If the peoples vote elects council, shouldnt that same vote be the last word when it comes to projects that are controversial? Q. These charter amendments have spawned a particularly heated debate, often bordering on personal. How did we get to this state? Nirenberg: The fire union presidents personal rancor and political attacks on city leadership for the last four years, coupled with his outright refusal to negotiate a taxpayer-funded collective bargaining contract for firefighters, have fueled this entire process and that unfortunately has come at the cost of civility and an honest conversation about the issues. King: These amendments have the other side panicked and they fear losing control of City Hall and will spend any amount to keep it. The people are waking up and feel violated and taken advantage of. Then you have City Manager Sheryl Sculley, who is stubborn and who would rather litigate than negotiate. Sculley has used bully tactics and a lawsuit against the firefighters, causing a five-year stalemate. Then she artfully and unfairly blames the firefighters, hurting their image and purposely pitting the citizens against their protectors. What kind of management is this? After five years with no success at the bargaining table and the citys waste of more than $1 million on lawyers, only to lose, the firefighters had no recourse but binding arbitration as a last resort. Maybe Sculley does not want a solution? Propositions A, B and C are not for the firefighters; they are for the citizens to have a voice and the last word on how their money is spent. Q. For King mostly, but, mayor, too, if you want: Why doesnt firefighters association head Chris Steele debate the mayor on this issue? Why have you and David Van Os been designated as spokespersons? King: For the same reason that Sheryl Sculley and the mayor have left most of the talking to Christian Archer, a paid consultant. President Chris Steele cannot fight all of the peoples battles and realizes there is a leadership gap in this city. We consider ourselves citizen first responders. Steeles job is protecting his people who are on the front line of life-or-death emergencies like fires, heart attacks and natural disasters, not politics. It is past time for all of us as citizens to take a stand, demanding respect and accountable decisions from the government we finance. Turns out it is a full-time job requiring constant vigilance. We are grateful that the firefighters stepped in to help us get a vote on the streetcar, and now it is time for others, not just us, to take the baton. Our leaders have proven that they do not always choose wisely or do the right thing by us. Sometimes, we need to take back the checkbook and demand project reviews. Havent you noticed that when an opposing side has no facts, they must resort to personal attacks? Nirenberg: Chris Steele should debate the mayor one-on-one about this issue. As much as he likes to pretend these issues rise from popular sentiment, that simply isnt true. Chris Steele drew up these petitions. Chris Steele hiked dues on rank-and-file firefighters to hire political operatives from Buda to gather petition signatures. And Chris Steele is writing union checks to exclusively fund the Yes side of the campaign. He owes the taxpayers who pay his nearly $200,000 salary an explanation for why he is doing this to our city. Q. For the mayor only, but contribute, too, if you want, Ms. King: Apparently part of what sparked this petition drive is the citys lawsuit to overturn the evergreen clause. Why did the city sue (only to lose)? Was this not the kind of bare-knuckle tactic the union is now being accused of? Nirenberg: There were legitimate questions as to the legality and constitutionality of the evergreen clause that needed to be answered. Neither that clause nor the ensuing lawsuit were instituted by me. And the evergreen clause, as we clearly see, incentivizes the union not to come to the negotiating table. Numerous times before and since the lawsuit has ended, I have invited the union leaders to negotiate in good faith, and they have refused. King: Im asking, What is Sculleys motive? She finds dollars for unpopular projects but refuses to resolve the firefighters contract. What other option did the firefighters have but binding arbitration to force Sculley to negotiate? Proposition C is needed to break the stalemate. If not, where do we go from there? Q. On Proposition B, tell us the harm/good in capping city manager pay and length of service, particularly since this doesnt affect the current salary and tenure of City Manager Sheryl Sculley, who seems to have particularly riled some? Nirenberg: Plain and simple, Prop. B hamstrings the citys ability to attract top talent for the person who manages $2.8 billion of your tax dollars and manages over 12,000 employees delivering the essential services you depend on. It makes an immediate lame duck of anyone who takes the job, and it will give any qualified administrator pause about coming to work for San Antonio. King: I guess that 13 years of Sculleys mismanagement has taken its toll and caused frustration as she is out of touch with the peoples needs. The mayor (and council) make it seem like he is in her pocket by paying her more than the governor and president. Its time to manage the manager, demand a performance review and look at her contract as well. San Antonio ranks 99 out of the 150 largest U.S. cities in WalletHub.coms ranking of best and worst cities. For what we are paying Sculley, shouldnt we be No. 1, or at least in the top 10? Where do our tax dollars go? Maybe it is time to audit all bond issues. Q. How does Sculleys pay compare to city managers of similarly sized communities? Nirenberg: The median salary for Texas city managers in large cities is $375,000. San Antonios manager has 30 years experience in the two largest council-manager cities in the country. With her as manager, San Antonio attained a coveted AAA bond rating from all three financial rating agencies and continues to be the only large city in America with ratings that high. King: Sculleys salary is one of the highest in the nation. She has ruled with an iron fist building her own power base with a fiscal year 2019 office budget of $4.06 million, including salaries and other items. Her support staff includes two deputy managers making over $250,000 each. Austin pays its manager nearly $330,000 to manage the city and its utilities. Dallas pays its manager $375,000 to manage twice the number of employees as San Antonio. Houston has no city manager. Q. One allegation is that Sculley is, in effect, an unelected policymaker who must be checked for the sake of representative democracy. Cite examples of how this is or isnt true. Nirenberg: The council-manager form of government ensures professional delivery of services with as little political influence as possible. The city manager does not make policy she implements the policies adopted by the mayor and the council. The city manager serves as the CEO, the mayor serves as the chairman of the board, and the council serves as the citys board of directors. Voters can and do change the direction of policy, as they did in 2017, when they elected a new mayor and six new council members. When the operations of the city are not performing well, the council replaces the management, which has also happened numerous times before. Weak management and weak elected representatives they can manipulate for their own gain is precisely what the union and special interests want and exactly what is wrong with these proposals. King: Sculley has usurped so much control and surrounded herself with monied interests that the mayor and council seem afraid to challenge her. While streets go unrepaired, public safety needs are ignored, sidewalks collapse underfoot downtown and controversial issues keep our city divided, she demands and gets paid her asking price. Most are afraid to question anything she does. The council-manager form of government replaced a strong mayor government back in the 50s. The mayor was playing fast and loose with his power and, like Sculley, seemed to cater to his favorite political insiders. Maybe it is human nature and after 13 years, she cannot help herself. She is the puppet master and the council has become her puppets. Does her contract call for a performance review, and how she manages/juggles our money? Proposition B is a start to correct this and should help with leverage in future negotiations. Q. For King mostly: This effort has been characterized by the Vote No camp as simply a power grab by the firefighters association. Proposition C, which gives the union unilateral authority to bring the city to arbitrary arbitration, is cited as exhibit A. Briefly explain the origin of this measure and why should voters give solely the firefighters association this authority and not others. Since you won the evergreen suit, why not simply return to the bargaining table? King: The firefighters have been more than patient. It has been five years, so this is not a power grab but the last resort left open to them. They are anxious to break the stalemate that has existed for these five years and want their contract resolved. Again, why wont Sculley work to get this settled? Why the delay? Why file a lawsuit that enriches the lawyers? Why is she so stubborn? Not by choice, firefighters have spent more time in court being sued by Sculley than at the negotiating table. Where is Sculleys good faith? The citizens need their firefighting team and count on them when they need them the most. If the firefighters werent willing to be reasonable, they wouldnt risk binding arbitration by an impartial panel to evaluate the facts on both sides in order to finalize the contract. How can binding arbitration be more expensive than the lawsuits filed by Sculley? Also, it is not our business to speak for other agencies who service the city. Proposition C is required. Too much time has passed with no results and no deadline. Nirenberg: It would be wrong for the firefighters union to have special rights and be on unequal footing with other public safety employees. And it would be wrong to have one of the largest expenditures of their tax dollars decided by a third party arbitrator with no input on their behalf by the people who represent them. Q. Who and what organizations are sponsoring the campaigns for and against? What can voters deduce from this list? Nirenberg: The Go Vote No campaign is supported by a broad cross section of our community. Working men and women, small-business owners, large-business owners, Republicans, Democrats, independents, neighborhood groups, chambers of commerce, business leaders, and civic activists and volunteers all have contributed time, money and effort to opposing these amendments. The Yes campaign is funded exclusively by the union. If there was ever a clear example of a single special interest trying to force its will on the community, this is it. King: Our impression is that there is an unelected private and special club in town that works with our unelected city manager to decide what the city needs and where to spend the peoples money. For all practical purposes, they are the 12th man on the council, who can also pay for access. If you compare all contested issues brought to a vote, the same names, corporations and businesses appear. Sadly, many contributors, while well-intentioned, do no homework and rely on misrepresentations by their social and business counterparts who have made control of City Hall their business. If they truly understood the facts, they probably would save their money, or be on the other side. VOTE NO is funded by PACS whose contributions come from major contributors like USAA, Gordon Hartman, banks, developers, individual insiders and corporate donors. It is also interesting to note that Gordon Hartman, treasurer for VOTE NO, received $18 million, split between the county and the city, to buy his land. This is routine at City Hall and goes consistently unchecked. The San Antonio First PAC is funded by the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association to help counter the expensive media buys and campaign, etc., of the other side while inviting citizen volunteers to participate in the democratic process. Q. There has been the claim that these measures particularly Proposition A will jeopardize the city of San Antonios AAA rating. Tell us why this is or isnt true. Nirenberg: It is unquestionably true because the ratings agencies told us so. This newspaper and others reported on July 27 that when reaffirming our AAA bond rating, two of the agencies said passage of the amendments would result in lower ratings for San Antonio. Anyone who says we wont suffer a downgrade is lying. King: Many things affect this citys bond rating, and they have nothing to do with this election. In fact, if we could control councils runaway spending and be managed more effectively, we could limit our risk of the bond rating being downgraded. For decades San Antonio has achieved excellent bond ratings and had a AAA bond rating before Sculley was hired. Based on the citys low rating nationally on other items, its time to review Sculleys job performance to justify the big bucks she demands. The other sides media attacks using scare tactics reveal how desperate they are to retain control over the city manager, the mayor, the City Council and, most importantly, the peoples money. Nothing is going away. Council is charged with delivering a safe and functional city. Thats what we pay for. In truth, passage of these propositions will help secure our financial future. Q. Ms. King, what is the basis of the associations claim that Proposition A wont affect taxes and services.? King: Proposition A simply gives citizens the right to petition to redress grievances or challenge, if necessary, an issue or expenditure they feel is not right for our city. If the city is being managed effectively and efficiently, tax dollars should provide the basic services first and let special interests fund themselves. Q. Mayor, what is the basis of your claim that it will? Nirenberg: For starters, the downgrade in our credit rating means more of the budget will go to interest payments to banks, leaving less for public safety, streets and infrastructure. We will have to choose between raising taxes and cutting services. Additionally, the uncertainty created by passage of these amendments will mean less economic growth, less job creation and a smaller tax base, putting more of a burden on the citizens and businesses who are here today. Q. Briefly, wrap up with your best (and most succinct) arguments to vote yes or no on these propositions. Nirenberg: Plain and simple, these amendments are a power grab for one single special interest. The union leader foisting this on the citizens has admitted that. These propositions will raise our taxes, slash city services and rig the system in favor of special interests who can buy their way on to the ballot. The future of San Antonio depends on all of us voting NO on Nov. 6. King: Basically, this is a referendum on the city manager and the mayor. Special interest players are in a panic. How dare the people challenge their projects and control over City Hall? Look at the money they are raising. Why are they afraid to have citizen input? Why does a level playing field scare them? Vote YES on Propositions A, B and C if you think the city is out of control and that the mayor and city manager are the king and queen of debt. These propositions are not for the firefighters, who are there when we need them the most; they are for the people of San Antonio. Now its up to us to save our tax dollars and voice. Mike Collier has real plans to tackle the real issues facing Texas. Incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick last session gave us the highly distracting, divisive and wholly unnecessary bathroom bill. As if that alone is not disqualifying, he effectively torpedoed desperately needed additional financing for public schools by injecting the poison pill of school vouchers. Public school financing is among the top issues facing this state if it is to have the workforce it needs to remain economically competitive. This Editorial Board recommends Democrat Mike Collier who Patrick so far has refused to debate for lieutenant governor. This is among the most powerful positions in Texas government. That person, president of the Texas Senate, often sets the states agenda. Too often in Patricks tenure, that agenda has involved issues designed more to ignite culture war as in the bathroom bill, vouchers, so-called sanctuary city legislation and redirected state resources to secure the border than to solve genuine problems. Collier, with rich corporate accounting experience, proposes a different approach. It is incontrovertible despite past Patrick assertions of adequate, if not generous, state funding that state financing for public schools in Texas is a mess. Though the Texas Supreme Court puzzlingly said the system was constitutional, it pretty much described the current state of affairs as abysmal. The states share as a percentage of public school financing has dipped considerably and is now estimated to be about 38 percent. Texans increased property tax bills are a direct outcome, as local school districts have raised taxes to try to balance the scales. And for property tax-poor districts which is to say many of Texas low-income districts recapture, aka Robin Hood, has not reduced funding inequities. Collier cites language in the biennial budget that reveals the Legislatures duplicity bemoaning property tax hikes but making them possible: Property values and the taxes on which they are based shall be increased 7.04% in school year 2017 and 6.77% in school year 2018. At the same time, however, Patrick proposes a limit of 4 percent increases on property taxes without voter approval. Colliers plan is to close the equal and uniform loophole for large commercial and industrial properties, whose owners challenge their property valuations to get them lowered. This leaves a big burden on homeowners and small-business owners. Collier says this will raise as much as $5 billion. Patrick is proud of lowering the states business tax while needs go unmet. Simply, Texas needs to become a sales price disclosure state so that local taxing authorities know the actual fair market value for commercial properties. Hint: It isnt what their lawyers say it is. Also among Colliers innovative ideas: seeking a constitutional amendment to create an Audit, Performance and Integrity Commission to guard taxpayers against corruption and waste. Youll recall that then-Gov. Rick Perry defunded the states Public Integrity Unit in Travis County, and the states Ethics Commission is not renowned for its sharp teeth. Collier decries gerrymandering and calls for a constitutional amendment to create an independent redistricting commission, as a few other states have. Patrick seems just fine with the status quo. On immigration, Collier questions the value of redirecting Department of Public Safety resources to South Texas to allegedly enhance border security. And he correctly notes that the Legislatures sanctuary cities bill, which penalizes local jurisdictions whose law enforcement supposedly doesnt cooperate with immigration authorities, is unneeded and sows distrust of the police in immigrant communities. Patrick supported both these measures. Colliers solution to the state having the highest number of uninsured in the nation, partly, is expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Patrick opposes this. And we note that while GOP leadership generally opposes the ACA with the attorney general actively trying to derail pre-existing condition protections and other provisions it has failed to come up with any meaningful solution of its own. Collier has ideas. Patricks tenure has been marked by divisiveness and punting particularly on school finance. We recommend Collier. And, as in other races, we find the incumbents refusal to debate troubling and telling. There are many reasons we cannot recommend Ted Cruz for a second term as Texas junior U.S. senator. But heres the big one he led the fight to shut down the federal government in 2013 in order to delay or defund the Affordable Care Act. Simply, there is never a good reason to shut down the federal government and a leader in that effort should not be rewarded even if it is five years later. We recommend Democrat Rep. Beto ORourke of El Paso for the U.S. Senate. Asked if he had any regrets about the shutdown, Cruz told the Editorial Board on Wednesday, that he is proud of having led the fight on Obamacare. But Cruz also rationalized that Democrats caused the shutdown because there were votes to reopen the government. But, even as he explains it, this meant voting to reopen and fund individual agencies. And this misses the point. There is never a good reason to put a gun to the other partys head and that of voters via government shutdown to get what cannot otherwise be achieved. Thats called extortion, not democracy. Cruz complains that there exists a caricature of him as a bomb thrower. But, senator, it can take just one bomb to be a bomb thrower if that bomb is nuclear. And it was clear from his first term that even those in his own party have not exactly taken a shine to him. Trump bested him in the presidential race. Fortunately, for every good reason not to vote for Cruz, there are good reasons to vote for ORourke. Cruz has gone all out to characterize ORourkes views as too extreme for Texas. Untrue. The senator has to ignore plenty of nuance to get there. ORourke, mindful that Texas leads the nation in the number of uninsured, wants some form of universal health care that might include a choice for people, even those in employer-provided plans, to opt into Medicare even if theyre not yet 65. Cruz says this will bust the budget, but this come from a senator who says he led the fight to pass the recent GOP tax bill that will balloon the debt and deficit according to credible experts. Cruz simply denies this will happen. Cruz says he is for protecting pre-existing conditions but has voted to repeal this along with all of the ACA and we have not discerned a credible replacement. Cruz complains that ORourke voted for a $10 a barrel tax on oil a mainstay of Texas economy. But ORourke actually voted against a concurrent resolution that symbolically opposed an Obama proposal that never became law. He never voted for that tax, much less a 24 cent a gallon price hike. ORourke believes climate change is real. Its much too difficult to pin Cruz down on what amounts to an existential threat for Texas, the nation and the world. ORourke rejects the false choice of having to choose between damaging the oil industry and growing alternative energy. Some slam ORourke for a DWI and another minor charge in his past. But he takes responsibility and has successfully recast his life. This is admirable, even if the offenses arent. ORourke for U.S. Senate. Re: Banana republic, Your Turn, Oct. 12: Yes, we are in danger of becoming a banana republic, and we have the Democrats to blame for that. The hallmark of our democracy has been the peaceful and orderly transition of power from one party to the other. The Democrats have put that transition in jeopardy first by trying to delegitimize the 2016 election and now by trying to delegitimize the Supreme Court. And when the leaders of one party call for harassment of members of the other party, we run the risk of tearing our political fabric in a way that cannot be repaired. Members of the Democratic leadership, including 2016 presidential candidate Hilary Clinton, have called for action against Republicans going so far as to say in a CNN interview that Democrats cant be civil with Republicans until they they regain power. Recently, over two nights, the Republican National Committee headquarters in New York City was vandalized and the vandals left a note, We will not be civil! A GOP congressman is shot by a liberal Democrat and except for the quick actions of the Capitol Police more would have been shot. A teenage boy has a drink thrown on him and has his hat stolen, and on and on. The press secretary is told to leave a restaurant. And this doesnt include the actions of Antifa, which escapes criticism from the left. This is what happens in banana republics. David Nelson Christian beliefs? To those who constantly demand that we accept that Donald Trump won the election and we should get over it, I beg your pardon. With multiple criminal indictments and convictions involving his campaign staff and administration, not to mention his Russian connections, no, I cannot accept the apparent corruption and seeming financial conflicts of interest that may explain his apparent adoration for despots. Throw in the acceptance of the so-called Christian evangelicals of his apparent misogynistic behavior and the notion of get over it becomes even more putrid. The Family Research Council president, Tony Perkins said, Hillary Clinton openly supported policies that were antithetical to Christian beliefs. What were we to do? in explaining his support for Trump. This begs the question: What now justifies their support for this president if that was the standard for Clinton? I just dont see her as a pathological liar, nor do I see in her as being antithetical to Christian beliefs. She may be one of the most investigated politicians of our time, and I recall no convictions or felony indictments as result of her actions. This president certainly seems antithetical to my concept of their so-called Christian beliefs. But to claim they had no choice is a cover for a bad decision or for a belief that we were all going to get rich if this man became president. In either case, it remains appalling and defies logic. Jerry Kempe, New Braunfels No to Beto A recent letter urged votes for Beto ORourke and admired his apology for his DWI. I dont vote for a person based on their character. If I did, I would not have voted for either of the egotistical, self-centered, lying, presidential candidates (or most politicians for that matter). I vote for the person I think will do the best for our country. I will not vote for ORourke. Not because he had a DWI, which taints his character, but because he supports disrespecting the flag and national anthem; supports illegal immigration; speaks disparagingly about police officers; and so on. I have no doubt he will support the Democrat socialist agenda and fall in line with the Schumer/Pelosi resist-at-all-costs the good that the current egotistical, self-centered, lying president is trying to do for our country. Fred Martin, Fair Oaks Ranch Way funny Thank you so much! Who says the San Antonio Express-News doesnt have a sense of humor? After pillorying Brett Kavanaugh, the Express-News runs a front page article with the headline: GOP uses his past to haunt ORourke. Sauce for the goose? Or was the point that both parties are equally hypocritical in their tactics? Or was the message that past actions really shouldnt count? Rather than get confused over mixed messages, Ill just remain amused. Thanks again! Tom W. Glaser, New Braunfels That calendar To me, the most absurd, ludicrous moment in the entire Brett Kavanaugh hearing (and there were many to choose from) occurred when the nominee waved his battered juvenile diary he called it a calendar to the assembly and insisted that it was proof positive that sexual assault happened. What high school kid would be stupid enough to make a notation to hang on the wall for all to see, especially his parents, which said something like: Today I tried to (sexually assault) Christine Blasey. My good friend Mark Judge was in the room with us at the time and we laughed uncontrollably as I clamped my hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming while I tried to pull off her bathing suit? Why did he not have the moral fortitude to ask forgiveness as he pointed to the good work he claims to have accomplished since then, instead of claiming under oath that it never transpired? We now have, with Clarence Thomas, two Supreme Court Justices who must live the rest of their lives with the lies they told regarding alleged sexual misconduct to get the jobs they so desperately wanted. Jack Wernette, Castroville BRIDGEPORT The art is back. Two-plus years after a massive renovation project sent a good chunk of the Housatonic Community Colleges nearly 7,000-piece collection into storage, pieces are coming out of hiding. Hundreds of them. What better way to celebrate than to host a scavenger hunt, using this eclectic mix of African, Native American, abstract, collage, pop art and more. The Housatonic Museum of Art will hold a Night at the Museum from 7 to 10 p.m. on Thursday in the Burt Chernow Galleries at Housatonic Community College, 900 Lafayette Boulevard. Beyond an art-inspired hunt, participants will be treated to gypsy jazz music by Chat Noir, sweet treats such as bacon-topped Elvis cupcakes and craft cocktails. Proceeds from the fundraiser will support museums programming, such as a student docent program, as well as collection upkeep. Its a fun way to get people back and let them explore the building, said Robbin Zella, executive director of the museum. The museums Chernow Gallery has been out of commission since an Aug. 22, fire in an upstairs computer lab at the college cause extensive water damage to the gallerys ceiling, floors, walls and sound system. As a result, Zella turned her attention to the expansive corridors throughout the colleges 300,000-square-foot, two-building campus that had been stripped during renovation. More Information Tickets are $50 in advance or $55 at the door. For more information, go to www.HousatonicMuseum.org or call 203-332-5052. See More Collapse It gave me the opportunity for the first time ever to start with a blank slate, she said. I was able to designate certain areas. So the atrium area (in Lafayette Hall ) is always going to focus on African art. Work in the cases will change, but they will always be African art. Beacon Halls first floor atrium, meanwhile, is devoted to Native American Art. Its second floor will focus on color. Portions of the second floor of Lafayette Hall will house abstract art. We are always adding to the collection, Zella said. Two pieces were delivered today. The museum was founded in 1967 by the late Burt Chernow, a professor emeritus at Housatonic, who started collecting art at the college for students without the means to visit galleries. It has grown into one the most extensive college-based collections in the country and includes Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, Chagall and Rodin. The Night in the Museum is expected to draw 150 or more participants ages 21 or older only who will search for clues in the art work. Those that get stuck can buy clues. There will be prizes for the winners, along with a silent auction, a Tarot card reader and a fortune teller. lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck Allergic reactions are common and can occur from many different types of exposures, including bee stings, eating peanuts or by touching a poison ivy plant. Additionally, the adverse symptoms an individual develops can vary from a minor rash to a much more extreme anaphylactic life-threatening reaction. There are some exposures and reactions that many people, including myself as a physician, would not expect or anticipate. Recently, I was the victim of such an unforeseen allergic exposure and serious reaction. When I felt a subtle burning sting on the back of my neck, I simply thought that the collar on my shirt was too tight. Despite the sensation continuing for some time, I failed to take notice of the cause until I reached back several minutes later to adjust my shirt once again. To my surprise, I saw a large and hairy caterpillar fall to the ground. Within minutes, I began to develop a rash accompanied with a severe itch. At first, I thought it was psychological (it isnt every day you find a hairy insect crawling on your neck); however, as the evening went on, the burning and irritation became more severe. Given my discomfort and the noticeable red blotches all over my body, I decided to research this creepy crawler. Amazingly, I learned that I had been embedded by the prongs of the black and white furry caterpillar. The black and white furry caterpillar, also known as the Lophocampa caryae, is actually the larval form of the hickory tussock moth. Originally found in Canada, these insects have made their way south into the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions. Appearing most commonly during the summer and early fall months, the insect can be found eating the leaves of several tree and plant species. These caterpillars have a unique defense mechanism in their fuzzy white and black hairs which when touched can release a venom. These hair-like follicles are actually barbs which inject a chemical into the skin, causing unpleasant adverse reactions. In some cases, the reaction is very mild, with no more than an irritation around the area where these hair follicles were embedded. However, in some cases, a more severe reaction can occur. Symptoms may include a diffused itchy rash, shortness of breath, headaches and nausea. Although extremely rare, the allergic reaction can even be life-threatening. Although the literature suggests a very mild reaction is most common, in my case, I was extremely sensitive to the toxin and suffered a severe reaction. Despite treatment with topical creams, oral steroids and antihistamines, the severe symptoms lasted for over a week. What was even more intriguing is most of my physician colleagues I spoke with had never heard of this reaction. If you see one of these critters, it is best to just leave them alone. Do not touch or handle them without gloves. Make sure your children dont decide to play with one. Should you or your family member accidentally become exposed, quickly clean the area with soap and water in order to remove the barbs. Do not touch your eyes after handling them, as this can cause severe swelling. If a rash occurs, you can apply topical ointments such as steroids and antihistamines, as well as calamine lotion. Oral anti-histamines can help as well. However, should you develop a more severe reaction, contact your doctor immediately or dial 911. Dr. Michael Schwartz is board certified in internal medicine and is affiliated with Soundview Medical Associates with a private practice in Darien. Visit his website at drmichaelbschwartz.com. iShares MSCI Thailand ETF's stock was trading at $63.83 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, THD stock has increased by 24.0% and is now trading at $79.18. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. KAZ Minerals PLC, together with its subsidiaries, engages in mining and processing copper and other metals primarily in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan. It operates through Bozshakol, Aktogay, East Region and Bozymchak, and Mining Projects segments. The company operates the Aktogay and Bozshakol open pit copper mines in the east region and Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan; three underground mines in the east region of Kazakhstan; and the Bozymchak copper-gold mine in Kyrgyzstan. It also develops greenfield metal deposits; operates Koksay deposit in Kazakhstan, and the Baimskaya licence area in the Chukotka region of Russia; and produces and sells various by-products, such as gold, silver, molybdenum, and zinc. In addition, the company supplies and distributes heat, water, and electricity; and offers construction, project management, financing, management, sales and logistics, and repairs and maintenance services. The company was formerly known as Kazakhmys PLC and changed its name to KAZ Minerals PLC in October 2014. KAZ Minerals PLC was founded in 1930 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Varian Medical Systems, Inc. designs, manufactures, sells, and services medical devices and software products for treating cancer and other medical conditions worldwide. It operates through Oncology Systems and Proton Solutions segments. The Oncology Systems segment offers hardware and software products for treating cancer with radiotherapy, fixed field intensity-modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, volumetric modulated arc therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiotherapy, artificial intelligence based adaptive radiotherapy, and brachytherapy, as well as quality assurance equipment. Its products include linear accelerators, brachytherapy afterloaders, treatment accessories, and quality assurance software; and information management, treatment planning, image processing, clinical knowledge exchange, patient care management, decision-making support, and practice management software. This segment serves university research and community hospitals, private and governmental institutions, healthcare agencies, physicians' offices, medical oncology practices, radiotherapy centers, and cancer care clinics. The Proton Solutions segment designs, develops, manufactures, sells, and services products and systems for delivering proton therapy for the treatment of cancer. The company has a strategic agreement with McKesson Corp. to supply treatment delivery systems and planning, services, and radiotherapy information system solutions to its U.S. Oncology Network and Vantage Oncology affiliated sites of care; and a strategic partnership with Siemens AG to represent Siemens diagnostic imaging products to radiation oncology clinics in the United States and other select markets. Varian Medical Systems, Inc. was formerly known as Varian Associates, Inc. and changed its name to Varian Medical Systems, Inc. in April 1999. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Read More Medtronic Plc is a medical technology company, which engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of device-based medical therapies and services. It operates through the following segments: Cardiac and Vascular Group; Minimally Invasive Technologies Group; Restorative Therapies Group; and Diabetes Group. The Cardiac and Vascular Group segment consists of products for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiovascular disease. The Minimally Invasive Technologies Group segment focuses on respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, renal system, lungs, pelvic region, kidneys, and obesity diseases. The Restorative Therapies Group segment comprises of neurostimulation therapies and drug delivery systems for the treatment of chronic pain, as well as areas of the spine and brain, along with pelvic health and conditions of the ear, nose, and throat. The Diabetes Group segment offers insulin pumps, coninuous glucose monitoring systems, and insulin pump consumables. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More CONSOL Coal Resources LP produces and sells high- British thermal unit (Btu) coal in the Northern Appalachian Basin and the eastern United States. It owns a 25% undivided interest in the Pennsylvania mining complex, which consists of three underground mines and related infrastructure that produce high-Btu thermal coal located primarily in southwestern Pennsylvania. The company markets its thermal coal principally to electric utilities. CONSOL Coal Resources GP LLC operates as a general partner of the company. The company was formerly known as CNX Coal Resources LP and changed its name to CONSOL Coal Resources LP in November 2017. CONSOL Coal Resources LP was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Read More iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF's stock was trading at $25.60 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWU stock has increased by 30.5% and is now trading at $33.42. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Read More The importance of exploring new export opportunities and the potential rules of a no-deal Brexit were some of the key points discussed at AHDBs Global Britain conference. Headlined by International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, the high-profile event was the AHDBs first cross-sector export conference, attracting an audience of more than 150 delegates. During the conference, Mr Fox denied plans to lower food and farming standards post-Brexit and highlighted the importance of engaging with overseas markets to grow UK exports. He said: We all understand the global position we face that by 2050 there will be three million more mouths to feed in the world than we have today and the world is constantly looking for new sources of protein. Mr Fox pointed to the scale of opportunity for British suppliers in China which, by 2030, will have 220 cities with a population of more than a million as opposed to the whole of Europe which has just 35. We should be looking at what we can do to fill those markets, he added. We have the climate, we have the abilities with the quality of our soil and knowledge in our agricultural economy to be able to raise our production to be able to fill some of those markets. Delegates were also given an overview of what a no-deal Brexit scenario would look like for the UK during a presentation from the Director of Agriculture and Commodities at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Edwini Kessi. He told the crowd that the UK would receive most favoured nation treatment as a member of the WTO and would benefit from the security and predictability of market access. Mr Kessi also discussed the different forms of tariffs and agreed there was much to do to get countries to bring them down with work already underway to achieve this. New market AHDBs International Market Development Manager, Dr Phil Hadley highlighted the recent successes for the UK in gaining access to new markets. Among those were China lifting its long-standing ban on UK beef in a deal which is worth an estimated 250 million over the next five years and an agreement to ship UK pork to Taiwan for the first time which is worth an estimated 50 million over five years. Other successes include a new export deal worth 34 million which will see UK beef join pork, poultry, lamb and dairy on the list of food and drink shipped to the Philippines as well as ongoing work to reopen the market on UK beef and lamb exports to Japan. Dr Hadley said: As the UK prepares to take its place on the global platform as a trading entity, its vital that we are seen as a key exporter of our sectors products. As the UKs leading provider of alternative payment solutions, OnePay will meet businesses and customers on stand S41 at The National Fruit Show in Kent between 24 - 25 October. The Yorkshire based company helps those without access to UK banking, such as temporary or seasonal workers, by enabling efficient payment through a OnePay account. James Krueger, head of marketing, said: Seasonal farm workers are crucial to UK farms and fruit growers. At OnePay, we help to facilitate the relationship between employer and employee as much as possible by working with farms, recruitment agencies and other employers to ensure fast, direct payment to workers with a OnePay account. Offering multilingual support for workers ensures they get the most effective service possible and our dedicated business account management team means the process is straightforward and as pain free as possible for everyone. Why not drop by our stand to meet the team behind OnePay and find out more? OnePay is an approved service partner and works closely with the Association of Labour Providers (ALP), to protect workers. For further information and to explore OnePays new website, please visit OnePay. Karvinkop scours racks of heritage clothing across the world to cherry pick some of the best pieces that are rich in sartorial and cultural history for her Mumbai- based store No Borders. I wanted to make a change. I have always loved vintage and there wasnt much Mumbai offered other than high street and designer wear. She started with a pop-up that sold out entirely, reinforcing that vintage pieces have a place in peoples closets and hearts. My aim with the store was to get upcoming designers, artists and people of colour who are inspired by their country to interact in one space. The store will soon host musical performances and is gearing for its first pop-up in New York this month. Breakthrough Moment 2017 changed everything for me. I was feeling particularly uninspired and booked my tickets to New York without knowing what the future held. In hindsight, it was a great decision because it opened a lot of doors. I worked with magazines and photographers that I have loved for years. I did a story with Refinery 29 that changed everything we shot it in Pushkar, and it was a narrative on Indian fashion. People have a cliched view of what it is and often think of it is as bridal and Bollywood. Designers like Pero, Eka, Anavila and Nor Black Nor White are changing that perception. They use techniques, textiles and raw materials that have existed for decades, just giving it a contemporary spin. #HowIBrokeTheRules I wanted No Border to be more than just a shop. It is a creative space that is about cultural experiences. I want to get people from diverse countries in one place and it was a huge risk when we began. We have illustrations by Ayqa Khan, a Pakistani- American who does bold illustrations of women such as women with body hair. We have an Afghani girl who does beautiful indigenous embroidery I am really inspired by South Asia and India. We also have designers from Africa, Peru, Puerto Rico and Israel. Its really about the story. My Style, My Rules Recently, I attended an Indian Punjabi wedding where one is typically expected to dress in lehengas and saris. I gave it my own spin, and wore a gold brocade pantsuit by Suket Dhir instead. I was true to myself and my style, and surprisingly didnt feel out of place. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Following Tanushree Dutta's allegations against Bollywood actor Nana Patekar, the #MeToo movement began to encourage television celebrities to open up about the movement too. Indian Idol 10 judge Anu Malik is one of the latest television celebrities who has been accused of sexual harassment. While many come forward to speak in favor of women survivors as part of the movement, television actor Kushal Tandon has made a statement, where he is seen supporting innocent men and speaking against the women. Kushal took to his Instagram handle, shared a picture of couple of Tweets and wrote, "I feel sorry for all females who have gone through harassment, I have two sisters too, we should chop those mans dash up, but the world will be more sorry. Later on for those guys who are jus getting targeted by fake ones, deep shit." The actor who spoke about unbiased #MeToo movement includes, Kushal Tandon's ex-girlfriend Gauhar Khan. The actress and former Bigg Boss fame wrote on her Twitter encouraging the survivors to share their stories and requested everyone to not make movement gender specific. MOST READ : Weekend Ka Vaar : Salman Slams Sreesanth! Fans Say Salman & Bigg Boss 12 Are Biased, Support Sree! On the work front, Kushal recently along with the actress Jennifer Winget celebrated their show Beyhadh completing two years. Remembering the good old days and getting nostalgic, Kushal wrote, "Two years of Beyhadh, feels like yesterday !" - (sic) To Kushal's Instagra post Jennifer responded saying, "Couldn't have said it better myself. #beyhadh shukriya aap sab ki #bepannaah mohabbat ke liye " - (sic) {document1} After a successful two years advising the firms clients on deals and boosting efficiency, Goldman Sachs in May named Kate Richdale co-head of its investment banking division in Asia ex-Japan. Born and bred in Hong Kong, Richdale joined Goldman Sachs from Morgan Stanley as a partner in 2013 and thrived as a lateral hire, which is no easy task given the close-knit culture of the firm. She was helped, she said, by the right advice from other partners around the world who told her to come in quietly, do her best, and slowly mix. Whilst helping to drive Goldman Sachss investment banking strategy working out which clients... - Updated analysis from ongoing phase 1 study of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan (DS-8201) demonstrated a confirmed overall response rate of 15.8 percent and a disease control rate of 84.2 percent in 19 evaluable patients with heavily pretreated colorectal cancer with varying levels of HER2 expression - Currently no HER2 targeting therapy is approved for patients with HER2 expressing colorectal cancer - A global phase 2 study is currently enrolling patients with HER2 expressing colorectal cancer, part of a broad development program evaluating [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan across multiple types of HER2 expressing tumors TOKYO and MUNICH and BASKING RIDGE, New Jersey, Oct. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) announced that updated phase 1 safety and efficacy data for [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan, an investigational HER2 targeting antibody drug conjugate (ADC), were presented for a subgroup of patients with heavily pretreated HER2 expressing colorectal cancer at the 2018 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Munich, Germany. An updated subgroup analysis in 19 evaluable patients with heavily pretreated HER2 expressing (defined as IHC =1+ or amplified) colorectal cancer receiving a recommended expansion dose of 6.4 mg/kg showed that [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan demonstrated a confirmed overall response rate of 15.8 percent (3 of 19 patients) and a disease control rate of 84.2 percent (16 of 19 patients). Median duration of response has not been reached and median progression-free survival was 3.9 months (95 percent CI: 2.1, 8.3) for this subgroup of patients. These patients had tumors with varying degrees of HER2 expression based on central IHC assessment of archival tissue, including six patients with HER2 IHC of zero (0). Tumor shrinkage primarily was observed in tumors with higher levels of HER2 IHC. "We are encouraged by these preliminary results with [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan, particularly given the unmet medical need for patients with HER2 expressing colorectal cancer that has progressed on one or more prior therapies," said Takayuki Yoshino, MD, PhD, Director of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology at National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan, a study investigator. "These initial findings support further evaluation of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan in this specific type of colorectal cancer." "There are no therapies specifically approved for patients with HER2 expressing colorectal cancer, and continued study of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan will provide a better understanding of the potential role of a HER2 targeting antibody drug conjugate in these patients," said Gilles Gallant, BPharm, PhD, Vice President, DS-8201 Global Team Leader, Oncology Research and Development, Daiichi Sankyo. "Patient enrollment is underway into our global phase 2 study evaluating safety and efficacy of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan in patients with HER2 expressing advanced colorectal cancer." Updated overall safety data as of August 10, 2018 across all subgroups of the ongoing phase 1 study with [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan in various HER2 expressing cancers were also reported at ESMO. Among 259 patients who received at least one dose of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan 5.4 or 6.4 mg/kg in Part 1 or Part 2 of the study (regardless of tumor type), the most common adverse events (=30 percent, any Grade) included nausea (74.1 percent), decreased appetite (56.8 percent;) vomiting (43.6 percent), anemia (37.8 percent), alopecia (37.5 percent), fatigue (34.0 percent), diarrhea (33.6 percent) and constipation (32.8 percent). A total of 54.1 percent of patients experienced a = Grade 3 adverse event and 22.8 percent had a serious adverse event, including 4.6 percent of patients who experienced an adverse event that led to death. As previously presented, five cases of Grade 5 interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis were reported by the investigators for the overall population of the phase 1 study, none of which was observed in patients with colorectal cancer. Any reported cases of ILD/pneumonitis in the [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan clinical development program are evaluated by an independent adjudication committee. Unmet Need in Colorectal Cancer Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. In 2012, there were approximately 1.36 million new cases diagnosed and 690,000 deaths worldwide.1 Approximately 25 percent of patients have metastatic disease at diagnosis, meaning the disease has spread to distant organs, and about 50 percent of patients with colorectal cancer will eventually develop metastases.2 Prognosis for these patients remains poor.3 An increase in the number of approved targeted therapies for advanced colorectal cancer over the past decade has helped improve outcomes for some patients, however efficacy and tolerability of second and third-line treatments remain limited.4,5,6,7,8 Approximately 3 percent of colorectal cancers overexpress the HER2 protein, which is a well-established therapeutic target in breast and gastric cancer.4 In addition, research indicates that HER2 amplification may be associated with resistance to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapy and shorter survival.9,10 Currently, no approved HER2 targeting therapies exist for patients with colorectal cancer. About the [Fam-] Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Phase 1 Study An open-label, two-part phase 1 study is currently evaluating [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan in patients with advanced/unresectable or metastatic solid tumors that are refractory or intolerant to standard treatment, or for whom no standard treatment is available. The primary objective of the dose escalation phase of this study was to assess the safety and tolerability of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan and determine the maximum tolerated dose. Data from this part of the study were published in the Lancet Oncology.11 In the dose expansion part of the phase 1 study, [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan is given in one of two doses (5.4 mg/kg and 6.4 mg/kg) to patients with HER2 positive advanced or metastatic breast cancer and gastric cancer, HER2 low expressing breast cancer and other HER2 expressing solid tumors including colorectal cancer. Overall, 292 patients have been enrolled into this phase 1 study of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan. For more information about the study, visit ClinicalTrials.gov . About [Fam-] Trastuzumab Deruxtecan [Fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan (DS-8201; [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan in U.S. only; trastuzumab deruxtecan in other regions of world) is the lead product in the investigational ADC Franchise of the Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise. ADCs are targeted cancer medicines that deliver cytotoxic chemotherapy ("payload") to cancer cells via a linker attached to a monoclonal antibody that binds to a specific target expressed on cancer cells. Designed using Daiichi Sankyo's proprietary ADC technology, [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan is comprised of a humanized HER2 antibody attached to a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor payload by a tetrapeptide-based linker. It is designed to target and deliver chemotherapy inside cancer cells and reduce systemic exposure to the cytotoxic payload (or chemotherapy) compared to the way chemotherapy is commonly delivered. A broad and comprehensive development program with [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan is underway in North America, Europe and Asia. [Fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan is in phase 3 development versus ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) (DESTINY-Breast03) and versus investigator's choice post T-DM1 (DESTINY-Breast02) for HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer; pivotal phase 2 clinical development for HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer resistant or refractory to T-DM1 (DESTINY-Breast01); pivotal phase 2 development for HER2 positive advanced gastric cancer resistant or refractory to trastuzumab (DESTINY-Gastric01); phase 2 development for HER2 expressing advanced colorectal cancer; phase 2 development for metastatic non-squamous HER2 overexpressing or HER2 mutated NSCLC; and, phase 1 development in combination with nivolumab for HER2 expressing metastatic breast and bladder cancer. [Fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan has been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for the treatment of patients with HER2 positive, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have been treated with trastuzumab and pertuzumab and have disease progression after T-DM1, and Fast Track designation for the treatment of HER2 positive unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer in patients who have progressed after prior treatment with HER2 targeted therapies including T-DM1 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). [Fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan has received SAKIGAKE Designation for the treatment of HER2 positive advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer by the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). [Fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan is an investigational agent that has not been approved for any indication in any country. Safety and efficacy have not been established. About Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise The mission of Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise is to leverage our world-class, innovative science and push beyond traditional thinking to create meaningful treatments for patients with cancer. We are dedicated to transforming science into value for patients, and this sense of obligation informs everything we do. Anchored by three pillars including our investigational Antibody Drug Conjugate Franchise, Acute Myeloid Leukemia Franchise and Breakthrough Science, we aim to deliver seven distinct new molecular entities over eight years during 2018 to 2025. Our powerful research engines include two laboratories for biologic/immuno-oncology and small molecules in Japan, and Plexxikon Inc., our small molecule structure-guided R&D center in Berkeley, CA. Compounds in pivotal stage development include: [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan, an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) for HER2 expressing breast, gastric and other cancers; quizartinib, an oral selective FLT3 inhibitor, for newly-diagnosed and relapsed/refractory FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukemia (AML); and pexidartinib, an oral CSF1R inhibitor, for tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). For more information, please visit: www.DSCancerEnterprise.com. About Daiichi Sankyo Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical products to address diversified, unmet medical needs of patients in both mature and emerging markets. With over 100 years of scientific expertise and a presence in more than 20 countries, Daiichi Sankyo and its 15,000 employees around the world draw upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of promising new medicines to help people. In addition to a strong portfolio of medicines for hypertension and thrombotic disorders, under the Group's 2025 Vision to become a "Global Pharma Innovator with Competitive Advantage in Oncology," Daiichi Sankyo research and development is primarily focused on bringing forth novel therapies in oncology, including immuno-oncology, with additional focus on new horizon areas, such as pain management, neurodegenerative diseases, heart and kidney diseases, and other rare diseases. For more information, please visit: www.daiichisankyo.com . Contact Jennifer Brennan Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. jbrennan2@dsi.com +1 908 992 6631 (office) +1 201 709 9309 (mobile) References 1. Ferlay, et al. GLOBOCAN 2012. International Agency for Research on Cancer. 2014. 2. Van Cutsem E, et al. Ann Oncol. 2014;25(suppl 3):iii1-9. 3. American Cancer Society. Colorectal Cancer Survival Rates by Stage. 2017. 4. The National Comprehensive Care Network (NCCN). NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, Colon Cancer, Rectal Cancer Version 2. 2017. 5. Martin, et al. Br J Cancer. 2013;108(3):668-75 6. Van Cutsem, et al. Ann Oncol. 2016;27(8):1386-422. 7. Adenis, et al. BMC Cancer. 2016;16:412 8. Mayer, et al. N Engl J Med. 2015;372(20):1909-19. 9. Takegawa, et al. Clinical Colorectal Cancer. 2017;16(4):247-51. 10. Jeong, et al. Clinical Colorectal Cancer. 2017;16(3):147-152. 11. Doi T, et al. Lancet Oncology. November 2017; 18: 1512-22. October 2018 Job Code: ONP/18/0028 As the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections are inching closer, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has released the second list of candidates for the upcoming polls, which includes Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) founder Ajit Jogi's daughter-in-law Richa Jogi's name. Raipur: As the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections are inching closer, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has released the second list of candidates for the upcoming polls, which includes Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) founder Ajit Jogi's daughter-in-law Richa Jogi's name. As mentioned in the list of candidates, the former Chhattisgarh chief minister's daughter-in-law will be contesting polls from Akaltara constituency in Janjgir-Champa district. Akaltara seat is at present being represented by Chunnilal Sahu of Congress. It is believed that Richa Jogi has played a major role in constructing the two-year-old party founded by Ajit Jogi after the latter broke away from the Congress in 2016. The four-member Jogi family, comprising Ajit, his wife Renu, son Amit and daughter-in-law Richa, now belong to three political parties- JCC, BSP and the Congress. On Friday, Amit Jogi announced that his father Ajit will not contest the upcoming state assembly elections, but will instead campaign for the alliance parties. On 20 September, BSP supremo Mayawati at a press conference nominated Jogi as the chief ministerial candidate. A pre-poll alliance between the BSP and JCC was also announced on the same day. Around eight months prior to this, Jogi had reportedly said that he would contest from the Rajanandgaon seat against incumbent Chief Minister Raman Singh. The JCC on Sunday announced an alliance with the CPI in order to strengthen their foothold in the Naxal-hit Bastar region. The Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in two phases on 12 and 20 November. The results will be announced on 11 December. Arunachal Pradesh is on high alert following rising levels of the Siang river caused due to water overflowing from an artificial lake in Tibet formed after a landslide. Arunachal Pradesh is on high alert following rising levels of the Siang river caused due to water overflowing from an artificial lake in Tibet formed after a landslide, reports said. According to IANS, people living along the banks of Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh have been moved to safer places and the government has issued a 48-hour advisory to the local people to exercise caution. The East Siang district administration had issued the alert cautioning people not to venture into Siang and peripheral areas apprehending a flash flood in the downstream areas in case the dam bursts and releases the vast quantity of accumulated water, Hindustan Times reported. Arunachal Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Minister Alo Libang, who is also the MLA of Yingkiong constituency in East Siang district, told PTI that the water level of the Siang river had risen at around 11 pm Friday night, but started receding after some time. The minister said the officials were constantly monitoring the water level of the river. "Last night (Friday) we recorded the water level at 418.65 meters at Tuting. Today (Saturday), it has decreased to 406.50 meters there, which is normal. The Brahmaputra level is normal so far, a senior Central Water Commission (CWC) official told IANS on Saturday in what was the latest update on the water levels of the overflowing river. Dibrugarh houses the Upper Brahmaputra division of the CWC, which monitors the developments that take place in Arunachal Pradesh and further upstream. According to PTI, Getom Borang, superintending engineer (Hqs), Water Resources Department, had said that the first rush of water had reached Pasihgat, the headquarters of East Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh by 7 am, Saturday. The water flow, however, was under control and below the danger level at 11 am, he told PTI over phone. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of East Siang district, Duly Kamduk and officials of the Water Resources department are constantly keeping a watch on the flow of the Siang river, while the National Disaster Response Force (NERF) team has arrived, officials said. In East Siang district, many people living near the banks of the Siang river have been evacuated to safer locations as a precautionary measure, IANS quoted officials as saying. Thirty-two teams from the NDRF have already been in various districts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Out of which, 13 teams have been deployed in Arunachal Pradesh, two at Upper Siang and 11 at East Siang district, the NDRF said in a statement on Saturday, according to ANI. Out of the total, seven teams have been deployed at Dhemaji and one each at Dibrugarh, Lakhmpur, Sivasagar, Tinsukiya, and Jorhat districts of Assam. Six teams of NDRF were airlifted from Kolkata and eight teams from Bhubaneshwar on Friday night, ANI said. All NDRF teams are fully equipped with various flood rescues and life-saving equipment. Some additional teams are kept on standby at NDRF battalion locations for further deployment as the situation arises. An NDRF control room in Delhi is also closely monitoring the situation round the clock and is in touch with the state administration, ANI reported. Meanwhile, the Inland Water Transport (IWT) department in Assam has suspended the ferry service in Dibrugarh district following the inputs and advisory from the Chinese government. "We have suspended the ferry service in Dibrugarh as Dibrugarh is the first point for the waters to enter Brahmaputra river. There is no report of any significant increase in the water level. However, as a precautionary measure, we have suspended the ferry service in the district," said Bharat Bhushan Choudhury, Director of the IWT, Assam. Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday night said that NDRF companies have already reached the state and are being deployed in sensitive districts. He has also asked the disaster management authorities in Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur and Tinsukia districts to remain alert for flash flood-like situation. Sonowal has also asked the disaster management authorities in Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur and Tinsukia districts to remain alert for any probable flash flood-like situation and any kind of eventuality. MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: "Based on the information provided, all relevant authorities of the Central and state governments have been apprised about the emerging situation to enable them to take necessary precautionary measures. "We are in regular contact with the Chinese side for further updates." China had informed India of the water levels in the artificial lake in Tibet on Thursday. According to The Associated Press the water level had risen to 131 feet on Thursday. The report also said that China has evacuated around 6,000 people in Tibet around the area where the lake has formed. Chinese Embassy spokesperson Counselor Ji Rong had earlier said that his country has activated the 'Emergency Information Sharing Mechanism' with India following the landslide. The reason cited behind the landslide was "natural causes". The river is known as Yaluzangbu in China, and is called Siang when it enters Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam. Ji had said the Hydrological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region has begun to share with the Indian side hydrological information every hour, such as the water level and flow rate at the Nuxia hydrological station and the temporary hydrological station downstream of the barrier lake. With inputs from agencies The CBI registered the case FIR RC 13(A) of 2018 against CBI special director Rakesh Asthana on 15 October on the basis of a complaint from Satish Sana. New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, the CBI has booked its second-in-command, Rakesh Asthana, on the allegations of receiving a bribe from an accused probed by him in a case linked to meat exporter Moin Qureshi. The CBI registered the case FIR RC 13(A) of 2018 against CBI special director Asthana on 15 October on the basis of a complaint from Satish Sana, facing probe in the 2017 case allegedly involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, alleging the officer had allegedly helped him to get a clean chit. The CBI has also arrested Manoj Prasad, believed to be a middleman, when he returned from Dubai on 16 October. The agency has, however, maintained a silence on the issue. It is alleged by Sana that Prasad and his brother Somesh had taken money to arrange a clean chit to him. Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Asthana is heading the Special Investigating Team handling crucial cases such as AgustaWestland chopper scam and loan fraud by business tycoon Vijay Mallya. The team is also probing the Moin Qureshi case. Asthana in an exhaustive letter to the Cabinet Secretary on 24 August had given a list of ten instances of alleged corruption by Verma in which it was alleged that Sana paid the CBI chief Rs 2 crore to get a clean chit in the case, government sources said. This complaint was referred to the Central Vigilance Commission which is probing the matter, they said. Asthana has again written to the Central Vigilance Commissioner on 19 October four days after the FIR was registered informing him that he wanted to arrest and interrogate Sana, for which a proposal was sent to the Director on 20 September, 2018, they said. In the letter, he has also referred to his communication to Cabinet Secretary on 24 August in which details of alleged irregularities against the director were given. He said the director allegedly held the file for nearly four days and marked to the Director of Prosecution (DoP) on 24 September, 2018 who demanded all evidence available on record, the sources said. It was the team under Asthana which had opened a lookout circular against Sana who attempted to flee the country but could not because of the preemptive action, they said. Asthana has said that the file was again placed before the director on 3 October with answers to the queries raised by the DoP but it has not been returned till date, the sources said. Sana was questioned by the SIT on 1 October, 2018 where he stated that he had met a politician, who after meeting Verma, had assured him that his name would be cleared from the case, they said citing submissions of Asthana. Advocate Deepika Rajawat who will receive Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice on Sunday, speaks about the challenges she has faced since taking up the Kathua rape and murder case and why people who have been naming sexual harassers under the #MeToo campaign must approach the authorities Even as the Kathua rape and murder case became a cause of much religious polarisation earlier this year, advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat sought to transcend those barriers by representing the victims family in court. Rajawat has received and continues to receive both effusive praise and vitriolic abuse for her decision to take up the case. On Sunday, she will receive the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice an initiative of the Harmony Foundation at an event in Mumbai. She will receive the recognition for defying threats and intimidation to ensure justice for the underage minor victim of rape and murder". Speaking with Firstpost, Rajawat said that getting the award is a source of strength and courage for her. She also expressed her views on a host of issues including the developments in the Kathua rape and murder case, accountability of the media, the death penalty and the #MeToo movement. Following are edited excerpts from the interview: What challenges have you been facing since you decide to represent the victim's family in the Kathua rape and murder case? The most significant challenge has been that of fighting people from my community. Most people from the majority community are opposed to my stand. I have faced a lot of abuse and threats on social media, which was something I experienced for the first time. However, I have been facing them with pride, because I know that I am fighting for an 8-year-old child. My only motive is to secure justice for her. I have a daughter who is six years old, and so I can understand the pain of the family of the victim in this case. That is how I approached the family and offered my services as a lawyer. I feel that if I would not have done so, they may not have gotten support from anyone. However, even after so many months, some people still deal with me as though I have committed some offence. While I have received appreciation in the country and even outside, at many native place, a large proportion of the population have hatred towards me. Perhaps, they feel that I took a stand against my own community and supported another community. However, I feel that as a lawyer, I should focus on the client, and not the religion of the client. Even if people from my community disown me, I want to ensure justice for the child. There have been a lot of fake claims which have been circulated with respect to this case. How do you think fake news can be tackled in this case as well as otherwise? Even if we leave out social media for the moment, authorities have some amount of control over newspapers and TV channels. These authorities should keep a check to ensure that media outlets do not violate regulations. In the Kathua case itself, a television channel had spread false claims about me, saying that I had made certain speeches at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), when the speech was in fact made at the Parliament street. An anchor on the channel alleged that I had connections with anti-national elements. I sent a legal notice to him and also made a representation to the News Broadcasting Standards Authority. These claims caused immense damage to me. However, I did not get a response. Following the Kathua case, the Centre has amended the law to introduce the possibility of the death penalty for those convicted of raping children younger than 12 years. What is your opinion about this decision? I feel that there is a need to work on some other things and implement existing laws better. Education, police reforms and parenting are some of these issues. In my opinion, rather than hanging some people convicted in such cases, we need to take measures to ensure that such crimes do not take place. At present, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act is not being implemented properly. On many occasions, police officers do not register FIRs or do not give complainants a copy of their complaint. They deal with victims in a way which aggravates their pain, instead of assuaging it. Recently, a lot of women have come forward with stories of sexual harassment and abuse as part of the #MeToo campaign. What is your view on it? I respect and salute the women who have spoken out about such incidents. However, as a practising lawyer, I would appeal to people who face such abuse to promptly report it, and not succumb to pressure. While the Supreme Court has held that delay in reporting should not be fatal to the case, the complainant has to give a satisfactory reply to the police and the court on why she delayed approaching the justice system. Another point which needs to be highlighted is that a delay in reporting can encourage and allow the perpetrator to commit more such crimes. An exhibition titled The Printed Picture: Four Centuries of Indian Printmaking, showing at Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, Chandigarh, in collaboration with Delhi Art Gallery, documents exotic Indias vivid history in rare images, produced in the little recognised visual art medium. There is no documentation of the history of printmaking in Indian art history. Printmaking or graphic art, as it was commonly known, followed a different trajectory from painting and sculpture. An exhibition titled The Printed Picture: Four Centuries of Indian Printmaking, showing at Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, Chandigarh, in collaboration with Delhi Art Gallery, documents exotic Indias vivid history in rare images, produced in the little recognised visual art medium. Curated by artist and art historian Paula Sengupta, it offers a comprehensive overview of the many facets of this art form, documenting its evolution. Unlike paintings, affordable only to the elite few, prints, due to availability of their multiple copies, are meant for art loving masses. Printmaking, often confused with printed copies of artworks, is a creative art form, like painting or sculpture. Prints are created by transferring ink from a matrix or through a prepared screen to a sheet of paper or other material. Common types of matrices include metal plates, usually copper or zinc, or polymer plates for engraving or etching; stone, aluminium, or polymer for lithography; blocks of wood for woodcuts and wood engravings; and linoleum for linocuts. Screens made of silk or synthetic fabrics are used for the screen printing process. M F Husain Almost all famous artists experimented with printmaking in their creative journey, from Rembrandt to MF Hussain. In India, printing, in which lies the technology of printmaking, was introduced by Portuguese settlers in Goa, in the 16th century. The Jesuits needed an abundance of Christian texts and though many of these had illustrations and embellishments, it was not until the arrival of the European artist and adventurers 1769 onwards, that the notion of using this medium to create an independent work of art entered India. Before the advent of photography, lithography, intaglio and relief printmaking came to be used for documenting the exotic men and women by the European artists for their audience back home. William Daniell and W Carpenters prints of Indian landscapes and mosques and temples were trailblazers for the art of printmaking, in colonial India. The Bazaar art Being labour intensive, the workforce who manned the machines for printmaking was Indian. Gradually, these local people set up their own printmaking machines in Calcutta, Lahore, Amritsar, Lucknow, Pune etc, their prints came to be known as Bazaar School. In the 19th century, the Bazaar schools of printmaking constitute the first indigenous evidence of printmaking, as we know it today. They derive their origins from Indian classical and folk traditions, peppered with the undeniable influence, of state and technology, of the European in India. This new art of amalgamation was born of the social and political milieu of these artisan printmakers with print representing folk, religious, social and political themes. Among the most prolific of Bazaar schools was Bat-tala School of Calcutta, and lithographs of Amritsar and Lahore. Myriad forms of printmaking illustrations flooded the markets in vernacular texts, product labels like matchbox covers and calendars etc. The art schools Following the recommendations of the select committee in 1835, five schools of art were set up in major cities of India. Printmaking was taught as Industrial Art in these schools which remained imprisoned with the rigid confines of a curriculum aimed at producing skilled draughtsmen and technicians for employment purpose. In these art schools, for the first time, Indians trained in the art of printmaking started to have artistic aspiration; to produce original works of art in the medium, in their own studios. Bamapada Banerjee and Raja Ravi Varma soon transformed this Indo-Anglian model of art into accepted practice, spawning innumerable clones countrywide. Chromolithography and oleography were used to produce oil paintings of gods, goddesses and myths, thus making the beginning of calendar art. Modernism enters printmaking Gaganendranath Tagore was the first modern Indian artist who tried to transform printmaking from a mere economic activity to a cultural activity and to communicate his social responses as caricatures. His lithographic album Adbhut lok, published in 1917, is considered to be the first artistic print. A new era began with the establishment of Kala Bhavan in Shantiniketan in 1919, where Nandalal Bose took charge in 1921 and introduced graphic art in the curriculum. Creative printmaking received a new energy in this period. Various graphic media like wood-cut, lino-cut, etching, dry-point, lithographs and non-traditional matrix such as cement blocks were used by Bose, Binode Behari Mukherjee, Ramendranath Chakravarty, Manindra Bhusan Gupta and Biswarup Bose, new techniques from China and Japan were also adopted in prints. Mukul Day returned from the United States in 1916, as Indias first trained printmaker, marking the birth of modern Indian printmaking as we know it today. Professional and flourishing Bengali printmaking artists were transforming the urban centre of art, Calcutta. Around 1920 to 1940, the relationship between individualism and collectivity, urban, modern, rural and traditional, were represented and negotiated through prints. With the rise of Swadeshi movement, printmaking was used as a political tool. Artists like Chittaprosad, Zainul Abedin and Somnath Hore used printmaking as a medium of protest during the freedom struggle, says Sengupta. The cataclysmic circumstances of the Bengal famine of 1943, offered a context manifested with a sense of urgency in their works. These artists explored the limits of the medium, which was taken to poetic heights by their inheritors like Suranjan Basu, Pinaki Barua, Zarina Hashmi et al. The quest for a new, confident voice Krishna Reddy, though never lived in India, influenced the approach to printmaking from narrative to a living process, radically different from the trends followed. He took workshops across the country, introducing the technique of viscosity. Most printmakers of the modernist era are influenced by his approach of spiritual abstraction to the art of printmaking. Post-Independence, artists were sorting their dilemmas of coming out of western influences to find their own voice. Unapologetic of mastering their colonisers technology, they were seeking a new idiom, though lack of infrastructure materials, technical virtuosity and proper instruction remained a daunting task. Several groups of printmakers came into being, Madras gave fine printmakers like AP Paneer Selvam, RB Bhaskaran, Dakshinamoorthy et al. Shilalekh' of Bombay, attempted to sell original artworks at a minimal price, emulating the highly successful example of Raja Ravi Varma, but they failed. Cooperative attempts were made in Hyderabad, by P Gauri Shanker, Laxma Goud and DLN Reddy, who set up a press in a garage. The Society of Contemporary Artists, Calcutta, gave artists like Sanat Kar, Lalu Prasad Shaw, Shyamal Dutta Ray and Amitabh Banerjee, while Jagmohan Chopra started Group 8 in Delhi with his students Anupam Sud, Jagdish Dey, Prashant Vichitra, Paramjit Singh, Krishan Ahuja et al. Their works defined and enriched Indian printmaking, in multiplicity. In the 1990s, the Garhi Studio, established by Lalit Kala Akademi, in Delhi, offered a vibrant space with facilities of printmaking. Some of those who used the space created Indian Printmakers Guild to bridge the gap between contemporary and modern art. Not deterred by the proliferation of telephone cameras as a tool of instant documentation and continuous appropriation of technology in printmaking notwithstanding, the technology of 1800 is used as an artistic tool by artists to express the complex realities of our times, artistically. All images courtesy: Lalit Kala Academy, Chandigarh Becharaji, a temple town on the border of Mehsana and Ahmedabad districts, remained largely peaceful even as several parts of Gujarat saw anti-migrant violence. Editor's Note: The rape of a 14-month-old girl by a migrant labourer from Bihar in Idar town of Sabarkantha district on 28 September gave way to the persecution of migrant labourers in seven of the 33 districts of Gujarat. This incident ignited anger against migrant workers whom the locals believe are the real reason for unemployment in the state. This multi-part series will examine issues concerning migrant workers and the animosity they face from locals. *** Becharaji: The northern part of Gujarat was gripped by frenzy during the recent recent outburst of violence against non-Gujaratis, especially north Indians from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar following the arrest of a Bihari factory worker in connection with the rape of a 14-month-old girl of the Thakor community. However, the internationally known automobile industry hub, Becharaji remained almost completely peaceful, despite all the Thakor-dominated villages in the area. Migrant workers elsewhere were mostly targeted in the areas where Thakors were in significant numbers. The ruling BJP time and again has alleged that Alpesh fueled the violence with his hate speeches against migrants after the rape incident. Becharaji, a temple town on the border of Mehsana and Ahmedabad districts, hosts thousands of migrant labourers. Maruti Suzukis plant is situated in Hansalpur village at a walkable distance from Becharaji town, while the plants of Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Ltd are in Vithalapur, around 30 kilometres away, along the Gujarat State Highway 7. Close to these units are around 20 medium and small-scale ancillary units. Apart from numerous colonies for migrant labourers in the area, there is also a spot close to Sitapur along the highway where special accommodations and eateries for Japanese workers have been set up. The Maruti Suzuki plant was inaugurated in January 2015 while the Honda two-wheeler plant that manufactures its popular Activa brand of scooters became functional a year later in February 2016. Locals, including the leaders of the dominant Thakor community, give the credit for the peace during the recent anti-migrant violence to the rapid development in the area and how that has benefitted everyone in the area. Former sarpanch of Hansalpur, where the Maruti plant is situated, Ajmalji Thakor says that the whole area has seen unprecedented development in the last few years and locals including those from his own Thakor community were fully aware of its benefits. A large number of locals have also got jobs and other related works due to the development of industries the area. People from outside of Gujarat have also got jobs, directly and indirectly, and they were also contributing to the financial strength to the locals. Many of the locals have made labour colonies for them and earn rent. Why would anyone disturb the peaceful atmosphere which was conducive for all?, he says. Further illustrating the development of the area in last few years, towards which migrants have played an important role, Thakor remembers how a few years ago, Becharaji town wore a very lonely, almost deserted look soon after sunset. It was difficult to get even a bottle of water in those days here as the markets closed quite early but now the town remains alive and abuzz till late at night, he says. A Gujarat-born native of Kerala, Rajesh Pillai, who runs a guest-house of 33 rooms near the famous Bahuchar Mata temple of goddess Bahucharaji, says that the Maruti and Honda plants and the related ancillaries have bettered the lives of locals. The locals have no clash of interest with the non-Gujarati migrants as the nature of work they did were mostly different and least preferred by the locals. Migrants readily take up all kinds of work, including manual labour, but the locals normally don't like it. Also, the migrants, especially labourers mostly live here without their families, are happy to work overtime to make some extra bucks, but locals prefer to do 10-5 kind of jobs. Theyd rather spend time with their families and attend to their other social duties than being readily available for overtime. Also, there is no dearth of jobs in this industrial region and the skill set required is not readily available locally, says Pillai, who is well-connected with the local industries. Pillai says that locals are well aware of how different things are now compared to barely a decade ago. They now get manifold more rates for their lands and markets remaining open till midnight has also meant more opportunities and businesses. Locals, including a large number of Thakors, have set up labour colonies in their barren lands. They drive vehicles and do other connected jobs at a much better remuneration than what they used to get even 5-6 years ago. They used to work as drivers for a meagre salary of Rs 4000-5000 and now they easily get more than Rs 15,000 a month. Those who drive cars for the Japanese employees and engineers from the Maruti and Honda plants and other senior officials of the companies get even higher. Earlier Becharaji was connected with a single track road, which was abuzz only during the nine days of Navratri due to temple activities. The situation is now quite different. The locals know that if the peace is disturbed and industries affected, their livelihood would also take a hit, he explains. Naresh Thakar, who runs paying guest accommodations, is also a builder and owner of the Ratnavatika guest-house where more than 300 migrants live. He says there was some fear among outsiders for the first two or three days after the outbreak of violence in the neighbouring regions. But nothing untoward happened as locals did not support the violence. Locals are enjoying the fruits of development. Earlier they were dependent on farming and were at the mercy of the rain gods. Now the whole area is developed, and there are jobs and businesses. Also, there is water because of the Narmada project. What else would they want? Why would they fight with migrants who were in a way a reason for the prosperity of the region and the happiness of locals? Why would they cut their own feet by attacking the migrants? Thakar says. Another local Dipabhai Barot, who owns a large gaushala (cattle-shed) near the Maruti plant, also feels that there was no impact of anti-migrants protests in the area in and around Becharaji. Bharatsinh Chauhan, Police Sub Inspector (PSI) of Ahmedabad Rural Police station, under which both the Maruti and Honda plants fall, confirms that not a single case of violence has been registered in the whole area where over a dozen ancillary units were also situated. Despite the fact that there was a large population of migrants as well as Thakor community in the area, no untoward happening took place. We did not even do any preventive detentions. The people in the area were, of course, slightly wary for the first three days and some of the migrants also left but the situation remained normal. We had conducted meetings with all the industries, including Maruti and Honda units, and planned precautionary security measures and police deployment, he said. PSI of Becharaji police station AL Acharya also said that barring the incident of the preventive arrest of 14 youths, no other case with regard to hate-violence has been lodged in his area also. Notably, more than 600 people have been arrested in over 60 cases in connection with the violence and threats to migrants in northern Gujarat, of which more than 100 arrests each have been made in Mehsana and Ahmedabad districts. The author is an Ahmedabad-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters grassroots network. Five civilians were killed and over 40 were left injured in an explosion and clashes with security forces following an encounter in south Kashmir's Kulgam district Five civilians were killed and over 40 were left injured in an explosion and clashes with security forces following an encounter in south Kashmir's Kulgam district, CNN-News18 reported. The explosion took place when some civilians rushed to the encounter site in Laroo area of Kulgam despite security personnel prohibiting them citing the search and combing operation at the spot. The police said civilians visited the encounter site after the forces withdrew from the spot. "Civilians visited the encounter site immediately after the operation in spite of (our) request not to go there as a thorough search is to be made for explosives once flames douse. They did not listen and visited the spot immediately after the forces withdrew. "Some explosive substance went off, resulting in injuries to civilians. One civilian namely Ubaid Laway, a resident of Laroo, died in the incident," the police official added. "We request civilians not to visit the site again," Jammu and Kashmir police appealed. The toll, however, rose to five, when two more civilians succumbed to their injuries at District Hospital in Kulgam while two others who had received firearm injuries during clashes succumbed at SMHS. Some of the injured civilians have sustained critical injuries, according to doctors in the Kulgam District Hospital, IANS said. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah condemned the incident on Twitter. He said: Terrible news coming out from Kulgam.May the deceased find place in Jannat.Alienating the people in the fight against militancy is a sure fire recipe for losing the fight. How long can we go on ignoring the ground realities & living in denial about how bad things are in Kashmir? https://t.co/p5c4aoN6Tb Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 21, 2018 Prior to the explosion, security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Laroo area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir following specific information about the presence of militants in the area, he said. As the forces were conducting the searches, the ultras fired upon them, triggering the encounter, the official said. While the security forces neutralised three militants holed up in a house, two security personnel were also injured. With inputs from agencies Fikr-e-Farda Society, a group of tribal students from Jammu and Kashmir disassociated itself from a Kathua sexual assault activist who has been accused of rape, saying that it stands by the account of the rape survivor and condemn the shameful act of the activist The tribal Gujjar Bakerwal community of Jammu and Kashmir has been at the receiving end of oppression, stigma and exploitation since ages. The miserable plight of this vulnerable and marginalised community got some attention in the wake of the Kathua rape and murder case. The Kathua case, however, was not an isolated instance of violence against an individual. This was, as confirmed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police Crime Branch report, a planned attack on the whole Gujjar Bakerwal community; as the perpetrators wanted to instil fear in the community in order to drive the tribals out of their respective places. It was a political move aiming at a change in the demography of the Jammu region. The harrowing acts of violence, oppression and displacement have continued even after a recognition of the predicament of tribals of Jammu and Kashmir by the civil society across the world. It is only a couple of days back when we heard the news that a speeding truck mowed down a shepherd and his flock of sheep and goats near Thopal on Batote-Kishtwar road in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir. These are routine incidents overlooked by the media, society and politics. There is no one articulate enough, political enough or even educated enough to raise these issues, nor is there any space for such voices. In the Kathua case, the tribal community, for the first time, felt grateful to the society and the media for the recognition of its scars and wounds. It is in this movement that a few activists from the community raised their voices against the brutality of the oppressors. The whole tribal community stood in support of all the activists who highlighted the case and also raised the grievances of the community. There were protests, marches, slogans, writings and many other forms of resistance against such oppression and exploitation. Fikr-e-Farda Society is a group of tribal students (supported by many non-tribal students) from Jammu and Kashmir which actively participated in the movement. It extended its full support to all the activists who were fighting for the case. However, it is so painful, unnerving and disheartening to come to know about the accusations of rape and sexual harassment against one of the activists who were leading the movement. We stand by the account of the survivor and condemn in strongest possible words the shameful act of the accused. Fikr-e-Farda Society distances and dissociates itself from the accused and appeals to all the tribals to expose such criminals within the community. We hereby declare that such activists dont deserve to represent the tribal community in any forum in future. It is an appeal to all to keep fighting for gender justice and the rights of the tribals. We appeal to all to keep supporting us in our fight against all forms of violence, oppression and exploitation. A national award in the name of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose will be given every year to police personnel who do excellent work in rescue and relief operations during any kind of disaster, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Sunday. New Delhi: A national award in the name of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose will be given every year to police personnel who do excellent work in rescue and relief operations during any kind of disaster, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Sunday. The announcement came on the 75th anniversary of Bose's declaration of the formation of India's first independent government the Azad Hind Government on 21 October, 1943. "From this year onwards, we will give an award in the name of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to police personnel who do exemplary work while rescuing and providing relief to people during the time of any disaster," the prime minister said in his address after dedicating to the nation a police memorial and museum in New Delhi. Modi said the award will be announced on 23 January, Netaji's birthday. The Prime Minister said the country cannot forget the services rendered by the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force personnel in rescue and relief works during the time of any disaster. "These NDRF and SDRF personnel are our brave policemen. They are from police forces. The country will not forget their bravery, dedication and sacrifice. Many people even do not know who they are, when they rescue people and provide relief during the collapse of a building, when there is a fire or when there is a train accident," he said in a voice choked with emotions. The NDRF and SDRF are constituted with personnel from the central paramilitary forces and state police organisations respectively. A day after Firstpost published an anonymous account of an incident of rape, media agencies named an activist in the Kathua rape case as the perpetrator A day after a woman accused an activist involved in the movement seeking justice for the victim of the Kathua sexual assault case, The Indian Express named the perpetrator in in an article published on Sunday. "Bakerwal activist Talib Hussain, who was recently released on bail after spending two months in jail on charges of rape by a close relative of his estranged wife, has been accused of rape by another woman," the report said, identifying the accused in the anonymous account which Firstpost published on Saturday. The Firstpost article had not named the accused. Earlier on Saturday, senior Supreme Court advocate Indira Jaising had announced that she planned to stop representing a Bakerwal activist after the allegations came to light following the Firstpost article. "I do not intend to continue to appear on behalf of Talib Hussain anymore. I take the decision in view of my full support of the #MeToo movement," she wrote in an article published on The Leaflet. Refuting the Cab-Rank rule, which states that no advocate should withdraw from professional obligations to a client irrespective of client identity, nature of the case, or the counsel's opinion about the client, Jaising said: "In my opinion the allegations made in the Firstpost article are a sufficient cause for me to take the decision to withdraw from this case. The Bar Council of India Rules in the chapter for 'Duties To Clients' does provide an advocate the exception to withdraw from services to a client if there is 'sufficient cause'." This rule reads as: An advocate should not ordinarily withdraw from serving a client once he has agreed to serve them. He can withdraw only if he has a sufficient cause and by giving reasonable and sufficient notice to the client. Upon withdrawal, he shall refund such part of the fee that has not accrued to the client." Former JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid, who tweeted about the incident naming the activist, told The Sunday Express: I dont know the survivor but the charges made against Talib Hussain in her account are very serious and these warrant action. The police should take suo motu cognizance of the charges. The survivor should know that all of JNU stands with her and she would get all necessary support if she reached out to anyone. The activist had risen to fame after he appeared in the case of the rape and murder of an eight-year-old Bakerwal girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. He was arrested by the police on the charge of rape by a relative. According to National Herald, during the time the activist was making headlines for his support for the Kathua rape victim, he was invited to speak at multiple platforms like student conventions at universities like JNU, AMU, MANUU. He spoke about many issues pertaining to the vulnerabilities of the Gujjar-Bakarwal community, with reference to the Forest Rights Act. The anonymous rape survivor attended one such event in JNU on 27 March, National Herald reported. In a bid to actualise the dream of a 'nirmal' and 'aviral' Ganga, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said Sunday the government is looking to complete about 200 projects for ghats and crematoria by March 2019. New Delhi: In a bid to actualise the dream of a "nirmal" and "aviral" Ganga, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said Sunday the government is looking to complete about 200 projects for ghats and crematoria by March 2019. Also, the Centre is taking various measures to ensure ecological flow or the minimum quantity of water at different stretches of the Ganga, he said. "A total of 227 projects have been taken up for the Ganga for sewage infrastructure, ghats and crematoria, river-front development, river-surface cleaning and biodiversity conservation, among others, at a cost of Rs 22,374 crore," Gadkari, who holds Ganga rejuvenation and water resources portfolio among others, told PTI in an interview. He further said that making the Ganga "nirmal" (cleaner) and "aviral" (free-flowing) is his dream and his ministries were taking a slew of steps in this direction. Earlier in October, the government had mandated the minimum ecological flow in the river Ganga and its tributaries required to be maintained at different points in different areas round the year with the aim of ensuring water quality and environmentally sustainable rejuvenation. The directive also requires hydropower projects along the river to modify their operations in order to comply with the notification. "The government plans to complete 151 ghats and 54 crematoria projects by March 2019," Gadkari, who is also in-charge of road transport and highways ministry, said. Besides monitoring water quality at 138 locations, each at the interval of 20 kilometres, projects have been taken up for 24x7 cleaning of ghats at Varanasi, Bithoor, Kanpur, Allahabad, Mathura, Vrindavan and Haridwar to avoid solid waste disposals in the river, he said. In addition, under the bio-diversity conservation plans, several projects are being implemented for conservation and restoration of indigenous and aquatic species of the Ganga like the Gangetic dolphin, river otters, turtles and aquatic birds, the minister added. The gazette notification on 10 October with regard to the ecological flow of the Ganga water specifies flow requirements at various stretches including from origins in the glaciers to Haridwar besides the main stretch from Haridwar in Uttarakhand to Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. Gadkari said: "With implementation of these specifications, the river will not be dry as these specifications were a result of scientific study." He said the directive on ecological flow for the river would result in an unhindered and continuous flow of the river water as it will ensure at least the minimum required the environmental flow of water even after its stream gets diverted by projects. The minister said the notification also provides for direct release of additional water in the river Ganga to meet special demand as and when required. "The concerned central and state authorities shall implement demand-side management plans to reduce water withdrawal from the river Ganga by adopting good and scientific practices such as efficient method of irrigation, reuse and recycle of water including monitoring and regulation of ground water withdrawals for various purposes," the notification mentioned. There are about 1,100 industries and 4,500 villages along the Ganga. The minister in September had said that cleaning works would start getting remarkably noticeable in another six months, and had claimed "transforming the river that was the distinct cultural identity of the nation was close to his heart". Enunciating the work for sewage infrastructure, the minister had said: "Massive initiatives have resulted in rich dividends and we have successfully created capacity to treat 1,700 MLD sewage." The cities located by the side of the river produce 2,950 MLD sewage and if steps to purify the water were not taken this in another 15 years will reach 3,600 MLD. He said there were 97 cities, which were polluting the river with 10 including Haridwar, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Bhagalpur and Kolkata contributing 65 percent of the pollution in the river. Besides, Gadkari has said 48 new cities have been identified on either side of the Ganga and its tributaries for projects to clean the river. The government had in May 2015 approved Rs 20,000 crore under its ambitious 'Namami Gange' - integrated Ganga integrated Ganga conservation mission - programme for five years. The minister said massive preparations were also on for commencement of cargo operations in Ganga. On Police Commemoration Day 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the National Police Memorial (NPM) in New Delhi to the nation in recognition of the sacrifices made by police personnel since India's independence On Police Commemoration Day 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the National Police Memorial (NPM) in New Delhi to the nation in recognition of the sacrifices made by police personnel since India's independence. Every year, 21 October is observed as the Police Commemoration Day in memory of the 10 policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh's Hot Spring area. Delhi: Visuals from National Police Memorial as National Police Day is being observed today. The day is observed to pay homage to 10 policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh's Hot Spring area. pic.twitter.com/UF33CaGZuh ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2018 Home Minister Rajnath Singh, as well as Minister of State for Home Kiren Kiren Rijiju, were also present at the event. Rijiju tweeted about the celebration, saying: Salutation to all brave policemen/women who laid down their lives in the line of duty and their families who sacrificed their loved ones for the nation. PM @narendramodi ji is dedicating this Police Museum in Delhi to the those who made the supreme sacrifice. pic.twitter.com/X9hekJPZee Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) October 21, 2018 Modi, Singh, and BJP leader LK Advani also paid tributes to the policemen, ANI reported. While addressing a gathering of police and paramilitary personnel, the prime minister said, "It is the result of your alertness that the elements which create unrest are unsuccessful in their attempts. The attempts to create fear and insecurity in the nation were foiled by you. The peace prevalent in the nation is possible only due to your services." "It is the day to remember every jawan who maintains law and peace in Jammu and Kashmir, and fights against terrorism. Jawans on duty in Naxal-affected areas are doing a great service. It is also due to them that the number of Naxal-affected districts are going down, and the youth is coming to the mainstream," ANI quoted him as saying. The National Police Memorial has been erected on 6.12 acres of land in Chanakyapuri, at the northern end of Shanti Path. This memorial represents all state and central police organisations of the country, Times Now reported. The central sculpture of the National Police Memorial is made of a single piece of granite, weighing 238 tonnes. Its weight and colour symbolise the gravitas of the officers' sacrifice. A 60-foot long river at the base of the sculpture reflects the continuous self-service of the policeman and woman, to maintain peace and public order. Since 1947, 34,844 police personnel have been killed, with 424 losing their lives this year. Many of these brave lives were lost in the fight against terrorism in Kashmir, Punjab, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and left-wing extremism affected regions of the country. Further, a large number of police lives were lost in efforts to prevent crime and also while maintaining law and order. The Wall of Valour has the names of all 34,844 policemen engraved on granite. The prime minister will also inaugurate a police museum depicting history, uniforms, artefacts and gear of central and state reserve police forces. The museum is a first of its kind, and is located below the police memorial as an underground facility. It contains artefacts and points of time that shaped the history of the Indian police. Modi was also scheduled to hoist the Indian national flag and unveil the plaque to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the formation of Azad Hind Fauz at the Red Fort, Delhi. Dr Mahesh Sharma, MoS for Culture Chandra Kumar Bose, nephew of Netaji, Lalti Ram, INA Veteran and Brigadier RS Chikkara are expected to be present at the event, Times Now reported. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jossa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, October 20, 2018 08:32 1125 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877875470 1 Lifestyle Jakarta-Fashion-Week,fashion-designer,fashion,Danjyo-Hiyoji,Jakarta-Fashion-Week-2019,local-designer,Rinaldy-Yunardi,Sejauh-Mata-Memandang Free It is the time of the year again when fashionistas across the city put on their best looks as Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) 2019 returns for its eleventh year this October. Running from Oct. 20 to 26 at Senayan City, this years JFW will feature more than 2,600 looks from 204 designers and labels, both domestic and international. International collaborations are abound this year, as Australias Aboriginal Art Centres designers will showcase their designs along with Batik Chic by Novita Yunus, as well as British womenswear brand Teatum Jones with their joint collection with Indonesian label Sean Sheila. The collaborations do not stop at the collection level, as the Indonesia Fashion Forward show on Oct. 20 featuring Bateeq, Danjyo Hiyoji and NY by Novita Yunus will be styled by Japanese fashion stylist Makoto Washizu. Other international fashion labels will also make their way down the catwalks of JFW, including Elendeek, UN3D, Tategami and Yoakeh from Japan, SYZ and Royal Layor from South Korea, Indian designer Vaishali S, as well as Zuria Dor from Pakistan. Not to be outdone by their international counterparts, Indonesian designers also promised to wow audiences in this years JFW. Sav Lavin founder Savira Lavinia said her brands collection for JFW is titled Submersion, drawing on the diverse marine life as inspiration. Its actually a very personal collection for me because I feel that when I go to the depths, immersed in something, its very much about my own self, so I wanted to explore the emotional part of myself, Savira said, noting the collection will use deep and rich colors such as black, red, navy, mustard yellow and silver. Savira said Sav Lavins silhouettes will be inspired by the 1990s, resulting in loose, baggy fits, which will be combined with military-esque elements. Meanwhile, womens footwear brand PVRA known mostly for their beaded sandals worked with artisans in Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, for their newest offerings. Kara Nugroho, creative director of PVRA, said the artisans had created a line of weavings, which will be applied to the shoes. The collection is titled To Dream, and its like a call to dream again. [...] The weaving is like a sign for us to continue weaving our dreams, Kara said, noting that the collection is one of two that they will showcase at JFW 2019. PVRA cofounder Putri Katianda said their second collection is titled Sora, which means sky in the Japanese language. For this collection, we combined minimalism with Japanese urban style. This is a change of pace for us, as we will be using patterned materials rather than plain, as well as bright and colorful colors we never tried before, Putri said. Kara said both of the collections will feature new styles, including 7-centimeter heels and slip-ons. Fashion shows showcasing shoes are really hard, because the clothes should look good, but you dont want them to overpower the shoes. As peoples eyes would normally go toward the clothes, we kept them minimalistic but also with interesting details, Kara said. Along with the usual fashion shows, JFW 2019 will also hold talk shows on various topics, ranging from insider insights on Paris Fashion Week to the dangers of fast fashion. Design competitions also make a return this year, with the final shows for accessory design and menswear design held on Oct. 23 at different times. The fashion week is scheduled to be closed with Dewi Fashion Knights on Oct. 26, featuring Byo, Rinaldy A. Yunardi, Sean Sheila and Sejauh Mata Memandang. JFW project director Lenni Tedja said this years event does not have a theme as last years theme Bhinneka dan Berkarya was held to commemorate JFWs 10th anniversary. Overall, 40,000 guests are expected to attend the shows over the course of seven days. The highlights for this year include the ever-changing list of designers and their collections, but also the presence of fashion stylist Makoto Washizu to mark 60 years of bilateral relations between Indonesia and Japan. A Dalit woman activist, who was planning to visit the Sabarimala shrine Saturday has put her plans on hold and left Pamba following heavy rain, as high drama was witnessed when another woman was stopped from entering the temple by devotees who thought she was under 50. Pamba: A Dalit woman activist, who was planning to visit the Sabarimala shrine Saturday has put her plans on hold and left Pamba following heavy rain, as high drama was witnessed when another woman was stopped from entering the temple by devotees who thought she was under 50. Saturday was the fourth day since the temple gates were opened for the monthly puja after the Supreme Court in September lifted a centuries-old ban on women between 10 and 50 years entering the Lord Ayyappa shrine. Top police officers camping at downhill Pamba, about five kilometres from the temple complex, held discussions with Manju, leader of Dalit Mahila Federation, during which she reportedly insisted that she wanted to visit the shrine as a devotee of Lord Ayyappa. Police told her that it was not possible to climb the hill Saturday evening due to heavy rains in the area, police sources said. She has been convinced about the slippery state of the roads leading to the temple and difficulties in climbing the hill and providing security cover in the rains, they said. Manju left Pamba in the evening, saying she was a devotee and would come here to climb the hill "on a convenient date." She said police had offered all sorts of assistance to her to visit the shrine. Police had earlier said it was verifying the background of the woman, said to be in her late 30s, and a decision regarding her trekking would be taken Sunday morning. Manju, said to be in her late 30s, was making an attempt to reach the shrine, a day after the temple complex witnessed high drama and tense moments when two women reached the hilltop with police escort, but had to return before reaching the sanctum sanctorum following protests by devotees. If she had reached the shrine, she would have been the first woman from the menstruating age group to visit the temple after the apex court verdict in September. Earlier, devotees gathered in large numbers at 'Valiya Nadapandhal' the queue complex located a few metres away from the holy 'pathinettampadi' (the 18 sacred steps), leading to the sanctum sanctorum to protest a woman's entry into the temple. However, the tension was defused after the woman, who had come with members of her family, convinced the protesters that she was above 50 years, and proceeded to the shrine. The woman carrying 'irumudikkettu' (holy bundle) climbed the 18 holy steps amid security cover to reach the temple and have 'darshan'. Pathanamthitta District Collector PB Nooh said there was no tension at 'Sannidhanam.' "A woman came for darshan. Some news channels followed her. Then a crowd gathered. That was the only issue," he said. The collector also dismissed as "rumours" reports that some young women were planning to trek the hills to reach the shrine. Some BJP workers were arrested at Nilackal for violating section 144 of CrPC (prohibiting an assembly of more than four persons in an area) that has been clamped in the area in view of the protests by devotees against the entry of women of all age groups into the ancient Sabarimala temple. Meanwhile, a member of the Travancore Devaswom Board, that manages the shrine, flayed the statement issued by the Sabarimala temple tantri (chief priest) that the shrine would be shut down in case its traditional customs are broken. KP Sankaradas alleged that chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru's statement was in contempt of court since the doors of the Sabarimala temple were thrown open to women in all age groups by the Supreme Court. The tantri's comments also came under fire from Kerala Minister G Sudhakaran. The minister likened the tantri's statement to the act of downing the shutters of shops during hartal. However, head priest of the Malikappuram temple at Sannidhanam, Anish Namboothiri, defended Rajeevaru's statement, saying the tantri is the highest authority on matters related to the temple's customs and if it was violated, he has the power to take such actions. The Sabarimala temple complex had witnessed high drama and tense moments Friday when two women reached the hilltop with heavy police escort, but had to return before reaching the sanctum sanctorum following massive protests by Lord Ayyappa devotees. Madhavi, a devotee from Andhra Pradesh, and a New Delhi-based woman journalist were also forced to return following intense protests by devotees on 17 and 18 October respectively. Kerala has been witnessing massive protests by Lord Ayyappa devotees opposing the entry of girls and women of menstrual age into the Sabarimala temple since the government decided to implement the apex court order. The devotees had intensified the agitation at the shrine complex and nearby areas including the base camps, Nilackal and Pamba, since the shrine was opened for the five-day monthly puja on 17 October. Police said the Jalpaiguri victim was raped on Saturday night allegedly by a relative near a pond close to her home in Niranjan Pat locality under Dhupguri Police station area. Jalpaiguri (West Bengal): A woman was raped and an iron rod was inserted in her private parts allegedly by a relative angry over a land dispute with her family in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, police said Sunday. The woman has been admitted to Jalpaiguri Sadar Hospital and stated to be in serious condition. The incident brings back the memories of the 2012 Jyoti Singh rape case in New Delhi in which a woman was gangraped inside a moving bus and one of the accused inserted a rod in her private parts. Police said the Jalpaiguri victim was raped on Saturday night allegedly by a relative near a pond close to her home in Niranjan Pat locality under Dhupguri Police station area. "The accused called the woman out of her home on the pretext of resolving the land dispute, raped her and tortured her by inserting an iron road in her private parts," the victim alleged. "Another person accompanied the accused but he did not rape her," she said. Police said a rickshaw-puller found her and took her home. She was taken to Dhupguri hospital on Sunday morning and shifted to Jalpaiguri Sadar Hospital. The woman's husband was not at home during the incident. "The accused relative and his companion were detained and being interrogated," police said. Shiromani Akali Dal demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court into the tragedy. Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal core committee on Sunday demanded immediate sacking of Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and registration of a murder case against his wife and former legislator Navjot Kaur Sidhu as well as organizers of Dussehra function on Friday. Holding Kaur and organisers of the Dusshera function responsible "for abetting the Amritsar tragedy", the core committee, which met in Chandigarh under the chairmanship of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, rejected the magisterial inquiry ordered by the Congress government. It demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court into the tragedy. Terming the "man-made disaster as unparalleled on account of the criminal negligence and sheer abetment by the function organizers", the core committee condemned the cover-up operation launched by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and demanded registration of a fresh case in the matter as per the statement of the victims' families. The core committee said: "The Congress government is now muzzling the voice of the poor by instituting a tailor-made inquiry with the sole aim of giving a clean chit to the culprits and putting the blame squarely on the Indian Railways." "This is being done despite the fact that the victim families were ready to present irrefutable evidence against a Congress councilor as well as Mrs Navjot Kaur Sidhu for abetting the tragedy," it added. It also noted that evidence against the councilor and Kaur was present in the public domain and that this should be taken into account while proceeding against both of them. "Keeping all these facts into account, there was no possibility of a free and fair inquiry by a magistrate who was reporting to cabinet minister Navjot Sidhu and his family," the committee stated. The core committee said it was condemnable that the Punjab government was refusing to take action against the Congress leaders despite available evidence of negligence. The committee also passed a resolution calling for Rs 1 crore compensation to each of the victim families as well as grant of government job to the next of kin of the victims. The meeting also served an ultimatum to the government to register a fresh case as per the statement of the victims and institute a judicial inquiry besides giving compensation as demanded failing which it would initiate an agitation to ensure justice to the tragedy victims. At least 59 people were killed and nearly 60 others injured when the speeding train mowed the people watching Dusshera proceedings while standing on the live railway tracks. Interacting with the residents of his New Delhi Assembly constituency, Kejriwal said the BJP MPs in Delhi did nothing except 'creating hurdles' in the work of the AAP government. New Delhi: AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday visited households in the New Delhi area to collect donations and ask for votes for his party in 2019 parliamentary polls. "People were very happy with the work done by the Delhi government and they will give donations and votes to the AAP," he said. Kejriwal's cabinet colleagues, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, MPs and MLAs, along with AAP workers, also took to the streets, visiting people in various parts of the city seeking donations and votes for the party. Interacting with the residents of his New Delhi Assembly constituency, Kejriwal said the BJP MPs in Delhi did nothing except "creating hurdles" in the work of the AAP government. The donation campaign - "Aap Ka Daan, Rashtra Ka Nirman" - was launched by Kejriwal last Monday. The campaign will go on for four months, with around 3,000 AAP workers going door-to-door in all the seven Parliamentary constituencies in Delhi. Kejriwal said it was immaterial for Delhi as to who became the next prime minister, adding that if the AAP won any Lok Sabha seat in the national capital, it would get work done with whosoever was in power at the Centre. "We will tell people not to get concerned about who becomes the next prime minister. The BJP MPs did nothing for Delhi. By the way, nobody knows who will be the next prime minister. All (parties) are in a poor shape," he said. The AAP, which has already announced party in-charges for all the seven Lok Sabha constituencies, intends to go to the voters asking for votes by claiming that its government has achieved "excellent" results in health, education, water and power supplies. Issues like the Delhi Metro fare hike, alleged "failures" of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs and the ongoing sealing drive in the city are also likely to be raised during the campaign. Rubbishing Modi's allegations that the previous Congress governments did not follow the legacy of Netaji and Sardar Patel, Singhvi said both the leaders were completely against the philosophy of sectarianism and bigotry. New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday mocked at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attempting to appropriate the legacy of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and accused the RSS-BJP of trying to distort history. Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Azad Hind government formed by Netaji, Modi on Sunday unfurled the National Flag at the Red Fort and targeted the Nehru-Gandhi family for "neglecting" the contribution of nationalist leaders like Bose. Countering Modi's offensive, the Congress ridiculed the prime minister and flayed him for dragging Netaji and Sardar Patel into politics. "The only reason that can be ascribed to the prime minister being in politics mode 24*7 and constantly making allegations is his desperation to try and appropriate the legacy of Netaji and the legacy of Independence Movement. Modi knows that the Sangh Parivar is bereft of any locus and had absolutely no role to play in the Freedom Movement. So, like a fish out of water, they are desperately trying to appropriate Netaji's legacy and dragging him into politics, (sic)" Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters in Delhi. "Those who do not have their own ideas and idols, and have zero contribution to the National Movement, are trying to attribute and appropriate the legacy of our Freedom Fighters, in an attempt to be perceived nationalist. Today, Modi desperately tried to do the same," he said. Rubbishing Modi's allegations that the previous Congress governments did not follow the legacy of Netaji and Sardar Patel, Singhvi said both the leaders were completely against the philosophy of sectarianism and bigotry espoused by Modi's ideological parent - the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha. Seeking to substantiate his assertion that the RSS had "zero role" in the Freedom Movement, Singhvi read out excerpts from then RSS Chief MS Golwalkar's letter to the RSS spokesperson Krishna Rao Wadekar, asking the Sangh to stay away from the "Quit India movement". "Today, the RSS and the BJP are praising Netaji for his military endeavours to liberate India, but their ideological ancestors had done totally the opposite. When Netaji was revamping the Azad Hind Fauj in Japan and Gandhiji had given the 'Quit India' call, the RSS was hand-in-gloves with the British. The Hindu Mahasabha under Vinayak Savarkar's leadership organised recruitment camps for the British armed forces," said the Congress leader. Singhvi also took a dig at Modi for attempting to appropriate Sardar Patel's legacy, reminding the prime minister that it was Patel who had banned the RSS and held its ideology responsible for the murder of Mahatma Gandhi. In Chhattisgarh, around 70 percent of the total population is engaged in agriculture and allied activities. The BJP and Congress always try to win over this significant vote bank. Raipur: Congress President Rahul Gandhi will Monday kick off his party's campaign for Chhattisgarh Assembly elections by addressing a rally of farmers in Raipur. Farmers are being seen as a major vote bank in the state by the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress - the two dominant players in the state politics. "The AICC Chief will arrive at the Swami Vivekanand airport at around 2.10 pm Monday. He is scheduled to address a rally of farmers from the Science College ground at around 3 pm," said state Congress spokesperson Sushil Anand Shukla on Sunday. "Gandhi would hold meetings with senior party leaders during his brief visit. He will also meet delegations of people representing various sections of the society before leaving for Delhi in evening," said Shukla. This will be Rahul's first visit to the state after the poll code came into effect on 6 October. Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in two phases on 12 November and 20 November. Counting of votes will be taken up on 11 December. In Chhattisgarh, around 70 percent of the total population is engaged in agriculture and allied activities. The ruling BJP and Opposition Congress always try to win over this significant vote bank, knowing well that they can tilt the poll scales. The Congress has been out of power in Chhattisgarh for the last 15 years. The pre-poll tie-up among an outfit floated by former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) has added a third dimension to the state politics which is dominated by the BJP and the Congress. The first phase of polling covers 18 seats spread across eight naxal-affected districts namely Bastar, Bijapur, Dantewada, Sukma, Kondagaon, Kanker, Narayanpur and Rajnandgaon. The remaining 72 constituencies will go to polls on 20 November. The Congress has so far announced 12 candidates for all the 12 seats of Bastar division, but is yet to announce the names of candidates for six more seats that fall in Rajanandgaon district. Sachin Pilot said the BJP and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje were conspiring to remove tickets of 100 to 150 sitting MLAs to win the upcoming election in Rajasthan. Jaipur: Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot Sunday said the people of the state would celebrate Diwali twice in 2018, first on 7 November and again on 7 December when the Congress will come to power in Rajasthan. Speaking at a 'Booth Jitao, Bhrashtachar Mitao' event, Pilot said the BJP will be removed from the state and a new government will be formed on 7 December. He said the BJP and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje were conspiring to remove tickets of 100 to 150 sitting MLAs to win the upcoming election, whereas the Congress workers were seeking the public's blessings to do the same. Pilot said Congress leaders and workers were establishing contact with the people at 50,000 booths in the state today. The FIR accused Oommen Chandy, currently AICC general secretary, of having unnatural sex with Saritha Nair at the official residence of the chief minister. The #MeToo campaign, which made headlines in many parts of the country, had not gained much traction in Kerala till now. However, the movement may gain strength in the state, with the police acting on revelations made by a "tainted" women entrepreneur four years ago. The Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front government, reeling under an unprecedented communal flare-up over the Supreme Court verdict on entry of women of all ages into the popular Sabarimala hill shrine, revived the case by constituting a new investigation team of the crime branch. The investigation team headed by Abdul Kareem, commandant of Malabar Special Police (MSP), has set the ball rolling by initiating criminal proceedings against senior Congress leader and former chief minister Oommen Chandy and party colleague and former union minister KC Venugopal on a complaint lodged by Saritha S Nair, the prime accused in the alleged solar scam. In a first information report (FIR) filed on 20 October in the Thiruvananthapauram Chief Judicial Magistrates court, the crime branch said that the two had sexually abused the woman when she approached them for government support for the business she partnered with her estranged husband Biju Radhakrishnan. The FIR accused Chandy, who is currently AICC general secretary, of having unnatural sex with Sarita at Cliff House, the official residence of the chief minister, during a shut down strike in 2012. Venugopal, a member of Parliament and AICC general secretary, has been accused of having sex with her at multiple places, including the residence of former state minister KP Anil Kumar. Sarita had leveled sexual abuse allegations against a dozen Congress leaders, including two former union ministers and three former state ministers besides a few other MPs and MLAs in a letter she submitted to a judicial commission appointed by the then Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government to probe the solar scam. The scam, which involved more than 30 people alleging being cheated of Rs 6.5 crores by Sarita and Biju Radhakrishnan by offering solar solutions citing their political contacts, had come to light when one of the customers who had paid for installing solar panels filed a complaint against their company. The names of Chandy and his party men figured in the scam after records of the telephone conversations between Sarita and some members of the then chief ministers personal staff got leaked. Chandy sought to quell the storm by removing them from his staff. However, it turned against him after the judicial panel decided to take cognisance of the letter Sarita wrote while she was in jail following her arrest in one of the cheating cases slapped against her by her customers. The commission headed by retired high court judge Justice G Sivarajan had submitted its report in September 2017, saying that top members of the political executive had sought and received bribes and sexual favours from Sarita to promote their business. The panel observed that sexual favours could be construed as illegal gratification as defined in the Prevention of Corruption Act and recommended action could be taken against those named in her letter, which was appended with its report. Accepting the report, the LDF government set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the findings and register cases against Chandy and others. However, North Zone DGP Rajesh Dewan, who headed the team, did not act on the direction, following legal advice that the allegation will not stand before a court of law. After the retirement of Dewan, his charge was handed over to ADGP (south zone) Anil Kant, but he too could not proceed as the state high court had by then expunged the commission's findings and observations against Chandy based on the letter. Saritha then lodged individual complaints against Chandy and five others, including former state ministers AP Anil Kumar and Aryadan Mohammed. Sources close to the new investigation team said that an FIR against the others will also be registered soon. Senior Congress leaders have termed the case politically motivated. They said that the LDF government has revived the case against legal advice to divert attention of the people from the explosive situation it has created in Sabarimala. Chandy, too, has subscribed to the view. This has happened before also and now this fresh development has surfaced because of the issues in Sabarimala. I will deal with this case legally and on Monday in the state capital, I will reveal more details, Chandy was quoted by IANS as saying. Social activists feel the case may embolden women, who have been shying away from joining the #MeToo campaign even after it has become a rallying point against sexual harassment in many parts of the country. Though Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), which emerged in the wake of the arrest of actor Dileep in an abduction case of an actor, spoke of rampant sexual harassment in the cinema industry, none of its members have named anybody so far. However, it has put the male-dominated Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) on tenterhooks by threatening to come out with their #MeToo stories at the appropriate time. Though three women from the industry have revealed the names, neither AMMA nor the police have taken it seriously. Actor and CPM MLA, Mukesh Kumar, who was the first to face the #MeToo heat in Kerala, has laughed off the charge levelled against him by Bollywood casting director Tess Joseph saying that he did not remember the incident, which is said to have happened in Chennai 19 years ago. Since then, two more women came out with stories of harassment they faced from the men in Mollywood. AMMA and other industry bodies have ignored the revelations. Members of the WCC are not surprised by their attitude. They said that they were more interested in finding a solution to the issue rather than exposing a few people. The womens body has initiated the process for a permanent solution by seeking an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) within AMMA with third party experts on gender and from the judiciary as its members. It has already filed a writ petition in the high court in this regard. Indo-Asian News Service Former British deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who earlier criticised Facebook for paying too little tax in Britain, is now facing flak for joining the social network as its head of global affairs, the media reported. The former Liberal Democrat MP will start working for Facebook on 22 October and move with his family to Palo Alto in California in the New Year, The Telegraph reported this week. Clegg will earn 1 million pounds a year in his new role at Facebook, which paid only 7.4 million pounds in tax in Britain last year despite recording 1.3 billion pounds in sales, the report added. A couple of years ago, Clegg, who lost his seat in Parliament in the 2017 general elections, said that he was not "especially bedazzled by Facebook". "Nor am I sure that companies such as Facebook really pay all the tax they could? though that's as much the fault of governments who still haven't got their tax act together," he was quoted as saying. And now his acceptance of the Facebook role has not gone down well with his former party colleagues as well as other lawmakers in Britain. He has been accused of hypocrisy. Senior Liberal Democrats leader Vince Cable said he would urge Clegg "to make sure Facebook co-operates with attempts to make sure they pay their fair share of tax". "This is deeply hypocritical. He has been critical about companies that try and reduce their tax and he is now running to the door of Mark Zuckerberg," Nigel Evans, a Tory MP, was quoted as saying. "Quite frankly we all know he has the ability to say one thing and do another. He's now their champion. Pass the sick bag." The decision to appoint Clegg, a former European commission trade negotiator and member of the European parliament, is indicative of Facebook's desire to have a better relationship with Brussels, where it is facing calls for increased regulation, the Guardian reported. Reuters Facebook has hired former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to lead its global affairs and communications team, as the social network deals with a number of scandals related to privacy, fake news and election meddling. The appointment makes Clegg, former leader of Britains Liberal Democrats and deputy to David Cameron in the 2010-2015 coalition government, the most senior European politician ever in a leadership role in Silicon Valley. Facebook said Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg were closely involved in the hiring process, and started talking to Clegg over the summer. Our company is on a critical journey. The challenges we face are serious and clear and now more than ever we need new perspectives to help us though this time of change, Sandberg said on a Facebook post congratulating Clegg. Clegg, 51, succeeds Elliot Schrage and will report to Sandberg beginning on Monday. He will move to California with his family in the new year. He was ousted as deputy prime minister after the Conservatives won a majority in 2015 in an election that saw his Liberal Democrats suffer a significant loss of support. Clegg, whose appeal to younger voters was critically damaged when he broke a promise not to raise student tuition fees, lost his own seat in Britains parliament in an election last year. He apologized in 2012 for breaking his promise on student charges, saying I will never again make a pledge unless as a party we are absolutely clear about how we can keep it. Clegg is joining a company that has apologized for its mistakes and has promised to do better on many occasions, for example for breaching its users trust. Throughout my public life I have relished grappling with difficult and controversial issues and seeking to communicate them to others, Clegg said in a Facebook post. I hope to use some of those skills in my new role Clegg, a strong advocate of Britains membership of the European Union, said it was a wrench to be leaving the public debate at a crucial time in Brexit, but added that key decisions would pass to parliament, of which he was no longer a member. He will join his Liberal Democrat colleague Richard Allan at the social network. Allan, a member of parliament between 1997 and 2005 who now sits in the upper house, is Facebooks vice president of public policy for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Clegg has discussed online security and privacy, both when in office and more recently in newspaper articles. Im not especially bedazzled by Facebook, he said in an article in the London Evening Standard in 2016. While I have good friends who work at the company, I actually find the messianic Californian new-worldly-touchy-feely culture of Facebook a little grating. He also said he was not sure that companies such as Facebook really pay all the tax they could, although he added that was as much the fault of governments that still hadnt got their tax act together. Schrage, who led the social networks response to its several scandals, stepped down from the role in June after a decade with the company. Schrage will stay as an adviser, Facebook said. Facebook has faced a barrage of criticism from users and lawmakers after it said last year that Russian agents used its platform to spread disinformation before and after the 2016 US presidential election, an accusation Moscow denies. In March, the company faced new scrutiny over how it protects personal information after acknowledging that the data of up to 87 million people ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica. Reuters Facebook Incs WhatsApp messaging service became the frontline in Brazils bitter presidential campaign on 19 October, as front-runner Jair Bolsonaro angrily denied accusations he had encouraged widespread misinformation campaigns on the platform. On 18 October, newspaper Folha de S.Paulo had reported that supporters of the far-right candidate had funded mass messaging attacks against leftist rival Fernando Haddad. Bolsonaro said in an online video that he had no knowledge of such activity and called on any supporters doing so to stop. Haddad and his allies have urged an investigation and threatened a flurry of legal action, as the race that lawmaker Bolsonaro is expected to win by a landslide on 28 October reaches its final stretch. Later on19 October, Brazils top electoral court TSE approved opening a probe into the case. The recriminations highlight the outsized political role of WhatsApp in the election in Brazil, where its more than 120 million users rival the reach of Facebooks main platform, in a country with a population of almost 210 million. The messaging app allows groups of hundreds of users to exchange encrypted texts, photos and video out of the view of authorities or independent fact checkers, enabling the rapid spread of misinformation with no way to track its source or full reach. Digital marketing firms had apparently taken advantage of that opacity to circulate unregistered political propaganda, according to the Folha report. WhatsApp said on 19 October it was taking immediate legal action to stop companies from sending bulk messages, including cease and desist letters to the companies in question. The day before, WhatsApp said it had banned hundreds of thousands of accounts during the election period, with spam detection technology spotting accounts engaged in automated bot behaviour. Yet new questions arose on 19 October about the effectiveness and consequences of that technology. The leading presidential candidates son, Senator-elect Flavio Bolsonaro, revealed he had been blocked from using the service, demanding an explanation from the company. There is no limit to the persecution! Flavio Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter, adding that the ban had since been lifted. WhatsApp confirmed that it had blocked Flavio Bolsonaros account for spam behaviour in recent days, for reasons unrelated to the Folha report. Official Complaint Haddads Workers Party has filed an official complaint with electoral courts, asking them to investigate the allegations of illicit financing for misleading propaganda. It is unclear what effect, if any, the accusations will have on opinion polls. The latest Datafolha survey, taken before the story was published, showed Bolsonaro had 59 percent of voter support, compared to 41 percent for Haddad. Bolsonaro has run as an anti-establishment candidate despite representing Rio de Janeiro state as a federal congressman for nearly three decades. With a career untainted by major corruption investigations, he has rallied voters fed up with years of graft scandals and economic mismanagement while the Workers Party was in power. The WhatsApp allegations have energized Haddad, who said his party has witnesses saying Bolsonaro asked business leaders for cash to pay for the bulk messaging, which he described as soliciting undeclared campaign contributions. The Democratic Labor Party (PDT), which supports Haddad, filed an electoral complaint on 19 October asking courts to annul the presidential election due to what it called an abuse of economic power. tech2 News Staff After moving the launch date of the OnePlus 6T to 30 October and then preponing it by a day to 29 October, OnePlus seems to be a little confused. However, images of a retailer's listing in Sweden has just revealed that there will be an Ultimate Limited Editon of the phone arriving soon. While we do know almost everything there is to know about the OnePlus 6T, one thing that we won't find out until launch is the number of limited edition versions in store. OnePlus is known to offer various 'limited edition' variants of their phone, but so far, we don't have much information when it comes to the OnePlus 6T. A Swedish retailer by the name of Webhallen has listed the OnePlus 6T Ultimate Limited Edition on its website with a limited stock of up to 100 units. The listing also provides us a view of the box packaging in which the edition is expected to arrive in. The package also reveals the product tagline which reads, OnePlus 6T as well as a host of secret things. The listing does not come with a product description and does not talk about the specifications of the special edition either. This does provide major question marks as to whether the listing should be trusted in the first place but knowing that special editions are a thing with OnePlus, it is quite possible that the listing is real. To jog your memory, OnePlus had earlier launched a "Marvel Avengers Limited Edition" OnePlus 6 and a "Star Wars Limited Edition" of the OnePlus 5T back in December. For those still wondering about internals, the special edition will very likely rock top-of-the-line specifications of 8 GB RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. OnePlus will also likely throw in a number of special accessories and goodies to boot. By Igor Ilic ZAGREB (Reuters) - Several thousand people protested in Croatia's capital on Saturday over government plans to raise the retirement age to 67 and cut pensions for those who retire early. This week the government asked parliament to pass legislation lifting the retirement age of 65 from 2033 onwards, defending the reform as a step in efforts to make the pension system sustainable. By Igor Ilic ZAGREB (Reuters) - Several thousand people protested in Croatia's capital on Saturday over government plans to raise the retirement age to 67 and cut pensions for those who retire early. This week the government asked parliament to pass legislation lifting the retirement age of 65 from 2033 onwards, defending the reform as a step in efforts to make the pension system sustainable. The bill also includes a proposal to cut the pensions of people who stop working before reaching retirement age by about four percent per year. "There is a lot of misery and bitterness in us. Isn't such a retirement proposal irresponsible towards our workers and pensioners?," Kresimir Sever, one of the leaders of the trade unions that organized the protest, told the crowd gathered in central Zagreb. Some of the demonstrators shouted "Thieves", and many held banners accusing the government of impoverishing pensioners and workers. "From school to unemployment, from work to graveyard" read one of the banners. Workers representing metal industry employees, nurses and other professions took turns to address the rally, saying they cannot work until the age of 67. "I work in the rain and the burning sun. My legs and back have to carry hundreds of overloaded waste bins every day. I've already had a surgery on one knee, the other one will have to be treated soon," a worker from a waste collection and disposal company, who said his name was Elvis, told the gathering. Trade union leaders say the new law would particularly hurt older employees, who are often under pressure to retire earlier for health reasons or because the employers want to get rid of older staff. They have also pointed out that Croatians have a shorter life expectancy than people in many other European Union countries. The unions have vowed to launch a campaign for a nationwide referendum to be called over the pension reform proposal if the government rejects their demands to scrap the plan. For a referendum to take place, supporters of the ballot must collect the signatures of 10 percent of the electorate, equivalent to roughly 375,000 people. Economic analysts and researchers say Croatia cannot make its pension system sustainable in the long term without increasing the retirement age. (Reporting by Igor Ilic; Editing by Helen Popper) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Trump said it was 'possible' that the powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not know about the killing. Washington: President Donald Trump has said he is "not satisfied" with Saudi Arabia's account of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but asserted that he would not like to scrap an $110 billion arms deal with Riyadh despite a global outrage over the dissident scribe's brutal killing. Saudi Arabia in a statement Saturday said Khashoggi (60) died following a "fistfight" at its consulate in Istanbul on 2 October, without disclosing any details on the whereabouts of his body. Turkish officials believe Khashoggi - a critic of the Saudi government - was murdered and his body dismembered. "I'm not satisfied until we find the answer," Trump said, adding that sanctions were a possibility, but that halting an arms deal would "hurt us more than it would hurt them". "It is something that we don't like. It's very serious stuff. And we're going to get to the bottom of it and will make that determination," Trump told reporters in Nevada on Saturday. Trump said it was "possible" that the powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not know about the killing. His comment came when asked about his previous statement that he would be considering severe consequences for Saudi Arabia following the journalist's death. Trump also said the Congress would have a role to play in it."We'll have very much Congress involved in determining what to do," he said. Responding to a question, Trump indicated that he would let the Congressmen take lead on the issue of particularly determining the action that needs to be taken against Saudi Arabia. However, he insisted that he would not like to scrap the mega arms and investment deal with Saudi Arabia as this would impact jobs in the US. "We have $450 billion, $110 billion of which is a military order, but this is equipment and various things ordered from Saudi Arabia," Trump said. "It's over a million jobs; that's not helpful for us to cancel an order like that. That hurts us far more than it hurts them... but there are other things that could be done, including sanctions." The president said he is also speaking with states where jobs could be impacted. "We're going to find out. We're going to find out who knows what, where and we'll figure it out," he said, indicating that things might be clearer by Monday. "I might know a lot by Monday. I know a lot already. We're going to know over the next two or three days, we're going to know a lot. We're getting a lot of information in as we speak," he said. Describing Saudi Arabia as a "great ally", he said it has also been a tremendous investor in the US. "They invested, and the jobs are .. we're right now the largest supplier of energy in the world. We are, the United States. And it happened, and I hate to tell you, over the last 18 months and we're now the biggest in the world, Trump said. "But still they're a major, major supplier. They're actually number two, and we have to take all of these things into account. Very important, he said. The president said, "Saudi Arabia has been a great ally of ours. That's why this is so sad. Look at what goes on in Iran and the viciousness of that regime, and it's brutal. It's a brutal regime." "The killing, the horror stories, you hear them and you write about them, very well, I've seen you write about them very well. It's a tough part of the world, there's no question about it, Trump said. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has said 18 persons have been arrested and an in-depth investigation into the case is being conducted. Khashoggi had not been seen since entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October. After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning said he had died in a fistfight at the consulate. "Preliminary investigations revealed that the discussions that took place between him and the persons who met him... at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul led to a brawl and a fist fight with the citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, which led to his death, may his soul rest in peace," Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said in the statement. However, top American lawmakers have said the Saudi statement was not credible and demanded action against the Arab nation. Even allies of Saudi Arabia have criticised its account. German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the explanation of Khashoggi's death "inadequate" while French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said many questions "remain unanswered". The United Kingdom Foreign Office described it as "a terrible act" and said the people behind the killing "must be held to account". Both the European Union and the United Nations have called for a proper investigation. BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul and said explanations so far given of the circumstances of his death were inadequate. 'We condemn this act in the strongest terms,' she and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a joint statement issued on Saturday BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul and said explanations so far given of the circumstances of his death were inadequate. "We condemn this act in the strongest terms," she and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a joint statement issued on Saturday. "We expect transparency from Saudi Arabia about the circumstances of his death ... The information available about events in the Istanbul consulate is inadequate." Expressing deep sympathy to Khashoggi's friends and relatives, they said those responsible for his death must be held accountable. (Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Richard Balmforth) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The growing strategic depth that the Taliban in Afghanistan has given to Pakistan's ISI would not be bartered away at any cost, that too at present when it expects greater concessions from Washington, which is willing to negotiate things out In one of latest spate of attacks, the Taliban killed Kandahar police chief Brigadier General Abdul Raziq Achakzai and the provincial chief of the National Directorate on Security (NDS) General Abdul Momin, besides leaving Kandahar governor Zalmai Wesa severely injured. The top US and NATO commander for Afghanistan General Austin Scott Miller, who too was present in the meeting inside the Kandahar governor compound escaped unhurt, although the Taliban claimed him to be the main target. Particularly, the loss of General Raziq is a big setback in the war against the Taliban. As the police chief, Raziq had been credited with bringing Kandahar under state control. Having lost his father and uncle to Taliban at a young age, Raziq began his career as a border police personnel in 2001 but swiftly rose up the ranks. He went on to receive strong backing from the American authorities, raising his own militia, which also gave him the much needed autonomy to deal with the Taliban irrespective of legal provisions. The trade-offs being increasing accusations of human rights violations and extrajudicial killings against him, and his image of a warlord rather than a police chief, but Kandahar, nevertheless, enjoyed stability. With Raziq dead and no viable successor in sight, the biggest challenge to Kandahars defences is finding a replacement if it is to be saved from slipping into the Taliban control as a renewed Taliban offensive on the province seems likely. The most tangible impact is the postponement of the elections in the province for a week, something that partly goes with the Talibans strategy of discrediting the nations nascent electoral democratic tradition. However, it remains to be seen to what extent is the voter turnout affected, especially when civilian death have hit record high this year (according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan data). That the attack comes at a time when Washington is engaged in talks with Taliban on issues related to the exit of forces and maintenance of bases to proposed power-sharing in the Kabul administration automatically accords it a stronger position. Stabilising Afghanistan is pivotal to US president Donald Trumps South Asia Strategy and the appointment of a tough negotiator like former diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad as the special envoy to Afghanistan last month also comes under challenge as such high profile attacks would only cede greater strategic space to the Taliban. Seen from this perspective, General Millers escaping unhurt could be understood as part of the Talibans strategy to exert their stronger position while at the same time avoiding antagonising Washington beyond a threshold that may invite unwanted retaliation. Facing a resurgent Taliban this year, Washington went ahead with the talks making it the first time that "a senior American diplomat and Taliban insurgent officials reportedly held talks", although unofficial backchannels have existed for long. As a run up to the meeting between Alice Wells and Taliban representatives, Colonel Christopher Kolenda and former diplomat Robin Raphael had been meeting the Taliban in Doha since July 2017. Hopes of a breakthrough had grown since the Talibans three-day Eid ceasefire in June. Even though Washington has managed to engage those elements within the Taliban who are willing to talk, the ongoing developments seem to take things only away from Washingtons position as Taliban has only continued to demonstrate its invincibility. Ironically, the pattern of attacks suggests a surge in violence whenever the news of talks has emerged, either with Washington or with Kabul. New Delhis reading These developments also come as a much-needed reminder for New Delhi to keep a close watch on the evolving power equation between Taliban and the US-Afghan leadership in the backdrop of the enhanced role of the Pakistani security agencies. In editorials and opinion pieces published in leading Indian newspapers, an assumed linkage has supposedly been drawn between Pakistans dependence on the IMF for a bailout and the nations tacit support to the Taliban. It has been argued by several veteran Afghanistan-Pakistan watchers that Washington should rescue Pakistans deteriorating economy only after it is assured of Islamabad and Rawalpindi pressuring the Taliban to arrive at an amicable agreement with the Americans. It is clear that irrespective of whether Pakistan seeks an IMF bailout or not, there is no reason to expect an ISI-directed change in Talibans strategy. The same stands true for the talk regarding the Financial Action Task Forces (FATF) June decision, which placed Pakistan in the grey list of the countries that could be marked out for economic sanctions if they failed to prevent terrorists from collecting funds within their domain. Concomitantly, the US State Departments recently published country report on terrorism 2017 mentioned that the implementation of measures against terror financing remains uneven despite existing institutional provisions. Unfortunately, this failed to generate the much-needed international pressure. It is not to say that the talk of pressurising Pakistan on these lines is futile, but the present dynamics would not make it work as some in New Delhi expect. In crux, the growing strategic depth that the Taliban has given to the ISI would not be bartered away at any cost, that too at present when it expects greater concessions from Washington, which is willing to negotiate things out. The author is a research associate at Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi Saudi Arabia has admitted that critic Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its Istanbul consulate, as world powers demanded answers and mystery surrounded the whereabouts of his body. Ankara vowed to reveal all the details of a two-week inquiry as US President Donald Trump said he was unsatisfied with Saudi Arabia's response to the Washington Post columnist's death and the EU, Germany, France, Britain and the UN also demanded clarity. Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has admitted that critic Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its Istanbul consulate, as world powers demanded answers and mystery surrounded the whereabouts of his body. Ankara vowed to reveal all the details of a two-week inquiry as US President Donald Trump said he was unsatisfied with Saudi Arabia's response to the Washington Post columnist's death and the EU, Germany, France, Britain and the UN also demanded clarity. Before dawn on Saturday, Riyadh backtracked on a fortnight of denials by announcing that Khashoggi died during a "brawl" inside the consulate on 2 October. It said 18 Saudis have been arrested in connection with his death and two top aides of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as three other intelligence agents, have been sacked. Saudi Arabia has plunged into an international crisis over the fate of Khashoggi, who was critical of the crown prince. Turkish officials have accused Riyadh of carrying out a state-sponsored killing and dismembering the body, which police have begun hunting for in an Istanbul forest. In the latest version of events from Riyadh, Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said Khashoggi died after talks at the consulate degenerated into a physical altercation. "Discussions that took place between him and the persons who met him... at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul led to a brawl and a fistfight with the citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, which led to his death, may his soul rest in peace," the attorney general said in a statement. Trump said he found the explanation credible. The US president later said he was unsatisfied with the response, although he warned against scrapping a multibillion-dollar arms deal with the conservative kingdom. "It was a big first step. It was a good first step," Trump said of the sackings. "But I want to get to the answer." The Saudi king also ordered the establishment of a ministerial body under the chairmanship of the crown prince to restructure the kingdom's intelligence agency and "define its powers precisely," Saudi state media said. Key members of the crown prince's inner circle were sacked, including deputy intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and royal court media adviser Saud al-Qahtani. Saudi Arabia's Gulf ally, the United Arab Emirates, welcomed the moves by the king, as did Egypt. But Khashoggi's Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz tweeted that her heart was "full of sorrow" over the confirmation of his death. The controversy has put the kingdom for decades a key ally in Western efforts to contain Iran under unprecedented pressure. It has evolved into a major crisis for Prince Mohammed, a Trump administration favourite widely known as MBS, whose image as a modernising Arab reformer has been gravely undermined. Ankara said it had a "debt of honour" to reveal what happened. "We are not accusing anyone in advance but we don't accept anything to remain covered (up)," said ruling Justice and Development Party spokesman Omer Celik. German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged "transparency from Saudi Arabia" and said that "available reports on what happened in the Istanbul consulate are insufficient." French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said many questions remained "unanswered" and insisted "they require exhaustive and diligent investigation." The EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini called for a "continued thorough, credible and transparent investigation, shedding proper clarity on the circumstances of the killing and ensuring full accountability of all those responsible for it." UN chief Antonio Guterres stressed "the need for a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation," and "full accountability for those responsible." Britain's Foreign Office, which also has close ties to Riyadh, said it "was a terrible act and those responsible must be held to account." Saudi officials have roundly denied that King Salman's son, Prince Mohammed, had any involvement. But one suspect identified by Turkey was said to be a frequent companion of the young heir to the throne, three others were linked to his security detail and a fifth is a high-level forensic specialist, according to The New York Times. The decision to overhaul the intelligence apparatus and sack members of the crown prince's inner circle is designed to "distance the crown prince from the murder," said analysis firm Eurasia Group. In a recent off-the-record interview published posthumously by US magazine Newsweek, Khashoggi described the 33-year-old crown prince as "an old-fashioned tribal leader," but said he would have accepted an offer to work as his adviser. "I'm not calling for the overthrow of the regime," the one-time royal insider said. "I'm just calling for reform of the regime." Pro-government Turkish media have claimed that Khashoggi was tortured and dismembered by a Saudi hit squad, although Turkey has yet to release any official findings. Mexican authorities on Saturday allowed dozens of women and children from the Honduran migrant caravan to pass into its territory, the country's ambassador to Guatemala said. Ciudad Hidalgo: Mexican authorities on Saturday allowed dozens of women and children from the Honduran migrant caravan to pass into its territory, the country's ambassador to Guatemala said. Luis Manuel Lopez told AFP the women and children would be processed by immigration authorities and taken to a shelter in the city of Tapachula, 40 kilometres away. The women ran forward when immigration officers unchained a gate that had been pinning back migrants at the crossing. "I'm happy, happy! At last!" shouted a relieved Gina Paola Montes, 21, as she ran onto Mexican territory. One of the women fainted, alarming her relatives. Eva Hernandez, 42, a Honduran activist, says the group had been promised they will receive refugee permits and a safe place to stay. "We better find that shelter today," she said. The women and children are part of a group of thousands of Honduran migrants on the Mexican border with Guatemala hoping to reach the US. Robert Thomas, an environmental biologist and head of head of the Center for Environmental Communication at Loyola University, New Orleans, is being honoured by having one of three newly identified species of snakes from the Galapagos Islands named after him. New Orleans: A Louisiana professor is in heady company, honoured by having one of three newly identified species of snakes from the Galapagos Islands named after him. They named one after Charles Darwin thats a no-brainer and one after the Greek god of fire, and one after me, of all people, said Robert A Thomas, an environmental biologist and head of head of the Center for Environmental Communication at Loyola University, New Orleans. The snake in question, with lengthwise brown and creamy yellow stripes, is called Pseudalsophis thomasi (sood-al-SO-fis TOM-uhs-eye). Ive got a picture of it taped up here in the office, and it makes me smile every time I look at it, Thomas said. Hes been studying snakes since the 1970s and began studying those in the Galapagos Islands in 1984. In 1997, he published an overview of Galapagos snakes based on features such as scale counts, patterns and other shapes and forms. A team of Brazilian and Ecuadorian biologists led by Dr Hussam Zaher of the Universidad de Sao Paolo used genetic analysis to restudy the snakes and work out their evolutionary route through the chain of islands. That study identified the three new species. In addition to Pseudalsophis thomasi, they are Pseudalsophis Hephaestus, for the island chains volcanic origins; and Pseudalsophis darwini, for the scientist whose theory of evolution grew out of a voyage through the Galapagos. Their findings were published online on 22 August by the journal Systematics and Biodiversity, and on 3 September in the Brazilian journal Pesquisa. The scientists invited Thomas to join the team five years ago. He shared the information he had collected and got more from US museums. Then the others told him they wanted to name one of the new species after him, to honour his work studying the islands snakes. I had to drop off the paper. The rules are that you cannot be an author on a paper where something is named after you, Thomas said. I thought about it deeply and decided there are just some fun honors you shouldnt pass up in life. This is one of them. Thomas said the species is mildly venomous but not dangerous to people only to lizards and other small animals. The one used for the species formal description was 726 millimeters (about 28.6 inches) long and weighed 105 grams (3.7 ounces). Thomas said he has photos of the snake that he took in 1984, not knowing it was a different species. They werent very good, he said, because the snake was wriggling, but they did let him describe the belly scales and back pattern. A friend could have named a bacterium after me from Outer Slobovia and that would have been a real honor. ... But this is a snake that Ive worked on, so its very meaningful to me, he said. Im very honored. By Giulia Paravicini KINSHASA (Reuters) - The leading Ebola expert at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday he believed an outbreak in Congo can be brought under control quickly and that the high rate of new cases is due largely to improved detection. The haemorrhagic fever's outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is believed to have killed 144 people since July and infected another 79, and the rate of new cases has accelerated sharply in recent weeks. By Giulia Paravicini KINSHASA (Reuters) - The leading Ebola expert at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday he believed an outbreak in Congo can be brought under control quickly and that the high rate of new cases is due largely to improved detection. The haemorrhagic fever's outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is believed to have killed 144 people since July and infected another 79, and the rate of new cases has accelerated sharply in recent weeks. The World Health Organization (WHO) said last week it expected the outbreak to last at least three to four more months and possibly to spread to Uganda and Rwanda due to poor security and locals' mistrust of health workers. But Pierre Rollins, who has studied Ebola for three decades, said he thought it could potentially be brought under control within a month or two, as authorities expand their tracing of new patients' contacts. We compared the evolution of this epidemic to other epidemics to see if the increase had been more rapid, and there was no difference," Rollins said in an interview. What happened in the last week is that the health ministry has decided ... to research the cases more actively because they would see cases arrive that had no link to patients already treated or registered as known contacts." He added that the introduction 10 days ago of a new World Bank-supported program to pay people by mobile phone to report cases has encouraged quicker reporting. Nevertheless, attacks on health workers have hindered the response and prompted the U.S. government in August to withdraw CDC and USAID workers from the front lines. Some who stayed in the field have been less upbeat. An emergency committee of WHO experts said on Wednesday that the outbreak was likely to worsen significantly unless the response was stepped up. Security in eastern Congo is poor due to the presence of dozens of militias that prey on local populations and exploit natural resources. (Editing by Aaron Ross and Kevin Liffey) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Russia condemned what it called attempts by the US to gain concessions 'through a method of blackmail'. Moscow said the US withdrawing from the deal will not only will not be comprehended by the international community but will provoke serious condemnation. Moscow: Withdrawing from a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty with Russia, as President Donald Trump has announced he plans to do, is a dangerous step, Russia's deputy foreign minister warned on Sunday. "This would be a very dangerous step that, I'm sure, not only will not be comprehended by the international community but will provoke serious condemnation," deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told TASS state news agency. The treaty is "significant for international security and security in the sphere of nuclear arms, for the maintenance of strategic stability," he stressed. Russia condemned what he called attempts by the US to gain concessions "through a method of blackmail", he added. If the US continues to act "clumsily and crudely" and unilaterally back out of international agreements "then we will have no choice but to undertake retaliatory measures including involving military technology," Ryabkov told RIA Novosti news agency. "But we would not want to get to this stage," he added. On Saturday, Trump announced US plans to leave the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, known as the INF, signed in 1987 by the then US president Ronald Reagan. "We're the ones who have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement, but Russia has not unfortunately honoured the agreement, so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," said Trump. But Ryabkov on Sunday denied Trump's accusations, throwing the accusation back at Washington. "We don't just violate (the treaty), we observe it in the strictest way," he insisted. "And we have shown patience while pointing out over the course of many years the flagrant violations of this treaty by the US itself." US National Security Advisor John Bolton is set to arrive in Moscow on Sunday. "We hope that we will hear from him during meetings, tomorrow and the day after, more substantively and clearly what the American side intends to undertake," said Ryabkov. Earlier a foreign ministry source told Russian news agencies that the US move was connected to its "dream of a unipolar world", an argument that Ryabkov also advanced. "Apparently the existence of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty creates problems for establishing a line of total US domination and supremacy in the military sphere," he said. A return of volatility jolted the market this month. In the past three weeks alone, stocks have tumbled about 5%, which has many investors unnerved. But sell-offs like this are often excellent times to buy great stocks for the long haul. One top option to consider amid the current turbulence is Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP), which has lost more than 5% of its value in the past few weeks. Because of that, investors can get an even better starting price on one of the top master limited partnerships (MLPs), potentially setting themselves up to earn market-beating returns in the coming years. A great business for a lower price Magellan Midstream Partners has one of the strongest financial profiles in the midstream sector. The company boasts one of the top credit ratings among MLPs thanks in part to its low leverage ratio, which at 3.4 times is well below the roughly 4.0 comfort level of most of its peers. Meanwhile, the company operates a solid portfolio of midstream assets, including the country's longest pipeline system for refined petroleum products, which moves 1.4 million barrels of gasoline and diesel per day to keep our economy running. These assets provide the company with steady cash flow because it has secured long-term contracts with customers for the capacity it owns. This ensures that it gets paid in good times and bad. Because of that, Magellan Midstream has high confidence that it will be able to generate $1.05 billion in cash flow this year. That's more than enough money to continue paying its lucrative distribution to investors, which now yields 5.9% after the recent sell-off. Overall, the company covers that payout with cash flow by a comfortable 1.2 times. This leaves Magellan with enough excess cash that, when combined with its strong balance sheet, gives it the funds to continue expanding its portfolio of midstream assets. Ample upside ahead Magellan Midstream Partners is investing $2.5 billion on a variety of projects to expand its footprint. One of the largest is a joint venture with refiner Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) to build a new marine terminal in Pasadena, Texas. The partners are investing $410 million on a two-phase project to construct storage and dock capacity at the site, as well as connect it to a couple of Valero's refineries in the area. The first phase should come on line this January, while the second should follow a year later. Magellan and Valero are working on another project to boost the flow of refined products in the central part of the country. The $425 million expansion project should be in service by the middle of next year. Meanwhile, Magellan, Energy Transfer Partners (NYSE: ETP), MPLX, and Delek US Holdings are moving forward with a large-scale oil pipeline out of the Permian Basin. The 600-mile pipeline will flow into both Energy Transfer's Nederland, Texas, terminal as well as Magellan's East Houston terminal. The pipeline will help solve that region's current pipeline issues when it comes on line in the middle of 2020. These projects give Magellan the confidence that it can grow its high-yielding distribution to investors by 5% to 8% in 2019 and 2020, which is on top of this year's anticipated 8% increase. Meanwhile, the company has more than $500 million of additional expansion projects under development that it could build in the future, including the potential to more than double the size of its Pasadena Marine Terminal joint venture with Valero. Those future additions should give the company the fuel needed to continue growing its payout in the coming years. Solid income and growth prospects for a lower price Thanks to the market's recent turbulence, investors now have the opportunity to buy Magellan Midstream at a lower price and lock in an even higher yield. That increases the odds that they can earn market-beating returns since the combination of the company's near-6% yield and a high-single-digit growth rate suggests investors could make a total annual return in the low teens from here. That high return potential from such a low-risk investment makes it a top option to consider amid the current turmoil. China is one of the fastest-growing energy markets on the planet, with its demand surging at a 6.3% annual rate over the last 20 years. However, that growth rate will slow in those to come according to an outlook by BP (NYSE:BP). The oil giant estimates that Chinese energy demand will only increase at a 1.5% annual rate through 2040, though at that pace, it will consume a quarter of the world's energy by that year. While China has been the main driver of global energy demand growth in the recent past, BP sees India emerging as the fastest-growing energy consumer in decades to come, with its consumption expanding at a 4.2% annual rate, setting it up to explode 165% higher by 2040. That bullish outlook led both French energy giant Total (NYSE:TTE) and infrastructure behemoth Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE:BIP) to take steps to grab a piece of the country's rapidly expanding energy market. Those decisions should give the high-yielding companies more fuel to grow their dividends in the coming years. Taking a stake in an Indian natural gas pipeline system Brookfield Infrastructure Partners recently unveiled that it's in advanced discussions to take a stake in a more-than-900-mile natural gas transmission business in India. The system transports gas across the country from an offshore field in the east, where it then feeds into the country's other pipeline systems in the west. It's the first time a gas pipeline system in India has gone up for sale, meaning Brookfield is getting in on the ground floor. In discussing the acquisition at the company's investor day last month, Hillary Higgins, Brookfield Infrastructure's vice president of strategic operations, stated: India requires a tremendous amount of gas, and there's only two ways that India can bring in this gas. The first is from LNG import, which is your more expensive option. The second is from the KG Basin. The KG Basin is on the offshore East Coast of India, and it represents 50% of India's in-place gas reserves. This pipeline collects the gas from that East Coast basin and draws it across the country to the West Coast for petrochemical, residential and commercial use. This asset represents Brookfield's entry into India's growing natural gas market. CEO Sam Pollock also commented on the transaction at that event, saying, "Our plans really are to use this as a platform to grow in that region and take advantage of the dynamic nature of the energy markets there." This transaction is one of many steps Brookfield has taken to expand its infrastructure business around the world. The growth from these investments positions the company to increase its 4.7%-yielding distribution to investors at a 5% to 9% annual rate for the foreseeable future. Taking a two-pronged approach in India Total, meanwhile, signed an agreement with India's Adani Group to jointly develop a fuel retail network in the country as well as several LNG regasification terminals, which turn LNG back into a gas so that it can flow through the country's pipeline network. Under the agreement, Total will help build out 1,500 retail gas stations in India over the next 10 years to meet that country's fast-growing demand for motor fuel. It's a move that makes sense given BP's forecast that demand for transportation fuels will grow at a 4.4% annual clip in India, with oil-based fuels expected to command 96% of the market by 2040. In addition to that, Total will help Adani develop several LNG regasification terminals in India, including Dhamra LNG, which is under development on the country's east coast. As Brookfield Infrastructure noted, LNG is one of only two ways to get gas to India's markets, which, while more expensive, is still a crucial part of meeting the country's fast-growing demand for natural gas. In BP's view, demand for gas will explode 185% by 2040, which will fuel a 291% increase in gas imports. Because of that, the country will need to build more LNG import facilities as well as additional gas pipelines. Total's two-pronged approach to capturing India's fast-growing energy market should provide the company with a steadily rising stream of cash flow in the coming decade. That will give the oil and gas giant more money to continue increasing its 4.8%-yielding dividend, which it currently expects to boost 10% by 2020. A new fuel source for income-seeking investors Brookfield Infrastructure and Total see a big opportunity in India's energy market, which is why both companies are making investments in the country. Those deals could pay big dividends in the coming years by supplying both companies with more cash flow so that they can continue increasing their already high-yielding dividends. That makes both intriguing options for income-focused investors to consider. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 21) The military on Sunday refuted a former partylist lawmaker's claim that the administration is treating political dissent as a crime. Media reports said aspiring senator and former Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares during a forum on Saturday lamented the government's alleged attack against political activists, citing the arrest of activists from left-leaning groups during military operations last week. He was also quoted as saying activists are treated as criminals, and the AFP branded those who protest against high prices and abuses as communists. He also said Malacanang is behind a supposed "crackdown" on groups critical of government. In a statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) called Colmenares' claim "misleading if not a malicious imputation." The AFP said the arrested activists have been released as their charges are still subjected to further investigation. But it maintained that the case was not "flawed," adding that the military will follow due process. "In arresting persons with outstanding warrant of arrest for 15 counts of murder and a host of others carrying firearms, ammunitions (sic), and explosives illegally when accosted in a joint AFP-PNP checkpoint, it is not criminalizing a certain 'militant group' of people," it said. The operations, according to the AFP, "actually upheld the law and protected the Filipino people at large." The military said Filipinos "must be guarded against terrorist propaganda" spread by people pretending to be advocates of human rights and freedom. "Vigilance [and] performance of duty include arming the nation with information of what we know of the evil designs of terrorists so that our people will be aware and those who were still being duped into joining them in a sinister plot are insulated," AFP said. "It's not being alarmists. It's being forthright. That the plan was foiled; that it fizzled out because it was prevented doesn't mean it was a propaganda. Or that the plot did not exist," it added. Theres been increasing confusing over the legality of delta-8, a cannabis derivative that can be found in vape cartridges, tinctures and candy at smoke shops and CBD stores in Texas. While the Texas health department maintains that delta-8 is a controlled substance and is on the states list of unlawful drugs, the 2018 federal Farm Bill legalized the production of hemp, which naturally contains delta-8 and has less than 0.3% THC. In 2019, Texas also legalized hemp growing. Delta-8 retailers believed the substance was as legal to sell as hemp. Delta-8 is legal in Texas for now after a Travis County judge blocked the state from criminalizing it. Should delta-8 continue to be legal in Texas? You voted: Galveston, TX (77553) Today Cloudy and windy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 70F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low 52F. Winds NE at 20 to 30 mph. INF Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty Donald Trump said on 20 October 2018 he would denounce the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty because Russia has violated the agreement, but provided no details on the violations. The 1987 pact, which helped protect the security of the US and its allies in Europe and the Far East, prohibited the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles (482km to 5,471km). "Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years," Trump said after a rally in Elko, Nevada. "And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to." "We'll have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say let's really get smart and let's none of us develop those weapons, but if Russia's doing it and if China's doing it, and we're adhering to the agreement, that's unacceptable," he said. The US Constitution provides that the president "shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur" (Article II, section 2). Stricly speaking, the Senate does not ratify treatiesthe Senate approves or rejects a resolution of ratification. If the resolution passes, then ratification takes place when the instruments of ratification are formally exchanged between the United States and the foreign power(s). Denunciation and withdrawal are used interchangeably to refer to a unilateral act by which a state that is a party to a treaty ends its adherence to that treaty. Under Article XIV of the INF Treaty " Each Party shall, in exercising its national sovereignty, have the right to withdraw from this Treaty if it decides that extraordinary events related to the subject matter of this Treaty have jeopardized its supreme interests. It shall give notice of its decision to withdraw to the other Party six months prior to withdrawal from this Treaty. Such notice shall include a statement of the extraordinary events the notifying Party regards as having jeopardized its supreme interests." The US Constitution is silent about how treaties might be terminated. Precedent strongly suggests that denunciation is at the discretion of the President alone, without Congressional involvement. President George W. Bush's unilateral denunciation of the 1972 ABM Treaty prompted a lawsuit, Kucinich v. Bush, in which members of the House of Representatives challenged the constitutionality of the denunciation on grounds that the president may not terminate a treaty without congressional approval. The Federal District Court declined to rule on the merits of the case, which was dismissed the case as a nonjusticiable political question. Germany voiced concern over the consequences Trump's decision to pull out of the INF Treaty will have on security in Europe. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that the US decision is "regrettable" and that it "raises difficult questions for us and Europe." He added that the over 30-year-old treaty is "an important pillar of our European security architecture." In a separate statement, the German government also emphasized that despite repeatedly urging Moscow to clear up allegations that it has violated the treaty, Russia had not yet done so. The state RIA Novosti news agency quoted an unidentified "diplomatic source" in Brussels as saying Trump's statement has "an election context." The source was quoted as saying "Just days before the elections to Congress, he wants to show his electorate that he can make decisions that will upset the president of Russia". The pro-Kremlin tabloid website Argumenty Nedeli quoted an unidentified "high-ranking Russian diplomatic-military source" as saying that Trump's statement was a ploy to get the upper hand in talks with Russia on nuclear issues. "The business president is simply raising the stakes before negotiations like he always does," the source said. "Now a banal exchange of concessions both by us and by the Americans will begin." Thomas Graham, former specialist on Russia for the National Security Council under President George W. Bush, told the daily Kommersant that the withdrawal indications could just mean that Bolton, who has long opposed any arms-control treaties with Russia, has caught the president's ear. "Only time will tell if this decision is final," he said. "In the administration there are high-ranking figures who support the treaty and who would like to continue working with Russia to regulate contentious issues." The Intermediate Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty was signed by President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev on December 8, 1987. The INF Treaty eliminated 867 American an 1836 Soviet missiles from NATO and Warsaw Pact arsenals by the end of 1991 with intrusive verification measures to be employed over the following decade. The treaty was hailed as the most important arms control agreement in the cold war era, representing tne first negotiated reversal of the Soviet buildup of nuclear weapons. The Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, also known as the INF Treaty, required the destruction of U.S. and Soviet ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles (GLBMs and GLCMs) with a range capability between 500 and 5,500 kilometers, and their associated launchers, support structures, and equipment, within three years after the Treaty entered into force in 1987. At the time it was signed, the Treatys verification regime was the most detailed and stringent in the history of nuclear arms control. The INF Treaty was designed to eliminate all INF Treaty-prohibited systems in a short time span, and to ensure compliance with the total ban on the possession, production, and flight-testing of such systems. GLBMs and GLCMs were acknowledged to be destabilizing to Cold War European and Asian stability, and had the potential to precipitate and/or escalate a nuclear war between the East and West. The INF Treaty is of unlimited duration. The United States eliminated its last GLCM and GLBM covered under the INF Treaty in late April and early May 1991. The Soviet Union eliminated its last declared SS-20 GLBM in May 1991. A total of 2,692 missiles were eliminated. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. Felix Charney knows he has a big task ahead of him a 100-acre, 1.2 million-square-foot task, to be specific. Summit Development last week closed on the purchase of the former Union Carbide headquarters, most recently known as Matrix Corporate Center, in west Danbury. Charney, the principal at Summit, purchased the building and property out of foreclosure and has plans to renovate the building into a mixed-use development with office, residential, event and retail uses. He will rebrand the property as The Ridge at Danbury. The massive building with 15 interconnected pods has been largely neglected of late since its former owner Glen Nelson died in a car accident in December 2015. The major tenants have left and many of the smaller tenants have followed suit. It is now about 13 percent occupied, leaving a bit more than one million square feet of empty space. Its in our DNA to not be intimidated by these types of things, he said. Its a great property with a lot of potential and we believe we are the people who can return it to prominence. Summit paid $17 million for a property that sold in 2007 for $80 million and for $73 million in 2008. Now Charney is hoping history repeats itself in Danbury for his company. In 2013, Summit purchased Lee Farm Corporate Park off Wooster Heights Road for $16.9 million. The 215,000 square foot building was about 60 percent leased at the time, but GE Capitals departure dropped that number to 30 percent. Summit renovated the building and within a few years filled the space to capacity. Summit Development sold Lee Farm Corporate Park last year for $31.75 million. The Ridge at Danbury is Summits largest building acquisition to date. Charney said the companys largest building purchases until last week were 700,000 and 600,000 square feet. Summit developed Chappaqua Crossings, a mixed-use complex at the site of the former Readers Digest headquarters in Westchester County New York. Summit Development now owns and manages buildings totaling more than seven million square feet. The behemoth in west Danbury also represents Summits biggest challenge to date. Charney said the low price he paid for the building will allow Summit to make significant capital investments into improving the property with unmatched amenities and low lease rates. We plan to bang the value bell and were going to bang it really loud, he said. Filling the void Charney said he is disappointed in the departure of so many tenants in recent years, but he added: I dont blame them. The conditions were not good there for a long time. The departure of major tenants such as Praxair, Boehringer Ingelheim and General Motors have left gaping holes in the building. Several smaller tenants have fled as well, creating pockets of vacancies. Summits initial plans for the property involve changing it from its current singular use to a mixed-use development with 700,000 square feet of Class A office space, 400,000 square feet of residential apartments, 100,000 square feet of conference and event space, and 1,000 square feet of retail, services and amenities. Jeff Dunne of CBRE, the commercial real estate firm designated as the receiver of the property following the foreclosure proceedings, said Charneys plans would create a work/live/play environment not seen before in northern Fairfield County. Felix plans to create an amenitized mixed-use property with office, multifamily and retail components, Dunne said. We expect that he will create an entire new amenity standard for office and multifamily tenants in this area. Charney hopes to create a retail and service area at the property to accommodate the burgeoning population in west Danbury, south of I-84. There are about 5,000 residents in the area now, but no services for them without getting in the car and driving to Mill Plain Road, he said. Charney said his plans include a car wash, fitness center, grocery store, driving range and several pocket parks, or outdoor gathering areas. Charney said he will meet with city officials in the next month to discuss the plans. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton has already expressed concern about the residential aspect of the plans. Additional market-rate apartments would further strain an already crowded Danbury public school system, Boughton said. You always run into zoning issues, but I believe the city very much wants this asset to return to its position of prominence and be an economic engine, Charney said. How it happened Charney was sitting in a commercial real estate continuing education class in Stamford back in January. He sat next to Dunne and Steven Bardsley of CBRE, who brought up the prospect of buying the Matrix to Charney. My initial reaction was good luck, Charney said. At the end, I saw the potential there. When Charney brought up the prospect of purchasing the Matrix to others, he was usually met with skepticism. No one said: Hey, thats a great idea, but weve never shied away from challenges, he said. Our successes are a result of hard work and working with cities. The CBRE team of Dunne, Bardsley and Travis Langer represented Summit and the seller in the deal. The Matrix The building was constructed in the early 1980s as the corporate headquarters for Union Carbide, which once had thousands of employees in the building. It was designed by noted architect Kevin Roche and sits on 5,000 pillars so that land obstacles did not have to be removed. Other tenants started moving into the building as early as 1986 and it was renamed the Corporate Center in 1992. Union Carbides presence in the building declined even further when it was purchased by Dow Chemical in 2001. The building was sold to a private investor in 2007 for $80 million. In 2009, Matrix Realty Group purchased the building for just under $73 million and renamed it Matrix Corporate Center. Nelson, CEO of the Long Island-based real estate group, was enthusiastic about the prospects of the building and had it more than 70 percent leased with a major renovation planned. He died in a car accident in December 2015. Praxair, which had occupied an entire wing, left the building for another Danbury location in 2016. Later that same year, Boehringer Ingelheim announced layoffs and consolidated its operations at its Ridgefield headquarters, vacating another 300,000 square feet. With its vast corridors and spacious pods, the Matrix is suited for large tenants seeking 200,000 or more square feet. Those types of tenants are rare these days as corporations rethink their office space needs. Its not built to embrace smaller leases, which dominates the landscape now, Charney said. Converting the building, which is a quarter of a mile in length and about as long as the Empire State Building is high, will not happen overnight, Charney warned. Success will be measured in baby steps, he said. The writer may be reached at cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338 For every minute, the future is becoming the past. These words introduce us to the first among seven exhibits that comprise the current History Is ... exhibition in the Gallery for Special Exhibitions at the Greenwich Historical Societys reimagined campus. Its the gallerys inaugural exhibition. This gallery and the Permanent Collections Gallery are in a spectacular new building, abundant with views that open out onto the historic campus in a way that completely re-frames how we see this history. This reimagined campus, designed by David Scott Parker Architects, officially opened two weeks ago, on Oct. 6, with 700 people in attendance. I attended the preview earlier that week, then returned following the official opening to spend more time with the History Is ... exhibition, which offers seven different ways of looking at history, as we explore Greenwich narratives and our own personal stories. History Is ... measured in time, told in the news, people on the move, found in places, remembered in small things, passed through generations, personal. We begin with history measured in time. Here a pendulum moves back and forth below a large, round clock face at the displays center. A tall mahogany case clock, with maple inlay, from around 1800, stands to one side of the display. Beneath the moving pendulum is a collection of objects arranged along a time line that takes us from a 1790 windowsill sundial to a 2007 first generation iPhone, illustrating the different ways in which weve kept track of time across the centuries. The next exhibit depicts history as told in the news. This display consists of a wall covered with headlines, going back more than a century, culled from Greenwich newspapers. These headlines reflect what was newsworthy at different moments in time. A few early headlines: The Greenwich Graphic, Nov. 29, 1902: Growth of the Telephone, Nearly 600 subscribers in Greenwich, The service is nearly as perfect as possible. The Greenwich Graphic, Jan. 14, 1905: Greenwich Literary Folks, The Rapid Change of our Town, The Marvelous Influx of People On Farms of Yesterday are Beautiful Homes To-day. The Greenwich Graphic, Sept. 10, 1910: Changed His Mind, New York and Connecticut, automobiles to be allowed to cross over the state line with tag of either state. Greenwich News and Graphic, March 26, 1915: Connecticut Vote Kills Women Suffrage, Hartford, The women suffrage bill was killed in the House to-day by a unanimous vote and without comment from any member. Greenwich News and Graphic, Aug. 13, 1920: Loads of Booze Camouflaged, cases of liquor hidden under cabbage and garlic. We move to exhibit three, in which history is people on the move. It invites us to consider how changing modes of transportation impact where we live, how we get to work, and how immigrants arrive. Exhibit four, where history is found in places, offers a continuous screen display of Greenwich places, seen through the Greenwich Historical Societys postcard collection. I sit on the bench facing the screen watching, and re-watching, the captioned postcard pictures of different places from different times as they appear, and re-appear, one by one on the screen. A number of these postcard places, long gone, are still alive in my memory, like the Clambox restaurant and the Pickwick Arms Hotel, not surprising since Ive lived in Greenwich more than 70 years. Others, such as an early Glenville Post Office and the Round Hill blacksmith shop, while not existing in my memory, evoke related memories of an earlier Greenwich. The last three exhibits approach history through small objects, like campaign buttons and toys; family documents and artifacts such as a letter, property map, baptism certificate; and personal objects contributed by 20 members of the Greenwich community, myself included. Departing the gallery, entering into the bright second floor hallway with its outward views, I was struck by the sight of I-95, immediately adjacent. It called to mind one of the exhibitions postcard places: the Bush-Holley House, Tobys Tavern, and the Cos Cob Post Office in a bucolic scene, long ago, when the now prominent I-95 overpass would have been unimaginable. It was this very spot, yet a different place, the future continually becoming the past. I left with deep appreciation for the dynamic nature of this reimagined way of remembering the past. Alma Rutgers served in Greenwich town government for 25 years. Her blog is at blog.ctnews.com/rutgers/ UAE-based wasl properties has announced the completion of its new residential project in Al Quoz area of Dubai. The centrally-located wasl Crystal will feature 306 apartments including studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. A subsidiary of wasl Asset Management Group, wasl properties manages an extensive real estate portfolio of more than 35,000 residential and commercial properties within Dubai. The new project, wasl Crystal will boast nine studios ranging from 412 to 579 sq ft, 63 one-bedroom units ranging from 741to 898 sq ft, 54 large one-bedroom units ranging from 900 to 983 sq ft, 168 two-bedroom units ranging from 1,102 to 1,278 sq ft, three large two-bedroom units with a size of 1,422 sq ft, and nine three-bedroom apartments ranging from 1,495 to 1,544 sq ft. Known for being an employment hub and for its many art galleries, Al Quoz is a vital Dubai location. wasl Crystal aims to offer value housing options for all Dubais residents in a central location, conveniently located near al Khail Mall and within proximity to Al Asayel and Al Khail Roads, allowing residents easy access to the rest of Dubai. Chief Property Management and Marketing Officer Zainab Mohammed said: "wasl Crystal in Al Quoz contributes to maintaining and enhancing the vitality of this area, underscored by wasls mandate to meet the demand for a variety of units around Dubai that cater to a wide demographic." "The project further consolidates our mission to enhance the real estate market in Dubai by providing a myriad of compatible options for our customers," she stated. The wasl Crystal is within reach of landmark Dubai locations like Business Bay, Downtown Dubai, and Jumeirah, and is a further reflection of wasls ongoing strategy to redevelop and reinvigorate older parts of Dubai by introducing new and integrated residential offerings to key locations like Al Qouz. Wasl Group provides a full range of services in property leasing, facilities management in the leasehold and freehold markets, Owners Association Management services and technical services.-TradeArabia News Service Its the $80 billion to $100 billion gorilla. Connecticuts pension liabilities are the second-highest, per capita, in the nation, nearly 16 percent of the two-year, $40 billion state budget. On an average state residents income tax bill of $4,885 this year, $767 went for teacher and unionized state employee pension contributions. The liabilities accumulated over decades, as governor after governor, empowered by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, ignored the problem. Even during times of robust, billion-dollar surpluses, state leaders did not address an underfunding so severe that it has now put Connecticut on desperate financial ground. Obviously, if there was easy answer here it could have been done a long time ago, said Joe Brennan, president and CEO of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, the states largest business group and a major force in the state Capitol. Our hands are tied, to a degree. Were not suggesting punishment for anyone, one way or the other, but pensions are the cost-drivers of deficit. The three leading candidates for governor, Democrat Ned Lamont, Republican Bob Stefanowski and the unaffiliated Oz Griebel, have starkly different proposals to grapple with the gorilla. Lamont, a small business owner-turned investor, wants to use his labor union endorsements to coax them back to the negotiating table, and collaborate on a third major round of concessions since 2011. Stefanowski, a consultant and former international corporate CEO, would demand union givebacks, threatening to take them to court to nullify the contracts. Griebel, a former Hartford business leader who is far behind in the polls, thinks the best thing would be to postpone about $5.5 billion in required annual contributions for the teacher and state-employee funds over the next two years, to provide some fiscal breathing room. Decades in the making The problems of the state Teachers Retirement System and the State Employees Retirement System date to the 1980s. In 1983, under Democratic Gov. William A. ONeill, the recommended contribution for funding the teachers program was about $240 million. The state invested $97 million. In 1997, with John G. Rowland, a Republican, in the governors office, $180 million was needed, but only $148 million was put into the fund. In 2005, under Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, $281 million was required, but the state put in $188 million. In her last three years in office, Rell fully funded the obligations. Under Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, the pensions were fully funded every year. But the accumulated obligations had done their damage and he entered office in 2010 with a monumental challenge. A stark difference Stefanowski and Lamont want to rework employee contracts, but they offer different styles. Lamont, who has been endorsed by the unions, wants a partnership to explore what can be done for savings. Everybody blames the teachers, and thats absolutely false, Lamont said. That teacher who has been working for the state for 20, 30 years and now is 70 years old and is retired, and she went to work with an agreement, a handshake and a contract. And the fact that governors on both sides of the aisle didnt put a dime in that pension going back to the 70s and 80s is not her fault. Connecticut needs to assure future state employees that benefits will be available to them, he said. State Pensions at a glance Teachers State employees Active 50,234 50,019 Retired 36,274 48,191 Years of service 27.8 13.5 Pension $60,577 $36,336 Source: State office of fiscal analysis See More Collapse It may be a mix of defined contribution and defined benefit, Lamont said. Youre not going to do it by tearing up the contract and saying Take me to court. I think youre going to do it by looking that teacher in the eye and saying I cant think of another way that I can solve this crisis. Stefanowski is willing to challenge the unions legally, if he has to. We must renegotiate SEBAC, Stefanowski said, referring to the agreement negotiated with the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition. We have to do it. Its choking this state. We have to do it fairly and protect existing retirees, if we can. That agreement is going to tear down this state if we dont do something with it. Touting his experience negotiating as a business executive, Stefanowski said he must deal from a position of strength. When you negotiate, you need a credible threat, he said. And to me, the credible threat here is to exercise the sovereign powers of the state and to bring it to the courts. I would hope we wouldnt have to do that. Ill come in and try to be fair with people, but we could do it the easy way or we could do it the hard way. Griebel, the independent candidate facing long odds against his election, said that with a projected $4.5 billion deficit in the next two-year, $40 billion budget, the choices are hard. He proposes taking the states emergency reserves to help fund state services, or just skipping the payments. Were talking about potentially not contributing to the state employee or teachers retirement fund for two years to give us some breathing room, Greibel said during a campaign event. Some recalibration Twice during his tenure, Malloy persuaded the nearly 50,000 unionized state workers to agree to new concessions. In 2017, he got the union to agree to wage freezes, furlough days, higher health insurance co-pays, an increase in pension contributions from 2 percent to 4 percent in exchange for a four-year, no-layoff provision and a contract extension to 2027. In the process, the unions agreed to a new tier of defined pension contributions, instead of defined benefits, for new employees. Together, the changes could save the state up to $500 million annually, said Larry Dorman, public affairs coordinator for AFSCME Council 4, which represents about 15,000 state employees. The governor proposed making towns and cities pay for a share of their local teacher retirement plans, but leaders of the General Assembly rejected the politically sensitive idea. Looking ahead The use of state assets, such as the Lottery or sale of state-owned property, could be part of the solution, the business group leader Brennan said. Is it possible through negotiation to make some changes to slow down the growth rate, Brennan asked. The big sticking point is that some of the structural changes that need to be made for a long-term solution are very problematic because of the contracts. There may not be much the next governor can do right away, Brennan admitted. Removing overtime from pension calculations would help, but it is part of the contracts. Creating still another tier for new workers is unlikely to create much more savings. Dorman, the union leader, said there are other, obvious, solutions. I think whats getting lost in all of the discourse is that state employees and unions have made substantial sacrifices, both now and in the long-term, to help stabilize the pension system and also reduce the state budget deficit, Dorman said. The average giveback is $17,500 per state employee, so thats 1.5 percent of the population solving almost 30 percent of the current budget deficit. While some higher-paid former executive-level state employees do make six-figure pensions, he said most retirees, including former clerical staff, get modest pensions of up to $20,000 a year. Its those with the longest state service, the Tier I employees, of which there are about 1,500, who drive up the overall average pension payouts. The debate has to move from blaming dedicated, middle-class employees, to revenue and taxation, Dorman said, adding AFSCME endorsed Lamont. The ultra-wealthy and corporations are benefiting from this tax system. This seems to be getting lost as the candidates have been trying to whip people into a frenzy against state workers. Samsung Mobile is best known for its Galaxy phones today, but the company has been in the phone game long before Google launched Android. Back in the Dawn of Samsung Galaxy post we hinted that the company's early Android devices were mid-rangers playing second fiddle to the Omnia flagships. Time to meet the failed ruling class of Samsung phones. Samsung saw early on that the underlying OS was less important than the user experience. Most Omnias were based on Windows Mobile (later Windows Phone) and there was a Symbian entry too. Yet, they all had TouchWiz as the dominant interface, a unifying thread. We start with the Samsung i900 Omnia. The design drew on the Samsung Armani, an early all-touchscreen attempt by the company to answer the iPhone's challenge. The phone's ambitions were great, but the screen proved a limiting factor. A small 3.2" resistive touchscreen with not that many pixels - the resolution was 240 x 400px. Compare that to the 3.5" 320 x 480px capacitive touchscreen of the original iPhone. And the early iOS interface was significantly simpler. Samsung i900 Omnia Samsung Armani TouchWiz in comparison was oh so busy. There were widgets that you can position around the screen and the results... well, judge for yourselves. The underlying Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro supported full multitasking (workable even on the 624MHz processor and 128MB of RAM), but (thankfully) you could only have one app on the screen. The TouchWiz interface: various widgets can be moved around as you please The rest of the hardware was actually great. The 5MP camera produced excellent photos and had advanced features like GPS-based geo-tagging. Speaking of, the original Omnia came with Google Maps pre-installed (though navigation wasn't supported). Here's a screenshot of GMaps, so that you can appreciate how far we've come. Viewing a map on the Samsung Omnia (Google Maps, Barcelona) "It's probably the first time that a Windows Mobile PocketPC turns out as a fully-fledged multimedia device," proclaims our conclusion in the Samsung Omnia review. In typical Samsung fashion this was a "do it all" phone and it only cost 500 - almost unthinkable for a flagship today. We get off track for a bit to visit the Samsung i8510 INNOV8. A Symbian-powered slider that too traded on its multimedia skills. Released around the same time as the Omnia, it had an 8MP camera with better video recording (480p @ 30fps). The phone boasted stereo speakers too. But this was before Symbian S60 grew touchscreen support and despite the 3D accelerated eye candy in the interface, the INNOV8 was an old school phone with new age multimedia features. Samsung i8510 INNOV8 The Samsung i8910 Omnia HD was the intersection of the Omnia and INNOV8 phones. It ran Symbian again, but this time Series 60 release 5 - the first S60 with touch support. And it had a much better screen than either of its parents - a 3.7" AMOLED with 360 x 640px resolution and capacitive touch. Samsung i8910 Omnia HD TouchWiz was brought on board to deliver its usual mix of rich features and cluttered look. The TouchWiz'd Symbian OS But that's not Omnia HD's best feature - it got its name thanks to its camera, not its screen. This was the first phone capable of recording 720p HD video. At 24fps, but it was glorious HD in 2009. The first HD-capable iPhone (the 4) would arrive a full year later. A few months passed and the Samsung I8000 Omnia II arrived on the scene. It used another 3.7" AMOLED - this one with 5:3 aspect ratio and higher 252ppi pixel density compared to the Omnia HD (16:9, 198ppi). And it ran Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro again after Samsung's detour through Symbian. Samsung I8000 Omnia II TouchWiz was touched up with a card-based app switcher and 3D Media gate - a three dimensional cube that matched the stylized home button on the device. However, despite all the eye candy, the Omnia II couldn't match the HD's camera, it only took 5MP photos and 480p video. Still, the fast Samsung-made chipset made WinMo fly like we've never seen it before. The task switcher offers two view modes The 3D Media gate Here's a quick bit of trivia - the first Galaxy S had a model number I9000. In a way that makes it a successor of the Omnias (i900, i8910 and I8000) and INNOV8 (i8510). The original Samsung I7500 Galaxy is somewhere on that family tree as well. Anyway, 2009 saw a few more interesting Omnias. The Samsung B7300 OmniaLITE had a powerful 800MHz CPU like the Omnia II, but also a tiny, low-res screen - 3" 240 x 400px. That and the 3.15MP camera got it the "lite" moniker. The polar opposite was the Samsung B7610 OmniaPRO. It had an AMOLED display, 3.5" with a higher pixel density than the Omnia II. And a slide out QWERTY keyboard! This was one of the last sightings of hardware keyboards, though, despite all the "pro" labels this phone never got into the pockets of business suits that were quickly swapping out their BlackBerrys for iPhones. Samsung B7300 OmniaLITE Samsung B7610 OmniaPRO Then in 2010 there was a split in Samsung land. The Samsung I8700 Omnia 7 was an early Windows Phone 7 handset, now with proper Super AMOLED. The same 4" panel that was used in the original Galaxy S, in fact, which launched a few months earlier, with TouchWiz and all. But Microsoft had locked down Windows Phone and TouchWiz was not welcome. Maybe because of that, maybe because the OS wasn't ready, but somehow we think that Samsung's heart wasn't in it when it was making the Omnia 7. Samsung I8700 Omnia 7 And that's because earlier in 2010 a better phone launched - the Samsung S8500 Wave. It was the first phone to wear a Super AMOLED display, it had an awesome compact metal body, but it was most interesting for Bada - Samsung's own smartphone OS. Bada was Samsung's answer to Android. Google tried to assert control over Android-running phones, Samsung wanted to have a backup plan. And it worked well enough, the Wave sold 1 million units in its first month. It proved popular in Europe as well. Samsung S8500 Wave Despite an early lead, the Wave lost the sales race to the Galaxy S. Still, it hinted at a power struggle. 2010 is the year that Google and HTC launched the first Nexus, which raised concerns that other makers can turn into second-class players. And Google held the reigns with Google Play - outside of China only Amazon sells Android devices without the Google apps and only gets so-so market share, despite rock-bottom prices. As we've seen, Samsung prefers to control the software on its devices, which caused it to butt heads with Google. Eventually, the two came to an agreement (perhaps it helped that Samsung was quickly becoming the biggest Android maker) and the Wave series and Bada were forgotten. Samsung still has its own OS - Tizen - which it uses on its smartwatches and smart TVs. To be fair, Android Wear (now Wear OS) lacks some features and is hobbled by Qualcomm's aging Snapdragon Wear chipsets. As for the TVs, well, you saw how much Samsung loves its multimedia features. And Android on TV is hardly the must-have it is on mobile, allowing Samsung to control the software running on its hardware. These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 21) The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has agreed to conduct a joint maritime exercise with the United States next year. This comes as Southeast Asian states hold a naval drill with China in Zhanjiang. In a statement, defense ministers of the ASEAN said the agreement came following an informal meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis on the sideline of the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting and 5th ADMM-Plus in Singapore last week. They said ASEAN and the U.S. view the exercise "as a useful confidence-building measure that would build the capacity of and enhance cooperation between regional navies." In a joint declaration the ASEAN defense chiefs welcomed the association's ongoing exercise with China, and a drill with the U.S. next year, saying these "will enhance friendship and confidence between ASEAN member states' navies and the People's Liberation Army Navy, and the United States Navy." Teodoro Torralba, assistant secretary for assessments and international affairs of the Department of National Defense, said the exact date and venue of the exercise will be finalized by early 2019. READ: Chinese warship in 'unsafe' encounter with U.S. destroyer, amid rising U.S.-China tensions READ: China: 'U.S. has launched a trade war' Ebrahim K Kanoo, a diversified business conglomerate, has inaugurated the first dedicated LLumar showroom and facility in Bahrain offering the latest window film solutions for automotive and architectural applications. Its also the largest Llumar facility in the GCC. Spread over 2,000 sq ft, the new standalone facility in the Tubli region has a ground floor with an automotive showroom and workshop, and a mezzanine floor for the architectural team and a customer waiting area, Katie Peterkova, brand manager for LLumar, told Abdulaziz Khattak of Gulf Construction magazine. The facility is adjacent to Toyota Plaza and just behind the Toyota Plaza Petrol Station. It can service 10 cars of any brand at a time. Jamie Bowen, general manager of Ebrahim K Kanoo, said: We are very pleased to launch this dedicated LLumar facility to keep up with customer demand. We can now accept walk-in window film and platinum vehicle detailing customers and give them the focused service that all our customers expect. We also have a dedicated team for LLumars architectural products to meet the growing demand from the real estate sector. LLumar, a brand of the US-based Eastman Chemical Company, has been partners with Ebrahim K Kanoo since 2006 and has since seen exponential growth in the market. The LLumar product portfolio includes a complete line of automotive window tint, paint protection films, commercial and residential architectural window films, safety/security and decorative films. Peterkova said LLumar films can boost the green credentials of buildings and thus enable them to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) certification, which provides a framework to create healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. With LLumar products - which are backed by a market-leading manufacturers warranty - customers can earn up to nine Leed points, helping to design sustainable projects. The buildings get a more uniform appearance and a rapid return on investment. With Llumar films, customers can see a reduction in air-conditioning cost (over 30 per cent) and hence a reduction in energy cost with potential payback of less than three years, said Peterkova. Another advantage of using Llumar films is its anti-graffiti, anti-vandalism, and anti-glare (over 90 per cent) features. The film helps modify glass to safe breakage in conformity with EN12600. For aesthetics, Llumar offers consistent and appealing design of facades and large glass surfaces. In addition to automotive films, Llumar also offers interior and exterior detailing services including Platinum pro-ceramic paint protection (nano-ceramic). On his part, Sami Elniel, LLumar business development manager for Middle East, Europe and Africa said: This is the largest dedicated LLumar facility for both automotive and architectural products in the GCC and we are very pleased with the investment into the brand from our partners at Ebrahim K Kanoo. He said the window film market across the globe is very competitive and Bahrain is no different. We embrace this challenge and view competition as a positive driver to continuously improve both products and services, he added. TradeArabia News Service Haiti - Politic : UNESCO alongside the Ministry of Culture On Friday 19 October, Jean Michel Lapin, Minister of Culture, accompanied by members of his Cabinet and technical staff of the Ministry, met with UNESCO's Ambassador in Haiti Paul Gomis, with a view to drawing up a joint program lead to the establishment of a Sector Strategic Plan. During this first working meeting, the two entities emphasized their respective priorities and reviewed their cooperation portfolio. For Minister Lapin, the training of executives, the copyright, the situation of visual arts, in particular that of the cinema and the question of the state media in Haiti are, among others points that deserve special attention. Gomis took the opportunity to present an update of the main UNESCO interventions in the country as well as a reminder of the various international conventions ratified by Haiti in the field of Culture. If for Minister Lapin this working meeting is part of an approach for the Ministry to regain control of the cultural sector by developing a "sectoral leadership", the UNESCO Ambassador believes that this meeting should allow to develop and identify priorities and priority intervention platforms. Other working sessions will be held between the Ministry and the UNESCO Office executives in order to achieve the establishment of an annual plan for collaboration between the two entities. HL/ HaitiLibre Published on 2018/10/20 | Source From the world of South Korean televised talent competitions, five young men combined their gifts of dance, rap, and song to become A.C.E {Adventure Calling Emotions}. In the year since their debut, Jun, Donghun, Wow, Byeongkwan and Chan have impressed fans at home and overseas with mesmerising vocals and whiplash-sharp choreography. Making their appearance at the first K-Expo in New York City, A.C.E. spoke with LMD exclusively about the surprises of the past year, and their hopes for the future. K-Expo NYC 2018 A.C.E. Advertisement The Lady Miz Diva: You only debuted a year ago; tell us about the past year? Byeongkwan: We have been trying a lot of new things; we have our new album, and we went to the survival programs. We have also had our fan meetings, and tours, and concerts. We had been doing a lot of things in the past year. LMD: I understand you got your start busking in Hongdae? What did that experience teach you about performance and the expectations of the audience? Chan: By doing the busking, we learned how to perform on the stage. When we were doing busking, we were very close to the fans, distance wise. There were many accidents, in terms of sound checking and other things, but being faced with accidents, we gained a lot of experience getting through all of them. So, we learned a lot doing busking. LMD: Each of you was on talent competition shows. What did that experience teach you? B: We did a lot of concepts from the programs. Because, A.C.E. had one concept before, and to go to the show; we would do hip-hop, sexy, or powerful. So, we gained so much inspiration from the programs. LMD: I feel like you have a lot of love from your international "Choice" fans? What do you think is the special connection that you have with them? B: I think our first connection is through SNS; Twitter or YouTube. They can see us from SNS, so they got curious about us and they searched for us, and that's how they became a fan of A.C.E. We also have different languages: We can speaking with very well, and there's one member who can speak Chinese very well, and we can speak Japanese, as well. So we practice a lot of language for the fans. LMD: My sense is it is always important for groups to really be part of their product, to participate in the concepts, musical direction and so forth. I understand you take part in the songwriting. Is that in order to put your stamp on A.C.E. and really make reflect who you are as artists? B: Usually, idol groups have separate parts, either rapping or singing, already. But in A.C.E., everyone is talented and all the different parts {Laughs} , so we don't worry LMD: We have a lot of features on actors and I know that Jun has appeared in some dramas is acting a goal for each of you? C: There are no plans, but we are very willing to act. Donghun: Our only passion right now is music. LMD: Turn to the person to your right and tell me something you admire or that surprises you about that person? C: Sehyoon is - Kim Wow is ... By just looking at him, I feel "Wow!" I look at his dance, and I just say, "Wow! So sexy!" All: Ooohhhh! Wow: I have a lot of things to say about Byeongkwan, so I have to think a lot. My name is Wow, but whenever I see Byeongkwan dancing, I have to say, "Wow!" B: His name is Jun. when I see him, I say, "Juuuuunnnnn". He is very responsible. He is a real leader,, that is why he supports everyone. He is like the column of the A.C.E.. Jun: Donghun-hyung, first of all, he's perfect. He is the eldest, and he takes care of all the members, and we can see that. But sometimes he is like the youngest, so we all want to take care of him. D: Chan is always full of energy. That is a very positive thing for me. He is also making the atmosphere happy and hyper. LMD: Your covers of other artists helped make you popular, but who are your influences as performers? B: In the past, I used to get inspired by Justin Bieber. I studied and analysed his nose {nasal} sound. J: I've loved Boyz II Men since I was young. LMD: Boyz II Men? J: {Starts singing} "We've come to the end of the road..." Wanya Morris, Frank Ocean. LMD: What is the ultimate goal of A.C.E.? B: So, like BTS, we want to participate in the AMA's. But the most important thing is that we want to be good to our fan members. Original article on The Diva Review The Diva Review on Facebook: facebook.com/TheDivaReview The Diva Review on Twitter: twitter.com/TheDivaReview The Diva Review on Instagram: instagram.com/theladymizdiva Published on 2018/10/21 | Source President Moon Jae-in and French President Emmanuel Macron wave at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Monday. /Yonhap President Moon Jae-in on Monday asked his French counterpart Emmanuel Moon Asks Macron to Help Ease N.Korea Sanctions Advertisement President Moon Jae-in on Monday asked his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to help accelerate North Korea's denuclearization through the easing of UN sanctions. France is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The two presidents met in Paris, where Moon is on a state visit. Moon also asked Macron to help win an exemption for South Korea from the EU's planned safeguard duties on steel imports. In a joint statement, they also agreed that Korea and France, a startup powerhouse in Europe, should join efforts to find new growth engines. Regarding the recent popularity of K-pop and Hangeul in France, they agreed to try to promote Korean language education in France and French in Korea. Motorcycles guard President Moon Jae-in on his way to the Elysee Palace in Paris on Monday. /Yonhap France put on a great deal of pomp and circumstance for the Korean visitor. Earlier that afternoon, Moon attended an official welcome ceremony in front of the Arc de Triomphe and laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. After the ceremony, Moon was taken in a motorcade on a 1 km- route down the Champs-Elysees escorted by French mounted gendarmes. A total of 146 horses and 28 police cars and motorcycles were mobilized. Published on 2018/10/21 | Source Yemeni asylum seekers walk out of an immigration office in Jeju on Sept. 14. /Yonhap The government on Wednesday denied refugee status to hundreds of Yemenis who fled civil war and famine in their country but granted them a temporary permission to stay. Advertisement The Justice Ministry said it granted 339 out of 458 Yemeni asylum seekers permission to stay in Korea on humanitarian grounds. But the ministry denied a permit to 34 Yemenis on the grounds that they had not lived in Yemen before coming to Korea and therefore are believed to be economic migrants. Screening of the other 85 continues. Last month, 23 Yemenis were given temporary stay permits. Some 550 Yemenis have come to Jeju Island on a visa waiver which only the resort island offers to encourage tourism. Those who have been granted a permit can leave Jeju for other parts of Korea and live here for up to a year. The permit can be renewed. But they must report to immigration authorities if they change their address and must also obtain government approval to work. They can face punishment for violating those regulations but not deportation. The number of asylum seekers in Korea rose from 1,574 in 2013 to 9,942 last year and is expected to surpass 18,000 this year. The UN has warned that Yemen faces the world's worst famine in a century, with 13 million people at risk of starvation, while hundreds of civilians have been killed by Saudi-led bombing as a proxy war between Iranian-backed Houthis and Saudi-backed Sunni militias rages on. James Volk, pediatrician, volunteer and city's 'First Man,' dies at age 72 Dr. James Volk, in a Lightning file photo from January 2018. Dr. James Volk, a pediatrician who expanded childrens medical care in Hendersonville and treated hundreds of patients during numerous medical missions abroad, volunteered in civic endeavors at home and stood steadfast with Mayor Barbara Volk as Hendersonvilles First Gentleman, died early Saturday of pancreatic cancer. He was 72. A graduate of Valparaiso University and Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Volk arrived in Hendersonville in 1975, joining Drs. Donald Thomas and Fletcher Raiford at a then-small Hendersonville Pediatrics practice. At the time, most challenging cases and premature babies went to Asheville or Greenville, S.C. Pushing to elevate the quality of care for preemies, Volk helped to establish a pediatric care intensive care unit at Pardee Hospital. He served as chief of pediatrics at both Pardee and Park Ridge hospitals and helped expand Hendersonville Pediatrics into the largest childrens practice in Western North Carolina. His practice members, former patients and friends gathered in August of 2016 to dedicate a wind sculpture in his honor at the medical office and celebrate his contributions to the health of babies and children. Saying this feels strange, Mayor Volk read the proclamation marking James Volk, MD, Day. Hes done so much, said Dr. Ora Wells, one of 10 pediatricians at Hendersonville Pediatrics, said that day. He was always the innovator, he was always pushing the envelope. He started the office in Fletcher. He started the office in Brevard. If it wasnt for him, wed still be just an itty-bitty practice. Volk spread his passion for pediatric care far beyond his community. He did a lot of health care abroad with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod World Mission, Rotary International, Mercy Medical Mission and Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church and their own missions to Haiti, said his daughter, Carrie Powers. He traveled to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on Lutheran medical missions and after his retirement from fulltime work continued regular mission trips to Haiti. He served at home, too. He was a past president of the Four Seasons Rotary Club and the French Broad River Riverlink organization and served on the boards of the Children and Family Resource Center and the United Way of Henderson County. He held many leadership roles at Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church, including congregation president. He won the Duke Energy Citizens Award, one of the highest honors given at the annual Chamber of Commerce dinner, for his contributions to children's health care and nonprofit organizations. 'Listen to my wife' When his wife was serving on the council or presiding over council members as mayor, Dr. Volk was usually there. If she was attending a campaign forum, cutting a ceremonial ribbon or reading a proclamation, he was often there, too. He loved it, their daughter said. He always wanted to be involved in the community and was glad that my mom was doing things she believed in. He was very proud of her. City Council member Jeff Miller recalled that when he first ran for the City Council, Jim Volk came up to him in full Volk for Mayor regalia to deliver some advice. He had on Barbara Volk for Mayor everything and he said. If you get elected, and I believe you will, make sure you listen to my wife. He was definitely her No. 1 fan and very supportive. He had the time and he had the desire and the energy and while he could he was going to be there for her. After his cancer diagnosis, Dr. Volk strongly urged his wife to run for a third term as mayor. Absolutely, he supported her, Mayor pro tem Ron Stephens said. In fact I have been told when she was debating whether to run for her third term, he was very encouraging for her to run. Positive attitude and faith Diagnosed three years ago with pancreatic cancer, an aggressive form of the deadly disease, Dr. Volk amazed friends and family members by outliving the usual quick time clock with resilience, a sunny outlook and an unselfish attitude. He put up one heck of a fight, Miller said. Thats usually a diagnosis that takes six months. As a doctor, he knew how serious a diagnosis it was. He didnt drop his game a notch. He was always at the Y, he was always working out, always had a really good attitude. When I heard about (his death), I was surprised that it caught up with him. Dr. Volk was determined to use all the time he had, not for himself but for the generation that would live on. They just recently came back from a family trip when they took some grandchildren overseas and Barbara told me he was determined to do that, Stephens said. When they made that trip he knew the end was near. Powers said her grandchildren benefited from their grandfathers determination to broaden their horizons even as he knew his time was short. I really think it had a lot to do with his positive attitude and his faith, she said. That was probably the biggest part. He didnt do any herbals or anything like that. He said, Im OK with this. I just want to be around as long as I can. From the time of his diagnosis until he died, Jim and Barbara traveled to Puerto Rico, Italy and England, joined the children on cruises. They went all over, she said. In addition to his wife and daughter, Dr. Volk is survived by his son, Peter, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, at Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made to the Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church Haiti Fund. A BENCH has been installed in Stoke Row to honour a community stalwart of the village. Angela Spencer-Harper, who lived in the village for more than 35 years, died in October last year, aged 84. The bench has been installed in the grounds of the villages famous Maharajahs Well and was officially opened by her husband Bob and the couples two sons Philip and Michael on Saturday. Mr Spencer-Harper cut a red ribbon on the bench, which has a plaque that reads: In memory of Angela Spencer-Harper, who gave so much to Stoke Row. The couple moved to the village in the late Seventies. Mrs Spencer-Harper, a retired administrator, became an expert on the history of the area and wrote three books. She also produced the parish magazine for 37 years and was involved in running Stoke Row chapel. In 2016 she received the Oxfordshire High Sherriffs Award for her contribution to the community. About a dozen people, including villagers and parish councillors, attended the bench unveiling ceremony, which was followed by a gathering with refreshments at Stoke Row Village Stores. Maureen Ball, who chairs Stoke Row Parish Council, said: Angela was such a stalwart in the village and a larger-than-life character. For many people, she was Stoke Row. If there was anything which needed organising or doing, she would do it. The village is a much better place because of her. We did not want to allow her passing to go unmarked. It was something members of the council agreed to unanimously and it has been a team effort to arrange it. Michael Spencer-Harper said: The whole family wants to thank the parish council for organising this to recognise my mothers contribution to the village. I hope its an inspiration for others to do likewise and volunteer in the community. Its those kinds of actions which make a village and a community like Stoke Row so special. The installation of the bench was organised by parish councillor Brian Foley. Ducati, a leading motorcycles brand, yesterday (October 20) opened its new state-of-the-art showroom in Dubai, UAE. The showroom is located at Sheikh Zayed Road Exit 40, and the company also unveiled its latest Superbike brand, the 100 per cent Italian Panigale V4 Speciale during a special ceremony. Revolution Accessories, the official distributor of Ducati in the UAE and a company owned by Abu Dhabi-based Al Masaood Group, marked the opening of the 4,000-sq-m showroom in a special event held in the presence of Ducati guests and fans from UAE and prominent Ducati riders from Italy, said a statement. Visitors admired and enjoyed the range of display of the latest model of Ducati bikes and an exclusive range of merchandise, riding equipment, parts, accessories and other products, it said. They also had the opportunity to take some exclusive demo rides while lucky visitors got the chance to win prizes during the raffle draw, it added. The Panigale V4 Speciale is displayed in the UAE showroom for the first time, Ducatis Superbike brand hailed for its 100 per cent Italian character in terms of performance and quality. The Panigale V4 is known to demonstrate Ducatis technology excellence and innovative engineering solutions and is the first mass-produced Ducati motorcycle equipped with a 4-cylinder engine, closely derived from the Desmosedici of the MotoGP. Joel OBrien, general manager of Ducati UAE, said: Todays opening of our bigger showroom brings forward Ducatis vision and strategy as a leading player in the world of motorsports. The growing interest in motorcycles and motorsports in the country has been astounding, and we are here to pave the path for a generation of motorcycle lovers seeking for a destination, guided by the values that Ducati is known for. This new location for Ducati signals the market that we are set to lead the race and become the best motorcycle showroom in the UAE as we continue to innovate and upgrade our service facility adjacent to the showroom, he said. The state-of-the-art service centre is matched by highly experienced Ducati technicians and mechanics that were internationally-trained to serve the bikers community in the UAE to ensure the highest levels of customer satisfaction, he added. Filippo Esposito, export area manager, Ducati Motor Holding, said: Ducatis new home in the UAE is testament to the growing appreciation to motorsports and top-notch driving experience in the country. Al Masaoods leadership in the local automotive sector and strong values on excellence perfectly resonate with Ducatis which further boost its presence and make it the regions most loved motorcycle brand, he said. The new facility accommodates both the Ducati Service Centre and the showroom, which provides greater accessibility for Ducati owners and motorbike enthusiasts to a comprehensive display of Ducati apparel and other products under one location. The opening ceremony also witnessed the presence of team members from Ducati Italy Manuela Montanari and Filippo Esposito, it stated. TradeArabia News Service At least 60 people were killed and several others injured when two speeding trains mowed down people standing on the tracks near a railway crossing in Amritsar, said media reports. The victims were standing on the railway tracks watching celebrations for Dusshera, a Hindu festival, when a train hit them at high speed on Friday, reported the Indian Express. Dozens more were hurt in the accident, some of them seriously, and overwhelmed local hospitals ran out of space for the dead, forcing them to leave some bodies outside. The disaster, near Amritsar in the north of the country on Friday, led to new demands for safety reforms to India's accident-plagued railway system, which records thousands of deaths each year. Reports said the train hit scores of people who had gathered on tracks to watch the burning of a firework-packed effigy of the demon king Ravana for a Hindu festival. Police said victims did not hear the Jalandhar-Amritsar express arriving because the noise was drowned out by firecrackers. Another train had narrowly missed the crowds two minutes earlier, officials said. It is not clear who, if anyone, had given permission for the event and officials are trading blame, reported BBC. An inquiry into the incident has been ordered by the Punjab authorities, it stated. On Saturday scores of victims' families gathered at the tracks, criticising the state government and demanding action against the train's driver. The families protests came even as reports emerged that Congress leader and Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhus wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the chief guest at the Ravana effigy burning event. The locals claim she continued to give the speech as people were struck down by the train. Later, she left immediately without helping the people. The angry people who had gathered at the accident site raised slogans against the Cabinet Minister and his wife. A state of mourning was declared in Punjab with offices and schools staying closed on Saturday as the first funerals for identified victims took place. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as "heart-wrenching" and expressed his condolences. "Extremely saddened by the train accident in Amritsar. My deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones and I pray that the injured recover quickly. Have asked officials to provide immediate assistance that is required," he said in his twitter post. According to eyewitnesses, at one point, some of the crowd moved on to some railway tracks a short distance away, with some reports citing organisers' safety concerns about the effigy. Many on the tracks had been busy filming the festivities on their phones at the time so did not hear or see the train approaching at high speed, they stated. Meanwhile, officials have warned identification of all the victims could take several days. Ordering the inquiry, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh described the incident as "absolutely tragic". He said officials would do "everything possible" to assist the injured. Ashwani Lohani, the chairman of the Railway Board, said it was "wrong" to hold the railways responsible for what had happened because they had not been made aware of the event, and people "are not expected to be on the tracks". But local residents have told media the effigy burning is a regular local event there for every Dusshera. "I've been seeing this event every Dusshera from here and this has never happened before, the railways should have stopped or slowed down the train," Deep Kumari, who was watching from her home, told Reuters news agency. The regions leading experts in dermatology, plastic surgery, laser & aesthetics will discuss the latest advances and trending topics in the field at the first Bahrain Dermatology, Laser and Aesthetics conference and exhibition (BDLA 2018). BDA Center for medical training is organizing the conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Bahrain - Conference Center on November 29 for 2 days. The participants should benefit by staying ahead of the curve and up-to-date on the new and advancing health technologies. The ultimate aim of the organizers is to highlight ways to engage patients and gain improvement in health-related outcomes. The conference includes five workshops that are unique and adapted to fit the local and regional regulatory frameworks. The workshops offer new insight into techniques in major & minimally invasive plastic surgeries, skin care and skin rejuvenation, as well as the treatment of burns, ulcers, the latest trends in injectables such as fillers & Botox, body countering devices and laser machines. President of the conference, Dr Nidhal Abdulrahman Khalifa, stated that the event aims to identify the latest international practices in the field of Dermatology and Plastic surgery. We aim to promote these practices to enhance the Bahraini practice. We hope to advance the skills of Bahraini doctors, technicians and authorized practitioners. We also intend to spread awareness of non-qualified personnel that perform cosmetic medical procedures, and the harmful health complications and adverse sequelae that can arise, Dr Khalifa said. Dr Khalifa also highlighted that the conference will host several open panel with regulators, key stakeholders and the public to discuss the regulatory framework and ways to promote growth in the sector. The conference is also hosting roundtable discussions with key personnel to reach key recommendations to shape the future of the Dermatology, laser and aesthetics field in Bahrain. Deputy chairman of the conference, Dr Ahmed Darwish Shahda, said that the conference provides a unique opportunity to network for Bahraini doctors with their GCC & international colleagues. Dr Shahda said that this conference and exhibition is part of the national plan of Bahrain to be a world-class destination in the field of medical training and medical tourism. This builds on the talented human capital, forward-thinking government and strategic location of Bahrain. The conference is an excellent chance to follow up on the latest scientific research and the current international techniques in the field of Dermatology and plastic surgery, he added. Dr Shahda explained that it was a great opportunity to have an accompanying exhibition. The exhibition brings manufacturing titans in aesthetic medicine and dermatology biological products to demonstrate their products along with the evidence and benefits of these products. TradeArabia News Service For Subscribers Top 25: The best Washington County high school boy athletes since 2001 We have had some great athletes since 2001, so it wasn't an easy job, but here's a break down the best 25 athletes in, Washington County. The pickup Nissan Navara, launched in 2016, made gains of 56 per cent compared to a pick-up segment decline of 16.2 per cent in sales during first half of 2018, said Arabian Automobiles, the flagship company of the AW Rostamani Group, the exclusive dealer for Nissan in Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. Michel Ayat, CEO of Arabian Automobiles commented, Weve always been proud of our customer-centric stance for one absolute reason We deliver on our promises. The proof of our commitment is in the increasing market share which reflects our strong presence and the enduring popularity of our brand. We attribute our growth to several factors but the primary gratitude goes to our customers. The Awir workshop operates for 24 hours daily with a specialized 90 minutes express service to ensure timely checking and delivery of the vehicles. The positive growth recorded by Arabian Automobiles underlines the remarkable value and customer centric approach they offer while ensuring complete peace of mind for the buyers. TradeArabia News Service After months of speculation, actors Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone have confirmed that they will get married on November 14 and 15. The couple shared a joint wedding announcement on Twitter on Sunday; wedding venue has not been revealed yet. We thank you for all the love you have showered upon us over the years and seek your blessings as we embark on this incredible journey of love, loyalty, friendship and togetherness, they wrote on Twitter. Ranveer and Deepika shared the announcement in Hindi and English, ending months of will-they-wont they. Here is Ranveer and Deepikas wedding announcement... With the blessings of our families, gives us immense joy in sharing that our wedding is set to take place on the 14th and 15th of November, 2018. We thank you for all the love you have showered upon us over the years and seek your blessings as we embark on this incredible journey of love, loyalty, friendship and togetherness. Lots of love, Deepika and Ranveer Deepika and Ranveer began dating on the sets of Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ramleela. They have remained tight-lipped about their relationship in all these years but began putting up frequent displays of affection on social media over the last few months. The rumours of their wedding gained steam when they were recently spotted in Italy together, presumed to be location hunting for the wedding. At Hindustan Times Leadership Summit recently, while answering a question regarding their rumoured wedding, Ranveer had said that they would reveal their wedding date as and when it happens. You are seeing this everyday, including details about the colour of my sherwani and wedding gifts. But, when there is something, you will be the first to know, the actor said. At the same event, Deepika spoke about her first impression of Ranveer. She said that she watched Ranveers debut film, Band Baja Baarat, and remembers having a conversation about him with her then agent. Deepikas agent was convinced that Ranveer was destined to become a huge star, to which she said, Im not so sure. Hes not my type, Deepika remembers saying, to which the audience gasped in shock. But she saved the situation when she spoke about her admiration for him as an actor. I didnt realise he was a Bombay boy, he was so flawless in that film. I thought he was from Delhi. Its one of my favourite films of his, she said. Industry friends of the actor couple congratulated them on Twitter. Among the first few were Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Tiger Shroff, Sonam Kapoor and Kalki Koechlin. While Karan wrote Badhai Ho, Alia said Congratulations Tutu. Bhuvan Bam referenced Ranveers upcoming film Simbaa as he wrote, Congratulations Simba and Nala. Bahut bahut Badhai ho! Aap dono ke liye, aajevan sukh aur santushti ki prathana. May you guys have a long and happy life together that embodies the beautiful crazy spirit that you guys are. Lots love Ronit Bose Roy (@RonitBoseRoy) October 21, 2018 Thrilled to bits for the unbelievably lovely @deepikapadukone and insanely amazing @RanveerOfficial !! Wishing one of my absolute all time favourite on screen couples a blockbuster of a life ahead with nothing but love and more love !! Muaaaah Nimrat Kaur (@NimratOfficial) October 21, 2018 Yasssss! Bestest news!! You & @deepikapadukone make the most wonderful, gorgeous couple!! Wish you guys all the happiness in the world as you begin this new journey together!! @RanveerOfficial https://t.co/zuxACnDl8m Sophie Choudry (@Sophie_Choudry) October 21, 2018 Congratulations to @deepikapadukone and @RanveerOfficial ! A lifetime of love, laughter and lustre to the both of you. Rahul Bose (@RahulBose1) October 21, 2018 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. Today star kids become a household name much before they enter Bollywood, but that was not the case with newcomer Rohan Mehra, son of late actor Vinod Mehra. Rohan will make his debut in Saif Ali Khan-starrer Baazaar. After his fathers death in 1990, Rohan grew up in Mombasa, Kenya with his mother, sister and grandparents. The actor says people have started talking about him since the films trailer released. I feel I am an outsider despite being his son. I dont think Ive ever used his name to get an interview or a meeting. Till last year, if I had gone to a Bollywood party, I wouldve walked and no one would know who I am. No one even knew I existed. They came to know when the trailer came out, he said. Rohan says he never received any special treatment from anyone in the industry because of which he has massive respect for the people. The other so-called star kids we speak about, the ones who are spoken about even before their film has released, I wasnt one of those. I was never on the map. This is the way I wouldve wanted it to be. Ive never got anything because of my surname, he said. He believes the film industry today welcomes outsiders with open arms. Although he belongs to a film family, Rohan says he had to struggle a lot to bag his first project. Today, there are so many casting agents and production houses doing a wonderful job of backing new talent. I dont think anyone should feel disheartened that they arent from the industry. I am not and I have struggled too, he adds. Rohan says initially he was not influenced by cinema but after growing up, he was subconsciously drawn to acting. He says, in Kenya, at the time, there was only one cinema hall and no one looked at films as a career. Rohan was set to become an investment banker after getting degrees in econometrics and mathematics from the UK, till he decided to give acting a shot. The place where I grew up, while people around me knew my father was an actor but no one really spoke about it. For them, I was just a normal guy. Genetically may be there is something I have and so I was inclined to acting. But it wasnt that just because my father is an actor so I wanted to be one, he adds. Rohan is both excited and nervous about Baazaar. The film also stars Saif Ali Khan, Radhika Apte and Chitrangda Singh.I dont know what I would be doing on the Friday when the film comes out. Im already so impatient and nervous. I feel its all coming true. Now its up to the people to decide, he says. Produced by Nikkhil Adavni and directed by Gauravv Chawla, the film releases Friday. Richard Attenboroughs film on Gandhi made famous the story of Madeleine Slade, the British admirals daughter who came to India and attached herself to the Mahatma, changing her name to Mira Behn and courting arrest several times during the freedom struggle. This exemplary tale of a rich, white woman taking the side of coloured/colonised Indians even became the subject of an Amar Chitra Katha book. Miras years with Gandhi in his ashram and in prison are well known; forgotten, however, are the equally interesting years she spent in India after leaving her master. In 1945, restless and in search of new challenges, she left Sevagram and relocated herself in the Himalayan foothills, near Rishikesh. She spent the next decade living in Uttarakhand, witnessing at first hand the destruction of the hill forests and the early attempts at damming the hill rivers. In 1949, Mira Behn remarked of the short-sighted policies of development being followed in India in mindless emulation of the West: The tragedy today is that educated and moneyed classes are altogether out of touch with the vital fundamentals of existence our Mother Earth, and the animal and vegetable population which she sustains. This world of Natures planning is ruthlessly plundered, despoiled and disorganised by man whenever he gets the chance. By his science and machinery he may get huge returns for a time, but ultimately will come desolation. We have got to study Natures balance, and develop our lives within her laws, if we are to survive as a physically healthy and morally decent species. Mira lived in the valley of the Ganga, in the region known as Garhwal. To its east lay the region of Kumaun, also a land of rich mixed forests and free, fast-flowing rivers. Kumaun was the karmabhumi of another English woman disciple of Gandhi. Born Catherine Mary Heilman, she adopted the nom de plume Sarala Behn. Sarala was, if anything, rooted even more deeply in the soil of her adopted homeland. She went to jail in the Quit India movement, and suffered a long and harsh period of imprisonment. On her release she established the Laxmi Ashram in Kausani, a village renowned for its views of the great snow peaks. In the 1950s and 1960s, Sarala trained and inspired a series of remarkable social workers. They included Sunderlal Bahuguna, Vimla Bahuguna, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, and Radha Bhatt. These and other proteges of Sarala were to do outstanding work in community activism in the hills. They pioneered the Chipko Andolan, which opposed the destructive methods of commercial forestry and inspired similar forest protection movements across India and the world. These hill Gandhians also opposed large dams for their adverse social and environmental consequences, and drew attention to the horrific damage caused by open-cast mining. Not content merely with protest, these Gandhians organised constructive programmes of reforestation and water conservation. Their mentor Sarala Devi watched their work with interest and admiration. In 1982, when she was in her seventies, Sarala wrote an ecological testament called Revive Our Dying Planet, a clarion call to action whose message resonates today. Mira and Sarala are both long dead. The others I mentioned are alive, but in their eighties. Their struggles for ecological responsibility have had mixed results, because they were opposed by more powerful interests, the politicians, contractors and factory owners who wished to augment their profits and their power by exploiting the extraordinarily rich natural resources of the Himalaya. In recent decades, these vested interests have ruthlessly plundered land, waters, minerals, and land, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. As Mira and Sarala, Chandi Prasad and Sundarlal, all argued, there were sound economic and ecological reasons to be prudent in human interventions in the Himalaya. But there were some compelling cultural reasons too. For these hills are the source of the holiest rivers of India. Some later ecological crusaders have sought to stop destruction in the name of the most sacred of our rivers, the Ganga. In February 2011, a young sadhu named Nigamananda went on fast in protest against sand mining on the banks of the river. His ordeal lasted three-and-a-half months, and was ended only by his death. The government then in power, led by Dr Manmohan Singh, was unmoved. Now we have the tragic death of Swami Sanand. Born GD Agarwal, he was an admired professor of engineering at IIT Kanpur, who inspired generations of students to take to careers that combined professional excellence with social responsibility. His own commitment to his country was manifest through his working life, and, after his retirement, in his struggle to save the Ganga from destruction at the hand of man. The letters he wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his last fast combined both scientific rationality and a deep spiritual understanding of nature. These letters went unanswered; although, after his death, the Prime Minister issued a tweet of condolence that must seem, to the dispassionate observer, as being hypocritical in the extreme. From Mira Behn to Professor GD Agarwal, a long line of wise Indians have warned against the destruction of the Himalayas, which is our most important and most fragile mountain chain. They have alerted us to the hazards of converting mixed forests into monocultural stands, to the excessive use of chemical fertilisers, to the negative impacts of large dams, to the devastation caused by sand mining, and more. Yet State and Central governments (of all parties) have ignored them, continuing to despoil and disorganise the rivers and mountains that sustain our civilization. Tragically, our politicians are absolutely unworthy of the Himalaya and the Ganga in whose name they claim to speak. (Ramachandra Guha is the author of Gandhi: The Years That Changed The World. The views expressed are personal.) I dare say Navjot Singh Sidhu attracts controversy. He certainly seems to revel in it. Just as the brouhaha over his embracing the Pakistani army chief at Imran Khans inauguration was dying down, Sidhu has sparked a new controversy with his comments at the Khushwant Singh Literature Festival in Kasauli. Even if this wasnt the case in the past, this time, however, I believe Sidhu is right and his critics mistaken. Sidhu told the audience at Kasauli a small number of locals but a larger crowd drawn from Chandigarh and Punjab that people like him feel a greater affinity to Pakistan than to Indias southern states. As he put it: When I go to Tamil Nadu, I dont understand the language, theres only one or two words that I can ... not that I dont like the food but still I cant have it for a long time. The culture is totally different. He then added: But if I go to Pakistan, the language is the same. This was enough to enrage the Shiromani Akali Dal, who called it an insult to the nation. Its also infuriated Sambit Patra of the BJP who suggested that Sidhu should join the Pakistani cabinet. However, the truth is that states like Punjab and this could also be true of parts of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and, possibly, Uttarakhand share language, cuisine, culture, lifestyle and even swear words with people from across the border. This is particularly true of the two Punjabs, ours and Pakistans. These are bonds determined by history and geography and they simply cannot be denied. They may be politically inconvenient for some people but they remain facts you cannot wish away. In contrast, language, cuisine, culture and lifestyle separate Punjab from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Again, this cannot be denied. Of course, were one country and proud to be so but were also different people. Isnt this what unity in diversity is all about? That diversity is the richness of India. Its also its novelty. Insisting that Sidhu is insulting the nation when he says he feels a greater affinity to the Punjabis of Pakistan than he does to his fellow citizens who are Tamils, Kannadigas or Malayalis also ignores the fact that Pakistan was once part of India and its Punjab province used to be part of the original state of Punjab. Indeed, many who today reside on the Indian side lived for generations in the other part of Punjab. They have family memories and emotional associations that have yet to fade away. Again, these are facts that cannot be denied or ignored. Surely this is the reason why our problems with Pakistan are viewed so differently in the north compared to the south? Indeed, this is why for many Punjabis the Pakistan issue often raises conflicting or contradictory sentiments. We know we have a problem and we know they are in the wrong but we also want to restore the bonds of brotherhood that once existed in a united Punjab. Finally, does it occur to Sidhus critics that what he said could also be true of how Pakistani Punjabis feel? They probably feel closer to people across their eastern border than they do to the Sindhis of the south, the Baloch of the west and even the Pathans of the north. The intricacies and consequences of the India-Pakistan connection are facts that we have to accept. There is no point quarrelling with them. (Karan Thapar is the author of The Devils Advocate: The Untold Story The views expressed are personal) The battle that ensued this week over the Supreme Courts verdict allowing women of all ages to worship in Keralas Sabarimala temple demonstrated the power that religious tradition still has to resist change. The courts verdicts banning instant triple talaq , and decriminalising homosexuality and adultery, also defy tradition. All three verdicts can also be seen as victories for the womens rights movement in that they give women greater control over their lives and their bodies. But at the Kasauli festival earlier this month, three doughty fighters in the womens movement poured scorn on religious leaders who opposed reforms. Zakia Soman, co-founder of the 70,000-plus strong Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, attacked the Muslim Personal Law Board for its opposition to reforms in Muslim personal law. She was a petitioner in the triple talaq matter in the Supreme Court . Shayara Bano was the original petitioner in that case who received her notice of triple talaq by speed post. She attacked traditionalists who were still preventing her from seeing her children. The third champion of womens rights at Kasauli was Masooma Ranalvi who described how, as a seven-year-old Bohra Muslim girl, her genitals had been cut. She explained that the traditional justification for this female genital mutilation was to curb womens sexual desires . Masooma Ranalvi has now started a debate in the Bohra community on this practice. But the Syedna, the spiritual head of the Bohras, was rigidly opposing its abolition. It is not surprising that those who claim to have religious authority like the Syedna and the Muslim Personal Law Board are the ones who are blocking reforms in Indias Muslim communities. The same is so often true in other religious communities. An obvious example is the Vatican refusing to allow the clergy to marry, or women to be ordained as priests. Among the orthodox Hindu leaders of the opposition to Nehru and Ambedkars s Hindu code bill were Rajendra Prasad, President of the Constituent Assembly and then President of India, the Shankaracharya of Dwarka, and the leadership of the RSS. When a call for reform comes from the laity, it is almost inevitably seen by orthodox religious leaders as a challenge to their authority, and hence to be resisted. So Zakia Somans Muslim womens movement for reform of their personal law is bound to meet with stiff resistance and the orthodox Muslim leadership will carry a large section of the community with them. Can it be argued that Nehru avoided a head-on collision with the Hindu orthodox leadership and by compromising achieved most of the reform he had planned. When Robert Runcie was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury in 1980, he became the leader of the Church of England on the verge of a schism between those who wanted women priests and those who opposed this. He insisted he had not become Archbishop to split the Church and refused to come down on either side. Abuse was heaped on him by a press which could only see the issue in black and white terms, but he famously said, I do wish the press would realise it sometimes takes courage to sit on the fence. As a result of Robert Runcies courage a schism has been averted, the Church of England now has women priests, and the Bishop of London is a woman. At the Sabarimala temple, there was literally a head-on collision between religious reformers and traditionalists. But do such differences always have to collide? Obviously there can be no compromise on genital mutilation. But is there no room for compromise on others? Compromise is not necessarily a dirty word. A peacemaker who sits on the fence can play a constructive role in reaching a settlement of religious controversies without a head-on collision and bitterness. (The views expressed are personal.) One person who the Mathews family remembered minutes before they ended their lives was Upendra Kumar, their youngest sibling Sanjus friend who had helped them during their time of difficulty. Upendras name is mentioned in the suicide note that the four siblings before taking the extreme step. Upendra had lent Rs 20,000 to the family when they were facing a serious financial crisis. Showing their concern towards the man moments before their death, the siblings wrote in their note that their belongings be sold to pay back the money which they owed Upendra. Speaking to HT, Upendra Kumar, who works at an automobiles company and lives in Delhis Badarpur, recalled his friendship with Sanju, who died last month. He claimed that he and Sanju were friends for last 8 years. We had met through a common friend. One of my friends father and Sanjus father used to work at Rajhans hotel, which came under the Haryana tourism department. Sanju met with an accident while riding a bike in May this year. He was taken to AIIMS and was under treatment for a long time, he said. Upendra remembers that Sanjus lower body had become almost paralysed and he was bed-ridden for weeks. This was the time when the family was facing a severe financial crunch and I had lent them Rs 20,000, he said. His death last month was one of the most depressing events in my life. Despite my help, Sanju could not be saved. After his death, whenever I interacted with his siblings they sounded very depressed. They had lost three members of their family this year, Upendra said. The Family Sometime between March and April this year, the father of the siblings, Joel John Mathews, breathed his last. None of the people known to the family or neighbours could verify the actual date of Joels demise. An officer at the Haryana governments tourism department, Joel Mathews was allotted a government accommodation at Surajkund, which the family had to later vacate. The six-member family then landed up at the C 31/100 Aman Apartments flat in Dayalbagh in May this year, unaware that this would be their last address. After Joels death, Agnes started running the house but she retired within weeks. The family later moved to their rented accommodation in Dayalbagh and started staying there on a rent of Rs 10,000 a month. When everything seemed to be getting better, the familys youngest member, Sanju, met with an accident in May while riding a motorbike in Delhi. The impact of the accident was such that Sanju was left bed-ridden with his lower body almost paralysed. In June, while Sanju was still bed-ridden, Agnes who was suffering from severe diabetes fell ill and passed away on July 21. Sanju then breathed his last a couple of months later. Neighbours and people known to the family say that since July, the four sibling had been living an isolated life. Two strikes called by auto-taxi unions and petrol pumps on Monday are set to cripple traffic movement and cause severe inconvenience to commuters in Delhi and the national capital region (NCR). The auto-rickshaw and taxi unions are protesting against the Delhi governments policies on cab aggregators Uber and Ola, and the Centres rule on speed governors. The one-day strike has been called by Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti, one of the major auto-taxi unions in Delhi, and supported by others like All India Tour and Transport Association (AITTA). Some have threatened to block major roads in the city and stage a protest against the Centre in front of Parliament. AITTA chairman Inderjeet Singh claimed that the unions made multiple attempts to reach out to the governments at the Centre and Delhi. But we got no response. So we are now forced to block roads to make our voice heard. A senior Delhi transport department official, on condition of anonymity, said, The reason for the strike is completely unfounded as no such policy has been notified till now. A draft was prepared, but there has not been any development. Delhi has about 95,000 registered auto-rickshaws and about 1.5 lakh cabs plying on city roads. Reduce VAT On Petrol Diesel Prices The other strike called by the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association (DPDA) to press the state government to reduce value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel prices will see a 24-hour shutdown of petrol pumps across the city. According to IANS, its president Nischal Singhania had said that the Arvind Kejriwal governments refusal to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel prices had caused losses of around 30% to the pumps in Delhi as people chose to get fuel at stations outside the city, in UP and Haryana, which had cut VAT after the Centre slashed petrol-diesel prices by Rs 2.50 per litre each. He also said that consumers are forced to go for cheaper, dirtier fuels in UP and Haryana, causing more pollution in Delhi, as the environment-friendly Euro VI fuel, that produces 80% lesser emission, is available only in the national capital. Chief minister Kejriwal, however, blamed the BJP for the strike. Petrol pump owners hv told us privately that this is a BJP sponsored strike, actively supported by oil cos. In fact, BJP has thrust it upon petrol pump owners. People will give BJP a befitting reply in elections for continuously inconveniencing people thro their dirty politics, he said in a tweet on Sunday night. Petrol pump owners hv told us privately that this is a BJP sponsored strike, actively supported by oil cos. In fact, BJP has thrust it upon petrol pump owners. People will give BJP a befitting reply in elections for continuously inconveniencing people thro their dirty politics. https://t.co/S8pLZNbIOw Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 21, 2018 Meanwhile, state-run oil marketing companies cut the prices of petrol and diesel for a fourth consecutive day on Sunday amid lower global crude oil prices. According to the IndianOil Corp data, petrol price was cut by 25 paise and diesel by 17 paise. Petrol was selling at Rs 81.74 a litre, while diesel cost Rs 75.19 per litre in the national capital. A 32-year-old man drowned while working inside a tank of a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) sewage pumping station in north Delhis Jahangirpuri on Sunday. The victim, identified as Doman Ray, was equipped with an oxygen mask and a safety belt when he was sent inside the sewer tank to open a valve. Ray, however, couldnt be pulled out in time when drain water started gushing into the 30-foot deep tank, eyewitnesses said. Police said that Ray was employed on contract by KK Spun India Limited, a private company hired by the DJB to repair sewer lines in Jahangirpuri area. We have booked the firm for causing death by negligence and under sections of Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, said AK Lall, additional deputy commissioner of police (northwest). In the last seven years, 38 people have died while cleaning sewer lines or sewage treatment plants in Delhi. This includes seven deaths that were reported from Delhi in the last six weeks. According to the police, Ray was a native of Katihar in Bihar and had come to Delhi in search of work. He was hired by KK Spun India Limited and was primarily stationed at the DJBs sewage pumping station in Jahangirpuris G-Block. Rays colleague, Vipin Mandal, who is also an eyewitness to the accident, said their job involved regularly entering the dark sewer tank for opening /closing a valve or for cleaning it. The valve controls the flow of water into the sewer line. The sewer tank has iron rods at regular intervals that serve as stairs, Mandal said. Mandal said Ray was on night duty with three other workers when the accident took place around 5.30am on Sunday. Ray was asked to enter the sewer tank and open the valve. We helped him put on the oxygen mask and safety belt and lowered him into the tank that had little water at that time, said Mandal. But the moment he opened the valve, I think a vacuum was created and he was sucked into the water hole. All I could hear was a feeble cry for help from him before he was consumed by the dirty water. It took us more than 15 minutes to fish him out by which time he was already dead, said Mandal. Mandal said a few supervisors were present at the site at the time of the accident and they responded by shouting for help and rushing Ray to a hospital. We were using a dimly-lit torch during work as well as for the rescue operation. A better quality torch with brighter light could have helped us, said Mandal. Additional DCP Lall said the police were alerted about the death at around 7.30am by authorities of Max Hospital in Shalimar Bagh where Ray had been rushed. The officer said that prima facie, sending Ray inside the sewer didnt constitute an offence. We registered a case under the manual scavengers act to probe if there were safeguards in place and whether or not necessary precautions were taken, Lall said . Though police were yet to detain or interrogate officials of the private firm, they have questioned the three colleagues of Ray who were prresent at the time of the accident. We are also looking into the reasons that caused the delay in pulling Ray out from the sewer tank, said the officer. Dinesh Mohaniya, the DJB vice chairman, said an enquiry has ordered. Veteran actor Michael Douglas has revealed that Quantum Realm will play an important part in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies. Douglas plays physicist Dr Hank Pym in MCU movies and the concept of Quantum Realm was first teased in Ant-Man, which featured Paul Rudd as the titular character. As described by Dr Pym, the Quantum Realm is a reality where all concepts of time and space become irrelevant as you shrink for all eternity. I mean, all of them I mean, the Quantum Realm, thats the key. Thats the key. The Quantum Realm plays an important part in all the next chapters, I think, of the Marvel films, Douglas said during an appearance on On Air With Ryan Seacrest. Ant-Man in the Quantum Realm. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige had earlier said that the Quantum Realm will be important for Avengers 4. The concept of time and space doesnt work the same in the Quantum Realm. Either it does not move at all or can help you access a different time and space. Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Captain America and others could really use Quantum Realm in bringing back their friends, Spider-Man, Black Panther and other and turn back the clock to visit the past and change the course of future. We saw the proof of the same in the sets photos that were leaked last year. A much older, greying Tony was seen shooting at a replica set from the first Avengers movie. Joining him was Captain America in his original costume, a Hulk that was capable of conversation and Ant-Man. Even Thor had his old, long hair and Loki was seen bound and gagged after his failed siege of New York. They also wore small devices on the back of their hands. It looks like this will be what keeps them tethered together in this new, different universe. If anything, Quantum Realm appears to be the only way out for our heroes. Whether it proves helpful, well know it in May 2019 when Avengers 4 hits theatres. (With inputs from PTI) Follow @htshowbiz for more An Indian Army patrol team was ambushed by a group of heavily-armed intruders from Pakistan near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district on Sunday, killing three soldiers and seriously injuring a fourth. The incident took place at about 1.45 pm. A senior army officer said the ambush appeared to have been carried out by Pakistans Border Action Team, or BAT, that had crossed into India. The intruders had come inside our territory and ambushed our patrol. Our soldiers immediately took positions and eliminated two BAT members, the officer said. BAT comprises regular Pakistani soldiers and terrorists to carry out cross border operations in an effort to dominate the line of control and inflict losses on Indian army and paramilitary forces. Pakistan armys Special Services Group forms the core of BAT which has been involved in several incidents on the Indian side of the border, often supported by firing from Pakistan posts. The three soldiers, residents of Jammu and Kashmir, have been identified by the army as Havildar Kaushal Kumar of Nowshera, Lance Naik Ranjeet Singh of Doda and Rifleman Rajat Kumar Basan of Pallanwala. The injured soldier is Rifleman Rakesh Kumar of Samba. His condition is said to be stable. The Indian Army in Sunderbani Sector on the Line of Control had a fierce encounter with heavily armed Pakistani intruders very close to the Line of Control. The patrol killed two intruders and recovered warlike stores including two AK-47 rifles, Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said. Lt Col Anand said other Indian posts had also acted and effectively cordoned the area. The search and destroy operation is in progress, he said. There have been numerous incidents of Pakistans BAT squads crossing the border to carry out gruesome attacks, often even mutilating the bodies of the soldiers. On September 18, one such BAT action had taken place at Ramgarh sector of Samba district where BSF jawan Narendra Kumar was abducted and butchered by Paks BAT. Head constable Narendra Kumar was found with multiple bullet injuries and gashes that suggested his throat was slit and an attempt was made to gouge his eyes out, according to officials. The BSF jawan was ambushed, his weapon was confiscated and his throat was slit. An attempt was made to gouge his eyes out, an intelligence official had said. Jaish-e-Mohammed on October 18 released pictures of Kumars belongings on social media that included his bullet proof jacket, five magazines INSAS rifle and his mobile phone. Appalled by Kumars brutal killing India cancelled a meeting of the foreign ministers on the sidelines of UNGA summit in New York. A 38-year-old man and his three sisters aged 41, 40 and 39 years were found hanging from the ceiling fans of their house in Surajkunds Dayalbagh in Faridabad on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Meena Mathews (41), Beena Mathews (40), Pradeep Mathews (38) and Jaya Mathews (39) by the police. Police have recovered a suicide note from the house in which the four siblings have underlined their ongoing financial crisis and the recent deaths of their parents and youngest brother as the main reasons for them taking the extreme step. Police have ruled out any foul play in the incident and are probing the contents of the suicide note. In their note, the siblings have requested that their belongings be sold to fund their funeral. Around 7:30am on Saturday, a neighbour raised an alarm after finding blood oozing out of the main entrance of the house, where the siblings lived. Police officer said that no other injury was found on the body and the blood that had oozed out of the house could have probably seeped out of their body as it started to decompose. They are waiting for the post-morten report. The siblings lived in a two bedroom flat in the three-storey Aman Apartments building, which is situated barely 100 metres from Dayalbagh police post. The neighbour first informed the caretaker of the building and they tried to together peek inside but failed as all the windows and vents had been covered by curtains. Rajkumar, the caretaker of the building, said, One window of the main hall of the house had an air cooler. We moved the cooler and peeped in. That is when I saw two women, Meena and Beena, hanging from the ceiling fans in the hall. I immediately informed the others and one of us rushed to the Dayalbagh police post to inform the cops. The police came and broke open the door and found the remaining bodies. Jaya was found hanging from the fan in the first room, while Pradeep was found in another room at the end of the house. The caretaker added that as soon as the doors were broken open, a foul stench started emanating from the house. The house was soon swarmed by hundreds of residents from the neighborhood and police personnel. Forensics and crime teams later arrived at the spot. Police officers who first reached the spot said that nylon ropes that the siblings had used to hang themselves were cut and the bodies brought down. The bodies were then sent to PGI Rohtak for post-mortem examination. Station house officer of Surajkund police station, Vishal Kumar, said preliminary probe suggested that no one in the neighbourhood had seen Pradeep or his sisters since Sunday. The siblings used to visit a church in Sector 28 Surajkund. They were seen there on this Sunday. Their suicide note suggests that they were depressed due to the deaths of their father JJ Mathews in April, mother Agnes Mathews in July and then their youngest sibling, Sanju, last month. They have also mentioned that they were waiting for some money but did not get it when they needed it, the SHO said. The family, neighbours said, had moved in to the rented house in Dayalbagh in May this year. Earlier, they lived in a government quarter allotted to their father who worked in the Haryana governments tourism department. After their fathers death, the family had to vacate the house and move in to the rented accommodation. Agnes worked in the housekeeping department of Rajhans Hotel in Surajkund. Locals said that Sanju, 30, the youngest of the siblings, had met with an accident some months ago after which he was bedridden. Neighbours said that most of the savings that the family had may have been spent in Sanjus treatment, who passed away in September. Seven civilians were killed in Kashmirs Kulgam on Sunday in an explosion at the site of a gun battle between militants and security forces after the encounter ended with the death of the three Jaish-e-Mohammed members, the police said. Police spokesperson Manoj Kumar said the civilians were killed by stray explosives after they rushed to the encounter site, despite a warning by security forces. Locals earlier arrived at the spot and began shouting slogans and throwing stones at the troops after they heard about the ongoing encounter, the police said. The three militants were killed in a house after the gunfight broke out early on Sunday after security forces began a cordon-and-search operation following reports of the presence of militants in Laroo village. The police said once the firing stopped, local residents went too close to the encounter site before security forces could sanitise the area. Kumar said civilians had been advised to stay away from the spot. They didnt listen and visited the spot immediately after the forces withdrew... Some explosive substance went off resulting in injuries to civilians, the spokesperson said. While Kulgam deputy commissioner Shamim Ahmad Wani said six civilians were killed and 30 injured, superintendent of police Harmeet Singh later confirmed the seventh death. While officials couldnt immediately confirm the ages of the deceased, locals said one of the six was in his teens and the others were in their early 20s. The incident comes after a civilian was among four people killed last week in a shootout in Srinagar. The deaths of civilians triggered anger among locals, who asked why the encounter site was not cordoned off to people. A resident of Kulgam, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the house where the incident took place was damaged in the encounter. I was at a distance when people started entering en masse into the house. Suddenly, there was a blast due to which people were flung into the air. Had security forces cleared the debris, this would not have happened, he said, asking not to be named. The Kulgam SP said the police left the area after retrieving bodies of the three militants because the house was on fire. There was stone pelting by locals as well. If we would have stayed, there could have been clashes with stone pelters. So, using public address system we advised people not to move near the house till it cools down and we clear it of any explosives in the evening. But people did not listen, he said. Singh said the three militants, identified as Shahid Ahmad, Zubair and Ayaz Makroo, were all locals belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terror outfit. In a joint statement, K Vijay Kumar, the adviser to the governor, and state police chief Dilbag Singh appealed to civilians to avoid encounter sites till areas are sanitised. They expressed anguish and regret over the loss of civilian lives in the blast near the encounter site. The incident comes a day before a scheduled visit of Union home minister Rajnath Singh to Kashmir on Tuesday. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pulled out of a coalition government with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir in June, citing a deterioration in security, leading to Presidents Rule in the state. Officials say that this year, at least 186 militants, 80 civilians and 75 government forces personnel have been killed in clashes across Kashmir. Shortly after the incident, former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: Terrible news coming out from Kulgam... Alienating the people in the fight against militancy is a sure fire recipe for losing the fight. How long can we go on ignoring the ground realities & living in denial about how bad things are in Kashmir? PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, the previous chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, also reacted after the incident. Extremely saddened by the news of Kulgam incident , where civilians were once again caught in the cross fire of violence , thus adding fuel to the already volatile situation . All words of condemnation, condolence sound very hollow at this tragedy, she tweeted. Separatists have called for a shutdown to protest the civilians deaths on Monday. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq of the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) called for a protest at Lal Chowk to condemn the deaths and those of armed youth. The army and police have killed 10 militants, including top militant commander Mannan Wani, in separate encounters in the past two weeks. A Kashmiri was also arrested after joining a terror outfit, according to officials. An ambulance driver, who ferried some of the victims from the site of the train accident to the Guru Nanak Hospital in Amritsar, Saturday described the scene as very disturbing. Soon after the accident, the Ambulance Seva Samiti of the Guru Nanak Hospital, attached to Government Medical College in Amritsar, operated round-the-clock service. Ambulance driver Pratap Singh said that when they reached the site soon after the accident, the scene was horrifying with body parts scattered on tracks. Pratap Singh, along with Jaspal Singh and Gurbax Singh, recovered close to 15 bodies. At least 59 people were killed Friday evening after a crowd of Dussehra revellers that had spilled onto railway tracks while watching burning of Ravana effigy was run over by a train near here, officials said. The train was coming from Jalandhar when the accident occurred at Joda Phatak near Amritsar, where at least 300 people were watching Ravana dahan at a ground adjacent to the tracks. The Punjab police and the Government Railway Police (GRP) have not initiated any action against Saurabh Madan alias Mithu, the organiser of Fridays Dussehra function at Dhobi Ghat in Amritsar. A train had ploughed through a crowd gathered for the function and killed 59 people. Family members of the victims have blamed Saurabh Madan, son of local Congress councillor Vijay Madan, for the tragedy. Closed-circuit television footage of Saurabh Madan leaving his house in an SUV surfaced on the social media on Sunday. His house has been locked ever since the accident. Angry people even threw stones at the Madans house. The police have not questioned Saurabh Madan, who has now gone underground. The accident took place on the railway track which is under the jurisdiction of GRP. We cannot do anything. Secondly, chief minister Amarinder Singh has ordered a magisterial inquiry in the case, said Amritsar police commissioner S S Srivastava. The GRP has registered an FIR against unknown persons for negligence and culpable homicide. The matter is under investigation, GRP Amritsar station house officer Balbir Singh said. HT repeatedly tried to call Saurabh Madan over the phone but to no avail. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the architects of Indian systems continued to see the country through the prisms of England, in an oblique reference to Jawaharlal Nehru and the Congress, invoking sharp reactions from the principal Opposition party. At an event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Azad Hind government at the historic Red Fort, the PM also sent across a sharp message of Indias strength in security, announcing that any challenge will be met with twice as much reply. Invoking Boses stand to see India from an Indian perspective, Modi said, This is our misfortune that after Independence, the architects of Indian systems saw India through the prisms of England. Our culture, our education, our system had faced a lot of problem because of this approach. If country had the guidance of leaders such as Subhas Bose and Sardar Patel that foreign vision would not have prevailed, Modi said, possibly hinting at the legacy of Cambridge-educated Nehru, who was Indias first Prime Minister. We reject this vitriolic and diabolical design of Modi government to defame national icons with the content it deserves. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Sardar Patel were completely against the philosophy of sectarianism and bigotry that is espoused by PM Modis ideological patriarch- the RSS & Hindu Mahasabha, Congress senior spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said hours after the PMs programme. While Modi maintained that he is following the path of stalwarts like Subhas Bose to make the country stronger, the Congress retorted that the BJP is portraying Bose as Nehrus rival to score political mileage.Singhvi also dished out several examples like Nehrus speech in August 1947 that made a special mention of Bose, regretting his absence on the occasion and that Nehru was the defence lawyer in the Red Fort trials of the INA. Talking about the strength of the Indian Army, Modi said that Indian jawans forever had josh, junoon aur jazba (enthusiasm, passion and emotion) but now better technique and modern equipment are added to the force. Our force works for the protection of the country. Whoever throws a challenge at us, will get twice as much reply from our forces. Best technology is being incorporated in forces, he said, adding that the countrys armed forces are developing the way Bose had envisaged. Modis comments on the armed forces and their enhanced capabilities invite significance in the light of the barrage of attacks by Opposition parties over the Rafale deal. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has launched a frontal attack against the Modi government. The Prime Minister boasted about his governments abilities to take Bade aur kade (bold and strong) decisions like the surgical strike on Pakistans soil and disclosing many files on Netaji. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is considering not fielding about one third of its 165 sitting legislators in this years assembly elections, in an attempt to buck an anti-incumbency sentiment and return to power for the fourth time in Madhya Pradesh. These MLAs are seen to have performed poorly, two party leaders said. The partys Central Election Committee, which has Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah among its members, would take a final decision in this regard based on inputs from the state unit. BJP leaders familiar with the ticket selection process said the partys surveys over the last six months suggest that there is strong anti-incumbency against 35 to 40% of the lawmakers. They include at least six ministers in (chief minister Shivraj Singh) Chouhans cabinet, a party leader said. The party has conducted surveys of both voters and party workers to get a feedback on what needs to be done to win back their confidence. Surveys were conducted after BJP lost four back to back assembly by-polls. They indicated that the party workers were unhappy with Chouhan governments functioning. A senior party leader said as the resentment among workers was high, the party decided to get their feedback on the probable candidates from all the 230 assembly seats on October 16 and 17. The party workers gave a frank opinion as to who should be the party candidate from their respective assembly constituencies in the interest of the party, irrespective of their affiliation with the sitting MLAs, a state BJP office-bearer, who was part of the exercise, said. In addition to the feedback, the party has also got reports that workers have shown resentment against legislators in several constituencies. On Sunday, supporters of a BJP worker raised slogans against the party legislator from Bairasia (Bhopal), Vishnu Khatri. Earlier, BJP workers protested against former CM Babulal Gaurs candidature from Govindpura (Bhopal), which he has represented for almost four decades, citing his old age. Another BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said the party has made it clear by denying tickets to 14 MLAs in Chhattisgarh that non-performing legislators will not be fielded again. The party announced candidates for 77 of 90 seats in Chhattisgarh Friday. A third BJP leader said the party may adopt a middle-path in case of some legislators and ministers by either shifting them to new seats or giving tickets to their confidantes.This will be done to ensure that there is no sabotage, the third leader said. The BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003. Chouhan became the chief minister in 2005. The BJP got a thumping majority in the 230-member state assembly in 2013. The state will go to polls on Nov 28. BJP spokesman Rajneesh Agrawal said the candidates list will be announced at the right time. The party leadership will take its decision on candidates. Congress spokesman Bhupendra Gupta said the BJP surveys have made it clear that the party is going to lose the election. Whether the party drops the MLAs or retains them, it is not going to change the election results. Former Dr HS Gour University (Sagar) political science department head GP Nema said the BJPs parent body, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, will play its role. those who have not performed in the past 5 years in accordance with the partys ideology or have been self-centred in their approach will not get tickets as it appears as of now. Instant messaging service WhatsApp will have to put more safeguards in place to avoid its misuse in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections,experts say. Some point to the experience in the recent elections in Brazil,where the Facebook-owned platform battled allegations on its use to influence the popular vote, with mass-WhatsApp messages pushing anti-leftist propaganda. There is no easy way to say this but the likelihood of a WhatsApp scandal in the run-up to the 2019 elections in India is imminent. I wont be surprised if there is already something similar taking place in India. Thats because there is no way to control the message that is being shared on the platform. The only way to stop this is by revoking the end-to-end encryption which will impair the privacy WhatsApp users enjoy, said lawyer Rahul Matthan, partner at the law firm Trilegal and author of Privacy 2.0, which traces the historic origin and current debates on privacy. WhatsApp has over 200 million users in India, its largest market. The absence of a data protection law in India (one is in the works but is unlikely to be passed before the elections) only adds to this problem, although this transcends WhatsApp. The large scale sale of phone numbers, and subsequent bombardment of messages, without seeking consent is also a reminder that we urgently need rules to limit the use of personal data for political campaigns. Europes law, the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), for example, puts strict limits on direct marketing, including by political parties and campaigners. Yet India is approaching its own elections without any effective data protection rules in place, said Amba Kak, public policy adviser at web browser Mozilla. The election commission is aware of the challenge. In an interview to Hindustan Times, chief election commissioner OP Rawat said the biggest challenge for the ECI right now is posed by technology firms that have wherewithal to influence voters. According to a survey conducted by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) and reported by the HT earlier this week, 40% of rural users of the messaging platform were part of WhatsApp groups created by members or representatives of political parties. A third of the users spend between one hour and four hours on the app daily, the survey found. This reflects the level of campaigning and penetration of political parties. Villages are always politically sensitive and also interested in politics, the HT report said, quoting DEFs Osama Manzar. The survey noted that 63% of the respondents were not on the service in 2014. The share of active WhatsApp users in rural India has doubled since 2017, according to the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies. A possible solution is to make sure voters are consistently informed about the issue of misinformation and fake news in India, added Matthan. WhatsApp should continue to build a concerted marketing campaign against fake news to make voters aware, so that they exercise restraint while sending and sharing messages received from other users. The only trouble is if the message is received from a trusted ally, then one is likely to believe it. Thats why there is no absolute way to ensure shadow campaigns are not circulated on WhatsApp, he explained. The Facebook-owned platform has said in an earlier statements that it believes this is a challenge that requires government, civil society and technology companies to work together. Our strategy has been twofold. First, to give people the controls and information they need to stay safe; and second, to work proactively to prevent misuse on WhatsApp, WhatsApp said in the statement in July. In July, WhatsApp launched a label to identify forwarded messages in a bid to combat fake news and the spread of misinformation globally, including India. It later set a limit to the use of forwarded messages to five chats in India. After that WhatsApp took out full-page advertisements in Indian newspapers offering easy tips to distinguish between fact and fiction as it battles rising pressure to curb the spread of misinformation in India after the lynching of at least 30 people in the country since May, with at least some being caused by rumours forwarded over phones. Sunil Abraham, director at the think tank Centre for Internet and Society said WhatsApp could employ a network of fact checkers and explore in application education. Local authorities in various parts of the country have resorted to Internet shutdowns to counter incidents of violence triggered by rumours on WhatsApp. Law firm Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC), based in New Delhi, has tracked down 116 Internet shutdowns across India in 2018 alone. In 2017, India reported 79 shutdowns; in 2016, the number was 31 and in 2012 it was just three. The rise from three shutdowns in 2012 to more than 100 this year marks a 3,766% surge. State and central government and local authorities might consider this a solution. But a shutdown is completely against freedom of speech and thats our view, said an SFLC spokesperson. WhatsApp users in rural India do not blindly trust messages they receive on the messaging service, according to the DEF survey. In another chapter in the tussle between the top two officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the premier federal agencys special director Rakesh Asthana has alleged in a fresh letter to the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) that his boss, director Alok Verma, and joint director (JD) Arun Kumar Sharma, are trying to falsely implicate him. The letter, sent to the CVC on October 15, states that Verma and Sharma have asked that he be framed in a Sterling Biotech case and, on their instructions, an officer of doubtful integrity is visiting places in Gujarat to dig out anything against Asthana. In the latest episode of the war at the top in the CBI, the agency has registered a fresh FIR against Asthana, alleging that a middleman was seeking money on his behalf to scuttle a probe. The FIR was registered on the day Asthana sent the fresh letter to the CVC. Asthana is a 1984-batch Gujarat cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and has served in the state police in various capacities over the years. The fight between Verma and Asthana started with 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 on the grounds that Asthana was under probe in the Sterling Biotech case. The spat got aggravated since then, with charges and counter charges traded between the two officers over a series of probes and internal transfers. Matters came to a head when Asthana complained to the cabinet secretary on August 24 this year that Verma was interfering in probes, following which matter was referred to the vigilance commission, which monitors the CBIs probes. Since the last about a month (sic), after my submission against Shri Alok Kumar Verma, DCBI and Shri Arun Kumar Sharma, JD (Policy), CBI, out of sheer vendetta and vengeance, these two officers have instructed the investigating and supervisory team of the case related to Sterling Biotech Dairy (RC 08 (A) of 2017 (Sandesara Group-IT Officials-AC-III) to investigate against the undersigned (Asthana) and somehow or other to implicate the undersigned in the case. Teams have been Vadodara, Surat and Ahmedabad, in order to dig out something against me irrespective of the fact as to whether the same is connected with the investigation of the aforesaid case or not, says the letter Asthana sent to the CVC. The letter, which has been accessed by HT, further says that an officer has been posted in the AC-III branch to specifically target Asthana. It adds that the officer is notorious for breaking rules and intentional insubordination and is directly reporting to CBI chief Alok Verma in this regard. The agency special director added that this officer is travelling with a personal section staff of Sharma with the instructions to find evidence of linking Asthana with the Sandesara case. (The two officers) are examining people in Vadodara and have issued notices under Section 91 of the Criminal Procedure Code as well, for production of documents pertaining to expenditure related to marriage of daughter of the undersigned which took place in 2016 and also guest list etc., states Asthana in the letter to the CVC. He adds this exercise is illegal as the wedding took place in 2016 while diary allegations pertain to 2011, and also that he was not an accused in the case. He further alleges that the roving enquiry with no time limit is a violation of the fundamental right to privacy of his family members, listing seven instances of digital, postal or physical monitoring, and has asked for a CVC-monitored investigation by a special investigation team. A CBI spokesperson declined to comment on the matter. Neither director Verma nor JD Arun Sharma was available for a comment despite messages from HT. Asthana, too, didnt respond to phone calls and messages in this regard. Four women, all from Andhra Pradesh, were Sunday stopped on the pathway to the Sabarimala temple by Ayyappa devotees and forced to return as protests against the Supreme Court order opening the hilltop shrine to women of all ages continued across Kerala and outside. Since the temple opened on Wednesday for the first time after the apex court order, protesters have stopped 10 women aged less than 50 from entering it. Out of them, most were journalists or activists. In the first incident on Sunday, two women, said to be in their 40s, were part of a pilgrim group visiting temples in Kerala and claimed they did not know the customs of the Lord Ayyappa temple, PTI quoted the police as saying. As the protesters stopped the women at the Pambha base camp, police escorted them to the control room. They were part of a pilgrimage group from Andhra. They had been to other temples also and didnt know of special rituals in Sabarimala Temple, inspector general of police S Sreejith told media, adding the women gave a written statement that they did not want to proceed. They were taken back to Nilakkal, where their vehicle was parked. Following this, protesters found another woman on the path to the temple and stopped her too, asking her to go back upon checking her Aadhaar card, which stated she was 47, reported IANS. Police reached the spot and took the woman, who felt a bit uneasy amid the ruckus, to a clinic. She subsequently did not proceed. Another woman, who reached the hilltop on a palanquin, was stopped by protesters about a kilometre from the temple. As the protesters surrounded her, police took her downhill to the Pambha base camp. However, the hilltop and base camps were relatively peaceful on Sunday compared to the previous days. The Nilakkal and Pambha base camps had witnessed violent clashes on Thursday and Friday. Sabarimala priests and temple staff join the protest against allowing menstruating women enter the Ayyappa temple, on October 19, 2018. In an unheard of occurrence, the priests boycotted rituals while the head priest threatened to close the temple doors and quit his position if women were allowed. (AP) On Saturday, protestors stopped 52-year-old Latha Kumar, a teacher from Tamil Nadus Trichy who was on her second pilgrimage, right outside the temple, alleging she was below 50 years of age. She was however allowed in after showing her Aadhaar card. Woman Dalit leader SP Manju (38), who was planning to visit the shrine Saturday, was asked by police to put her plans on hold following heavy rain and later decided to return. Though Hyderabad-based woman journalist Kavitha Jakkal and activist Rehana Fathima, escorted by 100 policemen, reached right up to the temple Friday, they could not go in as devotees and priests blocked their way and the tantri (head priest) warned he would close the temple if they entered. Another woman, Mary Sweety, who works in the Middle East, did not go as police refused to provide protection. Madhavi, a devotee from Andhra and New York Times reporter Suhasini Raj had to abandon their trips midway Thursday after protests. Meanwhile, Fathima, whose house was vandalised when she was on her to Sabarimala, has been expelled from the Muslim community for hurting the sentiments of lakhs of Hindu devotees, the Kerala Muslim Jamaath Council president A Poonkunju said in a press statement, reported PTI. The Travancore Dewasaom Board (TDB), which runs the temple, is expected to submit a report to the Supreme Court on the prevailing situation on the ground and seek more time to implement the verdict. Similarly, 20-odd review petitions challenging the verdict are also coming up before the apex court. Admitting the Sabarimala pilgrim season beginning next month was going to be a challenging one for them, Kerala police chief Loknath Behera said a review of the alleged police lapses and excesses while handling the issues related to the temple will be conducted after shrine closes on Monday. The BJP and other organizations, like the Sabarimala Karma Samithi, protesting the verdict, took out nama japa (hymn chanting) rallies outside all police stations in the state to protest the crackdown on their activists. BJP state president PS Sreedharan Pillai said if the state assembly passes a unanimous resolution, the Centre can explore the possibility of enacting an ordinance to protect the shrines customs. The state government is fully responsible for the present situation. It was in a tearing hurry to implement the verdict angering devotees. The Centre can intervene only after the state assembly raises such a demand, he said. He also alleged that even members of the ruling Left were opposing the bid to break the shrines long-standing customs. Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai however said the protesters did not have the support of the Kerala society. In Chennai, Hindu Makkal Katchi activists held a protest outside the Anna Nagar Ayyappa Temple against women who attempted to visit SabarimalaTemple. They are not clean. They spoiled the sanctity of celibacy of Lord Ayyappa. Theyre not devotees. Theyve come for publicity, said one of the protesters, ANI reported. Anticipating harder times for commuters and further embarrassment to his government, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar blinked on Saturday and appealed to the roadways employees leaders to hold talks with director general, transport department, on Sunday 12 noon. The state roadways employees are protesting against the governments move to induct 700 private buses, which they held was a step towards privatisation, and had gone on a two-day strike on October 16. Later they extended it for two more days and subsequently for three more days till October 22, in retaliation against government action against striking employees under the essential services maintenance Act (ESMA). Though the government maintained a tough stance since day one, detaining striking employees who tried to disrupt the movement of buses and terminating the services of at least 200 drivers and conductors who were either in their probation period or had been hired through an outsourced agency, for joining the strike. It also booked at least 164 under Esma and placed them under suspension for their strike on September 5, last. The government made frantic efforts to rope in buses from private institutions and drivers and conductors from different agencies, including government departments, the same were found to be inadequate. The government also made a move to make immediate recruitments of drivers and conductors which received a good response from different districts. However, the roadways union stuck to its stand and kept threatening to extend their strike if the government did not withdraw its decision to induct the 700 private buses and take back cases against roadways employees. Meanwhile, several other employees unions, including Haryana Sarvkarmchari Sangh, also extended their support to the striking roadways employees. The plight of hundreds of commuters continued for all these days despite government efforts. The department officials reiterated on Saturday evening that it was wrong to say that government was favouring a chosen few by giving up to Rs 49 per kilometre to them, which is much higher than the actual cost. ACS (transport) Dhanpat Singh said, roping in private buses on public-private partnership (PPP) mode is in employees interest. According to the contract, private operators would run new buses on routes and have their own drivers while the conductors would be of Haryana roadways who would give receipts to government. This means more jobs to people. The contracts would be given for Rs 31 to Rs 37 per km, hence the profit. The situation remained tense on Sunday as locals continued with their sit-in at Joda Patak where 61 Dussehra revellers were mowed down by a train. Locals had started protesting on Saturday, raising slogans against the state government and demanding action against the trains driver, a day after the accident in Amritsar. Police said locals are sitting on railway tracks and do not want to leave. We hope that normalcy will be restored in the area by Sunday evening as the number of protestors have come down since Saturday, a senior police officer said. Punjab Police have deployed its personnel, including commandoes, to manage the crowd. The Rapid Action Force is also present in the Joda Patak area. The district administration has said that out of 61 people who were mowed down by the speeding Jalandhar-Amritsar train on Friday, 40 have been identified. The process of identifying the other persons is underway, it said. Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, who visited the accident site on Saturday, has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. Watch | Amritsar train accident: Ramleela artists hold candle light protest for victims The train was coming from Jalandhar when the accident occurred at Joda Phatak near Amritsar, where at least 300 people were watching Ravana dahan at a ground adjacent to the tracks. The rail tragedy that claimed 61 lives and left many injured during Dussehra festivities in Amritsar on Friday has turned into a political minefield. Opposition Akali Dal-BJP leaders have trained their guns on Punjab local government minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, saying his wife, Navjot Kaur, who was chief guest at the function, fled the scene after the accident. They also claimed the organiser Mithu Madan, son of councillor Vijay Madan, a Sidhu loyalist, overlooked security concerns and did not inform local Railway employees about the event, a claim denied by Sidhu loyalists. A young boys application to the Manipur secondary education board seeking to become the youngest to appear for the Class 10 board exams has put authorities in the north-eastern state in a quandary. Isaac Paulallungmuan Vaiphei, who will complete 11 years in November, wants to appear for the exam next March and become the youngest from his state to do so. However, according to rules of the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BoSEM), a student needs to complete 15 years of age on April 1 of the year in which he/she appears in the matriculation examination (first appearance) of the Board. The eldest among four brothers and a sister, Isaac, who is studying in Class 9 at a CBSE school in Churachandpur district headquarters, 65 km south of Imphal, said he wanted to emulate similar feats recorded in other states. Naina Jaiswal from Hyderabad successfully appeared for the Class 10 exam at the age of 8. So why not me? he asked. I want to become the youngest IAS officer from Manipur and serve the poor and needy. Isaacs family had approached the BoSEM chairman to let him appear in the Class 10 examination. We approached BoSEM authority recently to fulfill the dream of my son, said Isaacs father, Genkholian Vaiphei (65). But were yet to get a clear cut answer till date. BoSEM secretary A Joykumar Singh said the case is the first of its kind in Manipur and will therefore need detailed consultations as the present rules dont allow such a possibility. Well be examining it by consulting by concerned parties and higher ups. We may also consult other state boards if necessary, he said. An exceptional student, Isaac secured top position in his studies till Class 8 at Mt Olive School, which is run by his parents in their village. He also showed interest in reading books of higher classes and books on other subjects in his mother Boijem Gangte (38)s bookshelf at their Kangvai village home. He always gives correct answers to questions asked in the classroom or in examinations. It seems he has some extraordinary skills to understand things even though he looks inattentive in the classes, according to principal Kh Lianlanlalzuam Vaiphei of Mt Olive School. In a bid to support their sons quest, Isaacs parents changed his school and also the syllabus (from state board to CBSE) from the present educational year. Besides keeping the option open to appear for both the boards, they wanted to check whether Isaac had the ability to compete with students from across the country. Isaacs performance at the new school is also encouraging as per the results. His performance is good in two out of four periodic tests so far, says academic supervisor H Paukhanmang of Rayburn High School. The result of last test was declared on October 19. Though he shifted to a CBSE school, he is yet to register with the board and seek their permission to appear for the Class 10 boards next year. A church body in Meghalaya has ordered an internal inquiry after allegations of sexual harassment were made against two Catholic priests by a communications consultant hailing from the state nearly 30 years ago when she was a minor. Khasi woman Mary Therese Kurkalang has accused Brother Francis Gale of the Christian Brothers that run a chain of renowned educational institutions across the globe and Brother Muscat who belongs to the Salesians of Don Bosco order which is equally known worldwide for imparting quality education in various streams of molesting her for seven years from when she was five years old. An art manager and communication consultant who founded her own company Khublei, the now New Delhi-based Kurkalang on Friday narrated in detail, on her Facebook page, her alleged seven-year-long ordeal at the hands of the two clergymen. The Congregation of Christian Brothers on Saturday said it would launch an internal probe into the allegation of sexual abuse by a member of its order. The Society Protection Officer (of the Christian Brothers) for Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults from New Delhi will be visiting Shillong in the coming days and will collect all facts related to the incident, a senior brother of the Congregation who requested anonymity said. The Salesians of Don Bosco order on the other hand said that they have already spoken to Meghalaya Police and had nothing to say to the media. Efforts by Hindustan Times to reach its Provincial for his response did not succeed as he did not respond to repeated phone calls. The Archbishop of Shillong, Bishop Dominic Jala who belongs to the same order, could not be reached and according to sources, is presently out of station. Contacted by Hindustan Times, Kurkalang said she stood by her allegations and had made them after due consultation with her lawyers. This is a period of great turmoil for me and many women who have spoken out, she said in a Whatsapp message Asked if she was planning to take matters forward by filing a FIR against the two brothers, she replied in the negative. No, as of now, I am not decided yet. I dont know yet my next steps... I have taken the first steps for now and these were not easy, she added. Getting no support from her family over her continuous ordeal, Kurkalang even attempted suicide thrice in the past and on two occasions, had to be hospitalised in serious condition. Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Meena Kharkongor said, With POCSO (the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) not being in existence then, only relevant sections of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) dealing with sexual abuse, molestation etc. will be applicable. But the victim must file a FIR. It will definitely add teeth to the case and give ample space for a thorough investigation by relevant agencies. However, if the need arises, the Commission will extend all possible help, she added. Meghalaya State Commission for Women chairperson Theilin Phanbuh told Hindustan Times that It would be advisable for the victim to file a formal FIR so that the legal framework can be activated to its optimum. The National Security Guards (NSG) has sought the intervention of the home ministry after Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik said on record on October 18 that there was no move to deploy the elite counter-terror force in the Valley. Indeed, the force, which was asked in May 2018 to handle specialised house intervention actions in the Valley, was not used in the Fateh Kadal encounter on Wednesday, and actually told only to be on standby by the state police. Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed by special operations group team of the state, and one Jammu & Kashmir police commando lost his life and two others were injured in the encounter. NSG director general (DG) Sudeep Lakhtakia, who has handled Naxal and Islamist insurgency in stints in Andhra police and the Central Reserve Police Force, flew down to Srinagar a day after the encounter and met governor Malik well as state director general of police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh apparently to remind them that the decision to deploy house intervention teams of NSG was taken by the home ministry and under the explicit directive of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The home ministry has also taken serious note of governor Maliks interview to PTI in which he also stated that the NSG was a specialized force that could be only used in the gravest of grave situation. The home ministry decided to deploy NSG teams in the Valley for purely house intervention operations so that casualties of security forces would be minimized; the elite force uses state of the art weapons such as corner shot rifles and wall radars to neutralize the targets. Rather than face adversary upfront, the NSG uses high end techniques to avoid any casualties and also ensure minimum damage to the structure where the terrorists are holed up. In the Fateh Kadal case, commando Kamal Kishore lost his life and the building where the terrorists were holed up was almost completely destroyed due to use of heavy weaponry and grenades. According to home ministry officials, NSG seems to be caught in a turf war with the already deployed security forces and the army, which are still to come to terms with the presence of the elite force in the state. NSG faced a similar situation as far as the army was concerned when it was used to neutralize Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists who had stormed into the Pathankot airbase on January 2, 2016. According to NSG officials who asked not to be named, its Srinagar house intervention team was first told to be on standby by the state police for the Fateh Kadal encounter and then inexplicably told to stand down. NSG DG Lakhtakia made it known to Jammu and Kashmir police officials that the force was in Kashmir under the home ministry directive and is willing to partner Indian security forces in their efforts to eradicate terrorism. J&K DGP Dilbagh Singh said: The NSG was not involved in the operation. We will use the NSG whenever required. (Sudhi Ranjan Sen contributed to this story) One tourist was killed and nine injured when the SUV they were travelling skidded off the road and plunged into a gorge near Gulaba, 28 kilometres from the tourist town Manali in Himachal Pradeshs Kullu district on Sunday. The deceased has been identified as Vishwajeet Dass, who was among 11 occupants in the vehicle hailing from Kolkata on a trip to Rohtang Pass. Five among the injured are said to be in serious condition and are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Manali. One of the occupants escaped unhurt. Manali deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Sher Singh said the driver lost control on the vehicle while negotiating a sharp curve. Local paragliding operators and youths launched rescue operation before police reached the spot. The injured were rushed to the Mission Hospital and Civil Hospital Manali. The DSP said police have taken the dead body for post mortem. A case of rash and negligent driving has been registered and further investigations are on, he said. Meanwhile, Manali MLA and transport minister Govind Singh Thakur expressed grief and directed the district administration to provide all possible to the injured tourists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the countrys police forces as a bulwark against terror as he dedicated a refurbished National Police Memorial (NPM) to the nation on Police Commemoration Day. October 21 is observed as the Police Commemoration Day every year in memory of ten policemen killed at Hot Springs in Ladakh by the Chinese troops on this date in 1959. A 30-feet-tall and 238-tonne heavy black granite central sculpture honouring the slain troopers, a museum and a wall of valour bearing the names of over 34,800 martyred personnel were unveiled during the event held to mark the National Police Commemoration Day. Modi also honoured surviving veterans of the Hot Springs incident and said the commitment of the police to their duty ensured peace and protected the countrys integrity. It is the result of your alertness that the elements which create unrest are unsuccessful in their attempts. The attempts to create fear & insecurity in the nation were foiled by you. The peace prevalent in the nation is possible only due to your services: PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/4UuC1CBsEq ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2018 He also hailed the role of the police in Jammu and Kashmir and Naxal-affected areas in the country. It is the day to remember every jawan who maintains law&peace in #JammuAndKashmir & fights against terrorism. Jawans on duty in naxal-affected areas are doing a great service. It's also due to them that no.of naxal affected dists are going down & youth is coming to mainstream: PM pic.twitter.com/mAOkRDniWE ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2018 The museum which is an underground facility depicts the history of central and state police forces and has on display artefacts, uniforms and gear. A police commando and a photojournalist were injured on Sunday when protesters hurled stones and clashed with security personnel who removed them from a rail track where 61 Dussehra revellers were mowed down by a train. The protesters blocking the tracks were removed and train services resumed this afternoon, 40 hours after the Fridays horrific accident, a railway spokesperson said. A case under attempt to murder has been registered against 50 unidentified people. A policemen received severe injuries during stone pelting. We have registered a case under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 120-B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the IPC against 50 unidentified people, a police spokesperson said. Train services resumed on the affected rail track near Jaura Phatak, senior divisional security commissioner (Railways), Ferozepur division, S Sudhakar said. The first goods train started from Manawala to Amritsar at 2.16 pm, said Northern Railways spokesperson Deepak Kumar. Earlier in the day, Punjab Police removed protesters staging a sit-in on the tracks, demanding action against the driver and resignation of local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. The crowd resorted to stone-pelting and clashed with security personnel, officials said. Police had deployed its personnel, including commandoes, at the site. The Rapid Action Force was also present at the Jaura Phatak area, officials said. Chief minister Amarinder Singh has directed the Amritsar administration to prepare detailed socio-economic profiles of the victims. He told chief principal secretary Suresh Kumar that the government needed to do more than just giving ~5 lakh ex gratia, especially in cases where victims were poor. He announced that a proper system would be worked out to ensure that such survivors were rehabilitated by the state at the earliest. The Punjab police on Sunday fought running battles with people who had blocked rail tracks at Amritsar demanding action against organizers of the Dusshera committee following Fridays accident that claimed 61 lives. The protesters also demanded against authorities for allowing the Dussehra celebrations near the rail tracks. Angry locals had warned that they would not let any train pass on the route unless their demands were met. They were also demanding that missing persons be traced and adequate compensation given to the families of those killed after a Jalandhar-Amritsar train ploughed through a crowd watching Ravans effigy being burnt.. The blockade had forced the railways to cancel 27 trains since Saturday. Two policemen, including a Punjab police commando were injured after the protestors pelted stones at police party which tried to clear the railway route for the resumption of rail traffic. #WATCH Amritsar: Protesters being chased away by police at Joda Phatak after they pelted stones on them when they (police) asked them to clear the railway tracks where they were sitting in protest against #AmritsarTrainAccident. #Punjab pic.twitter.com/tAPkOB5fc2 ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2018 Reinforcement led by deputy commissioner of police (DCP-City) Amrik Singh Pawar after the police came under attack and cleared the track. Police also cordoned off the Dhobi Ghat area and Jaura Fatak and made public announcements that no one should come out from their homes near the railway track. Apart from cancelling 27 trains, the railways also diverted many others to Tarn Taran and Beas to continue their onward journeys while others were short terminated at Jalandhar, railway officials said. Earlier in the morning, police said they were hoping that the protest would peter out later in the day. We hope that the normalcy will be restored in the area by Sunday evening as the number of protestors has come down since Saturday, a senior police officer said according to PTI. The situation had been peaceful but tense before some of the protesters began throwing stones. About 500 protesters, mostly young men, had blocked the rail tracks at the accident site and had raised slogans against the administration and the railways. Shops near the Joda Phatak area remained closed. Two labourers who were living in my area are still missing, Kamal, who lives near Joda Phatak was quoted as saying by PTI. Kamal raised apprehensions that the death toll could be higher than the figure given by the government. The district administration said 40 of the dead have been identified while the process of identifying the others was underway. Another local, named Raju, said a man was still looking for the body of his father who died in the incident. He had gone to collect a piece of cloth to cover the body of his father, but when he returned he could not find the body, said Raju. Another man was inconsolable. He could just find the slippers of his brother Sonu. He carried the slippers to the police station and pleaded to help him find his brother. Family members of the victims said that Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur, who was the chief guest at the Dusshera function on Friday evening, had not even bothered to meet them despite their loss. These people (political leaders) only come for functions or to beg for votes. No one has come to be with us in our hour of need and grief, Pradeep Sharma, an area resident was quoted as saying by IANS. The younger son of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council chairman Ramesh Yadav was murdered under mysterious circumstances in Yadavs official quarters in Darul Shafa in Lucknow here on Sunday. The family initially claimed that the youth Abhijit Yadav, 22, died of ill-health but post-mortem has confirmed asphyxia caused by strangulation as the cause of death. Based on the post mortem report, we have started the process to lodge an FIR of murder regarding the incident, said senior superintendent of police Kalanidhi Naithani . Abhijit, a BSc part 2 student, lived at the Darul Shafa quarters with his mother Meera Yadav and elder brother Abhishek. His father Ramesh Yadav lives separately in an official residence. Meera Yadav told reporters that her husband Ramesh did not give her the rights of a wife. She went on to say that the life of Abhishek was also in danger. According to police officials, Meera and Abhishek were at home when Abhijit died. Initially, Meera had told the police that Abhijit returned home about 11 pm on Saturday and complained of chest pain. Police was informed that when she went to wake him in the morning, he did not get up. She called Abhishek, who found that Abhijit was not breathing and there was no pulse. The police reached the quarters but the family members refused to lodge any complaint and decided to take the body for cremation. However, police intervened, suspecting foul play. Abhijits body was seized from the cremation ground and sent for post-mortem, said Naithani. Police later handed over the body to the family for cremation. So far, police have not received any complaint from the family. We will ask the family to submit a police complaint at the earliest..., said the SSP . Ramesh Yadav said he and his family were in shock. We are all in shock after the incident... The family is ready to cooperate with the police in the investigation. The police have recovered a note from the Faridabad house on Saturday morning where the four siblings were found hanging. The note, which is dated October 18, was signed by the siblings and contains detailed instructions of tasks that needed to be done like selling personal belongings to fund their funerals and paying back friends who had helped them after the death of their parents after their deaths. The one-page suicide note details how the family was depressed and reeling under acute financial crisis. They have also mentioned details of how they wanted their last rites to be conducted and to whom their remaining valuables be distributed. Police said that an analysis of the note suggests that apart from financial crisis, the siblings were depressed after the loss of their parents and youngest siblings within six months. All four of us are giving up our lives... because we cant imagine living after the death of our parents and our youngest brother Sanju, the note reads. Our mother was due to receive Rs 1 lakh from hotel Rajhans which we didnt get on time. After our mother and Sanju died, the hotel gave us Rs 60,000. Another Rs 10,000 was paid to us on October 11 this month. The rest Rs 30,000 was deposited with the hotel to clear our dues and electricity bill of the staff quarter that we earlier lived in. The general manager of Rajhans Hotel, Harvinder Yadav, said that the family had no dues pending with the hotel. In their note, the siblings have also written that if some money was left after clearing the dues, it should be given to Upendra (Sanjus friend) along with Sanjus motorbike. The note mentions that the family had borrowed Rs 20,000 from Upendra in their difficult times. The family also requested that some of Sanjus belongings a bed, a wheelchair, four blankets, a dinner set and some newly bought utensils be given in charity, while the inverter be given to the church. The note further reads that if some money is collected after selling the remaining items, it can be used for their last rites. The four have also requested that two priests be given money after selling their belongings. Making a last wish, the siblings said that all four of them be buried at the Burari cemetery. The Tamil Nadu government spent Rs 99.33 lakh for the funeral ceremony of former chief minister Jayalalithaa in December 2016, an RTI response has revealed. The governments response came amidst an inquiry over the death of the former AIADMK supremo as many in the party, including deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, had raised suspicions. Even as the inquiry by justice (retd) A Arumugasamy commission was on, one Syed Thameem of Madurai filed an RTI petition seeking details of the death. Responding to a question on the money spent for the funeral ceremony, the state public information officer said, The state government had spent Rs.99.33 lakh for Jayalalithaas funeral. When Thameem asked about the money spent on Jayalalithaas treatment in Apollo hospital, the officer said that the TN government has not spent on her treatment. To another question, he confirmed that Jayalalithaa died on December 5, 2016, as rumours had suggested that she had died much earlier, but the authorities had announced it late. The officer also asked the petitioner to ask Tamil Nadu legislative assembly secretary to know who is getting the benefits of the MLA pension of Jayalalithaa. The justice (retd) Arumugasamy commission has questioned more than 100 people so far. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 21) A global group of parliaments said it was "resolved to send an official mission" to inquire into what it calls "political persecution" of Senators Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes IV. In a statement released Sunday, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) said, "In separate resolutions adopted at the end of the 139th IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland last Oct. 18, the IPU expressed deep concerns over the human rights violations committed against De Lima and Trillanes." In March, the IPU adopted a resolution reiterating its call to release de Lima immediately and drop all charges relating to her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade "unless serious evidence is rapidly forthcoming." In its latest statement, the IPU said a follow-up visit to de Lima was needed as they remain concerned about the "public campaign of vilification by the highest state authorities" against the senator. The group also renewed the call for de Lima's release, and hoped the Senate will act in solidarity with her. Meanwhile, the IPU raised concern over the issues surrounding Trillanes following the issuance of Proclamation Order No. 572 in August, which put into question the senator's amnesty. The IPU said they are deeply concerned "Trillanes is facing renewed charges of rebellion, and possibly of mounting a coup d'etat, with regard to the same incidents that occurred in 2003 and 2007, offences for which he, together with all others involved, was subsequently amnestied in 2011." As a result, the groups said they are worried the senator may soon be arrested and the "sudden questioning" of his amnesty will "give serious weight to the allegation that this is a targeted attempt to silence" him. A senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer in Nagaland, who is being investigated for possessing seized drugs, has said that he took the consignment home from the police headquarters in good faith. I took them home in good faith for reasons of security. I wanted to nab the kingpin, Richard Yimto, inspector general of police, CID, told HT, in response to the show cause notice issued to him by the director general of police T John Longkumer. Yimto has been on leave since mid-September. On September 1, a team led by additional director general of police, Nagaland seized 6.9 kg of suspected brown sugar from Yimtos residence. A kilogram of brown sugar is estimated to have a street value of about Rs 1 crore. Yimto said the drugs were seized by a team led by a sub-inspector of the narcotics cell of the Nagaland Police at the Khuzama inter-state border with Manipur on August 3. The contraband was found in a car coming from Manipur and two persons were reportedly detained. Strangely, no case was registered and Yimto did not send a sample of the drug seized for forensic test as required. No case was registered and the two persons were allowed to go with a promise that they will come back with the kingpin. They were just conduits. I told my subordinates to convey to them that the police would reward them, Yimto said, adding unfortunately they did not come back. Yimto claimed that the drug was initially kept at the store room of the narcotics cell at the state police headquarters till August 17 and then he decided to take it home, thinking it was not safe to them keep there. It was safe in my house as it has round the clock security, he said. Asked why the DGP was not informed in the intervening period of August 3 and 25, Yimto said, I was very busy with official duties and official tours. Additional director general of police Renchamo P Kikon who carried out the seizure and the preliminary enquiry in the incident said he will have to cross check if the drugs were initially kept at the store room. Yimto said he wrote to the DGP on August 25 and then again on August 28 asking for directions on whether he should deposit the seizure back in the store room. However, a week later, police came knocking on the officers house. Instead of any response, a police team came to my house and seized the drugs on September 1, he said. Police chief Longkumer did not respond to a query asking if he was aware of the seizure and other details before August 25. However, in a recent statement, Nagaland Police said the matter was brought to the notice of the DGP on August 25 via a written explanatory note by the IG (CID) himself explaining the time lapse and non registration of case. Against Corruption And Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland on Friday sought clarification from Nagaland police. In a statement it questioned why the police officer has not been suspended. Top leaders of Uttar Pradeshs ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other parties were present to receive and pay homage to the mortal remains of former chief minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari but senior Congress leaders were largely absent from the final journey of the veteran politician who was the last from the party to rule the crucial state. A three-time UP chief minister, Tiwaris body, escorted from Delhi to Lucknow by deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, was received at the airport Saturday by chief minister Yogi Adityanath and the BJP top brass along with those of Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with Congress representation largely left to state leaders Ammar Rizvi, Pramod Tiwari and Sanjay Sinh. The SP was represented by Mulayam Singh Yadav and party chief Akhilesh Yadav while BSP chief Mayawati rushed senior leader Satish Mishra to represent her. The body of Tiwari, who was also the first elected chief minister of Uttarakhand, the governor of Andhra Pradesh and a Union minister who handling portfolios such as finance, foreign affairs, industry, petroleum and labour in the Rajiv Gandhi government, was taken to the state assembly where governor Ram Naik, Bihar governor Lalji Tandon and others paid homage. The BJP government also announced two-day state mourning in Tiwaris memory. The body of Tiwari, who passed away at a private hospital in Delhi on his 93rd birthday on October 18 after a prolonged illness was later brought to Uttarakhands Pantnagar in an air ambulance on Saturday and brought to Kathgodam Guest House for people to pay homage. UP minister Baldev Olakh had accompanied it from Lucknow. The last rites were held with full state honours in his home district of Nainital on Sunday. Read | ND Tiwari, the veteran politician with a knack for befriending rivals The Congress, which accused the BJP of appropriating Tiwaris legacy, blamed Tiwaris son, Rohit Shekhar, for the thin party presence. We wanted Tiwarijis mortal remains to be brought to the UPCC office but our request was turned down by Rohit, UPCC secretary Devendra Pratap Singh told Hindustan Times. Shekhar couldnt be reached despite repeated attempts, but Tiwaris personal secretary Mukesh Sharma denied the Congress accusation. Its wholly untrue. The request should have come from senior Congress leadership from UPCC chief onwards but that didnt happen. A few lower level functionaries making a request amounted to nothing and its true that while BJP went out of its way to give Tiwariji a befitting farewell, the Congress was found lacking, Sharma said. Citing deputy CM Dinesh Sharmas condolence message in which the BJP leader was quoted as saying that Tiwaris stature was second to none, he said: They (BJP) walked the extra mile. A long-time Gandhi family loyalist, Tiwari had announced support for BJP ahead of the 2017 Uttarakhand assembly elections but had stopped short of joining the party. He was a proud Congressman till his last breath but its unfortunate that while the BJP went out of its way and showed respect to him, his own party was found wanting in a state where Tiwariji was the CM three times, said Ammar Rizvi, who along with Mohsina Kidwai are now the oldest surviving members of Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna cabinet of which Tiwari was also a part. Read | Polite nature was ND Tiwaris biggest political weapon Though top Congress leaders in Delhi from party chief Rahul Gandhi to United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh mourned Tiwaris demise, many party veterans were aghast to find no senior Congress functionary in UP around when Tiwaris mortal remains arrived. Several Congress functionaries were either away on party work or blissfully unaware of the arrival of Tiwaris mortal remains. Other Congress leaders, who requested they not be named, admitted that Tiwari deserved better. Congress spokesman Zishan Haider, however, said that wreaths in the name of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and state chief Raj Babbar were placed on Tiwaris body at the assembly. Raj Babbarji was down with fever but the other Congress leaders were there, Haider said. He also tweeted a video showing BJP leaders sharing a laugh near Tiwaris body. Responding to it, SP spokesman Juhie Singh wondered if this is how BJP leaders showed respect to the departed soul. BJP has nothing of its own and is busy appropriating the legacy of our leaders, said Congress leader Devendra Pratap. On October 31, chief minister Yogi Adityanath will fly to Gujarat to witness the unveiling of the tallest Sardar Patel statue, named the statue of liberty, which the BJP government has got built in memory of the Congress veteran who was also the countrys first home minister. Two women from Andhra Pradesh were Sunday stopped by Ayyappa devotees from climbing up to the Sabarimala temple and decided to return as protests against the Supreme Court order opening the hilltop shrine to women of all ages continued across Kerala. Since the temple opened on Wednesday for the first time after the apex court order, protesters have managed to stop women aged less than 50 from entering the temple. In Sundays incident, the women, said to be in their 40s, were part of a pilgrim group visiting temples in Kerala and claimed they did not know the customs of the Lord Ayyappa temple, PTI quoted the police as saying. As the protesters stopped the women at the Pambha base camp, police escorted them to the control room. They were part of a pilgrimage group from Andhra. They had been to other temples also and didnt know of special rituals in Sabarimala Temple, inspector general of police S Sreejith told media, adding the women gave a written statement that they did not want to proceed. They were taken back to Nilakkal, where their vehicle was parked. The incident came a day after protestors stopped a woman devotee from Tamil Nadu right outside the temple, alleging she was below 50 years of age. The 52-year-old Latha Kumar, a teacher from Tamil Nadus Trichy who was on her second pilgrimage, was allowed to proceed after she showed them her Aadhaar card. Woman Dalit leader SP Manju (38), who was planning to visit the shrine Saturday, was asked by police to put her plans on hold following heavy rain and later decided to return. On Friday, Hyderabad-based woman journalist Kavitha Jakkal and activist Rehana Fathima, escorted by 100 policemen, reached right up to the temple but could not go in as devotees and priests blocked their way and the tantri (head priest) warned he would close the temple if they entered. Another woman, Mary Sweety, who works in the Middle East, was denied police protection. Madhavi, a devotee from Andhra and New York Times reporter Suhasini Raj had to abandon their trips midway Thursday after protests. Meanwhile, the Sabarimala Karma Samithi, which is opposing entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine, stepped up its agitation against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front governments hasty move to implement the Supreme Court order. It has called a namajapa yatra (march chanting Ayyappa mantra) to police stations across Kerala against alleged police action on their activists, said PTI. BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai urged the state government to convene assembly session to discuss the issue, alleging that even members of the ruling Left were opposing the bid to break the shrines long-standing customs. Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai however said the protesters did not have the support of the Kerala society. Meanwhile, Kerala police chief Loknath Behera said a review of the alleged police lapses while handling the issues related to Sabarimala will be conducted after shrine closes on Monday, adding the the Sabarimala pilgrim season beginning next month was going to be a challenging one for them. In Chennai, Hindu Makkal Katchi activists held a protest outside the Anna Nagar Ayyappa Temple against women who attempted to visit SabarimalaTemple. They are not clean. They spoiled the sanctity of celibacy of Lord Ayyappa. Theyre not devotees. Theyve come for publicity, said one of the protesters, ANI reported. In the latest episode in a battle at the top in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the agency is probing whether its special director Rakesh Asthana accepted a bribe through a middleman to scuttle an investigation against a Hyderabad-based businessman, a government official familiar with the matter said requesting anonymity. A special secretary in the external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and a retired 1984 batch Indian Police Service officer, too, are under the scanner in this connection. The two have not been formally named as accused in the first information report (FIR) registered in the case, a second person familiar with the development said. Asthana too has not been formally named as an accused, the government official cited in the first instance said. The Hyderabad-based businessman, Sana Satish Babu, is a suspect in a case registered by the CBI against controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi and former agency chief AP Singh. The CBI declined to comment on the development. Neither the CBI director nor Asthana replied to HTs phone calls in this regard. CBI chief Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana have been feuding with each other for the last one year. Asthana has accused Verma of interfering in investigations carried out under his supervision and made a formal complaint to the cabinet secretary. The cabinet secretary has asked the Central Vigilance Commission to look into his representation. The CBI in a formal statement on September 21, said the special director was being probed in six different cases being investigated by the agency. There is an FIR registered by the CBI in this regard, said the government official cited above. In February, 2017, the CBI had registered an FIR against Qureshi on charges of having a nexus with the agencys former chief AP Singh for settling CBI cases. He was accused by the agency of criminal conspiracy and taking bribes to influence a public servant. Sana Satish Babu is a suspect in the case registered against Moin Qureshi and AP Singh and the probe in the case is being supervised by special director Rakesh Asthana. Asthana, in his complaint to the Central Vigilance Commission, has accused CBI director Alok Verma of trying to help Sana Satish Babu. Asthana had filed the complaint before registration of the FIR in this regard, said a CBI official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The person familiar with the development cited above said Satish Babu is now accused the complainant in the FIR filed by the CBI in this regard. It has been alleged that Sana Satish Babu struck a deal for 5 crore with an alleged middleman, Manoj Prasad, to scuttle the probe against him. The CBI is probing whether Prasad was acting on behalf of Asthana, said the person. letters@hindustantimes.com In view of growing number of Zika virus cases in Rajasthan, an alert has been sounded in Uttar Pradesh, especially at airports in the state. Director, communicable diseases (UP), Dr Mithilesh Chaturvedi, said there was a need to keep a strict watch on people suffering from fever. Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that transmits dengue virus, also spreads Zika virus. The mosquito is widely prevalent here, he said. Dr Chaturvedi has alerted the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to take preventive measures at Lucknow airport and other airports in the state. Health authorities in Lucknow have also issued an advisory for Zika virus for the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) and the chief medical officer (CMO). According to health directorate officials, the disease has not been reported in the city as of now. Many people infected with Zika virus remain asymptomatic. Around 80 per cent of patients show mild symptoms of body ache, conjunctivitis, fever, rashes and joint pains. Any patient having fever, especially coming from infected areas of Rajasthan, must be monitored carefully, Dr Chaturvedi said. He said the AAI should ensure proper examination of passengers complaining of fever, maculopapular rash or any other associated symptom. Read | Should we worry about Zika virus? All you need to know about the outbreak Any passenger returning from Rajasthan should be examined carefully before being allowed to enter the city, he said. An official at Lucknow airport, who did not wish to be named, said: The Lucknow airport is on high alert when it comes to Zika virus. The team of doctors at the airport is on alert. Official on special duty, Lucknow airport, Sanjay Narain said AAI would follow the guidelines issued by the health department and district administration. Municipal commissioner, Lucknow, Indramani Tripathi said, The guidelines regarding Zika virus will be fully implemented. We will carry out anti-mosquito drives in the city with the help of district malaria officer. Following in the footsteps of his cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray has embarked on a statewide tour that will cover all the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies of Maharashtra and gear up his party for the 2019 elections. Thackeray has decided to cover all the constituencies in five or six phases starting from Sunday and stretch his schedule into January next year. The Sena chief will also hold rallies in some of the constituencies and look to boost the morale of Sena cadre through direct interactions with them. Sena MP, Vinayak Raut, believes this tour will indeed strengthen the party outfit. Uddhav saheb will tour the state in the next three months and virtually hold a rally in every Lok Sabha constituency. He will interact with workers and this is part of preparations for the ensuing elections, he said. In his first phase, Thackeray will tour for three days and cover seven constituencies including Shirdi, Latur and Beed, and address rallies. On Sunday, Thackeray threw barbs at the BJP-led Centre and state government from Shirdi, saying he will continue opposing their wrong policies despite being its ally. Not a single farmer has benefitted from the loan-waiver scheme declared by the state government. Should I not highlight this? he asked the crowds. He said the BJP should declare that their promise of constructing the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya was an election stunt. In the last few months, Thackeray has been stringently critical of the BJP and spares no effort to put it on the mat. Recently, he declared that he would visit Ayodhya on November 25 and his party would not ally with the BJP in the forthcoming elections. In all his speeches so far, Thackeray has been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying his government thrives on lies. His cousin and arch-rival Raj Thackeray is also on a state tour and currently in the Vidarbha region, holding meetings with his party workers. Raj, however, is not holding any rallies. A seven-year-old girl died after getting stuck in an elevator door in Ghorpade peth area on Saturday evening. The girl was identified as Nashra Rehman Khan. The incident happened in an apartment building called Zohra Complex in Ghorpade peth. The girl got stuck in the double-door lift between the second and the third floor of the building while going up. The lift was more on the second floor than the third. She was lying on her stomach. So when we broke the door down and got her out on the second floor, she was unconscious and had suffered injuries on her back, said senior police inspector Rajendra Mokashi of Lhadak police station. The incident happened around 6-6:30 pm after which she was rushed to King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital. She breathed her last while under treatment. She was later taken to the Sassoon General Hospital where she was declared dead around 8:30 pm, the police said. Her body was sent for post-mortem. The girls father, Rehman Salam Khan, 39, who repairs air conditioning units and mother Najeema Rehman Khan, who is a housewife, were not with the girl when the incident happened. What exactly happened is upon the experts to decide. The girl was alone when the incident happened. The people noticed when she started screaming, said senior police inspector Mokashi. Her death will for now be recorded as an accidental death at Khadak police station. Mexican authorities allowed dozens of women and children from a United States-bound Honduran migrant caravan to enter the country on Saturday, but thousands remain stranded on a border bridge between Guatemala and Mexico where riot police barred their progress. Mexicos ambassador to Guatemala Luis Manuel Lopez told AFP that the women and children would be processed by immigration authorities and taken to a shelter in the city of Tapachula, 40 kilometers (25 miles) away. Hundreds of others tired of waiting on the bridge resorted to crossing the Suchiate River below on makeshift rafts and police did not intervene as they clambered up the muddy riverbank on the Mexican side. Many had spent more than 24 hours on the packed bridge where heat and hunger was adding to a growing sense of despair. Politically motivated US President Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in Elko, Nevada, kept up his rhetoric against the migrants and suggested the caravan was politically motivated. The Democrats want caravans, they like the caravans. A lot of people say I wonder who started that caravan? he said. He thanked Mexico for blocking the caravans progress. Mexico has been so incredible. Thank you Mexico and the leaders of Mexico, thank you. And you know why, because now Mexico respects the leadership of the United States. Last week, Trump threatened to cut aid to the region, deploy the military and close the US-Mexican border if authorities did not stop them. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and his Guatemalan counterpart Jimmy Morales continued Trumps theme after they met in Guatemala to discuss the crisis Saturday. This migration has political motivations, said Morales, which is violating the borders and the good faith of the states and of course putting at risk the most important thing, people. Hernandez also deplored the abuse of peoples needs for political reasons. Without a doubt, we have a lot to do so that our people can have opportunities in their communities, he said. The caravan originated in the Honduran town of San Pedro Sula a week ago, with about 2,000 would-be migrants drawn together by social media. It is notably different from the Migrant Viacrucis organized in April every year by NGOs to draw attention to the plight of Central American migrants. Women, children allowed in The women ran forward when immigration officers unchained a gate that had been pinning back migrants at the crossing. Im happy, happy! At last! shouted a relieved Gina Paola Montes, 21, as she ran onto Mexican territory. The women and children had spent the night on the bridge where hundreds slept in the open, as well as in the main square of the Guatemalan border town of Tecun Uman. Mexican authorities insisted those on the bridge would have to file asylum claims one at a time in order to enter the country. Guatemala has organized a fleet of buses to take Hondurans back to their country. More than 300 people have taken up a government offer of a bus ride home to their country, police said. A surge, then clashes The caravan of mainly Honduran migrants had surged through a series of police lines and barricades up to the final fence on Mexicos southern border on Friday. Sections of the crowd hurled rocks and other objects at hundreds of riot police, who responded with rubber bullets and tear gas stalling the caravan determined to reach the United States. Several people were injured. Police used tear gas to drive the migrants back and calm was restored. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto described the situation as unprecedented. Organizers of the caravan said a section of the crowd had confronted the police and spoiled what had been an orderly attempt to cross into Mexico. Some, like 22-year-old Alex Benitez, paid locals to take him across the river border by raft. They promised they will give us a visa but the people are there (on the bridge) since yesterday and they have not given us anything, Benitez said as he waited for friends who were crossing on another raft, made from huge truck tires. Going home Some, like 25-year-old Honduran Bryon Rivera, had decided to give up on a long-held dream of a better life in America. It is better to go back. It is very hard. There is a lot of disorder, said Rivera, who was hoping to get on a bus back to Honduras laid on by the Guatemalan government. The soft-spoken 25-year-old said he was traveling with three friends who decided to remain in the caravan, but that for him, the fear of being deported once he reached Mexico was too much. The migrants are generally fleeing poverty and insecurity in Honduras, where powerful street gangs rule their turf with brutal violence. With a homicide rate of 43 per 100,000 citizens, Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world. Saudi Arabias explanation of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its consulate in Istanbul is not credible, Britains Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday. After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi, 59, for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning said he had died in a fistfight at the consulate. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold. Asked during an interview on BBC TV if he believed the explanation, Raab said: No, I dont think it is credible ... We support the Turkish investigation into it and the British government will want to see people held to account for that death. Read: Will get to bottom of Jamal Khashoggis case, wont like to scrap arms deal with Saudi,says Donald Trump Raab said Britain needed to know the facts of what happened before it could make a sensible and sober judgement call on what to do next. We are not going to throw our hands in the air and terminate our relationship with Saudi Arabia, not just because of the huge number of British jobs that depend on it but also because if you exert influence over your partners you need to be able to talk to them, he said. The United States has charged a Russian woman with conspiring to interfere in American election including the 2018 mid-term polls next month as the countrys intelligence agencies expressed concern separately over ongoing meddling by Russia, China and others such as Iran. Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova, a 44-year-old Russian, was accused of being part of a conspiracy run by a Russian businessman to influence opinions and thinking domestically in Russia and abroad in the United States, European Union, Ukraine and other countries that were not specified. The accused was described as chief accountant of the operation that was codenamed Project Lakhta, which, the US department of justice alleged in court filings Friday, was funded by Russian businessman Yevgeniy Viktorovich Prigozhin through two separate companies. The project started in January 2016 and continues, the US has said. But there were no indications if it had links to the 2016 poll interference being investigated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who has indicted multiple Russian individuals and entities, including their intelligence agencies. The strategic goal of Project Lakhta, which continues to this day, is to sow discord in the U.S. political system and to undermine faith in our democratic institutions, said attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger, the lead prosecutor. The conspirators used thousands of social media handles, accounts and mails to pose as Americans and mask their true location and identity to create and amplify divisive social and political content targeting U.S. audiences. These accounts also were used to advocate for the election or electoral defeat of particular candidates in the 2016 and 2018 US elections. Around the time Khusyaynova was charged, US intelligence agencies issued a joint statement expressing concern about ongoing campaigns by Russia, China and other foreign actors, including Iran, to undermine confidence in democratic institutions and influence public sentiment and government policies. These activities also may seek to influence voter perceptions and decision making in the 2018 and 2020 US elections, the statement said. You are using an out of date browser. 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It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser Along with the increasingly cold weather and Halloween costume pressure comes a different kind of Netflix binge. In honor of the upcoming holiday, we've assembled a list of horror gems both old and new to keep you awake until November. Remember when Joey Tribiani from Friends stored his copy of The Shining in the freezer because it was so scary? That will be you. Children Of The Corn Based on the short story by Stephen King, this one follows a couple who discovers a strange town after their vacation is interrupted by a suspicious accident. All Hallows Eve As a young girl celebrates her birthday on Halloween night, she discovers she's a witch. Her first move is to accidentally revive an old relative, with intentions of stirring things up, and not in a good way. In fact, they intend to enslave the entire town. Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina This reincarnation of Sabrina, The Teenage Witch follows the titular witch on her 16th birthday, where she is faced with a choice: a witch life, or a normal one? Malevolent This Netflix original movie follows two siblings, Jackson and Angela, who run a fake ghostbusting service. However, reality starts to blur after the team comes across a mansion with a haunting past. The Conjuring Ed and Lorraine Warren are paranormal investigators who agree to take on a haunted house in Rhode Island. They discover that the house belonged to a witch named Bathsheba who sacrificed her week-old child to the devil and killed herself, but not before cursing the land and all who would ever come to own it. A classic. Coraline After moving into a new home, Coraline discovers a secret door leading to an alternate universe. In the bizarro world, everything seems perfect. However, something darker lies beneath, and the "Other Mother" might not be exactly what she appears to be. Based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name. Scream 4 To get over the trauma caused by the Ghostface Killer, Sidney Prescott writes a self-help book and returns to the town of Woodsboro for her book tour. Unfortunately, the Ghostface Killer has been waiting for another go around. 13 Cameras A newlywed couple moves into a new home. All is well until they realize that their landlord has been spying on them since day one. The Shining Intentions are good when Jack Torrance moves his family into an old hotel in Colorado for the winter. When his son's psychic visions grow deeper and more intense, Jack discovers the hotel's dark secrets, at the cost of his sanity. Jack Nicholson stars in this Stephen King classic. The Babadook A widowed mother finds her patience tested after her erratic son becomes obsessed with an imaginary monster, The Babadook. Shortly after, lines begin to blur, as Amelia finds herself experiencing the Babadook in action. The Sixth Sense This classic M. Night Shamalyan flick follows a young boy haunted by his ability to communicate with the dead. Luckily, he has Bruce Willis to provide some much-needed guidance. Even if you know the iconic "twist," this one remains worth a watch. Cult Of Chucky Four years after the Curse of Chucky, Nica Pierce is still being framed by the god-forsaken doll. She gets a visit in her mental institution from the legal guardian of her niece Alice, who informs her that Alice has died from a broken heart. Nica attempts to commit suicide that night, only to wake up in the morning with stitched wrists and a note from Chucky that reads "not so fast." A member of the group responsible for the "Cat Daddy" dance craze was arrested in LA. Jovan "Pee Wee" Clayton was reprimanded and detained around 2 AM. Despite his being in serious legal trouble, Pee Wee was focused on making it to his booty call. Video footage of the bizarre situation is available after the jump. The former member of The Rej3ctz was caught by bounty hunters early Thursday morning. The legal authorities informed him of the reason for his arrest. Clayton claimed he was unaware of the domestic battery warrant they spoke of. The new information didn't seem to affect him as much as the thought of missing out on sex with a woman named Lima who he had encountered on Instagram. The pair had finally met in person right before Clayton was caught. Unfortunately for him, Lima was the informant who helped orchestrate the rapper's arrest. When the bounty hunters commented on the 3 boxes of condoms in her truck, Pee Wee replied, "I know! I was about to f*ck the sh*t outta her!" A dildo was mentioned as well. The rapper claimed the "freaky b*tch" had requested it, but Lima had apparently told the bounty hunters that it was to be used on him. LAPD booked him for felony domestic abuse with bail set at $100k. Some concerts get wild, but the annual Shocktoberfect at the University of California, Irvine got out of control. Famous Dex usually gets the crowd excited by hopping into the masses. In fact, I have yet to witness a show where Dex doesn't crowd surf at one point or another. Dex continued his habit of joining the audience while performing at Shocktoberfest, but according to the Los Angeles Times, the fans rioted in response. Once Dex hopped off the stage into the crowd, concertgoers began to rush the stage. Authorities were unable to stop the concertgoers from rampaging the stage, so they canceled the entire event before it was over. University police on site declared it was a dangerous situation, Tom Vasich, a spokesman for the campus stated. So they turned on the lights and canceled the rest of the show. Partial refunds are being considered. Concertgoers left the arena in an orderly fashion, Vasich continued. Two people were arrested for intoxication. After the chaos left Bren Event Center, Dex attempted to leave the campus in a white vehicle. He and his crew were stormed by fans, who surrounded the car and would not allow it to leave. In a video of the incident, Dex's crew can be heard telling the crowd to back off before the rapper pops out of the back seat himself with a gun in his hand. The person recording immediately stopped at that point, and Dex was reported to campus security. Dex and his crew left the area, and UCI police issued an alert that advised, a male 25 yr, 511, was seen inside white vehiclewith a gun at Pereira & W. Peltason. Call 911 if vehicle seen. https://twitter.com/_/status/1053568102821031939 https://twitter.com/_/status/1053529345212395520 Inspired by poet and activist Nikki Giovanni, specifically the famed poem 'Ego tripping (there may be a reason why), Jamila Woods has returned to gift us with more art in the form of her latest "Giovanni" single. Still using her music to underscore the sanctity of womanhood, Jamila delivers on an accompaying video with "Giovanni" as she co-directs alongside Vincent Martell, opening up with word of wisdom from her grandmother, also known as Gramma J and ending with words from Jamila's own mother. Giovanni is a song about owning & celebrating all the parts of myself," says the Chicago-bred songstress in a press release. "Its about legacy and lineage, and how the love & strength of the people who made me makes me feel invincible. Quotable Lyrics Little bitty, you want to call me A hundred motherfuckers cant tell me How Im supposed to look when Im angry How Im supposed to shrink when youre around me Permission denied to rearrange me Im am the Kingdom, I am not your Queen Hotep better step from up around me I am not your rib, I am not your Eve Kanye West's trip to Africa has been controversial. His meeting with the Ugandan president was one of the most upsetting events. Another notable moment that was documented came in the form of a selfie video in which Kanye spoke out against mind control. Ye comes off as mentally ill to some while others think he's a "woke" visionary. One person who doesn't seem to give him much positive credit is Seun Kuti, the son of the iconic musician Fela Kuti. The African music luminary's disapproval came stems from a comment Yeezy made in a clip he recorded of himself. He essentially stated that he channels great musicians from the astral plane when he records. "The music is the best on the planet. I am the best living recording artist. We, rather, because the spirits flow through me. The spirit of Fela, the spirit of Marley, the spirit of Pac." Seun Kuti reposted this specific part of the rapper's video and rebuked his statement. "Erm erm on behalf of the Kuti family, I want to state that the spirit of Olufela Anikulapo Kuti isnt anywhere near Kanye West." Then, his caption passes the mic onto Ziggy Marley who is tagged in encouragement to do the same. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo6huuMlLjz The silence is finally broken on Pete Davidson's side. The actor spoke about his split with Ariana Grande during his first stage appearance on Saturday. His revelations were made in jest while he co-hosted Judd & Pete for America, a comedy show benefiting Swing Left. He joked with the crowd about his situation. "Well, as you could tell, I don't want to be here. There's a lot going on. Does anybody have any open rooms? Looking for a roommate?" He also commented on the collection of tattoos he got in honor of his failed relationship with the pop star. "Um, I've been covering a bunch of tattoos, that's fun. I'm f--king 0 for 2 in the tattoo [department]. Yeah, I'm afraid to get my mom tattooed on me, that's how bad it is." "So, obviously you know I, we [Ariana and I] broke up or whatever but when me and her first got engaged we got tattoos. And it was like in a magazine like, 'Was Pete Davidson stupid?' And 93% of it said yes. So my boy, he was like, 'Don't listen to that sh*t man. They're literally f--king haters.' And I'm like, yeah, f*ck that. I'm not stupid. And the other day we were in my kitchen and he was like, 'Yo bro. Turns out you were stupid.'" Davidson's co-host, Judd Apatow, thanked him for coming through despite the hard times. The SNL star replied with another joke "Well, you put me on the flyer, I had to. F*Ck my feelings." "I care more about America than your feelings, I do," Apatow joked. "I care more about America than Pete's feelings." Davidson then equates himself to the nation. Lil Tay was meant to fly to Florida to meet the late XXXTentacion on the day he was killed, according to the unnamed person who took over her Instagram account The young social media star's account was reactivated yesterday with a series of posts that explained how her father, Chris Hope, caused the girl's disappearance from the public eye. A new post claims Lil Tay and her mom were invited to a charity event by X. "X got Tay and her Mom 2 plane tickets to Florida on June 18th, but Christopher John Hope refused to allow her to be a part of this event claiming that XXXTENTACION would be a negative influence on her life because of his past history." The writer speculates about how the rapper may not have gone to the location where he was gunned down if Lil Tay had landed in Florida as planned. "If Christopher John Hope had let Tay go to Florida on June 18th X would have been at the airport instead of the motorcycle dealership, and would've possibly not have been setup on June 18th. The Instagram account attributes much negativity to her father. When Petrohawk Energy Corp. announced a decade ago that it had made two big shale gas wells in South Texas, everything changed. Companies poured into the region. They deployed hordes of landmen to tiny county courthouses to comb through mineral records. They spent billions to lease acreage and develop what would become the Eagle Ford Shale, which stretches 400 miles from the Bryan-College Station area to Laredo, and is now the second largest oil producing and fifth largest natural gas producing region in the U.S. The field ultimately helped reshape the global energy market and upend world geopolitics but first, it upended South Texas. For Floyd Wilson, then-president and CEO of Petrowhawk, the Oct. 21, 2008 announcement was a coup accomplished through stealthy buying of acreage under pseudonyms and keeping reports to the state under wraps until the last moment. We didnt tell anybody, Wilson said. So we started leasing land, we started with maybe 30,000, 40,000 acres and pretty soon we had probably 300,000 acres. By that time word was out, we made some announcements in 2008 and the land rush started in the Eagle Ford. Oil and gas drilling permits skyrocketed from 26 in 2008 to 1,010 in 2010, hitting a peak of 5,613 in 2014, according to the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry in Texas. Oil production in the Eagle Ford grew from less than 60,000 barrels a day in October 2008 to a peak of 1.72 million barrels a day in March 2015. Natural gas production expanded from 1.68 billion cubic feet a day to 7.42 billion cubic feet, according to data from the Department of Energy. It wasnt the first shale rush Wilson had started. Petrohawk drilled previously in the Haynesville, a natural gas field in East Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. It was there that the company got a feel for combining horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing, the process of pumping high volumes of water, chemicals and sand underground to crack shale rock and extract oil and natural gas. Shale became almost an obsession of mine, said Wilson, now president and CEO of Permian Basin-focused Halcon Resources Corp In 2007, Wilson told Petrohawks exploration group to find him another shale play. Thats when they went out and started purchasing acreage in the Eagle Ford and West Texas Permian Basin. As a shale pioneer, Petrohawk became a target and Wilson one of the biggest winners to emerge from the Eagle Ford boom. Australian mining company BHP Billiton snapped up Petrohawk in a deal worth $15.1 billion, including debt. Wilson now heads the Permian-focused, Houston-based Halcon Resource Corp. Overwhelmed In Karnes County, it was out of control chaos said county commissioner Shelby Dupnik. All of a sudden we started to see welding trucks coming in, travel trailers, Dupnik said. What we saw was an explosion but we had no housing for anybody here. The county had to upgrade its road maintenance crews and equipment, create a full-time EMS service, and increase pay for its employees to try to keep them for leaving for oil field jobs. In neighboring DeWitt County, the sleepy county seat of Cuero exploded from 6,800 people in 2010 to an estimate of nearly 8,300 in 2017. New hotels sprung up. Cuero voters approved a $76 million school bond package for new buildings including a performing arts center. H-E-B built a new and larger store that opened in 2015. The growth was dizzying. County Judge Daryl Fowler compared it to big city life. It was just a constant stream and it was day and night, a constant stream of folks, Fowler said. When youre used to seeing the sidewalks roll up at 6 oclock in the evening, its a stark contrast when that comes in and takes over. The industry paid nearly $1.6 billion in local government taxes across the 15-county Eagle Ford region and employed an estimated 130,000 people in 2014, according to a June 2017 study by the University of Texas at San Antonio. The impact on the region was estimated to be a staggering $98 billion in that year alone. The investment and growth transformed South Texas said Omar Garcia, former president and CEO of the South Texas Energy & Economic Roundtable, an industry group. South Texas was a sleepy, dormant area that was relying on tourism, hunting, and agriculture, Garcia said. Now the region has high paying jobs, highly skilled jobs, that are going to be around for the foreseeable future. The growth had another side to it. Rural roads and infrastructure struggled and sometimes crumbled under the strain of overloaded semi trucks on farm-to-market roads intended for light traffic. Since 2011, Fowler said the county government has spent $139 million on county road repair. Theres been an environmental footprint as well. Oftentimes you find out much later about the problems than you do initially all the hazardous contaminants that are being injected underground, do they stay in that zone or do they migrate? asked Cyrus Reed, conservation director of the Sierra Clubs Lone Star Chapter. Infrastructure placed to move gas around, does it stay in the lines or escape? Some of those things we may not know 10 years from now. Activism in the region has been muted with pockets of resistance over specific issues like oilfield solid waste disposal sites and injection wells, Reed said. One reason may be because the region is so spread out and many of communities have never seen anything like the Eagle Ford, Reed added. For Fowler, the boom of the Eagle Ford was a rebirth for Cuero and the wider region. Before the Eagle Ford Shale came here this was an aging community that was becoming more and more of a bedroom community for Victoria, he said. But the Eagle Ford changed all that a lot more businesses, a lot more homes. The region has learned to ride the roller coaster of oil price swings, too. Oil prices fell from $107 a barrel in June 2014 to $26 a barrel in Feb. 2016, leading to drastic cuts in the number of active drilling rigs and mass layoffs. In June 2014 the number of active drilling was in the 260s, but fell to a low of 28 by the end of May 2016. Drilling rig counts have since recovered to the mid-90s, according to data from S&P Global Platts. Oil prices have also recovered, spending most of 2018 above $60 a barrel. Even at todays less frenzied pace, Dupnik, the Karnes County commissioner, said the Eagle Ford has left an indelible mark. You could go around town and see everybody you knew, youd walk into a store and youd see most of your friends, Dupnik said. Now you walk in and you dont know who they are, its changed that much. rdruzin@express-news.net | Twitter: @druz_journo A mere 36 hours after their cringeworthy exhibition of governance, marked by blistering personal strife and a surreptitiously executed takedown of the districts interim superintendent, Houston ISD trustees gathered the morning of Oct. 13 for of all things a team-building exercise. Over the course of five hours, the board members shared personal stories of familial loss, near-death experiences and life-changing turning points. They cordially discussed factors contributing to their consistent acrimony, agreeing that their often-heated school board meetings had morphed into unnecessarily tense affairs. In reality, sometimes we dont know who we are, what our backgrounds are, what are our convictions, HISD Trustee Sergio Lira, one of two retreat organizers, said at the outset. The quiet gathering represented HISD trustees first steps in rehabilitating the boards image after the nadir two days earlier. Yet, while HISD trustees have worked in the 10 preceding days to repair the damage from last weeks meeting reversing their decision to replace Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan, publicly apologizing for their actions, resolving to work more cordially the group of nine still must grapple with the personal and professional differences that precipitated the display. In many ways, the Oct. 11 meeting was the product of privately-held animosities, frustrations and suspicions that finally spilled into the public sphere. Behind closed doors, some HISD trustees have been suspected of harboring significant distrust of colleagues, often exacerbated by differing opinions on allocation of district resources, administrative staffing and race. Some trustees also have grown frustrated with Lathans administration and her responsiveness to their priorities. In recent months, those divides have been widened by trustees inability to collaboratively tackle cascading challenges, including the unexpected departure of former superintendent Richard Carranza and the persistent threat of state sanctions tied to chronically low-performing schools. Ive never seen a board that operates this way, to the extent that they dont seem to talk to one another about whats going to happen on important votes, said Steve Antley, president of the Congress of Houston Teachers, a union representing about 700 HISD educators. When you dont have trust and cooperation, its really hard to move forward on important issues. Thats the biggest concern I have, especially when youre facing budget problems and trying to find a new superintendent. The fissures opened wide on Oct. 11, as trustees considered whether to give a short-term contract to Lathan, who has been interim superintendent since March. The boards three black trustees lobbed varying allegations of racism, hypocrisy and unethical behavior against colleagues who did not support Lathan, who is black. The claims drew sharp rebukes from three trustees, who took offense to attacks on their character. As the discussion wound down, trustee Diana Davila moved to oust Lathan and replace her with former HISD Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra. The boards four Hispanic members and trustee Anne Sung voted to install Saavedra, who is Hispanic. The boards three black members and trustee Sue Deigaard opposed the move. Saavedra later would tell the Houston Chronicle that he spoke with his five supporters prior to the vote, but he did not communicate with the four dissenters. The vote drew immediate criticism from many black civic leaders, as well as community members who felt trustees were deceptive by secretly coordinating to remove Lathan. Saavedra quickly backed out of the job on Oct. 13, telling the Chronicle that he found the dysfunction is not at the superintendent or leadership level, its at the board level. HISD trustees announced the next day that they planned to rescind the vote and retain Lathan indefinitely. For now, HISD trustees appear to have reached a truce. They have maintained low profiles on social media, worked swiftly through a public meeting Thursday and refrained from speaking about the Oct. 11 meeting. Lathan and trustees contacted for this article declined to comment or did not respond to interview requests. Local civic and education leaders also have encouraged trustees to move quickly past the rancorous meeting. Now is not the time for accusations or finger-pointing, state Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, said in a statement. We have to come together to respect each other and the will of the voters who elected the current HISD board and support them in coming together as a team focused on our children. A superintendent referendum The HISD school boards nine members are elected in single-member districts, often home to constituents with dramatically different identities and priorities. Davila and trustee Jolanda Jones, for example, represent bordering districts, but Davilas schools are comprised of 83 percent Hispanic students, while about 58 percent of students in Jones campuses are black. Headed into January 2018, as three new trustees joined six returning members, the elected leaders spoke of fostering greater civility following years of personal and policy clashes. The group, however, had relatively little time to build collegiality. Two days after the new board was sworn in, Carranza unexpectedly disclosed a projected $200 million budget deficit, his plans to dramatically overhaul the districts campus funding model and expected changes to HISDs coveted magnet program. The budget deficit later was reduced to about $100 million. It really just dove into all these things the administration was rolling out, and not team building, Deigaard said last week. Then, in early March, Carranza unexpectedly announced he was leaving at the end of the month to become chancellor of New York City public schools. Trustees unanimously appointed Lathan as the districts interim superintendent, though they did not give her a contract or a definite term of service. A month later, a school board meeting centered on plans to temporarily give control over 10 long-struggling campuses to a charter school network descended into chaos when Skillern-Jones, fed up with crowd outbursts, ordered the auditorium cleared. Scuffles between community members and HISD police ensued, ending with two people arrested on misdemeanor charges that were later dropped. While the district remained relatively quiet in the ensuing months even earning much-needed good news in August, when it posted strong results under the states new academic accountability system the relationship between some trustees and Lathan apparently frayed. The disastrous rollout of a new transportation system irked multiple trustees, with Davila and Santos the most publicly vocal. In recent days, Santos and Sung have suggested Lathans administration is holding up a performance review of district operations ordered by trustees in June. Saavedra also told the Chronicle that some trustees communicated to him that they felt marginalized by Lathan. What these trustees expressed to me was that they felt like they werent being heard, Saavedra said. Meanwhile, the boards three black trustees Adams, Jones and Skillern-Jones all called for retaining Lathan permanently. They often noted HISD had 58 improvement required schools in 2014-15, the year before Lathan arrived in the district, and just seven in 2017-18 (though another 15 would have been rated improvement required if not for exemptions tied to Hurricane Harvey). Courtney Johnson-Rose, chairwoman of the Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce, said Lathan brought needed stability to HISD that has resonated with her organizations members. With the last superintendent leaving, we felt like Dr. Lathan was able to step in and provide tremendous leadership for the district, said Johnson-Rose, who added that the chamber has not lobbied trustees for retaining Lathan permanently. The race debate The divide over retaining Lathan opened a void sometimes filled by allegations of racial prejudice. Adams and Jones implied that some colleagues were not supporting Lathan because they and their most prominent backers preferred a Hispanic superintendent. I do not believe my colleagues always vote for whats best for student achievement, but to get re-elected and to not appear to be siding with one race over another, Jones said on Oct. 11. The boards Hispanic members largely have remained quiet in the face of racial accusations, but claims of prejudice clearly grated on Lira, a lifelong educator and one of the boards more mild-mannered trustees. At the Oct. 11 meeting, Lira held up an opinion article by bombastic community activist Gerry Monroe, who wrote that opponents of Lathan were members of The New Education Klan. Although Monroe historically has been seen as more rabble-rouser than problem-solver, Adams embraced Monroe as my friend at an August press conference and Jones appointed him in September to a district ad-hoc committee tackling special education issues. To be subject to this type of literature and abuse, I ask you: Would you accept that? Lira told the crowd. Despicable. The reason I ran for this board? Because I saw how dysfunctional it was. For HISD trustees, the nascent detente will be threatened in the coming months. Soon, they will begin planning how to address a projected $53 million deficit next fiscal year in the districts $2 billion budget, which could require a third consecutive year of deep cuts. They likely will consider whether to surrender control over four chronically low-performing campuses to avoid major state sanctions, potentially setting up a second round of clashes with community members opposed to such arrangements. Perhaps most importantly, they will search for a permanent superintendent. In the process, trustees will be confronted with a question that already has caused much consternation: how to weigh a candidates race and ethnicity in a school district where nearly two-thirds of students are Hispanic. The board has not outlined a timeline for the search, though it set a target end date for April 30, 2019. Trustees agreed at their Oct. 13 team building retreat that they must find ways to lower the temperature during board meetings, which have come to define perceptions of a district that could be touting successes, such as strong accountability scores. The other people that are watching our meetings and watching our work are potential candidates (for superintendent), Deigaard said. I dont know how we attract the best superintendent for our children, or how we even retain the current interim superintendent we have, when we cannot work together, when we cannot have disagreements respectfully. jacob.carpenter@chron.com twitter.com/chronjacob A man who vanished Sunday in the Brazos River sparked a multi-agency search in the Sugar Land area. The search began around 8:30 a.m. after the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office fielded a report of a man in the river around the 1900 block of Hagerson near Sienna. It's not clear why he was in the water and police did not immediately identify him. The U.S. Coast Guard showed up to help with the hunt, scouring the area north of Highway 35 by the water while the sheriff's office searched between Hagerson and FM 1462. The Houston Police Department also pitched in, sending over a helicopter to assist. By just before 1 p.m., the search was still ongoing. Every member of the Fire Department was given a pink shirt to wear as their uniform for the month of October. Pittsfield Firefighters Wear Pink In Support of Breast Cancer Awareness The department has been wearing pink in October for six years. PITTSFIELD, Mass. Cancer affects everybody. The city firefighters know that well, with three members currently battling the disease. This month the Fire Department is paying tribute to those who are battling breast cancer and their families. The union, Pittsfield Fire Fighters Local 2647, purchased new pink shirts for all 96 members of the department to wear as their uniform for the month of October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. "Obviously cancer touches everyone's lives, especially it seems, in Pittsfield and Berkshire County. We have three members battling cancer. We just want to show support," Lt. Jim Heath said. "It is breast cancer awareness month and pink is the symbol for breast cancer. The union bought shirts for everyone and we wear them as our uniform in tribute to all of those who suffered or are suffering from cancer." It is the sixth year the department has been wearing pink for the month. The union purchased the first round of shirts in 2012 and those were worn for the next three years. In 2015, the union bought more. And the union again has restocked the firefighters. The wearing of pink has proliferated nationally to raise awareness of the issue and support those suffering from it. It is estimated that one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her life. Imperial Valley News Center Iranian Television Personality Sentenced to Prison for Paying Bribes to Immigration Officers Los Angeles, California - A personality on a Persian-language television network who formerly acted as an immigration consultant was sentenced Thursday to one year and one day in federal prison for paying cash bribes to corrupt U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers in exchange for the immigration officers approving applications for citizenship. Vida Heravi, 59, of Beverly Hills, who co-hosts a talk show host on the Tapesh TV Network, was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald. Heravi pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to bribe public officials employed by USCIS. When she pleaded guilty, Heravi specifically admitted paying at least $39,000 in cash bribes to corrupt USCIS officers. During the course of the scheme, corrupt immigration officers approved the applications of ineligible aliens to become naturalized citizens, typically receiving $1,000 per alien. Heravi paid at least $39,000 on behalf of 43 ineligible aliens. Heravi also admitted in court that she submitted to USCIS at least 20 fraudulent medical waivers that falsely indicated a doctor had diagnosed the aliens as suffering from conditions that exempted them from the English-reading and language requirements in the naturalization process. Heravi used the fraudulent medical waivers to assist the corrupt USCIS officers in evading detection and to mislead other officers. The USCIS officers accepted cash in exchange for falsely certifying that immigrants had met requirements for citizenship such as passing the English competency and civics portions of the naturalization interview and examination administered by USCIS. The corrupt immigration service also accepted the fraudulent medical waivers without questioning the interviewing aliens medical disability. Another woman charged in the bribery conspiracy along with Heravi in a grand jury indictment Mohdeh Erfani, 50, of Irvine has pleaded guilty and is pending sentencing. Previously in this investigation, former USCIS officer Daniel Espejo Amos was sentenced to three years in federal prison for taking bribes from Heravi and other immigration consultants. The prosecution of Heravi and the others is the result of a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Homeland Securitys Office of the Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisa Fernandez of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section. Imperial Valley News Center Court-packing is not an option for those disgruntled over the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh Washington, DC - The notion of court packing by adding more than the nine Justices already on the Court, might appear to have gained momentum among Democrats as a means of avenging the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. But, it is likely a far fetched notion, according to Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC]. Professors of law have been touting the idea. In fact, University of Tennessee law professor Glenn Harlan Reynolds proposed the size of the court be increased to 59. In an opinion article in USA Today, he suggested the nine justices already seated on the High Court should be joined by one more from each of the 50 states. It should be noted that the U.S. Constitution established the Supreme Court, but it did not specify a set number of justices, leaving it up to Congress to do that. The Judiciary Act of 1789 specified that there be six justices, but that number was increased to seven in 1807 and increased yet again to nine in 1837. Thus, Congress has the power to increase the number of justices at its will. President Roosevelt tried to raise the number to 15 in 1937. However, he could not convince his Congress to go for his plan. Indiana University law professor Ian Samuels recently proposed getting pay-back for Kavanaugh by raising the number of justices on the Supreme Court to 15 when Democrats regain Congress and the Presidency. As Samuels put it: Pack the courts should be a phrase on par with abolish ICE a half-dozen well-qualified young progressives would make Kennedys replacement basically irrelevant. But, George Mason University Law Professor Adam White described that idea as a good way to secure President Trumps re-election if the so-called loyal opposition were to leak that particular notion to voters, Weber explained. Josh Blackman, a constitutional-law professor at the South Texas College of Law, opposed court packing in an article in The National Review, opting for the status quo. He wrote that It is far simpler, and more productive, to garner 51 nay votes than to radically alter how our judiciary has functioned throughout the history of our Republic. Weber pointed out that improbable as it is, imagine the outrage among Democrats if the current Republican Congress were to call for an increase in the number of justices on the Supreme Court, whether it be one, two or six. After all, it would be President Trump who would be picking them over the coming two years. And, assuming the GOP can hold on to its majority in the Senate, they would most likely confirm all or most of them. Dismantling the Largest Criminal Street Gang in Riverside County Riverside, California - California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Riverside Police Chief Sergio Diaz today announced Operation Eastbound and Down, an effort to dismantle the largest criminal street gang in Riverside County. The Operation included the arrest of 45 individuals and the seizure of 63 firearms, including 13 assault weapons. The six-month investigation began following a spike in violent crimes in the Riverside community, including murder, drive-by shootings, and assaults. The spike of crimes resulted from the release from custody of gang members and associates who began fighting to regain control and power. As a result of the operation, gang members and their associates will be charged with various crimes. These charges include attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, illegal possession and trafficking of firearms and narcotics, and conspiracy to commit criminal activity. The Riverside County District Attorney will be prosecuting the cases. No community should be plagued by violence and street crime. This weeks coordinated action targeting criminal street gangs, which will be followed by vigorous prosecution, is an essential component in fulfilling our public safety responsibilities, said Attorney General Becerra. The men and women of the California Department of Justice will continue to work hand-in-hand with the Riverside Police Department and the Riverside County District Attorney to take back our neighborhoods for the families of Riverside. I am very proud of the amazing work of our gang and narcotics detectives, as well as of the incredible partnership with the California Attorney General and his Department of Justice investigators, said Riverside Police Chief Sergio Diaz. The primary message we wish to convey to our residents is that the Riverside Police Department is committed to working tirelessly to ensure that violent crime is addressed and that its victims can find a measure of justice. When violent gangsters are removed from our streets, the entire community is able to peaceably enjoy our Citys freedoms and its charms. Most importantly, children can learn and develop and play without the fear of being victimized in any neighborhood. All of us in the criminal justice system have an absolute obligation to provide that peace and those opportunities to our youngest and most vulnerable citizens. This operation and the tremendous impact it will now have on this violent criminal street gang is another example of what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies on the local, state, and federal level work together, said Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin. The criminal street gang targeted in this operation has victimized our community for far too long. Fighting gang violence has been and will continue to be a priority for my office. Operation Eastbound and Down was a joint investigative effort between the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, the Riverside Police Department, and the Riverside County District Attorneys Office. Together the agencies have been working to reduce and minimize the violence and public threat associated with these highly volatile criminal street gang members. The Special Operations Unit is a collaborative investigative effort between the California Department of Justice and California Highway Patrol that provides statewide enforcement to combat violent career criminals, gangs, and organized crime groups, along with intrastate drug traffickers. Man Sentenced To 10 Years For Conspiring To Commit Murder In Aid Of Racketeering Fresno, California - Deandre Stanfield, 38, of Fresno, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. ONeill to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, Stanfield was an influential member of the Dog Pound Gang (DPG). In that role, he and other influential members guided and directed the actions of younger, less-experienced gang members. They also set rules, including directives not to talk to the police, to back up fellow gang members when they needed help with rival gang members or otherwise, and to assist other DPG members with sex trafficking and credit card fraud. In addition to these crimes, the DPG enterprise engaged in drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit murder, and other offenses affecting interstate commerce. In pleading guilty to the conspiracy, Stanfield admitted that he agreed with other DPG members to kill rival gang members. While incarcerated in Kern North State Prison for assault with a firearm, Stanfield spoke with several DPG members about getting guns and planning retaliation for the shooting of fellow DPG gang members. The conversations happened in March 2016 after codefendant Kenneth Wharry was shot at by individuals DPG believed to be rival gang members, and during a time when DPG was pursuing retaliation. This case is the product of an investigation by the California Department of Justice, California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit; Fresno Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations; the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC); the Fresno County District Attorneys Office; and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez, Jeffrey A. Spivak, and Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN as part of the Departments renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Salinas Resident Charged With Attempted Murder And Related Crimes In Salinas Gang Case San Jose, California - A federal grand jury indicted Kristopher Purcell, aka K-Dawg, charging him with two counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering; two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to, or possession in furtherance of, a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The indictment was filed October 11, 2018, and was unsealed earlier. According to the indictment, Purcell, age 20, of Salinas, is accused of attempting to murder two victims on Orchard Avenue in Salinas, on February 12, 2017, in an attempt to enhance his status with the Nuestra Familia prison gang and its subservient Norteno street gangs. The indictment describes how Norteno gang members earn promotion and prestige by proving themselves through the commission of criminal activities, including acts of violence such as murder and attempted murder. In fact, according to the indictment, a Norteno gang member is expected to hunt that is, seek out and beat, stab, or shoot any rivals. Further, Purcell is charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon as a result of the same February 12, 2017 shooting. The fifth charge in the indictment relates to Purcells alleged use of a firearm during the attack. In sum, Purcell is charged with two counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1959(a)(5); two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1959(a)(3); and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to, or possession in furtherance of, a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c). An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted of either count of attempted murder, Purcell faces a maximum prison term of 10 years and a maximum fine of $250,000. If convicted of either count of assault with a dangerous weapon, Purcell faces a maximum prison term of 20 years and a maximum fine of $250,000. If convicted of the firearm offense, Purcell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum prison term of life in prison, to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed in this case. The firearms offense also carries a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. 3553. Purcell made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen. He remains in custody and is next scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Virginia K. DeMarchi for a hearing to determine whether he will be detained pending disposition of this case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the California Highway Patrol and the Salinas Police Department. Members of the public who have information regarding gang-related activities are encouraged to contact FBI San Francisco Division at 415-553-7400. Man Sentenced To Over 12 Years For Sex Trafficking A Minor Sacramento, California - Tion Makeise Foster, 23, of Point Arena, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to twelve and one-half years in prison followed by ten years of supervised release for sex trafficking a minor, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, in August 2016, Foster and his co-defendant, Monica Morales, recruited a 16-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts for their financial benefit. The defendants contacted the minor using a social media website on the internet called MocoSpace. After making initial contact, Foster and Morales drove to Yuba County, where they picked up the victim and then transported her around Northern California, where they had her engage in sex acts for their financial benefit for approximately one week. During that time, Foster and Morales posted photos of the victim in various online prostitution advertisements. After Foster and Morales returned the victim to Yuba County, they contacted her again using the internet in December 2016, and discussed plans to traffic her again. While en route to pick up the victim, Foster was arrested in Citrus Heights following a local undercover operation. In that separate state case, Foster used the internet to recruit a person he believed to be a seventeen-year old girl for sex trafficking activity, but who was in fact an undercover officer. Codefendant Monica Morales was previously sentenced to over 10 years in prison in this case. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Yuba County Sheriffs Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michele Beckwith prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. La Quinta Conman Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison in Fraud Schemes Riverside, California - A La Quinta man with a criminal history going back nearly five decades has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for masterminding a series of fraud schemes that cost victims nearly $2 million. Jerome Arthur Whittington, 68, received the 10-year sentence late Monday from United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal, who said the defendant had ruined the lives of some of the victims. Whittington was sentenced after pleading guilty in May 2016 to 33 counts of conspiracy, wire fraud and passport fraud. Whittington orchestrated a series of fraud schemes in which he posed as various figures, including a former federal prosecutor, a successful attorney, a special agent with the FBI, and a wealthy real estate investor. Whittingtons criminal conduct was exceptional the sheer volume and breadth of his fraudulent conduct is unlike anything Ive seen from the bench, Judge Bernal said on Monday. In one of the schemes, Whittington posed as an attorney and falsely promised a victim that he could help the victim recover losses suffered after investing in two bogus companies. Whittington claimed he was able to seize assets from the two fraudulent companies, but the victim needed to provide money that would be used to post bonds that were required prior to seizing the assets. After Whittington falsely claimed that he had obtained a $4 million judgment, Whittington told the victim that representatives from the companies and other victims were very angry and that he should leave the country to avoid confrontations and harassment. As a result of this reloading scheme, the victim paid Whittington approximately $290,000 to recover the losses but Whittington simply spent the money on personal expenses, which included making payments to other victims of his schemes. During the sentencing hearing, the victim told Judge Bernal that Whittington ruined his life by stealing retirement savings he had built up during a 40-year career. Whittington started the [latest] schemes while he was in the sixties. Once he completes the prison, Whittington will be on supervised release for seven years. Judge Bernal also ordered that Whittington is responsible for paying nearly $1.7 million in restitution to the victims. Two criminal cases against Whittington were part of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP). This matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jerry C. Yang of the Riverside Branch Office. Political Consultant Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud the United States San Francisco, California - Derf Butler, owner and president of San Francisco-based Butler Enterprises, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with a federal construction contract, and making false statements to federal investigators, announced United States Attorney Alex G. Tse, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, and the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge James Breckenridge. The plea was accepted by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge. A federal grand jury indicted Butler, 54, of Vallejo, with the charges on April 6, 2017. In pleading guilty to the charges without a plea agreement, Butler has admitted that he conspired with others to knowingly and intentionally defraud the DOE. Specifically, Butler admitted that beginning no later than July 17, 2013, he was involved with others in an illegal scheme to obtain a contract with the DOE to renovate a building on the campus of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Contractors seeking construction work with the DOE are legally required to obtain work through a competitive bidding process. In this case, Butler and others agreed to submit, or participate in the submission of, fraudulent and non-competitive bids to perform the renovation of LBNL Building 84. Specifically, Butler agreed to take steps to ensure that a particular developer won the contract by ensuring the developers bid on the renovation project was the lowest bid. Butler also helped to orchestrate the submission of bids by other contractors in amounts dictated by the developer. Butler also admitted he understood the bids he arranged for submission by other contractors were not genuine bids and were intended to be higher than the bid submitted to the DOE by the developer. In addition, Butler admitted meeting with the developer in July of 2013, at which time Butler agreed to locate contractors to submit bids for the DOE contract in amounts higher than the contractors bid. During the meeting, the developer gave Butler $2,000 in cash. At the same meeting, Butler proposed that, instead of paying the contractors for submitting the bids, the developer could give the bidders sub-contracting work once the developer won the contract. Later that same month, Butler met with the developer other contractors. All agreed that the contractors would submit separate bids and none of the bids would be lower than the $5.7 million bid to be submitted by the developer. Within the next three months, the contractors additional, higher bids were submitted to the DOE and Butler received two additional cash payments of $4,000 and $9,000. Butler also admitted facts related to making fraudulent statements to investigators. On March 26, 2014, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation interviewed Butler about his dealings with the developer. Butler told the agents he had never received money from and that he had no financial relationship with the developer. In truth, Butler already had received $15,000, he had requested an additional $15,000, and he had multiple conversations with the developer about the financial benefits he expected to receive once the DOE contract for the renovation project was awarded. The grand jury charged Butler with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371, and one count of making a false statement, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001(a)(2). Pursuant to todays plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to both counts. Judge Breyer scheduled Butlers sentencing for January 23, 2019. Butler faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge. In addition, Butler faces a maximum penalty of ten years imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for the false statement count. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. 3553. On March 9, 2018, Anton Kalafati, 34, of San Francisco, President of B Side Inc. in San Francisco, pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme. Kalafati admitted to being one of the contractors who submitted a sham bid for the LBNL Building 84 renovation contract. There is currently no date scheduled for Kalafatis sentencing hearing. The investigation that led to the charges in the indictment arose out of the FBIs 2012-2014 public corruption investigation of San Francisco political consultant Keith Jackson and then-State Senator Leland Yee, and the related organized crime investigation of Raymond Shrimp Boy Chow. The FBI source who was posing as the developer and acting undercover in connection with the CalVet and DOE contracts described above was also involved in the investigation of Jackson and Yee. Jackson and Yee were convicted of corruption charges in 2015. Assistant United States Attorneys Cynthia Frey, William Frentzen, and David Countryman are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Rosario Calderon and Bridget Kilkenny. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General. Additional assistance was provided by the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Researchers identify immune culprits linked to inflammation and bone loss in gum disease Washington, DC - An unhealthy population of microbes in the mouth triggers specialized immune cells that inflame and destroy tissues, leading to the type of bone loss associated with a severe form of gum disease, according to a new study in mice and humans. The research, led by scientists from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) at the National Institutes of Health and the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, could have implications for new treatment approaches for the condition. The findings appear online Oct. 17, 2018, in Science Translational Medicine. Periodontal disease is a common disorder that affects nearly half of American adults over age 30, and 70 percent of adults 65 and older. In those affected, bacteria trigger inflammation of the tissues that surround the teeth, which can lead to loss of bone and teeth in an advanced stage of the disease called periodontitis. Weve known for years that microbes stimulate inflammation. Removing bacteria by tooth-brushing and dental care controls inflammation, but not permanently, suggesting there are other factors at play, said study senior author Niki Moutsopoulos, D.D.S., Ph.D., a clinical investigator at NIDCR. Our results suggest that immune cells known as T helper 17 cells are drivers of this process, providing the link between oral bacteria and inflammation. Moutsopoulos and colleagues observed that T helper (Th) 17 cells were much more prevalent in the gum tissue of humans with periodontitis than in the gums of their healthy counterparts, and that the amount of Th17 cells correlated with disease severity. Th17 cells normally live in so-called barrier sitessuch as the mouth, skin, and digestive tractwhere germs make first contact with the body. Th17 cells are known to protect against oral thrush, a fungal infection of the mouth, but they are also linked to inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis and colitis, suggesting that they play dual roles in health and disease. To better understand this dynamic, the NIDCR scientists teamed up with an NIDCR-funded research group led by study senior author George Hajishengallis, D.D.S., Ph.D., at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and colleagues from NIHs National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and National Cancer Institute (NCI). The scientists found that similar to humans, more Th17 cells accumulated in the gums of mice with periodontitis compared to healthy mice, which served as a control group. To see if the oral microbiome might be the trigger for Th17 cell accumulation, the researchers placed mice on a broad-spectrum antibiotic cocktail. They found that eliminating oral microbes prevented expansion of Th17 cells in the gums of mice with periodontitis while leaving other immune cells unaffected, suggesting an unhealthy bacterial population triggers Th17 cell accumulation. Next, the group wanted to know if blocking Th17 cells could lessen periodontal disease. When the scientists genetically engineered mice to lack Th17 cells, or gave the animals a small-molecule drug that prevents Th17 cell development, they saw similar outcomes: reduced bone loss from periodontitis. RNA analysis showed the Th17-blocking drug led to reduced expression of genes involved in inflammation, tissue destruction, and bone loss, suggesting that Th17 cells may mediate these processes in periodontitis. Finally, the researchers studied a group of 35 patients at the NIH Clinical Center with a gene defect causing them to lack Th17 cells. The scientists reasoned that if Th17 cells are as important to periodontitis as the animal studies suggested, not having Th17 cells should protect against gum disease. This is indeed what the group foundthe patients were less susceptible to the condition and had less inflammation and bone loss compared to age- and gender-matched volunteers. Our clinical observations point to the relevance of our animal studies to humans and provide further evidence that Th17 cells are drivers of periodontitis, said NIDCR researcher Nicolas Dutzan, Ph.D., first author of the paper. These results provide key insights into the mechanisms that underlie development of periodontal disease, said NIDCR Director Martha J. Somerman, D.D.S., Ph.D. Importantly, they also offer compelling evidence for therapeutic targeting of specific cells, which might eventually help us provide better treatment and more relief to patients with this common disease. This research was supported by the NIH intramural research programs of NIDCR, NIAID, NCI, and National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, as well as NIDCR grants R01DE024153 and R37DE026152. Support also came from La Roche-Posay, CEDEF, Pasteur Mutuality Group Corporate Foundation, French Society of Dermatology, Philippe Foundation, and the Foundation for Medical Research. NIDCR is the nations leading funder of research on oral, dental, and craniofacial health. To learn more about NIDCR, visit www.nidcr.nih.gov. Secretary of State Pompeo's Meeting With Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela Washington, DC - The Secretary met with Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela and Vice President and Foreign Minister Isabel de Saint Malo de Alvarado today at the Presidential Palace in Panama City. The leaders reaffirmed the historical and longstanding U.S.-Panama partnership on bilateral and regional security and economic issues. Secretary Pompeo expressed appreciation for Panamas leadership on important regional security matters including counter-narcotics, illegal immigration, and the Government of Panamas vocal advocacy for the restoration of democracy in Venezuela and Nicaragua. Secretary Pompeo also stressed the importance of transparency and anti-corruption efforts in Panama. Novelist Sir Salman Rushdie has criticised the bleating suggestion mens lives have become tougher. The Man Booker Prize-winning author, who is preparing to speak at the London Literature Festival, dismissed any suggestion of a crisis in modern masculinity. All this bleating about how hard it is for men, I dont have time for. Its much more difficult to be a woman, he told the Press Association. The patriarchy is alive and well. Recommended Now is not the time for men to speak about how MeToo is hard for them The Midnights Children author said he had always created strong female characters. Sometimes theyre horrible, sometimes theyre almost monstrous. Theyre not feeble. Sometimes they tear peoples heads off. Looking back at my books, a lot of my favourite characters have been female. Referring to Brexit, he also said Britain was hankering after a fictional Golden Age. He added: This whole tragedy that this country is going through is based on, in part, a nostalgic idea of British identity which is a fiction. Piers Morgan says men look 'ridiculous' wearing a papoose It ignores the fact that it was based on the exploitation of a quarter of a planet. The idea this would be a wonderful country if all these inconvenient foreigners were not here. Its xenophobic but also unworkable.... The hospitals would close, the schools would close, you wouldnt be able to gather the harvest... Literally you couldnt have a hospital in London if you were to kick all the foreigners out. The Satanic Verses author is in London to speak at the Southbank Centres 12th London Literature Festival, which also features Roger Daltrey and Marilynne Robinson. A lot of literary festivals now are in tiny, out-of-the-way places... It seems to have become a thing to put festivals in smaller places, he said. Im really pleased to be here. London is London and to have a big literary festival in London, you want to be part of it. Press Association For the coven of New York witches hosting a large-scale hexing of Brett Kavanaugh - in honour of the justices controversial confirmation to the Supreme Court - the event was their way of showing "resistance and resilience". When we arrived at the venue Catland, an occult bookshop that sells a variety of books, tarot cards, and crystal balls, security was tight with the hexing host mindful of the attention, wanted or otherwise, the event had created. We were told we would not be allowed to leave once wed entered - meaning we would be present for the entire three-hour ceremony - an announcement that made us wary of what was to come. Recommended Witches are planning to hex Brett Kavanaugh at a huge New York ritual Once wed shown our photo-IDs and received confirmation, we were brought into a dimly-lit backroom filled with tightly-packed chairs and an altar featuring penis-shaped candles pierced with nails and poppet dolls imitating Judge Kavanaugh and Donald Trump. Mr Kavanaugh, who was the president's pick for the Supreme Court, was confirmed to the position after facing a number of allegations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct. Mr Kavanaugh denies all the accusations against him. There, in the ominous storage-turned-hexing room, we awaited further instructions from Dakota Bracciale, the co-owner of Catland and the witch in charge of leading us through the hexing, as the rest of the attendees filed in. Apart from the noise of the gathered attendees, who ranged in ages, were the noises from outside the thin walls - of the shouts and prayers of Catholic protestors whod arrived to combat the supernatural proceedings. The room fit 60 attendees The protestors, whod come bearing bible verses and rosaries, proceeded to sing hymns and preach their beliefs - quite loudly. After realising that their warnings regarding the ritual and the dangers associated with living in the dark werent going to end anytime soon, Bracciale encouraged attendees to call and file a noise complaint with the city of New York. At 7:45pm, police showed up, however, their presence did little to quell the angry religious shouting. Humming from inside Catland increased as the witches became angrier at the rude interference coming from outside the thin walls. Chants of F*** Brett Kavanaugh from people still gathered outside were more successful in silencing the noise. Roughly 15 minutes later, once the 60 attendees and press, of which there were about 20, were all settled in, the hexing was finally able to begin - marked by a further dimming of the lights and a reminder that no flash photography was allowed. Candles get burned, b*****s get hexed, Bracciale, who identifies with gender-neutral pronouns, told the crowd. The actual hexing was quite short and included the reciting of psalm 109 King James Version - an interesting juxtaposition to the impassioned shouts from protestors on the street - and then a hands-on moment where participating witches could write the names of the people they wanted hexed. The witches could hex anyone they wanted Write the names of everyone you want to curse and write on the altar as well, Bracciale passionately said. These names were thrown into vases and covered with graveyard dirt, coffin nails, broken glass, sulphur, cactus thorns, water from a thunderstorm, and urine. To ensure that the hex continues to work, black candles will be burned on the macabre creation monthly - on the night of the dark moon - and the same psalm will be recited until they pay for what theyve done. Apart from spell casting, which Bracciale had promised ahead of the ritual, the night was about much more than targeting Mr Kavanaugh and wishing him ill. ...on a more important level, this is a coming together of people who recognise this as an important moment in our country, Bracciale told The Independent. The knowledge and awareness of this critical moment was evidenced by the reactions from the witches, who regularly and without pause shouted out their support for what Bracciale was saying - which included impassioned promises to exact revenge on those whod wronged them. After the bible verses and the crowd participation was a tribe anointment - a ceremony that promised the witches that they were apart of something much bigger, and not alone in their individual experiences. To honour the occasion, Bracciale brought out a concoction which theyd made themself - and asked those who wanted to to dab their pressure points with the oil. What followed was a moving second ritual called The Rites of the Scorned One, at which point filming and pictures were prohibited and press was asked not to write down details. 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 Prior to the event, Bracciale told us the second ritual is one centred around the understanding that rage is an extremely important part of our person and self-sovereignty. In respect of the wishes of those involved, we will share our own takeaway of the second ritual - that it was emotional, raw and indicative of the scars that remain when one suffers from sexual abuse. Bracciale concluded the second ritual by sharing their own story of rape and sexual assault. The altar The night wrapped with promises to host similar events soon - at which point we were informed that exiting would be done in groups to ensure the safety of every attendee. After three hours, the Christian protestors still remained - ready outside the doors. Once we were allowed outside, we were met with a large spotlight and cameras belonging to alt-right and conservative press organisations - intent on filming those who had attended the hexing. We were quickly led away by security, who walked with us the 10-minutes back to the subway station, where we departed Brooklyn on a Manhattan-bound train. Coven of witches have organised a mass hexing of Brett Kavanaugh in Brooklyn Overall, while we were surprised by the absence of what wed imagined as magic, the event was much more emotional than what wed expected - closely resembling a group therapy session more than anything else. In addition to a hexing, the ritual was a bonding experience - which Bracciale had hoped for when they'd planned the event. Its a sort of coming together of solidarity on many different levels, they told us. One of the things I picked up on pretty early on was that when it comes to times of trouble and periods in someones life when things are tumultuous, they want to have some sort of support that they can tap in to. How do we get everyone together to weather the storm? Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events While the hex to oust Judge Kavanaugh may or may not work, the real magic in the back room of the Brooklyn bookshop was the unfaltering acceptance and the belief in one anothers ability to weather the storm. Long gone are the days when employees would sidle out of the office at 12 noon for a lunchtime meeting only to trundle back three hours later, two courses and a bottle of Chardonnay down. Today, high demands and an increasingly volatile economic landscape have rendered the concept of lunch hours obsolete in most offices, with the average Brit now taking just 22 minutes for their midday break, new research claims. Lunchtimes have fallen by a third in the last six years, with a 2012 average of 33 minutes, according to a poll of more than 800 workers conducted by hospitality company Sodexo and nonprofit health body Ukactive, Recommended CVS just banned Photoshopped beauty images The survey found that one in five employees didnt leave their desks at all during lunchtime. The research, as reported by The Daily Telegraph, also looked into how much British workers were exercising and found that one in five cycled or walked to work, with the majority travelling by train or car. Meanwhile, at lunchtime - once viewed as the optimum time to squeeze in a workout - todays employees are mostly sedentary, the report claims. Three quarters of people arent physically active on their lunch breaks, which makes sense given the 22-minute average barely warrants enough time to grab a ham and cheese sandwich from Pret A Manger, let alone start breaking a sweat on a cross trainer. Among reasons cited for skipping the break, most people gave work-related explanations, such as excessive workload or unprecedented task lists. Others said there simply werent enough dining options nearby, leaving them to resort to desk-side meals they would've presumably brought in from home or purchased from a supermarket. These figures are a shocking indictment of modern workplace cultures, where employees increasingly find themselves tied to their desks and screens all day, comments Steven Ward, chief executive at Ukactive. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Our research shows staff believe in the benefits of being more physically active but dont feel they have the time - employers should heed these warnings if they want to encourage their teams to be more productive. It's not just Brits who have waved goodbye to the luxury of lunch hours; lunchtime is a similarly short-lived affair across the pond, with a 2015 survey finding that just one fifth of Americans spend their lunch break away from their desks. Theres increasing evidence to show the adverse effects of spending an entire day sat down at a desk. Recommended How to get an effective workout in your lunch break While theres no set time limit advising people how long they should or shouldnt sit for, research has linked excessive sitting to obesity, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer. If you really cant manage prolonged periods of time away from your desk, recent guidelines published by the UK's four Chief Medical Officers recommend taking shorter breaks at regular intervals throughout the day lasting for one or two minutes. Something really is better than nothing, at least in this instance. Selma Blair has revealed she has multiple sclerosis (MS). The 46-year-old actor shared the news with fans on Saturday, explaining how she had been diagnosed with the lifelong condition, which affects the brain and the spinal cord, in August. Writing on Instagram, Blair said that despite only just being diagnosed, she has been experiencing symptoms for years, leading her to believe she mightve had the disease for more than a decade. The Cruel Intentions star begins the candid post by recalling a recent wardrobe fitting for Another Life, the 10-part Netflix series she is currently filming for, explaining how she has the deepest gratitude for the shows costume designer, Allisa Swanson, for helping her into her clothes. She carefully gets my legs in my pants, pulls my tops over my head, buttons my coats and offers her shoulder to steady myself," Blair writes. Recommended Caroline Wyatt reveals she hid effects of multiple sclerosis from BBC "I have Multiple Sclerosis. I am in an exacerbation. She goes on to thank the producers at Netflix for their compassion before illustrating how the disease is beginning to have an adverse effect on her daily existence. I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken GPS. MS is an incurable condition that disrupts the central nervous system and can cause a number of physically debilitating symptoms, including blurred vision, difficulty walking, muscle spasms and fatigue. According to the NHS, there are more than 100,000 people with MS in the UK. Its most commonly diagnosed in people in their 20s and 30s and is more common in women than men. Two months after receiving the initial diagnosis, Blair explains she is now in the thick of her illness and feels perpetually exhausted. The mother-of-one described herself as a forthcoming person, adding that she longs for the physical capabilities she had before which enabled her to carry out everyday activities such as playing with her son and going horse riding. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events I have MS and I am ok, she continues. But if you see me, dropping crap all over the street, feel free to help me pick it up. It takes a whole day for me alone. Thank you and may we all know good days amongst the challenges. Blair concludes her post by explaining how she has had symptoms for years, but was never taken seriously by doctors until she fell down in a medical examination while trying to sort out what she had presumed was a pinched nerve. I have probably had this incurable disease for 15 years at least, she adds. And I am relieved to at least know. And share. The actor's post has been liked more than 37,000 times, prompting a flurry of supportive comments from fans and fellow celebrities who praised Blair for her bravery. "I love you, I'm proud of you, and there is nothing I wouldn't do for you," wrote Sarah Michelle Gellar, who starred alongside Blair in Cruel Intentions in 1999. "You are a stellar being, Selma Blair," tweeted Rose McGowan. "Your truth and honesty will help so many. Blessings on your journey." People are reportedly consuming substances that produce superhuman strength, trigger face-eating attacks, eliminate the ability to feel pain and make them smell of prawns. They may read like the taglines for a graphic novel B-movie adaptation, but if these sometimes frankly ludicrous headlines would have you believe anything, it is that the effects of the class of drugs including the exotically named monkey dust they speak of are anything but fiction. Instead, we are told they are causing a public health crisis. Media coverage of the epidemic in the midlands cites Staffordshire Police saying it received an overwhelming 950 reports in three months related to monkey dust. The West Midlands Ambulance Service has been called out 229 times for problems related to the drug since January and paramedics describe witnessing horror scenes akin to those in Night of the Living Dead. Users, meanwhile, are said to be running into traffic, and scaling and leaping off buildings. One police officer likened trying to restrain them as like you are dealing with someone who thinks they are the Incredible Hulk. The psychoactive substance has been called a family wrecker for the supposedly major role it is playing in parents drug use, accounting for nearly a third of all assessments performed by Staffordshire County Councils childrens services department. It is being blamed for costing councils millions of pounds too, with warnings of millions more being needed if there is no intervention. Child refugees who were refused sanctuary in Britain when the Calais Jungle camp was demolished are being exploited in the UK after crossing the Channel alone, campaigners have warned. Hundreds of unaccompanied minors who were living in the shantytown were denied legal passage by the Home Office in October 2016, with no right to appeal the decision. The court of appeal recently ruled in two separate cases that this process was unlawful, stating children were given patently inadequate reasons for the rejection of their applications. The Independent can now reveal that a number of these children have since made it to the UK via unauthorised routes, pushing them into the hands of smugglers and subsequent debt bondage once they arrived in Britain. The latest figures from the Child Trafficking Advice Centre (CTAC), which identifies and tries to locate children who have crossed the Channel alone, show that since August 2016, 293 youngsters have arrived via unauthorised routes, of which just 103 have been located suggesting many are living underground. While their identities are not known, social workers and lawyers said children who had lived in the Jungle would be among them, as scores of youngsters "disappeared" when they were refused entry following the closure of the camp, with many heading for the UK. The Independent reported at the time that unaccompanied children who had been rejected by the UK government were neglected in French accommodation centres, deprived of basic provisions such as suitable food, security provisions and emotional support. Social Workers Without Borders, which jointly carried out a series of child assessments in the Jungle prior to its demolition, said that of the 42 children they assessed as being in need in the Calais camp none of whom were granted safe passage nine were now confirmed to have made it to the UK alone, while 14 were untraceable. The Independent heard that one Sudanese teenager who went missing within a few months of his arrival. Sue Clayton, an academic who tracked a number of the children from the camp, said the boy had been placed with a foster mother in Ilford, and that she visited him there in December 2016, but that three months later, she received a call from the police to say he had gone missing. I went to see him at his foster mums and he was fine, but then I was called by Ilford police saying he had gone missing and they found my number in his phone records, said Ms Clayton. I have texted him, but no replies. Something clearly went wrong for him in the UK maybe he had to work for a trafficker, or to pay for family back home. He told me his mum has very sick and they needed money. In another case, a 17-year-old Afghan boy arrived in the UK in May 2017 after crossing illegally. For his first few days in the country, he slept rough in south London, and later had to undergo life-saving treatment for a lung condition he contracted while in the Jungle. More than a year later, he was granted asylum. The teenagers solicitor, Jamie Bell, of Duncan Lewis Solicitors, said there were signs that he had been exploited on his route, and that coming to the UK had saved his life. He went through an incredible amount. He was refused transfer under the Dubs Amendment and left to survive by himself. He travelled on his own and the Home Office recognised him as a refugee anyway," said Mr Bell. "The benefit of Dubs was supposed to be transferring vulnerable refugees to the UK, who were languishing in the Jungle and desperately needed assistance. This clearly wasnt done and he had to help himself. If he hadnt made it to the UK, he would have died." In a third case, social workers said a 16-year-old boy was effectively "held hostage" by smugglers once he arrived in the UK because his father, who was already in Britain, had been unable to pay the fees for his illegal crossing. Police intervened and the child was freed. The Crown Court later found the two men who held the boy guilty of blackmail. Swati Pande, a team manager at CTAC, said it was common for children who crossed the Channel to go missing or never be traced in the UK, and that this was often an indicator that they were in debt bondage. Recommended Surge in child refugees in Calais creates terrifying new market A lot of them are very frustrated and want to get in touch with people and start working. They will often say there is an uncle who wants to help them. If a child has just made it here, why is this little takeaway or car wash willing to offer them a job? she said. Nothing is free. These kids have made such long, unsafe journeys. Someones paid; they still owe money. During their journeys, we know there can be high levels of abuse. Because what is their currency? When children dont have any money, then sadly the bodies become the currency, drugs become the currency. Its very concerning. Liz Clegg, founder of the Meena centre in Birmingham, which supports children who lived in the Jungle and are now in the UK, said: Weve witnessed debt bondage. Children abscond for three weeks and then come back. Were aware that loans are taken out; were aware people may get over from Calais and they owed maybe 1,000-2,000. Sometimes theyre given a year to sort their paperwork, and then theyre told theyve got to start paying it back. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Its very tricky because none of them want to report this. We ask them what theyre doing and they dont say, but theyre obviously working. And theyre obviously nervous." Ms Clegg added: "We have disclosures about child sexual exploitation. But no one is willing to speak, because you cannot guarantee the safety of anyones family in Sudan or Afghanistan, can you?" Sarah Jones, MP for Croydon Central, said the government had "turned its back on refugee children from the Jungle, and continues to do so". She added: "When I visited the camps a few weeks ago there were growing concerns among the volunteers on the ground about unaccompanied minors sleeping rough in the woods near Calais. Often they dont even have tents because of regular police clearances which the UK helps to fund. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Kindertransport, when our country saved 10,000 children from the Nazis. Its a national shame that our current governments hostile environment to refugees extends to even the youngest and most vulnerable children. Alone, afraid and on our doorstep. A Home Office spokesperson told The Independent: The Government remains steadfast in our commitment under the Dubs amendment to relocate 480 children to the UK from Europe as well as reuniting unaccompanied children with close family members under the Dublin Regulation. More than 220 children have already been transferred to the UK. Last year the UK provided protection to almost 6,000 children and also issued 5,218 family reunion visas, of which more than half were for children. The Sandhurst Treaty, signed between the UK and France in January 2018, includes a number of measures to strengthen our cooperation on unaccompanied asylum seeking children such as shorter timescales for acceptances and transfers under Dublin, and a 3.6m development fund to identify projects to support eligible children through the Dublin process. Dominic Raab has said a Brexit deal needs to be done by the end of November or the government risks running out of time to rubber-stamp the agreement before Britain leaves the EU. The Brexit secretary insisted that a deal was still possible with goodwill and a bit of oomph on both sides, despite a crunch EU summit last week breaking up without an arrangement with Brussels. Theresa May faced heavy criticism from Tory MPs after she floated the idea the government could agree to a longer transition period to give negotiators time to solve the vexed issue of the Irish border. Mr Raab sought to play down the proposals, saying he was open minded to an extension of three months beyond the agreed 21-month period, which was due to end in December 2020. It comes after he also said Britain would only offer a longer transition period if the plans for a backstop over the Irish border were dropped. He told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show: Im confident we can get a deal and equally I think we need to have done it towards the end of November. I think the EU side as well as for the UK, the practical timings of getting our legislation through. Theres every reason we can do this deal, there is pragmatism and goodwill on both sides. What we are not going to do, and I think this is an important point to make, we have made concessions, we have made compromises. There does come a point where you can become compromised yourself and thats why we have to be very clear that Northern Ireland cannot be separated by the rest of the UK in customs or regulatory terms, and we cant have a situation where we are stuck in an indefinite limbo. He suggested the transition period could be extended by three months, but the move would have to solve the Irish backstop issue. If there does need to be a bridge, I am open minded about the possibility about using a short extension of the implementation period. Lets say three months, he said. Avoiding a hard border in Ireland has become the major sticking point in the negotiations. Negotiators have agreed the need for a backstop plan, which would be a safety net in case no trade deal is agreed with the EU. Brussels wants a backstop that keeps Northern Ireland in the EUs customs union, while the prime minister wants the UK to stay in the trade arrangement until 2020, preventing a border down the Irish Sea. Amid widespread plotting by Conservative MPs, Mr Raab also urged his colleagues to play for the team rather than seeking to oust the prime minister. Frances Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau said what was needed was definitive answers or at least no temporary measures which disappear and we dont know what to do after over the Irish border. She said: We need to have a British answer to what we have proposed the ball is in Londons court and we are waiting. Its about a question of weeks now until we are sure that we can have a good agreement. But on the Irish border issue, we agreed together London and the 27 that the situation has to be as similar as possible to the current one, meaning no hard border, no controls between northern and southern Ireland, so there has to be a solution, but you cannot only rely on negotiation about the future relationship. Ms Loiseau said it is something which needs to be fixed by London as the UK took the decision to leave the EU. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Pro-EU campaigners accused Mr Raab of making it up as he goes along and urged the government to listen to demands for a second referendum, after nearly 700,000 protestors took to the streets in London to call for a fresh vote on the final deal. The march, organised with The Independent, was the largest demonstration on the streets of the capital since the Iraq War protest in 2003. Labour MP Rupa Huq, who backs a peoples vote, said: There is no clearer sign that Britain is heading for no deal or a bad deal than the sight of ministers and the prime minister arguing in public about what the UK negotiating position should be. Yesterday, 700,000 people marched on parliament to send a clear message to politicians that they are angry about the mess they have created which is in no way in this countrys interests. The only thing that is now clear about Brexit is the groundswell of public support for a Peoples Vote. Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said: Dominic Raab seems to be making up the Conservatives Brexit position as he goes along. Its difficult to see what major difference an extension of three months could possibly make. The Conservatives have form on using sticky plaster solutions to problems that require major political surgery. Pro-EU campaigners have drawn up a hit list of 50 Tory MPs who could be persuaded to support a second Brexit referendum after more than 670,000 people took to the streets to demand a vote on Britains exit terms. Five government ministers are among the Conservative politicians deemed reachable by the Peoples Vote group, which is ramping up pressure on individual MPs to back a final say on plans to leave the EU. It comes in the wake of the major demonstration for a fresh Brexit vote on Saturday, organised in partnership with The Independent, which is thought to be the largest march in the capital since the Iraq War protests in 2003. Only seven Tory MPs have openly backed a second referendum but a significant number are understood to be privately weighing their options as Theresa May struggles to unite both her own party and Brussels on the best way forward. Former minister Anna Soubry, who was one of the first Conservative MPs to support a new vote, told The Independent: I can tell you, privately lots and lots of Conservatives MPs are saying, How else are we going to solve this problem? How else are we going to solve the impasse over there in parliament? Remember, [this is] a government that after two and a half years has still not worked out what its policy is and a government that has no mandate for a hard Brexit. She was joined by ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve and prominent backbenchers Justine Greening, Sarah Wollaston, Philip Lee, Guto Bebb and Heidi Allen in backing a second referendum. Dr Lee, who quit the government in June to speak out over Brexit, told activists at Conservative conference that at least three ministers were privately supportive of another referendum. In a targeted push, the campaigners have set aside more than 100,000 for individual polls of more than 600 constituencies, sometimes at the request of MPs themselves, which are due to be published this week. Protesters brought the streets to a virtual standstill on Saturday as they marched from Park Lane to Parliament Square, where celebrities including Delia Smith and Deborah Meaden gave speeches, and politicians including Labours Chuka Umunna, Tory MP Sarah Wollaston and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable addressed the crowds. Alastair Campbell, Tony Blairs former spin doctor who attended the march, said voters from both sides of the Brexit debate had been galvanised because they feel the Brexit process is not going well. He told Sky News Ridge on Sunday: I dont believe there is an it [a Brexit deal] that she is going to be able get through parliament. What happens then? It may actually be that that is the moment, amid the chaos that might follow that if she cant get a majority in parliament for a deal, that thats when it goes to a peoples vote. A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Show all 65 1 /65 A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit An estimated 700,000 people marched through London to demand a final say on the withdrawal agreement Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Red smoke from a canister hangs in the air as around 100,000 demonstrators march through London during a People's Vote anti-brexit demonstration savings banners and placards Anti-Brexit People's Vote March for the Future in London Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Mayor of London Sadiq Khan takes part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Protesters wearing final Say shirts and holding placards Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit MP Chuka Umunna (left) and MP Vince Cable (right) as MP Anna Soubry (centre) addresses Anti-Brexit campaigners at a rally after the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A Peoples Vote march attendee calls for a Final Say Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators with banners 'We're with EU' during the People's Vote March for the Future in London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Protesters at Londons march for the future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Editor of The Independent Christian Broughton speaks to demonstrators in Parliament Sqaure after they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A poster at the March for the Future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 campaigner wrapped in EU flag Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators pass Trafalgar Square as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators wave Union and European flags and hold up placards as they pass Trafalgar Square, taking part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A demonstrator holds a message during a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators take part in the 'People's Vote March for the Future,' in central London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A protester brandishes an Independent t-shirt during the Brexit March Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Tens of thousands of people take part in People's Vote March for the Future in central London. The march organised by the People's Vote campaign is led by young people calling for a People's Vote on the Brexit deal Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA It comes as the prime minister faces a battle to save her leadership in the coming days after a crunch EU summit broke up without any sign of a Brexit deal. Angry Tory MPs are urging Ms May to make a rare appearance before the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers on Wednesday, to undergo a grilling about her Brexit strategy. A Downing Street source said a decision had not been made about the prime ministers diary. It is unusual for any prime minister to address the committee apart from at the beginning and the end of the parliamentary term. Ms May will, however, address MPs about the Brussels summit on Monday, where tensions could flare up over her suggestion that the Brexit transition period could be extended to allow negotiators more time to solve outstanding problems, such as the Irish border. Paris demands an in-depth investigation of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. The German authorities also consider the information provided by Saudi Arabia regarding Khashoggi's death insufficient, Berlin strongly condemns the incident and expects transparency from Riyadh regarding the circumstances of the death and its background, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the head of the German Foreign Ministry Heiko Maas said in a joint statement on Saturday. The Guardian writes in the article Jamal Khashoggi's death: what will Saudi Arabia do next? that statements from the official Saudi Press Agency and ministry of foreign affairs released around midnight local time said Jamal Khashoggi had been killed after a fight broke out with Saudi officials during his visit to the consulate on 2 October. The men involved then took part in in a cover-up of his death. Eighteen suspects had been arrested in relation to the case. It was also announced that Saud al-Qahtani, an influential adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and General Ahmed al-Assiri, a senior intelligence official, had been removed from their posts. The acknowledgement of Khashoggis death comes after two weeks of blanket denials that Riyadh was involved in his disappearance. What does the Turkish evidence say? Steadily released leaks from Turkish investigators over the last two weeks designed to pressure the Saudis into admitting Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate paint a very different picture of what happened the day he died. Investigators allege he was tortured and murdered by a team of 15 men sent from Riyadh to kill him. His body was then cut up and police are searching wooded areas outside Istanbul for his remains. Surveillance footage from outside the consulate on 2 October shows several men entering the building. They were also filmed entering and leaving Ataturk airport with Saudi passports the same day. What will Riyadh do next? The crown prince will head a ministerial committee to restructure the General Intelligence Agency following the firings and continue its ongoing investigation into Khashoggis murder. The identities of the 18 men Riyadh says it has arrested are currently unknown. Bin Salman, who appears to have insulated by the statement, will still oversee all security institutions in the country. Who are the two fired officials? Qahtani, a media adviser to the royal court and close confidant of Bin Salman, has been described as Saudi Arabias Steve Bannon. He is a well-known figure on social media, asking followers to send him the names of the kingdoms critics to be added to his blacklist. Assiri, the deputy head of the Saudi intelligence agency, is one of the crown princes most trusted generals. He was previously a senior air force officer and spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. What did they say about Khashoggis body? Several Saudi officials said on Saturday that the body had been handed over to a local collaborator who disposed of it. Did they say Khashoggi was a target of the authorities? No, although a Saudi official told Reuters on Saturday that there was a general policy of returning critics to the country. The crown prince himself had no knowledge of the operation, the official added, although many people with an understanding of the workings of the Saudi state say he would almost certainly have sanctioned such an undertaking. Have the Turks accepted the Saudi explanation? Turkeys investigation into Khashoggis death is ongoing, using DNA samples. An official from the ruling AK party said on Saturday that the country would never allow a cover-up in determining what happened to Khashoggi. Donald Trump administration is considering revoking civil rights protections for transgender people and requiring Americans to identify as the gender listed on their birth certificates. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) outlined the proposed policy in a memo which stated gender would be determined by a biological basis that is clear, grounded in science, objective, and administrable. It is a potential reversal from the series of policies instituted by the administration of Barack Obama which essentially allowed gender to be the choice of individuals, particularly important for education and health programmes run by the federal government. The memo stated, according to a copy obtained by The New York Times, that the sex of an individual as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of that persons gender in a change affecting approximately 1.4m people in the US who identify as transgender, a different gender from the one at birth, and/or gender non-conforming. The newspaper reported it would eradicate federal recognition of transgender individuals and would require any dispute about ones sex would have to be clarified using genetic testing. Sex means a persons status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth, the memo, which has been making the agency rounds since 2017, stated. The proposal would apply across all federal agencies, opening the door for states to apply the same policy standard. Catherine Lhamon, who led the Education Departments Office for Civil Rights in the Obama administration, told the New York Times the memo flies in the face of what the medical community has already established as fact. Transgender nominee: Historic victories are result of 2016 election This takes a position that what the medical community understands about their patients what people understand about themselves is irrelevant because the government disagrees, she said. While it appears this memo is one of the clearest and widespread retractions of transgender rights by the administration, it is not the first. The agency had eliminated two questions about gender identity and sexual orientation from a demographic survey of elderly Americans back in March 2017. The survey results are published in a very large and important statistical report that helps the government identify the particular challenges older Americans are facing when it comes to employment, healthcare, housing, and other issues, David Stacy, HRCs Government Affairs Director told The Independent at the time. 30 best pictures from New York Pride Show all 30 1 /30 30 best pictures from New York Pride 30 best pictures from New York Pride Peppermint and Sasha Velour attend the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Revellers standing on Seventh Avenue watch the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride People take part in the annual 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 as they make their way down 7th Avenue in New York AFP/Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Parkland, Florida, school shooting survivor Emma Gonzales attends the 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 as participants make their way down 7th Avenue in New York AFP/Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride New York City Pride 2018 Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Members of the New York City Fire Department cheer as EMT Trudy Bermudez and paramedic Tayreen Bonilla get engaged at the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Lady Gaga and Christian Carino are seen at the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Jonathan Van Ness and over 200 marchers show their pride in every flavor at the NYC Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City 30 best pictures from New York Pride A general view of atmosphere during the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Billie Jean King attends the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Queen Bee (C) and her fierce flavor posse give an electrifying performance on SMIRNOFFs Love Wins float for the 2018 NYC Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images for SMIRNOFF 30 best pictures from New York Pride Ilana Glazer attends the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A general view of atmosphere during the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A reveller shows off his hat mirroring President Trump's campaign slogan Make America Great Again at the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A reveller attends the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride An individual mocks Melania Trump's 'I really don't care' jacket, which she wore when visiting a children's shelter on the US-Mexico border Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A general view of atmosphere during the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Revellers take part in the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Revellers kiss during the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Revellers take part in the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Revellers on the amfAR amazon float as amfAR Celebrates NYC Pride 2018 on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Victoria Justice celebrates on the amfAR amazon float as amfAR Celebrates NYC Pride 2018 on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon makes her way down 7th Avenue during the 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 AFP/Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A general view of atmosphere during the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride People take part in the annual 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 as they make their way down 7th Avenue in New York AFP/Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride A general view of atmosphere during the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Participants make their way down 7th Avenue during the 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 AFP/Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride Alexander Wang (center) joins Trojan Condoms to celebrate their Protect Your Wang collaboration, supporing LGBTQ-inclusive sexual health programs, at the NYC Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images for Trojan 30 best pictures from New York Pride Crowd of parade-goers at amfAR Celebrates NYC Pride 2018 on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images 30 best pictures from New York Pride New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo attends the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City Getty Images The HHS under the Trump administration said in the Federal Register that no changes had been made to the survey, said Mr Stacy. The agency website was also scrubbed of information about how LGBTQ Americans can adopt children or where to seek help if they are victims of sex trafficking. The Department of Commerce also had to correct a provision in its equal employment policy so that it once again protects the LGBTQ community in June 2017. The website with the statement was updated to include the phrases sexual orientation and gender identity, though this change did not occur until Buzzfeed reported on the change. The Department of Commerce had not made a formal announcement or press release about the change but added it to the Federal Register, the official journal of the US government which includes agency rules, changes, and public notices. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The earlier 2017 statement, signed by the head of Commerce Wilbur Ross had read: "The Department of Commerce does not tolerate behaviour, harassment, discrimination or prejudice based on race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability...We will also provide reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities." The Trump administration has also waded into the debate about school bathrooms, rejecting in February 2017 an Obama-era ruling which stated public schools were required to follow laws against gender discrimination and allow students to use bathrooms based on their chosen gender not necessarily biological one. In March 2018, the administration announced the US Bureau of Prisons began to use an inmates biological gender to determine where they would be housed and which bathroom they could use. The administration had also attempted to ban transgender individuals from serving in the US military, but was blocked by several federal judges and opposition from military leaders. HHS is set to present the latest policy to the US Department of Justice by the end of 2018. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has said he thinks Donald Trump is making a mistake by leaving its nuclear weapons treaty with Russia. Mr Gorbachev was one of the original signatories to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signed originally in 1987 with then-US President Ronald Reagan. Under no circumstances should we tear up old disarmament agreements. ... Do they really not understand in Washington what this could lead to?, Mr Gorbachev said to Interfax news agency. Mr Trump had announced the move after a political rally in the US state of Nevada just a few weeks before the 2018 midterm elections. "Russia has not, unfortunately, honoured the agreement so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," he told journalists. He did not provide evidence of what Moscow had done to prompt the decision to withdraw from the treaty which prohibits both countries from holding or testing ground-launched cruise missiles with a range between 300 and 3,400 miles (500 and 5,500 km). US authorities have said Russia has developed a ground-launched system in violation of the treaty but Moscow has denied the accusation. US warns Russia over secret nuclear missile system Were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and were not allowed to, Mr Trump said. Well have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say lets really get smart and lets none of us develop[s] those weapons, but if Russias doing it and if Chinas doing it, and were adhering to the agreement, thats unacceptable," he said, echoing his statements about several bilateral and multilateral treaties of which the US was part. A Kremlin spokesman said Russian President Vladimir Putin would seek answers about the planned withdrawal when he meets US National Security Advisor John Bolton who is scheduled to travel to Moscow this week. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov echoed Mr Gorbachev's comments as well, calling Mr Trump's announcement "very dangerous". According to news agency RIA, he also warned there may some sort of "military-technical" retaliation though did not specify what that could be. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that for 30 years the INF treaty had been a pillar of Europe's security architecture. He said in a statement: "We now urge the United States to consider the possible consequences," of quitting the pact. Not everyone thought Mr Trump's decision to withdraw from yet another nuclear treaty - the last was the historic 2015 deal with Iran which had provided some sanctions relief to Tehran in exchange for stopping development of its weapons system. UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, who is in the US as the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Elizabeth visits New York, said: Our close and long-term ally of course is the United States and we will be absolutely resolute with the United States in hammering home a clear message that Russia needs to respect the treaty obligation that it signed". He accused Russia of "making a mockery" of the INF treaty and advised Moscow to get its house in order. Mr Williamson said: We of course want to see this treaty continue to stand but it does require two parties to be committed to it and at the moment you have one party that is ignoring it. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events On 4 October, US Defence Secretary James Mattis had set the stage for the withdrawal during a meeting at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) in Brussels, the 29-member body set up for mutual defence against attacks. Mr Trump caused shock waves among members last year when he suggested a membership be extended to Russia. Moscow's continued deployment of nuclear-capable missiles is "untenable" and will require one of several options of response from the US and other countries. Russia must return to compliance with the [1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty] or the US will need to match its capabilities to protect US and NATO interests," Mr Mattis said. The US Ambassador to Nato, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, had earlier said if Moscow continues to be in non-compliance of the treaty then the US would need to look to ways to "take out" the weapons system. Ms Hutchinson said the US does not itself want to violate the INF treaty, but indicated Russia could somehow compel it to do so. Close Trump says arrests in Saudi writer's death 'big step' The UK, France and Germany have demanded "credible facts" from Saudi Arabia after the kingdom admitted dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its Istanbul consulate. Riyadh has claimed the Washington Post reporter died in a brawl at the building, a version of events that has been widely disputed. Saudi authorities are facing increasing international pressure to explain what happened after Khashoggi entered the consulate on 2 October, with US politicians calling for the kingdom to face sanctions and directly accusing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of ordering his murder. Here's how we covered events as they unfolded: Please allow a moment for the live stream to load Turkish authorities investigating Khashoggis death suspect the journalist was tortured and then murdered by a team of hit men before his body was cut up and disposed of. An anonymous Saudi official has claimed Riyadh was trying to convince Khashoggi to return to his homeland by offering him a lucrative job as incentive to stop his criticism of the regime. He then suggested the situation escalated into a fight, which ended in the reporters death. Jamal Khashoggi: Everything we know However, this account has been disputed, with questions raised over why a doctor reported to be an expert in forensic medicine was among the 15 men thought to have confronted Khashoggi. Donald Trump, who initially said he believed the Saudi account, has now said the US wants to get to the bottom of what took place inside the consulate. In Europe, German chancellor Angela Merkel has described the Saudi explanation of Khashoggis death as inadequate, while her foreign minister has said Berlin will reassess its arms sales to the kingdom. Britain said on Saturday it was examining its next steps after Riyadh announced confirmation of the journalists death. The fundamental right to education is enshrined in international law. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: Everyone has the right to education, while also decreeing that higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. The challenges currently being faced by Palestinian universities mean that this universal right is being severely compromised in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT). As an occupying power, the state of Israel, is obligated to ensure that civilians under occupation are not denied their basic human rights. The fourth Geneva Convention makes it clear that occupying powers are subject to substantial obligations, including the general welfare of the population which includes access to education and that forcible deportation is forbidden. While it is widely accepted by the international community and its governments that Israel continues to violate the fourth Geneva Convention, Israel itself although a party to the convention denies that it applies to the OPT, maintaining its dominance of every aspect of Palestinian society. What does this all mean for Palestinian universities today? A substantial issue is freedom of movement: the vast network of checkpoints, the separation wall, roads which are closed to Palestinians, and the settlements themselves, which impel Palestinians to take ever-more circuitous journeys to their destinations. When I spoke to research analysts at Al-Haq, a Palestinian human rights organisation based in Ramallah in the West Bank, they highlighted the daily impact that this has on regular access to education. Severe delays can mean missed classes; a 20-minute journey can easily take more than two hours. But the cumulative effect, as many academics and students point out, is more insidious: the thousands of otherwise productive hours lost in checkpoint queues, and the levels of anxiety and stress this causes. Meanwhile, for decades, the education sector schools as well as universities has had to contend with Israels systematic obstruction of education, from enforced closures, campus raids, and the oppression of individual students and teachers, including arbitrary arrests and detention without trial. According to Sam Bahour, a former board member of Birzeit University and co-founder of the Right to Enter campaign, a grassroots organisation that defends the rights of access, movement and residency in the OPT, its important to see this assault on education as part of a broader picture of Israeli oppression of Palestinian lives and a determination to stifle the natural growth of a society, not to mention the emergence of a Palestinian state on the ground. Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Show all 7 1 /7 Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Children play as their parents prepare for their homes to be destroyed (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank A toddler plays in the dirt of Khan al-Ahmar village (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Palestinian flags festoon the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar as they await eviction (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Children play as their parents brace themselves for the bulldozers (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Iman, 7, says she does not want to leave her home (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank The demolition order includes the villages school, which provides education for some 170 children from five different Bedouin communities. (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank The playground of the school which will likely be demolished in the coming days (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Echoing Bahours comments about the broader picture, the analysts at al-Haq noted that the occupation is restructuring the fabric of Palestinian society, with the pressures placed on education one of the key ways in which this is happening. They emphasised that the restrictions placed on movement have eradicated students freedom of choice over where to study, especially at university level. This is something that adversely affects female students, with families increasingly concerned about letting them travel long distances, given the unpredictable nature of journeys through the OPT. What this creates, according to Bahour, is a form of inbreeding; universities have become too localised and isolated, with the lack of diversity and variety of experience in the classroom inevitably having an adverse effect on the plurality of perspectives and ideas. Again, this is part of the bigger picture of Israels occupation. The geographic fragmentation of the OPT is mirrored in societal fragmentation which starts at Palestinian universities, Bahour states. Such issues are greatly exacerbated in Gaza, which is completely isolated due to the ongoing blockade, while also contending with a deepening humanitarian crisis. None of these various issues are new. Nor are the attempts to resist them for example, Birzeit University, close to Ramallah, established its Right to Education campaign in the 1970s in order to assist staff and students facing arrest and imprisonment. But the need to protect Palestinians access to education is more urgent than ever. The Right to Enter campaign issued an impact statement this July, observing: The past year has seen an intensification of Israels long-standing policy of undermining Palestinian education at all levels, before offering a series of clear examples to illustrate their grave concerns: classroom demolitions, threats of further demolitions, the expulsion of international academics and the denial of visas to visiting scholars. This past year, an increasing number of foreign passport holders (many of whom are of Palestinian origin, but do not have the required residence documents that Israel both demands and is in charge of issuing) have been refused entry to the country or had visa renewal applications denied. The situation at Birzeit, where 15 faculty members are currently at risk, is so dire that a statement was issued in July, warning that if this policy continues, Palestinian universities, including Birzeit University, will be further isolated from the global academic environment. Since then, two professors have already been forced to exit the country. Raja Shehadeh, the prominent Palestinian author and human rights lawyer, has described Israels convoluted work permit and visa system as a truly Kafkaesque process. In a recent article in the Times Higher Education, he deplored the extreme uncertainty created by a system in which a visa can be issued one year and then summarily withdrawn the next. Writing in Haaretz, Daphna Golan rightly referred to this as a form of bureaucratic violence. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events A cornerstone of academia is international exchange the opportunity to study abroad, to attend conferences, to learn from visiting lecturers, to benefit from a diverse staff and student body. Indeed, it is also surely a human right, given that Article 26 states that education shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups. Palestinian academia, on the other hand, is being forcibly and increasingly isolated from the world. As Shehadeh points out: Palestinian students have few options to study abroad, so if they are to acquire a quality education with an international outlook it is vital that local universities be able to tap into international expertise. Bahour states that Palestinians have become adaptable to and creative in response to their education under duress, striving to make the most of the limited opportunities on offer. Having visited the universities of the West Bank and sat in their classrooms, this was also something I observed. But Palestinian students should be able to pursue their studies without these monumental, relentless challenges. And their lecturers, including those from the international community, should be free to teach them. Dr Sophia Brown is an academic whose work focuses on contemporary Palestinian literature. Most recently, she was a visiting research fellow at the Kenyon Institute in East Jerusalem Part of a school in Co Dublin has been closed due to structural flaws (David Jones/PA) Part of a school in Co Dublin has been closed due to structural flaws. Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan has 910 pupils. A structural engineer examined the property on Friday. Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board and the school management have emphasised that their absolute priority at all times is the health and safety of students and staffDublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board A statement from Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) said: Opening up (examination of the building behind plaster work) in two classrooms took place on Friday and a consultant engineer on behalf of DDLETB discovered significant structural issues. More opening up will be required as a follow up. Having considered the engineers advice and in the interests of the health and safety of the students and staff of the school, DDLETB, in consultation with the Department of Education and Skills and school management, has made the decision to close phase 1 of the school building, effective immediately. School management is making immediate arrangements to accommodate up to 200 students who will be affected and the school will communicate the details to parents once finalised. The statement added: Staff and parents have been informed by the school management and will be kept updated in this regard. DDLETB and the school management have emphasised that their absolute priority at all times is the health and safety of students and staff and the above measure is therefore considered appropriate. 'With a so-called hard Brexit now looking the most likely outcome, a slew of major Irish companies find themselves in the Brexit firing line.' With last week's toing and froing in Brussels having failed to produce any agreement, the odds on the UK crashing out of the EU next March without a deal have shortened even further. With a so-called hard Brexit now looking the most likely outcome, a slew of major Irish companies find themselves in the Brexit firing line. With only five months left before the March 29 deadline for the UK's departure from the EU kicks in, the pressure is on for the two sides to agree a deal. Unfortunately, even if UK Prime Minister Theresa May's divided cabinet could be persuaded to agree on the terms of a divorce settlement with the EU, the chances of it being approved by the House of Commons seem remote. All of which is bad news for this country. Ever since the June 23, 2016, referendum in which Britain voted to leave the EU, the Irish Government and companies here have pinned their hopes on the two sides somehow doing a deal that left Ireland largely unscathed. Twenty-eight months later, with no agreement still in sight, that's looking like an increasingly forlorn hope. So which Irish companies are most exposed to a no-deal Brexit? With 35pc of Irish food and drink exports, about 4.5bn, going to the UK, our food companies are among the most vulnerable. Unfortunately, Ireland's largest quoted food company, Kerry, doesn't disclose its UK sales. However, over 70pc of its consumer foods division's 2017 sales of 1.33bn, about 900m, were to UK customers. This division is already feeling the Brexit squeeze with 2017 trading profits falling by over 8pc to 108m. On the face of it Glanbia is less exposed to the UK, with British sales of 72m - just 3pc of its 2.38bn turnover in 2017. This figure almost certainly massively understates Glanbia's true dependence on the British market, as it doesn't include the 1.5bn sales of its 40pc-owned affiliate Glanbia Ireland. Troubled baked-goods producer Aryzta is another company that doesn't break out its UK sales, lumping them in with "other Europe". However, it does state that no individual country included in the "other Europe" category exceeds 10pc of total turnover with would mean that Aryzta's UK sales are a maximum of about 340m. Following last week's sale of its US interests, Greencore is now virtually completely dependent on the UK market. Despite this, chief executive Patrick Coveney says that his company is now almost completely "insulated" from the consequences of Britain's departure from the EU. It's not just Irish food companies which have a major Brexit exposure. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has been perhaps the most vocal Irish business person on the subject of Brexit, warning that a no-deal British departure from the EU could ground flights to and from the UK next March. He's right to be concerned. Ryanair's UK turnover was 1.64bn in the 12 months to March 2018, 23pc of its total turnover for the year. Ferry operator Irish Continental could also find itself feeling the chill from Brexit. No fewer than 92pc of its 2017 sailings were to the UK as against just 8pc to France. While boss Eamonn Rothwell will no doubt be hoping to increase the number of sailings to mainland Europe post-Brexit, there is no way his company can escape a post-Brexit storm. DCC and UDG Healthcare are two other Irish companies that may have to batten down the hatches on March 29 next. A massive 7.7bn (DCC reports in sterling), or 54pc, of DCC's turnover for the year to March 2018 came from the UK while a quarter of UDG's Healthcare's 2017 sales were to UK customers. Hotel operator Dalata is facing a potential Brexit double whammy. Not alone are a quarter of its hotel rooms located in the UK, about a quarter of Irish revenues come from UK customers. Add it all up and about 40pc of Dalata's revenues are either generated in the UK or come from British customers visiting Ireland. Alone of the major Irish-owned banks, Bank of Ireland retains a significant UK business. It had a 32bn UK loan book at the end of June, over 40pc of its total 77bn loan book. How will the performance of these loans be affected by a disorderly Brexit? With just 159 days left to Brexit day, Irish companies large and small are still hoping that Theresa May can cobble together some sort of an exit deal with the EU, and preparing for the consequences if she can't. *** The proposed Uber IPO, and the valuations being speculated on for the ride-sharing company, tell us a lot about how the markets now view the legacy car companies as the internal combustion engine enters the twilight stage of its existence. Last week saw a series of apparently well-sourced stories in the financial media telling us that Uber was contemplating an IPO in 2019. According to whichever report one chose to believe, the IPO would value Uber at $100bn-$120bn, making it the second most valuable IPO in history. While one might be inclined to dismiss the $120bn figure as a case of an investment banker talking up his bonus, even a $100bn valuation would make Uber more valuable than four of the five largest legacy car-manufacturing companies. Only Toyota ($188bn) would be worth more than Uber if the IPO goes ahead at the sort of valuations being floated with even VW ($83bn) being pushed into the hard shoulder. At $120bn Uber would be worth as much as GM ($45bn), Hyundai ($40bn) and Ford ($35bn) combined. What does this tell us about how the market views the legacy car companies? After a 130-year reign, the internal-combustion engine looks set to be displaced as the premier transportation technology. A combination of automotive technologies; electric and hydrogen engines, driverless cars and ride-sharing; along with growing fears about the environmental impact of carbon emissions look set to displace petrol and diesel from their historic perch. If, or more likely when, this happens the internal combustion engine will go the way of the horse and buggy. Will the legacy car manufacturers be nimble enough to make the transition to these new green transportation technologies or will they be displaced by newcomers such as Tesla (market value $45bn)? At the relative valuations implied by the proposed Uber IPO the market is betting that they won't. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May sought to reassure UK business over Brexit during a conference call with more than 130 chief executives and officials Theresa May sought to reassure UK business that a Brexit deal was just around the corner on a conference call with more than 130 chief executives and officials from some of the world's largest companies. The UK prime minister convened the Friday call to update business chiefs on the progress of her Brexit talks but, ultimately, she had nothing new to say, according to sources. Participants included senior executives from companies such as: Rolls-Royce Holdings, Airbus, Barclays, Pearson, BT Group and Prudential, as well as the UK's main business lobby groups. The call took place as an important new development in the Brexit saga unravelled with Bloomberg News reporting of a potential, and significant, concession that could see the UK bound indefinitely to the European Union's customs rules. Pre-submitted questions were taken from about 10 participants across different sectors, including Royal Bank of Scotland Group CEO Ross McEwan, one of the people said. The questions focused on May's ability to get a deal with Brussels and securing frictionless trade, according to two people on the call. There was also discussion about the Northern Ireland border, which May said remained the most difficult issue, according to three people. On the topic of immigration, the premier's answer to a question was less than satisfactory, one person said. May told business chiefs that "a few significant issues" are still outstanding, her office said in a statement. Even so, she said she had a "very real sense" that EU leaders want to reach a deal this fall. "Those on both sides of this negotiation need to realise that high levels of political noise are having direct impacts on business sentiment and investment," said British Chambers of Commerce director-general Adam Marshall. "Businesses on both sides need time to prepare for the future and the assurance that they will face one set of changes, rather than costly and piecemeal adjustments, to the way they trade across borders." Anger at the lack of progress on Brexit negotiations has ratcheted up among businesses in recent weeks, leading to a number of threats over future UK investment, as companies bemoan the prolonged uncertainty. At the Paris Motor Show earlier this month, carmakers including BMW and Toyota issued stark warnings to May about the possible consequences for their UK arms if a satisfactory deal with the European Union wasn't reached. Bloomberg Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy at the launch of the Bord Bia Brexit Barometer report. Three out of four Irish food and drinks companies have increased sales to non-UK markets, while 85pc are looking to expand beyond Britain and Ireland, according to a Bord Bia survey. The latest findings of Bord Bia's Brexit Barometer come as negotiations between the EU and UK enter a crucial phase in Brussels this week. Concern over the possible fallout from a 'no deal Brexit' was reflected last week in the Department of Agriculture's spending estimates for 2019, with a 78m suite of measures earmarked to counter such an eventuality. One of the main winners from this extra spending was Bord Bia, with the food marketing agency's budget increasing by 5m to 46.6m for 2019. This represents a 60pc lift in overall funding since 2014. Welcoming the additional monies, Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy admitted that Brexit posed a real test for the Irish food and drinks sector. "The continued sustainable growth of Ireland`s agri-food industry depends on its success in securing and maintaining a premium position in the best markets for Irish food and drink around the world," Ms McCarthy said. "The significant change that will result from the decision of the UK, our biggest export destination, to leave the EU places a considerable challenge on this growth path," she pointed out. "These additional resources will support Bord Bia`s newly developed strategy for growing the impact of our client companies in priority markets through market and consumer insight and building business relationships with food buyers, supported by increased expertise on the ground," the Bord Bia CEO explained. The full 78m in the Brexit Resilience Package includes 44m in direct payments to farmers. This comprises an additional 23m in ANC payments, 20m for the new Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot (BEEP) scheme, and 1m for the horticulture industry. Minister Creed has also provided 27m in Brexit-related supports for the food industry. This included the additional 5m to Bord Bia, as well as: * 13m in supports for food industry competitiveness and innovation; * 3m for artisan and micro food and beverage programmes; * 6m to develop a Food Innovation Hub in Teagasc, Moorepark. Meanwhile, a further 7m was provided for staff and IT costs arising from additional import control and export certification requirements arising as a result of Brexit. Having a social media policy in place has become a crucial requirement for all workplaces Query: How do I ensure that staff maintain the company's reputation in their social media interactions? Answer: It's important that all workplaces have a social media policy. By doing this the company outlines what it expects from staff when they are using company social media platforms as well as their own in relation to their workplace. In the policy, it's important that you as the employer outline that while the company will not monitor any of the employee's personal social media accounts, that employees must not make disparaging remarks about the company which could possibly bring the company's name into disrepute. It should also be outlined in the policy that employees must not disclose any information regarding the company, or any confidential information relating to the business of the company, whether on their own social media sites or the company's. All staff should be aware of who has been authorised to use the company social media platforms and that if any employee is in doubt about what they are planning to post, that they should consult a manager. Any other employees should be informed that they cannot reference the company unless they have specifically been given permission to speak on behalf of the company. As the employer it's important to state that you may require staff to remove certain postings if they are deemed to be in breach of company policies, whether this is on the company's social media or personal social media. Employees may be under the impression that if a company or colleague is not named that this would not constitute a breach of the policy, but if it is evident that the comment relates to the workplace then this may be found as a breach of the policy. Bear in mind that the intention of the policy is not to restrict the sharing of information, but to ensure that team members and the company are shown respect. Considering this, employees should check with the relevant people before distributing or posting any photos or information, therefore aiming to promote a safe and productive workplace that shows respect to colleagues. If any complaint is made or if any remarks made come to the attention of management from clients, suppliers, colleagues, etc, the company will reserve the right to implement disciplinary proceedings in line with the company disciplinary procedures once they have the correct policies in place. In this case, if an employee is found to have published or disseminated information regarding the company, a fellow employee, a client, etc, on completion of a disciplinary investigation they may face disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. If an employee is leaving the company, their rights to access the social media account will cease. This should be outlined in the policy. It's best practice for passwords to be changed at a time when someone is leaving the company. It is also important to have an IT and internet policy in place which includes correct usage of email and the internet. Employees must be reminded that when sending any form of written correspondence they should be careful what they write - remember email and written correspondence are a written record and can be duplicated at will. They should use normal capitalisation and punctuation. Typing a message in all capital letters may be interpreted incorrectly. They should check grammar and spelling, and not forget that emails and other forms of correspondence should maintain the high standards expected by the company. The social media, IT and internet policies should also include a monitoring policy. The company should outline the reasons for monitoring employees, while also outlining the importance of an individual's privacy. Principle reasons for this include detecting any harassment or inappropriate behaviour by employees, ensuring compliance with contracts of employment and relevant policies including health and safety, and bullying and harassment. US semiconductor giant Intel is to expand production capacity at its Leixlip campus. Photo: Kyran O'Brien US semiconductor giant Intel is to expand production capacity at its Leixlip campus to meet growing demand for its computer chips. In a letter seen by the Sunday Independent, Intel interim chief executive Bob Swan outlined to major global customers an extra $1bn of capital expenditure that it plans to spend in 2018, citing the Leixlip facility as a key beneficiary. Swan said the first half of 2018 had shown "remarkable growth" and the PC market had grown for the first time since 2011. Strong demand for gaming and commercial systems had "put pressure on our factory network" and "supply is undoubtedly tight". "To address this challenge", Swan wrote that Intel was investing "a record $15bn in capital expenditure in 2018, up approximately $1bn from the beginning of the year. "We're putting that $1bn into our 14-nm [nanometre] manufacturing sites in Oregon and Arizona, Ireland and Israel," he added. The confirmation comes amid intense industry speculation that Intel is about to approve a massive new extension at its Irish plant that could create 4,000 jobs. Well-informed sources claimed that preparations were underway for even bigger investment. A 90,000 square metre expansion of the high-tech Fab 24 facility at Leixlip, which received planning permission in 2017 but is yet to be publicly approved by Intel's US-based global management team, could create 3,000 construction jobs and a further 850 manufacturing jobs. There is growing expectation that Intel will soon award a contract for site clearance and preparation at the Kildare complex and that major Irish construction firms have visited the plant for discussions. That work - which could be worth as much as 50m to the construction sector - would clear the way for investment of up to 2bn in new semiconductor manufacturing facilities, said sources. An Intel spokesman said that the company would expand its 14 nanometre semiconductor chip production capacity at the Leixlip campus and said "the production capacity is being expanded within our existing building space". In an effort to protect himself from criminal prosecution, ex-President of Armenia Robert Kocharian intends to establish a new political party and go into opposition. The situation being experienced by Kocharyan is not easy - although the ex-president is at large, the criminal case against him has not been closed. The creation of a party is the first stage of the future struggle between the old and new political elites of Armenia, which is quite likely to end with the complete destruction of the political career of one of the politicians. Kocharyan is a cold-blooded and calculating aggressor when it comes to settling political scores; and Pashinyan is a tribune of the people, who not used to staging a frontal assault. Obviously, both will exploit the weaknesses of the opponents, Pashinyan will focus on the unpopularity of Kocharyan in Armenian society, while Kocharyan will use all his political resources to criticize every step of Pashinyan, whose power is not strong enough. The best offence is defense, so the former Armenian President's lawyers are preparing an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. The situation concerning the scandalous interception of telephone conversations between the heads of the National Security Service (SNB) and the Special Investigation Service (SIS) of Armenia is an opportunity to expose the Pashinyan regime, casting a shadow over the image of the Armenia reformer." On September 11, the recording of the phone conversation between the director of the SNB Arthur Vanetsyan and the head of the SIS Sasun Khachatryan was posted online, in which the heads of security agencies discuss Kocharyans arrest. Vanetsyan and Khachatryan will probably not be dismissed, but this is not necessary, since Kocharyan does not need a closure of the criminal case, just a suspension, which will give him time to get a reliable team together. Now Kocharyans most expensive resource is time. Before Pashinyan gets the PM seat on legal grounds after the early parliamentary election, Kocharyan is in relative safety. The ex-president does not have time to take part in the election himself. The issue of Kocharyan's team is paramount. The bet is placed on youth, based on the experience of street fighting, demonstrated by Pashinyan. Kocharyans words that a political party will be created virtually from scratch have a double meaning. The desire to choose the updated team and the environment, whom Kocharyan know is a half-truth. The ex-president's low popularity is caused by his direct connection with the Karabakh clan, which had turned Armenia into a corrupt state with a semi-criminal government for 20 years. People abroad, primarily in Azerbaijan, which links the name of the ex-president to active participation in the Karabakh war, have the meanest opinion of Kocharyan. Kocharyan personifies the war party, including among his former fellow-Azerbaijanis. Therefore, Kocharyan wants fundamentally new people to his team, who do not tarnish their reputation with accusations of ties with the previous leadership of the republic. In his youth, Kocharyan succeeded as a Komsomol worker in the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the Azerbaijan SSR. One way or another, if hopes still have been placed in the efforts of Pashinyan in finding a possible peaceful solution to the Karabakh problem, then the return of Armenia's gray cardinal Kocharyan to the big politics will definitely lead to a final return to the endless military confrontation. Kocharyan will not miss the opportunity and will take advantage of the mistakes of Pashinyans supporters, including the breakdown of his press conferences, as well as limited opportunities in public speaking. Kocharyan creates an image of a persecuted politician who has something to say and scares Pashinyan. If Kocharyan remained in power, Pashinyan would have no chance to make the velvet revolution, including to carry out political activities in general, the former president argues. The last thing, Kocharyan is interested in pitting Moscow and Pashinyan against each other. The only success of the ex-president is that he has managed to gain the support of influential forces in Russia over the years of his presidency. Kocharyan did not give Moscow any reason to suspect him of conducting a double game. Pashinyan, and especially his closest associates, have given plenty of such reasons. Therefore, it is vital for Pashinyan to prevent a crisis in relations with Moscow and the escalation of the Karabakh conflict, because only using the "inexperienced" prime minister's possible failure in Karabakh, Kocharyan will be able to push Pashinyan into political oblivion. Whole Foods Market chief executive John Mackey says entrepreneurs have to be relentless about seeking solutions that create value for all stakeholders When Amazon, the e-commerce behemoth, consumed Whole Foods Market, the iconic American organic foods grocer, the merger was described by Whole Foods chief executive John Mackey as akin to falling in love. The near $14bn (12.1bn) cash acquisition of Whole Foods by Jeff Bezos's Amazon, which followed intense activist pressure on Mackey and the Whole Foods board, was arguably the retail deal of the decade, bringing with it both the promises and threats of a major industry game-changer. Many wondered if Whole Foods, which began life in Austin, Texas, as a humble, hippie grocer serving other hippies, would be able to retain its founding ethos of sustainability, as well as fair play for customers and employees once it became part of Amazon's web. A year after the mega-deal, Mackey, a former college dropout worth a reputed $75m as a result of the Amazon merger, has no regrets. In Ireland for the first time in 20 years, Mackey, one of less than 10 American CEOs to take home a $1 salary, told a group of Irish business leaders last week that the time for apologising for creating value through enterprise is over. "Business has to make money, it has to make profits, or it will die," Mackey told close to 400 delegates attending AIB Bank's second annual sustainability conference. "Business is not a game. It's not a casino. It's not a machine. It is not a zero-sum game." It's not every day that Irish executives, including bankers, are told that they are heroes who create prosperity and lift people out of poverty. But Mackey is an unrepentant free-market capitalist, who insists companies can make profits whilst pursuing a higher purpose. Anything less is, according to the co-founder of the Conscious Capitalism Movement, a spectacular failure of imagination. Mackey told his Irish audience that, far from limiting Whole Foods, the tie in with Amazon liberates the grocer from the demands of activist investors and the tyranny of quarterly reports. "Prior to our merger with Amazon, Whole Foods' ability to operate our business for the long-term good of all of our stakeholders was limited because of the short-term comps-driven pressure of Wall Street," he told the Sunday Independent. "Amazon has freed us to think long-term once again, and I'm proud that with their vision and leadership we're able to improve pay for our team members going forward. "We are now part of Amazon, but part of my job as CEO is looking out for our 94,000 plus team members to make sure we stay true to our core values and that changes we implement are done in a way that stays true to Whole Foods." It is somewhat ironic that Whole Foods, one of the most successful Fortune 500 food retailers - with vast amounts of property in the US - found itself up for sale after a period of distress. Much of Whole Foods' own spectacular growth - the grocery chain generated $16bn a year in more than 460 stores in the US, Canada and UK - was achieved through mergers and acquisitions. Mackey is candid about the highs and lows of food retailing including the dark days of 2008, when Whole Foods' stock collapsed by almost 90pc. The stock later recovered, only to face fresh challenges as natural foods became more prevalent, cheaper and aggressively targeted by rival Walmart which went on to become the largest seller of organic produce in the US. "When you run a business for 40 years, you encounter many highs and lows," says a stoic Mackey. "One of the most pivotal moments of the company happened early on during the Memorial Day flood of 1981, when Austin experienced the biggest flood in more than 70 years, which devastated the city. It left our store with nearly eight feet of standing water and almost wiped us out. That experience drew our young company together though. It demonstrated to us that all our stakeholders have the potential to form close relationships with us, to care and to commit intensely. "If all of our stakeholders hadn't cared so much about our company then and come together in support, Whole Foods Market would have ceased to exist. That's pretty humbling." For Irish agri-food businesses facing Brexit and other headwinds, Mackey says entrepreneurs have to be relentless about seeking solutions that create value for all stakeholders. "Falling into the trap of trade-offs at the expense of other stakeholders means you aren't trying hard enough to find a creative solution to address the challenge," says Mackey. Are there plans to add Ireland to Whole Foods global stable? Not just yet. But Mackey, who says Ireland has been transformed in recent decades, is not ruling it out after a leisurely stroll down Dublin's Grafton Street and sampling Irish food fayre during his brief stay. Feted by an array of business bibles including Barron's, Marketwatch, Fortune and Esquire, among others, Mackey has spent much of the second act of his corporate life championing conscious capitalism. Mackey is coy on climate change, the biggest challenge facing society and food producers, stating that he believes human ingenuity will overcome many of the challenges. You get the sense that Mackey, like many corporate leaders in the US, is sceptical about climate change. And although conscious capitalism is his creed, he is keeping shtum about many of the lightning rod issues raging in his native country just now. "As a public figure leading Whole Foods, I generally try to keep my thoughts on the economy and politics to myself," he says. Mackey is unequivocal that younger generations will force big business to act ethically. "As the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs, they will play a huge role in driving the conscious capitalism movement and demanding that businesses think much bigger than just profits." Dublin Airport is set to lose out as Ethiopian Airlines is set to axe its service to Los Angeles. (Stock picture) Ethiopian Airlines is set to axe its Dublin service to Los Angeles as it reorganises its European network. The airline currently flies from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to Los Angeles with a stopover in Dublin, where it picks up passengers in both directions. But Dublin looks likely to lose out, with the airline considering re-routing the LA flight via Lagos in Nigeria. The airline, which is a member of the massive Star Alliance group, has already stopped selling tickets online for the Dublin service after mid-December and removed it from its schedule. A spokeswoman said that she could not yet give a definitive response regarding the future of the Dublin stopover, but confirmed that the route is "under evaluation by HQ". Los Angeles is understood to be a very profitable destination for the rapidly-expanding African carrier, but a final decision as to whether it will be served by Dublin or Lagos will be made over the next few days. Ethiopian began flying into Dublin in 2015 and routes a number of its transatlantic flights via the airport for refuelling, although the LA flight is the only one with so-called fifth freedom rights to pick up passengers in Ireland. Fifth freedom rights are sometimes controversial with local carriers who object to the extra competition. If the Dublin stopover is axed then Irish based passengers who have booked to fly to Los Angeles with the airline will be rerouted with other airlines, the spokeswoman said. The airline is also considering a new route to Dublin from Addis Ababa that would fly via Madrid, but a final decision is also awaited on this, it is understood. The move by Ethiopian to abandon its north Atlantic stopover comes as growing competition and rising oil prices have started to bite on transatlantic routes. Last week, Icelandic-based low-cost carrier Wow announced that it was quitting three routes into the US midwest just months after announcing them. Wow said it would end services to St Louis, Cincinnati and Cleveland. Wow's base in Reykjavik is seen as one of the key competing hubs to Dublin in the growing low-cost transatlantic market that has been pioneered by Aer Lingus and Norwegian. One aviation source said that Wow's departure from the three cities could present opportunities for Aer Lingus to deploy some of the Airbus A321LR aircraft that it is due to have delivered over the next number of years. Healthy casual food chain Freshii is to more than double in size over the next four years as part of an ambitious expansion plan. There are 13 outlets dotted across the country with a further 17 to come, predominantly in Dublin. Fresh Life Foods (FLF), which owns the master franchise for Ireland, will invest 4m in helping new franchisees set up stores. FLF owns three of the 13 stores - at Mespil Road, the CHQ Building, and Dame Street, all in Dublin. Dave O'Donoghue, the FLF chief executive, said that the cost of opening a store ranged from 180,000 to 250,000. "We've opened three this year, we've visibility of a further three next year, and we're just hoping that new sites will become available to us that suit the demographic," he said. "Finding locations is easily the biggest challenge to our growth and it has gotten more difficult over the last 12 months." O'Donoghue, who was previously the chief executive of Cuisine de France in Ireland and the UK, said that he was determined to ensure the Freshii brand did not become too diluted. "When we made the plan we said we didn't want this everywhere, we could have this in a lot more outlets than we already have," he said. "We wanted to keep Freshii special as it's a destination, and we didn't want to have mini-Freshiis in a load of convenience stores because I went down that route with Cuisine de France and what happens over a decade is you become ubiquitous. "So your fresh products become associated with healthy food, but your brand isn't resonating with the consumer." The company also has an agreement with forecourt retailer Applegreen, and opened concession stores in Lusk and Portlaoise last year. O'Donoghue also hit out at the rising cost of living in Dublin, and said he had lost managers to evictions. Freshii is a global brand that was founded in 2005 by current chief executive Matthew Corrin. The Toronto-listed business aims to make healthy food affordable. The market for an anti-cholesterol drug produced by Irish pharma company Amryt could be worth as much as 140m, it has been claimed. Amryt announced on Thursday that it had reached an agreement with France's Comite economique des produits de sante (Ceps) for the reimbursement of Lojuxta. The Dublin-based company's drug will be used to treat adult patients suffering from homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HOHF), a rare life-threatening genetic disease. Lojuxta can reduce low-density cholesterol, often known as "bad cholesterol". Sales of Lojuxta increased by 14.6pc year on year to 6.6m in the first six months of 2018. Amryt - headed by CEO Joe Wiley - secured a four-year extension to the patent of the drug, bringing it up to 2028, within its five European markets, namely France, England, Germany, Spain and Italy. In a note, Davy said that it estimated the "addressable HOHF market to be worth around 140m". That estimation was echoed by the company in its interim results earlier in the year, where it suggested the market for HOHF sufferers to be worth as much as 125m. Entry to the French market during the week was praised by US analyst Stifel, which reiterated its recommendation to buy shares in the company. "This should help support continued growth of Lojuxta and validates Amryt's strategy of growing the product through both improved reimbursement and geographic expansion," Stifel said in a note. "We continue to forecast sales of Lojuxta of 15m in 2018 and peaking at 36m by 2023," it added. The results of Amryt's clinical trials into a drug aimed at tackling recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a condition that weakens the skin and makes it prone to blistering, are expected before the end of the year. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) was in something of a crisis even before the revelations about meetings between then-minister Denis Naughten and David McCourt, the head of the only remaining consortium left in the tender. The crisis stemmed from the fact there was only one actual bidder, a 500m State contract was up for grabs and several late changes were made to the make-up of the consortium. The real tell-tale sign of trouble was not so much that McCourt's consortium was going to use its sole bidder position to extract a wonderful deal from the State. It had more to do with whether this venture really made sense at all. Two other bidders pulled out - Siro and Eir. The chief executive of Eir, Carolan Lennon, made it clear last week that one of the reasons why her firm withdrew was because it was not commercially viable. Among the late changes to the McCourt consortium was the withdrawal of the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF). Its presence in the bid was seen as a good example of how the State might use its resources to bring about an important piece of national infrastructure. However, ISIF has a statutory obligation to invest in things which will bring about a commercial return and lead to an economic benefit. ISIF would not be allowed to use some of its 8bn investment fund for this project unless it could show there was a commercial return. Its withdrawal from the consortium suggests it didn't see a profit coming back. Going ahead could have been contrary to its statutory mandate. McCourt's fondness for breaking bread with the former minister creates the perception of a cosy relationship. In reality these meetings may have come against a backdrop of the Department of Communications playing hardball on the scale of State subsidy on offer. Peter Smyth has been sent in to evaluate whether those meetings have compromised or undermined the tender process in any way. Smyth will review documentation and talk to whoever he needs to establish the facts. His terms of reference give him three weeks to complete the job. It seems highly unlikely that anybody he talks to will say the process is undermined by the meetings. Smyth might have to be quite clinical and even adversarial in his approach before drawing his conclusions. Given that Naugthen had several meetings with McCourt, and at least one of them was not minuted, you'd think his civil servants would have warned him off meeting the bidder. Can we conclude his civil servants were not told about some of these meetings where they were not present? If so they may not be best pleased with the performance of the former minister. He may have undermined a process they have been engaged with since 2012. If they were told, surely they could have warned him about how such meetings might look. Maybe they did and he went ahead anyway? Smyth should get to the bottom of all of these questions but how much of his report will be published? His conclusions will certainly be known but what about the details, statements and documents that lead to those conclusions? For the sake of transparency we should be provided with as much of the supporting documentation as is reasonable in a tender process that may not be over. If Smyth concludes that no rules were broken and the process was not undermined, it will go ahead. The State has to drive a hard bargain on such a huge project. The cheaper the deal for the State, the greater the risk of the project running into serious difficulties further down the road. Making high speed broadband available to every house in Ireland is one thing, ensuring the residents actually buy it is another. The better the deal is for the bidder, the greater the chances of an unduly generous subsidy. Striking the balance here will be very difficult. Given Leo Varadkar's promise to make rural broadband a "personal crusade" and the arrival of his safe-pair-of-hands minister Richard Bruton in the department, the harder it is to see how the rug will be pulled from under this project. My solution to the housing crisis is so much better than yours San Francisco's housing crisis has become a battleground for billionaire proposals on how to fix it. The city is in the throes of a deepening housing crisis as public anger grows about the cost of buying or renting. One in 25 public school children is homeless in the city. According to a report by mortgage resource site HSH.com, an annual salary of $115,510 (100,000) is needed to purchase a house in San Francisco where the median home price is $682,410. More than 60pc of renters are in rent-controlled units, and even those have become less affordable. Rent controls only apply to buildings completed before 1979. And we thought our rent control zones were dysfunctional. Much of the problem has been driven by the economic success of the region and its enormous tech sector. Enter the tech billionaires who want to sort out the problem. The chief executive of Salesforce, Marc Benioff, is putting money behind a new legislative proposal to force companies with sales of more than $50m to pay a tax (0.5pc of gross receipts) to fund affordable housing. Benioff claims Stripe is hoarding money and opposing the measure. The Limerick-born Collisons, who own Stripe, say the proposal lacks a comprehensive plan for housing and they have donated to an affordable housing advocacy group called California YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard). YIMBY doesn't build houses or fund affordable housing but lobbies politicians and conducts research into the crisis. Benioff, however, may have some facts wrong by suggesting the Collisons had made $20bn, when their last investment round put that value on the Stripe business. Not the same thing. From the outside this all looks like a rich squabble over who has the best plan for solving San Francisco's housing crisis. It isn't up to tech billionaires to solve it unless they want to donate money to build cheap or free houses. Alternatively politicians can step in and tax them given their financial success has contributed to the problem. Imagine a tech tax to fund affordable housing in Dublin. Would the Government upset these multinationals in that way? Well if they are a powerful group here, imagine the power they wield in San Francisco, which has 70 billionaires. Eir backs the west life Eir may have pulled out of the National Broadband Plan but it is going full steam ahead with its reorganisation programme following its takeover by French billionaire Xavier Niel. Eir decided to end a large part of its outsourced customer care arrangement with Indian group HCL Technologies and take the jobs back in-house. Ending a chunk of its outsourcing deal with the company saw 750 people working for HCL in Dublin offered jobs with Eir - just not in Dublin. This week Eir announced 750 new jobs in Sligo, Cork and Limerick. This is good news for these three regions, especially Sligo. For Eir its about making smart business decisions and making money. For Sligo, it's a big shot in the arm for the region. You have to wonder what role the housing crisis in the capital has played in the decision to locate in these three parts of the country. And one wonders how many of those working for HCL in Dublin decided to up sticks and head for one of the new locations and a new employer. I suspect very few are heading for the hills given that customer care tends to be relatively low paid work with a high turnover of staff. Many might see it as an opportunity to spend a couple of years in Dublin and then move on to something else. Nevertheless Eir's decision is interesting in two respects. One, it is saying it isn't always best to outsource everything. And two, Dublin isn't necessarily the only show in town either. European Property Fund (EPF) had an excess of liabilities over assets of 20.4m at the end of 2017 and faces uncertainties that 'cast significant doubt upon the groups ability to continue as a going concern', accounts said.. (Stock picture) A Davy-owned fund that was at the centre of a major housing controversy in Tyrrelstown in Dublin two years ago faces "material uncertainties" over its future, according to new accounts. European Property Fund (EPF) had an excess of liabilities over assets of 20.4m at the end of 2017 and faces uncertainties that "cast significant doubt upon the group's ability to continue as a going concern", the accounts said. EPF's "disposal strategy" for the almost 100 houses it owns in Tyrrelstown is "under review" with Beltany Property Finance, a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs that bought the loans from Ulster Bank. It is "proposed to sell the remaining assets in one portfolio transaction sale" but to retain commercial assets in the Dublin suburb. EPF had total borrowings of 60.1m, down slightly from 61.4m at the end of 2016. In 2015 EPF's loan facilities transferred to Beltany as part of an agreed restructure of the group involving the "orderly disposal" of the group's assets over a four-year period to repay the group's debt obligations. As part of that process EPF issued notices to residents of the Tyrrelstown homes seeking vacant possession but withdrew them following protests. During 2017 it sold just nine houses in the estate. Tent cities. Long lines for food. People in rags. The mentally ill cast adrift on streets. No, this is isn't the plot for a Cormac McCarthy novel: it's what you see in San Francisco. Or that's what it was like last month. And every time I've been there in the last five years. I'm not describing a 'bad' part of the city, but most of the downtown area. It's dystopian. Bright-eyed young coders and marketers scooter past unfortunate souls who defecate in the street. Star engineers and millionaire venture capitalists live alongside a permanent population of utterly destitute people. Everybody admits to it being a problem but nobody seems to have an answer. Until now. Last week saw a very public spat on the question between some of San Francisco's most prolific tech entrepreneurs. The biggest face-off was between the billionaire chief executives of Salesforce and Twitter, Marc Benioff and Jack Dorsey. "Which homeless programmes in our city are you supporting?" Benioff goaded Dorsey on Twitter. "Can you tell me what Twitter and Square and you are in for and at what financial levels?" Dorsey wasn't having it. "Marc, you're distracting," he publicly retorted. "This is about me supporting Mayor @LondonBreed for *the* reason she was elected. The Mayor doesn't support Prop C, and we should listen to her. I support the Mayor, and I'm committed to helping her execute her plan." 'Prop C' is a legislative proposal for San Francisco that would add a 0.5pc tax on revenue above $50m (43m) for companies in the city. The intent is to channel that directly into homelessness relief. It seems most companies are against the measure. This appeared to include Salesforce until Benioff changed his mind. Now he's out all guns blazing, challenging other tech leaders on why they won't support it. After the initial exchange between Benioff and Dorsey, our own adoptive San Franciscan, Stripe founder Patrick Collison, entered the online debate. "Am with Jack," he said, quote-tweeting one of Dorsey's tweets. "Marc [Benioff] is well-intentioned, but I trust Mayor Breed's expertise on homelessness over his." Benioff generally doesn't take perceived challenges lying down. Asked about Collison's position in a subsequent interview with the Guardian's Sam Levin, he said: "Even though they've [Stripe] made $20bn dollars in San Francisco, they're not willing to give back at scale. Isn't that amazing?" Benioff is one of the smartest entrepreneurs around, but he will know that while Stripe is indeed valued at $20bn, that's quite different to it having realised $20bn in any sort of expendable way. (It's not even clear that Stripe has made a profit yet.) But Benioff was on a roll. He continued his tirade in the interview, putting the boot into Dorsey most of all. "He just doesn't want to give, that's all," he told Levin, referring to the Twitter founder. "And he hasn't given anything of consequence in the city. That's not a surprise to me. There's lots of CEOs and companies and billionaires in that category." He rounded off his broadside with an observation that there are two types of wealthy San Franciscans; "people who are willing to give and people who are not willing to give When it comes to this [new law], you're either for the homeless or you're for yourself". Ouch. Predictably, those in Twitter and Stripe don't see it that way, arguing that simply throwing more cash at the problem won't solve the structural problems behind San Francisco's homelessness. They also claim that there's no actual plan on what to do with the money. Oddly, San Francisco's Democratic Party mayor, London Breed, agrees. However, part of her opposition to the tax is that it might make the inner city less attractive to companies like Twitter and Stripe (both are in tough neighbourhoods; Twitter's headquarters is on a part of Market Street opposite dozens of homeless and mentally ill people). By vocally opposing the measure, Twitter, Stripe and others may well be giving sustenance to that fear. To outsiders, San Francisco's homelessness is baffling. How can a city so wealthy, with so many innovative companies and citizens, have what may be the first world's worst homelessness problem? Some blame other US cities. For decades, east coast towns have given homeless people one-way tickets to the west coast. New York is the biggest culprit, with a reported annual budget of $500,000 for shifting the homeless away. A Guardian investigation last year estimated that half of all homeless evacuations come from New York, with many people ending up in relatively kinder Californian climates. Others point a finger at factors, such as San Francisco's tolerance to homelessness on streets (compared to colder, harsher police in the east and mid-west). But there are also the tech companies themselves. They have created extraordinary wealth in San Francisco and now attract a flood of ambitious high-earners, ensuring a two-bed apartment rarely dips below $5,000 to $6,000 per month. Tech firms haven't set out to cause social problems such as homelessness. But they are clearly a factor in an inability for poorer or mentally ill people to keep a foothold in affordable accommodation. So should they step up and give more to help solve the problem? Companies like Stripe say they are genuinely engaged in seeking solutions, through initiatives such as Yimby ('Yes, In My Back Yard'), a lobby group trying to increase the number of low-cost, high-density homes in California. Stripe donated $1m to Yimby earlier this year. But the spat between Benioff and Dorsey may signify a breaking point for tolerance of homelessness in one of the world's richest cities. And this has to be a good thing. It shouldn't be an acceptable part of your day to routinely walk by people lying face down on a pavement. It has been exactly 50 years since American photographer Susan Wood first came to Ireland, on assignment for British Vogue. In the decades since, she has returned countless times to document the people, landscapes and buildings that, she notes, still retain much of the splendour that first captivated her all those years ago. "It's claimed that it doesn't exist anymore, that there's been so much destruction of basic beauty during the Celtic Tiger years. It's still an agricultural country and it's exquisite," she says, as we sit down to discuss her latest personal project. Titled IRELAND, the 160-page photography book chronicles her half-century spent discovering this island. At first glance, the book appears to capture two opposing ends of Ireland's social spectrum. There are chapters dedicated to descendants of Anglo-Irish aristocracy like Garech Browne (de Brun), Desmond FitzGerald and Marina Guinness, with whom Wood developed firm friendships. Then there are portraits of cattle farmers working the markets in 1960s Kerry, caps pulled low over their weather-worn brows. There are grubby-cheeked children from Dublin's inner city, pulling faces at what would have been a rare moment in front of a camera in the 1970s. There are derelict cottages in rural Roscommon and the jaunty circus colours of Traveller caravans. Despite the seemingly random people and places, Wood realised when she was selecting the photographs from her immense archive that, in fact, all the subjects had a commonality. "The connecting sinew is their patriotism as recorders and guardians of Ireland's culture, its history, ancient music, poetry, centuries-old architecture and art," she notes in the book's introduction. Of those featured in the book, Guinness heir Garech Browne is undoubtedly the most famous cultural custodian. "I met him on my first trip. He was living in Woodstown and I wrote about it for Vogue. He was very responsive when I phoned him and said, 'I'm doing this article and someone suggested I call you.' And he said, 'Of course, come out for lunch.' I arrived and there were peacocks on the lawn and we had lunch in a glass greenhouse. He had someone serving and he had Paddy Moloney playing music for us! I felt I was in the middle ages being entertained by an Irish king. But he was down to earth, friendly and adorable," she recounts. Browne would become a close friend, with Wood staying at his famed estate, Luggala, when she visited Ireland. The grand home has rightly come to occupy a near-mythical place in the minds of many people. After all, this was where Mick Jagger and the Stones came to stay; where Michael Jackson was given refuge during the most scandalous period of his career. Thanks to Browne, who passed away earlier this year, it attracted a coterie of musicians, actors, poets, artists, models and various hangers-on. As Wood's friend, the director John Boorman, noted at the launch of IRELAND, "What happened in Luggala didn't really count in the outside world." With an expansive career photographing the likes of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Andy Warhol, Gloria Steinem and Diane von Furstenberg, Wood has a few colourful anecdotes of her own. However, when it comes to Luggala, Wood's memories are far from the Champagne-fuelled debauchery you might expect. Instead, she recalls quiet suppers with good food and good friends. "Usually, Roderic O'Connor, who lived on the hill on the property, would make a chicken and the best potatoes I've ever had in my life. We'd sit in the kitchen around a little pine table, often John Boorman, Roderick, Garech and I, and whoever else was there - maybe four or five people. And it was wonderful. These wonderful dinners - a little wine, this chicken and those great potatoes. I remember those times very, very fondly." The photographs of Browne at home in Luggala are as intimate and tender as Wood's memories of her time spent with him. "He basically would get into the same thing every day. He would slip into those slip-on boots, and if somebody didn't untuck the hem of his trouser, one leg would be in a boot and the other over a boot," she laughs. "But he had the most beautiful robes and I love photographing men in robes; I was the first to put John Lennon and Yoko Ono into bed. I like to get to an unusual, intimate place and I asked Garech to get into a variety of his robes, and in the book, he's not sick: it's just me asking him to do it! He was very co-operative; he loved my photography and he loved being supportive of the arts, and this was one of the arts. I just wish he was here to see the book." Video of the Day Along with Browne, his cousin Marina Guinness has also become a close friend. Her chapter opens with shots of Marina as a child, darting about in a red military jacket, and closes with candid family portraits of Marina, now grey-haired and still strikingly beautiful, with her grandchild. Wood has worked for some of the world's most eminent magazines, including Harper's Bazaar, US Vogue, Look, Life and New York magazine. Born and raised in New York City, she started out as an art school graduate with a passion for photography and sent her portfolio to various magazines, hoping for a response. "As it happened, I had a fantastic reception from two of the most famous art directors and tastemakers in the magazine world. They were Alexey Brodovitch of Harper's Bazaar and Alex Liberman of Vogue. I didn't have any introductions. I simply sent in my work with a letter saying I was hoping to get into photography. Those two responded," she recalls. Despite her talent and tenacity landing her regular work, the media and advertising worlds of the 1960s and 1970s were incredibly unfriendly places for female photographers. She describes Life magazine as a "boys' club" whilst Look magazine had "a different atmosphere", thanks in part to female editors like Pat Carbine, who would later found Ms. magazine with prominent feminist writer, editor and close friend of Wood's, Gloria Steinem. It was at the newly established New York magazine that Wood was given the chance to truly develop her talents as both a photographer and writer. "Clay Felker was sort of the antitheist to this snobbery in writing in relation to, say, The New Yorker, because he hired these new journalists such as Tom Woolfe and a gaggle of us women who wrote inside stories about what was going on," she says. As well as her IRELAND tome, Wood has also recently released an anthology titled Women, a photography book that chronicles the famous and influential women she has photographed throughout her career. Whilst these photographs have culminated in a celebrated tome, Wood notes the ingrained sexism at play that meant she mostly photographed females. "The reason I have this book today with all these stars is because that was soft news. Anything about women was soft news and the male photographers didn't get those assignments, so they gave them to me. That was good but, yes, it was a discrimination." Despite initial apprehensions, Wood is a staunch feminist. "At the time I didn't realise how I had woven around the discrimination, or even that I was being discriminated against. I became more aware and I'm very proud to be a feminist because I think we still need it." At 86, Wood is still photographing whilst focusing on archiving her life's work. And what a life it has been - from "rambling in a car on small roads or by foot through narrow lanes" in rural Ireland to getting John and Yoko into bed, Wood's photography is a significant cultural and historical documentation of people, places and times gone by. 'IRELAND' by Susan Wood is published by The Lilliput Press at 30 John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan attended the Stan and Ollie premiere as part of the BFI London Film Festival at the Cineworld Cinema (Ian West/PA) Actors Steve Coogan and John C Reilly both wore kilts on the red carpet on Sunday to celebrate their roles in the new film Stan & Ollie. The world premiere for the film, based on the lives of comedy duo Laurel and Hardy in their later years, was at the closing night gala for the BFI London Film Festival. The event, held in Leicester Square, saw members of the cast take to the red carpet alongside the films director, Jon S Baird. Expand Close Coogan and Reilly stand alongside director Jon S Baird at the films premiere in London (Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Coogan and Reilly stand alongside director Jon S Baird at the films premiere in London (Ian West/PA) Asked about Coogan and Reillys choice to wear kilts on the red carpet, the director, originally from Aberdeen, laughed and said it was all about him. He said: Theyre wearing them because they wear them in the film. Theres a scene where they go to Scotland and wear these oversized kilts but they thought it would be a nice little touch as well and, as you can see, a good photo opportunity. Theyve not been shy about it, lets just say! Expand Close Reilly, Coogan and Baird, alongside Shirley Henderson, Rufus Jones and Nina Arianda at the Stan and Ollie premiere (Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Reilly, Coogan and Baird, alongside Shirley Henderson, Rufus Jones and Nina Arianda at the Stan and Ollie premiere (Ian West/PA) Coogan and Reilly, who play Laurel and Hardy respectively, also donned matching bowling hats in the style of the double act. Video of the Day Mr Baird told the Press Association he did not want the film to be a normal sort of biopic. The 45-year-old said: I wanted to choose a little bit of their lives and concentrate on a little bit of their life. The most interesting part was when they had felt as if they were coming towards the end of their stardom, when they were struggling, and what they were actually like off screen. Everybody knew what Laurel and Hardy were like on screen and what their personas were like. Theyre very different off screen so I just thought it was a lot more interesting to look at their sort of alter egos or the real people. (CNN) At least three people, including a child, were killed and dozens injured in Afghanistan's capital as voters went to the polls Saturday for long-awaited legislative elections, officials said. Meantime, balloting hours were extendedsome into Sundayat many polling stations across the country after technical glitches and lack of staff delayed operations, leading to long lines, the country's Independent Electoral Commission, or IEC, said. The elections already had been delayed for three years because of security concerns, and the assassination Thursday by the Taliban of an important provincial police chief only added to many Afghans' sense of unease as they turned out to cast their ballots. An explosion in Kabul killed a child as voting was underway, said Italian-run non-governmental organization EMERGENCY, adding that its staff had received 36 patients needing treatment. The deaths and injuries across the capital city were confirmed by Ministry of Public Health official Muhibullah Zaheer. The number of incidents and details of what happened weren't immediately available. Much rests on the vote: Hundreds of women and young people are among candidates standing for election, riding a wave of hope that the notoriously corrupt and inefficient political system in Afghanistan can be overhauled. After casting his ballot Saturday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani thanked law enforcement, election officials and citizens who made the election possible, "despite the risks involved." "Today we proved together that we uphold democracy. With casting our ballots without fear we honor the sacrifices of the fallen," he tweeted. The Taliban had warned Afghans ahead of the vote not to participate in what they called "an American project from start to finish." It's not yet clear how logistical problems at many polling stations will affect turnout figures. Voter enthusiasm may already have been chilled by the killing of Gen. Abdul Raziq Achakzai, Kandahar's police chief, the latest in a long line of violent attacks in the country. Two Americans also were wounded in the shooting attack. Voting in Kandahar was delayed for a week following Raziq's death. 'This is a failed process' Efforts were being made to resolve delays in the opening of some of the voting sites and centers due to technical issues, Shaima Alam Soroush, a deputy spokeswoman for the IEC, told reporters in Kabul. A campaign manager, Israr Karimzai, told CNN that he had "20 reports of different centers across the country where people are being denied their right to vote" because "no ballot papers or no biometric devices or IEC staff have shown up" at the polling stations. A candidate in Kabul told CNN she had been waiting for more than an hour to vote. "This is a failed process," Mariam Solaimankhil said. Idrees Stanikzai, also in Kabul, told CNN that voters were complaining about still waiting for their polling station to open more than two hours after their arrival. The head of the provincial council in Maidan Wardak province, Sharifullah Hotak, told local Afghan TV station Shamshad that the biometric system in voting centers was not working in the whole of the province. And in Herat, hundreds of people were standing in line as polling stations there also experienced technical issues. More than 20,000 polling stations were open across the country, with the exception of Kandahar and Ghazni provinces, where voting will take place at a later date, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said earlier. Some 70,000 members of the Afghan forces have been deployed to ensure the security of the elections, he said. Women and young people stand for election The risks have not deterred more than 2,500 candidates nationwide, including more than 400 women, to run for 250 seats in the Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of the Afghan parliament. Maryam Samaa, a 26-year-old former journalist and news presenter on the nation's largest private broadcaster, TOLO TV, felt a duty to stand, she told CNN. She is running for one of Kabul's 33 parliamentary seats. "It's a responsibility every human being must take on," she said. "Everyone has to question the society around them: Why is there so much inequity, and what is my role in reforming that society?" Like many other young candidates, Samaa said she decided to run because there are few "actual representatives of the people" in the current parliament. Rather than the house of the people, Samaa said, the parliament has become a home for competing "mafia networks." Only 9.6% of respondents were satisfied with the work of the current parliament, a survey conducted this year by the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, an independent research institute based in Kabul, found. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Violence and technical glitches plague Afghanistan's elections." The Georgian Chief Prosecutors Office has charged four ex-Interior Ministry officials, who held high posts during Mikheil Saakashvili's presidency, with plotting the death of businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili. Giorgi Merabashvili, Levan Kardava, Revaz Shiukashvili and Giorgi Dgebuadze are suspected of planning the "liquidation" of billionaire Patarkatsishvili by order of the president. The plan was not implemented for "technical reasons": a businessman who sponsored the Georgian opposition left for London in the autumn of 2007. In February 2008, he died in his Surrey mansion from a heart attack after the Georgian Prosecutor Generals Office opened a criminal case against him on coup plotting charges. The Prosecutor Generals Office issued a statement which noted that the Interior Ministry officials could not carry out their plans, but it would not help them: an assassination and an assassination attempt are treated with almost the same gravity in the Criminal Code, up to life imprisonment. Judging by the prosecution files, it's about a civil servants conspiracy with the participation of the president. Two audio recordings, made in February 2007, were handed over to journalists, in which high-ranking Interior Ministry officials speak about scenarios of how to kill Patarkatsishvili, who was considered the main political enemy of the president and openly financed opposition parties. First of all, the "conspirators" were considering the possibility of recruiting Patarkatsishvili's personal security staff member to use him to find out the parameters of the security system, the layout of the house, the location of security cameras, and then poison food with the help of a chef or bartender; or with the participation of cleaners "smear a deadly poison on the door handle," after touching which the billionaire would "die immediately." Another option was to pump poisonous gas in Patarkatsishvilis bedroom. Judging by the second recording, the liquidators managed to recruit one of Patarkatsishvilis bodyguards. The guard was convinced that he would get a high post or a huge amount of money for the murder of his chief, and he is not in any trouble, since the murder was ordered by the president. Saakashvili, who lives in the Netherlands after being expelled from Ukraine, learned about the preparation of the fifth criminal case against him on Tuesday. Speaking live on opposition TV channel Rustavi 2 in the evening, he called the accusations "nonsense," stressing that the "sensation" was being inflated by the Georgian authorities several days before the presidential election scheduled for October 28. According to the polls, opposition candidate Grigol Vashadze is still ahead of the presidential candidate from the Georgian Dream ruling party Salome Zurabishvili. Suspicions about the 'dump' on the eve of the election in order to discredit the current opposition led by Saakashvili are aggravated by the fact that, according to the admission of the General Prosecutors Office, the recordings were seized in 2016, but were published only now. However, if the authorities try to influence the voters in this way, it does not mean that the charges are artificial and groundless. Much will become clear after the defendants will testify at the trial. Saakashvili has already been sentenced in absentia by the Tbilisi court to three and six years in prison for brutal beating of businessman Valery Gelashvili, who insulted his wife in an interview, and for "unlawfully pardoning" high-ranking police officers convicted of kidnapping and killing banker Sandro Girgvliani. Two more criminal cases are in litigation: the dispersal of the opposition rally on November 7, 2007 and embezzlement of state funds. Apparently, in the near future Mikhail Saakashvili will be charged in absentia in the fifth case, which provides a punishment of life imprisonment. Best of luck to all the candidates hoping to break into the Aras to become our next president. Though it seems the die is cast in this country town, with posters advertising a table quiz for supporters of Michael D depicting him as a pint-sized Saint Patrick. Certainly, Higgins banished any notion that a break-in to the Aras last month by a protester bothered him. "At my age and with my experience, why would I be startled?" was his response. Higgins and the gardai allowed the woman to drive back out of the Aras. Which is why I love Ireland. In other parts of the world, she would have been shot dead. Because while security is obviously crucial, do we really want the heavy-handed approach, advocated by some politicians who criticised gardai for being too lenient? They should save their concern for our endangered little hare that is currently being savagely abused once again, thanks to them blocking a ban on hare coursing last year. While the recent vindication of Maurice McCabe maybe makes it timely to give thanks for the gentle men and women who make up the majority of An Garda Siochana. As reflected by the report by Mr Justice Peter Charleton, which stated: "Sgt McCabe is a genuine person who at all times had the interests of the people of Ireland uppermost in his mind." Significantly, Charleton said McCabe "regarded those interests as superior to any loyalty which he had to the police force of the State", going on to add "neither interest should ever be in conflict". For that loyalty is largely reciprocated and distinguishes us from many other societies, who refer to their police by ignoble nicknames such as 'filth', 'pigs' or 'scum'. Here, most of us simply call them the gardai. Maybe the Irish word reminds us that their authority is not put upon us but from us. Maybe it's the lack of guns or the way most gardai seem approachable. This is evident in recent tragedies involving gardai that left their communities grieving alongside the immediate families. When "gentle giant" Garda Shane Cuffe, was found dead at Clifden garda station last Easter Monday, so many mourners turned out to pay their respects his funeral had to be moved from his home parish of Moycullen to Galway Cathedral. And three years ago this month more than 4,000 gardai joined devastated locals on the streets of Blackrock, Co Louth, to follow the coffin of their slain colleague Tony Golden, who was gunned down as he tried to protect two civilians. Father Keenan reminded the congregation that Tony was the 88th garda to die protecting his people. "As one person from Omeath put it to me in recent days, he was 'our garda'." Which is why I'm grateful for gardai who give a woman who breaks into the office that symbolises our State a break. And for a president who wouldn't accept praise for treating a protester from the people he represents with decency. Just eight weeks after undergoing life-changing surgery in the US Anna Brownes most cherished dream of once again being able to dance is set firmly within her sights. Last June, Anna was diagnosed with a significant brain injury, bilateral PVL of the brain, which resulted in spastic diplegia, a condition that severely inhibited movement in her lower limbs. The condition meant that as Anna grew it would become more debilitating, severely impacting her mobility and restricting her from doing the things that most children of her age take for granted including in her particular case dancing. Her story tugged the heartstrings of people from across the country, with a GoFundMe account set up to cover the cost of corrective surgery and post-op therapy raising more than 120,000. This meant that in August Anna was able to undergo an elective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) at the St Louis Childrens Hospital in Missouri, a procedure to identify and sever the nerves causing spasticity in her lower limbs. Anna clambering up an indoor climbing wall as she recently celebrated her eighth birthday has shown just how far she has come since the surgery. Speaking on C103 Cork Today Show, Annas mother Evelyn said that she would never have thought this time last year that would have been possible. God no, not a hope, replied Evelyn. She did struggle and was a lot slower than the other kids, but she is very determined. She sat down next to me after and was so proud. She said I know I am slow and its tough, but I can do it. I couldnt do it a few months ago, Evelyn said on the C103 Cork Today Show. At that moment I knew we had made the right decision. Anna is expressing every day how much better her body is feeling. Her walking might never be 100 per cent perfect, but the simple task of climbing a wall, something that any eight-year-old should be able to do, has given her options. That door was closed to her before and we did not realise it was that jammed shut, she added. Evelyn said that watching Anna recover after the surgery was one of the hardest things she has ever had to do in her life, but within a matter of days realised that Anna was feeling the benefits of the operation. She said that initially Anna was in great pain, something surgeons had warned Evelyn about, but recalled how on the first day of post-op physio Anna told her that she felt her body had just popped and that everything now felt free. By day five of six Anna was taking her first steps and has excelled at her physio since. They said she would not be at pre-op stage until six of seven weeks. We are only hitting that now and it is amazing to how she has progressed, said Evelyn. Anna has said the elastic (in her body) is now broken and every movement and transition is easier for her. People have even commented that they can see how happy she is just by the look on her face, she looks free. Evelyn said that Anna undergoes daily physio, making sure it is done early in the morning so she does not miss out on going to school. She is not yet able to dance, hopefully that will happen after Christmas. He surgeon, Dr Park, is coming to Ireland in April to check on progress and he wants to see her Irish dancing then, said Evelyn. I still cant believe we are talking about Anna being able to do things without us having to worry. We took her out of a wheelchair at the airport in Missouri and she has not been back in it since. She could walk the length of Mallow town now, something she could never have done before. Evelyn said that none of this would have been possible without the help of the media in helping highlight Annas story and the generosity of the people who donated to the fundraising drive. That help is what got Anna there, that is what they have done for my daughter, she said. High-profile property developer Johnny Ronan has had his hopes to build Dublin's tallest building dashed for a second time - but has vowed to appeal again. His company Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE) received word last Friday evening that the company's new scaled-back scheme had been rejected by Dublin City Council (DCC). A spokesperson for RGRE said: "We are very disappointed by this decision. The height of our proposal is fully compliant with Dublin City Council's own Local Area Plan (LAP) for the site. We will appeal this decision to An Bord Pleanala." The company's original plan for the Tara Street site had been subject to a thorough oral hearing in March, during which An Bord Pleanala's own inspector delivered a glowing report on the proposed building. Inspector Gillian Kane said the original Tara Street Tower would have been a valuable addition to the city's architecture. On the design, she stated it would "be beautiful". But the appeals board ignored the recommendation and narrowly voted against her findings by four members to three. Mr Ronan then went back to the plans and revised the scheme to fit in with the council's draft guidelines on building heights and residential densities. His company has spent almost three years at the drawing board, submitting more than 60 different designs to DCC - in addition to the backing from the board's inspector. But the council once again rejected the appeal on the grounds of ''visual impact''. Their decision comes despite the fact that the Government recently issued new draft guidelines, increasing height and density - particularly on major transport hubs - in the city. Mr Ronan's proposed building is planned to sit on top of Dublin's proposed Metro station. Speaking to the Sunday Independent, the project design specialist Richard Coleman expressed his ''astonishment'' at the decision. "The new design takes account of the planning board's previous reasons for refusal," he said. "It follows the city's recently restated brief for the site, a landmark accommodating fundamental public benefits for station users. "But more, it includes a publicly accessible top and, yes, it's visible in Dublin's famous central townscape. How could a landmark be otherwise?" He added: "If the board's inspector praises it - as was the case with the last version - surely the board will recognise the current merits and waste no time in giving it the go-ahead? I certainly hope so." The new tower would accommodate almost 900 office workers, a 106-bedroom hotel over four floors and a restaurant on the top floor with an open terrace. The estimated economic boost stands at 280m a year. Recently, An Bord Pleanala rejected a scheme by the city council for a pedestrian plaza at College Green. Meanwhile, a source close to RGRE said their next appeal had already been written and said: "An Bord Pleanala will have it by Monday morning." An archaeologist, who has travelled to some of the world's most remote locations, has put together a book of stunning photographs to raise funds for the homeless. Vincent Butler's book, Sixty Photographs for Simon, is a collection of images he has taken during his expeditions over the past two decades. These include photos taken in the Arctic, Scandinavia, Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and the Antarctic. The Dublin native is a professional archaeologist who worked on the Wood Quay excavations in Dublin, and in the National Museum of Ireland. His association with the Simon Community began years ago and kicked off his career as an expedition leader. "Almost 20 years ago, in 2000, I went on a charity trek across the Sahara in Morocco to raise money for Dublin Simon Community," said Vincent. During that trip, the group stumbled across the remains of a prehistoric site that had not been previously discovered. Expand Close The cover of the book in aid of the Simon Community / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The cover of the book in aid of the Simon Community "That discovery, on the Dublin Simon Sahara Trek, led to my career as a global expedition leader, and changed my life. "I know how the Simon Community changes the lives of homeless people today, and I want to raise money, with this book, to help them," he explained. Tim Severin, the Irish explorer made famous for his 'Brendan Voyage' across the North Atlantic in the 1970s in a skin-covered boat, wrote the foreword to the book. "Vinnie's photographs are glimpses of a world, full of interest, variety and colour. It follows that we should do our best to preserve and protect its diversity. "At the same time, he draws attention to the fact that we can make a difference much closer to home," wrote Severin. As well as his work as an expedition leader, Vincent has also worked as a consultant to Failte Ireland as a tour guide trainer. He's an expert on the Burren and Viking archaeology and travels widely as a lecturer on board the expedition cruise ship -National Geographic Explorer. Sixty Photographs For Simon is being launched in the 'Great Room' of the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, this Tuesday at 7pm. All proceeds from the sale of the book (hardback, full colour, 20 per copy) will go to the Simon Community. A local councillor has said that it is "totally unacceptable" that residents in a Wicklow estate have been on a boil water notice for over 10 years. Cllr Pat Kennedy raised the matter within Arklow Municipal District this week and said that homeowners in the Annacurra estate have been in this situation for a decade. "This is not good enough. We cannot have elderly people or those with small children dealing with this any longer," Clrr Kennedy told the Wicklow People. Hazel Hill was first placed on a boil water notice in February 2008, and recent tests carried out by Wicklow County Council still indicate the presence of coliform and enterococci bacteria in samples taken from some of the 25 homes. As the development is privately owned, the water system is also managed privately but testing has been carried out by the local authority. However, there may be some hope for residents as Wicklow County Council has commenced the process of taking the estate in charge which would mean that the water system would be handed over to Irish Water. This could take some time however as the deadline for submissions and objections is not until the end of November. Cllr Kennedy appealed to officials to expedite the process so that residents could finally have confidence in their water supply. While the notice is in place, they cannot drink or cook with their water and must ensure it is boiled before use. Meanwhile, in relation to the public water supply in Aughrim/Annacurra, Irish Water has confirmed that it will be introducing a new groundwater source at the Aughrim Treatment Plant. "The Aughrim/Annacurra public water supply is affected by THMs. THMs are chemical compounds which can form over time when natural organic matter such as twigs and leaves, react with the chlorine necessary to adequately disinfect water supplies in order to make the water safe to drink. "To address this Irish Water is investigating the potential to introduce a new groundwater source as well as installing new treatment at the Aughrim water treatment plant. We plan to have these works completed by the end of 2021," a spokesperson said. Tourists, business people and staff working at car rental companies have shared their experiences of the Irish car rental market and are calling for improved regulations and transparency. Some customers have detailed negative encounters including; - being charged 700 for pre-existing damage; - a young mother being forced to pay more than 400 for damage she claims she didn't cause; - and US tourists having their dream trips ending as a nightmare after they had to fork out hundreds of euro before boarding their flight home. A former employee of a Dublin-based company also shared some of the underhanded tactics used by his colleagues. He told how holidaymakers would be "left in tears" at the end of their trips after being charged for damage they alleged wasn't caused by them. "The tactics were very 'Laurel and Hardy' style," the source said. "Laurel would check the vehicle, identify a scratch within 20 seconds and then go into the office to get Hardy to come out and assess the 'damage'. He'd make up a figure there on the spot and then the customer would have to fork out. "Most people pay as they have flights to catch and have no option. "There were some customers, they'd had a great holiday but they were in tears then going home after they said they were charged for scratches they didn't cause. "It was always just your average holidaymaker who was targeted, very rarely would business people be targeted. It always seemed to be families with kids." Some customers who were charged for damage they didn't cause eventually received refunds after fighting the case. Rob Dale rented a vehicle from international company Hertz at Dublin Airport. Hertz, which is rated as one of the best rental companies by consumers, charged Mr Dale 700 for damage to the vehicle and also overcharged him for the rental period as an additional day was added to the bill. Mr Dale didn't cause the vehicle damage and contacted Hertz's corporate department in a bid to get a refund. After weeks of fighting the case, he eventually got his money back. "Following a full review of your case respective of the additional day billed at the end of rental, I can confirm that this was an administration error which occurred on our part here at Hertz Ireland," a spokesperson from the customer services department said in an email. "Please note, following a conversation with the Head of our Claims Department, it has been confirmed that a refund of 700.00 has been processed on their end to the same Visa card. The damage that was billed was indeed found to be preexisting, hence explaining the efficient decision to refund all corresponding damage charges." Read More Mr Dale took pictures of the vehicle before and after the rental in a bid to argue his case should any issues arise after returning the car. "I think it's a much bigger problem in this country. The main recommendation I can give to people is take lots of pictures before and after they rent a car. Its shameful behaviour," he said. Cathy McDonnell, a young mother from Dublin, rented a vehicle from Enterprise Rent-A-Car on Pottery Road in Dun Laoghaire in September. Her own car was undergoing a service and she rented a vehicle so she could bring her kids to school and get from A to B. She requested a small vehicle but was instead given a Nissan Qashqai. A staff member then instructed her to inspect the vehicle for scratches and paint damage. After failing to notice any marks, Ms McDonnell signed the rental agreement. She was then faced with charges of 491.12 for an alleged dent over the rear wheel when she returned the car, which she is adamant she didn't cause. Enterprise failed to furnish her with an engineer's report outlining the damage, despite numerous requests by Ms McDonnell. Expand Close A picture of the alleged damage above the rear wheel, which Cathy McDonnell insists she didn't cause / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A picture of the alleged damage above the rear wheel, which Cathy McDonnell insists she didn't cause "When I went to pick up the vehicle I was directed to look for paint damage and scratches, and when I brought it back, I was told within seconds there was a bump over the rear wheel," Ms McDonnell told Independent.ie. "I only had it for two days. It was parked in my front drive, it was once parked in the underground car park in work and once in Tesco's car park in Dun Laoghaire. I can't understand how the damage would have happened while I had it. "It was the kind of damage that you wouldn't notice at first glance. "It would be easy to miss. I just don't get why they gave me a completely different car to the one I asked for. "I told them I intend to dispute the damage and I'm still waiting for a detailed report about the damage, all I got was an invoice." Independent.ie initially contacted the Enterprise head office for comment and was told a specialist hadn't yet been assigned to the claim and they couldn't discuss it due to data protection reasons. However, Ms McDonnell has since confirmed that an Enterprise staff member phoned on Friday to say she will now be offered a full refund within 5 to 10 days. Enterprise then issued a statement to Independent,ie saying that while they believe that the branch correctly charged the customer for damage, they are now refunding the full amount to the customer as a "gesture of good will". "We have looked into the matter and believe that our branch correctly charged the customer for damage that happened while the car was in their care. "Although the customer had initially reserved a smaller vehicle, she was given an upgrade to a Nissan Qashqai, which she accepted. Once the rental agreement is signed and the vehicle is driven off of our premises, the customer assumes full responsibility for the vehicle. "However, having looked into the matter we would accept that our communication with the customer could have been better, particularly as the repair did not happen immediately and we were holding the agreed excess. "As a gesture of goodwill, we have decided to refund the charges for damage and have spoken to the customer who is satisfied with this resolution. Costs Customers have been calling for improved transparency when it comes to damage assessment by engineers. John Fahey, from Long Island, New York, visited Ireland in 2015 and rented a vehicle at Knock Airport. He travelled around the west of Ireland and had an unfortunate experience when somebody hit the rental vehicle and left the scene. Local people witnessed the incident in the car park of the North Kerry Museum and provided statements to Hertz, the rental company. Mr Fahey says he felt the repair figure was "extremely high". Hertz charged him 1,627.61 for costs arising out of the below dent, including the time the vehicle had to be off the road. A spokesperson for Hertz told Mr Fahey that the cost of repairs was calculated "under licence using Glasss Glassmatix computerised Assessment system, incorporating Thatcham Time System (TTS) generated data, which is both industry and insurance standard, widely used by Repairers, Motor Assessors and Claim Adjusters within the United Kingdom and Ireland." Hertz eventually tracked down the driver of the other vehicle and returned the money to Mr Fahey. "To me, even though I got the money back, the cost of the initial damage just seemed really high," Mr Fahey told Independent.ie. Tourists The car rental market has drawn criticism both in Ireland and across Europe. Irish tourists travelling to the UK and Spain have shared horror experiences renting vehicles. Kieran Cummins, from Co Meath, rented a car from company Drivalia at Valencia Airport in Spain last July. When he returned the vehicle ten days later, the hire company alleged that there was a mark above the tail light and deducted 345 from Mr Cummins' credit card. Expand Close Kieran Cummins was charged 345 for a tiny scratch above the rear light / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kieran Cummins was charged 345 for a tiny scratch above the rear light Mr Cummins said the car was parked up for the majority of its hire and had only been driven to and from the resort where he was staying, which clocked up a total of 286km. "I made it clear that I was not responsible for this mark. The person checking the car ignored my protestations and kept using an obviously well rehearsed mantra that it was 'nothing personal' and that I could claim it back on my insurance," Mr Cummins told Independent.ie. Independent.ie also previously highlighted experiences customers had with company Green Motion at UK airports. Ryanair's car hire provider, CarTrawler, subsequently suspended the services of Green Motion due to a spike in customer complaints, insisting it would resume its services when it improved its customer service. Businessman Stuart Summerfield, from Co Sligo, provided pictures of his rental car which showed no visible damage to the vehicle, but yet he was charged 1,205 (1,371) by Green Motion for an alleged dent on the driver's door. Expand Close A Green Motion staff member pointing out the perceived damage to the car rented by Stuart Summerfield / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Green Motion staff member pointing out the perceived damage to the car rented by Stuart Summerfield Green Motion later refunded Mr Summerfield the full amount after he highlighted his experience in the media. A Green Motion spokesperson said the refund was a "gesture of good will". A CarTrawler spokesperson confirmed the services of Green Motion remain suspended. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission told Independent.ie that they receive "in excess of 40,000 contacts from consumers and traders. "More often than not, these contacts arise from a consumer experiencing a problem and seeking information about what their rights are." They said that since January that have received 177 contacts relating to car rental issues and 108 of these were from consumers who were looking for information about charges, payments and deposits. "More specifically, we received 14 contacts in which individuals had encountered difficulties with what appeared to be pre-existing issues with their rental cars," a CCPC spokesperson said. The Car Rental Council of Ireland, the representative trade organisation for the car rental industry in Ireland, urges tourists to inspect the vehicle carefully on collection by walking all the way round it looking for any signs of damage. "Check the spare wheel and the tools. Make sure that any damage or missing accessories are notified to the rental company before you leave the rental compound. Allow plenty of time, particularly at busy rental sites, when checking the vehicle on return. Make sure that the vehicle is inspected by the rental company and that you both agree, note and sign for any damage on all copies of the damage report. "The rental company expects you to take good care of their vehicle. You will be liable for damage to the vehicle arising from misuse, off road driving or other acts of negligence which are regarded as breach of contract. These charges will include loss of income arising from a vehicle not being available for renting. This also applies to the theft of or from the vehicle." The rental companies emphasised that the customer has a responsibility to ensure the vehicles are returned in the same manner they were rented. "It is important that the customer plays their part and fully reads and understands the Terms & Conditions of hire prior to commencing with the rental. They should also take seriously the matter of hiring a vehicle and the documentation they sign," a spokesperson for Green Motion UK said. "They are not asked to sign for the condition of the vehicle for fun." The countdown is on - there is less than a week to go until polling day for the Presidential Election 2018. The six candidates have hit headlines for various reasons in the last few weeks - but what do each of them stand for? Independent.ie have broken down the candidates and where they stand on the big issues of the times we live in. Joan Freeman Expand Close Joan Freeman / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Joan Freeman Brexit: Ms Freeman declined to comment on whether a second Brexit referendum should be held but said her primary concern is that the terms of the Brexit agreement protect an invisible border between North and South. Presidential expenses: Dodging the question on Claire Byrne Live as to whether she thinks it was right for the Public Accounts Committee to look at expenditure from the Office of the President in the run-up to the election, Joan Freeman said candidates either have to have personal wealth or be totally aligned with a political party. Expand Close Joan Freeman and husband Patrick. Photo: Arthur Carron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Joan Freeman and husband Patrick. Photo: Arthur Carron Abortion Referendum: Freeman voted No in the Abortion Referendum. She has said it was not for religious reasons, but because she has worked her whole life to preserve life. However, she said she would absolutely be happy to carry the voice of the people and sign resulting legislation into law as president. U.S. President Trump: Speaking on the Claire Byrne Live debate, Ms Freeman said she would meet with Donald Trump. "We have spent decades creating a magnificent relationship with America and it would be such a shame if we destroyed that relationship because of one president. If I was to meet Trump, I would welcome him to Ireland." Feminism: Joan Freeman has said that she is a feminist because she believes in parity between men and women. "We need to be advocating for women as I believe womens voices should be represented in all aspects of society. Women not only bring skill, talent and leadership, but they also bring empathy to all situations. It makes sense for women and men to work together as it results in a more balanced and fair society." Peter Casey Expand Close Peter Casey speaking at EPIC centre in Dublin at the official launch of his presidential campaign. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. Friday October 5, 2018. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Peter Casey speaking at EPIC centre in Dublin at the official launch of his presidential campaign. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. Friday October 5, 2018. Brexit: On Brexit Mr Casey predicted it will "end up like Y2K", otherwise known as the Millennium bug, that failed to have the expected impact on computers worldwide in the year 2000. "It's like the crisis you have when you're not having a crisis. Germany has a 16pc trade surplus with the UK so they are not going to do anything that will mess that up," the businessman said. "I think they've run out of time already, so what they'll do is vote to give the UK an extension. "They'll extend it probably for two years. In the meantime there'll be a new government elected in the UK and they'll go back and ask for a vote on it. "This time they'll vote to stay in. That's what I'd bet on," Mr Casey said, adding: "I think it'll be a huge big yawn. We'll think 'Why were we all so excited about Brexit'." Presidential expenses: Peter Casey told the Claire Byrne live debate he is "sceptical" on the issue of PAC looking at the presidential expenses. He said that he does not think it was right to examine presidential costs just weeks before the election. Expand Close Peter Casey and wife Helen. Photo: Arthur Carron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Peter Casey and wife Helen. Photo: Arthur Carron Abortion Referendum: Asked about the recent abortion referendum, he said he's "absolutely 100pc opposed to abortion as a means of birth control", but would sign the legislation being proposed by the Government into law. "I'm opposed to it, but where the mother's life is in danger or cases of rape and incest I would be in favour of it," he said. U.S. President Trump: Mr Casey said on the Claire Byrne live debate that "you don't have the luxury" of deciding who you do and don't meet as president. "As the head of state you are duty bound to meet the person ... I think Trump is an international embarrassment as the president you have to grin and bear it." Feminism: Peter Casey has said that he is not a feminist because he "doesn't discriminate by favouring men or women". "I would like to think were past this as a society and women are treated equally in Ireland. But I am open to exploring the matter further and would happily engage with the Womens Council of Ireland on suitable means to address inequality or advance the aim of equality for everyone in our society." Sean Gallagher Expand Close Presidential candidate Sean Gallagher. Picture: Kinlan Photography. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Presidential candidate Sean Gallagher. Picture: Kinlan Photography. Brexit: Gallagher has described Brexit as a "mistake". He said he "could not even begin to countenance" the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland post-Brexit. The former Dragons Den star said he had first-hand experience of how "very intimidating" crossing a militarised border could be and he was "very fearful" for young people should a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland be reinstated. Gallagher has said he would campaign for a united Ireland if he was elected as president. He told Newstalk Breakfast recently he believes a United Ireland can be achieved within his lifetime and he said he would use his position as president to address local authorities in Northern Ireland. Presidential expenses: Gallagher said he was surprised to learn a 317,000 allowance to the office of the president was not audited. He said all public funding should be audited. Expand Close Sean Gallagher (Liam McBurney/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sean Gallagher (Liam McBurney/PA) Abortion Referendum: Mr Gallagher said that he voted to appeal the abortion referendum. U.S. President Trump: Mr Gallagher said that he would welcome Donald Trump to Ireland. "Ireland has a great reputation for welcoming visitors to our country. If elected President I would of course welcome any Head of State that is invited by our Government," Mr Gallagher told the Journal. Feminism: Sean Gallagher has said that he is feminist and believes that women should have equal rights and opportunities. "Its also about standing up when we dont see this happening, whether its in politics, a playground or a boardroom. As much as I want my daughter Lucy to grow up with all the opportunities she and every girl deserves, I also want my son Bobby to grow up knowing that being a feminist is a strength because it means that you stand for others and are committed to shaping a future where everyone is equal." Gavin Duffy Expand Close Gavin Duffy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gavin Duffy Brexit: Mr Duffy said that he is opposed to Brexit and would support a second vote on the referendum in the UK. Presidential expenses: Gavin Duffy has said it was right for the Public Accounts Committee to look at the presidential finances. Expand Close Gavin Duffy and wife Orlaith Carmody. Photo: Arthur Carron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gavin Duffy and wife Orlaith Carmody. Photo: Arthur Carron Abortion Referendum: Mr Duffy said that he voted to appeal the Eighth Amendment. U.S. President Trump: Speaking on the Claire Byrne live debate, Mr Duffy said that he would meet with Donald Trump. "Ireland is a very unique country. We have a good relationship with everyone. We have reached out across the world. "I believe we should be available to all people and to have difficult conversations. We all have personal problems with Donald Trump but all of us would be meeting the office of the President of the United States." Feminism: Gavin Duffy has said that he is a feminist and that he believes in full gender equality in every aspect of life. "I know women are discriminated against because I have worked with men who have blind spots to womens potential or, sadly feel more comfortable in majority male teams. Of course I challenged those men but many suffer unconscious bias. I have always been different in that regard and have always worked closely and successfully with women." Liadh Ni Riada Expand Close Liadh Ni Riada / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Liadh Ni Riada Brexit: Ms Ni Riada said that it is up to the UK to decide on a second Brexit referendum but that if she was president she would ensure inclusivity and equality. She said she would be president for all people, that includes having that dialogue with Unionists. Presidential expenses: Speaking during the Claire Byrne live debate, Liadh Ni Riada said the timing of the Public Accounts Committee looking at presidential expenses was "unfortunate". "Absolute accountability is key, but it's seven years too late," she said. She also said she believes the presidential salary should be halved. Expand Close Liadh Ni Riada / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Liadh Ni Riada Abortion Referendum: Ms Ni Riada said she voted to appeal the abortion referendum. U.S. President Trump: Speaking on the Claire Byrne live debate, Ms Ni Riada said that she would welcome Mr Trump to Ireland. "I think it's important that as president you do meet world leaders. It's an opportunity in the private discussion that you do have that you can try and be a positive influence and raise the issues. It would be very wrong not to meet any world leader. Feminism: Liadh Ni Riada said that she is a feminist and that she is committed to equality for women. "While much has been achieved in recent years, including the repeal of the 8th Amendment, there is a lot still to be achieved in Ireland and across the globe. As an MEP I have been active on a range of issues to improve equality for women and if elected president I will continue to advocate for women and girls in Irish society and internationally." Michael D Higgins Expand Close President Michael D Higgins canvases for votes on Dublins Grafton Street (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp President Michael D Higgins canvases for votes on Dublins Grafton Street (Niall Carson/PA) Brexit: Mr Higgins said that as President, he could not comment on a second Brexit referendum but said that Europe was in a fragile condition, and stressed the importance of social cohesion, and of restoring the connection with the European street. Presidential expenses: Mr Higgins takes a reduced salary of just under 250,000 a year, which adds up to 1.75m over the term of his presidency. He also has rental income from a property in Galway and a pension from his time as a college lecturer. When asked by the Irish Independent if Ms Freeman is justified in casting him as a millionaire candidate, he replied: "Material things are not important to me." Expand Close Michael D Higgins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michael D Higgins Abortion Referendum: When asked about the abortion referendum Mr Higgins said it would not be appropriate for an incumbent President to reveal which way he or she voted on a constitutional issue. However, he opposed the introduction of the 8th Amendment in 1983. U.S. President Trump: Mr Higgins said he would extend all appropriate courtesies to any head of state visiting Ireland. Mr Higgins previously used a major speech on womens leadership in New York to criticise "unapologetic sexism" in Donald Trumps America. Mr Higgins also said that womens voices were marginalised, ignored or silenced for too long in Irelands first 100 years of independence. Feminism: Michael D Higgins said that he is a feminist and that global feminism has been a transformative source of new thinking, benefiting everyone. "Im heartened to see a renewed, inclusive, confident, feminism within contemporary movements for a more equal Ireland. A feminist is a man or a woman who says, Yes, theres a problem with gender as it is today, and we must fix it, we must do better. Businessman Peter Casey has decided to remain a candidate in the presidential election after a week of controversy over his views on Traveller culture and ethnicity. In an article in the Sunday Independent today, Mr Casey steadfastly refuses to apologise for his remarks, and attempts to open another front in his controversial campaign by describing Ireland as a "welfare-dependent state" which, he says, has led to a "sense of entitlement that's become unaffordable". The latest opinion poll on the presidential election shows Mr Casey has doubled his support to 2pc. Today, he writes: "We have become a nation of people who expect, no demand, that the State looks after them. Pay all of their bills, provide them with homes, provide all sorts of social benefits." Yesterday, Fianna Fail Social Protection spokesman Willie O'Dea hit back at the businessman, saying his comments were an "attempt to breathe life into outdated rhetoric". Today, Mr Casey, a former Dragons' Den panellist, says he was going to quit politics after he was accused of being a racist over comments he made about the Travelling community. However, he is now "more determined than ever to remain in the race" after being inundated with messages of support. He also refuses to apologise for his comments about Traveller ethnicity because he believes they are "first and foremost" Irish citizens. Mr Casey has faced widespread calls to drop out of the presidential race following his comments about Travellers on Independent.ie's 'Floating Voter' podcast. He has become the most-talked about candidate after claiming Travellers are "basically people camping in someone else's land". He denied adopting Trump-like tactics to try push up his polling figures. "It disappointed me when he got elected, but I did predict it because when you live there, America is a racist society," he said of Mr Trump. "I think his behaviour is indefensible." The Irish-American businessman told Galway Bay FM he is not "in any way racist". He noted that he grew up in Derry where Catholics were discriminated against in terms of voting rights and jobs. Peter Casey's full article is published in today's Sunday Independent The fire at the Electrotsink metallurgy plant in Vladikavkaz in Russia's south broke out overnight to Sunday and continues to spread, the Russian Emergencies Ministry's press service said. "The localization of the fire on the territory of the Electrotsink plant has been cancelled, the fire spread to 1,000 square meters," TASS cited the press service as saying. It was earlier reported that the fire started in the electrolyte workshop and spread to 650 square meters, but was later localized. The workshop roof and walls partially collapsed. One firefighter died and two more were injured in the fire. No employees of the plant were injured in the fire. Okay, I'm just going to say it: I've been troubled the past couple of days. To read articles that say I am a racist hurts. To hear the Taoiseach, whom I have always respected, say people shouldn't vote for me also hurts, deeply. I was so shaken up by it all, I considered dropping out of the race. To hell with it, I thought, if people want to believe all the nonsense, then I'm just throwing up my hands and walking away from politics. Then something happened, something remarkable. I received thousands of texts, emails and phone calls saying: "Don't quit. You're the only who talks about the issues with honesty." "You are the one candidate, who isn't reciting the same political malarkey we've been hearing forever." "Stay in the race. And furthermore, no one is telling me who to vote for." To get that kind of support was amazing. And it has made me more determined than ever to remain in the race. First off, about the Travellers. Anyone who has followed my campaign knows my number-one issue has been the diaspora. Having lived around the world, I recognise the strength of the worldwide Irish community. No matter where you go, you would be shocked at how many people, many who've never even visited our country, identify themselves first and foremost as "Irish". More than 40m "Irish" live in the United States right now; more than a third of all Australians are "Irish"; and there are seven times as many "Irish" living outside Ireland than within our borders. This "Irish" pride, which contains many of the worldwide leaders in politics, business and science, is our greatest untapped asset. Any country would love having this asset and like I have often said: Why should we act like a small country, when we are already a great nation? I have spoken at length about all the ways to harness this Irish pride to strengthen Ireland's prominence. And I will do whatever I can to unite the worldwide Irish communities, whether they are in Boston, Bombay or wherever. And when someone talked to me recently about the Travellers, who have lived in Ireland for centuries, I rightly viewed them as "Irish" too. They live in our country, go to our schools, and vote in our elections. In fact, I believe, if we all accepted them more as "Irish", we would do so much more to remedy their long-standing problems, such as chronic unemployment, homelessness and a suicide rate that is six times the national average. I respect the Travellers' culture and traditions, but I will always think of them first and foremost as "Irish" too. If that is wrong, I am not apologising. There isn't enough space to go into great depth about all my campaign's concerns and promises, so I will just quickly cover them here: Homelessness is a terrible problem. Every child should have a "home", that is beyond debate. I believe we need better and more inventive urban planning in Dublin; we have to make rural Ireland much more attractive to businesses; and I think we should emulate FDR's GI Bill and create a national programme that helps first-time buyers purchase homes. It will not be easy, but history demonstrates it can be done. Living in Donegal, right across the water from Northern Ireland, I know how miserable internet service is in rural Ireland. It makes conducting business and all communications too difficult. Recently, near my home, I came upon a horrific accident and we couldn't get in touch with an ambulance in time to help the person. So I know the anger and frustration rural Ireland feels. We don't need to bury more cable or spend hundreds of millions on infrastructure or be held hostage by governmental indifference. There are 4G solutions which can be implemented simply and inexpensively. And lastly, how do we help so many of our people who have trouble making ends meet and cannot escape living pay cheque to pay cheque? The struggling class among the squeezed middle class! As much as I won't have the power to make change, I will be the First Citizen and as such, I want to influence the government in power to support every man, woman and child in the country. We need to acknowledge the hard-working taxpayers of this country and reward them for being the lifeblood of our economy and not penalise them. The average working family of John and Mary with two kids watched that budget two weeks ago to see what was in it for them. They wondered what thanks the Government was going to give them for getting up in the morning and sacrificing their time to pay taxes to fund the State. Guess what, they got nothing, or least very little apart from a reduction in USC to 0.25pc. Meanwhile they watched couples in the same situation on benefits get an increase of hundreds of Euro per year when you include increases in all benefits from March. How do you think that makes people feel? Then we wonder why the nation is dividing. I want to state that there are many people very vulnerable in this country, who are disabled, elderly, in care or for whatever reason, can't work; they deserve every penny in support, if not more. But Ireland is slowly becoming a welfare-dependent state, with a sense of entitlement that's become unaffordable. The socialist politicians are focusing all their interests on welfare and social housing and have forgotten about the bill-payers, the mortgage-payers and the taxpayers. Where is the incentive to work in this country? We have become a nation of people who expect, no demand, that the State looks after them. Pays all their bills, provides them with homes, provides all sorts of social benefits. As proud Irish people, we are better than that. We need to restore our national pride and our national identity. Where are the rewards and support for the families who are getting up early in the morning for work, struggling to pay their bills? All I'll say is, as a lifelong entrepreneur and businessman, we all need to work together to create new ideas that will make life easier and better for more people. WARM WELCOME: Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone meets Pope Francis watched by President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina at Aras an Uachtarain on August 25. Photo: Danny Lawson/PA Wire As Children's Minister Katherine Zappone welcomed Pope Francis at Aras an Uachtarain last summer, it was clear she had a message for him. She held him in place and spoke to him until she was confident her message was delivered. New correspondence seen by the Sunday Independent shows the level of detail that went in to crafting her message for him about the Tuam Babies case. It also shows Ms Zappone and her advisers wanted to bypass Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to deliver a message to the Pontiff. They were concerned that asking the Pope to "step up to the plate" on the issue was "risky" because they were asking him to commit to a course of action that had not yet been approved by the State. Emails also show the lengths to which Ms Zappone went to learn how to address the Pope in Italian about the burial of 800 babies in a disused septic tank near the site of a former Mother and Baby Home in Co Galway. Correspondence released under the Freedom of Information Act shows how Ms Zappone and her advisers spent the days before the Pope's visit planning her interaction with him. Ms Zappone was the Government representative who greeted Pope Francis at Aras an Uachtarain on August 25 at the start of his visit to Ireland. She wrote to her advisers on August 18 with an outline of what she wanted to say to him. She wanted to tell him about Tuam, ask for an apology and insist the Vatican "share in costs to excavate and re-bury with dignity" the Tuam babies. Ms Zappone also wanted his help to access crucial church documents. "So, [the] message is - will he: offer [an] apology, share in costs, provide access to relevant information," she told her advisers. She then suggested the idea of learning her message in Italian, recognising she had a short window in which to make her point. Ms Zappone asked if she should press the Pontiff for a response. It was suggested she learn the Italian for "Is that a 'yes', Pope Francis?" Her advisers warned that looking for a commitment on something not yet sanctioned by Government was "risky". A recommendation on the future of the burial site in Tuam has not yet been confirmed. The minister asked what role Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin would have in her meeting with the Pontiff but advisers told her to focus on the Pope. "If there are issues with the Dublin Archbishop - then the Pope is his 'boss'. We are going to the top," said one adviser. "Even raising it with him is meaningful. It will, no doubt, be the first time that it has been raised with him." The advisers then agreed with Ms Zappone on a formula of words to put to the Pope. They got in touch with Italian instructors who sent the Minister a translation of what she wanted to put to him. They also sent her audio files of three different Italian speakers reciting her notes so she could familiarise herself with how it should sound. It was then agreed to shorten her scripted message to make "the language more immediate". When translated to English, she told him: "Welcome Pope Francis. I am responsible for the Tuam Mother and Baby Home. Children's remains were found in a sewer there. "I hope the church will make reparation for its part in this shameful chapter. It is important. I will write to you with details." How often have you heard somebody refer to an apple tart as 'nice but not as good as the one Mammy used to make'? Some mammies put the sliced apples straight onto the pastry base, others stew them to a pulp first. You either love cloves in an apple pie, or you hate them. Your preference will often depend on the way your mother made hers. I fall into the latter category because in our house the apple tarts were without cloves, full of stewed apples and topped with light-as-a-feather pastry. Apple tarts were a treat at the weekend when I was growing up, but other dishes evoke memories of childhood and ground me in an appreciation of the comfort and security of home. I loved coming in from school for lunch on Friday because, it being a fast day, no meat allowed, we were guaranteed the egg and chips dinner I loved so much. Another of my mother's specialities was cheese souffle at teatime. I still have the recipe she used, although my attempts to recreate the fluffy, cheesy, gooey dish have been less than successful. In fact, I could have marketed souffles as an alternative to Polyfilla. My sister Deirdre has made Mam's cheese souffle with great success, and although I have eaten it at Deirdre's home on the Aran Islands, the first forkful transports me right back to winter nights in the kitchen at Saint Brigid's Road in Clondalkin, Daddy and us four children sitting around the table and Mammy taking the souffle from the oven and spooning it onto our plates immediately, before the crispy fluffy dome could collapse. It was a comforting, tasty culinary delight for all of us. We would hoover up what was on our plates, then fight over who would scrape the bits off the sides of the brown earthenware dish that Mammy always used for that delicious souffle. It was definitely comfort food, although the term wasn't used at the time. Writing about it evokes warm memories of home and times past. If you ever decide to theme a dinner party around the swinging 1960s, cheese souffle will be Top of the Pops, a not-to-be-missed BBC programme that started in the 1960s when I was 10 years of age. It's funny how memories can be so clear when triggered by food. When tea was finished and we'd washed up, we had half an hour of television before we finished off our homework and went to bed. On Thursdays, that half-hour was Top of the Pops. I wanted to be Sandie Shaw, tall (or so she looked on telly), with shiny, straight hair; barefoot, slim, exuding confidence and fun. This was the unabashed hero-worship of a freckle-faced, frizzy-haired, puppy-fat young one sitting in her school uniform on a hard chair watching from a Dublin suburb. In honour of the memories evoked for me by Mother's cheese souffle, I here offer you her recipe. I still have the spiral-bound copybook covered with patterned wipe-clean plastic in which Mam wrote her recipes. I'm transcribing it now, looking at her handwriting, remembering her and those simple times, growing up in Clondalkin. Mammy's cheese souffle Ingredients 1oz (25g) butter 1oz (25g) flour pint (275ml) milk Pinch of salt and pepper 1 tsp mustard 3 eggs 3oz (75g) grated cheese Method 1. This is the method, in my mother's own words: Melt the butter, mix in the flour. Add the milk gradually, stirring all the time. When all the milk has been added, bring the sauce to the boil. 2. Take off the heat and add the pepper, salt and mustard. Then separate the eggs. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat well in. Stir in the grated cheese. 3. Beat the egg whites till they are stiff and fold them gently into the mixture. 4. Pour the mixture into a well-greased dish no more than two-thirds full. It's important to leave space at the top for the souffle to souffle! Bake for about 30 minutes at Regulo 3 (170C). Our winters are often cold and damp, and I have always felt that a bowl of soup to welcome the family home is an expression of connection to the unit that brings us all together under the one roof. That connection is deeply felt also when you send them off to school or work with a flask of homemade soup. For me, there's a sense of satisfaction in knowing that what was made in the home is eaten in the workplace and provides a gratifying link to home and family. In the words of Louis P de Gouy, the French-born head chef at the Waldorf Astoria in New York for 30 years: "Soup is the song of the hearth and the home." My two absolute favourites that I make all the time are nourishing and cheap, cheaper in fact than soup bought in a can. This broccoli and almond soup is a recipe from my friend Anita - written on the back of an envelope with the indicator that you can leave out the almonds if you want it to be zero points. People who are watching their weight will understand the reference and be very glad of the recipe. Vegetarian chilli Expand Close Vegetarian chilli / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vegetarian chilli My daughter Lucy adopted a vegan lifestyle while she was teaching in South Korea and has maintained it for five years. I have to say it was a struggle to find ingredients when she became vegan but now the selection is varied and easy to access. It's a new departure for my family certainly, but family gatherings always include vegan dishes now. It's often the case that the main course is vegan when the extended family comes together these days. I don't eat a lot of meat, although I'm not vegan or vegetarian, but I'm happy to enjoy veggie food for the taste, of course, but also because it embraces the diversity of my adult children's food choices and philosophies, and brings us together to celebrate a new culinary beginning. ingredients Olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, chopped or grated 1 red chilli, chopped (de-seeded if, like me, you don't like anything too spicy, food wise) 1 carrot, peeled and grated 1 courgette, peeled and grated 1 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tbs tomato puree 7oz (200g) cherry tomatoes, halved, or 1 x 400g tin tomatoes 13.5fl oz (400ml) vegetable stock 1 x 400g tin kidney beans or chickpeas Salt and pepper A good handful of chopped coriander leaves and sour cream, to serve Method 1. Fry the onion, garlic and chilli in the oil for two to three minutes over a medium heat until they are softened. Add the carrot and courgette and saute for another two minutes. Add the spices and cook gently for another two minutes. A lot happens in twos here! 2. Stir in the tomato puree and heat through before adding the cherry tomatoes. Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. 3. Cook for 15-20 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce, stirring frequently. Add the beans or chickpeas, salt and pepper, then cook for a further five minutes. A lot of ingredients, and the flavours are great. Don't forget the coriander leaves when you're serving your masterpiece. Serve with rice and if you want to add a bit of colour and cool things down, throw in a crisp green salad. * Extracted from Home Thoughts from the Heart by Mary Kennedy, with photography by Joanne Murphy, published by Hachette Ireland at 16.99 It is particularly exciting to visit wine regions during harvest time, and better still when the harvest is good and everybody is happy. On my recent visit to Galicia, I stopped off in the historic town of Cambados, on the coast of Rias Baixas. On the main square, I could see a winery working at full throttle. It was after midnight, the shutters were pulled up, and two people were loading crates of hand-picked Albarino grapes into the de-stemming machine, and, outside on the street, another guy was busy stamping down the discarded stems in a large crate. Overseeing the work, I soon realised, was Juan Gil De Araujo, the President of the Regulatory Council of the Rias Baixas Wine Appellation - you'll find his Bodegas Fefinanes Albarino in Avoca in Rathcoole and the shop at Ballymaloe. I had visited his winery last year. It really was spectacular to see everything happening in full view in an urban setting. Cambados is in Val do Salnes, the coolest and wettest of the five wine producing sub-regions of Rias Baixas, but don't let the wet bit put you off. While I was there, I visited Lagar de Costa, which is run by Sonia Costa Fontan and her brother Manuel, the fourth generation of the family to make wine. It is in a dramatic location. As we walked down the lane from the winery, the vineyards suddenly came into sight - pergolas of lush green vines that run right down to the sea. The vines are trained in the traditional style, over a high trellis supported at intervals by pillars of granite, so to get to the beach, you walk under the canopy of vines with the bunches of grapes hanging down, ready to be picked. It's possible to stay at this small winery; I had a quick peek at the guest rooms, which are really lovely, so if you're thinking of exploring the wine of the region, add this to your list. Their wine is featured in today's line-up. It is also possible to visit the vineyards at Pazo de Senorans, a 16th century manor house not far from Cambados. Both of these wineries are close to Santiago de Compostela, so if you're thinking of doing the Camino, why not reward yourself with a spot of wine tasting at the end? Lagar de Costa 2017 16.95, reduced from 19.95, 13.5pc, from O'Briens and obrienswine.ie From the beach, this has a delightfully open-knit nose with aromas of peach and white blossom, and somehow dances across the palate with a lively minerality, a prickle of white pepper and a touch of salinity on the finish. Pazo de Senorans 2017 19.95, reduced from 22.95, 13.5pc, from O'Briens and obrienswine.ie A classic Albarino which is beautifully structured with flavours of grapefruit, apricot, pear and a touch of lime, the tingling acidity and pronounced mineral edge make this wine deliciously refreshing. Beautiful with fish. Paco & Lola 2017 14, 13pc, from Dunnes With a herbal, slightly earthy nose this has plenty of fruit on the palate with citrus flavours of grapefruit and lime combining with a silky touch of honey and whisper of tropical fruit. Great to drink on its own or with seafood. Grapevine If you're looking for something interesting to do tomorrow afternoon, head into the Cliff Townhouse on Stephen's Green where drinks consultant and expert Susan Boyle will be hosting a wine tasting featuring five wines - a rose, two reds and two whites - from the Navarra region of Spain. And don't forget that October is cocktail month, so check out all the offers around the country on facebook.com/GreatIrishBeverages Riverside: Porto is located on the Douro river but is also a short journey from the coast should you fancy a day at the beach "Welcome to my office," says our beaming tour guide Sergio as he gestures towards Porto's cobbled streets. We're about to start a 10km running tour (portorunningtours.com), charting Porto's history through the buildings we pass, while Sergio adjusts his pace to match mine. As we return over the entrancing Dom Luis I Bridge, the early-morning fog over the Douro River burns off to reveal a glistening city. Guilty pleasures Expand Close Make sure to visit a cellar producing port / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Make sure to visit a cellar producing port You can't fully experience Porto without visiting a cellar producing the drink with which the city is synonymous. Perched on the Douro River, the hilly Vila Nova de Gaia bank of Porto is dominated by famous cellars making port from grapes harvested in the nearby Douro Valley. A guided tour of Graham's (grahams-port.com) - official supplier to Queen Elizabeth II - takes me through their darkly-lit, sweet-smelling cellar. I amble along narrow cellar paths flanked by 600-litre barrels (piled four-high) and 50,000-litre vats filled with maturing port before the tour's finale: tasting, and learning to distinguish between a heady mix of ruby, tawny, and vintage ports. Tours range from 15 to 250. Expand Close Riverside: Porto is located on the Douro river but is also a short journey from the coast should you fancy a day at the beach / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Riverside: Porto is located on the Douro river but is also a short journey from the coast should you fancy a day at the beach Top Tip Within the thick walls of Porto's former prison, the captivating Portuguese Centre for Photography (cpf.pt; free) contains eerie sepia photographs of former prison inmates and a fascinating collection of antique cameras. Eat this Enjoy juicy clams and crunchy langoustines - a hallmark of the Atlantic Ocean's culinary influence on the city - with a fruity red wine from the Douro Valley on the terrace of the unhurried, raspberry-coloured Dourum (dourum.pt) bistro. The twinkling lights of the Dom Luis I Bridge form a majestic backdrop, and it won't break the bank, either. Dinner and drinks came to around 35 on our visit. Insider intel Livraria Lellos twisting crimson staircase supposedly inspired the library staircase in Hogwarts Harry Potter author JK Rowling was a regular visitor when she lived in Porto from 1991 to 1993. Skip the queue for the invariably crowded bookshop by buying your ticket online (livrarialello.pt/en-us; 5). Glitches Porto's francesinha is a signature dish - a gut-clogging pork, sausage and beefsteak sambo doused in cheese and beer sauce. Avoid! Get there Ryanair flies direct from Dublin to Porto year-round (ryanair.com). The Metro (metrodoporto.pt) takes about 45 minutes from the airport. Stay at the minimalist Gate Hotel (gatehotel.pt) near the old town. Rooms start from around 71 per night. Read more: Britain's Prince Harry (L) and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (R) attend a lunchtime reception hosted by the Prime Minister with Invictus Games competitors and community representatives in the citys central parkland, The Domain, in Sydney on October 21, 2018 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Invictus Games 2018 opening ceremony, at Sydney Opera House, on the fifth day of the royal couple's visit to Australia Britain's Prince Harry (L) and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (R) attend a lunchtime reception hosted by the Prime Minister with Invictus Games competitors and community representatives in the citys central parkland, The Domain, in Sydney on October 21, 2018 Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex sail on Sydney Harbour on the first day of the Invictus Games in Sydney on October 21, 2018 Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend a lunchtime reception hosted by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison with Invictus Games competitors, their families and friends in Sydney Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. (Paul Edwards/Pool Photo via AP) The Duke and Duchess of Sussex watch a performance during their visit to Macarthur Girls High School in Sydney on the fourth day of their visit to Australia This year has been unquestionably successful for the British royal family. The responsibilities of the worlds most watched royals are somewhat convoluted: their work is largely based on community outreach and philanthropy but they must appear relatable, down-to-earth and at-all-times charming. Meghan Markle, the newest duchess, has embraced her new role with aplomb and her whirlwind love story with husband Prince Harry has reached an exciting new chapter as the couple announced theyre expecting their first child on Monday as they are in the midst of a 16-day tour of Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. Expand Close Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, hold hands while walking through Sydney Olympic Park, Australia October 21, 2018. Chris Jackson/Pool via REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, hold hands while walking through Sydney Olympic Park, Australia October 21, 2018. Chris Jackson/Pool via REUTERS And while their jobs per se largely require being immaculately dressed and making small talk with strangers with a smile on their face isnt exactly the most taxing work in the world, its a duty thats taken very seriously in the palace and by the public. Case in point: Meghan and Harry are attending dozens of engagements in little over two weeks, and while theres little sympathy on hand for the couple whose only full-time job is to have their picture taken, I will forever empathise with any woman forced into high heels at any stage of her pregnancy. When they announced their baby news on Monday, there were well-wishes pouring in from around the world, perhaps even moreso than when they exchanged vows in a fairytale ceremony in May. They represent the perfect marriage of a modern monarchy - they are both beautiful, wealthy, clearly in love and without the pressures of expectation imposed on William and Kate Middleton, are allowed to carve their own path. In the two years theyve been together, they have met, fallen in love, become engaged, married, moved Meghans entire life to London from Toronto and are now expecting their first child. And during that time, their popularity has only increased with every considered appearance they have made. A few months ago, I wrote a piece stating that I believe Meghan Markles ostentatiously expensive wardrobe is in bad taste (my particular example was her wearing a 5,000 Givenchy suit while meeting children with life-altering and fatal diseases and their parents, some of whom work as full-time carers) and I was decimated on social media with allegations I was racist, sexist and just plain jealous. More often than not, if I write anything critical about Meghan, I am told by her supporters that my criticism is rooted in equal parts racism and envy. On the flip side, anything that I, or any other journalist might write that is full of praise for the Duchess of Sussex is dismissed as nonsensical, because its largely based on their appearances or because of this alternative narrative that she is nothing but a clever social climber. Expand Close BREAKING THE MOULD: Harry and Meghan Markle on tour in Oz. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp BREAKING THE MOULD: Harry and Meghan Markle on tour in Oz. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire Members of the public, particularly the British public, feel a bizarre sense of ownership over Harry. When I covered their wedding in Windsor in May, I spoke to a number of the estimated 150,000 people who had travelled from around the world and camped for days to understand what it was about this royal couple that is so captivating. One woman, a retiree in her 60s, said she believed Harry was just like her, while another gentleman, who had slept on the streets of Windsor for two days in advance, said he wanted to see Harry happy, believing they held a special bond despite having never met each other. I remain fascinated by this dynamic. Any of the Americans I spoke to, who had flown thousands of miles to the picturesque town, said they initially became fascinated with the royals (particularly Harry and Prince William) during Princess Dianas lifetime. While covering their two-day trip to Dublin in July, there was a different reception. Firstly, there was a significantly smaller crowd and certainly not the numbers befitting the extensive security required or the snipers and undercover Gardai that followed their every move. The trip itself was well received by the public, but for those covering it, it was a poorly organised disaster; but its hard to describe that in detail without sounding like a moany media type and will likely result in more people telling people how jealous I am again. Still, it gave me two opportunities to see the couple in person to measure the publics affection for them and how they engage in return. While the numbers were somewhat paltry here, it wasnt reflective of their popularity (it was in the middle of a work day and raining) as this modern royal couple are universally beloved as the world continue to watch their real-life love story unfold. They are also beneficiaries of the social media age. A blog called Meghans Mirror is often credited with being the first to identify pieces of Meghans wardrobe and it is a go-to source for royal watchers and Meghan fans the world over. It's run by two women Amanda and Christine, who said that her soaring popularity in fashion is down to being "polished but imperfect". "Part of the reason Meghan became popular so quickly is that she was very relatable; she was wearing jeans, blouses, a nice pair of flats some of it might have been expensive but a lot of it wasnt," they told You magazine. Expand Close A ROMANTIC MOMENT: While the world watched, the couple kept some things secret... / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A ROMANTIC MOMENT: While the world watched, the couple kept some things secret... There has been something of a division among royal watchers: those who believe Meghan is exploiting Harrys affability and is a calculated social climber who is putting on the best performance of her life as an actress or a great sense of sympathy for what she has gone through so publicly with her family. You could write a sociological and anthropological thesis on the real-life associations we make with strangers based on the public narrative were told; but frankly, thats far beyond my expertise. It does, however, raise some interesting questions about the publics fascination with these two, which is growing by the day, especially during their jam-packed tour Down Under. They have done a number of things that would suggest they are not as picture perfect as we might think, especially as they navigate their way through this very public relationship. They reportedly announced their baby news at his cousin Princess Eugenies wedding and the way they handled Meghans disastrous family drama was frankly a mess. Harrys appeal lay with his late mother; something that Meghan would be all too familiar with in a personal capacity as his wife and through the knowledge she gained in 35 years before entering the royal fishbowl. Her decision to wear jewels that previously belonged to Diana is no coincidence and is further evidence of her desire to endear herself to the British public. A number of comparisons have been drawn between the two, from Meghans dress sense to her personal causes as she is clearly emulating one of the most beloved royals in history - a sensible tactic by an incredibly intelligent woman who didnt have the 10-year headstart that her sister-in-law had before officially marrying into the family. Kensington Palace has been on an aggressive PR campaign post-Brexit, sending the Fab Four to select events in the UK and abroad to foster European relations, not to mention their commitment to a positive news cycle. This year alone they have celebrated two royal weddings, one royal baby arrival, one royal baby news announcement and Prince George and Princess Charlotte making a number of adorable appearances over the last 10 months. It is largely being considered the golden age of the royals: the affection for Prince Charles just isnt there, especially in comparison to Queen Elizabeth, but William and Harry are securing the longevity of the throne one carefully choreographed appearance after another. And Meghans sprinkle of Hollywood stardust might be just what they needed to thrive. Germany should not approve arms sales to Saudi Arabia until investigations into the circumstances of journalist Jamal Khashoggis death have been completed, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said. In an interview with German public televisions Tagesthemen program, Maas said there was no reason to approve sales while it was still unclear what had happened to Khashoggi, in an apparent reversal of last months decision to authorize the sale of artillery systems to Riyadh. So long as investigations are underway, so long as we dont know what happened there, there is no reason to take positive decisions on arms exports to Saudi Arabia, Reuters cited Maas as saying. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the head of the German Foreign Ministry Heiko Maas earlier said in a joint statement that Berlin considers the information provided by Saudi Arabia regarding Khashoggi's death insufficient. Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist, went missing on October 2. He was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, where he went to receive papers he needed to remarry. Later, Saudi authorities announced that a preliminary investigation had shown that Khashoggi was dead. The authorities said 18 Saudi nationals had been detained in relation with the matter, and intelligence chief Ahmad Assiri and senior aide to the Saudi crown prince Saud al-Qahtani had been sacked over the killing. The killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul was a rogue operation, Saudi Arabias foreign minister said. Adel al-Jubeir said that those responsible will be held accountable for this huge and grave mistake. He extended his condolences to the family of the journalist. We can feel their pain and we wish this didnt happen and I wish that this could have been avoided, he said in an interview with Fox News. His comments came as it was reported that Mr Khashoggis fiancee has been given 24-hour police protection. Hatice Cengiz, a Turkish national, waited for the journalist outside the Saudi consulate where he was to get papers for their planned marriage. She alerted authorities after the writer did not emerge from the building. Saudi Arabia finally admitted on Friday that its agents killed Mr Khashoggi after he entered the consulate on October 2, but denies that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman or King Salman were involved. Mr Al-Jubeir echoed President Donald Trumps warnings against rushing to judgment against Saudi leaders, saying there is the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and that some have turned that upside down. He added that Saudi officials do not know the whereabouts of Mr Khashoggis remains. The kingdom has also said 18 suspects are in custody and that intelligence officials have been fired. A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has accused the Crown Prince of directing the operation. South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said: I find it impossible to believe that the Crown Prince was not involved. Expand Close Barriers block the road leading to Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Barriers block the road leading to Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP) Mr Trump said he would talk to the Crown Prince very soon before deciding what to do next. He said he planned to consult with Congress to devise a response. Well have an answer by probably Tuesday or so, he said. Mr Trump has repeatedly said over the last week that he opposes any effort to impede more than $100 billion in US arms sales to Saudi Arabia, but that he would consider sanctions on the kingdom. On Friday, asked if he believed whether the Saudi explanation that Mr Khashoggi was killed during a fistfight with more than a dozen agents was credible, he said: I do. I do. But on Saturday, in an interview with The Washington Post, Mr Trump said, Obviously theres been deception and theres been lies. Expand Close A security guard stands at the entrance to Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A security guard stands at the entrance to Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP) Mr Khashoggi, a prominent journalist and royal court insider for decades in Saudi Arabia, had written columns critical of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the kingdoms direction while living in self-imposed exile in the US. He went to the Saudi consulate to obtain paperwork for his forthcoming marriage. The Saudi explanation for murdering journalist and Virginia resident Jamal Khashoggi in a consulate a fistfight gone wrong is insulting, tweeted Senator Tim Kaine, the 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee. Since the Trump Administration wont stand up against atrocity, Congress must. The Saudi explanation for murdering journalist and Virginia resident Jamal Khashoggi in a consulatea fistfight gone wrongis insulting. Since the Trump Administration wont stand up against atrocity, Congress must. Tim Kaine (@timkaine) October 20, 2018 Democratic Representative Adam Schiff of California said Saudi Arabias claim that Mr Khashoggi died in a brawl was not credible. If Khashoggi was fighting inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, he was fighting for his life with people sent to capture or kill him, said Mr Schiff, a member of the House Intelligence Committee. The kingdom and all involved in this brutal murder must be held accountable, and if the Trump Administration will not take the lead, Congress must, he said. The revelations come amid reports by experts of a massive increase in both the activity and presence of pro-Saudi automated Twitter accounts since Khashoggis killing. Stock Image Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was at the heart of an "online army" of Saudi activists fighting a misinformation cyberwar, according to friends who fear he may have been targeted because of his support. Khashoggi recently gave $5,000 (4,200) to "Geish al-Nahla" - or the Bee Army, an opposition movement offering cyber protection to Saudi activists needing a safe platform to speak out in the kingdom. The Bee Army was the brainchild of Khashoggi's friend Omar Abdulaziz (27), a Canada-based Saudi activist, who claims he was also targeted with a plan to make him disappear. The revelations come amid reports by experts of a massive increase in both the activity and presence of pro-Saudi automated Twitter accounts since Khashoggi's killing. These bot or troll accounts, which activists believe may be linked to the regime, have threatened Mr Khashoggi's supporters and tried to replace Twitter hashtags about his vanishing, with ones praising Saudi's crown prince. Mr Abdulaziz, who has claimed asylum in Canada, said the regime had tapped his phone and so knew of Mr Khashoggi's involvement. Other members also believe Mr Khashoggi was targeted because he had helped them. "Part of what made [the regime] angry with Jamal was because he was specifically working on this project targeting social media. He was the one who was funding us," Mr Abdulaziz said. "Since 2016 the Saudi government started to create these bots that have been behind an online propaganda drive targeting us." Mr Abdulaziz claimed he was targeted by a similar plan to "disappear" him in May when prominent Saudi figures tried to lure him to the embassy in Canada. When he refused he was targeted by spyware which tracked his phone calls, after which he was told to stop his online activism. On September 21, Mr Khashoggi made a cryptic declaration of support for the Bee Army. Using its first tentative hashtag "what do you know about bees" he tweeted: "They love their home country and defend it with truth and rights." It was liked and retweeted nearly 1,000 times. "He wrote critically in newspapers but it was only when we started to organise the opposition that [the regime] got upset," Mr Abdulaziz said. He said the Bee Army was designed to give people a safe platform to speak out. "If people write any opinion or information on Twitter the government will know who they are, even if they use an alias," he said. The Bee Army gave people a "safe alternative" by teaching them how to use encrypted browsers and virtual private networks. While the activists have stepped up their activity online so has the pro-regime side, purchasing software to create "armies" of trolls. Dr Marc Owen Jones, a lecturer on Arab history at Exeter University has monitored Saudi bots for two years, said he has seen a massive surge in pro-regime Twitter activity and troll accounts since Mr Khashoggi went missing. "There was a huge spike in October in bot accounts and the use of hashtags praising the crown prince," he said. "On some days there are tens of thousands of tweets from Saudi bots or trolls in Arabic." Dr Jones said some of the Saudi organisations he believes to be behind the most prolific creation of automatic accounts have purchased specific software to help them. One such is Saudi 24, a news outlet that boasted millions of followers until it was suspended last week by Twitter. Independent An ALL-TOO PREVENTABLE DISASTER: A woman carries her eight-year-old son, who is suffering from malnutrition in Yemen. Photo: Abdul Jabbar Zeyad/Reuters In Yemen, a three-year conflict has produced what UN officials call "the worst man-made humanitarian crisis of our time". Markets, hospitals and other civilian sites have been repeatedly attacked. Disease and hunger rival bombs and gunfire as the biggest dangers to ordinary people. Yemen was already the poorest country in the Middle East; the war has pushed it toward famine. A UN-mandated investigation concluded that all the major parties to the conflict, especially a Saudi Arabian-led coalition and the Yemeni government it backs, have shown a disregard for civilian life possibly amounting to war crimes. But the one thing that is certain is that civilians are the biggest losers in the conflict. Broadly, on one side are Houthi rebels, members of a Shiite Muslim tribe from the mountains of northern Yemen, who took control of the capital, Sana'a, and other cities in 2015. They complain of marginalisation of their community and are supported by Shiite-majority Iran. On the other side stand forces of the internationally recognised Yemeni government and allied militias backed by Saudi Arabia and its coalition of mainly Sunni Muslim nations. Saudi Arabia became involved for a variety of reasons. Its leaders say they feared Houthi control of Yemen would give Iran a foothold in the Arabian peninsula that would threaten Saudi interests. Iran and Saudi Arabia are engaged in a larger battle for dominance in the Arab world. But for the civilians worst affected by the fighting, questions of regional dominance are beside the point. The recorded civilian death toll from fighting so far is about 7,000, although UN officials believe the actual number is substantially higher. Most casualties have been the result of coalition air strikes, according to the August 28 report of investigators commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council. The panel reviewed coalition air strikes that hit residential areas in 60 cases; marketplaces in 11 cases; civilian boats in 11 cases; and medical, educational, cultural or religious sites in 32 cases. It said such strikes may amount to war crimes. UN officials say eight million of the country's 28 million people need emergency food assistance to survive. Humanitarian workers have already discovered parts of the country where famine-like conditions exist and people are eating leaves to survive. The reason why there is so much hunger is that Yemen relies heavily on imports for its food supplies. The country grows only about 5pc of the wheat it consumes. That's because fresh water for crops is scarce, and farmers increasingly have turned to cultivating the more profitable qat, a narcotic leaf that 90pc of Yemeni men chew on a daily basis. The Saudi-led coalition has disrupted food and other supplies coming into Yemen by imposing a naval blockade on ports in the Houthi-controlled north, notably Hodeidah and Salif, which normally handle about 80pc of imports. Coalition ships have held up vessels bound for the ports for significant periods or diverted them to other countries. At times they've stopped all traffic. Commentators have asked if the blockade is legal and the UNHCR's investigation concluded that there are "reasonable grounds" to conclude that it violates the proportionality rule of international humanitarian law. Under that convention, a blockade is illegitimate if its impact on civilians is disproportionate to its military benefits. The investigators reported that searches of ships by the blockading forces had turned up no weapons. For these reasons, the advocacy group Human Rights Watch earlier called on the UN Security Council to impose travel bans and asset freezes on coalition leaders, including the Saudi Crown Prince and defence minister, Mohammad bin Salman. The Saudis are the enforcers of the blockade and they and the coalition partners justify it by saying that they aim to prevent the rebels from receiving arms shipments from Iran. After the rebels in November 2017 first shot a missile targeted at the Saudi capital Riyadh, the coalition justified temporarily reinstating a total blockage of Houthi-controlled ports by arguing that missile components were entering Yemen from outside the country. Saudi officials also believe that allowing ships to call on Houthi-controlled ports gives the rebels a source of fees that help fund their war efforts. The reaction from the rest of the world has been largely consistent. Early this year, Germany suspended arms exports to Saudi Arabia and its fighting partner the United Arab Emirates. Norway has ceased such sales to the UAE. The US and UK support the coalition with weapons sales and logistical help. The UN has partnered with humanitarian groups to provide assistance to Yemen's neediest people. Washington Post VIGIL: Protesters outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed on October 2. Photo: Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Saudi Arabia offered an explanation early yesterday for what had happened to journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, 17 days after he went missing at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul. But even though the kingdom finally confirmed that Khashoggi had died inside the consulate, as Turkish officials had alleged, the Saudi account of how that happened conflicts with information from other sources, and key details appear to be missing. Below are nine questions that the Saudi kingdom still needs to answer. 1Was Jamal Khashoggi really considering a return to Saudi Arabia? The Saudi statement said that the "suspects" in Khashoggi's killing had travelled to Turkey to meet with the journalist as he had suggested he was interesting in returning home. However, Khashoggi had travelled to the consulate with his fiancee, Turkish national Hatice Cengiz, who has said that her partner was seeking a document from the Saudi government that would allow them to wed. Khashoggi himself had told friends that he was suspicious of attempts to lure him back to the kingdom. "He said: 'Are you kidding? I don't trust them one bit,' " after one such attempt, according to Khaled Saffuri, an Arab-American political activist, talking to the Washington Post. 2 If this was just a discussion, why did at least 15 men travel to Istanbul for the meeting? The Saudi government account suggests that at the start, the discussion with Khashoggi inside the event began as a discussion, but soon turned negative and turned into "a fight and a quarrel between some of [the suspects] and the citizen." However, Saudi Arabia says it has detained a total of 18 people for their involvement in Khashoggi's death, and the Turkish government has linked 15 people to Khashoggi, Saudi citizens who had arrived at the consulate shortly before the journalist disappeared and who left hours later. It is not clear why such a big group of people would be needed for a discussion about a willing return to Saudi Arabia. 3Why did this Saudi group include a forensic expert and members of security forces? Again, if this was a simple discussion, it would seem unnecessary to send members of the Saudi security services. However, at least 12 of the alleged hit team identified by Turkish authorities had some kind of link to the kingdom's security services or the royal court. One of the suspects, Salah Muhammed al-Tubaigy, was a forensic expert known for pioneering rapid and mobile autopsies. Bruce Riedel, a former CIA official and Brookings fellow who has written a book about Saudi-US relations, said this stuck out to him. "I can't think of an alternative of why you would need a forensics expert unless you were covering up evidence of a crime," Reidel told reporters. 4What actually happened inside the consulate? The Saudi account describes "a fight or a quarrel" in the consulate - a wording that implies a physical dispute between two sides. However, Khashoggi had entered the facility on his own and was apparently meeting a team of 15 men, suggesting at least that the two sides were not equal. Turkish officials are believed to have played to CIA counterparts an audio recording that was made inside the consulate that could shed some light on what happened. The recording could provide key clues into what happened to Khashoggi - including whether his death was intentional or whether he was tortured. 5What happened to Khashoggi's body? Even though Saudi Arabia now admits that the journalist died inside the consulate, their statement on Saturday did not reveal what happened to the body. Early speculation suggested that Khashoggi's body parts may have been taken out of the country, though Turkish authorities recently searched rural areas near Istanbul. A Saudi source told reporters on Friday that the whereabouts of Khashoggi's body were unclear after it was handed over to a "local co-operator". 6Why did Saudi Arabia say he had left the consulate when he had not? When Khashoggi didn't return from the consulate, his partner, Cengiz, who was waiting outside, raised the alarm. However, Saudi officials repeatedly told reporters that the journalist had left the consulate by a back entrance shortly after he arrived and that they too were concerned about his fate. Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman repeated this line in an interview with Bloomberg News on October 5. "My understanding is he entered and he got out after a few minutes or one hour," the Saudi royal said. "I'm not sure. We are investigating this through the foreign ministry to see exactly what happened at that time." 7How could Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman not have known? The Saudi account makes no suggestion that the crown prince knew about what had happened to Khashoggi. Indeed, he has been tapped by his father, King Salman, to lead a commission that is designed to review and "modernize" the kingdom's intelligence operations after the death of the journalist. The 33-year-old Mohammed bin Salman is widely considered the real power in Saudi Arabia, however, and he has led the drive to modernise the country. Some experts also say that he is behind a clampdown on free speech. "This never would have happened without MbS's approval. Never, never, never," a former senior US diplomat told the Washington Post after Khashoggi disappeared. Saud al-Qahtani, an adviser to the crown prince, was among those fired yesterday. He had previously been behind attempts to lure Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia, according to US officials. After the kingdom's announcement yesterday, a message he had written on Twitter last year was shared widely on social media. "Do you think I can act by myself without taking orders/guidance?" Qahtani's message had read. "I am an employee and a trustworthy executive to the orders of the king and the crown prince." 8Are the men detained by Saudi Arabia actually the same men that were identified by Turkish authorities? The Saudi government said that 18 people had been arrested. It was unclear, however, whether these people included the same 15 suspects who had been identified by Turkish authorities. A report on the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya news channel had previously said that the 15 were "tourists" who had been falsely accused. 9Why did it take 17 days to come up with this account? More than two weeks have passed since Khashoggi disappeared. Whatever the answers to the rest of the questions on this list, it is remarkable that it took so long for the kingdom to reveal that Khashoggi had died - and that when Riyadh finally admitted culpability in his death, it did so with a story that will convince few of its critics. Thomas Juneau, an expert on Saudi Arabia at the University of Ottawa, wrote on Twitter that the situation had exposed the "weakness of Saudi administrative capacity" and that there was "a general impression things were botched." Washington Post Doing what I do in the places I do it, I cannot be neutral on this one. I can be fair-minded yes, but neutral no. The bodies of dead friends get in the way. I saw Abdul Shariff gunned down before my eyes in South Africa in 1994. A bullet went through his back and dented the Nikon camera around his neck. I heard his cry of agony as the young men dragged him out of the line of fire. He was dead before he got to hospital. Gunmen had opened up on a group of journalists and politicians. I have mourned another friend, Kate Peyton, assassinated in Somalia in 1995. She was a lovely, decent human being, and a journalist of absolute integrity. They are but two out of numerous friends and colleagues who paid with their lives for telling the truth. On this newspaper, on June 26 each year we mourn Veronica Guerin, murdered by lowlife drug dealers in 1996. So far this year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 44 of our tribe have been killed for doing their jobs. The latest and most high profile is Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi writer who vanished after a visit to his country's Istanbul consulate on October 2. Having surveyed the available evidence, the weight of probability is that Jamal Khashoggi was murdered. Let us say this straight. Let us not become accomplices in the obliteration of truth. At first the Saudis insisted he had left the consulate alive. A lie. They were caught out on that one thanks to the presence of surveillance cameras. They then floated - through anonymous sources - the ''he died of a heart attack'' theory. That didn't fly either. There was the small matter of the body. If he had died of a heart attack, produce the corpse and let a doctor conduct a post-mortem examination to confirm the claim. To this date there has been no sign of a corpse. Instead we have had briefings from the Turks that his body was dismembered and despatched from the embassy packed into boxes and hidden inside black vans. Turkish police are now searching a forest near Istanbul. We were also enjoined to believe it had been an interrogation gone wrong, an abduction gone wrong. There was a propaganda blitz aimed at portraying the whole affair as a conspiracy mounted by Qatar with whom Saudi Arabia is locked in political conflict. Oh and we were also encouraged to believe this was the action of a rogue unit. For a Kingdom that spends millions on spin doctors and lobbyists in the West, this was an incompetent litany of deceit. The Turks disobligingly revealed CCTV footage from outside the consulate and the presence of 15 Saudis inside who had arrived in Istanbul that very morning. Among them was a forensic doctor of the kind who might be useful in dealing with a corpse. Even the Saudi's traditional best friends in Washington and London realised this wouldn't do. President Trump despatched his CIA chief, Mike Pompeo, to Riyadh and Istanbul. Whatever Pompeo saw and heard he came back bearing bad tidings, so much so that Trump spoke of it being ''bad, bad stuff'' and said Saudi Arabia's leaders could expect ''severe'' action if it were discovered they had ordered the killing. Keep this last sentence in mind for what comes later. The former head of MI6, Sir John Sawers, declared publicly that the killing was ordered by the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. Sawers is a notoriously shrewd operator, having risen through the ranks of the Foreign Office to head Britain's overseas intelligence service. It is plain that he wouldn't have spoken with such certainty without being briefed by British and Turkish spooks. Now after 18 days we have the official Saudi version. Jamal Khashoggi died after becoming involved in a fight minutes after he entered the consulate. That's right. He walked in, words were exchanged, blows followed and he was dead. You can believe that if you wish. The Saudis have arrested 18 of their own people and fired the powerful deputy head of intelligence. These moves have one aim: protect the Crown Prince and hope it all dies down. Get back as soon as possible to business as usual which means arms deals and thousands of British and American jobs and security cooperation in the fight against Islamic extremists (the Saudis' role in the extremism debate is a whole other day's work). President Trump has declared the Saudi explanation, alibi, story, call it what you will, to be ''credible''. As it happens, in the same week Trump praised a Republican politician who physically assaulted a journalist as "my guy". He mimicked the assault and worked his audience for laughs. This while he waited for news about the fate of Jamal Khashoggi. I have spent a good deal of my life dealing with the threats of militiamen, warlords and goons of every description, and sifting through the lies of spin-doctors and lobbyists who often supply the respectable face of despotism. This goes with the territory in certain parts of the world and has for as long as I can recall. But we are now in a place where journalists are being murdered in EU states - sadly Veronica Guerin's murder was not to be the last of its kind in the Union - and where a highly respected figure like Jamal Khashoggi can be killed in his own country's diplomatic building. A wave of hatred is being encouraged and directed towards the media. You find it online and in the mouths of leaders. Hatred is being normalised and it frightens me. There will be many who choose to interpret Khashoggi story in the context of Middle East politics and the internal struggles of the House of Saud. I am focused on what happened to the journalist. Jamal was one of my tribe. Like Abdul and Kate and Veronica. For sure, criticise us and point it out when we get things wrong. Demand that we adhere to the highest standards of truth. But stand with us in the fight against liars and bullies. It is your fight too. Fergal Keane is a BBC Special Correspondent and Africa Editor About 2,000 Central American migrants who circumvented Mexican police at a border bridge and swam and rafted across the river from Guatemala have decided to re-form their mass caravan and continue their trek towards the US. The migrants, who said they gave up trying to enter Mexico legally because the asylum application process was too slow, gathered at a park in the border city of Ciudad Hidalgo. They voted by a show of hands to continue north en masse, then marched to the bridge crossing the Suchiate River and urged those still on it to join them. We are going to reach the United States, said Erasmo Duarte, a migrant from Danli, Honduras, despite warnings to turn back this week from US President Donald Trump. Expand Close The migrants gather in Ciudad Hidlago (Oliver de Ros/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The migrants gather in Ciudad Hidlago (Oliver de Ros/AP) He has sought to make the caravan and border security in general into a campaign issue a little over two weeks before midterm elections. The decision to re-form the migrant caravan capped a day in which Mexican authorities again refused mass entry to migrants on the bridge, instead accepting small groups for asylum processing and giving out 45-day visitor permits to some of them. Authorities handed out numbers for people to be processed in a strategy seen before at US border posts when dealing with large numbers of migrants. But many became impatient, and circumventing the border gate, swarmed across the river on rafts, swimming or wading in full view of the hundreds of Mexican police manning the blockade on the bridge. Some paid locals the equivalent of 1.25 dollars to ferry them across the muddy waters. They were not detained on reaching the Mexican bank. Expand Close A Honduras migrant is comforted by a Mexican paramedic (Oliver de Ros/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Honduras migrant is comforted by a Mexican paramedic (Oliver de Ros/AP) We couldnt wait because we had already waited too long and they only told us lies, said Mr Duarte, who joined the caravan with his wife and children six days ago. Sairy Bueso, a 24-year-old Honduran mother of two, was another migrant who abandoned the bridge and crossed into Mexico via the river. She clutched her two-year-old daughter Dayani, who had recently had a heart operation, as she got off a raft. The girl suffered greatly because of all the people crowded on the bridge, Ms Bueso said. There are risks that we must take for the good of our children. Group leaders said the caravan, which will be smaller than the original one, would head for the city of Tapachula. The caravan elicited a series of angry tweets and warnings from Mr Trump early in the week, but Mexicos no-nonsense handling of the migrants at its southern border seems to have satisfied him more recently. So as of this moment, I thank Mexico, Mr Trump said on Friday. I hope they continue. But as of this moment, I thank Mexico. If that doesnt work out, were calling up the military not the Guard. Theyre not coming into this country, Mr Trump added. The Mexican government is fully engaged in finding a solution that encourages safe, secure, and orderly migration, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, and both the United States and Mexico continue to work with Central American governments to address the economic, security, and governance drivers of illegal immigration. Central American migrants are walking towards the US (Moises Castillo/AP) A growing throng of Central American migrants have resumed their advance towards the US border despite Mexican efforts to stop them. Their numbers swelled to about 5,000 overnight and at first light they set out walking towards the Mexican town of Tapachula, 10 abreast in a line stretching approximately a mile. It was not immediately clear where the additional travellers had materialised from since about 2,000 gathered on the Mexican side on Saturday night. They seemed likely to be people who had been waiting on the bridge over the Suchiate River or in the Guatemalan town of Tecun Uman and who decided to cross during the night. At dawn there were still an estimated 1,500 migrants on the Guatemalan side hoping to enter Mexico legally. Expand Close The migrants gather in Ciudad Hidlago (Oliver de Ros/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The migrants gather in Ciudad Hidlago (Oliver de Ros/AP) They marched on through Mexico shouting slogans like Si se pudo! or Yes, we could! As they passed through Mexican villages on the outskirts of Ciudad Hidalgo, they drew applause, cheers and donations of food and clothing from Mexicans. Maria Teresa Orellana, a resident of the neighbourhood of Lorenzo handed out free sandals to the migrants as they passed. Its solidarity, she said. Theyre our brothers. Olivin Castellanos, 58, a truck driver and mason from Villanueva, Honduras, said he took a raft across the river after Mexico blocked the bridge. No one will stop us, only God, he said. We knocked down the door and we continue walking. He wants to reach the US to work. I can do this, he said, pointing to the asphalt under his feet. Ive made highways. Expand Close A Honduras migrant is comforted by a Mexican paramedic (Oliver de Ros/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Honduras migrant is comforted by a Mexican paramedic (Oliver de Ros/AP) The migrants, who said they gave up trying to enter Mexico legally because the asylum application process was too slow, gathered on Saturday at a park in the border city of Ciudad Hidalgo. They voted by a show of hands to continue north en masse, then marched to the bridge crossing the Suchiate River and urged those still on it to join them. The decision to re-form the migrant caravan capped a day in which Mexican authorities again refused mass entry to migrants on the bridge, instead accepting small groups for asylum processing and giving out 45-day visitor permits to some. Authorities handed out numbers for people to be processed in a strategy seen before at US border posts when dealing with large numbers of migrants. But many became impatient and circumvented the border gate, crossing the river on rafts, by swimming or by wading in full view of the hundreds of Mexican police manning the blockade on the bridge. President Donald Trump has criticised the Democratic Party over the mass movement of migrants. He has seized on the caravan and border security as a campaign issue ahead of midterm elections in early November. The president tweeted that The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat Party. Change the immigration laws NOW! In a separate tweet, he said that Full efforts are being made to stop the onslaught of illegal aliens from crossing our Souther (sic) Border. Mr Trump added that the United States will turn migrants away if they do not apply for asylum first in Mexico. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called on the international community to impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. "The EU and US have sanctioned Russia and Venezuela over claims of state sponsored killing. Why the lack of action on Saudi Arabia? In the coming days, IFJ affiliates across the world will call on their governments to halt cooperation with Saudi Arabia until its government tells the truth and arrests the perpetrators," the statement says. It also states that the idea that it takes days for the Saudi regime to find out what happened inside their own consulate is unbelievable it is an embarrassing charade. "The impunity with which the Saudis are acting is grotesque but it is in many ways matched by the sight of leading governments around the world displaying their willingness to aid and abet this gross cover-up to protect their own financial and political interests," the statement reads. Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist, went missing on October 2. He was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, where he went to receive papers he needed to remarry. Later, Saudi authorities announced that a preliminary investigation had shown that Khashoggi was dead. The authorities said 18 Saudi nationals had been detained in relation with the matter, Saud al-Qahtani, an influential adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and General Ahmed al-Assiri, a senior intelligence official, had been removed from their posts. Our Desi girl Priyanka Chopra is making waves in the west, especially after she got engaged to the love of her life Nick Jonas. Not only cant her Indian fans stop gushing about seeing her happy but even the foreign media is quite obsessed with their love story. Everyones asking the same question when are Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas getting married? However, we feel that the day is quite near when PC and Nick will be seen tying the knot. Talking about Meghan Markles pregnancy, PCs says she needs to catch up. I just have a few of my friends who are having babies right now and I'm like, 'God I need to catch up, she was quoted as saying by E! News. Whats more? The diva is having quite a ball in the west. In a span of about just two months, she has travelled from India to London and now she in the US. She was in the Las Vagas where she was attending a music festival. There, she was seen bonding with AR Rahman. She introduced Pitbull at the festival. In case youre forgetting, Pitbull and PC have worked together on Exotic. She looked sexier than ever in this outfit. Meanwhile, Priyanka Chopra is also shooting for The Sky Is Pink alongside Zaira Wasim and Farhan Akhtar. For one of the shooting schedules, she was in London recently. Lounging on a sofa in the most stylish way possible, Priyanka Chopra posted a picture on Instagram and Nick couldnt stop himself from commenting heart-eyes emoticons and a flame one too on it. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas make one hot couple, dont they? Delhi Police have arrested a 38-year-old woman, who was on the run since May for the murder of a 16-year-old girl. The woman, identified as Gauri, a native of West Bengal, who was running a placement agency had been hiding under a pseudo identity and had married a man identified as Kartar Singh from Jind district in Haryana from where she was arrested. BCCL/ REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE According to police, Gauri was wanted for the murder of a 16-year-old girl, who was from Jharkhand who was brought to Delhi as a maid. The teenage girl was murdered allegedly after she demanded her salary, which was not paid for months. The murder came to light on May 4 when the girl's decapitated head and chopped off limbs were found inside a drain in outer Delhi. World Vision/ Representational Image During a search operation to recover the remaining body parts of the girl, the police found the torso and chopped off arms of the victim in a bag. One person, identified as Manjit, was arrested by the police while co-accused Shalu alias Sharu, Rakesh and Gauri continued to be at large. They were declared as proclaimed offenders and a reward of Rs 50,000 each was declared on their arrest. During the investigation the cops learnt that the woman was living in Jind under a new identity, and was subsequently arrested. Breaking the tradition of Indian Prime Ministers unfurling the national flag at the Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day, PM Modi on Sunday hoisted the tricolour, to mark the 75th anniversary of the formation of Azad Hind Government. The Azad Hind government was raised by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose during the freedom movement. PIB PM Modi said that "even after 70 years of Independence, Netaji's dreams have not been fulfilled". Addressing a programme marking 75 years of the establishment of the Azad Hind Government. https://t.co/B2gmDL8dWt Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 21, 2018 Modi said that his government was committed to taking "big and bold" decisions and that the Indian Army was being modernised as per Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's vision. He acknowledged that India has "marched several steps ahead" in the years since Independence but maintained that it was yet to reach new heights of glory. This vision of new India, PM Modi stressed, is in line with what Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had imagined. PIB "It is the duty of every Indian to be inspired by Netaji, to fight such forces, to defeat them, and to contribute to nation building in their full capacity," he said. The Prime Minister also blamed the previous governments for looking at the country with an "English perspective". "Our government is changing this," he said, insisting that the country's sovereignty was an important aspect of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's vision. PIB PM Modi recalled Bose's words: "With the power of weapons and sacrifice of blood, you have to achieve freedom and then when the country will be free, you will have to make a steady army for the nation, whose work will be to protect our freedom". "Today I can say that India is moving towards the creation of an Army that was visioned by Netaji. Josh, Junoon aur Jazba, these have been parts of our Army for long but now technique and modern weapons and equipments are also being combined with them. The strength of our Army has always been for self protection, and it will remain so in the future too," he maintained. Traditionally, the Prime Minister hoists the national flag at the Red Fort on Independence Day, and in a first PM Modi did so on Sunday because soldiers of the Indian National Army faced trails by the British at Red Fort. PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of a museum dedicated to the Azad Hind Fauj at the Red Fort. Chinas attempts to find new investors for Anbang Insurance Group Co. are gathering pace, as Cerberus Capital Management LP to Swiss Re AG size up the embattled insurer and its overseas operations. Cerberus and Swiss Re are among parties that have held preliminary discussions about buying a stake in Anbang, people with knowledge of the matter said. Temasek Holdings Pte has separately held on-and-off talks over the past several months about investing in Anbang and some of its assets, Bloomberg News reported last week. New York-based Cerberus has also discussed the possibility of acquiring some of Anbangs overseas holdings in Europe and the rest of Asia, one of the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Chinese officials have been gauging Swiss Res interest in Anbangs foreign assets as well, the people said. Any deal would add to the $454.5 billion of acquisitions involving Chinese companies announced this year, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Anbang owns Antwerp-based insurer Fidea, Dutch insurer Vivat and Belgian lender Nagelmackers. It also holds a controlling stake in South Koreas Tongyang Life Insurance Co. and has a portfolio of luxury hotel properties. Officials have been seeking strategic investors both at home and abroad to take stakes in Anbang since China temporarily seized the acquisitive insurer earlier this year and sentenced its former chairman to prison. A body thats owned by some of Chinas biggest insurance firms is also considering an investment, people with knowledge of the matter said last week. Multibillion-Dollar Fraud The companies havent decided whether to proceed, and Chinese authorities have also approached other potential investors, according to the people. Temasek, the Singapore state investment firm, is not currently in any active negotiations, people with knowledge of the matter said last week. Representatives for Cerberus and Swiss Re said the firms have no comment, while Chinas insurance and banking regulator didnt immediately reply to a request for comment. A representative for Anbang said the company doesnt comment on market speculation. China said Anbangs former chairman masterminded a multibillion-dollar fraud and used unauthorized sales of investment-type policies to prop up the companys capital. Authorities have indicated fresh investors will eventually replace an industry security fund that injected 60.8 billion yuan ($8.8 billion) of capital into Anbang in April to keep the Beijing-based insurer as a private business as opposed to a state-owned one. Attractive Assets While Chinas life-insurance market is already the worlds second largest, the potential for further expansion is huge considering the nations still-low insurance penetration rates. Anbang and its affiliates also hold a wide range of financial licenses, from property insurance to banking, asset management and leasing, and theyre very valuable, particularly because such permits are getting more difficult and time consuming to obtain. Swiss Re, the countrys biggest reinsurer, said in May it would continue to welcome an anchor investor after Masayoshi Sons SoftBank Group Corp. ended its pursuit of a stake. The two firms had been discussing a strategic cooperation amid a wave of consolidation in the industry driven by rapid technological change and sluggish growth in insurance premiums. Zurich-based Swiss Re is also exploring an initial public offering for its U.K. closed-book business dubbed ReAssure next year, it said in August, as it looks for more third-party capital for the unit. Related: Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Carriers China Swiss Re Bank stocks are notorious for trading at prices below book value per share, even when a bank's revenue and earnings are on the rise. As banks grow larger and expand into nontraditional financial activities, especially trading, their risk profiles become multidimensional and more difficult to construct, increasing business and investment uncertainties. This is presumably the main reason why bank stocks tend to be conservatively valued by investors who must be concerned about a bank's hidden risk exposures. Trading for their own accounts as dealers in various financial derivatives markets exposes banks to potentially large-scale losses, something investors have decided to take into full consideration when valuing bank stocks. Key Takeaways The book value per share is a company's book value for every common share outstanding. The book value is the difference between total assets and liabilities. Bank stocks tend to trade at prices below their book value per share as the prices take into consideration the increased risks from a bank's trading activities. The price to book (P/B) ratio is used to compare a company's market cap to its book value. This provides a comparison of share price to assets and liabilities rather than earnings, which can fluctuate more often, particularly through trading activities. An above-one P/B ratio means the stock is being valued at a premium in the market to equity book value, whereas a below-one P/B ratio means the stock is being valued at a discount to equity book value. Companies that have large trading activities usually have P/B ratios below one, because the ratio takes into consideration the inherent risks of trading. Book Value per Share Book value per share is a good measure to value bank stocks. The price-to-book (P/B) ratio is applied with a bank's stock price compared to equity book value per share, meaning that the ratio looks at a company's market cap in comparison to its book value. The alternative of comparing a stock's price to earnings, or price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, may produce unreliable valuation results, as bank earnings can easily swing back and forth in large variations from one quarter to the next due to unpredictable, complex banking operations. Using book value per share, the valuation is referenced to equity that has less ongoing volatility than quarterly earnings in terms of percentage changes because equity has a much larger base, providing a more stable valuation measurement. Banks With Discount P/B Ratio The P/B ratio can be above or below one, depending on whether a stock is trading at a price more than or less than equity book value per share. An above-one P/B ratio means the stock is being valued at a premium in the market to equity book value, whereas a below-one P/B ratio means the stock is being valued at a discount to equity book value. For instance, Capital One Financial (COF) and Citigroup (C) had P/B ratios of 0.92 and 0.91, respectively, as of Q3 2018. Proprietary trading in banks can lead to substantial profits, but trading, particularly derivatives, comes with significant amounts of risk, often through leverage, that must be taken into consideration when evaluating a bank. Many banks rely on trading operations to boost core financial performance, with their annual dealer trading account profits all in the billions. However, trading activities present inherent risk exposures and could quickly turn to the downside. Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) in 2018 saw its stock trading at a premium due to its equity book value per share, with a P/B ratio of 1.42 in Q3 2018. One reason for this was that Wells Fargo was relatively less focused on trading activities than its peers, potentially reducing its risk exposures. Valuation Risks While trading mostly derivatives can generate some of the biggest profits for banks, it also exposes them to potentially catastrophic risks. A bank's investments in trading account assets can reach hundreds of billions of dollars, taking a large chunk out of its total assets. For the fiscal quarter ending Sept. 30, 2018, Bank of America (BAC) saw its equity trading revenue up 2.5% to $1 billion, while its fixed-income trading fell by 5% to $2.06 billion over the same period. Moreover, trading investments are only part of a bank's total risk exposures when banks can leverage their derivatives trading to almost unimaginable amounts and keep them off the balance sheets. For example, at the end of 2017, Bank of America had total derivatives risk exposure of more than $30 trillion, and Citigroup had more than $47 trillion. These stratospheric numbers in potential trading losses dwarf their total market caps at the time of $282 billion and $173 billion for the two banks, respectively. Faced with such a magnitude of risk uncertainty, investors are best served to discount any earnings coming out of a bank's derivatives trading. Despite being partly responsible for the extent of the 2008 market crash, banking regulation has been minimized over the past few years, leading banks to take on increasing risks, expand their trading books, and leverage their derivatives positions. The Bottom Line Banks and other financial companies may have attractive price-to-book ratios, putting them on the radar for some value investors. However, upon closer inspection, one should pay attention to the enormous amount of derivatives exposure that these banks carry. Of course, many of these derivatives positions offset each other, but a careful analysis should be undertaken nonetheless. The Philippines, under the leadership of President Benigno Aquino III and followed by Rodrigo Duterte, is slowly yet steadily emerging as a rising tiger, something that was highlighted by Motoo Konishi, World Bank Country Director, during the 2013 Philippines Development Forum. Clean governance, strong leadership, growing infrastructure, and policy endeavors have catapulted the Philippines onto a path of faster growth. However, like all growing economies, the trickle-down effect has yet to gain full momentum, and social issues that stymie growthpoverty, inequality, and unemploymentneed to be addressed in earnest. The future holds promise as the Philippines has a young, growing workforce that speaks English, has remittances from abroad that are high, and has household debt that is among the lowest in Asia. Although the Philippine economy grew at a mediocre pace up until the 21st century, the economy has seen significant growth in the last 20 years. Average annual growth between 2001 and 2009 was 4.6%, and between 2010 and 2019, it shot up to 6.4%. This has moved the country from a lower middle-income nation with a gross national income per capita of $3,830 in 2018 to an upper middle-income country with a gross national income per capita targeted to be between $3,956 and $12,235 in the immediate future. As the economy has improved, poverty has naturally declined as well. With real wages increasing, poverty has decreased from 23.3% in 2015 to 16.6% in 2018; a significant decline in three years. GDP Composition The composition of the gross domestic product (GDP) is broadly split among the agricultural, industrial, and service sectors. In 2018, agriculture accounted for 9.3% of GDP, marking the lowest contribution to GDP in the country's history. To put that into perspective, agriculture accounted for one-quarter of the country's GDP during the 1980s and almost one-third in the 1970s. Meanwhile, the industrial and service sectors accounted for 30.8% and 60%, respectively. Note that the share of industrial output has steadily fallen as well over time, while the services sector has risen substantially. Neglected Agriculture, No More The Philippines has gradually shifted from an agrarian to an industrial and service-oriented economy. In 1980, agriculture accounted for about one-fourth of the nations GDP, but that has dwindled over the years to 9.3%. The agricultural sector includes forestry, hunting, fishing, the cultivation of crops, and livestock production. The sector accounts for about 25% of the workforce. The main agricultural products are sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassava (manioc), tapioca, pineapples, mangoes, pork, eggs, beef, and fish. The low level of productivity and slow growth in the Philippines agricultural sector has resulted in a high incidence of poverty within the sector. The lack of government initiatives has been primarily responsible for the decline of the agricultural sector, which has suffered from poor infrastructure and low levels of investment. These factors were accentuated with the long seasons of drought that the country suffered. Fortunately, things seem to be changing as the government is now investing heavily in this sector. The government is backing the Department of Agricultures (DA) programs in an attempt to improve food security, rural income, and infrastructure. Some initiatives by the DA in a bid to improve the post-harvest losses, while making products less expensive as well as stabilizing labor costs, are Farm Mechanization, National Organic Agriculture, and Post-Harvest Development. Then there is the World Bank-supported Philippine Rural Development Project, which aims to improve rural infrastructure. Beyond these, a crop insurance scheme, which will cover the costs of devastating weather phenomena, is being rapidly expanded by the government through Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation. Given these and many more measures, the agricultural sector of the Philippines should witness a spurt in its productivity and output in the near future. Industry The industrial sector has made a fair and sustained contribution to the GDP of the Philippines over the years, averaging 34% during 1980-2014 and dropping to 30.8% in 2018. This sector employs 18.39% of the countrys workforce. The government of the Philippines is making efforts to attract foreign direct investment in the country by improving its infrastructure. The country has developed a number of economic zones, which have attracted many foreign companies. There are reports that predict some companies are set to relocate their production from China, their traditional base, to the Philippines and neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. These measures will help sustain the growth of the industrial sector in the years to come. The major industries of the Philippines include manufacturing and agribusiness. Within manufacturing, mining and mineral processing, pharmaceuticals, shipbuilding, electronics, and semiconductors are the focus areas. The Philippines is one of the most attractive pharmaceutical markets in the Asia-Pacific region. The Philippines is also richly endowed with metallic resources, and the country has attracted many foreign companies to its land. BHP and Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd are among them. Moreover, the arrival of foreign players has helped the country to capitalize on its shipbuilding potential. The island nation is the fourth-largest shipping country (after China, South Korea, and Japan). The Philippiness electronic industry has been active since the mid-1970s when the companies from the West were looking to relocate production facilities to combat the issues of rising costs of production. The electronics industry in the Philippines has only grown bigger and better since then and is an important component of the nations economy in terms of job creation, tax contribution, exports, household income, and share in the GDP. The agribusiness is mainly composed of processed fruits and vegetables, seaweeds, tropical fruit purees and juices, fresh tropical fruits, mango seed oil, sugar plantation, bioethanol, biofuels, and coco methyl ester. BPO-Driven Service Sector The service sector of the Philippines overtook the industrial sector in terms of contribution to the GDP during the early 1980s, increasing from 36% in 1980 to 60% today. The services sector now employs 56.7% of the countrys workforce, which is more than the agricultural and industrial sectors combined. Within the service sector, business process outsourcing (BPO) has played a significant role in sector growth. The Philippines was able to grow its BPO sector due to having professionals that spoke the languages necessary, partly due to the interest in U.S. culture, of which the country is the Philippine's largest BPO market, and the customer service focused aspect of the professionals in the industry. The second important segment within the service sector is tourism, which has a long history of moderate growth. Tourism in the Philippines has not been able to tap its resources optimally and has lagged behind its regional cousins (like Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand) in attracting international tourists. Inadequate infrastructure (airports, poor rail and road connectivity), insufficient tourist services and facilities are among the chief reasons for this. Another segment is export services, which include the services delivered by Filipinos working outside the country as permanent, temporary, or irregular migrants. The remittances by Filipinos working abroad have grown substantially over the years. Their jobs have also undergone a structural change from low-end service jobs to more professional jobs that require higher education skills. Remittances from abroad continue to be strong at 10.2% of the total GDP in 2018. This was 8.5% in 2000, 3.3% in 1990, and 1.93% in 1980. The emergence of the BPO industry is seen as a driver of consumer spending and employment generation on the back of strong foreign earnings. This is turning out to be a good alternative mechanism for the nation. The expanding base and growth prospects of the BPO industry will not only boost the service sector in the country but could also persuade some of its people to return home while combating the threat of decline in remittances from its people abroad. The Bottom Line For any economy to surge ahead, a balanced and harmonious growth of agriculture, industry, and services sectors is quintessential. Once these are accomplished, improvements in tertiary sectors of the economy follow quite naturally. For many decades, the Philippines has lagged behind its more affluent Southeast Asian and East Asian neighbors in terms of economic and social development. But those days are gone. The Philippines today appears to be firmly on the path of growth and sustainability. Israel opened the Kerem Shalom goods crossing and the Erez crossing with Gaza, just four days after shuttering them following a Palestinian rocket attack that sparked retaliatory strikes. The move followed efforts to prevent an escalation in ongoing violence that has raised fears of a new war between Israel and the Palestinian territorys Hamas. The decision comes after a decrease in the violent events in Gaza over the weekend and efforts Hamas made to restrain demonstrators, a statement from Defence Minister Avigdor Liebermans office read. The decision on the renewal of the fuel from Qatar has been put off as for the time being, and will be examined in a number of days based on the events, the Tribune cited the statement from Lieberman as saying. On Wednesday, Lieberman had ordered the closure of the crossings, after a rocket from the Palestinian territory hit a home in southern Israel, prompting the Jewish state to strike 20 Hamas targets in Gaza. Are you retired and receiving Social Security benefits? Did you know that your benefits may continue if you leave the United States for more than six months? This, of course, depends on which country you end up calling home. India is one of those countries. But there are some factors you may want to consider that can affect your benefits, property ownership, taxes, and citizenship status before you pack up and move to the subcontinent. Key Takeaways U.S. citizens can continue receiving Social Security benefits in India for as long as they are eligible to receive them. India doesn't recognize dual citizenship but does grant Overseas Citizenship of India status to those who qualify. Medicare doesn't cover overseas medical expenses and the Indian health care system is overburdened, so it's a good idea to consider a private health insurance plan. Non-resident Indians and OCIs can legally own nonfarm and exercise property. India has tax treaties with many countries, including the United States, that allow individuals to avoid double taxation. Social Security Benefits The Social Security Administration (SSA) allows U.S. citizens to receive benefits even if they live in certain countries. You have the right to continue receiving your Social Security benefits in India for as long as you are eligible under your own earnings or are a dependent/survivor. This means: You earned a minimum of 40 credits under the Social Security system or worked in the U.S. for at least 10 years You are a beneficiary of someone's benefits, as long as they earned at least 40 credits or worked in the U.S. for at least 10 years and you lived in the U.S. for at least five years Benefits are also paid to anyone who is an Indian citizen but not a U.S. citizen and has "met an exception to the alien nonpayment provisions of the Social Security law." Your benefit payments can be deposited directly into an account at a bank or other financial institution in the U.S. or India. Direct deposit eliminates wait times and provides you with immediate access to your funds. If you don't want to use direct deposit, you may choose to receive benefit checks by mail. Social Security and federal benefit checks are issued by the U.S. Treasury between the 10th and 15th of each month and then mailed out. You can also pick up your check every month at the U.S. Embassy if you live in the New Delhi Consular District or at U.S. Consulate offices in Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, or Chennai. Nonresidents can only open rupee accounts in India for the duration of their visas. Accounts are automatically closed unless their visas are extended. Dual Citizenship and Visas United States citizens may be able to enjoy dual citizenship with many other countries. But that doesn't apply to India. In fact, the country's constitution doesn't allow its citizens to hold citizenship with any other nation. Citizens of other countries may be granted the Overseas Citizenship of India status in certain cases. OCI is the closest thing to being a dual citizen. You qualify for OCI if you: Are a non-resident Indian (NRI) and/or previously held an Indian passport Are married to an Indian citizen for at least two years Have at least one parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who is or was an Indian citizen You can become an OCI as long as your home country allows dual citizenship. You can eventually become an Indian citizen if you are an OCI for five years and live in India for at least one year. This special status doesn't grant voting rights but does allow you to freely travel in and out of India. You can apply for Indian citizenship after five years as an OCI. You can obtain a tourist visa from an Indian High Commission or your local Indian Consulate General. But these visas are only valid for 180 days (six months) and cannot be renewed or extended. And they don't grant you any rights, such as employment or land ownership. If you want to stay in India longer than 180 days and don't qualify for OCI or permanent residency, you may be able to get a long-term visa. This visa is given to anyone for employment purposes, to set up a business, or to attend school. Applications must be made in person within 14 days of your arrival in India. You cannot claim Overseas Citizen of India status if you are a citizen of Bangladesh or Pakistan. Health Care If you receive Medicare and decide to move away from the United States, it's important to know where you stand. Recipients don't receive coverage for health care services if they live outside the United States. Benefits are available to you upon your return to the U.S., but a 10% higher premium applies for every 12-month period you could have been enrolled in the program but were not. Regardless of whether you choose to retire in India or anywhere else, it's important to consider how you'll pay for your health care. India has a decentralized universal health care program that provides individuals with free in- and outpatient medical services. But this system is severely underfunded and is plagued with staff shortages, as well inadequate suppliesespecially given the rise in coronavirus-related cases. But there's a very good chance that you may not qualify for Indian health careat least right awaywhich is why private health insurance is the best option. In fact, many Indian residents take out private coverage for themselves and their families. Land Ownership Laws NRIs and OCIs can legally own nonfarm property and exercise property ownership rights. You can legally buy property in India as a foreign national as long as you are an Indian resident. To qualify, you must have lived in India for more than 182 days during the previous financial year. Remember that a tourist visa is valid for only 180 days, so you aren't considered a resident if you're traveling the country on this kind of visa. So you must demonstrate a continued presence in India if you want to work, carrying on a business or vocation in India, or for any other purpose that would indicate your intention to stay in India for an uncertain period, such as going to school and, thus, entitle you to own property in the future. Real estate transactions in India are complicated whether you are an NRI, OCI, or a foreign national resident. Work with a qualified real estate attorney to protect your interests and help ensure a smooth process. Taxes Indian tax laws can be very complicated and are subject to frequent change. As such, it's probably a good idea to hire an experienced tax accountant to receive the most favorable tax treatment possible during your stay in the country. This is an even better idea if you intend to maintain a long-term residence there. In a nutshell, Indian residents are taxed on worldwide income. An individual who is a resident but not ordinarily resident or an NRI is only taxed on Indian-sourced income. Although you must file your taxes in both countries, India has tax treaties with other countries, including the United States, which means you can avoid double taxation by taking advantage of specific exclusions and tax credits. If you are a U.S. citizen traveling or living abroad, consider enrolling in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which provides security updates and makes it easier for the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to contact you or your family in case of an emergency. The Bottom Line Visiting a foreign country is one thing, but settling in one is a completely different experience. Even if you have family in India and no language barrier, you find adapting to the new surroundings, customs, and way of life very challenging. While some adventurous retirees enjoy these changes, others may find them overwhelming. You may be better living overseas on a part-time basisperhaps six months at home and the rest of the year abroad. Consider your comfort level, friends, family, finances, and health care needs before making any decisions to retire overseas full-time. And don't forget to iron out the details of your Social Security benefits and land ownership if you are planning a retirement abroad before you make your big move. A master's degree is becoming increasingly valuable when it comes to working your way into a high-paying career, but there's a downside: two more years in school means more lost income and probably more student debt, as well. Accelerated master's degrees save majoring students the cost and study time of graduate admission tests, application fees, and extra courses. By applying for an accelerated master's program, you can start taking courses toward your master's in your junior or senior year and get dual course credit for both your undergraduate and master's degree. Key Takeaways Accelerated master's degrees save majoring students the cost and study time of graduate admission tests, application fees, and extra courses. By applying for an accelerated master's program, you can start taking courses toward your master's in your junior or senior year and get dual course credit for both your undergraduate and master's degree. Before you enroll in an accelerated master's program, you will want to research your field thoroughly. Undergraduate scholarships are likely to cover graduate-level courses that dually count towards your undergraduate degree. Be sure to solidify your career path with field study as soon as possible and do as many shadow days and work internships as you can manage. Doing an accelerated program and graduating early shouldn't mean losing certain opportunities. Accelerated Master's Program Admission Requirements Accelerated master's degrees will often have tough admission standards, and you generally have to wait until at least your undergraduate sophomore year to apply. Often, a grade point average (GPA) above 3.5 is necessary for consideration, and preference is given for students already enrolled in that university, says Counsel of Graduate Schools Dean in Residence, Dr. Bill Weiner. The reason is that schools want to retain their upper echelon of students for their master's programs; students who experience academic success at their university in their undergraduate courses will likely do well in their graduate school. Commitment Before you enroll in an accelerated master's program, you will want to research your field thoroughly. You don't want to get all the way through a master's degree and then find out through work experience that you'd rather pursue a different career path. Thus, career planning begins today. Complete a summer internship, talk to your career counselors and academic advisors, and arrange shadow days. Academically, take at least one course in your major each semester. Join professional organizations with on-campus student chapters such as the American Marketing Association or Society of Professional Journalists. These organizations offer fantastic opportunities to network with professionals working in your potential career field. Course Credit Some courses may count toward both degrees in your senior year. Colleges have varying ranges for the time needed to complete your degree and the number of courses that will earn you dual credit, but the dual credit can help you complete a bachelor's degree in May and your master's as early as December of the same year. For example, if you finish your undergraduate degree with 12 graduate credits and your master's degree requires 36 credits for completion, you could complete your graduate degree after your undergraduate graduation by taking 12 credits over the summer and 12 in the fall. If your university allows six dual-credit courses to count toward your degree with a 36-credit degree, you may not complete a master's in seven months, but at least you'll still have a six-credit head start. You have to be extra diligent to earn at least a "B" in dual-credit courses. While a "C" in a course can earn you credit in a bachelor's program, many accelerated master's programs require "Bs" or above to earn credit and sometimes to avoid program expulsion. Career Advancement The difference between a bachelor's and a master's degree in job opportunities after graduation is tremendous. Dr. Weiner says that someone enrolled in an accelerated master's program in human resources could graduate as a hospital administrator instead of a human resources manager. Similarly, accounting majors need a master's degree to become CPAs. Plus, studies suggest that workers with master's degrees earn considerably more throughout their careers. Cost Savings While annual costs vary by university, you can save a lot of money by reducing your school course requirements. The average cost of attendance (based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics), including tuition, fees, and room and board for first-year, full-time, undergraduate students at public schools is $19,204. If you save six months by completing a semester's worth of credits during your undergraduate degree, you could save yourself more than $9,500. The actual amount you save will vary based on the cost of tuition at your school, scholarships, and grants awarded, and the number of credits required for your master's degree. Scholarships Undergraduate scholarships are likely to cover graduate-level courses that dually count towards your undergraduate degree. However, you will need to apply for new financial aid for when you officially graduate from the undergraduate portion of your program. As soon as you decide, you want to pursue an accelerated master's degree program, meet with a financial aid counselor to discuss graduate school grants, Stafford Loans, scholarship programs, and PLUS Loans. The earlier you begin your research, the better off you'll be. The Bottom Line If you know you want to pursue a master's degree, especially within your major, accelerated master's programs can save you time and money. However, finishing faster should never mean giving up career exploration opportunities. Be sure to solidify your career path with field study as soon as possible and do as many shadow days and work internships as you can manage. Balance your work experience by focusing on your GPA. With top-notch grades, education, and internships, you'll sail into your first post-graduate position. Dateline Secession: Tackling the Main Obstacle to Peace -- Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! The special meeting or summit in Naypyitaw on Monday between leaders of the government, Tatmadaw [Myanmars military] and ethnic armed organizations [EAOs] was the first of its kind under the government led by the National League for Democracy [NLD]. The meeting focused on peace. Well discuss whether the meetings outcome will be positive, or if it will just fuel the tensions. Im joined by ethnic affairs and peace analyst Ko Maung Maung Soe and journalist and peace commentator Ko Thiha. Im The Irrawaddy English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe. The summit was attended by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and leaders of EAOs like the KNU [Karen National Union]. What do you expect from this summit, Ko Maung Maung Soe? Maung Maung Soe: The summit comes at a time when people say the peace process has reached a deadlock. In fact, the peace process has been deadlocked for some time; more than one year elapsed between the second and third sessions of the Panglong [Union peace conference]. The main problem is that political negotiations have stalled. There is a need to continue negotiations on self-determination and federalism. Despite this, the negotiations could not be continued. This problem arose from the [Tatmadaws] demand that [EAOs] must first promise not to secede [from the country] before discussing state constitutions. On Monday, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Army chief and the KNU chairman delivered speeches. Their speeches focused on secession. KZM: Did you notice any disagreements [regarding secession] in their speeches? MMS: The Army chief insisted that EAOs must guarantee non-secession if talks on enacting state constitutions are to be continued, and that this guarantee must be included in the Union Accord. KNU chairman General Mutu Say Poe said the state constitutions relate to the structure of a state inside the Union, and that there is no need to link the [issues of] secession and state constitutions. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said secession or non-secession is not a problem if [stakeholders] accept the reality of the Union. What is needed is to establish a Union from which no one wishes to secede, she said. So, there are some disagreements between the three sides. One concept is to focus on secession, and another is not to do so. Well see what the results of the meeting will be. If there is a result that is acceptable to all three sides, they will be able to continue political negotiations, I think. KZM: [The right to secession] is the main stumbling block to the peace process. The Tatmadaw wants to add a provision that guarantees [ethnic regions] non-secession from the Union. The other side insists that this is not necessary. So, it is a deadlock. Ko Thiha, what is your assessment? What other problems do you notice? Thiha: This is the inevitable confrontation that results from the different concepts and concerns of the ethnicities and the Tatmadawwhich is predominantly Bamarand successive military-backed governments throughout history. In my view, EAOs refuse to guarantee non-secession not because they want to secede, but because they want to highlight their ownership [of their respective regions]. For example, the Shan armed groups want to demonstrate the fundamental fact that Shan State is part of the Unionand the contribution of Shan State to the Union. This problem will continue to exist if [the Tatmadaw assumes that the guarantee of non-secession] is necessary. What Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said is not wrong. There is no need to talk about secession while the Union already exists. Then again, this still does not provide a solution [to the problem]. KZM: The 2008 Constitution clearly prohibits secession. Thiha: Yes, it does. KZM: The NLD-led government initiated the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference. It will hold another session of the peace conference this year, and expects to conclude [a final agreement] by 2019 or 2020. The Army chief is talking about achieving peace by 2020. Is that possible? With the deadlock over secession, it seems progress will be difficult. MMS: Further steps can be taken only when this issue is settled. KZM: Only when there is an agreement. MMS: Yes, it is possible. I think of it as a Union marriage agreement; if they have agreed to stay married for life, its OK. There is no need to stipulate that divorce is not allowed in the agreement. If this deadlock can be broken, [the different parties] have things in common. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said in her speech that ethnicities have their own federal norms, and so has the government, but the 2008 Constitution is the reality. She pointed out that changes need to be made step by step. General Mutu Say Poe spoke generally about adopting basic federal principles based on four political objectives in the NCA [Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.] According to the Army chiefs speech, [the Tatmadaw] has agreed to amend and supplement some provisions in the Constitution about federal rights. To mention specific provisionsfor example Article 261, which relates to the election of the state governments by the [residents of] states. While such opportunities exist, we will be able to move to the next stage if we can break the deadlock over secession. If we fail to move to the next stage, those opportunities will be wasted. KZM: EAO leaders want a guarantee in black and white, because of past events in the countrys history. But there might be other hurdles to clear in order to achieve peace by the Army chiefs goal of 2020, or to wrap up peace talks in 2019 as outlined by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. What other difficulties do you foresee? Thiha: The speeches by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the Army chief showed some common ground. Both of them accept that the 2008 Constitution will not be scrapped wholesale, but changed bit by bit until their two positions converge. Both seem to have decided on this. On the other hand, ethnicities want a virtual rewrite of the Constitution. They dont feel secure working under it. Leaders of the EAOs dont feel secure working within a framework designed by the other side. This is the problem of military-minded people. The thinking of people following a political ideology is different from that of people following a military ideology. So, the military wants assurances about non-secession. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, being a politician, is bolder in this regard, saying there is no need to discuss it, as the Union already exists. We will only be able to move forward when the views are the same. There are a lot of challenges facing them. As Ko Maung Maung Soe said, there is a good chance of a breakthrough if this problem can be settled. But it has been made difficult by terminologies and ideologies. KZM: Though the meeting was called a summit, it was just a meeting with NCA signatories. There are EAOs based along the north-eastern border [which have not yet signed the NCA]. Do you think it is likely that they will also join [the peace talks]? Both the Tatmadaw and the government have urged them to participate. At the same time, China is pushing them. How probable is it that they will join? MMS: For the time being, China is mediating as much as it can. It is always ready to host meetings [of EAOs]. The main problem is that the fighting still hasnt stopped. Bilateral [ceasefire agreements] have yet to be signed with the four groups including the KIA [Kachin Independence Army]. KZM: The armed groups based in the northern areas are bigger than their counterparts based in the southern areas of the country, arent they? MMS: 80 percent [of armed groups are based in northern areas]. KZM: Yes, they are bigger. Wa [United Wa State Army] leaders said they welcomed the summit [this week]. But, how likely is it that they will sign [the NCA]? MMS: In their statement, [USWA] welcomed the summit and also called for a tripartite meeting including them. But the Tatmadaw doesnt recognize the seven-member alliance [the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee]. This will be another problem that has to be overcome. KZM: Will this be more difficult? MMS: Yes, it will. Besides that, we dont know if the seven-member alliance will accept all the agreements made with the 10 NCA signatories. There are many problems that have to be overcome. The meeting this week focused on the problem of secession, and didnt discuss security matters. If the deadlock over secession can be broken, another deadlock will be reached in the security sector. So, there are problems that have to be overcome for both NCA signatories and non-signatories. Greater efforts will be needed if peace is to be handed to the people in 2020 [as the Army chief has said]. KZM: So, there should be more intense negotiations. MMS: Yes, there must be more direct negotiations. KZM: And regarding the security matters, the negotiations will be mainly between Tatmadaw leaders and EAO leaders. MMS: Yes, thats right. KZM: Some topics were suspended for discussion at the third Panglong session. When do you think discussions on those topics will resume? MMS: In my opinion, it is better to discuss security matters only after reaching agreement on self-determination. If discussions are held at the same time, it will be difficult to achieve progress on either of them. It is better to go step by step. It will be easier to negotiate on the security sector after reaching agreement on the self-determination and federalism demanded by ethnicities. KZM: Yes, the ethnicities will be willing to discuss security matters only when they have a guarantee of self-determination. Thiha: They take up arms for political reasons. If there are firm political agreements and guarantees, it is easier to discuss the security sector. It is just a technical issue. According to my research, all have accepted the concept of a single army. They all accept it. If they all accept the single army concept and accept that there is political security and a political guarantee, then security reform becomes a technical matter. I dont think it would be that difficult. KZM: I doubt it is that easy. While there is no trust between the two sides, the disarmament of EAOs would be even more difficult. MMS: In theory, what Ko Thiha said is true; that the next stage becomes easier if there is trust in political agreements. But in reality, there is no trust. KZM: And there are many groups. MMS: Yes, there are. It will take time to restore trust. It is hard to go to the DDR stage [disarmament, demobilization and reintegration] at once. So, Ive always called for finding a middle stage. There are many armed organizations like the BGF [Border Guard Force] and peoples militias in the country. They [have emerged and] can stand due to the trust [that exists between them and the Army]. There is a need to think from various perspectives about a middle stage before going to DDR with the EAOs. We dont want this to ruin [the peace process] after a set of political agreements has been reached. KZM: It is critically important to achieve peace. Failure to do so will negatively impact the democratic transition. In Person No Development Without Rule of Law, Mon State MP Says Mon State Lawmaker Daw Khaing Khaing Leh speaks during an interview in Mawlamyine, Mon State, on Oct 3. / San Yamin Aung / The Irrawaddy YANGON As chair of Mon State Parliaments Womens and Childrens Rights Committee, Daw Khaing Khaing Leh is dedicated to protecting the regions youth and female constituents. In the first seven months of this year, her committee has received more than 40 complaints of sexual violence against females, including the alleged rape of minors. While investigating sexual assault cases and working to bring the perpetrators to justice, the 38-year-old lawmaker has also been promoting the rule of law. A former lawyer, Daw Khaing Khaing Leh was elected to the state Parliament to represent Thaton Township for the National League for Democracy in the 2015 general elections, becoming one of six female lawmakers in the 31-seat legislature. She has urged the state government to take steps to ensure security and the rule of law and tried to promote good relations between the executive and legislative branches. She also chairs the Parliaments Bill Committee. Daw Khaing Khaing Leh spoke recently with The Irrawaddy at the Parliament in Mawlamyine about the difficulties local lawmakers are facing to implement reforms and how much progress they have made since the general elections. Lawmakers raise problems affecting the public and the needs of their constituents in parliament. How satisfied are you with how they are being solved or improved? When we look at whether the government has kept all the promises it made to Parliament in response to lawmakers questions and proposals, it hasnt. I am saying this because a report by a parliamentary committee on the governments guarantees, pledges and undertakings said the government only implements about 30 percent of its promises. Some are still in the works, some have been implemented and others are pending. Another thing is state development. Mon State has been receiving a larger budget, so we have been able to work on improving municipal services and road transportation in the state over the past three years. But in our state we do not yet have full electricity coverage in Ye Township and in rural areas while we are generating electricity for other states and regions. What do you think of the governments failure to fulfill most of its promises? There are two points. One is that when it is easy to take action on lawmakers questions or proposals, the government does. Like asking it to build roads or bridges. Its easy to implement that because it just puts the requests in the budget proposals. But when it comes to issues like squatting and illegal land use, there are some delays in government action. But those are the things lawmakers often raise. In cases of confiscated land, it needs to be solved according to the policies of the Union governments Committee for Scrutinizing Confiscated Farmland and Other Land. It has difficulty acting on cases where the state government doesnt have authority and needs to collaborate with the Union government. But some say work is not being done because government departments drag their feet and because there is too much red tape. Yes, there is that too. When [the state] Parliament writes to the state government, it takes days to hear back. Even sending information between the chief ministers office and another ministers office in the same building takes a long time. Then directives will be issued to other departments after that. We need to find ways to make those steps quick. We are developing an e-government system. But I think it will be a long time yet before implementation. Before then, we need to eliminate some unnecessary steps in the paperwork to be effective at providing public services. What do you think the [state] government should prioritize in the remaining two years of its term? There are no priorities. Everything should be done simultaneously. Every government focuses on infrastructure developments such as building bridges, constructing roads and providing electricity and water, which are important in fulfilling the basic needs of the public. But while we are working on infrastructure, ensuring the rule of law is also important. People would be satisfied with improvements in meeting their basic needs, but they hope to live having equal rights and justice. Only by strengthening the rule of law will peace and development be sustainable. A firefighter has died when extinguishing fire at the Electrotsink metallurgy plant in Vladikavkaz in the south of Russia, first deputy head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry's branch in North Ossetia Yury Zemlyansky said. "One firefighter died when extinguishing fire," TASS cited Zemlyansky as saying. The Russian Emergencies Ministry's main department in North Ossetia said that two firefighters were also injured in the fire. It was earlier reported that the area of fire is currently around 650 square meters. Fifty people and 18 units of equipment are working at the fire site. The Electrotsink plant is one of the largest metallurgy plants in Russia. It manufactures metals and chemical compounds. Australian-listed energy storage company Redflow has strengthened its management ranks with the appointment of businessman David Brant to the companys board. Brant is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors with more than two decades of manufacturing and corporate experience in Australia and Asia. His previous roles include more than 20 years in senior management with Norgren, a manufacturer of automation equipment for a wide variety of industries, and as vice-president of Strategy and Corporate Development at Redflow, as well as running his own start-up energy storage business Energy365 from 2014 to 2017. Brant has also worked as a management consultant and held directorships for organisations including affordable affordable housing provider Haven; Home, Safe, Nillumbik Health and Uniting Care Housing Victoria. Redflow (ASX: RFX) chairman Brett Johnson said Brants manufacturing expertise rounded out the boards experience. We wanted someone with a contemporary manufacturing background who could bring that expertise to bear as we develop and grow our manufacturing capabilities," he said. David brings that experience along with an extensive background in international business and strategic planning. Brant said joining the Redflow Board fulfilled his ambition to support an Australian-based high-tech business that offered strong growth potential for the future. I have a passionate interest in renewable energy, especially energy storage, which came from my earlier role with Redflow, he said. I later started up my own energy storage business, which focussed on high-end battery installations for large residential and small commercial projects, so I bring to the table some hands-on experience in energy system deployment. I have a good understanding of modern manufacturing techniques and Factory of the Future thinking, which I hope will assist Redflow to set the strategic direction for its manufacturing capacity. Redflow chief operating officer Richard Aird has also stepped down from the board to focus his attention on scaling up the companys factory in Thailand and planning future manufacturing capabilities. While Redflows factory in Thailand uses a flexible labour-intensive assembly process that can supply its current requirements, the company says it is committed to identifying and taking advantage of advanced automated manufacturing technologies that can scale up production as demand grows. Johnson praised Airds contribution to the company as a director. We are enormously grateful to Richard for his role as a director of Redflow and we look forward to his ongoing contribution as chief operating officer, he said. NATO has laid responsibility on Russia for the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), noting that Moscow 'highly likely' violates this agreement, NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu said. She recalled that NATO Allies have repeatedly raised their concerns about Russia's lack of respect for its international commitments, including for the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which was concluded in 1987 between the United States and the Soviet Union. "At the NATO Summit in July [in Brussels], Allies stressed that the United States is in compliance with its obligations under the INF Treaty, while a pattern of behavior over many years has led to widespread doubts about Russian compliance," the spokesperson stressed. Lungescu also recalled that in its statement after the Brussels summit, NATO voiced concerns over Russias 9M729 missile system. "After years of denials and obfuscation, Russia recently acknowledged the existence of the missile system without providing the necessary transparency and explanation. In the absence of any credible answer from Russia on this new missile, Allies believe that the most plausible assessment would be that Russia is in violation of the INF Treaty," TASS cited her as saying. On Saturday, US President Donald Trump said that Washington would withdraw from the INF Treaty because Russia was violating the terms of the agreement. At the same time, he did not rule out signing a new agreement on intermediate-range nuclear forces with Moscow and Beijing if Russia and China provide guarantees of halting the production of such weapons. According to the US data, which was shared with NATO allies, Russia allegedly started deploying its newest missiles 9M729, what Washington claims is a violation of the 1987 treaty. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the US accusations that the 9M729 range exceeds the limits stipulated by the treaty have not been proven. The number of injured in the Kerch college shooting has risen to 73 people, Crimea's Center for Disaster Medicine said. According to preliminary data, the death toll in the Kerch college shooting has reached 21 people. The health condition of five injured is critical, Yuga.ru reported. It was earlier reported that 19 people died in the shooting and explosion at the Kerch college, including the attacker who committed suicide. Around 50 people were injured. On Wednesday, a student opened fire and orchestrated an explosion at the Kerch Polytechnic College in Crimea. He later committed suicide. The criminal case was initially opened over an act of terrorism, but was later reclassified as murder. Syria considers actions of the U.S.-led coalition during the liberation of Raqqa city as genocide. "The world witnessed the complete systematic destruction of Raqqa by the international coalition forces and saw the bodies of innocent citizens on the city streets, the removal of the rest of the population, which was left homeless," the official representative of the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said. The ministry also noted that the coalition forces are being used to aggravate and delay the conflict, Gazeta.ru reports with reference to SANA. The United States will withdraw from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF) because Russia is violating the terms of the agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday. Were going to terminate the agreement and were going to pull out. Well have to develop those weapons, the Guardian cited president as saying. At the same time, he did not rule out signing a new agreement on intermediate-range nuclear forces with Moscow and Beijing if Russia and China provide guarantees of halting the production of such weapons. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that the landmark INF Treaty apparently stonewalls Washingtons plans for total domination. "At first glance, I can say that apparently the INF Treaty creates problems for pursuing the line towards the US total domination in military sphere," Ryabkov said, noting that the US withdrawal from the INF Treaty would be a very dangerous step, which would be definitely condemned by the international community. "Apparently, inability and unwillingness to come to terms with us on a sound foundation push certain forces in Washington to encourage the countrys leadership to make a decision on a formal withdrawal from the treaty," TASS cited the diplomat as saying. "This would be a very dangerous step, which, Im sure, wont be just understood by the international community, but arouse serious condemnation of all members of the world community, who are committed to security and stability and are ready to work on strengthening the current regimes in arms control," he stressed. Ryabkov said that Russia expects that US National Security Advisor John Bolton, who is arriving in Moscow on Sunday, will clarify Washingtons plans on the INF Treaty. "Today the US presidents national security advisor is arriving in Moscow. We hope during the contacts with him tomorrow and the day after tomorrow to hear more details and clarifications on what steps the US side is planning to take," Ryabkov said. He noted that Russia condemns US attempts to achieve Moscows concessions in international security issues through blackmail. "We condemn the continuing attempts to achieve Russias concessions through blackmail, moreover in such an issue which has importance for international security and security in the nuclear weapons sphere, for maintaining strategic stability," the Deputy Foreign Minister added. According to him, Russia strictly observes the INF Treaty and has been pointing to Washingtons violations of the arms control agreement for many years. "Therefore, these are the attempts to portray this situation as if Russia violates the treaty. But its not just that we do not violate it, but we strictly observe it. And we are tolerant when pointing to US blatant violations of the agreement for many years," Ryabkov concluded. The Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty banned ground-launch nuclear missiles with ranges from 500km to 5,500km. Signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev on December 8, 1987 in Washington, it led to nearly 2,700 short- and medium-range missiles being eliminated, and an end to a dangerous standoff between US Pershing and cruise missiles and Soviet SS-20 missiles in Europe. (CNN) Top US and Chinese defense officials met in Singapore Thursday for a head-to-head meeting which nearly didn't take place amid growing tensions between the world's two most powerful countries. US Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe spoke for an hour-and-a-half behind closed doors, according to Randall Schriver, the US assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. Schriver said both men spent "significant time" discussing the situation in the South China Sea, a flashpoint between the two countries. "The (US) secretary making very clear we will continue to operate where international law allows," Schriver told reporters. The meeting comes amid growing economic, military and political tensions between Washington and Beijing, from the escalating trade war to allegations of Chinese political interference by US President Donald Trump. The meeting was nearly called off once earlier in October, but was rescheduled at China's request on October 17, and took place Thursday on the sidelines of the ASEAN forum in Singapore. "Neither side really wants a full-blown strategic competition, disengaging, decoupling from each other," Bonnie Glaser, director of the CSIS China Power Project in Washington, told CNN. "(The Chinese) like the idea of having regular dialogues. It is an important way for (Chinese President) Xi Jinping to signal to his domestic population that he has a handle of the US-China relationship, that it's not spiraling out of control." Tensions in the South China Sea A long-running point of contention between the two countries is China's ongoing militarization of artificial islands in the South China Sea, one of the world's most important sea lanes. Most countries view the Chinese government's vast territorial claims in the sea as in direct violation of international law, but this has not stopped Beijing from building up and weaponizing islets and reefs. To assert the international right to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, Washington conducts regular naval operations in close proximity to Chinese-held territory in the region. Under the Trump administration the dispute has become increasingly fraught as the Pentagon has stepped up the number and intensity of freedom of navigation operations, which China regards as provocations. Mattis and Wei's meeting comes just days after a pair of B-52H Stratofortress bomber planes took part in what the US Air Force called called "a routine training mission in the vicinity of the South China Sea." When asked about the flights Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry said it was working to confirm the details but "firmly opposed to any country's behavior that jeopardizes the sovereignty and safe interests of the coastal countries and disturbs the regional peace and stability with the excuse of freedom of navigation and overflight." "We always respect and safeguard every country's freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in accordance with international laws," spokesman Lu Kang said. Last month, Washington accused a Chinese destroyer of conducting "a series of increasingly aggressive maneuvers accompanied by warnings" while the USS Decatur was sailing on a freedom of navigation mission, forcing the US ship to quickly maneuver to prevent a collision. Mattis and Wei did not discuss the Decatur incident, Schriver said. This story was first published on CNN.com, "U.S., Chinese defense chiefs hold 'straightforward' talks amid tensions" The United States will withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF) because Russia is violating the terms of the agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump said. Were going to terminate the agreement and were going to pull out. Well have to develop those weapons, the Guardian cited president as saying. At the same time, he did not rule out signing a new agreement on intermediate-range nuclear forces with Moscow and Beijing if Russia and China provide guarantees of halting the production of such weapons. The Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty banned ground-launch nuclear missiles with ranges from 500km to 5,500km. Signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, it led to nearly 2,700 short- and medium-range missiles being eliminated, and an end to a dangerous standoff between US Pershing and cruise missiles and Soviet SS-20 missiles in Europe. On Friday, Trumps third national security adviser, John Bolton, a longstanding opponent of arms control treaties, was pushing for US withdrawal. Bolton will visit Moscow next week. A Peruvian court will decide on Sunday whether to grant a prosecutors request to place opposition leader Keiko Fujimori in preventive detention for 36 months, which would likely scupper her 2021 presidential hopes. Anti-corruption prosecutor Jose Domingo Perez has asked the court to hold Fujimori and 11 others for the lengthy period as his team investigates who benefited from millions of dollars in campaign bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. Her lawyer Giuliana Loza described the prosecutors request as an outrage. Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho of the First Preliminary Investigation Court will hear the case on Sunday morning, the judiciary said. He is the same judge that earlier this month allowed Lopezs request to hold Fujimori in preventive detention for 10 days. Perus constitution allows for suspects to be held without trial for up to 36 months in complex cases such as the Odebrecht investigation, which involves tracing millions of dollars in illicit payments. It also ensures that suspects cannot interfere with evidence or witnesses in an ongoing investigation. Acceding to the prosecutors request would all but end Keikos chances of the presidency, after she lost run-offs in 2011 and 2016. Lopez lodged his request Friday, only two days after an appeals court ordered Fujimoris release from a week-long stay in prison as part of the same investigation. Under scrutiny The 43-year-old daughter and political heir to disgraced ex-president Alberto Fujimori, Keiko has increasingly come under the spotlight as prosecutors investigate millions of dollars in illicit campaign contributions to several former presidents. They say former presidents Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Alan Garcia and Alejandro Toledo all took undeclared campaign contributions in exchange for pledges to have the Brazilian construction giant win local tenders. Their key witness, former Odebrecht Peru chief Jorge Barata, said he doled out millions of dollars to Peruvian presidential candidates between 2001 and 2016. Prosecutor Perez believes Fujimori leader of the main opposition Popular Force party received more than $1.2 million from Odebrecht for her 2011 presidential campaign. She denies all wrongdoing. Odebrecht has admitted spending hundreds of millions of dollars to buy politicians favor in governments all across Latin America. The appeal courts decision to release Fujimori after a week of her previous detention was a setback for both the judge and the prosecutor, who have gained notoriety by prosecuting top politicians over the Odebrecht scandal. New Interior Minister Carlos Moran, a former police general, immediatly ordered police to tighten security around Lopez. The Peruvian Police will step up protection for prosecutor Domingo Perez as well as for his family and his home, he said on Twitter. Remove judge Fujimori, who is not obliged to attend Sundays hearing, has petitioned the court to remove Judge Concepcion Carhuancho from the case. The first thing we have to resolve is the recusal, she told reporters. The case could drag on, as her legal team can appeal. The fortunes of the Fujimori familiy have dominated Perus politics for the past year. Though Keikos Popular Force party is the biggest in Congress, her public feud with her younger brother Kenji who leads a rival wing of the party and their legal woes have chipped away at her popularity. Kenji is facing trial for bribery. Meanwhile, the 80-year-old patriarch, former president Alberto Fujimori, had his humanitarian pardon for crimes against humanity revoked by a court last month and is once again in hospital. His chronic ill health means a return to prison would be a death sentence, he has told the authorities. He has publicly pleaded with his children to join forces and Keiko said after her week in prison that she had taken time to reflect on the unity of my family. The countrys president, Martin Vizcarra who has made fighting corruption his priority has meanwhile risen steadily in the polls. NAACP Gala Banquet at Walker Hall Oct. 20, 2018 By Oct. 20, 2018 The Annual Paducah/McCracken County Branch of the NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet will be held on Sunday, November 4, at 2:30pm at the Walker Hall Event Center on Madison Street. Defeat Hate-Vote is the theme for this year's Banquet. The Freedom Fund Banquet is an annual fundraiser that supports our NAACP programs and helps them reach the underserved populations within the community. For more than 50 years, this local branch has fought to give a voice to many that confront discrimination in all forms. They work toward improving education, cultural awareness, economic/equal housing opportunities, and civil rights. The keynote speaker for the Freedom Fund event will be Leon Owens, President of Swift and Staley, Inc., of Paducah. The small business government prime-contractor is 100% employee owned and recognized as an exceptional infrastructure support services company. Before being named president, Owens held positions of increased responsibility ranging from Human Resource Manager, Operations & Maintenance Manager, Corporate Development Manager, and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that, he worked 15 years as a production operator at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Owens earned a bachelors degree in political science from Eastern Illinois University, and a masters degree in business administration from Murray State University. The Paducah-McCracken Co. NAACP will also present the Annual Curlee Brown Award to former Paducah Mayor Gerry B. Montgomery. Recipients of the 2018 Boyles/Coleman Scholarship, awarded to African American students attending WKCTC, will also be recognized. Sponsorships for the event are available at $100 to $1,000 levels, and tickets are on sale now. Single tickets are $15 for students 17 and under, $35 for single tickets and $60 for a pair. Tickets are also available that include a year's membership in the NAACP or a lifetime membership. Call the NAACP office at 270-444-6583 for more information. By WestKyStar & Shawnee College Staff Oct. 20, 2018 | 05:49 PM | ULLIN, IL Community members are invited to enjoy a pancake breakfast with Belle from the SCC production of Beauty and the Beast! Kids will enjoy story time with Belle in addition to a photo opportunity! Gaston has been rumored to make a special appearance and will be challenging any boys to an arm wrestle challenge! Tickets are $5 for kids and $10 for adults. Contact Julie Oliver (618-638-4431) for tickets. All tickets must be purchased before the event. The last day to purchase will be October 22nd. Upcoming performance tickets are also still available for purchase by contacting Stacy Simpson for at 618-634-3375. Shawnee Community College Theatre Department is hosting a Breakfast with Belle event on October 27, from 9-11 am on the main campus of the college. This family event precedes the colleges upcoming performance of Disneys Beauty & the Beast performances on November 1st-3rd. 37 Shares Share Teleneurology is the new and vastly expanding practice of neurology involving the use of technology and/or video chat to improve access to services. With an ever-increasing aging population there is and will continue to be a shortage of neurologists in the United States. Teleneurology has increased patient access to neurologists especially in rural areas but also in urban and suburban areas. Practicing as a teleneurologist for the last two years I can log on to secure video chats compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). I see patients in Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, or other states where I have a medical license. I connect within minutes, take a history from the patient or family, and do a physical exam with the help of trained staff at the hospital. For acute stroke, I can give tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) to patients in rural areas or major cities where a neurologist is not physically present. I can also treat conditions including status epilepticus, headaches/migraines, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, or other neurological disorders. I have access to view the electronic medical records of patients including imaging, lab work, and other testing. I have the ability to put in orders and to function as the inpatient neurology consultant. After seeing a patient in a hospital in one state I can see a patient at another hospital in another state within minutes. The use of teleneurology allows a neurologist to be present in an instant to see a patient. For a neurologist to be physically present is not as easy and takes more time. Teleneurology leverages the use of technology to quickly have a neurologist present to see a patient in emergency cases or routine cases. The physician-patient relationship can be created with the use of teleneurology. The trust between a physician and patient can also be established. The physician must be able to have compassion for patients in addition to good listening skills. The physician should look directly at the patient, introduce himself or herself, listen attentively, communicate directly to the patient/family, and answer all questions appropriately. A physicians medical knowledge and compassion for the patient must be come across in the teleneurology visit. Although teleneurology is a great new field of medicine, there are limitations. The reliability of technology varies depending upon the connection speeds on both ends. Quality trained hospital staff are needed to help the teleneurologist with the technology and the exam. The willingness of the patient to accept teleneurology is another limiting factor. Physicians must also accept teleneurology themselves. As time goes on more people experience teleneurology and tend to embrace it. Teleneurology offers compassionate, patient-centered care just as an in-person visit. This provides a satisfying experience to me as a neurologist in helping patients with their medical conditions. Seeing improvements in patients across different states can be even more gratifying. The scope with which I practice is greater than what I could do in one hospital system. I feel as though I am physically present in the room with the patient even though I am in the comfort and convenience of my own home office. I hope teleneurology will continue to grow to treat more patients in shorter times who may not have access otherwise. Puja Aggarwal is a neurologist. Image credit: Shutterstock.com By WestKyStar & Mercy Health Staff Oct. 20, 2018 | 05:37 PM | PADUCAH Our real passion is to send a patient home with their heart as healthy as possible. says Brenda Milam, RN, Clinical Manager of Cardiovascular Unit at Lourdes To see these patients now, back to their normal lives, is not only special to me but to our entire cardiovascular team. The Mercy Health cardiovascular team used a small implantable device, known as the Impella heart pump, on these heart patients. The Impella provides minimally-invasive, temporary support to assist the pumping function of the heart, allowing it to rest and potentially recover. More than 60,000 patients in the United States have benefited from Impella heart pump support. Mercy Health hosted a Heart Recovery Reunion on Friday that honored heart attack and heart failure patients. This group of men and women joined their families, physicians, nurses and staff to celebrate their survival. Dr. James ORourke spoke to the group about how Mercy Healths innovative technologies are helping save lives. ROSEBURG, Ore. -- As the ballots are being delivered to your mailbox, we're taking a closer look at the race for Douglas County Commissioner. There are eight candidates in total, and two of them are getting a lot of attention. Driving through Roseburg, it's clear that election season is in full swing. Signs with "Vote for Tom Kress" or "Alek Skarlatos for County Commissioner" are all over town. "I feel like I have been training my entire life for this position," said Tom Kress, Douglas County Commissioner Candidate. "I don't think any other candidate knows the budget and the timber issues as well as I do," said Alek Skarlatos, Douglas County Commissioner Candidate. RELATED: Alek Skarlatos will run for Douglas County commissioner Kress and Skarlatos have put months of work into campaigning, all leading up to November 6th. Skarlatos and Kress both said they want what's best for the county and both said that means new opportunities for trade school. "We have a workforce problem. We've exported our youth out of the area for the last 25 years," said Kress. Along with improving local vocational programs, Kress said the county needs to start promoting the option of trade school to students at the middle school level. "We do not have to ship our kids out of here. We can train them locally and they can get family wage jobs right here if we can improve our trade education," said Kress. Skarlatos said getting more students into trade jobs is his priority too: "So that we can start filling the jobs that we have because we're never going to grow and entice new businesses to come here until we can fill the jobs we already have available," said Skarlatos. Balancing the budget is at the top of the list for both candidates. Specifically, Skarlatos said the county's loss in timber revenue over the years is something he wants to fix. "We used to have a lot of money coming in. Glide School District used to be the richest school district in the country and now of course we can't even pay our sheriff's department anymore, hardly," said Skarlatos. Both chose to run because they want to see change. "Very passionate about this community," said Kress. He's born and raised in Roseburg, graduated with a business degree from the University of Oregon. He said he's been a small business owner in Roseburg for 30 years. For the past 17 years, he and his wife have owned Waldron's Outdoor Sports. Skarlatos has lived in Roseburg for 10 years, been deployed to Afghanistan with the National Guard and attended Umpqua Community College. He is best known for helping thwart a terrorist attack on a train to Paris in 2015. "If we can get county government on track and the economy back, this would be the best place in the world to live," said Skarlatos. Ballots should be arriving in your mailbox this weekend, if they haven't already. The deadline to turn them in is November 6th. For more information on all the candidates, click here. More employers are adding a Roth 401(k) option to their retirement plans, which should appeal to workers who anticipate being in a higher tax bracket in retirement. Even better, the maximum contribution limit for a Roth 401(k) has been raised for 2019. Roth 401(k) Contribution Limits for 2019 The maximum amount workers can contribute to a Roth 401(k) for 2019 is $19,000 if theyre younger than age 50. Thats $500 higher than the 2018 Roth 401(k) contribution limit. Workers age 50 and older can add an extra $6,000 per year in catch-up contributions, bringing the total amount to $25,000. (The maximums went up again for 2020.) Contributions generally need to me made by the end of the calendar year. The Roth 401(k) first became available in 2006, and a majority of companies now offer it to employees, according to the Plan Sponsor Council of America. The Roth 401(k), as the name implies, combines features of the tax-friendly Roth IRA and the traditional 401(k). A Roth 401(k) vs. a Roth IRA and a Traditional 401(k) As with a Roth IRA, you make after-tax contributions to a Roth 401(k). This wont lower your tax bill now, but it will provide you with income in retirement that is free from taxes. You can make withdrawals from a Roth 401(k) tax-free, and without incurring a 10% early-withdrawal penalty, once youve turned age 59 1/2 and have had the account open for at least five years. (If you retire after holding a Roth 401(k) for only two years, for example, the money must sit for three more years to be fully tax-free, even if you own an older Roth 401(k) account from a previous employer that meets the five-year test.) And as with a traditional 401(k), there are no income limitations with the Roth 401(k), making it an attractive option for high-earners whose salaries might disqualify them from contributing to an IRA. You can also sock away thousands of dollars more each year with a Roth 401(k) or a traditional 401(k) than you can with an IRA alone. The annual contribution limit for a Roth IRA is $6,000 for 2019, or $7,000 if youre age 50 or older. Youll be obligated to take required minimum distributions from a traditional 401(k) and a Roth 401(k) once you reach age 70 1/2. However, you can avoid RMDs from a Roth 401(k) by rolling over the money into a Roth IRA, which doesn't require minimum distributions. How Much Should You Save in a Roth 401(k)? Many employers match employees 401(k) contributions up to a certain percentage of salary. Note that any employer contributions to a Roth 401(k) will be made pretax and will grow tax-deferred alongside your own Roth contributions. When you withdraw money, you will owe income tax on the employer match. Melissa Brennan, a certified financial planner in Dallas, recommends that people save at least 15% of their income for retirement, including any employer match. If your employer contributes, say, 2%, then you would need to save an additional 13%. Every year, add another percentage point until the employee deferrals and the employer contributions reach a total of 15% of gross income, Brennan says. So if youre saving 3% now, bump that up to 4% next year, 5% the year after and so on. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 18, 2018 | MURRAY By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 18, 2018 | 07:42 PM | MURRAY Congressman James Comer was in Murray Wednesday to announce Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grants for 20 area schools in the West Kentucky Educational Cooperative. The grants from the U.S. Department of Education total over $1.4 million dollars each year for the next seven years, for a total of over $9 million. The project will assist students in obtaining a secondary school diploma and prepare them for and help them succeed in post-secondary education. The money will be used to deliver STEM-related programming and opportunities for students from ten school districts. Middle and High schools receiving the grants include those in Ballard, Carlisle, Crittenden, Fulton, Hickman, Livingston, McLean Counties, along with Fulton, Mayfield and Paducah Independent Schools. Partner institutions include WKCTC, Madisonville Community College and Murray State University, along with numerous career or technical centers, education advocacy groups and higher education organizations in the region. The project goal of GEAR UP is "to create a college and career pathway culture at each participating school resulting in an increase in the number of studentsparticularly minorities, those from low-income backgrounds, English learners, and those who have special needswho are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education, obtain industry certifications, and enter the workforce in high demand industry sectors with an emphasis on STEM related fields, particularly computer science." Rev. Jacob Siung-tuk Kim holds his second daughter Sun-hwa in this photo taken on June 5, 1958, at Washington National Airport, now Ronald Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C. The Kim family was reunited after a decade of separation. / Courtesy of Eugenia Kim By Kang Hyun-kyung Korean-American pastor Jacob Siung-tuk Kim's life became entangled in Korea's tumultuous modern history heralded by Japan's brutal colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945. During his life (1909-1987), he had endured an unwanted separation from his family members twice first with his newlywed wife that lasted nine years and then with his second child that came only three years after his miraculous reunion with his wife. His love for his wife, Han Hae-gyoung, was tested hard on the heels of their marriage. About a month after the couple wed in1936, Kim left then Japan-occupied Korea to study theology at the American seminary to follow in the footsteps of his brother who migrated to the United States years earlier and established a thriving church in Los Angeles. Han was to follow her husband soon, but her plan met an unexpected obstacle her visa was denied. The United States was at war with Japan years later, forcing the couple to live apart against their will. While their separation stretched into years, Han even suffered the consequence of her separation with her husband. She was jailed for 90 days in the cold of winter. "After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, my father could not return to Korea because being in America he was considered a spy and for that reason my mother was arrested and spent 90s days in prison," their youngest daughter Eugenia Kim said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. Kim, author of the award-winning book "The Calligrapher's Daughter," revisited the trying times her parents and her entire family had endured in the first half of the 20th century in her new book "The Kinship of Secrets." Her book will be released on Nov. 1. After seminary school, Kim's father worked with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the U.S. government's wartime intelligence agency, as a translator of Japanese, Korean and written Chinese. Eugenia Kim speculated her father's experience in the OSS would have caused him to feel the Japanese authorities would catch him if he returned to Korea to reunite with his wife. On top of this, back then the Japanese authorities considered Koreans being in the United States as a threat to their colonial rule of the country. Rev. Kim was part of the first wave of Korean immigrants to the U.S. mainland. After Korea fell into Japan's brutal colonial rule, around 500 Korean intellectuals migrated to the United States under student visas from 1910 to 1920, according to the National Archives of Korea. Unlike Rev. Kim, the other Koreans were asylum seekers in the guise of students and later gained legal status to stay there. They became overseas freedom fighters and campaigned for Korea's independence. The arrest and suffering of Rev. Kim's wife because of her husband being in the United States appeared to have come against this backdrop. The couple's love, however, survived against all odds. They were reunited in Seoul in 1945 after Korea was liberated from Japan at the end of World War II. Kim returned to Seoul in October 1945 to work as a translator for General John R. Hodge, who served as military governor of South Korea during the U. S. Army Military Government from 1945 to 1948. There Kim miraculously met his wife, ending nine years of separation. "My father was in a U.S. Army uniform, my mother in an impoverished condition," Eugenia Kim said. The couple had a belated honeymoon in Seoul, while living together with Han's mother and her brother, and had led a happy life with three children who were born after their reunion. Their brief happy life, however, was the prelude to another heart-wrenching separation this time an even more difficult one. The couple was separated with their second child Sun-hwa, which continued for a decade from 1948 to 1958. After his post with the U.S. Army as a civilian field officer ended in 1948, Kim planned to take his wife and three children to the United States for travel. His plan, however, faced unexpected opposition from Han's mother who feared she would never see her daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren again if they were to leave poor, chaotic Korea for the United States. To relieve the anxious mother, the couple reached a difficult decision to leave one of their three children behind, so Han's mother and brother could take care of the child as a guarantee they would come back to Korea. Their second child Sun-hwa was chosen after the couple spent days and nights pondering what to do. Mother's anguish In 1948, they left Korea for the United States by a decommissioned U.S. Navy vessel and arrived in Los Angeles where Kim's brother had a church for Koreans. Neither Kim nor his wife knew their two-year travel plan would have ended up with their immigration to the United States and separation with their second child for 10 years. They were unable to return to Korea as the Korean War broke out in 1950. Rev. Jacob Siung-tuk Kim, his wife Han Hae-gyoung and their children shows the cut-out image, front, of Kim's second child Sun-hwa who was raised by Kim's mother-in-law in Seoul. Han missed her daughter in Seoul so much and spent a decade blaming herself for leaving the daughter behind in Korea until they were eventually reunited in 1958. / Courtesy of Eugenia Kim Han spent the entire decade blaming herself for letting this tragedy happen. "Her diaries speak to her longing and her guilt at leaving Sun (Sun-hwa) behind. As the months stretched into years and they could not return for one reason or another, my mother's anxiety and yearning only compounded," Eugenia Kim said. To share her mother's deep pain during her separation with Sun-hwa, Eugenia shared part of her mother's diary written in 1949. "As I listen to news about Korea, the return trip becomes more impossible what use is it to regret leaving a baby who had just had her first birthday? What use is it for this evil mother? Thinking of an innocent baby, I hear her calling us. 'Umma, Appa' running around the room. Again I cannot sleep." Her mother's pain deepened even further on Sun-hwa's birthday in February 1950. "Today is Sun-hwa's birthday. I am so far away from her. I wept all day. If only I had spent more time with her before leaving, I would not feel such an aching heart." Eugenia, the youngest of the couple's six children, was born in New York during the 1950-53 Korean War. Her parents had one child in LA and two others, including Eugenia, after they moved to New York, as the older Kim was hired by Voice of America radio as a translator and broadcaster. The younger Kim has a clear memory of the day when her family eventually was united with her older sister from Korea on June 5, 1958. "The day of her arrival was made more memorable because many church members attended, including one friend with a camera who could take color slides and the newspapers sent reporters and photographers to document the unusual story. She told me later something I didn't remember that she had brought on the plane a very small suitcase with a few items including Hershey chocolate bars that Uncle had given her, and when she set it down at home, we children opened it and took her candy, like magpies." Sun-hwa, who didn't speak English at all when she arrived in the United States, gradually adapted to her new life there and later became a successful businesswoman. Rev. Kim passed away in 1987 at 79, 39 years after he migrated to the United States. His wife Han died in 2003 at 94. "The Kinship of Secrets" by Korean-American writer Eugenia Kim will be released on Nov. 1. A POSCO Energy plant in Incheon Calls for amending problematic pricing strategy grow By Nam Hyun-woo Domestic private power utilities are suffering from a deteriorating bottom line, as steeply rising fuel prices lead them into the situation of "the more you operate, the more you lose." To cope with their weakening profitability, the utilities are seeking expansion overseas, but industry officials say the priority is creating a "fair playing field" here, stressing the government and the state-run power distributor, the Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), should apply a pricing standard the same as applied to public power producers. According to each firm's regulatory filing, POSCO Energy posted 5.9 billion won ($5.2 million) in operating profit in the second quarter of this year, down 77 percent from 25.9 billion won a year earlier. GS EPS logged 20.8 billion won in operating profit in the second quarter, down 41 percent from 33.5 billion won the previous year. Except for SK E&S, which posted an 18.4 percent year-on-year growth, two of the three major power utilities saw a plunge in their profitability. Situation is worse for smaller firms. Dongducheon Dream Power, which is running a 1716.8 megawatt liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, posted a 53.1 billion won net loss last year. S-Power, running an 834 megawatt LNG plant was down 8.8 billion won, and Pocheon Power, running a 1,560 megawatt LNG plant, lost 8.7 billion won. The power companies say the core reason for their faltering profitability is rising prices for fuel, mostly LNG. During a National Assembly audit earlier this month, KEPCO CEO Kim Jong-kap said, "LNG prices rose 11 percent and coal, 10 percent, during the first half of the year." According to Bluegold Research, the Japanese LNG price stood at $9.10 per million British thermal units in January last year, but it quickly rose to $11.60 in October this year. During the same period, Chinese LNG jumped from $8.90 to $11.60, and other countries' payments showed similar trajectories. The average soft coal price imported to Korea from January to August this year was $110.90, up 8.1 percent from last year's average of $102.60, according to Korea Coal Association. "More than 80 percent of the expense for LNG-based power generation is the cost of the gas and the recent fuel price hikes led us to post solid numbers in sales but almost no operating profit or net profit," a power company official said asking not to be named. "However, the more fundamental reason for power utilities' suffering is the unfair pricing structure." A GS EPS plant in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province 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. Amritsar, October 21: Two days after the tragic train accident that took place Joda Phatak of Amritsar, a massive protest has rocked Amritsar On Sunday. One security personnel was injured after protesters pelted stones on police when being asked to clear railway tracks where they were protesting against the train accident. He received injuries in his eyes. Locals had started protesting on Saturday, raising slogans against the state government and demanding action against the trains driver. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has also directed Amritsar District Commissoner and Commissioner of Police to make a detailed socio-economic profile of each victim of the accident. The Rapid Action Force is also present in the Joda Patak area. Yesterday, a day after the tragic train incident which took place in Amritsar, the Punjab Chief Minister visited the injured at various hospitals in the city. The CM has ordered the immediate release of Rs. 3 Crore to DC Amritsar for payment of ex-gratia to the families of the deceased. Amritsar Dussehra Event Host Told Navjot Kaur Sidhu '5,000 Standing on Tracks For You', Failed to Alert Railways Amritsar:1 security personnel injured after protesters pelted stones on police when being asked to clear railway tracks where they were protesting against #AmritsarTrainAccident. Head Constable Amritpal Singh says 'They're pelting stones.He received injuries in his eyes.' #Punjab pic.twitter.com/AfdITOEJqQ ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2018 Captain Singh also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. Due to the incident, various trains were cancelled and diverted on the route. Around 60 people were killed, and at least 70 people were injured in the tragic incident. The people were gathered on the railway tracks to watch Ravan Dahan, when a speeding train ran over them at Joda Phatak. Amritsar Train Accident: Railways Rules Out Drivers' Fault, Will Launch 'Biggest Anti-Trespassing Drive' Meanwhile, the Northern Railways claimed that gate no-27 is a manned level crossing gate and it was closed for road traffic for passing the train. Former MLA of the area Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the chief of the Dussehra event. After the incident people also raised slogans against her. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 21, 2018 02:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). The Lehigh County coroner is looking for help identifying an elderly man who died Friday. Joseph Beitel was pronounced dead at 7:11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, at St. Luke's Hospital in Fountain Hill, according to a news release from Lehigh County Chief Deputy Coroner Andrew Kehm. Beitel was 88 years old and lived in Whitehall, the release says. He died of natural causes, the release says. Anyone who knew Beitel or knows his family is asked to call 610-782-3426. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. Police responded to a shooting incident Saturday afternoon at a mall just outside Philadelphia. The Springfield Township, Delaware County, police department responded to shots fired at 1:05 p.m. Saturday at the Springfield Mall on Baltimore Pike, according to a post on the department Facebook page. "We are investigating a shooting incident which occurred in the parking lot between two groups who had an argument inside the mall," the post says. "No one was hurt and police are still investigating." SPRINGFIELD MALL INCIDENT: Springfield Police were called to the mall today at about 1:05pm. We are investigating a... Posted by Springfield Delco Police Department on Saturday, October 20, 2018 Panicked shoppers told a reporter from the Delaware County Daily Times how police quickly ushered them out of the mall. That report says the mall is scheduled to reopen at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. The Daily Times reports the dispute started with a fight in the mall and spilled outside where shots were fired. Four to five vehicles were punctured by bullets or had glass broken, the newspaper reports. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. The timing was probably coincidental. Late Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Senate adjourned without acting on a bill to give adult victims of child sexual abuse their day in court. On Thursday, the Associated Press broke the news that a U.S. attorney in Philadelphia has launched a federal investigation into the Catholic Church's child abuse scandal, following up on a state grand jury report that ripped open long-held secrets. The state investigation showed more than 1,000 children had been abused by 300-some priests in six dioceses, including Allentown. It detailed the lengths to which church authorities went to ignore or cover up the crimes. Prosecutors in other states are opening investigations. The federal probe will examine the extent that children were exploited, determine whether federal laws were broken -- and see whether efforts to hide evidence and subvert justice within the church rise to the level of racketeering. This is a welcome follow-up to the grand jury findings. Have at it. The state Senate, however, still doesn't get it. Instead of adopting a House-passed bill that would open a two-year window for older survivors to sue their alleged abusers and the institutions that protected them, the Senate punted. Senate President Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, offered a compromise -- allowing adult victims a limited period to sue their abusers, but not the church. As an alternative, he supports a church-backed fund to make out-of-court settlements to victims. Republican House Speaker Dave Reed's response was quick -- no deal without institutional liability. The House passed the bill 171-23, without a provision to protect the church. Gov. Tom Wolf says he's on board with the House version. It's important that the Legislature get this right. The current civil statute of limitations says a victim of childhood sexual abuse may file a lawsuit up to age 30. Older victims covered by a previous statute had only two years after they turned 18 to seek justice in the courts. In addition to naming names and shining a light on the inhumane treatment of kids, the state grand jury investigation spoke to the hidden trauma on those targeted -- self-inflicted emotional limits, shame, fear, anger, emptiness. Those who have suffered for decades truly need a "window" -- not just of court access and potential monetary compensation, but of personal recovery. Having a church-supported fund makes sense, for those who don't want to go to court. But the fact that many of the accused priests are now deceased argues for a victim's right to seek relief from the church as well. The bill sitting in Harrisburg includes other reforms suggested by the grand jury report, which are not in dispute. There's still a "window" for Scarnati to call the Senate back to Harrisburg and do the right thing. An overwhelming majority in the House and almost all Democratic lawmakers don't see the problem. If GOP Senate leaders keep up the resistance, the bill will die at the end of this session. A newly seated legislature would have to set the wheels in motion again in January. Between now and then, voters have their own window -- 13 hours on Election Day, Nov. 6 -- to speak up for the rights of the abused. The lifelong injuries suffered by the late Portlaoise Garda Detective Tom Peters demonstrate the futility of violence, according to the Chief Superintendent of the Laois Offaly Garda Division. Chief Supt John Scanlon, the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan and Garda Headquarters have paid tributes to the retired detective who died on Saturday, October 20. On October 16, 1976, Det Peters was among five Gardai blown up by an IRA bomb at Garryhinch on the Laois Offaly border. One garda, Michael Clerkin was killed instantly while Det Peters suffered extensive injuries which culminated in the loss of his sight and hearing. Both Chief Supt Scanlon and Minister for Justice Flanagan were present in November 2017 when Det Peters was presented with his Scott Medal for bravery with his colleagues and the relatives of Michael Clerkin. Chief Supt Scanlon extended sympathies to the Peters family, wife Betty and daughters Elma and Breidette. He said it was important that Tom's bravery was honoured at the Garda College in Templemore last year. "Our thoughts are with his wife and family who cared for him over the last 40 years. I met Tom and his family a number of times and knows how much it (the Scott Medal) meant to him," he said. Chief Supt Scanlon said the injuries suffered and endured during Tom's life should be seen in the context of violent times. "He was the living embodiment of the futility of violence," he said. Chief Supt Scanlon said it was important that such attacks are not airbrushed out of history. "We should forgive but we should never forget," he said. Det Peters and his colleagues were called to Garryhinch after Portlaoise Gardai received a tip-off that Minister Flanagan's father and then TD, Oliver J Flanagan was to be targeted that night. The Laois Offaly TD paid tribute to Det Peters. "He was a garda who displayed great courage and bravery in the performance of his duties. I want to acknowledge that he paid a huge sacrifice and displayed great fortitude in the years since," said Minister. Minster Flanagan extended his sympathies to the wife and family of the late detective. A statement from Garda Headquarters in the Phoenix Park also paid tribute. "An Garda Siochana is saddened to hear of the passing of Tom Peters. The courage shown by Tom Peters and his colleagues, Jim Cannon, Ben Thornton, Gerry Bohan & Michael Clerkin, who lost his life that night, was recognised in December 2017 when they were presented with the Gold Scott medal by the then Garda Commissioner," said the statement. Tom's remains will repose privately. Funeral will arrive at SS Peter & Pauls Church, Portlaoise at 5pm on Sunday evening. Requiem mass at 11am on Monday followed by interment in SS Peter & Pauls Cemetery. Sometime in the 1980s my parents decided to take on a campaign against a county council. As a young teenager I was an interested, but often bemused, bystander to the fight they and our neighbours decided to mount. It was a 'not in my back yard' type of campaign with a conscience. They were fighting against the building of social housing by a local authority near our home. From my recollection, the plan was to build up to 50 houses as part of an expansion of a recently built 100 house local authority estate. Social housing was badly needed in the town as it was in many towns around Ireland at the time. The 1980s was a decade of recession and emigration - meaning there was damn all money or jobs around. Our town was a little different, there were two American factories and farming was thriving. Two hospitals also meant things weren't too bad, but the houses were still needed. Banks were conservatively old fashioned in those days and a mortgage was like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow for most people. Home loans just didn't exist. But people still needed housing. The local council had a chequered past when it came to housing. Substandard houses had been constructed over the years. They also had not built enough homes either. The supply available was full with families. Private builders built estates for the 'better offs' in the 'good parts' of towns. So, something had to be done for those who could not afford a home. Councils back then had autonomy and had the backing of Goverments to house people in homes built with public money. The decision to build houses in our town in the 1980s was the right thing to do. It meant people would get homes to raise their families. It would allow them to work in Ireland on low wages. It was a message from the State that citizens were valued. The new council houses were well built and, to this day, still house many local families. My parents became alarmed when the council decided it wanted to build a second phase of homes. Apart from being against having a pile of houses built near our house, they argued that there would be a long term cost to building a large amount of social housing in a relatively small area. They pointed to big council housing estates in Dublin and elsewhere built in the 1970s. Their fear was that the social problems in such estates would be replicated at our back door. They felt that big estates should not be built in small towns. Ultimately, the second phase of houses was built. The campaign against them had limited success. Fewer homes than originally planned were constructed. Revised plans also set some of the homes aside for elderly people. Extra green space was also added. My parents weren't overjoyed but they could accept the outcome as a compromise. The reality at the time was they were never going to stop the council building houses. Everybody knew back then that if a council decided to build houses, they would be built. The reason was quite clear - social housing was a priority for governments of all shades in the 1970s and 1980s. All over Ireland badly needed houses of a high standard were built by local authorites. While there were some problems, history will judge positively the people in the councils and governments of those days for what was achieved. Nearly four decades later we have a monstrous housing crisis in Ireland. This year the Minister for Housing cut the ribbon on 33 new houses in Portlaoise that had been in the works for more than 10 years. The local authority houses were built by private builders and are now homes to families. They are the exception to the rule. For some unexplained reason Laois and other councils are effectively barred from having a free hand in building social housing. The policy now is that the solution to our housing problem must be a mix of public and private sector provision. The Celtic Tiger created a dream that we could all buy our own homes. The reality turned into a nightmare. In truth, developers will not build lots of houses for people who can't buy them. But it hasn't worked so far and the evidence is that there is little chance of it succeeding. Ultimately, the nettle will have to be grasped by some government to allow councils build again. Students from the Patrician Secondary School in Newbridge recently attended the launch of a programme addressing Irelands teen suicide rate and mental health illness stigma. Four members of the Patrician Secondary senior student council, Kevin Forde, Sean Molloy, Adam Hurley and Griffin Ennis are among the first in Ireland to implement a new mental health programme HEADSTRONG in association with Cycle Against Suicide to address the stigma of suicide amongst young people. The students joined other schools from across the country at the launch in Dublin on October 4. Caroline Lafferty, CEO of Cycle Against Suicide said: Its a powerful, evidence based programme that has already won international awards, and with the help of our selected schools were hoping that the pilot programme will be a huge success, with the aim of rolling out HEADSTRONG across all Irish secondary schools within the coming years. This is a core part of our mission in addressing mental health in younger people, which is currently at an alarming level in Ireland. Its introduction to Ireland comes through a partnership between Cycle Against Suicide and the Mental Health Commission of Canada. It will teach students how to reduce stigma, become mental health champions in their schools, and the programme challenges students to examine the dangers of stereotypes and the harm created by stigma. To find information about where you can get help for mental health issues, visit www.cycleagainstsuicide.co m/ask-for-help-2/ He has completely changed my life, he is pure joy and everybody loves him, beams Kim Murphy as she gives Jango a big hug. With big brown eyes and a happy grin, this adorable guide dog has given this Athy lady a remarkable sense of freedom. I lost my sight three years ago within the space of two weeks and I had to learn to use the white cane, she says. Since I got Jango, I am a different person. He has given me the confidence and comfort. I found when I had the cane, people treated me differently, as if I had lost my hearing as well. Jango is very sociable and he is an attraction in himself. People come up to pet him. I found it very very lonely when I lost my sight. I was isolated. Kim explains how couldnt go anywhere on her own. Now I can get into the shops no problem, he knows where the items are in the supermarket and he helps me find them. Its the small things like that make a big difference. Kim is one of a number of people gathering in Naas for a Kildare Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind Awareness Day in Kavanagh's. The local association has raised over 1m over the past 28 years in the mid Kildare region. The driving force behind this campaign is Phil Geoghan a whirlwind of enthusiasm and infectious warmth. A well known face in Naas, Phil worked at the former Superquin for years. She recalls how Claire De Burgh persuaded herself and her husband Tom to get involved in the guide dogs back in May 1989 . I just love it the opportunity to help somebody. Its a different ball game when someone loses their eye sight compared to when someone is born blind, she explains. I started out as treasurer and we set up a branch in Newbridge and then Monasterevin and Athy. We would love if more people would come on board to help out. We are always looking for volunteers. We just do collections at supermarkets and flag days, she says. One of Phil's volunteers, Cecilia Semple from Newbridge knows first hand the difference an assistance dog can make. Her daughter Kelly (13) has Autism . We got Duchess when Kelly was six. She has ASD and is a flight risk. Before we got Duchess, we couldnt go places, explains Cecilia, A strap attaches to Kelly and there is a handle so I can walk along with the dog. If Kelly goes to run away, the dog splays and stands. Duchess knows when its going to happen. She just brings down the anxiety levels. Kelly also has a sensory processing disorder. There is such a bond between them. Cecilia explains how it took a while for them to get used to each other. Kelly and her mum went to the Guide Dogs headquarters in Cork for a week for training. Duchess does not ask Kelly to speak, or put any onus on her to do anything. Its constant. It's safe. Everyone loves Duchess. It has been very rewarding and without the guide dogs, our lives would be completely different, thats why we help out, stresses Cecilia. Kelly was on the waiting list for two and a half years. Children older than the age of ten are not included as experience has proven that the relationship works better when they are paired earlier. Cecilia Semple, her daughter Kelly and her assistance dog, Dutchess Irish Guidedogs for the Blind Corporate Partnerships Manager, John Burke points out it costs 53,000 to raise and train each dog from birth to death. They train for two years, and are raised by volunteer puppy raisers. Then they work for eight years before retiring. They tend to stay with their family with some becoming ambassador dogs, involved in awareness campaigns and fundraising. Fifteen per cent of the funding for the guide dog programme comes from Government the rest from fundraising and private donations. I would like to thank Phil and Tom for all the work they have done over the years. I have been blown away by the generosity of the people of Kildare, and the volunteers of guide dogs. Its such a positive experience to come here today and meet these people, adds John. Birte McGaley from Naas is currently waiting on a new guide dog after her dog Fran retired. She said she couldnt part with any of the guide dogs she has had. I have to cope with the cane at the moment and I am finding it very difficult, especially bringing my daughter to school, she says. Marion Mahon, who also lives in Naas, uses the white cane. She highlights other valuable services offered by the association. The service they offer is second to none. I lost my sight in 2012, she says. She explains how she went to Cork to do the Independent Living course, which provided practical advice on day to day living. I found it very lonely and isolating but then you get down there, and you meet everyone, and they are in the same boat. You just get on with it. The courses are free of charge. They were brilliant, she says. Mary Doyle got Lynx when her son, Sean (10) was six years old. He is just brilliant. Sean is non verbal and he is going to Saplings School in Kill, she says. Mary explains he is great for walking with him and soothing him, especially while out and about. Sean is a lot more calmer. If he is having a bad day, Lynx will go over and give him the paw until Sean takes it. The assistance dogs are amazing. It makes him more sociable. Anyone who would like to volunteer to help out at flag days, organise a fundraiser or become a puppy raiser can contact Phil on 087 9307790. Phil Geoghan, Mary Doyle, Bierta McGaley, Marian Mahon, Kim Murphy, Nick Palmer, John Burke, and Tom Geoghan at the Kildare Irish Guidedogs for the Blind awareness day at Kavanagh's in Naas last month Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. ORGANISERS of the blessing of St Anthonys graveyard in Oola had God on their side. The ceremony and plaque unveiling by Archbishop of Cashel & Emly, Kieran OReilly was in doubt as the effects of Storm Callum were felt. Chairman of St Anthonys graveyard, Joe Meagher said the man above looked after us as it was lovely and came at 3pm. But it was a sister of mercy and her brother, Sr Anthony Hayes and Timmy Hayes who looked after them over a decade ago. They gave three acres of prime agricultural land in Prospect for the graveyard. Sr Anthony Hayes had a great veneration for the parish and the people of Oola. Her brother Timmy was a great farmer and a great GAA man. Their farm subsequently made over 900,000 and Sr Anthony Hayes gave one third to the parish of Oola, one third to the parish in Doon and one third to the convent in Doon. She was an incredible lady, said Mr Meagher, a former county councillor. To recognise the brother and sisters generosity, Mr Meagher and his fellow committee members commissioned a plaque unveiled by Archbishop OReilly in the presence of Fr John Morris, parish priest, Canon Liam McNamara, Tipperary Town and Fr Thomas Breen, Ballylanders. The donation of the land was just the beginning of a long and sustained effort to create the impressive environment that exists today. The graveyard stands as proof of what can be achieved by a small team with a vision and drive to make things happen. The original committee of Mr Meagher, Thomas Landers, Paddy Ryan, Michael Barragry, Michael OBrien, Jimmy Ryan, Fr Morris, late John Joe Dunne put their heart and soul in to ensuring St Anthonys will be there for future generations. All the work was done by voluntary labour over the years. Paddy Ryan and Jimmy Ryan laid all the screeds for the foundations and the footpath and did all the bits and pieces. Michael Barragry and Michael OBrien mixed all the concrete and all the mortar for the blocks for the wall. Thomas Landers did all the planning and laying out of the graveyard. There will be a plaque erected to each and everyone who helped out in any way, said Mr Meagher. Over 140,000 has been spent on the graveyard, opened in 2008. Around 60,000 has been got from council and State funding. All the money we get from the sales of the graves goes in to paying off the debt. In a lot of places they wont sell them until you die. We have 1,500 spaces, said Mr Meagher, who also thanked Cllr Eddie Ryan for his assistance in sourcing funding and getting concrete from the council to build a roadway so that hearses can get to the top of the graveyard. It was a massive community effort, said Cllr Ryan. I was down on a few Saturdays following up with the council on concrete for them and they had up to 14 people laying concrete, he continued. But Cllr Ryan said none of this would have been possible only for Sr Anthony Hayes and Timmy Hayes. ITS not easy to open up a new restaurant here in Limerick; its also not very easy to open a new restaurant in Limerick and raise seven children at the same time. Jane Conlon, originally from Dublin who has been living on the North Circular Road for 20 years, has built a reputation as a pastry chef. She's a devoted parent as well. With ages ranging from 16 to four years, Chef Conlon was juggling sending her children to secondary school, primary school and creche while opening a new bakery in August. Its been challenging, to be honest, its a big challenge for them because I went from being a 24/7 mum to working here. Theyre finding it difficult, but I have to say theyve been absolutely brilliant about it, she enthused. Chef Conlon began her training in Darina Allens Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry, County Cork in 1994. The Dubliner then made the trip to London in one of the Antony Worrall Thompson chains, where her passion for soda bread was sparked by her Italian mentor. He would add different nuts and seeds to his yeast bread which I thought was beautiful, but I didnt have the time to bake yeast bread so I used soda bread which was a time-efficient alternative. And, ironically enough, it yielded a nicer taste than yeast, as yeast bread can take over the flavours, but with soda bread you can really taste the flavour, she added. Mrs Conlon and her husband Finbar of Finbar Conlon Construction Ltd opened their first restaurant in 1998 on OConnell Street, The Silver Plate which later became Chez OShea. Both the cleverly punny names of restaurants and the scrumptious soda bread, had their origins in this establishment. Everybody was greeted with a basket of soda bread in a variety of flavours back in the Chez OShea days, and they always came back and asked what was the bread, and they couldnt believe it was soda bread, she recalled. The Cecil Street restaurants most popular dishes range from the Guacamole Glory on Spelt Brown Bread, Roasted Chicken Sandwich on Roasted Pepper bread and the Cheddar and Chive sandwich, with a vast variety of flavours to choose from. Chef Conlon also prides her establishment on using only Irish ingredients, and also creating a local atmosphere playing only music from local artists as well. For quality foods at an affordable price, made fresh on the premises early in the morning by hardworking staff dedicated to bringing you the best meal possible, visit Sodalicious on Lower Cecil Street, open from 8am to 6pm. THE Golden Vale is renowned for producing top quality milk but now it is growing tea to go with it. Theresa Storey, who runs The Green Apron in Ballingarry, has started a tea plantation at their farm. Theresa, of the award-winning artisan preserve company, dipped her toe in the boiling water of tea growing when she bought 20 tea bushes. But now she has expanded and purchased 400. Theresa has made two tea varieties thus far, Brew No. 1 a nettle and chocolate mint tea, and Brew No. 2 a green tea. She has started selling them under The Green Apron label in the Milk Market this autumn. One of her green teas was picked in the finals for Blas na hEireann. To date, The Green Apron has 15 Blas awards including Best in Farmers' Market this year. Theresa doesnt think there is anybody growing tea in southern Ireland but there is no reason why it cant thrive here. There are some that grow in Russia so surely they will take our climate. The plantations in India are up in the mountains where it is cold and misty. Parts of Sri Lanka is very like Scotland. A lot of tea plantations there were actually set up by Scottish people, explains Theresa. Closer to home, she says that tea was grown in Wales during World War II. It was to try and deal with Englands tea needs when all shipping was at the mercy of the German U-boats. There is currently quite a large plantation in Cornwall at Tregothnan. I went over there and took an intensive growers course and imported hundreds of young tea bushes and we are growing them here now. It was in the spring during the storm. We already had about 20 or 30 tea bushes but I needed to know how to actually grow everything, the tips and tricks and absorb their 20 years of growing knowledge, said Theresa. As a plant scientist she will be able to cross breed her teas to develop one perfectly suited to our climate. Hopefully! said Theresa. Her passion for this novel initiative shines through. Im so excited about our tea plants. Ive been driving everyone mad boring on about them! she laughs. Theresa first thought of growing tea in County Limerick eight or nine years ago. I would do some research then I would forget and then do some more research. I was watching Countryfile on BBC one day and somebody was planting tea in Scotland. I said, Hang on a minute that was a genius plan of my mine! Then I started doing more research and I went over to Cornwall to learn from the best, she explained. Mother Nature got in the way of Theresas plans during the summer. At the moment all the tea bushes are outside in containers. Im going to move them in soon because they are small. I was going to plant a lot of them in the summer but with the drought I was afraid they would be so shook because we couldnt keep them watered. It was so hot and they like to be shaded. Some proportion will be going out next spring once the bad frosts go. We are still experimenting so there will be some in green houses, some in polytunnels, some outside. Theresa, her husband Dr Mike Cosgrave and their three children Alex, Bella and Athene have plenty of space in Ballingarry for their tea plantation. We have got two farms used for cattle and fodder. One of the problems is that teas can be very picky, they are very delicate. They will grow perfectly fine in one part of the farm and then a couple of hundred metres away they will just give up the ghost. Ive been out with my pH meter measuring the pH of all the different parts and checking the soil of all the different parts. Theresa says with changing climates and potential transport issues we need to be producing a greater range of food here in Ireland. One of my hats is being an environmental scientist so its important that we try to be as sustainable as possible in our business and at home. I was looking at the food miles involved in what we use and eat and started to explore how we could grow caffeine producing plants here as thats something everyone uses everyday. The ultimate plan is to make dark teas but it is a complicated process. I very much want to be doing dark teas. I love lapsang souchong. Im looking at building a smoker so that we can start producing a nice smoked tea. Cup of County Limerick tea anyone? Yes, please. (CNN) A senior official in Turkey's ruling political party has questioned the credibility of Saudi Arabia's explanation for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a diplomatic building in Istanbul, saying the Turkish government would not permit a cover-up. Justice and Development Party spokesperson Omer Celik indicated that Turkey was not satisfied with the Saudi contention that Khashoggi died in a brawl rather than as the result of a premeditated killing, as Turkish officials privately suspect. "We are not preemptively blaming anyone but we will also not allow a cover-up," Celik said on Saturday, in the first official Turkish reaction to Saudi Arabia's midnight statement claiming Khashoggi's death was accidental. "It is a matter of honor for us that this is uncovered. We will shed light on this using all means we have. That is the will of our president," Celik said. Speaking to reporters outside Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate Saturday, Turan Kislakci, the head of the Turkish Arab Media Association and a friend of Khashoggi, called on Saudi Arabia to hand over the journalist's body. "Give us Jamal, so we can have a funeral for him. So that all people who care about him, world leaders, can come here to Istanbul for the funeral," said Kislakci. "Exactly 18 days ago, a brutal murder was carried out. Like Saad Hariri, we thought (Khashoggi) would walk out. Three days later we lost hope," he said, invoking the case of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri who was detained in Saudi Arabia, according to multiple sources, last November. "We want justice for Jamal. Eighteen (suspects) are not enough. We want those who ordered it." No trace of Khashoggi's body has been found. In a statement Saturday, Saudi Arabia claimed Khashoggi died in a fistfight after a discussion turned violent. A source with close connections to the Saudi Royal Palace told CNN that, in the Saudis' determination, Khashoggi's cause of death was a chokehold or strangulation, but officials provided no evidence to support the conclusion. The altercation involved multiple Saudi officials at the country's consulate in Istanbul, according to the statement. Turkish officials say 15 Saudis traveled to Istanbul on the day of Khashoggi's disappearance, and they say privately that he was dismembered at the consulate. The suspects later tried to cover up the incident, the Saudi statement added. Authorities announced a purge of top Saudi officials, the detention of 18 people and an overhaul of the intelligence services that will be led by the country's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman -- whom US officials privately believe must have been aware of the operation to target Khashoggi. Riyadh's statement was the first official confirmation that Khashoggi died at its Istanbul consulate, and the first admission that it had a role in his killing -- even as it maintains the death was accidental. U.S. President Donald Trump indicated he believed the Saudi account was credible, although he added that some questions remained. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was "deeply troubled" by the explanation, his spokesman said. Some members of the U.S. Congress were less accepting of the Saudi version of events. "To say that I am skeptical of the new Saudi narrative about Mr. Khashoggi is an understatement," South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican, said on Twitter. Khashoggi went into self-imposed exile in June 2017 just as bin Salman was elevated to Crown Prince. In his first Washington Post opinion piece after he left Saudi Arabia, he described the political atmosphere in the kingdom as "unbearable." His killing at the consulate comes amid a wave of arrests that have targeted clerics, human rights advocates and members of Saudi Arabia's intelligentsia. The crackdown has largely been led by a powerful security apparatus, known as the State Security Presidency, created and led by bin Salman. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Turkey won't allow a Saudi 'cover-up' over Khashoggi death, offical says." THIS is a story of many characters, but chief among them is a humble librarian from West Limerick, whose efforts alongside his colleagues in Irish Military Intelligence, helped turn the tide of the Second World War. With these dramatic and arresting words, Marc McMenamin opens the untold story of Richard Hayes, mathematician, polyglot, Director of the National Library, Irelands foremost Nazi code-breaker and an Abbeyfeale man. It is a book that delivers on what is says on the cover: a riveting and deeply researched account of an extraordinary period of history, opening up a period about which many people know little. Marc McMenamins introduction to the story came by chance. A colleague spotted a Dublin house for sale in the property pages, known locally as the Nazi house and said to Marc: Theres a story in that. That began a long period of research for Marc, a history teacher, researcher and documentary maker. I had no idea of the extent of German espionage in Ireland, Marc explained following the launch of his book this week. It was amazing to see what was going on What I had been taught was that Ireland was neutral and we stayed out of the war. There were rations and butter vouchers and that is it, nothing like this at all. The this ended up, first as a radio documentary on RTE 1 and now as a book which tells the story of how Richard Hayes, the smart young lad from Abbeyfeale, turned out to be a crack codebreaker. The Abbeyfeale connection ran deep, according to Marc Richards father, Richard Senior was a bank manager in the town but his grandfather Ambrose was also from Abbeyfeale. The family moved to Claremorris when Richard was still young but family life but his father died when he was 18 and his brother Ambrose disappeared. However, young Richard was clever, excelling at Clongowes, pursuing three degree courses at the same time and becoming fluent in several languages including German. He got a post in the National Library and was later to become its national director. How he first became connected with Military Intelligence remains a mystery Marc explained, but when WWII began he was headhunted for G2, the Irish Military Intelligence section. His aim, because of his mathematical prowess, was to break the codes so that the messages passed on to or back from Germany could be understood. Ireland was important to Germany as a source of information about Britain, about weather and possibly as a launch-pad for an attack on Britain itself, Marc pointed out. Ireland was also important to Britain, precisely to prevent any of these things happening. The book itself traces the short-lived careers of quite a few German spies arriving arriving in Ireland by various means, including parachutes and also deals with the political and diplomatic context in which this happens. But Marc makes the case that Hayes was responsible for three major and significant breakthroughs. The first centred around a spy called Schutz who arrived in Ireland armed with a special microdot code where innocuous messages contained secret messages hidden within dots on the page and which were visible only by being magnified. It was Hayes who spotted something amiss with a full-stop which led to this discovery. The second major breakthrough concerned Herman Gortz who was dispatched to Ireland with one of the most sophisticated ciphers or codes in use by the Germans. At the time, there were 16 people working in Bletchley Park in England trying to break this code and they were having difficulty, Marc explained. But Richard Hayes broke it and some of the measures he had to take to do so read like an old-fashioned spy thriller. Gathering up burnt pieces of paper and applying chemicals to them is as James Bond as you can get. A third significant breakthrough involved the spy from Kilkee, John Francis OReilly who was trained as a spy in Germany and was parachuted into West Clare. He brought with him a code-cipher wheel or device which Richard Hayes set about analysing and discovered that Germany had developed an entirely new system of carrying out substitution and transposition ciphers, the keys to any code. This information was shared with British intelligence and was the break-through in decoding German messages in the build-up to the Battle of the Bulge. Dr Hayes discovery played a crucial role in the Allied victory, Marc writes in the book. In the book, Marc also deals in some detail with the life of John Francis OReilly which is so fantastical, it couldnt be made up as well as with the Republican links with Germany. At the end of the war, Hayes was described as a colossus whose gifts amount to genius, Marc told the Limerick Leader. But he added: He has almost written himself out of history. Richard Hayes rarely if ever spoke about his work, he pointed out. It was the ethos of the time you just didnt talk about it. He described Richard Hayes as very discreet, a man with a very dry sense of humour who loved peace and quiet. He loved learning and would hate anything to get the better of him, he continued. In the best sense, he was a practical public servant, a man with a huge sense of duty, who didnt seek fame and didnt like a fuss or a crowd. But Marc added, he would have wanted things to be on the historical record. I would have loved to talk to him, he said. It is a great shame nobody took the time to do that. I would like for people to see him for the hero he was. We all need heroes, especially Irish heroes and he was a great Irish hero. He is a hero for Abbeyfeale, for West Limerick, for all of us. Code Breaker, by Marc McMenamin is published by Gill Books, ISBN 9780717181612 at 16.99. The author will give a lecture on Richard Hayes in the Granary Library on November 13. AS the income of Limerick City and County Council increases, more money should be put into a devolved fund for members, it has been claimed. Thats the view of Mayor James Collins, who was speaking at this months meeting of the metropolitan district, where councillors once again agreed 503,000 for the General Municipal Allocation (GMA). Representing just 1% of the massive overall council budget, this fund is used for a variety of projects including local roads, tourism development, community initiatives and special projects. Events like the Richard Harris Film Festival have been able to develop as a result of this funding in recent years, with each of Limericks three rural municipal areas getting their own dedicated pot. But Mayor Collins believes the councillors efforts, coupled with the increased revenue the council is now getting from commercial rates, and the Local Property Tax, should be recognised with a hike in the GMA. As councillors, although we are responsible for setting the commercial rate and the property tax and allocating the spend for hundreds of millions of euro each year, the amount set under GMA has remained the same. We are either responsible for the council budget or we are not. And as the councillors income is going up, wouldnt it be great if there was an extra 70,000 for example to fund groups we werent able to in the past, he argued. But finance director Sean Coughlan argued a lot of the budget is non discretionary, pointing out a huge chunk of it goes to the Housing Assistance Payments shared services centre run by Limerick Council on behalf of the country. He also highlighted wages, loans and insurance were required to be paid. If you want more money in the GMA, other schemes we have in place like the bin waiver and our SME scheme will be affected. We are trying to put certainty into the budget, Mr Coughlan argued. As proposed the GMA has four sections: Some 235,000 is being given to local roads, which would include repairs, and speed controls, 88,000 was planned for tourism development, recreation and amenity, with 30,000 for community initiatives, including local charities. The final 150,000 was lined up for special projects. Fianna Fail proposed that sum be put into tourism, development, recreation and amenity, in order to develop more festivals. Sinn Fein councillor Seighin O Ceallaigh suggested a streamlining of the funding to cut the four brackets of spending to two, with a split of 335,000 for traffic management and 168,000 for tourism development. He said: I think having so many little pots of money spread so thinly is not good. This money is supposed to be for investment in our metropolitan area. Its best spent in looking at speed cameras, ramps to repair road and footpaths, and I also believe we need to invest in tourism. The City East member said he wanted to see parts of the tourism allocation ringfenced for community initiatives, so they do not lose out to the citys major events like Riverfest and St Patricks Day. But Labour councillor Joe Leddin said more funding should be spent on fewer events, so Limerick can secure big bang schemes. Cllr Cian Prendiville complained at the way money is allocated, calling for a more open and transparent application process. At the moment, this money is given out on the basis of who knows their local councillors the best, he said. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael united to defeat Cllr O Ceallaighs amendment with the support of Labour and Independent councillor John Loftus. Instead, a counter proposal to move the 150,000 into the tourism development section was carried. We should have invested more wisely, Cllr O Ceallaigh said. Instead we see the parish pump out again. We see a few events here and there which are not going to make a huge impact at all. The total allocation for the GMA across all four council districts is a total of 1.2m, which has been a bone of contention for councillors in the past. Alien life might be purple. That's the conclusion of a new research paper that suggests that the first life on Earth might have had a lavender hue. In the International Journal of Astrobiology, microbiologist Shiladitya DasSarma of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and postdoctoral researcher Edward Schwieterman at the University of California, Riverside, argue that before green plants started harnessing the power of the sun for energy, tiny purple organisms figured out a way to do the same. Alien life could be thriving in the same way, DasSarma said. "Astronomers have discovered thousands of new extrasolar planets recently and are developing the capacity to see surface biosignatures" in the light reflected from these planets, he told Live Science. There are already ways to detect green life from space, he said, but scientists might need to start looking for purple, too. [7 Wild Theories on the Origin of Life] Purple Earth The idea that the early Earth was purple is not new, DasSarma and his colleagues advanced the theory in 2007. The thinking goes like this: Plants and photosynthesizing algae use chlorophyll to absorb energy from the sun, but they don't absorb green light. That's odd, because green light is energy-rich. Perhaps, DasSarma and his colleagues reasoned, something else was already using that part of the spectrum when chlorophyll photosynthesizers evolved. That "something else" would be simple organisms that captured solar energy with a molecule called retinal. Retinal pigments absorb green light best. They're not as efficient as chlorophylls in capturing solar energy, but they are simpler, the researchers wrote in their new paper published Oct. 11. Retinal light-harvesting is still widespread today among bacteria and the single-celled organisms called Archaea. These purple organisms have been discovered everywhere from the oceans to the Antarctic Dry Valley to the surfaces of leaves, Schwieterman told Live Science. Retinal pigments are also found in the visual system of more complex animals. The appearance of the pigments across many living organisms hints that they may have evolved very early on, in ancestors common to many branches of the tree of life, the researchers wrote. There is even some evidence that modern purple-pigmented salt-loving organisms called halophiles might be related to some of the earliest life on Earth, which thrived around methane vents in the ocean, Schwieterman said. Purple aliens Regardless of whether the first life on Earth was purple, it's clear that lavender life suits some organisms just fine, Schwieterman and DasSarma argue in their new paper. That means that alien life could be using the same strategy. And if alien life is using retinal pigments to capture energy, astrobiologists will find them only by looking for particular light signatures, they wrote. Chlorophyll, Schwieterman said, absorbs mostly red and blue light. But the spectrum reflected from a plant-covered planet displays what astrobiologists call a "vegetation red edge." This "red edge" is a sudden change in the reflection of light at the near-infrared part of the spectrum, where plants suddenly stop absorbing red wavelengths and start reflecting them away. Retinal-based photosynthesizers, on the other hand, have a "green edge," Schwieterman said. They absorb light up to the green portion of the spectrum, and then start reflecting longer wavelengths away. Astrobiologists have long been intrigued by the possibility of detecting extraterrestrial life by detecting the "red edge," Schwieterman said, but they may need to consider searching for the "green edge," too. "If these organisms were present in sufficient densities on an exoplanet, those reflection properties would be imprinted on that planet's reflected light spectrum," he said. Originally published on Live Science. The Texas Department of Public Safety is asking for the public's help in solving the disappearance of Rena Rincones, and an increased reward of up to $6,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible if the tip is received before next month's featured Texas Rangers cold case is announced. READ MORE: Judge denies motion to suppress evidence in child porn trial of Laredo gynecologist Rincones was reported missing to law enforcement in March 1995. According to her father, she was last seen leaving her parents' residence in Falfurrias on June 21, 1994, and she was never heard from again. It is believed Rincones was going to a residence in the Premont area in neighboring Jim Wells County. At the time of her disappearance, Rincones was married and had a 1-year-old daughter. Law enforcement presumes Rincones is deceased, and her body has not been recovered. Rincones remains missing, and the case remains unsolved despite the efforts of law enforcement authorities. To be eligible for the cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to authorities by calling the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). All tips are anonymous. Individuals also can submit information through the Texas Ranger cold case website or by contacting us at 1-800-346-3243 (DPS Missing Persons Hotline). The DPS Texas Rangers' Unsolved Homicides website provides information on more than 75 cases in an effort to help garner public interest in unsolved or "cold cases." Texas Crime Stoppers offers rewards (funded by the Governor's Criminal Justice Division and administered by DPS) of up to $3,000 for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible for any Rangers cold case listed on the website. For more information, visit the Texas Ranger cold case website. As part of a DPS public awareness program, one case from the Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation (Cold Case) Program is featured each month in an effort to generate new investigative leads and bring attention to these cold cases. The Texas Crime Stoppers reward is increased up to $6,000 for the featured case in hopes that the higher reward money will generate additional tips. The higher reward amount will only be paid if the tip is submitted before the next case is featured. READ MORE: Six men arrested after stolen Xbox leads to altercation in south Laredo The Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program was created to assist Texas law enforcement agencies investigating unsolved murders or violent serial crimes. Since there is no statute of limitations for the offense of murder, investigators pursue these cases to a successful resolution or until no viable leads remain. Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents recently rescued 24 individuals who were being smuggled in a truck near Freer. READ MORE: Laredo stash house operator sentenced for role in fatal human smuggling attempt The incident happened when a box truck approached the primary inspection area of the Border Patrol checkpoint on U.S. 59. An immigration inspection of the truck's driver determined he was a U.S. citizen. While at the primary inspection area, a Border Patrol K-9 alerted to the presence of possible concealed contraband in the vehicle. Agents referred the driver to secondary inspection, at which point the driver accelerated and drove away from the checkpoint. Agents pursued the vehicle for approximately two miles before the driver pulled over. The driver was arrested, and a search of the vehicle revealed 24 individuals in the cargo area. Despite the temperature inside the cargo area being over 100 degrees, none of the undocumented immigrants required medical attention. READ MORE: Reward offered for Laredo man suspected in burglary The driver and immigrants were arrested, and the vehicle was seized by Laredo Sector Border Patrol. The case has been referred to Homeland Security Investigations. 406th District Court Judge Oscar Hale Jr. has denied a request from a defense attorney who asked that he suppress evidence in the case against a Laredo OB-GYN accused of possession of child pornography. The attorney, Uriel Druker, argued that a USB containing child pornography should not be admitted as evidence because it was illegally obtained and that Laredo police saw the contents of the USB without first receiving a search warrant. OB-GYN Antonio Salinas was arrested in June 2017 and later indicted on 35 counts of possession of child pornography. READ MORE: Men sought by FBI in case of missing Nixon High School student In his order on the motion to suppress, Hale first explained the "findings of fact." On June 12, 2017, Salinas dropped off his Ford F-150 at a car dealership to perform a diagnostic because the "check engine" light was on, the air conditioner was blowing hot air and part of the glove compartment was detached, the order states. The following day, mechanic Octavio Limon, while performing diagnostics on the truck from the truck's driver's seat, connected his computer to the truck's port, according to the order. Eden Salinas, a technician whose dock neighbored Limon's, approached the opened driver's side door to talk to Limon and noticed a USB device among some Splenda packets in an open compartment, Hale wrote. Curious to find out if there was any music on it, Salinas said he asked Limon to look at the contents of the USB, the court record states. After plugging in the USB, Limon was able to access images in a file entitled "ZZZZ," according to the order. Limon, sitting in front of his laptop, saw thumbnails of images depicting what he believed were minors in sexual poses with little to no clothing, according to the court order. Salinas, standing by the open driver's door, also saw the images, the order states. He informed Alberto Luna that he and Limon had seen child pornography when looking into a USB they obtained from the truck, according to the court records. They asked Luna for help in deciding what action to take. Luna contacted a friend, who recommended they report their discovery to the police. He called 911 and reported the discovery of child pornography because Limon and Salinas were afraid of losing their jobs, according to court records. Upon LPD officer David Paz's arrival, Luna informed him that he and Salinas were working on a truck and while checking to see if the truck's USB port was properly working, they connected the USB to determine whether it was the USB port or the USB device that was not working. READ MORE: Local gynecologist arrested on child pornography charges Paz was unaware of the employee policy and believed that Luna was being truthful about what was seen on the USB, Hale wrote in the order. He had no cause to believe that the testimony given by Luna, as to the reason for viewing the USB, was untrue, Hale said. Luna handed the USB to Paz. Paz asked Luna to show him what they had found. Luna, Limon and Salinas led Paz to Limon's computer and connected the USB to it and showed the officer where the child pornographic images had been discovered, according to the order. Paz confirmed that the USB had about seven images of nude girls between the ages of 11 and 14, the order states. Paz then removed the USB and contacted his sergeant. When sergeants Edgar Garza and Cordelia Perez arrived, Paz again connected the USB to Limon's computer and showed them where the child pornography images were located, Hale wrote. Also, LPD detective Charlie Rosales spoke to Limon and obtained written consent from him to take his computer for forensic analysis, along with the USB containing child pornography, according to the order. On June 14, 2017, LPD detectives applied for a search warrant to conduct a forensic analysis on the USB and Limon's computer. They then obtained two additional search warrants to search Antonio Salinas' office, 8607 McPherson Road, Suite 101, and his home in the 100 block of Regal Drive. On June 22, 2017, detectives attempted to execute the search warrant at Salinas' home, but he was not there. Rosales called Salinas on his cellphone and Salinas agreed to meet with him at Doctors Hospital. At the hospital, Rosales advised Salinas of the investigation, search warrants and that they had found child pornography on his USB taken from his vehicle, Hale wrote in the order. Rosales further advised Salinas that because of what was found on the USB, he had obtained search warrants for his home, office and electronic mobile devices. Rosales explained to Salinas that the device that downloaded the illicit images found on his USB and his cellphone were subject to the search warrants. Salinas gave his laptop and cellphone to detectives and he agreed to meet Rosales at LPD headquarters. There, Rosales read Salinas his Miranda warnings and Salinas answered questions in a recorded interview. During the interview, Salinas was equivocal about the USB, saying he did not remember it or that he forgot about any USB containing child pornography, Hale wrote in the court order. Salinas further detailed how he became involved in viewing these images and videos of child pornography, the frequency of his viewing of child pornography and that he possessed additional child pornography on his computers and other USBs, the order states. After the interview, Salinas was allowed to go home but was advised that LPD would be seeking a warrant authorizing his arrest for possession of child pornography. Hale concluded that LPD's viewing of the USB was "confirmatory in nature, as it did not exceed the scope of the initial viewing by Sames' employees." Paz didn't need a search warrant because Limon consented to the search of the USB while it was attached to his computer, Hale wrote in his decision. READ MORE: Six men arrested after stolen Xbox leads to altercation in south Laredo "Limon's consent was valid because Sames and by extension its employees had joint access and control over the defendant's truck and its contents," Hale said. "At the time that the Sames' employees initially viewed the images on the USB they were not acting in concert with the police or for investigative purposes. The confirmatory search of the USB by Officer Paz allowed a valid warrantless seizure of the device because it contained contraband (i.e., child pornography), in plain view, and thus allowed for the USB's immediate seizure by Officer Paz. "The search LPD conducted pursuant to a search warrant was valid because LPD had probable cause to believe the USB device contained child pornography via the statements made to Officer Paz by the Sames employees and the Officers' subsequent confirmatory searches. "The subsequent search warrants were valid because LPD developed probable cause by and through the forensic analysis of the USB confirmed that the child pornography within it did not originate from Limon's computer and the USB contained personal images of the defendant." Dancing partygoers at a South Carolina clubhouse had their hands up in the air when the floor gave out beneath them early Sunday morning. Clemson University sophomore Larissa Stone told Greenville News that it happened very quickly. "So everyone was jumping. The beat was about to drop, and literally the whole floor collapsed," she said. "People are under other people. People are hurt. People are bleeding. I had blood on my sneakers. It was really bad." Although no one was trapped in the debris, 30 people were injured, according to a statement issued by Clemson Police Chief Jimmy Dixon. The multi-floor building had been leased out for a private event, Dixon said. Social media footage captured the first floor collapsing onto the lower level just after midnight. Police arrived at the Woodlands Apartments complex, which was built in 2004 and is three miles from Clemson University, soon thereafter. "We're just thankful that it was not any worse than it was," Dixon said told WYFF 4 News. Clemson University official Joe Galbraith told Greenville News that the party was hosted by the Clemson Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. It was the university's homecoming weekend. Property manager Tal Slann said the floor collapse occurred in a common area within the complex, CNN reported. Clemson University President Jim Clements said on Twitter that he is monitoring the situation, and the school tweeted that student affairs representatives were sent to the hospitals where the injured were taken. Police are investigating. WASHINGTON - Saudi Arabia's belated explanation for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi drew deep skepticism Sunday from congressional lawmakers and mounting bipartisan calls for the kingdom - and possibly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally - to face severe repercussions. Senior Republicans and Democrats proposed sanctions on the longtime U.S. ally, the expulsion of the Saudi ambassador and the cutting of arms sales, among other possible punishments. Lawmakers also said that the United States should refuse to have relations with Mohammed and demand that Saudi Arabia replace him as crown prince if he is found to be responsible - as members of both parties said they believe will happen. "It's my thinking that MBS was involved in this, that he directed this and that this person was purposefully murdered," Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., in an appearance on CNN's State of the Union Sunday, referring to the crown prince. Corker - who chairs the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee - called for a "collective response" by the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany if an investigation reveals that the crown prince was behind Khashoggi's killing inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. "Sanctions should be put in place for anybody who has had anything to do with it," the Tennessee Republican told CNN's Jake Tapper. During an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday, Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said the Saudi ambassador should be formally expelled from the United States if an investigation reveals the crown prince's involvement. The suggestion echoed a call from Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., a day earlier. Also appearing on "Meet the Press," Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called a strong response to the Saudi government. "We've got to get to the bottom of this," Tillis said. "In Saudi Arabia, you don't do something of this magnitude without having clearance from the top. We need to find out who that is and hold them accountable." Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said that he believes the crown prince is ultimately responsible - and should pay a price. "You'll never convince me that he didn't do this," Graham said on Fox News Channel's "Sunday Morning Futures" "Saudi Arabia is an ally, but this behavior is outside the norm to the point that the people involved need to be removed, in my view," Graham added. "Saudi Arabia is a country. MBS is a person. And I am willing to separate the two." President Donald Trump has continued to voice support for the crown prince, even as he has backed away from describing Saudi Arabia's story as credible. "Obviously there's been deception and there's been lies," Trump said in an interview Saturday with The Washington Post when pressed on the many discrepancies in the changing accounts from the Saudis. "Their stories are all over the place." He did not call for the ouster of Mohammed and instead praised his leadership, calling the prince "a strong person; he has very good control." Gen. Joseph Votel, who heads U.S. Central Command, told reporters traveling with him in the Middle East that America's political leaders were addressing the situation surrounding Khashoggi's death. "We haven't changed anything with respect to our ongoing military relationship with Saudi Arabia. They have been a good partner for us for a long period," Votel said. The kingdom is an important counterterrorism partner for the Pentagon and a major purchaser of U.S. arms. "From my perspective, we are continuing to do the things that we have normally been doing in our military-to-military relationship with them; we will until we get some instructions to do something different," he said. "And I've been told nothing, so we'll continue to do what we're supposed to do." On Sunday, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said on "Fox News Sunday" that he was certain that Mohammed was responsible for Khashoggi's disappearance and death, reasoning that "there's no way 15 people are sent from Saudi Arabia to Turkey to kill a dissident without the approval of the crown prince." "It stretches credulity to think that the crown prince wasn't involved in this," Paul said, urging the United States to sever relations with Mohammed and calling for his replacement. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., called Saudi Arabia's shifting explanations about the incident "a mess." "You don't bring a bone saw to an accidental fistfight," he said on "State of the Union," referring to reports that Khashoggi was dismembered with a bone saw. "So, the Saudis have said a whole bunch of crap that's not right, accurate or true." In an interview Sunday with Fox News Channel's Bret Baier, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said that an investigation is underway to determine how Khashoggi was killed and what happened to his body. He pushed back against Paul and others who have said they are certain the crown prince was involved, arguing that it is "very surprising" that lawmakers who are "6,000 miles away" could make such declarations about what happened. "There is the presumption of innocence until proven guilty," al-Jubeir said, deploying an argument that Trump himself made in a recent interview with the Associated Press. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called the moment "a relationship-altering event for the U.S. and Saudi Arabia." "We ought to suspend military sales, we ought to suspend certain security assistance, and we ought to impose sanctions on any of those that were directly involved in this murder," Schiff said said on ABC's "This Week." "This really ought to be something that causes us to do a re-examination of our relationship with Saudi Arabia." Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who is also a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said that despite the Saudi government's denials, its intentions were clear. "Obviously, there was an intent, I believe, to kill him," King said of Khashoggi. He said that the U.S. should take some retaliatory steps, such as delaying arms sales, but also warned that the U.S. "not hurt ourselves," given the value of the U.S.-Saudi alliance. "What happened here was savagery, and we can't go along with their cover story," King said. Paul has recommended curtailing arms sales to Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi's killing and other aggressive ventures, arguing on "Fox News Sunday" that "that's the only thing the Saudis will listen to." He criticized Trump's argument that the United States shouldn't scrap the latest $110 billion arms deal over concern for the American jobs those contracts support. The figure is in dispute, and Trump has been criticized for inflating both the monetary value of the deal and the number of jobs it supports. "I don't think arms should ever be seen as a jobs program," Paul said. "We should never sell arms to any country unless it's in our national security interest." "This is just another in a line of long instances of Saudi insults to the civilized world," the senator added. Paul has been one of the most critical voices in Congress on Saudi policy, pointing out that the kingdom has financially supported and offered haven to extremists, and arguing that its air campaign in Yemen's civil war "actually increases our national risk." He said he reckoned that if Congress had a vote in the next couple of weeks to block arms sales to Saudi Arabia, "we would win overwhelmingly, so I think the powers that be will try to prevent us from having that vote." Congress cannot vote to block Saudi arms sales until those arms sales are announced, leading Paul to muse Sunday that "the arms sales will go on. I think they will avoid announcing the arms sales to prevent us from blocking them." Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., has blocked the transfer of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia over concerns that they might be used against civilians in Yemen - a reason that several members of Congress have said in recent days that a vote to block arms sales is largely moot. It is likely that the House will vote next month on a measure to curtail U.S. military, intelligence and air support for the Saudi campaign in Yemen under the War Powers Resolution, but it is unclear what its prospects of passage are. Last year, the Senate could not muster enough support to pass a similar resolution. Paul said the United States could exercise "incredible leverage" over Saudi Arabia by curtailing support for its air campaign, as the kingdom's planes are all American - meaning they need U.S. servicing and support. "The Saudis need us much more than we need them," he said, figuring that the Saudi air force "can't last more than a couple of months" without U.S. backing. --- The Washington Post's Missy Ryan in Qatar contributed to this report. --- Video Embed Code Video: Members of Congress on Oct. 21 called for Saudi Arabia to face repercussions in the aftermath of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death.(Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post) Embed code: A Hungarian museum built to remember the horrors of the Holocaust is pitting branches of the European Union's largest eastern Jewish community against one another. Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the standard bearer of nationalist movements in Europe, is planning to open the House of Fates next year to pay tribute to the children who died in the Holocaust. But the project has prompted critics to say it whitewashes Hungary's wartime role in the murder of Jews, and it has divided Jewish organizations into those allied with the government and those against it. "We've gone from being rivals to being enemies," Budapest's chief rabbi, Robert Frolich, said of the rift between two of the country's Jewish groups. "And when rivalry turns to war, there are no winners, only losers." The row is the latest flashpoint involving nativists and the Holocaust after Poland criminalized the act of suggesting national responsibility in the death of millions of Jews during World War II. It also illustrates Orban's divide-and-conquer approach as he consolidates power and pursues an "illiberal democracy" that has put him at odds with the EU. The museum coincides with a wider cultural push by Orban, who called on supporters to embed their values deeper into Hungary's social fabric following his third consecutive election victory in April. Since then, pro-government media outlets have denounced academics, artists and activists deemed incompatible with Orban's vision of a homogeneous, Christian Europe, publishing lists of their names and causing some to lose their jobs. The owner of one publication, the weekly Figyelo, is in charge of the House of Fates. The project in Budapest, where there's already an existing Holocaust museum, has languished in a state of deep freeze for years after Orban vowed not to open it until there was a consensus about it among Jewish groups. That changed when the government lined up EMIH, a Jewish organization founded in 2004, as a backer. EMIH leader Rabbi Slomo Koves said this month the museum would allow young generations to emotionally connect with the Holocaust. He also said it was still a work in progress. For others, the site occupying buildings at a retooled railway station, is at best an Orban power-play to divide Budapest's Jewish community and at worst an attempt to obscure facts behind the murder of more than half a million Hungarian Jews in death camps or killed under Nazi-allied Hungarian governments. An official from the Jerusalem-based Yad Vashem museum said the planned exhibition was "patently misleading," to the point of falsifying history. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. said it is "highly selective" and "distorted." The institute in charge of the new museum didn't respond to requests for comment. Hungary's biggest Jewish group, Mazsihisz, said EMIH had become a tool of Orban. His government has boosted annual state funds supporting EMIH thirty-three-fold to 679 million forint ($2.4 million) since he returned to power in 2010 and has pledged to give it the museum once the doors open. "This is about political power, and no Jewish group should play a part in this," said Mazsihisz President Andras Heisler. "We repeatedly asked for a full 'screenplay' of the exhibition so that we could responsibly take part in this project. We never received that." Heisler and other critics who've seen the plans say they had a familiar theme: omitting or minimizing Hungary's role in the Holocaust, including in the marginalization of Jews dating back to well before the Nazi occupation and their mass deportation to death camps. "It's whitewashing history," said Andras Kovacs, director of Jewish studies at Central European University in Budapest. "Leaders in both Poland and Hungary are trying to deflect responsibility for the ugly chapters in their histories." Much of Budapest's Jewish population survived after Hungary stopped mass deportations in the waning months of World War II as Soviet forces advanced toward the country. Hungary today has an estimated Jewish community of about 100,000, according to Mazsihisz. Orban has had fraught relations with them. Jews boycotted official commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the Holocaust in 2014 after he ordered the erection of a statue in Budapest showing the Archangel Gabriel as Hungary being attacked by an eagle representing Germany. Jewish groups said it amounted to deflecting national responsibility. More recently, Orban resorted to what many consider to be anti-Semitic language to win re-election, calling the Hungarian-born philanthropist and investor George Soros, who survived the Holocaust, "conniving' and "unprincipled." In contrast, Orban told his supporters they were from a "Christian culture" who've "never turned to hatred." The Hungarian leader strongly rejects accusations that he is fanning anti-Semitism. He's shown some signs of backpedaling, saying the Holocaust museum's opening can wait until the "controversy dies down." He's also said the failure of the wartime government to protect Hungary's Jews was a "crime." "There's a deep level of distrust," the CEU's Kovacs said. "There isn't much cause for optimism." Staff Sgt. Neysa Canfield A U.S. general officer was wounded in an attack last week in Afghanistan's Kandahar province that killed two senior Afghan provincial officials and targeted a group that included the senior U.S. commander in the country, four people with knowledge of the assault said. Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Smiley is recovering after suffering at least one gunshot wound inside the Kandahar governor's compound, three of the people said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. U.S. military officials in Afghanistan and at the Pentagon have declined to comment on the attack or identify the wounded, describing them only as an American service member, an American civilian and a contractor who is part of the military coalition. Authorities have identified a body found in Lake Lyndon B. Johnson as Charlotte Moye, an Alabama woman who went missing after floodwaters swept through an RV park in Junction last week. Moye's body was found in the 700 block of Circle Drive near Kingsland shortly before noon Tuesday, the Burnet County Sheriff's Office said in a post on Facebook Saturday. RELATED: Before and after photos show flooding in Central Texas She was taken to the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy where she was identified using dental records sent by the Kimble County Sheriff's Office, according to the post. Moye went missing Oct. 8. She was the fourth and final victim of the recent Junction flooding, the Junction Police Department reported over social media. Kimble County Sheriff Hilario Cantu thanked those who helped with rescue efforts and said damages from the flooding are still being assessed across the county. "Junction is still recovering from the river's effects upon us all, and we are beginning to bring things in the area back to some sense of order," Cantu said in the post. "Although this was a terrible disaster, we are thankful that deaths and injuries weren't greater." In a text Saturday, Cantu identified the other three victims as Joseph "Joey" Huss Jr., 55; Michael "Mike" McGee, 65; and Darin Hartman, 51. Huss and McGee were from Flomaton, Alabama, and Hartman was a San Angelo resident. RELATED: Missing driver recovered from Sabinal River identified Moye's brother, Steve Turner, told the San Antonio Express-News last week that Moye and two of his best friends, Huss and McGee, had been staying at a local RV park when the flooding occurred. They were working on a pipeline project, Turner said. "We travel all over the place and you'd never think of something like this happening," he said on Oct. 9, referring to pipeline workers. "It's been pretty tough." Dublin Bus drivers who operate routes that are being transferred to a UK company, and who will still hold on to their jobs, are receiving 1.4 million in compensation for the disturbance caused to those Dublin Bus drivers! The vast majority of the drivers who operate services that are being transferred to the Go-Ahead Co., are being transferred to other routes, which might require them to work slightly different rosters. Isnt that something? We are now in a situation that a driver who works with Dublin Bus is being compensated for the awful intrusion on his or her life of moving to another route. For the very same wages, lets not forget. Yet some of those who are with Dublin Bus are receiving up to 6,250 for the egregious loss of comfort. Under assurances provided by Government in 2015 no driver will be forced to move from Dublin Bus. Thats fair enough in itself, since nobody wants to see drivers being rendered unemployed under any circumstances. But to receive compensation for working different routes, is absolutely incredible, in my view. According to Martin Wall, writing in the Irish Times, One highly placed union source said the new deal was a direct consequence of the then FG/Labour government decision to privatise State jobs. Whilst we were successful in ensuring that in 2015 all Dublin Bus drivers were maintained in employment with the company, the fact is that both Dublin Bus and the trade unions always recognised and accepted that the industrial relations issues associated with stripping over 240 drivers of their current roster- based conditions would require to be satisfactorily addressed in advance of the transfer of 10 per cent of State-owned bus routes to the UK multinational Go-Ahead, which was awarded a five-year, taxpayer-funded 172 million contract to operate these services. Well, well. The drivers are now required to move from Dun Laoghaire to Donnybrook. An astonishing distance of maybe four miles at its most distant point. In reality most drivers probably live within three miles of Donnybrook - and in both these examples I am being generous. What would a man or woman in rural Ireland do if confronted with moving employment, with full state pensions, state holidays, special conditions, for three miles or so? I doubt very much if theyd raise so much as a whisper. Martin Wall quotes the same union source as saying: Supplanting State jobs which have reasonable terms and conditions (in actual fact excellent pay and conditions), with low-pay, yellow-pack labour is something that politicians who say they are anti-privatisation need to oppose, should proposals emerge for future incursions into State-owned public services. Yes indeed, at times like this youd almost be forgiven for hating unions, when they can achieve such extraordinary conditions for urban workers. Youd certainly be forgiven for wondering why on earth does the Government give such juicy deals to urban workers, while leaving rural workers (we wont speak about those who never work but draw dole all the time) in limbo. Ireland is a badly divided country, and getting worse. This is the disparity that contributes to the state Rural Ireland is in, currently. GETTY IMAGES STOCK Don't Edit An Oregon musician who performs under the name BlackFire has been sentenced to eight years in prison without parole in Georgia for marijuana trafficking. Meanwhile, not only has Canada legalized marijuana as of Wednesday, but the nation to the north is offering university degrees in weed and lists of locations of recreational marijuana stores. Here's a sampling of intriguing recently published marijuana-related articles and social media posts The Republican has come across: Don't Edit A Jamaican-born musician sentenced to 8 years in prison in Madison County for marijuana he legally obtained. What do you think about the case. Story by @jgatesnews https://t.co/7Wc3DKi0w3 pic.twitter.com/i9orZyF4Iq Clarion Ledger (@clarionledger) October 17, 2018 Don't Edit Massive lines outside Canada marijuana shops after country legalizes weed https://t.co/xeoVpRq9Yv Fox News (@FoxNews) October 17, 2018 Don't Edit Is Canadas marijuana legalization a template for the world to follow? https://t.co/QBcKsozmR7 The Cannabis Times (@cannabis_times) October 17, 2018 Don't Edit Don't Edit Canada To Offer University Degrees In Marijuana After Legalization https://t.co/0sSfERlug3 pic.twitter.com/fvbbrHKC7N The Cannabis Times (@cannabis_times) October 16, 2018 Don't Edit Poll: support for Utahs medical marijuana ballot initiative dips to 51% three weeks before Election Day https://t.co/CGLu9TnAG0 pic.twitter.com/5dMjEwXOfI Marijuana News (@WeedFeed) October 16, 2018 Don't Edit -->The Atlantic: America's Pot Addicts More and more Americans are reporting near-constant cannabis use, as legalization forges ahead, according to an Aug. 20 story on theatlantic.com by Annie Lowrey. "Cannabis is potentially a real public-health problem," said Mark A. R. Kleiman, a professor of public policy at New York University, in The Atlantic story. Don't Edit In Canada, pot legalization poses health and safety challenges https://t.co/DsAjcj0SFl pic.twitter.com/CVmuRlWkqU The Cannabis Times (@cannabis_times) October 15, 2018 Don't Edit Melissa Etheridge Talks Art, Culture and Marijuana Advocacy In The Legalization Era https://t.co/xjULYg6Qex pic.twitter.com/7ljAkIKc7u Marijuana News (@WeedFeed) October 16, 2018 Don't Edit Don't Edit -->Here are the most popular marijuana stocks as Canada becomes the largest country to legalize pot According to a CNBC.com story Wednesday by Thomas Franck: "Medical marijuana company Tilray, whose stock has posted a meteoric rise on the Nasdaq since its U.S. IPO, shed more than 6 percent Wednesday. "Tilray, Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis are currently the most popular post stocks among traders on Wall Street. Aurora got approval to list on the NYSE on Wednesday." Don't Edit Saskatchewan is ready for legal recreational cannabis: MADD Canada https://t.co/GfMGogpBk9 pic.twitter.com/S9Ntsl9o2z The Cannabis Times (@cannabis_times) October 16, 2018 Don't Edit Don't Edit Pot legalization law could be trouble for paraphernalia industry https://t.co/Fcvbf8AcV8 pic.twitter.com/RNXk4zjvbr The Cannabis Times (@cannabis_times) October 14, 2018 AMHERST - Lucio Perez, a Guatemalan national who took sanctuary in an Amherst church last year amidst announcements of the federal government's crackdown on undocumented immigrants, said Saturday that he was doing well despite the circumstances. Standing before a crowd of hundreds in the First United Church where he has spent the last twelve months, Perez told his supporters that he felt their support acutely. "When I see so many people here before me I feel that I am not alone," he said. Designed to acknowledge the time he had spent inside the church, Saturday's event took place exactly a year after Perez took shelter there after being ordered to return to his home country by federal officials. Dressed in a red tie, dress shirt and black pants, Perez smiled broadly before the large crowd, thanking them for coming and for the support throughout the past months. Though cheerful, Perez said the year had not been easy. "No, it has not been easy to be in this church for a year," he admitted. "But I thank God for putting desire into all of your hearts...It has been a year of fighting, of struggle. It has not been easy for anyone." "But with the help of every one of you I know that we can change the world, that we can change what is happening," he said, to applause. The event was largely put on and attended by individuals who had played pivotal roles in securing Perez's sanctuary throughout the past year. Many of the audience members had contributed to work connected to Lucio's sanctuary over the past year--including helping to provide meals and companionship for him. The event was also partially organized by the Pioneer Valley Workers Center--a Northampton-based non-profit whose focus on immigration and labor rights led it to organize in defense of Perez last year. Margaret Sawyer, a lead organizer with PVWC, spoke at length, giving voice to hope and frustration over the current climate for immigrants across the country. Towards the end of her remarks Sawyer laid out her political vision for immigration--one in which the federal government laid out a "road to citizenship" for the 25 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the country. "Don't be scared, be bold," Sawyer said, encouraging local activism. Perez's son Tony spoke as well, thanking audience members for their support throughout the past twelve months and describing some of the difficult emotional experiences that the family had endured since his father took sanctuary. "This year has been a very tough year for all of us," Tony said, recalling the stress and fear that had overcome him upon hearing that his father had been briefly taken out of sanctuary and hospitalized for an operation related to appendicitis. "My first thought was [that] ICE" may have detained his father, Tony said, after his mother had told him that his father was receiving medical attention. Vicki Kemper, a pastor at the church, said that the congregation would continue to fight for Perez's safety and rights. "This work is ongoing," Kemper said. "We come together today with mixed feelings," Kemper said. "We don't want to celebrate the year in which Lucio and his family have been kept apart by the policies of our government--and yet we give thanks that they can still see each other regularly." "We don't celebrate Lucio's year long confinement to a church building, and yet we are grateful that he is safe," she went on. A number of local and regional officials and political candidates were present at Saturday's event and gave brief remarks in support of Perez. Springfield City Councilor Jesse Lederman said that he supported the efforts of local activists, and that similar efforts were being made in Springfield--where undocumented immigrant Gisella Collazo is also currently in sanctuary. Mindy Domb, Lindsay Sabadosa and Jo Comerford were all present, and gave remarks. Additionally, representatives from the offices of Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey were also present at Saturday's events, reading statements from the two officials in support of Perez. Family and friends of Arthur Medici, the 26-year-old Revere man killed in a fatal shark attack in September, gathered in Cape Cod to remember the man who "loved life." The Cape Cod Times reports more than 100 people went to Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet Saturday and paddled out into the water to remember Medici. Medici, who was engaged, was killed Sept. 15 while boogie boarding. He was attacked by a shark and died at Cape Cod Hospital. People gathered in the water to remember Medici. Family of Medici spoke at the remembrance. The brother of Medici's fiancee, Isaac Rocha, was with Medici at the time of the attack. "You've given me a friendship, and you've given me a brotherhood, and you taught me how to live life to the fullest. But you also made me cry plenty," Rocha said, according to the Cape Cod Times. Medici, a part-time engineering student at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, was "joyful and willing to help others," friends and family said in a Gofundme post. "Our lives are never going to be the same without him. His laughter filled our home and he will be greatly missed by us all," the page continued to say. A Facebook post for the event asked people to attend the remembrance to honor the life of a young man who was gone too soon. "As an event that gives back to the surf community, we could not stress enough how important this paddle out will be not only those who surf in Cape Cod/Massachusetts/New England, but also to friends & family of the Medici family (many of whom will also be in attendance)," The New England Longboard Classic Surf Contest wrote on Facebook. "It will be an opportunity to come together and show our compassion as a community through the hurt of a difficult time." Several groups and experts are continuing to meet to discuss safety measures to keep people safe in the waters off Cape Cod. One month before Medici was killed, 61-year-old William Lytton of New York was bit by a shark as he waded in the waters off Long Nook Beach in Truro. The Western Massachusetts delegation to the state Legislature is taking a big hit in terms of experience as several veteran legislators will be replaced in the next term. That is not the only reason Angelo Puppolo Jr., deserves another term as state representative for the 12th Hampden District. The six-term incumbent and former Springfield City Council member has shown his skill at working in bipartisan fashion, something that benefits the state regardless of the makeup of the Legislature or the affiliation of the person sitting in the governor's chair. The Republican endorses his candidacy in the November 6 election. Experience is not anyone's sole qualification for office, nor should it be, but it is nonetheless a legitimate talking point of this campaign. Always challenged to have its voice heard on Beacon Hill, Western Massachusetts will rely even more on its elected officials to bring the region's concerns to Boston - and get results - with several familiar veteran voices no longer there. Puppolo's legal background is valuable in dealing with the nuance of law. This is not a flashy aspect of lawmaking but it's essential to crafting bills that not only have public interest at heart, but stand up to the requirements of the law and will measure up to the test of time. The Legislature is in the midst of several important issues that will dominate the early weeks of the 2019 session. Energy concerns and future energy policy, education priorities, continued attacks on the opioid crisis (where Puppolo has been part of a delegation that, along with Governor Charlie Baker, has begun to make some dents in a terrible epidemic), help to small business - all of these and more have business on the table that must be addressed promptly. Removing more experience from that equation is not the best strategy at this point. Puppolo has handled his duties with a sense of reason and the understanding that compromise at the right time is good government. He has also shown a willingness to stand up for his district, which includes Wilbraham and parts of Springfield and East Longmeadow. Puppolo has pledged attentiveness to ways of delivering the chronically late state budget more promptly. One legislator from Western Massachusetts won't make that happen alone, but every vote and show of support will help. With so much of the state's important business in process, and a sharp reduction in seasoned voices Western Massachusetts voices participating, Puppolo's representation is in some ways more needed than ever. The Republican asks the voters to return him to office and continue speaking for the needs of his district and region. BOSTON -- Steven Wright needs arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. But he's waiting to undergo the procedure in hopes of pitching in the World Series. Manager Alex Cora said that Wright could make the Red Sox's World Series roster if he feels he can contribute and if he passes a few tests. Game 1 is here at Fenway Park on Tuesday. The Red Sox will play either the Dodgers or Brewers. "I heard that he feels good about it," Cora said. "He threw a bullpen the other day. We'll talk to him first and see where he's at. And if he feels he can contribute, then he has to go through a few tests." Those tests? Cora said the knuckleballer must complete pitchers fielding practice drills and throw a simulated game. He also must back up bases. "And see how he reacts to it," Cora said. "We haven't talked to him yet. We'll do that today. If he feels he can contribute then we'll do something tomorrow with that and then we'll make a decision." Wright underwent a cartilage restoration procedure in his left knee in May 2017. It's the same surgery Dustin Pedroia underwent last October. Pedroia underwent a scope in late July to remove scar tissue. Wright said the same doctor in Arizona will perform his arthroscopic surgery. Cancer develops due to mutations in our DNA. However, until now, little has been known about how mutations build up in healthy tissue over time. A new study provides fresh detail. Share on Pinterest Genetic mutations in healthy tissue are more common than previously thought. As people age, mutations in their DNA slowly build up. Mutations in healthy tissue are known as somatic mutations. Because cancer is the result of an accumulation of genetic mutations, understanding how these add up over time is crucial to understanding how the disease starts its journey. This slow, incremental stockpiling of mutations is probably an important part of the aging process, too. Until recently, it has been challenging to chart precisely how somatic mutations behave over time; this is predominantly due to technical challenges. A new paper, published earlier this week in the journal Science , takes the first in-depth look at how cells mutate and compete with each other in healthy tissue over the course of a lifespan. Charting mutations in healthy cells The researchers, from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and MRC Cancer Unit at the University of Cambridge, both in the United Kingdom, sampled healthy tissue from the esophagi of nine individuals aged 2075. None of these people had any history of esophageal cancer or other medical issues with that part of their body. Next, they carried out whole-genome sequencing to map the presence of mutated cells in these healthy samples. They found that, to their surprise, people in their 20s had hundreds of mutations in each cell. In older participants, this figure rose to more than 2,000 per cell. However, the researchers found that only changes in specific genes had a significant impact. Mutations in some genes gave the cells a competitive advantage, meaning that, as they divided and conquered, they outcompeted cells without the mutation and colonized large patches of tissue; this created a patchwork of mutant cells. By middle age, more than half of the cells in a healthy esophagus might carry mutations in cancer genes. Joint lead author, Prof. Phil Jones, says, Under the microscope, the esophageal tissue looked completely normal it came from healthy individuals who had no signs of cancer. After studying the genetics, we were shocked to see that the healthy esophagus was riddled with mutations. We discovered that by the time an individual reaches middle age, they probably have more mutant than normal cells. WILTON In a vituperative first debate, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes and Republican challenger Harry Arora repeatedly accused each other of distorting facts to suit their political purposes. Arora painted Himes, who has represented the 4th District for almost 10 years, as a spinmaster who speaks mumbo jumbo, saying one thing on CNN and another to his constituents. Himes charged that Arora traded in alternative facts to justify his right-leaning positions. In the first minute of the debate at Wilton High School, Arora accused Himes of trying to avoid sitting with him on stage at a candidate forum in Norwalk in August. Throughout the rest of the hour and a half debate hosted by the League of Women voters, the candidates continued to spar. They disagreed on how the country should move forward on health care, voting rights, immigration, guns and climate change. Arora called Himes a socialist; Himes said Republicans used that term only when they lacked good ideas of their own. Himes, who worked at Goldman Sachs and the affordable housing nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners prior to his election in 2008, defended the Affordable Care Act, saying it has led to more people having health insurance, even if the system still had some kinks. He defended the need for the government to intervene in the health insurance market because a free market does not mean that everyone will have coverage, which he said was an American value. (The ACA) dramatically improved the situation in health care in this country, Himes said. Arora, a commodities trader who launched a Greenwich hedge fund after working at Enron and Amaranth Advisors, said the Affordable Care Act is uneven, unfair and inefficient. If he were designing a new health care system, he said he would separate people with pre-existing conditions into their own subsidized health care pool and allow healthy people more options. Both candidates liked how the Obama-era law had provided coverage to people with pre-existing conditions and expanded Medicaid. When discussing security for the Nov. 6 election, Arora said he supported voter identification laws and believed that voter fraud was a significant issue. Fraud is a very big thing in elections we need to counter, he said. He brought up the idea during an unrelated question later in the debate adding, Elections are always won on the margin. The last one vote can influence the election. Numerous studies on voting fraud have been conducted by universities and media outlets and concluded that incidence of voting fraud is infinitesimally small. News21, a national investigative reporting project funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, found just 56 cases of noncitizens voting between 2000 and 2011. Himes pointed out this fact and suggested voter suppression is the real issue and is being pushed in red states to benefit Republican candidates. Himes and Arora also disputed what percentage of illegal immigration is due to border crossings versus individuals over-staying their visas. Arora, who was born in India and became a U.S. citizen in 2004 after coming to the U.S. for graduate school, said he backed a compassionate but firm approach to illegal immigration, but was short on specifics of what that would entail. Arora criticized Himes for opposing a House bill on immigration floated by the GOP in June, which provided $25 billion in funding for a border wall, barred the separation of children from their parents at the border and provided a legal path to citizenship for undocumented people brought to the U.S. as children as long as border security funding was not reduced in the future. The bill, endorsed by President Trump, overwhelmingly failed when 112 Republicans and all Democrats voted against it. It was a brutal, brutal bill, said Himes, who was born in Peru. He favored a Senate bill that was never called in the House that would provide more money for border security (but not a wall, which he called stupid), create an e-verify system where employers could electronically check their job applicants citizenship status and supported a rigorous path to citizenship for people currently in the U.S. undocumented, setting criteria like holding down a job, learning English and paying a fine for breaking the law. Both candidates agreed climate change was a priority, but pitched different visions for how to reduce carbon emissions. Aroras plan was negotiation with other high-polluting countries. He wanted to convince other countries to reduce their carbon emissions before the United States takes more steps toward emission cutting. He worried about America being taken advantage of by other countries who continue to pollute and steal business from the regulated U.S. Himes suggested the U.S. should lead on climate change by supporting automobile gas mileage requirements and regulating energy efficiency through building codes. He also supported a fully-refundable carbon tax. While Himes appeared to have more supporters in the more than 200 person crowd, both candidates won some applause at times throughout the debate. During closing remarks, Himes won a standing ovation and boos from a few for promising to stand up to President Trump, listing many of his headline-grabbing comments. Before Himes was elected in 2008, the 4th District Congressional seat was held by Republicans since 1989. Pitching himself as an independent lawmaker, Himes listed times when he has angered Wall Street and his party, through his authorship of the Dodd-Frank bill and his later vote to change it in 2016. Arora described Himes, who chairs a coalition of moderate Democrats as a rubber stamp for the Democratic party. MIDDLETOWN Empty seats lined the Common Council table when an absent Mayor Dan Drew and several council members did not attend a recent special meeting called to discuss release of documents related to the investigation of the mayors and general counsels office. Councilors could take no action without a seven-member quorum. Present at the meeting were Deborah Kleckowski, Minority Leader Sebastian N. Giuliano, Robert Blanchard, Deputy Majority Leader Mary Bartolotta, Philip Pessina and Linda Salafia. The meeting was called to discuss and either respond to the mayors request or take appropriate action. This meeting was not a legal meeting, and it was scheduled last minute. I had a prior commitment, and nobody asked if I could make it. It was a charade and it was meant to be a political spectacle, Drew said in a phone interview following the meeting. He said the meeting was planned in secret and the public was given barely 24 hours notice. He is asking for copies of emails between Giuliano, Bartolotta and investigating attorney Margaret P. Mason. Several of the council members had prior commitments that evening, Drew said. His request was directly related to FOIA filings made by Planning and Zoning Chairman Stephen Devoto and Daley. This follows a complaint made earlier this year by Michelle DiMauro, human resources director of the Board of Education, who alleged she had been denied a pay raise and Drew was responsible. Earlier this month, Drew emailed the council and town clerks, and the director of IT, requesting the documents related to a gender bias investigation into the mayors office, during which 23 individuals, some of which were employees, testified under a presumption of anonymity. Drew requested the documents be turned over to city attorneys, Bill Connon and Mark Sommaruga of Pullaman & Comley, because it was required by FOI. Giuliano responded by strongly advising the clerks not to comply with the requests, citing the councils rejection of two resolutions that called for release of the information. I regret that Councilman Giuliano has put you in a difficult position, and I remind you that each of you are classified service employees and that no member of the Council possesses the authority to direct you or to advise you to disregard statute, Drew wrote in the email. In a heated email exchange between Giuliano and Drew, during which the mayor argued the council and town clerks report to him, Giuliano claimed the common council, its members and staff are bound by the actions of the council. Giuliano also argued the attorney retained represent the interests of the city, and some of the requests at issue come from within the city government. After initial orders were not followed , the mayor sent another email a week later, directing council clerk Linda Reed to produce the documents, Giuliano said. Consider this a directive. It is clear and unmistakable. Failure or refusal to comply with this directive shall be considered insubordination, the Drew email said. The council is disobeying the Freedom of Information Act. They dont get to decide that; the law dictates that. They conducted an unethical investigation and they have an obligation to turn in these documents. ... I did not direct the clerk to produce it to me. I directed her to follow the law, which she is required to follow under state statute , Drew said in the phone interview. They have to respond to FOIA and we hired attorneys to help. The attorneys only job is to provide us as a group how the law applies in this situation, Drew continued. Kleckowski condemned the mayors request. The mayor should not put a city employee in a position to choose between disobeying a directive from the mayor who is not her direct supervisor. Her report is to the council, and to have her choose between breaking the law of attorney client privilege under threat of insubordination is reprehensible, she said. This is a backdoor attempt to find out who the 23 people are who came forward to express their concerns about their work place, and how they were treated in their general work environment. By all means, their identity should be kept confidential, Kleckowski said. The mayor disagreed. I dont want employee information, I want to show the degree that they conducted an inappropriate, unethical and immoral investigation. The documents will show that Bartolotta and Giuliano were a part of this day-to-day investigation and how [Mason] spent her time. Giuliano misled the council to openly encourage breaking the law. They want to protect themselves, Drew said in the call with The Press. Local Connecticut Employee Union President Geen Thazhampallath said Reed feared the mayor would come to her office to demand records. What has gone wrong in our city government where an employee is scared to go to human resources? Human resources is supposed to help, not hurt them, Thazhampallath said during the special meeting . His statement was followed by applause. Reed wiped what appeared to be tears away as she struggled through her duty of transcribing meeting minutes. Thats the atmosphere and culture that exists here. The reason the report was necessary, and an investigation was necessary, was because of this behavior. Once you release information thats attorney-client privilege, youre releasing the genie in a bottle theres no coming back, Thazhampallath said. Im ashamed what Im seeing tonight. They are not here intentionally. Its purposeful and I know they are watching, resident Edward Mckeon said as he called out the names of absent council members. Each iteration was met with boos from those in attendance. Board of Education employee Christine Bourne, who ran unsuccessfully against Drew in the 2011 primary, said Our members are not here because they are afraid this mayor came in saying he was going to make things better and he has made things significantly worse. . This is out of control I dont know what they think they are going to find in these emails. Its a total waste of time, in my opinion, Salafia said. Blanchard brought up the subject of a charter revision. This relentless pursuit only illustrates why [the mayors office] should be afraid in the first place. We need to change the way things are done here, he said. MIDDLETOWN A grand 232-year-old Colonial house in Westfield has been abuzz with activity for the past week as more than 60 cast and crew members mulled around the scene of a yet-to-be named childrens Christmas film produced by a Cromwell native. From the outside, the 18th-century home looked like many others in the neighborhood except for the long line of vehicles parked on the street across the road. Inside, it was clear something important was about to occur Thursday afternoon, indicated by a paper affixed to one of the doors reading Hot Set in big, black block letters. Indeed, this film is big evidenced by the appearance of iconic I Dream of Jeannie actress Barbara Eden, 87, on the high-definition monitor downstairs. She was clad in a Mrs. Claus outfit, her long, wavy blonde hair gathered in a comely side braid. Los Angeles director Brian Skiba, Cromwell native and movie producer David Gere and his Shadow Vale Productions partner Chelsea Vale and others spoke in hushed tones. Skiba is known for Christmas films, including several for the Hallmark Channel. The family adventure film, which will be rated PG, began shooting Oct. 15 at Champions Ice Rink, with 40 local parents and their children as extras. Tuesday, the set moved to a private house in Middletown. It also stars Denise Richards, Patrick Muldoon, Jamie Luner, Dante Scalia of Brooklyn, New York, and others. Producers drew some movie extras and crew members from a local talent pool. The plot involves a familys trip to the North Pole to help Santa save Christmas, which is threatened by an evil elf witch (Luner). Connecticuts generous film production tax credit cemented the deal to shoot in the Nutmeg state. It really helps with the production and brings up the value of the show, Skiba said, praising the quality of crew members in Connecticut. The crews here are great. Thats the thing youve got to look for when you go to states is depth of crew, because a bigger show will come in and wipe out the crew and smaller shows like ours tend to suffer. Gere, 43, originally intended to attend law school. He began acting after his Providence College professor connected him with comedy screenwriter and director Peter Farrelly, known for his work on Dumb and Dumber, Theres Something About Mary and Shallow Hal. In 2009, his big break came when he played Frank Meltzer on Gossip Girl. A decade later, Gere said he realized learning the business side, understanding how it works from behind the camera could probably elevate my acting career, so he self-funded a couple of independent films. These are massive undertakings. Its by no means a one-man operation, Gere said. Its kind of an unexplainable feeling. You wish and work so hard for it to grow, and to have it be this big, and this special of a production with these people involved, and have it land in my hometown its incredible. Vale was clad in an emerald green good elf costume with white trim, the tips of her prosthetic ears built into a point. When Gere pointed out the diamond stud in one ear, saying it must have hurt when she got it, Vale let out a hearty laugh. Hollywood Media Bridge, which partnered with Gere and Vale, secured the financing and distribution deal. This is their second project together. The first was a Netflix Navy SEALS action film shot over the summer in Newington. Gere expects to continue with three to five other films set in Connecticut in the future. The project was originally supposed to be set in LA. I really fought to have it brought to classic, New England locations like we have here, he said. Vale marveled at the historic houses in the Middletown/Cromwell area. Its especially good for Christmas, because its got that Norman Rockwell kind of feel to it. You cant get (that) in California. You can build it, but its never going to look the same. Catering is being done locally at Taphouse 150 in Cromwell and the cast is staying at a nearby hotel. In fact, Gere, Eden and others enjoyed a dinner at Baci Grill last week. Having Hollywood stars here is humbling for me, Gere said. The web was alight a week ago as Muldoon and Richards shopped at Walmart in Cromwell. Richards, who Gere described as very cool, and down to earth, admitted she only visited the superstore once in her life. He is particularly thrilled about working with Eden. For all of use to have watched such an iconic television show with such a strong female lead, and to have Barbara Eden here, its almost unbelievable. Shes full of life and energy, Gere said. Dave is a hometown boy. He always comes back to where he started, his roots. He learned that from his dad Jim. Hes a man of his word. Hes always done right. He could have shot in LA, but he said he wanted to bring it back home. To me, that says a lot about the man, said Cromwell Councilman Frank C. Emanuele Jr. This is the second project filmed in Connecticut for Hollywood Media Bridge producer Binh Dang, who is planning to make more films in the state. Crews here have an amazing work ethic and are first class, he said. The people here are very unique to this part of the country. When something goes wrong, people dont complain. They put their heads down and push through, he said. Eden was Farrah Fawcett before there was Farrah Fawcett. She was the first female lead to show the midriff, and still won Americas heart. I would imagine it was much harder for an actor back in the 50s, 60s, 70s, but she held her poise. She has class. She kept herself beyond reproach, and that is very, very hard to do, Dang said. Monday, cast and crew head to LA Style Salon in Portland, owned by Douglas and Jaqui Cartelli. Wednesday, the set will move to the hillside of Cromwell Intermediate School. The school will have a computer-generated effect, transforming it into Santas workshop. That will be a special day for me, because my father (former Superintendent of Schools James Gere, who retired in 2000) ushered that project in (during his tenure), Gere said. The Pentagon announced Friday it has launched a new media campaign to encourage parents and educators to "engage youth in conversations about military service." "Their Tomorrow" features content that has aired on broadcast and cable television, as well as streaming radio, in an attempt to bridge an ever-widening disconnect between many Americans and the U.S. military, according to a Defense Department press release. "We understand there's a disconnect between the American public and their understanding of the military, especially when compared to previous generations," Matt Boehmer, director of the DoD's Office of People Analytics, said in the release. In 1995, 40 percent of youths had a parent who served, compared with only 15 percent today, a shift that has had a negative impact on recruiting, according to the release. Related: Army Launches New 'Warriors Wanted' Campaign Aimed at Generation Z This is not the first time military leaders have talked publicly about the shrinking number of potential recruits, who come mainly from families with members who have served in the military. Approximately 29 percent of America's youth "meet our entry requirements, and only four percent of that pool have a propensity to serve," Army Secretary Mark Esper told an audience recently at the 2018 Association of the United States Army's Annual Meeting and Exposition. "In many ways, our military has grown isolated from parts of society as the services become more and more of a family business," he said as he announced a new recruiting strategy targeting 22 major cities and increasing the service's presence on social media. The new DoD campaign includes "four, 30-second spots depicting critical military skills and how parents can engage in open conversations about joining," according to the release. The DoD-funded advertisements were developed by the Pentagon's advertising agency, MullenLowe. "This campaign addresses public misperceptions and concerns broadly while bringing awareness to the opportunities that exist in today's military -- all in an effort to increase the likelihood that adult influencers will support and recommend a young adult's decision to join, and that those who see the ads will consider the military as a realistic option for their futures," Boehmer said. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. China's Sub Force Is Growing More Powerful. This Is What the US Navy Needs to Do to Stay Ahead SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MI -- Unlike a wind turbine project that never achieved liftoff here, a massive solar farm that's been proposed near the Shiawassee-Geneesee County border is off to a smooth start. Members of the Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners had few questions for representatives of Ranger Power, the developer, during a meeting Wednesday, Oct. 17, and representatives of the area say they aren't hearing a lot of objections from their neighbors this time. Located roughly between Riley Road on the north, Copus Road on the south, west of Byron Road on the west and M-13 on the east, the Ranger solar farm would cover 1,200 acres but leave structures, wetlands and trees in place while adding hundreds of thousands of solar panels to the landscape, which is primarily farm land and rural homesteads. "It's been very positive ... I haven't had any complaints," Commissioner Gary Holzhausen told his colleagues Wednesday. "It all sounds good." Ranger representatives have been talking to land owners and neighbors and are promising their project is designed to use the county's solar ordinance, which requires defined setbacks from roads and the restricts the height of equipment, as a blueprint. Ranger says it wants to begin construction in Hazelton and Venice townships, property it has already secured through easement agreements or purchase options, by next year. The company says it wants to start feeding energy into the power grid -- through a power station that already exists, just south of Wilkinson Road and west of M-13 -- by 2020. As envisioned, the solar farm will have the capacity to produce up to 239 megatts, which developers say is enough to power about 35,580 typical Michigan homes. "There's going to be a market for us," said Sergio Trevino, director of permitting at Ranger, which plans to sell power to energy companies looking to increase the amount of renewable energy they use. Ranger has applied for a special use permit to allow the solar farm in Shiawassee County and expects its request to eventually be ruled on by the county Planning Commission. Sean Harris, development manager for Ranger, told county commissioners the project isn't running up against opposition so far. "We've been pretty surprised there haven't been many concerns or folks opposed," he said. That could be because the project is less imposing than the wind farm project, which called for dozens of 600-foot-tall turbines spread across four townships. "We were not happy with the wind turbines," said county Commissioner Brandon Marks, who represents part of Venice Township. "I'm going to have to figure out what people really want" with this project. "I'm someone who likes the idea of clean energy and jobs," Marks said. But "we're a small group of farming communities" in Shiawassee. "That's part of the attraction of being here. "I don't necessarily know if this will affect that." Marks said if Ranger's special use permit falls within the county's guidelines and the company builds a project that follows requirements, it's likely to move ahead and he's likely to support it. Hazelton Township Supervisor James Sheridan said he also supports what he's seen and heard so far. Ranger officials appear to be answering the questions they need to and are offering enough in easement payments that property owners are on board. "What I have seen so far, I really did not find objectionable," Sheridan said. WYOMING, MI -- A 29-year-old man was found dead on a Wyoming road Friday and police are investigating the case as suspicious. Benjamin Lamar Coates of Kentwood was found on Plaster Creek Boulevard SW between South Division Avenue and Biuchanan Avenue SW. The body was located about 5:20 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, Wyoming police said. Police have not released the cause of death. Anyone with information about the death can call the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300, Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or toll free at 1-866-774-2345. In the wake of the worst influenza season in years, Michigan public-health officials are recommending that Michigan residents get their 2018-19 flu shots sooner than later. "The influenza vaccine is the best mechanism we have to protect against this serious, life-threatening disease," said Bob Swanson, immunization program director for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The exceptions to universal vaccination: Babies under 6 months old; those with a life-threatening allergy to vaccine ingredients such as eggs or gelatin, and those who have Gullian-Barre Syndrome. People who are sick should wait until they are healthy to get a flu shot or check with their doctor, according to the CDC. Thousands of Michigan residents were hospitalized with influenza in 2017-18. Nationally, an estimated 80,000 Americans died of flu and its complications last winter, making it the deadliest flu season since 1976, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In previous seasons, flu-related deaths have ranged from a low of about 12,000 during the 2011-2012 season to a high of about 56,000 during the 2012-2013. About 29 percent of Michigan children under age 18 and about 28 percent of adults got a flu shot during the 2017-18 season, according to MDHHS data. Those low vaccination rates trouble Michigan public-health officials, who says misunderstandings about the flu vaccine abound. Here are some of the myths. Myth 1: The flu shot doesn't work. It's certainly true that people who get flu shots can still get the flu. Still, studies shows the vaccine can reduce the risk of getting the flu by 40 to 60 percent. And even when people do get the flu, those who have been vaccinated are less likely to become seriously ill. The CDC points to a recent study that flu shots reduce the risk of being admitted to an intensive care unit by 82 percent. "I wish the flu vaccine was more effective, but it's better than no protection at all," Swanson said. "It may not protect you fully, but one thing it does really well is protect you against serious illness." Myth 2: You can get the flu from the flu vaccine. Since the flu shots are made with a killed virus or a single gene from a flu virus, there is no chance of getting the flu from the vaccine, says the CDC. The most common side effects from flu shots are soreness, redness, tenderness or swelling where the shot was given, the CDC says. Low-grade fever, headache and muscle aches also may occur for one or two days. "In randomized, blinded studies, where some people get inactivated flu shots and others get salt-water shots, the only differences in symptoms was increased soreness in the arm and redness at the injection site among people who got the flu shot. There were no differences in terms of body aches, fever, cough, runny nose or sore throat," the CDC says. Swanson points out that it takes 10 days to two weeks for a flu shot to become effective. That means it's possible for someone to get exposed to the flu just before getting the vaccine, and then come down with influenza before the vaccine takes effect. "I think that happens a lot," Swanson said. "People get the shot because there are all these flu cases and they get exposed before they get the shot." Myth 3: If you're young and healthy and/or never get sick, you don't need a flu shot. Being young and healthy is no protection against influenza -- and the good news for those folks is the flu vaccine works best for that demographic. Moreover, that group also is essential in limiting the spread of the disease. When healthy people avoid getting influenza, it means the more vulnerable people in the population -- including babies too young to be vaccinated and older people for whom the vaccine is less effective -- are less likely to get infected. "The vaccine works better with children and young adults," Swanson said. "It's not nearly as effective with older adults, although they're often the ones that need protection most." A recent study suggests the number of people who get vaccinated is more important for protecting lives than the actual effectiveness of each season's vaccine. Myth 4: Doctors promote flu shots at the bidding of the pharmaceutical industry. Those skeptical of vaccinations frequently suggest that flu shots are pushed by a medical community in the thrall of the pharmaceutical industry. Not true, Swanson said. "Doctors' offices don't get a kickback for administrating a flu shot," he said. "They're pushing flu shots because they care about their patients." Also consider that flu vaccines are encouraged by public-health officials around the globe -- from Russia to Canada to the United Kingdom. Notice that includes countries with socialized health care, where doctors are insulated from lobbying by Big Pharma. From the World Health Organization: "Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent infection and severe outcomes caused by influenza viruses." Myth 5: It's better to get the flu instead of the flu vaccine. Some take what they see as a cautionary approach: It's better to risk getting the flu than risk complications from the flu vaccine. Health officials says that's a very bad bet, especially for high-risk individuals such as pregnant women or those with chronic conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. "The most common reactions people have to flu vaccines are considerably less severe than the symptoms caused by actual flu illness," the CDC says. Remember that tens of thousands of people die nationwide each year after getting influenza, and many more are hospitalized. Last winter in Michigan, 1,616 people -- including 148 children -- from Washtenaw, Genesee, Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties were hospitalized with influenza-related illnesses, according to MDHHS. (Those five counties are part of the CDC's Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Project, which provides population-based rates of hospitalization.) "Vaccines are the best protection we have" against the flu, Swanson said. "Everyone should be vaccinated and they should do it every year." Below is an interactive map showing Michigan's 2017-18 vaccination rates by county for children under 18: Next is a map show the 2017-18 vaccination rates for those 18 and older. In both maps, you can put your cursor over a county to see the underlying data. SPRING ARBOR TWP., MI - Three people are dead after a shooting at a Spring Arbor Township residence on Saturday, Oct. 20, according to Michigan State Police. Spring Arbor Township police officers and troopers from the Michigan State Police Jackson Post responded to a report of the shooting at 5:50 p.m. Saturday in the 5200 block of Moscow Road in Spring Arbor Township. Officers found three people had been shot when they entered the home. A 44-year-old man and 61-year-old man were dead, police said. A 60-year-old female was treated at the scene and then transported to Henry Ford Allegiance Health in Jackson, where she was later pronounced dead, they said. All three of the deceased resided at the house where the shooting occurred. There are no suspects outstanding or at large, police said. The names of the deceased are not yet being released. The incident remains under investigation. Troopers and detectives were assisted at the scene by Spring Arbor Township Police Department, Spring Arbor Township Rescue, Jackson Community Ambulance and members of the MSP Lansing Crime Lab. OTSEGO, MI -- Government officials told residents with health concerns that more investigation is needed before a full assessment of possible contaminants in the environment is done. After receiving test results this week that show the presence of PFAS in residential drinking wells, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will identify an additional 25 residential wells in the area of a paper factory landfill to sample and test for PFAS, Chris Lantinga of the Kalamazoo District said. The DEQ also plans to take soil samples from farm fields where sludge from paper factory was applied, he said, as well as sampling and testing properties where fly ash applied, sampling at a paper factory landfill, sampling ponds, and sampling county roads where road binder containing materials from paper production was applied. Officials from federal, state and county agencies announced the next steps at an Oct. 20 meeting to talk about the effort to investigate health and environmental concerns in the Otsego area. Residents who recently received letters about water wells tested at their homes were invited to ask questions at the start of the event, and agency officials gave presentations about the current state of their investigation. The multi-agency effort includes the DEQ, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Allegan County Health Department. The investigations began in the spring of 2018 after citizens voiced their concerns about the number of people with cancer and other serious ailments in the area. Former resident Mary Zack collected survey data from people with health concerns and shared it with the agencies, spurring further investigation. Recent testing by the DEQ showed some levels of dioxin in private wells, leading to further testing for dioxin-like substances and other substances. DEQ Kalamazoo District Supervisor Dave Heywood, right, speaks with people at an Oct. 20 meeting in Otsego. DEQ officials are questioning the validity of the results for dioxin-like substances delivered to residents this week because of possible quality control issues at the lab, Remediation and Redevelopment Division Kalamazoo District Supervisor Dave Heywood said. The DEQ started re-sampling this week for another round of dioxin-like substances that will be tested through a different lab. The recent testing, which checked for about 200 substances, also revealed PFAS in concentrations below the Environmental Protection Agency's health advisory level in some of the private residential wells. During the meeting Saturday, DEQ officials showed maps of landfills, locations where paper factory sludge was spread on farm fields, and compared the plots to locations where dioxins and PFAS were detected. More investigation is needed, Heywood said. Residents asked about filters they can use for various chemicals, inquired about lab processes, and questioned if their neighbor's well results should make them concerned. Officials from each of the agencies provided advice and advised anyone else with questions later to call a hotline. Some residents expressed frustration with the investigation. "They have not notified anybody except for the wells they tested," Al Smith, 68, of Gun Plain Township said. Zack and others asked about the possibility of an epidemiological study. "We want more studies done," she said. MDHHS plans to examine trends to make an assessment of cancer data, Deb Mackenzie-Taylor, Ph.D, Section Manager of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said. An audit of health records has to be completed before the trend study can be completed, she said. The agency is waiting to see what the other environmental investigations show, she said, and if there is reason to consider doing something more than looking at the available cancer data. Residents asked about the cause of their illnesses and if they could be tied to something found in the environment. "Sometimes it is hard to go back and look at what happened in the past. We can only look at what evidence is available today," Mackenzie-Taylor said. However, she said, some of the chemicals they are looking for don't degrade rapidly. "If they're there, we should be seeing them," she said. ASTDR Region 5 Director Mark Johnson said the investigation will include examining documents from the past, such as documents about Menasha Corp. and the former paper making processes. "We'll review any information that's available and to the extent we can than correlate that with any health effects people are reporting, we'll attempt that," Johnson said. "But it's going to be quite limited." UPDATE: Mecosta County Sheriff Todd Purcell has confirmed that the suspect has been arrested. More details will be available once the suspect is arraigned. MECOSTA COUNTY, MI - A 47-year-old man died Saturday night after being shot multiple times outside a restaurant and bar in Morley, according to the Mecosta County Sheriff's Office. Deputies have arrested a suspect in connection to a fatal shooting in Morley, Michigan, pictured here in surveillance footage. The shooting occurred around 11 p.m. Saturday night, according to the sheriff's office. Deputies have not identified the 47-year-old man from Stanwood. Deputies arrested a suspect on the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 21 after releasing the suspect's name and photo. Mecosta County Sheriff Todd Purcell said the suspect was taken into custody without incident. Purcell also confirmed that the sheriff's office was investigating the incident as a homicide. Both the sheriff's department and Michigan State Police are investigating the shooting and the investigation is ongoing. Many buildings on the campus of the Caro Center, a state psychiatric hospital at 2000 Chambers Road just outside Caro, appear to be dilapidated and abandoned. The state of Michigan wants to replace the Caro Center with a new facility somewhere else in the state, but Caro and Tuscola County are fighting to have the new facility built at its current location. (Jeff Schrier | MLive.com File Photo) INDIANFIELDS TWP, MI -- Work is underway on the new 200-bed, 225,000-square-foot Caro Psychiatric Hospital in Tuscola County. A groundbreaking ceremony including Gov. Rick Snyder and several additional state officials took place Friday, Oct. 19 near the existing 150-bed Caro Center, 2000 Chambers Road. "The new Caro Psychiatric Hospital will help meet the long-term psychiatric care needs in Michigan," said Snyder in a news release, adding the current building is aging and "the time has come for it to be replaced with a modern facility that can provide a better environment for patient care." The existing facility opened in 1914 as the Caro Farm Colony for Epileptics. It was the only state residential center for individuals with seizure disorders until 1997 and currently provides services to adults with serious mental illness from 48 counties. "The vision of MDHHS is to transform the health and human services system to improve the lives of Michigan families," said Nick Lyon, director of the state's Department of Health and Human Services. "This project is one result of our department's comprehensive evaluation of the five state-operated psychiatric facilities and we're eager to take this vital step forward in improving psychiatric care in Michigan." Granger Construction Company has already begun demolishing some existing structures on the grounds. Construction of the new facility will begin in earnest in spring 2019. David DeVries, director of the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, said the department is "committed to creating a modern, cost-efficient facility that will better meet the needs of the staff and residents of the hospital." The new facility -- with an estimated $115 million price tag -- is expected to open by 2021, according to DeVries. The center is the second-largest employer in Tuscola County and will remain in Caro after some northern Michigan lawmakers made a push to move it to an area north of Clare. Michael Hoagland, Tuscola County Controller and Administrator, previously said the new facility may come along with approximately 200 additional positions on top of saving more than 300 current jobs. (CNN) U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the U.S. is pulling out of the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia, a decades-old agreement that has drawn the ire of the President. "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years," Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One to leave Nevada following a campaign rally. "And I don't know why President Obama didn't negotiate or pull out. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to," he said. "We're the ones that have stayed in the agreement and we've honored the agreement. "But Russia has not, unfortunately, honored the agreement. So we're going to terminate the agreement. We're gonna pull out," he said of the agreement, which was signed in December 1987 by former President Ronald Reagan and former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachecv. The Trump Administration has said repeatedly that Russia has violated the treaty. Administration officials believe the treaty has put the U.S. at a disadvantage because China does not face any constraints on developing intermediate-range nuclear missiles in the Pacific and does not allow the U.S. to develop new weapons. National Security Adviser John Bolton is expected to discuss the treaty with Russian officials on his trip next week. This story was first published on CNN.com "Trump says US is ending decades-old nuclear arms treaty with Russia" Anand Rathi Commodities Prices of many agricultural commodities in the week gone rose as deficient rainfall in certain agro pockets has not only raised concerns about the output of a few kharif crops but may also affect the sowing of rabi crops. Rainfall in Gujarat (Saurashtra and Kutch particularly) being largely deficient, the cotton and castor-seed crops are in a bad shape. At the same time, conditions in the state are unfavourable for sowing jeera and coriander. Another rain-deficit region, West Rajasthan, the largest guar belt, is mostly dry and has reported heavy crop losses. Despite the peak arrival period of guar seed, prices have risen as vigorous buying is seen by stockists and guar-gum millers. In the largest grown kharif oilseed, soybean, arrival pressure has not yet built up. In the largest soybean-growing state, Madhya Pradesh, farmers are awaiting government procurement to begin so that they can cash in on the benefit of a bonus. Except for chana and turmeric, most other agricultural commodities are in the green, with coriander, guar and castor seed some of the top gainers. The fall in chana was attributed to the release of huge government-held stocks while turmeric declined as the Horticulture Department of Tamil Nadu reported higher sowing figures in Erode, one of the major turmeric-growing belts in India. The week ahead will be yet another volatile one, with arrival pressure increasing, particularly in soybean, as farmers may bring in huge quantities of their produce. Crushing plants are buying as carried-forward stocks from the last season are low and, thus, the fall will be restricted. Long-term traders should start accumulating soybean on dips around Rs 3,050-3,150. In guar seed, too, profit-booking is likely as with higher prices further stocks are released. Guar output is substantially lower this season and, thus, the trend is bullish. Sowing of rabi crops such as chana, jeera, coriander and mustard seed have not yet picked up. Also, sowing conditions are unfavourable for coriander and Jeera considering the prevailing high temperatures in Gujarat. The outlook for both the spice is bullish due to the expected drop in sowing area. 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. Geojit Financial Services The US governments move on imposing sanctions on Iran shot-up the Asian benchmark, Brent crude oil to 4-year high, upsetting countries like India, which largely rely on imported oil. The US plans to impose sanctions ignited concerns over supply crunch as Iran is the OPECs third largest producer, contributing about three percent of the global oil output. The Brent crude oil price in the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) futures exchange recently hit a high of $86.74 a barrel. Since hitting its lowest level of $27.10 a barrel in mid-January 2016, Brent crude oil has been on a recovery mode on expectations of upbeat global demand and supply worries. Despite the trade standoff between the worlds top two economies, the commodity stayed largely insulated and continued moving higher. OPEC and other top producers have been limiting their oil output by 1.8 million barrels per day since last year with a view to reduce global supply glut and lift prices, and this had a significant bearing on the oil market. Political instability in the major oil predicting nations like Venezuela and Libya too left a considerable impact on prices. Reports say oil production from Venezuela has halved in the last two years. The US re-imposing sanctions on Iran over the nuclear deal will be effective by November 4. The US is pressurising Iranian crude buyers to stop all energy dealings with the country by that date. It is expected that the absence of Iranian oil would spur supply crunch as supplies from other top OPEC producers were already limited. India and China are the top two importers of Iranian oil. However, the risk of supply shortage is now mitigated after reports from Saudi Arabia stated that the country would hike its production if the market needs. Saudi Arabia, the largest producer among the OPEC, can tap its spare production capacity to offset any such immediate shortage from Iran. The output of the country is now at about 10.7 million barrels per day and they can use their spare capacity of 1.3 million barrels per day if needed. Higher US production and record output from OPECs second largest producer, Iraq may supplement to narrow the supply shortage later. Moreover, as per reports, OPEC and its allies have now agreed to raise output after the US President urged the group to tame surging oil prices. In the meantime, high overseas prices coupled with weak rupee lead to a sharp jump in domestic oil prices. A feeble currency is playing a major role in the domestic oil market. A fragile currency could lift the landed cost of commodities, which are imported into the country. Indian oil prices jumped more than 40 percent since the start of the year, while its corresponding international prices gained only 20 percent during the period. The Indian rupee has weakened by about 17 percent since the beginning of this year. Meanwhile, since we meet about 80 percent of our oil demand by imports, prolong bullishness in oil prices is likely to hit our economy. Looking ahead, possibilities of more OPEC oil into the market and lacklustre global demand is likely to weigh further on the upside potential of oil. On the domestic side, weak currency may maintain pressure on local prices. Any sudden recovery in currency would tend to make price weak, else may continue the momentum. Disclaimer: The author is Head of Commodity Research at Geojit Financial Services. 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. Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) are bracing for tougher times in the coming months to meet funding requirements for making short-term repayments. While most heads of NBFCs do not see a crisis situation as yet, they suggest that limited access to capital will see short-term pain to meet repayments on debt maturities in November and December. While NBFCs and HFCs (housing finance companies) are blaming rumours and sudden panic for the adverse market conditions, Moodys Investors Service in its report pointed out that some of the companies have followed poor liquidity management practices. Therefore, under current market conditions, where refinancing and rollovers may not be easy, low liquidity levels will make it tougher to meet short-term repayments. This comes even as Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) have assured liquidity injection and buying of portfolios from NBFCs. Moodys analysis of these companies' liquidity management practices suggested that they are capable of coping with liquidity distress within a one-month period, after which the ability would further weaken. It pointed out that there is additional stress as a substantial amount of this market debt is short-term in nature and will need to be rolled over. Indonesian vaccine maker Bio Farma on October 19 denied any contamination at its end of the oral polio bulk vaccine supplied to Indian company Bio-Med with phased out polio type 2 virus strain. The company told Moneycontrol that it had conducted an internal investigation of facility assessment and testing of retain samples of all bulks shipped to Bio-Med and found no of presence of type 2 polio virus. The company further said the same batches have also been shipped to their other partners as well as utilised by Bio Farma with no complaints of the kind. Bio Farma's statement comes at a time when inspectors of Indian drug regulator Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) are headed to the South East Asia country for further investigation. The company came under the lens of CDSCO inspectors as it supplied bulk vaccine or key starting material (KSM) to Ghaziabad-based Bio-Med. Bio-Med supplied around 1.5 lakh vials of oral polio vaccine contaminated with long-eradicated type 2 polio virus putting India's polio-free-country status at risk and has left millions worried about their children's health. Source of contamination The investigation of CDSCO is yet to find the source of contamination. The investigation conducted by CDSCO team on the premises of Bio-Med facility failed to reveal the source of the virus. There were reports in the media quoting an unnamed health ministry official as saying they have not found anything suspicious during the investigation on Bio-Med's premises, except for some deviations in sterilisation and manufacturing standards. The CDSCO which is part of health ministry is yet to make an official statement on its findings at Bio-Med. If the Bio Farma version is to be believed, then the needle once again point towards Biomed. Or if Biomed is not the source of type 2 polio virus contamination, as some media reports indicate, then there could be a possibility of foul play in the transit. That is an extremely serious matter for the government. Lack of oversight Many were baffled by the existence of type-2 polio virus which ought to have been destroyed in 2016 itself by all companies and laboratories, with exception of governments National Institute of Virology in Pune. This is no simple voluntary destruction, the companies will have to give an undertaking on the destroyed stocks and CDSCO will have to verify them. Bio-Med was said to have complied with the government order. There were also gaps in the procedures followed by governments Central Research Institute at Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh responsible of testing vaccines for any contamination. The last, but not the least -- the manufacturing practices at Bio-Med. Vaccine manufacturers world over are subjected to stringent regulatory standards, as they deal with biologic products, that are prone for contamination and instability. The manufacturing facilities of vaccine companies are inspected routinely, and sometimes unannounced to review conformance with current good manufacturing practices (cGMP), maintenance of facilities, manufacturing and quality systems and performance of the process. Vaccines out on market are also constantly monitored to see any adverse events. This is not the first case for Bio-Med. In March, this year CDSCO ordered a national recall of Bio-Med typhoid conjugate vaccine that was found to be substandard. This incident should have alarmed CDSCO. There is also growing a demand for the government to make World Health Organisation (WHO) Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) as pre-requisite to participate in government tenders. WHO GMP is already a prerequisite for most international tenders. In India, it is not mandatory to have WHO GMP or pre-qualification to participate in government tenders. Answer: Best Buy live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Equity99 The market has reversed after rallying for three-sessions, with the Nifty returning back above 10,300 levels. The index had corrected 168.95 points on a weekly basis and 406.45 points from its intra-week high led by financial stocks. Foreign investors (FPI/FIIs) have pulled out Rs 93,392 crore since January, of which Rs 33,343 crore are from equities. As a result, the Nifty is down 13 percent from its recent highs, with midcaps and smallcaps hurt the most. Most midcaps and smallcaps are available 40-60 percent cheaper since January. India is facing some macro problems and liquidity issues, but micro factors still remain strong. Liquidity issues may be resolved in the next 4-6 months. The next 6-8 months are the best time to invest in a staggered manner in quality stocks. Investors can also start additional systematic transfer plans in mutual funds for the next 8-12 months. This week, the Nifty has strong support at 10,200-10,140 levels and resistance at 10,445-10,525 levels. A number of companies will announce their results this week. These include: Alembic Pharma, Asian Paints, GSK Pharma, Hindustan Zinc, Oberoi Realty, Adani Ports, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, HCL Technologies, HDFC Life, RBL Bank, Bajaj Auto, Jubilant Foodworks, Kotak Mahindra Bank, L&T Finance, M&M Finance, Bharti Airtel, Biocon, JSW Steel, Maruti Suzuki, Yes Bank, ICICI Bank, Nestle and UPL. Here is the list of top three stocks which can offer better returns over the medium to long term. Amarjothi Spinning Mills Amarjothi Spinning Mills is a major supplier of melange yarn to the Tirupur market with its local presence. The company has been improving its share of value added yarn in the market in the form of Dyed fibre yarn, Dyed cotton yarn, PC yarn, etc. It had posted excellent numbers for Q1FY19. Its sales grew by 7.42 percent YoY and 18 percent QoQ basis while PAT increased by 24 percent YoY and 223 percent QoQ basis. With an equity capital of Rs 6.75 crore and reserve of Rs 104 crore, ASML's share book value works out to Rs 170 and P/BV ratio is below 0.55x, which is attractive. At the CMP, the stock trades at a P/E of just 4.2x on TTM EPS. Well-known investor Anil Goel holds 3.11 percent stake in the company. Stock has almost corrected 62 percent from its 52-week high price of Rs 244.5. We are recommended a buy for medium to long term. Suven Life Sciences Suven Life Sciences is a pharmaceutical research company that leverages its innovation capability to undertake NCE-based CRAMS projects involving discovery and development of molecules for innovator companies. During Q1FY19, its net profit increased by 31.34 percent on YoY basis on 35.9 percent higher income of Rs.191.66 crore. It is continuous dividend paying company. It has paid 100 percent dividend in FY17 & paid 150 percent dividend in FY18. Suven Life Science is on a path to strengthen its core revenue from CRAMS business. The successful completion of trials for SUVN502 would lead to monetisation of this molecule and ultimately boosting its earnings. SUVN502 which is a lead molecule for patients with moderate Alzheimers, SUVN-502, is in phase-2A. Management expects enrollment to be completed soon and results is expected to be out in Q2FY20. Suven trades at PE ratio of 18x earnings. We are recommending a buy in staggered manner for medium to long term. Power Finance Corporation PFC specialises in power sector financing, providing fund and non-fund based support for development of power projects in India. The company's project financing activities are primarily focused on the thermal and hydro-energy generation areas. It has also initiated financing of projects based on renewable energy sources such as bio mass and wind power generation. It has reported excellent results for Q1FY19, NII has improved by 4.44 percent while PAT increased by 22.34 percent YoY. At CMP, the stock is trading at P/E of just 3.55x. Company is paying huge dividend every year and dividend yield is above 9.5 percent based on last year's dividend payout. Company's total loan asset of Rs 2,78,915 crore as on March 2018 out of which 89 percent of the loan assets are regular in servicing of dues and no stress is envisaged. We are recommending a buy in staggered manner for medium to long term. Disclaimer: The author is Founder of Equity99. 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. More than 56 years after India's war with China, villagers of Arunachal Pradesh have received nearly Rs 38 crore as compensation for the land acquired by the Army to set up its bases, bunkers and barracks. At a special function, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu distributed the cheques to the villagers of West Kameng district on Friday. "A total of Rs 37.73 crore has been given to the villagers. Those were community land. So the huge amount they received will be distributed amongst the villagers," Rijiju told PTI. Among those who received the cheques include Prem Dorjee Khrimey, who received Rs 6.31 crore, while Phuntso Khawa got Rs 6.21 crore and Khandu Glow received Rs 5.98 crore. After the 1962 India-China war, the Army had acquired huge tracks of land to set up its bases, bunkers, barracks, construct roads, build bridges and other installations. However, no compensation was given to the landowners till last year. Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, had persuaded with the Defence Ministry and got the compensation amounts sanctioned. "Lands acquired by the Army were done in national interest, but no government has bothered to pay the compensation to the villagers of Arunachal Pradesh since the 1960s. I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for clearing it finally. Total cheques of Rs 37.73 crore were handed over," he said. In April 2017, Rs 54 crore was distributed among 152 families of three villages of West Kameng district. In September that year, another instalment of Rs 158 crore was distributed among the villagers for the private land taken over by the Army. In February 2018, Rs 40.80 crore was handed over to 31 families in Tawang district. The pending cases of land acquisition related to the districts of Tawang, West Kameng, Upper Subansiri, Dibang Valley and West Siang in Arunachal Pradesh. Seeking a fourth straight term in Madhya Pradesh, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intends to cast a 'magic spell' on voters during the upcoming state Assembly polls. The party would be roping in magicians to highlight the work done by it in the last 15 years and compare it with that of the previous Congress government, MP BJP spokesman Rajnish Agrawal told PTI. "We have plans to hire magicians for campaigning and publicity," he said, adding that magic shows would be organised at market places to reach out to voters, especially in rural and semi-urban areas. The number of magicians to be utilised for this is yet to be decided. But, the BJP hopes to start the magic shows soon and budget allocation for these activities is also being worked out, Agrawal said. "With this art, we are going to tell people about what the BJP government has done for people, especially the weaker sections of society in Madhya Pradesh in the last 15 years," the spokesman said. The magic shows would also highlight the "poor condition" of roads, electricity supply and basic amenities during the 10-year Congress government headed by Digvijay Singh between 1993 and 2003 in the state, he said. The MP Assembly polls will be held on November 28 and counting of votes will take place on December 11. About half of Chinese imports to the US have an additional 10% duty, while China has, so far, retaliated with tariffs on US goods worth $110 billion. America-China relations are witnessing a confrontationist-competitive shift. India must plan to take advantage of anti-Chinese measures the USA is internationalising. It is no more just trade friction or a trade war between the United States and China. Rather, it is becoming clear that the US-China relations witnessing a power rivalry that is very much deliberate, different from their usual Cold War rivalry. The ramifications of this new rivalry will affect every system, sectors and countries in some form or the other. This is due to the structural linkages that the US and Chin-ese economies enjoy with the global financial and pol-itical system. How should India view and respond to this growing power rivalry between them? Indias choices are plenty. However, India must exercise caution while responding to this tug-of-war. No matter how institutionalised the US-China relationship currently is and how significant their economic ties is for global economic stability, their intensifying trade conflict is likely to strengthen further. New flashpoints are emerging, moving from economic and security aspects to balance of power in times to come. It is evident that the US-China relationship will not return to their old status-quo immediately. Indeed, a consensus seems to have been arrived in Washington policy circles that no matter who reigns in the White House, the American world will not be seen as compromising to its prime global competitor, China. The U-S-China ties is witnessing a shift to one that is more confrontationist-competitive from a cooperative-competitive post-Cold War China policy. That means, India must note that it is an American war on China rather than Chinas Ame-rica war. India must plan to take advantage of the anti-Chinese measures that the US is internationalising through its current trade war without making an obvious anti-China posture in Indian foreign policy. A number of spheres of influence are likely to emerge to which India should carefully aim to position its leverage. First, a new momentum could be built in India-China relations itself, mainly in the economic domain. The Chinese leadership should be made to realise that Chinas global rise is not an exclusive phenomenon, and should not be at Indias expense as a regional and global partner. Beijing must revisit its arrogant approach towards India. There are encouraging signs already though, with the Chinese Embassy spokesperson Ji Rong stating that China and India need to deepen their cooperation to fight trade protectionism. Though stated multiple times now over the last decade, it is yet to be finalised on how to fight a trade protectionism and a range of economic issues, from bilateral to multilateral, need to be discussed. Both India and China should should focus to strengthen the Strategic Economic Dialogue, Financial Dialogue and the India-China Joint Eco-nomic Group (JEG) meeting. These dialogue must bring global substance to India-China relations. Second, bilaterally, India must aim to address the trade imbalance between the two countries. Already a good momentum has started in Indias favour with China reducing non-tariff barriers on non-Basmati rice, and also removing import duties on anti-cancer pharmaceutical products. The issue, however, should be attended keeping in view that trade imbalance might grow further when India and China emerge as de facto free trade agreement (FTA) partners post the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiation. Multilaterally, India needs a concentrated dialogue with China to have a better interaction within the framework of emerging economies. The American allegation against Beijing might be that China is taking undue advantage of the global governance structure as a developing economy while its economy has substantially developed. For India however it makes sense to treat China as a developing economy partner to serve its interests from climate change to reforming the global financial institutions. Besides, the India-China multilateral interaction in financial institutions has grown post-BRICS formulation, particularly with the emergence of New Development Bank (NDB) and Asia Infrastr-ucture Investment Bank (AIIB). Still, the emerging economies need a better space in the classical Bretton Woods institutions, in terms of better representation and securing better voting rights. India needs to strike a deal with China on this. Third, Trumps trade war with China is not all about tariffs, or aluminium, cars or steel products. It is connected to a range of other issues relating to Chinas ever-growing linkages with the global supply chain and governance structure. The real US target is, therefore, to soften Chinas attitude towards global accountability, transparency and remo-ve barriers for foreign companies competing with Chi-nas domestic market. The eventual aim is to check the Chinese technological adva-ncement through Made in China 2025, which would primarily threaten US supremacy in technology and global operations. Thus, the Chinese would be searching for new markets, including India, to sustain their Made in China 2025 campaign. Though every Chinese technological product comes with the baggage of Beijing being a suspect power in the Indian market, there are softer technological areas of cooperation possible. Advanced railway equipment, new-energy saving vehicles, agricultural machinery, bio-medicine and high-performance medical devices are products that India could import from China to start with. Fourth, India also equally needs to strengthen anti-China measures globally that is threatening Indian interests. India could expedite regional and global understanding on pressing issues like connectivity and investment infrastructure with the US and other partners such as Japan to balance out Chinas outreach, mainly arising from its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Strong global activism required to question Chinas non-transparent project executions across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and beyond, mainly in Africa. The African world needs to be taken into greater confidence by powers such as India, the US and Japan for which a greater coordination is required. A proposition like the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) between India and Japan should be nurtured. Trumps National Security Strategy (NSS) paper calling China a revisionist power has much subtext. The Americans are aware that if BRI succeeds, it will not only strengthen the Chinese economy but also amplify the rule of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Therefore, one of the main intents behind Trumps trade conflict is to disrupt the progress of the BRI execution. This must encourage India to better posture itself in the Indo-Pacific coalition and protect its commercial and strategic interests without antagonising China. Moving away from non-alignment has been prudent for India, enabling it to take advantage of both the American led Washington consensus and the Chinese led Beijing consensus. India must, however, realise is that the US is not only in a dispute with China, but with its alliance partners as well, including the European Union, Mexico, Russia and Canada. This must impart India to not put all its eggs in the same basket but widen its economic trade linkages. Indias recent decision to go ahead with Moscow on the S-400 deal despite US pressure through CAATSA signifies the ripeness of Indias pluralistic foreign policy. New Delhis association with both Russia and China within and outside the SCO structure needs to be strengthened and diversified. India needs to see its cooperation with the EU in new light. In brief, the US-China ongoing rivalry is largely a post-Cold war inheritance: China is trying to establish a new international system while the United States wants to preserve its supremacy over both the international system and the global order. It is time for India to not just look beyond the US-China prism, but act on strengthening that stance. Dr. Jagannath Panda is a Fellow with the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi. He is also the Centre Coordinator for East Asia. Protesters clashed with security personnel and pelted them with stones at the Amritsar train accident site after they were removed from the railway tracks, police officials said. A Punjab police commando and a photojournalist were injured as the protestors, who were staging a sit-in at the site, started pelting stones and indulged in brick-batting, they said. The situation is tense at and around the site and a huge police deployment has been made to maintain law and order, they said. Officials said that personnel from the Punjab Police and Rapid Action Force have been deployed alongside the state police commandos. The clash started minutes after the security forces removed the protestors, numbering in hundreds, from the track to clear it for traffic, the officials said. Local residents have been protesting at the site and blocking the railway track since Friday evening when 59 Dussehra revellers were mowed down by a speeding train. Police are also making an announcement on loudspeakers asking people to remain inside their houses. Congress President Gandhi While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is thinking of not giving tickets to 70-80 of its sitting Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) for the forthcoming Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, the opposition Congress is almost ready to renominate 42 out of its 57 legislators. MP goes to polls on November 28 and counting of votes will be taken up on December 11. The state has a 230-member House. A Congress leader, on condition of anonymity, told PTI Saturday that the work of these 42 MLAs who are likely to renominated was found to be satisfactory. "In fact MP Congress chief Kamal Nath is not in favour of dropping sitting MLAs without a valid reason from the first nomination list of 71 candidates which is going to come out shortly," he said. He said that a final list of candidates had been prepared and has been submitted to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi who will take a call on it. "There is a strong anti-incumbency wave in MP and we are going to return to power after 15 years," he said. A senior MP BJP leader had Friday told PTI that the party was thinking of not repeating 70-80 out of 165 MLAs in order to tide over anti-incumbency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the fourth edition of the NITI Lecture Series focussed on 'leveraging artificial intelligence for inclusive growth' on October 22, according to an official statement. Modi will attend the lecture series in which the key note address will be delivered by Jensen Huang, president and co-Founder of US-based technology firm NVIDIA Corporation, the Niti Aayog said Sunday. The government think tank said the 2018 theme for the lecture series 'AI for All: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Inclusive Growth' is part of the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence aimed at evolving a robust ecosystem in India for AI research and adoption. Union ministers, policy makers, experts from different walks of life along with Niti Aayog vice chairman, CEO, members and other senior officials will also be present on the occasion. The Union Budget 2018 had mandated the Niti Aayog to come up with a national programme on employing artificial intelligence towards national development and since the Aayog has published a National Strategy for artificial intelligence (AI). The Aayog said its has signed statements of intent (SoI) with industry leaders such as Google, Microsoft and IBM to leapfrog India into global arena of future technologies and enable use of AI in key, high gain sectors of social development -- healthcare, agriculture, smart mobility, education and infrastructure. The Aayog said it has launched multiple projects in areas of precision agriculture, creating AI led healthcare solutions, and bridging India's diversity of languages by creating a digital 'Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat' platform using Natural Language Processing (NLP). The NLP is a system of protocols which allow machines or computers to understand and interact with human speech and symbols. The Niti Aayog said it has also identified barriers that need to be addressed to achieve success in use of artificial intelligence with the aim to use the technology across all sectors. It has also proposed setting up of a Centre of Research Excellence (CORE) to focus on developing better understanding of existing core research, it said. The 'NITI Lectures: Transforming India' was inaugurated by Modi in August 2016 featuring eminent speakers from across the world. The first key note address 'India and the Global Economy' was delivered by the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam. President Donald Trump has confirmed that the US will pull out of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty that it had signed with Russia during the Cold War and alleged that Moscow has "violated" the agreement. We're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out, Trump told reporters Saturday in Nevada when asked about responding reports that his National Security Advisor John Bolton wants the US to pull out of the three-decade-old treaty. We'll have to develop those weapons, he said. The INF treaty was signed between the then US president Ronald Reagan and his USSR counterpart Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles. It eliminates all nuclear and conventional missiles, as well as their launchers, with ranges of 5001,000 km or 310620 miles (short-range) and 1,0005,500 km or 6203,420 miles (intermediate-range). We are going to terminate the agreement and then we are going to develop the weapons, unless Russia and China agree to a new deal, the US president said. He alleged that Russia had violated the agreement. "Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years," Trump said. He asserted that "and we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to. We'll have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say let's really get smart and let none of us develop those weapons, but if Russia's doing it and if China's doing it, and we're adhering to the agreement, that's unacceptable," Trump asserted. He said the US will not adhere to the agreement unless others were violating it. Trump alleged that his predecessor Barack Obama had kept quiet on this. I don't know why President Obama didn't negotiate or pull out. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to," he said. "We're the ones that have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement. If they get smart and if others get smart and they say let's not develop these horrible nuclear weapons, I would be extremely happy with that, but as long as somebody's violating the agreement, we're not going to be the only ones to adhere to it," the US president said. On occasion of police commemoration day, PM Modi hailed police personnel for their efforts in ensuring peace in country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 at Hot Spring area in Ladakh. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday dedicated the refurbished National Police Memorial, including a newly built museum of these forces, to the nation on the occasion of police commemoration day. He also paid tributes to the policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 at Hot Spring area in Ladakh. The Prime Minister also honoured the survivors of the Hot Spring incident. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior BJP leader L K Advani also paid homage to the martyred policemen. Addressing the gathering at National Police Memorial, PM Modi hailed the police personnel for their efforts in ensuring peace in the country. It is the result of your (police) alertness that the elements which create unrest are unsuccessful in their attempts. The attempts to create fear and insecurity in the nation were foiled by you. The peace prevalent in the nation is possible only due to your services, the Prime Minister said. On the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also remembered the soldiers, who are on duty in Jammu and Kashmir and Naxal-hit areas and lauded their efforts. It is the day to remember every jawan who maintains law and peace in Jammu and Kashmir and fights against terrorism. Jawans on duty in Naxal-affected areas are doing a great service. It's also due to them that the number of Naxal affected districts is going down and the youth is coming to the mainstream, he said. Hours before inaugurating the memorial, PM Modi tweeted: "A grateful nation pays tributes to all those policemen and policewomen martyred in the line of duty. We salute their families for their fortitude." Ministers of state in the Home Ministry Kiren Rijiju and Hansram G Ahir, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval along with senior officers and personnel of various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and state police forces were present during the event. Earlier, CRPF Director General R R Bhatnagar said that the about 3.25-lakh personnel strong paramilitary has been the recipient of the maximum gallantry awards over the years for action in Naxal violence hit and militancy affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir and north eastern states, news agency PTI reported. The family members of the personnel who died in the line of duty were invited to the event, officials said. The memorial has been erected on 6.12 acres of land in Chanakyapuri, at the northern end of Shanti Path and it represents all state and union territories' police forces as well as central police organisations of the country. Over 34,000 police personnel have been killed in action till now in the country and during the last about one year time (September 1, 2017 to October, 31 this year) a total of 414 personnel have laid down their lives or died due to unnatural reasons, a latest data said. The national police museum depicts the history, artefacts, uniform and gear of central and state police forces. The protestors chanting Ayyappa mantra stopped 2 Andhra women, said to be in their 40s, at the foothills itself. Protestors gather as a Trichy resident who had trekked up with her family to Sabarimala temple, in Pathanamthitta, on Saturday. (Photo: PTI) Thiruvananthapuram: As the Sabarimala row in Kerala refuses to die down, Ayyappa devotees on Sunday prevented two Telugu-speaking women from climbing the holy hills. The protestors chanting Ayyappa mantra stopped the women, said to be in their 40s, at the foothills itself. The women were accompanied by their relatives. The police, which took the women to safety, said that the duo informed the security forces that they came to Sabarimala without knowing the customs of the temple. The women were part of a pilgrims group visiting temples in Kerala. They have been taken to Nilakkal where their vehicle was parked, police said. The protesters, however, allowed other women in the above 50 age group to climb the holy hills. Meanwhile, the two women from Andhra Pradesh, gave in writing to the police that they did not want to break the centuries-old custom of the temple, sources said. Sunday is the fifth day since the temple gates were opened for the monthly puja after the Supreme Court last month lifted a centuries-old ban on women between 10 and 50 years entering the Lord Ayyappa shrine. A Dalit woman activist, who was planning to visit the Sabarimala shrine on Saturday, had put her plans on hold and left Pamba following heavy rain, as high drama was witnessed when another woman was stopped from entering the temple by devotees who thought she was under 50 years of age. Meanwhile, the Sabarimala Karma Samithi has decided to strengthen its agitation against the CPI(M)-led Kerala government's "hasty" move to implement the Supreme Court order. The Samiti has called for "namajapa yatra" (protest march chanting Ayyappa mantra) to police stations across the southern state against alleged police action on their activists. Hundreds of women participated in one such protest march held in Erumeli, a key pilgrim centre connected with Sabarimala. BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai urged the state government to convene assembly session to discuss the issue. He claimed that even CPI(M) members in the state were opposing the bid to break the custom of the ancient shrine. CPI(M) politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai said the protestors did not have the support of the Kerala society. Kerala state police chief Loknath Behera said the police will conduct a review of the alleged police lapses while handling the issues related to Sabarimala after the doors of the shrine close on Monday after the monthly Pooja. He said the Sabarimala pilgrim season beginning next month was going to be a challenging one for them. Kerala has been witnessing massive protests by Lord Ayyappa devotees opposing the entry of girls and women of menstrual age into the Sabarimala temple since the government decided to implement the apex court order. How does the city get ahead of the infrastructure and housing problems that its residents face? Please provide specifics, including if the city should go to the voters for the quarter-cent sales tax that is available. A few years ago, the Garfield and Wadley intersection opened up and devoured a car. Brown water from the decades old clay pipes back flowed into kitchen sinks. Most recently the Midkiff sinkhole decided to rear its ugly head. Weve failed to address our infrastructure challenges for decades. From 2008-13, when I served on the Midland City Council, we directed the staff to develop an infrastructure plan that included water, sewer and drainage issues, road maintenance and construction. No less important, new infrastructure improvements for future neighborhood development. We should have invested in this plan so that our housing crisis would be nowhere near as severe as it is now. The economy weakened. Housing wasnt as much of a problem, so therefore it wasnt much of a priority. But as the economy improved and the coffers started filling up. Wants, not needs, began to take over. This was wrong. Infrastructure is not sexy. It is not glamorous. It doesnt make headlines. Poor infrastructure cripples our ability to build homes and businesses, move goods and supplies, and manage growth in a smart, orderly way. But like most races, the key to getting ahead and staying ahead is to not get behind. Sadly, were behind and prices are high. So, what do we do now? Short Term. 1.Giving the mall a $7.5 million tax rebate this year and then raising property taxes by 3 percent was not smart. There may have been a good reason, but when viewed in the context of high rents, aging infrastructure and police and firefighter shortages, it just doesnt make sense. I voted against a similar proposal when I was on the council. We simply cannot make bad deals like this anymore. Even when, especially when the economy is good, and the coffers are full we must still be responsible stewards of the taxpayers dollars. 2.We must outsource the process of reviewing construction plans. We simply dont have the capacity to review them at the rate theyre submitted. But our situation is unique. Not every community in Texas is blazing hot like we are. In fact, in many parts of Texas, planning departments are not busy at all. The quicker we can review plans for new neighborhoods and apartment complexes, the quicker developers we can build. More housing means lower prices. 3.Allow unique housing approaches like container and tiny homes in appropriate parts of the city. These are quick to construct and easy to move if and when the time comes. Long Term. 1.We must ask the citizens to approve the Type B sales tax. However, it cant be a 25-year everything but the kitchen sink request. It has to be about things we need, not things we want. If elected, I would support asking the voters to approve the Type B sales tax for not more than 10 years and for infrastructure only. Developers can then build neighborhoods and apartment communities. We might also be able to catch up; and stay caught up. Additionally, this approach would give our citizens the ability to designate other priorities (like schools, teachers, hospital issues) and how to fund them. Citizens have the right to make those decisions and we should let them. Im asking for your vote for a lot of reasons. As a retired businessman, former city council member and a resident of Midland for over 35 years, I truly believe my experience matters in times like these. And if important to you, Id also ask you to consider these: 1. Im the only candidate who has voted against property tax increases. 2. I am one of only two candidates in the race that vote in Republican primaries. 3. I am one of only two candidates whose complete voting record on city of Midland issues is available to the public. 4. I continue to support retention and recruitment bonuses for first responders. But at the end of the day, Im asking for your vote because like you, I want to build a better community for our kids and grandkids. #VOTETROST Want to know more? Join me on Saturdays at 10 a.m. On the 20th, Ill be at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, and on the 27th, Ill be at Martinez Bakery, Or you can call me at 432-528-3611, email me at trostformidland@gmail.com or message me at facebook.com/mbtrost. The Kerala Muslim Jama'ath Council expelled her for 'hurting the sentiments of lakhs of Hindu devotees'. Activist Rehana Fathima's house was allegedly vandalised by unidentified persons while she was away trying to climb the holy hills on Friday. (Photo: File/PTI) Kochi: Activist Rehana Fathima, who had made an attempt to enter Sabarimala temple, has been expelled from the Muslim community for "hurting the sentiments of lakhs of Hindu devotees", the Kerala Muslim Jama'ath Council said. Initiating action against Rehana, Kerala Muslim Jama'ath Council president A Poonkunju said in a press statement Saturday that she had been expelled from the community. He said the Council has also directed the Ernakulam Central Muslim Jama'ath to expel her and her family from the membership of Mahallu. "Her act hurt lakhs of Hindu devotees," the statement said. Her act was also against the rituals of Hindu community, it said. Pookunju said Rehana, who had participated in 'Kiss of Love' agitation and acted nude in a film, "has no right to use a Muslim name". The activist's house was allegedly vandalised by unidentified persons while she was away trying to climb the holy hills on Friday. She made a failed attempt to reach the temple with heavy police protection. The attackers reached Rehana's house in Panambilly Nagar here while she was climbing the hills. Also Read: Undeterred by protests, 2 women trek to Sabarimala temple amid tight security Rehana, a model and activist who was part of the 'Kiss of Love' movement in Kochi in 2014 against alleged moral policing, was among the two women who had reached the hilltop, but had to return before reaching the sanctum sanctorum following massive protests by Ayyappa devotees. Rehana and Hyderabad-based journalist Kavitha were taken to the hills with heavy police protection. A mother of two and employee of the BSNL, the activist had kicked up a row last year by posing for topless photos with watermelons in protest against a Kozhikode-based college professor's statement comparing women's breasts to watermelons. Meanwhile, a case has been registered by police in Pathanamthitta against the activist for hurting religious sentiments. The case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by one Radhakrishna Menon. On September 28, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by then chief justice Dipak Misra had lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine, but a section of devotees is protesting the decision. This week, Arlene and I are travelling to Sierra Madre, California, to see our daughter, son-in-law and amazing grandsons. Caleb and Noah are 8 and 6. As soon as we arrive, Ill buy a local newspaper and sit down and read it with them. Well discuss what we read and use it as both information gathering and a great bonding experience. As I have stated before, I love newspapers. I love to hold them in my hands and scan the pages. I enjoy the feel, the smell, and the anticipation of what the next page may bring. I think in part because I remember my dad sitting each day after work, reading the paper. It was a daily ritual. Local newspapers are indeed a major part of the fabric of a community, as the information that is provided keeps us locally informed and binds us together. The proclamation of the death of the local newspaper industry is greatly exaggerated. There is every reason for this local paper to not only survive but thrive. A community needs its very own newspaper. In a world of cable news and social media, most Americans now get their news from Facebook, Twitter, MSNBC, CNN and Fox News. These sources are almost completely focused on national and international news. Im a news junkie, so Im also tuned in to these sources, but the best place to find out whats happening in the place you live is here, in your local newspaper. Following trends and changes in lifestyle, most newspapers now have an online offering and that is great for people on the move. I travel often and its easy for me to find out whats happening locally even when I am several time zones away. But there is more to the newspaper story. Dan Patio Dalton, sales director at Kid Scoop, posted an experience on LinkedIn.com that I found both interesting and amusing. With his permission, I will share it with you. Dan writes, So, I was reading my newspaper at a local Starbucks this morning. A young mother and her two young children came into the coffee shop, passing me on their way to order. On their way out, the mother looked at me and smiled. Outside the glass door I noticed they stopped, and she was having a conversation with her children. They all turned and reentered the coffee shop and approached me. I was talking with my kids and they said, that man was reading a newspaper and not a screen. He must be smart! Dans post reminds me how unusual it must be for some children to see someone reading a physical newspaper. We are a nation addicted to our screens and hand-held gadgets. Many believe that reading from a screen or a piece of paper is the same. You may be surprised to find that it may not be so. There are numerous studies looking at the difference and the results are surprising. ScientificAmerican.com writes, There is evidence from laboratory experiments, polls and consumer reports that indicate that modern screens and e-readers fail to adequately recreate certain tactile experiences of reading on paper that many people miss, and more importantly, prevent them from navigating long texts in an intuitive and satisfying way. In turn, such navigational difficulties may subtly inhibit reading comprehension. Compared with paper, screens may also drain more of our mental resources, while making it harder to remember what we read. I certainly know from experience, reading from paper gives me both better comprehension and recall of what I have read. I love my digital devices. I believe they have an important place in our world, but they should not be viewed as an adequate replacement for printed words. The evidence is mounting that our kids should be taught to read from books and newspapers. This is all beside the fact that reading from a screen can be more taxing and damaging to your eyes. Subscribe to and read your local newspaper. Know what is happening locally as well as globally. Your kids know how to read and navigate a screen. Teach them to hold and read from a newspaper. They should have the opportunity to know and experience both, so they can make intelligent choices of how they get their news and information. As Dan learned, reading a newspaper can make you look smarter. Scientific research may be showing that it not only makes you look smarter but may increase your level of intelligence. Wow. Behold, the power of this newspaper. Gary W. Moore is a columnist, speaker and author of three books. Political class must sacrifice in the ... Interestingly, Ajit Jogi has already announced that he will not contest the forthcoming Assembly polls in the state. New Delhi: While the leader of the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh, Ajit Jogi joined hands with the Bahujan Samaj Party and Communist Party of India to queer the pitch for the Congress in the forthcoming assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, his wife, Dr Renu Jogi, could well be a Congress candidate from Kota Assembly segment in the state. Incidentally, Mr Jogi's daughter-in-law, Richa Jogis name has been anounced as a BSP candidate for the forthcoming polls. Sources close to the Jogi clan revealed that Dr Renu Jogi continues to be the member of the Congress and has not yet resigned from the party. While the father-son duo of former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi and Amit Jogi had a falling out with the Congress high command and were expelled for anti party activities for six years in 2016. However, Dr Renu Jogi is understood to have maintained an independent relationship with party leadership and served the entire term and is also learnt to be keen on representing the Congress in the constituency again. It is learnt that the Congress, which is caught in a triangular fight in the state is now considering giving her a party ticket from Kota constiuency, an assembly segment which she had represented in the outgoing house. Sources stated that the Congress' move to offer Jogis wife a party ticket is an attempt to keep doors open for a post-poll alliance with the former party man. who had served as the first CM of the state. Interestingly, Ajit Jogi has already announced that he will not contest the forthcoming Assembly polls in the state. Out of a total 90 Assembly segments in Chhattisgarh, the JCC is contesting a total of 55 seats, while the BSP will be contesting 33 seats. The coalition has agreed to allocate two seats - Sukma and Dantewada in the Naxal afected Bastar region - to the CPI. The state is scheduled to go to polls on November 12 and November 20 while the declartion of results is on December 11. Municipal corporation councillor Vijay Madan, her son Sourabh Madan Mithu, main organisers of Dussehra event, have gone underground. The accident happened when a crowd of Dussehra revellers spilled onto the railway tracks near Joda Phatak and could not see the train approaching them. (Photo: PTI) Amritsar: As a blame game played out over the Dussehra tragedy in Amritsar, the police admitted they gave the organisers a no-objection certificate but said the event where a train mowed down at least 61 revellers also needed permission from the municipal corporation. A leaked letter indicated that the organisers the family of a local Congress councillor had also sought security arrangements at the venue where Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu and his ex-MLA wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu were expected. But eyewitnesses complained the arrangements for the safety of people at the ground along the tracks near Joda Phatak were not adequate. "Why did the government not ensure proper security arrangements? Why was such a function allowed to take place near the railway tracks?" asked Sujit Singh. Railway officials said no permission was sought from them either and ruled out any inquiry by the department into what they said was the worst accident due to trespass on railway tracks. The Government Railway Police (GRP) registered an FIR against unknown persons and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced a magisterial inquiry, which will submit its report within four weeks. Amritsar Deputy Commissioner of Police Amrik Singh Powar said the organisers were given a no objection certificate' on the condition that they also get permission from the municipal corporation and the pollution department. However, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation distanced itself from the tragedy. "Nobody was given permission for organising the Dussehra event. Moreover, nobody had applied for the permission with the Amritsar Municipal Corporation," Commissioner Sonali Giri said. Municipal corporation councillor Vijay Madan and her son Sourabh Madan Mithu, the main organisers of the Dussehra celebration, have gone underground with other family members. According to police, a few people angry over the accident attacked their residence, broke window panes and pelted stones on Saturday. Following this, the Madan family members have gone to an undisclosed location and also switched off their mobile phones. However, police personnel have been deployed at the residence. Vijay Madan is the sitting councillor from ward number 29 falling under the Amritsar East assembly constituency. The Madan family members were the main organisers of the Dussehra event where the train accident took place. The accident happened when a crowd of Dussehra revellers spilled onto the railway tracks near Joda Phatak and could not see the train approaching them. They were crushed under the wheels of the train coming from Jalandhar and heading towards Amritsar station. The Indian Railways has said it was not informed by the organisers or the local administration that a Dussehra event was being organised close to railway tracks. Six NDRF teams from Kolkata are scheduled to arrive in Guwahati on Saturday. Guwahati: With reports of breach in artificial lake created on the stream of Yarlung Tsangpo river in China, several districts of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam have been put on high alert. Informing that NDRF team is on standby to help the people in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, the disaster management department of Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday said, About 18,000 cubic metre of water is flowing every second from the artificial lake created on Tsangpo after the landslide. In case of a breach the flow of water may escalate many times. As a result, the water level of river Siang in Arunachal Pradesh is likely to rise suddenly on Saturday. After an alert message from external affairs ministry, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has also directed authorities in districts bordering Arunachal Pradesh to remain on high alert for a possible flash flood along the Brahmaputra river. He directed the authorities in Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur and Tinsukia districts to take all possible steps to prevent any major catastrophe. The National Disaster Response Force has also been briefed about the situation. Six NDRF teams from Kolkata are scheduled to arrive in Guwahati on Saturday. However, authorities in Aruncahl Pradesh said that they are getting update of the situation every hour from China and keeping close watch on the situation. It is significant that an artificial lake had been formed on the Yarlung Tsangpo on Wednesday after a cliff fell at Milin section of the river, 70 km from Nuxia Hydrological Station in Tibet, around 100 km from the Indian border. Due to the formation of the lake, water level of the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh has gone down and has also led to fears of large scale floods if the dam formed by the landslide breaks. The Yarlung Tsangpo is called Siang once it enters Arunachal Pradesh from Tibet. The same river is known as Brahmaputra after it reaches Assam. According to Central Water Commission (CWC) in case of a breach at the blockade, the water will rush downstream at the speed of 80,000 cubic metre per second and may cause major damages. Four districts in Arunachal Pradesh--East Siang, West Siang, Siang, Upper Sianghave been asked to take precautionary measures like alerting people through wide publicity, take evacuation measures in low lying areas, restrain people from venturing to the Siang and undertake constant monitoring. The water is likely to reach Tuting (Arunachal Pradesh) in 10-14 hrs (around 12 am-4 am IST) and another 8-10 hours (8 am-10 am) Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh) from the time of overflow over the blockade, it added. In 2000, 30 people were killed and nearly 100 went missing in Arunachal Pradesh due to flash floods following breach of a dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo in China. However, union minister of state home Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that Chinese government is sharing information with India in advance for managing a possible disaster. 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 BROOKFIELD A man died after a motorboat capsized in Candlewood Lake Sunday afternoon, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The DEEP reported around 12:30 p.m. that Environmental Conservation officers responded to a report of a capsized 17-foot motorboat. The men were recovered; one was reported as safe and unharmed and the other was taken to Danbury Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Detroit Police Chief James Craig announced a "wide probe" into Michigan funeral homes Friday, after hidden caches of baby corpses were allegedly discovered at two unrelated businesses inside a week. "This is deeply disturbing," Craig said at a news conference, hours after police raided Perry Funeral Home and allegedly seized 63 fetus or infant bodies, more than half of which were packed together in unrefrigerated boxes. "We want to understand the reasons: Is it financial gain? If so, how? Who knew or who else is involved in this?" The raid came a week after an anonymous letter led investigators to an abandoned funeral home on the other side of central Detroit, where they allegedly found nearly a dozen infant corpses hidden in a ceiling. "I would like to look at you and tell you I hope . . . that this is isolated to these two. I can't say that with certainty," Craig told reporters, shortly after leaving a meeting with FBI and state investigators. "This is much larger than we might know." The police chief gave few details about the investigation, and declined to speculate as to what would motivate someone to keep tiny, desiccated corpses long after they were supposed to have been interred. All the same, he described how the case escalated rapidly from a single, anonymous tip into a full-blown investigative task force that could now probe business throughout the state. The case began last week at Cantrell Funeral Home in east Detroit, which had been shuttered since the spring over accusations that adult corpses had been improperly stored to the point of growing mold. An unsigned letter received on Oct. 12 urged investigators to return to the business and search it. The note led them to what police described as a hidden compartment in a ceiling - containing a casket, cardboard boxes and several trash bags packed with 11 dead infants. Speaking to reporters on the night of that discovery, a police sergeant attributed to bodies' condition to "just the callousness of the owner, the operators, the employees of the funeral home." Nevertheless, police opened a criminal investigation into the matter this week. Investigators then got a second tip, leading them to a second funeral home. "A parent saw the story" about Cantrell in the news, Craig told reporters. "He told his attorney he wanted to go to the police." The Detroit News wrote that the tipsters were the parents of Alayah Davis, who died from respiratory failure minutes after she was born in late 2014. The mother and father sued Perry Funeral Home in July, alleging that the company had claimed to bury Alayah and several other infants at a particular cemetery, but had actually stored their bodies for years in a mortuary school morgue. Perry went so far as to issue fraudulent death certificates for the infants, the parents alleged, and billed Medicare and hospitals for funerals that were never performed. The Washington Post could not independently review the lawsuit, but Craig said the allegations in the lawsuit led them to raid Perry Funeral Home. Inside, on Friday afternoon, they found "three unrefrigerated boxes containing the remains of a total of approximately 36 deceased bodies of fetuses or infants," according to a statement from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, "plus a deep freezer containing an unknown number of additional deceased bodies." The agency alleged that Perry and its director, Gary Deak, failed to filed death certificates for at least some of those bodies; and stored them without being the families' permission; and improperly held them for months - long enough to constitute a state felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. A lawyer for the business told The Washington Post that Deak was "unavailable for comment," but disputes accusations that his business secreted corpses. Perry Funeral Home had its license revoked immediately after the raid, and is now shuttered like Cantrell before it. While a criminal investigation is underway, no one has been reported arrested in either case. The police chief, Craig, said a task force of local and state police, FBI advisers and other investigators has been assembled to look for any possible connection between the two funeral homes, any possible reason for hoarding infant corpses, and the possibility that businesses in the region could have done the same. "We have tremendous work today," the police chief said. "We know some of it may take us away or out of the city of Detroit." WASHINGTON - Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, declined to say Sunday whether he views President Trump as a friend or a foe, describing him as simply "the president." "He's the president. I work with the president in delivering on our promises," Cruz said in an interview on ABC News' "This Week." "What I told the president the week after the election, I said, 'Mr. President, I want to do everything humanly possible to roll up my sleeves and lead the fight in the Senate to deliver on our promises.'" My grandfather, who was devoted to his daughters and grandchildren, left us abruptly earlier this year. It was one of the biggest and most tragic losses of my life. The day before his passing, I remember how he brushed my hair with his smile and gentle look. My heart sank looking at him in an idle motion. As if losing him wasn't enough, we were dealt with another setback. My grandpa didn't have a will. His physical assets were divided evenly, but what about his digital legacy? We did not have access any digital accounts -- social media, bank accounts, credit cards, other financial credentials and so on. It was utterly chaotic for us. Related: You Can Now Appoint Someone to Manage Your Facebook Account After You Die Was it hard looking after his digital legacy without him? Absolutely. According to a recent report, more than 3 billion individuals use social media every day, and 70 percent of the population don't have their digital information stored to pass on to their next generation. Let's check out on how you can close digital accounts of the deceased. Credit cards. Collect all cards, and contact the associated helpline numbers immediately. Confirm identity with the deceased's name, social security number and the reason you need to cancel the card. Upon canceling a credit card, you get to cancel all the online subscription payments associated with the credit card. One shot, many birds! Paypal. If you are aware of the email and password associated with the deceased: Log in to their account and withdraw all funds by hitting "Withdraw" button. Go to "My Settings," select "Account Type" followed by "Close Account" and continue. If you don't have the required email and password credentials: If a will exists, you need to send them a copy of the will, along with executor details. If there is no will, you have to send them a letter that states your relationship with the deceased, a government issued ID card and death certificate. A check will be issued in account holder's name if there are any funds in the account. Facebook. If you are the assigned legacy contact, fill out this form and provide your name and email, along with the name of the deceased and the URL of their timeline. You have the option to delete or memorialize the account. In certain cases, you can opt for special requests with the help of a court order. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, Facebook has the sole right to decide on the fate of the account. It is advisable to choose your legacy contacts so that they can dispose of your account as per your wishes. You can go to Settings > Security > Legacy Contact and then assign. If you are not the assigned legacy contact, the fastest way to close an account is to provide a scanned copy of the death certificate. There are other documents you can provide if you cannot submit a death certificate. Instagram. Instagram has a similar process to Facebook. You can report the account of the deceased for memorialization. Fill out this form and provide proof of death. Keep in mind that you will not be provided with any login credentials of the deceased. Immediate family members can place a request for deletion of the account. You need to fill out this form. Required documents: Birth certificate of the deceased. Death certificate of the deceased. Proof of authority that you legally represent the deceased. Related: New Delaware Law Determines Where Your Digital Assets Live After You Die Twitter. With Twitter, you need to fill a privacy form to report a death. A death certificate, along with your username and proof of relationship with the deceased, is mandatory to get the account gets deleted. Google. Any family member or representative can reach out to Google to close the account, request funds from the deceased's account or to obtain data. You need to fill out a form so that support staff can contact us and verify your details. You will need the full name of the deceased, their email, your full name and email, your relationship with the deceased, date of death, country, pin code, scanned copy of your identity and a death certificate. Microsoft. This is a tricky one. Since it wasn't mentioned on their website, I had to contact their support team. The staff was friendly and provided me with a solution. After a year of inactivity, Microsoft will remove the account automatically. Linkedin. Linkedin has one of the best and respected ways to report a users demise. You will need to provide: The users name Their profile URL Your relation to the deceased Their email address linked to the account Death and proof of death Pinterest. Email care@pinterest.com with the following information: Your full name The full name of the deceased A link to the deceased user's profile Proof of their death along with documents supporting your relationship with them Similarly, you can close eBay and Amazon by contacting support and providing necessary information. Assign legacy contacts to look after your digital assets. You can responsibly sign off from this world without burdening your family members with strict legal proceedings to access your digital accounts. It was challenging for us to retrieve all of my grandfather's digital assets and erase them out. Even to this day, we keep an eye on his inbox and bank statements to see if there are any subscribed transactions that have to be canceled. Don't let this happen to you or your loved ones. Collaboration and additional research -- Sparsha Mallipeddi Related: Cut Out These Everyday Distractions and See Your Productivity Skyrocket Why Influencer Marketing is the Game Changer for Business How to Handle Digital Assets of the Deceased Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Dot Foods, the largest food industry redistributor in North America, continues to grow, officially breaking ground on its 12th distribution center. The new $36 million facility will be built on 35 acres of land in Pennsylvania. The 188,000-square-foot facility will include dry, refrigerated and frozen warehouse space and a truck yard and garage to service Dots fleet. Dot will begin work on its Bear, Delaware, distribution center next month, with an estimated completion date for the project of fall 2019. Dot will hire up to 125 people in the first year, starting with truck drivers. Hiring will get under way next spring. Dot plans to employ 200 people by 2022. Illinois College has been named a 2018 American Web Design Award winner by Graphic Design USA, which awarded 89 prizes from more than 1,500 entries. Other winners included Hallmark Channel, Black and Decker and Syracuse University. It was also a top entry in the higher education category by the Web Marketing Association during their WebAward competition. The new site was launched in February. Virginia Johnson of West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, had the chance to see a portrait of Eliza Freytag Ayers, Johnsons great-great-great grandmother, during a tour of Passavant Area Hospital on Friday. Johnson and her husband, Vern, are touring central Illinois and sites connected to Ayers family. In 1875, Eliza Ayers donated the land on East State Street in Jacksonville upon which Passavant was originally built. In addition to viewing the portrait, the Johnsons viewed a large stained glass window in the hospitals Beilschmidt Chapel. The window was given to Passavant in 1898 by the children of Eliza Ayers in memory of their mother. Reuben Chambers has joined i3 Broadband as a business manager in the Champaign-Urbana market. Chambers brings more than 15 years of successful commercial sales experience in the telecommunications industry. He will be responsible for growing market share in the Champaign-Urbana area as well as expanding alliances in underserved areas in the community. Prior to joining i3 Broadband, Chambers worked in multiple telecommunications roles. Previously, he worked at Comcast Business as a senior business account executive. I3 Broadband provides television, voice and internet services through a fiber-optic network in the greater Peoria, Champaign and Urbana markets. Compiled by Greg Olson TAPACHULA, Mexico - The caravan of migrants from Central America grew to roughly 5,000 on Sunday, a massive group that stretched across this city's main highway for more than a half-mile. They spoke in different accents, fleeing different disasters: joblessness in parts of Honduras, a mounting political crisis in Nicaragua, cities in Guatemala where they were sure their children would languish as they had. And then there were the deportees. Dozens of the migrants here had previously lived in the United States, for years or even decades, joining the caravan to reunite with their children, or to resume old jobs. They were undeterred by the American authorities who had apprehended them or the U.S. president who promised to keep them out again. Some of them had returned voluntarily to their home countries long ago, but eventually determined that there was nothing there for them. Now, they were traversing Mexico while President Trump tweeted about their journey, demanding that the migrants apply for asylum in Mexico before continuing north, threatening to close the U.S. border as Mexican authorities appeared to allow the caravan to proceed. "It's time for me to go back to the United States. It's a country where I can live my life, unlike Guatemala," said Job Reyes, 36, who had spent most of his childhood and teenage years in Los Angeles, attending kindergarten through high school there. He said he had returned to Guatemala when his visa expired 14 years ago. He found a job at a call center for Metro PCS, the cellular service provider, where he could make the most of his fluent English. But he earned at most $500 per month. Each time he received a call from a customer, the name of the American city where the client lived flashed on his screen. His searched the names of the cities on the Internet and stared at the monitor. "When I heard about the caravan, I knew it was my chance," he said. He called his cousin and uncle in California and told them he was on his way. Imner Anthony Fuentes, 29, had the same reaction. He had been deported five months ago from Birmingham, Alabama. His son was still living there, with his U.S. citizen girlfriend, not far from the framing store where he'd worked for six years. He was used to the back-and-forth: He said he had been deported six times. "That's just how it is," Fuentes said. "They catch you, and you try to get back." Juan Jimenez, 32, said he was deported back to Honduras from Phoenix six months ago, where he worked for a wood flooring business. He was on his way to see his six-year-old son, still living in Arizona. "I miss him," he said. Evin Mata, 21, said he was deported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, three months ago, where he worked in construction not far from the city's airport. "We are workers. What are we supposed to do in Honduras if there's no work?" he said. Some members of the caravan plan to apply for political asylum, citing the threats they've received from gangs in Honduras or, in Nicaragua, the government's assaults on the political opposition. But as the group grew larger, it also grew more varied, and it appeared most of the migrants were not planning to apply for asylum. "We believe there are at least 5,600 now, and we expect more to join us," said Rodrigo Aveja, one of the group's organizers. The deportees and returnees were clear about their intentions to cross the border illegally, hoping to slip between patrolmen. "It's the only way," said Nestor Reyes, 34, whose son was with his wife in Columbus, Ohio. He'd been calling her periodically throughout the journey to check in. On Sunday afternoon, Trump wrote on Twitter that the United States would turn migrants away if they don't apply for asylum in Mexico. The vast majority of the caravan's members have refused to apply for refuge in Mexico, worried that the process could lead to their detention or deportation. So far, Mexican police have backed down, allowing the migrants to continue without being applying for documentation. At one Mexican police checkpoint, Nestor Reyes slipped by as the police chief was addressing the caravan. "I'm not stopping for that," he said. For the deportees, the caravan offers safe passage through parts of Mexico where gangs and cartels typically have free rein. If not for the protection of the large group, they would have to pay thousands of dollars for a smuggler. But the journey's last step, the border crossing into the United States, is something they haven't planned yet, even if their previous attempts offer some guidance. "It's easier through the desert than the river," Fuentes said. He had run into other deportees in the caravan, men from different parts of Central America who once worked in different parts of the United States. Some traded fragments of the English they had learned. They talked about what they remembered from their time across the border. "I loved the beaches in Florida," Mata said. "And the Chinese food buffets." "My American boss - he was a good guy," said Fuentes. They described how they were deported - traffic tickets that led to detention, workplace raids, expired visas. They each had different theories about what Trump might do to reinforce the border, but even when they discussed the most extreme rumors, they were undeterred. "I heard he's sending the military to the border," said Job Reyes. "I heard they could shoot at us." On his shoulders, he carried a small boy whom he had met a few days earlier and who was having trouble walking. "I don't know what they expect about us," he said, "but basically what we want is to have a better opportunity, to have a job, you know?" Singhvi said it was high time more Indians got to know about the historic role these stalwarts had played. The Congress leader alleged that while the RSS and BJP were praising Bose for his military endeavours to liberate India, their 'ideological ancestors had done totally the opposite'. (Photo: PTI | File) New Delhi: Accusing the BJP-led Centre of making a "conspiratorial attempt" to appropriate the legacy of Subhas Chandra Bose, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi Sunday said the saffron party was "desperate to rewrite history". In a veiled attack on the Nehru-Gandhi clan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday alleged that the contribution of several great leaders such as Sardar Patel, B R Ambedkar and Bose to the country's freedom struggle was "deliberately" forgotten to glorify "one family". He also said it was high time more Indians got to know about the historic role these stalwarts had played. Donning the famous Azad Hind Fauj cap, the prime minister hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort and unveiled a plaque to mark the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the Azad Hind government by Bose. At a press conference, Singhvi said the Congress had always endeavoured to protect, preserve and propagate the ideals of Bose, the brave patriot and secularist. Read: Contribution of others ignored: PM takes dig at Gandhis at Azad Hind Fauj event "Those who do not have their own ideas and idol and had zero contribution in the national movement of freedom struggle are trying to appropriate the legacy of our freedom fighters, in an attempt to be perceived as nationalists. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi desperately tried to do the same. A desperate BJP is trying to rewrite history and create an imagined rivalry between Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru and between Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Nehru. It has used auspicious occasions for these cheap political tricks," he said. Singhvi pointed out that Bose and Patel were completely against the "philosophy of sectarianism and bigotry that is espoused by Prime Minister Modi's ideological patriarch -- the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha". He said Patel, in a letter to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, had stated that the "activities of the Hindu Mahasabha were a clear threat to the existence of the government and the activities had not died down, despite the ban". Singhvi also pointed out that Nehru was one of the lawyers for Bose during his Indian National Army (INA) trials. "Was there any person from the RSS to support Netaji?," he asked, adding, "The prime minister and the BJP are desperately trying to appropriate every national legacy." The Congress leader alleged that while the RSS and BJP were praising Bose for his military endeavours to liberate India, their "ideological ancestors had done totally the opposite". "When Netaji was revamping the Azad Hind Fauj (or INA) in Japan and Gandhiji had given the Quit India call, the RSS was hand-in-glove with the British," he said. Singhvi also said to get political mileage, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was portraying Bose as Mahatma Gandhi's victim and Jawaharlal Nehru's rival, but in reality, Bose always had the highest regard for both of them. He pointed out that Bose had, in fact, named two INA regiments after Gandhi and Nehru. It was Bose who first gave Gandhi the epithet of "Rashtrapita" or the father of the nation in a radio address from Singapore in 1944, Singhvi said, adding that the same year, Hindu Mahasabha member Nathu Ram Godse had made his first attempt to kill Gandhi. Quoting from public documents, correspondences and books, Singhvi claimed that the Congress was never at odds with Bose. He said the Congress had always welcomed the earlier decisions of the Modi government and the West Bengal government to declassify the files pertaining to Bose. "But the BJP has just played politics with it. In the last 53 months, the Modi government has only indulged in news plants and nothing adverse has come against the Congress party as perpetrated by them. We still want all the Netaji files be declassified," he said. EDWARDSVILLE Industry donations are supporting curriculum advancement in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineerings (SOE) Department of Civil Engineering, as it prepares industry leaders who will excel in an ever-changing world. MiTek USA, Inc. has contributed $10,000 in direct support of the Department of Civil Engineerings Timber Design course. Additionally, an anonymous donor has made two donations to the Departments Geotechnical Engineering specialization. The SIUE School of Engineering is grateful to have such generous industry partners who, with these gifts, support our mission and the advancement of our academic program offerings, said SOE Dean Cem Karacal, PhD. We will continue producing highly prepared engineers who are knowledgeable, both in theory and in practice, in Timber Design and Geotechnical Engineering. MiTek supplies the building industry with products, software, services and automation to help achieve safe, affordable housing. Many of the well-rounded engineers that work for MiTek are SIUE alumni, according to MiTek Design Engineer Leslie Stallons. Stallons says the University and Schools impressive growth aligns with the companys vision. We have witnessed the Schools growth and are proud to partner with SIUE, said Stallons, EI, who earned a bachelors in civil engineering from SIUE in 2012. MiTeks vision is to be in every structure worldwide. Additionally, one of MiTeks core values is to be relationship driven. Relationships make our world go round. It is with those relationships that have been cultivated over the years, that we continue to help each other not only grow, but also develop the next generation of industry movers and shakers. According to Brad Cross, PhD, PE, SE, professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, MiTeks donation will cover the costs of instruction and the purchase of timber design codes. It will also support a student researcher who is working with the Advanced Structural Analysis course to incorporate advanced timber roof analysis techniques and expand existing scholarship. With timber construction on the rise, it is imperative that there is an increase in student exposure to the Timber Design course, Stallons explained. Offering this course every year, will give students a broad exposure to different building materials, and an understanding of how timber construction differs from steel and concrete. We are excited to help pioneer this effort, and hope it will generate new interest in timber design. The anonymous donors contributions to the Geotechnical Engineering specialization will support student salary, assistantships, scholarships, research and projects, as well as faculty research and awards. The monies will also allow for the purchase of needed equipment and lab supplies. These funds provide much-needed support to purchase equipment and fund graduate students and faculty in this specialization to continue important research, said Reza Osouli, PhD, PE, associate professor of civil engineering, with a research focus on geotechnical engineering. The Department of Civil Engineering remains committed to offering a diverse variety of elective courses, representative of the breadth of civil engineering career paths, said Ryan Fries, PhD, PE, professor and chair of the Department. These offerings help us develop high-quality graduates with the skills needed to succeed in their engineering careers, adapt to a changing world and become tomorrows leaders. Two Harris County judges accounted for more than one-fifth of all children sent to the states juvenile prisons last year, driving up the countys Texas Juvenile Justice Department commitments even as those figures fall in the rest of the state. The two courts overseen by Judges Glenn Devlin and John Phillips not only sent more teens to juvenile prison, but they also sent them younger and for less-serious offenses than the countys third juvenile court, where Judge Mike Schneider presides. And, from all three courts, the kids sent to state lockups were almost all about 96 percent children of color. The high incarceration numbers surfaced in a judicial grievance filed earlier this year against one of the three jurists, and experts said the data raise red flags regarding local judicial practices. This confirms to me that Houston is still the center of the pipeline to juvenile detention, said Jay Jenkins, project attorney with the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. Since 2014, the number of kids the county sends to youth prisons has doubled, a shift some experts attributed to an increase in aggravated robberies, while others chalked it up to judicial preference. But whatever is behind it, the recent incarceration uptick comes amid a long-term decline coupled with a growing acknowledgment that state-run juvenile prisons can be costly and unsafe. The judges that overuse the state are making a true mistake, said state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, advocating instead for the use of probation or county-run detention facilities. Thats not speculation thats data-driven, thats results-oriented. Last year, Harris County made up about 15 percent of the states population but, among the three courts, it accounted for 25 percent of kids sent to juvenile prisons. Devlin questioned the numbers from the county and state, as did a staff member in Phillips office. But neither judge commented on the findings. They, like Schneider, are up for re-election in November. Uptick in incarcerations Over the past four years, Texas courts have consistently sent around 800 young people ages 10 to 17 to the states juvenile prisons, according to TJJD data. But while the statewide figure has remained steady, Harris Countys share of it has ballooned. In fiscal year 2014, the county sent 101 youth to TJJD. Last fiscal year, the county sent 199. Some of that increase likely stems from an uptick in certain types of offenses, including aggravated robberies. Four years ago, 1,248 kids in Harris County faced charges serious enough to make them eligible for a TJJD sentence; by last year that number was up to just over 2,000, according to figures provided by Phillips court. That increase may not be enough to explain why the incarceration numbers have doubled in the same time frame and, more importantly, it doesnt explain why there has been a dramatic increase in two of the courts and more modest uptick in the third. Both the 313th and 314th Juvenile District Courts overseen by Devlin and Phillips, respectively sent at least two times as many kids to TJJD last year as they did in 2014, while Scheiders 315th District Court sent 1.4 times as many as before. Phillips, who had the highest incarceration numbers of the three, sent 88 kids to juvenile prison last year while Schneider, on the low end, sent 36. But, even though the raw number of commitments is rising across the three courts, only two jurists sentenced a higher percent of eligible kids to the states five secure lockups than they did four years ago. The data provided by Phillips court substantiated the state and county incarceration numbers, and included additional details about racial breakdowns and the number of children eligible to be locked up in state facilities. Devlin sentenced 9.39 percent of eligible kids to TJJD in 2014 and 11.2 percent last year, while Phillips went from 8.5 percent to 14.1 percent. Schneider sent 6.74 percent of eligible kids four years ago and 5.1 percent last year, according to court data. You always hear that courts are their own little fiefdoms and this certainly shows that, said Michele Deitch, a juvenile justice expert and senior lecturer at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. Clearly theres huge discrepancies. Thats the most striking thing, how differently the courts are treating these kids. Although the charging decisions are up to prosecutors, sentencing lies in the hands of the judges. This is the way theyve chosen to exercise their discretion, Chief Public Defender Alex Bunin said. I dont think theres anything we can impose on them to change that. Earlier this year, Bunin filed a judicial grievance against Phillips, alleging racial sentencing disparities, a tendency to refuse plea deals that avoid incarceration and statements showing bias, adding up to what he said was a willful violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct. Between April 2017 and February 2018, Judge Phillips sentenced a higher percentage of juveniles to TJJD than either of the other two juvenile district judges, and as much as both combined, the complaint notes. The majority of these cases involved African-American and Hispanic males. Though the grievance given to the Houston Chronicle by an outside party was filed in June, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct does not confirm or comment on grievances unless they result in public sanctions, a process that state officials said can take more than six months. Phillips court coordinator said the judge is prohibited from commenting on unresolved grievances, but state commission executive director Eric Vinson said there are no such limitations. Younger and less-violent In addition to packing off more kids to juvenile prisons, judges in the 313th and 314th district courts sent them younger and for lower-level offenses than the 315th District Court. Overall, kids headed to TJJD out of Schneiders court were slightly older than those coming from the other two courts. In fiscal year 2017, according to state data obtained through a public records request, Schneider sent no 13- or 14-year-olds to TJJD, while the other courts sent 18 combined. If theyre that age, very rarely do you see cases like that where you have exhausted all the local (alternatives), Schneider said. Its just hard to imagine, although they might exist. And, while more than 80 percent of the kids sent to juvenile prison from Schneiders court were charged with the serious offenses of aggravated robbery or aggravated assault, the other two courts tended toward less-serious offenses. About half of the kids both Devlin and Phillips sent to state-run juvenile lockups had less-serious charges such as burglary, evading arrest and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Its no surprise that the bulk of the kids committed (to juvenile prison) have committed aggravated robbery, Deitch said. Thats to be expected. But whats less expected is youre seeing a lot more kids with simple burglary and simple robbery and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle from the 313th and 314th courts. Were giving up more The vast majority of Harris County kids an average of 96 percent sent to juvenile prison were children of color, according to state data. Statewide, it was just under 83 percent. But that disparity may be more reflective of local demographics, policing and charging trends than it is of judicial bias or sentencing practices, experts said. I think it has a lot to do with whos being brought into the system, Bunin said. Basically, were giving up more on those children. Those figures were most pronounced in Phillips court, where 16 percent of TJJD-eligible black kids were sent to state facilities in 2017, versus 5 percent of eligible white kids. The number of children of color sent to prison is impacted by racial disparities in the adult criminal justice system; the presence of responsible adults in a kids life is one of the factors judges weigh in deciding whether to let a child stay on probation or send them to prison. But with roughly 100,000 men and women of color locked up in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, minority kids are less likely to have that supervision available, Schneider said. Disproportionately, the placement outside of the home is when theres not family resources for supervision, he said. Kids of color are disproportionately likely to have a parent that is incarcerated, which means that you are at a disadvantage in terms of being supervised. Makes them worse Amid a long-term, statewide decline, Harris Countys recent shift back toward juvenile incarceration sparked concerns among legislators, lawyers and advocates who worried that state prisons can make troubled kids worse. Locking kids up does not necessarily make them do better and sometimes as research has shown, it actually makes them worse, said state Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, a lawyer who practices in juvenile courts. Because then youre putting them in custody with much worse kids. Indeed, one of the major findings from the Counsel of State Governments 2015 Closer to Home report was that kids locked up in state-run facilities are 21 percent more likely to be arrested again than their peers who stay under some type of supervision closer to home. To Lauren Rose, youth justice policy director with Texans Care for Children, that figure suggests a natural solution. Rather than sending youth away to state lockups, judges should rely on their local juvenile probation departments secure facilities for their highest-risk youth, Rose said. To ensure the county facilities have adequate space and youth are matched up with the right services, lower-risk youth who do not need to be confined should be kept out of lockups and, instead, get the supports they need in the community. And in theory, according to Schneider, thats already what should be happening. If you look at the way its worded in the family code youre never supposed to put a kid in a secure facility to punish them, he said. If you only put them there for rehabilitation and you exclude any notion of punishment, your numbers are going to go down because nowadays theres so much rehabilitation available in the community. There are some legislative solutions, advocates said. Previously, lawmakers helped limit the juvenile prison population with sweeping reforms, including removing misdemeanors from the list of eligible offenses back in 2007 and adopting a regionalization bill in 2015 to keep kids closer to home. Now, Rose said, they could further limit the types of offenses eligible for a TJJD commitment. But Whitmire said the possibility for change lies in the hands of jurists. Since 2007, when we sent almost 5,000 kids to the state, were now under 1,000, Whitmire said. Everyones got it statewide, in large and small communities except our two judges. keri.blakinger@chron.com Writing Lincolns Planner last summer, I spent each day pouring over the wartime collected works of Abraham Lincoln. Then I spent the evenings watching Donald Trump on the news. The contrast was stunning but parallel themes nevertheless arose. I saw how Lincoln put aside his ego while he wheedled and cajoled and legislated toward his long-term goal of abolition and equal rights, and his short-term goal of defeating the Confederacy (and stalling northern radicals who wanted to socially re-engineer the South.) He packed his Cabinet with leading figures, ignoring that they were political rivals who might later run against him. (One tried to.) Generally, to Lincoln, enemies were friends he hadnt met yet. He would refuse to listen to reports of people attacking him, and he avoided reading such attacks in newspapers. But he did have an ego, and it could get in the way. Having invested in someone, he found it hard to drop them for nonperformance. And if he decided you had attacked one of his friends, you might want to leave the country: He once threw a general in prison for six months, without charges, on his unfounded suspicion the general intentionally got one of Lincolns close friends killed in combat. For Trump, full engagement of the ego seems to be the point of being president. Criticism must be countered with a gale of counter-criticism. His appointees are picked for their servility and do not blink when he pours verbal abuse on them. That any of them could ever run against him seems impossible but maybe thats the point. As for backgrounds, Lincoln was the product of grinding poverty who got only grief from his father. Politics later gave his life meaning. His law practice raised him from poverty. (Marrying a neurotic child of wealth who was stalking him also helped.) Eight years in the Illinois Legislature and two in the U.S. Congress honed his skills as a party functionary. Then he dropped out of politics from 1849 to 1854 and returned a changed man, having apparently surmounted a midlife crisis, willing and able to exert moral leadership on the paramount issue of the day: slavery, for which he demonstrated a visceral hatred. Trump is the product of wealth and privilege. He probably got grief from his father, too, but it was accompanied by buckets of money. (The amount is in dispute.) He spent his life despising politics, and as president his attitude does not seem to have changed. Of course, that rejection may account for much of his appeal. Not that politics is automatically a good thing Lincoln was often hamstrung by it and forced to acquiesce to various factions. For instance, in August 1863, he wrote an exquisitely polite letter to a general in Kansas who had powerful backers, reminding him that turning prisoners over to lynch mobs was not actually allowed. Lincoln was later able to fire the man. But both arrived in Washington amid culture wars whose participants were intoxicated with their own righteousness, amid opportunistic, hack politicians indifferent to the facts, pandered to by their pet media outlets. In both cases powerful figures connived to manipulate them on their arrival. In Lincolns case, they failed. In Trumps case theyre probably kidding themselves. The big difference is that Lincoln arrived in a capital already hopelessly polarized, and his mere presence triggered a civil war. The polarization around Trump, meanwhile, seems largely fanned by Trump himself and so is fated to fade when he does. Yes, there are genuine parallels between Lincoln and Trump. But I think that, millennia from now, historians will still be able to tell them apart. Lamont Wood is a San Antonio writer. A total of 75 Independents won the elections uncontested in the Valley where the boycott call was a success. The polling, held in four phases, on October 8, 10, 13 and 16, under tight security, covered 79 municipal bodies with an electorate of about 1.7 million. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) Srinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the largest party in Jammu, while the Congress did marginally better in Kashmir Valley as counting of votes in Jammu and Kashmirs civic polls was completed on Saturday. But surprisingly, it was mainly the Independent candidates who carried the day. As per the results declared by the Chief Electoral Office, the BJP won in 100 wards, the Congress in 157, but Independents emerged as the single largest group by winning 178 and 110 wards in Kashmir and Jammu divisions of the state, respectively. The boycott call given by several political parties and separatists, coupled with threats by militants, helped both the BJP and the Congress in a major way as 76 and 78 candidates from the respective national parties were elected unopposed. A total of 75 Independents won the elections uncontested in the Kashmiri Valley where the boycott call was a success. In Srinagar, in fact, a woman candidate was declared a winner after she beat her closest rival by one vote. In all, three votes had been cast in the ward. The National Conference, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) along with the CPM and the BSP had boycotted the elections. The polling, held in four phases, on October 8, 10, 13 and 16, under tight security, covered 79 municipal bodies with an electorate of about 1.7 million. A total of 3,372 nominations were filed for 1,145 wards. And the cumulative poll percentage in the four phases in all the three regions of the state Jammu, Kashmir Valley and Ladakh was 35.1 per cent. Kashmir division comprises Srinagar, Baramulla, Kupwara, Badgam, Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts. In the Jammu region, which includes the districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur, Poonch and Rajouri, the BJP candidates won 212 wards, the Congress 110, National Panthers Party 13 and Independents 185. Kashmir Valley has a total of 624 municipal wards. Out of these, contest was held only in 208 wards, whereas in 231 wards single candidates who had filed their nomination papers won the elections uncontested. No contest took place in remaining 185 wards. In Leh, the Congress swept the polls winning all the 13 seats, while in Kargil, the Congress won six and Independents seven wards. Independents supported by former minister and Peoples Conference chief Sajad Gani Lone won all the 13 seats in the Handwara municipal committee polls in Kupwara. Among the prominent winners is Junaid Azim Mattu who left the NC after he disagreed with the poll boycott decision by the states oldest political party. Prominent among the losers was Asifa Tariq Karra, the wife of senior Congress leader Tariq Hameed Karra. Due to security reasons, names of candidate in the Valley were made public by the poll office only on the declaration of results. President Emmerson Mnangagwa will invoke the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act to introduce tough regulations to bring currency manipulators to book. In his weekly The Sunday Mail column, the Head of State and Government said it was inconceivable that rampant black market activities were thriving without complicity of high-ranking State officials. Information gathered so far, he said, indicated that an intricate network of currency speculators mostly in high places and in places of trust. Further, a police spokesperson informed this publication that they had made arrests of illegal currency dealers who were linked to prominent people, and would soon make the findings of their investigations public. In his column, President Mnangagwa said: Considering that more than $9 billion is passing through different electronic platforms and leaving an electronic trail, it is inconceivable that these illicit transactions have and can ever go on undetected or unnoticed. It simply cannot be. Speculative activities, especially illegal foreign currency trading, have caused a marked depreciation of bond notes and RTGS balances against the United States dollar, triggering hikes in the prices of basic commodities, panic-buying and product shortages. President Mnangagwa revealed he had tasked his top legal advisors to craft comprehensive legislation to plug loopholes that allowed black marketeers to operate with impunity. Currently, we have no legislation to deal with currency manipulators. We therefore need urgent and robust measures to deal with this financial menace. Accordingly, I have now instructed the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to work closely and expeditiously with the Attorney-General in order to produce a new set of regulations which will be promulgated under temporary law-making powers which I, as President, am allowed by the Constitution. These regulations will remain in force for a statutory period of six months, during which a Bill will have to be processed for consideration by our Legislators, President Mnangagwa said. The new law will be in line with international best practices, where suspicious transactions are automatically flagged and investigated. Jurisdictions such as the United States also trace if such transactions are being taxed. In a cash-lite economy like Zimbabwes, such a dragnet would quickly dredge speculators as most transactions are e-based. Yesterday, Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyati said they had made arrests in connection with illegal currency trading linked to bigwigs. We can confirm that we have made some arrests with regards to some of the prominent people who are behind the illegal currency deals. You are aware of the Government position to deal with such deals which are causing economic damage to the country. Very soon, we are going to release full details of some of these culprits and the nature of the crimes, he said. Attorney-General Advocate Prince Machaya added: Some time at the end of last year we attempted to address it through a Statutory Instrument that we introduced, read together with the Exchange Control Act. Statutory Instrument 122A of 2017 empowers police to seize money from people suspected of illegal currency dealings. Part of the SI reads: In relation to any dealing in currency, an authorised officer or a police officer acting to enforce any order (a) may, for the purpose of holding the currency as an exhibit in a subsequent prosecution, seize any currency upon a reasonable suspicion that the possessor thereof is dealing in it unlawfully, that is, in contravention of any order or any provision of the Act or these regulations by virtue of which the order is made. Lawyer Mr Jonathan Samkange accused monetary authorities of sleeping on duty by failing to detect suspicious transactions. It is well within the mandate of the (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) to track all suspicious transactions, or at least watch over the banks so that they can follow up on such transactions. The law empowers them to have such oversight. It appears that they are not doing so and the question that has to be asked is why are they not? Its the norm across the world for any huge transactions to be accounted for. For example, I have a daughter who is at university in a foreign country and whenever I pay fees for her, I have to justify such a transaction. If other countries can raise alarm on such transactions, why do our monetary authorities choose to remain quiet when millions of dollars are moved every day? he questioned. SundayMail Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News The man at the centre of the jerry can madness is actually worse than revealed by his opinions on fuel containers. While his expressions on jerry cans were reflective of his unfitness to hold public office and his mediocrity, the MDC takes the revelation of his corrupt nature more seriously. Corruption places a huge premium on the economy, it deprives the state of much needed funds to finance its social agenda, deliver public goods and create a caring state. The MDC is clear that corrupt individuals must not be allowed to run public affairs. Yet Joram Gumbo and his wife own a company called JMCD which was awarded a lucrative contract to supply clothing material to ZINARA a state owned parastatal established through an Act of Parliament. When Gumbos company was awarded the tender, he was the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development which happens to administer ZINARA, a clear conflict of interest. We have always argued that the tender system in Zimbabwe under the Zanu PF government is designed to perpetuate patronage and an agenda of self-aggrandizement. This is unacceptable. Gumbo was also at the centre of the Air Zimbabwe/Zimbabwe Airways scandal assisting elites to build a private empire on public funds highlighting his propensity to abuse state resources. He is therefore unfit to hold office and must make way for persons of integrity to occupy the important space. In any case he is incompetent, his views on how to deal with fuel shortages confirm his short comings. However, the issue of conflicted individuals and corruption is broader than Gumbos scandals, it is a Zanu PF issue, and a part of their political DNA. They are a bunch with no understanding of corporate governance. In recent times there have been scandals involving the Beitbridge-Chirundu highway tender which apparently involves Gumbo, a fuel scam involving the then deputy Minister of Finance, Terence Mukupe, a snow graders scam and decommissioned Transnet locomotives again with Gumbo at the centre and a multi-million dollar travel services scam involving East Town Holdings an organization fronted by Mary Chiwenga. It is clear that Gumbo is corrupt, for the people of Zimbabwe who are suffering and for the MDC which intends to cure this country of corruption he is an enemy beyond reconciliation. We therefore demand that he leaves office forthwith and be subjected to the justice delivery processes, proceeds of undue benefit must be forfeited to the state. Corruption is however a broad scourge and disease which we deal with through the following suggestions: 1.Introduction of criminal sanctions for all corruption related offenses especially for public officials 2.Provision of and setting up special criminal courts to deal with corruption and economic crimes. 3.The right and mechanism for a direct recall of elected officials by the electorate. 4.Mandatory asset declaration for public officials. 5.Establishing, strengthening and institutionalising the National Economic Crimes Investigating Agency (NECI). 6.Regular state sanctioned life style audits. 7.Limited Terms of office for all senior public executives including heads of state enterprises and parastatals. 8.Strengthening transparency mechanisms on state procurement including the introduction of public bidding on major public tenders. 9.Increased access to information for citizens including publication of terms and conditions of public and public guaranteed contracts. 10.Strengthened oversight role for parliament in all public enterprise. 11.Strengthened oversight role for the Civic Society and the Media. MDC: Change That Delivers MDC Communications Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Ongoing cooking oil shortages on the market have had a negative effect on young women in Bindura who are reportedly resorting to barter trading sex in exchange for the scarce commodity, this publication has learnt. Cooking oil and other basic commodities such as bread and sugar have since last week disappeared from supermarket shelves amid failures by the government to secure adequate foreign currency for manufacturers to import raw materials. The shortages have also resulted in the return of the black market where a two-litre bottle of cooking oil is sold at prices ranging from $10 to $15. While there is so much to worry about with regards to the shortages, young Bindura women since found respite in sex for cooking oil from illegal mine workers also known as makorokoza. It is sad that most young girls in surrounding mining areas in Bindura are now selling sex for a two-liter bottle of cooking oil. Most of these young girls are from child-headed families and they have no other means of getting the scarce but important commodity and they end up falling prey to prying makorokoza, said one Bindura rural woman, Tarisai Muchena who claims to have witnessed a couple of young women falling prey to these men. Some mine owners are now paying their workers in commodities which include mealie-meal, cooking oil, sugar, and soap and they then take advantage of the disadvantaged young girls, giving them cooking oil in return for sex, added one woman who spoke on condition of anonymity. The young girls normally survive on handouts from well-wishers but now those good Samaritans are withholding their benevolence as they are keeping the little they have to sustain their families until such a time when normalcy returns. This means that they now have to resort to unthinkable means of survival which puts them at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and worse still, HIV/AIDS as they end up indulging in unprotected sex, said Natasha Matika from Trojan Mine. Most families in these mining towns are child-headed after their parents or guardians succumbed to the deadly HIV/AIDS pandemic. It is disheartening to note that most of these men are not sincere with these young girls. Instead of them helping out communities, they see an opportunity to go under the sheets with desperate young girls, noted one lady identified as Amai Norma. One artisanal miner interviewed by this publication said they preferred bedding young girls because they dish out good sex since they still have the energy. Fears of shortages are fueling the culture of hoarding and panic buying of basic commodities. Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube has since assured the nation that the currently economic problems that resulted in shortages will be addressed in a weeks time. 263Chat Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 1332 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Read about why were doing this fundraiser and what weve accomplished in the last year, and our current goal, increasing our staffing, also known as burnout prevention This Real News Network segment discusses Facebooks new practice of erasing popular alternative media pages that had millions of likes and suspending anti-war and anti-police brutality accounts, in coordination with Twitter. Journalist Max Blumenthal says this is part of a larger political crackdown; EFFs David Greene says the implications are dangerous. BEN NORTON: Its The Real News Network, Im Ben Norton. Facebook has erased numerous alternative media pages that had millions of likes as the corporate social media giant cracks down on numerous pages and accounts. Twitter also apparently coordinated with Facebook and suspended some of the same accounts behind these alternative media pages. In just one day, Facebook removed 559 pages and 251 accounts in one fell swoop. Among the pages targeted in this mass purge were popular websites such as Anti-Media and The Free Thought Project, which had roughly three million likes. Pages that monitored police brutality were also purged, including the page Cop Block and also Police the Police. Several antiwar pages were taken down as well, along with libertarian pages and left wing pages like Reasonable People Unite. Many of the personal Facebook accounts used by people who were admins for those pages were also removed. Facebook announced this purge in a blog post on its website on October 11. Facebook ambiguously accused the pages and accounts of coordinated inauthentic behavior and claimed the reason they were removed was based on behavior, not their content, supposedly. Facebook implied the pages were posting clickbait and were ad farms and claimed the people behind the pages were creating numerous fake accounts in order to spread their material across Facebook. But for many of the pages, this is not true. For example, Facebook removed the antiwar page, The Naked Empire, which I know this is not true because this website has actually interviewed me and other journalists. The Naked Empire posted interviews with antiwar journalists and posted them online. It did not engage in any clickbait or ad farms. And the personal Facebook account of this page was also removed. I know this also because the person behind this account personally reached out to me as someone who had been featured on her page and said that Facebook removed her page with interviews with me and others and her personal account. So, joining us to discuss this most recent crackdown by Facebook in which it removed hundreds of accounts of pages, are two guests. Max Blumenthal is one guest. He is the editor of The Grayzone Project. Hes also an award-winning journalist and the author of several books. And were also joined by David Greene. David Greene is the Senior Staff Attorney and Civil Liberties Director at Electronic Frontier Foundation, EFF. Thanks for joining us, guys. DAVID GREENE: Thanks. MAX BLUMENTHAL: Good to be here. BEN NORTON: All right, Max. Lets start with you. Facebook has done this multiple times now. Weve seen numerous pages that have been removed. Weve also seen the scare of so-called fake news. And whats troubling about this is that some of the partners Facebook has in its crackdown on so-called fake news, vetting pages like these that have been removed, one of the partners is The Atlantic Council. The Atlantic Council is essentially a kind of unofficial NATO, its is funded by the United States government and the European Union along with NATO. Among the other fact-checkers that have partnered with Facebook to screen so-called fake news is The Weekly Standard. The Weekly Standard is a neo-conservative website that itself published false information in the lead-up to the Iraq war, which it strongly supported. So, given this most recent crackdown on alternative media websites and given the fact that Facebook has partnered with neo-conservative websites and also have actually published fake news in the past in the case of the Iraq war, you as a journalist, can you respond to what you feel about the situation and what you think it really could mean for journalists like you, who are not necessarily in the mainstream and who are challenging some of these mainstream narratives? MAX BLUMENTHAL: Yeah. Weve talked about this before on previous interviews, Ben, and we talked about VenezuelAnalysis being momentarily removed. There just seemed to be this arbitrary criteria and sites that were targeted tended to be the kind of sites that were challenging the Washington Consensus on foreign policy particularly. You mentioned the Atlantic Council. They are funded by NATO as well as Saudi Arabia, a bunch of Gulf States, arms manufacturers. They exist in Washington to really reinforce the consensus around permanent war. And they have an internal operation called the Digital Forensics Lab, which was hired or kind of partnered in with Facebook in order to regulate material online as part of Facebooks Election Watch. I dont know what any of this has to do with the Election Watch, but the takedown of some 800 sites clearly was timed around the midterms. And what probably happened, what we can deduce from whats happened since Donald Trump was elected, was there was a hysteria about Hillary Clintons loss. She personally blamed fake news and what she called Russian active measures for her defeat. Theres been a campaign to prove that Donald Trump colluded with Russia to subvert the election and to basically win by illegitimate means. And Facebook executives, along with other Silicon Valley social media executives, have been dragged before the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of the Russia investigation and basically been forced to prostrate themselves before the Senate. So, Facebook has sort of been forced to take on the Atlantic Council. And to supposedly clean up its platform, the criteria for taking down sites is obviously arbitrary, but its all based around this idea of justifying it as Russian propaganda. Now, if we go back to the weeks and months after Donald Trump was elected, the Washington Post ran a very suspicious story by Craig Timberg, whos been kind of following the Russian meddling beat. And it was promoting a very shady website called PropOrNot. PropOrNot had introduced a McCarthyite blacklist of alternative sites that it accused of being Kremlin influence operations, including a site that Ive written for, that I think youve contributed to, Ben, called Truthdig, which is run by Bob Scheer, one of the most reputable journalists in America. Its a progressive website. It also included Anti-Media, The Free Thought Project and some of the other anti-police brutality sites. So, there is a clear overlap between this shady, anonymous McCarthyite blacklist that was pumped out from the Washington Post, promoted on Twitter by Obama and Hillary Clinton insiders, and the takedown of these alternative sites by Facebook. We still dont know who is behind that PropOrNot list, but the signs all point to a real attempt to suppress dissident media. And I know one of the people whose own personal Facebook pages, Rachel Blevins, shes a former contributor to The Free Thought project, which is a libertarian site that has done a lot of anti-police brutality work. Rachel Blevins is a real person. She has never spammed anyone. She hasnt engaged in anything Facebook has accused any of these sites of, and she has lost 70,000 followers that she worked really hard for several years to amass. So, this is really the equivalent of taking a bone saw to alternative media, and we dont know whos going to get hit next. But its really disturbing, I think, for everyone I know who relies on these platforms to promote their alternative, independent sites. BEN NORTON: David Greene, lets go to you. You, as the Civil Liberties Director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have talked a lot about the attack on civil liberties, on media freedom in this country. And in the past several years, weve actually seen an increasing crackdown under the Obama administration. We saw the record imprisonment of whistleblowers. And then, under Donald Trump, weve seen the president himself call the media the enemy of the people, incite against journalists and even incite violence. Facebook claims that these pages were not taken down because what they were posting, but rather because of their behavior, claiming that all of these pages and accounts were engaged in some kind of clickbait, ad farm to raise money instead of actually informing people. Many of the people behind these accounts, including someone who was actually interviewed by the Washington Post when he reported on this, said otherwise, said that theyre actually just trying to challenge mainstream narratives and voice their own political expression. Can you respond to what you think about this mass purge of personal accounts and pages on Facebook? DAVID GREENE: Yeah and let me first say that Im not an expert on this specific purge, but we do follow both Facebook and other platforms content moderation policies and their problems very closely. And I can say with great confidence that this is not an isolated problem, that this is a problem thats inherent in their policies. I mean, we see it all over the world. We see dissident groups all over the world being removed from platforms. And usually, thats done with pressure from a foreign government or from some other powerful force. I dont know what the decision-making process here is by Facebook or any other platform. What we see is that they have set up systems for people to complain about content and for content to be removed. And those systems seem to be very easily gamed, again, by powerful forces, to target their detractors. Weve seen this in Morocco, weve seen this all over the Mideast, in parts of Europe as well. Its very common in other parts of the world. So, what we have done in response to this is to really call on the platforms to adopt some set of standards by which theyre going to remove content and some standards that are consistent with international human rights standards. And very basically, these are things like transparency and due process, having peoples things not removed until they have an opportunity to respond to any challenges to them, just being very clear about what your standards are, why you remove people. Just really sort of basic structural reforms like that. BEN NORTON: And David, several of the pages that were targeted were pages that monitored police brutality, such as Cop Block, pages that encourage citizen journalism to film the police. Im wondering if you could talk, maybe its not just Facebook, but you could talk in general about how the crackdown on police transparency groups is part of this larger crackdown on alternative media. DAVID GREENE: I mean, its really a great example of a group where theres a powerful body on the other side and somewhat where I think the platforms feel a great amount of pressure to respond to. Because many times, theyre getting very legitimate complaints from law enforcement about illegal activity on the sites. And many times, and again, I dont know if this is the case with any particular platform, but its fairly common for sites to have good relationships with law enforcement in order to respond to illegal activity happening on the site. And so, you see how that could very easily bleed over into other practices. And so, Im not surprised. One of the other things we see is that, as we have discussed, sort of the rush to try and respond to propaganda or false media reports has really led to some bad practices, at least bad from the human rights perspective, because sort of efforts that are being made to try and identify sort of reliable or established media sites are really going to lean heavily in favor of mainstream media, well-funded media, and lead against independent media people or non-mainstream organizations either that arent well-known outside of their specific subject matter, and also many who, because of what they do, need to report synonymously or anonymously. And that type of sort of anonymous reporting tends to be downgraded by metrics that try to identify reliability of media sites. BEN NORTON: Were going to take a brief pause in our discussion here and continue in part two. Im joined by David Greene of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Max Blumenthal, an award winning journalist and the editor of The Grayzone project. Were talking about social media crackdown on alternative media outlets and political expression and looking at Facebooks mass purge of hundreds of accounts. Join us here at The Real News Network for part two. NATO conducted a four-day workshop on 15-18 October 2018 to strengthen the Iraqi Security Forces ability to plan and conduct missions and tasks outlined in the countrys national security strategy. Called strategic guidance mission analysis, this is the first step of a comprehensive defence planning process aiming to help the Iraqi Security Forces adapt their current force structure to future security challenges. NATO is one of the crucial partners helping Iraq with this process in the upcoming years, Major General Adel, Commander of the Iraqi Army Planning Directorate said. NATO will advise the Iraqi military planners as they develop modalities and procedures in force structure planning, helping the Iraqi Ministry of Defence to build a force structure and capabilities consistent with the countrys national security guidance. "The Iraqi Security Forces do not lack in practical experience. However, we want them to evolve and develop further, as other countries do around us. In other countries, force planning is a career path for military officers. We have to develop our own force planning units," Major General Samir, Director of the Civil-Military Cooperation Directorate of the Iraqi Ministry of Defence highlighted. Bora Onen, from NATO's Defence Policy and Planning Division, stressed that "this is Iraq-owned work; we are here to show you the path and to help you to find an Iraqi solution." A force structure planning process is vital to build and sustain an achievable and affordable force structure and capabilities. It sets the framework for the Iraqi military to allocate staff with the right expertise, set up military structures, and identify and prioritize force capabilities, training and equipment needs, while accounting for budget constraints. The Iraqi Security Forces are currently being restructured to become more efficient and adequately prepared to address all tasks set for them by their political leadership. Major General Adel concluded stating that, "We had a lot of questions to address when we started this week analyzing the National Security Strategy. After examining and reviewing the document, we have clarity about the next steps and missions set for the Ministry of Defence at the strategic level." Over 40 Iraqi planners attended the workshop, representing key Ministry of Defence directorates, including Planning, Logistics, Human Resources, Budget, and Communications. Representatives of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS also attended. Additional workshop sessions are scheduled to occur in November and December 2018. The workshops are facilitated by the NATO Core Team in Baghdad, as part of NATOs efforts to assist the Government of Iraq reforming its national security structures, conducted under the framework of the NATO Training and Capacity Building Iraq. In the defence planning area, NATO delivers its support in cooperation with the US Defense Governance and Management Team and in coordination with the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. A new NATO Mission Iraq has been launched at the NATO Summit in Brussels this past July. This will be a non-combat mission led by the Canadian Major General Dany Fortin, which will build on the current training and capacity building efforts. Personnel has started to arrive in Iraq, with the new mission expected to be fully established early next year. (Natural News) A recent study has found that a cherry native to Brazil contained multiple health benefits that validate its use in folk medicine as a treatment for various conditions. Findings from this study, published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, suggest that the leaves of the Surinam cherry (Eugenia uniflora) possessed antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic activities based on a series of tests. The Surinam cherry is considered a medicinal plant in Brazilian folk medicine, with its leaves being used to treat diseases that range from fevers, flu, coughs, diarrhea, and stomachaches, to severe conditions such as parasite infestation, hypertension, and even diabetes. It has also been used to treat inflammation, particularly in the throat and oral cavity, as well as support cardiovascular health. Based on preliminary analyses, the leaves of the Surinam cherry contained alkaloids, triterpenes, tannins, flavonoids, and anthraquinones all of which are noted to have antioxidant activity. While many studies have investigated E. uniflora, few studies have examined a possible correlation between the phytochemical composition of this dicotyledonous plant and its biological activities, the researchers wrote in their report. For the study, researchers used crude leaf extracts and prepared aqueous and ethyl acetate-treated fractions from it. The phytochemical composition, as well as its anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, were tested using multiple assays. Results of the chromatography assay revealed concentrations of gallic acid, ellagic acid, and myricitrin. Gallic acid, in particular, contains antioxidant and antifungal activities, based on the result of a separate study made on the compound. Likewise, ellagic acid and myricitrin have antioxidant, as well as antibacterial (for ellagic acid) and potential anti-cancer (for myricitrin), properties. The findings also revealed that the crude leaf extract and fractions of the Surinam cherry inhibited most of the tested bacteria. In particular, crude extracts were able to inhibit bacterial growth including antibiotic-resistant MRSA using a small dosage. Both the extract and fractions reduced leukocyte migration and myeloperoxidase activity, which are both biomarkers for inflammation. Researchers also noted that aqueous fractions of the leaf extract significantly decreased IL-1? and TNF-? levels, proteins that indicate the presence of long-term inflammation. All derivatives also exhibited peripheral analgesic activity, which could make them natural pain relievers. The CE [crude extracts] and fractions from the studied E. uniflora Linn leaves exhibited antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic activity in the performed assays, the team concluded. Further studies, they suggest, should determine the active antibacterial compound in the leaf of the Surinam cherry, including the plants overall health benefits. (Related: 10 Reasons to Use Tart Cherry Juice to Reduce Inflammation.) Other health benefits of Surinam cherries Surinam cherries, which are also called Brazilian cherries, are used to prepare different kinds of desserts and sweets, thanks to their rich, sweet flavor and deep red hues. These cherries are packed with nutrients, including proteins, healthy fats, carbohydrates, and essential vitamins and minerals. In traditional medicine, the whole plant is used, including the leaves and the stem. Here are just some of the health benefits that people can get from Surinam cherries: Disinfect wounds. The plant can be used to dress wounds and bleeding, thanks to its potent antiseptic activity. The plant can be used to dress wounds and bleeding, thanks to its potent antiseptic activity. Treat digestive problems. Surinam cherries are known for their astringent properties, which can help relieve diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues. Surinam cherries are known for their astringent properties, which can help relieve diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues. Boost the immune system. In particular, the vitamin C content of Surinam cherries can help support the immune system and improve its defenses against foreign bodies. In particular, the vitamin C content of Surinam cherries can help support the immune system and improve its defenses against foreign bodies. Get fairer skin. The potent antioxidant activity of Surinam cherries can prevent the formation of free radicals, which also affect the quality of the skin. The potent antioxidant activity of Surinam cherries can prevent the formation of free radicals, which also affect the quality of the skin. Give the body an energy boost. The B-vitamins in Surinam cherries can be used by the body for a quick energy boost. Read more about natural options for wound healing by following Herbs.news today. Sources include: Science.news BMCComplementAlternMed.BioMedCentral.com TopHealthRemedies.com (Natural News) There are many reasons to oppose fluoridated water. Not only is it a form of government-dictated mass medication, research has consistently shown that fluoride consumption has a host of ill effects on human health. Recent research has once again confirmed that fluoride is a neurotoxin with developing fetuses and young children being the most susceptible to its deleterious effects. Scientists from the University of Toronto recently confirmed that exposure to high levels of fluoride in the womb increases ADHD-like symptoms in school-aged children. Dr. Morteza Bashash, the studys lead author and researcher at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, commented on the findings and stated, Our findings are consistent with a growing body of evidence suggesting that the growing fetal nervous system may be negatively affected by higher levels of fluoride exposure. Fluoride and ADHD Dr. Bahash and his team studied 213 pregnant women and their children to see how fluoride affected the children as they reached school-age. All were part of the Early Life Exposures in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) project, which saw recruitment between the years of 1994 and 2005 and featured continued follow-up. The team of experts analyzed urine samples that were taken from the mothers during pregnancy, as well as samples taken from the children while they were between six and 12 years old. The goal was to reconstruct personal measures of fluoride exposure for both mother and child. Then, the scientists looked at how fluoride levels related to the childrens performance on a battery of tests and surveys which measured inattention, hyperactivity and conducted overall ADHD scoring. Our findings show that children with elevated prenatal exposure to fluoride were more likely to show symptoms of ADHD as reported by parents. Prenatal fluoride exposure was more strongly associated with inattentive behaviours and cognitive problems, but not with hyperactivity, Dr. Bahash stated. The team was sure to adjust for other confounding factors, like lead exposure and smoking history. Previous research by Dr. Bahashs team came to a similar conclusion, with the team finding that high levels of fluoride in the urine during pregnancy was associated with lower IQ and cognition test scores in children. Several other recent studies have also made a connection between fluoride and ADHD. Water fluoridation may be commonplace, but that doesnt mean it is actually safe. The toxicity of fluoride The truth about fluoride has long been covered up; a former EPA scientist, Dr. William Hirzy, has worked extensively to study (and expose) the real danger of fluoride. Research by Dr. Hirzy has also indicated that fluoride consumption is linked to a reduction in IQ. Dr. Hirzy reportedly stated of his research,The significance of this peer reviewed risk analysis is that it indicates there may be no actual safe level of exposure to fluoride. [Emphasis added] Fluoride may be similar to lead and mercury in having no threshold below which exposures may be considered safe, he added. And as Natural News writer Tracey Watson reports further, even health experts at Harvard have been forced to admit that fluoride is indeed toxic to the brain. In 2012, researchers from the Ivy League school analyzed IQ scored from 8,000 Chinese school children whod been exposed to fluoride in the water supply. And what they found was that fluoride, once again, was harming kids. High fluoride content in water may negatively affect cognitive development. The average loss in IQ was reported as a standardized weighted mean difference of 0.45, which would be approximately equivalent to seven IQ points for commonly used IQ scores with a standard deviation of 15, reads the studys conclusion. Fluorides effect on the brain is only the tip of the iceberg. You can learn more about the dangers of this neurotoxic chemical thats routinely added to tap water at Fluoride.news. Sources for this article include: NaturalHealth365.com ScienceDaily.com Every November, air pollution in north India reaches high levels, forcing schools shut and filling hospital wards with patients. The scourge is compounded as farmers -- rushing to ready their fields for next season's wheat crop -- use fire to quickly and cheaply clear their land. (Photo: AFP) Ishargarh (Haryana): Harpal Singh struck a match and watched his fields burn, the acrid smoke drifting toward New Delhi where a lethal smog cocktail is once again intensifying over the world's most polluted megacity. Every November, air pollution in north India reaches levels unimaginable in most parts of the world, forcing schools shut and filling hospital wards with wheezing patients. As winter descends, cooler air traps car fumes, factory emissions and construction dust close to the ground, fomenting a toxic brew of harmful pollutants that regularly exceed 30 times the World Health Organization safe limit. The scourge is compounded as farmers like Singh -- rushing to ready their fields for next season's wheat crop -- use fire to quickly and cheaply clear their land. He knows slash-and-burn farming is illegal and that doing so, year after year, helps sicken millions in the Indian capital and beyond. But local authorities appear powerless to stop it and -- looming health crisis or not in Delhi -- the narrow window to plant for the winter harvest is closing. "We have no other choice but to burn the straw," Singh told AFP in Ishargarh, a village in Haryana, about 120 km northwest of Delhi. "We know the smoke pollutes the air. But it is the cheapest and easiest way to get rid of the (crop) residue," the 65-year-old farmer told AFP, as burning straw crackled and popped behind him. Deaf Ears This smoke is already reaching Delhi, bringing a familiar sepia haze and a bad omen for officials wanting to avoid a third straight year of record-setting smog. Deterrents, such as fines of up to USD 200 for farmers flouting the law, appear to have limited effect. Satellite imagery shows countless spot fires already burning in Haryana and Punjab. S Narayanan, from Haryana's State Pollution Control Board, said Rs 3 lakh in fines had been issued and fires were down 40 per cent in some areas. "But our intention is not only to take punitive action, but to educate the farmers," he told AFP. Farmers represent powerful voting blocs in rural states like Haryana and Punjab, and local authorities are reluctant to upset them. Efforts to persuade farmers, many living below the poverty line, to adopt alternative methods of land clearance have fallen on deaf ears. Many have balked at suggestions of buying "Happy Seeders" -- expensive machines which according to media reports cost at least Rs 1.5 lakh - that sow wheat without needing to dispose of the leftover straw. The government is offering a subsidy of 50 per cent to individuals and 80 per cent to groups of farmers to encourage them to use the machines. "We are already in debt... and we can't afford even the subsidised machines," said Karnail Singh, a 60-year-old farmer. He suggested the government pay farmers by the acre not to burn their fields. (Photo: AFP) Television ads, social media campaigns and meetings at the village level have also had limited success. Powerful farmers unions say many of the government's ideas -- such as encouraging farmers to sell straw to factories -- overlook extra costs imposed on poor rural families. "Who will bear the cost of transporting the straw? Farmers are also concerned about the pollution, but they are helpless," said Sucha Singh from Bhartiya Kisan Union, a farmers' rights group. Gas Chamber Many farmers feel scapegoated for the modern-day problems of the country's fast-growing cities. The WHO in May listed 14 Indian cities in the world's top 15 with the dirtiest air, with Delhi dubbed the most polluted major centre. "Farmers are blamed for the pollution, but nobody talks about the factories and cars and buses which are the main culprits," Singh said. Others are more defiant. "We are always the soft targets. We will continue to burn stubble. Let the government do what it can," said another farmer Harbans Singh. With smoke on the horizon, the Delhi government is squaring off for a fight with its neighbours. It recently closed its last coal-fired power plant but Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned of another smog crisis if Punjab and Haryana failed to take "concrete steps" on crop fires. "The entire region including Delhi will again become (a) gas chamber," he said on October 12. "People will again face difficulty in breathing. This is criminal." The Republicans running in Nevada's hotly contested races for governor and U.S. Senate are taking aim at a common target as they try to maintain GOP control of the seats: California. As more Californians have poured across the state line over the past few years, many of them escaping sky-high housing costs, some Nevada Republicans fear a state that already has become a political battleground will begin to resemble its deep blue neighbor. GOP candidates are appealing to conservative voters with warnings about life in California: sanctuary cities, crippling business regulations, out-of-control housing prices and a worsening homeless crisis. Republican Sen. Dean Heller, who is in a tight re-election battle against Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen, has highlighted his opponent's support from California billionaire Tom Steyer and Hollywood celebrities, while warning on Twitter that the state could become "CaliforNevada" if Rosen is elected. Politicians on the right have for years demonized California as a conservative's worst nightmare. In 2003, as a joke, a Republican state lawmaker in Nevada requested a bill be drafted to rename the state "East California," along with making The Beatles' song "Taxman" the official state song. The California-bashing takes on added weight in Nevada, which has seen a greater-than-normal wave of Californians recently as housing prices and rents have soared in the Golden State. At the same time, transplants from Silicon Valley have followed Tesla, Apple and other California-grown companies as they have expanded in the Reno area. This year, with California emerging as a political bulwark against the Trump administration, the state has become a political bugaboo for conservatives around the country. They paint it as a cautionary tale of taxes, regulation, environmentalism and illegal immigration run amok. In Georgia, Republican candidate for governor Brian Kemp has cast his Democratic opponent, Stacey Abrams, as a tool of "billionaires and socialists who want to turn Georgia into California." Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this summer declared that "California appears to have raised the leadership in the United States of America for socialism." The Republican State Leadership Committee, which works on electing Republicans to state offices around the country, declared in a campaign email that California has turned into a "liberal wasteland" of "garbage-strewn streets, never-ending tax increases, and lax immigration laws" that Democrats would replicate if they took control of state legislatures. In Nevada, California has become a special source of angst. Californians have long made up at least one-third of new residents to Nevada, but this year are on track to comprise 40 percent of new residents, according to drivers' license data from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. That influx comes as Nevada has been trending more Democratic in its politics over the last decade, swinging for the Democrat in the past three presidential elections and giving Democrats full control of the Legislature in 2016 the first time since 1992. It's unclear whether the latest California influx will move the state firmly into the Democratic column this November. Nevada's races are at the center of the political universe again this year: The U.S. Senate race is a pivotal one for determining whether Republicans maintain control of that chamber, and whichever party wins the governor's seat will have veto power over legislative and congressional redistricting following the 2020 Census. "A lot of people left California because of what they didn't like, but then they got to Nevada and said, 'Oh, in California, we had this. Oh, in California we had that.' The things that they left, they want to bring here," said Chuck Muth, a conservative activist and blogger in Las Vegas. "I think everybody has known about it, but now the candidates at the top of the Republican ticket are actually making a campaign issue out of it." In the governor's race, Nevada's Republican attorney general, Adam Laxalt, has frequently included anti-California messages in campaign appearances and statements, even when endorsing other candidates. Laxalt cites sanctuary cities and burdensome regulations as ill-considered California policies that Nevada should avoid. "Do you think it should be a crime in a restaurant to give you a straw when you're trying to have a drink? How about cancer warnings on your coffee?" Laxalt said at a campaign appearance in May. "These are things we're seeing in our neighbor, California. These are the things I'm willing to fight against so Nevada does not become like California." He told The Associated Press that while there's a concern that Californians moving to the state could import liberal politics, he meets new Nevada residents "all the time that have decided that they're utterly fed up with California" and "a lot of the just really extreme liberal policies that continue to flourish in that state." He said his main worry is that Nevada progressives will see California as a model. He cited the 2017 session of the Democratic-led Legislature as an example of the state "going the way of California." Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval, a moderate, nearly set a state record by vetoing 41 bills. One of 15 former priests found to have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children within a Northern California diocese is facing new allegations of molesting girls. The former priest, 90-year-old Hernan Toro, has been held at the Santa Clara County Jail since last fall on accusations of molesting two girls, ages 10 and 12, between 2011 and 2015. The mother of one of the alleged victims came forward to the police with the allegations in August 2017. She said she reached out to police after finding Toro's name on the Megan's Law sex offender website. The woman, whose identity is being protected due to her connection with a minor, told NBC Bay Area that her family was very close to the then-retired priest, close to the point where they spent nights at his house. "Unfortunately the closest to us sometimes can be the one that hurts us the most," she said. She also said her daughter would call him "grampa." When she asked her daughter if Toro had done anything inappropriate, she said her daughter broke down in tears, "afraid that we were not going to believe her." Churches, Schools and Religious Centers with Links to Publicly Accused Priests This map includes names released by the San Jose Diocese, names of priests who have been identified by Bishop Accountability and names of priests identified in lawsuits. Note: This map will be updated as more information is released. The diocese report says Toro was convicted of sexual misconduct with a child in 1983 in Santa Clara and listed his whereabout as San Leandro. But records show he's been in a San Jose jail since October 2017. Records also showed that Toro was allowed to serve at two other parishes before he retired. San Jose Bishop Patrick McGrath released the priests' names Thursday as part of an effort to reassure parishioners following a stunning August report by Pennsylvania authorities. Diocese spokeswoman Liz Sullivan said the church wasn't aware of the new allegations. She did not respond to requests for comment about how the diocese conducted its research on the former priests' current whereabouts. The molestation charges against Toro stem from alleged abuse of a girl between 4 and 6 years old and an 11-year-old girl. McGrath apologized in a statement Thursday "for the actions of those who were in positions of authority and who violated that sacred trust by abusing children." "The sexual abuse of children and young people is an appalling crime and a sin," he said. Bishop Michael C. Barber of the Oakland Diocese said he also is planning to release a list of clergy members credibly accused of sexual abuse in the coming weeks. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco said he's also considering such a move. Roz Plater contributed to this report. A party turned to "chaos" early Sunday when the floor of a clubhouse near Clemson University collapsed and left 30 people injured, police said. Authorities were called about 12:30 a.m. to The Woodlands Apartments clubhouse in South Carolina after the building's first story floor gave way during a private party with Clemson University students and others. Chief of Police Jimmy Dixon described the scene as "chaos." Video posted to social media showed people dancing before the floor caved in and crashed to the next level of the structure, leaving a large hole in the middle of the room. Dozens of people fell through while many still standing looked on or recorded the incident with their phones. People could be heard shouting and screaming in the footage. Thirty people sustained non-life threatening injuries including fractures, broken bones and lacerations. Those injured were taken to local hospitals by Clemson University emergency services. Police said there were no entrapments. "We're just thankful that it was not any worse than it was," Dixon told reporters. The investigation is ongoing, and Dixon said the building's codes and structure will be evaluated. Clemson sophomore Larissa Stone told the Independent Mail of Anderson that the room was "packed" and a popular song was playing when the floor collapsed. "So everyone was jumping. The beat was about to drop and literally the whole floor collapsed," she said. "It happened so quickly. I stood up, and everyone was trying to climb out. People are under other people. People are hurt. People are bleeding. I had blood on my sneakers. It was really bad." A witness who attended the party said people were jumping when he heard a sudden "boom." "All you seen was falling, everybody's hands up in the air," Franzie Pendergrass told WYFF News 4. Leroy Pearson said he went to try to help injured people and saw what he thought looked like broken ankles and legs. "It was crazy," Pearson said. Property manager Tal Slann told The Associated Press that the condominium complex was built in 2004-2005. He said he could not comment on whether there was a limit on the number of people who were supposed to use the clubhouse at one time. "I can tell you there was a party. I can tell you there was a floor collapse. There were injuries. They were not life-threatening. Nobody was trapped," he said. Slann sent residents of The Woodlands an email saying the floor in front of the clubhouse fireplace had collapsed during a party. "The Clubhouse and pool area is OFF LIMITS to all," said a copy of the email texted to the AP. "The clubhouse will be inspected by structural engineers as soon as possible. From there, the homeowner's association will determine how to rebuild the clubhouse to make it safe for all residents. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who were injured and we apologize for any inconvenience." The Associated Press contributed to this report. In recent days, J.B. Pritzker has added another $15 million to his campaign fund a total of $161.5 million a new record nationwide for candidates self-funding their campaigns. A previous record was held by Republican Meg Whitman who gave her campaign $144 million in an unsuccessful bid for California governor. Incumbent Governor Bruce Rauner has given his campaign for re-election $71.5 million and since he first entered politics in 2013, he has donated a total of $95 million out of pocket. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More In a statement emailed to NBC 5 on Sunday night, the Pritzker campaign says that almost $4 million of that money will go to other committees and campaigns, including $1 million to the Rock Island Democratic Party and $1 million to Kwame Raoul's campaign to replace Lisa Madigan as Attorney General. Another $700,000 will go to the state Democratic Party. President Donald Trump said he needs to learn more about the killing of a Saudi journalist and will be working with Congress on the U.S. response. Speaking late Saturday after a campaign rally in Nevada, he said he will be talking to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman soon. Saudi authorities have said Khashoggi died in a "brawl" with Saudi officials at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, the latest in a series of conflicting explanations for his death. The country's explanation has sparked allegations of a cover-up intended to shield the powerful crown prince. Turkish officials suspect a team of Saudi agents was sent to assassinate him. Trump initially said he believed the Saudi account, but on Saturday he said he still does not know where Khashoggi's body is. Trump said: "We'd like to find out where it is and what happened... And I think we're inching our way there." Meanwhile, the European Union said the emerging details of Khashoggi's death are "deeply troubling" and that a "continued thorough, credible and transparent investigation" is needed. Saudi Arabia said 18 Saudi suspects were in custody and intelligence officials had been fired. But critics believe the complex scheme that led to Khashoggi's death could not have occurred without the knowledge of Mohammed bin Salman. The EU said the continuing investigation should bring "proper clarity on the circumstances of the killing and ensuring full accountability of all those responsible for it." A political action committee said Friday that it won't pull radio ads in hotly contested races in Arkansas and Missouri that suggest African American men will face rape accusations if Democrats win midterm elections. An ad from Black Americans for the President's Agenda in an Arkansas congressional race features a woman saying "white Democrats will be lynching black folk again." Both the Republican incumbent and his Democratic challenger have condemned it, and the Arkansas GOP filed a state ethics complaint over it. In Missouri, the radio ad favoring Republican challenger Josh Hawley and attacking Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, does not mention lynching. Instead, the woman says that if Democrats prevail in mid-term elections, "black folk will be catching hell again" and that black men could face allegations of rape. Hawley spokeswoman Kelli Ford said in an email, "Of course we don't support this." The ads in both states were scheduled to run through Friday. "We have a plan, we're executing the plan," Vernon Robinson, the PAC's co-founder and treasurer, told The Associated Press. Robinson has said the ad is part of a $50,000 buy. Robinson said the reference to lynching was removed from the Missouri ad because the attorney for a St. Louis radio station demanded it be left out before the station would run it. instead of mentioning "race verdicts, life sentences and lynchings when a white girl screams rape," the Missouri ad talks about "race verdicts, life sentences or worse." But Robinson said, "The reality is, every black person in St. Louis knows what 'or worse' means." Both ads invoke the accusation that Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a woman when he was a teenager. The ad implies that Democrats' support for Kavanaugh's accuser means black men wouldn't be protected from unfounded rape claims. In both ads, a woman says that she is voting for the Republican candidate to protect "our men and boys." In the Arkansas ad, for Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill against Democratic challenger Clarke Tucker, the woman says, "We can't afford to let white Democrats take us back to bad old days." Arkansas Republicans on Friday filed a complaint with the state Ethics Commission against the PAC, saying it had not registered to campaign in Arkansas and that the ads were running illegally. Robinson said he planned to talk with the Ethics Commission staff to determine the next step. Tucker and Democrats are relying in part on heavy turnout from African-Americans to flip the 2nd District seat, which covers Little Rock and seven central Arkansas counties. The North Carolina-based PAC was formed earlier this year and this week reported having about $52,507 cash on hand and $62,769 in debt. Robinson is a former city councilman from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who has run unsuccessfully for Congress in the state and led a super PAC aimed at drafting Ben Carson into the 2016 presidential race. The ad isn't the first time racially-charged issues have come into play in the race. Tucker last month denounced immigration attack mailers sent out by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton's PAC as "racist." Tucker earlier this month said a statue of his great-great-grandfather should be removed from the U.S. Capitol, condemning his ancestor's statement that the South looked to the Democratic Party to preserve "white standards." Hill and Tucker are both white. The 2nd District is about 23 percent black, according to U.S. Census estimates. About 12 percent of Missouri's residents are black. While African-Americans are a core constituency for Democrats, McCaskill has struggled to overcome perceptions that she's ignored black constituents. Her campaign did not respond immediately to email messages seeking comment about the radio ad. What to Know Turkish officials said "it's not possible for the Saudi administration" to get away with this crime Capitol Hill lawmakers condemned Saudi Arabia for its explanation of what happened to Jamal Khashoggi President Donald Trump said it is "unacceptable" what happened to the journalist Turkey will "never allow a cover-up" of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, a senior official in Turkey's ruling party said Saturday, reflecting international skepticism over the Saudi account that the writer died during a "fistfight." The comment was one of many critical reactions to Saudi Arabia's announcement of the writer's violent death, indicating the kingdom's efforts to defuse a scandal that has gripped the world were falling short. U.S. President Donald Trump, however, was an exception. Asked whether he thought the Saudi explanation was credible, he replied: "I do. I do." "Saudi Arabia has been a great ally, but what happened is unacceptable," Trump said. Regarding the Saudi arrests, he said, "It's a big first step. It's only a first step, but it's a big first step." Despite widespread outrage over the killing of the columnist for The Washington Post, it is unclear to what extent the top leadership of Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally and a powerful player in a volatile region, would be held accountable for what human rights activists describe as an extrajudicial killing by Saudi agents. The only way to find out what happened would be through an international investigation led by a U.N.-appointed panel, the editorial board of The Washington Post said. Saudi Arabia's latest version asks us to believe that "Mr. Khashoggi died after becoming engaged in a 'brawl' with officials who had been sent to meet him." His body, Saudi officials told several journalists, was handed over to a "local collaborator for disposal," it said, while also criticizing Trump for allegedly trying to help top Saudi leaders escape "meaningful accountability." Saudi Arabia said 18 Saudi suspects were in custody and intelligence officials had been fired. But critics believe the complex scheme that led to Khashoggi's death could not have occurred without the knowledge of Mohammed bin Salman, the 33-year-old crown prince whose early promises of sweeping reform are being eclipsed by concerns that he is an impulsive, even sinister figure. The Saudi narrative of Khashoggi's death, alleged to have occurred in a brawl following discussions with visiting officials in the consulate, contrasts with Turkish pro-government media reports that a Saudi hit squad, including an autopsy expert, traveled to Istanbul to kill Khashoggi and dispose of his body, which has not yet been found. The overnight statement, released by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, that the writer died in the consulate also came more than two weeks after Khashoggi, 59, entered the building for paperwork required to marry his Turkish fiancee and never came out. Saudi Arabia initially denied any knowledge of his disappearance. The kingdom has described assertions in Turkish media leaks, based on purported audio recordings that Khashoggi was tortured, killed and dismembered inside the consulate, as "baseless." Turkish politicians pushed back Saturday. "It's not possible for the Saudi administration to wiggle itself out of this crime if it's confirmed," said Numan Kurtulmus, deputy head of Turkey's Justice and Development Party. He also said Turkey would share its evidence of Khashoggi's killing with the world and that a "conclusive result" of the investigation is close. Another Turkish ruling party official also criticized Saudi Arabia, saying the kingdom should have given its explanation "before the situation reached this point." The official, Leyla Sahin Usta, said it would have been "more valuable" if Saudi officials had earlier admitted that Khashoggi was killed in its diplomatic post. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers including Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham expressed skepticism of the Saudi account, which was vastly different than that given by Turkish officials, who had said an "assassination squad" sent by the kingdom had killed and dismembered Khashoggi. "First we were told Mr. Khashoggi supposedly left the consulate and there was blanket denial of any Saudi involvement," Graham, R-S.C., tweeted Friday. "Now, a fight breaks out and he's killed in the consulate, all without knowledge of Crown Prince." "The Saudi 'explanation' for murdering journalist and Virginia resident Jamal Khashoggi in a consulate_a fistfight gone wrong_is insulting," tweeted Sen. Tim Kaine, the 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee. "Since the Trump Administration won't stand up against atrocity, Congress must." Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California said Saudi Arabia's claim that Khashoggi died in a brawl wasn't credible. "If Khashoggi was fighting inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, he was fighting for his life with people sent to capture or kill him," said Schiff, the ranking member of the House intelligence committee. "The Kingdom and all involved in this brutal murder must be held accountable, and if the Trump Administration will not take the lead, Congress must," Schiff said. In a statement Friday night, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the U.S. will closely follow international investigations into Khashoggi's death and will advocate for justice that is "timely, transparent and in accordance with all due process." Khashoggi, a prominent journalist and royal court insider for decades in Saudi Arabia, had written columns critical of Prince Mohammed and the kingdom's direction while living in self-imposed exile in the U.S. "God have mercy on you my love Jamal, and may you rest in Paradise," Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, tweeted following the Saudi announcements. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "stresses the need for a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Khashoggi's death and full accountability for those responsible," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Standing outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the head of a media group said the "authority that gave the orders" in the killing of Khashoggi should be punished. Turan Kislakci, president of the Turkish Arab Media Association, said Khashoggi was "slaughtered by bloody murderers" and that his group wants "true justice" for its slain colleague. The Saudi announcements about Khashoggi came in statements carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency early Saturday. "Preliminary investigations conducted by the Public Prosecution showed that the suspects had traveled to Istanbul to meet with the citizen Jamal Khashoggi as there were indications of the possibility of his returning back to the country," the statement read. "Discussions took place with the citizen Jamal Khashoggi during his presence in the consulate of the kingdom in Istanbul by the suspects (that) did not go as required and developed in a negative way, leading to a fistfight. The brawl led to his death and their attempt to conceal and hide what happened." There's been no indication Khashoggi had any immediate plans to return to the kingdom. The Saudi statements, which expressed regret and promised accountability, did not identify the 18 Saudis being held by authorities and did not explain how so many people could have been involved in a fistfight. The kingdom at the same time announced the firing of four top intelligence officials, including Maj. Gen. Ahmed bin Hassan Assiri, a one-time spokesman for the Saudi military's campaign in Yemen who later became a confidant of Prince Mohammed. Saud Qahtani, a powerful adviser to the prince, also was fired. Qahtani had led Saudi efforts to isolate Qatar amid a boycott of the country by the kingdom and three other Arab nations as part of a political dispute. On Twitter, where Qahtani had launched vitriolic attacks against those he saw as the kingdom's enemies, he thanked the Saudi government for the opportunity to serve. "I will remain a loyal servant to my country for all times," he wrote. In firing officials close to Prince Mohammed, Saudi Arabia stopped short of implicating the heir-apparent of the world's largest oil exporter. King Salman, his father, appointed him to lead a committee that will restructure the kingdom's intelligence services after Khashoggi's slaying. No major decisions in Saudi Arabia are made outside of the ultraconservative kingdom's ruling Al Saud family. Stratford Police have arrested a 19-year-old after a shooting on Saturday night. Officers responded to a report of an assault and shots fired on Wiklund Avenue around 10:45 p.m. The caller told police that someone had been shot at the residence. Investigators said 19-year-old Davonte Whitehurst, of Bridgeport, shot a man in the leg after a brief verbal argument. The man received non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. According to police, the victim is the ex-boyfriend of the girl that Whitehurst was visiting. The victim showed up at the residence uninvited and possibly started the confrontation. Whitehurst fled the scene on foot before officers arrived. While en route, police spotted him running on Wiklund Avenue near Canaan Road. He was stopped by officers, where the gun was recovered. He was detained before being arrested. Whitehurst is facing charges including criminal attempt at murder, assault, breach of peace, unlawful discharge of a firearm, reckless endangerment and carrying a pistol without a permit. His bond was set at $250,000 and he is scheduled to appear in court on October 31. Officials said after the gunfight ended, which killed 3 terrorists, civilians rushed to the encounter site where an explosive went off. Three terrorists were killed in the ensuing encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. (Photo: File) Srinagar: Three terrorists were killed on Sunday in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, while six civilians lost their lives in a blast following the gunfight there, police said. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Laroo area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir following specific information about the presence of terrorists in the area, a police official said. While conducting searches the terrorists fired upon them, he said, adding three terrorists were killed in the ensuing encounter. He said the identity and group affiliation of the slain terrorists is being ascertained. The officials said immediately after the gunfight ended and the forces withdrew from the spot, civilians rushed to the encounter site where an explosive substance went off resulting in the death of six civilians. "Despite requests to not visit the spot till thorough search is done for explosives, several civilians visited the encounter site immediately after the operation. While they were there, some explosive substance went off, resulting in on spot death of a civilian and injuries to several others," the official said. He said the injured persons were rushed to various hospitals for treatment but five of them succumbed to the injuries. "In total, six civilians were killed due to the blast," the official said. He said clashes broke out between groups of youth and security forces in the area and were going on when last reports came in. "Police had to use some force to quell the protests and about two dozen persons were injured in the clashes, the official said. Advisor to the Governor, K Vijay Kumar, and DGP Dilbag Singh have expressed regret over the loss of civilian lives at the encounter site and conveyed their profound condolences to the bereaved families. He said such sites should be avoided by civilians till they are properly sanitised. Authorities say the 18 people in a limousine and two pedestrians who were killed when the vehicle crashed off a rural upstate New York road earlier this month all died from the impact of the accident. New York State Police say Friday that results of autopsies conducted at Albany Medical Center confirmed all 20 victims in the Oct. 6 crash in Schoharie died from "multiple severe traumatic blunt force injuries." State police say they're still awaiting the results of toxicology tests, including for the driver, 53-year-old Scott Lisinicchia. Officials have said he wasn't properly licensed to drive the vehicle, which state police said was "unserviceable" at the time of the crash. The investigation into the crash is continuing. The limo company's operator has been charged with criminally negligent homicide. For 18 years, the Kmart in McMurray, Pennsylvania, was like home for Joshua Englert. He was 16 years old when he first started helping shoppers at the discount retailer's location near Pittsburgh. But last Sunday, the store's BlueLight went dark and the last sale was made. To thank shoppers and the staff, Englert, now a store manager, dialed into the intercom one last time and delivered an emotional goodbye. "I wanted to take this opportunity not to sell you 40-cent plaid skirts or 5-cent panties, but to instead thank you for supporting a lifetime of memories," Englert said as he choked up. "I am the man I am today because of the people I have met here at Kmart," he added. Englert recorded the message on his smartphone and posted the video to facebook. The reaction was huge with the video garnering more than 100,000 views and 1,000 reactions as of Saturday. "I did not think I was going to be choked up like that," Englert told NBC News in an interview Saturday. "I always use the intercom to announce specials and make sales announcement and Im sort of known for adding some fun to them, so I thought on the last day the associates would appreciate me saying something sentimental. I didnt know what I was going to say five minutes before I said it," Englert said. Kmart has battled tectonic changes in the retail landscape over the past two decades. Once the second-largest discount retailer, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2002 and merged with Sears in 2004. The tumult resulted in the shedding of stores like Englert's location. A second bankruptcy filing this month means even more Kmart and Sears stores are being shuttered. Englert said while the community is sad to see their local store close, they "understand the business of it all." As for Englert, he's started looking for a new job, but the people he bonded with at Store #4770 will always have a special place in his heart. "We were definitely a family," he said. "Those relationships, thats all what keeps us together is each other." California moved a step closer Friday to allowing marijuana deliveries in communities that have banned retail sales of the drug as regulators rebuffed cities and police chiefs opposed the rule. The proposal is a major issue that could ultimately end up in court as the state continues to assemble pieces in the pot regulatory puzzle since recreational sales became legal Jan. 1. Cities have been able to ban retail sales, but state law says local governments cannot prevent cannabis deliveries on public roads so the state at this point rejected the plea from opponents who said it would increase crime and cause other problems. California police chiefs, the League of Cities and other groups launched an online petition this summer opposed to the proposal that showed wide-eyed children gesturing toward a pot delivery van outside a school. Regulators received thousands of comments about a raft of proposed regulations, but half of those were aimed at the delivery issue, said Alex Traverso, spokesman for the Bureau of Cannabis Control. There was a lot on both sides of the dial, but the determination was to leave statewide delivery as it was, he said. The proposed delivery rule and changes in other draft regulations now face a 15-day public comment period. The rules are expected to be finalized in December. Two sagging Pacific Gas and Electric Co. power lines made contact and ignited a blaze last year that killed four people and injured a firefighter in Northern California, fire officials said Tuesday about the latest wildfire to be blamed on power lines. Strong winds caused the lines to touch, creating an electrical arc that sent molten material onto dry vegetation below, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. The blaze in Yuba County that started on Oct. 8, 2017, scorched 15 square miles and destroyed 264 structures. Cal Fire said the report on their investigation has been forwarded to the Yuba County district attorney. It was one of several wildfires that swept through Northern California that month, killing 44 people and destroying more than 5,000 homes. State officials say insured damages alone topped $9 billion. Fire investigators have blamed PG&E equipment for 12 of last year's wildfires in wine country, including two that killed a total of 15 people. In eight blazes, investigators said they found evidence of violations of state law and forwarded the findings to county prosecutors. Authorities have not determined fault for the Tubbs Fire, the most destructive in state history that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 22 people in Sonoma County. PG&E is facing dozens of lawsuits from insurers that have spent billions settling insurance claims from homeowners. PG&E provided the following statement on Tuesday: The safety of our customers, their families and the communities we serve is our most important job. Without question, the loss of life, homes and businesses in these extraordinary wildfires is heartbreaking and we remain focused on helping communities recover and rebuild. As independent experts have confirmed, extreme weather, years of drought, and millions of dead trees are feeding an unprecedented risk of wildfires. In light of this, we recognize we all need to do even more to help reduce the risk of wildfires, and are committed to working together with our state and community partners to develop comprehensive safety solutions for the future. We look forward to the opportunity to carefully review the CAL FIRE report to understand the agencys perspectives. In the meantime, we are continuing to focus on implementing additional precautionary measures intended to further reduce wildfire threats, such as working to remove and reduce dangerous vegetation, improving weather forecasting, upgrading emergency response warnings, making lines and poles stronger in high fire threat areas and taking other actions to make our system, and our customers and communities, even safer in the face of a growing wildfire threat. The 18-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a police officer near a school in the Atlanta area over the weekend was shot and killed by another officer Monday, police said. Authorities said they believe 18-year-old Tafahree Maynard fatally shot Officer Antwan Toney on Saturday afternoon in the Snellville area, Gwinnett County Police said in a statement. Toney is from Bellflower and had spent his entire life in the LA area until recently taking a job in the Atlanta metro area, according to Atlanta's NBC affiliate WXIA. Sister Carla Johnson said she talked to her brother as he responed to the call. He said he would call her back. "We all knew he was always going to be a police officer," she said. "It just happened to be in Atlanta, and we were completely ok with that. "He loved his job." Maynard was the second of two men charged in the fatal shooting Saturday of Toney. Gwinnett County police Chief Butch Ayers told reporters police got a credible tip about Maynard's whereabouts around 3 a.m. Monday morning. Dozens of police officers went door-to-door in a search for him. Two officers searching a shed behind a house encountered Maynard, who failed to comply with verbal commands, Ayers said. Maynard had an "edged weapon" in his hand, the chief said. One officer fired a stun gun at Maynard and the other fatally shot him from about 5 or 6 feet away, Ayers said. A second suspect, 19-year-old Isaiah Pretlow, was charged with aggravated assault for allegedly pointing a firearm at an officer during the pursuit after Toney's fatal shooting, police said earlier. Toney died at a hospital from his injuries, police said. The 30-year-old from Southern California had been with the Gwinnett County Police Department for nearly three years. It was his first police job. "The people that worked with Officer Toney on a daily basis recalled a very jovial person who was dedicated to his job and dedicated to his community," Ayers said. Toney and other officers responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle near a school, police said. When the officers approached, someone in the vehicle opened fire and Toney was hit. Then the vehicle sped off. According to police, Pretlow drove the vehicle from the scene following the shooting, crashed a short distance away and fled along with other occupants. An officer who was searching the area later encountered Pretlow about 3 p.m. Pretlow pointed a gun at the officer, who fired shots. Pretlow was not hit and fled into a wooded area. He was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals about 11:30 p.m. The shooting happened near Shiloh Middle School, about 25 miles northeast of Atlanta. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's spokesman has called on Republicans to condemn "reckless and dangerous rhetoric" after Pelosi was confronted by an "angry mob" of far-right protesters in South Florida. Pelosi, D-Calif., made an appearance on Wednesday at a Coral Gables campaign event for Donna Shalala, the Democratic candidate who hopes to fill the District 27 U.S. House seat vacated by retiring Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. As Pelosi and her team entered the building through a back walkway for the event, a group of protesters approached and began hurling insults at Pelosi calling her everything from a "piece of s---" to a "f------ communist." "Open up! Its the Proud Boys in here," one of the protesters is heard saying in a video posted to YouTube. The Proud Boys is a men-only, far-right organization founded in 2016 by Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes. The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the Proud Boys as an extremist hate group. A Proud Boys flag was waved during the demonstration in which some protesters were seen wearing Proud Boys gear. The Proud Boys, called a hate group by the SPLC, joined the Miami Dade GOPs protest of Shalalas office event with Pelosi yesterday Story (not about Proud Boys) is here: https://t.co/tYUhhc85sS pic.twitter.com/qpS4k2BkEZ Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) October 18, 2018 In response on Friday, Drew Hammill, Pelosi's spokesman, blamed President Donald Trump and Republican congress members for stoking the "flames of incivility, intolerance and aggression." "It is deeply sad but unsurprising that we now see that ugliness rearing its head. It is stunning that Republicans have the gall to call courageous survivors of sexual assault a mob, at the same time they incite and condone violent actions like this," Hammill said in a statement. "Republicans must condemn this vile and dangerous conduct, and stop the reckless and dangerous rhetoric that encourages it. The Washington Post reports that the protest appears to have been organized by Miami-Dade County Republican Party Chairman Nelson Diaz, citing emails posted online. In a statement, Diaz apologized for letting his "emotions get the best of me" during the demonstration and distanced himself from other protesters who "came with a different agenda." "I unequivocally denounce their actions. I denounce all hate," Diaz wrote. "I and the Miami-Dade GOP share no affiliation whatsoever with those individuals and believe there is no place in our society for hateful language, or violence against any person or group regardless of their views." The Florida Democratic Party on Saturday called for Diaz to resign. "The Proud Boys' hate has no place in our nation, and their violent tactics certainly have no place in our politics," FDP chairwoman Terrie Rizzo said in a statement. "It is appalling that the Miami Dade GOP Chairman, Nelson Diaz, would campaign alongside a known hate group and welcome its members within his party. He should resign immediately and take anyone who espouses the Proud Boys' ideas out the door with him." U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., also denounced the protesters' actions. "You are not helping the cause of anti-communism if you behave like the repudiation mobs Castro has long used in Cuba. Not sure who was behind this behavior but you should have protested Pelosi campaign stop without borrowing the tactics of left wing mobs," Rubio wrote on Twitter. Hammill replied to Rubio's Twitter post. "These weren't anti-communism protestors. These were GOP operatives, including the Chairman of the Republican Party in Miami Dade County, working hand in hand with Proud Boys," Hammill wrote. Proud Boys members have been arrested in connection to a New York City street brawl after a speech McInnes gave last weekend. A Latina woman was with family visiting from Guatemala when she says they were verbally harassed by a white woman for conversing in Spanish at a Virginia restaurant. The family was confronted inside Andys restaurant in Lovettsville. "She asked for passports; she said that she knew everybody in Loudoun County to get us out of here, and she started saying that we were supposed to speak English, but I'm like 'were not talking to you,'" said the victim, who asked to remain anonymous. "They're here visiting and they dont know English, so how do you want them to speak English when theyre here just visiting?" Part of the incident was caught on video. You dont freeload in this f------ country, the woman is heard saying on the video. You get the f--- out, back to your f------ country. Police were called but no charges were filed. The owner of the restaurant said the woman who harassed the family is not welcome back. The Spanish-speaking victim said her 7-year-old daughter was present during the profanity-laced attack. She told Telemundo 44 that she is sharing her story because of her daughter and hopes that other victims of bias-motivated harassment also speak out. "It's not fair that they do this to us, and even less acceptable if there are children present. It's not fair for any child to have to go through that. You just don't do that," the woman added. What to Know Sen. Chuck Schumer on Sunday said the company that chartered a chopper in a deadly East River crash still offers similar flights Five people died when a helicopter chartered for the day by FlyNYON crashed into the river. They couldn't escape from their harnesses The deadly chopper was owned and operated by Liberty Helicopters; FlyNYON says it now only uses its own fleet The company that chartered the doors-off helicopter that crashed into the East River in March, killing its five passengers, is still offering similar flights at a discount despite the fact that its under federal investigation, Sen. Chuck Schumer said. The five passengers drowned when they were unable to free themselves from their harnesses after the chopper, owned and operated by Liberty Helicopters but chartered by FlyNYON for the day, crashed into the water on March 11. Schumer said Sunday that FlyNYON is now offering a 40 percent October sale discount on the exact same doors-off flights. FlyNYON says it now uses its own fleet of helicopters for doors-off flights in New York and does not rely on a charter. In addition, a FlyNYON spokesperson said in a statement that, We have continued to operate in compliance with FAA regulations, and have made numerous safety improvements since March to ensure our customers have the best possible experience with FlyNYON. We await the results of the NTSB investigation. Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are still investigating these flights. Schumer said FlyNYON should not be offering a discount on similar flights with those investigations still pending. For FlyNYON to offer a 40 percent discount on a doors-off flight when we still dont know 100 percent of what went wrong during the East River chopper crash should be alarming to the feds and fliers alike, Schumer said in a statement. Moreover, the aggressive marketing campaign that uses social media and geo-tracking to hype up the flights and court consumers doesnt seem to alert potential customers to the current investigation or the risks involved, he added. A month after the deadly crash, the New York Times reported that pilots for FlyNYON had expressed concerns about the choppers harnesses, among other safety concerns, to management. Schumer on Sunday called on FlyNYON to suspend the flights until the investigations are complete. Ive asked for this before, and to their credit and the FAAs, the company did the right thing and suspended those flights, but it would appear that months later an aggressive marketing campaign to sell the same doors-off flights could fly under the radar, and that should not happen, he said. What to Know A public health nurse is rejoining the group she worked for while treating Ebola patients before being quarantined in New Jersey Kaci Hickox started a new job this week with Doctors Without Borders as an infection prevention and control adviser Last year, New Jersey settled a lawsuit by putting in place new rules to ensure that a person is quarantined only when medically necessary A public health nurse is rejoining the group she worked for while treating Ebola patients before being quarantined in New Jersey. Kaci Hickox started a new job this week with Doctors Without Borders as an infection prevention and control adviser. She says she will be based in Amsterdam and moved there two weeks ago. She was working with the group in Sierra Leone in 2014 before she was quarantined upon her return in New Jersey despite showing no symptoms of the disease. She eventually traveled her to home in Fort Kent, Maine, where she defied another quarantine attempt. She's been living in Oregon for the past few years. Last year, New Jersey settled a lawsuit by putting in place new rules to ensure that a person is quarantined only when it's medically necessary. Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the chief guest at the event. Amritsar: A tragic train accident in which over 60 people died became a political blame game with the Opposition holding Punjabs Congress government responsible for allowing a Dussehra event near railway tracks and accusing ex-MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu of running away from the site. Ms Sidhu, wife of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu who was the chief guest at the event, later talked to media at a hospital where injured were taken and said the incident after she had left. The effigy of Ravana was burnt and I had just left the site when the incident happened. Priority should be to get the injured treated, she said. She also asked people to refrain from politicising the tragedy. Union minister and Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the entire onus was on the state government. BJP leader and Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said the initial reports suggest it was a tragedy that could have been avoided. Another Akali leader Bikram Majithia said he was distressed to hear the unfortunate news of the train accident. The authorities concerned must be held accountable for the ill-fated accident & strict action must be taken against the guilty police officers and organisers, he said. He demanded registration of a case against Sidhu. I demand immediate registration of case against people present on the stage, including Ms Sidhu and arrest of those who gave permission for holding function near rail track. A woman was sitting inside her car and ran for safety as bullets struck her vehicle during a shootout in the parking lot of a Delaware County, Pennsylvania, mall. The incident began inside the Springfield Mall on Baltimore Pike in Springfield around 1 p.m. Saturday. Two groups of men began arguing and the altercation spilled outside into the front parking lot, police said. The groups then went to their vehicles and gunfire was exchanged. Investigators believe there were two gunmen in all who opened fire. Four vehicles were struck by gunfire during the shootout. Three of the vehicles were empty but a woman was inside a fourth vehicle, police said. The woman crouched down, opened the drivers door and ran toward the mall while her vehicle was struck twice by bullets. The woman was not hit however and no injuries were reported. After the shooting, one suspects vehicle, a silver Nissan Altima, exited the mall onto Sproul Road, police said. Police also said the driver of one of the vehicles that was struck by gunfire, a silver Dodge Grand Caravan, is a person of interest in the incident. No arrests have been made. Police continue to investigate. The mall was evacuated following the shooting and all stores were closed. They later reopened Sunday. The mall is a popular destination in Delaware County and is typically packed with shoppers during the weekends. Several people on Facebook commented about their experience Saturday afternoon. "I was there. Never have been so scared in my whole life. Many thanks to the entire Delaware County police force for keeping us safe," Marissa Colmaire wrote on Facebook. This is not the first shooting at the suburban mall. In 1985, Sylvia Seegrist opened fire, killing two men and a 2-year-old child. Seven others were also injured during the rampage. The incident began inside the Springfield Mall on Baltimore Pike in Springfield around 1 p.m. Saturday. Two groups of men began arguing and the altercation spilled outside into the front parking lot, police said. The groups then went to their vehicles and gunfire was exchanged. Investigators believe there were two gunmen in all who opened fire. Four vehicles were struck by gunfire during the shootout. Three of the vehicles were empty but a woman was inside a fourth vehicle, police said. The woman crouched down, opened the drivers door and ran toward the mall while her vehicle was struck twice by bullets. The woman was not hit however and no injuries were reported. After the shooting, one suspects vehicle, a silver Nissan Altima, exited the mall onto Sproul Road, police said. Police also said the driver of one of the vehicles that was struck by gunfire, a silver Dodge Grand Caravan, is a person of interest in the incident. No arrests have been made. Police continue to investigate. The mall was evacuated following the shooting and all stores were closed. They later reopened Sunday. The mall is a popular destination in Delaware County and is typically packed with shoppers during the weekends. Several people on Facebook commented about their experience Saturday afternoon. "I was there. Never have been so scared in my whole life. Many thanks to the entire Delaware County police force for keeping us safe," Marissa Colmaire wrote on Facebook. This is not the first shooting at the suburban mall. In 1985, Sylvia Seegrist opened fire, killing two men and a 2-year-old child. Seven others were also injured during the rampage. Georgiana Rankin of Secane, Pennsylvania, was pulling into the mall parking lot on the day of that deadly shooting. "I was a senior in high school and worked at Baker Shoes when the Sylvia Seegrist shooting happened," she said. "People were shot, people were down and there was a person laying out front here." Seegrist is serving three life sentences for the shooting. Little Italys own Godfather of sorts has become a prominent figure for the area. Silver fox Nick Pecoraro dons his dark black sunglasses, gold chain, and Italian leather shoes as he sits in front of his large, yellow house on India Street. Once in a while, they call me the mayor or the Godfather, Pecoraro said. Hes known for his unique style, charm, and countless hours spent sitting on his front porch watching passers-by. I enjoy people, Pecoraro told NBC 7. Once in a while, somebody stops - we talk. The local Godfather has lived in his gilded, yellow house for 51 years. He inherited it from his father-in-law who was one of the original fishermen in the neighborhood. Pecoraro stayed in the house, even after many of his neighbors left for the suburbs. Hes been offered more than $8 million for his home, but refuses to sell. We are not going to sell, he said. Not even my kids can sell this property. I have it in writing. Pecoraro moved to San Diego on November 25, 1967. He was born in a small town in Sicily, spent several years in the Sicilian military, moved to Paris for a few years, and then flew to San Diego on a recommendation from a brother-in-law. Everybody those days used to say Go to America, theres a lot of money everywhere, Pecoraro said. But when I got off the plane, I looked at the street, and I didnt find the money. Once in San Diego, Pecoraro quickly met his wife Josephine and had three children. His wife lived with him until her death two years ago. Though, hes never alone, as his dog, Piro, never leaves his side. He drives me crazy, Pecoraro joked. Hes watched Little Italy grow from a tiny immigrant village to a booming destination. Before this, it was dead. You don't see nobody. Now, you see too many people, Pecoraro said. Little Italys Godfather said he loves all the restaurants in the area, even personally knowing at least half of the owners in town. As the town continues to grow, Nick Pecoraro will continue to watch, enjoying the ride. Immigration has again become a hot political issue as President Donald Trump portrays the Mexico border in a state of crisis, underscored by dramatic images of a caravan of Central American migrants moving toward the U.S. and dozens of people climbing the border fence in Arizona. The Border Patrol released video Friday of the fence incident near Yuma, Arizona, on the same day that the president traveled to the state for a rally where he stressed the need for a tougher border. The government said smugglers helped the migrants over the wall in four places and that the group was comprised of 108 people, including 52 children. Trump's critics say the characterization of an out-of-control border is overblown and that Republicans are twisting the issue for political gain more than two weeks before the elections. Here are some questions, answers and facts about what is happening at the border and with immigration: WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE BORDER? Large groups of Central American families, particularly from Guatemala, have increasingly been making dangerous journeys through Mexico to the U.S. border. Many turn themselves in to U.S. border agents near the banks of the Rio Grande in Texas or in the deserts of Arizona to seek asylum. Border Patrol agents arrested 16,658 family members in September, up 30 percent from August and up 80 percent from July, according to preliminary figures from Trump administration officials who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give out the numbers. "If October is any indication, Fiscal Year 2019 is going to be a very busy year," Manuel Padilla Jr., chief of the Border Patrol's Rio Grande Valley sector, tweeted this week. Agents made 396,579 arrests on the Mexican border during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, up 31 percent from a 46-year-low in 2017, according to preliminary figures from the officials. Despite the year-over-year surge, the numbers are still low in historic terms, down 76 percent from more than 1.6 million in 2000. WHERE ARE MIGRANTS GOING? The U.S. government is having trouble keeping up with the recent influx, forcing officials to find creative ways to handle the situation. They have been dropping off immigrants at churches in Arizona, equipping them with an ankle-monitoring bracelet and giving them instructions to make court appearances at a later date. Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, coordinating closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, recently placed 340 people in motels in Yuma and Tucson until they could leave for other parts of the country. Family detention space is limited to about 3,300 beds nationally and, under a court settlement, children can generally be held no more than 20 days, causing many families to be released. Many of the immigrants are seeking asylum from violence in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador but the Trump administration has imposed tougher rules for these immigrants. Still, asylum seekers can wait years for their cases to be decided in immigration courts, which have a backlog of nearly 800,000 cases. In addition, the U.S. continues to see large numbers of children coming to the border without parents. The number of these unaccompanied children held in a network of federally funded locations has soared, including a tent city in Tornillo, Texas, that is being expanded to 3,800 beds. WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH FAMILY SEPARATION? The White House found itself in a full-blown global crisis this year over a policy of separating children from their parents at the border. More than 2,500 children were separated from their parents after the administration adopted a "zero-tolerance" policy to criminally prosecute every adult who enters the country illegally. Hundreds of parents were deported without their children. The administration scrapped the policy, but is considering new options to create deterrents for immigrant families. The government is unable to hold children generally past 20 days under court-mandated guidelines on the care of children in government custody. But administration officials are working to amend the guidelines to allow for longer detentions. Another possibility officials were considering is to give parents a choice between being detained months or years with their children while pursuing asylum or releasing their children to a government shelter while a relative or guardian seeks custody, administration officials said. Immigrant advocates say that would leave parents with a horrible choice: face detention together or agree to separation. The government is moving to create more detention space, but it's a lengthy process. WHAT'S TRUMP'S TAKE ON IT ALL? Trump is now touting family separation, even though it is highly debatable that the practice works. "The one thing I will also say is that when a person thinks they will not be separated our border becomes overrun with people coming in." he told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Central American leaders since a caravan of more than 2,000 migrants that left Honduras, threatening to cut off aid. He tweeted Thursday that he may call up the military to "CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!" The caravan has increased the presence of immigration as a campaign issue with the midterms drawing closer. But it's unclear how many of the immigrants will ever make it to the U.S. on a trek that could extend past the election. An earlier caravan this year largely lost steam in Mexico and only a couple hundred of the migrants arrived in the U.S. to seek asylum. What to Know A newly identified snake with lengthwise brown and creamy yellow stripes, is called Pseudalsophis thomasi, after Professor Robert Thomas Another is Pseudalsophis hephaestus, for the Galapagos Islands' volcanic origins and Pseudalsophis darwini is for the scientist Charles Darwin, whose theory of evolution grew out of a voyage through the Galapagos A Louisiana professor is in heady company, honored by having one of three newly identified species of snakes from the Galapagos Islands named after him. "They named one after Charles Darwin that's a no-brainer and one after the Greek god of fire, and one after me, of all people," said Robert A. Thomas, an environmental biologist and head of head of the Center for Environmental Communication at Loyola University New Orleans. The snake in question, a handsome critter with lengthwise brown and creamy yellow stripes, is called Pseudalsophis thomasi. "I've got a picture of it taped up here in the office, and it makes me smile every time I look at it," Thomas said. He's been studying snakes since the 1970s and began studying those in the Galapagos Islands in 1984. In 1997, he published an overview of Galapagos snakes based on features such as scale counts, patterns and other shapes and forms. A team of Brazilian and Ecuadorian biologists led by Dr. Hussam Zaher of the Universidad de Sao Paolo used genetic analysis to restudy the snakes and work out their evolutionary route through the chain of islands. That study identified the three new species. In addition to Pseudalsophis thomasi, they are Pseudalsophis hephaestus, for the island chain's volcanic origins; and Pseudalsophis darwini, for the scientist whose theory of evolution grew out of a voyage through the Galapagos. Their findings were published online Aug. 22 by the journal Systematics and Biodiversity, and on Sept. 3 in the Brazilian journal Pesquisa. The scientists invited Thomas to join the team five years ago. He shared the information he had collected and got more from U.S. museums. Then the others told him they wanted to name one of the new species after him, to honor his work studying the islands' snakes. "I had to drop off the paper. The rules are that you cannot be an author on a paper where something is named after you," Thomas said. "I thought about it deeply and decided there are just some fun honors you shouldn't pass up in life. This is one of them." Thomas said the species is mildly venomous but not dangerous to people only to lizards and other small animals. The one used for the species' formal description was 726 millimeters (about 28.6 inches) long and weighed 105 grams (3.7 ounces). Thomas said he has photos of the snake that he took in 1984, not knowing it was a different species. They weren't very good, he said, because the snake was wriggling, but they did let him describe the belly scales and back pattern. "A friend could have named a bacterium after me from Outer Slobovia and that would have been a real honor. ... But this is a snake that I've worked on, so it's very meaningful to me," he said. "I'm very honored." A Maryland couple once pulled apart by war is now celebrating 75 years of marriage. Dorothy and Darrell Bush of Camp Springs, Maryland, tied the knot on Oct. 23, 1943. Less than two months later, Darrell went to fight in World War II. "I was hit five times," he said. Darrell fought with General George Patton's Third Army and was among the liberators of the Dachau concentration camp, the first Nazi concentration camp in Germany. But his bride Dorothy was constantly on his mind while he was away. "I went overseas and all these French girls and German girls, but I was in combat the whole time. I fought in combat - Battle of the Bulge," Darrell said. "Lucky for you," quipped Dorothy. After the war, the couple settled back into their lives in Camp Springs, the same place they met. Those first flirtatious moments are something Dorothy remembers well. "He whistled at me one night in the dark for another boy and woke my father up. ... Daddy gave me the dickens. I didn't know who he was," she said. They were just teens when they ran into each other at the general store on Branch Ave., where Darrell worked before going off to war. "That's when I kind of met her," Darrell said. "I thought this boy is strange," Dorothy laughed. Their relationship quickly blossomed under the watchful eye of Dorothy's parents. "We were allowed to sit on the porch -- with the light on." They married when they were both 17 years old. Now, at 92 and 93, their sense of humor has certainly helped their lasting marriage. "The only girl I did love. We were so young. You couldn't love anyone else could you?" Darrell said. "Don't give you too much leeway," Dorothy responded. A Maryland teenager has been arrested and charged with threatening mass violence, police say. Montgomery County police have identified the teen as Luis Amilcar Cabrera, a former student of Bethesda's Walter Johnson High School. He's 18 and was being held without bond. If convicted, he faces up to a decade in prison. Cabrera was already banned from campus because of threats he posted online, according to court documents. He began posting threats after learning he wouldn't graduate due to absences. Court documents detail threatening messages posted as early as February. "I hope everyone at WJ [Walter Johnson] dies," one post said, according to court documents. A Saturday police statement says Cabrera, of Rockville, posted a photo on social media in October showing him holding an AR-15 rifle with the words: "School shooter.'' Police say several students have also reported that Cabrera has posted messages about hating the school and threats to "shoot up'' the place. Detectives obtained a warrant for Cabrera's arrest, citing threats and recent photographs. He was charged on Friday. Two rifles and ammunition were found with Caberea when he was arrested, police say. Police believe he may have had access to more guns. It wasn't immediately clear if Cabrera had a lawyer. Calls made to what appeared to be his family's Rockville address went unanswered. What to Know NYPD says two arrests were made in connection with a street brawl after a speech last week by the founder of a right-wing group John Kinsman, 39, and Geoffrey Young, 38, were arrested; It's unclear if they are associated with the group Proud Boys The NYPD has said it's looking to arrest nine Proud Boys members and three protesters The founder of a far-right group said Friday he was arranging the surrender of members wanted by police in connection with a New York City street brawl after a speech he gave last week. Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes told The New York Times said he expects the rest of the group's wanted members to be in police custody by Friday night following two arrests in the case in recent days. Police told News 4 on Friday afternoon they didn't bthink anyone else was scheduled to turn themselves in in the fight. Geoffrey Young, 38, of New City, New York, and John Kinsman were arraigned Friday on charges of riot and attempted assault. Kinsman, 39, of Morristown, New Jersey, is also charged with attempted gang assault and possession of a weapon. Court records didn't list lawyers who could speak on their behalf. Police made the arrests after combing through photos and videos posted on YouTube that showed the violent clash a week ago after McInnes' speech at a Republican club in Manhattan. The fight started when a masked protester threw a bottle, leading to the Proud Boys and groups that were protesting McInnes' speech kicking and punching each other on the sidewalk. No serious injuries were reported. After arresting three protesters the night of the brawl, the NYPD said it was looking for a dozen more suspects - nine Proud Boys members and three protesters. The department said it is also looking into the Proud Boys group itself. Deputy Commissioner John Miller told the Times the NYPD has opened a criminal investigation into the organization. The male-only Proud Boys describe themselves as "western chauvinists." The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated them as a hate group. McInnes, who is also a co-founder of Vice Media, didn't immediately respond to messages from the Associated Press. The Republican club was vandalized ahead of McInnes' appearance. Damage included smashed windows, a spray-painted door and a keypad lock covered in glue. A note left at the scene claimed that the damage was "just the beginning." Residents invited to share ideas and concerns SOUTH West Newbury residents are being invited to share ideas and concerns on crime and anti-social behaviour in the area. The Community Forum on Tuesday will provide an opportunity to meet local police, councillors and other representatives. The meeting is from 7.30pm to 9pm in the Gardner Hall at the Kennet Christian Centre, Enborne Road. For more information, call Angela Money on (01635) 40866 or email ajmy5m7@inbox.com The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues. Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe ahead of a meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. (Photo: Sondeep Shankar) New Delhi: Visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday during which the two leaders discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and ways to further deepen the historically close and friendly relations between the two countries. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues. According to news agency reports, the issue of India operating Sri Lankas loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Hambantota was also understood to have figured in the talks. The talks took place in the backdrop of growing Chinese economic influence in the island nation where China has already made huge investments in projects. During the visit, the Sri Lankan PM also met external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, home minister Rajnath Singh and national security advisor Ajit Doval. In a statement, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said, The visit is part of our continuing engagement with the government of Sri Lanka at the highest level. This multi-faceted partnership has been marked by close contacts at the highest political level, growing trade and investment, wide ranging development cooperation, increasing linkages in the fields of education, health, infrastructure, connectivity and capacity building and broadening people-to-people contacts. Both the Prime Ministers discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and ways to further deepen the historically close and friendly relations between the two countries. The leaders alslo reviewed the progress in implementation of various decisions taken during high level exchanges in the recent past, it said. DANBURY The differences will be in the details this Election Day as voters choose who will represent the states 138th District, which stretches over western portions of Danbury, New Fairfield and Ridgefield. Republican Michael Ferguson, 27, who just finished his first term, will face off against Democrat Kenneth Gucker, 54, a small business owner and community activist. The two Danbury residents seemed to share many positions in a meeting with News-Times editors this week from opposing tolls, supporting gun regulations or a focus on school funding. So much so, a question was added to the end of the hour-long debate asking the candidates where exactly they disagree. Both said solving the states fiscal issues would be the sticking point. Ultimately I think we both do believe that Connecticuts best days can be yet to come, (but) our vision is different in terms of how we get there, Ferguson said. I think in terms of how we restore our economy, create jobs and restore fiscal stability and affordability to Connecticut is where we would differ. Ferguson contended that the way out of the states financial crisis will rely on learning to control state spending habits. Connecticuts spending has grown by 90 percent since the early 1990s, he said. But Gucker said he worries how what he calls a cut, cut, cut mentality in Hartford has left resources scarce, though he maintains large tax increases shouldnt be the way to go either. Technical schools, the states teachers and things such as environmental enforcement suffer without investment, he said. When you keep cutting away the leaves on the trees, theres nothing to support the roots underneath it, Gucker said. Weve been doing that and thats what people are complaining about. Transportation This investment versus restraint divide was evident in the candidates thoughts on transportation problems. Both said its clear the states infrastructure is suffering. But, while Gucker said a focus should be expanding the railway and increasing inspections, Ferguson contended the state should hold off on new projects, like a new bus wave from New Britain to Hartford, until finances improve. Its nice in theory and maybe one day we can get there, but...I wonder where that money could have gone to make improvements in our (existing) infrastructure, Ferguson said. Both candidates, though, agreed tolls on Connecticuts roads shouldnt be seen as the solution. They also both support a referendum question to create a lock box for the states transportation fund, though Ferguson worried it might not go far enough to secure the money. Aside from possible legal complications for tolls, the idea could become an attack on working Connecticut residents, the candidates said. Gucker, who feared tolls would become a reality despite opposition, said Connecticut residents should at the very least be able to write off toll prices on their taxes so this isnt the case. That ensures the only people paying are the ones youre targeting the truck industry and people driving through the state, Gucker said. Schools A major focus for both Ferguson and Gucker seemed to be advocating for the districts schools at the state level. When asked what he was most proud of during his first term, Ferguson, a former Danbury Board of Education member, pointed to a bill that gave districts more time and flexibility in preparing for new graduation requirements. Gucker also brought up education when asked what his priority would be in Hartford. He has heard from teachers who feel they are continually being asked to do more with less, he said. Danbury and its legislators should continue to advocate for its fair share of state funding, both said, especially considering it is one of the few districts where enrollment continues to grow. They did differ, though, on a proposal to open a Danbury Prospect Charter School, which recently earned the approval of the state Board of Education. Ferguson said the school is a very exciting idea and possibly a solution to the overcrowding in its schools. He was adamant, though, that it should only happen if it doesnt take money from the Danburys existing public schools. We have to be there to support those students that are in those buildings currently, and need that money now, he said. But Gucker said he opposed the idea altogether. Charter schools in other parts of the country have ended up destroying public school systems, he said. I just dont see how it happens theres only a finite amount of money, he said. Backgrounds In terms of what they bring to the job, Ferguson and Gucker both said their diverse background in the community would serve them well in Hartford. Ferguson works as both a professor at Post University and at the information desk at Danbury Hospital. In the legislature, he pointed to his role in passing a bipartisan budget, advocating for education and working with a business mentoring program. I bring all of these experiences and all of my background, he said. Its been an honor to represent my community and I hope the voters will give me the opportunity to continue to serve them. Gucker pointed to his background advocating for different local issues, such as preserving the McLean House on Danburys Main Street or preventing a proposal to put herbicides in Candlewood Lake in New Fairfield. These are the things I have done as an independent citizen, he said. Im listening to people who are saying they are very unhappy with what is going on in Hartford...so here I am, taking a shot at it. aquinn@newstimes.com BROOKFIELD Construction has yet to begin on the second phase of the downtown streetscape improvements, but the town is already seeking funding for the third phase of the town center revitalization project. Project Manager Greg Dembowski applied recently for a state grant to cover the cost of adding sidewalks, parking, a bike trail and a pocket park, as well as to upgrade driveways, on Old Route 7 and Laurel Hill Road. The design of the sidewalks, pavers and granite curbing will be the same as the ones installed last year at the intersection known as the Four Corners, he said. The design we chose is very popular and well accepted in town, Dembowski said. The hardest part is the funding. But he said the state grant, which requires a 20 percent match from the town, would cover the full cost. First Selectman Steve Dunn said Brookfield has a good chance of earning the funding. Weve shown weve been able to do projects on time and under budget, he said. When you show it to people, they say, Wow, thats a good investment of funds. The $3.5 million first phase was completed late last year and runs from the intersection of Federal and Station roads to the Brookfield Funeral Home to the south, north to Agoras Restaurant, west to the edge of the Mobil station and east to the Brookfield Craft Center. The work took about six months to complete, but the the second phase is less extensive and is expected to start and wrap up next summer. We know exactly what we want, Dembowski said. As we progress with each phase, its easier and easier to extend our design. The town has already secured a federal grant to pay for the second phase of the project, which will extend the streetscape from the first phase down Federal Road to the Still River Greenway. A bike path and crosswalk will also be added. The third phase would begin in summer 2020 and include a pocket park with ornamental trees and benches. The park would be on town and state property near where The Hearth restaurant used to be. The streetscape project is key to the towns plan to attract new businesses, developers, shoppers and prospective residents to the Brookfield Town Center. Several businesses, including Subway, Rich Farm Ice Cream and Traveling Chic Boutique, have already moved into Brookfield Village, at the heart of downtown. Two of Brookfield Villages buildings have been completed, but two more are planned. Were seeing a lot of activity in the area, I think, in part because of the investment the town is putting in, Dembowski said. Dunn said the design of phase four could begin next year. This would bring the streetscape improvements north of the Four Corners to Newbury Village, a 55 and older community. The Enclave, a 181-unit apartment complex, has also been approved for the area. We think there will be more development going north, so we want to be ready for it, Dunn said. And the people of Newbury would absolutely love to have sidewalk. Minor Memorial Library on South Street in Roxbury will present a program about the autumn night sky Nov. 1 at 5:30 p.m. Following an indoor presentation with Dr. Kristine Larsen of Central Connecticut State University, patrons will go outside for a guided tour of the night sky. The National Institutes of Health, under the National Library of Medicine's program on data science research, has awarded $1.55 million to an interdisciplinary team lead by Luis Rocha, a professor of informatics and the director of the NSF-NRT complex networks and systems program at the Indiana University School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering. The four-year project, a collaboration between the IU School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering and the IU School of Nursing, will employ innovative data- and network-science methods to produce myAURA, an easy-to-use web service for epilepsy patients. This service will integrate practical, location- and patient-specific health-care information with electronic health records, targeted scientific literature, biomedical databases, social media, and epilepsy-related websites with information about specialists, clinical trials, drugs, community resources and more. The project builds on previous research conducted by Rocha's team and funded by Persistent Systems, which extracted big data about chronic conditions and drug interactions from Twitter and Instagram. myAURA will be based on a large-scale epilepsy knowledge graph built by integrating data from social media, electronic health records, patient discussion boards, scientific literature databases, advocacy websites and mobile app data. The knowledge graph will, in turn, be used to fuel recommendation and visualization algorithms based on the automatic inference of relevant associations. The inference will follow algorithms developed by Rocha's team to remove redundancy and extract factual information from large knowledge graphs as well as parsimonious network visualizations developed by Katy Borner, an IU Distinguished Professor in the IU School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering. The project will also focus on user-centered development and pilot testing of myAURA to validate if and how it improves patient activation through a series of studies lead by Wendy Miller, an assistant professor at the IU School of Nursing. "Our previous work on depression showed that it's feasible to look at social media for health-related issues," said Rocha. "The collaboration with Dr. Miller, who is an expert in epilepsy management, will allow us to translate our data and network science research, and develop personalized inferences useful to patients of this chronic disease." Updated information on epilepsy treatment can be difficult for patients to obtain, and the team hopes to create a novel resource for patients. "One of the problems in the United States is that most small towns--and even not-so-small towns--don't have epileptologists," said Rocha. "At best, patients might see a neurologist, who is not specialized in epilepsy, but most often, people just see a general practitioner. It often happens that they get prescribed older medications not ideally targeted to the patient's case, and follow-up often does not work very well. "We think data science can help this situation. We came up with the idea to integrate data from social media, from electronic health records, from the published literature, from doctor databases, and from clinical trials into the large-scale knowledge graphs that enable myAURA, which is a personalized portal where people with epilepsy can manage their disease and find personalized information." Rocha and his team will enjoy the cooperation of the Epilepsy Foundation of America, which manages epilepsy.com, the premiere site for sufferers of epilepsy. Rocha hopes to expand the techniques used to create myAURA to develop web-based applications for other chronic diseases. "Projects such as these are the perfect example of the ways big data, data science, network science and informatics can come together to solve important real-world issues," said Raj Acharya, dean of the IU School of Informatics and Computing. "This interdisciplinary work showcases the potential SICE has to impact lives." Meanwhile, the devotee groups are protesting in large numbers outside the police station in Pamba. On Saturday, a sixth women had arrived at Pamba, attempting to enter the temple on Saturday. However, she was told that no police protection will be provided to her until a background check is completed to determine if she was an activist. The woman, who is the general secretary of a Kerala-based Dalit outfit, had to halt her historic trek for the day because of heavy rains in the region. She would now resume the pilgrimage on Sunday under heavy police protection, provided she passes the background check. According to sources, certain cases are registered against the woman. Toll rises to 59, railways rules out punitive action against driver. Amritsar: Funeral pyres were lit in batches at Amritsars cremation grounds on Saturday for 39 of those killed when a train from Jalandhar tore through people standing on the tracks for a better view of Ravana going up in flames on Dussehra, Friday. The accident, which has claimed 59 lives so far, minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha was not due to the negligence of the national transporter, and ruled out any punitive action against the driver of the train. The incident was not a railways fault. There was no lapse on our part and no action against the driver will be initiated. People should refrain from organising such events near tracks in future. I think if precaution had been taken, the accident could have been averted, Mr Sinha said, and added that drivers are given specific instructions on where to slow down the train. There was a curve. The driver couldnt have seen it. What should we order an inquiry about? Trains travel in speed only, he said Sinha, adding wherever such events are held, the district administration concerned gives permission. But a blame-game has already begun. While the Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered an FIR against unknown persons, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh has announced a magisterial inquiry which will submit its report within four weeks. Mr Singh said that the magisterial inquirys report will state who was at fault. The divisional commissioner of Jalandhar has been entrusted with the job of holding the inquiry, he said. A statutory inquiry by the Commission of Railway Safety, which works under the administrative control of the ministry of civil aviation, will also be conducted as per the laid down norms. Amritsar deputy commissioner of police Amrik Singh Powar said the organisers were given a no objection certificate from the police on the condition that they also get permission from the municipal corporation and the pollution department. In their letter seeking the certificate, the organisers had also asked for security arrangements, citing the expected presence of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife, former MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu, at the event. But the Amritsar Municipal Corporation distanced itself from the tragedy. Nobody was given permission for organising the Dussehra event. Moreover, nobody had applied for the permission with the Amritsar Municipal Corporation, commissioner Sonali Giri said. Railway officials said no permission was sought from them. Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani, who visited the spot at midnight, said the railways was not informed about the gathering of people. At midsections (between level crossings), trains run at their assigned speed and people are not expected to be on the tracks. At midsections, there is no railway staff posted, he said. On Saturday, crowds gathered outside hospitals and squatted on the tracks in protest. Tensions ran high as the police, which barricaded the area, tried chasing them away from the railway line. Friday, said Vijay Kumar, who lost his 18-year-old son Manish, was a night of unspeakable horrors A WhatsApp photograph of a severed head had flashed on his phone screen at 3 am, confirming his worst fears. His son was one of those killed. His younger son Ashish returned safely, said Kumar, but the frantic search for Manish ended with that ping on his phone. He has since been going from hospital to hospital looking for the remains of his elder son. A leg was found and one hand, but they are not Manishs. My son was wearing blue jeans. This one is not wearing blue jeans. I have lost my world, an inconsolable Kumar said outside the Guru Nanak Hospital where most of the injured were taken. People milled around the hospital compound, some stunned into silence by the enormity of the tragedy that felled their loved ones and others holding back tears. Some people also hurled stones at the house of Saurabh Madan Mithu, son of Congress councillor Vijay Madan, whose family had organised the event. Both have not been seen after the tragedy. Opposition parties, including the Akali Dal, BJP and AAP, demanded strict action against those who allowed the event, harping on Navjot Kaur Sidhus presence on the dais. A video clip on social media appeared to indicate that those on the dais could see people standing on the railway tracks. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Congress accuses state of ignoring CJI to look after Amit Shah. Guwahati: The Assam police on Sunday suspended a deputy commissioner of police for allegedly messing up with the security arrangement of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi during his visit to Kamakhya temple. The police on Sunday said that the DCP, western range, Bhanwar Lal Meena has been placed under suspension with immediate effect under Rule 3(1) of the All-India Services (Disciple and Appeal) Rules, 1969. The state home department in its order said that there were adequate lapses in the security arrangements for Mr Gogoi at Kamakhya Temple, causing inconvenience to the CJI. During the period of this order in force, the headquarters of Bhanwar Lal Meena shall be Assam police headquarters and not leave headquarters without obtaining permission from the competent authority, the order stated. CJI Gogoi and his wife had visited Guwahati on October 17, coinciding with the visit of BJP president Amit Shah. The CJI, who was on a visit with his wife, expressed his displeasure at the arrangements made by police authorities. Meanwhile, incident has snowballed into a political controversy with leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia attributing the incident to the sycophancy of the BJP government to please political leaders of the party. Mr Saikia, in a written statement, said, In term of protocol, the CJI has precedence over any political personalities and as per norms, a commissioner-level officer should have been deputed to coordinate the visit of the CJI. This was not done because taking the cue from the state government, the officers were busy bending over backwards to please their political masters at the Centre. In an obvious reference that officers were busy in managing the visit of the BJP president, Mr Saikia said, The prestige of the people of Assam has been dented by the fact that in his home state, the CJI was kept waiting outside the temple while political personalities were being entertained inside the temple. The security and protocol lapse merely highlights the larger malaise of breakdown of the administrative machinery in Assam. In any court, the allegations have not been proven and they may not be correct. New Delhi: As the #Metoo movement continues to rage, a Delhi court on Saturday framed charges against the environmentalist and former chief of the Energy and Resource Institute (Teri), R.K. Pachauri, for sexually harassing a woman researcher at workplace. The court has fixed January 4 and 5 for recording the statement of the complainant. Also, first witness of prosecution will also be examined by the court. Metropolitan magistrate Charu Gupta put Mr Pachauri on trial for the offence punishable under Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354 A (making physical contact, unwelcome and sexually coloured remarks) and 509 (teasing and using vulgar gesture and actions) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The charges were framed after Mr Pachauri, who was present in the courtroom, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. Advocate Ashish Dixit, appearing for the accused, sought a speedy trial. My (Pachauri) age is 78 years and me and my family are suffering from hardship. For almost last four years we are facing media trial, the counsel said on behalf of Pachauri after which the court put up the matter for further proceedings on January 4, 2019. The court also summoned the complainant on the next date for recording of her statement. On September 14, the court had discharged him from the Section 354B (using criminal force against a woman), 354D (stalking) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of the IPC, saying that prima facie these sections were not made out against Mr Pachauri. Reacting to the development, the complaint said on Saturday, Spoken with my lawyers and understood all aspects especially with regards to challenging for inclusion of three charges (in which Pachauri has been discharged). Finally, trial is committed. Made complete arrangements to be available during the said time period. The truth will triumph. On February 13, 2015, an FIR was registered against Pachauri and he was granted anticipatory bail in the case on March 21, 2015. New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hoisted the national flag at Delhis Red Fort to mark the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the 'Azad Hind Sarkar', inspired and headed by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. In a veiled reference to the Nehru-Gandhi family, Modi said that to highlight one family, the contribution of other prominent leaders, including Bose, was ignored. Also Read | Amritsar Train Accident: Driver claims he applied emergency brakes, sped after people started stone pelting It is very sad that to keep "one family" above the rest, efforts were made to forget the contribution of leaders such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Subhash Chandra Bose made in the Independence struggle, Modi said while addressing an event at the historic Red Fort to mark the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the 'Azad Hind Sarkar' by Bose. The prime minister lamented that in the post-independence decades, "things were seen through British glasses" and had the nation got the guidance of Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Patel, the situation today would have been entirely different. Hailing the Aazad Hindi government, Modi said that it was not just a name, but the government headed by Bose had brought schemes for every field. The government had their own bank, currency, post office and a system of spies, Modi added. A glance at Azad Hind Government: The Azad Hind government an Indian provisional government was established in Singapore by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in 1943. The government was headed by Bose and had enjoyed the support and recognition by Imperial Japan. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and their allies. The Azad Hind government was part of a political movement by Bose outside India with its sole purpose to free India by allying with the axis of power. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Amritsar: One person was arrested and around 40 others, mostly unidentified, were booked for clashing with security forces and pelting them with stones at the train accident site here, police said Sunday. Earlier in the day, a police commando and a photojournalist were injured when protesters pelted stones and clashed with security personnel who removed them from a rail track where 59 Dussehra revellers were mowed down by a train on Friday. ALSO READ | New Delhi: Petrol pumps, CNG dispensing units to remain shut tomorrow A case was registered under relevant sections, including 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC, police said. They said protesters were residents of Joda Phatak area and they pelted stones at the moving train when police tried to stop them. The protesters were raising slogans against the state government and demanding resignation of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. ALSO READ | IND vs WI: India wins by eight wickets The Punjab police has deployed its personnel, including commandoes, to manage the crowd. The Rapid Action Force was also present in the Joda Patak area, officials said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : The Punjab police on Sunday cleared a section of the railway track in Amritsar which was blocked by agitators seeking action against the organisers of the Dussehra committee following Fridays train accident that left 59 dead and 57 injured. The protestors clashed with police personnel and resorted to stone-pelting in which some several people received minor injuries. The police personnel used force clear off the protesters who were raising slogans against the state government. Also Read | To save Madhya Pradesh citadel, BJP to hire magicians for campaigning in Assembly polls The residents of the Joda Patak area, where the tragic train accident happened, started their protest demanding action against the train driver. The police have deployed its personnel, including Rapid Action Force and commandoes, to manage the crowd. On Friday evening, a high-speed Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU train mowed down as many as 59 people watching the effigy of demon king Ravana burn on the occasion of Dussehra - a Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. Also Read | Delhi air quality dips to very poor, likely to worsen in coming days The district administration said that of the 59 people killed in the year's biggest train mishap, 40 have been identified. The Punjab government has announced Rs 5 lakh as ex-gratia for kins of deceased and free treatment for the injured. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: At least three civilians, six militants and three army personnel were killed in separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. While three militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, three civilians also lost their lives in a blast after the gunfight ended. ALSO READ | Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh are finally tying the knot! In another incident. Two Pakistani intruders were neutralised along the LoC in Sunderbani sector of Jammu and Kashmir, according to ANI. Three security forces lost their lives in the attack. One security personnel was also injured in the incident. Army recovered two AK-47 rifles from the militants. Meanwhile, clashes broke out between groups of youths and security forces in Kulgam district. "Police had to use some force to quell the protests and around two dozen persons were injured in the clashes," the official said. Reacting to the encounter, separatist leaders have called for complete shutdown in Kashmir tomorrow. Taking to micro blogging site Twitter, Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq condemned the attack and called for shutdown on Monday and protest sit-in on Tuesday. Kulgam MLA and CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami expressed grief over the loss of civilian lives and demanded a probe into the incident. "It is devastating. This needs to be investigated through an impartial probe...We are now tired of crying and demanding, but those who matter have turned a deaf ear," he said. ALSO READ | #MeToo: Anu Malik to step down as 'Indian Idol 10' judge? Advisor to the Governor, K Vijay Kumar, and DGP Dilbag Singh also expressed regret over the loss of civilian lives. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Multiple blasts rocked polling booths across Kabul on Saturday, as voting in the legislative elections was underway, official sources said. At least 13 people were killed and more than 130 wounded in multiple explosions across Kabul. Hundreds of polling centres failed to open due to technical glitches and lack of staff. The Italian NGO Emergency said 37 people had been taken to its trauma hospital in Kabul, including a dead child. An Independent Election Commission (IEC) employee was killed and seven others were missing after the Taliban attacked a polling centre in the northern province of Kunduz, destroying ballot boxes, provincial IEC director Mohammad Rasoul Omar said. The Taliban claimed it carried out 166 attacks on voting locations, checkpoints and military sites on Saturday morning. Taliban issued several warnings in the days leading up to the poll, calling on candidates to withdraw from the race and for voters to stay home. At least ten candidates out of more than 2,500 contesting the lower-house election have been killed. Election organisers, who have been skewered over their shambolic preparations for the long-delayed ballot, extended voting until for 360 polling centres after hiccups with voter registration lists and biometric verification devices caused lengthy delays. Also Read | Amritsar train driver detained by police, says he got 'all-clear' to move on The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, which has spearheaded international efforts to keep Afghan organisers on track, on Almost nine million people registered to vote in the parliamentary election, which is more than three years late. But attacks across the country on are likely to deter many from turning up at the nearly 5,000 polling centres. VIEW | Happy birthday Candice Swanepoel: The Angel's best fashion moments when she is not in the VS lingerie Preliminary results will be released on November 10 but there are concerns they could be thrown into turmoil if the biometric verification devices are broken, lost or destroyed. Votes cast without the controversial machines will not be counted, the IEC has said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States will "terminate" the nuclear deal with Russia, saying that the latter has violated the nuclear weapons treaty agreement. "Russia has not adhered to the agreement. So we are going to terminate the agreement," Trump told reporters in Elko, Nevada, on Saturday. Read | Women in this country are afraid to come out: Rahul Gandhi Trump was referring to the 1987 US-Russia nuclear weapons treaty. He claimed that Russia has been violating the landmark agreement for several years. Read | Kamal Haasan avoids Sabarimala issue, says prefer to talk about beneficial things for women "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years. I don't know why president (Barack) Obama didn't negotiate or pull out. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons (while) we're not allowed to," Trump said. Read More | Ariana Grande hides her 'Pete' tattoo with a band-aid The US-Russia nuclear weapons treaty titled - Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF) - was signed in 1987 by the then two country presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. The INF banned ground-launch nuclear missiles with ranges from 500 km to 5,500 km, leading to the illimination of nearly 2,700 short- and medium-range missiles. And the treaty that ended the dangerous standoff between US and Soviet kept nuclear missiles out of Europe for three decades. (With inputs from agencies) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. AAP chief seeks votes, donations from people. CM Arvind Kejriwal launches AAPs door-to-door campaign to seek votes and donations from residents of New Delhi Assembly constituency at Gole Market in New Delhi. (Photot: PTI) New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday launched a door-to-door campaign for 2019 Lok Sabha elections to reach every Delhi house and seek cooperation and financial support from the people of the national capital. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the four-month campaign from New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency by himself leading the partys teams to the houses of voters. We are launching the door-to-door campaign in Delhi from today. For the next four months, our three thousand teams will knock on every door to seek their cooperation and financial support for their own Aam Aadmi Party. People of Delhi are very happy with the work of Delhi government, particularly in the fields of education, health, electricity and water, he said. Mr Kejriwal said the key element of the door-to-door campaign will be to convince the people of Delhi that they should support and vote for the AAP even in the Lok Sabha elections. We will tell the people that dont be misled by the false narrative of who will be the Prime Minister and keep the 2014 experience in mind. You elected BJP MPs on all seven seats and what did you get in return? Did these seven MPs do anything? Is there a single work done by them that you can recall? he asked. What these seven MPs did was to create hurdles in the installation of CCTVs and setting-up of mohalla clinics through their Central government-appointed L-G, the chief minister said. Other ministers, MPs, and MLAs led the campaign in their respective constituencies. It does not matter who will become the Prime Minister and this time nobody knows who will be the next Prime Minister, everybody seems to be nervous. Elect all seven MPs of ours and we will get the works of Delhi done from the next Prime Minister, Mr Kejriwal said. NEW HAVEN A member of the New Haven Fire Department is on paid administrative leave this weekend after a complaint about an incident at a uniform supply store on Friday, Chief John Alston said Sunday morning. The incident occurred at the Horowitz Uniform store in West Haven, where local police officers responded to a complaint, Alston said. NEW FAIRFIELD A deteriorating dock on Candlewood Lake and accessibility upgrades at the schools will be at the top of the list next week as school and town officials make their case for a portion of a $2.6 million surplus. The town ended the year with a $2.6 million surplus, largely because it had prepared for large cuts in state aid that, for the most part, never came. Per the finance boards policy, all surplus that was due to more revenue than expected, about $2.2 million, will automatically be returned to the towns general fund. The board can then decide to put up to half of the town and schools expense surpluses into the general fund, or give all the funds back to the corresponding boards. Both the Board of Selectmen and Board of Education plan to ask for the latter. In the Board of Selectmens case, town officials will tell the Board of Finance that they would use most of the more than $280,000 surplus to repair the town dock, which has fallen into disrepair. The docks are beyond their useful life, First Selectman Pat Del Monaco said. At this point it makes sense for us to start replacing the arms the pieces that go out into the lake. The metal that is holding pieces of the dock together has become fatigued over the years and has had to repeatedly been repaired, Del Monaco explained. Officials hope the surplus money can start the process of replacing the dock, rather than continuously repairing the deteriorating parts. The surplus money would be enough to replace one of the docks four arms, which would likely cost between $200,000 and $250,000, Del Monaco said. Officials will then work out a plan with the Parks and Recreation department to replace the remaining three arms in the future. Should there be extra surplus money, Del Monaco added, it would be used to replace an old truck used by the public works department. The new truck will likely cost $60,000. For the Board of Education, the surplus conversation will mean asking for about $82,000 to make several small upgrades at the schools for security and compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. The Board of Education and superintendent have been notified that we are out of compliance on a couple of ADA things, Chair Peggy Katkocin said. The superintendent (will make) a case to discuss possibly returning all money to the Board of Education this year so we can address some of these issues. Superintendent Patricia Cosentino said there isnt an exact list of the needed upgrades yet, but that the district is hoping a recently approved facilities study of the schools will reveal where the money should go. Using the surplus money would mean that the district could fix some of these smaller issues without waiting to make it part of a larger capital project, Katkocin said. Del Monaco and Superintendent Patricia Cosentino will make the case for these funds at the Board of Finance meeting on Wednesday. aquinn@newstimes.com Maryland Republicans have mounted an unprecedented effort to break Democrats' supermajority in the state senate, hoping to capitalize on the popularity of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan at a time when much of the nation is focused on a possible blue wave. Republicans, who lag in voter registration in Maryland by a margin of more than 2-to-1,must flip five seats to break the veto-proof majority that Democrats have held for nearly 50 years. The state GOP has poured more than $100,000 into mailers and Facebook ads for candidates in the main targeted races, all of which are in districts Hogan won in 2014. The districts split in the 2016 presidential election, however, and most Maryland voters are turned off by President Donald Trump's bellicose rhetoric. Still, with Hogan's approval ratings at record highs, and Democratic nominee Ben Jealous trailing him by double digits, Republican leaders think they can win if they mimic the governor's focus on centrist, pocketbook issues. "We're telling our candidates to focus on what people care about and don't go to the extremes," said Patrick O'Keefe, the party's executive director. In bellwether Baltimore County, a Republican first-term delegate who is challenging a four-term Democratic senator appeared last week with first lady Yumi Hogan, grinning as dozens of supporters lined up for photos. In Anne Arundel, a Republican who lost the 2014 gubernatorial primary to Hogan now has his support as he battles a progressive activist for an open senate seat. And inincreasingly red Worcester County, on Maryland's Eastern Shore, a Republican delegate is hoping to oust a two-term Democratic incumbent who was mayor of Ocean City for a decade. If the Republicans pick up five seats, and Hogan wins a second term, the governor will open the 2019 legislative session with a much stronger veto pen, even though he won't be close to the majorities he'd need to push through his legislative agenda. The General Assembly overrode 15 Hogan vetos during his first term, including on bills to restore voting rights to felons and require businesses to give paid sick leave. Reversing a veto requires a three-fifths vote in each chamber; currently, Democrats hold 33 of 47 senate seats, and 91 of 141 seats in the House of Delegates. Losing the super-majority would mean "a fundamentally different direction for the state," said Sen. Bill Ferguson, D-Baltimore City, a sponsor of the paid sick leave legislation. "This is a fight about a philosophy of opportunity versus cutting government." The main targeted senate seats have all been held by Democrats for at least two terms, and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., D-Calvert, said he is "confident in our candidates' ability to win their elections." Hogan, who needs Democratic voters to achieve his goal of becoming the first GOP governor of Maryland reelected since 1954, has campaigned for several of the Republican hopefuls, but has not injected himself squarely into what the party is calling the "Drive for Five." "I don't think there should be a two-thirds majority of either party," Hogan said, adding that he would "of course" want to have a more friendly legislature. But the governor has not contributed funds from his $9 million war chest, and his campaign said it could not provide a list of events where Hogan had appeared in support of the candidates. Goucher political science professor Mileah Kromer noted that Hogan has "positioned himself as someone who is independent." "I don't know if his coattails stretch far enough," she said. - - - Hogan, Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch, D-Anne Arundel, like to say bipartisanship characterized this year's legislative session, in which the General Assembly passed laws to increase school safety and prevent health insurance premiums from skyrocketing. But there were also some very public spats. O'Keefe said the "most telling" example of why Republicans are fighting to break the supermajority was the vote to override Hogan's veto of a law that stripped the governor, comptroller and state treasurer of their role in approving school construction projects. The bill originated out of a dispute over air conditioning in classrooms. Hogan called it a "personal vendetta" against his ally, Comptroller Peter Franchot, a Democrat. "That was the best example of something where you look at it and say, 'This is an abuse of power,' " O'Keefe said. Sen. Steve Hershey, R-Queen Anne's, said the Republican effort "is not about far-right ideas . . . this is about legislating from the middle." He said he is worried about the policies that will come with a cohort of progressive Democrats who ousted more moderate incumbents in the June primary. "If we've got the ability to sustain vetoes, then everything becomes a negotiation to get buy-in from both parties," Hershey said. "You get legislation that is more in the center - that's what people want." In addition to the five seats originally targeted by the GOP, the party has recently provided funds to Republicans trying to win seats being vacated by retiring longtime Sens. Ed Kasemeyer, D-Baltimore County, and Ed DeGrange, D-Anne Arundel. It is also supporting Republican nomine Bill Dotson in Charles County, where GOP officials believe progressive Democrat Arthur Ellis, who beat moderate longtime Sen. Thomas Middleton in a bitter primary, could be vulnerable in a normally blue district. Some Democratic operatives say they are hoping to capitalize on anger at Trump to flip two seats held by Republicans and Hartford counties, but that could be an uphill battle given the large margins by which Hogan won them. Some centrist Democrats, including Miller, seemed sanguine about the prospect of losing their veto-proof majority. Miller said he is "making certain our candidates have the tools they need so they can fairly compete" but "will be satisfied with whatever results our electorate produces on Election Day." His office wouldn't say how much money from the slate he controls has gone toward defending the targeted seats. State Sen. Robert Zirkin, D-Baltimore County, who chairs the Judicial Proceedings committee and is unopposed for re-election, declined to comment on possible changes if Republicans win five seats. Instead, he talked about both sides' "proud record of working together" on issues including fracking, criminal justice reforms and gun laws. But incoming senator Cory McCray, the lead sponsor in the House of the bill to restore voting rights to felons, said losing the Democratic supermajority would be "very impactful." "Forty thousand people would not have had their voting rights restored," said McCray, a progressive state delegate from Baltimore City who ousted Senate President Pro Tem Nathaniel J. McFadden in the primary and is unopposed in the general election. "These are some competitive races . . . we're all out here working hard." The Republican State Leadership Committee, a national group dedicated to electing down-ballot Republicans, has spent $90,000 on mailers opposing Democratic candidates for the House of Delegates. Spokesman David James called it"an initial investment" in Maryland and declined to say whether the group planned to put money into the senate races in the final weeks. Alexandra Hughes, a spokeswoman for Busch, said there are eight competitive House seats, but those are not the ones targeted by the RSLC. "It seems like there's little rhyme or reason," she said. - - - Ahead of the Nov. 6 election, candidates in states from Georgia to Florida to Virginia have portrayed themselves as either acolytes of the president or champions of the resistance. The down-ballot races in Maryland, where Hogan has thrived by repeatedly distancing himself from Trump, have been different. None of the five Republican candidates in the main targeted districts - in Baltimore, Frederick, Howard, Anne Arundel and Worcester Counties - mention the president on their websites. All have pictures of Hogan. In Baltimore County, neither Democratic Sen. Kathy Klausmeier nor her Republican challenger, Del. Christian Miele, bring up national politics on the campaign trail. Instead, they talk about local issues, including school overcrowding and the opioid epidemic. Hogan carried the district by 36 points four years ago; Clinton won it by less than one percent. "If I'm trying to bring people together, then why would I want to bring that into it?" Miele, 37, said when asked about Trump. "When I knock on a door and someone tells me, 'I'm a Republican,' then I say 'so?'" said Klausmeier, 68. In some cases, the Democrats in the targeted districts also appeared to be cozying up to the governor - or at least distancing themselves from Jealous, a progressive who is pushing universal healthcare, a $15 minimum wage and other liberal proposals. In the race to succeed longtime Sen. John Astle, D-Anne Arundel, former Republican state delegate Ron George denounced Democrat Sarah Elfreth as being too close with Jealous. She refuted the critique, saying her campaign is focused on local issues and completely independent. Miele criticized Klausmeier when the Democratic Senate Caucus Committee, a political slate controlled by Miller, sent out fliers with pictures of Klausmeier and Hogan together, saying they had the "same goal." Del. Mary Beth Carozza, R-Worcester, who has been endorsed by Hogan, reprimanded her opponent Sen. James Mathias, D-Worcester - the former Ocean City mayor - for remarks in which he complimented Hogan, saying she will "stand with" the governor "when it counts, not just when it's politically convenient." On her website, Carozza has a picture of herself posing with Hogan, next to a photograph of Mathias and Jealous. "Maryland's Eastern Shore has a clear choice this November," reads the caption. "You pick the team!" - - - The Washington Post's Erin Cox contributed to this story. Telling moments can surface when candidates sit across the table from the Hearst Connecticut Group Editorial Board. Sue Hatfield, the Republican candidate for Attorney General, came to Norwalk Thursday to answer questions posed by board members Mike Daly, editorial page editor of the Connecticut Post; John Breunig, editorial page editor of The Stamford Advocate and Greenwich Time; and me, editorial page editor of The News-Times in Danbury and The Norwalk Hour. The setting: a long, rectangular wood table (so nice that we must use coasters for our coffee cups or water bottles) in the middle of a room flanked by floor-to-ceiling glass, opening views of a modern-vibe office and a large-screen TV. We are surrounded by staffers on the other side of the glass, as though in a snowglobe. Hatfield, who has a Meg Ryan demeanor, kept comparing herself to George Jepsen, the present attorney general who is not seeking re-election. Hes a Democrat. Not just once, but several times she mentioned how she would continue the direction he set, if she is elected in a few weeks. She even compared herself to the Democratic candidate for the 5th Congressional District, Jahana Hayes. (I have a similar style, she told us.) Journalistic intuition kicked in. Daly: Do you confer much with Bob Stefanowski strategy? Hatfield: No, I dont. Me: Have you tried and he has not been receptive? Hatfield: Umm (PAUSE for 5 seconds) I (PAUSE for 7 seconds, turns to look to her spokesman, Spencer Rubin). Im always there to give advice if people ask for it. Breunig: Has he offered a general sense of how he would like to work with your office? Hatfield: We havent spoken about that. Me: Are you campaigning together? She responded about possibly campaigning together this weekend, unsure if its in Torrington or Middletown. Maybe at a fair. Her pauses for such long seconds were telling. We saw her struggle and knew she wasnt going to lie. This much was clear: Bob Stefanowski, the Republican candidate for governor, is in it for himself. He is not doing all he can to help his GOP ticket-mate become the first woman attorney general (by election, not appointment) in Connecticut. Others are better. Hatfield said House Minority Leader Themis Klarides the top female leader in the General Assembly knocked on doors with her; GOP Chairman J.R. Romano is supportive. Hatfield is shaping her own narrative. She started as a registered nurse, with an abiding interest in mental health care; and became a prosecutor, winning the first conviction in the state, she said, for human trafficking. She held the womens record for the three-point shot at Griswold High School, she said, where she graduated in 1990. I have the same work ethic, she said. She wont lose herself in this campaign. As a prosecutor shes 100 percent professional, she told us. But shes still herself and if I want to wear red shoes to an event, Ill wear red shoes. Her grandmother marched with suffragettes shes not waiting for help from the man at the top of the ticket. The editorial board met separately a week earlier with state Rep. William Tong, of Stamford, the Democratic nominee for attorney general. If he wins, he will become the first Asian-American to hold that office. A Republican hasnt been Connecticuts attorney general since 1959. The attorney general represents the states legal interests, through litigation or settlements. Previous office holders took activist roles; in more recent times the attorney general asserts the states rights versus the federal government on issues such as air quality and immigration. Our endorsement for Connecticut attorney general and we havent decided yet who that will be will be published on Nov. 1. This is one of the more consequential races in the state. Either candidate will make history, while carrying great influence on matters within and outside of Connecticuts borders. Contact Editorial Page Editor Jacqueline Smith at jsmith@hearstmediact.com The US Navys next SSN(X) fast attack submarine will focus on hunting Chinese and Russian submarines. The next-generation attack submarine will be faster, stealthier and have more torpedoes than the Virginia class. They will be similar to the Seawolf class submarine. During the cold war with the USSR, the US Navy focused on submarine hunting. During the war on terrorism, the US had Virginia submarines launching cruise missiles against land targets in Iraq and Afghanistan. The sub-hunting SSN(X) will be larger than Virginia subs. They will be about 9100 tons and will be more like the Seawolf-class. New Seawolf sized submarines will cost about $5.5 billion per sub. The Navys shipbuilding plan had estimated Virginia sized SSN(X) production will run about $3.1 billion per sub. This will be 77% more expensive. Budget overruns are common. Drone Mothership submarine A new large-diameter mothership submarine to carry large drone submarines could be ordered in 2036 after the Columbia-class winds down. The 2019 shipbuilding plan includes a proposal to purchase five of these post-Columbia-class submarines. 355 ship Navy and 80% larger budget The SSN(X) will be expensive. The US Navy claims it needs an annual shipbuilding budget of $21 billion through 2048 to create a 355-ship fleet. The CBO believes a $28.9 billion-per-year is a more realistic estimate. The sub-hunting SSN(X) program is 40% of the difference between the Navy and CBO projected shipbuilding budget needs. $28.9 billion is 80 percent more than the average annual funding the Navy has received for the past 30 years. The Navy plans to buy 301 new ships between 2019 and 2048. Getting to 355 ships would require extending Arleigh Burke destroyers to 45 years instead of 30 years. Seawolf program A twelve submarine Seawolf program was estimated to cost $33 billion during the 1990s. The USSR collapsed in 1991 and only three Seawolf submarines were built for a total cost of $7.3 billion. At 353 feet, Seawolf subs were shorter than their predecessors but were twenty percent wider (forty feet wide). They were heavier at 12,158 tons submerged. Seawolf has eight torpedo tubes. The Virginia class has only four 533-millimeter torpedo tubes. The new Russian Yasen class are 390 feet long and 13,800 tons. They have a lot of automation. They each have eight torpedo tubes. Two have been completed and 5 more are being built. It may understandably restrict claims to land given its scarcity, and with a view to what would be most equitable for host communities. Although Pakistan is not a contracting party, we can still glean from this that the determinants of naturalisation in any given protracted situation are less legal than economic, social, cultural or racial. Last week, Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal weighed in on the Prime Ministers proposal to naturalise Pakistan-born children of protracted Afghan refugees, by asserting Afghanistans desire to see them return. Thus far, the arguments behind the controversial proposal have received surprisingly little legal scrutiny. Crucially, the narrow focus on naturalisation ignores that the solutions being sought to refugees problems can as effectively be achieved under refugee status. The Prime Minister firstly argued that automatic birthright citizenship, or jus soli, is a universal norm. This is a fallacy. International law does give every child the right to acquire a nationality (Article 7, Convention on the Rights of the Child; Article 24, ICCPR), but any particular states nationality is not a birthright unless its law states so. Pakistan is one of only 30-odd world states with an unconditional jus soli law. It was argued secondly that Pakistans citizenship laws entitle 60 to 74 per cent of its refugees to citizenship by birth. The remainder would analogously be entitled by long residence. Factually, mass naturalisation of this scale would be unprecedented in the history of protracted refugee situations. It bears stressing here that the Afghans living in Pakistan, including those born here, are not stateless but are entitled to full Afghan citizenship under Article 9(2) of the Afghan Law on Citizenship. From an international law standpoint, the commentaries to Article 34 (on naturalisation) of the Refugee Convention tell us that naturalisation is an absolute sovereign prerogative. Facilitating the naturalisation of a refugee, even in general cases, is a recommendation which states cannot be compelled to perform even after a long wait, particularly where large numbers are concerned. Indeed, at the time of its drafting, Italy placed a reservation because of its overpopulation and unemployment. Although Pakistan is not a contracting party, we can still glean from this that the determinants of naturalisation in any given protracted situation are less legal than economic, social, cultural or racial. So, any suggestion of there being a legal obligation on states to naturalise the protracted refugee families they have generously hosted would be untenable. As wealthier states limit financial assistance and their own resettlement criteria and quotas in disregard of their international responsibility to share the burden of refugees, host states in the Global South are bearing nearly all the worlds protracted refugee populations a staggering two-thirds (13.4 million) of all existing refugees. In Pakistan, reservations that the representatives of host communities have fiercely expressed to any suggestion of naturalisation are expressions of their complex circumstances: concerns over space and resources, ethnic and demographic tensions and the environment. Entrenching these through naturalisation would be condescending to those in the thick of it. Naturalisation, then, is neither legally nor pragmatically realisable in Pakistan. But that cannot justify denying either the de jure or de facto Afghan refugees the rights that they are entitled to whilst they are present here. Indeed, the Prime Ministers third assertion, that giving them citizen status can solve their work or housing problems, overlooks entirely that, as refugees, even with their Afghan nationality, they are already entitled to dignified work and housing under human rights instruments and the Constitution. Their precarious refugee status itself, however, has meant that the need to give these entitlements as fixed, enforceable refugee rights has been avoided entirely. Instead, they have informally, albeit generously, been given liberties in the areas of livelihood, housing, healthcare, education and movement. So, first, their refugee status must be stabilised. Then, the state must put in place a dedicated national refugee law clearly stating their rights and specifying the parameter of each right as well as the refugees obligations towards the state, such as respect for the law and general tax payment. It may understandably restrict claims to land given its scarcity, and with a view to what would be most equitable for host communities. The state should simultaneously push for refugee-specific international funding assistance to support these rights. Finally, making these rights meaningful would require the sensitisation of institutions, services and society at large. The experience of Azerbaijani refugees in Armenia tells us that not even naturalisation can prevent governments and societies ostracising former refugees based on their origin if they are so inclined. At its most liberal, a non-citizenship refugee regime can give refugees all the same economic, social and civil rights (save political rights) as nationals, while they retain their existing nationality. This is the method Nigeria adopted with its Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees. Any number of variations is possible, but whichever one is adopted, the state must ensure that refugees are respected as refugees. By arrangement with Dawn MILFORD >> On the night Hollywood released the horror movie, Annabelle, a sell-out audience at Lauralton Hall was spellbound, hearing about the real Annabelle a demonic doll from paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren, who cracked the real-life case, along with her late husband, Ed Warren. The real Annabelle doll lives in a locked box at Warrens Occult Museum at her Monroe home. REVIEW: 2019 'Annabelle' is smart, scary The doll in the movie is a frightening looking porcelain doll in a childs image, with long hair and the real Annabelle the one in Warrens museum is a plain-looking classic Raggedy Ann doll with red yarn for hair. But the Raggedy Ann at the Warrens Museum is no ordinary doll. According to the Warrens, it is inhabited by an inhuman spirit, and there is a warning on the glass case not to touch. More Lifestyle Milford Ghost Camp introduces kids to the supernatural One museum-goer who ignored the warnings and taunted the doll, died in a motorcycle crash shortly after being told to leave the museum. The movie is a prequel to The Conjuring, based on the Warrens real-life case involving the doll. The couple had a lot of input in the first movie, but Annabelle, is fabricated. Warren, who mostly along with her late husband, has investigated more than 10,000 cases of paranormal activity, presented the talk and slide show of cases at the Catholic girls high school with the help of her son-in-law Tony Spera, also a paranormal investigator. Warren, now 87, soft spoken and sweet to all those who engaged her in conversation at a meet and greet, said presenting at Lauralton was like going home, because she attended the school in the late 1930s, but had to leave because of illness. Warren said her presentations are in extra demand during September and October because fascination with the subject is heightened during, Hallows Eve, as she calls it. A Roman Catholic, Warren now and in the early career with her husband, often works with priests and other clergy because they rely on blessings and sometimes exorcism to resolve a case. She said the power of faith has gotten her out of many scary situations because its often about fighting the demonic with goodness. Holy water is a tool. Warren said her Catholic faith is both her protection and her drive. Warren began by telling the audience that ever since the age of 7 or 8 she saw lights or auras around people, but was afraid to tell her parents, for fear they would think she was, crazy. She spent many years praying about it because, I didnt want to be different, she said. Warren recalled a story from her Lauralton days. She had a favorite teacher, a nun who taught French, and once told her, referring to her aura, Your lights are brighter than Mother Superiors. Warren said she was told to go to the chapel and pray about it, and it will go away. Her Lauralton audience, many with no connection to the school, but there as Warren fans, roared with laughter. At first she didnt even tell Ed Warren, whom she met at 16 about her abilities. But later he would tell her, You are different. Ed, a self-taught demonologist an interest he developed after growing up in a house he said was haunted and Lorraine, would pool their talents and go on to become world-famous paranormal investigators. Her career has spanned 65 years. The Warrens have done jobs throughout the United States and in faraway places that Japan, England, Scotland, France, Australia. The couple charged only travel expenses nothing for the actual investigating but built an empire on books, movie work and lectures about their cases. In 1952, Ed Warren founded the New England Society for Psychic Research. Their investigations often included other professionals, including nurses, doctors, police officers, researchers. Some of their famous cases besides Amityville and Annabelle include: the Demon murder; Werewolf; Smurl family; The Perrons; Stepney Cemetery; Borley Church; Union Cemetery; The Haunting in Connecticut. Warren said most unwanted spirits enter through vehicles such as Ouija boards, Tarot Cards and psychics, and urged the audience to keep their kids away from such things. Spera said seven of their 10 cases involves someone with a Ouija board asking, Is there a spirit here? If you go into a very happy home, very seldom, bad things will be found, Warren said. She and Spera continued the work after Eds death in 2006 and are currently working on a haunting case in Stratford, she said. Every town in Connecticut has paranormal activity, Warren said, noting a recent exorcism-like event on a New Haven man, 31. Going into haunting experiences, there were some bad ones, scary ones. My faith was always my protection, she said. She said that some five years ago a retiring priest moved into an apartment on her grounds, and not only does he help on jobs, but, We have mass every day in our house, she said, adding, Its beautiful how God works. The presentation Friday, which drew lots of audience oohs and ahhs, included a slide show of findings on cases such as images of people from the beyond or ghost-like forms appearing in photographs. Spera spent part of the talk on the eery, real life Annabelle story and emphasized that of all the items in the familys Occult Museum, that doll is what Id be most frightened of. Curators believe the doll has the power to kill, according to a film on the Annabelle case. Noting the case of the motorcyclist who died after leaving the museum, Spera said, Never take things like this lightly, thinking its a joke. According to a clip Spera showed, the real-life Annabelle story began in 1970 when a 28-year-old nurse received the Raggedy Ann doll as a birthday gift from her mom. She put the rag doll on her bed and began to notice it changing positions. A leg would be crossed, or the doll would be lying on its side. Then the girl and her roommate began to find parchment paper on the floor with written messages, such as, Help me, help us. They had no parchment paper in the house. The doll began appearing in different rooms and at one point appeared to be leaking blood. Then, one day, a male friend was taking a nap and woke up with the doll staring at him, as he felt like he was being strangled. There were deep scratch wounds on his upper body. The girls at first thought maybe an intruder was moving the doll around and leaving notes. When they ruled that out, according to the Occult Museum website, Not knowing where to turn they contacted a medium and a seance was held. The girls were introduced to the spirit of Annabelle Higgins, said to be a young girl that resided on the property before the apartments were built and died there at age 7. According to the website, the spirit related to the medium that she felt comfort with the two roommates in the apartment and wanted to stay with them and be loved. The roommates gave Annabelle permission to inhabit the doll, but things got worse. The Warrens took an interest in the case and contacted the women. They came to the immediate conclusion that the doll itself was not in fact possessed but manipulated by an inhuman presence, according to the Warrens website, which goes on to say, Truly, the spirit was not looking to stay attached to the doll, it was looking to possess a human host. Spera said the Warrens took the doll and Ed Warren told his wife they should avoid the highway because he was going to be a rough ride home. He was right. At some point he had to sprinkle the Annabelle doll with Holy water to calm it down. The movie Annabelle doesnt resemble the real-life story. In the movie, the doll is owned by a young couple, given to the woman for her doll collection. As the woman nears her pregnancy due date, a pair of Satanic cultists break in, stab the pregnant woman in the belly, and end up dead in their home. One of the cultists is named Annabelle Higgins, and some of her blood lands on the doll. Thats when the doll starts doing over-the-top scary things. Spera and Warren said they dont really care that the producers of Annabelle fabricated the story for the movie because it still serves the purpose of warning the public about demons. Eeveryone in the audience who believes in God must also believe theres a Devil, Spera said. Ghosts, devils, demons are real. He said while most people are focused on the bad stuff, regarding ghosts, there are beautiful stories, as well, such as the soldier who appeared to visit a loved one. Spera said its a ghost if it is a stranger appears and an apparition if you recognize the person. The key is dont open any doors, Spera said. WOODBRIDGE When a school district is faced with scandal, discord, incompetence or a routine, unfilled vacancy that requires a temporary school superintendent, James A. Connelly often is the go-to guy. Connelly, who served as superintendent of Bridgeport schools for 17 years until his retirement in 2000, has the distinction of having held the most interim superintendent gigs of anyone in the state. Since retiring in 2000, Connelly has served as interim superintendent 13 times in 10 districts three of them twice. His education career spans more than five decades. He currently is the interim superintendent at Amity Regional schools. I see myself as an activist, not a chairwarmer, Connelly said. Im not leaving a pile of to-dos for the next superintendent. His stints as interim include: Norwalk, Stamford, Woodbridge, Killingly, Montville, Oxford, Putnam, Naugatuck and Regional School District 16. He took the helm at Amity temporarily in July and will leave in November when a new superintendent comes onboard. He brings a wealth of experiences. Hes seen it from both sides, said Amity school board Chairman Christopher Browe. For something as simple as hiring teachers, it was an extra opinion. It gives a little extra credibility and depth to the process. Connelly said Amity was left in great shape by former superintendent Charles Dumais he worked with the Board of Education on ambitious initiatives including security, grade transitions and new hire policies. But sometimes Connelly steps into a hotbed of disarray and controversy, as was the case when he served in Stamford, beginning in January 2016, when embattled former Superintendent of Schools Winifred Hamilton retired amid criticism of her handling of teacher sexual misconduct. Hamilton came under fire for her handling of the case of teacher Danielle Watkins, who was sentenced to five years in prison for having a sexual relationship with a student and a Department of Justice investigation into programs for non-native English speakers. Going into Stamford on the heels of scandal, Connelly said he had to do a lot of human resources work, removing teachers who were on paid leave for having inappropriate contact with kids, and was charged with bringing stability to the district. A Shelton resident, Connelly said he keeps working because I have a passion for kids and social justice. Art Bettencourt, executive director of New England School Development Council, said Connelly keeps serving because hes in such demand. Bettencourt said Connelly has integrity, deals well with people and keeps districts moving forward. Hes a gift to any district, and the best interim in the state, Bettencourt said. Aside from his interim superintendent gigs, Connelly has done a lot of consulting work for school systems as part of New England School Development Council, particularly in the field of superintendent searches. At one time Connelly had a running joke with former New Haven Superintendent of Schools Reginald Mayo over who spent the longest serving in some capacity as a superintendent. Mayo wins in total time with 21 years as superintendent and two as interim in that city, Connelly concedes, while claiming the interim record. While hes done a lot of working, Connelly has also traveled in retirement to Ireland, Scotland and England and plans in the future to take longer blocks of time off and more exotic trips, such as Iceland. School districts in need usually hire Connelly by word of mouth. Sometimes superintendents retire, leave for other jobs, or are asked by boards to leave. Connelly said he wont go into a district where board members are divided on hiring him such as a 5-4 vote and these days he wont travel more than an hour, whereas at one time hed go to the opposite end of the state. He also doesnt relish wintertime gigs where he gets up at 4:30 a.m. to make snow day determinations. I still believe I have something to offer, he said. He has experience with unions, relationships with municipalities, and skills at strategic planning. Hes handled the most urban districts, suburban districts and those where there is a socio-economic mix. Browe said one of Connellys biggest assets is that he knows how to talk to stakeholders and how to time the introduction of new issues. He does a nice job of communication and we wanted to hit the ground running, on the budget and Connelly was a good person to have on board for that, Browe said. A lot has changed since Connelly became superintendent in Bridgeport in the early 1980s, particularly around school safety, he said. When the Columbine High School shooting happened in 1999, Connelly brought metal detectors to Bridgeport schools and it began the era of getting buzzed into schools. With the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, the call for greater safety skyrocketed and making buildings safer is the trend, he said. When Connelly thinks about safety, its not just physical safety. Most important to me is emotional safety, he said, meaning no bullying and creating a culture that makes school an environmentally safe place. He said schools today have the task of providing and teaching civility to contrast what is going on in the general culture, such as President Donald Trumps tweets and the kind of ugly stuff viewed at the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. We have to agree to disagree without being degrading, Connelly said. We need to get along and be sensitive to each other. We need to be role models. Connelly is big on inclusion of people of all cultures and abilities and works to see that all students are well integrated. The high-need kids, if they dont have a political voice, people forget about them, he said. A new approach to treating Alzheimers disease is being tested in a clinical trial with strong New Haven connections. If it proves effective, the new drug, troriluzole, would help slow the progression of Alzheimers by protecting the brains neurons from an overabundance of a molecule called glutamate. Until now, treatments for Alzheimers have had a small effect on the disease, slowing but not stopping its progression. Compounds that have a neuroprotective effect, like the drug that were studying now, (are) very different from the compounds that weve studied that have taken the amyloid out of the brain, but have done nothing to affect the course of the illness, said Alan Siegal, of Geriatric and Adult Psychiatry in Hamden, the first site in the United States to enroll patients. The damage, so to speak, had already been done. (That) approach had not been fruitful. Frustrating would be a better word. Current medications, such as Aricept and Namenda, dont prevent the inevitable, Siegal said. While medications that would arrest and reverse the illness (are) the ultimate goal, were still not there. We hope this study will move us to the next phase of a more aggressive delay of progression. Wed really like to broaden the way the field is coming at this disease, said Dr. Adam Mecca, co-investigator at the Yale Alzheimers Disease Research Unit, the second Connecticut site where the trial is being conducted. Dr. Christopher van Dyck, director of the unit, is principal investigator there. The biopharmaceutical company that is sponsoring the study, Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, is based in New Haven. It was founded by people who live in and around New Haven and its beginnings came from work at Yale, said Dr. Robert Berman, chief medical officer of Biohaven, which will soon move to 215 Church St. in New Haven, down the street from its current quarters. Berman said the hope is that troriluzole has the potential both to improve peoples symptoms soon and to markedly delay the progression even, but thats what the study will show us. Siegal, who was the founding director of Yales Alzheimers research unit, is the principal investigator at Geriatric and Adult Psychiatry, 60 Washington Ave., Suite 203, Hamden. The Yale Alzheimers unit is located at 1 Church St., Suite 600, New Haven. He said family members and others close to Alzheimers patients dont realize how much devastation the illness will wreak on their lives. A man might say, If my wife could stay in this state, things would be OK, Siegal said. They dont get it until it smacks them in the face. Almost 300 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimers will be enrolled in the trial, half receiving troriluzole, the other half a placebo. (The subjects do not have to stop their current medications to be enrolled.) Theyll be treated for 48 weeks and we will look to see how well they are thinking and functioning using specific scales for that purpose, Berman said. The study is different from most Alzheimers trials that are really focused on the pre-dementia phase, Berman said. We think the preclinical studies from the labs suggest that we will have an impact through all stages of the disease so we decided to start with the mild to moderate (phase). Alzheimers disease, which robs its victims of their mental and, ultimately, physical abilities, is increasing as a public health issue as the baby boom generation ages. But it is also occurring in younger and younger patients. The cost of the disease is $50 billion a year, Berman said, and its going to increase as the population ages. About a third of people over 80 have brains with Alzheimers pathology, even if they dont have any dementia yet. If this specific illness doesnt come up with a cure in the next eight years, then we will spend more on health care than we will on defense, Siegal said. The vast majority of that will be dementia care. Siegal said he has 46 Alzheimers patients under 60. Years ago, if I saw a half dozen it would be Oh my God! Were seeing 20 new patients a week here, Siegal said, and his practice receives 300 referrals a month, at least one of them under 60. Its not the illness I signed up to treat, he said. The reason younger people are developing Alzheimers is largely unknown. Pollution is cited as one cause. You can pick up any newspaper. On any given day, theres another theory, Siegal said. The same is true of Parkinsons disease, he said. It scares everybody. Its shifting. Glutamate is a molecule that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain, carrying signals from one neuron to another. Its critical to normal brain function and there are more control mechanisms in the brain to make sure its not overabundant or underabundant, said Berman whom Siegal taught when he was a resident. Too much glutamate can spill outside the synapse between neurons and damage them, which may be a factor in developing Alzheimers. Troriluzole acts by regulating the amount of glutamate in the neural synapses. The active component of troriluzole has been studied in many labs across the world in models relevant to Alzheimers disease and shown compelling results, Berman said. Were really the only drug out there targeting glutamate, he said. It is a very compelling target. Ninety percent of your brains synapses are governed by glutamate. We know from animal studies, its very well established that when glutamate spills outside of the synapses the neuron degenerates. Also, we know early on in Alzheimers disease theres a decrease in whats called glutamate transporters. Theyre the molecule that clears glutamate from the synapses and our drug increases glutamate transport. The current trial is a phase two study. Data from preliminary trials was presented to the Alzheimers Disease Cooperative Study, which was formed in 1991 as a consortium of academic and private sites that have expertise in Alzheimers disease, Berman said. The consortium, based at the University of California at San Diego, agreed to design the study. Biohavens lucky that the ACDS agreed to take this on and New Havens lucky that we actually have two sites, he said. Enrolling in the study requires screening to make sure there arent other health factors that would make someone ineligible, such as cancer or diabetes. Also, according to Sylwia Lipior, clinical research coordinator at Yales Alzheimers Disease Research Unit, there are patients looking forward to the possibility of a more effective treatment. We do have sort of a pool of people who have already participated in studies at the ADRU and Dr. van Dyck takes from those people, and its really exciting because a lot of those people are sort of running out of options, so this study is very exciting in that regard, Lipior said. Andrea DeClement, the study coordinator at Geriatric and Adult Psychiatry, said, My patients love being in research studies the extra care, extra hands, more time spent. Its just the extra attention. Patients have their bloodwork done more often and, altruistically, its gratifying just to be part of something that could be groundbreaking too, she said. The patients themselves are excited, DeClement said. Theyre excited and nervous. At the same time, caregivers are extremely excited and hopeful for the study because of the potential that their burden will be lightened, she said. For information about the clinical trial, go to www.t2protect.org. To inquire about being considered for the study at Geriatric and Adult Psychiatry, call DeClement at 203-288-0414 or email a.declement@gapcare.org. To enroll at the Yale Alzheimers Drug Research Unit, call Carol Gunnoud at 203-764-8100 or email carol.gunnoud@yale.edu. Editors note: This story was corrected to say that the Alzheimers Disease Cooperative Study is based at the University of California at San Diego. edward.stannard It is unclear whether he can do so with domestic pressure mounting on him to penalise Riyadh through sanctions. The official acknowledgment by the Saudi authorities early on Saturday after putting out false stories earlier that Jamal Khashoggi, the well-known Saudi journalist-critic of Saudi Arabias de factor ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), had indeed been killed at its consulate in Istanbul, can throw power hierarchies in the most significant country of the Islamic world and a crucially important oil producing nation in turmoil. It can also severely strain the Kingdoms relationship with the Western powers. The event has caused anger in the US. It is to be seen, however, if President Donald Trump, who had fashioned his entire West Asia strategy by betting on the success of the young MBS, without whose sanction it appears the murder could not have taken place, would attempt to shield the Crown Prince. Washington had signed a $115 billion armaments agreement with Riyadh. Mr Trumps instinct would be to save that deal. It is unclear whether he can do so with domestic pressure mounting on him to penalise Riyadh through sanctions. If sanctions come into play, and the Saudis respond with cutting international oil supplies, the impact of this can be to spread economic uncertainty including for India. There is likely to be a regional geopolitical realignment as well in the West Asian theatre which could water down the current US resolve to punish and isolate Iran. That may not necessarily be a bad thing for India, which has always sought to retain a good relationship with mutually hostile Tehran and Riyadh. India, of course, should avoid getting sucked into the power politics of the West. You'll recognize the name, and hopefully still enjoy the food, when a new diner opens with a nod to one of South Jersey's most beloved eateries. A decade after the iconic Olga's Diner shut its doors at the corner of Routes 70 and 73 in Marlton, restaurateurs Bill Dovas and Chris Kolovos have partnered up and broken ground on a new Olga's, set to open this spring. It's just about a mile down Route 73 at Baker Boulevard, at the site of the shuttered Carollo's Family Restaurant. "We figured there's really no better brand and no better name to bring back," Kolovos said in a phone call with NJ Advance Media. "We're going to be a classic diner with a little bit of a modern twist, an updated twist." That means breakfast served all day long, with rotating monthly and daily specials. There will be a bakery, but no liquor license or excessively late hours. "Nothing special, just a classic diner," said Kolovos, who owns the Colonial Diner in Woodbury and Lucien's Manor in Berlin, and has recently acquired The Mansion on Main Street in Voorhees. His partner, Dovas, operates the Penrose Diner in Philadelphia. The site of the new Olga's Diner at Route 73 and Baker Boulevard in Marlton. (Amanda Hoover | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) But to so many, that no-frills, homey feel is just what makes their local diner so special. Olga's closed its doors in 2008 after serving hungry patrons in Marlton for nearly 50 years. Before that, during the 1940s and 1950s, the very first Olga's cooked up Jersey-famous diner fare on Admiral Wilson Boulevard in Camden. The diner, named for its original owner, drew loyal customers from Camden and Burlington counties, as well as those passing between the two routes, a popular trip made between the Philadelphia area and Long Beach Island each summer. An iconic red sign bearing Olga's name beckoned those looking for a good bite to eat, and the revered bakery's reputation carried even farther, with the diner whipping up an inaugural-ball cake for President George H.W. Bush. It was a place to meet, and to eat comfort food. "My mom and dad took me to Olga's to eat all the time," Evesham Township Mayor Randy Brown said in a phone call. "In 1991, starting in the title insurance business, I would go there and get donuts for my clients all the time. It held a very special place in my heart." The new Olga's Diner plans to open about a mile down Route 73 south from the old location. (Amanda Hoover | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) But when the township made moves to expand the area's roadways via an overpass, that hurt the traffic that once flocked to Olga's. In an opinion piece published in South Jersey Local News in 2010, Olga's owner John Stavros lamented the booming development in Marlton during the end of his family's 50 years there, and how the construction of the overpass played into the diner's demise. "When people with power want you out, out you go," he wrote. "It doesn't matter who you are or how long you've been there." He also took issue with high rents and taxes on part of the state, saying the culmination gave his family no choice but to turn off the grills and close up shop. Looking back 10 years later and on the tail-end of his third term as mayor, Brown acknowledged the overpass' role in stifling business at Olga's, but stood by the decision. "I also knew that the best thing for our community was an overpass. To eliminate the number of accidents that were there, that was the best place," he said. "That overpass has not only eased congestion, but it has brought businesses to that corridor." Above: The previous home of Olga's Diner, seen in July 2017. It's not clear how Stavros feels about his mother's name appearing on the new diner. The 87-year-old could not be reached for comment. Kolovos said he and Dovas haven't yet been able to speak to Stavros and his family yet either, but noted they didn't need permission, as the name was available following the decade-old closure of the original Olga's. He does hope, however, that the family will see the move as an honor. "We didn't know that this is going to become such a story prior to us getting a shovel in the ground," he said Friday. "We're hoping that they're on board. We would love to honor them." Still, the diner will have personal touches from Dovas and Kolovos. Aside from the name and place, the eatery will be their original concept, rather than a full reboot of the old Olga's. "We have Olgas in our family," he added. "We're Greek." That change starts even with design. The old Olga's greeted diners with an oversized red sign, which stood for another nine years as the vacant property crumbled. Brown said the township is still in possession of the sign, and offered it to the new owners, who decided to go another route. Brown has hopes to restore the sign (if that's possible, given how years have led it to deteriorate) and put it on display somewhere in the township. He estimates the project would cost a few thousand dollars, but could be funded by a sponsor in the township. "Preservation, placement, there's still some discussion that go into what we would do with the old sign," Brown said. "I would still like it to be displayed prominently in Evesham." Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips By Patrick Wall, Chalkbeat Newark New Jersey's largest charter-school network did not violate state regulations when it disciplined students with disabilities, according to a state investigation triggered by an advocacy group's complaint. The complaint, which was based on parent reports and state data, alleged that North Star Academy charter schools suspended students with disabilities for minor infractions, causing them to miss class and be separated from their general-education peers in violation of federal disability law. After interviewing North Star officials and reviewing school documents, state investigators concluded that the network of 13 charter schools followed the appropriate procedures when disciplining students with disabilities, which includes continuing to provide required educational services after suspending students. "North Star was able to demonstrate compliance with the procedural regulations for disciplining students with disabilities," according to the Oct. 15 investigation report. The report does not address North Star's suspension rate for students with disabilities, which the complaint alleged was among the highest in the state during the 2016-17 school year. The complaint, using state data, said the rate was 29 percent; North Star said it was 22 percent. The report called that data "informational" but said it was outside the one-year timeframe of the investigation. Esther Canty-Barnes, director of the Education & Health Law Clinic at Rutgers Law School in Newark, which filed the complaint in August, said the report did not delve into all the issues raised in the complaint. For instance, it called for an investigation into how North Star's special-education students are affected by suspensions and how often they are forced to repeat grades. "It only addressed whether the charter school followed procedures," Canty-Barnes said, "which is a very limited scope of what we asked them to do." North Star serves nearly 5,000 students at its Newark sites. Founded in 1997, it is one of New Jersey's top-performing charter-school networks. Part of the national Uncommon Schools organization, the Newark campuses are known for their rigorous academics and strict discipline policies. About 9 percent of North Star students had disabilities last school year, according to the report -- just over half the rate in Newark Public Schools, where it was 16 percent. Thirty-eight North Star students with disabilities served 10 or more days of suspension during that 2017-18 school year, the report said. The network gave in-school suspensions to students who disrupted class or refused to do work. It issued out-of-school suspensions to students who used threatening language, stole staff property, or displayed "defiance and aggressiveness." The investigators found that North Star administered the suspensions properly. For instance, records indicated that schools held legally required meetings to determine whether students' disabilities contributed to the behavior that triggered suspensions. The schools also came up with plans to help de-escalate the students' behavior or give them "break time" to refocus or talk to a school staffer. When North Star did suspend students with disabilities, it made sure they continued to receive their legally mandated support services, the report said. When students were suspended for 10 or more consecutive days, North Star sent teachers to the students' homes to provide instruction. Barbara Martinez, a North Star spokeswoman, said the network takes "great pride" in the education that it offers students with disabilities. Those students perform in the 75th percentile or above on the state PARCC tests, she added. "We are glad to have the NJ DOE official confirmation after their thorough investigation that these baseless and biased allegations are unfounded and that North Star is fully compliant with all procedures surrounding discipline for students with disabilities," she said in a statement. Michael Yaple, a state education department spokesman, said the agency's special-education office does not have any other open investigations into North Star. He added that complainants can appeal the office's decisions. The federal education department's Office for Civil Rights currently has three open investigations into North Star's special-education practices that were launched in July 2015, according to the agency's website. Martinez, the North Star spokeswoman, said the agency "fully investigated" a complaint from 2015 involving one student and made no determination "that we are aware of." The agency did not immediately respond to a request for information about the investigation. Lauren Morando Rhim, executive director and co-founder of the National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools, said that some schools' strict discipline policies deter families of children with disabilities from enrolling. She added that even though North Star appears to be following special-education laws, it still serves a relatively small share of students with disabilities and has had a high suspension rate. "It does raise questions as to why that's the case," she said, "and what could they do to increase access and success." This story was originally published by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization covering public education. Sign up for their newsletters here: chalkbeat.org/newsletter New Jersey voters, in addition to deciding competitive Senate and House races, will also decide the fate of $500 million in bonds that would be used for a host of school-related initiatives. At the top of the ticket is the Senate race, with Republican Bob Hugin as Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez' top opponent. There are six other candidates running on third-party slogans, including Green Party candidate Madelyn Hoffman and Libertarian Murray Sabrin. All 12 of the state's House seats are on the ballot. Democrats currently control seven and Republicans occupy five. State offices are not on the ballot this year. The only question on the ballot on Nov. 6 asks voters whether to approve the $500 million in new debt for school security, county colleges, vocational schools and water infrastructure. The constitution requires that new debts obtain voter approval. Specifically, $350 million would be used to provide grants to county vocational school districts and school security projects. Also, $50 million would go to county college projects and $100 million would go to support water infrastructure projects across the state's more than 600 school districts. The Democrat-led Legislature and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy approved the bipartisan measure to get the question on the ballot, but not without a disagreement over how much the bonds should be. Murphy halved the legislative proposal from $1 billion to $500 million, citing the state's already heavy debt load. Debt service in the current fiscal year tops $4 billion, and New Jersey ranks in the top five states for tax-supported debt. Murphy estimated the total debt payments on the initial proposal would range from $1.7 billion to $2.2 billion over 30 years, depending on interest and other factors. Republicans have consistently called for steeper spending cuts to help the state's strained budget, but expressed frustration that Murphy halved the bond proposal, which nearly all supported. Republican state Sen. Steve Oroho said in a statement that the smaller bond issuance won't go far enough to address schools' needs. To rein in the state's finances, he suggested overhauling the state's public worker pension and health benefits. Murphy has shown little interest in pursuing such reforms, which would be likely to entail cuts. Instead he's called for working with organized labor to lower costs. Director Danny Leiner, who helmed the New Jersey-set stoner comedy "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," has died. Leiner, who was 57 when he died on Oct. 18, was also known for directing TV series including one episode of "The Sopranos" and the successful film comedy "Dude, Where's My Car?" in 2000. Leiner's brother, Ken, told the Hollywood Reporter that the director died after a long illness, having been diagnosed with cancer. "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," released in 2004, stars John Cho and Montclair native Kal Penn as friends living in Hoboken who embark upon an epic mission for White Castle after getting stoned and contracting a strong case of the munchies. Their fast food fantasy is seemingly thwarted at every turn. On their way to a White Castle in Cherry Hill, they find themselves in Newark, Princeton and the wilderness of South Jersey. John Cho and Kal Penn in 'Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.' (New Line Cinema) The film, written by Randolph's Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, spurred sequels in 2008 and 2011. "Danny's sense of humor alone should get him into heaven, not to mention he was an all around cool dude," Schlossberg tweeted on Saturday. "We lost a great man today," Hurwitz tweeted. "'Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle' was not only my first film, but also my first time on set. I was there every day, because Danny demanded it. Most writers don't get that treatment. And it fast tracked my path to directing. Thank you, old friend." Penn, 41, a graduate of Freehold Township High School, remembered Leiner. "Very sad to learn that our friend Danny Leiner passed away," he tweeted on Saturday. "We initially got to know each other when he directed Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle. Sending my love to his family & friends. He was such a funny, thoughtful, encouraging person." Cho, 46, also memorialized Leiner. "Danny was so sharp, so funny, and a great dinner companion," he tweeted. "To his friends and family, my deepest condolences." Ashton Kutcher, 40, who starred alongside Seann William Scott in "Dude, Where's My Car?" also remembered Leiner. Very sad to learn that our friend Danny Leiner passed away. We initially got to know each other when he directed Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle. Sending my love to his family & friends. He was such a funny, thoughtful, encouraging person. -- Kal Penn (@kalpenn) October 20, 2018 "Rip Danny Leiner," he tweeted. "Thank you for putting up with that young actor who thought he knew way too much way too soon in his career. ....and theeeeen? No and then!" Leiner directed the episode of "The Sopranos" titled "Luxury Lounge" in 2006, during which Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) tries to sell Ben Kingsley on starring in his movie project with Carmine Lupertazzi Jr. (Ray Abruzzo). The episode featured Lauren Bacall. Leiner also directed episodes of "The Tick," "Arrested Development," "Felicity," "Gilmore Girls," "Party of Five" and HBO's "The Mind of the Married Man." The director, who grew up in Park Slope, Brooklyn, first met "Sopranos" star Edie Falco when they were both students at the State University of New York at Purchase. Leiner directed Falco and John Leguizamo in the short film "Time Expired" in 1992, and teamed up again with Falco for "Layin' Low" in 1996 and "The Great New Wonderful" in 2005, about life in post-Sept. 11 New York City. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook. Now that school supplies are not only bought, some have already been lost - and truly, I do not know how one child can lose a stapler, notebooks and a scissors within weeks - there's another aspect of school supplies we should address. Books. Not the assigned books. Not even the books we press on students for fun reading. Lately, I have been thinking about books we use through the years, books we still keep on desks because they are useful. Yes, I have heard tell of people with empty, immaculate desks. These people are not to be trusted, so let's move on. Even in the digital age, where a desk needs a charging station, students from middle school through college should have certain books within easy reach. And, adults would benefit also. Let's start with one everyone should own: a dictionary. Mine is held together with tape. Admittedly I use the New Oxford American Dictionary on my laptop all day. But it's never as detailed or as rich of a definition as found in print dictionaries. A professor once told me that a word is only yours once you have looked it up a few times and had to write it. Dictionaries were once a mandatory item for school (so were slates and ink for fountain pens), and I am not promoting leaps back in time. There is nothing archaic about dictionaries. For the quick fix, sure, Spellcheck on your computer will do. Barely. But to own a word, to truly understand it, you need a dictionary. It explains the etymology, the nuanced meanings, the why of a word and how it fits into language. True bibliophiles covet "The Oxford English Dictionary" but at about $1,200 that's not practical, and at 20 volumes, it won't fit on a desk. I'm keeping this to single-volume books and those that could fit on a small shelf. The story of a woman trying to make her life easier in extremely difficult times. And there, I would keep an oversized atlas. As a maps person, well as someone perpetually lost but who spends a lot of time staring at them as if the squiggles will suddenly transport me to where I am supposed to be, I confess a fascination with Google maps. I realize that shoots holes in this theory about needing desk books, and I am about to make an argument for atlases. National Geographic, unsurprisingly, makes a spectacular one. It's a wondrous book, and the sort of oversized tome encouraging readers to get lost in its pages. That's not such a bad thing; we dawdle on Instagram and on Facebook; this is a better use of time. Plus, geography is not something stressed, or perhaps even taught, in most schools. We really should know our towns, New Jersey, the states, North America and have a far better sense of the world at large. Every few years there's head shaking and tsk-tsking when a poll comes out showing that children can't find the USA on a globe, or New Jersey on a USA map. Here's a way to combat that. Now that we have the words and places, how we write about all of it matters. Whether a student is geared toward STEM careers, or an adult is a banker or barber, being able to write clearly is critical. A slight, but powerful, book everyone needs to own is "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White. Using definitive language this classic helps improve writing, leaving the reader with a sense of clarity about the subject. It's a short book and one that can be dipped into over the years. Very aware that generations are growing up on morsels of facts, an almanac is perfect addition to the desk collection. They go way beyond how farmers should plant. Understanding where students fit into the world can only help them. Glancing through the Almanac 2019 (another National Geographic book) pulls me in, even including a passage that was perfect for why I am leafing through the book: "Constantly multitasking and dodging countless distractions can erode mental acuity." That passage recommends putting yourself in the midst of nature. This also includes the wonderful paragraph: "Many of us grew up with the idea of a static solar system, with well-behaved planets in their reliable orbits. But a more dramatic view has arisen among some scientists. Not only did the solar system go through a dramatic birth, but it also experienced a raucous adolescence." It's the best sort of reference book: You don't realize that you're lost in it. How do you not want to not linger on the glossy pages of the planets and turn the page to learn about the birth of the universe? That may be the most critical difference between looking up something fast on the Internet and holding a book: the web search is fast and possibly correct, depending on the source. In general, editors, ensuring accuracy, have vetted books. Online you grab your information and go. With the desk set, you linger and learn. These books all fall into the research category, but select fiction is worthy of desk space. Most fiction should be on shelves, preferably alphabetically. (The trend to file books by the color of their spines is very pretty but if books are not merely decorative, how are you supposed to find anything?) Is a student supposed to survive on facts alone? Checking in with Elda Rotor, vice president and publisher at Penguin Classics, I posed this question, and asked what fiction, not necessarily new, she would recommend that could resonate with today's students. Among those she suggested as worthy of desk space are "Passing" by Nella Larsen, for her "powerful and tragic story about racial fluidity" and at its essence, about racism. Arthur Miller's "An Enemy of the People" his adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's play is another as it questions the foundation of truth and "what happens when truth comes up against the will of the majority," Rotor says. The blank canvas of a journal allows students to jot down ideas, sketch, write what they need to express and without the reactions that can come if they put this online. Both are eerily timely in an age of blatant racism and how speaking out can turn the public against the one who dares to question the status quo. And with such huge issues, fiction often tells the story in a more relatable way for students than following the news can. Another essential is the complete works of Shakespeare. And, yes, I did say from middle school and up, so I weighed adding the bard. First assigned "Romeo and Juliet" by an optimistic teacher when I was in seventh grade, it took me years to appreciate him. But if a teen learns one sonnet or a high school student works his way through Hamlet, maybe writing in the margins about how he feels, that collection earns space on the desk. At the risk of igniting a backlash from any group, I also recommend keeping a compendium of beliefs on a desk: the Torah, The King James Bible, The Koran. All are constantly referred to and most students could use some sort of divine inspiration. One last book that needs desk space is a blank book. Any journal, which allows students to write for the sake of writing, is crucial. I am not going to promote one sort of journal over another. I use every sort from cheap spiral notebooks to leather diaries, but whatever the price point, keep one at hand. They encourage imagination, allow students to vent think, dream and create and that's pretty much the best we can do at our desks. During the Angelus, Pope Francis noted the many "examples of young people who found the meaning and joy of life in Jesus through other young people. A Hail Mary is dedicated to the missionaries who, far from their homeland, spent a lifetime proclaiming the Gospel. The way to serve is the most effective antidote against the disease of wanting to be first, the medicine for climbers, which infects many human contexts and does not even spare Christians, nor the Church hierarchy. Jesuit priest Tiburcio Arnaiz Munoz, who was beatified yesterday in Spain, received an applause. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Francis mentioned that today is World Mission Day (WMD), which is celebrated across the world, noting that "Together with the young: this is the path!", the theme to which he dedicated his message for WMD: Together with young people, let us bring the Gospel to all. The theme is related to that of the Synod, currently underway in the Vatican, in which young people are urged to be players in proclaiming the faith to their peers, as Francis explained. "We are experiencing this reality, thanks to God, during the days of the Synod dedicated to them. By listening to them and involving them we discover many examples of young people who found the meaning and joy of life in Jesus. They often found him thanks to other young people, already involved in his communion of brothers and sisters that is the Church. Let us pray that the new generations shall not miss the proclamation of the faith and the call to work together in the mission of the Church." Speaking without his written text, the Pope added: "My thoughts go to the many Christians, men and women, consecrated laymen, priests and bishops, who have spent their lives far from their homeland, proclaiming the Gospel. . . . To them goes our prayer: Hail Mary. . . ". Previously, before the Angelus, Francis commented on the Gospel of today's Mass (29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, Mark 10:35-45), which cites the episode in which two brothers, James and John, ask to be next to Jesus when he enters "in glory". Jesus, stressed the Pope, "tries to correct his disciples by converting them from the mindset of the world to that of God". "Jesus, the pontiff noted, knows that James and John are moved by great enthusiasm for him and for the cause of the Kingdom, but he also knows that their expectations and their zeal are polluted by the spirit of the world". However, He "realises that the other ten Apostles become angry with James and John, thus showing to have the same worldly mindset. This provides him with the opportunity to teach a lesson that applies to Christians of all times, even to us." "The Masters message is clear: while the great of the Earth build 'thrones' for their own power, God chooses an awkward throne, the cross, from which to rule giving life: For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mk 10:45). The way to serve is the most effective antidote against the disease of wanting to be first, the medicine for climbers, which infects many human contexts and does not even spare Christians, nor the Church hierarchy. Thus, as disciples of Christ, let us welcome this Gospel as a call to conversion, to bear witness with courage and generosity to a Church that bows at the feet of the last, to serve them with love and simplicity. May the Virgin Mary, who fully and humbly adhered to the will of God, help us to joyfully follow Jesus on the path of service, the high road that leads to Heaven." After the Marian prayer, Francis said that yesterday, in Malaga (Spain), the Jesuit priest Tiburcio Arnaiz Munoz (1865-1926), founder of the Missionaries of rural parishes, was beatified. "Let us thank the Lord, said the Pope, for the testimony of this zealous minister of reconciliation and tireless proclaimer of the Gospel, especially among the humble and the forgotten. May his example impel us to be agents of mercy and courageous missionaries in every environment; may his intercession support our journey. To the blessed Tiburcio, an applause, everyone." In the the Nov. 6 elections, vote on the status of our state and our nation. Politicians have made, but have failed to deliver, on promises. Over the last two years, with the election of President Donald Trump and a Republican-majority Congress, a battle to improve things has been waged at the federal level, but liberal resistance wants to continue the old ways. Today, New Jersey has "sanctuary cities" that welcome undocumented immigrants, and a suburbia of empty storefronts and high property taxes. Decades ago, solutions were promised with the imposition of state income and sales taxes. Until recently, a low gasoline tax rate was an attraction to travelers who filled up here. Our state's public employee retirement costs are forecast to exceed available funds, while those in the private sector pay part of this cost while they also must contribute to their own retirement funds. After decades of promise, we see government failing on education, drug enforcement, health care, Social Security preservation andreducing taxes. Lax immigration enforcement may have cost us lives in the 9/11 attacks, and drains health care, education and drug enforcement budgets. President Trump has kept many of his promises. Unemployment rates are lower. If voters look seriously, they will reject political predecessors who brought our state and nation to our current problems. We can vote Nov. 6 to change our local, county and congressional representatives, including disgraced U.S. senators. We need conservative governments that keep promises. Vote, but avoid the past promises of liberals and Republicans In Name Only (RINOs). Gerald Keer, Turnersville Editor's note: No state-level offices are on New Jersey ballots this year. Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com JERSEY CITY -- Firefighters on Sunday battled a 4-alarm fire that displaced 15 residents, officials said. The fire started at approximately 1 p.m. at 1004 Summit Ave, fire Chief Steve McGill. "It was pretty bad," said Anthony Urspruch, a Jersey City resident who lives in the area. The incident started as a two-alarm fire, but quickly escalated to a four alarm after the blaze began traveling up the walls into the cockloft, a small loft or crawl space above the highest finished ceiling which connects 1004 Summit Ave. to 1006 Summit Ave. "Once (the fire) gets into the cockloft, it has free travel to the other buidling. So it got to there and started banking down onto the third floor of that building," McGill said. The fire was placed under control by 2:30 p.m. and no injuries have been reported, McGilll said. Fifteen residents have been displaced, according to city spokeswoman Kim Wallace-Scalcione. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, McGill said. Investigators were on the scene just before 3 p.m gathering information. "It may have started in the lower floor, but we don't know yet," McGill said. Aichard Meza, 25, was on the first floor when he smelled smoke and immediately ran out of his house. "We don't know what happened," he said. "But we got away." Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. The Hindu festival of lights was held in front of City Hall in Jersey City on Sunday. Dozens of residents came out for Diwali, the annual Hindu tradition. The festival, which is sponsored by the Saraswati Cultural Association of New Jersey, featured food vendors, dance performances, live music, food, and clothes/jewelry for sale -- as well as activities for children. Click on the photo gallery above and scroll through the images from Sunday's celebrations. JERSEY CITY For the first time in years, locals who possessed guns were able to trade it in for cash, no questions asked. Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez brought back the gun buy back program at Heavenly Temple Church of God in Jersey City and Saint Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Union City. "It's getting guns off the street," Suarez told The Jersey Journal. "You never know what guns are being taken away." Hudson County residents were able to hand in a maximum of three guns for up to $250 per weapon. Just two hours into the event, the Jersey City location had collected 55 firearms while Union City had 40, according to Suarez. The guns that are given in get melted and become scrap metal. At the Union City location, three antique guns, including one from the 1800s, were turned in. Those guns are being spared the fire and are being taken to the National Guard Museum, HCPO spokesman Ray Worrall said. Director of Community and Engagement Rudy Snelling agreed with Suarez and said that the office thought the event was "necessary." The program was co-sponsored by the state Attorney General's Office, the Jersey City and Union City Police Department along with the Jersey City Medical Center-RWJBarnabas Health and the two churches. "We're thrilled to partner with this initiative," said JCMC Director of Community Outreach and Injury Prevention Marissa Fisher. "It aligns with our mission with anti-violence." In 2013, Al Hughes became one of 2,000 men to be diagnosed with breast cancer that year. Four years later, in 2017, Michael Caruso would be, too. Hughes and Caruso were two of three male breast cancer survivors in Susan G. Komen North Jersey's "Walk of Hope" fashion show at Newport Centre mall on Saturday. The two-hour event featured 19 models two of them male. Tom Anseaume, who declined to comment, took his spot on the runway like Caruso who walked out with his wife, Xio. Hughes was unable to participate in the show because of a recent kidney surgery. However, Hughes still told organizers of the event, "I'll be there." Hughes, a 19-year kidney cancer survivor, was diagnosed with breast cancer when he was 68 after a routine doctor's visit. He alerted his doctor to discomfort in his left breast, which an ultrasound, mammogram and biopsy later confirmed as the disease. "I'm getting better and better," he told The Jersey Journal. "It's a long road." Though Hughes didn't walk the runway, he sat in the crowd and watched his friends, Michael and Xio Caruso, do it for him. "Just watching you guys on the stage, I identified with that," Hughes told the Carusos. "Because the people are gonna know. People are out here for the first time and they're seeing you and they say, 'Hm, I'm gonna look this up, I'm gonna really look into it.'" It was early January of last year when Michael felt a tug around his chest and, later on, a lump behind his right nipple. Later that month, when he and his wife were on vacation, a biopsy confirmed that Michael had breast cancer. After a year and a half of chemo and radiation -- near the end of April 2018 -- Xio was diagnosed with breast cancer. "When her diagnosis came up, the year-and-a-half of battling my own finally got to me," Michael said. "I said, 'Enough's enough' and I broke down a few times." One of the two would always have to leave work to get treatment, according to Michael. Michael is a financial advisor and Xio is a pension consultant, and current residents of Westchester, New York. Both Hughes and Michael agreed that it can be embarrassing being checked for breast cancer because of the gender stereotype. But the disease is not gender specific, Xio said. As Hughes and the Carusos continue to fight their battles, they found the fashion show encouraging. The models were hugging and mingling with each other after sharing the runway, which Michael said he wishes there was more of. Aside from the nice clothes and heightened awareness, the Carusos, who have found comfort in the Bret Miller 1T Foundation a male breast cancer coalition -- want to see more done for males diagnosed with breast cancer. "What we would like to see is more blue mixed in with the pink," Xio said. "They need to change the form (for mammograms)." "Have a two-side: male and female," Michael added. "They know men get breast cancer," Xio said. "So they should start thinking, 'Oh, we can't just gear it all towards women.'" A North Bergen man has been charged with allegedly setting fire to his own store, authorities said. Robert Pinero, 34, of North Bergen, was charged with two counts of aggravated arson and two counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated arson after authorities determined he started a fire in a Blimpie's that he owned, authorities said. On Aug. 18, 2017, police responded to the Blimpie's, located in a strip mall in Hawthorne, and discovered "numerous points of origin" for the fire inside the store, authorities said. The investigation later revealed that Pinero and another man had entered the store before the fire started and then left the area. Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. This post has been updated to include photos of the alleged attacker. An 18-year-old student from Berkeley Heights was attacked on a SEPTA train coming into the Trenton station Friday afternoon, NJ Transit and the victim said. Alicia Wintemberg said she was attacked on a SEPTA train Friday afternoon. Alicia Wintemberg, a Temple University student, said she was taking a train from Philadelphia to Trenton Friday afternoon when a male passenger asked her if the train had arrived at the Trenton station yet. "Another passenger said that 'no,' we weren't at Trenton, and then I very politely said we'd be there in about 20 minutes, and the Trenton stop was at the end of the line and he would know when they arrived because everyone would be getting off the train," Wintemberg told NJ Advance Media. "And he didn't say 'thank you' or anything to me and he kind of just gave me a look." When the train arrived at the Trenton Transit Station and Wintemberg stood up to exit, the male passenger also stood up and punched her in the face, she said. The man who allegedly attacked a Temple student Friday. He ran off the train, and two women who were riding the train helped Wintemberg off the train and brought her to station police, she said. Wintemberg gave this description of her attacker to police: a Caucasian man about 23 to 30 years old who stood about 5-feet 8-inches to 6-feet tall and who had an average to strong build, brown hair, and who wore a black or blue jacket and jeans and carried a black backpack. The man who allegedly attacked at Temple student Friday. An NJ Transit spokesperson said Sunday that while the incident occurred a SEPTA train that Wintemberg was riding, she sought help from nearby officers who were with NJ Transit. The officers conducted a search of the train station, but did not locate the man. The identity of the attacker was unknown, and no arrests or charges were announced Sunday. "I was kind of in shock after it happened and I was bleeding a lot from my head and it was all running through my fingers and down my arm," Wintemberg said. Wintemberg was taken to an area hospital where she was treated with seven stitches. Editor's Note: This post was updated on Monday Oct. 22, 2018 with information about the attacker. Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @By_paigegross. The "Ebola nurse" from Doctors Without Borders who sued former Gov. Chris Christie over her three days spent in quarantine during the 2014 Ebola scare has returned to work for the humanitarian organization again. Kaci Hickox, of Fort Kent, Maine, worked as an infectious disease public health nurse in Sierra Leone when the 2014 Ebola outbreak began in West Africa. Her LinkedIn profile now says she's an "infection prevention and control advisor" for Doctors Without Borders in Amsterdam, Netherlands, as of October 2018. She also updated her Facebook with the new position on Oct. 11. Hickox, now 37, made international headlines for weeks when she was quarantined upon returning to the U.S. from Sierra Leone. She was pulled aside for a health screening at Newark Liberty International Airport. A thermometer test registered a slight fever, leading officials to detain her at the airport for several hours before she was transferred to University Hospital in Newark. Hickox was placed in quarantine in a clear-plastic isolation tent within the hospital but didn't register a fever when doctors took her temperature. She also tested negative for Ebola on her second day at the hospital, but spent another two days there in isolation In October 2015, about a year after her quarantine, Hickox filed a lawsuit against former Gov. Chris Christie, claiming her rights were violated "for political gain." Christie was dismissive of the lawsuit. "I've been sued lots of times before," Christie said during a campaign event in 2015. "Get in line. I'm happy to take it on." However, he did apologize for the inconvenience she experienced, and stated the only motive behind her quarantine was public health. The lawsuit's settlement led to a quarantine "bill of rights" in 2017, which says that anyone suspected of contracting the Ebola virus cannot be quarantined without receiving the state's written medical justification and a chance to challenge the decision. Gianluca D'Elia may be reached at gdelia@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @gianluca_delia. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Former Gov. Jim McGreevey addresses a new class of ex-offenders taking part in the New Jersey Reentry Program. (Aristide Economopoulus | NJ Advance Media) By Mark Di Ionno | NJ Advance Media Jim McGreeveys voice reverberated around a classroom filled with 50 ex-offenders. He was in full preacher/activist mode, citing scripture, quoting Martin Luther King, and reciting 12-step recovery mantra. The audience was mostly men, hardened by the streets and prison. Some nodded in agreement as McGreevey played clips of Kings prescient last speech in Memphis, the day before he was shot. "Like anybody, I would like to live a long life," King was saying. "But I am not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will." McGreevey seized those words. Isnt this what the third step (of 12-step) is all about? Turning your life over to the care of God? he asked the room. Some affirmed, others were passive. It was a tough crowd, but McGreevey was just getting warmed up. Don't Edit Devin O'Loughlin talks about how the program is helping him and how he wants to get advance training. (Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media) The speech rolled on with King saying he'd "been to the mountain top" and "seen the promised land. Im not worried about anything. Im not fearing any man. What Dr. King is saying is that God has his back, McGreevey said, shouting now. That if hes doing Gods will, God has his back. This spiritual revival had a sharp point to it. McGreevey told the ex-offenders God had better plans for them than "living in a cage." They just had to believe it and follow the plan. We want you to fulfill your promise, McGreevey said. Were going to walk with you on this journey. Don't Edit Former Gov. Jim McGreevey has teamed with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka to give 50 former inmates 6-month jobs city Department of Public Works to get them back on their feet. (Aristide Economopoulusn|NJ Advance Media) For the 50 people in the room, the first step was that very moment. It was an orientation day in the Newark branch of the state-funded New Jersey's Reentry Corporation (NJRC) back-to-work program, which has become the latest installment of the former governor's life work. It is both McGreeveys political connections and tenacity that bring in close to $4 million a year in government funding for the program. Don't Edit Dominique Lemons, right, talks to Basiyr Powell as she fills out a form to attend Essex County Community College as part of the New Jersey Reentry Program. (Arisitide Economopoulus|NJ Advance Media) Fourteen hundred men and women have moved through the program but this class, for the first time, was guaranteed six-month employment in Newarks Department of Public Works, while being trained in building trades or attaining other employment skills. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has been offering ex-offenders jobs in the city DPW since he took office 2014, the same year McGreevey launched his job training pilot program for freed inmates in Hudson County. The new arrangement between NJRC and Newark, supplies the missing piece for both programs. Don't Edit Former Gov. Jim McGreevey is the chair of the New Jersey Reentry Program talks to participants at their Newark office. (Arisitide Economopoulus|NJ Advance Media) We put these guys on our trucks and had them working but we couldnt put the necessary support services in one place, Mayor Ras Baraka said. McGreeveys people have the recovery program, job training, and the other support they need under one roof. So now they can have a job, and get a little money in their pocket, as they get training for other jobs. In McGreeveys reentry program, people are given access to drug treatment or other mental health counseling, they get drivers licenses restored, and access to food and housing. We help them clean up warrants, or issues with child support, McGreevey said. (Essex County Executive) Joe DiVincenzo has opened the doors to the county welfare and health services. its doors to their services. Don't Edit Don't Edit Newark native Cynthia Rojas, who is an employment specialists at the New Jersey Reentry Program, gives a client a hug during the orientation program. (Aristide Economopoulus|NJ Advance Media) Once stabilized, they begin skilled labor training. Working for the Newark DPW adds to that stabilization. The hope of reentry is to get them on their feet, McGreevey said. For the NJRC, the Newark DPW is on-the-job training for developing a work ethic. They have to be on time, McGreevey said. Being on time is a symbol of respect for the job. Its a symbol that they are needed, that they are being counted on to contribute, that they have value in the community. Don't Edit Jennifer Pena, the site director of the NJ Reentry Corporation in Newark, talks about the different services they provide for clients. (Arisitide Economopoulus | NJ Advance Media) The hope is that a daily packed schedule of work, counseling and training also keeps them from returning to the old habits, and people, that landed them in prison. We lose some guys, no doubt about it, Baraka said. But for those who want help, the pathway is there. Spirituality is another acknowledged building block of the desire to change and it was the main thread of the stories shared by the group. For Omar Smith, the temptation to return to street life became wickedly sharpened when his son Hassan Smith, 21, was murdered last month in broad daylight, targeted attack. The devil was working on me, Omar Smith told the group. The closer we get to God, the harder the devil tries to get you. Broderick Melvin, jailed for 13 years for armed robbery, said he prayed every day to do the right thing. Don't Edit Cynthia Rojas, the employment specialist at the reentry program, talks about how her daughter Michelle's death motivated her to help others. (Aristide Economopolous|NJ Advance Media) Jeremy Santos said the program was helping him change his critical thinking. What this program teaches you is that you have to rise above low expectations, he said. Recidivism is a big business. They want us to fail because jails create jobs. When you leave, the last thing they say to you is, Youll be back. Since McGreevey began the pilot program 68 percent of the 1,400 inmates in the program have acquired building trade skills. Five percent went to college. The re-arrest rate was below 20 percent compared to a 77 percent national average, and the reincarceration rate was less than 10 percent, compared to a 50 percent national average. Don't Edit Former Gov. Jim McGreevey addresses the new class of ex-inmates at the NJ Reentry Program in Newark (Aristide Economopoulus|NJ Advance Media) We cant help everybody, McGreevey said. Frankly, some are just unemployable through addiction or mental illness. But most of these people really want to work. They really do. But without jobs, without support, they will end up back in jail, McGreevey said. And it costs a helluva a lot more to keep someone in prison than to train them to succeed. From an economic standpoint alone, this is where we should be putting our resources. From a moral standpoint, well, it goes without saying. Don't Edit Read more Mark Di Ionno Inside the life of a Essex homicide detective Meet the man who will lead the next phase of major Newark redevelopment Don't Edit Don't Edit Mark Di Ionno may be reached at mdiionno@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkDiIonno. Find NJ.com on Facebook. On the drive up to Canada last week, I stopped in Washington's Crossing at the David Library of the American Revolution. There I read some of the writings of an obscure Colonial-era writer named Samuel Seabury. The reason Seabury is obscure is that he opposed the Revolution. Writing as "a Westchester farmer," he argued that an American Congress might not have as much respect for individual liberty as Americans had under the British system. Seabury said he believed that "upon the whole, that liberty under the supreme authority and protection of Great Britain, is infinitely preferable to slavery under an American Congress." It took a while, but Congress proved him right. In 1920 the Volstead Act imposed Prohibition on every state in the union. National Prohibition was repealed after 13 years, but the busybodies in Congress were just getting started when it comes to pushing people around. In 1937 they passed a national ban on marijuana. Strict constitutionalists opposed the ban on the grounds that the weed grown and consumed within a state was not the business of the federal government. But they were overruled and a national ban on cannabis remains in effect to this day, even as states legalize it. Contrast this with Canada. Our friends in the Great White North played around a bit with Prohibition around the time we did, but only on a province-by-province basis. Once the Noble Experiment got going below their southern border, the Canadians took up the role of liquor producer and made a fortune running booze to the states. That was duly noted by perhaps the most prominent critic of Prohibition, H.L. Mencken, who famously said, "Congress consists of one third, more or less, scoundrels; two thirds, more or less, idiots; and three thirds, more or less, poltroons." I thought of this as I watched Canadians queue up at pot stores for the first few days of nationwide legalization. As I was watching some people at the end of a two-hour line, I noted that one asked those nearby, "Do you mind if I smoke?" I expected him to pull out a joint, but he pulled out a cigarette. As of last Wednesday, smoking the one was on all fours with smoking the other. You can do it, but only in places where you're not inflicting your smoke on other people. The potheads, of course, almost never do that. At the price they pay, their smoke is too valuable to waste and they purchase all sorts of devices to make sure of that. But it wasn't too long ago that the leaders of this great democracy insisted that cigarette smoking was some sort of fundamental right that should not be curtailed even indoors while pot smoking was an evil that might earn the smoker a few years in the hoosegow. Now the police cars in Canada drive right past the potheads just as they drive past the cigarette smokers. There aren't many of them left, by the way. In Canada, as in the U.S., most people have figured out that there isn't much percentage in becoming addicted to a drug that requires a fresh fix every 15 minutes - and also kills you. Meanwhile a lot of people seem to have figured out that pot gives them a much longer buzz at a much lower dose. They can now customize that buzz by choosing from a menu of pot strains and strengths. This represents yet another triumph of the free market. So it's a little disconcerting that Canada got there first. I blame the scoundrels, idiots and poltroons in Congress. As with the prior form of Prohibition, this one had little effect on drug usage other than to drive people to stronger and more dangerous forms of the euphoriant in question. Back then, people were blinded by wood alcohol from stills improperly run by bootleggers. Today it's the opioids that kids take because they're cheaper than pot. Canada now has that sorted out. Pot prices are expected to plummet because so many producers are ready to flood the market. One economic website predicts that investors in Canadian pot companies will lose 90 percent of their money when they find out there are too many companies pushing too much product. But so what? That's the free market at work. And as of Wednesday it was working in Canada. In the U.S., however, it's still a mess. If you doubt that, consider that New Jersey is poised to legalize something that Congress has declared illegal. I suspect the old farmer is looking down and laughing. ALSO - DO A.C. FIRST: The Trenton crowd doesn't listen to me. But if they were smart they would begin the legalization in Atlantic City - and keep it there until they're ready for a full rollout. My reasoning is simple: Anywhere else in the state the long lines would be a hindrance. But in A.C. the potheads could line up on the Boardwalk. They would no doubt spend some dough in town after they scored. I wrote about that here. EDITOR'S NOTE: Interested in the marijuana business industry? NJ Cannabis Insider is a new premium intelligence briefing that features exclusive weekly content geared toward entrepreneurs, lawyers and realtors. View a sample issue. By Suranga Seneviratne, Lecturer - Security, University of Sydney Shutterstock Its been a busy few weeks for cybersecurity researchers and reporters. There was the Facebook hack, the Google plus data breach, and allegations that the Chinese government implanted spying chips in hardware components. In the midst of all this, some other important news was overlooked. In early September, Apple removed several Trend Micro anti-malware tools from the Mac app store after they were found to be collecting unnecessary personal information from users, such as browser history. Trend Micro has now removed this function from the apps. Its a good reminder that not all security apps will make your online movements more secure and, in some cases, they could be worse than doing nothing at all. Its wise to do your due diligence before you download that ad-blocker or VPN read on for some tips. Read more: Encrypted smartphones secure your identity, not just your data Security apps There are range of tools people use to protect themselves from cyber threats: Virtual private networks (VPNs) allow you to establish a secure connection with a remote server and route all your traffic through it so it cant be tracked by your internet service provider. VPNs are commonly used to access geo-blocked content, and for additional privacy. Ad-blockers prevent advertisements from appearing on the websites you visit. App-lockers allow you to set passwords for individual apps. For example, if somebody borrowed your phone to make a call, and then tried to access your Facebook app. Tor hides your identity while you browse the internet, by encrypting and moving your traffic across multiple Tor nodes. Read more: As more vulnerabilities are discovered. Is it time to uninstall antivirus software? Know the risks There are multiple dangers in using these kinds of security software, especially without the proper background knowledge. The risks include: Accessing unnecessary data Many security tools request access to your personal information. In many cases, they need to do this to protect your device. For example, antivirus software requires information such as browser history, personal files, and unique identifiers to function. But in some cases, tools request more access than they need for functionality. This was the case with the Trend Micro apps. Creating a false sense of security It makes sense that if you download a security app, you believe your online data is more secure. But sometimes mobile security tools dont provide security at the expected levels, or dont provide the claimed services at all. If you think you can install a state-of-the-art mobile malware detection tool and then take risks online, you are mistaken. For example, a 2017 study showed it was not hard to create malware that can bypass 95% of commercial Android antivirus tools. Another study showed that 18% of mobile VPN apps did not encrypt user traffic at all. And if you are using Tor, there are many mistakes you can make that will compromise your anonymity and privacy especially if you are not familiar with the Tor setup and try to modify its configurations. Lately, there have been reports of fake antivirus software, which open backdoors for spyware, ransomware and adware, occupying the top spots on the app charts. Earlier this year it was reported that 20 million Google Chrome users had downloaded fake ad-blocker extensions. Software going rogue Numerous free or paid security software is available in app stores created by enthusiastic individual developers or small companies. While this software can provide handy features, they can be poorly maintained. More importantly, they can be hijacked or bought by attackers, and then used to harvest personal information or propagate malware. This mainly happens in the case of browser extensions. Know what youre giving away The table below shows what sort of personal data are being requested by the top-10 antivirus, app-locker and ad-blocking apps in the Android app store. As you can see, antivirus tools have access to almost all the data stored in the mobile phone. That doesnt necessarily mean any of these apps are doing anything bad, but its worth noting just how much personal information we are entrusting to these apps without knowing much about them. Read more: Explainer: how malware gets inside your apps How to be safer Follow these pointers to do a better job of keeping your smart devices secure: Consider whether you need a security app If you stick to the official apps stores, install few apps, and browse only a routine set of websites, you probably dont need extra security software. Instead, simply stick to the security guidelines provided by the manufacturer, be diligent about updating your operating system, and dont click links from untrusted sources. If you do, use antivirus software But before you select one, read product descriptions and online reviews. Stick to solutions from well-known vendors. Find out what it does, and most importantly what it doesnt do. Then read the permissions it requests and see whether they make sense. Once installed, update the software as required. Be careful with other security tools Only install other security tools, such as ad-blockers, app-lockers and VPN clients, if it is absolutely necessary and you trust the developer. The returns from such software can be minimal when compared with the associated risks. Suranga Seneviratne does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Originally published in The Conversation. By Tom Deignan When you get unabashed right-wingers like South Jersey Republican congressional candidate Seth Grossman and longtime Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch to agree with brainy philosophers like the New York Times' Kwame Anthony Appiah and bookish conservatives like the Manhattan Institute's Heather Mac Donald, well, you know something is up. All of these folks -- not to mention President Donald Trump -- have a real problem with "diversity," as well as its trouble-making offspring "identity politics." Earlier this year, Grossman -- whose candidacy has since lost the support of the National Republican Congressional Committee -- was roundly condemned for declaring: "The whole idea of diversity is a bunch of crap and un-American." Grossman may be inarticulate, but he's not alone. Mac Donald has just published the unsubtly titled book "The Diversity Delusion: How Race and Gender Pandering Corrupt the University and Undermine Our Culture" (St. Martin's Press), in which she blasts college faculty members, including a College of New Jersey sociologist, for coddling female and minority students. Appiah, meanwhile, also has a new book called "The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity" (Profile Books Ltd), in which he thoughtfully but firmly decries what he sees as a divisive new tribalism. And finally, in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, Hatch lamented that Americans "increasingly ... sort each other into groups, making sweeping assumptions based on binary labels: Democrat or Republican, black or white, male or female." Things, Hatch said, were not always so. "For more than two centuries, we have been able to weave together the disparate threads of a diverse society more successfully than any nation on earth. How? Through the unifying power of the American idea that all of us -- regardless of color, class or creed -- are equal." This is a variation on a popular theme which arguably provided crucial support to Trump in 2016, and continues to resonate in the heated run-up to the 2018 midterm elections. It's certainly not hard to find instances -- silly and serious -- in which activist professors, eager students and earnest folk in general wildly overthink the importance of some hifalutin thing known as "their identity." So easy, in fact, that we forget that, for centuries, powerful elites engaged in a far more ugly style of "identity politics," because they, too, had problems with American diversity. How else do you explain a nation that was comfortable resorting to fractions -- 3/5, to be precise -- when faced with the vexing question of the humanity of African-American slaves? Is Hatch unaware of how ironic it is to assert that today's "identity politics" result in "segregation"? Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, a mere sliver of white Anglo-Saxon Protestants decided how American "identity" would be defined, and who should and should not be part of the club. The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 targeted immigrants and their voting power. And following the Irish famine (depicted harrowingly in the recent movie "Black 47"), impoverished Catholic immigrants and their devout children were declared to be not only unassimilable, but barely human. And, of course, Jim Crow required the elaborate construction of bizarre racial rules and hierarchies that make even the worst excesses of today's multicultural fetishists seem positively sane. Many of the uglier social movements of the early 20th century -- eugenics, the second coming of the Ku Klux Klan -- had at their center intricately argued definitions about who could be a "true" American. The American Protective Association, which included hundreds of local and national lawmakers and judges, was so, uh, protective of American "identity" that it decided Catholics could never loyally serve in the military -- or even as public school teachers. All of this goes a long way toward undermining Hatch's naive claim that the "unifying power of the American idea" has always been more powerful than "identity politics." In fact, one way to think about historian -- and New Jersey resident -- Terry Golway's new book, "Frank & Al" (St. Martin's Press), is that the "diversity" and "identity politics" of the urban ethnic political machines led by New York's Al Smith spurred a coalition with old-time WASPs like Franklin Roosevelt, which helped guide Americans through the trauma of the Great Depression. Of course, there are people for whom "diversity" and "identity politics" have become both silly games and big business. But at least acknowledge that there have been far more painful pre-existing conditions within the American body politic. Tom Deignan, a contributor to the recent book "Nine Irish Lives" (Algonquin), contributes regularly to The Star-Ledger. He lives in Woodbridge. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Let's officially christen this the biggest issue in this election season: Protecting people with conditions like cancer or diabetes from losing health coverage, or paying through the nose to get it. We're talking about roughly one out of every two people in New Jersey, more than 3.8 million in a state of 9 million, who has a condition like heart disease, high blood pressure or arthritis. You fall into this category even if you survived cancer that is long gone, or have a baby with a heart defect or low birth weight. One out of four kids has a condition like this. Republicans confident you will forget what they did on health care | Editorial And everybody gets sick eventually. If you fear you might, or that someone you love will, know that voting for Republicans on Nov. 6 will potentially leave you or that person without insurance, or bankrupt. Or both. Because there is a strict party divide on this. Democrats down the line in New Jersey, including Andy Kim, Mikie Sherrill, Tom Malinowski, Josh Welle and Bob Menendez, would protect these people from discrimination by insurers, a key feature of Obamacare. Republicans would not. Their claims to the contrary have been debunked repeatedly, by everyone from PolitiFact to the American Medical Association to nonpartisan analysts at the Congressional Budget Office - whose chief was picked by Republicans - and countless health experts. Understand why. Before the Affordable Care Act, insurers routinely discriminated against people with these conditions, jacking up their premiums or flatly refusing them coverage. Now, under Obamacare, they cannot be denied coverage or charged exorbitant rates. But Republicans tried to remove that protection last year when they sought to repeal Obamacare, and failed by a single vote, cast by John McCain. They've vowed to try again. Rep. Leonard Lance and Chris Smith note that they ultimately voted against last year's repeal, in part because of its lack of protection for people with pre-existing conditions. But they've both been enemies of Obamacare, and if elected, would fortify a Republican majority that's made it clear it will keep trying to dismantle the law. The other Republicans seeking election in New Jersey, like Tom MacArthur, Jay Webber and Bob Hugin, also claim they want to protect people with pre-existing conditions. But it's just not true. Here's the core fraud behind this: All the Republican plans, including MacArthur's, guarantee that insurers must sell you a policy. But they do nothing about the price, unleashing insurers on you. They could charge so much that you lose your house. Even if you're currently covered through your employer, you'll face the same gouging if you lose your job, and with it, your health insurance. All this is why patient advocacy groups like the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, JDRF (for diabetes) and the nonprofit representing retired Americans, AARP, spoke out strongly against what Republicans are trying to do. The American Medical Association said it would do "serious harm to patients." Perhaps that's why the campaign websites for MacArthur and other GOPers make virtually no mention of repealing Obamacare or his infamous amendment. Instead, MacArthur's website actually claims that he "opposed his own party's efforts at a speedy Obamacare repeal," a bald-faced lie. In fact, it was MacArthur who spearheaded his party's effort to hasten the repeal of Obamacare last year, and gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Believe these claims at your peril. No matter where you fall ideologically, from conservative to liberal, electing Republicans to Congress will fortify their attack on protections for the people you love against insurance companies, when they are unlucky enough to get sick. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. House Speaker Paul Ryan came to New Jersey last week and warned that Democrats like Mikie Sherrill are hard-core leftists who want to impose radical change on America. "They want to move us so far left that we wouldn't even recognize ourselves," Ryan said during a fundraising stop to support Assemblyman Jay Webber, Sherill's Republican opponent in the 11th District. "They want to get rid of just controlling our border. They want to have socialized medicine to take over and bankrupt Medicare. They want to undo all the tax cuts and raise all our taxes." This is today's version of the Red Scare. The idea is that the partisan divide in America is the result of Democrats lurching left, not the Republicans lurching right. It seems crazy to me, but since Trump's election, I worry about crazy. It can be a winning political strategy. Let's start with a quick fact check on Sherrill. She insists that tougher border security must be part of any deal on immigration. She opposes Medicare for all. And she is not only against tax increases, she wants to lower federal taxes in New Jersey by restoring the full deduction for state and local taxes that Ryan himself killed. Face it, her resume is an unusual one for a hard-core leftist. She flew Navy helicopters in the Middle East for years, and then worked as a federal prosecutor. Not many commies on that career path. Look at the big picture, though. Which party has gone to the extreme? Here's what Trump said recently at one of his rallies. "The Democrats have become too extreme and too dangerous to govern. Republicans believe in the rule of law not the rule of the mob...You don't hand matches to an arsonist and you don't give power to an angry left-wing mob, and that's what they have become." To borrow a line from the late columnist Molly Ivins, this spiel probably sounded better in the original German. But let's look at the facts: A decade ago, Republicans were worried about climate change. The party platform in 2008 cited it as a serious threat, and the GOP presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, advocated a cap-and-trade system that would increase the cost of carbon. Today, even sensible Republicans who once supported that have abandoned the cause, running for cover like scared rabbits. That includes Rep. Leonard Lance, R-7th. That's a hard-right move on a meaty issue. And we've seen the same kind of shift on immigration. Five years ago, 14 Republicans in the Senate joined Democrats to support reform that included a path to citizenship for those who entered the country illegally. It passed with 68 votes. Today, forget it. There are other examples, but let's stop there. Where have Democrats moved equally hard to the left on meaty issues like these two? "Look at the candidates running for president, and how they've gone left," says former Gov. Tom Kean. "Without question, it's both parties," he added. "For Republicans, Trump is their president and every president moves the party towards their point of view. Obviously, the party has moved in his direction. And for Democrats, he's become the touchstone. Anyone who supports anything Trump does can't be sane, basically. It certainly polarizes things." Okay, we're getting warmer now. But it still doesn't come close, if you ask me. Trump does drive Democrats crazy, as Kean notes. It's one of his super powers. But is that because Democrats have surged left, or because Trump does outrageous things nearly every day? Kean has a point about Democratic presidential hopefuls. Sen. Cory Booker wants the federal government to guarantee jobs for all, a program he'd start with a pilot in 15 cities. That channels the ghost of Franklin Roosevelt. Other potential candidates want Medicare for all, and free college tuition, both major expansions of the federal government's footprint. But it hasn't happened yet. President Obama didn't support any of that, and neither has the Democratic Congress. "The Republicans have moved much further to the right, and Democrats are still more eclectic," says Julian Zelizer, a professor of politics at Princeton. Yes, Democrats flirted seriously with Bernie Sanders, a socialist, in 2016. But they chose Hillary, and it wasn't close. Primary voters in Queens this year installed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also a socialist, and threw out Rep. Thomas Crowley, a mainstream party leader in Congress. But no other party leader lost a primary this year. And that district is extreme, a place where Clinton beat Trump by 58 points. This was no national surge. More like a local hiccup. "I'm not convinced she's the future of the party," Zelizer says. In New Jersey, at least, all the Democratic challengers in swing districts are centrists like Sherrill. So, don't buy Ryan's scare tactics. If he really wants to fight extremism, he should go back to Washington and clean up his own house. Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. When you want to smear your opponent with baseless accusations of soliciting underage prostitutes, call in a Marine. That isn't one of GOP Senate candidate Bob Hugin's myriad ads clogging the airwaves but maybe it should be. In a race that was already dirty, Hugin took it to Trumpian levels by implying that his opponent U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez had sex with minors in the Dominican Republic. He uses Menendez's support of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford as a cudgel to call him a hypocrite. A clip of Menendez saying survivors of sexual assault should be heard and believed is contrasted by an accusatory voice over calling him a hypocrite for not believing his own accusers, only he doesn't have any accusers. The accusations the TV ad is referring to are a mention of some illicit activities contained in an affidavit used from an anonymous source. There are no victims who have come forward to allege such behavior from the senator. The FBI investigated the allegations. Citing the complete lack of evidence or victims, the FBI decided to focus on other aspects of the senator's corruption case. Which brings me to the point of all this, Menendez has plenty of faults, there is no need to manufacture them. If you want to damage Menendez, his recent corruption trial gave you ample evidence. There is no need to desperately manufacture phantom cases of pedophilia. He's vulnerable enough if you stick to the facts. Hugin is a big Trump booster and it shows. What once was dirty is now filthy. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. By Michael Reagan The midterms are coming up in a couple of weeks, in case you hadn't noticed. I'm living out here in California, but I'm sure the same thing is going on across the country. All the Democrats in federal and statewide races are not running for anything, they're all running against Donald Trump. It's a pretty desperate - and stupid - strategy by the Democrats that's based on their deranged hatred of President Trump. It hard to watch the Dems' illogic. To be against Trump means you have to be against lower income taxes, against an economy growing at 4.2 percent, against unemployment being down to 3.6 percent, against more blacks and Latinos working than ever before and against more people getting off food stamps. Here in California, where we have Gavin Newsom running for governor to replace Jerry Brown, it's especially absurd. Newsom is the former mayor of San Francisco, a city now known around the world for its squalid homeless encampments and sidewalks covered in used drug needles and human feces. Thanks to the social policies of Newsom and his fellow "progressive" Democrats, one of the world's prettiest cities has literally been turned into a s-hole. Los Angeles is not far behind. Democrats' one-party rule has also wrecked a once great and Golden State. Our state taxes are obscene, our infrastructure is crumbling, our poverty rate has soared, our public schools -- once ranked first in the country - are now No. 46. Over-taxed and over-regulated businesses are fleeing in droves to Nevada or Texas. People are moving out because they can't afford to live here anymore. And meanwhile, you have the super-liberal Newsom - who'll make Jerry Brown look like my father -- running for governor by running against Trump? Unfortunately, Newsom is probably going to win. He's up by 5 points over Republican John Cox, which isn't that bad in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 54 to 26 percent. But the Republican National Committee has given up on California. It's spending no money to help Cox. It's extremely frustrating to watch how Democrats around the country have turned the midterms into a referendum on Donald Trump's persona. They and their biased friends in the mainstream media make the president out to be pure evil. As I've said a million times, you might not like Trump personally or like what he says or tweets. But you don't have to sleep with him. Or eat dinner with him. Or visit his house. Trump's economic success cannot be denied - unless you work for CNN or MSNBC. Isn't America better off after his first two years? Isn't the economy better? Don't you have more money in your pocket after taxes? A bigger 401(k)? A better job? The Democrats will try to un-do everything Trump has done. Do you realize what will happen if they retake control of the House of Representatives for the next two years? The president won't be signing Republican legislation, he'll be vetoing Democrat legislation. The Democrats are able to peddle their Hate Trump message for one reason -- they get 24/7 help from the biased mainstream media. The liberal media bash the president every day, demeaning his successes at home and abroad. The only places you regularly hear reports about our strong economy are on the Fox cable channels, Newsmax or conservative talk radio. So, my advice to America's voters for the midterms is pretty simple. If you want your city to become a homeless hell like San Francisco, vote Democrat. If you want your state to become a fiscal and social wreck like California, vote Democrat. If you want to return to a stagnant economy, higher taxes and open our borders to caravans of illegal immigrants from Honduras, vote Democrat. Unless you're dying to know what it's like to live in Venezuela, you'll be sorry. Michael Reagan is the son of President Ronald Reagan, a political consultant, and the author of "Lessons My Father Taught Me: The Strength, Integrity, and Faith of Ronald Reagan." Send comments to Reagan@caglecartoons.com. By Loretta Weinberg In the seminal 1987 movie "Wall Street," Michael Douglas' character, Gordon Gekko, utters some of the most famous words in cinema history: "Greed is good." His argument is that pursuing profit above all else is actually a good thing. Bob Hugin must have seen that movie several times. From 2010-2017, Hugin was CEO of New Jersey-based pharmaceutical giant Celgene. Before that, he worked as a Wall Street banker, Hugin traded derivatives at JP Morgan, and would later take that Wall Street experience to Celgene, where his profit-at-all-costs maneuverings would eventually come into focus. Hugin doubled the price of Celgene's most successful drug, Revlimid, a cancer medication that was the company's main source of revenue, including hiking the price three separate times in 2017. A month's supply of the cancer drug runs between 9 and 11 times more than the median monthly home mortgage in Bergen County. Hugin was rewarded by being one of the highest paid CEOs in the country with a total compensation of over $100 million. With that money, he bought three homes and a yacht called "The Right Place." For Hugin, the "right place" is not the U.S. Senate. But in 2014, a whistleblower suit was filed against the company by one of its employees with explosive allegations related to the marketing of its cancer medications Revlimid and Thalomid. Hugin and Celgene were accused of breaking federal law, and the allegations are as unseemly as the settlement was huge. This whistleblower presented evidence that the company defrauded Medicare, marketed its drugs for uses not approved by the FDA, lied to doctors and patients about the drugs' effectiveness and side effects, and paid physicians kickbacks to prescribe Celgene's drugs. The federal lawsuit claimed Hugin and Celgene put cancer patients at risk of further physical harm in order to boost sales. Rather than go to trial and fight the charges, Hugin and Celgene agreed to settle with the federal government, New Jersey, 27 other states and the District of Columbia for a staggering $280 million. While Hugin claims to be proud of his Celgene record, he feebly attempts to explain away the settlement as the cost of doing business, and doesn't have an answer as to why he pushed to have the record sealed. During the proceedings, Hugin gave a sworn, videotaped deposition. Perhaps all the answers we need came to light on that video, but Bob Hugin doesn't want anyone to see it. If he has nothing to hide, he should release it. And where do Hugin's political values lie? Hugin has donated millions from his personal fortune supporting right-wing candidates and causes like Donald Trump, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, Scott Garrett, and the extremist Heritage Foundation. He even gave to the late North Carolina senator and known segregationist, Jesse Helms. But the politician on the receiving end of Hugin's greatest support is none other than Chris Christie. Hugin and Christie's connections run deep. Hugin donated $250,000 to Christie's failed presidential campaign. Clearly, greed loves company. With Hugin on the ballot this November, New Jersey voters are faced with an easy decision. We can side with a CEO who preyed on cancer patients and backed Chris Christie after the rest of the state realized he was a total disaster of a governor. Or, we can support, Sen. Bob Menendez, a true progressive leader who has dedicated his adult life to improving the lives of New Jerseyans. Menendez is consistently ranked among the most effective senators in the country and his unceasing support for the Affordable Care Act, affordable prescription drugs, and expanded Medicare and Medicaid programs shows he is aligned with New Jersey's priorities and values. The contrast between Menendez and Hugin couldn't be clearer. We need Senator Menendez's leadership now more than ever. Let's vote for the Bob that has our backs, not the one who has his hand in our pocket. Loretta Weinberg, a Democrat, is the New Jersey Senate majority leader. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. TEL AVIV, Israel -- As First Lady Tammy Murphy packed in New Jersey to prepare for a nine-day overseas business mission, her father, Edward Snyder, was in an intensive care unit at his home in Virginia Beach. Tammy Murphy, who would be by Gov. Phil Murphy's side as he kept a packed, non-stop schedule of events in Germany and Israel, didn't know her father's health had taken a serious turn for the worst. Snyder, 90, wanted it that way. He barred the first lady's siblings and relatives from disclosing his condition to her ahead of the trip. He knew she wouldn't go. Then, as the sun came up in Germany, the fourth day of the trip, Snyder called to tell his youngest daughter, he was "laying down his gun" and planned to end his treatment. Snyder died later that day. "He was so enthusiastic about what we were doing and why we were doing Germany and why we were going to Israel," Tammy Murphy told NJ Advance Media Sunday outside a government building in Tel Aviv, where the couple had just concluded the second event of the day. "He had forbidden anyone from telling me he was in the ICU because he didn't want me to come home, as she held back tears recalling her last conversation with her father. "He called, he said, 'I'm laying down my gun. You have to stay there and finish the trip and remember how important that trip is not just for economic reasons but for the world,'" the first lady said. Her father's death has cast a shadow over the couple's business mission to Germany and Israel, where Tammy Murphy first visited with her father when she was about 8 years old. While she doesn't remember many details of that inaugural visit, Tammy Murphy said she distinctly remembers being with her father at the Western Wall, where she'll pay tribute to him there during the envoy's scheduled trip to the holy site on Tuesday. Snyder was Jewish. Although this is only Tammy Murphy's sixth trip to Israel, her father visited often, she said. Yesterday, we learned of the passing of Tammys father, Edward Brown Snyder. With heavy hearts and tears in our eyes, we dedicate our presence in Israel to his memory. pic.twitter.com/PHunXPcRGk Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) October 20, 2018 "With respect to my father, I would just tell you he was incredibly wise and he lived his life with dignity and honor, and I truly believe that," she said. "(He was) really just a very soulful human being." She added: "(He) loved Phil like he was his son because Phil's parents had died long before we got married, so Phil really looked to him for guidance a lot along the way." As Snyder's death looms large over the couple, it hasn't slowed the governor's ambitious schedule of speeches, roundtables, forums and dinners. The governor is working to follow through with his promise that his overseas jaunt will yield tangible results -- and that it's not just a series of photo ops to raise his profile. And Tammy Murphy is just as every bit involved in the process. She can be spotted in between meetings pouring over briefing material, taking notes at roundtables, directing staff and penning letters on gubernatorial stationery. The governor and Tammy Murphy will cut their trip slightly short due to Snyder's death. They plan to leave Israel Tuesday evening, rather than the following afternoon. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. A 22-year-old man was arrested Saturday (Oct. 20) in connection with a fatal shooting just off a busy stretch of Canal Street downtown one day earlier. Decarlo Carter is accused of fatally shooting a man in the 100 block of Carondelet Street around 10:30 p.m. Friday. Officers arrived to the scene to find the victim lying face up in the street with multiple gunshot wounds to the body. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Carter was booked into Orleans Justice Center on second-degree murder and illegal carrying of a weapon. Man shot dead just off Canal Street At the scene Friday night, a shield used to conceal bodies from public view had been set up in the roadway about a half block from Canal Street, near an oyster restaurant and a nearby eatery. Police on horseback were pushing back onlookers, who had come outside of neighboring bars and stores and were crowding near the yellow police tape. Crime-scene techs had to squeeze through the crowds to access the scene. Carter appeared in Orleans Parish magistrate court Sept. 24 in connection with a weapons charge from July. It was not immediately clear what led investigators to the arrest Saturday. NOLA.com | Times-Picayunes Laura McKnight contributed to this report. An argument between two brothers turned violent early Sunday (Oct. 21) when one of the men shot the other, according to New Orleans police. Around 12:40 a.m., the two men ages 26 and 27 were arguing in the 2600 block of North Villere Street when the 27-year-old pulled out a gun and shot his brother in the stomach, according to an initial police report. The 26-year-old was taken to the hospital via EMS and the brother, Mark Milton, was arrested at the scene, police said. Milton was booked into Orleans Justice Center a few hours later on charges of aggravated battery, illegal use of a weapon and illegal carrying of a weapon. No other information was immediately available. The 2018 Krewe of Boo parade presented by Haunted History Tours rolled Saturday (Oct. 20) starting on Elysian Fields before heading into the French Quarter. A little rain didn't dampen the fun with multiple floats, marching bands and dancing groups entertaining the crowd of spectators lining the streets. The Times-Picayune editorial board makes the following recommendations for the Nov. 6 ballot. 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Cedric Richmond Rep. Cedric Richmond, a New Orleans Democrat, has established himself as a leader in the House since his election in 2010. Since 2016, he has led the Congressional Black Caucus. That chairmanship is an influential position, even in a Republican controlled House. If Democrats regain control of the House this fall, Rep. Richmond and Louisiana will be in an even stronger position. Rep. Richmond can point to important wins for his district and for Louisiana. He played a key role in getting the federal government to forgive post-Katrina disaster loans to Xavier University, Dillard University and Southern University at New Orleans. Lifting that debt allows the schools to focus on their academic goals and to invest in students. He has a strong working relationship with Republican Reps. Steve Scalise and Garret Graves. Rep. Richmond and Rep. Graves, a Baton Rouge Republican, worked together to end FEMAs rule that forbids federal grants to go to people who took out a Small Business Administration loan to recover from the 2016 floods in Louisiana. FEMA has viewed that as a duplication of benefits, even if the borrower ended up using none of the SBA loan. The House and Senate agreed on a solution in September. The change should allow more Louisiana residents to get the help they need to recover from the floods in and around Baton Rouge two years ago. It also could be vital to recovery after future storms. Rep. Richmond holds influential committee assignments, including Judiciary and Homeland Security, and is a member of eight caucus groups. He is the ranking member on on the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies. Those positions reflect the respect Rep. Richmond has earned in his decade in the House. The 2nd District needs to keep him in Congress. There is nothing more precious than freedom, and specifically, the freedom to live your life outside of an eight by 10 cell covered in bars. There is, conversely, little that is more grave than losing that freedom. You leave your wife and your home. For many, you leave your young children behind. If you come home and many who go to prison in Louisiana do not your children are grown men and women. Decades have gone by. You have missed their childhood. Liberty is fundamental to life. When we take it away, there can be no margin for error. That is why every state requires 12 jurors to agree that a person is guilty before being sentenced to prison. Every state, that is, besides Louisiana and Oregon. Currently in Louisiana, two jurors can believe in your innocence, can have questions about the governments case, and it doesnt matter. You will go to prison and do hard labor. Such a system places a cheap price on freedom, and it favors imprisonment. As citizens of Louisiana and as members of the Players Coalition, a group of professional athletes focused on making an impact on social justice, we are compelled to speak out and demand change. We should join the other 48 states and the federal courts and require that all 12 jurors in every felony criminal trial agree on a persons guilt before they are convicted. And we can do that by voting yes on Amendment 2 this November, which requires juror unanimity. Vote 'yes' on Amendment 2 to require unanimous juries Allowing non-unanimous juries to convict in Louisiana has led to terrible injustices. Louisiana has the second-highest rate of wrongful convictions in the nation, and Orleans Parish has the highest exoneration rate of any county in the nation. Non-unanimous juries have played a huge part in that travesty. Take the case of Travis Hayes. He was only 17 when the government accused him of driving the getaway car after a deadly robbery. At trial, two jurors, including the only African-American member of the jury, voted to acquit Hayes. But 10 jurors were enough to sentence Hayes to life in prison. Eight years later, a judge threw out Hayes conviction after DNA evidence exonerated him. Police arrested Glenn Davis for murder the day before his baby girl was born. The governments case rested on one eyewitness testimony. Two jurors doubted that testimony. Ten believed it. He went to prison. Fifteen years later, a judge overturned his conviction and released him after his defense uncovered exonerating evidence. On a recent Listen and Learn Tour of the New Orleans criminal justice system, we heard story after story like this. They were devastating, and they should be enough to convince any voter, lawmaker, or judge that the system must change. These stories, and the recognition that a felony conviction is too heavy a burden for a divided juror to impose, is why both Republicans and Democrats alike have supported this amendment. Then there are also its racial antecedents. More than 120 years ago, Louisiana lawmakers passed the non-unanimous jury provision specifically to disenfranchise black jurors. Thats not up for debate. The delegates who passed the measure made clear that their mission was, in the first place, to establish the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon race in Louisiana. By allowing for guilty verdicts by non-unanimous juries, the delegates could ensure that the voices of black dissenters, who made up a small portion of the jury pool, would not carry the day. We should be embarrassed to continue on with this legacy. We can and must do better. Working together, both Republican and Democratic members of our Legislature have recently led the way in being smarter and more compassionate on crime, rolling back some of Louisianas harshest sentencing laws in favor of second chances. And just this year, our Legislature, voting on a bipartisan basis, restored the right to vote of so many who had been convicted of a crime but paid their debt. But thats is not enough. If we as voters do not come together to pass Amendment 2, we will fail to rectify our sordid history and will fail to protect our cherished liberty and freedom. Please join us and vote YES on Amendment 2 Nov. 6. Demario Davis and Benjamin Watson are Saints players and members of the Players Coalition. The truism that elections have consequences will never be more accurate than this Nov. 6 when residents living in the congressional districts of U.S. Reps. Steve Scalise, Clay Higgins and Garret Graves go to the polls. This includes all or parts of Jefferson, St. Bernard, Orleans, St. Tammany, Plaquemines, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. James, Vermillion, St. Marys, Cameron and Calcasieu parishes. In other words, the entire sinking, crumbling, drowning Louisiana coastal zone. A vote for any of these congressmen by anyone living in those parishes is a vote virtually guaranteeing your flood risk and insurance will be rapidly climbing, your home values will be dropping, local businesses will be relocating, new businesses will not be coming, the states ambitious coastal master plan will be dramatically scaled back and your grandchildren will have to find someplace else to live. Heres why. Last week the worlds authority on climate change issued a new report saying greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 40 percent in the next 10 years or the planet will be locked into some of the worst impacts of warming before the end of the century and that includes a dramatic acceleration in sea level rise that will swamp our coast. This warning comes just one year after Louisianas own coastal scientists concluded that if emissions are not dramatically reduced in the next few decades, the state will lose up to an additional 2,800 square miles of our lower third in just the next 40 years! The states own map of this disaster (page 74 of the 2017 plan), shows most of everything below Interstate 10 from Lake Charles to Slidell under water by 2067 about the time the next generation hopes to retire. And this happens even if the $92 billion coastal plan is funded and finished. But Scalise, Graves and Higgins have consistently opposed climate regulations, and pledge to continue to do so. In what amounts to a case of criminal arrogance, these politicians none of whom has a science degree are asking you to believe they know more about climate science than the experts. Indeed, Scalise recently co-authored a House resolution pledging to oppose any form of carbon pricing which even emission emitters like Exxon Mobil now support. Scalise said such regulations "would be detrimental to American families and businesses. He clearly wasnt thinking about the American families and businesses in the parishes of his district, which includes all or parts of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Lafourche and Terrebonne. If you superimpose a map of Scalises 1st Congressional District over what Louisiana says will be left in that area without emissions, Scalise could be out of a job. These are the landscapes that have lost the most land so far and face the greatest future threats from sea level rise caused by those emissions. These are the parishes that are already witnessing forced migrations and plummeting real estate values, whose highways now flood not just during storms but on stiff southerly winds. These are the parishes desperately seeking funding for levees, floodwalls and elevated highways to help them cope with the disaster they know is already underway. But Scalise, Graves and Higgins dont want to vote for the only sure way the world knows to reduce those impacts. These politicians heavily supported by emitters of these emissions say it would cost some industries too much money and cost some people their jobs. But how many jobs will be left when the area is under water? Of course, they probably will be retired by then, likely making big bucks lobbying for one of the carbon-polluting companies like so many other former Louisiana congress people. Perhaps Scalise, Higgins and Graves are just parroting the leader of their party, President Donald Trump another politician without any science credits. He threw cold water on the report, saying he doubted the science because he believes some scientists have political agendas (unlike politicians like him.) This is the president who takes the word of murdering autocrats like Russias Vladimir Putin, North Koreas Kim Jong-Un, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Chinas Xi Jinping but calls into question the ethics of Louisianas coastal scientists. And Scalise, Graves and Higgins never uttered a peep of protest. Like Trump, they are focused on keeping those emissions flowing, even if the seas rise and drown their districts. So, yes, if you live on Louisianas coast and vote for any of these three on Nov. 6, youre likely to have consequences some very wet ones. Bob Marshall, former Outdoors editor for The Times-Picayune and former environmental reporter for The Lens, writes a regular column. He can be reached at bmarshallenviro@gmail.com. Dede Biles is the Aiken County government, business and horse industry reporter for the Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @DBethBiles. Roseburg, OR (97470) Today Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 60F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of light rain after midnight. Low 48F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Viewed of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. TAPACHULA, Mexico In open defiance of the Mexican and American governments, thousands of Central American undocumented migrants, most of a caravan that has been heading toward the United States for more than a week, resumed their journey on Sunday in southern Mexico. The Mexican government, which has been under pressure by President Trump to stop the caravan, had ordered the migrants to submit to processing by the immigration authorities at a legal border crossing. But thousands chose instead to move on part of a group of people who had been stopped at the Mexican border this week after having traveled for several days, most from their homes in Honduras. Most of the migrants on the move on Sunday by one local government estimate more than 7,000 people had crossed the border illegally in recent days by swimming or rafting across the Suchiate River, which separates Guatemala from Mexico. She was in her second year at Harvards Graduate School of Education when the Chicago school closure plan was announced. She recalled the shock of going online and seeing Pershing West Middle School, where she had taught, on the list, and then her anger as school officials justified the plan with a blizzard of metrics, summed up with the blunt label failing schools. I thought about how clean and beautiful and lovely the inside of our building was, and what it felt like to walk in every day, which was just the opposite of the stereotype being invoked, she said. Chicagos public schools, she noted, are only about 10 percent white. The city is so segregated, and most people dont come to the South Side, she said. It was basically a way of using the shorthand of these schools, these kids. Dr. Ewing grew up in Logan Square, a racially mixed (and now rapidly gentrifying) neighborhood on the northwest side, filling notebooks with writing and drawings on the long bus commute to Northside College Prep, a selective enrollment public high school. As a teenager, she was active in Young Chicago Authors, a youth arts incubator whose open mic poetry events helped artists like Chance the Rapper, Noname and Jamila Woods get their start. It was there that Dr. Ewing, who worked on the organizations magazine, met some of her current, close-knit circle of friends and collaborators. Nate Marshall, a poet and fellow Young Chicago Authors alum, with whom Dr. Ewing created the poetry block party (sponsored by the Poetry Foundation and held this year in Austin, one of the neighborhoods hit hardest by the citys gun violence), credited her with a brain that works a mile a minute. The second film of the Cloverfield franchise airs on FXX. And an adaptation of a Wilkie Collins novel debuts on PBS. Whats on TV 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE (2016) 7 p.m. on FXX. Fans of J.J. Abramss hit thriller Cloverfield might have held their breath at the idea that its sequel, 10 Cloverfield Lane, would instead be directed by Dan Trachtenberg (with Abrams as a producer), and at the idea that it would shed the originals signature found-footage narrative mode for a third-person one. But there was no reason to worry: The sequel, with Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman and John Gallagher Jr., is still an extremely scary and thrilling piece of survival horror. In her review for The New York Times, Jeannette Catsoulis wrote that the movie is a master class on narrative pacing and carefully managed jolts. 3. Senator Warren wasnt the only prominent Democratic woman to all but openly begin running for president. Senators Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand visited crucial early voting states at a time when stark divides around gender are shaping the midterm campaigns. Above at center, Ms. Gillibrand. (Be sure to check out our polling in real time.) In one closely watched Senate race, Gov. Rick Scott of Florida could become the richest member of the next Congress. Our examination of his finances found that he created a blind trust that is blind in name only and that he has a tangle of investments that could benefit from his policies. And on the campaign trail in Montana, President Trump praised Representative Greg Gianforte, who assaulted a reporter last year. Anybody that can do a body-slam, Mr. Trump said, thats my kind of guy. ____ TECHNOLOGY Cloud services to play big role in Amazon and Microsoft earnings. Analysts expect Microsofts earnings on Wednesday to show the companys resurgent growth, driven by a push into cloud computing, with revenue up about 13.5 percent over the previous year. Microsoft investors care most about its Azure cloud computing business, which last quarter grew 85 percent over the previous year and has become the leading competitor to Amazons web services. The booming cloud market is one of the big, high-margin businesses investors expect to see grow in Amazons earnings report on Thursday. Increasingly, Amazons cloud, advertising and subscription offerings have become big and profitable enough to offset Amazons investments in its resource-intensive retail business. Analysts expect the companys quarterly profit will be about $1.5 billion, almost five times what it earned in last years third quarter. Karen Weise ECONOMY European Central Bank meets, as economy faces pressures. The European Central Bank will meet to discuss monetary policy on Thursday, in a markedly less certain economic environment than was the case a few weeks ago. Italy is defying eurozone spending rules; President Trumps trade war is taking a toll on growth; and Britain seems to be stumbling toward a disorderly exit from the European Union. The situation is not so grave that the banks Governing Council is expected to alter its plan to slowly wind down the crisis measures it deployed during the last decade. But Mario Draghi, the central banks president, may give a more cautious assessment of the eurozone economy when he holds a news conference after the meeting. Jack Ewing The authors, Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans and Avi Goldfarb, argue that A.I.-powered decision-making is poised to alter virtually every industry. To explain, they start with an A.I. leader, Amazon. The online retail giant is constantly learning more and more about its customers buying habits and tastes, and the data is steadily improving the predictive power of its A.I. algorithms. Imagine, the authors suggest, that Amazons A.I. gets good enough that the company takes the next step shipping goods before they are ordered. It knows what you want so accurately that returns would be minimal and make Amazon even more efficient. It would also change the nature of shopping from an opt-in experience to an opt-out experience, Mr. Agrawal said in an interview. A fanciful thought experiment? Perhaps. But Amazon was granted a patent for anticipatory shipping in 2013. Just where artificial intelligence is taking us, at what pace and along what trajectory, is uncertain. The technology, of course, is raising serious questions about its potential impact on jobs, privacy and politics. BROWNSVILLE, Tex. After long hours at his day job, Sergio Cordova was driving home to pick up supplies and clothing for the tired and hungry asylum seekers who were camped out just a few miles away, in Matamoros, Mexico, waiting to be let in. It was cold and raining and miserable. Zero tolerance at the United States border meant they were stuck outside. From behind the wheel of his silver Honda Pilot, Mr. Cordova pointed to a squat, beige building called Casa Presidente. Thats where they house the kids, he said as we cruised down Ruben M. Torres Sr. Boulevard. He was referring to the babies and toddlers seized by border agents from the hundreds of migrant parents they arrested for illegal entry last spring under President Trumps family separation policy. Miles down the road, he gestured toward a converted Walmart housing the older children, Casa Padre. JERUSALEM The 2017 Republican tax cuts have been a dud on the campaign trail ahead of the November midterm elections, so President Trump has come up with a new plan: more tax cuts. In Nevada on Saturday, Mr. Trump said he and Republican lawmakers had been working on a very major tax cut for middle-income people that would be rolled out in the coming weeks. There is no chance of such a plan passing even the House before the midterms, let alone the Senate, because Congress is in recess through the election. So the move appears to be an effort to give Republican voters a jolt of enthusiasm as the polls are opening and perhaps an acknowledgment of how small a boost Mr. Trumps signature tax bill seems to be giving Republicans in the battle to control Congress. Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, said in an interview on Sunday that he had been working diligently with Representative Kevin Brady of Texas, the Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, to develop another tax plan that would be released shortly. Joshua David Rovenger and Trevor William Pollack are to be married Oct. 21 in Cleveland. The Rev. Shawn M. Fiedler, a minister of the United Church of Christ, is to officiate at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Later in the evening, Chief Judge Jeffrey R. Howard of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, with chambers in Concord, N.H., and Judge Michael A. Ponsor of the Federal District Court in Springfield, Mass., are to lead the couple through their vows and an exchange of rings. Mr. Rovenger was a law clerk for both judges. Mr. Rovenger (left), 30, is a staff lawyer, working on a project concerned with predatory college lending, at the Harvard Legal Services Center in Boston. He graduated summa cum laude from George Washington University and received a law degree, cum laude, from Harvard. He is the son of Hollis Rovenger of the Villages, Fla. His mother makes and sells jewelry and other products online. Mr. Pollack, 32, is a program officer and the manager for special projects for the Barr Foundation, a Boston organization that supports initiatives in the arts, climate and education. He graduated from Brown, and is studying for a masters degree in public administration at Northeastern. Lauren Summer May and Ryan Michael Adams are to be married Oct. 21 at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe in New York. James Puglisi, a Universal Life minister and friend of the couple, is to lead a ceremony incorporating Jewish and Christian traditions. The couple met at Harvard Divinity School, from which they each received a masters degree in theological studies, she focusing on religions of the Americas and he on early Christianity and Second Temple Judaism. Ms. May, 30, is the housing advocate at the Coalition for the Homeless, where she assists homeless adults living with psychiatric diagnoses in accessing supportive housing and services. She graduated magna cum laude from St. Edwards University and received a Master of Social Work from N.Y.U. She is a daughter of Nona J. May of Kyle, Tex., and Gary M. May of Austin, Tex. The brides father is a capital markets specialist at the Texas Department of Banking in Austin. Her mother is a school counselor at James Bowie High School, also in Austin. Pauline Frances Perkins and Ryan Campbell Crocker were married Oct. 20 at the Grand Isle Lake House in South Hero, Vt. Flower Moye, a friend of the couple, received permission from Vermont to solemnize the marriage. Mrs. Crocker, 30, is known as Polly. She is a watershed planner for the wastewater department of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. She graduated from the University of Vermont and received a masters degree in watershed science and policy from California State University, Monterey Bay. She is the daughter of Dorothy Odle Perkins of Tacoma, Wash., and David D. Perkins of Centreville, Va. The brides father is a science and technology adviser in Fairfax, Va., at the Mitre Corporation, which provides research and development support to government agencies; he also retired as an Army lieutenant colonel in the counterintelligence division, at the Pentagon. Her mother is a pastoral counselor for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Tacoma, and retired as a colonel from the Army intelligence division, serving in the Africa command in Stuttgart, Germany. Dr. Crocker, 35, is a senior engineer, conducting research on computational fluid dynamics, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif. He graduated from Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., with bachelors degrees, both with distinction, in civil engineering and in mechanical engineering, and received a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Vermont. Zachary Ryan Styskal and Corey Matthew Goodman were married Oct. 15 at the Manhattan Marriage Bureau. Angel L. Lopez, a staff member of the New York City Clerks Office, officiated. On Oct. 20, Andrew M. Glenn, a friend of the couple, led them through an exchange of vows and rings in a ceremony, which included Jewish wedding elements, at a private home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Mr. Styskal (left), 32, leads the digital strategy team in the strategy and operations practice in the Manhattan office of Slalom, a management consulting company. He graduated from Dartmouth. He is a son of Terry L. Styskal and Galen D. Styskal of Cheyenne, Wyo. Mr. Styskals mother retired as a guidance counselor at Central High School in Cheyenne. His father retired in April as a construction foreman in the Cheyenne office of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, an electric utility, and now operates the familys cattle ranch. Mr. Goodman, 40, is a partner in the tax-law practice at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, the Manhattan law firm. He graduated from Cornell and received both a law degree, magna cum laude, and a Master of Laws degree in taxation from N.Y.U. The New York Police Department is removing nearly 3,000 body cameras from use after one of the devices worn by a Staten Island officer exploded into flames, police officials said on Sunday. The recall of the Vievu-brand LE-5 cameras could delay the departments plan to outfit all 23,000 patrol officers with body cameras by December, and adds another twist to the complicated history surrounding the mechanisms that have already led to at least one lawsuit over how video from police encounters can be used. The use of police body cameras has surged in recent years amid a national debate over police interactions with civilians, punctuated by fatal shootings by officers of mostly unarmed black teenagers and men. Law enforcement agencies have embraced the devices as useful tools for conducting investigations and evaluating officer conduct, while reform advocates espouse their potential to help curb abuses and increase transparency. The citys $6.4 million contract for the Vievu cameras set off a contentious debate in 2016 after it surfaced that other police departments had raised concerns about the cameras quality, and the city comptroller briefly blocked the deal. But the mayor and police officials defended their choice and moved forward with the plan. Vievu introduced the LE-5 in October 2017, listing among its features a lithium-ion battery that boasts more than 12 hours of recording time. JEFFERSONVILLE, N.Y. On the day his law license was reinstated this past summer, Stanley L. Cohen got a call from an old friend and client, Mousa Abu Marzook, a senior political leader of Hamas, the militant Islamic group that controls Gaza. He said, Youre up to trouble again already? recalled Mr. Cohen, 67. In certain circles in the Middle East, he said, Word had gotten around very quickly that I was back. That Mr. Cohen is back after a prison sentence on federal tax charges that resulted in the suspension of his law license is certain to infuriate many people. He has spent much of his 35-year law career raising legal hell, defending controversial clients with an audacity that has antagonized his enemies, including United States intelligence figures and many Jewish groups. Rabbi Posner, who served for 40 years as a congregational rabbi at Temple Emanu-El, seemed to have a natural affinity for those who toil and suffer in privacy, Mr. Modell and others said. The sick. Children with learning problems. The forgotten or ignored. That was perhaps because he himself was a thoughtful, meticulous man, not a showboat, though he led one of the premier Reform institutions in the Jewish world, which now has about 2,300 members. Rather than forming institutes or posing with politicians, he liked to stay at the temple his battle station, as he called it waiting for his congregants to call. He kept blue note cards on each of the congregations families, carefully noting each birth, marriage and death. I am a theological pediatrician Ive been saying that for years, he said in a 2012 interview with The New York Times. I take care of Gods children. David Marc Posner was born on Nov. 4, 1947, in Atlantic City to Ralph and Doris (Silver) Posner. His mother was a homemaker who later became a schoolteacher; his father was an executive at a shipping logistics company. The family moved to Brownsville, Brooklyn, when David was a child. It was a tough neighborhood, and he responded by being studious and learning the piano. At 10, he told his family he wanted to be a rabbi. At 12, he met Sylvia Smialy, whom he called the most beautiful girl in the world. They married when he was 21. I am a gornisht next to my wife, a nothing, he said in 2012. They had attended Meyer Levin Junior High School and Samuel J. Tilden High School, both in Brooklyn. To the Editor: Re The Air Will Be a Bit Less Sweet (Arts pages, Oct. 18): Its rare in todays world to come across a being with the inquisitiveness and humble kindness found in Big Bird of Sesame Street. With a chance meeting at breakfast in the Bahamas, I can confirm that Caroll Spinney, who played the role for almost 50 years, embodies just as much of the true nature of Big Bird as anyone with exposure to the show would expect. I will never forget that breakfast. Fly on, Mr. Spinney. Fly on and happy retirement! Westley Trainum Santa Clarita, Calif. To the Editor: In We Need to Talk About God (Sunday Review, Oct. 14), Jonathan Merritt laments the fact that Americans, including practicing Christians, increasingly avoid using spiritual language, or God talk, but he doesnt cite one reason: the increasing number of Americans who doubt or deny that there is a God to invoke. According to Pew research, 9 in 10 Americans believe in a higher power, but only a slim majority believe in God as described in the Bible. Also , 56 percent dont think that its necessary to believe in God to be moral . Mr. Merritts God talk can therefore be broadened to very positive ends. For common cause, gospel can be moral code; saved can be replaced with enlightened and so on. A new vocabulary can unite moral Americans of all religious stripes or none at all. Jennifer Bardi Washington The writer is deputy director of the American Humanist Association and editor in chief of The Humanist. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan heads to China this week. It has been seven years since a Japanese prime minister visited the country. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram, and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter. The labor pool in quantum computing is even smaller. By some accounts, fewer than a thousand people in the world can claim to be doing leading research in the field. The number of international students applying to physics doctoral programs in the United States fell by an average of 12 percent this year, according to a study from the American Physical Society. Universities on the coasts have maintained their numbers, the study said, but the drop is noticeable in the middle of the country. For decades, quantum computing was purely experimental. When it was first proposed in the early 1980s, the goal was to build a system based on the seemingly magical principles of quantum mechanics. Over the past several years, scientists have shown that they can build these machines, if only on a small scale. With traditional computers, transistors store bits of information, and each bit is either a 1 or a 0. Those are the fundamental slices of data that tell a computer what to do. When some types of matter are extremely small or extremely cold, they behave differently. That difference allows a quantum bit, or qubit, to store a combination of 1 and 0. Two qubits can hold four values at once. As the number of qubits grows, a quantum computer becomes exponentially more powerful. Scientists who build these systems specialize in the physics of those very small or cold things, which is nothing like the physics we experience from day to day. There just arent that many people who know how to do this, said Steven Girvin, a professor of physics at Yale University. These machines are quasi-hand-built by Ph.D.s in physics. Close, but Worlds Apart Ms. Simkins and her family worked from sunrise to sunset six days a week on the Edgewood plantation. They were given a reprieve on Sundays, so they could go to church, Ms. Wright, who lives in Atlanta, said in an interview. Mr. Ramey was the youngest son of Nathaniel Ramey, a businessman who owned a small number of slaves. According to historians, William Ramey was one of six children; probably worked his fathers land; became a skilled carpenter; and discreetly educated slaves in his youth. His father and Mr. Pickens had a mutual business interest in pottery, and young Mr. Ramey most likely attended parties at Mr. Pickenss nearby plantation. That is probably where he met Ms. Simkins, in 1860, when Mr. Ramey was about 20 and she was about 14. It was said to be a mutual admiration, Ms. Wright said. But quite naturally, done from a distance. Whatever feelings may have come to the surface, they were quickly put to the side. A year later, Mr. Ramey followed his older brothers into the Civil War, and enlisted in the Confederate army. He was wounded near Richmond, Va., and was soon discharged. He returned to Edgefield to convalesce and began an affair with Ms. Simkins. Their relationship was interrupted when Mr. Ramey re-enlisted in 1863. By then, Ms. Simkins had become pregnant by him. She did not know if Mr. Ramey would return alive, let alone return to her. An Acceptable Union Mr. Pickens opposed the mixing of races, but he did not send Ms. Simkins away. On April 8, 1864, she gave birth to a daughter, and that same month, Mr. Ramey returned to Edgefield for a three-month furlough. I like to think that he came back to see his baby, Ms. Wright said. Florida. Singing: Sunshine and sea breeze, soft sand and palm trees. Retirement mecca, party central, Little Haiti, Little Havana a state with elections so close, theyre legendary. And in 2018, Florida is living up to its reputation, with a tight governors race catering to political extremes. A lefty mayor from Tallahassee Are yall ready to flip Florida blue versus a Trump-loving former congressman. Make America great again. The result could be a litmus test for where the state, and maybe even the country, are headed in 2020. So, who are the candidates? This is the Democrat, Mayor Andrew Gillum. He pulled off a surprise victory in the primary, beating out six other candidates. My wife refers to me as Seabiscuit. Gillums got that made-for-media inspiring back story. Hes one of seven kids, the first to graduate from high school and college, and he was the youngest person ever elected to the Tallahassee City Commission. Gillum could be Floridas first black governor. Hes become a bit of a national star. But hes also wrapped up in some controversies: An ongoing corruption probe, since youve been mayor. We want to make sure that any individual that participated in that is held fully accountable. The Republican, Ron DeSantis: He made a name for himself by appearing on Fox News a lot. Put up or shut up. DeSantis, a self-described conservative warrior, has impressed many Republicans, including Trump. A tough, brilliant cookie. Hes got Ivy League credentials and served in the military. JAG officer. DeSantis went to Congress in 2012, but recently resigned so he could focus on his campaign. Hes also had some stumbles, like when he said this about Gillum the morning after the primaries: You know he is an articulate spokesman for those far-left views. The last thing we need to do is to monkey this up. Yeah. It drew accusations of a racist dog whistle. So, what about the issues? DeSantis has endorsed almost every Trump policy, from repealing the Affordable Care Act to moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. He also hates tax increases and so-called sanctuary cities. Gillum: He might be the most liberal candidate for governor in Floridas history. He wants to overhaul I.C.E., raise the minimum wage and fight the N.R.A. Polls show that both messages are getting pretty good reception in Florida. So yeah, of course, the race is neck and neck. This is Florida. The rules are different here. She said she agreed with some of Mr. Brauns positions on issues but would be sending a message by voting for Mr. Donnelly. Another suburban woman, Linda Esposito, a self-described independent who is retired, agreed. I feel like I need to make my vote about the Trump administration his lack of professionalism, his lack of respect, his willingness to divide the country and calling the Democrats the mob. Its ridiculous. She added, No one can look up to the president anymore. Missy Shopshire, a business consultant, shares the other womens negative view of the president and said, Its really hard to be a Republican and a conservative right now, and even harder to be a woman and a conservative. But she said she would not let that affect her Senate vote. The bottom line for me is what I believe the role of government is. I am a fiscal conservative, so I want to keep government small, Ms. Shopshire said. She will support Mr. Braun. While Mr. Donnelly talks of being bipartisan, Republicans are not obliging. Mr. Donnelly may have cited his work with Ms. Brooks in recently passed legislation to combat the opioid crisis, and at the Republican early vote rally in Anderson, Ms. Brooks said she indeed had a great partner in the Senate. Then she named the other senator from Indiana, Todd Young, a Republican. Mr. Braun is making no virtue of bipartisanship. He defeated two Republican House members, Luke Messer and Todd Rokita, in the Senate primary, which in many ways was a contest of which man was the more enthusiastic backer of the president. He has billed himself as a version of Trump, with softer edges, having built a business that has made him extremely wealthy. He has tried to run as an outsider, wearing a signature deep blue, button-down collar shirt with no tie or jacket. Despite the global outrage at Saudi Arabia, Mr. Mnuchin said he did not intend to scold his Saudi counterparts about rights abuses. Im sure Ill be speaking with the president before I go there, he said. If he has a message that he wants me to deliver, I will obviously deliver it. That is not the focus of my trip. While Mr. Trump has acknowledged that the Saudi government was not forthright in its explanations of what happened to Mr. Khashoggi, he has continued to express admiration for Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince, as someone who loves his country. The prospect of the United States imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia has raised concern that the country could slow oil production in retaliation. Mr. Mnuchin said, however, that he had no reason to believe that Saudi Arabia would not honor its oil-production commitments. Mr. Mnuchin planned to visit the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center, which the United States leads with Saudi Arabia, and meet with the Saudi finance minister, the energy minister and other economic officials in Riyadh. A year ago, Mr. Mnuchin made his first trip as secretary to Saudi Arabia to speak at the investor conference and unveil the terrorist financing center. He said that the initiative still needed more work and that he planned to keep coming back to oversee its progress. In Israel, the Treasury secretary was on the first stop of a six-country trip through the Middle East focused on the battle against terrorist financing. He is also visiting Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait. WASHINGTON Members of Congress from both parties made clear on Sunday that they wanted to see Saudi Arabia punished for the killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as President Trump shifted his tone again on the issue and joined the lawmakers in expressing doubt about the Saudi governments account of the death. Obviously, theres been deception and theres been lies, Mr. Trump said in a telephone interview late Saturday with The Washington Post. Their stories are all over the place. The presidents response to the Saudi accounts has likewise changed from day to day. Speaking to The New York Times on Thursday, Mr. Trump said he was confident in the intelligence reports about the episode, which paint a strong, if circumstantial, case that Mr. Khashoggis killing was ordered by the Saudi royal court. On Friday evening, after the Saudis, more than two weeks after Mr. Khashoggis death, said he had been accidentally killed during a fistfight with Saudi operatives in Istanbul, Mr. Trump was asked whether he found it credible. I do, he said. BROOKINGS, S.D. First came the Republicans, all smiles and matching blue T-shirts as they marched in this college towns annual Hobo Day homecoming parade. Then the tractor team rolled past, and the dairy club, and the Corn Palace Shriners. Finally, at the end of the line: the Democrats. Behind as usual. Farmers and ranchers from this rural state once sent liberal icons like George McGovern to Congress, but these days, Democrats have all but vanished into the plains, a stark example of how far the party has tumbled in rural America. They hold no statewide elected offices in South Dakota. They make up less than 20 percent of the State Legislature. Their numbers are shrinking so fast that they rank below registered independents in a dozen counties. But on a sunny Saturday, shaking hands and nudging his wheelchair up the parade route, came Billie Sutton, a 34-year-old state senator and onetime rodeo rider who is making a surprisingly competitive run for governor against South Dakotas four-term Republican congresswoman, Kristi Noem. Mr. Sutton is running as an anti-abortion conservative Democrat with cowboy cred and a stirring life story. His supporters think he can show Democrats how to start rebuilding the party in socially conservative states where the ag-heavy economy rises and falls with rain cycles and soybean prices. LAS VEGAS Children ripped from their parents arms and held in sweltering tent cities. Immigration raids outside hospitals, schools and courthouses. An onslaught of ads and speeches delivering insults and racist remarks. With the hard-fought midterm elections less than three weeks away, Democratic Party strategists hope Latino voters who are angered by the Trump administrations policies and divisive language will help deliver resounding victories in many of the races that will decide political control in Washington. If ever there were a time to cast protest ballots, they reason, it would be with President Trump in the White House. But interviews with dozens of Hispanic voters in Nevada and California, two key battleground states, showed a more complicated picture that is deeply alarming to Democratic Party officials. Away from campaign rallies and candidates, many voters said they felt disempowered rather than emboldened; they expressed feelings of cynicism, apathy and fear fueled by the highly fraught political moment. Others said that messaging about immigration policy alone is not enough to motivate them. And some have simply lost faith that politicians will follow through on their promises once the elections are over. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Marooned outside South Africa, Ajay Gupta has been obsessively following the news from home with increasing frustration. Nearly every day for the past couple of months, witnesses at a high-profile inquiry on corruption have painted his family as the masterminds of the government looting that has engulfed the nation. The accusations infuriate him. But Mr. Gupta and his two brothers, who left South Africa early this year when President Jacob Zuma was forced out of power, have no plans to go back and give their side of the story at least not yet. They say they fear wrongful arrests if they return to South Africa, a country where their power appeared uncontested less than a year ago. The inquirys leaders have rejected the Guptas offers to testify by video conference or other means creating the possibility that a wide-ranging government inquiry determined to ferret out the truth will not hear from some of the main characters. Im not saying that Im not coming to the commission, Mr. Gupta, the oldest brother, said in Dubai, where the family is now based. I will, but not this moment. JOHANNESBURG Congolese rebels have killed 15 civilians and abducted a dozen children in an attack in the center of the latest outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, Congos military said Sunday. The violence threatened to again force the suspension of efforts to contain the virus. The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo was declared on Aug. 1, and has been centered on North Kivu Province, which borders Uganda and Rwanda. On Friday, the World Health Organization said that there had been 118 confirmed Ebola deaths so far and 35 probably caused by the disease, out of more than 200 cases. It is the 10th outbreak in the country since 1976. Efforts to combat the disease have been complicated by fighting between government forces and armed militias, and by attacks on medical workers. We condemn this attack, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization. Everyone should work on achieving peace and fight Ebola. More than 55 people have been killed in a new eruption of communal violence in central Nigeria, officials said on Sunday. Security has become a key campaign issue ahead of the election next February, in which President Muhammadu Buhari will seek a second term. The presidency condemned the latest violence in a statement issued on Saturday. The frequent resort to bloodshed by Nigerians over misunderstandings that can be resolved peacefully, is worrisome, said the statement, issued by Mr. Buharis spokesman, Garba Shehu. A local police commissioner said that 22 people were arrested in the clashes last week between two communities in the Kasuwan Magani area of Kaduna state, in north-central Nigeria. One of the most prized possessions of Brazils National Museum, which was gutted by a huge fire last month, has been found amid the debris: the oldest human fossil in the region, known as Luzia. The museum director, Alexander Kellner, told The Associated Press on Friday that 80 percent of the fossils pieces had been found. The fossil was discovered during an excavation in 1975 outside the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte. It was given the name Luzia in homage to Lucy, the famous 3.2 million-year-old remains found in Africa. The National Museum held Latin Americas largest collection of historical artifacts, with about 20 million pieces. The fire, on Sept. 2, ravaged the stately, 200-year-old museum in Rio de Janeiro. Years of history encapsulated inside were thought to be lost. MANILA Armed men opened fire on a group of sugar cane farmers who were occupying part of a plantation in the central Philippines, killing nine, and then set three of the bodies on fire, the police said on Sunday. Four other farmers, two of them minors, survived the attack late Saturday on a plantation outside the city of Sagay in Negros Occidental Province and were under police protection as commandos pursued the attackers, the police said. Those who were killed were members of a farmers union, the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers, who began occupying the area over the weekend as part of a campaign to begin cultivating land covered by a government agrarian overhaul, the police said. The state program, which dates to the 1980s, calls for redistributing private and public agricultural land to independent small farmers. The vacant plot they had occupied belongs to Hacienda Nene, a vast sugar cane plantation, which has been subject to the government land program, rights workers and the farmers group said. MOSCOW President Trumps announcement that the United States would withdraw from a nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia drew sharp criticism Sunday from one of the men who signed it, Mikhail S. Gorbachev, who called the decision reckless and not the work of a great mind. In making his announcement Saturday, Mr. Trump cited Russian violations of the pact, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which was signed in Washington in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev. Mr. Gorbachev, who is now 87 years old, cast Mr. Trumps decision as a threat to peace. In an interview with the Interfax news agency, Mr. Gorbachev called Mr. Trumps rollback of the disarmament agreement very strange. He added: Do they really not understand in Washington what this can lead to? The last Soviet leader, who is perceived more warmly in the West than inside Russia, has already watched his domestic reform agendas supporting democracy and greater freedom of the press unravel in recent years. Nuclear disarmament also defined his legacy. BRUSSELS The trade group Safer Phosphates would seem to have a pitch-perfect message for an environmentally conscious European Union. It advocates cleaner soil and healthier food, with a website showing pristine fields of wheat. It is also supporting legislation that would place tighter regulations on fertilizer. But the group is not run by environmentalists. Its driving force is a Russian fertilizer giant that has ties to the Kremlin. And the environmental legislation it is backing would reset regulations in a way that could help the company, PhosAgro, push aside rivals and give it greater influence over the European food supply. Fertilizer might not seem an obvious source of geopolitical tension. But with Moscow working openly and covertly to widen its sphere of power, the prospect of a politically connected Russian company cornering a key part of the European agricultural market has raised sharp concerns. Russia already wields tremendous clout as the European Unions dominant provider of natural gas and as a growing source of nuclear fuel. After years of lobbying, European officials could move forward on new regulations as early as this week, when representatives of the three governing bodies of the European Union meet in Strasbourg, France. A debate that was supposed to be about environmental standards is now overshadowed by questions of whether the lines between Russian private business and the Kremlins political agenda are blurred beyond distinction. Outright denials. Botched interrogations. Fistfights. Ever since Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappeared after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, the Kingdom has given all kinds of explanations about what happened and who is responsible. And then, in an early Saturday morning announcement, Saudi Arabia confirmed for the first time that Khashoggi is dead. They say he died after an argument and fistfight with unidentified men in the consulate. Its the latest in a series of changing narratives from Saudi authorities. First, Saudi Arabia said Khashoggi left the consulate and expressed concern about his well-being. Government-aligned Turkish media said he was brutally murdered by 15 Saudi hitmen. They even released their names and images. Saudi Arabia then started pushing back. In two statements, it denounced baseless allegations and called them lies. As the accusations and evidence mounted, the Saudis started getting more forceful in their denials. And their messages took on a threatening tone. Like in this tweet from the Foreign Ministry, saying, Demise is the outcome of these weak endeavors. The tweet was mysteriously deleted the next day. As of this moment, they deny it. When Trump said there would be And there will be severe punishment. Saudi Arabia lashed out, saying it rejected threats. More reports continued to come out. Some of them were grisly. On the recordings, you can hear Khashoggi was detained when he entered, killed and dismembered. One official saying, You can hear how he was interrogated, tortured and murdered. Thats when the Saudis seemed to be testing out an eyebrow-raising theory, and using President Trump to help sell it. It sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers who knows? Then, yet another twist. Sources close to Saudi Arabia started teasing the idea that, yes, Khashoggi was dead, but it was because of an interrogation gone wrong. But they also continued to maintain the king and crown prince had no knowledge of it. The Saudis say theyre investigating. And when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Saudi Arabia, there were smiles and pleasantries. It looked like business as usual. But after the head-spinning stories about a suspected gory murder by a key U.S. ally, it was anything but. JERUSALEM Under internal political pressure, King Abdullah II of Jordan said on Sunday that he was cutting off Israelis free access to two tracts of land along the border that fall within Jordanian territory, but where Jews historically have had private land use rights. For nearly a quarter of a century, as part of the 1994 peace treaty between the two former foes, Israeli farmers and tourists have enjoyed the fruits and picturesque attractions of the areas. One of them, a pocket of land about 10 miles south of the Sea of Galilee, sandwiched between the Jordan and Yarmouk Rivers, is known in Hebrew as the Island of Peace. Al-Baqura and Al-Ghamr have always been our top priority, King Abdullah said, referring to the two areas by their Jordanian names. The royal decision was confirmed in an emergency session of the Jordanian cabinet at which the king said Jordan would exercise full sovereignty over its land. India's first canine training centre comes up at Attari; Dogs to be trained on narcotics detection Congress leader Novjot Singh Siddu comes out of political exile, makes public appearance Punjab man travelling from Malaysia declared dead after his flight landed in Amritsar We Dont Only Read Books We Celebrate Them! With just 1 passenger, Air India plane flies to Dubai from Amritsar Amritsar tragedy: Locals continue to sit-in protest, demand compensation for victims India oi-Madhuri Adnal Amritsar, Oct 21: The situation remained tense on Sunday as locals continued to protest at Joda Patak where 59 Dussehra revellers were mowed down by a train. One security personnel was injured after protesters pelted stones on police when being asked to clear railway tracks where they were protesting against Amritsar Train Accident. Head Constable Amritpal Singh said 'They're pelting stones.He received injuries in his eyes.' Also Read | Blame game continues on Amritsar issue but police have information about the programme The Punjab Police has deployed its personnel, including commandos, to manage the crowd. The Rapid Action Force is also present in the Joda Patak area. The district administration has said out of 59 people who were mowed down by the speeding Jalandhar-Amritsar train Friday, 40 have been identified. Meanwhile, Railway officials said no permission was sought from them either and ruled out an inquiry by the department into what they said was the worst accident due to 'trespass' on railway tracks. Also Read | Amritsar: Did political clout lead to clearance to hold event at unsafe venue The Punjab government had on Saturday ordered a magisterial probe into the accident, while railways has ruled out any inquiry on its part. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 21, 2018, 13:22 [IST] Congress only Pan-India party, allies be ready for sacrifices: Khurshid India oi-PTI New Delhi, Oct 21: Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid feels it is difficult for the party to come to power on its own in the present situation, but opposition alliance must not be formed at the "cost of containing Congress". The allies should also be ready to make sacrifices and adjustments for defeating the BJP in the 2019 general elections, he told PTI in an interview. "All our leaders have made it very clear that an alliance (is needed) to change the country's government. BJP must go. Whatever it takes to sacrifice, adjust and negotiate to make the alliance a reality, Congress is willing to do. Secular parties under Congress leadership will defeat BJP: Deve Gowda "But it is only fair that it should be the same attitude of other (opposition) parties. The alliance must not be for containing Congress, the alliance must be for removing BJP and we are willing for anything," Khurshid said When asked whether it is possible for Congress to come to power on its own, the former external affairs minister said "it is obviously difficult today". "If that is the objective (majority on its own) then we will have to work over a period of five years. Because you cannot work towards an alliance for three years and then suddenly say we will fight to win (on our own). You have to fight for five years. Today we are committed to the alliance and we will do our very best to ensure that the alliance succeeds," he said. 2019 LS polls may see a grand alliance minus the Congress Congress is the only party that gets seats from all over the country and all other (opposition) parties get seats from their respective states, he said. "Now the elasticity in numbers is much greater when you are talking of seats from all over the country and when you are talking of seats only from your state. This is the practical reality with which all the leaders have to deal with an open mind,"Khurshid, who also served as minister for law and justice in the UPA II, said. Khurshid's comment on the alliance comes in the backdrop of the opposition's efforts to stitch a united front against the BJP before the 2019 elections and BSP chief Mayawati's decision to go it alone in the upcoming assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Telangana elections: TRS moots a non-political third front to take on grand alliance The Samajwadi Party has also decided not to forge an alliance with the Congress in Madhya Prdaesh, blaming it of being "non-committal for too long". Khurshid said the objective of the grand alliance is to defeat the PM Modi government. "If the participants of the grand alliance forget this objective, then obviously it won't happen and it will be a loss for every party and the country," he said. The Congress leader, however, sounded hopeful of getting Mayawati's BSP back in the fold, saying the issues in the assembly polls are different from those of the Lok Sabha polls. "Once these five state elections give us some indications of what the public mood is, tying up the grand alliance may become easier," Khurshid, who twice served as party president of Uttar Pradesh, said. The post of prime minister won't be an issue in forging the grand alliance when opposition leaders have clearly said that the issue will be decided once the alliance win the election, he said. "I think those who are raising this issue (prime ministership) do not want us to succeed against the BJP," he said. As Punjab readies for 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Religion again in the fore While speaking on the revival of Congress, Khurshid hailed party president Rahul Gandhi for "infusing fresh energy and determination" into the party and said it was a time for making sacrifices and give the best to the party. "We lost some elections, but we won Punjab and kept the BJP away in Karnataka. In some places, we were ahead of BJP, but they misused power to form government...the upcoming elections in five states will be a measure of how much we have got back on our feet in the last four years," he said. The former Union minister dismissed BJP's claim that the opposition alliance did not have a leader and said there were "leaders in the opposition alliance" along with four to five strong regional parties and that the "Congress even in its weak form is strong across the country". About the foreign policy of the present dispensation, he said the PM Modi government had failed to build upon on what they had got from the previous governments and nothing much to show in terms of accomplishments. Khurshid rated the four-and-half-year-old PM Modi government as "disastrous" and said it had injected disharmony in the society. PTI Delhi: Modi pays homage to slain policemen, inaugurates National Police Memorial India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Oct 21: On the occasion of Police Commemoration Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid homage to slain policemen who made supreme sacrifices in the line of duty as he dedicated the refurbished National Police Memorial built in Delhi's Chanakyapuri to the nation. While speaking on the occasion, PM Modi, who is generally perceived as a "strong" leader, turned emotional and broke down as he remembered the supreme sacrifices made by several policemen in the line of duty. The PM said that the entire nation will always remain grateful to the brave sons of the Mother India. ''It is the day to remember every jawan who maintains law and peace in Jammu and Kashmir and fights against terrorism. Jawans on duty in Naxal-affected areas are doing a great service. It's also due to them that the t number of Naxal affected districts are going down and youth is coming to the mainstream,'' the PM said. Also Read | Modi to hoist flag at Red Fort on 75th Anniversary of Azad Hind government ''It is the result of your alertness that the elements which create unrest are unsuccessful in their attempts. The attempts to create fear and insecurity in the nation were foiled by you. The peace prevalent in the nation is possible only due to your services,'' PM Modi said. The National Police Day is observed on October 21 to pay homage to 10 policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh's Hot Spring area. Several top leaders including PM Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP veteran LK Advani and top officials of the government are attending the event to recognise the sacrifices made by police personnel since Independence. Ahead of inaugurating the police memorial, PM Modi and other top leaders paid homage to the slain police personnel. Later on Sunday, PM Modi will hoist the national flag at Delhi's Red Fort to mark the 75th anniversary of the formation of the government of 'free India'. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 21, 2018, 9:26 [IST] FIR filed against Oomen Chandy, MP over sexual harassment complaint India oi-Deepika S Kochi, Oct 21: The Kerala police's crime branch on Sunday registered a case of sexual harassment against former chief minister Oommen Chandy and MP K C Venugopal on a complaint filed by Solar scam accused Saritha S Nair. Director General of Police (DGP) Loknath Behera confirmed that the cases against the two leaders were lodged after receiving a complaint from Nair and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been constituted to investigate the matter. "Let the law take its own course," PTI quoted the DGP as saying. Sabarimala: Two women stopped by protesters from trekking towards Shrine, forced to return Chandy alleged that the case was "politically motivated" and said that he would face it legally. The former CM said that the issue was being raked up by the CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government to deviate people's attention from the Sabarimala issue, which has turned into a political hot potato in the state. Saritha S Nair, who spent eight months in prison before she was released on bail, had deposed that she paid a bribe of Rs 1.90 crore to the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for the ruling dispensation's support for the solar projects floated by her company. She went on to accuse several Congress leaders of economically and sexually exploiting her. Sabarimala: Board disagrees with the agenda to demonstrate The FIR against Chandy comes at a time when the LDF government is facing the heat over the Sabarimala issue. The government is caught between protesting traditionalists and reformists in the light of the Supreme Court order allowing women of all ages to offer prayers at the temple. AP EAPCET Round 1 seat allotment delayed again: New date to be announced soon Fuel price hike: Petrol pumps to remain shut in Delhi today India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Oct 21: In protest against Delhi government's refusal to reduce Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel and petrol in the capital, 400 petrol pumps along with linked Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) dispensing units will remain shut today for 24 hours. The association said that they will observe the strike from 6 am on 22 October to 5 am on 23 October. Following the strike call, all petrol and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) pumps in the national capital will remain closed. DPDA president Nischal Singhania said, "The central government had slashed the rate of petrol and diesel by Rs 2.50 per litre each on September 4. This was followed by reduction of VAT (value added tax) by various states including neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, bringing relief to their residents. Kejriwal says Delhi will become 'gas chamber' soon, blames Centre, Punjab and Haryana governments "But, the Delhi government refused to reduce VAT on fuel both petrol and diesel resulting in fuel becoming more expensive than bordering Haryana and Uttar Pradesh." In comparison to Delhi, fuel rates in bordering states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are cheaper, he said. Petrol, diesel prices cut by Rs 2.50 after excise reduction Because of high price in Delhi and low prices in states like UP and Haryana, customers are deserting the petrol pumps in Delhi leading to huge drop in sales, Singhania said. Due to difference in prices, there has been a sharp drop of 50-60 per cent in sale of diesel in Delhi and 25 per cent in petrol in this quarter, the DPDA president said, adding that on Monday, all the 400 pumps of Delhi will neither purchase nor sell petrol, diesel and CNG. The dealers have called for a protest after Delhi government refused to decrease Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel. VAT in Delhi is higher than neighboring Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Karnataka, Kerala, New Delhi refuse to cut petrol, diesel prices The Centre had recently cut the excise duty by Rs 1.50 per litre and asked PSU oil firms to subsidise fuel by Re 1. Thereafter other states followed suit and announced a cut in fuel prices. Maharashtra and Gujarat governments were among the first to announce a matching Rs 2.50 cut. They were later joined by Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Assam, Uttarakhand, Goa, Arunachal Pradesh and Bihar with similar moves. Jammu and Kashmir, which is under the governor's rule, too reduced the tax on the two fuel. Maharashtra, however, reduced VAT only on petrol and not on diesel. Even before the excise duty cut, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh had last month reduced VAT to cushion consumers for a spate of price increases. Is Sikhs for Justice funding the farmer protest? NIA team in Canada to dig deeper With 2 more arrests NIA steps up heat on terrorists targeting civilians in J&K Help NIA make India safer: Call this number India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Oct 21: The National Investigation Agency has sought the help of the public to locate most wanted criminals and fugitives. The agency said, "NIA need your help in locating fugitives. If you have any information, please call at 011-24368800 or mail at assistance.nia@gov.in. Your identity shall be kept secret. Help us in making India safer." The NIA also posted a link of the most wanted criminals. It includes the likes of Dr. Zakir Naik, Hizbul Mujahideen chief, Syed Salahuddin, Lashkar-e-Tayiba bosses Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi among others. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 21, 2018, 9:17 [IST] India relieved as Chinas foray into North Sri Lanka is stalled India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Oct 21: In what could be considered as a major victory for India, Sri Lanka has stalled a bid by China to enhance its presence in the Northern Province. Several projects funded by India are being undertaken in this province. Sri Lanka reversed its earlier decision to allow the Beijing based China Railway Engineering Group Company Limited to build 40,000 houses in the provide with a loan of USD 300 minion from export-Import Bank of China. It has now been decided that most of the houses would be built by an Indian company in partnership with two Sri Lankan countries. Also Read | India's R&AW trying to kill me says Sri Lankan President Sirisena New Delhi had expressed concern over China's bid to expand its foray into the nation's Tamil majority Northern and Eastern province. India had said that this area not only shares a historical and cultural bond with India, but is also linked to its key security interests. The move by Sri Lanka came just before its Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe landed in New Delhi on Thursday on a three day visit. He has been having several run-ins with President, Mathripala Sirisena over India's offer of support for infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka. While Wickremesinghe has been arguing in favour of India, Sirisena is not keen on an Indian role in the development of the Colombo port. Also Read | Lanka govt rejects reports on President Sirisena's assassination plot by India's R&AW In this backdrop there were media reports suggesting that during a recent Cabinet meeting, Sirisena had said that India's external agency, Research and Analysis Wing had plotted his assassination. This was immediately dismissed by the Sri Lankan government. Sirisena had even called Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and termed the reports as baseless. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 21, 2018, 8:54 [IST] After skipping India's security dialogue on Afghanistan, China to attend Paks Troika Plus meet US Congress report says Pakistan playing active and disruptive role in Afghanistan Pakistan hit my mysterious viral fever: All you need to know US designates Pakistan, China as countries of particular concern for religious freedom violation Pakistan gives Kulbhushan Jadhav right to appeal against death sentence J&K: 2 Pak intruders shot dead, 3 soldiers killed on LoC India oi-Deepika S Srinagar, Oct 21: The Army on Sunday shot dead two intruders while three of its soldiers were killed in a gunfight in Sunderbani sector on the Line of Control (LoC). The security forces have recovered weapons from the intruders. A minimum of two AK-47 rifles has been recovered. The intruders are believed to be members of a Border Action Team (BAT) comprising Pakistan Army jawans and trained terrorists, an army officer said on condition of anonymity. J&K: 6 civilians killed, 40 injured in Kulgam explosion "At about 1.45 pm, Indian Army in Sunderbani sector had a fierce encounter with heavily armed Pakistani intruders very close to the LoC. The patrol (team) killed two intruders and recovered war-like stores including two AK-47 rifles," the spokesman said. He said three soldiers were killed fighting the intruders and another soldier suffered grievous injuries and has been airlifted to the Army Command hospital in Udhampur. The injured soldier's condition is reported to be stable, the spokesman said. He said the area near the encounter site was cordoned off and a "search-and-destroy" operation is in progress. The encounter took place just hours after three Pakistan-backed terrorists were neutralised by the security forces after a fierce gunbattle in Larro area of Kulgam district of South Kashmir. A top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander, who was identified as Sheeraz Moulvi, was among the three terrorists killed in the encounter. However, two others managed to escape. One soldier was also injured in the cross-firing by the terrorists during the anti-terror operation. J&K: 6 civilians killed, 40 injured in Kulgam explosion India oi-Madhuri Adnal Srinagar, Oct 21: Six civilian was killed and 40 others were left injured in an explosion that rocked the site of Kulgam encounter on Sunday. One of the deceased has been identified as Ubaid Laway, son of Mohd Maqbool Laway of Laroo. Meanwhile, the authorities have suspended both mobile telephone and internet services in the district as precautionary measure. As per reports, the civilians visited the encounter site immediately after operation concluded while turning down the request by police officials to not do so as the search operation was underway. "Civilians visited the encounter site immediately after operation in spite of request not to visit, as a thorough search was underway. After forces withdrew, some explosive substance went off resulting in injuries to civilians," a J&K police official was quoted as saying by ANI. Earlier in the day, three militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir Sunday. One civilian died and several sustained serious injuries in a blast at the encounter site after the operation was called off. No Bitcoin scam, says ruling BJP; No foul play in investigation: Bengaluru police Bengaluru Apartment Fire Accident Today: Fire breaks out at building in Electronic City, no causality reported Mob barges into home, thrashes people for playing loud music during Navaratri celebrations India oi-Madhuri Adnal Bengaluru, Oct 21: Tensions prevailed high in the Channasandra area of Bengaluru after a group of 50 men reportedly barged into a home at the Isha Misty Green apartment and thrashed revellers. Whitefield Division police on Friday arrested seven residents including two women of Kadugodi on charges of barging into an apartment block and assaulting people who were celebrating the Navaratri festival. It is learnt that the accused were irked by the complainants playing loud music during a celebration of the ongoing Navratri festival. Also Read | Gag on loudspeakers in UP: Muslim clerics hail govt decision The incident happened when residents of the apartment were celebrating the festival of Navaratri on Thursday night. Around 9 pm, a group of 50 men who live near the apartment in Channasandra barged into the flat where the party was underway and physically assaulted the revellers including young boys. The incident took place when residents of the apartment were celebrating the festival of Navaratri on Thursday night. Around 9 pm, a group of 50 men who live near the apartment in Channasandra barged into the flat where the party was underway and physically assaulted the revellers including young boys. Also Read | No use of loudspeakers in UP without permission A little later, the Kadugodi police were alerted about the incident. Upon reaching the scene, cops detained some of the assailants while others fled in no time. A case of trespassing and assault was registered and in their counter complaint, the accused have said that the apartment residents were disturbing the peace with loud music. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 21, 2018, 15:37 [IST] Modi hoists national flag at Red Fort on 75th Anniversary of Azad Hind government India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Oct 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hoisted the national flag at Red Fort to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the formation of the government of 'free India'. The prime minister hoisted the Tiranga and unveiled the plaque to celebrate anniversary of the Azad Hind government, inspired and headed by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Union Minister Mahesh Sharma and Indian National Army (INA) veteran RS Chhikara among others were also present at the event. Speaking at the event, Modi said,''Netaji had promised an India where everyone has equal rights&equal opportunities. He had promised a prosperous nation which was proud of its traditions, development in all areas. He had promised to uproot 'divide & rule'. Even after so many yrs those dreams remain unfulfilled.'' ''We have reached 'Swaraj' after lakhs of sacrifices. It is our responsibility to maintain this 'Swaraj' with 'Suraaj.'' Modi said in Delhi. ''In last 4 yrs, several measures were taken to strengthen the defence. Best technologies were brought to the defence. This govt has strength to make big&tough decisions, it'll continue. Be it surgical strike or making the files of Netaji public, decision was taken by our govt,'' he also said. Modi earlier took to Twitter to inform that he will honour Netaji on the occasion for his invaluable contribution to the country's struggle for Independence. Tomorrow morning, I will be hoisting the Tricolour at the Red Fort. Here is the reason. pic.twitter.com/sur0GXh370 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 20, 2018 Traditionally, the country's Prime Minister hoists the flag at the historic fort on Independence Day every year on August 15. This year, Modi will hoist the Tiranga and unveil the plaque to celebrate anniversary of the Azad Hind government, inspired and headed by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Netaji's grand-nephew and BJP West Bengal vice-president Chandra Kumar Bose and the chairman of SNSMT Suparno Satpathy had earlier requested the PM to inaugurate the Azad Hind Museum at the Red Fort on October 21 and hoist the Tricolour to commemorate the occasion. According to an official statement, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma and Indian National Army (INA) veteran RS Chhikara among others will also be present at the event. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for a museum dedicated to the Azad Hind Fauj or the INA. Founded on October 21, 1943, the Azad Hind government was inspired by the ideals of Subhas Chandra Bose. Sabarimala temple in Kerala to open for monthly rituals from July 16; Conditions apply for devotees How to Book Sabarimala Virtual Q Tickets Online 2021? Know Date, Price and Other Details Sabarimala: Two women stopped by protesters from trekking towards Shrine, forced to return India oi-Madhuri Adnal Pamba, Oct 21: Protests Sabarimala and its two base camps were tense for the fifth consecutive day i.e Sunday against the entry of women, aged between 10 to 50 years, into the Lord Ayyappa shrine. As per ANI reports, two women belonging to Andhra Pradesh were stopped while trekking towards the sanctum sanctorum and have been brought to police control room in Pamba after they were stopped by protesters from going ahead. Speaking about the incident, Kerala IG said,''They were part of a pilgrimage group from Andhra. They had been to other temples also&didn't know of special rituals in #SabarimalaTemple. When somebody told them they are not supposed to go, they did not want to go & gave a statement. They want to go back to Nilakkal.'' Also Read | Rain halts Dalit woman's Sabarimala trek, Cops to conduct background check Earlier on Saturday, a Tamil Nadu woman climbed the hills to offer prayers to the presiding deity. Initially, she was stopped by the protesters, but was allowed to enter the Sabarimala Temple after presenting proof of her age. The 52-year-old woman carrying 'irumudikkettu' (holy bundle) climbed the 18 holy steps amid security cover to reach the temple and have 'darshan'. A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by then chief justice Dipak Misra, on September 28 had lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine. Also Read | Sabarimala: Board disagrees with the agenda to demonstrate The portals of Sabarimala Temple will close on October 22 after the five-day monthly puja during the Malayalam month of Thulam. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 21, 2018, 12:29 [IST] Court sentences man to 14-years in prison for acid attack during Holi festival Class 10 student throws acid from beaker at three girls outside science lab in Himachal Pradesh UP: Urdu poet attacked with acid after he confronted men who allegedly harassed a girl India oi-Madhuri Adnal Firozabad, Oct 21: Urdu poet Hashim Firozabadi was attacked with acid and beaten up by miscreants on Saturday after he allegedly confronted them for sexually harassing school girls. Police said that,"FIR registered. He was made to undergo medical examination. We'll arrest culprits soon." Firozabadi told ANI,''A man came to me y'day & said he won't send his daughters to school as they're regularly molested by some miscreants who also make obscene phone calls to them. He was scared to go to police & asked me to talk to miscreants. It's a result of my attempt.'' Also Read | 5 women among six injured in acid attack from moving taxi in Kolkata Firozabadi, a resident of Rahi Nagar, has lodged an FIR against Saif, Musaif, Saqlain Sunny and Achhe. An official of Rasoolpur police station has confirmed the incident, and said a case has been registered against the accused. Police are also verifying if the chemical thrown at Firozabadi was acid. The poetry community has condemned the attack. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 21, 2018, 15:19 [IST] WATCH: Maharashtra CM's wife Amruta Fadnavis ignores safety warning, takes selfie on cruise India oi-Deepika S Mumbai, Oct 22: Amruta Fadnavis , the wife of Maharashtra's chief minister , grabbed headlines on Sunday after photographs of taking a selfie on the edge of the went viral. In a video that went viral on Sunday (October 21), Amruta Fadnavis can be seen sitting outside the cruise's safety range to click selfies, even as the security personnel on board kept issuing caution to her against it. She took a ride on the cruise on Saturday after it was flagged off by her husband, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at Victoria Docks. #WATCH: Amruta Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, being cautioned by security personnel onboard India's first domestic cruise Angria. She had crossed the safety range of the cruise ship. pic.twitter.com/YYc47gLkHd ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2018 The cruise will run four times a week between Goa and Mumbai. The vessel is owned by Captain Irwin Sequira, who has more than 15 years of experience in sailing. The cruise, which has six decks and 104 cabins, can ferry 399 passengers at a time. Price of one-way ticket will range between Rs 7,000 and Rs 12,000. India's first luxury cruise ship: From underwater suites to infinity pools As many as 67 crew members from hospitality and sailing departments of the private carrier will be on board. On the bridge (captain's cabin) of the cruise, four cabin officers of different ranks will assist the captain with the navigation. Built in 1996, Sequeira said MV Angriya sails with the most recent technology. The commercial launch of the ship will start from October 24. The cruise will sail from Purple Gate of Princess Docks in Mumbai and dock at Mormugao in south Goa within 16 hours. Bhopal hospital fire: 4 infants killed even before parents could name them Viral: Madhya Pradesh man claims buffalo refuses to be milked, goes to police Will celebrate Diwali in MP, Rajasthan with bombs warns Lashkar India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Bhopal, Oct 21: A state of high alert has been declared in the poll bound states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after a letter warning of a series of attacks was received. The letter said to be written by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba warned of attacks at railway stations, bus stands and temples. Under the radar were also the Ujjain Mahakal temple. Further the letter also warned of major attacks in Gujarat as well. Also Read | Lashkar promises to give BJP sleepless nights The security agencies are leaving nothing to chance and have heightened security in these states. Further the police have also been told by the Intelligence Bureau to enhance security especially at crowded areas such as railway stations and bus strands. Also Read | India on high alert for sea borne terror strike: How terror groups built maritime capabilities The letter written by Maulvi Abu Sheikh, an area commander of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba was received on September 29 at the office of the railway station manager in Jaipur. It said that this time it would celebrate Diwali with bombs. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 21, 2018, 9:09 [IST] Could China really light up the night sky? Yes, China is ready to send a man-made moon on sky. Wu Chunfeng, chairman of the neatly named Chengdu Aerospace Science Institute Microelectronics System Research Institute Co, Ltd said the idea had been in testing for a few years and the technology was now in place to make it happen, with a launch scheduled for 2020. Also Read |To replace streetlights, China will launch 3 artificial moons! How would 'artificial moon' work? The artificial moon would work as a mirror, reflecting sunlight back to Earth, according to China Daily. It would orbit 500km about Earth - roughly the same height as the International Space Station. The Moon orbits, on average, about 380,000km above Earth. The reports gave no details about what the fake moon would look like, but Mr Wu said it would reflect sunlight across an area of between 10km and 80km with brightness "eight times" that of the real Moon. Why an artificial moon? To save money. It might sound ridiculous but the Chengdu aerospace officials say putting a fake moon in space could actually end up being cheaper than paying for street lights. China Daily quoted Mr Wu as saying illuminating an area of 50sq km could save up to 1.2bn yuan ($173m; 132m) a year in electricity charges. Also Read |Space tourist Maezawa says moon training should not be too tricky China is not alone: China is not alone. Russia tried launching an orbital mirror back in the 1990s. However, they dropped the project after the mirror didn't unfold and it incinerated on its way into space. Similarly, Rocket Lab out of the United States launched an artificial star. However, the star reportedly added to artificial light pollution and cluttering of Earth's orbit, The New York Times reports. Five months before Brexit, protest march in London seeking fresh voting International oi-Shubham Ghosh London, Oct 20: It's another five months to go before the United Kingdom officially exits the European Union but the issue is far from settled yet. On Saturday, October 20, thousands of supporters marched through London as part of what the organisers said will be the biggest ever demonstration asking the British government to hold a public vote on Brexit's terms. The protesters were seen walking with the blue and gold flag of the EU and holding banners reading "Bollocks to Brexit" seeking another referendum on how Britain will eventually exit the EU, Reuters reported. In June 2016, a thin majority of the people of the country gave their verdict in favour of an exit from the EU in a referendum, leaving the country's politics in doldrums. Also Read | Theresa May irritated with talk of leadership change The latest protest will definitely build pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May over her negotiations just five months ahead of the official Brexit. May's government has also seen internal rifts with the premier being accused of compromising on the deal. The Reuters report further added that the organisers of the protest march sought another opportunity for the people to change their minds since the decision to leave the EU will hit lives for generations. Also Read | Why Britain's cats and dogs need to pray for a 'good' Brexit "People think the Brexit negotiations are a total mess, they have no faith in the government to deliver the promises that were made, partly because they cannot be delivered." Reuters quoted James McGrory, an organiser, as saying. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 21, 2018, 10:15 [IST] Talks with China will not help says USA NSA on situation on Ladakh Pizza employee travels over 3 hours to deliver pies! Read on to know why International oi-Shubham Ghosh Battle Creek (Michigan), Oct 20: A little bit of kind gesture can do wonders to souls that need a warmth of life. A teenage pizza outlet employee named Dalton Shaffer drove all the way from Battle Creek, Michigan, to Indianapolis - a distance of 226 miles - to deliver a pizza to a couple who throughout their lives, cherished the pies from one particular outlet - Steve's Pizza, TODAY reported. It so happened that Shaffer, manager of Steve's Pizza in Michigan's Battle Creek, decided to do something more than just send a condolence card to a couple - Richard and Julie Morgan - whose family is coping with the reality that Richard has a few more days to live since he has been diagnosed with cancer. The Morgans lived in Battle Creek 25 years ago and from then till this day, they have always cherished pies from Steve's Pizzas more than anything else. "We were young and money was tight but every pay day, Rich would pick up Steve's Pizza for dinner," Julie wrote in a Facebook post. "I can't possibly describe how delicious this pizza is - but several moves and all these years later, it is still the gold standard and we've never found a better pizza yet. Rich has frequently critiqued other pizza as 'good but, it's no Steve's." Also Read | Deliveryman eats food from customer's order before delivering Today, the couple lives in Indianapolis and their children have grown but they haven't forgotten their favourite brand. The couple was planning a weekend visit to Michigan to celebrate Julie's birthday and relish a pie or two from Steve's. But tragedy was awaiting the family as Richard found himself in the intensive care unit as his battle against cancer was nearing its end, the report added. Julie's father David Dalke meanwhile called Steve's Pizza hoping that it would send a condolence message to the couple so that it makes a special moment for the family facing a tragedy. Shaffer picked up the call and then he decided to do something more than just sending a condolence note. He asked Dalke what topping did they prefer and once the store was shut for the day (October 13), he left for the Morgans' place in Indianapolis to deliver them their beloved pizza. Also Read | Before getting his cancer-hit stomach removed, man has a plate full of chicken biryani "I really didn't think twice about it. It was a spontaneous reaction from me I guess," TODAY quoted Shaffer as saying. "When I rolled into the driveway at about 2:30, 2:40, the family was waiting up for me. The dad was there, and he came out and he gave me a hug." Since the Morgans were asleep, Shaffer handed over the pies, slightly cold after the long journey, to Dalke and drove back home soon after, travelling for seven hours in all, to make to his duty in the morning. A man with a golden heart indeed. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 21, 2018, 10:05 [IST] Crane Market Trend, Revenue & Regional Analysis 2018-2024 By Top Players - Terex Corporation, Liebherr Group, Welbilt Inc, Konecranes, XCMG Group, Komatsu Ltd. Crane Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2398 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2398 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/crane-market www.gminsights.com/ Crane Market is expected to exceed USD 20 billion by 2024. Increasing construction spending across the globe is a major factor driving the crane market growth. Shifting focus of the government entities on infrastructure development coupled with growing consumer preference for aesthetic and luxurious constructions will drive the industry growth. Urbanization, environmental impacts, and population growth have surged the need for sustainable and smart infrastructure solutions.The crane market will witness a growing demand for the upgrading of mobile cranes in the coming years. Several major economies across the globe are contributing toward the industry growth, with construction and retrofit market growing at a significantly high pace.Sample copy of this Report @In the Crane Market, the oil & gas industry accounted for around 20% of the overall revenue and is anticipated to grow at a steady rate over the forecast timespan. The rise in the adoption of mobile Crane Market is expected to accelerate owing to the expansion in the cement plants and infrastructure development. The construction and transportation sectors are the major segments contributing toward the adoption of mobile cranes with many on-going projects.In addition, the growing demand for fuel-efficient and advanced cranes is rapidly gaining popularity due to their cost-effective performance and a high level of safety. Construction companies prefer using fuel-efficient equipment as it emits less carbon and enables fuel savings.Crane Market, By Product Mobile Crane Truck Loader Crane Rough Terrain Crane All Terrain Crane Crawler Crane Fixed Crane Monorail Crane Stiffleg Crane Tower Crane Gantry CraneMake an Inquiry for purchasing this Report @In Europe, the focus of the crane manufacturers is on implementing new safety standards relating to the assembly and dismantling of the machine. An important product development issue across the entire range of crane types is the reduction of diesel engine exhaust emissions in compliance with Stage V of the EU Regulation on emission limits for mobile machinery. Europe accounted for the second largest revenue in crane market owing to the growing usage of cranes across the construction and oil & gas industries. However, the European market was hurt by changes in subsidies in the wind power market in Germany, resulting in fewer crawler crane sales.Growing adoption of mobile and tower cranes for construction activities is accelerating the U.S. crane market growth. Increasing adoption of the cranes was owing to the rise in home construction, nonresidential building, and government construction activities. According to the U.S. Commerce Department, the construction spending rose to 0.9 percent in November 2016 by 0.3 percent. The constantly-growing population in the region has resulted in increased investments in the infrastructure development sector. Rapid urbanization in the country is demanding the faster construction of facilities and buildings for the growing population. In addition, the rising government investments in infrastructural operations have provided a potential for the growth of the crane market.Public infrastructure and government utilities in North America will witness a high adoption of cranes owing to the construction of reservoirs, wastewater treatment plants, and power lines across the region thereby providing an impetus to the crane market.Browse Report Summery @Key players participating in crane market include Palfinger AG Terex Corporation, Komatsu Ltd., Konecranes PLC, Liebherr Group, Tadano, Ltd., XCMG Group, Hitachi Sumitomo Heavy Industries, and Manitowoc among others. The crane industry is highly fragmented and competitive in nature owing to the presence of several regional and international players, who are actively investing in R&D and developing technologically-advanced products to sustain in the industry. There is an inclination toward energy-efficient cranes as they help in reducing carbon emissions. Several players are ensuring new product development initiatives to foster the crane market growth.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: Global Tube & Stick Packaging Market Analysis Report 2018: By Key Players Essel Propack, Skypack, Sonoco, MPack, Industry Size, Share, Competition and Forecasts To 2025 Tube & Stick Packaging Market https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/7289 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/buy/tube-and-stick-packaging-market www.upmarketresearch.com UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Tube & Stick Packaging Market Analysis and Forecast 2018-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 106 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 ReportTube & Stick Packaging 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 Tube & Stick Packaging 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.For More Information Please Visit https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/7289The report for Tube & Stick Packaging market analysis & forecast 2018-2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Global Tube & Stick Packaging Market: Manufacturers Segment Analysis3D PackagingAlltubCTL PackagingM&H PlasticsAlb?aAmcorConstantia FlexiblesEssel PropackPrutha PackagingSkypackSonocoMontebello PackagingMPackNeopacTuboplastVisiPakWorld Wide PackagingTube & Stick Packaging Consumption by RegionNorth AmericaAsia-PacificEuropeCentral & South AmericaMiddle East & AfricaGet Discount @ https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/request_for_discount/7289Tube & Stick Packaging Breakdown Data by Typeby TypeFlexible PackagingSemi-Rigid PackagingRigid Packagingby MaterialPolyethylenePolyamideEthylene Vinyl AlcoholOtherby ProcessSkin Vacuum PackagingShrink Vacuum PackagingOtherTube & Stick Packaging Breakdown Data by ApplicationFood IndustryCosmeticOral IndustryPharmaceutical IndustryTo Buy This Report And Get It Delivered Right In Your InboxThe Report covers in-depth analysis as follows1 Study Coverage2 Executive Summary3 Market Size by Manufacturers4 Tube & Stick Packaging Production by Regions5 Tube & Stick Packaging Consumption by Regions6 Market Size by Type7 Market Size by Application8 Manufacturers Profiles9 Production Forecasts10 Consumption Forecast11 Upstream, Industry Chain and Downstream Customers Analysis12 Opportunities & Challenges, Threat and Affecting Factors13 Key Findings14 AppendixKey Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Tube & Stick Packaging Industry Analysis and Forecast 2018-2025 and its commercial landscape Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations To understand the future outlook and prospects for Tube & Stick Packaging market analysis and forecast 2018-2025.Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About UpMarketResearch:UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States Beverage Refrigeration Market Trend, Revenue & Regional Analysis 2018-2024 By Top Players - Dover Corporation, GE, Electrolux, Whirlpool Corporation, Haier. Beverage Refrigeration Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2111 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2111 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/beverage-refrigeration-market www.gminsights.com/ North America Beverage Refrigeration Market is anticipated to surpass USD 1 billion by 2024. This can be credited to escalating consumption of refreshment drinks and technological improvements in refrigeration systems. In addition, government encouraging utilization of energy-efficient and eco-friendly technologies in refrigerators.Escalating demand for refrigerators to store and serve drinks for social gathering and private events, is a key factor driving beverage refrigeration market growth. Ongoing technological advances to reduce the overall cooling time and consumer demand for distinctive features such as bottom freezer drawer and powerful filtered water will boost beverage refrigeration market. Beverage Refrigeration Market to reach USD 4.5 billion by 2024.Sample copy of this Report @Rising demand to preserve milk in dairy shops will propel coolers demand over the projected timeframe. Diary companies are upgrading their existing capacities, and setting up cold storages along with the processing plant. This will generate the overall revenue over the forecast period.Increasing consumer preference for packaged drinks which are convenient to consume at home will support the product demand. According to recent statistics, the global consumption of packaged drinks was estimated more than 1.05 trillion liters in 2016 and Chinese consumption amounted to about 178.6 billion liters.Beverage Refrigeration Market, By Producto Under counter beverage refrigerator Gliding door Swing Dooro Countertop beverage refrigerator Gliding door Swing dooro Storage beverage refrigeratoro Milk coolersMake an Inquiry for purchasing this Report @Under counter beverage refrigerator was valued at over USD 1 billion in 2016. Product offering such as stainless-steel body or custom panel-ready fronts are stimulating the demand. In addition, better shelving and temperature control will support segment penetration over the forecast period.Manufacturers are anticipated to invest in new product development to comply with new energy standards implemented by the regulatory bodies. Further, increasing penetration of refrigerators that employ specific features such as modifiable shelves to accommodate bottles and cans will boost product sales.Asia Pacific market holds over 20% of overall industry share in 2016. According to industry estimates, the region is anticipated to account for more than two-thirds of the global beverages consumption by 2020. The region accounts for 60% of the world population and increasing consumption will provide lucrative opportunities for manufacturers.Browse Report Summery @Global Beverage Refrigeration Market is fragmented in nature. Key industry players are Electrolux, Daikin Industries, Avanti, Dover Corporation, KingsBottle, Whirlpool Corporation, Edgestar, Haier, Ford and General Electrics. Other Industry participants are Koolatron, Coca-Cola, Danfoss, Gamko, Liebherr, Marvel, Kegco, Danby, Johnson Controls, U-line, HABCO, Allavino, Kenmore, Marvel, United Technologies Corporation and Illinois Tool Works.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: By Paul Roberts, The Seattle Times Oct. 19--For one of the biggest names in Central Washington's bitcoin boom, 12 months has made a world of difference. Last October, Giga Watt was on a scorching upward trajectory. With prices for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies soaring and international investors clamoring for a piece of the digital action, the East Wenatchee-based company had expanded to 62 employees and raised tens of millions of dollars for what it hoped would be a game-changing project: a sprawling campus of 24 prefabricated buildings where would-be crypto "miners" could run their own computers and solve the complicated mathematical algorithms that yield the digital gold. As the pods arose from a muddy site near the Douglas County airport, local government officials talked excitedly about the emergence of a new, 21st-century industry based on the complex "blockchain" technologies that enable bitcoin and other cryptocurrency. Giga Watt and its founder, a former Seattle-area programmer named Dave Carlson, saw themselves on that revolution's cutting edge. Now it's a starkly different picture. Last month, beset by millions of dollars in debt, ongoing legal problems and questions about its unconventional financing, Giga Watt laid off 80 percent of its staff and suspended all construction. Carlson himself stepped down in August. The moves come as the volatile sector, which ignited a small gold rush in the mid-Columbia Basin, is struggling with softening cryptocurrency prices and uncertain costs for its prime "raw material," cheap electricity. The market correction has wiped out many small players and forced even some larger players to rewrite their plans. In the face of rising losses, Giga Watt had to make "some really radical changes," said George Turner, who will run the company until a new CEO is appointed. "It became very clear to us these last few months that we couldn't wait." Carlson declined to be interviewed, but said in a brief message that he left Giga Watt because he "just wasn't able to effect what I felt strongly was the right direction" for the company. Some of Giga Watt's current wounds have been self-inflicted. By the time Carlson departed, the company was reeling under roughly $5 million in debt, much of it to contractors, thanks mainly to construction delays and cost overruns on the pod project, said Turner. Giga Watt has also been hit by several investor lawsuits over its use of a widespread but controversial financial strategy -- known as an "initial coin offering," or ICO -- in which companies raise capital by selling their own, custom-engineered cryptocurrency. Hundreds of investors, many of them from the Seattle area, paid Giga Watt $22.6 million, mainly in the form of bitcoin, etherium and other cryptocurrencies, in exchange for special Giga Watt digital coins or "tokens," Turner said. These tokens entitled the investors to use Giga Watt's hosting services for their own mining computers, at a discounted price, once those services came online, Turner said. After selling the tokens, Giga Watt converted the cryptocurrency it collected into dollars, which the company then used to finance the construction of mining pods, Turner said. The ICO money was on top of another $25 million in backing from Carlson and the company's three other owners, according to Max Smetannikov, a spokesman for co-owner Leonid Markin. All told, some $47 million has been put into Giga Watt, according to figures provided by Smetannikov. But because pod construction has been delayed (to date, only a demonstration pod is actually mining, Turner said), investors have seen little return. ICOs have drawn increased scrutiny from investors and regulators. Because ICOs are largely unregulated, unlike sales of company shares and other securities, there are fears that some cryptocurrency entrepreneurs use ICOs as a way to skirt securities laws. Several of the investors suing Giga Watt, in federal court in Spokane, argue that Giga Watt's ICO sales violated securities laws. Giga Watt's attorney, Barry Kaplan of Seattle, declined to comment. But Giga Watt's woes also reflect broader industrywide challenges that have emerged in the last 12 months. The plunge in cryptocurrency prices -- since its peak in December, Bitcoin has fallen from nearly $20,000 to around $6,300 -- has made it hard for Giga Watt and other hosting firms to raise much-needed capital or attract hosting clients. At the same time, even as mining revenues have declined, the price of electricity is likely to rise as utilities sour on a sector that is increasingly seen as risky. That growing skepticism is evident in the mid-Columbia Basin, where hydroelectric dams in Chelan, Douglas, and Grant counties produce electricity for less than a quarter the national average cost. It was that cheap power that attracted Carlson and a handful of other miners to the agricultural region beginning in 2012. But now, that cheap power has become a liability. As soaring cryptocurrency prices drew more miners with ever more powerful computers, the currencies' underlying mathematical formulas have, by design, grown more complex. They now need vastly more computing power -- and more electricity -- to solve. Since 2012, the cost of power to mine a single bitcoin has climbed from around $2 to more than $2,000, Turner said. But because bitcoin prices were rising even faster, miners were more than willing to pay those power bills. By late 2017, that enthusiasm had transformed the mid-Columbia Basin into a digital boomtown. Would-be miners from as far away as China flooded the three public-power utilities with requests for staggeringly large amounts of electricity. In Grant County alone, miners requested approximately 1,500 megawatts of power -- or nearly three times as much as the county's residents and businesses were using, said Grant County PUD spokesman Ryan Holterhoff. Chelan and Douglas counties have also seen a surge in demand from prospective miners. A megawatt is enough to power around 600 homes. At Giga Watt, Carlson's pod project was slated to use 30 megawatts. Some local officials have argued that cryptocurrency companies were turning megawatts into high-paying tech jobs and tax revenues. But the sector's appetite for power also sparked a backlash among some residents and commercial users. The fear is that cryptocurrency miners will use power that could otherwise be sold more profitably to out-of-state customers -- a pattern that might eventually cause local power rates to rise. Utility officials in Chelan and Grant counties have responded by proposing higher rates for miners. Grant County PUD, for example, has enacted an "evolving industries" rate that, depending on how rapidly the cryptocurrency industry continues to grow in the county, could nearly double power prices for miners. At such high rates, warns Giga Watt's Turner, "frankly, it would no longer be profitable to mine." For Turner, the counties' message is clear: Much of the mid-Columbia Basin no longer wants to be the epicenter of this volatile industry. "They have not said it in those words," Turner said, referring to Grant County's new rate. "But certainly if you look at the decisions coming from the county board, from the PUD now, it's difficult to come to any other conclusion. " Partly for that reason, Turner said, Giga Watt is diversifying its business model. The company plans to use some of its hosting capacity to provide other computing services, such as cloud computing for artificial-intelligence applications. Not everyone in the basin is so bearish on bitcoin. Malachi Salcido, a Wenatchee contractor who owns what is now the basin's largest mining operation, said the current price swoon is merely a "market correction" -- the fourth he has experienced since starting in 2012. He remains heavily invested in cryptocurrency mining: His company, Salcido Enterprises, operates mines in Chelan and Douglas counties with a total of 18 megawatts of mining capacity. He expects to bring on another 24 megawatts of local mining capacity by the end of 2019, and also has plans for substantially more mining capacity in subsequent years. But, Salcido said, much of his future growth will come outside the basin, and he will also shift some computing capacity to other applications, such as artificial intelligence. Giga Watt, meanwhile, seems to be hanging on, at least for the moment. Since the layoffs, the company has rehired seven workers, Turner said. Although three investor lawsuits are pending -- including one filed October 2 -- the company has persuaded some token holders to accept a lower valuation for their tokens, Turner said. Giga Watt is also getting creative in finding revenue. To pay down its debts, the company will begin mining its own bitcoins, rather than merely hosting for other miners. Turner said the company will put roughly 900 computer servers to work and expects to be generating cryptocurrencies worth between $60,000 and $80,000 a month. "That by itself is not going to solve our problems," he acknowledged. "But we've reached the point where we're looking for every possible legitimate stream of revenue" that will "help us dig our way out of this." -- The Seattle Times By CAROLYN HAX Dear Carolyn: My mother-in-law told me she questions her son's (my husband's) paternity. She claims her ex, his father, doesn't know. She said she wanted me to know in case something happens to her and there's a medical reason to know such information. She didn't want to tell him because she fears how it might affect her relationship with him. I feel like I'm keeping a secret from my husband. I don't think it's my place to tell him though. Do I just carry the weight of this information and not say anything? Do I tell her she needs to disclose this to him or I will? -- Carrying the Weight Hax: Explain to her, calmly and kindly, that you understand her concern that telling him might affect her relationship with her son. However -- and unfortunately -- your having this knowledge and keeping it from him has already started to affect your relationship with her son. And you can't have that. You can't hold her secret -- one you never asked for -- in your marriage. Once you spell out the problem for her, then, yes, you say she needs to tell him or you will. I'm sorry you're on this spot. Dear Carolyn: I have a chronic health problem I've been dealing with for a couple years now. I can't eat a whole bunch of things and had some weight loss. A lot of people, even good friends and family, can't just say they're sorry I'm suffering, they have to comment, "You look great!" or even, "I wish I had that problem!" I never wanted to lose weight! And they seem to think I should be happy about this. And the cultural pressure to be slender is so strong I can't complain or just get really mad at them for this "compliment" ... it's infuriating. I don't believe in commenting on people's weight -- good, bad or indifferent. And having them comment on my weight as if it's supposed to somehow offset my suffering is so infuriating. Any clever suggestions? -- Infuriated Hax: Clever, no, but meet my buddy "frank": "The sickest thing here isn't me, it's that our preoccupation with weight is now so profound that my sickness is seen as a blessing." I realize you have much bigger battles to fight than our society's warped values, but if you ever feel up to it, then, please, take a good swing at it. Otherwise, have this handy: "I know you mean well/are just joking, but comments about weight aren't helpful to me." Email Carolyn Hax at tellme@washpost.com, follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carolyn.hax or chat with her online at 9 a.m. Pacific time each Friday at www.washingtonpost.com. (c) 2018, Washington Post Writers Group By Robert Ham | For The Oregonian/OregonLive Jim Kerr, vocalist for Simple Minds, has had only one constant in his life: the artistic partnership of his friend and bandmate Charlie Burchill. "I actually recall the day we met," Kerr said, speaking from New York at the start of his band's North American tour, which hits Portland's Roseland Theater on Saturday, Oct. 27. "We were not even 8 years old. We had just moved to a new street in Glasgow and my parents told us kids to get out and play. So, we went out to the street and there was a group of kids already there and Charlie was one of them." The pair quickly became inseparable, sharing records and going to concerts together, and eventually writing their own songs. "And here we are, 40 years later," Kerr marveled. "Or more!" For a band that has been around for the better part of four decades, Simple Minds is in a very good place. Earlier this year, the group released its 18th studio album, "Walk Between Worlds," an exceptionally strong release that commingles the sounds of modern electronic pop with an already sturdy foundation of post-punk agitation and sparkling pop. The record has received glowing critical notices and gave the band another top 10 album in the U.K. Even as the music on "Worlds" looks forward, the 59-year-old Kerr spent much of the lyrical energy on the album looking in the rearview mirror. The passionate thrall of "Utopia," for example, looks back to the period of his life when he first fell in love with music. On the glammy "Barrowland Star," he recounts the band's earliest blushes with fame and playing a homecoming show at the Barrowland Ballroom in their native Glasgow. "It was colossal for us," Kerr remembered. "I think with two of the guys in the band, their parents met or at least courted each other there. So we literally came from there. It was a really big, big deal." Along this journey, Kerr and Burchill have had each other to celebrate moments like that and to help negotiate the band's rising and falling fortunes. In Europe and the U.K., they built momentum and a fan base steadily, but in North America, Simple Minds had a powerful but small burst of success on the heels of their No. 1 single "Don't You (Forget About Me)" and the 1985 album "Once Upon A Time." The challenge that Simple Minds has had to face as a result is how to keep evolving artistically even as they deal with a music business that would rather they were the same band they were 30 years ago. "The industry that we grew up in has changed beyond all recognition," Kerr said. "But what we do in Simple Minds hasn't changed at all. We look for a melody. We look for a lyric. We look for an atmosphere and emotion. We cobble it together in the form of a song and we record that song and we go around the world playing it. Fortunately that's been our life since 1979. That's the kind of irony around it all. Everything's changed but the thing itself has not changed at all." *** An Evening With Simple Minds: Walk Between Worlds Tour When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 Where: Roseland Theater, 8 N.W. Sixth Ave. Tickets: Start at $50, cascadetickets.com or 855-227-8499. For nearly two decades, Clackamas County has been the place to go to watch explosive Election Night fireworks. From contentious fights over payments for the Sellwood Bridge to pitched battles over the fundamental direction it should take, Clackamas County has reliably served up all the controversy any election-watcher could hope for. Until, that is, this year, when the county's reliably roiled political waters seem smooth as glass. "This is the first election in years when there aren't people calling for the other sides' head," said Jim Moore, director of the Tom McCall Center for Policy Innovation at Pacific University. "All of a sudden, Clackamas County has become the normal of Oregon politics." Much of that is due to the absence of county commissioner races on the Nov. 6 ballot. The composition of the five-member, nonpartisan board was settled in the May primary. Jim Bernard County Chair Jim Bernard said the new board is getting along better because it lacks the insurgent nature brought to county politics by departed commissioners such as John Ludlow and Tootie Smith. "There is a definite sense now that even if you don't agree with someone on some particular issue, you can still work with them toward resolution," Bernard said. "As a result, we've solved or are close to solving a lot of the problems we've been arguing over for the past 15 years." There remains, however, a number of interesting races on the ballot for mayoral and regional city council positions, as well as one for Clackamas County clerk. Here are several that merit special attention: Clackamas County clerk: Sherry Hall has, for the most part, sailed to easy victories since being elected clerk in 2003. Pamela White, her challenger this year, hopes to end that winning streak. "No social media or community engagement comes out of that office," said White, the development and communicators director for the Oregon Citizens Utility Board. "I think the public will embrace my call for a much higher level of accountability and transparency." White, if elected, said she would immediately create the type of "stakeholder task force" she said is commonly used by elected officials to examine issues such as diversity, staffing levels and job performance. White also said she would halt Hall's practice of including her own name on the envelope of vote-by-mail ballots that county voters receive. "I find it pretty astounding that she does that at all," White said. "It reeks of Tammany Hall." Hall defended her tenure, saying she studiously avoids talking politics with members of the public when they come into the clerk's office. And since her name is on the ballot, she won't even go into the elections division processing room when ballots are being opened for counting. "I always take the high road," Hall said. "We'll just see where it goes Election Day." She acknowledged some of her office's past mistakes. Those include misprinted ballots in 2010 that led to expensive reprinting, and accusations by Democrats in 2014 that all marriage licenses issued after same-sex marriage became legal might be invalid because Hall chose to sign them with a stamp instead of a signature. But she staunchly defended her work, calling it decidedly nonpartisan. "Things can be very political in this county and that includes the relatively little-known job of clerk," Hall said. "Personally, I have a strong faith. If God wants me in the job, I'll be here." Tualatin mayor: For the first time in nearly a quarter-century, someone not named Lou Ogden will serve as mayor. Ogden, first elected mayor in 1994, drew an opponent only once during that span. A term-limits measure approved by voters two years ago prevented him from seeking a seventh term. Vying to replace Ogden are Frank Bubenik, 55, a small-business owner, and Paul F. Morrison, 63, a former high school teacher and current stay-at-home dad. Both are sitting members of the Tualatin City Council. Despite disagreements on issues such as Metro's proposed $652 million affordable housing bond Bubenik favors it, Morrison opposes it the contest has remained cordial. "No one is going to get nasty," Bubenik said. "This race is about the issues." Another point of departure concerns TriMet's plans to build a new light-rail line linking Portland's south waterfront with Tigard and beyond to Tualatin. The region's voters will likely be asked in 2020 to help pay for the line. "I'm a big, big fan of light rail," Morrison said. "All of us agree that traffic congestion is one of the biggest problems we face. This is certainly a part of any solution to that." Bubenik said he has no problem with the general route of the so-called Southwest Corridor line, which continues to be studied. But he said he'll remain undecided on the project until better estimates are available regarding how many cars the line will get off the road. While a majority of the voters who will decide the race live in Washington County, a sizable chunk reside in Clackamas County. Wilsonville City Council: The four-candidate race to garner two seats on the council has split, essentially, into two two-person tickets. They pit longtime Wilsonville political figure Charlotte Lehan and David Davis, a medical support assistant at the Portland VA, against registered nurse Ben West and John Budiao, a gas utility electrician. The winning ticket may have a lot to say about whether a controversial and expensive expansion of the nearby Aurora Airport takes off or is grounded altogether. "I'd say that a lot of their candidacy has to do with developing and expanding the airport," said Lehan, a former Wilsonville mayor and Clackamas County commissioner. "And, absolutely, there's a lot at stake." The airport land is in Marion County, but the city of Wilsonville has long opposed the expansion. A tilt in the council, both tickets say, could start the process of reversing that. "We know there's an appetite in Salem for this expansion to happen," West said. "My goal is to give us a seat at the table during mitigation talks, which is happening right now." Dana Tims Portland police are investigating a shooting Sunday morning on the Springwater Corridor Trail, according to a news release. A man said he was confronted by someone on the trail Sunday morning and he shot toward the man. The man reported he used his gun in self defense. Police say that it is unclear whether the second man was hit or not. Police have not found evidence of an injury. The man who was shot at ran off toward a camp of homeless people, according to police. Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call the non-emergency line at 503-823-3333. SEATTLE -- The Army Corps of Engineers has revived an environmental review of a controversial coal-export project in Washington a year after state environmental regulators denied the project a key permit. Washington Ecology Director Maia Bellon expressed concerns about the Corps' decision to restart work on the federal permitting process while some U.S. senators in the coal-producing states of Montana and Wyoming have urged the federal agency to push ahead with permitting the $680 million terminal along the Columbia River to export coal to Asia. The state agency last fall denied Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview a key water quality permit needed for the project. It cited significant and unavoidable harm to the environment, including damage to wetlands and increased vessel traffic. The proposed port would handle up to 44 million metric tons of coal per year. The ongoing fight over the coal-export facility in Longview comes as the Trump administration considers using West Coast military installations or other federal properties as it seeks to pave the way for more U.S. fossil fuel exports to Asia. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told The Associated Press that it's in the interest of national security but officials in West Coast states have rejected private-sector efforts to build new coal ports. Corps spokeswoman Patricia Graesser said that staff is proceeding with the permit evaluation process "while still recognizing that there are actions and outcomes outside of the Corps' control yet to be resolved, including the state's denial of the water quality certification." But Bellon told the Corps last month that it is prevented under the federal Clean Water Act from issuing a permit after a state has denied a water quality certification. In her letter to Col. Mark Geraldi, the Corps' Seattle district commander, she urged him to follow "long-standing Corps procedure and precedent by respecting Washington's decision." Four Republican U.S. senators, including Steve Daines of Montana and Wyoming's Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, have asked the Corps to complete its environmental review and process the permit, while also determining the state has waived its authority to issue a water quality permit. The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians last month passed a resolution opposing the Corps continuing the federal permitting process for the coal-export facility in Longview. Millennium Bulk Terminals and its parent company Utah-based Lighthouse Resources have filed multiple lawsuits in state and federal court to challenge the decision to deny key permits. They have accused state officials, including Bellon and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee of being anti-coal and basing decisions on political considerations. State regulators have dismissed those claims as nonsense, saying they followed state and federal laws to protect the state's people and environment. Wendy Hutchison, Millennium's senior vice president of external affairs, said the Corps' "ongoing permit and design review work demonstrates the Millennium project is continuing to move forward." She added: "We are confident the Army Corps of Engineers will conclude that Millennium will build the terminal the right way." The state and federal government worked separately on environmental reviews of the project. The Corps released a draft report in September 2016 and took public comments soon afterward but never finalized that report. Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky with the Power Past Coal coalition, opposed to new fossil fuel terminals, said the Corps is "attempting an end-run around state laws." Beth_El_Temple.jpg Beth El Temple, site of the Veterans Day weekend events, is located at 2637 N. Front St., Harrisburg. (Facebook) Retired Navy chaplain Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff is the highlight of three days of events that Beth El Temple in Harrisburg is building around this milestone Veterans Day and Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf Scholar in Residence Weekend. Resnicoff, an American Conservative Rabbi who served as a military officer and military chaplain, will culminate his visit around 11 a.m. Nov. 11 at Beth El Temple as part of a morning-long service that also includes breakfast. Resnicoff's address that morning is entitled "Zachor: The Jewish Way to Remember" and it will conclude with a memorial service for "all our veterans of blessed memory." Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff The Sunday event is free and open to the public. Anyone planning to attend the event, which will begin at 9 a.m. with services and then feature breakfast ahead of the Resnicoff address, is asked to RSVP by Nov. 2 to patty@bethelhbg.org. Beth El Temple is located at 2637 N. Front St. Resnicoff served in Vietnam and Europe before attending rabbinical school. He then served as a U.S. Navy chaplain for almost 25 years. He promoted the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and delivered the closing prayer at its 1982 dedication. After retiring from the military, he was national director of interreligious affairs for the American Jewish Committee and served as special assistant to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, serving at the equivalent rank of Brigadier General. He holds several degrees, including an honorary doctorate. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Department of the Air Force Decoration Civilian Service, and the chapel of Four Chaplains Hall of Heroes Gold Medallion. His visit to Harrisburg and Beth El Temple will begin Friday with services at 6 p.m., a Shabbat dinner and lecture at 7 and his first address, entitled "Faith and Foxholes: Religion in the Military." Saturday's events will feature services at 9, a sermon entitled "Faith and Force: Religion, War and Peace," and a Kiddush luncheon to follow at noon. Resnicoff will follow that with reflections on Veterans Day and a question and answer period. Those in the congregation attending the Friday dinner or Saturday luncheon are asked to RSVP by Nov. 2 to patty@bethelhbg.org. Rabbi Eric Cytryn has been serving the congregation at Beth El Temple in Harrisburg since 2003 after holding a similar role in New Orleans and also St. Louis. He said that he's hopeful this inaugural Veterans weekend of events will become a fixture on the November calendar at Beth El Temple. Veterans Day originated as "Armistice Day" on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans -- living or dead -- but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime. Authorities are calling it one of the region's worst cases of financial exploitation of a senior. Kathy A. Garman. On Monday, Dauphin County's Elder Abuse Task Force will hold a press conference about the arrest of a couple accused of stealing more than $153,000 from an 86-year-old family member. The Lower Swatara Township Police charged Chester "Rob" Garman III, 54, and Kathy Alice Garman, 62, of Hocker Drive, Swatara Township, on Oct. 12 with felony theft and access device fraud following an investigation that began in January. The Garmans are accused of using a 86-year-old family member's credit card, accessing his bank accounts and using his bank cards without his knowledge. This is the fourth largest sum of money in a financial exploitation case since the elder abuse task force was formed in 2004. On Monday, task force members, including Dauphin County commissioners Jeff Haste, Mike Pries and George P. Hartwick III, District Attorney Fran Chardo and Area Agency on Aging director Bob Burns, will discuss the case. Elder abuse reports, especially cases involving financial exploitation, are on the rise, and the task force will lay out increased efforts to investigate such crimes, which includes hiring a detective focused solely on elder abuse. County officials say in 2016, 1,564 reports of abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of those 60 or older came in. That number rose to 1,836 in 2017 - a 17 percent increase. The press conference is set for 10 a.m. Monday. Dan Fisher believes there was more to his daughter's death last year than getting struck by an SUV. He believes Maria Fisher, 18, was drugged hours before the accident in Maryland last year. Fisher, of West Hempfield Township, told LancasterOnline.com he is offering a $100,000 reward and has hired a private investigator to find out what happened to his daughter. Maria Fisher was a freshman at the University of Maryland when she was struck by an SUV near campus Oct. 1, 2017. She was taken to the hospital, where she died from her injuries. Not satisfied with the investigation, her father believes she had Gamma Hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, in her system, LancasterOnline reports. "I'm not going to be able to bring Maria back, but I'm trying to do what Maria would do, which is help others," Fisher told LancasterOnline. Prince George County Police told LancasterOnline an autopsy found GHB in her system, but it was within the range of a naturally-occurring amount. Police say they went "above and beyond" in their investigation and in addressing Fisher's concerns, according to reports. Fisher started a Facebook page in his efforts to learn more about his daughter's death. U.S. Rep. Scott Perry's, R-10th District, new ad criticizes Democratic challenger George Scott's support of single-payer healthcare. As a blogger on healthcare reform at FixUSHealthcare.blog, I welcome Rep. Perry's focus on this issue. But I judge that his ad is misleading at best, and plain wrong at worst. Rep. Perry's ad features a disgruntled Brit-turned-American criticizing the U.K.'s National Health Service as delivering poor quality, causing long delays, imposing high costs, and inflicting unnecessary deaths. However, a survey of her compatriots showed that a majority considers the NHS a "national treasure." True, overall satisfaction dropped to 57% in 2017, down from 70% in 2010, and many complained about wait times. But they expressed satisfaction with quality, NHS staff attitude, and range of available treatments. Regards expense, England's payment for healthcare via taxes averages $4,192 per capita. Americans pay about the same in taxes, but also pay additional premiums, co-pays and deductibles, totaling $10,348 per capita. Regards mortality, Rep. Perry is dead wrong and deathly wrong. Three quasi-experimental population studies since the early 2000's showed a 6% reduction in mortality over 5 years after expanding Medicaid coverage. Health insurance saves lives. Being uninsured harms life expectancy and quality of life, not to mention risks bankruptcy. Candidates can debate the best path to affordable healthcare for all Americans, whether an NHS-style government-run health system, a single-payer Medicare-for-all public-private hybrid, or ACA-type incremental steps. But they should not cloud the issues with inaccurate information. And they should focus on practicality not ideology. DUNCAN S. MacLEAN MD, South Lebanon Township Petoskey to have second leaf pickup later this week 1.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Trump could barely hide his jealousy over the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, rounding up and arresting his political opposition. Trump tweeted: I have great confidence in King Salman and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, they know exactly what they are doing. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2017 .Some of those they are harshly treating have been milking their country for years! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2017 What Mohammed bin Salman is doing is rounding up his political opposition that may challenge him for the throne. Under the guise of anti-corruption sweep, the crown prince is consolidating his power and removing political opponents. Donald Trump had crowds chanting lock her up at his rallies in 2016, but bin Salman really is locking them up. This is not the kind of behavior that the United States of America should be endorsing, but it is what Trump wishes he could do his opponents in the United States. The leaders that Trump idolizes on the world stage are all authoritarians. Trump has praised Putin, the Chinese leadership, and now the Saudi crown prince. Trump is an enemy of democracy, and his jealous admiration toward events in Saudi Arabia should worry every American. By Steve Holland and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) Six days after Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappeared, U.S. President Donald Trump tried to play down the crisis, saying hopefully that will sort itself out. It did not, and on Oct. 10, amid a growing outcry, Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and national security adviser John Bolton pressed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, in what one U.S. official described as a stern phone call, to identify who was responsible for Khashoggis disappearance or death. Trump then seemed to give Saudi Arabia the benefit of the doubt, suggesting rogue killers may have been to blame and criticizing a growing view that this was a case of state murder. He changed his tone once again late this week, raising the prospect of sanctions against Riyadh. But when Saudi Arabia finally admitted on Saturday that Khashoggi was dead, saying he was killed in a fight inside the consulate, Trump said the official explanation was credible even as Republican and Democratic lawmakers responded with anger and disbelief. Over the last two weeks, Trump has at times spoken of punishing Saudi Arabia but appeared reluctant to follow through against a close economic and security ally in the Middle East, a key player in ensuring the stability of global oil markets, and a major customer of arms deals that he says are tremendous. Trumps dug himself into a hole, said Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East adviser to both Democratic and Republican administrations. He will have to take some kind of action. Behind the scenes, though, Trumps aides scrambled to craft a response, especially as the bipartisan outcry in the Washington establishment grew. When news of Khashoggis disappearance first broke, aides made clear to White House chief of staff John Kelly that the case was not going away, two senior White House officials said. Kushner, who had cultivated a close personal relationship with the crown prince, commonly known as MbS, urged Trump to act with caution to avoid upsetting a critical strategic and economic relationship, a senior administration official said. Kushner was heavily involved in making Saudi Arabia Trumps first stop on his maiden international trip as president last year. As grim allegations emerged from Turkey about Khashoggis death and the Saudis stuck to their denials, Trump felt pressure from congressional Democrats and some of his own Republicans. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican close to Trump, accused MbS of ordering Khashoggis murder and called him a wrecking ball jeopardizing relations with the United States. When Riyadh came out with its official version of what happened inside the consulate, Graham quickly tweeted he was skeptical of the new Saudi narrative. NOT A U.S. CITIZEN Trump sought to justify his muted response by pointing out the incident occurred in Turkey and that Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and columnist for the Washington Post, was not a United States citizen. Critics accused Trump of trying to give the Saudis diplomatic cover and buy time for them to get their story straight, something Trumps aides denied. At the same time, Peter Navarro, Trumps White House trade chief and architect of his Buy American policy to ease restrictions on foreign arms sales, was stressing the importance of Saudi weapons deals and the implications for U.S. jobs, another administration official told Reuters. Trump repeatedly touted the $110 billion in weapons deals he announced during his visit to Saudi Arabia last year, and insisted around 500,000 U.S. jobs were at stake. Experts have dismissed the sales and jobs numbers as highly exaggerated. Some Trump aides raised doubts about the veracity of the Turkish governments leaks of what it says happened to Khashoggi. But as the days dragged on and evidence of Khashoggis death mounted, Trumps view began to shift, White House officials said. He ordered Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to drop what he was doing and fly to Riyadh for talks at mid-week, and was then briefed by him at the White House on Thursday. Critics slammed Pompeo for appearing to hold court in a festive manner with MbS, undercutting the severity of the U.S. message. But one senior White House official countered, saying Pompeo told the Saudi royals that you need to give us some legitimate information soon, people arent just going to let it drag on. Speaking to reporters during a trip to Arizona on Friday, Trump said he was ready to listen to what Congress has to say about actions to be taken in the Khashoggi case, yet also made clear he wanted to continue to protect defense contracts, and U.S. jobs dependent on them. Congress has already triggered a mechanism for the U.S. Treasury Department to consider human rights sanctions against Saudi Arabia and some lawmakers have vowed to block further arms sales to Riyadh, a move that Trump is likely to oppose. (Reporting By Matt Spetalnick and Steve Holland, additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Yara Bayoumy, Tomasz Janowski and Angus MacSwan) 235 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard ELKO, Nev. (Reuters) President Donald Trump said on Saturday the United States will exit the Cold-War era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty that eliminated a class of nuclear weapons, in a move that is likely to upset Russia. The INF treaty, negotiated by then-President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1988, required elimination of short-range and intermediate-range nuclear and conventional missiles by both countries. Russia has not, unfortunately, honored the agreement so were going to terminate the agreement and were going to pull out, Trump told reporters after a rally in Nevada. Washington believes Moscow is developing and has deployed a ground-launched system in breach of the INF treaty that could allow Moscow to launch a nuclear strike on Europe at short notice. Russia has consistently denied any such violation. Trump said the United States will develop the weapons unless Russia and China agree to a halt on development. China is not a party to the treaty and has invested heavily in conventional missiles as part of an anti-access/area denial strategy, while the INF has banned U.S possession of ground- launched ballistic missiles or cruise missiles of ranges between 500 and 5,500 km (311 and 3,418 miles). Trumps national security adviser, John Bolton, will visit Moscow next week. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Alistair Bell) 531 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Amnesty International and several other leading global human rights organizations are calling for the United Nations to investigate the killing of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In addition to Amnesty International, the groups include the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders. They have joined together to ask Turkey to pressure the U.N. to open up a formal investigation into Khashoggis death. Khoshoggi was living in the United States and writing for the Washington Post when he visited Istanbul, Turkey on October 2nd. He entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and has not been seen since. Saudi Arabia initially denied any involvement in his disappearance and after 17 days admitted they knew he was dead, and have denied any involvement in the killing. Saudi Arabia has now acknowledged that Khashoggi died inside its consulate in Istanbul. But the human rights groups are saying that the Saudi governments explanation that Khashoggi died during a fight inside the consulate is not credible. The investigation findings by the Saudi authorities claiming that Khashoggi died as a result of a fist-fight inside the consulate are not trustworthy, Samah Hadid, director of Amnesty Internationals Middle East campaigns, said in a press release. We call on the Saudi Arabian authorities to immediately produce Jamal Khashoggis body so an autopsy can be performed by independent forensic experts in accordance with international standards, Hadid added. Turkish authorities have claimed that the journalist, who was a resident of Virginia and served as an opinion contributor to The Washington Post, was ambushed and killed by Saudi operatives and had his body dismembered. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement Friday that he was deeply troubled by the official explanation for Khashoggis death, and called for a transparent investigation while not saying whether the U.N would conduct its own. The Secretary-General stresses the need for a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Khashoggis death and full accountability for those responsible, Guterress press secretary said in a statement. President Trump has said that he believes the Saudi explanation for Khashoggis death is credible. He also said that he would prefer some form of sanction on Saudi Arabia but made clear he also wants to protect U.S. arms sales to the Saudis, which total over $100 billion. 503 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard A senior Saudi government official speaking to Reuters news agency has offered new details concerning the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2nd. Amid scepticism, Saudi official provides another version of Khashoggi death https://t.co/OoNNzCYrXi Reuters Top News (@Reuters) October 21, 2018 The latest account was provided by a Saudi official who requested anonymity. His story includes more information about how the team of 15 Saudi nationals sent to confront Khashoggi in Istanbul had threatened him with being drugged and kidnapped and then killed him in a chokehold when he resisted. He said a Saudi team member dressed up in Khashoggis own clothes so that it would look like the journalist had left the consulate. This was never seen on any surveillance tape, however. According to this new account Khashoggis body was placed on a rug that was rolled up and given to someone else who disposed of the body. This person was described as a local cooperator with the Saudis, and was not named. When Reuters asked the anonymous official whether Khashoggi had been dismembered before being killed, he said that conclusion was not shown by preliminary results of the investigation. According to Reuters: The Saudi official presented what he said were Saudi internal intelligence documents which appeared to show the initiative to bring back dissidents as well as the specific one involving Khashoggi. He also showed testimony from those involved in what he described as the 15-man teams cover-up, and the initial results of an internal probe. He did not provide proof to substantiate the findings of the investigation and the other evidence. When asked why the Saudi governments story has changed several times after Khashoggis disappearance, the unnamed Saudi official had a ready excuse. He claims that the governments incorrect account of Khashoggis disappearance was not their fault but was based on false information reported internally at the time. Once it became clear these initial mission reports were false, it launched an internal investigation and refrained from further public comment, he said. The official then added that the investigation into the details concerning Khashoggis killing is ongoing. The Saudis are now saying that they were trying to convince Khashoggi to return to Saudi Arabia. He had moved to the United States just a year ago when he began fearing for his safety. The government is now claiming their conversations with Khashoggi were part of a larger program they started to prevent Saudi dissidents from being recruited by enemies. This is why, the official said, the Saudi General Intelligence Presidency sent a 15-member team to Istanbul. He said they merely wanted to meet Khashoggi at the consulate and try to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia. There is a standing order to negotiate the return of dissidents peacefully; which gives them the authority to act without going back to the leadership the official said. According to the plan, the team could hold Khashoggi in a safe house outside Istanbul for a period of time but then release him if he ultimately refused to return to Saudi Arabia, the official said. Things went wrong from the start. Khashoggi refused to cooperate and the Saudi intelligence team didnt follow their orders and then became violent, the official said. According to their account, during the discussion Khashoggi raised his voice and members of the Saudi intelligence team panicked. Trying to restrain him, they placed him in a chokehold and covered his mouth. They tried to prevent him from shouting but he died, the official said. The intention was not to kill him. To cover up Khashoggis death, the Saudis rolled up Khashoggis body in a rug and removed it by using a consular vehicle. Once outside the consulate compound they gave the body to a local cooperator for disposal, the official said. He said the local cooperator is an Istanbul resident but would not reveal his identity or his nationality. According to the official Saudi investigators are still attempting to locate Khashoggis body. The official said that one of the Saudi operatives put on Khashoggis clothes, eyeglasses and Apple watch and left through the back door of the consulate. He said they were trying to make it look like Khashoggi had walked out on his own accord, and was still alive. Reportedly the Saudi intelligence team then wrote a false report for their superiors within the Saudi intelligence agency. They falsely wrote that they had allowed Khashoggi to leave after he threatened to get Turkish authorities involved. All 15 Saudi intelligence agents immediately left Turkey before Khashoggis death could be discovered. The official said all 15 team members had been detained and placed under investigation, along with three other local individuals who were involved in the incident. 2.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The battle for the U.S. Senate may come down to Nevada where the race between Senate candidates Dean Heller and Jacky Rosen is a dead heat. In fact, the headline in The Huffington Post this morning reads Nevada Senate Race Down to the Wire. If the Democrat Rosen can win in Nevada, and if Democrats also take Republican senate seats in Arizona and Tennessee, then there is a chance Chuck Schumer could become the Senate Majority Leader starting in January. The Democrats would win control of the Senate with these three victories, even if they lose one current seat, such as the one currently held by Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota. And now after one day of early voting in Nevada things are looking really good for the Democrats chances of picking up a seat there. Veteran Nevada political report Jon Ralston reported on a turnout surge during the first day of early voting. Ralston tweeted: Early voting in the Democratic stronghold of Clark County is going to be at least triple what it was in 2014. Looks more like a presidential year. Big show for first day and it peters out? Or a sign of whats to come? Early voting in the Democratic stronghold of Clark County is going to be at least triple what it was in 2014. Looks more like a presidential year. Big show for first day and it peters out? Or a sign of whats to come? Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) October 21, 2018 According to Ralston, these stunning early voting numbers are a very good omen for Democrats. After he reviewed the results last night he sent out another tweet, saying: Been watching early voting a long time and I dont think I have ever seen Dems win Washoe by 15 points 49-34. Its NVs swing county, GOP has 2 percent edge. Its only one day, we still need to see Clark. But that is a bad omen for Repubs. Been watching early voting a long time and I dont think I have ever seen Dems win Washoe by 15 points 49-34. Its NVs swing county, GOP has 2 percent edge. Its only one day, we still need to see Clark. But that is a bad omen for Repubs. Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) October 21, 2018 Not only that, but the final voter registration numbers for Nevada also show Democrats with 598,174 registered voters to the Republican Partys 523,251 a registration advantage of nearly 75,000. This is a big increase over the last election, and shows the impact of strong Democratic Party voter registration efforts in the state. And to cap off the good news for Democrats in Nevada, on Saturday it was reported that Republican governor nominee Adam Laxalt, the states current Attorney General, may be facing disbarment because he did not report to the Nevada State Bar Association two times he had been arrested. This additional scandal, just two weeks before a tight election, is not what Nevada Republicans either needed or wanted right now. As the Huffington Post said today, Heller could squeak by to his second term if turnout mirrors low levels seen in past midterm elections. But it looks like turnout will be anything but low. Both registrations and early voting for Democrats appear to be at record highs. If turnout numbers continue to be high then it is very likely that Rosen, and other Democrats, will win their races in Nevada. And if that happens there is a realistic chance that Democrats will also win control of the U.S. Senate. 400 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard President Trump is reportedly very unhappy with the relationship between his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. In fact, according to an account of a phone interview with the Washington Post late Saturday, Trump believes that Kushner is more of a liability than an asset, and he is hurting relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia. New tensions have arisen due to the unexplained disappearance and reported death of exiled Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump had told originally told reporters on Friday that he believed the Saudi explanation to be credible. In Saturday conversations, however, unnamed U.S. officials reported that Trump has privately grimaced that Kushners acknowledged close relationship with the Saudi crown prince has done more harm than good, and Kushner has left the White House with no good options. In the Post interview, Trump defended Kushner as doing a very good job but acknowledged that he and the crown prince, both in their 30s, are relatively young for the amount of power they wield. Theyre two young guys. Jared doesnt know him well or anything. They are just two young people. They are the same age. They like each other, I believe, Trump said. According to the Post: The Trump administration made its relationship with Mohammed a linchpin of its Middle East policy, relying on him to help strike a peace deal between the Palestinians and Israelis and unite the Arab world against Iran. Now, the Saudi governments handling of the killing of a Washington Post contributing columnist has tarnished Mohammeds image as the Trump administration is questioning the value of its high-profile partnership with him. Khashoggi, a Saudi national, was a U.S. resident and writer for the Post. He disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Saudi explanations for his disappearance have met with widespread speculation. There is now evidence suggesting that Khashoggi was killed at Mohammeds order as part of his crackdown on dissenters in his kingdom. The crown prince and Kushner have been meeting together for years, and the presidential son-in-law has promoted the young heir to the Saudi throne as a good potential partner for the U.S.. While the relationship between Kushner and Mohammed was initially seen as furthering U.S. Middle East policies, that is no longer the case. Many inside the Trump administration are now questioning if the partnership is worth tying itself to the tainted image of the young crown prince. CNN reported earlier this week that Kushner had private correspondence with Mohammed through private channels. This is not permitted under U.S. guidelines, and the lack of information concerning Kushners communications has raised serious concerns among administration officials. A White House spokesperson, however, said that Kushner has always meticulously followed protocols and collaborated with colleagues regarding the relationship with [Crown Prince Mohammed] and all of the other foreign officials with whom he interacts. That may or may not be true. But one thing that has become clear is that Jared Kushner has been pursuing his own agenda with Mohammed and Saudi Arabia, and this may not be in the best interests of the United States. 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. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High near 75F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 54F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. As Scott has noted, the official Saudi explanation for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi is that he died in a fistfight at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey. Thats plausible. Few of us would be likely to survive a fistfight against more than a dozen vengeful Saudi agents and a hacksaw. Khashoggis demise raises questions for the U.S. about our future relations with the Saudis. It might also raise questions for Saudi Arabia about whether, assuming that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is responsible for the fistfight, it wants to be led by a guy whose judgment is poor enough to have pulled this caper. Khashoggi was a nuisance for the regime, nothing much more. To bring down the consequences that will flow, even in a best case for the Saudis, from murdering him smacks of paranoia. It ill-serves both Saudi and American interests for the Kingdom to be ruled by an immoral paranoid. Thats a decision for the Saudi ruling family/class to make, not the U.S. David Von Drehle of the Washington Post says we should use our considerable influence to steer [Saudi Arabias old king] to a new succession plan. Maybe. Theres obviously a downside to MbS (again, assuming hes responsible for the fistfight. But there is also a downside to (1) backing another horse if MbS prevails and (2) backing another horse if that horse prevails and turns out to be worse than MbS in terms of American interests. This Washington Post report suggests that, thanks to his reforms, MbS remains popular in Saudi Arabia even now that, in a reversal of position, he admits Saudi intelligence operatives killed Khashoggi in that fistfight. The Saudi ruling family/class might reasonably conclude that it should stick with him. The U.S., I think, should mete out to Saudi Arabia the punishment it deems appropriate given the gravity of the offense and our interest in not destroying our relationship with Saudi Arabia. The Saudi king and other key players can then figure out whether MbS should rule the country. I was asked by our local chapter of the Cardozo Society an affinity group of Jewish lawyers of which I am a member to speak over lunch as a counterpart to ABA Foundation Fellow and historian Victoria Saker Woeste on the subject of fake news at the societys October 8 continuing legal education program. Ms. Woeste was the featured speaker. Her theme was that the term fake news is anti-Semitic in origin and that President Trumps use of it, knowingly or not, is wrongful. Her talk expanded on her Washington Post column (accessible via Outline here) making this argument. Following her presentation I noted that the theme of fake news had originally been introduced after the election by Democrats who used it to describe stories representing Russian interference in the election. The term was used as a gibe against Trump, I noted, and he had simply appropriated it and made it his own. I reviewed two case studies in fake news that are familiar to Power Line readers, Rathergate and the smearing of Cleta Mitchell. I passed out materials accompanying my talk that documented the smearing of Cleta Mitchell, the calling out of the smear by the Wall Street Journal and Cletas email correspondence with the perpetrators at McClatchy News (embedded at the bottom). Though there is nothing new here, I thought some readers might find my remarks of interest as the song remains the same: As a Trump supporter fighting in the trenches every day against what the president calls fake news, I think we are suffocating in it. I couldnt disagree more with the thesis that what we have here is a veiled exercise in anti-Semitism. I come at the issue from a different angle. For purposes of historical context, I would propose that the problem of fake news goes back to the birth of the press in the United States. See, for example, Eric Burnss brilliant popular history of the press in the founding era, Infamous Scribblers. In the nineteenth century newspapers were frankly partisan. Newspapers gave one-sided versions of the news. The progressive era superimposed the idea of professionalism and impartiality over the reporting function of the newspaper, but I think what we have seen for a long time now is something like a reversion to the norm in the press. We have a partisan press in all but name with a pretense to fairness or objectivity. The pretense to fairness compounds the problem of fake news and accounts for the antipathy a lot of us feel toward it. It has nothing to do with anti-Semitism. Trump isnt Hitler. The whole Trump is Hitler thing is a tired trope recycled by the left from the days of Ronald Reagan and then George W. Bush. They werent Hitler either. Drawing on my own experience I want briefly to present two case studies in fake news and fabricated documents. Case Study 1: Rathergate My first case study is the episode known as Rathergate. It represents one of the great journalistic frauds of our time. It is a case study in the fabrication of fake news and partisan bias. The Rathergate scandal erupted from a 60 Minutes Wednesday segment rushed to air on the evening of September 8, 2004, in time to influence the approaching presidential election pitting George W. Bush against John Kerry, as it was clearly intended to do. The segment consisted of two parts that didnt quite fit together except in their antipathy to Bush. In the first part, based on an interview with the vice chairman of Kerrys national finance committee, Rather essentially claimed that political influence had been brought to bear to secure Bushs admission to the Texas Air National Guard as an interceptor jet pilot in 1968. In the second part, based on documents supposedly from the personal file of Bushs commanding officer, Rather reported that Bush had defied an order to take a physical necessary to maintain his flight status and, among other things, thus failed to discharge his military obligations. The segment was produced and written by Mary Mapes. In researching the story, Mapes had interviewed witnesses with firsthand knowledge of the Texas Air National Guards personnel needs. She was told that they needed pilots at the time and that no influence would have been necessary to secure Bushs admission. The documents on which Rather based the second segment proved to be fabricated on Microsoft Word in the computer era, not typewritten in the early 1970s by Bushs commanding officer or anyone else. The content and format of the documents also betrayed their fabrication. The story began to fall apart within a few hours of its broadcast. On September 20, 12 days after the broadcast, Rather extended an apology personally and directly to viewers for his inability to authenticate the documents. To investigate what happened, CBS commissioned a panel chaired by former attorney general Richard Thornburgh and former Associated Press president Lou Boccardi. Released in January 2005, the report provides evidence proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the entire segment was false and/or fraudulent from beginning to end. Mapes was promptly fired as were three other executives with responsibility for the story. Rather stepped down from the CBS Evening News in March 2005 and was let go from the network the following year. Writing about the 60 Minutes segment on the morning after the broadcast on Power Line, I posted a brief item linking to the 60 Minutes story and the PDF copies of the documents that CBS had made available with the online version of the story. Thinking there might be something more to be said about it than what 60 Minutes had reported, I called my post The 61st Minute and published it on Power Line at 7:51 a.m. Together with my colleague John Hinderaker, I updated the post with additional information provided by readers and fellow bloggers through the early afternoon. By noon, anyone following along online could see that the 60 Minutes segment had been based on fabricated documents and falsehoods. The 60 Minutes segment, reported with great earnestness by Rather, had been produced by knaves or fools, or both. Rather and Mapes nevertheless persuaded CBS News to stick with the story for nearly two weeks before Rather rendered his on-air apology. In his 2012 memoir Rather Outspoken thats the title he gave it; it should have been Rather Full of It Rather reveals that he didnt mean it. Both he and Mapes stand behind the story and the authenticity of the documents. Mapes too wrote a memoir standing by the story (Truth and Duty, published in late 2005). In 2015 Hollywood made a film out of Mapess memoir starring Robert Redford as Rather and Cate Blanchett as Mapes. They called the film Truth, purporting to tell the Rathergate story from the inside. Despite Mapess responsibility for perpetrating a shocking journalistic fraud, the film portrays Mapes as a heroic figure. Mapes not only gets a stellar actress to play her, she is portrayed as a martyr to the First Amendment and a victim of corporate cowardice. By contrast, the film portrays the attorneys who supported the work of Thornburg and Boccardi as cartoon villains. The events depicted in the film had happened only 10 years before, but the ignorance of the reviewers who took the film at face value demonstrated that the truth behind Truth was as obscure as ancient Greek history. When President Trump refers to fake news, he has in mind something like the cast of characters and the insane bias that brought us Rathergate. Case study 2: The smearing of Cleta Mitchell The state of the art has evolved. I take as my second case study the smearing of Cleta Mitchell earlier this year by McClatchy News. I think it opens a window onto the Russia hoax in which we have been embroiled for the past two years. When I refer to the Russia hoax, I mean the proposition that the Trump campaign worked with organs of the Russian government to support Trumps election as president. I have a package of documents, CLE style for this case study. The Russia hoax is a product of the Clinton presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee. They worked through Glenn Simpson and his opposition research firm Fusion GPS. Since the campaign Simpson and Fusion GPS have continued to retail the Russia hoax with the financial support of a Democratic outfit called the Penn Quarter Group, run by former Dianne Feinstein staffer Dan Jones. Fusion GPS is a firm that does opposition research for hire. Glenn Simpson is the former Wall Street Journal investigative reporter who is a principal and co-founder of the firm. Simpsons work for the Clinton campaign and the DNC took place with funds laundered by the Perkins Coie law firm a cutout that was to guard against the disclosure of the source of the work. We werent supposed to know. Simpson hired former British intelligence official Christopher Steele to lend him a hand with his Russian sources. We werent supposed to know. Simpson and Fusion GPS have continued to peddle the Russia hoax to Congress and the media. They planted the March 15 McClatchy news story by Peter Stone and Greg Gordon on the prominent Washington attorney Cleta Mitchell. Cleta is a partner at the Washington office of Foley & Lardner and an expert in campaign finance law. The McClatchy article is the first item in my package: Lawyer who worked for NRA said to have had concerns about groups Russia ties. The McClatchy story related that unnamed congressional investigators were looking into Cletas alleged concerns about the National Rifle Associations funneling of funds to the Trump campaign. The only problem with the story is that Cleta had no such concerns and the NRA did not funnel Russian funds to the Trump campaign. Other than that, perfect. On September 1 the Wall Street Journal published an editorial decrying the wrong done to Cleta in connection with the Russia investigation(s). The Journal editorial is Anatomy of a Fusion Smear. It immediately follows the McClatchy story in my documents package. I know and respect Cleta. She is an incredibly straightforward person, and not just by the standards of the legal profession. Having read the Journals September 1 editorial, I wrote Cleta to ask if she had anything she wanted to add to it. Oh, yes. Indeed she did. My email and her response are in the package as well. Cleta forwarded a copy of her email correspondence with McClatchy reporters Peter Stone and Greg Gordon before and after their publication of the story retailing Simpsons smear. I pasted it into a single document. These emails make up the bulk of the documents in my package. If you have the interest, you can read them and come to your own conclusion about the smear. I included just about all of them because I think you you can see with your own eyes that Stone and Gordon had nothing to back up the substance of their smear. I think the email messages make out the essential falsity of the McClatchy story. The smear was planted with McClatchy by Fusion GPSs Glenn Simpson in his accustomed style. Kim Strassel first called out Simpson and McClatchy in her March 22 Potomac Watch/WSJ column. She updated her argument in the September 30 Wall Street Journal editorial that I have put in my documents package immediately following the McClatchy story. The editorial traces the smear of Cleta to Glenn Simpson and Fusion GPS. Cleta also forwarded a copy of the April 24 letter from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to her this past April. In the letter the committee requested records of her contacts with specified Russian and Russian entities. Cleta responded to the committee by letter dated May 8, 2018. That letter is the last two pages of my package. In her letter Cleta wrote: I have nothing whatsoever to say on this topic other than it is a lie, completely fabricated and concocted by Glenn Simpson & Co. You should be pursuing them for perjury and for making false statements to congressional investigators. Recall that the so-called Steele Dossier at the heart of the FBI investigation of the Trump campaign was commissioned by Glenn Simpson and GPS Fusion for the Clinton campaign. The Steele Dossier consists of 30-plus pages of memos prepared by Christopher Steele for Simpson and Fusion GPS that relate the story of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. Steeles purported sources include Russian intelligence officers and officials of the Putin government. It is hard to take the Steele memos at face value. If they are what they purport to be, one would be a fool to believe that they are anything but Russian disinformation. This is the point: the smearing of Cleta Mitchell by Glenn Simpson via McClatchy News replicates in small the techniques that Simpson used to conjure the Russia hoax and roil the United States over the past two years. The Fusion smear follows a template with four hallmarks in the news stories that disseminate it: The story is based on two vaguely described anonymous sources. In the McClatchy story by Peter Stone and Greg Gordon smearing Cleta they appear as sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. By the way, that is a lie too. The story reports that some government authority is investigating something. The fact that the something has been planted by Fusion GPS with the government authority is kept from the reader. The story is pegged to an investigation that is itself vaguely described. The story supports the merits of the Steele/Trump dossier or some other Fusion conspiracy theory. My thesis is that this is Glenn Simpsons world and were all just living in it. It is the world of fake news. The smearing of Cleta Mitchell is a sidebar to the Russia hoax. She is just collateral damage. And Simpson is still on the case. Former Dianne Feinstein staffer Dan Jones raised $50 million to fund the work of Fusion GPS after the 2016 election. The mission continues unabated. Cleta Mitchell-McClatchy Em by on Scribd The Nigeria Police Force on Wednesday said it arrested eight suspected ritual killers, including a woman with 11 human skulls in Ilorin, Kwara. Jimoh Moshood, the Force Public Relations Officer, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja. He listed the suspects as: Azeez Yakubu, principal suspect, Ahmed Yahaya, Abdulfatai Kadri ( Vigilante Commander), Aishat Yunisa, Lukman Saka, Abdulganiyu Bamidele, Soliu Ayinde and Abdulrasaq Babamle. Mr Moshood said items recovered from the suspects included 11 human skulls, human bones, powder suspected to be human bones, human hair and some charms. He said that the arrest followed complaints to the police in Ilorin of missing persons, kidnappings, and killings for ritual purposes. The spokesman said that upon the arrival of the police joint investigation team in Ilorin on October 5, Yakubu, the principal suspect, was arrested after a search was conducted in his No. 20 Ile Opa residence. He added that during the search, 11 human skulls, some pieces of human bones, human hair and powder suspected to be grounded human bones and charms were recovered in the house. Mr Moshood said that the suspects were also involved in exhuming dead bodies from graves in the community and removing their vital body parts for sale to prominent personalities. The suspects confessed and admitted to have sold 31 human heads to some personalities in Ilorin and other towns in the state and other states, he said. The officer added that all the suspects made confessional statements to the police on the various roles they played in the crime. He said that investigation was ongoing and efforts were being made to arrest other suspects mentioned by the suspects who were still at large. The spokesman added that the suspects would be arraigned on completion of investigation. Speaking to reporters, Mr Yakubu said Mr Kadri had brought 20 human skulls that he exhumed from the Ilorin community central cemetery. He said that he usually brings them in batches of four, six, and eight for safe keeping and collects them within a day or two. Mr Yakubu said that Mr Kadri also informed him of personalities in Ilorin and other parts of the state that he supplies the parts to. (NAN) The Kaduna State Police Command said on Saturday that the abductors of the traditional ruler of Adara chiefdom had killed four people on his entourage before going away with the monarch. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Agom Adara, Maiwada Galadima, and his wife were kidnapped at Maikyali village along Kaduna -Kachia road in Kachia Local Government area of the state. The Command Public Relations Officer, Yakubu Sabo. told NAN in Kaduna that the incident happened on October 19, at about 6:30 p.m.. According to him, some armed men intercepted the convoy of the traditional ruler and opened fire, forcing them to stop. In the process, his police orderly and three others in the vehicles were shot dead. The bandits took away the royal father and his wife Mrs Victoria to unknown destination. He disclosed that a team of police officers led by the DPO in Kachia rushed to the scene and evacuated the victims to Kachia General Hospital. Also combine teams of Police, Military and local Vigilante alongside the Anti Kidnapping Unit were mobilised to comb the general area and mount surveillance with a view to rescuing the victims and arresting the criminals. The IGP IRT were also contacted for technical assistance in tracking the bandits. He appealed to the general public to assist the police with useful information towards ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice. He added that the Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdur-Rahman had commiserated with the families of the victims and vowed to ensure that the perpetrators were arrested and prosecuted. (NAN) Nigerias ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) made at least N6.9 billion from the sale of forms for the presidential, governorship, senatorial, and House of Representative aspirants, PREMIUM TIMES can report. The ruling party is yet to declare how much it made in total from sale of forms and is only legally mandated to do so to the electoral commission, INEC, when it submits its annual report. However, the earnings were calculated from public reports by the partys National Working Committee. The review does not, however, contain the amount the national headquarters made from sale of forms to House of Assembly aspirants in the 36 states. The review indicate that the APC made N3.59 billion from 160 governorship aspirants. Also, the 282 candidates cleared to contest for the senatorial tickets paid a total of N1.95 billion for purchase of nomination and indication of interest forms respectively. The party also made at least N1.39 billion from House of Representatives aspirants, while its sole presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, got his forms for N45 million. The cost of obtaining the partys expression of interest and nomination forms for the presidential ticket was N45 million, N22.5 million for governorship, N7 million for senatorial forms and N3.85 million for House of Representative forms. The party had also announced a 50 per cent discount for female aspirants and physically-challenged contestants. The details show that while the list of screened governorship aspirants had a woman; the cleared senatorial aspirants list had 21 women. Despite criticisms of the high cost of nomination forms by aspirants and activists, the APC justified the fees saying it needed the money for its campaigns. GOVERNORSHIP INCOME The APC on September 27 released the list of all governorship aspirants who purchased its forms for the 2019 election. The 160 names included both those cleared for the primaries and those disqualified including two serving ministers. At N22.5 million each, the total amount made from the sale of the 160 forms would be N3.6 billion. With 21 governorship aspirants, Borno topped the list of states with the highest number of aspirants. Borno State is closely followed by Taraba with 12 governorship candidates. However, the then minister of women affairs, Aisha Alhassan, who was among the aspirants screened out of the race enjoyed a 50 per cent discount based on the APCs gender consideration. The party thus made N258.75 million from sale of governorship forms to Taraba aspirants. Nasarawa State came third on the list with 11 governorship candidates, whose forms were worth N247.5 million. President Muhammadu Buhari [Photo: The News (Nigeria)] Gombe, Zamfara, Ebonyi and Imo states had nine contestants each for the governorship position, worth N202.5 million from each of the respective states. Oyo State produced eight prospective governorship aspirants, whose forms were worth N180 million collectively, while Abia State had seven contestants who paid a total N157.5 million. Benue, Ogun and Enugu states had six governorship contestants each, with sale of forms worth N135 million in each state. Yobe, Delta and Cross River states all had five governorship contestants, whose forms totalled N112.5 million for each state. Bauchi, Sokoto, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states had four governorship aspirants each, whose forms summed up to N90 million for each state while Lagos, Katsina and Adamawa states had three contestants each with their forms totalling N67.5 million for each state. Niger, Jigawa and Kebbi states produced two governorship aspirants who paid a total N45 million for each state while the incumbent governor of Plateau State, Solomon Lalong, emerged the only aspirant of the party in his state. INFOGRAPH 2019-How APC made over N6.9 billion from sale of forms to aspirants Senatorial Aspirants Unlike what it did for the governorship aspirants, the APC only released the names of senatorial aspirants cleared to contest its primaries. The list, and number, of aspirants who purchased forms but were disqualified was not published and thus not used for this tabulation. This means the ruling party definitely made more than the amount calculated in this analysis. Released on October 2, the cleared senatorial aspirants were 282 across Nigerias 36 states and Abuja. APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole Photo: DailyPost In Akwa-Ibom, Anambra and Nasarawa states, the party had five senatorial aspirants each whose forms amounted to N35 million per state, making a total of N105 million. However, following the partys policy of discounting the cost of forms for female aspirants, N28 million was made from Nasarawa State. About N56 million was expected from eight prospective APC senators in Cross Rivers and Adamawa states, at N7 million each. With three female aspirants, however the two states recorded a discount of N21 million, making it N45 million, that was generated for the exercise in both states. Delta, Abia, Imo, Taraba and Yobe states had six aspirants each. The total cost of nomination forms would have totalled N210 million from the five states. However, giving the presence of three female aspirants in Delta and Abia states, the funds generated from candidates in these states was slashed to N189 million. The APC targeted a total of N49 million from each of Edo, Bayelsa, Kano, Katsina and Gombe states, with seven aspirants each, making a total of N245 million for the five states. However, with three female aspirants in Edo, Bayelsa and Gombe states, the party eventually generated N224 million from these states. Kaduna State had four cleared aspirants whose forms totalled N28 million. However, information later emerged the party cleared more aspirants in Kaduna Central Senatorial District, but the party headquarters never authenticated the information. For Zamfara, Sokoto, Ondo and Lagos states, the party announced the clearance of three aspirants each making a total of 12 candidates whose forms equalled N84 million for all four states. Enugu, Kebbi, Ekiti and Borno states had 10 people vying for the senatorial positions each, with the forms totalling N280 million. Enugu State had a female aspirant, making the total cost of forms N276.5 million from this category. Jigawa, Ogun, Oyo, Benue and the FCT had nine contestants each who were screened for the Senate tickets, totalling 45 candidates worth N315 million. However three of the screened aspirants from Benue State and the FCT were women, which brought the cost of forms to N294 million from the list of states within this category. Bauchi and Kwara states had 14 aspirants each screened for the Senate tickets with their forms worth N196 million. Plateau State had 13 aspirants screened for the Senate ticket, including a woman, making the cost of forms in that state N87.5 million. Kogi State had 12 aspirants while 11 APC members were screened for the Senate tickets in Ebonyi State. Consequently, the APC made N84 million and N77 million in Kogi and Ebonyi respectively. With 21 aspirants screened in Niger, the state had the highest number of contestants, cleared from three senatorial districts. The cost of forms for the aspirants was N147 million. REPS The APC headquarters is yet to publicly release the list of aspirants who either bought forms or were cleared for the House of Representatives ticket. However, even if only one aspirant bought forms in each of the 360 seats in the House, the ruling party would have made N1.39 billion from sale of forms. Labour unions in Nigeria say they will commence a nationwide, indefinite strike from November 6 if the government does not meet their demands on minimum wage for Nigerian workers. The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, and that of the United Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, stated this in a press statement on Sunday. The labour unions are angry at governments stance on new minimum wage for workers. The federal government insists it could only increase the minimum wage from the current N18,000 to N24,000, claiming no amount was agreed with the labour leaders at a meeting of a tripartite committee also involving the private sector. The unions, who initially demanded N50,000 mimimum wage, however, say N30,000 was agreed upon during the negotiation. It is also not true that the committee did not agree on a figure during its last sitting. We accepted N30,000 as a compromise to demonstrate the willingness of Nigerian workers to make sacrifices towards nation building, the officials said. Messrs Wabba and Ajaero said it has become necessary for the organised private sector to speak up on this matter. Keeping silent in the face of this apparent mischief does our nation no good. At this time, they do not have any other choice but to rise to the occasion by telling Nigerians what transpired in the meeting. What we are waiting for is for the federal government to immediately set in motion the necessary machinery for turning the agreement into a Bill for onward submission to the NASS where we expect the presidency to work together with the legislators to make it a law so that it can be implemented quickly. They said labour unions in Nigeria have not seen any sign of seriousness on the governments part to resolve workers concerns There will be a day of national outrage and mourning which will be used to sensitise Nigerians on our plight and on the issues at stake. This shall take place in all states of the federation including Abuja on Tuesday, the 30th day of October, 2018, they said. They said Joint Central Working Committee (CWC) meetings of all the labour centres in Nigeria will hold to receive reports and make final preparations for an ultimate engagement with the federal government on the matter on November 2. Messrs Wabba and Ajaero said the federal government is making conscious effort to intimidate and cow the trade union movement and its leadership in a bid to subjugate the will of Nigerian workers over the national minimum wage. The pronouncements of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as it concerns trade union operations in the country are very unfortunate. We see it as another step down the road to fascism as this government continues to demonstrate high-handedness and rabid insensitivity to the plight of the citizens and any other opposing views. Messrs Wabba and Ajaero said Nigeria is a nation where governments owe its workforce several months of unpaid salaries and never seek ways to eliminate this but prefer to seek ways to gag same workers from protesting this crime against them. This is akin to beating a child and denying him the right to cry. Has the government considered no pay, no work? Has it considered criminalising non-payment of workers, salaries? Has it considered paying arrears of salaries with interests? Of course, it has not! They are only interested in no work, no pay Seekiing ways to constantly gag and put workers in a strait jacket has always been their pastime. The union leaders said the attempt of the government to supress and castrate trade union movement will not succeed just like the past administration failed. We are worried that instead of the minister of labour being more concerned with the welfare of Nigerian workers and making enabling laws that would guarantee safety and a dignified workplace, he is focused more on seeking ways of emasculating workers and their organisations. Imagine the governors forum that has six representatives in the tripartite committee jumping in to make excuses after its representatives had made their submissions in the committee. We shall consider any governor saying that he is unable to pay as unpatriotic and, an enemy of Nigerian workers and masses. We shall vote them out in 2019, the duo said. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the unions had embarked on a nationwide strike on September 26 to compel the tripartite committee to complete its assignment on the new minimum wage. The strike was subsequently suspended for the committee to reconvene. But its deliberations and outcome are now in dispute. Experts have said the current minimum wage in light of economic fundamentals does not favour Nigerian workers. Since 2015, the pay became due for another review in line with the provisions of the National Minimum Wage Act (amendment) 2011. The Kaduna State Government on Sunday imposed a 24-hour curfew on Kaduna town and its envrions. This was announced in a short statement by Governor Nasir El-Rufai, on his verified Twitter handle. This is a notice of a 24-hour curfew imposed on Kaduna town and environs, with immediate effect. Residents are advised to comply by this directive. The decision has been taken in the best interest of the state, Mr El-Rufai wrote. Mr El-Rufais spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, also confirmed the curfew. 24 hours curfew has been imposed on Kaduna town and environs. It is with immediate effect, Mr Aruwan wrote on his Facebook page Sunday evening. Earlier on Sunday, there was tension in Kaduna metropolis following the rumour of reprisal of the violence in Kasuwar Magani area of the state on Friday. At least 55 people were confirmed killed in the Kasuwar Magani violence that had a religious undertone. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Kaduna State Government had on Friday imposed a 24 hours curfew on Kasuwar Magani in Kajuru Local Government Area following the violence. Many residents of Kaduna metropolis on Sunday rushed indoors as irate youth burnt old tyres along Katsina road, Ibrahim Taiwo road, Lagos street and Ahmadu Bello way. Details later Africas youngest billionaire, snatched a week ago off the street outside a luxury hotel in Tanzania, has returned home unharmed after being released by his kidnappers, police said on Saturday. Mohammed Dewji, 43-year-old CEO of the METL Group family conglomerate, was seized as he arrived for a morning workout in Tanzanias commercial capital Dar es Salaam last week. Forbes estimates his net worth as $1.5 billion, making him Africas 17th richest man and its youngest billionaire. Lazaro Mambosasa, Dar es Salaams police commander, told the media that Mr Dewji was abandoned by his kidnappers in the citys Gymkhana area at 2:30 a.m. local time. Mr Dewji had been held in a house in an area where police were about to conduct a house-to-house search, he said. He was tied legs, hands and face therefore he could not see. He could not identify the abductors throughout the period of captivity, Mambosasa said. He had only bruises on his hands and feet where they were tied. He told us that they treated him very well and gave him food, he said. Mr Dewjis family had offered a reward of one billion Tanzania shillings (440,000 dollars) for information leading to his release, though it was not immediately clear how much the kidnappers had demanded. Speaking at a news conference, Inspector-General of Police, Simon Sirro, said Mr Dewji had told them the suspects spoke in English and broken Swahili and that a vehicle they had travelled on had foreign plates. The good thing is that we are communicating regularly with our colleagues at Interpol, he told reporters. Four weapons, including an assault rifle and numerous bullets, were found in the car, which was partially damaged in a botched attempt to destroy evidence, Mr Sirro said. On its Twitter feed, METL Group quoted Mr Dewji as saying he had returned home safely, without providing more details about how he was freed or got away from his captors. The company also quoted him thanking those who had worked for his release, including the police. His abduction had caused consternation in the East African nation as he is one of its most prominent business executives and had been a member of parliament in the past. METL Group is involved in a diverse range of manufacturing, farming, transport, infrastructure, agro-processing and telecoms businesses spanning 11 African countries. (Reuters/NAN,) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has described Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi, as a true leader who has served the Yoruba race with complete faithfulness and sacrifice. He made this known on Saturday in Ibadan during the launch of a book The Alaafin of Oyo in commemoration of the monarchs 80th birthday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 278-page book was a compilation of memo, papers and speeches of the monarch. NAN reports that the book which contained seven sections was reviewed by a professor, Anthony Asiwaju. The Alaafin of Oyo had in the past 47 years on the throne by words, deeds and personal sacrifice demonstrated true leadership. He has time and time again stood on the side of truth. He has really served the Yoruba race. You may not always agree with him, but you are never in doubt of his sincerity of purpose and capacity to act consistently on the side of his conviction, Osinbajo said. He described the Alafin as a worthy Yoruba leader and father, whose intellectual prowess and commitment to the Yoruba cause was unparalleled. Similarly, former President Goodluck Jonathan, said the monarch was a father and quintessential leader, whose contribution to national development was impressive. Mr Jonathan, who was represented by Seyi Makinde, PDP governorship candidate in Oyo State, urged the monarch not to relent in the promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition. In a similar vain, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State said that the monarchs wisdom and persuasive skills contributed immensely to the achievements of his administration. Mr Ajimobi said that the monarch had in the last seven and a half years of his administration also helped in enthroning peace and stability to the state. Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano State thanked God for the Alaafins life, saying the monarch has contributed meaningfully to national integration. Bola Tinubu, APC national leader, said that the Alaafin has contributed a lot to the promotion and sustenance of Yoruba culture as well as tradition. Mr Tinubu, who was represented by Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, charged the monarch to bring together all royal fathers in Yorubaland in the interest of the region. Godswill Akpabio, a former Akwa-Ibom state governor, also extolled the virtues of the Alaafin, whom he described as a father and leader. The Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi, congratulated Alaafin on his 80th birthday celebration, wishing him more years on the throne of his fore fathers. The Alaafin appreciated the guests for their support, promising not to relent in his contribution to national integration and development. The monarch who gave the historical background of Oyo empire, said the empire would not relent in projecting its ideologies. NAN reports that the event also featured the presentation of a documentary titled Alaafin of Oyo, a legendary custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition Among other guests at the event were Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, traditional rulers, politicians and members of the state executive council. (NAN) The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, has commiserated with the family of late former chief justice, Idris Kutigi, who died at a London hospital on Saturday. The former CJN died after a brief illness, his son, Sani Kutuji was reported as saying, on Sunday. In a statement by Mr Onnoghens spokesperson, Awassam Bassey, the CJN directed that all judiciary institutions should fly the national flag at half mast, as a mark of honour for Mr Kutigi. The Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Mr. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, GCON, has received with sadness the news of the demise of His Lordship, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Mr. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, GCON, who died in a London hospital on Saturday, 20th October, 2019 at the age of 78 years. The CJN, on behalf of the Nigerian Judiciary and, indeed, all Nigerians, commiserates with the family of the deceased former CJN and urges them to take solace in the fact that their patriarch lived to the fullness of age and served his country diligently, rising to become the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the highest office in the third arm of government. As a mark of deserved honour to the deceased jurist, the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria has directed that the Nigerian National Flag in the premises of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the CJNs official residence in the Three Arms Zone of Abuja, all Judiciary institutions including the National Judicial Council (NJC), the National Judicial Institute (NJI) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), as well as all Courts of Records in the country, should be flown at half-mast for a duration of seven days. The statement also includes a directive for the Supreme Court registrar to open a condolence register for the late CJN. Similarly, the CJN has instructed the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court to open Condolence Registers at both foyers of the Court to enable Honourable Justices of the Court and other well-wishers pay their last respects to the deceased Justice Kutigi who was Chief Justice of Nigeria from 30th January, 2007 to 31st December, 2009. The Hon. Chief Justice prays for the peaceful repose of Hon. Mr. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi and urges God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss. Mr Kutigi is the third former chief justice to die in 2018. In July, 2018 another former CJN, Aloysius Katsina-Alu, who succeeded Mr Kutigi, died. Also in January, Mr Katsina-Alus successor, Dahiru Musdapher, died at the age of 75. In his reaction to Mr Kutigis death, ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar described him as a great justice who avoided controversy throughout his judicial career. He said his commitment to law and justice and democracy would be remembered for years to come after his death. Mr Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP, recalled that as chairman of the 2014 National Conference, Mr Kutigi demonstrated admirable wisdom and remarkable leadership in handling such delicate national assignment. By successfully chairing such gathering of Nigerians from diverse backgrounds, Mr Abubakar said, Mr Kutigi showed a great capacity for leadership and broadminded disposition. The Waziri Adamawa prayed to Allah to bless and forgive the soul of the late chief justice and wished his family the strength to overcome this moment of great loss. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Abike Dabiri-Eriwa, has demanded for full autopsy and investigation from Kenya Government into the killing of a Nigerian, Bamiyo Ashade, allegedly killed by the Kenyan police. Mrs Dabiri-Erewa, in a statement by her media aide, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, on Sunday in Abuja said that the reported killing was contained in the briefing by the Nigerian High Commissioner in Kenya, Sheidu Momoh. Mrs Dabiri-Erewa said that the envoy who said this when he met with Nigerians in Kenya pleaded with them to remain calm. She quoted the envoy as saying that he was on top of the situation and that he had met with the aggrieved Nigerians for four hours with a formal complaint to the Kenyan Foreign Affairs demanding full autopsy. The envoy, however, noted that contrary to the believe, the late Bamiyo Ashade, also known as Bamo, was not a student in Kenya but a Nigerian living in Kenya and had met with the family of the bereaved to commiserate with them with an assurance that justice will prevail. The deceased, Bamiyo Ashade, the second born in a family of three, was brutalised at his house in Four ways estate, Kiambu, on Monday October 15, while the police officers allegedly tried to extort him despite finding out he had valid papers. However, he stood his ground, as he didnt commit any crime. The officers then resorted to harassment and assault. Seeing that he was nearing his death, he was quickly rushed to a hospital, where he died. Mrs Dabiri-Erewa noted that friends and relatives had taken to the social media to condemn the police brutality directed towards Nigerians in the Diaspora and joined in calling for justice for Bamo. She said that a family friend to the Ashades in Ibadan, Nigeria, Sulaiman Adio, lamented that the family had lost two of their three siblings within six months, as Mr Bamiyos elder brother died six months ago and thus, joined in the call for justice for the deceased. In view of the foregoing, we appeal to the Kenya Government to conduct thorough investigation into the gruesome killing of this young Nigerian and bring the perpetrators to justice accordingly, Mr Dabiri-Erewa said. The presidential aide also condoled with the family of the deceased and prayed God to comfort them in the best way. The presidential aide also said that full investigation had commenced into the circumstances of a Nigerian man who died after he fell from the 8th floor of his apartment due to the fear of being arrested by some officials of the Kenyan law enforcement agency in Nairobi. The sad incident happened on September 26, and the deceased was laid to rest on Monday October 15, at the Langata cemetery, Kenya. (NAN) Shehu Sani, the senator representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, on Sunday said he would contest the forthcoming election despite resigning from the All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr. Sani had on Saturday announced his resignation from the APC after the party put forward Uba Sani, an ally of Governor Nasir El-Rufai, as its candidate for the constituency. In a statement he posted to his Facebook Page Sunday morning, the senator said, This is to thank all my supporters and friends for the show of solidarity and assurances of support over my decision to exit the APC. I assure you that in the next two days you will be informed of my new party. And be rest assured I will contest in the upcoming elections Insha Allah. It remains unclear which political party Mr. Sani will join, and which position he plans to contest. According to INECs schedule of activities for the 2019 elections, the submission of lists of candidates and personal particulars of contestants closed on October 18 for presidential and national assembly candidates. Political parties however have up till November 2 to submit lists of their candidates for governorship and state houses of assembly positions. The parties also have till November 17 to withdraw or replace candidates for president and National Assembly elections, and up till December 1 for governorship and state Houses of Assembly candidates. It is possible Mr. Sani is talking with one of the small political parties to use him to replace one of their candidates so he could contest the Kaduna Central slot once again. The senator did not answer or return multiple calls made to him on Saturday morning. Mr. Sani had on Saturday made his resignation known in a letter to the party chairman of the APC in ward 6, Tudun Wada north, Kaduna. The letter reads, I present to you my highest compliments and wish by this communication to formally offer to you my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC). l had joined the APC and remained with it against all odds in the belief that it will constitute a veritable platform for the realization of those democratic ideals which I hold very dear, that honor and integrity will be the ultimate ethos of the patty and, most importantly, that internal party democracy will always be the norm. However, only posterity can affirm the extent to which the APC has committed to and reflected these values. As I exit the APC at this point in time. I wish to formally thank the party for availing me the platform upon which I am currently serving this country in the honoured capacity of Senator of the Federal Republic. I wish the party well in all her future endeavors and ask sir, that you please accept the assurance of my highest considerations. Controversies had trailed the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to grant automatic return ticket to the senator and others. Days after the APC headquarters announced Mr Sani as its only candidate cleared to contest the Kaduna Central senatorial seat, the Kaduna State Government and its officials opposed the decision, eventually forcing the APC leadership to reverse the decision. Mr Sani and Mr El-Rufai fell out shortly after both men were elected senator and governor respectively in 2015, and have been at daggers drawn ever since. Despite being of the same party, they have both attacked each other publicly including using uncouth language. At the peak of party defections and due to the lingering crisis with his state governor, many had expected the senator to leave the APC but he was persuaded by national leaders of the party including Mr Oshiomhole not to do so. Flood has taken over parts of Otuoke Community, hometown of former President Goodluck Jonathan in Bayelsa. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Otuoke is located in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa and one of the communities mostly affected by flood disasters. Some residents of the community now use canoes to assess their homes following the overflow of River Orashi-Taylor and Epie creeks, situated in Rivers and Bayelsa States, respectively. NAN recalls that the flood affected the house of Mr Jonathan in 2012. One of the residents affected by the flood, Solomon Oru, called on the federal government and National Emergency Management Agency to come to their aid, as most of them now access their homes through canoes. He said most of their properties have been damaged by the flood. Mr Oru also told NAN that the flood has dispatched reptiles around the communities, threatening lives. Another resident, Emmanuel Peter, said they cant leave their homes, because thiefs are looting their properties. He also called for the intervention of the state government and security agencies to support and protection. A NAN correspondent who visited the Federal University Otuoke however reports that the institution was not affected by the flood as normal academic activities were ongoing. (NAN) Monday The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it stood by its statement that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not field candidates for the 2019 general elections in Zamfara. The INEC Chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, stated this on the sideline of the opening of a two-day validation workshop titled Study on the cost of elections in ECOWAS Region in Abuja. The police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) both said they cannot immediately investigate the trending video that shows Governor of Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje, taking bribes from public works contractors in the state. Similarly, the ruling APC, Mr Gandujes party which has nominated him for reelection, said it cannot also take any action on the video, because the matter had been taken to court. According to the party, Mr Ganduje had sued Daily Nigerian, the platform responsible for the two clips of the footage. The Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, in a statement, explained the president had ordered the ban of 50 high-profile Nigerians from travelling out of Nigeria, saying the ban was to stop the persons from selling off asset alleged to have been acquired with stolen funds Tuesday The immediate past Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, made good his words to turn himself over to the EFCC as soon as he left office, as he reported to the anti-graft agencys headquarters in Abuja, 24 hours after exiting office. He was still there as at the time of this report on Sunday. The Peoples Democratic Party appointed the Senate President Bukola Saraki as the head of its 2019 presidential campaign efforts. Mr Sarakis official position as the director-general of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organisation was disclosed by Kola Ologbondiyan, the partys spokesperson. Mr Abubakar was elected the presidential candidate of the party at its national convention in Port Harcourt earlier this month. Over 1,000 ex-workers of the defunct Nigerian Airways out of 5,968, could start receiving their severance benefits as early as Monday, according to a top official of verification team for the exercise, Lookman Animashaun. Only seven political parties had submitted the list of their nominated candidates for the 2019 general elections, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 24 hours to close of submission date, it was learnt. The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) hit out at the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, for his involvement in the alleged endorsement of PDP presidential candidate, Mr Abubakar, by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo; saying he was no longer fit to be part of the National Peace Committee led by former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, for his partisanship. Mr Kukah, however, explained that he was only involved in settling the dispute between Messrs Obasanjo and Abubakar. There was a mild drama in the Senate over the management of an alleged over $3.8 billion fuel subsidy fund by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Senators were at each others throat following accusations and counter-accusations of alleged compromise in their line oversight of the corporation. Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, and former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi, pledged their full support for the presidential candidate of the PDP, Mr Abubakar. Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, said he was not against the selection of Peter Obi as Mr Abubakars running mate but dislikes the process leading to the selection. Wednesday The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, debunked the rumours that he planned to defect from the ruling APC on account of the recent primaries in the state. He debunked the rumours in a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Adedayo Adeneye. A member of Ogun House of Assembly, Jimi Otukoya (PDP-Ijebu North East), defected to the African Democratic Congress. The Senate asked its committees on Banking, Insurance & other Financial Institutions and Finance to invite the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to explain why its approved official charges are skewed in favour of banks as against ordinary bank customers. The Senate was thrown into chaos as lawmakers argued over sitting arrangements. The confusion erupted after the President of the Senate, Mr Saraki, refused to allow former minority leader, Godswill Akpabio, contribute to a point of order raised by Bassey Akpan. The police in Kano banned the Kano chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) from staging a rally for the resignation of the governor, Mr Ganduje, over an alleged $5 million bribe. Mr Ganduje appeared in a series of video receiving money in dollars alleged to be bribe amounting to about $5million. Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi of the APC, said the arrival of his government marks the end of an error, in reference to the administration of former governor, Mr Fayose. Mr Fayemi also announced cancellation of education development levy imposed on pupils of public and private schools by his predecessor, Mr Fayose. Former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose (M) arrives the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) office in Wuse, Abuja on Tuesday (16/10/18). Fayose arrived the EFCC office, wearing a t-shirt with the inscription, EFCC, I am here. 05029/16/10/2018/Anthony Alabi/NAN PDP presidential candidate, Mr Abubakar, promised that 40 per cent of his cabinet would be filled by women and youth if he is elected. Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, denied reports that South-east governors and Igbo leaders in the PDP were against the nomination of Mr Obi as the running mate to Mr Abubakar for the 2019 presidential election. The presidential candidate of the PDP, Mr Abubakar, donated N10 million to victims of the pipeline fire which killed scores of people at Umuaduru and Umuimo communities, Osisioma Ngwa council area of Abia State. Thursday The governing council of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) announced the indefinite suspension of Usman Yusuf, the Executive Secretary of the scheme. Chairperson of the council, Enyantu Ifenne, announced the resolution of the council to journalists after a two-day closed-door meeting at the Abuja head office of the scheme. . Ondo State House of Assembly on Thursday dissolved the caretaker committees of the 18 local government areas of the state. Friday The national leadership of the PDP sent the name of the President of the Senate, Mr Saraki, to INEC as its senatorial candidate for the Kwara Central District. The vice presidential candidate of the PDP, Mr Obi, on Friday gave reasons he believes Igbos should support their ticket. Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi President Buhari again praised his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, for peacefully handing over in 2015. Former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Head of State, Sani Abacha, and presidential candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), Hamza Al-Mustapha, said he would make the insurgency in Nigeria history if elected president in 2019. Ogun State Governor, Mr Amosun, insisted on handing over to his chosen candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, next year, despite the APC rejecting Mr Akinlade as its governorship candidate for the state. Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, swore-in two commissioners-designate and three members of the local interventionist body, DESOPADEC. Gbenga Daniel, Director General, Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, says the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) will go to the South-west if Mr Abubakar wins the presidency. Mr Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State, made the declaration at an interactive session with journalists on Sunday in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the PDP had initially zoned its national chairmanship to the South-west, but later picked Uche Secondus from the South-south. Also, Mr Abubakars running mate, Peter Obi, hails from the South-east. We need to understand that the candidate has control over who becomes his running mate during the election and who becomes the SGF if he wins. The decisions on major offices are being given serious consideration and no zone or region will be marginalised. The offices of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Reps will be decided after the polls and based on what plays out in both houses. Aside from major slots, I think what is paramount to the people of the South-west is restructuring of the country, which Atiku is very serious about. So the issue for the South-west is not personality or slot issue per say because personalities come and go but restructuring Nigeria is significant and more symbolic than zoned offices, he said. On Mr Abubakars manifesto, Mr Daniel said that it would be published as soon as the campaigns kick off. (NAN) The self-exiled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says he has returned fully and is coming back with hell. I have returned full-time and I am coming home and I will bring hell with me, Nnamdi Kanu said in his first public statement on a live broadcast on Radio Biafra which commenced 6 p.m. on Sunday. The live broadcast, monitored on the Radio Biafra Facebook page, comes two days after social media went agog over a video showing Mr Kanu praying in Israel 13 months after he disappeared with whereabouts unknown. His lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who had repeatedly accused the Nigerian Army for his clients disappearance, confirmed the video, saying he had received a direct statement from Mr Kanu saying the video was not doctored. One of Mr Kanus associates, Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister, also said on Saturday that he received a call from my brother (Kanu) and that they are working together to remove President Muhammadu Buhari come 2019. We have agreed to work together to VOTE Buhari out, he tweeted on his handle @realFFK on Saturday. Mr Kanu in Sundays broadcast, however, said his group is not interested in anything else other than for the government to set a date for a referendum. We will not relent till referendum is conducted. We stand for the truth. Its referendum or nothing else, he noted. Mr Kanu has been at the vanguard of the call for an independent Biafra Republic from the Nigerian state through referendum. The IPOB leader, who is facing charges of treasonable felony at the Federal High Court in Abuja, had called for a boycott of elections in Anambra last November if government failed to set a date for referendum. The call for boycott failed as clashes occurred last September two months before the Anambra election, between IPOB members and soldiers when the military commenced an operation in South-east states. Since then, Mr Kanus whereabouts has remained unknown until his reappearance in Fridays footage and Sundays broadcast. While thanking the governments of the U.S. and Germany for not accepting that IPOB is a terror group, Mr Kanu criticised the Nigerian military and government for invading his country home in Abia State and proscribing the group. They are doing all they can to hold us down but we are still here. They fabricate falsehood. IPOB is very special. The largest black movement in the world, he claimed. Nnamdi Kanus breakaway group from the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), was formed in 2009 and enjoys limited support from some Igbos. Mr Kanu who was based in London, UK, was arrested alongside three others on October 14, 2015 in Lagos. Justice Binta Nyako on April 25, 2017, granted him bail on health grounds and adjourned the matter to November. The army and IPOB clashed before the adjourned date. The judge has since frowned at Mr Kanus disappearance and blamed his sureties for Mr Kanu jumping bail. While the federal government proscribed IPOB and labelled it a terrorist organisation in the wake of the clash, the U.S. government, however, said it does not see IPOB as such. Muhammad Yau, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Akwanga/Wamba/Nasarawa-Eggon Federal Constituency has denied allegation of sexual gratification levelled against him, as he prepares for the 2019 elections. Mr Yau in a statement issued on Sunday by Innocent Pada, Director-General of his campaign organisation, described the allegation as untrue and handwork of his political detractors. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the politician was reacting to an allegation on how he pestered a married female admission applicant (name withheld) for sex, as a former university staff. NAN further reports that Mr Yau until recently served at the Nasawara State University, Keffi as the Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT), before joining politics. He said that The said scandalous report is unfounded, untrue, ill motivated and the handiwork of our political detractors bent on dragging the reputation of our candidate in the mud. We would like to put the record straight by saying that our candidate does not have the power to offer admission to any student. He would never engage in any action that would undermine the laid down pre-requisite for admission into the university. Our candidate does not know, have not spoken or met with the said woman in the report before. He was never arrested nor spoke with any journalist on any issue relating to sexual assault as being speculated by the fictitious report. The organisation urged supporters of the APC candidate to remain calm and be committed to the vision and benefits of quality representation awaiting them after the 2019 general elections. When NAN contacted the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the university, Mr Abraham Ekpo, he said that I am not aware of any official complaint or communication to the institution in respect of the sexual allegation against Dr Muhammad Yau. (NAN) The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has deployed the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 7, Taiwo Lakanu, to lead a police intervention force to Kaduna to ensure that normalcy return to the area. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 55 people were killed on October 18 crisis at Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state. NAN also reports that a similar crisis in February left more than 10 people dead in Kasuwan Magani, while 65 suspects involved in the crisis were arraigned in court but the case is still ongoing. Acting DCP Jimoh Moshood, the Force Public Relations Officer, disclosed this while addressing journalists on the violence on Sunday in Abuja. He said the deployment included four Police Mobile Force (PMF) units, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Conventional policemen, Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), Intellegemce Response Team (IRT) and Technical Intelligence (TIU) among others. Mr Moshood said the operations would cover the entire Kasuwan Magani and its environs and other flash spots in the state. The intervention force will be working in synergy with the Kaduna state police command to ensure that peace and normalcy returns to the area. To achieve success, the force will be proactive and strict in the enforcement of its mandate, police standard operations procedures and rules of engament, he said. He said that the force would carry out a 24 hours surveillance and patrol, stop and search, continuous raid of identified criminal hideouts and black spots. The spokesman said that operation would cover communities, towns, villages, vulnerable points, government and private infrastructure. He enjoined traditional rulers, religious leaders, politicians, parents and guardians to support the police in the discharge of their responsibilities. Mr Moshood said 22 suspects directly involved in violence have been arrested and are in police custody assisting the police in the investigation. The spokesman said that some prominent personalities kidnapped during the violence have also been rescued and reunited with their families. (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Bukola Saraki and other Nigerians have reacted to the recent violence in Kaduna State. The crisis which many suggest has a religious undertone spread to other parts of the state on Sunday leading to the imposition of a 24-hour curfew on Kaduna metropolis and its environs. The announcement was made by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on his official Twitter page, where he said the decision was taken in the interest of the state. This is a notice of a 24-hour curfew imposed on Kaduna town and environs, with immediate effect. Residents are advised to comply by this directive. The decision has been taken in the best interest of the state, Mr El-Rufai said. Sundays incident is believed to be a fall out of the violence in another part of the state on Friday which caused the death of 55 to people. At least 55 people were confirmed killed in the Kasuwar Magani violence on Friday. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Kaduna State Government on Friday imposed a 24 hours curfew on Kasuwar Magani in Kajuru Local Government Area following the violence. Many residents of Kaduna metropolis on Sunday rushed indoors as irate youth burnt old tyres along Katsina road, Ibrahim Taiwo road, Lagos street and Ahmadu Bello way. The violence comes weeks after a similar incident occurred in neighbouring Plateau State, which led to scores reported dead. The recent unrest has sparked off widespread outrage which has seen reactions pouring from people from all walks of life. The violence in Kaduna, which has resulted in the deaths of 55 innocent people, is condemnable. The Police have been authorised to do everything possible to restore calm. A Special Intervention Force has been deployed to the flash-points, and the IG will provide regular updates, Mr Buhari said in a tweet. Mr Saraki also cautioned against violence. The pictures and reports coming out of Kaduna State are quite troubling. I urge all residents of the state to adhere to the curfew, remain calm and not contribute to the perpetration of violence, he said. A Twitter user, Usman Shamaki (@aushamaki) said, If youre in Kaduna please stay home! Stay away from the streets. Just got back from Ahmadu Bello Way and its a scene of chaos. People running and driving helter skelter. Please stay home! Read more reactions below: https://twitter.com/ani_nomso/status/1054062156336037889 Attention Attention Kaduna is not good please people should avoid Yakubu gowan way and constitution road from nepa roundabout down to sabo. RT please you may save life. Real Alleey (@aa_dasuma) October 21, 2018 https://twitter.com/musaa95/status/1054037797814837248 Dear #Nigeria, shall we talk about one of our most important crossroads states, which has become a warzone? Shall we talk about #Kaduna? Chxta (@Chxta) October 21, 2018 https://twitter.com/judith_caleb/status/1054040720397529088 Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has expressed his deep condolences to the family of the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshall Umukoro over the death of his wife, Lizzy. The governors condolence message is contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, in Asaba on Saturday. Mr. Aniagwu described Mrs. Umukoros death as a great loss not only to the family but the state in general, given her invaluable contributions to the cause of humanity. He noted that the deceased was a dedicated and dignified woman whose support and contribution to the family had in no small way impacted positively on the husbands illustrious career in the judiciary. Governor Okowa paid glowing tribute to Mrs Umukoro for being a good mother and urged the family to take solace in the fact that the late matriarch made enormous contribution to the successes achieved by her husband culminating in his emergence as the Chief Judge of Delta State. The late Mrs Lizzy Umukoro was a quintessential mother, devout Christian who devoted her lifetime to the service of God and humanity, the governor said. On behalf of the government and people of Delta State, I commiserate with His Lordship, the Chief Judge of Delta State Justice Marshall Umukoro over the painful loss of his beloved wife, Mrs Lizzy Umukoro. He called on the bereaved family to uphold the cherished ideals of community service, kindness and generosity associated with the late Mrs Umukoro and prayed the Almighty God to grant repose to her soul, and give the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, the entire Delta State judiciary on the irreparable loss of this selfless and patriotic woman, he said. The Governor prayed God to grant her eternal rest. The Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, on Friday overflew some parts of Bayelsa, to assess the flood situation in the state, describing it as a major disaster. A statement by the Special Adviser to the Bayelsa State Governor, on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, said Mr Osinbajo made the statement when he, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson and some Federal Government officials visited internally displaced persons camps in the state on Friday. The vice president was accompanied by the state governor, Mr. Dickson, Senator Magnus Abe, the Minister of Environment, Ibrahim Jibrin, the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency, Mustapha Maihaja and former governor of the state, Timipre Sylva. Mr Osinbajo said his team was in the state for an on-the-spot-assessment of the impact of the flood in Bayelsa. The Vice President who explained that his delegation was in the state at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari, expressed shock and pledged Federal Governments support in the area of resettling the IDPs, who lost their homes and livelihoods. Mr. Osinbajo said, You are obviously going through a lot of stress but despite that, you are still able to smile. On our way here, we overflow some of the communities affected by the flood. We saw so many areas affected by the flood, many homes, farmlands are under water. We saw clear that it is major disaster indeed. We were able to see that there is a major disaster in Bayelsa especially in Yenagoa. We express our sincere condolences to you. Its a sad development. We are glad we were able to respond as quickly as possible. We will support as much as possible with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) which is working hard to ensure that we give as much succour and provision of tents, mattresses, food, mosquito nets and all that are required. In the next few weeks, many will be returning home where many have lost their homes, farmlands and livelihoods. We will support Bayelsa state government in the resettlement efforts which is more important. In future, we want to be able to prevent this situation. Its repeating itself in 2018 so steps need to be taken to dredge our rivers, stop dumping of solid waste into our water bodies, clear waterways and build canals, so that there will be no flooding. VICE PRESIDENT VISIT TO BYS 018 VICE PRESIDENT VISIT TO BYS 126 The VP, who observed that five women were delivered of babies in the IDP camps noted that the Federal Government would render the necessary assistance to them. Have seen about five women who have given birth. A lot of them would require a lot of care. We are committed to supporting them in whatever way we can. We are here with the NEMA DG to understand first-hand what is required, he added Earlier, Governor Seriake Dickson had emphasized the need for the Federal Government and donor organizations to collaborate with the state in providing long term solutions to the perennial problem. Governor Dickson, who expressed dismay over the initial omission of Bayelsa in the list of flood affected states, urged the Federal Government to recognize the state as the most impacted state in the country as it was entirely below sea level. We are dealing with a flood disaster of monumental proportion. Let it be known at the centre that this is the state that is inevitably always most affected because of our peculiar terrain and topography. The entire state is below sea level so once there is any slight increase in water level from the rivers that are all around us, the whole of this state is submerged. The governor said the state had 13 IDP camps while efforts were being made to establish three others to alleviate the plight of those displaced by the flood. Mr. Dickson, who lamented the destruction of farm lands and other sources of livelihood like fish ponds in the state, called on the Federal Government to equip NEMA to be able to render the necessary assistance to the victims. VICE PRESIDENT VISIT TO BYS 177 VICE PRESIDENT VISIT TO BYS 178 Appreciating the SEMA and NEMA officials for their efforts in assuaging the plight of the flood victims, the governor called on public spirited individuals and organizations to partner the state government in tackling the menace. The Vicar General of the Bomadi Diocese of the Catholic Church, who is also in charge of the St. Johns Catholic Church, Igbogene, Joseph Opelema, said the church is accommodating 528 victims and requested food items, mattresses, mosquito nets and other resources to cater for their needs. In his remarks, the state Deputy Governor. Gboribiogha John Jonah, who also doubles as Chairman of the Board of the State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA) noted that, the state is currently taking care of flood victims in 13 IDP camps across the state. Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson (left) welcoming the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (right) shortly on his arrival to assess the impact of the flood in Bayelsa State at the Nigerian Air Force Helipad, Igbogene, Yenagoa. Photo by Lucky Francis. Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah retd (left) in a warm handshake with the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (right) on his arrival at the Nigerian Air Force Helipad, Igbogene, Yenagoa, to assess the impact of the flood in Bayelsa State, while the State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (centre) looks on. Photo by Lucky Francis. Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson (left) explaining something of interest to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (right) during his visit to assess the impact of the flood in the State at the Nigerian Air Force Helipad, Igbogene, Yenagoa. Photo by Lucky Francis. VICE PRESIDENT VISIT TO BYS Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (right) explaining something of interest to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (centre) during his visit to assess the impact of the flood in Bayelsa State at the IDPs Camp, Igbogene, Yenagoa, while the former Governor of the State, Chief Timipre Sylva (left) looks on. Photo by Lucky Francis. Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson, accompanied by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (centre) acknowledging cheers from the crowd, shortly on the arrival of the Vice President at the IDPs Camp, Igbogene, Yenagoa, to assess the impact of the flood in Bayelsa State. Photo by Reginald Dei. Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (2nd right) exchanging pleasantries with a cross Section of Reverend Sisters on arrival at the St. Johns Catholic Church, IDP Camp, Igbogene, Yenagoa during the visit of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (right) to assess the impact of the flood in Bayelsa State. Photo by Reginald Dei. The city of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has been thrown into a festive mood as the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) kicks off in the city. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Rivers State Government planned a 2018 edition of a cultural festival, tagged NAFEST to hold in Port Harcourt from October 20 to October 27, to showcase the cultural heritage of Rivers and Nigeria. The State Commissioner for Information, Emmah Okah, told journalists on Saturday in Port Harcourt that participants in the cultural festival had started arriving to register for the festival. He said that the first few days of the festival would witness arrival and registration of participating groups from different states across Nigeria. The commissioner said that the festival was not only for Rivers cultural groups but for all cultural groups across Nigeria. Also the state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Tonye Oniyide, noted that Rivers culture would be exposed and showcased to the entire world through the NAFEST programme. She stressed that the programme would also show that there was adequate security in Rivers. Meanwhile, participating groups from the various states are converging on Port Harcourt and as well registering for the festival. The festival is expected to boost the economy of Rivers within the period as business operators are full of praises for the government for organizing the programme. (NAN) A man has been accused of killing another over N200 bottle of beer at a beer parlour in Ijagun area of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun Sate. The police say 23 years old Taiwo Olatokunbo was arrested by Ogun State Police Command for allegedly killing the fun seeker. The Ogun police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday that the arrest of the suspect followed a report made to the police by the owner of the beer parlour after the incident. The owner of the beer parlour reportedly said the suspect came to buy a bottle of the N200 worth of beer, and refused to pay, resulting in an argument between the two of them. The woman reportedly said at a point, another customer identified as Christian decided to intervene, which infuriated the suspect, who broke a bottle and stabbed the victim. Mr Oyeyemi said the victim was taken to State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode; but died while still receiving treatment. Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer of Igbegba Police Division, Onah Lawrence, led his anti-crime officials to the scene and promptly arrested the suspect. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Ahmed Iliyasu, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for proper investigation and prosecution of the suspect. Photo: The Canadian Press This undated photo provided by the Gwinnett County Police Department on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018 shows Officer Antwan Toney. A Georgia police officer has been killed after being shot while responding to a suspicious vehicle parked near a middle school. News outlets report multiple law enforcement agencies are searching for suspects following the Saturday afternoon shooting near Snellville. Police say Gwinnett County police officer Antwan Toney was rushed in critical condition to Gwinnett Medical Center, where he died. Toney was a two-year veteran of the department. The shooting happened Saturday about 3 p.m. near Shiloh Middle School. Authorities say the suspects crashed the vehicle a short time later and witnesses reported seeing as many as four people running from the scene. It's unclear if any of the suspects are injured. Snellville is about 25 miles (40 kilometres) northeast of Atlanta. 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. "Care teams are continuously seeking ways to reduce uncertainty during the radiotherapy process and more confidently and efficiently deliver targeted, personalized therapy," said Ardie Ermers, General Manager Radiation Oncology, Philips. "Spanning imaging and treatment planning, our new portfolio combines advanced imaging systems with intelligent, adaptive treatment planning software. Through strong, innovative partnerships with our customers and industry partners, Philips is designing dedicated radiation oncology solutions that enhance the work of clinicians and their patient care." Personalized planning with Pinnacle Evolution At the heart of Philips' radiation oncology portfolio is Pinnacle Evolution, the next generation of the Philips Pinnacle treatment planning software. It features Personalized Planning, integrating unique advanced automated planning tools with Sun Nuclear's PlanIQ software to improve the assessment of treatment feasibility and provide an efficient therapy planning workflow. With Personalized Planning, clinicians can quickly create patient-specific, high-quality therapy plans. Pinnace Evolution includes new proprietary intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) optimization technology. Replacing existing Pinnacle optimizers, the technology improves the speed of Pinnacle's performance while maintaining the high plan quality clinicians expect. Delivering treatment with confidence CT is a key tool in planning radiation therapy. At ASTRO this year, Philips is launching the new Big Bore RT, a system designed to provide precise treatment planning through enhanced accuracy in lesion identification, tissue density calculation and segmentation. Imaging plays a critical role in reducing uncertainty in a patient's course of treatment, enhancing understanding of tumor characteristics, improving accuracy of delineation, increasing precision of therapy delivery and better assessing a patient's response to therapy. The Philips Big Bore RT is a dedicated oncology CT simulator built to advance critical clinical decisions across all phases of scanning, planning and treatment. New technologies include iterative model reconstruction (IMR), which delivers visualization of fine detail and improved clinical accuracy in the detection and delineation of small, subtle structures. With reconstruction speeds of less than three minutes for the majority of reference protocols, IMR improves image quality and advances auto-segmentation. A new digital MR platform for innovation in radiation therapy With its strength in soft tissue visualization and significant improvements in geometric accuracy, MRI continues to gain in popularity for radiation therapy applications. At ASTRO Philips is launching its new fully-digital Ingenia MR-RT platform, which comprises the Ingenia Elition 3.0T MR-RT and Ambition X 1.5T MR-RT systems. Both include Compressed SENSE, an advanced acceleration application that reduces 2D and 3D scan times by up to 50% [1], accelerating patient exams. The Ingenia Ambition X is the first MR system to incorporate Philips' breakthrough BlueSeal magnet, the world's first MR system to enable helium-free operations [2]. The fully-sealed system does not require a vent pipe and is around 900kg lighter than its predecessor [3], making it easier to install in existing radiation oncology facilities. The Ingenia Elition incorporates new high-performance gradients to enable fast diffusion scans with a high signal-to-noise ratio, supporting improved tissue characterization and treatment response monitoring. The Philips Ingenia MR-RT platform is the world's first to have an MR-only simulation package. Philips is expanding the role of MR to new clinical areas in radiation therapy treatment planning and at ASTRO will showcase MR-only simulation for pelvis [4], enabling the planning of radiation therapy of soft-tissue cancers including the prostate, bladder, rectum, anus and cervix. Partnering for integrated imaging, planning and treatment Philips' strong partnerships across imaging, planning and treatment support increased precision and clinical confidence to help clinicians deliver the best possible care. Demonstrating continued success for Philips' strategic partnership with IBA, Proton Partners International continues to roll out its network of UK cancer centers incorporating integrated systems from Philips and IBA. In June, Elekta announced that it has received CE marking for Elekta Unity, the world's first high-field MR-linac, which incorporates Philips' 1.5T digital MR imaging technology. Earlier this year, Philips announced that it is collaborating with Sun Nuclear to integrate its suite of PlanIQ software into Pinnacle. At ASTRO, Philips is announcing that it has signed an agreement with Lifeline Software Inc. to utilize its dose verification technology. Lifeline is a developer of fully automated independent dosimetric validation calculations for conventional, IMRT, and VMAT treatment plans, including utilizing the 'Monte Carlo' dose calculation algorithm, widely recognized as the gold standard dose calculation method. Visit Philips at booth #2111 at ASTRO. For more information about Philips' presence at the show, including the full suite of Philips radiation oncology technology and integrated solutions, visit Philips' ASTRO event website and follow @PhilipsLiveFrom for updates throughout #ASTRO18. [1] Compared to Philips exams without Compressed SENSE [2] The Ingenia Ambition 1.5T contains less than 0.5% of the helium of a conventional system and this is permanently sealed inside the device [3] Compared to the Ingenia 1.5T ZBO magnet [4] MR-only simulation for pelvis is pending 510(k) approval and not available for sale in the USA For further information, please contact: Mark Groves Philips Group Press Office Tel. : +31 631 639 916 E-mail : [email protected] Twitter: mark_groves About Royal Philips Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2017 sales of EUR 17.8 billion and employs approximately 75,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at http://www.philips.com/newscenter. SOURCE Royal Philips Related Links http://www.philips.com CHICAGO, Oct. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Lupus Foundation of America recognizes two leading scientists for their remarkable contributions to lupus research at the 2018 Evelyn V. Hess Reception to be held this evening in Chicago, Ill. during the 2018 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Scientific Meeting. This year, the Foundation will present the Evelyn V. Hess Award to Michelle Petri, M.D., M.P.H., of Johns Hopkins University and the Mary Betty Stevens Young Investigator Prize to J. Michelle Kahlenberg, M.D., PhD, of The University of Michigan. Honoring Dr. Petri for a Lifelong Commitment to Lupus Research and Mentorship The Evelyn V. Hess Award was established in 2006 and is given annually to recognize the exceptional contributions of a clinical or basic researcher whose body of work has advanced the understanding of the science of lupus treatment. Dr. Petri, Director of the Hopkins Lupus Center and Co-Director of the Hopkins Lupus Pregnancy Center, will be honored for her extensive contributions and impact in the field of lupus over the last 30 years. She is the Principal Investigator of the Hopkins Lupus Cohort that includes over 2,000 participants. The Hopkins Lupus Cohort is a 30-year longitudinal study assessing the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors, gene markers and disease activity. The cohort has made important contributions to the understanding of corticosteroid toxicity in lupus, the role hydroxychloroquine plays in reducing cardiovascular risk factors and thrombosis, and the risk factors for atherosclerosis in lupus. In addition to this work, she is also known for her collaboration with fellow experts and her role in developing lupus disease activity measures such as the Physician Global Assessment and Lupus Activity Index. Throughout her career, Dr. Petri has mentored students, residents, fellows and faculty something that she continues to do in order to support and inspire the next generation of lupus researchers. "I'm honored to receive the Evelyn V. Hess Award from the Lupus Foundation of America. Dr. Hess reviewed one of my first grants a Lupus Foundation of America grant to start the Lupus Pregnancy Center and, thanks to her and the Foundation, we now have over 500 successful pregnancies and counting," said Dr. Petri. "I accept this award on behalf of my patients who banded together with me long ago to form the Hopkins Lupus Cohort to study the outcomes of lupus. The cohort has helped to change the landscape of lupus treatment." Celebrating the Outstanding Contributions of Dr. Kahlenberg to Lupus Research Established in 2009, the annual Mary Betty Stevens Young Investigator Prize recognizes the remarkable accomplishments of an investigator in the early stages of their lupus career and memorializes Dr. Stevens' outstanding contributions to lupus research throughout her career. Dr. Kahlenberg has made substantial contributions to the field of lupus-related skin diseases. She is the principal investigator on an ongoing study analyzing how specific chemicals in lupus skin contribute to skin inflammation. Dr. Kahlenberg is also running another study investigating how these chemicals regulate inflammation in response to ultraviolet (UV) light. These studies will ultimately shed light on the factors that lead to the development of systemic autoimmunity. In addition, she is collaborating on work to study the traits in skin diseases that may explain why women are at higher risk of developing lupus. She also manages and mentors a laboratory team of undergraduate and graduate students, research fellows and medical students that study the factors that trigger skin inflammation flares in systemic and cutaneous lupus. "I have seen many talented lupus researchers receive this award, and to be included in that group is an enormous honor that is truly humbling," said Dr. Kahlenberg. "My lupus patients motivate me and drive the work I'm doing every day. Some of them suffer from the symptoms of the disease itself, while others suffer from the side effects of treatments. We need to do better to understand the reasons for the disease so that we can have more effective and better treatments to stop it." Learn more about the Evelyn V. Hess Award, the Mary Betty Stevens Young Investigator Prize and our 2018 recipients. About the Lupus Foundation of America The Lupus Foundation of America is the national force devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, one of the world's cruelest, most unpredictable and devastating diseases, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org. For the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Media Contact Mike Donnelly [email protected] (202) 349-1162 SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America Related Links http://www.lupus.org WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In two first of their kind research studies, the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) has identified needs in lupus provider education and care practices for minority patients. Referral and disease management practices vary by the type of doctor a patient with lupus symptoms presents to, and the patient experience differs between African American, Latino and Asian groups. This research will be presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago. In the first study, Lupus Primary Care Management Practices, data found that the majority of primary care physicians (PCPs) manage their lupus patients on their own but seek consultation from a specialist or expert when handling a complex case. In terms of management preference among physicians of all experience levels, 60 percent of PCPs prefer to manage either all or most of their patients presenting with lupus symptoms, with almost 10 percent managing all their lupus patients on their own. 40 percent of PCPs prefer to refer out to a lupus specialist. In contrast, the majority of pediatricians and OB/GYNs prefer to refer out their lupus patients. When PCPs with minimal or no experience with lupus were asked to identify actions they would take during an appointment with a patient presenting with lupus symptoms, 86 percent of this group reported that they would order bloodwork first, followed by asking a patient to track symptoms and follow up, directly treating the symptoms, or referring to a specialist. These analyses highlight the low tendency of PCPs to provide referrals for patients with potential lupus symptoms. Exploring whether this practice exists among other PCPs and if they experience barriers in referring to specialists will be an important next step of this study. "Rheumatologists, who specialize in treating people with lupus, aren't usually the first place that individuals go to seek care they go to their primary care provider," said R. Paola Daly, Director of Research at the Lupus Foundation of America. "This research highlights the significant role primary care providers play in the diagnosis process and provides an opportunity to further explore the barriers both educational and practice based that they face in assisting with lupus diagnosis." A second study, Variations and Disparities in Healthcare Teams among Individuals with Lupus, looked at the composition of healthcare teams treating individuals with lupus across demographic variables. Economic and geographic factors are also related to having a PCP as the primary treatment provider, most likely due to limited access to specialists. Rural respondents and those with public insurance are about twice as likely to have a PCP in charge of their lupus care. This shows a potential need for increasing access for patients in rural areas or on public insurance. African American, Asian and Latino individuals, who have higher rates of lupus, were more likely to be receiving primary treatment from a specialist than Caucasians. African Americans were more likely to have their specialist be a rheumatologist while Asians were more than eight times more likely to have a nephrologist. However, all groups were less likely to have a PCP on their treatment team. Given the complexity of the disease, management from both specialty and primary care is essential. "Disparities among minority groups are occurring when a PCP is not on an individual's lupus care team," said Leticia Ocana, National Health Educator at the Lupus Foundation of America. "People with lupus in rural areas and those with public insurance also see disparities in accessing specialty care. Further exploration into these areas is critical to ensure an appropriate and holistic approach to managing lupus care across all communities." Data from the first study was collected from an online survey administered to 910 physicians in September 2016 using a provider list from the Lupus Foundation of America and a commercial web panel of physicians. Data from the second study was gathered from the Foundation's national lupus needs survey conducted between December 2015 and January 2016 among 3,022 adults who self-reported a lupus diagnosis. To find out where to attend these study presentations at the ACR Meeting, click here. About the Lupus Foundation of America The Lupus Foundation of America is the national force devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, one of the world's cruelest, most unpredictable and devastating diseases, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more at lupus.org. Contact: Mike Donnelly Veronica Hunt Lupus Foundation of America Padilla (202) 349-1162 (213) 929-2689 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America Related Links http://www.lupus.org PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Taiho Oncology, Inc. (U.S.), a subsidiary of Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Japan) and Servier jointly announced today the clinical data from the pivotal Phase III (TAGS) trial evaluating LONSURF (trifluridine/tipiracil, TAS-102) versus placebo and best supportive care in patients with heavily pretreated metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers who have progressed or are intolerant to previous lines of therapy. The trial met its primary endpoint of prolonged overall survival (OS) and secondary endpoint measures of progression-free survival (PFS), as well as continued to demonstrate LONSURF's predictable safety and tolerability profile. TAGS, a phase 3, randomised, double-blind study of trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102) versus placebo in patients with refractory metastatic gastric cancer (Abstract #LBA25), data were presented by Hendrik-Tobias Arkenau, MD, PhD, from the Sarah Cannon Research Institute (UK) at the ESMO 2018 Congress in Munich, Germany during an oral session on Sunday, October 21 at 11:10 AM CEST. The study results were simultaneously published in The Lancet Oncology. "Patients with metastatic gastric/GEJ adenocarcinoma currently have limited treatment options after first and second line therapies have failed," said Arkenau, founding medical director of Sarah Cannon Research Institute UK and investigator on the TAGS trial. "We are pleased to present new data that demonstrate the overall survival clinical benefit of LONSURF (trifluridine/tipiracil) in metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer." In the TAGS trial, patients treated with LONSURF showed a clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in OS compared with placebo, a 31 percent risk reduction of death (HR 0.69 one sided p=0.00029), which translated into a prolongation of median survival of 2.1 months (5.7 months for trifluridine/tipiracil versus 3.6 months for placebo). In addition, LONSURF demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in PFS and time to deterioration of ECOG performance status versus placebo, as well as a predictable and manageable safety profile consistent with that previously reported in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. "These results further expand the proven clinical benefit of LONSURF beyond metastatic colorectal cancer patients, to include metastatic gastric and GEJ cancer patients. This represents a significant milestone in our efforts to expand the body of evidence for trifluridine/tipiracil in the treatment of GI cancers," said Martin J. Birkhofer, MD, senior vice president and Chief Medical Officer, Taiho Oncology, Inc. "With so few options available for patients living with metastatic gastric cancer, we're excited by these results and the potential to make a difference in the lives of people who continue to struggle with this devastating disease." LONSURF is currently indicated in the United States for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have been previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF biological therapy and, if RAS wild-type, an anti-EGFR therapy.1 About TAGS TAGS ( TA S-102 G astric S tudy) is a Taiho-sponsored pivotal Phase III, multinational, randomized, double-blind study evaluating trifluridine/tipiracil, also known as TAS-102, plus best supportive care (BSC) versus placebo plus BSC in patients with metastatic gastric cancer, including gastroesophageal junction cancer, refractory to standard treatments. The primary endpoint in the TAGS trial is overall survival (OS), and the main secondary endpoint measures include progression-free survival (PFS), and safety and tolerability, as well as quality of life. TAGS enrolled 507 adult patients with metastatic gastric cancer who had previously received at least two prior regimens for advanced disease. The study was conducted in Japan, the United States, the European Union, Russia, Belarus, Israel, and Turkey. For more information on TAGS, please visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02500043). The ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier is NCT02500043. About Metastatic Gastric Cancer Gastric cancer, also known as stomach cancer, is a disease in which malignant cells form in the lining of the stomach. It is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-related death (after lung and liver cancer), with an estimated 723,000 deaths annually.2 Approximately 50 percent of patients with gastric cancer have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis.3 Standard chemotherapy regimens for advanced gastric cancer include fluoropyrimidines, platinum derivatives, and taxanes (with ramucirumab), or irinotecan. The addition of trastuzumab to chemotherapy is standard of care for patients with HER2-neu-positive advanced gastric cancer. However, after failure of first- and second-line therapies, standard third-line treatments are limited. About LONSURF LONSURF (trifluridine/tipiracil) is an oral anticancer drug, which utilizes the combination of trifluridine (FTD) and tipiracil (TPI), whose dual mechanism of action is designed to maintain clinical activity and differs from conventional fluoropyrimidines. FTD is an antineoplastic nucleoside analogue, which is incorporated directly into the DNA, thereby interfering with the function of DNA. The blood concentration of FTD is maintained via TPI, which is an inhibitor of the FTD-degrading enzyme, thymidine phosphorylase. In Japan, Taiho Pharmaceutical has been marketing LONSURF for the treatment of unresectable advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer since 2014. In the United States, beginning in 2015, Taiho Oncology, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Taiho Pharmaceutical, began marketing the drug for the treatment of patients with mCRC who have been previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF biological therapy, and if RAS wild-type, an anti-EGFR therapy. In June 2015, Taiho Pharmaceutical and Servier entered into an exclusive license agreement for the co-development and commercialization of LONSURF in Europe and other countries outside of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Asia. In parts of Asia outside of Japan, Taiho Pharmaceutical's business partner TYY Biopharm launched LONSURF in Taiwan in July 2018, and Jeil Pharmaceutical is preparing to bring the drug to market in South Korea. As of October 2018, LONSURF has been approved as a treatment for advanced mCRC in 60 countries and regions worldwide. Indications and Use1 LONSURF is a combination of trifluridine, a nucleoside metabolic inhibitor, and tipiracil, a thymidine phosphorylase inhibitor, indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have been previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF biological therapy, and if RAS wild-type, an anti-EGFR therapy. Important Safety Information1 LONSURF may cause serious side effects, including: Low blood counts. Low blood counts are common with LONSURF and can sometimes be severe and lifethreatening. LONSURF can cause a decrease in your white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Low white blood cells can make you more likely to get serious infections that could lead to death. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests before you receive LONSURF, at day 15 during treatment with LONSURF, and as needed to check your blood cell counts. Your healthcare provider may lower your dose of LONSURF or stop LONSURF if you have low white blood cell or platelet counts Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following signs and symptoms of infection during treatment with LONSURF: fever, chills, or body aches. Before taking LONSURF, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: Have kidney or liver problems Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. LONSURF can harm your unborn baby Females who can become pregnant should use effective birth control during treatment with LONSURF. Tell your healthcare provider immediately if you become pregnant who can become pregnant should use effective birth control during treatment with LONSURF. Tell your healthcare provider immediately if you become pregnant Males , while on treatment and for 3 months after your last dose of LONSURF, you should use a condom during sex with female partners who are able to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider right away if your partner becomes pregnant while you are taking LONSURF , while on treatment and for 3 months after your last dose of LONSURF, you should use a condom during sex with female partners who are able to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider right away if your partner becomes pregnant while you are taking LONSURF Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if LONSURF passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with LONSURF and for 1 day after your last dose of LONSURF Tell your healthcare provider about all the prescription and overthecounter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements you take. The most common side effects with LONSURF include tiredness, nausea, decreased appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fever. Tell your doctor if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that is severe or that does not go away. These are not all of the possible side effects of LONSURF. For more information, ask your healthcare provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Please see full US Prescribing Information. www.taihooncology.com/us/prescribing-information.pdf About Taiho Oncology, Inc. (U.S.) Taiho Oncology, Inc., a subsidiary of Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd., has established a world class clinical development organization that works urgently to develop innovative cancer treatments and has built a commercial business in the U.S. Taiho has an oral oncology pipeline consisting of both novel antimetabolic agents and selectively targeted agents. Advanced technology, dedicated researchers, and state of the art facilities are helping us to define the way the world treats cancer. It's our work; it's our passion; it's our legacy. For more information about Taiho Oncology, please visit: https://www.taihooncology.com. About Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Japan) Taiho Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd., is an R&D-driven specialty pharma focusing on the three fields of oncology, allergy and immunology, and urology. Its corporate philosophy takes the form of a pledge: "We strive to improve human health and contribute to a society enriched by smiles." In the field of oncology in particular, Taiho Pharmaceutical is known as a leading company in Japan for developing innovative medicines for the treatment of cancer, a reputation that is rapidly expanding through their extensive global R&D efforts. In areas other than oncology, as well, the company creates and markets quality products that effectively treat medical conditions and can help improve people's quality of life. Always putting customers first, Taiho Pharmaceutical also aims to offer consumer healthcare products that support people's efforts to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives. For more information about Taiho Pharmaceutical, please visit: https://www.taiho.co.jp/en/. About Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. (Japan) The Otsuka group of companies is a total-healthcare enterprise that aims to contribute to the health of people around world under the corporate philosophy, "Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide." Healthcare is broadly and holistically addressed through the two main pillars the pharmaceutical business for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and the nutraceutical*1 business to support the maintenance and promotion of everyday health. Our 46,000*2 employees across 183 companies in 28 countries and regions take on challenges across various fields and themes to help fulfill the universal wish of people to be healthy. Our pursuit of these challenges is motivated by the Otsuka' s corporate culture, articulated as "Ryukan-godo" (by sweat we recognize the way), "Jissho" (actualization) and "Sozosei" (creativity), and fostered by successive generations of Otsuka leaders. By striving to provide unique products and services, we seek to achieve sustainable growth and be an indispensable contributor to the world. For more information, please visit the company's website at https://www.otsuka.com/en/. *1. Nutraceuticals: nutrition + pharmaceuticals *2. As of end of December 2017 About Servier Servier is an international pharmaceutical company governed by a non-profit foundation, with its headquarters in France (Suresnes). With a strong international presence in 149 countries and a turnover of 4.152 billion euros in 2017, Servier employs 21,700 people worldwide. Entirely independent, the Group reinvests 25% of its turnover (excluding generic drugs) in research and development and uses all its profits for development. Corporate growth is driven by Servier's constant search for innovation in five areas of excellence: cardiovascular, immune-inflammatory and neuropsychiatric diseases, cancer and diabetes, as well as by its activities in high-quality generic drugs. Servier also offers eHealth solutions beyond drug development. Becoming a key player in oncology is part of Servier's long-term strategy. Currently, there are twelve molecular entities in clinical development in this area, targeting gastro-intestinal and lung cancers and other solid tumors, as well as various leukemias and lymphomas. This portfolio of innovative cancer treatments is being developed with partners worldwide, and covers different cancer hallmarks and modalities, including cytotoxics, proapoptotics, targeted therapies, to deliver life-changing medicines to patients. For more information about Servier, please visit www.servier.com. U.S. Media Contact: Lori Rodney GCI Health on behalf of Taiho Oncology [email protected] 212-798-9915 E.U. Servier Media Contact: Sonia Marques [email protected] +33 (0)1 55 72 40 21 / + 33 (0) 7 84 28 76 13 Karine Bousseau [email protected] +33 (0)1 55 72 60 37 LON-PM-US-1134 10/2018 1 LONSURF [US prescribing information]; Princeton, NJ: Taiho Oncology, Inc.; 2017. 2017. 2 Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Dikshit R, et al. Int J Cancer. 2015;136:E359-86. 3 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Gastric cancer. Version 2.2018. http://www.nccn.org. Accessed June 2018. SOURCE Taiho Oncology, Inc. Related Links https://www.taihooncology.com Washington, Oct 21 : US President Donald Trump has said that his country will pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia, a decades-old pact limiting strategic weapons development. Trump made the remarks to reporters after attending a rally in the state of Nevada on Saturday. He accused Russia of violating the 1987 treaty without providing any evidence, reported Xinhua news agency. "The agreement has been violated for many years," he said. "We'll have to develop those weapons," Trump added. Trump's words came as his National Security Adviser John Bolton was heading to Russia on Saturday, who has been reported to tell Russian leaders about the US plan to exit the landmark deal. The INF treaty, signed by the former Soviet Union and the United States, bans the development, deployment and testing of ground-launched ballistic or cruise missiles with ranges between 300 miles (483 km) and 3,400 miles (5,472 km). Moscow and Washington have repeatedly accused each other of violating the treaty. In May, a Russian military official claimed that the United States continues testing its missile defence systems and producing missiles which are prohibited by the INF treaty. Ankara, Oct 21 : Turkey will "never allow a cover-up" of the death of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi, deputy head of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Numan Kurtulmus, said on Saturday. Turkey will share its evidence with the world and "a conclusive result of the investigation is close", Kurtulmus was quoted by news daily as saying, reports Xinhua news agency. His remarks came after Saudi authorities claimed early Saturday that Khashoggi died in a fight inside its Istanbul consulate. "It's not possible for the Saudi administration to get rid of this crime if it's confirmed," Kurtulmus noted. "Turkey will reveal whatever happened. No one should doubts about that," AKP spokesman Omer Celik told reporters. He stressed that Turkey would not blame anyone prior to completion of investigation "but nothing should be hidden". Khashoggi, journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, had been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. A joint Turkish-Saudi team completed an investigation into the case on Thursday after searching the residence of the Consul General as well as the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The kingdom acknowledged early Saturday that Khashoggi died in a brawl in its consulate, but did not give any explanation on the cause of his death. As of now, 18 Saudi suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the incident and two senior Saudi officials fired. Berlin/Paris, Oct 21 : Strongly condemning the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi consulate in Istanbul, both France and Germany have called for "further" and "comprehensive" investigation into the incident. "With great dismay, we have received the confirmation of the violent death of Jamal Khashoggi," said a statement issued by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday, Xinhua news agency reports. Under massive pressure, Saudi Arabia admitted early Saturday that preliminary investigations by the Saudi Public Prosecution showed the missing journalist Khashoggi died after a fight at the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul. "We condemn the act with utmost sharpness. We expect transparency from Saudi Arabia in light of the circumstances of the death and the background," said the statement. It said that those responsible must be held accountable and that the information given by the Saudi consulate in Istanbul is insufficient. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drianm calling for an in-depth investigation into the journalist's killing, said: "France condemns this murder in the strongest terms. The confirmation of Jamal Khashoggi's death is a first step toward the establishment of the truth." He, however, said that many questions remain unanswered about the circumstances of Khashoggi's death. "... They require a comprehensive and diligent investigation to establish all the responsibilities and to ensure that those responsible for the murder...are held accountable for their actions," the top French diplomat said. The Saudi journalist who lived in the United States, disappeared on October 2 after visiting the consulate to complete paperwork related to his divorce. In an interview with the German public broadcast ARD on Saturday night, Heiko Maas said: "I think as long as the investigations are ongoing and as long as we do not know what happened there, there is no reason to take positive decisions on arms exports to Saudi Arabia," said Maas. Saudi Arabia is the second largest customer of German weapons behind Algeria so far this year. Until September, the German federal government granted export licences worth 416.4 million euros to Saudi Arabia. Prior to the announcement by Saudi Arabia, Heiko Maas had already put travel plans to Saudi Arabia on hold. Photo: Twitter New Democrat legislator Leonard Krog has given a mayoral victory speech in Nanaimo, putting the provincial government's precarious hold on power into question. Krog's win will trigger a provincial byelection when he gives up his provincial seat. It won't be enough to tip the balance of power to the Liberals' favour against an NDP minority government that's propped up by the Greens, but it would bring it to the brink. The Liberals have 42 seats in the house, the New Democrats 41, including Krog, the Greens have three seats and there is one Independent. Results continue to come in from local elections held across British Columbia Saturday. In Vancouver, 21 candidates are running to fill a void left by Mayor Gregor Robertson, who did not seek re-election, including former NDP MP Kennedy Stewart, local business owner Ken Sim and independent candidate Shauna Sylvester. Former firefighter Mike Hurley has unseated five-term Mayor Derek Corrigan in Burnaby, while former mayor Doug McCallum is leading in his attempt at a comeback to replace Linda Heppner in Surrey. Srinagar, Oct 21 : A soldier was injured on Sunday in a gunfight with militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, police said. The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Larnoo village after receiving information about the presence of militants in the area. "As the cordon was tightened, the militants fired at the security forces. The injured soldier was immediately shifted to a hospital. Two to three militants are believed to be hiding inside a residential house in the area under cordon," the police added. Washington, Oct 21 : US President Donald Trump has announced that America was pulling out of the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia, a decades-old agreement signed in 1987. "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years," Trump told reporters on Saturday before boarding Air Force One to leave Nevada following a campaign rally. "And I don't know why President (Barack) Obama didn't negotiate or pull out. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to.We're the ones that have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement. "But Russia has not, unfortunately, honoured the agreement. So we're going to terminate the agreement. We're gonna pull out," he said of the agreement, which was signed in December 1987 by former President Ronald Reagan and former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachecv. The treaty forced both countries to eliminate ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between approximately 300 and 3,400 miles. It offered a blanket of protection to the US' European allies and marked a watershed agreement between two nations at the centre of the arms race during the Cold War. The Trump administration has said repeatedly that Russia has violated the treaty and has pointed to their predecessors in the Obama administration who accused Moscow of violating the terms of the agreement. In 2014, CNN reported that the US had accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty, citing cruise missile tests that dated to 2008. The US at the time informed its NATO allies of Russia's suspected breach. Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the military alliance remained "concerned about Russia's lack of respect for its international commitments, including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the INF Treaty". Moscow's failure to adhere to the agreement was also addressed in the most recent Nuclear Posture Review published by the US Defence Department in February, which said Russia "continues to violate a series of arms control treaties and commitments". However, pulling out of the treaty could provoke a similar arms race across Europe akin to the one that was occurring when the agreement was initially signed in the 1980s, CNN said. Kottayam (Kerala), Oct 21 : Reacting to the Kerala government registering a new case of sexual abuse alleged by solar scam accused Saritha Nair, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday said the move was politically motivated. "This has happened before also and now this fresh development has surfaced because of the issues in Sabarimala. I will deal with this case legally and tomorrow (Monday) in the state capital, I will reveal more details," Chandy said here. In the state capital, Kerala Police chief Loknath Behra on Sunday told the media that a new FIR has been registered and a special team had been constituted to probe Nair's complaint. " Now, let the law takes its course," said Behra. In the complaint, Nair said that in 2012 at Thiruvananthapuram, she was sexually abused by Chandy and Alappuzha Lok Sabha member K.C. Venugopal . This fresh move comes after the Kerala High Court while hearing Chandy's petition over the Solar Judicial Inquiry Commission report, said in May that findings of the commission based on Nair's letter need not be considered. The multi-crore solar energy investment fraud that rocked the Chandy government in 2013 was led byNair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan, as it came to light that a section of the Chief Minister's office had links with the couple. Nair's letter named Chandy and numerous other top Congress leaders for sexually exploiting her. London, Oct 21 : Former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who earlier criticised Facebook for paying too little tax in Britain, is now facing flak for joining the social network as its head of global affairs, the media reported. The former Liberal Democrat MP will start working for Facebook on Monday and move with his family to Palo Alto in California in the New Year, The Telegraph reported this week. Clegg will earn 1 million pounds a year in his new role at Facebook, which paid only 7.4 million pounds in tax in Britain last year despite recording 1.3 billion pounds in sales, the report added. A couple of years ago, Clegg, who lost his seat in Parliament in the 2017 general elections, said that he was not "especially bedazzled by Facebook". "Nor am I sure that companies such as Facebook really pay all the tax they could ? though that's as much the fault of governments who still haven't got their tax act together," he was quoted as saying. And now his acceptance of the Facebook role has not gone down well with his former party colleagues as well as other lawmakers in Britain. He has been accused of hypocrisy. Senior Liberal Democrats leader Vince Cable said he would urge Clegg "to make sure Facebook co-operates with attempts to make sure they pay their fair share of tax". "This is deeply hypocritical. He has been critical about companies that try and reduce their tax and he is now running to the door of Mark Zuckerberg," Nigel Evans, a Tory MP, was quoted as saying. "Quite frankly we all know he has the ability to say one thing and do another. He's now their champion. Pass the sick bag." The decision to appoint Clegg, a former European commission trade negotiator and member of the European parliament, is indicative of Facebook's desire to have a better relationship with Brussels, where it is facing calls for increased regulation, the Guardian reported. New Delhi : Book: Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan; Author: Ruby Lal; Publisher: Penguin-Viking; Pages: 308; Price: Rs 599 For certain generations of Indians, the cinematic fable of Anarkali is perhaps the most celebrated, but cliched, introduction to royal court intrigues of the Mughal era, in which an enraged Emperor Akbar orders the confinement of Shehzada Salim or Jehangir's lover and semi-fictional heroine in a nondescript portion of a wall at the Lahore fort, following an elaborate courtship, including song and dance. Ruby Lal's biography "Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan" in many ways tries to throw the spotlight on the real heroine of the life and times of Jehangir: His empress Nur Jahan. Lal, in her feminist biography of the Nur Jahan -- born Mihr un-Nisa -- underscores her worth in the otherwise overwhelmingly male-dominated annals of the Mughal empire, which have invariably spoken about the men who wore the crown and defined the destinies of the millions who lived in their empire. Nur Jahan, according to Lal, was everything every Mughal empress, before and after her, wasn't. A warrior who led troops into battle, an expert horse-rider, a widow who ended up marrying an emperor, an empress who issued royal proclamations and who had royal coins with her name etched on them. And when push came to shove, also rescued Jehangir after he was imprisoned by one of his officers. Lal's approach in chronicling Nur Jahan is an interesting one. By using historical fact as an easel, the author paints rich, vivid, descriptive strokes of Nur Jahan's journey from the daughter of a relatively nondescript and persecuted Persian nobleman, their perilous travels to the Mughal court in Lahore and her dramatic rise to becoming the Empress of the mighty Mughal Empire. "Asmat and Ghiyas would have walked along the streets crowded with houses, perhaps exploring the bazaars, that pulsates with energy, packed with buyers and sellers, and passersby exchanging greetings and the news. One section of the bazaar, a series of intricate lanes, was set aside for women only. Women took their time gazing at the bold patterns and colourful embroidery on the finest muslins, silks and velvets. Many wore flowers in their hair, and toe rings and anklets with charms or little bells and chewed betel leaf to redden their lips. Married women wore maang, red colour in the parting of their hair; or the sekra, seven or more strings of pearls that hung from a band at the forehead or the laung, a clove-shaped stud ornamenting the nose" is how Lal evocatively describes the scenes which Nur Jahan's parents would have encountered in 16th century Lahore, a flourishing centre of trade and a beacon for the persecuted Persian parents, whose daughter in the decades to follow would be the Empress of the Empire. The book also puts into context different narratives about the rise of Nur Jahan, while laying down antecedents of the chroniclers of the time, thus allowing the reader to gauge and understand the political and historical context to the narrative. For example, while summarising three parallel narratives about a snake threatening a just-born Mihr un-Nisa, she says: "An Italian quack doctor, an Indian courtier, a Scottish adventurer -- each wrote of Nur Jahan's birth. The Catholic mercenary Manucci (Italian) was interested in an imitation of Christ. For Khafi (courtier), the Indo-Persian tales of migration and a man's compassion for his wife were dominant. Alexander Dow (Scotsman) and the early colonial writers who followed him were enchanted by a romantic image of India, that land of wonders, surprises -- and snake charmers." "Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan" is a rare lyrical read about a dashing woman who not only smashed the prevailing high walls of conservatism of her time, but whose influence is also unfortunately overshadowed in India by the romance of a Jehangir's semi-fictional lover, Anarkali. (Mayabhushan Nagvenkar can be contacted at mayabhusha.n@ians.in ) New Delhi, Oct 21 : In a lengthy speech invoking valour and recalling the contribution of the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) in the freedom movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that his government was committed to taking "big and bold" decisions and that the Indian Army was being modernised as per the vision of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Modi made the remarks while speaking at the Red Fort, where in a departure from protocol, he hoisted the national flag to mark the commemoration of the 75 years of the establishment of the Azad Hind Sarkar, the government of "free India". The Azad Hind government was raised by Bose during the freedom movement. Modi said that "even after 75 years of Independence, Netaji's dreams have not been fulfilled". He acknowledged that India has "marched several steps ahead" in the years since Independence but maintained that it was yet to reach new heights of glory. Modi claimed that the NDA government was committed to "achieve this goal" by going ahead with the vision of a new India "at a time when destructive forces are attacking us". This vision of new India, Modi stressed, is in line with what Bose had imagined. "It is the duty of every Indian to be inspired by Netaji, to fight such forces, to defeat them, and to contribute to nation building in their full capacity," he said. The Prime Minister also blamed the previous governments for looking at the country with an "English perspective". "Our government is changing this," he said, insisting that the country's sovereignty was an important aspect of Bose's vision. Modi recalled Bose's words: "With the power of weapons and sacrifice of blood, you have to achieve freedom and then when the country will be free, you will have to make a steady army for the nation, whose work will be to protect our freedom". "Today I can say that India is moving towards the creation of an Army that was visioned by Netaji. Josh, Junoon aur Jazba, these have been parts of our Army for long but now technique and modern weapons and equipments are also being combined with them. "The strength of our Army has always been for self protection, and it will remain so in the future too," he maintained. Modi stressed that India has "never been greedy" for somebody else's land. "This has been our history. But whosoever poses a threat to Indian sovereignty will be answered with double strength. Several attempts have been made in the past four years to strengthen our Army. "The best technology is being made available to Indian Army. This government has the courage to take big and bold decisions. And this will continue in the future too. From surgical strikes to making the Netaji files public, the decisions have been made by only our government. The dreams that were envisioned by Netaji have been carried forward only by this government," he said. Traditionally, the Prime Minister hoists the national flag at the Red Fort on Independence Day, and in a first Modi did so on Sunday because soldiers of the Indian National Army faced trails by the British at Red Fort. Modi also laid the foundation stone of a museum dedicated to the Azad Hind Fauj at the Red Fort. Srinagar, Oct 21 : Three militants were killed and two soldiers injured on Sunday in a gunfight with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, police said. A joint operation was launched by the troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), the state police's Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) after receiving information about the presence of militants in Laroo village. "As the cordon around the hiding militants was tightened, they fired at the security forces triggering the gunfight. Two of the slain militants were Pakistanis while the third was a local," police sources said. Clashes between civilian protesters and the security forces erupted near the gunfight site. Authorities have suspended both mobile telephone and internet services in Kulgam district as precautionary measure. Kolkata, Oct 21 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday paid tribute to all the brave soldiers of Indian National Army (INA) on the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Azad Hind Government. "Today is the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Azad Hind Government. My heartfelt tribute to all the brave soldiers of INA who fought for India's freedom under the leadership of Netaji. Jai Hind," she tweeted. On Police Commemoration Day, Banerjee also conveyed her best wishes to the police forces of West Bengal and other states. "On Police Commemoration Day, my best wishes to @wbpolice, @kolkatapolice and all the police forces of all other States for their service to the nation. From festivals to disasters, they always work hard to keep us safe." New Delhi, Oct 21 : Dedicating the National Police Memorial (NPM) to the nation in recognition of the sacrifices made by police personnel since Independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the UPA government of its failure in constructing the memorial. Modi questioned: "Why did it take 70 years after Independence to get the memorial into reality, why it took so long time even after 60 years of the Hot Spring day incident which is celebrated as Police Commemoration Day?" October 21 is observed as the Police Commemoration Day every year in memory of the policemen killed at Hot Springs in Ladakh by Chinese troops on this date in 1959. "A thought to dedicate a Police memorial to the country's police force came up 25-26 years ago. The memorial also got approval by the then government. Atalji's (former Prime Minister) government took the first step in turning the thought on ground level and the then Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani laid the foundation stone of the museum in 2002," Modi said. "I know that the construction work got affected because of some legal problems but had the earlier government wanted or tried it by heart, the memorial would have been completed several years ago." Accusing the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Modi said "earlier government allowed settling dust on the stone established by Advaniji". "When NDA government came to power in 2014, we passed the budget for it and the museum is today being dedicated to the nation," Modi said on the occasion. The memorial, erected on 6.12 acres of land in city's Chanakyapuri area, is built in the memory of 34,844 police personnel who have laid their lives in the line of duty since 1947, with 424 losing their lives this year. Modi said that Advaniji, who was also present on the occasion, was very proud on observing the inauguration of the memorial which according to him is not only the sign of peace and service but "shows the commitment of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government which is dedicated to secure the country's dignity and honour of those linked to nation building". Commenting on UPA government in context of several projects, including the NPM, Modi said "the God might have chosen and liked him for doing good works". "This is the way of doing any work by our government which has developed the working culture to complete the targets on time." Recalling the inauguration of Ambedkar National Centre here in Delhi last year, Modi said the discussion over its construction was started nearly in 1992 but the file was put on hold for two decades. "We searched the file and inauguration of the centre was done after his government came to power," he said. "Like this, the construct of the National Memorial at Baba Saheb Ambedkar's house at 26-Alipur Road was started when Atalji's government was in power. After his government, the project stalled. Our government laid the foundation stone of the project when it came to power (in 2014) and I got the opportunity to inaugurate it in April this year. Now, these magnificent monuments are inspiring the world." Modi said "a serious question raises in my on occasions about what was the reason of showing negligence by the earlier governments towards those who sacrificed themselves for the country. This has never been the part of our tradition". "I am proud that we have succeeded in establishing that tradition in the last four years. The inauguration of National Police Memorial is part of that tradition." The Prime Minister also announced that he would inaugurate a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31 in Gujarat's Kevadiya. Built at a cost of over Rs 2,300 crore, it will be the largest statue in the world with a height of 182 metres. He said the monuments should not be only the place of tourism but a place which provide the knowledge of country's tradition and glory. Modi suggested that the statue of every martyrs of the country be placed on the school where they got education, the village from where they belonged. "The move will give a new motivation to the scholars of our country." The Prime Minister lauded the paramilitary forces and police personnel in successfully handling the elements which create unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, in Maoist-affected areas and the northeast insurgency operations. He also stressed on preparing an atmosphere that whenever the personnel of our police force, paramilitary and army pass through anywhere an automatic feeling of respect for them produce among people. "This police memorial, the statues of martyrs, their valour stories will take us forward in this direction." OModi announced an honour for the police personnel who provide first hand help in disaster like situation and said it "will be declared in the name Subhas Chandra Bose on his birthday on January 23 every year". Considering present and future challenges in view of increasing technology which has led cyber crime and terrorism as a big threat, Modi emphasised that the police forces not only keep better coordination with other agencies but also use such technology in its operations. Modi prasied the police for facilitating online FIRs and handling traffic related problems through social media but stressed that there was need to "take up the technology to a level when no one had to come to police stations for small complaints". He also stressed that the police should be people friendly to control the crime graph. The Prime Minister also dedicated a Police Museum to the nation on the occasion. The museum contains artefacts and points of time that shaped the history of the Indian police. New Delhi, Oct 21 : A working capital crunch, coupled with lack of critical components, has slowed down the delivery schedule of railway wagons, affecting their availability with the transporter, a senior official said. "Wagon manufacturers are the mainstay of the railways as 90 per cent of its requirement is met by the private sector. Till October 1, Indian Railways has received only 2,717 of the 12,311 wagons that had been ordered from 10 major players in April," the Railways official told IANS. Thus, the manufacturers are expected to produce 9,594 wagons, each of which costs Rs 25 lakhs, in the next five months, by March 2019, which seems to be a tall order, industry stakeholders said. Expressing serious concern over the slow pace of delivery, the Railways has asked wagon manufacturers to improve the supply or face a penalty of two per cent of the value of the order as laid down in the contract, the official said. According to industry sources, there are issues like lack of working capital and non-availability of critical components like bogeys, couplers, dropgear and airbrake systems from Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO)-approved vendors. While the price of steel has gone up around 20 per cent to 25 per cent in the recent past, there are also Goods and Services Tax (GST) issues. Five per cent GST is applicable on wagons, while the GST on raw materials required for wagon productions is 18 per cent. There are plans to approach the Finance Ministry to resolve the GST issue, industry sources said. Meanwhile, the Railways has decided to opt for the reverse auction method to decide on its future tender for procurement of 21,758 wagons at an estimated cost of Rs 5,600 crore -- the largest such order for the national transporter. The order includes nine types of wagons, including covered, flat, open and brake vans to be supplied by the successful bidders in the next two years. (Arun Kumar Das can be contacted at akdas2005@gmail.com ) Photo: Contributed The North Okanagan will be getting a new cultural centre after a successful referendum Saturday. Voters were asked if they would approve the city borrowing $25 million to build a cultural centre that would house the Vernon Public Art Gallery and Vernon Museum. Preliminary results show 7,850 yes votes compared to 5,357 no votes. Castanet will have more information as soon as it becomes available. Srinagar, Oct 21 : Five civilians were killed and over a dozen others injured on Sunday when an explosion occurred a gunfight site in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, police said. According to the police, despite repeated requests not to visit the gunfight site in Laroo village till it was declared safe, civilians went to the gunfight site where an explosion occurred. Some of the injured civilians have sustained critical injuries, according to doctors in the Kulgam District Hospital. Three militants were killed by the security forces in this gunfight. New Delhi, Oct 21 : Former Supreme Court judges are divided over a suggestion to increase the retirement age of judges to 70 years. Those opposed to it say that 65 years is "optimal" and even at this age it is difficult to bear the burden of the court's heavy workload. While Justice K.T. Thomas and Justice K.S. Panikar Radhakrishnan dismissed the suggestion to increase the retirement age, Justice B. Sudershan Reddy endorsed it. In the recent past, Attorney General K.K. Venugopal -- the central government's topmost lawyer -- had on a number of occasions raised the issue of increasing the retirement age of the judges of the higher judiciary, including a three-fold increase in their salaries -- a position not shared by the Narendra Modi government. Those favouring enhancing the retirement age have cited increased life expectancy as a ground and comparing it with the prevailing practices in other countries, including US where Supreme Court judges serve for life, the UK where the retirement age is 70 year and other countries where it is 70 or 75 years. Justifying the suggestion for increasing the retirement age on the grounds of increasing "longevity" and life expectancy, senior lawyer C.S. Vaidyanathan said that "physical and mental ability to work" beyond 65 years is "very much there" -- a view endorsed by former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and senior lawyer K.V. Vishwanathan. There is no rational justification to retire judges at the age of 65, Vishwanathan said, adding: "Judges mature and ripen in their late fifties or early sixties and one must tap their talent beyond 65 years." Buttressing the point, Vishwanathan cited the example of Justice Anthony McLeod Kennedy who rested his pen in US Supreme Court in 2018 at the age of 82. He described Justice Kennedy as a "classic example" of a "prolific writer" at the ripe age of 82. Justice Kennedy was succeeded by Justice Brett Kavanaugh -- whose confirmation hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee saw the burgeoning of the 'MeToo' volcano denting the reputation of many among the high and mighty. All this did not weigh with Justice Thomas and Justice Radhakrishnan, who thought 65 years was a good enough an age to hang up the gown, because at this age, mental and physical wear and tear start manifesting. "There may be one, two or three judges who can carry on with the heavy, demanding work of the Supreme Court with the same tempo. But others find it difficult to work. My colleagues used to tell me the that they find it difficult to carry on," said Justice Thomas, citing Justice P.K. Paripoornan as telling him: "I can't keep up with the volume of work in the Supreme Court." Rohatgi, Vaidyanathan and K.V. Vishwanathan not only favoured increasing the retirement age but also bringing the retirement age of the High Court judges at par with that of the Supreme Court -- an issue on which Justice Reddy differed. While Justice Thomas agreed that the retirement age should be at par, Justice Reddy felt that the "distinction" should remain. Justice Thomas asked: "If Supreme Court judges could work up to the age of 65 years, then why not High Court judges?" Unequivocally asserting that even at 65, handling the Supreme Court's workload is fatiguing, Justice Radhakrishnan said that the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts could be increased, but with the option of quitting before reaching the age of superannuation -- a practice prevailing in Zimbabwe, where a top court judge is appointed to retire at 65 years but can opt to continue till 70. "Personally I was very happy when I retired because for a period of 15 to 20 years you have put in so much work which can't be compared with any other service," Justice Radhakrishnan said, adding: "A really hard-working judge would like to retire at the age of 65 as working for over 15 to 20 years takes its toll." "As a judge I have to do justice to the court," Justice Radhakrishnan maintained, pointing out that "there can't be any comparison with other countries. In America, the Supreme Court has 100 to 130 cases per year. Similar is the case with England and the International Court of Justice." The Supreme Court in India deals with over 65,000 cases per year. However, there is no split view on increasing the salaries of the judges of the higher judiciary which, at the current level, is considered to be on the lower side. In January, the salary of a Supreme Court judge was hiked to Rs 250,000 a month from Rs 90,000 and that of the Chief Justice to Rs 2.8 lakhs from Rs 1 lakh. Justice Sudershan Reddy said that the salary increase of the judges should be "commensurate with the work load they carry". (Parmod Kumar can be contacted at saneel2010@gmail.com ) Kabul, Oct 21 : Eleven civilians were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on Sunday as voting for parliamentary elections was underway on the second day, an official said. "A mine planted by militants struck a civilian car in Achin district at 11 a.m. killing 11 civilians including a woman and six children," Xinhua news agency quoted official Attaullah Khogiani as saying. Taliban militants, who had vowed to oppose and disrupt the elections, are yet to comment on the incident. On Saturday, 27 people including 11 security force members were killed and 100 others injured, according to Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs. New Delhi, Oct 21 : Known for speaking her mind, actress Swara Bhasker, who has often been a victim of trolling and online bullying, says like any other public sphere, social media should also have a civil conduct. Asked if social media bullying bothers her, Swara told IANS here: "It used to bother me in the beginning when it happened and I felt very hurt. I felt it was very unjust... Then I realised life is unjust. They are not doing it out of a sense of justice, but doing it from a place of viciousness, hatred or genuine malintent. So what would you do about that? They have no identity. I became inured to it." Swara added that "social media is a virtual public sphere and like other public spaces we should have a civil conduct on social media. It is a virtual public space". The 30-year-old made her debut in filmdom in 2010 with "Madholal Keep Walking". She was then seen in "Raanjhanaa", "Tanu Weds Manu", "Tanu Weds Manu Returns", "Nil Battey Sannata", "Anaarkali of Aarah", "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo" and "Veere Di Wedding". Talking about the kind of work she wants to do now, Swara said: "I am at a strange point... because after 'Nil Battey Sannata', 'Anarkali' and 'Veere Di Wedding', I am like 'What should my next script be?' I don't know how to up that because I feel the standards have become too high for scripts. I have not signed a film after 'Veere Di Wedding'." Over her nine-year-journey in Bollywood, Swara has essayed relatable characters like Chanda from "Nil Battey Sannata" or Bindiya from "Raanjhanaa". "I have been very lucky also with the kind of roles I have been given or that I have landed even if they have been in the supporting category or protagonist roles.... I can't control what I am offered but I can control what I choose. So, I am very careful of what I choose." The actress said she is "dying" to do the movies based on dancing around the trees "but now the dancing around the trees in Switzerland is not happening. So, I feel like I am 20 years late in the industry". Does she aspire to do something more? "There is a lot of stuff I still want to do and I hope that I am able to do that in whatever I do next. I think as an artiste, you can never be satisfied because satisfaction means the beginning of the death of an actor. I don't want to be satisfied. I hope that my ambition always stays unsatiated," she added. So what's next? Swara, who featured in web series "It's Not That Simple", said: "I am doing very interesting work in the web space. I am very excited. I think the web space is a new space. It's offering a lot of exciting and new work and I am holding on to my time for films because I want the next one to be very special." (Durga Chakravarty can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in) Los Angeles, Oct 21 : Actor Rami Malek's initial experience of fame was short-lived after he crashed his car upon spotting his first "Mr. Robot" billboard. The actor was driving through Hollywood when he caught site of his face on a huge poster and braked suddenly to get a good look, reports aceshowbiz.com. The driver behind rammed into him and when the two men stepped out to exchange insurance details, the other motorist quickly realised he had hit the car of a star. "I was so surprised I slammed on the brake and someone rear-ended me," he told chat show host Graham Norton. He added: "The other guy got out of the car unhurt but looked at me and followed my gaze and suddenly he developed severe back pain. I thought, 'I have made it and now he's going to take it all!'" Ankara, Oct 21 : The fiancee of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has published a final message to him, after Saudi authorities admitted he was killed at the country's consulate in Istanbul, the media reported on Sunday. "They took your bodily presence from my world. But your beautiful laugh will remain in my soul forever. My darling #jkhashoggi," she wrote on Twitter Saturday evening. Attached to the tweet is a video of Khashoggi giving a TV documentary interview, reports CNN. He is shown being interrupted by a cat which hops on his lap, making him laugh heartily. "You should leave this in the film," a smiling Khashoggi tells the journalist. Cengiz, who was waiting outside the consulate when Khashoggi entered the building, had not previously accepted that he had died. Khashoggi had gone to the consulate on October 2 to conduct paperwork that would allow for the two of them to be married. In the event that he did not emerge, Khashoggi had told Cengiz to call his friend Turan Kislakci, the head of the Turkish Arab Media Association. "I do not know if Jamal is inside. I want to know where Jamal is. Did they detain him? Did they kidnap him? Is he imprisoned?" Cengiz told CNN outside the consulate, a day after his disappearance. At the time, she asked media outlets not to name her. "What is he eating? What is he drinking? Does he deserve this? He is not a terrorist. He is an analyst and a journalist," she added. A journalist and former royal court insider, Khashoggi has been a prominent critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, since he went into self-exile in June 2017. A day after Saudi Arabia's public admission of his death, Turkish media released CCTV footage apparently showing Khashoggi and Cengiz hand-in-hand, entering an apartment building where the journalist had just bought a property for the couple. When Turkish officials privately told media outlets four days later that they believed Khashoggi had been killed, Cengiz tweeted that she refused to believe the news until an official statement was made. That official statement came in the early hours of Saturday, when Saudi Arabia admitted that Khashoggi died in the consulate, claiming he was the victim of a "fistfight" after a discussion turned violent. Kabul, Oct 21 : Atleast 30 Taliban militants were killed in an air raid in Afghanistan's Baghlan province on Sunday, an army spokesman said. "Acting upon intelligence report, the fighting aircraft conducted a series of sorties against a gathering of Taliban rebels in Baghlan-e-Markazi district at around noon, killing 30 rebels on the spot," Xinhua news agency quoted Mohammad Hanif Rezai as saying. Taliban militants launched a series of attacks throughout Afghanistan to disrupt the voting process of the country's parliamentary elections, which began on Saturday. The attacks have claimed 78 lives and injured more than 100 others. Beijing, Oct 21 : More than half of China's cities saw air quality improve year-on-year in September, the Chinese Environment Ministry has said. The average density of PM 2.5 stood at 25 micrograms per cubic meter in September in 338 cities, down 16.7 per cent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. These cities enjoyed good air quality on 90.8 per cent of the days last month, up 2.6 per cent, Xinhua news agency said. The world's most populous nation has over 600 cities and is grappling with chronic pollution which kills about one million people annually. China is the world's biggest coal producer and alone burns half of it, leading to severe pollution. The country is also the largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world. However, the government has cracked down heavily on the polluting industries, shutting many of them. In July, the government released a three-year action plan to tackle the problem. It also punishes top officials for not doing enough to rein in pollution. Beijing is no longer the world's most polluted city. In the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the share of days with good air quality in September stood at 79.2 per cent, a year-on-year increase of 27.8 percentage points, while the PM 2.5 density of the region dropped by 33.3 per cent on year to 36 micrograms per cubic meter, the Ministry was quoted by Xinhua as saying. In the first three quarters of this year, 7 out of 20 cities with the worst air quality were in northern Shanxi province, China's coal-producing hub. According to the action plan released in July, by 2020, emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide should have dropped by more than 15 per cent over the 2015 levels, while cities that fail to meet the requirement of PM 2.5 density should see a decline of more than 18 per cent from 2015 levels. (Gaurav Sharma can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com) Srinagar, Oct 21 : At least seven civilians were killed in an explosion in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Sunday shortly after a gunfight had left three militants dead, officials said. A police spokesman said the gunfight took place after security forces cordoned off a village in Kulgam on a tip-off that militants were hiding there. The exchange lasted several hours in which three militants were killed and two Army soldiers injured. The police said despite repeated warnings that civilians should not visit the encounter site unless these are declared safe, dozens of locals rushed there. "Someone from the crowd fiddled with an unexploded substance, resulting in the tragic incident," the spokesperson added. Reports from the village said locals were busy dousing the flames at the house that was damaged during the encounter when a deafening explosion occurred. The Kulgam district hospital authorities said that initially three injured were brought to the hospital who were declared dead on arrival. "Two injured civilians while being taken to a Srinagar hospital died on the way while another was declared brought dead by doctors at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar," said the spokesman. Later one more injured succumbed to his wounds at a hospital. A total of seven civilians have died in this explosion while the injured were being treated in different hospitals. A sense of mourning prevailed in Laroo village and other places of the district as people were rushing to the village to enquire about the well-being of their relatives and friends. Authorities suspended cellphone and internet services and ordered a curfew in Kulgam in a bid to thwart more protests. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti while expressing grief over the incident said: "Civilians are once again caught in the cross-fire of violence, adding fuel to the already volatile situation." Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said alienating the people in the fight against militancy is a "recipe for losing the fight". "How long can we go on ignoring the ground realities and living in denial about how bad things are in Kashmir?" The separatist camp called the deaths as 'bloodbath' and urged people to protest on Monday. New Delhi, Oct 21 : President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a two-day visit to Maharashtra on Monday. According to an official statement, Kovind will inaugurate the Vishwashanti Ahimsa Sammelan in Nashik on Monday and preside over the convocation ceremony of the Symbiosis International University in Pune on Tuesday. Madison Erhardt Tom Dyas says he's happy how his campaign turned out, despite losing to incumbent Colin Basran in the race for mayor of Kelowna. "As we can see from the results, we were successful in obtaining around 30 per cent of the votes and about 10,000 people supported us," Dyas said Saturday night. Dyas was the leading challenger, and many thought it would be a closer race, Dyas included. "Yes, I was a bit surprised by the numbers. Obviously, we were hoping we would win, that is why we were in this race. "Whether I Iook at winning or losing this mayor's race, I wanted to bring things forward because what I had experienced was trying to address issues within this community, and they were falling upon deaf ears... maybe that will change," he said. Dyas says he will need a breather to decide if he'll be back next time. "I'm going to head to Phoenix, maybe Palm Springs," he said, noting he stepped straight from the Memorial Cup bid into the election race. "Those have not been short days, so what is next for me? A little bit of a breather." Male, Oct 21 : The top court in the Maldives on Sunday upheld the recent presidential election result, and dismissed a petition by the outgoing incumbent, who accused the electoral commission of vote-rigging. The five-member bench of the Supreme Court unanimously said it found no evidence the commission unfairly aided Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to victory in the September 23 election, which spelled the end of incumbent Abdulla Yameen's tenure, Efe news reported. "We are pleased that the court ruled unanimously to uphold the will of the people. There is zero evidence that the election was fixed. President Yameen should do the honorable thing: accept defeat and ensure a smooth transfer of power," tweeted Mariya Didi, spokeswoman for the president-elect Solih. Yameen conceded defeat a day after the election but later brought his case against the winner to the top court, citing complaints from supporters of his ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). He accused the electoral body of using invisible ink and chemicals to rig votes. Chandigarh, Oct 21 : The Punjab Police will conduct a separate probe into the train tragedy in Amritsar on Friday in which 59 people lost their lives and nearly 60 others were injured. Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora said on Sunday that "for fixing the criminal responsibility for the Amritsar railway mishap", Additional Director General of Police (Railways) Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota would conduct the enquiry. The DGP said: "There has been negligence on part of someone and that liability has to be fixed for which this probe has been ordered." The police probe into the incident will be separate from the magisterial inquiry ordered in this connection by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday. People watching the Dusshera proceedings from the railway tracks near Joda Phatak in Amritsar on Friday were crushed by the speeding Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU (diesel multiple unit) train. The Indian Railways has given a clean chit to the train driver and other officials saying that they (railways) were not informed about the Ravan effigy burning event so close to the railway tracks and the presence of hundreds of people on the tracks. Shimla, Oct 21 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday said the government is planning to introduce drug abuse in the school curriculum. Addressing an anti-drug rally in Solan town, the Chief Minister said the drug abuse syllabus would help in sensitising the younger generation about its ill-effects. A meeting of the Chief Ministers of northern states - Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand - was held in Chandigarh to frame a joint strategy to curb the drug menace. "Efforts would also be made to start joint operation along the border areas to nab drug peddlers. Simultaneously, the state is also contemplating to frame stringent laws to punish those involved in drug peddling," the Chief Minister said. Hundreds of students and the public participated in the anti drug rally where the Chief Minister administered an oath to the students to say no to drugs. Amritsar, Oct 21 : Amid tension and tight security, train services were partially restored on the Amritsar-Jalandhar railway section as the Punjab Police booked unidentified protesters on Sunday who clashed with the police at the spot where 59 people were crushed by a speeding train on Friday. A near-empty passenger train was plied on the railway section amid tight security measures on Sunday evening. Railway services on the track on this section had been suspended following the train disaster. Punjab Police personnel stood guard on both sides of the railway tracks near Joda Phatak (railway gate) area of Amritsar to prevent any protesters from getting near the tracks. Earlier in the day, railway authorities plied a cargo train on the same section. The cargo train also had empty bogies. The police booked unidentified protesters who clashed with them on Sunday morning as the police began clearing the railway tracks in the area. The protesters were booked for rioting and attempt to murder. The protesters indulged in stone-pelting, leaving at least half-a-dozen policemen injured. The police resorted to cane-charge and even arrested one person. Protests staged by residents against the Punjab government and the railways turned violent on Sunday. Police had to rush reinforcements to the area. The injured policemen, including a Punjab Police commandos, were rushed to a government hospital. Residents of the area threw stones at the police when the latter tried to remove them from the railway tracks where the tragedy occurred. The protesters were demanding action against organisers of the Dusshera function near Joda Phatak for which hundreds of people had gathered to see the burning of the Ravan effigy. The people were watching the proceedings from the railway tracks when the Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU (diesel multiple unit) train crushed them. Family members of the train tragedy victims said Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur, who was the chief guest at the Dusshera function on Friday, had not even bothered to meet them despite their loss. The Punjab government headed by Amarinder Singh on Saturday ordered a magisterial probe into the train tragedy. The probe will cover if mandatory permissions for holding the function were given. The railways said it was not responsible for the incident. Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal demanded that a case of murder be registered against the organisers, who were mostly ruling Congress leaders. Shimla, Oct 21 : The Himachal Pradesh government on Sunday claimed that its 'Grihini Suvidha Yojana' (GSY) has been a success as it has achieved 66 per cent target in five months since its launch on May 26. The GSY provides liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) connections to the households in the state which were not covered under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana. LPG connection is being provided also to the families affected by natural disasters. The Food and Civil Supplies Department had set a target of 33,264 LPG connections in this fiscal. A total of 22,000 connections have been provided till October 16, a government spokesperson told IANS. So far, the Department has received 161,207 applications and the government is spending Rs 3,500 per connection. The government aims to provide the LPG connection to all beneficiaries in two years. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur made a budgetary provision of Rs 12 crore for the scheme in this fiscal. Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Kishan Kapoor said Himachal is poised to become the first state in the country to provide clean, smoke-free fuel to each family. This scheme will become a milestone in environment protection and women empowerment, he said in a statement. Chandigarh, Oct 21 : Claiming to be "completely satisfied with the relief and rehabilitation measures being carried out for the victims of the Amritsar train tragedy" and following assurances by his ministerial colleagues that everything will be taken care of, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday decided to visit Israel. The Chief Minister decided to visit Israel and hold the scheduled meetings there on Monday, an official spokesman said here on Sunday. Amarinder was earlier scheduled to visit Israel on Friday, but had cancelled it at the last moment, following the train accident in Amritsar in which 59 people were killed and nearly 60 injured as a speeding train crushed them when they were watching Dusshera celebrations while standing on live railway tracks. "While the Chief Minister spent complete day in Amritsar on Saturday, on Sunday he remained busy and closeted with his ministerial colleagues and senior officers to take stock of the situation. "He issued instructions to the officials and ministerial crisis management group to take all the measures required for relief to the victims," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that the Chief Minister had earlier decided to postpone the visit indefinitely following the Amritsar tragedy but he was "advised to go ahead" as he was supposed to sign three important memoranda of understanding in Israel on agriculture, preserving of water resources and dairy development. "All these proposals hold lot of significance for Punjab, particularly in terms of agricultural diversification and saving the depleting water resources in the state. Israel recycles 90 per cent of its water using modern technology, which Punjab can also adopt," the spokesperson said. The Chief Minister is also scheduled to meet Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on October 23. "Besides, he has separate meetings scheduled with the Israeli minister for Agriculture Uri Ariel and the Minister for Energy and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz for signing the memoranda of understanding on agriculture and water resources," the spokesperson said. Varanasi, Oct 21 : Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha on Sunday held the local administration responsible for the Amritsar tragedy in which 59 people were crushed to death by a train while watching the burning of the Dusshera effigy. "Had the local administration been cautious, the incident would have been avoided. The Railways was not informed about the Dusshera ceremony. Had they informed us, we could have taken measures," he told reporters. Sinha was responding to a query over the incident at Joda Phatak when the passenger train heading to Hoshiarpur from Amritsar came hurtling down. He said: "The incident should not be politicized." Sinha, who laid the foundation stone of projects and inaugurated developmental schemes at various stations between Varanasi and Buxar, also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed not just the political culture, but also the work culture. He said that due to the special interest of the Prime Minister, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are getting more attention towards development of railways and its infrastructure projects. "The investment in railways has been tripled from Rs 48,000 crore to Rs 1.48 lakh crore," he said. On the occasion, Sinha announced various projects worth Rs 32 crore including introduction of a new MEMU train from next month between Buxar and Varanasi. He laid foundation stone for various projects at Dheena, Dildarnagar, Gahmar and other stations. Kabul, Oct 21 : The President of Afghanistan on Sunday officially announced that voting in the Afghan parliamentary elections had closed, with initial data from the election commission estimating that over four million eligible voters exercised their democratic rights over the weekend. President Ashraf Ghani made the remarks in a televised speech broadcast nationwide, Efe reported. "The great nation of Afghanistan, thank you! By casting your votes, you proved to the world that you don't want violence. You proved your will for democracy," the leader said, highlighting the large turnout despite the persistent threat of violence from the Taliban insurgent group. "You proved to the Taliban that no one can bring this nation under their control by force," Ghani added. At least 27 civilians and 10 members of the security forces were killed and over 100 were injured during the two-day voting period as the Taliban launched over 250 separate attacks in a bid to stop people from voting. Ghani described those killed during the election process as martyrs for democracy who sacrificed themselves for the democratic hopes of future generations. He also highlighted the role of women, whether as candidates or as voters, as a success for Afghan democracy. Abdulbadi Sayyad, chairman for the independent election commission in Afghanistan, told a press conference that around four million people - of which 33 percent were women - cast their votes across 32 provinces. "Forty-five percent of eligible voters (of which there are 8.8 million) have taken part in this election," he said, proclaiming it a success. Around 401 polling stations that were kept closed Saturday due to security threats had been scheduled to reopen the following day. However, only 76 of those were functioning throughout Sunday, Sayyad said. New York, Oct 21 : Saudi Arabia on Sunday described as "a mistake" the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, earlier this month. In an interview with Fox News, Saudi Foreign Minister Abel Al-Jubeir said that this was a "rogue operation". "They made a mistake and killed Jamal Khassoggi in the consulate and they tried to cover up for it," Al-Jubeir said. Khashoggi, journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, had been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. A joint Turkish-Saudi team completed an investigation into the case on Thursday after searching the residence of the Consul General as well as the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The kingdom acknowledged early Saturday that Khashoggi died in a brawl in its consulate, but did not give any explanation on the cause of his death. As of now, 18 Saudi suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the incident and two senior Saudi officials fired. Berlin, Oct 22 : Germany will not sell arms to Saudi Arabia while the case of the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi remains unclear, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday. Merkel made the remarks at a press conference after a campaign for her party in a regional election, repeating her condemnation of Khashoggi's killing, which took place inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, reports Xinhua news agency. "Firstly, we condemn this act in the strongest terms. Secondly, there is an urgent need to further clarify what happened by the Saudi authorities. We are far from this having been cleared up and those responsible should be held to account," said Merkel. "As far as arms exports are concerned, those can't take place in the current circumstances," the Chancellor added. Saudi Arabia is the second largest customer in the German defence industry just after Algeria so far this year. Until September, the German federal government granted export licenses worth 416.4 million euros to Saudi Arabia. Merkel and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday issued a statement, condemning the murder of Khashoggi, calling for transparency from Saudi Arabia in light of the circumstances of the death and the background. Photo: Contributed British Columbians will soon start receiving mailed ballots for a chance to vote in a referendum that could change the provincial voting system, but the experience of other provinces suggests the plan will be a waste of time and money, says a political science professor. Nelson Wiseman of the University of Toronto said Ontario and Prince Edward Island have failed to replace the existing first-past-the-post system, as has B.C. in two previous attempts, because the status quo favours established parties in the long run. Wiseman said elected leaders should decide themselves if they want to change a system and not leave that up to voters, who could oust a party in the next election if they're dissatisfied with the results. "My attitude is, 'Look, don't tell me you're going to have a referendum. Tell me if you are in favour. Are you going to do it or are you not going to do it?' " Proponents of proportional representation say it's a fairer way of electing candidates because the percentage of votes would roughly equal the number of seats a party gets in the legislature. Opponents say local representation would be reduced with parties having more control. Vote PR BC and the No BC Proportional Representation Society are the two official proponent and opponent groups in the referendum, and each has received $500,000 in government funding. British Columbians are receiving voter guides in the mail, and ballot packages will be sent over the next two weeks. The voting period will start Monday, and all ballots must be received by Elections BC by Nov. 30. The ballot will contain two questions: whether the first-past-the-post system should be kept or changed to a system of proportional representation. The second question involves ranking three proportional systems, which are: Mixed-member proportional, or MMP, would result in 60 per cent of members of the legislature being elected by the most votes and 40 per cent by lists set by political parties. Dual-member proportional would involve large ridings represented by two politicians, including one with the most votes. Rural-urban proportional would be a blend of the MMP for rural ridings and the single transferable vote system for urban ridings, though voters have already rejected it in 2005 and 2009 referendums. Attorney General David Eby has said that if a proportional representation system is voted in, a second referendum would be held following two general elections to allow for a return to the current system. Wiseman called that "ridiculous." "My overall view about this is that you ought not to have referenda on these things. That's what elections are for," he said, adding British Columbia has proposed too many proportional models that are confusing. Dubai, Oct 22 : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the US on Sunday kicked off a two-week military exercise, state news agency WAM reported. "Iron Magic 19" is part of a series of joint military exercises throughout the year between the UAE armed forces and the armed forces of other countries, WAM said. The exercise seeks to reinforce cooperation, joint actions and exchange of expertise in military areas, it added. This will contribute to "maximizing the combat capabilities and increasing coordination between the UAE and the US armed forces", the report noted. The bulk of UAE military hardware, such as F-16 fighter jets, Mirage jets and Apache Longbow attack helicopters, are mostly manufactured by companies from the US, Britain and France. However, the UAE, a major oil supplier, has established a growing defence industry in recent years, mainly in armoured vehicles and naval military equipment. Tehran, Oct 22 : Iran's Foreign Ministry on Sunday denied allegations of interfering in the US mid-term Congressional elections. "Iran's policy is not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said, reports Xinhua news agency. In a statement published on the Ministry's website, Qasemi said that attempts by the US officials to say that Iran had been involved in the US mid-term polls was a false allegation. "The White House has for sometime been trying to raise allegations against other countries for specific political reasons," Qasemi added. US intelligence and law enforcement agencies on Friday claimed that foreign governments, including Iran, would try to influence US upcoming mid-term Congressional vote in November. Ankara, Oct 22 : Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his US counterpart Donald Trump discussed on telephone on Sunday night the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and agreed that "all aspects of the case should be brought to light". This was announced by Turkey's presidential press office, reports Xinhua news agency. Erdogan said earlier on Sunday that he will make a statement and address the issues "in detail" on the Khashoggi case on Tuesday during his party's group meeting at Parliament. Khashoggi, who was a critic of the Saudi monarchy and lived in the US, went missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. The kingdom claimed early on Saturday that Khashoggi had died in a "brawl" in its consulate, but did not explain the cause of his death. Erdogan and Trump also discussed bilateral relations, the presidential press office said in a statement. Interfaith Communities will serve a Langar (free Indian meal) to more than 4,000 members of our community in Lincoln Park, immediately west of the State Capitol, in Denver, Colorado from 11am to 2pm on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Langar, which rhymes with "hunger" is a 500 year Sikh Tradition, that emphasizes social and economic equality as people share a nutritious, communal meal together. World wide, Sikhs serve an estimated 6.5 million meals every day, approximately 2.4 billion meals each year, as the embodiment of humanitarian service. Everyone can come, eat and be treated equally while being served a free nutritious meal. Visit our Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2120898567928459/ Dilpreet Jammu, President of the Colorado Sikhs, expressed that Our annual Langar in Denver has become an opportunity for members of multiple communities, who may not normally see each other, to come together; to meet one another, and to take care of each other. We are continually inspired by the communities who join us each year and those new communities who are joining us for the first time. We have been excited to share in this event every year, and support those who are hungry and homeless around Denver. The Langar is a demonstration of the shared values of the Interfaith Community and enables people coming together across our many differences to work together to improve peoples lives.. said Amanda Hendersen, Executive Director of the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado Marjorie Helms Karish, founder of TheGoldenThreadOfTruth.com, an Interfaith Program for Children, stated The annual Langar gives our children an opportunity to engage with people of different traditions and faiths all coming together for sharing of a common goal, to feed those less fortunate and break bread with our brothers and sisters on this planet. Rev. Simon Shadowlight, Mile Hi Church Interfaith Ministry, shared the value of the event for his community. "The 2018 Community Langar in the Park provides an opportunity to set aside what seems to divide and polarize us and come together with strangers and friends alike to enjoy something as basic and universal as a meal together. It is a statement to our commonality and shared dignity as human beings. I hope to see you there." The Langar provides an avenue for all of our Interfaith members to meet new people, to have new dialogs and to take care of each other. Photo: Contributed Congolese rebels killed 15 civilians and abducted a dozen children in an attack at the centre of the latest deadly Ebola outbreak, Congo's military said Sunday, as the violence threatened to again force the suspension of crucial virus containment efforts. "We condemn this attack," said the World Health Organization's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "Everyone should work on achieving peace and fight Ebola." Allied Democratic Forces rebels attacked Congolese army positions and several neighbourhoods of Beni on Saturday and into Sunday, Capt. Mak Hazukay Mongha told The Associated Press. The U.N. peacekeeping mission said its troops exchanged fire with rebels in the Mayangose area of Beni. Angry over the killings, Beni residents on Sunday carried four of the bodies to the town hall, where police dispersed them with tear gas. Vehicles of aid organizations and the peacekeeping mission were pelted with stones, the U.N.-backed Radio Okapi reported. The ADF rebels have killed hundreds of civilians in recent years and are just one of several militias active in Congo's far northeast. Late last month, Ebola outbreak containment efforts were suspended for days in Beni after a deadly attack, complicating work to find and track suspected contacts of infected people. Since then, many of the new confirmed Ebola cases have been reported in Beni as the rate of new cases overall has more than doubled, alarming aid groups. The latest attack comes after two medical agents with the Congolese army were shot dead the first time health workers have been killed by rebels in this outbreak. It is a "dark day" for everyone fighting Ebola, Congo's health minister said late Saturday while announcing the deaths. Mai Mai rebels surged from the forest and opened fire on the unarmed agents with the army's rapid intervention medical unit at an entrance to Butembo city, the health ministry said. The daytime attack appeared premeditated, with civilians present left unharmed, the statement said. The medical agents had been placed in "dangerous zones" to assist national border health officials. Confirmed Ebola cases have now reached 200, including 117 deaths. Health workers in this outbreak, declared on Aug. 1, have described hearing gunshots daily, operating under the armed escort of U.N. peacekeepers or Congolese security forces and ending work by sundown to lower the risk of attack. Congo's health ministry has reported "numerous aggressions" against health workers. Early this month two Red Cross volunteers were severely injured in a confrontation with wary community members in a region traumatized by decades of fighting and facing an Ebola outbreak for the first time. "Health agents are not a target for armed groups," Health Minister Oly Ilunga said on Saturday. "Our agents will continue to go into the field each day to fulfil the mission entrusted to them. They are true heroes and we will continue to take all necessary measures so that they can do their job safely." On Wednesday, WHO said it was "deeply concerned" by the outbreak but announced it does not yet warrant being declared a global emergency. An outbreak must be "an extraordinary event" that might cross borders, requiring a co-ordinated response. Confirmed cases have been found near the heavily travelled border with Uganda. In the latest example of the rumours that pose another serious challenge to containing the virus, the health ministry said 22 youth in Butembo dug up the body of an Ebola victim and opened the body bag, "wanting to verify that no organs had been taken from the body by health workers." They ended up touching highly infectious bodily fluids, the ministry said. "The next day, they agreed to be vaccinated," joining the more than 20,000 people who have received vaccinations so far. Information gathered by Starr News indicates that the German, a Student, accompanied by three female German colleagues and two Ghanaians went for merrymaking at the Akropong Odwira street festival last night. READ ALSO: undefined While walking through the crowd of merrymakers, it is alleged that the deceased, Adams Yakubu,35, together with his gang attempted to rob the Suspect and friends creating a scuffle during which he was stabbed and pronounced dead upon arrival at the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital. The incident angered the other gang members of the deceased who mobilized themselves to lynch the suspect and his friends. READ ALSO: undefined Prosecuting Detective Inspector John Asare Bediako told the Court presided over by Mr Kofi Ametewee that the two siblings have been living together for years and now have two children, a five year old boy and one-year-old girl. The prosecution said the accused persons reside at Bronyibima, a suburb of Elmina in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality of the Central Region. He said, Mary who is a trader had failed to disclose the father of the children despite all efforts by her family members to do so. In July, 2018, the accused lost their grandmother which afforded an opportunity for the chief and elders of the community to deliberate on the issue and the two confessed having amorous relationship which resulted in the birth of the two children. READ ALSO: undefined As part of rituals to pacify the gods to avert any curse on the community and the shame brought on the family as a result of their relationship, the two siblings were on Tuesday, October, 16, 2018, paraded through the Bronyibima town. Some family members reported the matter to the police who followed up and arrested the accused persons at the scene and handed them over to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Cape Coast. During interrogations, they confessed to the crime of incest and were charged in accordance with the law. She said the vehicle, which headed from Kpetoe towards Aflao hit the rear of a Toyota pickup truck with registration number ER 2343 11 parked on the shoulder of the road. The District Commander said the driver lost control and veered off into the stream. She said the two were retrieved from the River with the help of personnel from the District Fire Service and rushed to the Volta Regional Hospital in Ho where they were pronounced dead on arrival. Madam Offei said the bodies had since been deposited at the hospital morgue pending autopsy, whiles Police investigated the matter. READ ALSO: undefined She said the damaged vehicle had been towed out of the River and deposited at the Police Station. The Commander reminded motorists of the need to respect traffic rules, particularly speed limits, and exercise restraint when driving through populated areas. She said with the Agotime Kente Festival in full swing, it was important that drivers stayed away from excessive drinking, and gave the assurance of increased police visibility and vigilance. Thus far, more than 12,000 volunteers and more than 2,000 professional soldiers have joined. Here's what they do. The Territorial Defense Forces (WOT) was created in 2015 by Poland's then-Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz, who argued it was needed to bolster patriotism among young people and to protect the country from the growing threat of Russia. Young people who join are expected to spend at least four months in training over three years, including 16 days in basic training, for which they'll be paid an $80 monthly stipend as well as education and training allowances. In basic training, recruits are taught marksmanship. First aid. As well as topography and battlefield readiness. Damian Krasnodebski, a 27-year old architect from Warsaw who joined last year, describes WOT as a guerrilla force. Poland joined NATO in 1999, but Krasnodebski said the alliance is not enough. A guerrilla force is always difficult to fight against, he said. If there was fighting in Poland, there would be problems with supply lines, subversive activity. Thats always difficult for the opposing military. Monika Pawlik, a 24-year-old town clerk and young mother, was one of four women at a training session last winter. I wanted to try something new, and above all I wanted to have this sense of security, she said. Pawlik said that she's now confident about handling weapons: I know what to do with them, I know how to aim. Pawlik also said she was surprised to find out she was just as strong as the men. "If I go for something, I take it to the end." Marcin Wierzbicki, a 44-year-old manager at an energy company, said that by joining WOT he is following in his family's tradition set forth by his grandfathers of defending Poland. Wierzbicki said he does not expect to take part in battles, but to support the operational army, guard key assets, control road points and so on. Poland will be safer now and in the future, he said. There are some who are impoverished but arent hawking. What drives people to hawk and how much has Africa done to find solutions to hawking? Poverty in Africa is super complicated. The whole thing may be onerous to extricate, but fragments of it could find solutions if massive studies and efforts are thrown at it. There are telecom companies who branded poor retailers of their products, with umbrellas, clothes, chairs, tables, etc. There are beverage and fast moving consumer goods companies who have also given branded boards, posters, merchandises to poor retailers as well. There are often promos, offers, credit services, microfinance, etc. for many of these retailers. Sometimes, it doubles as marketing or for social optics. However, most of these are palliatives for poverty, not structures for economic elevation. Financial inclusion, can also simply be described as a way of providing banking services for the poorest. It is helpful and necessary. But where does financial inclusion fit for majority of poor people: palliative or elevator? Some may argue that most poor traders have found a way around saving from time, while others may argue that there has been no other time in Africa, where direct financial services are provided to the poor. Africa is buzzing with new stuff especially platforms that technology enabled. But where are the solutions? Where are the studies? Where is the activism, or rage against hawking? How many University centers are there to study and prevent hawking? How many corporations are making efforts to reduce the amount of hawkers of their product, to have more shop-based or stationary retailers? Hawkers are ignored, seen as normal and forsaken, except when there is something to benefit from them. Hawking is abnormal, horrific and should be discouraged enough that it should be the impossible option. But, nothing is done, by those who have knowledge, or by those whose products they sell directly or indirectly, or by those who can make the policies to help them collectively. Often people give one answer to poverty, or hawking, saying do this, then that, etc. But NO, the complexities of Africas hardship require multiple studies, tests, models and experimentation consistently towards solution. Christianity, Poverty and Taxes Sometimes, the necessity of reviewing issues of poverty is because of the growing amount of people who blame Christianity for poverty in Nigeria, or in Africa. Christianity is hated more than hawking, by those who have no value to improve the society except vague to-dos. They have said people are brainwashed by Christianity. Meaning that for them all their opinions and views of everything they do is a hundred percent original, nothing from anywhere was ever accepted, so whoever accepts anything they didnt create, or invent is brainwashed. No interest in genuine Christianity or in the Way does not mean those who have are brainwashed. They also said Christianity is false hopes. But if there is no hope in hawking, where someone hawking had seen folks who hawked through life, or stayed poor through life, is it not better to have hope that may mean joy or that may mean endurance and ability to be strong, or have a sound mind? True Churches are not the problem of the country, or the continent, no matter what statement is brandished by enemies of the Church. Also Read: Churches are NOT business centers Giving in a true Church is also not a scam, no matter the giving. It is optional, voluntary and in accordance with faith. No need to give if there is doubt of its use, or if feeling cheated. Also, if there are questions about Christianity and the Power of GOD that arent satisfactorily answered, it does not invalidate the Truthfulness of the Word. Christianity is not the only thing that has unanswered questions. There are tons of unanswered question in spite of all the advances in psychology, neuroscience, oncology, astronomy, atmospheric science, etc. Christ said, Pay therefore to Caesar the things that are due to Caesar, and pay to God the things that are due to God. This means that if you believe you may give, as part of your faith, to GOD. The Scriptures did not tell us how the Churches in the Epistles gave during their services, or their general order of service but it is possible, they gave collectively for Church projects, for the welfare of the poor, for gospel witnessing, etc. Taxes are important for any economy. There are all kinds of taxes for all categories of income and expenditures. Taxes well spent are like a great pillar for building and maintaining a society. Poverty The poverty in Africa is painful. Yes, it is not an excuse for laziness or for vices or for risky desperations, or for harm, or for lawlessness. But there are many, trying much to be lawful and good, but the failures of the society has precipitated them. It is so unfortunate and it doesnt seem there are massive active efforts for poverty solutions in Africa, but who knows? By Nneka Okumazie Bobrisky promised to pay him a sum of N200,000 every month as a lesson concerning the importance of giving. "Yaaaay I couldnt wait till tomorrow because I have an appointment schedule for tomorrow. So I called James to come today so I can give him the 100,000 I promise him. "Secondly I also promise to pay 200,000 every month in his account to take care of his health. I told him by next month I want to see him chubby and looking fresh. Some stupid Nigerians castigating James because he is HIV need to rethink and face their life. "Im never seeking any attention from this because Im already famous. I was the most Google in 2017 so I need no fame from this. Have make so much money now that all I need is too help people not to find fame. Have a wonderful day ," writes Bobrisky in a post shared on Saturday, October 20, 2018. Later that day he shared a video of himself and the visitor while reminding his followers about the irrelevance of earthly riches. Making others happy seem very important to Bobrisky. The president disclosed this in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Saturday. According to him, the frequent resort to bloodshed by Nigerians over misunderstandings that can be resolved peacefully is worrisome. The President said: No culture and religion support the disregard for the sanctity of life. Peaceful coexistence is necessary for the progress of any society and its wellbeing. He further noted that without communal harmony, the environment for the conduct of our everyday businesses would be impossible to achieve. Buhari explained that violence cannot be an alternative to peace. On the contrary, reliance on violence leads to ultimate self-destruction. Violence is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. Embracing peace is a necessity. While commending the Kaduna state government for its rapid response to the crisis, the President appealed to community leaders to engage in regular dialogue to nip imminent crises in the bud. He admonished the people to develop the spirit of tolerance and patience at all times. The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ahmad Abdur-Rahman, had earlier confirmed that the police had arrested 22 suspects in connection with the communal crisis that engulfed Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state on Thursday. Abdul-Rahaman said anti-riot and conventional policemen as well as a team of the state joint security operatives, Operation Yaki, despatched to the town had since restored normalcy. According to him, he has also visited the town and engaged youth leaders, traditional and religious leaders in the efforts to stop the crisis and prevent its spread. According to Daily Post, the priest said this while speaking to his members at the Adoration Ground in Enugu state. Buhari playing games Mbaka said Buhari has all the human and material resources to improve the country, but has chosen to play games with the lives of Nigerians. So let the will of God be done in Nigeria. It is like what I have been saying Buhari change or you will be changed. What will it take you; change the Chief of Staff, change B, change C, change this and change that; even if it will take 20 Igbo men or 20 Yoruba men to change Nigeria; take all of them. Look at what (Chukwuma) Soludo did in the Central Bank; he has assured Nigeria and the whole world that there is nothing like bank collapse again. An Igbo man did this, why cant Buhari take Soludo for the economic revival and revamping of Nigerias economy? And you are busy talking about corruption, playing games with the lives of Nigerians from the issue of Fulani herdsmen to Boko Haram to Jos killings. You said somebody stole, what did he steal?" Criticises FG's Social Investment Programme Mbaka also criticised the Federal Government's Social Investment Programme, saying that Someday, they said the government has spent trillions of naira on social investment scheme and I want to know who are the people they were spending the money on; the Vice President said they are giving N10,000 to small scale businesses and I asked, is this how they will transform Nigeria? You give somebody N10,000 for business, what type of business will N10,000 start?" Atiku is bureau de change Somebody will have billions and want to take the one belonging to the public while hunger will be killing his people. Look at the type of money they shared during the primaries to the extent that they brought Bureau de Change. They said Buhari is change, but Atiku is bureau de change. They were sharing the money in dollars and it was going out in millions of dollars in Nigeria where hunger is killing people; where you dont have food to eat. If they spend such monies to get ticket, how do you think that when they get into power they will rule, of course, they will first recover the money they have spent but the worst is that the money was not being shared to the poor," he added. Atiku will defeat Buhari in 2019 The fiery priest predicted that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar will defeat Buhari in 2019. Mbaka also said that the President will be removed because he refused to listen to the instructions of God. He said After you are removed, they will bring people that will flog you because you messed up the opportunities because you didnt listen to the word of God. You didnt listen to the man of God you have and you were disobeying him. The price of disobedience is disgrace. The priest also warned Atiku not to behave like Buhari when he gets to power. Atiku will make Nigerians smile In December 2017, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka said that ex-Vice-President has what it takes to make Nigerians smile. According to Tribune, the anti-graft agency has also enlisted 22 witnesses who will testify against the former Governor during trial. Notable among the witnesses, is a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member and minister of defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro. The EFCCs charge list obtained from Tribune, states: That you Mr. Ayodele Fayose and Mr. Abiodun Agbele (now facing another charge) on or about 17th June, 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, took possession of the sum of N1, 219, 000, 000.00 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Nineteen Million Naira) to fund your 2014 gubernatorial campaign in Ekiti State, which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) and (4) of the same Act. That you Mr. Ayodele Fayose on or about 17th June, 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without going through the financial institution received cash payment in the sum of $5, 000, 000 (Five Million Dollars) from Senator Musiliu Obanikoro the then Minister of State for Defence, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 1 and 16 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act. That you Mr. Ayodele Fayose on or about 7th April, 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did retain in your fixed deposit account No: 9013074033 with Zenith Bank Plc, the sum of N300, 000, 000.00 (Three Hundred Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act. ALSO READ: Fayose begs EFCC for extra mattress to sleep comfortably inside holding cell That you Mr. Ayodele Fayose and Spotless Limited between 17th June, 2014 and 4th August, 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, took control of an aggregate sum of N317, 000, 000.00 (Three Hundred and Seventeen Million Naira) by depositing same into the Zenith Bank Plcs Account No: 1010170969 belonging to Spotless Limited, a company controlled by you and members of your family and which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act. Nnamdi Kanu, the exiled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), during his online broadcast on Sunday, October 21, 2018, expressed support for Ayo Fayose. IGP Idris in a condolence message in Abuja on Sunday, said he was deeply touched when he received the news that late Legbo Kutigi had passed on. His death is a huge loss not only to Kutigi people, Bida Emirate, but also to Niger state and the nation as a whole, Idris said. According to him, Late Legbo-Kutigi was an elder statesman, an exemplary leader and a bridge builder who has contributed immensely to the peace and development of the country. He joined the government and people of Niger, the Nigeria Bar Association and the National Judicial Council in mourning the erudite jurist. The police chief noted that the deceased contributed immensely to the structuring of Nigerias jurisprudence. The police boss said that the deceased was a great leader who is also deep in his faith with Allah. He urged that his exemplary leadership in promoting peace, unity and progress in Nigeria should be remembered as his legacy towards making Nigeria a better place to live. Even after his tenure as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, he continued with all his good attributes of ensuring justice, peace, unity and progress of not only the state but the country at large. According to the police chief, late Legbo-Kutigi showed love to all and sundry, irrespective of their tribe, religious inclination and in spite of these, he was a Godly man who had the interest of his people at heart above any other thing. The police chief stressed that it was significant that throughout his life, late Legbo-Kutigi retained the humble and unassuming mien of a technocrat, saying as a leader, he retained the respect of all and sundry. He was a bridge builder, an amiable personality who is at home with his people, whose vacuum would be difficult to fill, he added. I on behalf of the police family wish to as also condole the governor, Alhaji Sani Bello, his family and all those leaders who advised and helped him when he served as the Chief Justice of Nigeria. Kutigi, born in December 1939, died on Sunday in London during a brief illness. Some accounts say she was killed while standing in-front of her house, while others say she was killed while in her car by policemen who thought she was an armed robber. 31-year-old Anita later died as a result of the bullet wound that same Saturday at the Gwarimpa General Hospital. IG orders investigation Following public outcry, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim idris orderedhat the policemen involved be detained. The family of the deceased has however called on the Police IG to reveal the identities of the policemen involved in the gruesome killing. According to Punch, the familys lawyer, Kayode Ajulo said the police have to be transparent. Ajulo said It is pertinent to let you know that the late Anita was murdered sitting inside her car. Yes, she was shot through the drivers side door of the car with the bullet passing through her abdomen, after the killer policemen had shot one of the car tyres. While we appreciate the fact that the Inspector-General of Police has ordered the detention and investigation of the officers involved in the killing of Anita, we demand the identity of the officers. For a transparent judicial process, the police authorities ought to make the identities of the policemen known so as to avoid a situation where they will miraculously escape from detention. Debunks police narrative The family lawyer also said the narrative that Miss Akapson struggled with the policeman who shot her is false. According to him, What has been peddled is that there was a bit of struggle, but we wont like to pre-empt the investigation. One thing that is clear is that the lady was sitting in her car and she was shot. Before then, the car was waylaid, intercepted and brushed; the impact is still there. The car was blocked by the police, so the question is, who is running away that you now chose to kill her in the car? As it is, as a lawyer, we would like to know what the police are coming out with as their findings because the rumour we were hearing was that there was an armed robbery attack somewhere and maybe, she was being suspected. If you suspect somebody of being a robber, something must have happened; maybe you saw her running, you can now assume she might be a suspect. But someone sitting in her car, after you have demobilised the car, shot the tyres, you shot her right inside the car. What kind of country are we running? Like I said earlier, we are waiting for the outcome of police investigation, but we just need to let the police know that we knew what happened. Of course, the family got an independent investigator to pick everything, the pellets, we have been able to secure the whole thing, but one thing is that a life full of potential has been cut short by the bullets of the Nigeria Police. That is one thing we cannot take away from the whole thing, no matter the reasons given. Independent prosecutor The familys lawyer also said that an independent investigator should be allowed to handle the prosecution of the officers. We demand an independent prosecutor to handle the prosecution of the officers. History has shown that the police can go to any length to protect their own, and this may not be different. Till date, nothing substantial has been done in the prosecution of the officer that killed Ms. Linda Igwetu, the NYSC member in July this year. We urge that this matter should not be swept under the carpet because as a family, we are willing to go to any length to get justice for our daughter, he added. He assured that more IDPs would return home in the weeks ahead, saying some kinetic activities of the OPWS are beginning to yield fruitful results as community leaders are being engaged in resolving conflicts within their communities. Yekini also disclosed that the wife a notorious known as Gana, was recently killed by his men during a shoot-out with the gang. He assured that squad would not rest until Gana was arrested, saying we will continue to search for him until he is arrested. Yekini also said that 45 assault weapons, 1,285 rounds of ammunition and 24 AK47 magazines were recovered from bandits, including armed herdsmen. He added that 74 suspects had been arrested since the OPWS began operation about six months ago. He explained that the recent attacks on a police station at Zaki-Biam in Ukum Local Government Area, was coordinated and executed by Gana Boys to retaliate an earlier attack on them by security operatives. The commander said that one soldier was missing in the attack while 12 gang members were killed. Okowa said that the late Justice Kutigi contributed immensely to Nigerias growth and the development of the judiciary. He lauded Kutigis contributions, experience and diligence as Chairman, Nigeria National Conference, which was convoked by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014. I am deeply saddened by the demise of Justice Kutigi, former Chief Justice Nigeria, who served Nigeria diligently and meritoriously even as he left a legacy of discipline, brilliance and selflessness for the younger jurists to emulate. My condolences go to the government and people of Niger State, the Judiciary, as well as the late CJNs family, he said. According to Okowa, the late Kutigi was a Minister in the Temple of Justice, who bestrode the bench with unquestionable integrity, dignity and contributed immensely to the growth of Nigerias jurisprudence. He said that the country would miss the wisdom and wise counsel of the late CJN. We are left with the consolation that he served Nigeria creditably. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 278-page book was a compilation of memo, papers and speeches of the monarch. NAN reports that the book which contained seven sections was reviewed by Prof. Anthony Asiwaju. The Alaafin of Oyo had in the past 47 years on the throne by words, deeds and personal sacrifice demonstrated true leadership. He has time and time again stood on the side of truth. He has really served the Yoruba race. You may not always agree with him, but you are never in doubt of his sincerity of purpose and capacity to act consistently on the side of his conviction, Osinbajo said. He described the Alafin as a worthy Yoruba leader and father, whose intellectual prowess and commitment to the Yoruba cause was unparalleled. Similarly, former President Goodluck Jonathan, said the monarch was a father and quintessential leader, whose contribution to national development was impressive. Jonathan, who was represented by Mr Seyi Makinde, PDP governorship candidate in Oyo State, urged the monarch not to relent in the promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition. In a similar vain, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State said that the monarchs wisdom and persuasive skills contributed immensely to the achievements of his administration. Ajimobi said that the monarch had in the last seven and a half years of his administration also helped in enthroning peace and stability to the state. Gov. Umar Ganduje of Kano State thanked God for the Alaafins life, saying the monarch has contributed meaningfully to national integration. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, APC National Leader, said that the Alaafin has contributed a lot to the promotion and sustenance of Yoruba culture as well as tradition. Tinubu, who was represented by Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, charged the monarch to bring together all royal fathers in Yorubaland in the interest of the region. Sen. Godswill Akpabio, a former Akwa-Ibom state governor, also extolled the virtues of the Alaafin, whom he described as a father and leader. Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, congratulated Alaafin on his 80th birthday celebration, wishing him more years on the throne of his fore fathers. The Alaafin appreciated the guests for their support, promising not to relent in his contribution to national integration and development. The monarch who gave the historical background of Oyo empire, said the empire would not relent in projecting its ideologies. NAN reports that the event also featured the presentation of a documentary titled Alaafin of Oyo, a legendary custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition He described late Justice Kutigi as an outstanding administrator; a fearless, impartial and firm judicial officer, who upheld justice and the law in all his assignments at the bench. As the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kutigi ensured the independence of the judiciary as an arm of government and contributed in no little way in providing direction to our nation at very critical moments in our national development. Beside his incisive judgments, Nigerians will always remember Justice Kutigis forthrightness as the Chairman of the 2014 Constitutional Conference, which made far-reaching recommendations for the development and stability of our nation. Ologbondiyan said that the PDP was grief-stricken that this noble Nigerian left the stage at the time his wealth of experience was needed the most. He consoled late Justice Kutigis family, the government and people of Niger state and the judiciary for the irreparable loss, praying the Almighty Allah to grant him Aljanat firdausi. Similarly, the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar said that the death of Kutigi, had robbed the country and the judiciary of one of the best legal minds whose contribution to democracy could not be easily forgotten. Abubakar in a statement issued by his Media Assistant, Paul Ibe, in Abuja said that late Kutigi was a great Justice, who avoided controversy throughout his judicial career. He said that the commitment of the deceased to law and justice and democracy would be remembered for years to come after his death. Abubakar recalled that as chairman of the 2014 National Conference, Kutigi demonstrated admirable wisdom and remarkable leadership in handling such delicate national assignment. The Senator, in his resignation letter said I present to you my highest compliments and wish by this communication to formally offer to you my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC). l had joined the APC and remained with it against all odds in the belief that it will constitute a veritable platform for the realization of those democratic ideals which I hold very dear, that honor and integrity will be the ultimate ethos of the patty and, most importantly, that internal party democracy will always be the norm. However, only posterity can affirm the extent to which the APC has committed to and reflected these values. As I exit the APC at this point in time. I wish to formally thank the party for availing me the platform upon which I am currently serving this country in the honoured capacity of Senator of the Federal Republic. I wish the party well in all her future endeavors and ask sir, that you please accept the assurance of my highest considerations. APC's reaction Speaking on Sanis resignation, APCs spokesman, Lanre Issa-Onilu said We received the news of the alleged defection of Senator Shehu Sani through media reports. The party leadership will relate with all the facts concerning the reported defection and react appropriately in due course. Atiku cannot solve Nigerias problems According to Daily Post, the controversial preacher also said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate cannot solve Nigerias problems. Mbaka also called on Nigerians to do their part to make Nigeria great. If anybody is thinking that if Atiku becomes the President of Nigeria things will get better, who born you because for this country to be good it is easier for a carmel to pass through the eye of a needle than this country to be good, he added. Lashes out at APC Mbaka also criticised the high price of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination forms, saying There are some people that sold their land to pay for this form because of the promise they were made. I dont think these politicians were thinking of heaven that is why they are ready to kill anybody that stands on their way. You did not listen to God Commenting more on his prediction that Buhari will be defeated in 2019, the priest said There are no people that will develop this country that are not in Nigeria. We have people who will develop this nation; but our President left the same type of people who dont have the same type of vision around him and everything they do is in your head. After you are removed, they will bring people that will flog you because you messed up the opportunities because you didnt listen to the word of God. You didnt listen to the man of God you have and you were disobeying him. The price of disobedience is disgrace. Buhari, living in bondage January 1, 2018, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka said that President Muhammadu Buhari is trapped in a horrible bondage. Mbaka also accused those he called the wicked cabal of kidnapping the good intentions of the President. This is coming as Mohammed told newsmen that international media organisations have queried the emergenceof the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar considering the anti-corruption stance of President Buhari. The minister said: One curious issue that kept occurring was that anytime I spoke about how we have waged war against corruption, the journalists kept asking me a question. They asked me: How can you claim to have succeeded in waging war against corruption, when one of the major contestants in the 2019 general elections is actually a man with stupendous wealth but cannot explain the source of his wealth?. That baffled me a lot, because it mean that we are still being perceived as a country where corruption thrives. It was difficult for me to explain to them that yes, we are fighting corruption but these are the same people who have put this country where we are today and who are also trying to come back to power. In its reaction, APCO said the international media has been excited about Atikus emergence. It also added that Reuters also praised the conservative capitalist ideals of the PDP presidential candidate. According to ThisDay, APCO said:How anyone would take the word of a confirmed liar, as Lai Mohammed, for the gospel truth is beyond us. How the minister of information of a government that has turned Nigeria into the world headquarters for extreme poverty can say that is beyond imagination. Is Mr. Mohammed claiming that his party promised and delivered poverty and Nigerians are satisfied with this world record poverty? If Lai Mohammed can lie openly at Chatham House in front of the international press and diplomatic corps, is it a big thing for him to lie about his accounts with the international media? ALSO READ: Atiku Campaign Organisation disowns online grant scheme The group also cited the recent HSBC report that said Nigerias economy will suffer if President Buhari is elected in 2019. A second term for Mr Buhari however raises the risk of limited economic progress and further fiscal deterioration, prolonging the stagnation of his first term, particularly if there is no move towards completing reform of the exchange rate system or fiscal adjustments that diversify government revenues away from oil. He said that his job and that of the governor of Anambra would be parallel and complementary, adding that the interest of the common people of Nigeria would override all other considerations. According to Obi, while Obiano will pilot the affairs of people of Anambra, he will be in Abuja ensuring that the federal government carries out its obligation to the generality of Nigerians. The work of the governor and that of the vice president are parallel but complimentary. While he will be in Anambra tending to state needs, I will be in Abuja making sure that the Federal Government carries out its obligations to all the states in Nigeria, including Anambra State. While he works on state roads, for example, the Federal Government will work on Federal roads, the Second Niger Bridge and other federal projects. In matters like this, the welfare of the people should be the leading principle and our individual concern. I thank God all the Igbo leaders we have visited are on the same page. From our interactions with them, it is clear they see it as a task that requires unity of purpose because its success will be ours as well as that of the entire country, he said. Obi said Nigerians should eschew hate attitude towards one another and realise that every part needs the other for better welfare of all. Now is not the time for exhibition of hate, he said. It would be recalled that Obi, a two term governor of Anambra on the platform All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) was instrumental to the victory of Obiano in 2014. There has been no love lost between the two gladiators following some seeming misunderstandings. Obi withdrew his support for Obiano in the 2017 governorship poll in Anambra for Mr Oseloka obaze, candidate of the PDP in that contest. Many of the victims were dismembered beyond recognition and police said it would take several days to complete the identification of the dead. Some desperate parents went from hospital to hospital in the northern city of Amritsar on Saturday looking for missing children, while the first funerals of some victims were held. Hardeep Singh, chief medical officer for Amritsar, told AFP 59 deaths had been confirmed and 90 people had been injured, with seven in critical condition. Singh said only 25 bodies had been identified so far. Amritsar's main hospital did not have enough space in its morgue, and some corpses were laid outside. The disaster led to new demands for safety reforms to India's accident-plagued railway system, which records thousands of deaths each year. Punjab state governor V.P. Singh Badnore said: "Those who need to be punished will be punished and accountability will be fixed." Scores of protesters who gathered on the railway tracks condemned the Punjab state government and demanded action against the driver who was questioned by police on Saturday. Others blocked a nearby road. Train not heard Police moved the protesters off the tracks and brought in reinforcements to control a crowd of hundreds that gathered around the scene of the disaster. Investigators said victims did not hear the train because the drone of the locomotive was drowned out by firecrackers. Another train had narrowly missed the crowds two minutes earlier, officials said. According to media reports, the driver told police he did not see the revellers until the last second because he had come around a bend in the dark into the firework smoke. As the blame game spread, police said they had given permission for the display for the annual Dussehra festival fireworks but that organisers did not have approval from the city, health department and fire brigade. Indian Railways said it had not been informed of the celebration, even though locals said it had been held at the same place for several years. According to media reports the organisers, members of the Congress party which rules Punjab, had gone into hiding. Railway minister Piyush Goyal returned early from a trip to the United States to go to Amritsar on Saturday. Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh called off a trip to Israel to go to the disaster scene. India's huge railway network is notorious for accidents. A 2012 government report described the loss of 15,000 passengers to rail accidents every year in India as a "massacre". The government has pledged $137 billion over five years to modernise the crumbling network. In 1981, seven carriages from a train fell into a river as it crossed a bridge in the eastern state of Bihar, killing between 800 and 1,000 people. Her lawyer Giuliana Loza described the prosecutor's request as "an outrage." Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho of the First Preliminary Investigation Court will hear the case on Sunday morning, the judiciary said. He is the same judge that earlier this month allowed Lopez's request to hold Fujimori in preventive detention for 10 days. Peru's constitution allows for suspects to be held without trial for up to 36 months in complex cases such as the Odebrecht investigation, which involves tracing millions of dollars in illicit payments. It also ensures that suspects cannot interfere with evidence or witnesses in an ongoing investigation. Acceding to the prosecutor's request would all but end Keiko's chances of the presidency, after she lost run-offs in 2011 and 2016. Lopez lodged his request Friday, only two days after an appeals court ordered Fujimori's release from a week-long stay in prison as part of the same investigation. Under scrutiny The 43-year-old daughter and political heir to disgraced ex-president Alberto Fujimori, Keiko has increasingly come under the spotlight as prosecutors investigate millions of dollars in illicit campaign contributions to several former presidents. They say former presidents Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Alan Garcia and Alejandro Toledo all took undeclared campaign contributions in exchange for pledges to have the Brazilian construction giant win local tenders. Their key witness, former Odebrecht Peru chief Jorge Barata, said he doled out millions of dollars to Peruvian presidential candidates between 2001 and 2016. Prosecutor Perez believes Fujimori -- leader of the main opposition Popular Force party -- received more than $1.2 million from Odebrecht for her 2011 presidential campaign. She denies all wrongdoing. Odebrecht has admitted spending hundreds of millions of dollars to buy politicians' favor in governments all across Latin America. The appeal court's decision to release Fujimori after a week of her previous detention was a setback for both the judge and the prosecutor, who have gained notoriety by prosecuting top politicians over the Odebrecht scandal. New Interior Minister Carlos Moran, a former police general, immediatly ordered police to tighten security around Lopez. "The Peruvian Police will step up protection for prosecutor Domingo Perez as well as for his family and his home," he said on Twitter. 'Remove judge' Fujimori, who is not obliged to attend Sunday's hearing, has petitioned the court to remove Judge Concepcion Carhuancho from the case. "The first thing we have to resolve is the recusal," she told reporters. The case could drag on, as her legal team can appeal. The fortunes of the Fujimori familiy have dominated Peru's politics for the past year. Though Keiko's Popular Force party is the biggest in Congress, her public feud with her younger brother Kenji -- who leads a rival wing of the party -- and their legal woes have chipped away at her popularity. Kenji is facing trial for bribery. Meanwhile, the 80-year-old patriarch, former president Alberto Fujimori, had his humanitarian pardon for crimes against humanity revoked by a court last month and is once again in hospital. His chronic ill health means a return to prison would be a "death sentence", he has told the authorities. He has publicly pleaded with his children to join forces and Keiko said after her week in prison that she had taken time to reflect on "the unity of my family." Her lawyer Giuliana Loza described the prosecutor's request as "an outrage and abuse," El Comercio's newspaper's online edition reported. The 43-year-old daughter and political heir to disgraced ex-president Alberto Fujimori, Keiko has increasingly come under the spotlight as prosecutors investigate millions of dollars in illicit campaign contributions to several former presidents. They say former presidents Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Alan Garcia and Alejandro Toledo all took undeclared campaign contributions in exchange for pledges to have the Brazilian construction giant win local tenders. Their key witness, former Odebrecht Peru chief Jorge Barata, said he doled out millions of dollars to Peruvian presidential candidates between 2001 and 2016. Perez believes Fujimori -- leader of the main opposition Popular Force party -- received more than $1.2 million from Odebrecht for her 2011 presidential campaign. She was arrested on Perez's request on October 10 after she was summoned to give evidence to a court hearing in Lima. An appeals court ordered her release on Wednesday but specified in its ruling that it was making no judgment of the merits of the case against her. She denies all wrongdoing. Three of her aides are also being held in preventive detention. Fujimori said after her release she had used the time in prison to "begin a journey to achieve the unity of my family again" -- a reference to a feud with her younger brother Kenji which has weakened her politically. Her brother leads a rival faction of Popular Force. Up to her shock arrest on Wednesday, Keiko Fujimori had not been directly under investigation, as most of the prosecutors' attention was on two of her senior 2011 campaign aides. Haley urged Guterres to "initiate a strategic review of UNMIK to develop an exit strategy," according to a letter dated October 9, a copy of which was obtained by AFP. The UN mission was established in 1999 as an interim administration in Kosovo following the 1998-1999 war between Serbian forces and pro-independence ethnic Albanians. At the outset, the mission had broad powers over the territory, but following Kosovo's 2008 independence, the UN presence was scaled back. With a civilian staff of about 300 and a dozen military liaison officers and police, UNMIK is now tasked with promoting security, stability and respect for human rights. Haley wrote that the UNMIK review "will provide the UN Security Council information to assess and evaluate the UN presence in Kosovo" and help "advance the normalization of relations" between Serbia and Kosovo. Last week, Haley announced that she will be stepping down as US ambassador in January. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Guterres "had received the letter and is looking at it." Any decision to shut down the mission would have to be taken by the Security Council, which has the authority to establish and end UN operations. Russia, one of the five veto powers on the council, has kept Kosovo under close scrutiny, often expressing concerns for the plight of minority Serbs. The United States, by far the largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping, is pushing for measures to streamline missions and cuts to the $6.9 billion annual budget. Jo Knox was inspired to write a public toilet book after finding the lack thereof around New Zealand. She explains the importance of design, cleanliness and toilet apps. Graeme poses some big questions about life in the universe and the future of us. Michio is touring NZ. See here for the events & tickets. RUSSIA: Ural Mining Metallurgical Co has awarded United Wagon Cos TikhvinChemMash plant contracts to supply a total of 73 sulphuric acid tank wagons by the end of January. Arte Radiotelevisivo Argentina SA (Artear) is using Telestream Vantage Transcode Pro to automate the transcoding and processing of media moving into and out of its Avid editing, storage and asset management systems. Owned by Argentine media conglomerate Grupo Clarin, Artear produces and distributes Spanish-language content, such as episodic dramas, game shows, news and dance competitions. To compete effectively in the digital era, Artear manages and distributes close to a dozen media brands across a multi-platform universe spanning broadcast, cable and digital sites.To better manage its multi-faceted operations, Artear recently opened a new, 28,000 square foot Content Production Centrethe largest in Latin Americacomplete with four studios featuring an Avid MediaCentral post production workflow. A key component to the MediaCentral workflow is a Telestream Vantage Transcode Pro system, which automates the transcoding and processing of media moving into and out of the Avid editing, storage and asset management systems.Artears Vantage Transcode Pro workflow is accelerated through the use of four Telestream Lightspeed K80 servers, plus 10 Dell CPU nodes running Vantage.As our operation grows, I cant imagine how we would handle our current media processing workload without Vantage, said Jose Gabriel Ciccarelli, Avid ASCR, for Artear . Vantage ensures that all videoregardless of codec, format, bitrate, or qualitycan be ingested into our MediaCentral ecosystem. It also ensures that the material exported from our Avids is in the right format for distribution to all of our websites and social networks as quickly as possible. Consumers in the US continue to show exceptionally strong interest in so-called next-gen television service (also known as ATSC 3.0), which offers the same programming as existing free live over-the-air TV (such as local news, live sports, programming from ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and other broadcast networks), but adds advanced streaming-type features. ATSC 3.0 features are claimed to be able to provide a greater level of control, convenience and personalisation such as user-tailored on-screen guides with recommendations and on-screen search of VOD, streaming services and over-the-air TV. It can also offer custom home screens based on viewer preferences. The implementation of the next-generation ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard is thus expected to bring significant advantages to medium- and large-market television stations in the US, including more ad revenue, television viewership and management of digital competition.In a September 2018 survey of more than 1,500 U.S. consumers ages 18-74, Magid registered solid overall interest in and high likelihood to use the next-gen ATSC 3.0 concept, thanks to the bringing together of broadcast TV with broadband content. The survey research will provide the foundation for Pearl and Magids consumer lab testing later this year in Phoenix in conjunction with the Phoenix Model Market project.The Phoenix Model Market initiative is a single-market effort coordinated by Pearl, which includes ten broadcast stations who are collaborating on a market-wide deployment of the new technology in the Valley of the Sun. TV broadcast stations owned by EW Scripps Company, Fox Television Stations, Meredith Local Media Group, Nexstar Media Group, TEGNA, Telemundo Station Group and Univision will test advanced business models enabled by ATSC 3.0.For the research, Magid tested a TV concept with consumers a live, next-gen TV broadcast with network programming and access to video and information not normally found on TV. Respondents were told that the new service might offer better picture and sound quality, standardised audio levels for content and commercials, audio enhancements for speech thats difficult to hear, and custom audio tracks for special commentary and languages. Among other new features suggested were expanded local newscasts, on-demand weather forecasts and a single convenient portal for streaming TV network video programming.The research showed that the next-gen television concept is most appealing with younger consumers and those who are defined as early adopters because of their positive attitude toward technology.Broadcasters now testing and deploying next-generation television are very interested in what will motivate viewers to watch ATSC 3.0 broadcasts and purchase new receivers, said Pearl TV MD Anne Schelle. Its no surprise that better picture quality and enhanced audio are key features, but the early adopters also say they will appreciate a key ingredient of next-gen TV the ability to bring over-the-air together with other content. Streaming and broadcasting can be complementary services for viewers.This research shows that consumers are excited about getting the quality experience and interactivity that ATSC 3.0 will bring, added Brian Markwalter, senior vice president, research & standards, Consumer Technology Association (CTA). We now demand anytime/anywhere connectivity and that includes access to video when were not at home in front of our favourite TVs. And next-gen TVs robust signals can bring advanced broadcast television innovations not only to the TVs in our homes, but also our smartphones, tablets and other on-the-go devices.Survey results reveal that almost 80% of the core group that find the concept most appealing and are also likely to utilize it say they are likely to purchase a new TV set to enable or better enjoy next-gen TV features.This nation-wide consumer survey research will provide the foundation for consumer lab testing later this year in Phoenix. Pearl and Magid are partnering in the labs which will in turn provide insights a survey cant capture and support an additional round of more focused quantitative testing.Last year, a nationwide SmithGeiger consumer survey showed that ATSC 3.0 could also have a halo effect on other industries; the features could compel respondents to spend $205 more than they originally planned on a smart TV, for instance, with purchase intent increasing to 74% (up 19 points from the original baseline).Of those surveyed, 55% initially indicate they plan to buy a smart TV in the next 12 months and spend an average of $950 on a 52 screen. Once exposed to the ATSC 3.0 features, however, their likelihood of purchasing a 52 smart TV with these features rises to 74% - and their willingness to spend increases $205 to an average price of $1,155, with no change in screen size.This dovetails with Magids research, which shows that 42% of those interested in ATSC 3.0 say they anticipate buying a new TV to enable and enjoy next-gen TV services. Overwhelmingly, 96% of the core target (those who rated the concept very appealing and very likely to use next-gen TV) said they were likely to buy a new TV set to experience it.SmithGeiger president/co-founder Seth Geiger noted, The willingness of consumers to pay a higher purchase price and expedite their near-term purchase windows for Internet-connected televisions in exchange for new features is among the most compelling evidence yet of the value of ATSC 3.0.Meanwhile, a BIA/Kelsey report last year examined the conversion to the ATSC 3.0 standard from a business perspective, and concluded that larger stations that are considering implementing the ATSC 3.0 standard would be recouped within three years.ATSC 3.0 will change the business of broadcasting into a next generation wireless communications business, said Mark Fratrik, chief economist and SVP, BIA/Kelsey. This new technology will give broadcasters the ability to pursue multiple new business models which will significantly diversify their current revenue mix.Broadcasters also want to raise advertising revenue through increased viewership, better ad targeting, dramatically expanded and more accurate viewership tracking, and a capability to better integrate multiplatform campaigns; and theyre interested in growing non-advertising revenue through the development of new IP-based broadcasting and non-broadcasting business models.As the business of television broadcasting morphs into a broader content distribution service, many new service offerings will evolve, Fratrik noted.Despite the positives, it should be noted that the Kelsey report also pointed out concerns related to the ATSC 3.0 conversion, which include overall capital cost, providing uninterrupted service to their existing audience and determining the relevant time frame for transition.The biggest opportunities around the implementation of ATSC 3.0 are that it will give broadcasters a new opportunity to grow and address their major concerns like reversing recent local television station viewing trends, explained Fratrik. In our report, we present the business model for implementing ATSC 3.0 based upon our assumptions of the speed of introduction and acceptance by consumers, advertisers and other players in the media ecosystem and overall its quite positive for the vast majority of local television stations. Asias history was carved out in large part by fierce warriors. Mongols. Samurai. Shaolin monks. Sikh warriors. Persian Immortals. Tactical mall ninjas OK, maybe not that last one. But theres no doubt that this region birthed some of the mightiest military cultures. So, in a RECOIL first, were taking a sharper look at big blades from yesteryear that have been used on the battlefield or been inspired by those that have. But note that this buyers guide isnt comprehensive. There have been way too many swords crafted by too many civilizations over too many centuries across the biggest continent on Earth to include them all here. This is just a small slice (pun intended!) of the countless cutting instruments created in that continent. Secondly, we excluded crappy replicas made from questionable materials and sold by shady retailers. Instead, we chose to focus on faithful recreations or innovative swords inspired by Asian themes that come from reputable manufacturers only. Read on to see if theres a historical edged weapon that makes the cut for you. Make: Cold Steel Model: Mizutori (Crane) Katana OAL: 41.25 inches Blade Length: 29.75 inches Blade Material: 1095 high-carbon steel Weight: 2.7 pounds MSRP: $770 URL: www.coldsteel.com 411: Appearing around the 1400s in Japan, the katana was a two-handed, single-edged curved sword thats now considered by many historians as one of the most respected cutting weapons in military history not just for its slashing and stabbing capabilities and its durability, but also for the intricate craftsmanship that went into making each one. This Cold Steel model has both the form and function of an ancient katana, but made from top-notch materials using modern technology. It comes with a lacquered wooden scabbard. Pros: > High-quality katana that would make Miyamoto Musashi smile. > Meaning crane in Japanese, the Mizutori features an elegant bird motif. > Incredibly strong, ridiculously sharp, and just plain badass Cons: > Some might scoff at the $770 MSRP (though the street price is far lower, which is still way cheaper than the thousands [or tens of thousands] for an authentic made-in-Japan katana). Make: Boker Magnum Model: Akito OAL: 40.2 inches Blade Length: 28.5 inches Blade Material: 1045 carbon steel Weight: 2.47 pounds MSRP: $182 URL: www.bokerusa.com 411: The Akito from Bokers Magnum lineup is a fantastic (and relatively affordable) recreation of the samurais weapon of choice. A fully functional sword, it can be used for Iaido (the art of drawing the blade), tameshigiri (the art of test cutting), and for kata (prearranged movements of techniques) practiced in many martial arts. The Akito comes with a lacquered wooden scabbard and features an authentic hamon (the temper line along the side of the blade thats created during the bladesmithing process). Pros: > As a part of Bokers Magnum lineup of affordable edged weapons, the Akito is a great price. > The blade is laser sharp, whether youre swinging, draw cutting, or puncturing. > Subtle good looks accented with quality furniture. Cons: > Our review sample arrived with a loose habaki (or metal collar at the base of the blade above the guard), so the sword can pop out of the scabbard when were not careful. Make: Dragon King Model: Kungfu Jian OAL: 39 inches Blade Length: 28.5 inches Blade Material: 3Cr13 stainless steel Weight: 1.63 pounds MSRP: $309 URL: www.casiberia.com 411: Distributed in the states by CAS Iberia, the Kungfu Jian kinda has a misleading name. Jian refers to the double-edged straight sword from China that dates back 2,500 years and not necessarily that its used only by kung-fu practitioners. Its often depicted in classic novels and films as the gentleman of weapons. Unlike the laughably bendable jian that wushu athletes use for flashy exhibitions (but not combat applications), the Kungfu Jian is a flexible but realistic replica with solid construction. Pros: > Light-years better in quality than the wall-hangers we find in various Chinatowns or flea markets. > Handle feels good in hand, and blade feels well balanced. > Composite scabbard looks like wood but will last longer. Cons: > Its unsharpened, which is a shame because it has the qualities and materials of what would have been a reliable working sword. Make: Hanwei Forge Model: Kouga Ninja-To OAL: 33.5 inches Blade Length: 22 inches Blade Material: 1566 carbon steel Weight: 2.19 pounds MSRP: $510 URL: www.casiberia.com 411: As the ancient equivalent to todays special operation forces, the ninja served as spies, bodyguards, saboteurs, guerillas, and sometimes assassins. According to Japanese lore, two schools originated the art of ninjutsu: Koga-ryu and Iga-ryu. Though spelled differently, the Kouga Ninja-To from Hanwei Forge is a tribute to the former school. (U.S. wholesaler CAS Iberia also offers Hanweis Iga Ninja-To.) Despite being constructed in China, the sword is sturdy, well made, and attractive. Pros: > The iron handguard (or tsuba) and 1566 high-carbon steel blade are surprisingly robust. > Balanced for both a one- or two-handed grip. > If youre a kid of the 80s (Revenge of the Ninja, anyone?), youll love the swords movie-inspired aesthetics. Cons: > Could this ninjato lop off a tyrannical shoguns head? Sure, but its edge wasnt as razor sharp out of the box like some of the other blades in this buyers guide. Make: Condor Tool & Knife Model: Dynasty Dadao OAL: 31.6 inches Blade Length: 20.72 inches Blade Material: 1075 high-carbon steel Weight: 3.4 pounds MSRP: $150 URL: www.condortk.com 411: Dont mistake the dadao for a machete. It was created centuries ago for one purpose: hack off heads and limbs. Though the literal translation is big knife, its more appropriately interpreted as war sword or grand saber. It became (in)famous during World War II when Chinese soldiers used them against the invading Japanese. Condors Dynasty Dadao is unexpectedly not made in China, but rather in El Salvador. Condor specializes in shovels, machetes, and other hard-use tools, so this dadao will hold up. Pros: > Need to intimidate a Grizzly or fight off an undead horde? Thisll do the job. > Thanks to its thick blade and balanced weight, this is a beastly chopper. > Great value for the price Cons: > The guard and ring have 90-degree edges that could result in hot spots on your hand after prolonged use. > Our test cutting surprisingly scuffed up the 1075 carbon steel blade. Make: Traditional Filipino Weapons Model: Banyal OAL: 24.5 inches Blade Length: 18.5 inches Blade Material: Blend of 5160 steel and D2 tool steel Weight: 2.25 pounds MSRP: $245 URL: www.traditionalfilipinoweapons.com 411: Students of kali, escrima, or other similar Filipino martial arts might mistake this for the ginunting (the official sword of the Philippine Marines), but this TFW sword is actually a modern reproduction of the banyal, which like the barong comes from the Moros of the Southern Philippines. The forward-weighted banyal was meant to be a light and fast hacker, but with an effective tip for thrusting. It comes with an ornately designed scabbard and, like all of TFWs edged weapons, a blade made from a blend of 5160 and D2. Pros: > It chops like an ax, cuts like a laser, and stabs like a dagger. > The combo of 5160 and D2 steels gives the blade a balance of strength, toughness, wear resistance, and edge retention. > Perfectly balanced for fast one-handed techniques Cons: > The scabbards spring lock, which holds the blade in place, arrived covered in rust a not-so-friendly reminder that the Philippines is a really humid place. Make: Traditional Filipino Weapons Model: Barong OAL: 21.5 inches Blade Length: 15 inches Blade Material: Blend of 5160 steel and D2 tool steel Weight: 1.06 pounds MSRP: $245 URL: www.traditionalfilipinoweapons.com 411: This leaf-shaped blade is one of the most distinctive weapons of Filipino warrior culture and one of the most feared. Popularized by the Moros of the Southern Philippines, the barong can chop, slash, and stab with tremendous force. And its curved handle is great for striking, trapping, and retention. Though based in Connecticut, TFW has preserved this short swords classic looks and deadliness by having it handmade in the Philippines from a modern blend of 5160 steel and D2 tool steel. Pros: > TFW owner Ron Kosakowski is a martial arts master and it shows in the quality and authenticity of his products, including this barong. > Crazy sharp cutting edge > Blade remains tough and resilient after our test cuts. Cons: > Scabbard lacks reliable retention, using only friction to keep the blade in place. > Theres a small gap in the seam between the wood planks that make up the scabbard, which could let in moisture and debris over time. MORE OF THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS AND OTHER KNIVES Got some scoop for our reporters or editors? Click on the link below to send us your information. Send your news Even when performed in different languages, music is seen by many as a way to unite others, whether across borders or in the same town. The Atlanta Pride Parade kicked off at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 14. The parade began at the Civic Center MARTA Station before moving onto Peachtree Street to march north until 10th Street and Piedmont Park. While many local or political entities sponsored the event, the corporations comprised an overwhelming amount of floats. WATERBURY NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D. presented Dr. Marianela Medrano a Presidential Medal of Honor at the Oct. 9 Confluencia. Held twice a semester, Confluencia is a gathering celebrating a wide variety of voices and, last night, it celebrated 10 years of NVCC students, faculty and staff, community members, and award-winning writers gathering and sharing the experiences of different cultures via the written word. The evening kicked off with refreshments and a live performance featuring the Colleges a cappella group, Fermata the Valley. Cast members from the colleges upcoming production, Little Shop of Horrors then performed two songs from the 1986 cult classic. Both groups were led by NVCC Music Director, Dr. Gilad Harel. The evening continued with the presentation of the Presidential Medal of Honor to Dr. Medrano. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Medrano has been residing in Connecticut since 1989. Her work first emerged as part of a group of women writers (Segundo Circulo de Mujeres Escritoras) in the Dominican Republic in the 1980s. Her first two collections of poems Oficio de vivir (The Task of Living, 1986) and Los alegres ojos de la tristeza (Sadness Joyous Eyes, 1987) were published during this period in the Dominican Republic where her poetry was soon recognized for its capacity to build daring images designed to redefine woman and her role in Dominican society. She has published six poetry books including her two most recent works Prietica (2013) and Rooting (2018). Medrano, who has been instrumental in the implementation and success of NVCCs Confluencia series, has served as the moderator for the past 10 years and has coordinated Confluencias guest poets who have enriched NVCC and the greater community by making nearly 40 nights of poetry possible. In addition to her writing, Medrano is a licensed professional counselor with a Ph.D. in psychology. She offers workshops and readings in Connecticut and around the country. The evenings moderator was NVCC Professor of English and award-winning author Steve Parlato, who conducted the festivities with grace, generosity and humor. I am happy to be here with you this evening to thank Dr. Marianela Medrano, on this, the 10th anniversary of Confluencia, for her generous contributions to the fabric of life at NVCC and our students, and to honor her work, said De Filippis. The presentation of the award was followed by welcoming remarks by Student Government Association Vice President Tabitha Cruz and continued with an open mic featuring NVCC students who offered readings of original works as well as poetry and prose by noted writers. The readings included translations in Spanish and Portuguese with the original and translated pieces read to create a truly multilingual experience. Following the open mic, attendees enjoyed a performance combining mixed poetry and martial arts by poet laureate emeritus of Northampton, MA, and Pushcart Prize nominee Janet E. Aalfs. Following Aalfs performance, Sobeira Latorre, Associate Professor of Spanish and Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program at Southern Connecticut State University, presented an analysis of Medranos work with a focus on her contribution to Dominican Studies to round out the celebration. The next Confluencia will be held on Monday, Nov. 26. Learn more at nv.edu/confluencia. Contributed photo WINSTED The Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board has committed $289,199 in WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) funds for the 2018-19 academic year to sponsor Team Success Scholars, a college success program at Northwestern Connecticut Community College (NCCC). In its 15th year at NCCC, the program has brought in more than $2 million in funding to the college. Northwest Community Bank, recognizing the value and success of the program, continues to support six returning and four new students, donating $1,500 per year per student. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of his definition of real greatness, and that is service out of love to all and care of others comes first. We dare to pray in the Responsorial Psalm of Psalm 33, Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. Many of us saw a wonderful movie titled, Schindlers List about Oskar Schindler, a German businessman during World War II who used his time and talents to save Jews by having them work in his factory. He risked his own life in the process. He populated his factory workers with captured Jews and then found ways to keep them alive, safe and busy, apart from being found and killed by the Nazi regime. He put himself at constant risk and was honored by the state of Israel and buried there as a Righteous Gentile. Schindlers valor, leadership skills and respect for his Jewish brothers and sisters was all done without any fanfare. Indeed, he fulfilled the challenge given to us by Pope St. John Paul II, The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being. Careerism often propels the ambitious, self-absorbing needs of many women and men and we are suffering that as Church today. It is not the title or the power, but the love and care of leadership that we desire and need. These are the qualities that Jesus is pointing out to the two disciples and to all leaders who are called to work with their fellow men and women. The request of James and John is not any part of Jesus ministerial formation, but rather their openness to risk the cup of service and suffer the example of giving of total self, as did Jesus on the Cross. Leadership has noting to do with any form of dominance, but everything to do with loving service of others! Whoever wishes to be in first place should become the servant of all and open to make everyone a better person. In the Catholic Church, this weekend is known as Mission Sunday. People are asked to offer prayer and money to assist the missionary activity of teaching, serving and preaching the Gospel by their actions as religious women and men in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We pray that their actions may show the teachings of Jesus, and make the lives of the people they serve better as they strive to imitate Jesus the Good Shepherd. He came to serve, not to be served! We offer financial assistance so that as teachers, doctors, nurses and caregivers, they may better do their work. It is a great Sunday to pray for an end to all the violence and terrorism in the world. Gang members retaliate against rival gangs and service, care and love are not a priority. How can this cycle be broken? It can if we all strive to be better caregivers and suffer quietly for one another, to make this a better world. The action of each person counts. Do not take yourself and your time and talent as meaningless. KABUL -- Afghan officials are counting ballots in the countrys long-delayed parliamentary elections that were marred by deadly attacks and chaotic scenes at polling stations hit by technical and organizational problems. Because of disruptions during the October 20 polling process, voting was extended one day in some constituencies after citizens were unable to cast ballots in the election that was three years overdue. Preliminary results were expected to be released on November 10 at the earliest. Final results will likely be out sometime in December, an election commission spokesman said. Originally scheduled for 2015, the parliamentary vote was delayed for three years amid disputes over electoral reforms and because of the instability following NATOs handover of security responsibilities to Afghan forces at the end of 2014. The Interior Ministry announced that an additional 20,000 security personnel had been deployed to protect voters and polling stations, bringing the total to around 70,000. Security was highly visible in Kabul, with vehicles being searched and some roads closed to traffic. Afghans expressed frustration over polling stations not opening on time, absent election staff, missing election materials, and technical glitches with biometric voter verification devices. Initial figures from the electoral commission showed that about 3 million voters cast ballots at some 4,500 polling stations. About 2,500 of the polling stations originally planned to operate remained closed because of security concerns or other issues. Almost 9 million people had registered to vote in the elections, which are seen as a key test of the governments ability to provide security across the country. Akhtar Mohammad Ibrahimi, the deputy interior minister, said 36 people were killed in 193 militant-led attacks across the country -- 27 civilians of them civilians, eight police were officers, and one was an Afghan soldier. Assailants used grenades, small arms, mortars, and rocket launchers in various attacks, he said, adding that security forces killed at least killed 31 insurgents. At one polling station in the capital Kabul, a suicide bomber killed at least 10 people, including police officers and voters, officials said. Earlier, multiple blasts struck other stations in Kabul, leaving at least three dead and over 30 wounded, health officials said. In the central province of Ghor, 11 police officers were killed while three people were killed in the northern province of Kunduz. Abdul Badi Sayad, the head of the Independent Election Commission, pleaded for patience with the new biometric system and said that dozens of teachers who had been trained in the system did not show up for work at the polling stations. The Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan, a civil action group, said its team of observers found almost a third of polling centers in Kabul were not in a position to use biometric equipment. The new technology, aimed at preventing election fraud, was rushed in at the last minute. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani voted early in the day. Later, in a televised speech, he congratulated his fellow citizens for voting and praised the security forces. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said. "Today we proved together that we uphold democracy. With casting our ballots without fear we honor the sacrifices of the fallen," he wrote in a tweet. Photos posted on social media showed scores of men and women holding their identification documents lining up outside polling stations across the country amid a heavy security presence. RFE/RL correspondents in Kabul and other locations reported problems at some polling stations. Outside one station in the northern province of Parwan, there was a long line of eager voters who waited patiently despite technical problems. In a fresh warning issued on October 20, the Taliban urged voters to boycott the "sham and theatrical process to protect their lives." Candidates, campaign rallies, and senior security officials have been targeted in deadly attacks by Taliban and Islamic State (IS) extremists including suicide attacks, motorcycle bombings, and drive-by shootings. During the three-week campaign period, two candidates and 34 civilians were killed in militant attacks. Eight other candidates were killed by militants during the run-up to campaigning, and the fate of two abducted candidates remains unknown. Altogether, there are more than 2,500 candidates -- mostly running as independents -- contesting 249 seats in Afghanistans lower house of parliament, known as the Wolesi Jirga. Of those candidates, 417 are women. But no major opposition party is poised to win enough seats to contest the national unity government of President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah. With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, and Tolo News Afghans unable to vote in the October 20 parliamentary elections, after hundreds of polling stations failed to open, were given another chance to cast their ballot on October 21 despite security threats and warnings of fraud. Voters waited for hours to cast their ballots. Observers said that many polling stations lacked staff and portable biometric voter identification machines used in Afghan elections for the first time. (Reuters) KABUL -- Voting in Afghanistans parliamentary elections, which were marred by deadly militant attacks and delays caused by technical and organizational problems, ended on October 21. Abdul Badi Sayat, the head of the Independent Elections Commission (IEC), told reporters that around 4 million people out of the 8.8 million registered voters had cast their ballots over the past two days at over 4,500 polling centers across the country. In a televised address to the nation, President Ashraf Ghani said the high turnout showed that voters have the power and will to defeat their enemies, referring to threats by the Taliban and Islamic State (IS) extremist group to target the elections. The elections were extended to a second day on October 21 after hundreds of polling stations were closed on the first day of voting due to technical and security issues. But only 253 of the 401 polling stations that were scheduled to be open on October 21 were operational, with the remainder closed for security reasons, Abdul Bade Sayad, the head of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) said. At some of the centers opened for voting, there were insufficient ballot papers and voter rolls were "either incomplete or nonexistent," Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) spokesman Ali Reza Rohani said, adding, "most of the problems we had yesterday still exist today." The ECC said it had received around 5,000 complaints of electoral irregularities from voters and candidates, and the Interior Ministry said 44 people had been charged with "illegal interference in the election and fraud. Election authorities said the biggest turnout was in Kabul, and the lowest in the southern province of Oruzgan. WATCH: Long Queues At Afghan Polling Stations The vote was marred by scores of militant attacks in which dozens of people were killed or injured, as well as chaotic scenes at polling stations hit by technical and organizational problems. However, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it was encouraged by the high numbers of Afghans who braved security threats and waited long hours to cast their votes. Those eligible voters who were not able to cast their vote, due to technical issues, deserve the right to vote, it added. The Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan (TEFA), a civic action body that has been monitoring the ballot, gave a more downbeat assessment of the elections. Naeem Ayubzada, director of TEFA said more than a million people voted in Kabul but turnout was very low in the provinces. He said the decision to extend the vote opened the way for fraud, with half-filled ballot boxes left open all night in some polling centers. Preliminary results of the elections, which are seen as a key test of the governments ability to provide security across the country, were expected to be released on November 10 at the earliest. Final results will likely be out sometime in December, an election commission spokesman said. Originally scheduled for 2015, the parliamentary vote was delayed for three years amid disputes over electoral reforms and because of the instability following NATOs handover of security responsibilities to Afghan forces at the end of 2014. The Interior Ministry said around 70,000 security personnel were providing security for the elections. Security was highly visible in Kabul, with vehicles being searched and some roads closed to traffic. On the first day of voting, Afghans expressed frustration over polling stations not opening on time, absent election staff, missing election materials, and technical glitches with biometric voter verification devices. Militant Attacks On October 20, Akhtar Mohammad Ibrahimi, the deputy interior minister, said 36 people were killed in 193 militant-led attacks across the country -- 27 of them civilians, eight were police officers, and one was an Afghan soldier. Assailants used grenades, small arms, mortars, and rocket launchers in various attacks, he said, adding that security forces killed at least 31 insurgents. At one polling station in Kabul, a suicide bomber killed at least 10 people, including police officers and voters, officials said. More violence was reported on the second day of elections, with a roadside bomb blast killing 11 civilians, including six children, in the eastern province of Nangarhar, according to a spokesman for the provincial governor. New Biometric System Election authorities had pleaded for patience with the new biometric system and said that dozens of teachers who had been trained in the system did not show up for work at the polling stations. TEFA said its team of observers found almost a third of polling centers in Kabul were not in a position to use biometric equipment. The new technology, aimed at preventing election fraud, was rushed in at the last minute. Ghani, in a televised speech, congratulated his fellow citizens for voting and praised the security forces. "Today we proved together that we uphold democracy. With casting our ballots without fear we honor the sacrifices of the fallen," he wrote in a tweet. Photos posted on social media on October 20 showed scores of men and women holding their identification documents lining up outside polling stations across the country amid a heavy security presence. RFE/RL correspondents in Kabul and other locations reported problems at some polling stations. Outside one station in the northern province of Parwan, there was a long line of eager voters who waited patiently despite technical problems. In a fresh warning issued on October 20, the Taliban urged voters to boycott the "sham and theatrical process to protect their lives." Candidates, campaign rallies, and senior security officials have been targeted in deadly attacks by Taliban and IS militants including suicide attacks, motorcycle bombings, and drive-by shootings. During the three-week campaign period, two candidates and 34 civilians were killed in militant attacks. Eight other candidates were killed by militants during the run-up to campaigning, and the fate of two abducted candidates remains unknown. Altogether, there are more than 2,500 candidates -- mostly running as independents -- contesting 249 seats in Afghanistans lower house of parliament, known as the Wolesi Jirga. Of those candidates, 417 are women. But no major opposition party is poised to win enough seats to contest the national unity government of President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah. With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, and Tolo News Despite long-shot hopes of a breakthrough in this month's elections, it looks more like Bosnians have to settle for familiar tribal politics and a tense calm. Nationalist parties who agreed to end hostilities in 1995, with the signing of the Dayton Accords, have in some ways continued the war by other means. Ahead of the October 7 elections, their common approach appeared to be to spread fear that "their" respective ethnic group would be overrun by one or both of the others. It is tempting to conclude, as a result, that this strategy is regarded as the one sure path to staying in power for the self-appointed protectors of the 'national' interest, whether the "nation" in question is Serbs, Muslims, or Croats. Since the election, the fear level has remained high despite gains made by non-nationalist parties and politicians -- insufficient to upset the status quo, perhaps, but worrying for those who thrive on mutual distrust and sharp dividing lines between Bosnias main ethnic groups. Here are some of the problems as embodied in the newly elected members of the tripartite Bosnian Presidency. Zeljko Komsic A case in point is the election of Zeljko Komsic as the designated Croat within the Bosnian Presidency. During the conflict in the 1990s, Komsic had fought in the ranks of the Bosnian Army, which defended the unitary state against ethnic division. Although he has been a member of the presidency on two previous occasions, his election has outraged the nationalist Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party; its leader, Dragan Covic, is threatening to block the formation of the new government in response to this scandalous election result. The HDZ has rallied its supporters in the city of Mostar, who have come out to protest Komsics election triumph over a more nationalist candidate. Komsic is a Croat, but many HDZ supporters appear to regard him as "not Croat enough" and overly fond of the idea of Bosnia as a country of citizens, not ethnic groups. Nationalist Croats are suggesting that Komsic was elected thanks to votes from Bosniaks (Muslims). But if that were true, it is unlikely that Sefik Dzaferovic, the candidate of the largest Bosniak party, the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), would have fared so well in the voting. A more likely explanation is that some Bosnians -- including ethnic Croats -- are choosing an alternative to more nationalist impulses. But anxious Croat nationalists are demanding that a "real" Croat be installed in the presidency in Sarajevo, elected only by Croats. Sarajevo-based analyst Emir Habul has suggested that the roots of the current political crisis lie in 2006, the last time there was any real prospect of constitutional change, when there was an unsuccessful movement afoot to make parliament responsible for selecting the central presidency's members. Meanwhile, some Bosnian municipalities with ethnic Croat majorities have been busy announcing that the newly elected Komsic is persona non grata in their eyes. Among those who have voiced postelection fears are Cardinal Vinko Puljic, who was long considered a moderate Catholic religious leader. After the election, Puljic implied that Komsic was a harbinger of trouble. In a seemingly confused historical reference, Puljic appeared to compare Komsic's victory to the postwar imposition of communism and the rise of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party. "In 1945 there was a law to take our property away and destroy all that was Croatian and intelligent. Under that law we were expelled -- and Hitler came to power in a lawful way. But the question is: What kind of law is it if it takes away the rights of one ethnic group and that group is to be erased like it never existed, as is happening now to Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina?" The apparent emphasis on ethnicity rather than citizenship risked sounding like a marked shift from his statements prior to the vote, when he argued that "a political party cannot be more important than people. It is unacceptable that after we are done with a one-party system and the single-mindedness of that system, we now have a triple-mindless system. We have to unite in our differences and think of those differences as our advantage in this God-given country of Bosnia-Herzegovina." Komsic was asked in a recent TV interview to respond to Puljic's statement. Since he has expressed an interest in criminal figures like Hitler and the history of that period, I suggest that he lose no time in planning a visit to Jasenovac" -- a reference to the site of a notorious concentration camp run by the Croatian Ustase regime that was installed by the Nazis -- "and to pay his respects to the souls of the innocent, brutally murdered victims of Hitlers comrade [Ustase leader Ante] Pavelic and offer a prayer for them, Komsic told TV1. It would be a way for [Puljic] to take a truly historic step in distancing himself from the Ustase and their crimes, which is expected from him as a cardinal." Milorad Dodik The perceived panic among Bosnian Croat nationalists over Komsics victory has overshadowed the election of Milorad Dodik as one of the other two members of the presidency. Before the vote, Dodik's statements and successes were seen as one of the biggest sources of tension in the country. He was running for membership of the central executive body while openly declaring that he wants independence for Bosnia's predominantly Serb entity, Republika Srpska. His elevation to the Bosnian Presidency also means one of the countrys chief representatives is the subject of sanctions by the U.S. Treasury. His first postelection demand, prior to taking up his duties, was that the Republika Srpska flag be displayed at the Bosnian Presidency's building in Sarajevo. Until that happens, Dodik vowed, he will refuse to attend official meetings and functions there, although he will contact his counterparts via video-link. Even before the election, Dodik pledged that he would not sit in the presidency's offices in downtown Sarajevo at all. Rather, he intended to make use of an office reserved for Serb politicians in East Sarajevo -- suburban sections of Sarajevo that lie in Republika Srpska -- pending the construction of a new security barrier to ensure Dodik's safety. Radio Sarajevo also reported that Dodik planned to appoint as one of his advisers film director Emir Kusturica, another divisive figure. It is hard to discern Dodiks motives, but he has already said he will block Bosnia's bid for NATO membership. Bakir Izetbegovic Finally, a term limit meant SDA party leader Bakir Izetbegovic could not stand for reelection to a third term as the Bosniak member of the presidency. But the victory of Sefik Dzaferovic to represent Bosniaks appears to ensure that Izetbegovic will maintain considerable influence in Bosnian politics. Izetbegovic has done good things for Bosnia, and I will continue on the same path," Dzaferovic said. "I will be happy to be like him. One of the implications is that, like Izetbegovic, Dzaferovic might welcome Turkish influence in the country and lobby for investment from wealthy Arab states. The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the ruling party in the semiautonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, finished as the top vote-getter in the regions September elections, the election commission said on October 20. Masud Barzani's KDP won 45 seats in the vote, ahead of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the junior partner in the ruling coalition, which won 21 seats. The vote was held on September 30, but results were only announced on October 20 after the election commission received and investigated more than 1,000 complaints of electoral violations. The largest Kurdish opposition party, Gorran, or Movement for Change, took 12 seats. The Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament has 111 seats, with 11 of them reserved for minority groups. The KDP and PUK fought a civil war in the 1990s but have in recent years formed coalitions to share power. Based on reporting by Reuters Turkmenistan has arguably been a study in authoritarian rule since it became an independent country in late 1991. Its leader is kept in power with the help of an efficient and ruthless security force that roots out the smallest hint of discontent and quickly silences even whispers of criticism. But it has been hard times in Turkmenistan in recent years. The economy has been in severe decline and the countrys people have watched their standard of living plummet. Basic goods such as flour, sugar, and cooking oil are currently in short supply, as is medicine. Even cash is sometimes difficult to obtain. Costs of goods and services for citizens are increasing. New restrictions are making it more difficult for Turkmen citizens to travel outside the country, as some were doing to pursue work abroad. And the government has gradually cut back on citizens' benefits. Tempers are now flaring, and grumbling has started. Incidents have occurred this year that have never been seen in Turkmenistan, and now words are being spoken publicly that have never been heard in the country. RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk, has been posting videos sent from citizens of Turkmenistan of bread lines. (NOTE: Turkmen authorities do not like their citizens talking to RFE/RL and consequences for doing so can be severe, so we wont be identifying anyone who spoke with us by name.) On October 4, in the northern Turkmen city of Dashoguz, some 600 to 700 people stood in line to buy flour or bread. One person who was in that line said they arrived early in the morning and waited until 4:00 p.m. After that wait, they were able to buy three chorek, the round, flat bread of the region. I didnt hear that anyone succeeded in buying flour," the source added. "There is not enough flour. Although police routinely keep watch on any location where people gather, the crowd in Dashoguz reportedly showed signs of becoming unruly. In the video, a voice from the crowd can be heard saying, They called for police. Another person who was waiting in line said arguments and scuffling started breaking out. Two policemen and a local elder were reportedly chased away when they arrived to speak to some of the hotheads, the source said. The witness said members of the National Security Ministry arrived. People were saying angrily that if Arkadag" -- Protector, the title state officials and media use to refer to President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov -- "cannot provide for the people, he should leave his post, the witness said. Harsh Punishments In Turkmenistan, authorities consider such statements treasonous. The National Security Ministry officers tried to make their way to where people were saying those things about the president, the witness said, but the crowd chased away the officers. Failure to obey or confronting security forces could also be considered treasonous in Turkmenistan; it certainly has merited harsh punishment for some in the past. This second person in the Dashoguz line said that eventually the security officers "got back in their cars and left. Bread lines are new for Turkmenistan. They generally did not exist before -- certainly not the sort of long lines that have been seen lately. The lines are not all limited to stores. Authorities deposit wages and pensions into banks, and money must be withdrawn from ATMs, but those are often empty of cash. When they are stocked with money, lines form quickly, and reports suggest that supply rarely meets demand. On October 3, some locals told Azatlyk there had been scuffles involving pensioners in a line at an ATM in the capital, Ashgabat. People waiting in that line also contacted Azatlyk. Apparently, part of the reason for the yelling and pushing was a request by some of the pensioners to be allowed to go to the front of the line. This is not only a common courtesy, but respect for elders is ingrained in the Central Asian psyche. But not in this case. In an atmosphere where people think money might run out at any time and not be available again for several days, younger people apparently did not want to allow pensioners to get ahead of them in line. Traditional respect for elders in Turkmenistan might well have taken a hit after the Elders Council voted unanimously on September 25 to scrap free allotments of gas, electricity, and water that the state had been providing since not long after independence. On October 3, a group of several dozen people in the eastern Lebap Province gathered and went to see the local Elders Council, according to an Azatlyk correspondent in Lebap. The group wanted answers about why the elders voted to end such free benefits. The elders and the group went to the local administration. The result, the correspondent said, was that individuals were selected to address residents of villages and towns to explain why there was no longer any need for the government to provide free gas, electricity, and water. With contributions from Azatlyk The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL U.S. Army Brigadier General Jeffrey Smiley was wounded in the attack in Afghanistan's southern city of Kandahar last week that killed two senior Afghan officials, the Pentagon says. "I can confirm that he is recovering from a gunshot wound he received during the attack in Kandahar," U.S. military spokesman Navy Commander Grant Neeley said on October 21. "He is being treated at a Resolute Support hospital in Kandahar," Neeley added. The Pentagon said one U.S. civilian and a coalition contractor were also wounded in the October 18 attack that was claimed by the Taliban. The police chief and intelligence head of Kandahar Province were killed in the assault, which came just two days before Afghanistans parliamentary elections. The vote was delayed in the province as a result of the attack. Afghan officials told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that a bodyguard opened fire after a high-level security meeting in the governor's compound. The gunman was shot and killed almost immediately by security forces. The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General Scott Miller, was present at the gathering but was unhurt, spokesman Neeley said at the time. However, Kandahar Province's police chief, General Abdul Raziq -- one of Afghanistan's most powerful commanders, with a fearsome reputation as an enemy of the Taliban -- and provincial intelligence head Abdul Momin Hassankhail were shot and killed. Neeley provided no other details on the wounding of Smiley. The Washington Post first broke the story and reported that the U.S. general was recovering after suffering at least one gunshot wound. Smiley, who has served in the Army for 30 years, became a general in May 2017. He was assigned in the summer to lead the Kandahar-based unit known as Train, Advise, Assist, and Command-South. The Kabul government has struggled to fend off a resurgent Taliban, as well as Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda militants, nearly two decades after a U.S.-led coalition drove the Taliban from power in Afghanistan in 2001. U.S. officials have attempted to bring the Kabul government and Taliban leaders together for negotiations, but little progress has been made. With reporting by RFE/RLs Radio Free Afghanistan, The Washington Post, AP, and CNN Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu PTI, Panaji (21st Oct'18): Global investors will meet in Goa in December to help finance the start-up community in the state, Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu said Sunday. He said the Centre was thinking of making Goa as the start-up and logistics hub to create more jobs and that it will also promote agricultural export from the coastal state. "One of the problems faced by start-ups is finance. We have called all global players who are into financing. This event, to be held on December 7, will bring in global players for investment in the sector for the first time," Prabhu said. He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the 'green' building centre at Kudaim Industrial Estate by ACC Cement company in partnership with Goa's ALCON group. It is a concept introduced by ACC to provide green solutions for building constructions. Prabhu said the event (to facilitate financing for start-ups) will be held in Goa annually during which the financiers, venture capitalists, investors and growth capital providers will assemble. "We are thinking of creating a national hub of start-ups in Goa," he said, adding that he is also looking forward to see the state become a new hub of "green ideas". Advertisement ACC Cement Company "We are working on many things. At the same time we have to create employment for people. If you only talk about green then what happens to people?" he said. The minister said to create employment and to keep it clean "we need to think about cleaner ideas". Prabhu also said a logistics hub will also be set up in Goa as the state has all the infrastructure required for the facility. He said when he became the commerce minister, he had logistics as part of the responsibility as for the first time, the prime minister has created a new department for it. "All logistics-related issues are under my ministry. We are preparing for the first time an integrated logistics plan for India and in that plan, I had said that we will keep a logistics hub in Goa," he said. Goa has a port, railway infrastructure and an airport is also being constructed by the Centre (apart from the already existing airport at Dabolim). "Goa is ideal for creating the logistics hub which will result in huge job creation," Prabhu said. Advertisement Logistics hub will also be set up in Goa The minister also said that the Centre has earmarked Rs 5,000 crore for providing full support to the service sector and it has identified 12 champion sectors for the services industry. "We want to provide support to services in a big way so that services also become a growth engine. Services are the biggest job providers. I have requested the Goa government to submit a proposal so that we can give part of the money to the state," he said. Prabhu also said that the Centre will promote agricultural export from Goa as part of its policy which will be soon approved by the Union Cabinet. "All farmers of Goa will benefit (out of it). Horticulture products and vegetables can be exported globally. I have already spoken with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and they are willing to import it from india. We will work in a manner that Goa develops but still remains green," he added. Mukesh Ambani, Sunil Mittal PTI, New Delhi (21st Oct'18): Heads of the country's top telecom firms will be seen sharing dais during the India Mobile Congress from October 25-27, where these telcos are expected to discuss critical issues facing the industry. According to the event schedule, Reliance Jio Chairman Mukesh Ambani and Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal are going to be part of the inaugural session on October 25. Vodafone Idea Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla is also expected to join the session. "Promoters of all three telecom operators are going to participate in IMC," Industry body COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews told PTI. Mathews said chief technology officers and chief marketing officers of leading telecom operators are expected to discuss various business proposals at the event. The second edition of the three-day India Mobile Congress will focus on BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) region telecom sector. Advertisement Mathews said that delegates from the US, Canada, UK and European Union too have confirmed participation in the upcoming IMC. "We have Mobile World Congress in Barcelona but not everyone can go there. There is no big event in South Asia and South East Asia to showcase potential of the telecom sector and encourage development of technology. This time, we have global speakers like FCC (US telecom regulator) Chairman Ajit Pai, European Commision Vice President Andrus Ansip, (and) leaders from BIMSTEC countries," Mathews said. He said that the government will be more involved in the IMC to meet delegates and industry officers who want to reach out them."Telecom Minsiter (Manoj Sinha) and DoT secretary (Aruna Sundararajan) will be meeting people at IMC at pre-fixed schedule. Department of Science and Technology will engage with IMC to connect with innovators. We are trying if any fund from government can be made available for select start-ups at the event," he added. Around 300 exhibitors, 2,500 delegates and 10,000 visitors are expected to participate in the event. "We have shortlisted 250 startups. We will work out with Department of Science and Technology to find out if any of their fund can be made available to the best startups," Mathews said. The COAI will start its own business-to-consumer exhibition from this edition of the IMC with participation from Samsung, Huawei and Nokia. "We have reached out to university and colleges where they have specialised interest in telecom sector. Advertisement At IMC they will get live exposure to industry people and look at advance technologies and accordingly shape their career," the director general said. Live demonstration of 5G will take place at the event, machine-to-machine communications, IoT and other latest technology are scheduled for demonstration at the event, Mathews said. No Point Of Questioning National Integrity Of Any Student From Other States Spokesman News Service, Chandigarh (21st Oct'18): Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Mr. Suresh Arora today said for fixing the criminal responsibility behind the Amritsar Railway Mishap, the Additional Director General of Police Railways Mr. Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota would conduct the enquiry. Interacting with media persons here today on the sidelines of 59th Police Commemoration Day parade, the Director General of Police said there had been negligence on part of someone and that liability has to be fixed for which this probe has been ordered. Arora said that this was a very tragic and unfortunate incident for which the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has already ordered a Magisterial probe by the Divisional Commissioner Jalandhar Mr. B Purusartha, who would submit report within four weeks. He said that Mr. Sahota would also personally conduct the enquiry to ensure that the persons responsible for this mishap could be nailed. Advertisement Replying to another query, the Director General of Police said there was no point of questioning the national integrity of any student, especially from Kashmir, by the Punjab Police. He said it was our moral duty to ensure access to quality education to every student from any part of the country. However, Arora said that if any sort of violation of law was done by any citizen of the country then law would take its own course. Advertisement The Director General of Police said he has already passed on directions to district police chiefs to have detailed interactions with the students studying in educational institutes and assure them that Police was there to assist them in case of any difficulty. Mr. Arora said that there was no question of alienating students from any part of the country. He said that Additional Director General of Police (Community Policing) Mr. Ishwar Singh and Inspector General of Police Ms. V. Neerja have been appointed as Nodal officers redress the grievances, if any, of the students. The students can contact both these officers in case of any problem added the DGP. On another query, the Director General of Police said that the nefarious attempts being made on social media to misguide the youth would be dealt with sternly. He said the same attempt was made during the dark days of years 1984-1994 but the youth should not prey to such tactics. Mr. Arora said that rather then it the youth must contribute generously in social and economic development of the country in general and state in particular. Advertisement Earlier, addressing the gathering, the Director General of Police recalled that stellar role of the Punjab police in preserving the hard earned peace of the state besides safeguarding the unity and integrity of the country. He said that it was a matter of great pride for the Punjab Police that from 1981 to 2017, 2719 Police officers/ officials of the state Police have sacrificed their lives for maintaining peace and integrity of country. Mr. Arora said that the supreme sacrifice of these martyrs would ever inspire the younger generation of Police officers/ officials to sacrifice their lives at the altar of the motherland. Advertisement The Director General of Police also hailed the decision of the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to restore the special family pension of the officers martyred during operations against the terrorism. He said that the families would get the full pension, instead of that cut in year 2014, along with the facility of Red Card. Mr. Arora said that the Punjab Police would ever remain indebted to its illustrious heroes, who brought laurels for the Police force through their gallantry deeds. On the occasion the Director General of Police also paid floral tributes to the martyrs. Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included DGP Mr. MK Tiwari, DGP (Retd.) Mr. MS Bhullar, ADGPs Mr. Gaurav Yadav, Mr. Kuldeep Singh, Mrs. Shashi Prabha Diwedi, Mr. Sanjeev Kalra, Inspector General of Police Mr. Jaskaran Singh, Mr. RPS Brar, Mr. Amar Singh Chahal, Mr. Naunihal Singh and Mr. Pramod Ban, Commissioner of Police Mr. Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Deputy Inspector Generals of Police Mr. SK Kalia and Mr. Pawan Uppal, Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Mr. Varinder Kumar Sharma, Commandants Mr. Rajinder Singh and Mr. Raj Pal Sandhu, Senior Superintendent of Police Mr. Navjot Singh Mahal and others. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh decided to visit Israel Spokesman News Service, Chandigarh (21st Oct'18): After feeling completely satisfied with the relief and rehabilitation measures being carried out for the victims of the Amritsar train tragedy and following assurances by his ministerial colleagues that everything will be taken due care of, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh decided to visit Israel and hold the scheduled meetings there tomorrow, an official spokesman said here today. Earlier, he was scheduled to visit Israel on Friday evening, but had cancelled it at the last moment, following the train accident in Amritsar around the same time. While the Chief Minister spent complete day in Amritsar on Saturday, on Sunday he remained busy and closeted with his ministerial colleagues and senior officers to take stock of the situation. He issued instructions to the officials and ministerial crisis management group to take all the measures required for relief to the victims. Advertisement The spokesperson added, while the Chief Minister had earlier decided to postpone the visit indefinitely following the Amritsar tragedy, he was however advised to go ahead as he was supposed to sign three important memoranda of understanding in Israel on Agriculture, preserving of water resources and dairy development. All these proposals hold lot of significance for Punjab, particularly in terms of agricultural diversification and saving the depleting water resources in the state, the spokesman said, while adding, Israel recycles 90 percent of its water using modern technology, which Punjab can also adopt. Moreover, the Chief Minister is also scheduled to meet the Israeli President, Reuven Rivlin on October 23. Besides, he has separate meetings scheduled with the Israeli minister for Agriculture Uri Ariel and the Minister for Energy and Water Resources, Dr Yuval Steinitz for signing the memoranda of understanding on agriculture and water resources. Advertisement Meanwhile, the Chief Minister will be in regular touch with the crisis management group of the ministers headed by the Heath Minister Brahm Mohindra as also senior functionaries in the government and the district administration at Amritsar. In fact, he has been directly and regularly communicating with the officials of the district administration since Friday evening to take feedback from the ground and issue necessary instructions. The Chief Minister today asked the Amritsar Deputy Commissioner and the Police Commissioner to ensure that emergency relief is provided to each and every needy family. A special team has been constituted for the purpose, which has been asked to visit every affected families to inquire about their urgent needs, which will be provided for instantly on the spot. A new type of blow fly spotted in Indiana points to shifting species populations due to climate change. Researchers at IUPUI have observed the first evidence of Lucilia cuprina in Indiana, an insect previously known to populate southern states from Virginia to California. Researchers recorded the L. cuprina species more than two dozen times from 2015 to 2017 in parks and other public places throughout Central Indiana. The fly was observed as far north as Michigan in the 1950s during a short period of warmer temperatures but had not been found in this region since then. "As temperatures change and increase, the distributions of these insects will continue to change as well," said Christine J. Picard, an associate professor of biology. "There is definitely a northward movement of species -- not just insects, but all species -- as they try to find temperatures where they are more comfortable." The movement of this species of fly into the Midwest could also have implications for forensic investigations involving decomposing remains. The growth and development of flies play an important role for scientists looking to learn how long a human or animal has been dead. "With forensic science and forensic entomology, you should have an idea of which flies are present in your location in part because different species will have different development times," Picard said. The L. cuprina blow fly's sister species Lucilla sericata is widely present in Indiana and is often used in forensic cases. Since the two species are so closely related, it's difficult to tell them apart. If investigators don't know they are dealing with an L. cuprina instead of the more typically seen L. sericata, their data could be inaccurate. Scientists studying a valuable, but vulnerable, species of poplar have identified the genetic mechanism responsible for the species' inability to resist a pervasive and deadly disease. Their finding, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could lead to more successful hybrid poplar varieties for increased biofuels and forestry production and protect native trees against infection. A research team -- jointly led by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Oregon State University in partnership with the DOE Joint Genome Institute and the University of Georgia -- analyzed the genetic response of purebred black cottonwood poplars infected by a pathogen known as Septoria. Septoria causes untreatable cankers, or wounds, on the surface of the trunk and branches and kills trees early in the growing cycle. "Since the 1900s, industry has tried to grow hybrid varieties of poplar -- including those made by crossing eastern cottonwood and black cottonwood -- to produce a faster-growing tree, and they have been puzzled by the early death of hybridized poplars grown in many parts of the United States," said Wellington Muchero, the study's lead author with the Center for Bioenergy Innovation at ORNL. Hybrid varieties are economically valuable because they can grow up to three times faster than the pure species. If the hybridized poplars survive, they could dramatically increase production of high-value, bio-derived materials, biofuels and forestry products such as pulp and paper, lumber and veneer. Black cottonwood poplars grow natively in river systems across the Pacific Northwest region of the United States where Septoria is not yet a threat. advertisement "What our study revealed is a double whammy for black cottonwoods," said Muchero, a specialist in plant microbe interfaces. "Since the pathogen is not prevalent in its native region, these trees have allowed their genetic resistance mechanisms to fall apart with no consequence." "Surprisingly, we found that a gene that causes susceptibility is widely prevalent across the species range," said Jared M. LeBoldus, senior author and assistant professor of forest pathology at Oregon State University. "This degraded resistance and maintained susceptibility could be detrimental to the ecosystem if Septoria is introduced in the Pacific Northwest." To map the genetic behavior of black cottonwood, Oregon State scientists assessed more than 3,000 individual black cottonwoods using a combination of digital imagery and measurements of disease severity for susceptibility to Septoria canker. ORNL scientists used computational resources coupled with genome sequencing and profiling of more than a thousand genomes provided by DOE Joint Genome Institute that helped identify the resistance and susceptibility gene in each individual black cottonwood. The team then searched for links between a dataset of 28 million known mutations and the poplars' genetic profiles to verify which trees lined up with those that were predicted to be resistant or susceptible to Septoria. "Out of those billions of computations, we found mutations that are consistently correlated with either resistance or susceptibility to the disease," Muchero said. "At ORNL, we can show that our results hold up in real-world field conditions and that most black cottonwoods from the West Coast cannot tolerate the Septoria pathogen." Yet, the results also identified individual trees that are resistant to the disease and can be used to develop resistant hybrids for commercial production, as well as inform intervention strategies to protect Pacific Northwest ecosystems from the spread of Septoria. Muchero and LeBoldus said this research supports a challenge issued by an ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to investigate the potential for biotechnology to address forest health. "Genetic studies can help scientists and forestry experts prepare for a situation when a pathogen enters an ecosystem with little warning and deploy methods to inoculate and potentially save the at-risk species from being wiped out," they added. What causes Alzheimer's disease? The answer could be right under our noses, says leading expert Professor Ruth Itzhaki. Her latest paper presents a lifetime of research evidence that the herpes virus responsible for cold sores can also cause Alzheimer's -- and new data which show antiviral drugs drastically reduce risk of senile dementia in patients with severe herpes infections. The review in Frontiers in Ageing Neuroscience raises the tantalizing prospect of a simple, effective preventive treatment for one of humanity's costliest disorders. The HSV1 theory of Alzheimer's disease Herpes viruses are the dreaded 'gift that keeps on giving'. They remain lifelong in our neurons and immune cells, reactivating and resurfacing in characteristic blisters when we're run down by stress or illness. Most people are infected by Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV1) by the time they reach old age. But what happens to infected neurons in our brain during this reactivation? "HSV1 could account for 50% or more of Alzheimer's disease cases," says Professor Itzhaki, who has spent over 25 years at the University of Manchester investigating a potential link. HSV1 is better known as the cause of cold sores. Itzhaki has shown previously that cold sores occur more frequently in carriers of APOE-4 -- a gene variant that confers increased risk of Alzheimer's. advertisement "Our theory is that in APOE-4 carriers, reactivation is more frequent or more harmful in HSV1-infected brain cells, which as a result accumulate damage that culminates in development of Alzheimer's." Proving the theory Few countries collect the population data required to test this theory -- for example, to find out whether antiviral treatments reduce dementia risk. In Taiwan however, researchers have done just that. There, 99.9% of the population is enrolled in a National Health Insurance Research Database, which is being extensively mined for information on microbial infections and disease. In 2017-2018 three studies were published describing Taiwanese data on the development of senile dementia -- of which Alzheimer's is the main cause -- and the treatment of patients with marked overt signs of infection with HSV or varicella zoster virus (VZV, the chickenpox virus). "The striking results include evidence that the risk of senile dementia is much greater in those who are infected with HSV, and that anti-herpes antiviral treatment causes a dramatic decrease in number of those subjects severely affected by HSV1 who later develop dementia." Previous findings from Itzhaki's own research group provide a mechanistic link which supports these epidemiological findings. They found that HSV1 causes protein deposits characteristic of Alzheimer's: 'plaques' between neurons, and 'tangles' inside of them. advertisement "Viral DNA is located very specifically within plaques in postmortem brain tissue from Alzheimer's sufferers. The main proteins of both plaques and tangles accumulate also in HSV1-infected cell cultures -- and antiviral drugs can prevent this." Towards a cure "It should be stressed that the results of these Taiwanese studies apply only to severe HSV1 (or VZV) infections, which are rare," admits Itzhaki. "Ideally, we would study dementia rates amongst people who have suffered mild HSV1 infection, including herpes labialis (cold sores) or mild genital herpes, but these are far less likely to be documented." Although further work is needed to confirm and define a causal link between HSV1 infection and Alzheimer's, Itzhaki is enthusiastic about the treatment prospects. "Considering that over 150 publications strongly support an HSV1 role in Alzheimer's, these Taiwan findings greatly justify usage of antiherpes antivirals -- which are safe and well-tolerated -- to treat Alzheimer's disease. "They also incentivize development of an HSV1 vaccine, which would likely be the most effective treatment." This echoes the growing use worldwide of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to prevent cervical cancer -- another virus-disease link which emerged in a similar process of research. For premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), skin-to-skin contact with parents influences levels of hormones related to mother-infant attachment (oxytocin) and stress (cortisol) -- and may increase parents' level of engagement with their infants, reports a study in Advances in Neonatal Care, official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses. Promoting early contact and parental engagement might help to lessen the risk of neurodevelopmental delay associated with preterm birth and NICU care, according to the exploratory study by Dorothy J. Vittner, PhD, RN, CHPE, of University of Connecticut School of Nursing and colleagues. They write, "Parental touch, especially during skin-to-skin contact (SSC) has potential to reduce adverse consequences." Study Attempts to Measure Benefits of Skin-to-Skin Contact for Preterm Infants The pilot study included 28 preterm infants, average gestational age 33 weeks. All infants were in stable condition while receiving NICU care. Infants underwent periods of SSC on two consecutive days: once with the mother and once with the father. Saliva samples were collected from infants and parents to measure levels of oxytocin, a hormone that has been linked to maternal-infant attachment; and the stress-related hormone cortisol. "Oxytocin facilitates social sensitivity and attunement necessary for developing relationships and nurturance for emotional and physical health," the researchers write. Cortisol plays an important role in the "fight or flight" reaction to fear or stress. Levels of both hormones changed in response to SSC. "Oxytocin significantly increased and cortisol levels decreased for mothers, fathers, and infants during SSC as compared to baseline," Dr. Vittner and coauthors write. The changes indicate the "calming and beneficial impact of SSC for both parents and infants." Parents also completed a questionnaire called the "PREEMI" (Parent Risk Evaluation and Engagement Model and Instrument) scale, designed to measure attachment between parents and their preterm infants. Overall PREEMI scores indicated a "moderate to high" level of parental engagement for all participants. Increased oxytocin and decreased cortisol levels during SSC were associated with higher PREEMI scores by the time the infant was discharged from the hospital. "We believe these findings suggest that parents with a lower salivary cortisol as seen with SSC (decreased stress) may facilitate increased parental engagement," Dr. Vittner and colleagues write. Mothers and fathers had similar increases in oxytocin during SSC. In mothers, the rise in oxytocin was related to increased parental engagement. Unexpectedly, however, increased oxytocin during SSC in fathers was negatively related to parental engagement. Dr. Vittner and colleagues note that for many fathers, the study SSC intervention was the first time they had held their infants. The study provides new evidence of how SSC might work to promote attachment between parents and premature infants. "The changes in oxytocin and cortisol levels provide robust support to advocate for increased SSC during infancy, especially for the vulnerable infant in the NICU," the researchers write. They note that further studies will be needed to understand these relationships, and how they affect parent-infant relationships -- especially in overcoming the obstacles posed by having a premature infant who need NICU care. The results also suggest that the PREEMI questionnaire can provide a "window into parent engagement," potentially useful in identifying parents who may need interventions to increase engagement with their premature infant. Dr. Vittner and coauthors conclude: "Uncovering the bio-behavioral basis of early parent-infant interactions is an important step in developing therapeutic modalities to improve infant health outcomes." Running low on oxygen is a major danger for any of your body's tissues, but the heart is particularly sensitive to such hypoxic conditions, which can lead to long-term tissue damage or even heart attacks. In new studies conducted at UC San Francisco, a novel oxygen-delivery therapeutic restored the function of oxygen-starved heart tissue in an animal model of global hypoxia. Unlike its experimental predecessors, the new drug does not appear to cause systemic side effects or overcorrect with excessive blood oxygenation, which can itself be toxic. Instead, the new drug delivers its precious oxygen cargo only to the tissues that need it most. "Any tissue with compromised blood flow, whether due to trauma, stroke, or heart disease, could potentially be targeted by a treatment like this," said Emin Maltepe, MD, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics at UCSF and co-senior author of the paper. The new drug, called OMX-CV, was developed by Omniox, Inc. -- a biopharmaceutical company developing oxygen-delivery therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, trauma and other conditions in which low oxygen levels, or hypoxia, negatively impact disease outcomes. Omniox, which was among the first startup biotech companies to launch in the QB3 "Garage" incubator space on UCSF's Mission Bay campus, in 2010, teamed up with Maltepe and other UCSF researchers to test the treatment, and published their findings October 18, 2018, in the journal PLOS Biology. Hypoxia During Heart Disease -- an Unmet Clinical Threat Cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease can starve the heart of oxygen, triggering cardiac dysfunction or heart attacks in adults, but hypoxia in the heart is also a problem in children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 10,000 children are born each year with a critical congenital heart defect. Many of these infants require heart surgery within their first year of life, during which blood may be temporarily removed from the heart, leaving the organ starved for oxygen. advertisement Under normal conditions, the heart consumes more oxygen by weight than any other organ, and when oxygen levels are low, its demand soars even higher. The hypoxic heart pumps harder to deliver oxygen to the rest of the body, and paradoxically, requires more and more oxygen itself to maintain function. An oxygen-delivering drug like OMX-CV could ease the physical stress of hypoxia and improve recovery following heart attacks or after open heart surgery in adults and children. Scientists have tried to design ways to fight hypoxia by delivering oxygen on the back of hemoglobin, the protein that lets red blood cells shuttle oxygen throughout the body and also produces their scarlet color. But these treatments also carry a lot of baggage. Hemoglobin-based drugs have proven too good at their jobs: they tend to flood the blood with excess oxygen that can itself cause serious tissue damage. Moreover, when outside the bounds of a red blood cell, hemoglobin can grab hold of nitric oxide, a natural muscle relaxant found in blood vessels. Vessels robbed of nitric oxide constrict, causing blood pressure to jump, raising the risk of heart attack and decreasing blood flow to important organs like the kidneys. OMX-CV sidesteps these problems by employing an engineered bacterial protein known as H-NOX as its base, rather than hemoglobin. H-NOX proteins contain a "co-factor" called a heme group -- the same co-factor that gives hemoglobin its name -- which allows the protein to bind not only oxygen but also nitric oxide. By modifying the chemical structure of H-NOX proteins, Omniox scientists reengineered them to hold tight to oxygen, but leave nitric oxide alone. The researchers also showed that the modified proteins bind oxygen so tightly that they only relinquish their grip when they come across a severely hypoxic tissue. advertisement "Unlike hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers, OMX-CV is fine-tuned to only release oxygen under pathologic conditions," said Ana Krtolica, PhD, vice president of research at Omniox and co-senior author of the paper. "Relatively small doses of the drug transform the capacity of the heart to keep up in the face of severe hypoxia." Targeted Delivery to Oxygen-Starved Tissues The authors envision OMX-CV primarily being used to treat many conditions impacted by hypoxia in adults, but the new study was also designed with an eye toward pediatric applications. The research was conducted through the Initiative for Pediatric Drug and Device Development, or iPD3, a collaboration between UCSF and the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The effort aims to design and test therapeutics specifically for pediatric care, rather than "handing down" therapies designed for adults. "Kids change so much as they grow -- their drug metabolism changes dramatically year to year," said Maltepe. "After drugs are established in adults, pediatricians essentially have to experiment with kids to understand the treatments' toxicity profiles and proper dosing for different age groups." By initially designing and testing drugs with kids in mind, and taking measures such as using juvenile animal models of disease, the researchers hope to circumvent this unwieldy guesswork. In their experiments, the scientists tested the effects of OMX-CV in acute hypoxia, and to ensure that their results would also apply to children, the researchers examined the drug's ability to supply oxygen to juvenile animal hearts, which share important anatomical and physiological characteristics with the hearts of human infants. The researchers found that OMX-CV delivered oxygen to stressed hearts but not to tissues with an adequate oxygen supply. The OMX-CV infusion improved the hearts' ability to contract almost twofold better than their own baseline under hypoxic conditions, without the toxic effects of hemoglobin-based treatments. In contrast, the cardiac function of untreated animals deteriorated significantly over the hour-long study. These impressive results were obtained with a relatively low dose of OMX-CV: each animal was treated with a dose equivalent to only 2 percent of the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood's naturally circulating hemoglobin. Ongoing studies at UCSF funded by the National Institutes of Health, using similar juvenile animal models, are designed to test whether OMX-CV can be developed to protect infant hearts undergoing cardiac bypass surgery. A Myriad of Applications More preclinical research is needed before OMX-CV reaches human clinical trials. Looking forward, the researchers expect separate clinical trials for the drug's various applications. "Given the general need for oxygen across tissue and organs, hypoxia is associated with a number of pathological conditions," said Krtolica. Omniox is developing preclinical programs focused on oxygen delivery in ischemic stroke, which compromises blood flow to the brain, as well as in cancer. "This treatment targets a fundamental problem in medicine -- in the ICU, for instance, you're always battling against tissues becoming hypoxic," said Maltepe, adding that the technology could someday form the basis of a more general blood replacement product, long considered a 'holy grail' of medicine. Upon implementing electronic medical record-based interventions, Boston Medical Center reduced unnecessary diagnostic testing and increased the use of postoperative order sets, two markers of providing high-value medical care. The data from the hospital's efforts demonstrates the impact of deploying multiple interventions simultaneously within the electronic medical record as a way to deliver high-value care, which is defined as delivering the best possible care while simultaneously reducing unnecessary healthcare costs. This study was published in the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. The focus on providing high-value medical care was renewed in 2012 with the release of the Choosing Wisely campaign, an initiative of the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, to which many institutions have responded by developing electronic medical record-based interventions that target individual recommendations. Boston Medical Center (BMC) focused on five areas in the Choosing Wisely recommendations: the overutilization of chest x-rays, routine daily labs, red blood cell transfusions, and urinary catheters, and underutilization of pain and pneumonia prevention orders for patients after surgery. To do this, the researchers worked with the information technology team to incorporate new recommendations into the electronic medical records that would alert the provider to best practice information. The researchers examined data between July 2014 and December 2016 to look at how the interventions played out clinically. At six months following BMC's intervention, which was activated hospital-wide for specific patients using the Epic electronic health record (Epic Systems, Inc.), the proportion of patients receiving pre-admission chest x-rays showed a significant decrease of 3.1 percent, and the proportion of labs ordered at routine times also decreased 4 percent. Total lab utilization declined with a post-implementation decrease of 1,009 orders per month. The researchers found no significant difference in the estimated red blood cell transfusion utilization rate or the number of non-ICU urinary catheter days, but the proportion of postoperative patients who received appropriate pain and pneumonia prevention orders showed an absolute increase of 20 percent. "The results from our interventions suggest that they alone show promise in improving high-value care, but using only an electronic medical record intervention may not be adequate to achieve optimal outcomes emphasized by Choosing Wisely," said Nicholas Cordella, MD, the study's corresponding author, a fellow in quality improvement and patient safety at BMC, and an assistant professor at Boston University School of Medicine. Cordella and the authors suggest that future efforts aimed at increasing high-value care should consider other elements, such as clinician education, audits and feedback, and peer comparison. "In order to move the needle on reducing unnecessary healthcare costs, we need to consider multi-pronged approaches in order to engage providers in ways that can truly make a difference in how we deliver exceptional, high-value care to every patient," added Cordella. Despite a policy change to provide free abortion services for women traveling from Northern Ireland to clinics in Great Britain, Northern Irish women still experience multiple barriers to accessing care, according to new research from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. The study also found that some women preferred to use medication from online telemedicine services to self-manage their abortions at home, but that the experience is dominated by fear and isolation due to the risk of prosecution. Northern Ireland's abortion laws permit the procedure only to preserve a woman's life or prevent permanent long-term physical or mental injury. Any abortion taking place outside the law is punishable by up to life in prison. Abigail Aiken, an assistant professor of public affairs and a fellow of the Richter Chair in Global Health Policy at the LBJ School, conducted anonymous in-depth interviews with 30 women living in Northern Ireland who either traveled to England to obtain an abortion in a clinic or who self-managed a medication abortion at home using online telemedicine. Results, which were peer-reviewed and published in BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health, show barriers to traveling for abortion services, including the cost of travel, the inability to receive care confidentially and the challenges of arranging child care or taking time away from work. "The recent policy change to provide free abortions for women traveling from Northern Ireland to clinics in Great Britain has not been sufficient to create a reliable and accessible pathway to care," Aiken said. "In addition to the physical toll and emotional stress of traveling overseas, many women do not have the required travel documents or need to keep their abortions secret from their families or communities." Women in the study often said they found self-managing their abortions at home with medication more acceptable than travel. But those in the study who chose this option said they experienced severe anxiety about when or even whether they would receive the medications if Northern Irish Customs seized or delayed their packages. Some tried less effective or even unsafe methods while they waited. Finally, the lack of clarity surrounding the duties of health care providers to report self-managed abortion led women in the study to mistrust the health care system. Although the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety declared in 2016 that medical personnel who treat women experiencing miscarriage symptoms aren't required to ask about or report an attempted abortion, women still feel compelled to either lie to their doctors or avoid seeing a health care professional altogether. Earlier this year, an overwhelming majority in the Republic of Ireland voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment outlawing abortion, and legislators in the Isle of Man also voted to legalize the procedure -- moves that put pressure on lawmakers in Northern Ireland and the U.K. Parliament to re-examine the country's abortion laws. In a 2017 survey, nearly 80 percent of Northern Ireland's population supported changing current regulations. The research was supported by funding from a Junior Investigator grant from the Society of Family Planning, a grant from the European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health, and a grant from the HRA Pharma Foundation. The study was also supported in part by an infrastructure grant awarded to the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. When designing flying vehicles, there are many aspects of which we can be certain but there are also many uncertainties. Most are random, and others are just not well understood. University of Illinois Professor Harry Hilton brought together several mathematical and physical theories to help look at problems in more unified ways and solve physical engineering problems. "There are many equations because there are many phenomena. They are an attempt to describe mathematically the physical phenomena so that you can solve these problems. Words alone won't solve the problem. In this case, the problem is how do to build the perfect flying vehicle for specific missions and purposes," said Harry Hilton, a professor emeritus in the Department of Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Hilton looked at models independently of each other, then put them together. "If you don't use the right model, the rest becomes an exercise in futility. It may be a model that's self-consistent but has no reality," he said. "Of course, the only way you can validate a model is to run experiments and even then, you're introducing another reality into the picture which is the experiment and not the real airplane. So each one of these is an idealization." Hilton began by analyzing the da Vinci-Euler-Bernoulli theory of elastic bending. "It's deterministic, that is, determined that it is true with a probability of 1, based on a set of equations that give a set of answers," Hilton said. Added to that is the Timoshenko theory that takes load and other realistic properties such as wind shear into consideration. Hilton merges those theories with properties of viscoelastic materials -- which includes time dependent material behavior and is of particular importance in modern composite materials and metals at elevated temperatures. On top of it all, there are probabilities that certain things will happen. "We may assume that the loads and material properties are certain, but they're not. Think about wind gusts. They can be sudden and unpredictable in strength and direction," he said. "It's the difference between deterministic -- which means the probability is one and events are going to happen as opposed to a probability between zero and 1 where zero is never and 1 is always. "Probability happens in the real world. What's the probability of you getting hit by a car when you cross Green Street? Pretty high. When you cross Wright Street, maybe not as likely," he said. Hilton's analysis provides a new model that takes into consideration as many, but still not all, known phenomena. These analyses, while more inclusive, form a linear beginning as a stepping stone to the real nonlinear random world. "We use both math and physics in engineering, but within limitations. In physics, we don't always understand what's going on," he said. "That's the case here as well. There are pieces of principles that haven't been resolved. The mathematics are very exact but we tend to shade the equations in terms of what we can solve, rather than what it should be. "The probabilistic analyses really pay off when designing a missile because you have just one flight to get it right. Either it hits the target or it doesn't. But it never comes back and is reused." About his merging of models and its potential impact, Hilton quoted Winston Churchill from a speech he gave in 1942 concerning the Second Battle of El Alamein. "Churchill said, 'It's not the beginning of the end but the end of the beginning.' You could look at it that way. We're so far from the total knowledge that any one of these types of fundamental analytical papers is an end of the beginning." The paper, "A Unified Linear Bending/Shear Beam (Spar) Theory: From Deterministic da Vinci-Euler-Bernoulli Elastic Beams to Nonhomogeneous Generalized Linear Viscoelastic Timoshenko ones with Random Properties, Loads and Realistic Physical Starting Transients, and Including Moving Shear Centers and Neutral Axes, Part I:Theoretical Modeling and Analyses," was written by Harry H. Hilton. It appears in MESA, the international journal of Mathematics in Engineering, Science and Aerospace. Portions of the paper were presented in May 2018 at the N. Sri Namachchivya Symposium on Dynamical Systems, in Waterloo, Canada. Chicago bakeries and pastry shops with cafes where people can enjoy house-made baked goods and desserts are often labeled European but, by now they are an integral part of the American dining landscape. They reflect the contemporary lifestyle of those seeking a peaceful haven away from their rush-rush daily routine to enjoy the simple pleasures of savories and sweets made with ingredients selected and prepared with tender loving care. Newcomer Le Pain Quotidien, a bakery/restaurant that originated in Belgium in 1990 and has locations in 17 countries, recently arrived in Chicago. It joins a scene of independent bakery and pastry shops with cafes that have proved the success of the concept. Here are details about the new arrival and a sampling of others that already have a regular following. Artopolis Advertisement When the members of Maria Melidis' family applied for a liquor license for Artopolis, the bakery-cafe they were opening in Greektown, they were met with surprise. "They (the city) asked us if we were going to sell bread and wine, and we said yes because in Greece people do snack in bakeries and pastry shops," she says. Artopolis means town of bread. "At Artopolis, bread is made with whole wheat flour and comes in different shapes with different toppings," Melidis explains. She loves the baguette with Kalamata olives that reminds her of her homeland. Olive oil softens loaves of bread used for sandwiches on the eclectic menu. Desserts include an almond baklava made with a family recipe. The signature Artopitas, individual round pies, are stuffed with chicken, tomatoes and mozzarella for American palates and Greek classics such as spinach and feta that is a favorite of Melidis, who says, "You can eat them with a meal, but I can eat one on the way home as a snack." 306 S. Halsted St., 312-559-9000, artopolischicago.com Floriole Advertisement Sandra Holl got a start selling her baked goods at Green City Market before opening Floriole Cafe and Bakery with her husband, French-native Mathieu, about four years ago. "We knew we wanted it to be a bakery, but also a cafe where people could come and eat and have coffee or a glass of wine or beer, whatever makes them happy depending on the time of day," she says. She rotates a few specialty breads and always has the basics such as a baguette and a sourdough. "It feels like we have slowed down our whole lives to make this bread because we start mixing it about 24 hours before we bake it," she says. Aware of the growing popularity of toast on the West Coast, she added her favorite to the menu: sourdough bread topped with ricotta, toasted almonds and honey. Holl is already making her popular seasonal rhubarb galettes and will be incorporating more fresh local vegetables into salads. 1220 W. Webster Ave., 773-883-1313, floriole.com Labriola Rich Labriola found learning to make bread a challenge. "Baking bread is difficult because it's a living thing," he explains. "You can give five bakers the same recipe, and they'll produce five different breads." Labriola Bakery Cafe and Neapolitan Pizzeria, which he opened six years ago, offers 10 to 15 varieties of bread each day. "I like to tear off a hunk of sourdough bread and eat it plain," he says. "You get an instant taste from the crust and then you have the sweetness in your mouth that comes from the fermentation of the wheat." The cafe's extensive menu includes hot sandwiches on baguettes, a burger on a pretzel bun, Italian pastas, pastries and cookies. But Labriola's choice for dessert is the crusty croissant filled with almond cream. 3021 Butterfield Road, Oak Brook, 630-574-2008; coming in October to 535 N. Michigan Ave.; labriolacafe.com Le Pain Quotidien When Alain Coumont couldn't find good bread to serve in his restaurant in Brussels, he decided to make it himself and opened a small bakery in 1990 called Le Pain Quotidien (daily bread) to sell it. He added a large table he bought at a flea market for customers to gather. "True great bread is very simple organic flour, water, sea salt and our own sourdough starter but it's a slow process that takes eight or nine hours," says Coumont. All the locations of Le Pain Quotidien now offer that signature bread and have a communal table where guests can order from a wide-ranging menu that includes tartines (open-face sandwiches). Most popular in Brussels is one spread with steak tartare; the best-seller in the U.S. is one with grilled chicken, mozzarella and sun-dried tomato relish. The best-selling sweet everywhere is the chocolate brownie. Coumont likes to put a bit of it between slices of bread for the perfect breakfast. "We want to settle down and take the time to enjoy simple things," he says, "which is in line with our commitment to organic ingredients." 135 N. Clinton St., 312-234-0900; 1000 W. Armitage Ave., 773-770-4341; 10 E. Delaware Place, opening July 6; lepainquotidien.com Toni Patisserie After several years working in France, Toni Marie Cox returned to the U.S. and opened Toni Patisserie and Cafe in Hinsdale where customers could linger at a few small tables enjoying exquisite pastries like the ones the French have perfected. Several years ago, she opened a second cafe in the Loop with more savory choices. In addition to an array of croissants, breakfast might include a slice of brioche with almond cream topped with fresh berries. The menus offer classic savory selections such as quiche Lorraine and salade nicoise and sweets ranging from a chocolate dome layered with custard, chocolate mousse and chocolate cake to mini treats of popular macarons flavored perhaps in seasonal blueberry cream cheese or strawberry rose. 51 S. Washington St., Hinsdale, 630-789-2020; 65 W. Washington St., 312-726-2020; tonipatisserie.com Geneticists have assembled the largest sets of African genomic data available to date, creating a resource that will help researchers understand the genetic structure of Africa as well as the effects of genetic variation on protein function and disease. The findings underscore the importance of including globally diverse participant cohorts in genetics research, and were presented in a plenary session at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2018 Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif. The researchers collected and analyzed genome-wide data from 6,400 individuals from rural Uganda, including the whole genome sequences of 1,978 people within that group. They combined this with data from an additional 7,784 individuals from other African countries, in the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) to analyze multiple traits across Africa. "This study represents one of the largest and most comprehensive efforts to identify genetic associations with disease within African populations, and will provide a roadmap for large-scale GWAS across the region," said Ayesha Motala, MD, FRCP, a leader of the study and professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. "Prior to our work, there were only a few hundred whole genome sequences available from Africa," said Deepti Gurdasani, MD, PhD, from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, who presented the research. "Most of the information we had was from African-American populations, which didn't capture the full diversity of the continent." After compiling the data, Dr. Gurdasani and her colleagues assessed genetic similarities and differences within the cohort, identifying commonalities among those who migrated to Uganda from the same regions. They also found a complex mixture of similarities between the Ugandan genomes, ancient East African populations, and Eurasian genomes. These findings suggest that modern Ugandan genomes represent the complex history of migration in the region, and that they have been shaped by multiple mixture events over thousands of years, including mixture with genomes resembling those in modern Europe. In addition, the researchers examined genetic influences on a variety of traits and diseases in the larger GWAS cohort, identifying 10 new associations specific to African populations. For example, they discovered an association between a deletion in the HBA1/HBA2 gene, known to cause the blood disorder alpha thalassemia, and blood bilirubin levels. This deletion is common among Africans, found in approximately 22% of individuals, but rare among previously studied Europeans. "Although it correlates with disease, this variant has been shown to protect people from severe malaria, which presents a stronger advantage in Africa than in Europe and has enabled the variant to rise in frequency within Africa," Dr. Gurdasani explained. The study also found an association between HBA1/HBA2 deletion and the blood's level of the protein HbA1c, high levels of which are often used to diagnose diabetes. "The high frequency of thalassemia in some African populations may affect the accuracy of this test, as it can modify HbA1c independently of glucose levels," Dr. Gurdasani said. Beyond their own analysis, the researchers hope their data will help other scientists better understand the genetic diversity of African populations and develop cost-effective tools to capture genome variation for future studies. Future work will also include detailed mapping of the cause-and-effect relationships between genetic variants through examining functional impact of variants on gene expression. As next steps, the researchers plan to expand their genomic data set to populations across Africa, by sampling diverse indigenous populations, and expanding the GWAS to about 75,000 individuals. As the victim was getting out of the car in the 1700 block of West 78th Street, Rogers allegedly drove up in a separate vehicle and ran him over. He put his vehicle in reverse and ran over the victim a second time before fleeing the scene, prosecutors said. The Oakland Police Department, which has long struggled to recruit women, asks all officer applicants to permit disclosure of whether they have been sexually assaulted, The Chronicle has learned. The department requires applicants to sign a waiver authorizing other agencies to provide confidential information to Oakland police, including if I have been a victim of sexual assault. Other police forces use similar waivers, but Oaklands is unique in specifically asking for disclosure of sexual assault victimhood. Oakland police officials said reviewing such records is appropriate and is standard practice in police hiring. They said the language in the waiver was included for transparency, to alert candidates that even the most sensitive records would be reviewed. (After the publication of this story, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf ordered the immediate removal of a waiver where OPD applicants authorize the release of confidential records, including those that would disclose whether they are victims of sexual assault.) The inquiry does not appear to be common. The Chronicle checked with police departments in the 10 most populous cities in California and could not find another that uses such language on its waiver. The practice is inexcusable, said retired Portland, Ore., Police Chief Penny Harrington, the first woman to lead a major city police force. Theres absolutely no reason to be doing that, said Harrington, who founded the National Center for Women and Policing. I cant imagine why they would need to know that information, except as a way to wash out women. Legal experts said the inquiry is odd and potentially problematic, although there is disagreement over whether its illegal. Oakland police officials said a candidate would not be denied a position for being a sexual assault victim. Asked why they want to know the information, officials said they are interested in reviewing all police reports in which applicants may appear. The question comes up when recruits have to sign and get notarized a form that allows the Police Department to conduct a background check on them, authorizing the release of educational transcripts, credit history and other records. The release form has been in use since at least 2011. As an applicant for a position of Police Officer with the Oakland Police Department, I am required to furnish information for use in determining my suitability for employment and I may not be considered without it, the document begins. It goes on to list the types of records that must be disclosed to background investigators and says the information may be released to third parties. Nathaniel Y. Downes / The Chronicle 2015 Being a victim of sexual assault is framed in the context of knowing an applicants potential criminal record. The form says that among the information that will be reviewed by background investigators is the applicants local criminal history information ... including if I have been a victim of sexual assault. It cites Penal Code Section 2939d for justification. Penal Code Section 2939d does not exist. In response to questions from The Chronicle, Officer Marco Marquez, a department spokesman, said the number is a typo. He said the correct section of California law is 293(d). That law reads: A law enforcement agency shall not disclose to a person, except the prosecutor, parole officers of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, hearing officers of the parole authority, probation officers of county probation departments, or other persons or public agencies where authorized or required by law, the name of a person who alleges to be the victim of a sex offense if that person has elected to exercise his or her right pursuant to this section and Section 6254 of the Government Code. Marquez said a candidate would not be disqualified for being a sexual assault victim. The Police Departments background investigators are interested in every police report that an applicant might appear in, including whether the person was a suspect, witness or victim, he said. The release form, however, does not ask for that information. It does not ask whether applicants have been victims of any other types of crimes. It does not ask whether they committed sexual assault only whether they were the victim of sexual assault. The form has no questions about being a witness or suspect. One expert on employment law and sex discrimination, UC Hastings College of the Law Professor Joan Williams, said requiring applicants to disclose their status as victims of sexual assault is clearly illegal. This is not something they are supposed to be doing, Williams said. Its completely outrageous. Despite the department giving the same form to men and women, Williams said, women would be disproportionately impacted because they are more likely to be sexual assault victims than men. By including only one situation in which you have to report that youre a victim, the implication is that if youre a victim of robbery, for example, that doesnt matter, Williams said. The stereotype is that women who have been sexually assaulted turn into raging ids and tear machines and could never be objective again. At least one woman thinks her status as a rape victim with an ongoing lawsuit against the offending officer's department was the reason she was denied the position. The woman, who first applied in 2013, was passed over for the job as an Oakland cop despite her minority status, fluency in multiple languages, advanced educational degrees and more than 10 years of experience as an officer in other police agencies all qualities the Oakland department says it prizes. She spoke on condition of anonymity because of concerns about her chances of being hired elsewhere. The Police Department declined to comment on her case. The woman who has an ongoing lawsuit against a former department saying a fellow police officer raped her filed a discrimination complaint against the Oakland Police Department with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. In the complaint, which is pending, the woman said she received an email from an Oakland police sergeant telling her she was no longer under consideration for the position. When I inquired as to why, he informed me that it was because of my pending discrimination/civil suit that I have against a previous employer, she wrote. Nathaniel Y. Downes / The Chronicle 2015 After complaining, the woman said she was placed back into the pool of eligible candidates but told that she had to wait for the department to complete a background investigation. That was a year ago. She likened her situation to a purgatory status and called the Oakland agencys actions an unscalable blue wall of unconscionable brutality. 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. A man who rapes is afforded a presumption of innocence, yet a woman who's been raped shes guilty even if proven innocent and need not apply, she said. Deborah Rhode, a Stanford Law School professor who studies equal protection and sex discrimination, said the woman seems to have a strong case. Whistle-blowers are not supposed to be punished, she said. But Rhode disagreed with the idea that asking for disclosure of sexual assault is illegal, because it is posed to both men and women. She said she hadnt heard of other agencies asking it. Its quite peculiar, Rhode said. I would like to know what the underlying rationale behind the question is. ... I dont know if the assumption is that someone whos been a victim cant be objective. Oakland officials including former Assistant Chief Paul Figueroa were alerted in 2013 to the problems posed by the inquiry, according to emails sent by the woman who was denied the position and her friend, a California police captain who was advocating on her behalf. Figueroa was one of three chiefs forced to step down in 2016 amid a wide-ranging sexual misconduct scandal. Last month, the woman again raised the issue, this time in an email to Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick and City Administrator Sabrina Landreth. Other officials in the Police Department, the city attorneys office and Mayor Libby Schaafs office were included as recipients. The woman said no one has replied. Like most law enforcement agencies, the Oakland force struggles to attract female officers. One police academy class that began this year had just one woman among 24 recruits. The latest class has eight women out of 34. In recent years, women have made up 11 to 14 percent of the force on par with the national average. Harrington, the retired Portland chief, said practices like Oaklands keep women out of the field. Theyll tell you the reason we dont have more women is that women dont want these jobs, she said. Its a bunch of hooey. Who wouldnt want a good-paying job with pensions and benefits and promotion opportunities? They dont want women in there. Representatives of the San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Anaheim and Santa Ana police departments said they do not specifically ask other agencies to disclose whether applicants are sexual assault victims. The Alameda County Sheriffs Office does not specifically ask for such disclosure, said Deputy Sean Poole, a background investigator for the department. But the inquiry may come up in other contexts, Poole said. For instance, applicants must answer a question standard among California law enforcement agencies about whether they have ever had sex at work. Someone who responds affirmatively may say that it was actually harassment or assault, which would lead to further investigation, Poole said. During a polygraph-like test, if an applicants tone wavers on a question about committing domestic violence, Poole said, he may ask a follow-up question to see whether the person was the victim of domestic violence to sort out potential false positives. Were trying to figure out if they were the perpetrator, not the victim, he said. We dont disqualify for being a victim. Editors note: This story has been updated to make clear that the Oakland Police Department did not directly ask job applicants if they had been sexually assaulted, but rather asked them to sign a waiver allowing other agencies to turn over records related to sexual assaults in which they were victims. Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov SEATTLE Amazon wont say where it plans to put its much-hyped second headquarters. But that hasnt stopped investors, economic officials and developers from trying to reverse engineer the HQ2 search, to understand what a company seen as embodying the future wants and needs, and what local governments should do to be part of that future. The growing consensus is that the place that checks the most boxes is Northern Virginia. In online betting forums, it has the best odds. Analysts at Citi recently said most investors they spoke with also expect HQ2 to end up in the Washington area, noting that Northern Virginia is home to Amazons cloud computing divisions largest and fastest-growing office outside of Seattle. Many have gone a step further, suggesting that Crystal City, an older office area being revitalized just across the Potomac River from Washington, offers the best site. Its upsides: good transit, diverse residents, a friendly business climate and a single developer with a big chunk of land. There are a lot of merits to a lot of these places, but at the end of the day, all of the signs are pointing to Crystal City, said Amy Liu, director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution. Im just going to say it. Amazon says it will announce its decision by the end of the year. Other areas that are regularly named as strong contenders include Chicago, Atlanta and Austin, Texas. Washington and the Maryland suburbs are also finalists. The potential prize is huge, with $5 billion in investment and up to 50,000 high-paying jobs, according to the company. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos already owns the biggest newspaper and the largest mansion in Washington, and his ties to the city have long been a reason that the region tops most prediction lists. It doesnt hurt, either, that choosing the area would put Amazon in the backyard of lawmakers just as talk about the companys labor practices and potential antitrust regulation is picking up. The interest in the area rose a few weeks ago when Bezos headlined an event at the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. More than 1,000 executives, ambassadors and politicians gathered in a ballroom and flocked around him, pressing in to take selfies and shake hands. When the formal program began, Bezos was soon asked the obvious: Where would he be opening HQ2? The crowd cheered and whistled at the question, posed with more than a hint that the headquarters should be right there in the region, then playfully booed as Bezos demurred. Be nice, Bezos, the worlds richest person, pleaded with a laugh. Northern Virginia is widely considered to have a leg up on its neighbors for some practical reasons. Virginia is seen as more business-friendly, with low regulation and taxes, according to an annual ranking from Chief Executive magazine thats popular with site selectors. Maryland offered Amazon more $5 billion in taxpayer incentives, but Virginia has not disclosed its package. Washington also has a 13-story limit on most buildings. And while Washington and Maryland are reliably Democratic, Virginia is more of a swing state, giving Amazon potential champions from both parties. If you had your headquarters in a city and were responsible for tens of thousands of jobs, you could be seen as a good corporate citizen, said Richard Florida, a professor at the University of Toronto who has followed Amazons urban development for more than two decades. The headquarters search centers on Amazons seemingly insatiable appetite to hire enough of the talent it needs. To do so, the company says, it needs to be somewhere with a strong talent pipeline and the urban attributes, like public transportation and culture, that attract other employees to move. People want to be where there is vibrancy at the street level, said Jodie McLean, chief executive of Edens, a developer who has worked around the region and is involved with Washingtons bid. The region is home to one of the most educated workforces in the country. Amazon already has a growing presence, with more than 2,500 employees in corporate and technical roles, like lobbyists in Washington and engineers at data centers in the Virginia suburbs serving government contracts. Nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has strong domestic connections, while Dulles International Airport links up globally. And the Metro rail network is one of the busiest in the country. After Amazon announced the headquarters search, lawmakers in the region approved $500 million in annual maintenance spending for the interstate Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which oversees the subways. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Crystal City is about as close to Washington as possible while still being in Virginia. Its one Metro stop away from National Airport, and just a few stops across the Potomac River from Washington. It is a dense, up-and-coming, mixed-used area that has a lot of opportunity for more development, Liu said. Other locations in Northern Virginia fit many of Amazons requirements. But theyre more suburban, and being in the middle of Seattle has become a central part of Amazons identity. Crystal City offers another parallel to Amazons Seattle headquarters: Much of the land is owned by a single developer, which makes it easier to plan and build in a quick and cohesive way. Until recently, Amazon relied heavily on the investment firm of the Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who died Monday, to build its Seattle campus. JBG Smith, a publicly traded investment trust, owns large swaths of Crystal City, and its chief executive, Matt Kelly, spoke before Bezos at the Economic Club, fueling yet another round of speculation among HQ2 watchers. Everybody is talking about Crystal City, said Stephen S. Fuller, a leading regional economist at George Mason University. The fit is good. Karen Weise is a New York Times writer. 2 1 of 2 Martinez Police Department Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Martinez Police Department Show More Show Less Martinez police arrested a 35-year-old Richmond man over the weekend on suspicion of stealing a car and a handgun, and possessing cocaine for sale, among other allegations. Officers pulled over Darnell Williams at 11:21 p.m. Saturday on Alhambra Avenue because the 2016 Audi he was driving had been reported stolen by Vacaville police in January. Last week, I requested that sisters suggest gestures to express, in the manner of athletes taking a knee on playing fields, their responses to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings, #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. There were many, many responses, mostly from women, a few from men. These are difficult issues: One woman, an early responder, suggested that women hold their hands over their mouths while the national anthem is played, taking them off only when the last O say does that... is sounded, at which time the women should sing out loud as they can. This is to illustrate the fact that we wont be silenced, she said. Thats before she asked me not to use her name, as it might cause problems at work. A supportive guy wrote to say he wasnt a sister, but some of my best friends are sisters. He described watching an athlete take a knee at a minor-league ballgame, and then wrote that women ought to be angry about Kavanaugh, but so should any decent man. Women need to lead here and men need to just shut up and follow their lead. Not quite shutting up, he wrote that women should express their feelings by voting. That was the consensus of many responders, among them Pat White and Linda Naughton. Holding ones hand over ones mouth was also suggested by Mary Hedley, Leslie Earl and Joanne Blossom. Whereas some folks remove their hats during the anthem, suggested Maureen Futtner, how bout if sisters temporarily don pussy hats? How about raising a fist with our car keys tucked inside, wrote Sue Kotchou, the car key point extending between our middle two fingers, just like we would do walking to our cars in the dark? Meghan Sweet and Pam Stearns suggested turning ones back, a gesture Stearns worried might be too negative. Kate Gurke said women should stand tall during the anthem ... unless they want to sit. In other words, dont rise to Trumps bait. The solicitation of suggestions for a womans protest gesture wasnt met with universal approval. An African American man observed: White women kneeling during the anthem to protest rape culture is hijacking a movement you took no risks for. You didnt kneel in solidarity to protest the murder of Black people, dont co opt & make it about your victimization. Thats white supremacy in the name of feminism. This statement was atop a Twitter thread with a variety of positive and negative responses. Adda Dada, who votes in Switzerland, says hes voting yes for a Dignity of Animals bill that would pay farmers not to cut the horns off their cows. The Madera Tourism Alliance of the Madera Chamber of Commerce has announced that this years eighth annual Pomegranate Festival (on Nov. 3) in the Central Valley town has been renamed the Eighth Annual Madera Pomegranate, Fruit and Nut Festival. Planners of Fog Design + Art, which benefits SFMOMA and will be at the Fort Mason Center from Jan. 17 to 20, have announced that this years Innovators Luncheon honoree is Pamela Joyner. With her husband, Fred Giuffrida, Joyner is an advocate for and collector of work by artists of African descent. We are very laser focused, said Joyner in an interview last year for a Sothebys publication. The collection is mission driven, and the mission is to rewrite art history. Anti-gun demonstrators have been turning out for years at Crossroads of the West, the gun shows at the Cow Palace. On days of the shows, says Margo Freistadt, People come out of there with wagon-loads of ammunition. ... so many guns. In the past six months, shes been among a small group of women who have been attending Cow Palace Board of Directors meetings, to ask that the issue of the gun shows be placed on the board agenda, so as to be fully discussed. (Theyve been unsuccessful; the subject hasnt been on the agenda.) At the last such meeting, three of the anti-gun activists made three-minute speeches. There was no give-and-take. As they left, the board began talking about what seemed like the meetings major issue: fees they could charge if they opened the Cow Palace parking lot to the public on days there are no events there. If they can make as much money renting parking as they can at the gun shows, said Freistadt later, Im totally fine with that. PUBLIC EAVESDROPPING Everybody who goes to Hawaii doesnt have a house in Mexico. Young man, overheard at a restaurant in Sebastopol by Jack Jackson Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, 415-777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik The shooting occurred near a Chicago Housing Authority building that had a surveillance camera that captured the shooting, Assistant States Attorney Shawn Abraham told the court. A break in the case came when a Chicago police detective investigating Dillard for an unrelated armed robbery watched the surveillance video and identified Dillard as the gunman. A Safe Passage worker who saw the gunman fleeing the shooting and tucking a handgun into his waistband later identified Dillard as the person he saw running away, Abraham said. Melissa McCarthys funniest roles, dating back to her 2011 scene-stealing performance as Megan in Bridesmaids (for which she was nominated for a supporting actress Oscar), have showcased her willingness to embrace outrageousness and to throw herself into some very physical comedy. Its been a trademark in McCarthys subsequent Paul Feig-directed movies, Heat with Sandra Bullock and the CIA comedy thriller Spy, as well as in her viral Saturday Night Live impersonation last year of former White House press secretary Sean Spicer berating the news media from behind her rolling lectern. Creating these kinds of brazen characters from the outside in has always come naturally to McCarthy because, she says, Im someone who just throws it all out there. This probably isnt a surprise to anyone, but Im not guarded. Given her natural inclination to be brash and lead with a smile, McCarthy said portraying her latest character, the infamously gruff biographer turned literary forger Lee Israel, in the new movie Can You Ever Forgive Me? required a totally different approach. I had to start with the idea of not leading outward, but instead I kept thinking, Im tortoising, just tortoising, the way Lee kept everything under her shell to protect herself, McCarthy said in an interview following the films world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival. More Information "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" (R) opens Friday, Oct. 26, in Bay Area theaters. See More Collapse Its an unusually immersive and dramatic performance thats already generated Oscar buzz - for McCarthy, as well as for co-star Richard E. Grant, who plays Jack Hock, Israels loyal friend and cunning accomplice. McCarthy is almost unrecognizable as the irascible alcoholic Israel. She wears a drab brown wig with gray roots, no makeup and down-on-her-luck posture. Shes so bitter she practically snarls. Its almost jarring to see her in person after the screening looking radiant, with color in her cheeks and her hair in bouncy waves. A semi-successful New York author in the 1980s, Israel wrote highly regarded cultural biographies of such figures as actress Tallulah Bankhead and cosmetics titan Estee Lauder. Her work fell out of favor when the publishing industry turned toward celebrity tell-alls instead of deeply researched bios. After a string of poor reviews, with her work piling up in remainder piles, Israel, penniless, discovered she had a knack for impersonating famous 20th century literary voices in forged letters that could then be sold as originals to collectors and autograph dealers. She started by penning short, witty letters from Fanny Brice and selling them to small antique book shops. Eventually she became more brazen, stealing letters from literary archives and enlisting Hocks help to forge 400 letters of faux correspondence from Ernest Hemingway, Dorothy Parker, Noel Coward and others on a cache of antique typewriters she kept in her squalid Upper West Side apartment. Israel pleaded guilty in federal court in 1993 and wrote the 2008 memoir Can You Ever Forgive Me? (on which the film is based) about her unlikely period as a felon. I love the idea of a woman who is uncompromisingly herself, even if that means she is prickly, difficult, complicated and doesnt easily fit the mold of a typical protagonist, said director Marielle Heller, an East Bay native who also directed Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015). Heller and McCarthy agreed that telling Israels story was a refreshing departure from the unfortunate burden of likability that can weigh on female-centered stories. If this kind of antihero were a male character, nobody would even question why this is an interesting person, said Heller. I think theres something fun and cathartic about seeing a woman who says the things youre not supposed to say, who just doesnt give a s about the way shes perceived by others. I completely fell in love with Lee, said McCarthy. I dont think people should have to apologize for being themselves, even if they make the world more difficult for themselves. We all know people like this who destroy their relationships, cant seem to get out of their own way. Lee was always the smartest person in the room, but she made herself invisible. In an early party scene at the home of Israels stylish literary agent (played by SNL alum Jane Curtin), Israel is exasperated to the point of rage with the fawning over best-selling author Tom Clancy (Kevin Carolan). She downs a few scotches, steals someones warm overcoat and slips out - alone. Lee is like a porcupine going through life, everyone getting out of the way of her bristles, but she finds comfort with this one person, Jack, who can stand to get close, said Grant. Their unlikely bond is definitely the heart and soul of the movie, McCarthy said. Their friendship, a love story in a way, is the thing that I felt the most connected to throughout. When asked if shed like to keep doing drama as well as the comedy for which shes better known, McCarthy (who just finished shooting Andrea Berloffs Irish mobster drama The Kitchen) said, Absolutely. Ive always just wanted to go back and forth between the two. In my head, its the exact same practice. Whats different is the reception of the two because comedy is so subjective. Ten people in a room laugh, three dont and one doesnt care. I think people are unnecessarily harder on comedies, and I dont know why. "The decision to play Lee was easy once I met Mari. I was told, Think about it for a while, dont make a rash decision. But I just knew. I said, Great, Im doing it. Jessica Zack is a Bay Area freelance writer. When Dan Farber started distilling brandy in the early nineties, American brandy was such a small, little thing, he says. His mentor, Hubert Germain-Robin of the eponymous brandy label, was making excellent domestic, artisan, aged grape brandy, but it pretty much stopped there. No one did it, and there was very little interest in it on the large scale, says the owner of Osocalis Distillery in Soquel. But now, Farber says, the landscape for American brandy has changed. After decades of championing the potential of California brandies, Farber and Germain-Robin suddenly find themselves with colleagues. A lot of them. Encouraged by the growing popularity of premium French brandy, especially Cognac, powerful companies like Gallo are now entering the marketplace with the goal and the ability to change the reputation of California brandy from a mass-produced product to an artisanal spirit by using higher-quality fruit and distilling methods that can preserve the flavors of the grapes. This has forced smaller brands like Osocalis to reconsider how they fit into the shifting landscape. Instead of trying, and likely failing, to compete with bigger brands on price, Farber decided to redouble his commitment to quality by making one huge and important move. He decided to do what no American brandy producer has done before: cultivate a vineyard solely for brandy production. Frustrated by the growing challenge of finding high-quality grapes like old-vine coastal Colombard a longtime favorite for brandy production Farber planted a 30-acre vineyard in Corralitos to Folle Blanche, Montils, Folignan, Baco Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Semillon and Viognier. This year, the new grower-producer harvested and distilled his own grapes for the first time. We cant beat any of these companies on volume, or price, says Farber. But on quality if were willing to be patient and make the investments for quality across the board thats really where we can compete. Patrick Tehan / Special to The Chronicle The estate harvest represents landmark moment for Farber, but also for California brandy as a category. After decades of obscurity, will this revival of quality finally give California brandy its breakout year? Until recently, demand for brandy was faint. (Loosely, the category includes any spirit distilled from grapes, including eau-de-vie, but historically most California brandy has looked to Cognac and Armagnac, which are usually aged for long periods of time in oak barrels, as a model.) Thats beginning to change according to the Distilled Spirits Council, brandy sales have grown 42 percent since 2002 but the growth is driven almost entirely by Cognac. California brandy producers say that their sales have not been growing. (There are some exceptions: Wisconsin is one of the largest markets for California brandy, primarily for use in Wisconsin Old Fashioneds, made with brandy. Korbel says the state accounts for over 55 percent of its total brandy sales.) Gallo, which is the largest wine company in the world, has become bullish on the potential growth of artisanal California brandy. The company has organized meetings with other producers to try to reach some consensus about how to differentiate premium brandy from supermarket brands. In addition to its own Argonaut line, last year Gallo purchased the Germain-Robin distillery, Californias architect of artisanal brandy. The premium American brandy category is trending, says Britt West, Gallos vice president of marketing, but emphasizes that the growth is still off a small base. Thats OK with Gallo: Were not in a rush. We have been planning on releasing Argonaut brandy for literally decades. The obvious reference point for California brandy is Cognac, the French grape-based spirit produced in the southwestern regions of Charente and Charente-Maritime. Yes, theyre both made from grapes and aged in barrels, but thats where the similarities end. Just as Japanese whisky is no longer thought of as a clone of Scotch, California brandy is also shaking off the Cognac imposter syndrome. In Cognac, brandy defines the viticulture and the winemaking. In California, winemaking defines the brandy. Here, brandy producers have historically been associated with wineries, since state licenses have long included a provision that allows winemakers to distill brandy and sell it directly to consumers. That means that California brandy has relied largely on grapes used for the most inexpensive California wines, especially Colombard a high-yielding workhorse grape grown all over the Central Valley not on the grapes traditionally used in Cognac, like Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanc, which produce thin, excessively acidic wines. Historically, California brandy production has involved distilling these Central Valley grapes to a high proof in a column still, which strips much of the grapes character, and finished them with additives like caramel color, flavorings and sweeteners. Hubert Germain-Robin understood from the beginning that California wineries were not really prepared to make great brandy. A native of Cognac, he had to relearn everything he knew about brandy production when he arrived in the U.S. The grapes, microclimates, conditions for aging the terroir is different here. Since starting his eponymous distillery in Mendocino County in 1982, he has advocated for separating the idea of making good wine from making good brandy. And it begins with rethinking the grapes. For me, everything starts with the ingredients first, says Germain-Robin. Without good grapes for distillation, you can make a good brandy, but not an outstanding brandy. He found that grapes from cooler regions, when picked earlier, produced better brandy. Too ripe, and the results were too fruity, too concentrated and lacking in structure and complexity. In Cognac you are looking for the dried-fruit character and a lot of spices, he says, but in California you are looking for the spices in different types of grapes to complement the fruit character. 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. Patrick Tehan / Special to The Chronicle By distilling many test batches of brandy made from different California regions, Germain-Robin developed an encyclopedic knowledge of the individual contributions of each grape variety. Pinot Noir is his favorite: racy, complex, with great length, depth and aging potential. Colombard grown in a river-adjacent valley floor never gets ripe, but can deliver lots of spice, chamomile and hay, whereas Colombard grown on the top of a hill gets plenty ripe and gives the brandy a plum flavor and, once it starts to age, honeysuckle. While Semillon doesnt have a lot of character unless its picked early in which case it tastes like spicy green pepper it can get interesting after eight years in barrel, something Germain-Robin learned the hard way. Its fattiness provides structure that helps integrate other distillates in a blend. Ugni Blanc is the main grape used in Cognac because its dependable in the vineyard and produces a high-quality brandy but mostly because its high-yielding, in a region where volume is the incentive. Pinot Noir yields half as much volume as Ugni Blanc, so even if the French regulations allowed it, no Cognac producer would risk growing it against a safe bet. In California, by contrast, coastal grapes cost brandy producers five times as much as in Cognac. This is a disadvantage, of course, but it has a silver lining. Coastal California grapes are all expensive: Pinot Noir isnt that much more costly than any other variety. So it makes sense for producers like Germain-Robin and Farber to experiment with lower-yielding and pricier grapes like Pinot. What is an absolute economic hardship, Farber says, actually is an artistic freedom. Theres no question that the quality of California brandy is on the rise. But how to change the public perception? Germain-Robin believes that labeling brandies with distillation method and terroir will help distinguish mass-produced brandies from artisanal products. I dont want to be compared with all the people who arent doing the same methods of production, says Germain-Robin. Its not fair. He sees column- and pot-distilled brandies as completely different animals, just as expensive coastal grapes differ significantly from cheap Central Valley fruit. The term alembic brandy, denoting that the spirit was distilled in an alembic pot, rather than a column, is already allowed on a label. But producers will have to come to an agreement about geographic nomenclature. We have to start somewhere, sometime, Germain-Robin says, to have recognition for the intrinsic qualities which, in return, will have an impact for the national and international marketing. Over the past 30 years weve done a lot of experimentation, says Farber. It is things like Pinot Noir, like Viognier, and the blends of eau-de-vies derived from them, that produce a unique style of brandy that is of California. Lou Bustamante is a Bay Area writer and author of The Complete Cocktail Manual. Email: food@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thevillagedrunk President Donald Trump strongly criticized Saudi Arabia's explanation for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi late Saturday, saying that "obviously there's been deception, and there's been lies." At the same time, Trump defended the oil-rich monarchy as an "incredible ally" and kept open the possibility that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not order Saudi agents to kill Khashoggi. "Nobody has told me he's responsible. Nobody has told me he's not responsible. We haven't reached that point . . . I would love if he wasn't responsible," Trump said in a phone interview with The Washington Post. The kingdom's claim that Khashoggi was killed after a fistfight escalated inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul was met with a torrent of international skepticism Saturday over how a team of Saudi agents could fly to Istanbul to meet Khashoggi and eventually kill him without the knowledge or consent of the crown prince, the de facto leader. Trump had told reporters Friday that the Saudi explanation was credible, but U.S. officials said he has privately grimaced that his son-in-law Jared Kushner's close relationship with the crown prince has become a liability and left the White House with no good options. In the interview, Trump defended Kushner as doing a "very good job" but acknowledged that he and the crown prince, both in their 30s, are relatively young for the amount of power they wield. "They're two young guys. Jared doesn't know him well or anything. They are just two young people. They are the same age. They like each other I believe," Trump said. The Trump administration made its relationship with Mohammed a linchpin of its Middle East policy, relying on him to help strike a peace deal between the Palestinians and Israelis and unite the Arab world against Iran. Now, the Saudi government's handling of the killing of a Washington Post contributing columnist has tarnished Mohammed's image as the Trump administration is questioning the value of its high-profile partnership with him. Trump reiterated that the United States should not let the incident interrupt U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia, citing a $110 billion arms sale with Riyadh he announced last year that analysts have said is inflated. "It's the largest order in history," Trump said. "To give that up would hurt us far more than it hurts them. Then all they'll do is go to Russia or go to China. All that's doing is hurting us." "With that being said, something will take place," Trump added. U.S. officials must now account for the glaring inconsistencies between the accounts of Turkish investigators and that of the Saudi government released Saturday. A key piece of evidence is the audio recording that led Turkish investigators to conclude days ago that Khashoggi was killed and dismembered by a Saudi team dispatched to Istanbul. Trump on Saturday denied that any U.S. officials have heard audio, seen video or read any transcripts from the Turks. But CIA officials have listened to an audio recording that Turkish officials say proves the journalist was killed and dismembered by the Saudi team, according to people familiar with the matter. If verified, the recording would make it difficult for the United States to accept the Saudi version that Khashoggi's death was effectively an accident. Officials agreed to speak for this article on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic. This tension has put a particularly bright spotlight on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, whom Trump sent to Ankara and Riyadh this past week to manage the ballooning controversy. Pompeo and State Department officials have gone out of their way to deny that the top diplomat listened to audio provided by the Turks. "I've heard no tape, I've seen no transcript," Pompeo told reporters late this past week. By not reviewing those materials, the top U.S. diplomat is not in an obvious position to refute or confirm the Saudi account, said diplomats familiar with the situation. "If Secretary Pompeo was offered to listen to the audio recording, he was smart to say no," said Soner Cagaptay, a Turkey scholar at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "You can't unlisten to it, and once you listen to it, you can't say certain things." One diplomat who deals with the issue said that if Pompeo had heard the audio, it would be a "total game changer" and require a much more forceful U.S. response. Trump showed an interest in obtaining the recordings but said they have been out of reach so far. "I've heard all about the videos or the tapes. Nobody would get it faster than me. Nobody has been able to show it to me," he said. In its announcement Saturday, the Saudi government said it fired five top officials and arrested 18 other Saudis as a result of the initial investigation. The preliminary probe conducted by the prosecutor found that Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government, was strangled after a fistfight with a group of Saudi "suspects." At least 12 members of the Saudi team are connected to Saudi security services, and several have links to Mohammed, according to a review of passport records, social media, local media reports and other material. On Saturday, King Salman increased his support for the crown prince, putting him in charge of the official review of the Saudi intelligence apparatus. The decision raised questions about the quality of Saudi Arabia's review and investigation of its actions, which Pompeo touted as a key achievement of his trip. "We talked about the importance of the investigation, completing it in a timely fashion, and making sure that it was sufficiently transparent that we could evaluate the work that had been done to get to the bottom of it," Pompeo told reporters on the tarmac in Riyadh before leaving the country. "So that was the purpose of the visit. In that sense it was incredibly successful." The State Department declined to comment on Pompeo's satisfaction with Riyadh's actions on Saturday. One U.S. official expressed dismay that Kushner's close relationship with the crown prince was not enough to provide guardrails against the killing and now leaves the administration vulnerable to criticism that the United States is beholden to the Saudis. 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 official said Trump is annoyed by a sense that he was blindsided and by what he sees as Kushner's misjudgment. Kushner has in recent days been sidelined from the Khashoggi case, which many in the administration see as beneficial. Trump dismissed widespread rumors that the king is in poor health. "I've read that [he's incapacitated]. I don't feel that way at all," he said. "Just the opposite of incapacitated - I spoke to him two days ago, he's very sharp, he's a wise man, he's a wise person." "That is started by jealous people," he added. Another official said the president is particularly sensitive about the unpleasant optics of the situation given the proximity of the midterm elections, but it remains unclear whether he will take any action. Trump suggested on Saturday that the crown prince was a stabilizing force in Saudi Arabia, despite the view of critics who note his government's slaughter of civilians in Yemen, crackdown on dissent and jailing of political opponents. "He's a strong person. He has very good control," Trump said. "He's seen as a person who can keep things under check, I mean that in a positive way." In deciding how to deal with the Saudi matter, Trump has faced conflicting advice from his advisers. His hawkish national security adviser, John Bolton, has emphasized his view that the U.S.-Saudi relationship is important to containing Iran, said advisers. Kushner has also stressed the importance of keeping a strong rapport with the Saudis. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, S.C., however, has told Trump that if he doesn't punish the Saudis, they won't respect him. A key consideration in the administration's mind, according to Republican Sen. Bob Corker, Tenn., is the belief that the crown prince can salvage Kushner's stalled peace plan between Israelis and Palestinians. "A lot of the Middle East peace plan is based upon their support. They feel like they have a lot of equity there," Corker said. Trump allies acknowledged that the White House's equivocations would probably result in growing calls from Congress for a more credible accounting of events from Saudi Arabia, but they doubted it would damage the president politically. "I don't think it hurts politically as much as some media are saying," said Marc Short, Trump's former legislative affairs director. But he noted that "if the administration is reluctant to come out and quickly condemn, you create a vacuum where Congress will want to fill that vacuum." A search engine that censors itself is a contradiction. Yet thats what Google is working on for a prime customer, the autocratic government of China. Producing such a tailored, phony product would be a huge mistake for the Do No Evil Silicon Valley titan. For months Google has dodged a full explanation of Dragonfly, the name given to its confidential project to develop a search engine that complies with Beijings wishes. That means no results that mention civil unrest, dissidents or human rights the real world that Chinese censors work diligently to ward off via policies mocked as the Great Firewall. Google isnt answering about its work, not to the public or to Washington. A battery of U.S. senators demanded answers after the Dragonfly work was revealed by Intercept, an online investigative entity. The response from the company was hazy and evasive. The finished product is nowhere in sight, and its outlines arent defined yet, a Google exec said. Last week, Googles leader, Sundar Pichai, offered an acknowledgment that the company is at work on the project but little else. If Google were to operate in China, what would it look like? What queries will we be able to serve? he said at an event hosted by Wired magazine and reported in the Washington Post. It turns out well be able to serve well over 99 percent of the queries, he said. His benign view isnt convincing. More than 1,400 Google employees signed a letter protesting Dragonfly as a break with the firms open standards. Along with limiting search terms, the proposed feature may also allow government watchers to know a users location and share an individuals search habits with an outside partner, such as a government agency. The controversy is feeding into the widening trade war between the U.S. and China. This month, Vice President Mike Pence called on the company to stop work that will strengthen Chinese party censorship and compromise the privacy of Chinese customers. In leaked documents, Google leaders appear to struggle with Chinas imposed censorship and the opportunity to reach 1.4 billion potential users. The countrys smartphones are dominated by the Google-designed Android system, but the potential that search offers advertising, data and app sales is untapped. All of this is tinged with the messianic tinge of Googles founding principles of expanded knowledge and global connection. Thats about as much spin as possible. Last week Google took the high road by declining to bid on a $10 billion Pentagon cloud computing contract amid concerns how its artificial intelligence algorithms would be used by the military. In June it quit a project that analyzed drone warfare videos after employee protests. If the Pentagon can be snubbed, its hard to see why China deserves such careful consideration. Googles founding credos built on free and open access should hold true in China just as they do in Silicon Valley. 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. Salinas and Yuma, Ariz., are 485 miles apart by plane and 600 by car. But no two cities in the West are closer. Salinas, a city of 157,000 in Monterey County, and Yuma, a city of 95,000 on Californias border, are bound by two unstoppable forces: salad and consumer expectation. Californians expect to have fresh salads on our tables year-round. And in October, the two cities began the arduous process of making that possible. It goes by a deceptively simple name: Transition. Transition happens twice a year. Over fall weekends, major lettuce and vegetable growers and processors in Salinas pack up and move their entire operations workers, supervisors and multimillion-dollar processing facilities to Yuma. In early spring, they reverse the process, returning from Yuma to Salinas. The reasons are climatic. Salinas, for all its terrific spring and summer weather, can become cold and foggy in winter. Yuma, meanwhile, is the sunniest populated place in the United States. So, to assure its official status as Salad Bowl of the World, Salinas requires four months of assistance annually from Yuma, the Winter Fresh Vegetable Capital of the United States. But Transition has costs. These start with the logistical challenges of rapidly relocating typically in three days entire operations. One grower required a convoy of 125 trucks last year to make the trip. The Salinas-Yuma Transition has grown over decades through consolidation, as other lettuce districts in California were developed or shifted to other crops. One of the last remaining such districts, in Huron in Fresno County, is still a side trip for growers, who stop for a few weeks of harvesting lettuce on their way to Yuma. And the Arizona city is a natural and longtime California partner; Yuma was a major entry point for migrants to California, from the Gold Rush to the Dust Bowl. The area has been an agricultural marvel since the 1912 completion of an enormous irrigation tunnel under the Colorado River. Transition has been a suspect in food contamination; a commission investigating the E. coli found in Romaine lettuce from Yuma this year has questioned why such cases appear more likely to happen late in seasons, near Transition. But the biggest costs of Transition lie in the adjustments both cities make as people and economic activity depart and arrive each year. Right now, Salinas people can look forward to the lighter traffic of winter. It becomes a lot easier to make a left turn on Abbott Street, says former Mayor Dennis Donohue. The citys airport, though, gets busier, as Salinas-based growers use small planes to commute to Yuma during the week. Salinas teachers say that some students struggle in the winter when farmworker parents head off to Yuma, leaving them with other relatives. Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls says his residents are accustomed to streets that brim with agricultural equipment during these weeks. In addition to the 40,000 people who show up for farm work, Yuma gets an additional 100,000 visitors to its charming downtown and riverfront recreation. The citys challenge is accommodating this seasonal population growth. Nicholls says the reconstruction of an Interstate 8 interchange in Yuma has been paused for six months so that it doesnt slow down agriculture-related traffic. After decades of Transition, Yuma is becoming less of a little brother in the Salinas relationship. Yumas growing season has gotten longer, and companies are expanding facilities there. Yuma also has become more appealing to workers because Salinas housing is miserably expensive, with workers squeezing into shared apartments or living in trailers. Now many farmworkers make their residence in Yuma, which produces plentiful and affordable starter homes. Salinas and Yuma are similar in profile: poorer cities in beautiful settings, with young, majority-Latino populations. But for all the ways that salad shrinks the geography and blurs the line between California and Arizona, there have been few cultural or educational collaborations between Salinas and Yuma. Such exchanges would make sense. But when is there time? Both cities are awfully busy meeting consumer demand and providing for those who work so we might eat. Joe Mathews writes the Connecting California column for Zocalo Public Square. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters. This is an urgent appeal to the voters of California: Reject Proposition 11. I have been employed in Alameda County as a paramedic for more than 15 years. During this time, I have worked for two private ambulance companies, including American Medical Response, that were awarded the contract to provide 911 service to the citizens of one of the busiest systems in the country. Prop. 11 is a disingenuous attempt, financed exclusively by American Medical Response, to get out of paying mandatory wages in lieu of the inevitable missed meal periods that occur during the course of a day, breaks that are required under state labor laws. My fellow medics and I work 12-hour shifts that routinely stretch into a 14-hour workday when it is necessary to hold over crews because of a shortage of available ambulances at any given time. There are more than 1 million people from Oakland to Fremont who count on us, sometimes on the worst day of their lives. We respond to heart attacks, strokes, respiratory emergencies, diabetic emergencies and horrific traumatic injuries that run the gamut from shootings to car crashes. A typical day includes several ambulance calls like this, time spent at the hospitals cleaning up, typing reports for the emergency room staff, and driving in excess of 100 miles as we are moved by dispatchers to provide coverage to neighborhoods. We take pride in a difficult job that is of vital importance to the community and gladly answer the call, whenever it comes our way. The $22 million American Medical Response has spent to bankroll this proposition is a drop in the bucket compared with the $100 million class-action lawsuit it is facing for years of not paying its employees for these missed meal breaks. American Medical Response would have the voters believe this is an opportunity to improve public safety by ensuring that medics are always available and never out of service on a lunch break, but this is already the case. We are frequently pulled from breaks to respond to a call, and we do so gladly. Every day across Alameda County and beyond, medics answer the bell without hesitation. There are certainly improvements to be made to the emergency medical services system, but disguising an attempt to circumvent existing labor laws as an altruistic proposal is entirely unscrupulous. Please vote no on Prop. 11. Zachary Ewen, a paramedic, is a member of the class-action suit. A woman who was reported missing has been found dead, Sacramento police said Saturday. Police are investigating the death of 26-year-old Candice De Anda as a homicide, according to a news release from the Sacramento Police Department. "This is hard," said a neighbor, who didn't want to use his name. "You're right next door and you can help, but you can't do anything." Police said they have arrested a person of interest on unrelated charges while the investigation continues. Police would not confirm the relationship between the two, but said they knew each other. According to police, De Anda was last seen in the 3900 block of Branch Street in the Del Paso Heights area and was believed to have possibly been driving a Ford Taurus. Officers determined the circumstances surrounding her disappearance were "suspicious," the release said. "During the course of the investigation, they discovered there were circumstances that were suspicious," Sgt. Vance Chandler said. De Anda's body was eventually found in the Ford Taurus near where she lived, police spokesman Vance Chandler said at a press conference Saturday evening. "She was found inside the vehicle and this was in the area where we responded," Chandler said. Chandler would not say how she was killed, citing the open investigation. Neighbors told KCRA 3 that De Anda was a mother to two children. Several neighbors said police asked them if they've ever heard any fighting at the home where De Anda lived. The next door neighbor said he's heard De Anda fighting with the man who lived in the house with her. "I heard the door to the garages open and I heard her crying real bad, like something was going on," said a neighbor. Just as the morning commute into San Francisco was starting to return to normal which is to say sluggish Oracle OpenWorld has come to town, closing Howard Street between Third and Fourth streets. It promises to snarl traffic South of Market throughout the week before the street reopens Saturday. There will be significant congestion in the area, said Paul Rose, a spokesman for the Municipal Transportation Agency. But there are ways to get around. As has become common with big conferences at Moscone Center, city officials have again agreed to convert the traffic lanes of a block of Howard Street into whats essentially a park, lounge area and large crosswalk for participants making their way between the convention center buildings. Drivers are advised to avoid the area and take public transportation or find alternative routes. Southbound drivers are advised to take Second Street to Harrison Street, or New Montgomery Street to Hawthorne Street to Folsom or Harrison streets. Bicyclists should take Second Street to Market Street or dismount on Third and Howard and walk on the north sidewalk to Fourth. The closure for Oracle OpenWorld has taken place annually since 2006 and spread to other events. Its the latest traffic headache in the South of Market neighborhood for drivers, bus riders and bicyclists, who have been vexed by road closures for most of September and October. The closure of the Transbay Transit Center after the discovery of two cracked support girders shut Fremont Street between Mission and Howard streets for three weeks. It reopened last Monday. That followed a 20-day shutdown of Howard between Third and Fourth streets during the Global Climate Action Summit, convention center construction and the huge Salesforce Dreamforce conference. About 60,000 people are expected to attend Oracle OpenWorld, which showcases Oracle owner Larry Ellison and the companys products. Its not nearly as big as the Dreamforce conference, which drew nearly 200,000 attendees and workers, and also closed Howard Street in addition to packing restaurants, bars and BART. But it is certain to have an impact on traffic, especially during the morning commute, when traffic on Third Street is typically slow-moving. Even on Sunday at noon, well outside weekday commuting hours, Third Street was backed up and inching forward for two blocks. Anne Scallon, 47, a San Francisco art teacher, emerged Sunday from the Museum of Modern Art and stared at the backed-up traffic and the closed street, covered in gray and red carpeting and dotted with shiny silver tables, some topped with red umbrellas. I guess money speaks, she said when informed of the reason for the closure. It seems like a good example of corporate money being put before the peoples needs. Its disruptive to everyone not at the conference. It doesnt seem necessary. City and tourism officials say the street closure helps tie together the three venues at the convention center and adds some needed space, especially this year, when the Moscone is under construction. The conference also fills hotels and nearby businesses. In 2017, Oracle says, OpenWorld generated $194 million in economic benefits to the Bay Area. Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan The man was struck multiple times in the abdomen and chest about 2:30 p.m. in the 3100 block of West Washington Boulevard, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no witnesses who have come forward, and no suspects are in custody, police said. Just a month after Burning Man, San Francisco hosted its annual "Burning Man Decompression" on Saturday at the Potrero Power Station. The decompression was a smaller and more urban version of the real thing, and featured many of the same attractions one normally sees at Black Rock. In an otherwise innocuous part of Facebooks expansive Menlo Park campus, a locked door bears a taped-on sign that reads War Room. Behind the door lies a nerve center the social network has set up to combat fake accounts and bogus news stories ahead of upcoming elections. Inside the room are dozens of employees staring intently at their monitors while data streams across giant dashboards. On the walls are posters of the sort Facebook frequently uses to caution or exhort its employees. One reads, Nothing at Facebook is somebody elses problem. That motto might strike some as ironic, given that the war room was created to counter threats that almost no one at the company, least of all CEO Mark Zuckerberg, took seriously just two years ago and which the companys critics now believe pose a threat to democracy. Days after President Trumps surprise victory, Zuckerberg brushed off assertions that the outcome had been influenced by fictional news stories on Facebook, calling the idea pretty crazy. But Facebooks blase attitude shifted as criticism of the company mounted in Congress and elsewhere. Later that year, it acknowledged having run thousands of ads promoting false information placed by Russian agents. Zuckerberg eventually made fixing Facebook his personal challenge for 2018. The war room is a major part of Facebooks repairs. Its technology draws upon the artificial intelligence system Facebook has been using to help identify inauthentic posts and user behavior. Facebook provided a tightly controlled glimpse at its war room to the Associated Press and other media ahead of the second round of presidential elections in Brazil on Oct. 28 and the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 6. There is no substitute for physical, real-world interaction, said Samidh Chakrabarti, Facebooks director of elections and civic engagement. The primary thing we have learned is just how effective it is to have people in the same room all together. More than 20 teams now coordinate the efforts of more than 20,000 people mostly contractors devoted to blocking fake accounts and fictional news and stopping other abuses on Facebook and its other services. As part of the crackdown, Facebook also has hired fact checkers, including the Associated Press, to vet stories posted on its social network. Facebook credits its war room and other stepped-up patrolling efforts for booting 1.3 billion fake accounts over the past year and jettisoning hundreds of pages set up by foreign governments and other agents looking to create mischief. But it remains unclear whether Facebook is doing enough, said Angelo Carusone, president of Media Matters For America, a liberal group that monitors misinformation. He noted that the sensational themes distributed in fictional news stories can be highly effective at keeping people engaged on Facebook which in turn makes it possible to sell more of the ads that generate most of Facebooks revenue. What they are doing so far seems to be more about trying to prevent another public relations disaster and less so about putting in meaningful solutions to the problem, Carusone said. On balance, I would say that they are still way off. The election war room and its inner workings remain too opaque to determine whether its helping Facebook do a better job of keeping garbage off its service or if its just a temporary conference room with a bunch of computer monitors in it, said Molly McKew, a self-described information warfare researcher for New Media Frontier, which studies the flow of content on social media. McKew believes Facebook is conflicted about blocking some content it already knows is suspect because they keep people on their platform by sparking an emotional response, so they like the controversial stuff. There will always be this toeing of the line about pulling down radical, crazy content because thats what people engage on, and thats what they want. Facebook defends its war room as an effective weapon against misinformation, although its efforts are still a work in progress. Chakrabarti, for instance, acknowledged that some bugs prevented Facebook from taking some unspecified actions to prevent manipulation efforts in the first round of Brazils presidential election earlier this month. He declined to elaborate. The war room is currently focused on Brazils next round of elections and upcoming U.S. midterms. Large U.S. and Brazilian flags hang on opposing walls and clocks show the time in both countries. Facebook declined to let the media scrutinize the computer screens in front of the employees, and required reporters to refrain from mentioning some of the equipment inside the war room, calling it proprietary information. While on duty, war-room workers are only allowed to leave the room for short bathroom breaks or to grab food to eat at their desks. Although no final decisions have been made, the war room is likely to become a permanent fixture at Facebook, said Katie Harbath, Facebooks director of global politics and government outreach. It is a constant arms race, she said. This is our new normal. Michael Liedtke is an Associated Press writer. BALTIMORE A healthy dose of job growth has long been seen as a likely cure for poverty. But new research suggests that poor Americans are frequently left behind even when their cities or communities benefit from hiring booms. When such cities as Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C., enjoyed a job surge in the 20 years that began in 1990, for example, the job gains mostly bypassed residents often African American who had been born into poverty. That is among the findings of a study led by Raj Chetty, a Harvard economist whose newly launched Opportunity Atlas found no association between job growth and economic mobility for poor residents of the affected areas. Job growth is not sufficient by itself to create upward mobility, Chetty said. Its almost as though racial disparities have been amplified by job growth. His finding challenges much of the conventional thinking of government officials, business executives and economists that job gains are the surest way to lift up people in impoverished communities. President Trump pledged to save neglected towns through jobs, jobs, jobs. His 2016 presidential rival, Hillary Clinton, asserted that government investments to foster hiring would help create an economy that works for everyone. Governors and mayors have traded tax breaks for pledges by companies to create jobs in distressed communities. But Chetty and his colleagues, whose atlas examined communities down to census tract levels, found that economic mobility hinges more frequently on other factors. A persons race, for example, plays a pivotal role. Economic mobility varied widely among people of different races who lived in the same neighborhoods in Los Angeles or Houston, among other places. Additionally, living in neighborhoods with many two-parent families improves the likelihood of emerging from poverty even when someone was raised by a single parent. Mobility is often greater for children who come from neighborhoods with higher-priced housing. And its generally better when a high proportion of adults in a neighborhood are working, according to the analysis by Chetty; economists Nathaniel Hendren of Harvard and John Friedman of Brown University; and researchers Sonya Porter and Maggie Jones of the Census Bureau. It has been a surprising finding, Hendren said. Places that have a lot of job growth dont tend to be places that are better to grow up in. In the two decades that ended in 2010, the Atlanta and Charlotte areas were flooded with jobs. Yet many of those positions appear to have skipped over the residents who were born in those cities poorer neighborhoods. The jobs were instead filled by college graduates who had moved to the South. At the same time, mobility worsened in neighborhoods with a high concentration of African Americans. Metro Pittsburgh, on the other hand, lost jobs from 1990 to 2010, yet economic mobility improved as the area became a nexus for college graduates working in technology and health care. In the Seattle area, the home of such corporate powerhouses as Amazon and Microsoft, both jobs and economic mobility grew over the same period. (Those gains have, in turn, caused home prices to jump to levels that could threaten continued economic mobility.) Disparities exist not just among metro areas but also among neighborhoods within the same city, according to an Associated Press examination of the data in the Opportunity Atlas. In Baltimore, the Old Town neighborhood near Johns Hopkins Hospital is a mecca of entrepreneurship. The number of jobs there surged 21 percent between 2004 and 2013, compared with job growth of just 3.4 percent nationally. Nearly 15,000 people work in the area because of the hospital, and 60 percent of the companies are younger than 4 years old, according to government data compiled by the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance. Yet the neighborhood is marked by abandoned storefronts, public housing and a 93 percent non-white population. More than half its residents live in poverty. Ninety percent of the children are raised by single parents. And the Opportunity Atlas shows that a low-income child from that neighborhood is likely to become even poorer as an adult. Connecting its residents with employers has proved problematic, as it has in poor communities across the country. The disparity between residents and workers in the neighborhood suggests that the jobs have gone to people who either live in other, more prosperous neighborhoods or who commute from the surrounding suburbs. For nearly four years, a program called Turn Around Tuesday has been trying to address this mismatch. Backed by the interfaith group Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development, the program seeks to match employers like Johns Hopkins to workers who have lived in poverty, have struggled with drug addiction or have criminal records but who are regarded as qualified for a job. Recently, about 40 people sat in a church basement of an otherwise desolate block of Baltimore to learn how to tell their personal stories to hiring managers a first step toward getting and holding steady work. Melvin Wilson, the co-director, opened with a prayer for them. Pray for jobs, he said. Though weve created 555 living-wage jobs, you know, as we know, God, thats not enough. The gap in outcomes among Baltimore neighborhoods is hardly surprising to City Councilman Leon Pinkett, who represents a western slice of the city and has worked in economic development. What the data does for us, he said of the research, is that it validates all the things that we know to be true: That many of the residents of these communities start at a deficit, and little is done through policy or investments to assist them in closing that gap. Some metro areas have experimented with programs that might broaden economic mobility. With its home prices having shot up, Seattle, for instance, has developed vouchers to help families afford to move to the neighborhood surrounding the Northgate Mall, which has a track record of solid economic mobility. Minneapolis is considering a similar program. This is really fundamental in terms of what America is about, Chetty said of the drive to improve economic mobility for people chronically left behind. The way people perceive of America is as a land of opportunity. If you let that go, that changes what America means not only for the people here, but for the world. The discovery that job growth is no panacea for impoverished neighborhoods adds a new complication to economic policy. As a community adds jobs, the pool of unemployed people should, in theory, decline, force up incomes and revitalize neighborhoods. But if economic mobility hinges at least as much on having a college degree, an intact family and racial equality, solutions become trickier. There are even signs that the recovery of jobs after the Great Recession could worsen economic mobility. Recent data suggests that Americans who can afford to do so are increasingly clustering in the most prosperous parts of the country. Since the meltdown a decade ago and the recovery that followed, people with college degrees have increasingly settled in the wealthiest 20 percent of ZIP codes. These areas have enjoyed the most job growth and have accounted for almost all new business formation, according to a new report by the Economic Innovation Group, a policy and advocacy organization. By contrast, in the most distressed 20 percent of ZIP codes, populations have dwindled, and there has been almost no recovery from the recession that officially ended over nine years ago. Prosperous areas just take off and theyre driving a national trend that looks increasingly disconnected with the median area, or what we call Anytown, USA, said John Lettieri, president of EIG. Part of the challenge is that even when poor communities add jobs, residents who finally have reliable incomes often move to neighborhoods with less crime and better housing. Octavia Mason, 53, has attended Turnaround Tuesday for the past nine months. She is a dedicated mother to her adult children, yet she lost her license as a pharmacy technician after a broken marriage led to drug use. Shes now on the path to regain her license and find work. But she hopes to leave the western Baltimore neighborhood where she grew up, which has stagnated because of unemployment, crime and a breakdown in trust. She wants to move to a neighborhood where its normal to have a job. Theres a lot of families that arent working and youve got generations of that and thats their normal, she said. Josh Boak is an Associated Press writer. TravelSkills on SFGate is brought to you by Visa . See More Collapse In news of the latest hotel openings, the top floors of Las Vegas' Park MGM hotel-casino have been remade into a separate upscale hotel; Marriott brings its Aloft brand to Chicago's Magnificent Mile district; Europe's Hoxton hotel group opens its second U.S. location in an historic Portland building; and Marriott's Delta Hotels brand comes to the Phoenix area; and a property in St. Louis' arts district lets you choose your room color. On the Las Vegas Strip, the recently remodeled Park MGM hotel-casino (previously known as the Monte Carlo) has a new hotel on top of it. The 293 rooms on the Park MGM's top four floors have been remade into a separate, more upscale property called the NoMad Las Vegas that opened this month. It's from the same people that brought you the NoMad hotels in New York and Los Angeles. Dining venues at the hotel were created by Daniel Humm and Will Guidara, best known for their New York City restaurant, the award-winning Eleven Madison Park. Guest rooms have custom-designed furnishings, hardwood floors, Bellino linens and original artwork. A pool is expected to open in the spring. The NoMad Las Vegas also has its own European-style casino, with a Tiffany glass ceiling and "high-limit gaming" including blackjack, baccarat and roulette. Conde Nast goes into more detail about the NoMad here. Introductory rates start at $149. This article, Twitter employee may have spied on users for Saudis, says report, originally appeared on CNET.com. Western intelligence officials notified Twitter that an employee had been co-opted by Saudi Arabia several years ago to spy on the accounts of users critical of the government, The New York Times reported on Saturday. Officials alerted Twitter to the alleged Saudi mole in late 2015, prompting the company to investigate, according to the Times report, which cited anonymous sources. Though Twitter couldn't find evidence the employee gave user data to the Saudis, it fired the worker in December 2015, the Times said. The same month, according to the paper, Twitter also alerted the owners of a few dozen accounts that they may have been targeted. The Times report takes a broad look at alleged Saudi government efforts to silence dissidents on Twitter. Among other things, the Saudis have reportedly used paid troll armies to harass, threaten and shout down people who disapprove of the government, and to distract other users from discussions critical of the government. The report is another example of the dark side of social media platforms, which can be manipulated to spread propaganda, misinformation and other disruptive messages. Twitter, Facebook, Google's YouTube and other services are all under the microscope in regard to efforts by state actors to meddle in rival countries' elections by way of social media. Twitter declined to comment beyond the the Times report. The Saudi embassy in Washington didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. In this March 22, 2018, photo, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at the Pentagon in Washington. (Cliff Owen / AP) When Dan Farber started distilling brandy in the early nineties, American brandy was such a small, little thing, he says. His mentor, Hubert Germain-Robin of the eponymous brandy label, was making excellent domestic, artisan, aged grape brandy, but it pretty much stopped there. No one did it, and there was very little interest in it on the large scale, says the owner of Osocalis Distillery in Soquel. But now, Farber says, the landscape for American brandy has changed. After decades of championing the potential of California brandies, Farber and Germain-Robin suddenly find themselves with colleagues. A lot of them. Encouraged by the growing popularity of premium French brandy, especially Cognac, powerful companies like Gallo are now entering the marketplace with the goal and the ability to change the reputation of California brandy from a mass-produced product to an artisanal spirit by using higher-quality fruit and distilling methods that can preserve the flavors of the grapes. This has forced smaller brands like Osocalis to reconsider how they fit into the shifting landscape. Instead of trying, and likely failing, to compete with bigger brands on price, Farber decided to redouble his commitment to quality by making one huge and important move. He decided to do what no American brandy producer has done before: cultivate a vineyard solely for brandy production. Frustrated by the growing challenge of finding high-quality grapes like old-vine coastal Colombard a longtime favorite for brandy production Farber planted a 30-acre vineyard in Corralitos to Folle Blanche, Montils, Folignan, Baco Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Semillon and Viognier. This year, the new grower-producer harvested and distilled his own grapes for the first time. We cant beat any of these companies on volume, or price, says Farber. But on quality if were willing to be patient and make the investments for quality across the board thats really where we can compete. Patrick Tehan / Special to The Chronicle The estate harvest represents landmark moment for Farber, but also for California brandy as a category. After decades of obscurity, will this revival of quality finally give California brandy its breakout year? Until recently, demand for brandy was faint. (Loosely, the category includes any spirit distilled from grapes, including eau-de-vie, but historically most California brandy has looked to Cognac and Armagnac, which are usually aged for long periods of time in oak barrels, as a model.) Thats beginning to change according to the Distilled Spirits Council, brandy sales have grown 42 percent since 2002 but the growth is driven almost entirely by Cognac. California brandy producers say that their sales have not been growing. (There are some exceptions: Wisconsin is one of the largest markets for California brandy, primarily for use in Wisconsin Old Fashioneds, made with brandy. Korbel says the state accounts for over 55 percent of its total brandy sales.) Gallo, which is the largest wine company in the world, has become bullish on the potential growth of artisanal California brandy. The company has organized meetings with other producers to try to reach some consensus about how to differentiate premium brandy from supermarket brands. In addition to its own Argonaut line, last year Gallo purchased the Germain-Robin distillery, Californias architect of artisanal brandy. The premium American brandy category is trending, says Britt West, Gallos vice president of marketing, but emphasizes that the growth is still off a small base. Thats OK with Gallo: Were not in a rush. We have been planning on releasing Argonaut brandy for literally decades. The obvious reference point for California brandy is Cognac, the French grape-based spirit produced in the southwestern regions of Charente and Charente-Maritime. Yes, theyre both made from grapes and aged in barrels, but thats where the similarities end. Just as Japanese whisky is no longer thought of as a clone of Scotch, California brandy is also shaking off the Cognac imposter syndrome. In Cognac, brandy defines the viticulture and the winemaking. In California, winemaking defines the brandy. Here, brandy producers have historically been associated with wineries, since state licenses have long included a provision that allows winemakers to distill brandy and sell it directly to consumers. That means that California brandy has relied largely on grapes used for the most inexpensive California wines, especially Colombard a high-yielding workhorse grape grown all over the Central Valley not on the grapes traditionally used in Cognac, like Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanc, which produce thin, excessively acidic wines. Historically, California brandy production has involved distilling these Central Valley grapes to a high proof in a column still, which strips much of the grapes character, and finished them with additives like caramel color, flavorings and sweeteners. Hubert Germain-Robin understood from the beginning that California wineries were not really prepared to make great brandy. A native of Cognac, he had to relearn everything he knew about brandy production when he arrived in the U.S. The grapes, microclimates, conditions for aging the terroir is different here. Since starting his eponymous distillery in Mendocino County in 1982, he has advocated for separating the idea of making good wine from making good brandy. And it begins with rethinking the grapes. For me, everything starts with the ingredients first, says Germain-Robin. Without good grapes for distillation, you can make a good brandy, but not an outstanding brandy. He found that grapes from cooler regions, when picked earlier, produced better brandy. Too ripe, and the results were too fruity, too concentrated and lacking in structure and complexity. In Cognac you are looking for the dried-fruit character and a lot of spices, he says, but in California you are looking for the spices in different types of grapes to complement the fruit character. Patrick Tehan / Special to The Chronicle By distilling many test batches of brandy made from different California regions, Germain-Robin developed an encyclopedic knowledge of the individual contributions of each grape variety. Pinot Noir is his favorite: racy, complex, with great length, depth and aging potential. Colombard grown in a river-adjacent valley floor never gets ripe, but can deliver lots of spice, chamomile and hay, whereas Colombard grown on the top of a hill gets plenty ripe and gives the brandy a plum flavor and, once it starts to age, honeysuckle. While Semillon doesnt have a lot of character unless its picked early in which case it tastes like spicy green pepper it can get interesting after eight years in barrel, something Germain-Robin learned the hard way. Its fattiness provides structure that helps integrate other distillates in a blend. Ugni Blanc is the main grape used in Cognac because its dependable in the vineyard and produces a high-quality brandy but mostly because its high-yielding, in a region where volume is the incentive. Pinot Noir yields half as much volume as Ugni Blanc, so even if the French regulations allowed it, no Cognac producer would risk growing it against a safe bet. In California, by contrast, coastal grapes cost brandy producers five times as much as in Cognac. This is a disadvantage, of course, but it has a silver lining. Coastal California grapes are all expensive: Pinot Noir isnt that much more costly than any other variety. So it makes sense for producers like Germain-Robin and Farber to experiment with lower-yielding and pricier grapes like Pinot. What is an absolute economic hardship, Farber says, actually is an artistic freedom. Theres no question that the quality of California brandy is on the rise. But how to change the public perception? Germain-Robin believes that labeling brandies with distillation method and terroir will help distinguish mass-produced brandies from artisanal products. I dont want to be compared with all the people who arent doing the same methods of production, says Germain-Robin. Its not fair. He sees column- and pot-distilled brandies as completely different animals, just as expensive coastal grapes differ significantly from cheap Central Valley fruit. The term alembic brandy, denoting that the spirit was distilled in an alembic pot, rather than a column, is already allowed on a label. But producers will have to come to an agreement about geographic nomenclature. We have to start somewhere, sometime, Germain-Robin says, to have recognition for the intrinsic qualities which, in return, will have an impact for the national and international marketing. Over the past 30 years weve done a lot of experimentation, says Farber. It is things like Pinot Noir, like Viognier, and the blends of eau-de-vies derived from them, that produce a unique style of brandy that is of California. Lou Bustamante is a Bay Area writer and author of The Complete Cocktail Manual. Email: food@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thevillagedrunk President Donald Trump waves to reporters as he returns to the White House after a three-day campaign swing in the West, on Oct. 20, 2018, in Washington. (Mike Theiler-Pool / Getty Images) WASHINGTON During his 20 months in office, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has swept in perhaps the most dramatic political shift in memory at the Justice Department, from the civil rights-centered agenda of the Obama era to one that favors his hard-line conservative views on immigration, civil rights and social issues. Now, discontent and infighting have taken hold at the Justice Department, in part because Sessions was so determined to carry out that transformation that he ignored dissent, at times putting the Trump administration on track to lose in court and prompting high-level departures, according to interviews over several months with two dozen current and former career department lawyers who worked under Sessions. Most asked not to be named for fear of retribution. President Donald Trump has exacerbated the dynamic, they said, by repeatedly attacking Sessions and the Justice Department in baldly political and personal terms. And he has castigated rank-and-file employees, which career lawyers said further chilled dissent and debate within the department. The people interviewed many yearslong department veterans, and a third of whom worked under both the Bush and Obama administrations said that their concerns extended beyond any political differences they might have had with Sessions, who is widely expected to leave his post after Novembers midterm elections. Since Ive been a lawyer, going back to the late 1970s, I cant recall a time when morale has been as low as I have heard from some former colleagues, said Robert Litt, a former Justice Department official during the Clinton administration. A department spokeswoman, Sarah Isgur Flores, said that Sessions and other senior law enforcement officials were committed to departments mission of upholding the rule of law, and that they had heard no complaints about that. We know of no department employee who is opposed to policies that uphold the rule of law and protect the American people which are precisely the policies that this department has implemented and embraced, Flores said in a statement. Driven by Ideology Sessions shift in the departments priorities reflected Trumps campaign promises to be tough on crime and crack down on illegal immigration, much as former Attorney General Eric Holder took office in 2009 with a mandate to realize President Barack Obamas vision on civil rights. Flores called Sessions changes vital to reducing violent crime, combating the opioid epidemic and securing borders. But Trump appointees ignored the legal advice of career lawyers in implementing their agenda, four current Justice Department employees said. In one instance, Sessions directly questioned a career lawyer, Stephen Buckingham, who was asked to find ways to file a lawsuit to crack down on sanctuary laws protecting unauthorized immigrants. Buckingham, who had worked at the Justice Department for about a decade, wrote in a brief that he could find no legal grounds for such a case. Reminding Buckingham of the attorney generals bona fides as an immigration hard-liner, Sessions asked him to come to a different conclusion, according to three people who worked with alongside Buckingham in the federal programs division and were briefed on the exchange. To Buckinghams colleagues, the episode was an example of Sessions stifling dissent and opening the department to losses in court. Buckingham resigned a few months later, and Sessions got his lawsuit. A federal judge dismissed most of the case, and the department has appealed. Both Buckingham and Flores declined to comment on the episode. In stripping protections last year for transgender people under the Civil Rights Act, leaders failed to consult Diana Flynn, the head of the civil rights appellate division who led the effort to add the protections in 2014, and many of her career staff. The process left little room for debate. Edicts came down, and it was up to us to try to implement them, said Flynn, who has left the Justice Department for Lambda Legal, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender legal aid organization. Similarly, a flare-up over the Affordable Care Act this summer occurred after the departments political leaders urged a judge to find unconstitutional two of the laws key elements, a reversal of the governments long-standing position. This is a rare case where the proper course is to forgo defense of existing law, Sessions said at the time, adding that Trump had approved the step. Three career lawyers withdrew from the case, including Joel McElvain, a 27-year department veteran, who made headlines by resigning in protest. The episode prompted an all-hands meeting in June to address lingering rancor, according to two people who attended and two others briefed on the gathering. During the standing-room-only meeting, attendees pressed the head of the departmental branch. What were the briefs legal flaws, they asked. Had political considerations had edged out a sound legal opinion? Did department leaders consider them part of the bureaucratic deep state that Trump has accused of conspiring against him? After more than an hour, the officials running the meeting said they understood the employees concerns and simply encouraged them to continue doing good work. Attorneys general have long confronted resistance when they implement ideological initiatives that career lawyers view as outside the Justice Departments mission. During the Bush administration under Alberto R. Gonzales, the department formed a task force to crack down on pornography; investigators focused on only a small swath of the most egregious examples. When political appointees under Holder wanted to abandon the governments defense of dont ask, dont tell, Jody Hunt, a well-regarded career attorney, argued successfully that the department had a legal duty to defend it. Sessions is not bound to follow the advice of career Justice Department lawyers, and, if he doesnt like recommendations, to ignore them, Litt said. But it would be inappropriate to ask people to tailor legal judgments to policy preferences. Without directly addressing the departments positions on transgender rights or the Affordable Care Act, Flores noted that its reversals on workplace arbitration, voting rights, labor unions and the appointments of federal officials were validated by wins at the Supreme Court. Trumps Shadow Trump has stoked much of the unease at the Justice Department. He assailed the prosecutors who won a conviction of his former campaign chairman, and he attacked the plea agreement struck with his longtime personal lawyer. He castigated Sessions for not investigating perceived White House enemies drawing a rare rebuke from the attorney general and for daring to pursue cases against Republican lawmakers. The president has also frequently targeted Rod Rosenstein, who as deputy attorney general oversees the day-to-day operations at the department as well as the special counsel investigation. In a turnabout this month, Trump declared his relationship with Rosenstein good, to the relief of some federal prosecutors. To them, Rosensteins office symbolizes the departments independence because he oversees its inquiries into the president and his inner circle. More unnerving, employees said, was the presidents threat to remove the security clearance of Bruce Ohr, a civil servant who worked to combat Russian mobs and oligarchs. The message, said one lawyer in the criminal division: Doing your job can make you vulnerable to a career-ending attack. Two former attorneys said that they stepped away from Russia-related work as a result. The underlying message from Trump is that department employees are either enemies of the White House or vassals doing its bidding, said Norman L. Eisen, who served as special counsel for ethics and government reform under Obama. Eisen is co-counsel for the plaintiffs in a lawsuit accusing Trump of violating the Constitution by maintaining a stake in his hotel in Washington. As a target of Trumps high-profile rebukes, Sessions has gained cautious support even from some rank-and-file lawyers who find his culture wars zeal distasteful. They cited instances where he pushed back on Trumps broadsides and his simply enduring months of presidential invective. Empty Spots Internal events intended to boost morale have also proved tense. Guy Benson, a Fox News commentator, was chosen to speak at a gay pride event over the objections of the departments LGBT affinity group, DOJ Pride, Justice Department lawyers said. DOJ Pride members held a separate event, where one employee spoke about how progress for LGBT Americans had regressed under Trump. Department officials would not comment on the episode. Some of the lawyers interviewed also said that departures of respected leaders and longtime career lawyers has weakened morale. Besides Flynn, McElvain and Buckingham, others who left included Doug Letter, head of the civil appellate branch, and David Laufman, chief of the counterintelligence section. Any given person wants to spend more time with his family, said Benjamin Wittes, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and critic of Trumps attacks on law enforcement who has heard complaints from department lawyers. But the sudden decision by large numbers of people to spend more time with their families is a creation of the atmosphere. Days after the health law brief was filed, a long-planned happy hour for former and current federal programs lawyers took on the feeling of a support group, according to people who attended. Gathered at an Irish pub near the Justice Department, colleagues told McElvain they were sorry that he was leaving but that they admired his decision. Some maligned the Trump administration or poked fun at Sessions. But when political appointees joined the conversation, the career lawyers, worried about being pegged as dissenters, shifted the discussion to more neutral topics. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Smiley is recovering after suffering at least one gunshot wound inside the Kandahar governor's compound, three of the people said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. U.S. military officials in Afghanistan and at the Pentagon have declined to comment on the attack or identify the wounded, describing them only as an American service member, an American civilian and a contractor who is part of the military coalition. SAN MATEO (BCN) Skylawn Memorial Park will host the ancient "grave-sweeping" ritual today during the annual Chung Yeung Festival honoring ancient Chinese traditions. The "grave-sweeping" tradition is conducted on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese lunar calendar to care for ancestors' graves and make sacrifices with special paper money and paper winter clothing. Today's event also will include Chinese lion dancers scaring away "bad" spirits, traditional blessings by Buddhist and Taoist monks, giant creature kites by the Berkeley Kite Wranglers and a Wall of Honor where attendees can pay their respects to departed loved ones. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Skyline Memorial Park, Highway 92 and Skyline Boulevard. For more information on the event, visit www.skylawnmemorialpark.com/events/chung-yeung-2018/ Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The strike by hotel housekeepers, bellmen, cooks, dishwashers and other workers against Marriott Hotels continued today, with public demonstrations today in San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland. The workers walked off the job on Oct. 4 over pay issues, pressing Marriott owners to raise paychecks so "one job is enough." Many workers have complained their Marriott pay forces them to have second, and sometimes third jobs to afford living in San Francisco and other Bay Area cities. More than 3,000 people took part in a march in San Francisco today that passed by four Marriott properties - the Westin St. Francis, the St. Regis San Francisco, the Courtyard by Marriott and the Marriott Union Square. "We're chanting on bullhorns from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day," said Ted Waechter of Unite Here Local 2, the union to which the workers belong. "We're on the picket lines 24/7." About 300 people took part in a march Saturday in downtown San Jose that started and ended at the San Jose Marriott, according to Sarah McDermott of Unite Here Local 19. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. MILPITAS (BCN) Two men were arrested Oct. 13 on suspicion of several crimes, including identity theft, Milpitas police reported. Allan David Yap and Hoi Soo Yang, both residents of San Jose, were spotted in a car in the parking lot of a motel in the 400 block of Valley Way in Milpitas shortly before midnight Oct. 13. One officer saw drug paraphernalia in plain view in the car and detained both men, police said. Further search of the men's car revealed several pieces of stolen mail and credit cards from residents in Milpitas, San Jose and Los Altos. Initially, both men gave false identities to police, but their true names were later discovered. Both men had outstanding warrants, Yap for possession of stolen property, and Yang for narcotics violations. Both men were booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on their warrants. The identity theft case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Milpitas police at (408) 586-2400, or call (anonymously if you wish) the Crime Tip Hotline at (408) 586-2500. You also can visit the Milpitas Police Department website at www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/crimetip Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Diana, the Musical offers no meaningful insights (nor even ones lacking in meaning) into a woman who really should be allowed to rest in much-deserved peace. Dramaturgically speaking, this trashy show makes The Crown look like Tolstoys War and Peace. A crew of anti-gay protesters rallied outside the federal courthouse Friday afternoon, announcing they have sued the Houston Public Library over a city-sponsored Drag Queen Story Hour which they say violates their freedom of religion. Opponents of the story hour have also turned out to protest the library events, which began last summer in Montrose, the citys historic gay enclave. Similar drag queen events have been hosted around the country with the aim of providing role models for children. He appeared to be saying goodbye to his family members, the nurse said. She tried to get him to think of someone to live for, but he said he had no girlfriend or children. He told her Im dealing with these rigged charges and said he did not do what he was accused of doing. Whatever caused the errant spark that destroyed the garage and the materials inside, accidents do happen, of course which is why people carry insurance. And according to Renner, the pantry did indeed think that next-door property was insured. Unfortunately, she said, she was working with the city to rezone the lot, but a communication snafu she was left off an email sent to a board member and engineer delayed the paperwork that needed to be filed with the county, leaving the garage uninsured under the pantrys policy at precisely the wrong time. JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he has decided to postpone the planned demolition of a West Bank hamlet to allow time for a negotiated solution with its residents, in a move that appeared aimed at staving off the fierce international condemnation such a demolition would likely entail. Israel has come under heavy criticism, with major European countries urging it to avoid the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar. The International Criminal Courts chief prosecutor recently said such a move could constitute a war crime. Israeli officials said alternative solutions have arrived in recent days from various sources and Netanyahu wanted to give them a chance. That sparked criticism from Netanyahus hard-line coalition partners who are demanding decisive action. In response, Netanyahu clarified that the hamlet would be razed, and his delay was not open-ended. Khan al-Ahmar will be evacuated, its a court ruling, thats our policy and it will be done, he said. I have no intention of postponing this until further notice, contrary to reports, but rather for a short, defined period of time. Netanyahus Cabinet decided on Sunday to postpone the demolition by a few weeks to allow a negotiated settlement. Israel says the Palestinian Bedouin encampment outside an Israeli settlement was illegally built in an unsafe location near a major highway. It has offered to resettle residents a few miles away in what it says are improved conditions with connections to water, electricity and sewage treatment they currently lack. But critics say the demolition plan is meant to make room for the expansion of an Israeli settlement. Israels Supreme Court recently rejected a final appeal, paving the way for Khan al-Ahmars demolition. The encampment of 180 residents has become a rallying cry for Palestinians, who have staged protests at the site for the past few months. Much of the high-level European engagement derives from concerns that such demolitions could threaten the prospect of a contiguous Palestinian state, at a time of already fading hopes for a two-state solution. Waleed Assaf, who heads the Palestinian department of settlement affairs, welcomed the Israeli announcement but said opposition would continue until the Israelis completely revoke the demolition order. Aron Heller is an Associated Press writer. LONDON Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched through central London on Saturday to demand a new referendum on Britains departure from the European Union. Organizers want the public to have a final say on the governments Brexit deal with the EU, arguing that new facts have come to light about the costs and complexity of Britains exit from the bloc since Britons voted to leave in 2016. Some 150 buses ferried thousands of activists from across the country to the British capital, and organizers estimated that 700,000 people took part. Whats clear is that the only options on the table now from the prime minister are a bad Brexit deal, or no deal whatsoever, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who joined the Peoples Vote March, told the BBC. Thats a million miles away from what was promised 2 1/2 years ago. Khan said Saturdays protest was a march for the future for young Britons, including those who were too young to vote in Britains 2016 referendum, when those who favored leaving the bloc won narrowly by 52 percent to 48 percent. The mayor, from the opposition Labor Party, has previously backed mounting calls for a fresh referendum so that the public can have a say on whether they accept Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal or choose to stay in the EU. May, the leader of Britains Conservatives, has ruled out another vote. Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, but negotiations over the divorce have been plagued by disagreements, particularly over the future border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It will be the U.K.s only land border with the EU after Brexit, for Ireland is part of the EU and Northern Ireland is part of the U.K. One of the great accomplishments of the 1998 peace deal that ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland was to dismantle the police and military presence at the border with Ireland. Many on both sides do not want a hard border again. There are also growing fears of a no-deal British exit, which could create economic disruptions and chaos at the borders. Sylvia Hui is an Associated Press writer. KABUL Afghanistans second day of parliamentary elections marred by violence and delays came to a close Sunday as a roadside bomb brought the death toll over the past two days to more than 50, including several children. Independent Elections Commission Chairman Abdul Badi Sayat congratulated voters for turning out, saying around 4 million people out of the 8.8 million registered voters cast their ballots over the past two days at 4576 polling centers across the country. He added that the commission still hasnt received the final turnout reports from all 32 provinces. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also thanked citizens for their participating during a speech carried on state TV. Afghans did not only show their enemies that they would not surrender to any threats or warnings, but that they also have the power and will to defeat their enemies, Ghani said, referring to threats by the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate warning voters against casting ballots. The biggest turnout was in Kabul and the lowest in the southern Uruzgan province, according to officials. Preliminary results will not be released before mid-November and final results will not be out until December. The first parliamentary elections since 2010 were held against a backdrop of near-daily attacks by the Taliban, who have seized nearly half the country and have repeatedly refused offers to negotiate with the Kabul government. The U.S.-backed government is rife with corruption, and many Afghans have said they do not expect the elections to be fair. Officials at polling stations struggled with voter registration and a new biometric system that was aimed at stemming fraud but instead created enormous confusion because many of those trained on the system did not show up for work. The biometric machines arrived just a month before polls and there was no time to do field testing. U.S. general injured The Pentagon confirmed Sunday that U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Smiley was shot in a Taliban attack that killed two Afghan leaders in Kandahar province last week. U.S. military spokesman Cmdr. Grant Neeley provided no other details. The Washington Post reported that Smiley was recovering after suffering at least one gunshot wound while he was inside the Kandahar governor's compound. Source: Associated Press See More Collapse The U.N. mission in Afghanistan praised those who had made an effort to vote despite the technical issues, many of whom waited in long lines for hours as polling stations remained open late. Those eligible voters who were not able to cast their vote, due to technical issues, deserve the right to vote, it said in a statement. The Taliban had vowed to attack the election, and on the first day of polling at least 36 people were killed in nearly 200 attacks, according to Deputy Interior Minister Akhtar Mohammed Ibrahimi. He said security forces killed 31 insurgents in gun battles. On Sunday, a roadside bomb in the eastern Nangarhar province struck a vehicle filled with civilians, killing 11 people, including six children, according to Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor. No one immediately claimed the attack. The Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate are both active in Nangarhar. Rahim Faiez is an Associated Press writer. ISTANBUL In a sign of growing pressure on Saudi Arabia, Turkey said it will announce details of its investigation into the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Tuesday and U.S. congressional leaders said the gulf kingdom in particular its crown prince should face severe consequences for the death of the writer in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The announcement Sunday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he will go into detail about the Khashoggi case in a speech in parliament heightened hopes for some clarity in a case that has been shrouded in mystery, conflicting accounts and shocking allegations since Khashoggi, a critic of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, disappeared after entering the consulate on Oct 2. Erdogan spoke after Saudi Arabia, in a statement early Saturday, finally acknowledged that Khashoggi, 59, had died in the consulate, though its explanation that he was killed in a fistfight was met with international skepticism and allegations of a cover-up designed to absolve Mohammed of direct responsibility. Saudi Arabia said 18 Saudis were arrested and that several top intelligence officials were fired. Pro-government media in Turkey have reported a different narrative, saying a Saudi hit squad of 15 people traveled to Turkey to kill the columnist for the Washington Post before leaving the country hours later in private jets. Meanwhile, Istanbuls chief prosecutor summoned 28 more staff members of the Saudi consulate, including Turkish citizens and foreign nationals, to give testimony on Monday, Turkish state broadcaster TRT reported. Prosecutors have previously questioned consulate staff; some Turkish employees reportedly said they were instructed not to go to work around the time that Khashoggi disappeared. Also Sunday, images that were obtained by TRT World, a Turkish news channel that broadcasts in English, showed Khashoggi as he arrived at a police barrier before entering the consulate on Oct. 2. The images, taken from security camera video, show the writer being searched before continuing toward the building. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Fox News that Khashoggis killing was a rogue operation and that we dont know where the body is. However, a leading U.S. Senate Republican said the Saudi explanation, which followed initial denials from the kingdom that it knew anything about Khashoggis fate, wasnt credible. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Saturday on CNNs State of the Union that he believed Mohammed, the heir-apparent of the worlds largest oil exporter, was behind the killing. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said on ABCs This Week that the killing should be a relationship-altering event for the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, which has said it will retaliate against any economic sanctions or other moves against it. Christopher Torchia and Zeynep Bilginsoy is an Associated Press writer. JOHANNESBURG Congolese rebels killed 15 civilians and abducted a dozen children in an attack at the center of the latest deadly Ebola outbreak, Congos military said Sunday, as the violence again forced the suspension of crucial virus containment efforts. We condemn this attack, said the World Health Organizations director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, while a WHO regional official said it was difficult to say how long work would be affected. Allied Democratic Forces rebels attacked Congolese army positions and several neighborhoods of Beni on Saturday and into Sunday, said Capt. Mak Hazukay Mongha. The U.N. peacekeeping mission said its troops exchanged fire with rebels in Benis Mayangose area. The ADF rebels have killed hundreds of civilians in recent years and are just one of several militias active in Congos far northeast. Last month, Ebola containment efforts were suspended for days in Beni after a deadly attack, complicating work to track suspected contacts of infected people. Since then, many of the new confirmed Ebola cases have been reported in Beni and the rate of new cases overall has more than doubled, alarming aid groups. Health efforts in recent weeks had been starting to show results, and this new attack will bring us back, said Dr. Michel Yao, the WHO incident manager for Ebola in North Kivu province. The overnight attack came after two medical agents with the Congolese army were shot dead by another rebel group the first time health workers have been killed in this outbreak. It was a dark day for everyone fighting Ebola, Congos health minister said. Mai Mai rebels surged from the forest and opened fire on the unarmed agents with the armys rapid intervention medical unit outside Butembo city, the ministry said. The daytime attack appeared premeditated, with civilians left unharmed, the statement said. The medical agents had been placed in dangerous zones to assist national border health officials. Confirmed Ebola cases have now reached 202, including 118 deaths. Health workers in this outbreak, declared on Aug. 1, have described hearing gunshots daily, operating under the armed escort of U.N. peacekeepers or Congolese security forces and ending work by sundown to lower the risk of attack. Community resistance is also a problem, and Congos health ministry has reported numerous aggressions against health workers. Early this month two Red Cross volunteers were severely injured in a confrontation with wary residents. Al-Hadji Kudra Maliro and Cara Anna are Associated Press writers. 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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- In a world of distractions, the Boy Scouts of America keeps more than 2,400 young Staten Islanders focused. For boys -- and girls since the Scouts became fully inclusive in June 2018 -- the focus is on teamwork, leadership, character development and fun. Despite younger people being driven by video games and social media, the numbers don't lie: the program has experienced a steady increase in enrollment since 2012, and leaders expect the trend to continue as its membership drive gets into full swing this fall. Of the 2,400 currently enrolled, 1,600 are Cub Scouts -- the youngest Scouts. As for the senior Scouts, 64 of the city's 166 who earned the highest rank, Eagle Scout, last year were Islanders. The program flourishes on Staten Island with participation that rivals Brooklyn's enrollment despite that borough's much larger youth population. That's in large part due to the parents, said Robert Rampulla, the Staten Island council president, and a longtime Scout leader himself. "We have 500,000 people,'' Rampulla said. "Brooklyn has 8 million, and we have the same number of Scouts. Why? A large part is because of the parents' involvement.'' Parents of every background and every career lend their time and their experiences, said Monica Rodriguez-Aguilera, a field director for Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and the parent of a son in the program. "We have a lot of law enforcement,'' she said. "Teachers, sanitation; we're very heavy with civil service employees.'' Rampulla, an attorney, agreed, but added that a great deal of parents come from professional backgrounds as well. The parents who participate get to witness their children's growth and enthusiasm, Rampulla said. And the Scouts are introduced to a variety of careers when parents like Rampulla sign up as merit badge counselors based on their professions. The program's 135 merit badges range in subject from astronomy and chemistry to first aid, personal fitness and wilderness survival. Rodriguez-Aguilera said the parents receive a mixed blessing. "You're bonding with your kid, but at the same time, you're watching them become more independent,'' she said. Kids often sign up expecting hiking, climbing and s'mores, said Michael DiTriani of Graniteville, the Island's district chairman and a product of Scouting himself. "But there are lessons built into these things, too,'' he said. "I think they surprise themselves. They learn to think independently, interact socially. They learn problem solving, responsibility. I've had the opportunity to see boys come in as shy boys and develop into men of good character with good leadership abilities.'' DiTriani said the outdoor nature of the program is good for today's kids, both boys and girls. "So many kids stay indoors today,'' he said. "They're tied to their devices. When [Scouts] go on a camping trip, they're unplugged. They talk. They don't bring music. If you want music, you sing a song. If you play music, you're not going to hear the birds.'' It's an atmosphere that leads to learning, Rampulla said. "They start asking questions,'' Rampulla said. "They learn about interpersonal relations. They learn that you have to be able to communicate; look someone in the eye. Shake their hand.'' Of course, respect for the environment comes along with the program. When camping, or anything out connecting with nature, Scouts practice "Leave no trace,'' which means they leave no litter behind. That respect for nature continues throughout a Scout's life, Rampulla said. They don't even know they're learning, one leader said, pointing to the fun which disguises the education the Scouts receive. Scouts participate in day camps in the summer at William H. Pouch Camp, Sea View, and often troops travel to summer camps in places of vast wilderness, like West Virginia, said Brenda Gazinski of New Dorp, a leader for 26 years who wears many hats with Scouting and Sea Scouts and has chaired several committees through the years. "It's very rugged,'' Gazinski said of the experience her Scouts get at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia, where they'll join Scouts from around the world at a World Jamboree in 2019. Yet, one of the most rewarding aspects, for Gazinski, is when the Scouts develop a softer side. It's fostered when older Scouts play a nurturing role to younger members. She's seen it firsthand with a shy newcomer. "The older boys just took him under their wings,'' she said of one situation. "This young man absolutely blossomed. It's a win-win. It works all the way around.'' Another aspect of the program is the Law Enforcement Explorers. The Island has Law Enforcement Posts with all four police precincts. "Exploring is the career education division of the BSA,'' said Rodriguez-Aguilera. "We help young men and women ages 14 to 20 develop a roadmap for their future by connecting them to mentors in industries of the students' interest." Additionally, a co-ed Venturing program and a Sea Scouts program each serves youth ages 14 to 20 focus on high adventure. Though the organization as a whole remained named BSA, some names have changed to reflect its gender neutrality. Cub Scouts, for boys and girls in elementary school, has kept its name, while the former Boy Scout program, for youth in middle school and high school, is now called Scouts BSA. In January 2017, Grace Gaffney of New Dorp joined Pack 88 of St. Charles R.C. Church, Oakwood, becoming the first female Cub Scout in New York City. Currently, 16 Staten Island girls participate in the program, and there are 52 female BSA Scouts citywide. Girls are now eligible to achieve the BSA's highest rank of Eagle Scout, said Rodriguez-Aguilera, and an additional 100 girls are expected to enroll by year's end on Staten Island. For a list of Staten Island Scout packs, visit: https://www.cubscouts.nyc/statenislandpacks Were highlighting some of the activities Staten Island students are engaged in -- both inside and outside the classroom. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. --Susan E. Wagner High School student Melisha Nagodavithana was nervous when she was told she needed to go to a conference room in the principals office last month. But when she arrived, she was greeted by eight people in bright orange graduation gowns who presented her with a check for a $1,000 scholarship from BLUR a recently launched messaging and mobile gaming application. Principal David Cugini was also surprised with a $1,000 donation to the high school. We are so grateful that Melisha took the time out of her summer to be a beta tester on BLUR before launching publicly, and are proud to be able to assist her in her future educational endeavors, said Kirsten Nelson, BLUR co-founder and CEO. During the summer, BLUR launched an initiative to connect with guidance counselors and students across the United States with an invitation to test the mobile app and complete tests for a chance to win scholarship money. View the video above to watch the Wagner student receive the surprise scholarship. As part of our education column, In Class, we are highlighting some of the activities Staten Island students are engaged in -- both inside and outside the classroom. Heres a look at some additional recent education-related happenings. HOLLY BONNER VISITS SCHOOL Holly Bonner, of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, recently visited with kindergarteners, first- and second-graders at Our Lady of Good Counsel School, in Tompkinsville. Bonner, who is a social worker and a 2017 Advance Woman of Achievement, explained to children how she lost her sight and how her guide dog Frances helps her, and others like her, with everyday parts of life. She spoke to the children about losing her eyesight as a result of treatment she underwent for breast cancer, said Tara Hynes, principal of Our Lady of Good Counsel School. She spoke about the different items she uses to help her daily -- her cane, large numbered clocks, braille books and a computerized eye that allows her to read. She also showed students the different signals and commands she uses with Frances. Students were then able to ask Bonner any questions. Bonner is a mother of two girls, ages 3 and 5. She also has a website, Blind Motherhood, where she blogs and researches topics to help the blind and visually impaired all over the world. Holly Bonner, with her guide dog Frances, speaks to students at Our Lady of Good Counsel School, in Tompkinsville. (Photo courtesy of Our Lady of Good Counsel School) GRANT TO ST. PETERS The Northfield Bank Foundation made a grant of $25,000 to support the Enhanced Student Educational Technologies Initiative at St. Peters Boys High School. The funds will be used to replace dated Smartboards with new fully-interactive 4K touchscreen models in all classrooms, provide iPads to incoming classes, and purchase and install state-of-the-art robotics and lab diagnostic equipment to support STEM curriculum. The Northfield Bank Foundation is a beacon of leadership constantly demonstrated by its commitment to Staten Island, our children and education in our community, said John Fodera, St. Peters president. We thank them for their generous grant which will allow us to provide leading-edge technology in educating the young men of St. Peters well into the future. The foundation was founded in 2007 to support non-profit groups, institutions, schools and other organizations operating in the communities served by the bank in Staten Island, Brooklyn and central New Jersey. Our board felt strongly that St. Peters has been a cornerstone of our community for over 100 years, said Diane Senerchia, executive director of the foundation. And that the schools intense efforts to provide important educational technologies as part of its advanced STEM curriculum was deserving of our support. To date, the foundation has given over $7 million in grants. At St. Peters, we are committed to expanding the use of technology to support both improved student achievement and provide further opportunities for graduates to emerge with the 21st century skills of information management and evaluation, critical thinking, collaboration, cooperation and communication required for success in todays world, said Michael Cosentino, principal of St. Peters. The Northfield Bank Foundation made a grant of $25,000 to support STEM at St. Peters Boys High School. (Photo courtesy of St. Peter's Boys High School) Do you have a story idea for the In Class education column? Email education reporter Annalise Knudson at aknudson@siadvance.com. FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Applications are accepted electronically by the Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts on the form prescribed and furnished by that office. Those unable to submit an application electronically must submit two signed originals of the application with the Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts at 3101 Old Jacksonville Road, Springfield, Ill. 62704-6488. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Large Australian businesses including airline Qantas and logistics giant Brambles are heading for showdowns with smaller investors this week over the multimillion-dollar pay packets of their top executives. With more than 30 companies in the ASX200 hosting their annual general meetings this week, the Australian Shareholders Association has advised it will vote against the remuneration reports of at least eight high-profile corporations. Profits at the national carrier soared 15 per cent last year. Last week, wagering giant Tabcorp and telecommunications giant Telstra both received first-strike votes at their annual general meetings, meaning more than 25 per cent of investors voted against their remuneration reports. If the companies record a second strike next year, the companies face resolutions to spill the entire board. It is understood that proxy advisers, which represent the interests of larger shareholders and advise how they should vote, have not recommended votes against the remuneration reports of Qantas and Brambles. Last year, Brambles narrowly avoided a strike, with a 23.3 per cent vote against its remuneration report. This year good changes came in to force, including clawback provisions with the board being able to cancel both short-term incentive awards which have been granted but not vested. Also in recognition of the importance of executive influence on the company after leaving the company, executive directors who cease employment are required to retain at least 50 per cent of their minimum shareholding for the 12-months following their departure, the ASA said. But elements of the awards are considered to be too high and to vest too quickly. The ASA, which represents retail shareholders, said it would also be voting this week against the remuneration reports of Southern Cross Media, WorleyParsons, Cleanaway, Challenger, Insurance Australia Group and Resolute Mining. Mining magnate Clive Palmer is being sued by Chinas largest conglomerate, Citic, over his ongoing refusal to co-operate in making more land available on a major iron-ore site in Western Australia. In the latest of a string of legal battles over the Sino Iron project, 100 kilometres south-west of Karratha, Citic Limited and subsidiaries Sino Iron and Korean Steel have launched Federal Court action against Mr Palmer and his private company, Mineralogy, which controls the leases to the tenement. Businessman Clive Palmer. Credit:AAP The Hong Kong-listed Citic said the $16 billion Sino Iron project Chinas largest overseas mining investment had reached the stage where it required further approvals to expand the project area and permit its mining and processing operations to continue. But, the company said, Mr Palmers Mineralogy has been withholding its approvals of the required applications and had declined to submit them to the state government, despite repeated requests from Citic since 2016. The backers of a new ASX-listed fund with a charity twist have a happy headache to overcome after the $500 million offering was over-subscribed in three days and well ahead of its close later this week. The Hearts & Minds Investments listed investment company (LIC) will invest its money in 25 high conviction stock picks partly selected off recommendations made by presenters at the November Sohn Hearts and Minds Investment Conference event in Melbourne. The remainder of the picks will come from a board of prominient fund managers who are giving their time and expertise for free. Peter Cooper of Cooper Investors Credit:Josh Robenstone A fixed 1.5 per cent of the fund's assets will be donated to medical charities every year. The LIC reached the maximum subscription amount in three days meaning the offer is now oversubscribed ahead of it closing this week meaning the managers now face the challenge on deciding how to build the share register. Before the general offer opened earlier this month about $225 million was alreday spoken for by some of the biggest families in business including the Packers and the Lowys. Once store owners in the United States try a jar of Gerard and Susan Tuck's Chevoo cheese they want to stock it. "We have a phenomenal hit rate when people taste the product," Gerard Tuck tells Fairfax Media in San Francisco. "I would say it would be over 90 per cent of stores." Tuck ran cheese distribution company Calendar Cheese Company in Australia before heading to the Stanford Graduate School of Business to study where he identified a gap in the market for Australian style marinated cheese. Gerard and Susan Tuck are the Melbourne founders of US cheese business Chevoo. Credit: "The best selling category of cheese was a trend that just didn't exist in the United States," he said. They were about to find out how difficult it is for small operators to work through something this significant. Fighting complex systems It was immediately clear how complicated the path back to "business as usual" would be. I think 90 per cent of like businesses would have closed. And if it had happened to us one year earlier, maybe we would have closed," Johnstone says. From applying for WorkCover, TAC and victims of crime claims to figuring out how to deliver work for clients when the core team was out of action, the founders encountered processes that seemed needlessly complicated. The company says the support from the Victorian government was invaluable, helping them through the paperwork in the early days but silence from the federal government was infuriating. Ainsley Johnstone, Cara Mullan and Natalie Firth at Flinders Street in September. Credit:Fairfax Media Think Talent wrote to then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and small business minister Craig Laundy requesting support, but say they never heard back. Having believed the federal government were champions of small business, they found the lack of support a shock. When contacted by Fairfax Media, a spokesperson from the office of Prime Minister and Cabinet said "given the volume of mail received, it is not possible for the Prime Minister to respond to every letter". The spokesperson said in the case of Think Talent, the issues raised were primarily state based and not the federal government's responsibility. During this time, Think Talent was fighting for assistance with a sponsorship application for a worker who had been hit, with the visa processes for her role changing right as the team was dealing with the fallout. Then there was a tax bill for first months of 2018 that unexpectedly landed on their plate. Keep in mind we were doing all this while dealing with our own trauma," Firth says. A game plan is key The company says it has been able to grow its business by 30 per cent in 2018, in spite of everything. How did they do it? "Use your networks, be vulnerable and ask for help," the founders say. Firth and Johnstone say they were able to keep up with client work and grow the business by being honest about how they were processing the events. We want to come across as strong. We dont want to end up as a sob story," Johnstone says. Part of this was through recruiting new staff and being upfront about the work they were still doing to deal with the traumatic situation. Leanne Faulkner is an advocate for mental health in small business. "It shows we have the right people in the business and we have an enormous unifying culture because of [what happened]," Firth says. Loading Workplace mental health expert Leanne Faulkner says knowing who to draw on in times of trauma is critical for smaller operators. But small business owners often don't have a formal game plan in place for when business is disrupted by an unexpected trauma. "Nobody could have anticipated what happened in Melbourne that day, for example. But you can anticipate how to act next," Faulkner says. State small business commissioners in NSW and Victoria have business mental health checklists that help business owners develop plans for how their businesses would operate in the event of a health crisis or unexpected incident. "I think were realising the importance more and more of being proactive with these things," Faulkner says. "You should plan ahead so that you have someone you can talk to. Ask, do I have someone who is a representative in times of crisis, who can help deal with statutory bodies?" An Australian-first trial is creating green hydrogen gas made from renewables to power Sydney homes. Energy company Jemena has partnered with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) in a $15 million trial to convert excess solar and wind power into hydrogen gas, which will be stored and used in Jemenas New South Wales gas network. Hydrogen gas is being viewed as a potential new 'Australian-made' energy source. Credit:James Davies The H2GO project will see Jemena build a 500-kilowatt electrolyser in Western Sydney which will be powered by excess renewable energy to crack water, separating it into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can then be stored as a gas which can be reintroduced into the gas network when needed. In its first stage, the trial will be able to deliver enough hydrogen to power 250 homes, once it is scaled up it will have the energy storage capacity equivalent of 8 million household batteries, Jemena's newly appointed chief executive Frank Tudor told Fairfax Media. The product of an interracial marriage that at the time was illegal in some parts of the country, Forman Jr. said he learned a lot from his civil rights worker parents who taught him lessons on personal accountability, and that facing injustices, often isnt popular or easy, but still a worthy cause for the betterment of society. "It also speaks to something that I'm quite passionate about in storytelling generally, but in film specifically, is that film can be quite a literal medium," the Australian said, in comments quoted by the Hollywood Reporter . Blanchett, appearing at the Rome Film Festival, was in discussion with festival artistic director Antonio Monda when questions turned to her appearance as a lesbian character in Todd Haynes' film Carol in 2015. Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett has defended the right of straight actors to play LGBT characters. "And I will fight to the death for the right to suspend disbelief and play roles beyond my experience. "I think reality television and all that that entails had an extraordinary impact, a profound impact on the way we view the creation of character," she added. "I think it provides a lot of opportunity, but the downside of it is that we now, particularly in America, I think, we expect and only expect people to make a profound connection to a character when it's close to their experience," she said. Hollywood has been heavily-criticised in recent years for casting straight actors in its limited gay roles. In August, Disney faced backlash for casting British actor Jack Whitehall in what's been described as the iconic company's "first ever openly gay character" in the upcoming adventure film Jungle Cruise. A deep-sea cucumber known as the "headless chicken monster" has been filmed in the Southern Ocean for the first time using camera technology developed by Australian researchers. The creature was filmed off East Antarctica. It's the first time the species has been seen in the area. "Some of the footage we are getting back from the cameras is breathtaking, including species we have never seen in this part of the world," Australian Antarctic Division Program leader Dr Dirk Welsford said. Enypniastes eximia has only been seen in the Gulf of Mexico previously and was captured in the Southern Ocean by cameras developed by the Australian Antarctic Division. Prime Minister Scott Morrison embraces Liberal candidate Dave Sharma prior to his concession speech at the Liberal Party Wentworth byelection function on Saturday. Credit:AAP Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned before the Wentworth byelection that a hung parliament would threaten Australias economic stability. It is now up to him to show he was wrong or else face the consequences at an election in six months' time. The historic swing that appears to have handed victory to Dr Kerryn Phelps in one of the most blue ribbon of Liberal seats was the almost inevitable consequence of the overthrow of Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister. The abrupt removal of Mr Turnbull for no clear reason has shaken voters faith in the Liberal Party and nowhere more so than in Wentworth where the prime minister had earned a strong personal following. Voters are sick of politicians who are more focused on personal ambition than governing. It is hilarious that some in the Liberal Party, trying to distract attention from their own folly, criticised Mr Turnbull for quitting his seat and even for not campaigning on their behalf. Mr Morrison was right on Saturday night to say the likely defeat was on the Liberals rather than their strong candidate Dave Sharma. But the huge swing against the party also reflected mistakes that Mr Morrison himself made during the campaign. He thought he could take the voters of Wentworth for fools. Rather than use his authority as prime minister to argue on broad themes, Mr Morrison engaged in cheap retail politics, especially his opportunistic thought-bubble promise to Jewish voters in the electorate to move the Australian embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Voters can see through this sort of cynical stunt. Yet it seemed Mr Morrison gave as much consideration to this serious foreign policy-decision as to handing out cash to rebuild a local surf lifesaving club. The result in Wentworth is undoubtedly bad for the Coalition but the ALP should not be counting its chickens. Wentworth is an unusual seat. The issues of climate change, asylum seekers, LGBTQI rights and the argument over gambling ads on the Opera House are likely much more important for its affluent, socially progressive voters than in other marginals which will decide the election. The result was also skewed by the ALP's decision to run dead in the last week of the campaign knowing its candidate could not win and thereby tacitly encouraging tactical voting for Dr Phelps. There is no clear mandate here for the ALP. After he was seriously injured by an improvised bomb in Afghanistan, Damien Thomlinson often thought during his long and painful rehabilitation back home in Australia about how the care of veterans could be improved. Nothing is ever a perfect system. [But] with mine, there was the left hand is not talking to the right hand type of problem, he said. The former commando, who lost both his legs after the bomb exploded while he was on patrol in 2009, said one of the challenges he found was having health-care staff and services in different places. Now, a $341 million redevelopment of Concord Hospital in Sydney's inner west over the next three years will feature a one-stop shop for injured Defence personnel. Almost 17 per cent of bus passengers have abandoned Brisbanes regional bus companies and returned to their cars, figures show. The figures are significant because the bus lines feed passengers from the outer suburbs into train stations and into regional shopping centres. Outer-suburban and regional bus services, such as Brisbane Bus Lines, have lost patronage. Credit:Wikimedia Commons An RTI search by public transport lobby group Rail Back on Track revealed the 16.9 per cent drop in passengers on the private bus lines operating on the edge of Brisbane. Rail Back on Track said the drop showed passengers were shunning out-of-date connections between regional bus lines and outer-edge train stations because they "did not begin earlier enough or run late enough". A 32-year-old woman has had her head smashed into a table and mirror after an alleged assault in Brisbane's south. Police said a man attended a Colvillea Street home at Eight Mile Plains on Saturday afternoon, claiming to work in the property industry. The man allegedly pushed the woman's head into a table near the front door and a mirror after she had told him the house was not for sale. The woman received facial cuts from the attack and and decorative items on the table were destroyed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex cheered on competitors in the Invictus sailing finals in Sydney Harbour this afternoon. The royal couple chose the sailing event on the first day of the Invictus Games, for their final public appearance in Sydney before jetting to Queensland tomorrow. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, sail on Sydney Harbour on the first day of the Invictus Games in Sydney. Credit:AP The young royals were in the family and friends flotilla to watch the final few minutes of the competition. As the competitors from countries including Denmark and Holland hoisted their mainsails, cheers could be heard from the shore at Lady Macquaries chair. Sailboats from all over the world watched the race, under the watchful gaze of the water police, too. The Australian four-member team won the race. "Invitation for public comment: Sand mining on Lots 53 and 1320 Banksia Road, Wellard, Western Australia," the July 27 newspaper notice read. The public notice. "Hanson Construction Materials Pty Ltd proposes to clear [16.25ha] of vegetation ... for a sand mining operation. A Banksia woodland will be restored onto the site at the conclusion of mining." A neighbour spotted the notice. "He sits and goes through the newspaper, and sometimes he tells people what he sees and sometimes he doesn't," Steve said. "This particular morning, he did and I got a phone call to let me know." The community had exactly 12 days to read through the extensive paperwork submitted by Hanson Construction, the environmental reports, contact more than 40 residences set to be affected, and create submissions to hand over to the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. It was a whirlwind, and for Steve, it was a sick feeling of deja vu. In 2013, he and his neighbours had unsuccessfully tried to stop the same company clearing nearby lush bushland for the Boomerang Road sand mine. The Boomerang Road mine site has a clearing license until August 2034. The process fighting the mine had been exhausting, trying and required significant resources, and residents were devastated when the ruling was handed down. And with the Banksia Road notice, it was about to start all over again. The road to Banksia A mining tenement was granted for the Banksia Road site back in 1995, but it was met with significant push-back when mining company Urban Resources first flagged its intention to begin digging through a proposal in 2008. The Environmental Protection Authority made the decision not to undertake a formal assessment of the site, saying it "didn't have a big enough ... impact". Residents disagreed, and an appeal was lodged against the decision by Steve's progress association. In a ministerial briefing note obtained by the progress association under the freedom of information act, it was also clear the City of Kwinana remained unconvinced about the proposal. The Banksia Road site. The council said the mining company had not addressed environmental concerns and like the Boomerang Road site, the area had become home to many more residents than was previously anticipated when the tenement was granted in 1995. Nevertheless, then-WA environment minister Donna Faragher dismissed the appeal and instead passed on the environmental approval process to the in-house Department of Mines team. As the push-back continued, Hanson Construction stepped in and officially took over the lease in 2013. But all of this information was unknown until Steve found out about the approval on July 27. "That was a really big shock," he said. "I think after the time that I spent trying to fight the Boomerang Road one, which went for nearly two years, I was pretty spent." "I seriously considered moving in fact, we did start looking. "[And] of course once this sort of thing happens, you can't move. You can't leave. I would never have wanted to keep it quiet and to have just sold up and leave somebody else to it. I don't believe I can leave until the thing is resolved." The area to be affected by the development. "But we really weren't ready to leave because the place at the moment, it's paradise. "To get the phone call on Friday July 27, that it was starting all over again ... it was pretty grim." "The council was as surprised as us ... the whole system is designed for us not to know," he said. "You have to physically check the newspaper every day of the week, and every month, every year in order to protect yourself. "The system's wrong. It has to be changed. Steve called an emergency meeting of the progress association on July 29 - two days after the public notice was published. For an entire evening, the community locked itself in a council hall coming up with submission after submission to have ready for the department by August 10. The City of Kwinana wrote a letter to WA Environment Minister Stephen Dawson. Mayor Carol Adams was scathing; in her view there had been no community consultation on the amended proposal submitted by Hanson, no agreement in place committing to vegetation rehabilitation, the proposal had contradictions over transport routes and no commitment to helping maintain the roads. As a result, the Stop Banksia Sand Mine campaign kicked off with the full backing and support from the City of Kwinana an unusual display of unity between a council and residential association. Another sand mine close to the Wellard site. Credit:Hannah Barry Several companies have repeatedly attempted to create a sand mine at this site, for over 20 years, and council has repeatedly advised against its construction, Ms Adams said. "The city is strongly opposed to this mine because it will have a significantly negative impact on our residents as well as the loss of valuable Banksia woodlands." What now? With the backing of the local government, the campaign has gained steam. Campaign material highlights issues with the project including apparent air pollution, destruction of bushland, traffic hazards, lack of compensation, the approval process and claimed lack of consultation. Residents are prepared to fight to the finish. Credit:Hannah Barry However Hanson Construction refutes a number of the claims made by the community, saying local representatives will play a "key role" in monitoring the operation. "Hanson Construction Materials has reaffirmed the companys commitment to a comprehensive community consultation program for proposed sand project at Wellard," a company spokeswoman said. While the legislation is federal, it is up to the provinces to regulate their own retail markets. All scrambled to create rules for allocating licenses and the number and location of retail outlets. Law enforcement agencies struggled to define and figure out how to measure impairment. Some illicit-era growers, sellers and buyers lamented the impending corporatisation of the industry and the loss of counter-cultural identity. Medical associations urged a legal age as high as 25 out of concern for the impact of cannabis on the developing brain. The law says 18. It's high time. My home and native land, Canada, just legalised pot, making good on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 2015 campaign promise. Pot became legal in Canada the day after Queensland's parliament voted to legalise abortion. Depending on your political bent, Canada is typically a half-generation or so ahead of Australia on the path to enlightenment or perdition (see also: same sex marriage). Will Australia follow the lead of its northern hemisphere doppelganger? This is a political and practical, not a moral, question. For better or worse, most of the world condones the production, sale and consumption of mind-altering substances. If legalisation is primarily a moral matter, there are only two principled and coherent policy options. One is to ban them all, out-Calvinizing even 1550 Geneva, where you could at least drink at bible readings. In non-totalitarian states, such a policy lacks only the faintest hope of approval. At the other end of the spectrum is blanket legalisation, on libertarian grounds. Individuals, not the state, have the right to choose how to alter their mental states. To make all substances legal need not mean equal access and identical regulation, just as some medical drugs can be sold in convenience stores while others require a prescription filled by a pharmacist. The laissez-faire option is as morally consistent as its opposite, and has the same non-existent chance of seeing the light of day. So governments have to pick and choose which substances to legalise and which to proscribe. There is no bill of rights that entitles substances to equitable treatment before the law. Alcohol is legal pretty much everywhere despite its massively documented ill-effects on health and the economy. In Canada alcohol causes more hospitalisations than heart disease and is implicated in a huge proportion of vehicular deaths. Too often it is a catalyst for bad decision-making and rueful behaviour. Canada, which has allowed medical marijuana for almost two decades, has legalised the drug for recreational use. Credit:Bloomberg As a Canadian Senate report found in 2002, there is no evidence that cannabis is nearly as harmful. Moreover it is widely prescribed for medical use. Alcohol unleashes aggression and fuels violence; cannabis chills. Like every other substance, it can turn on its users and destroy lives. But there are no overdosed stoners on the stretchers next to the alarming numbers of opioid casualties. Forced to choose which substance to legalise with the goal of minimising harm, a sensible government should choose weed over booze. It is convention, not evidence, that stands logic on its head. Independent Kerryn Phelps is still on track to claim a historic byelection win despite postal votes giving the Coalition hope it could hang on to the blue-ribbon seat of Wentworth. Dr Phelps claimed victory on Saturday night when she achieved an unprecedented swing of more than 20 per cent against the Liberal Party in the eastern Sydney electorate formerly held by Malcolm Turnbull. But that changed on Sunday morning as the margin narrowed to 1186 votes while postal ballots were still being counted. A check of booths late on Sunday afternoon, including at Bondi and Bellevue Hill, picked up a counting error that has extend Dr Phelps' margin. Including additional postal votes counted on Sunday afternoon, Dr Phelps now has a lead of 1626 votes. Its disappointing that the state of Indiana continues to defend these unconstitutional and medically unnecessary abortion restrictions, Christie Gillespie, PPINK president and CEO, said in a release. By appealing to the Supreme Court, the state of Indiana is trying to not only chip away at Hoosiers rights, but also threaten the rights of people seeking safe and legal abortion care across the country. On the Sunday after the Liberal preselection, which saw Mr Sharma prevail despite the Prime Minister's preference for a female candidate, Dr Phelps announced she would run in Wentworth. The feeling was that it would help being a woman up against a male Liberal at a time when the party was facing criticism internally and externally for its record on female representation in federal parliament. Her pop-up campaign was tiny compared to the power of the Liberals. She had a five-person campaign team, all volunteers bar two, and a budget of about $200,000 which she was prepared to underwrite. Prime Minister Scott Morrison embraces Liberal candidate Dave Sharma prior to his concession speech. Credit:AAP By comparison, Mr Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, had huge fundraising pull and attracted donations from the big end of the town and the wealthy Jewish community. He raised close to $1 million in the campaign. Dr Phelps didn't need to fund the bulk of her campaign in the end because small donations from colleagues and eastern suburbs figures flowed in - almost all were below the disclosure threshold of $13,500. The activist group GetUp, in an unprecedented blitz of an electorate, significantly boosted Dr Phelps' campaign. The group, with its strong climate change message, made 85,000 calls to voters in Wentworth in a month. Illustration: Matt Golding Still, it seemed a mammoth task for an independent in a seat with a very comfortable 17 per cent buffer. In the last week of the campaign, the mood had shifted in Wentworth and desperation had crept in for the Liberals. Leaked internal party polling and other polls suggested the party was facing a thumping in their blue ribbon seat. Prime Minister Scott Morrison signalled plans to move Australia's embassy to Jerusalem and the long-awaited Ruddock report into religious freedom was leaked, drawing attention to discrimination against gay children. The government was accused of making a surprise foreign policy announcement to win over the Jewish vote in Wentworth, where 12 per cent of voters are Jewish. There was also the poorly timed "It's OK to be White" vote in parliament - which Liberal Senators voted for in a move Mr Morrison described as "regrettable". And then a highly damaging email emerged just days before the byelection. It was reported that it had been circulated to "hundreds of people" claiming that Dr Phelps had HIV and would be withdrawing from the race, and urging people to vote for Mr Sharma. The response was swift. Dr Phelps described the email as "shocking and disturbing", and the latest tactic in a campaign against her. Mr Sharma described it as "vile" and backed Phelps' calls for its origin to be investigated. But while Dr Phelps saw the email as a direct attack against her, concern swept through the Liberals as they feared that the email was not designed to hurt Dr Phelps. The direct attack was against the Liberals. With its "homophobe undertones", senior party sources said it was hugely damaging to the party in a seat with a high gay population and where 80 per cent of voters backed same-sex marriage in the governments plebiscite. And in the final tense days before Saturday's crucial vote, senior Liberals were also divided over one person - Malcolm Turnbull. Former prime minister and party elder John Howard had been rolled out to campaign, and recorded messages were being sent to voters' mobile phones from high-profile Liberals such as former foreign minister Julie Bishop. But the man who had managed to make Wentworth one of the safest Liberal seats in the country could not be convinced to lend a hand. From his New York City apartment, Mr Turnbull was laying low. Personal pleas were made as late as Thursday via those close to Mr Turnbull to convince the former prime minister to agree to a letter of support for Mr Sharma. Mr Turnbull was not prepared to pen a letter unless it addressed his knifing. The party did not want the electorate reminded of that painful week in late August when Turnbull's own turned on him. No letter was written. Some believed that without Mr Turnbull's 11th hour endorsement, they couldn't win. But others in the party felt very differently. When news spread that Mr Turnbull had boarded a plane to leave the United States, panic set in. If he arrived home on the eve of the byelection, it could have been "hugely destabilising", some felt. But their fears were never realised because Mr Turnbull made a stop-over in Singapore and is due home this week. The anger towards Mr Turnbull on Saturday night was clear. "Malcolm will be remembered as one of the greatest failures of the Liberal Party and an incredibly selfish person ," a senior moderate Liberal said. Former prime minister Julia Gillard has urged Australian governments to stay "as close as possible" to the child abuse royal commission recommendations for a National Redress Scheme, after strong criticism by survivor and other groups that it has strayed from the "open-hearted" scheme proposed by the commission. In an interview before the national apology to survivors in Canberra on Monday, Ms Gillard said governments were obliged to exercise "due diligence and judicious decision-making to bring the royal commissions recommendations to life" but "I think it is possible for governments to develop schemes that operate with a culture of openness and generosity". "While we cannot fully erase the pain of the past, we can help to ease its burden": Former prime minister Julia Gillard. Credit:Justin McManus A Senate inquiry submission from support group knowmore, which received $37.9 million in government funding to provide legal advice to survivors, said urgent action was needed to address significant concerns, particularly in areas where the scheme was operating contrary to royal commission recommendations. Ms Gillard will sit with survivor advocate Chrissie Foster and her family for the national apology in federal Parliament. Two of Mrs Foster's three daughters were sexually abused by a Catholic priest and her late husband Anthony was given a state funeral for challenging the church on behalf of survivors. Claims by Environment Minister Melissa Price that she did not accuse a respected Pacific leader of money-grabbing have been cast into doubt after it emerged her adviser later shared a taxi with the man and sought to allay concern over the remarks. Ms Price has been accused of disrespecting former Kiribati president Anote Tong in a conversation where she accused the Pacific region of "always" seeking cash from Australia to address climate change. The new cabinet minister is also said to have told Mr Tong, a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, that she had her "chequebook" ready. The exchange between Environment Minister Melissa Price and former Kiribati president Anote Tong occurred in a Canberra Italian restaurant. Credit: Ms Price has strenuously denied making the slurs at a restaurant in Canberra last Tuesday, telling Parliament she "100 per cent" disputed the allegations. A ferocious voter backlash has inflamed the Morrison government's internal row on climate change as Liberal MPs call for stronger policies to assure voters that Australia can meet the Paris agreement to cut carbon emissions. The government is reeling from a savage swing in the Wentworth byelection, sparking renewed argument over decisions including a sudden shift in foreign policy on Israel, and deepening fears of a wipeout at the federal election due by May. As Parliament resumes on Monday, the Liberal Party was on track to lose Wentworth to independent candidate Kerryn Phelps, with an update on Sunday night giving her almost 51 per cent of the vote. Dr Phelps had a lead of 1626 votes in the update posted by the Australian Electoral Commission at 6.45pm on Sunday. Even the best postal vote scenario for the Liberal Party over coming days would still see the independent win Wentworth. The flight attendant then asks the woman whether she would like to sit elsewhere. "Put her to another seat!" the male passenger shouts, before turning to the woman. "I tell you this. If you don't go to another seat, I'll push you to another seat!" The elderly woman says something back at him, prompting the man to retort angrily: "Don't talk to me in a f---ing foreign language, you stupid ugly cow!" and then: "Ugly black bastard!" The shouting had a mixed effect on surrounding passengers. One man, wearing a black T-shirt and sitting in the row directly behind, physically tried to intervene, sticking his hand between the seats in front of him and telling the irate passenger to keep his voice down. "Stop," the man in the black shirt pleads. "There's no need for that at all. Just stop. It's really easy to close your mouth." Lawrence, while recording the video, can be heard saying, "Throw him off the flight. Throw him off the flight. Get rid of him!" Eventually, the elderly woman asks to sit next to her daughter and begins to move out of the row, visibly fed up. To his surprise, Lawrence said, the flight took off shortly afterward, with no apparent repercussions for the male passenger, who effectively enjoyed "extra leg room" in a row to himself. "I thought the flight attendant was going to call someone and escort the man off the flight," Lawrence said. "They moved the woman instead of moving him. That was shocking to me." He decided to upload his video to Facebook the following day out of frustration. "It was just so disturbing," Lawrence said. "Because there was no response from the other passengers on the flight at the time, I thought, OK, well, somebody needs to know what happened here. That's why I kept the video running and captured as much as I could." Over the weekend, the video garnered nearly 3 million views and has been shared tens of thousands of times. Lawrence later uploaded the video to YouTube, where it has more than 100,000 views. Scores of commenters expressed outrage over how the matter was handled and demanded to know why Ryanair's flight crew didn't remove the male passenger before the plane took off. Representatives for Ryanair did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Sunday. However, the Dublin-based budget airline company said in a Twitter post on Sunday that it was aware of the video and had reported the incident to Essex Police. "We operate strict guidelines for disruptive passengers and we will not tolerate unruly behaviour like this," Ryanair told BBC News. "We will be taking this matter further and disruptive or abusive behaviour like this will result in passengers being banned from travel." Essex Police confirmed to BuzzFeed News that it was investigating and encouraged people with information to contact them. "Essex Police takes prejudice-based crime seriously and we want all incidents to be reported," the police department told the news site. "We are working closely with Ryanair and the Spanish authorities on the investigation." The woman's unnamed daughter told HuffPost UK that her mother, identified only as "Mrs Gayle", is a 77-year-old retiree who immigrated to Britain from Jamaica in the 1960s. They were returning from a vacation to mark the anniversary of the death of Gayle's husband, the daughter, 53, added. "She's been feeling really down and depressed, so I thought the trip would raise her spirits," Gayle's daughter told the news site. "The underlying reason behind the man's abusive behaviour comes down to the fact that my mum is a black woman and he didn't want her sitting next to him. He says it in the video." Gayle's daughter said the encounter left her outraged and her mother "upset and very stressed, on top of the grief that she's already experiencing". Lawrence said that he spoke to the mother and daughter after the flight and said they were both disappointed and disgusted. His parents were also part of the "Windrush generation", immigrants who moved from the Caribbean to Britain from 1948 to 1971, so Lawrence said he could understand why the elderly woman agreed to switch seats rather than escalate the situation. "The racism they suffered on a daily basis is historic. Our parents have learnt over the years - because they have never received any kind of justice - they've just learnt to live with it," he said. "They kind of have this attitude, like, 'Well, what can we do?' sort of thing. The lady was, like, this has happened so many times. I just want to go home." Lawrence has since posted multiple more times about the incident on social media, urging people to put pressure on Ryanair for turning "a blind eye to racial discrimination". The airline's acknowledgment of his video was hardly a sufficient apology, he said. "It's not good enough," he said. "It certainly falls so short of what we expect an airline to provide for, in terms of protecting their customers. It's shameful. It's shameful." With millions of Arab exiles who fled their homes because of wars or oppression, Turkey has become a fertile ground for talent and ideas, a place where Khashoggi could have pursued his own projects, including a pro-democracy group, a media watch group, a forum to translate economic studies and launching online magazines. For Khashoggi, a history lover, the growing Arab community and Turkey's power in the region echoed aspects of the Ottoman empire, when Istanbul was at the centre of a rich and multicultural Middle East. In this image made from a March 2018 video provided by Metafora Production, Jamal Khashoggi speaks during an interview at an undisclosed location two weeks before he was murdered. Credit:Metafora Production Istanbul: Friends say Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was a proud Arab who wanted to set up a base in his ancestral homeland of Turkey, contributing to the growing community of exiled Arabs who have taken refuge there. Khashoggi was planning to marry his Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz on October 3, a day after he walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get his divorce from a previous marriage confirmed. She has now been given police protection. He had bought a home in Istanbul and friends said he planned to split his time between there and Virginia, US, where he was a resident and had owned a condo since 2008. He never emerged from the consulate. Saudi authorities said on Saturday that he died in a brawl involving visiting officials, an account that has drawn widespread skepticism. Turkish pro-government media say a Saudi hit squad travelled to Turkey to kill the columnist for The Washington Post which has called for an investigation led by a UN-appointed panel to determine what happened. Jamal Khashoggi walking into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Inset: Khashoggi and his fiancee Hatice Cengiz. Credit:AP Khashoggi's killing sent a chilling message to the many exiled Arabs who have taken refuge in Turkey. Several anti-government Arab TV stations broadcast from Turkey and Istanbul's Arab Media Association has about 800 members. Turkey has also welcomed thousands of members of Egypt's now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, after its then-president member was ousted from power by the military in 2013. Many Syrian groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad have also unsurprisingly converged in neighbouring Turkey, where nearly 3 million Syrians have fled to escape the war back home. The dramatic admission and reversal officials had previously said the columnist left the building alive seems only to have complicated the issue for allies. France demanded more information and Germany put arms sales to the oil-rich nation on hold, while the Trump administration stressed the vital importance of the kingdom and its economy to the US. Loading German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she backed a freeze on arms exports to Saudi Arabia "I agree with all those who say that the already limited arms exports... can't take place in the situation we're currently in." She said Germany would discuss further "reactions" to the case with its international partners. In Sunday radio and TV interviews, Dominic Raab, the UK politician in charge of negotiating Britain's exit from the European Union, described the latest Saudi account as not credible; French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire called for "the truth''; and Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said his government would approve no arms sales so long as the investigation was ongoing. Saudi Arabia is an important market for all three countries. On Sunday, they issued a joint statement, saying the Saudi investigation's "hypotheses" would "need to be backed by facts to be considered credible." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, meanwhile, promised to disclose full details of the Turkish investigation into the case on Tuesday. According to the latest Saudi account, "discussions" of Khashoggi's status turned violent at the consulate. He died after being placed in a choke hold, a person with knowledge of the Saudi probe said. That conflicts with reports from Turkish officials, who say a Saudi hit team flew in specifically to kill and dismember him with a bone saw. According to a New York Times report, some members of the group had close ties to the crown prince. And now Turkey's official news agency says Khashoggi's fiancee has been given 24-hour police protection. Anadolu reported that the decision was made by the Istanbul governor's office on Sunday, citing an anonymous security official. Hatice Cengiz, a Turkish national, waited for Khashoggi outside the consulate where he was to get papers for their planned marriage. She alerted authorities after the writer did not emerge from the building. 'Deception and lies' In an interview with The Washington Post, US President Donald Trump, too, said the Saudi narrative had been marked by "deception and lies". Yet he also defended Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a "strong person," and said there was no proof of his involvement in Khashoggi's death. A demonstrator wears a mask of Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's crown prince, during a protest outside the White House in Washington on Friday. Credit:Bloomberg Some members of the US Congress have questioned Trump's willingness to exonerate the prince. Behind the tortured rhetoric, however, are tough choices that the US and other governments will have to make. Will they judge longstanding economic and defence ties with the kingdom more important than concern that failure to impose consequences on the slaying would give a green light for authoritarian regimes to kill inconvenient journalists and opponents worldwide? International interest in the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi is as high as ever. Credit:AP "We have a longstanding relationship with Saudi that dates back to a long period of time," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters in Jerusalem during the first stop on a six-country Middle East tour that will include a visit to Riyadh. "We will continue in that relationship while we also simultaneously get to the bottom of what the facts are about the Khashoggi situation, which obviously is a terrible situation." 'Not enough' The Treasury chief who cancelled his participation in a Saudi investment conference this week said that while the world seeks answers as to what happened to Khashoggi, "the information that's coming out is a good first step, but it's obviously not enough." In the meantime, Russian businesses are flocking to attend the investment forum in Saudi Arabia, as Western counterparts pull out. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman denies all knowledge of the killing. Credit:AP Russian President Vladimir Putin has had considerable success boosting Moscow's influence in the Middle East at US expense, by standing by regimes that fall afoul of the West, including in Syria and Iran. Last week Putin signed a strategic and partnership agreement with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, backed by $US25 billion ($35 billion) in loans to build nuclear reactors. Until Sissi came to power, Egypt had been closely allied to the US. Uproar in Congress The killing has sparked bipartisan outrage in Congress over Saudi Arabia's role, creating a divide between Capitol Hill and the White House ahead of November's mid-term elections. Mnuchin said it would be "premature to comment on sanctions" related to the killing until "we've gotten to the bottom of what's occurred." Loading If Trump has a message for Saudi officials related to the investigation of Khashoggi's killing, Mnuchin said he would deliver it. He said discussions with the Saudis would focus on stopping terrorism financing. Trump has strengthened ties with Saudi Arabia, which he sees as an essential player in advancing his Middle East policy. In the Washington Post interview he stressed again the importance of Saudi Arabia to his policy of pressuring Iran a regime he described as "evil." Trump also says the incident shouldn't jeopardise US weapon sales to Saudi Arabia or other potential investments, which he says are worth a total of $US450 billion. The President told reporters soon after the Saudi statement was published that "it's a great first step. I think we're getting close to solving a very big problem." Later on Saturday, speaking to reporters in Nevada, he said it was a concern that Khashoggi's body is missing but reiterated that the journalist's killing shouldn't affect broader ties with the kingdom. Saudi Arabia's King Salman removed a top adviser to the crown prince and prosecutors have detained 18 people involved in the case. Trump said Saturday he would be talking to Prince Mohammed soon. "In the Gulf, the stakes are so high for those who engage in dissent that the benefits of using social media are outweighed by the negatives, and in Saudi Arabia in particular," said Marc Owen Jones, a lecturer in the history of the Persian Gulf and Arabian Peninsula at Exeter University in Britain. Neither Saudi officials nor Qahtani responded to requests for comment about the kingdom's efforts to control online conversations. Loading Before his death, Khashoggi was launching projects to combat online abuse and to try to reveal that Crown Prince Mohammed was mismanaging the country. In September, Khashoggi wired $US5000 to Omar Abdulaziz, a Saudi dissident living in Canada, who was creating a volunteer army to combat the government trolls on Twitter. The volunteers called themselves the "Electronic Bees." Eleven days before Khashoggi died in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, he wrote on Twitter that the Bees were coming. One arm of the crackdown on dissidents originates from offices and homes in and around Riyadh, where hundreds of young men hunt on Twitter for voices and conversations to silence. This is the troll farm, described by three people briefed on the project and the messages among group members. Its directors routinely discuss ways to combat dissent, settling on sensitive themes like the war in Yemen or women's rights. They then turn to their well-organised army of "social media specialists" via group chats in apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, sending them lists of people to threaten, insult and intimidate; daily tweet quotas to fill; and pro-government messages to augment. The bosses also send memes that their employees can use to mock dissenters, like an image of Crown Prince Mohammed dancing with a sword, akin to the cartoons of Pepe the Frog that supporters of President Donald Trump used to undermine opponents. Hounded by trolls: journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Credit:AP The specialists scour Twitter for conversations on the assigned topics and post messages from the several accounts they each run. Sometimes, when contentious discussions take off, they publish pornographic images to goose engagement with their own posts and distract users from more relevant conversations. Other times, if one account is blocked by too many other users, they simply close it and open a new one. In one conversation viewed by The Times, dozens of leaders decided to mute critics of Saudi Arabia's military attacks on Yemen by reporting the messages to Twitter as "sensitive." Such reported posts are one of the things Twitter considers as signals when it decides to hide content from other users, blunting its impact. Turkish police barriers block the road leading to the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul. Credit:AP Twitter has had difficulty combating the trolls. The company can detect and disable the machine-like behaviours of bot accounts, but it has a harder time picking up on the humans tweeting on behalf of the Saudi government. The specialists found the jobs through Twitter itself, responding to ads that said only that an employer sought young men willing to tweet for about 10,000 Saudi riyals a month, equivalent to about $3700. The political nature of the work was revealed only after they were interviewed and expressed interest in the job. Some of the specialists felt they would have been targeted as possible dissenters themselves if they had turned down the job. The specialists heard directors speak often of Qahtani. Labelled by activists and writers as the "troll master,""Saudi Arabia's Steve Bannon" and "lord of the flies" for the bots and online attackers sometimes called "flies" by their victims Qahtani had gained influence since the young crown prince consolidated power. He ran media operations inside the royal court, which involved directing the country's local media, arranging interviews for foreign journalists with the crown prince, and using his Twitter following of 1.35 million to marshal the kingdom's online defenders against enemies including Qatar, Iran and Canada, as well as dissident Saudi voices like Khashoggi's. For a while, he tweeted using the hashtag #The_Black_List, calling on his followers to suggest perceived enemies of the kingdom. "Saudi Arabia and its brothers do what they say. That's a promise," he tweeted last year. "Add every name you think should be added to #The_Black_List using the hashtag. We will filter them and track them starting now." Twitter executives first became aware of a possible plot to infiltrate user accounts at the end of 2015, when Western intelligence officials told them that the Saudis were grooming an employee, Ali Alzabarah, to spy on the accounts of dissidents and others, according to five people briefed on the matter. They requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly. Alzabarah had joined Twitter in 2013 and had risen through the ranks to an engineering position that gave him access to the personal information and account activity of Twitter's users, including phone numbers and IP addresses, unique identifiers for devices connected to the internet. The intelligence officials told the Twitter executives that Alzabarah had grown closer to Saudi intelligence operatives, who eventually persuaded him to peer into several user accounts, according to three of the people briefed on the matter. Caught off guard by the government outreach, the Twitter executives placed Alzabarah on administrative leave, questioned him and conducted a forensic analysis to determine what information he may have accessed. They could not find evidence that he had handed over Twitter data to the Saudi government, but they nonetheless fired him in December 2015. Alzabarah returned to Saudi Arabia shortly after, taking few possessions with him. He now works with the Saudi government, a person briefed on the matter said. A spokesman for Twitter declined to comment. Alzabarah did not respond to requests for comment, nor did Saudi officials. On December 11, 2015, Twitter sent out safety notices to the owners of a few dozen accounts Alzabarah had accessed. Among them were security and privacy researchers, surveillance specialists, policy academics and journalists. A number of them worked for the Tor project, an organisation that trains activists and reporters on how to protect their privacy. Citizens in countries with repressive governments have long used Tor to circumvent firewalls and evade government surveillance. "As a precaution, we are alerting you that your Twitter account is one of a small group of accounts that may have been targeted by state-sponsored actors," the emails from Twitter said. The Saudis' sometimes ruthless image-making campaign is also a byproduct of the kingdom's increasingly fragile position internationally. For decades, their coffers bursting from the world's thirst for oil, Saudi leaders cared little about what other countries thought of the kingdom, its governance or its anachronistic restrictions on women. But Saudi Arabia is confronting a more uncertain economic future as oil prices have fallen and competition among energy suppliers has grown, and Crown Prince Mohammed has tried relentlessly to attract foreign investment into the country in part by portraying it as a vibrant, more socially progressive country than it once was. Yet the government's social media manipulation tracks with crackdowns in recent years in other authoritarian states, said Alexei Abrahams, a research fellow at Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. Even for conversations involving millions of tweets, a few hundred or a few thousand influential accounts drive the discussion, he said, citing new research. The Saudi government appears to have realised this and tried to take control of the conversation, he added. "From the regime's point of view," he said, "if there are only a few thousand accounts driving the discourse, you can just buy or threaten the activists, and that significantly shapes the conversation." As the Saudi government tried to remake its image, it carefully tracked how some of its more controversial decisions were received, and how the country's most influential citizens online shaped those perceptions. After the country announced economic austerity measures in 2015 to offset low oil prices and control a widening budget gap, McKinsey & Co., the consulting firm, measured the public reception of those policies. Originally a movement of Shiite guerrillas from the mountainous northwest, the Houthis rose to power in the turmoil that followed the Arab Spring in 2011. After capturing the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, they soon controlled Yemen's three largest cities. Iran aided their advance with supplies of military equipment, including missiles. Since 2015, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have led a military coalition in a war aimed at ousting the Houthis and restoring an internationally recognised government. But early promises of a swift victory have given way to a bloody stalemate, while the war has inflicted a catastrophic toll on Yemenis that includes widespread hunger and the worst cholera epidemic in history. A hospital worker watches as doctors attempt to resuscitate Mohammed Kulaib, a Yemeni fighter with the Saudi Arabia-led Arab coalition, at a field hospital in Yemen's Al Durayhimi district. Credit:Tyler Hicks/The New York Times In Hodeida, the war has settled into a kind of desultory rhythm. The fighting crests at dawn and dusk, when fighters on both sides rain mortar shells across the front line. Within minutes, pickup trucks screech to a halt outside the field hospital, offloading wounded fighters men smeared in dirt and blood, peppered with shrapnel or felled by a sniper's bullet. Civilians soon follow: mothers hit by falling mortar shells, badly malnourished children suffering from acute diarrhoea, elderly people with legs blown off by land mines. Yemeni medics established the field hospital at ad-Durayhimi, on the southern edge of Hodeida, in June, when they landed on the beach outside the villa as mortar shells landed around them, and waded ashore. Now financed by the Emirati Red Crescent, the hospital has an air of quirky, controlled chaos. It has no restrictions on guns or drugs: Young fighters slinging Kalashnikovs crowd the emergency room, standing anxiously over medics working to save their wounded comrades. Some nurses chew khat, the narcotic leaf beloved by Yemenis. At night, they gather in crowded dormitories to swap stories and gallows humour, and avoid enemy fire. Loading Just before we arrived, they said, a Houthi drone had exploded over their rooms. Dr Hazza Abdullah, 34, the doctor on duty, told of going for a swim in the sea during a lull in the fighting, only to be confronted with a spiky sea mine floating toward him. "I got out very quickly," he said. In 2011, when the Arab Spring protests swept Yemen and other Arab countries, he embraced the promise of change. "I thought it would be like the French Revolution, that it would open doors," he said. "Instead we are going through hell." The battleground arcs across a sandy wasteland of deserted farmhouses on the southern edge of Hodeida, between the city's land-mine-infested airport and a strategic junction called Kilo 16. There, we saw pickups loaded with fighters racing through the desert, wheels spinning and engines revving, dodging sniper fire and enemy mortars. Closer to the front line, fighters in sarongs hunkered behind sandy berms or clustered under trees. Warplanes whizzed overhead. A pair of cows, caught in the crossfire, lay rotting in the dust. We joined a group of jihadi fighters for lunch at their flophouse near the front line. Mortar tubes and discarded shell cases littered the ground. Inside, fighters scooped up handfuls of rice and chicken, led by a cheery commander with a large bandage on his forehead where he had been grazed by a sniper's bullet. Boxes of Russian anti-tank missiles, stacked in a corner, bore markings that identified their Emirati purchasers. A fighter whipped out his phone. "Look at this," he said gleefully, playing a video of a missile curling toward five Houthi fighters gathered under a tree. The video ended when they vanished into a ball of fire. Later, as darkness fell, the fighters returned to their positions. In seeking to capture Hodeida's port, the coalition hopes to deprive the Houthis of millions of dollars in monthly tax revenues and force them into negotiations. But Hodeida is also the gateway to a starving nation: Three-quarters of Yemen's 28 million people rely on some form of relief aid, and the vast majority of it passes through the port. Under intense international pressure, the coalition promised Western officials they would not fight in the city or the port, and would instead seek to encircle it. Now both sides are dug into positions on the city's fringes, exchanging fire but gaining little territory. A secondary front extends for about 210 km to the south, parallel to the coalition-controlled coastal highway, where the fight takes place in remote villages and small towns, as both sides try to cut off each other's supply lines. The United Nations says this secondary front is the deadliest area for civilians. At least 500,000 people have fled their homes, many forced to shelter in squalid refugee camps in towns farther down the coast like Mokha, a small port once famous for its coffee exports, and nearby Khokha. Once a sleepy fishing town, Khokha buzzes with a lawless air, a melting pot of the war. Fighters mill about in the town centre, chewing khat. The main drag is often jammed with military convoys headed for the front. Refugees, soldiers and Houthi spies mingle in the town bazaar. Gunfire erupts at night, though usually it's celebratory from weddings. The UN and most Western relief agencies have deemed the area too unsafe to serve. A notable exception is Doctors Without Borders, which recently opened a hospital in Mokha. For most refugees, the main worry is their next meal. At the city dump in Mokha, Thabet Bagash rummaged for glass bottles and tin cans. Before fighters ejected him from his home, he was a farmer. Now, he said, he was reduced to this. His face wrinkled with disdain. If he collected a bagful of cans, he might earn $US1.40 enough to feed his five children for a few days. Just 120 km from the garbage dump, two upstairs rooms at the field hospital might as well be on another planet. In one, the Emirati Red Crescent has installed a gleaming new operating theatre, in the other a six-bed intensive care unit. But the expensive and much needed medical equipment is pristine and untouched. The authorities couldn't find medical staff Yemeni or Emirati to work there. That seemed emblematic of the Emirati way of war. The United Arab Emirates pays wages for fighters, and equips them with rockets and million-dollar armoured vehicles. But Emirati generals direct the fight from the relative safety of Aden, the main city in southern Yemen, where the bulk of the estimated 5000 Emirati soldiers in Yemen are based. Emirati warplanes and naval boats pummel targets in Hodeida from the air and sea. Saudi naval boats also patrol the waters off Hodeida. But on the front line, Emirati and Saudi soldiers are hard to find. Coalition bases along the coastal highway are guarded by Sudanese recruits, many from Darfur. At the field hospital, the dead and wounded we saw were Yemeni. It was probably too late for Mohammed Kulaib by the time his friends rushed him to the hospital at 7.30 on a Sunday morning. The 20-year-old had been shot in the chest during a skirmish at Hodeida airport. After a brief attempt to resuscitate the fighter, a medic declared him dead. Kulaib's brother, Yahya, stood over the body in the emergency room. "The Houthis hit us suddenly," he said. "The mortars were so intense, it was hard to even retrieve his body." The sight of long convoys, laden with troops and ammunition, as well as a sharp uptick in airstrikes, have stoked reports in recent weeks that the coalition is preparing to make a new push on Hodeida. But even if they capture the city, experts are sceptical it will turn the tide of the war. Despite more than 18,000 coalition airstrikes since 2015, the front lines remain largely unchanged. Around Hodeida, the Houthis have seeded vast tracts of land with mines, on a scale second only to that of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, according to Conflict Armament Research. UN-led efforts to broker a peace have repeatedly failed. Both sides feel they have more to gain from fighting, said Gregory Johnsen, a scholar on Yemen at the Arabia Foundation. "Years of airstrikes failed to dislodge the Houthis, and their leaders now feel secure," Johnsen said. "They think they can wait out the Saudis." Wellington: Many foreigners will be banned from buying homes in New Zealand from Monday, unless they are newly built apartments, as the Labour-led government fulfils an election promise that critics say could be a popular but won't solve the lack of affordable housing. Housing became a major campaign issue for an election last year that ended the National Party government's near decade in power and landed Jacinda Ardern the premiership in a surprise result. Ardern had blamed overseas speculators for driving up prices, making it unaffordable for many young Kiwis looking to buy their first home. Nationwide prices have gone up 60 per cent in the last decade, and in Auckland, the largest city, prices are almost double. The government of New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, left, and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, right, has banned foreign property ownership in some instances. Credit:AP But critics say the Labour-led coalition's answer to the problem - banning foreigners - won't make a big enough difference in a market where economists reckon there is a shortage of around 100,000 homes. There are two types of politicians, Bennett said, the people who get elected and think the job is about them or those who go into an office working for the people. Bennet said Donnelly works for the people of Indiana. Georgetown, SC (29440) Today Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 74F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 51F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Putin used his annual public address to gloat. Americas global influence has come to an end a development attributed in large part to Trumps presidency. Putin said he celebrated the waning influence of what he described as Americas monopoly on power, saying it will give Russia the ability to exert more influence over the world. He noted that Trump listens to what he says, and that he wants a better relationship with Russia. He got exactly what he paid for. This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. The Apollo 11 lunar landing was the first time humans stepped on another celestial body, and the events leading up to that historic moment which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year are depicted in the new movie First Man, out in cinemas today. Director Damien Chazelle has delivered an intense film about astronaut Neil Armstrong, who made those iconic first steps. But this is no triumphant paean to the Cold War Space Race, and you'll find no trite comparisons of Apollo technology to the computing power of today's smart phones here. Drawn from the official biography by James R Hansen, Armstrong is portrayed with muscular introversion by Ryan Gosling, grappling with Armstrong's renowned discomfort with the public demands of the space program, his role of husband and father, the intellectual and physical challenges of the quest for the moon, and a series of deeply personal tragedies. Read more: Curious Kids: Why can I sometimes see the Moon in the daytime? In other words, the First Man on the Moon is shown to be a fallible and complex human being. The man and the Moon In a quiet opening scene, Armstrong sings a lullaby, I See the Moon, to his infant daughter, echoing the transcendental fascination with the Moon held by generations of sleepless parents and children over the course of our evolution. Armstrong is haunted by the Moon and death throughout the film. His lunar quest is tied indelibly to his relationship with his daughter. Shot often from Armstrong's perspective, this film is an exploration of apparent emptiness of space, the Moon, and a man in grief, accustomed to loss and most comfortable when cut off from those closest to him. The Moon landing is the backdrop, the ultimate distraction from his world of pain, and Gosling plays it beautifully. We've been there before, in film For almost as long as there have been moving pictures, we have had movies imagining space flight. In 1902 Georges Melies directed and starred in what is considered the first science fiction film, the influential A Trip to the Moon (Le Voyage Dans La Lune). Space films developed a few recurring themes since then. There's the heroic manly astronaut addicted to risking life and limb. With the notable exception of Hidden Figures, women tend to be shown marooned at home, anguished and accommodating of their physically and emotionally distant husbands. Then there's the passionate flight director, swearing to all who will listen that he'll get the astronauts home safe. It's a real triumph that First Man (mostly) avoids these cliches and genuinely gives us something new, and somehow more real. There are a respectful number of references to other movies such as The Right Stuff, Apollo 13, and 2001 A Space Odyssey that embed First Man within the well-established tradition of cinematic space flight. These references highlight this film's differences, drawn from the well-grounded depictions of Armstrong and his wife Janet, played by Claire Foy. The sequences between husband and wife are emotionally charged, rather than sentimentalised. The scenes where she listens to the radio feed from the landing are riveting. It is hard to imagine more Oscar-worthy contenders. Flagging outrage The film does not sanitise the space program. Embracing the politics of the day, Chazelle recreates the protests around the Apollo missions. Many people are shown questioning its value. Journalists demand to know how much it is worth, in lives lost and in dollars. But First Man refocuses the emphasis of the Apollo 11 mission from US nationalism to Armstrong's personal journey, and this doesn't sit well with the current far right in Trump's America. Republican Senator Marco Rubio is angry that the planting of the US flag an action symbolising the colonisation of territory is not shown (although the flag appears more than once). See more Some are calling for a boycott over the flag issue. Armstrong's colleague on the Apollo 11 mission, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, has also implied his dissatisfaction with the film in a tweet. Chazelle, the Oscar-winning director of La La Land, said the omission was not political; instead he chose to focus on the "unfamous stuff" as well as Armstrong's experience and character. The flag was controversial even at the peak of the Cold War. The United Nations Outer Space Treaty, ratified by the US just two years before, forbids territorial claims in space. How could an American mission claim to represent humanity if it included a symbolic act of American colonialism? Fortunately, the response of the international community was to celebrate the collective human achievement rather than the national one. There were numerous international contributions made to the Apollo missions. Australia provided tracking stations famously, Armstrong's first footfalls on the Moon were transmitted through the Honeysuckle Creek station, outside Canberra. Australian space scientist Professor Brian O'Brien, then at Rice University in Texas, designed a dust-detecting experiment that was left on the surface of the Moon. When the Moon is not enough There is an element of anti-climax about the film's conclusion. As with Apollo 13, we know how it's going to end. Read more: I've Always Wondered: could someone take ownership of a planet or a moon? But First Man does so on a carefully crafted note, a plausible hypothesis suggested by biographer Hansen that may have been designed to further humanise the inscrutable astronaut. The scene implies that the emotional distances he has to travel on Earth are greater than those which he crossed to the Moon. Where we go from here is the question. Do we show the moral courage to take on the difficult tasks and solve the earthbound crises facing us today, or do we channel our energies and enterprise into becoming a multi-planet species? Now that we have "conquered" the Moon, perhaps the only mission worthy of Armstrong's legacy is to be humble, thoughtful and inspired about our place in the universe, while we still have one. Alice Gorman, Senior Lecturer in Archaeology and Space Studies, Flinders University and Heather L. Robinson, Research Associate & PhD Candidate, College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences, Flinders University At a panel moderated by Ashley Eckstein at New York Comic Con on Oct. 4, 2018, Author Amy Ratcliffe and a host of illustrators discuss their work with the new book "Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy." NEW YORK The new book "Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy" (Chronicle Books, 2018) profiles 75 incredible characters from across the "Star Wars" universe. At New York Comic Con on Oct. 4, author Amy Ratcliffe discussed the new book at a panel moderated by Ashley Eckstein, a voice actor in multiple "Star Wars" animated series, entrepreneur and creator of "Her Universe," the fashion and lifestyle company made for women who are fans of everything from "Star Wars" to "Doctor Who." The panel also included illustrators who helped bring to life the incredible characters from a galaxy far, far away. "Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy," which will be released Oct. 30, features beloved characters such as Leia Organa, Rey, Ahsoka Tano, Iden Versio, Jyn Erso, Rose Tico, Maz Kanata and many more. Alongside Ratcliffe's words that convey the characters' backstories and unique qualities are 100 brand-new, stunning illustrations of the characters in a number of styles from 18 award-winning female and non-binary artists. [Tour the Millennium Falcon with These Awesome 'Star Wars' Photos] Illustrators Sara Alfageeh, Jen Bartel and Cryssy Cheung discussed their contributions in "Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy" at a panel hosted at New York Comic Con on Oct. 4, 2018. (Image credit: Chelsea Gohd/Space.com) During the panel, Ratcliffe and the artists discussed their inspirations and work with the book. Ratcliffe, Eckstein and a number of the artists on the panel pointed out how the character Ahsoka Tano has inspired them "She saves everyone with grace and finesse," illustrator Sarah Wilkinson said. The illustrators on the panel all agreed that, in working on the book, they learned about female "Star Wars" characters they didn't know existed. They also discussed how, while there is now incredible diversity among female "Star Wars" characters, "back then," Karen Hallion said about the earliest days of "Star Wars," "there was only Princess Leia." "I think she is the original self-rescuing princess," Eckstein added about Leia. "She is the character that started it all she broke the mold." The panelists emphasized how incredible the women of "Star Wars" are, citing the exceptional and inspiring qualities of these characters, like Princess Leia's leadership and Ahsoka Tano's unapologetic power. The illustrators even shared some of their favorite quotes from characters that highlight these qualities, such as Ahsoka Tano's line: "Careful not to choke on your own stupidity," illustrator Annie Stoll noted. "Star Wars" is much more than Luke Skywalker and Kylo Ren there are dozens of women in the Star Wars universe, in the movies, comics, animated series and games who lead, battle and inspire. And "Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy" showcases 75 of these incredible women with captivating backstory and striking illustrations. The team that has created the book, from Ratcliffe to the host of female and non-binary illustrators, are passionate "Star Wars" fans and their dedication to these characters is more than apparent in "Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy." Follow Chelsea Gohd on Twitter @ chelsea_gohd. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. Nathan The Chaos Game was written by Joy Gregory and directed by Felix Alcala and the episode picks up in the aftermath of last weeks attack on the White House. Besides the personal stories in this episode, the show does a terrific job intelligently reflecting the state of world politics. One of the really great strengths of the show is how it weaves both storylines together. I will grant you that making Henry (Tim Daly) the Presidents (Keith Carradine) Ethics Advisor, especially when no such position had previously existed, was a bit contrived but then, its also just the sort of position that the current Administration could really use.As the episode opens, the bomber is apprehended. Nathan (Gus Halper) is a young member of an Aryan Nationalist group. Henry gets pulled in to interrogate him when Russell (Zeljko Ivanek) wants to treat him as an enemy combatant rather than simply relying on the Justice system to prosecute him. Neither Russell nor Henry prove objective enough in the end.Russell is struggling after the loss of June. Ivanek is really terrific in this episode. He always seems to get the best lines, but his grief over June as he delivers the eulogy is just a terrific performance. Russell delivers the proof of how much power and influence June had, especially with insights like dont ask for support inspire it. Which naturally resonates with all the current campaigning currently going on. The eulogy is a wake up call for Stevie (Wallis Currie-Wood) and her dismissive comments about June.Stevie ends up going back to work too soon and ends up passing out and in emergency. She does get a great line as shes heading back to work that shes tired of trying to figure out which really did have a brain-twisting plot last season! When Elizabeth (Tea Leoni) presses Stevie on why she went back so early, Stevie admits her guilt over the last conversation she had with June. Elizabeth is able to give her some perspective. Stevie has figured out that shes naive and selfish, but Elizabeth assures her that June would simply have seen her as young and inexperienced but also driven and hardworking. In the end, Stevie is able to take some comfort in Elizabeths words and seems to get over her survivors guilt.The main plot centers around tracing the bombers affiliations. Theyve discovered a link to Alex Starowalski a rock band musician turned Member of Parliament in Poland. Elizabeth resists categorizing the bomber as an enemy combatant, denying an American his fundamental rights, and wants to hold Starowalski accountable. Elizabeth asks the Polish President, Demko (Piotr Adamczyk) to turn over Starowalski and he refuses. Poland is in the grips of ultra-nationalists in power and is very unstable.Elizabeth is able to demonstrate to the Polish President that the RPG fired on the White House came from Starowalski, and he still wont cooperate. It becomes clear that Starowalski was working with the Russians and that Poland is politically volatile pretty much ripped from the headlines. Before they can agree to do anything, Demko makes it clear that they need to build a coalition of the more centrist members of the Parliament. Dalton doesnt want to wait for a NATO ally to do the right thing, but Elizabeth convinces him to give her 24 hours after stating that if Poland falls, there wont be a NATO.Meanwhile, Henry wont give Russell what he wants as he cant tell whether the bomber is Patriot or an Anarchist without actually interrogating him. Even Elizabeth warns Henry against interrogating the bomber because of his lack of objectivity.tells Henry that he was recruited in college. The Aryran Popular Force members jumped him outside the library and convinced him that he was a member of the warrior class and that they needed to stand up for their culture and lead a racial cleanse to do it. He denies knowing Starowalski. Henrys secret weapon is to read one of the kids own essays back to him. Henry tells him that the paper shows a passionate and subtle mind. Nathan denies any part of the attack but eventually reveals that he knows who Henrys wife is and wishes that Elizabeth had been there to paint the walls with her blood. He then spits in Henrys face. Yet, Henry is still unconvinced and recognizes that they are all biased by their personal involvement. Dalton determines he needs to sleep on his decision.Meanwhile, Demko agrees to let the US come in and take Starowalski as long as they are kept out of it. Unfortunately, they find Starowalski dead hanged. Most likely by the Russians. When riots ensue in Poland, Elizabeth proposes she go to show what NATO is for and to help stabilize the region. Publicly, Elizabeth is expansive in announcing a new military base but privately she reads Demko the riot act she tells him to get his house in order or the military base wont be the only thing going away.Russell drops by and offers Henry the new position. I really like Daly and Ivanek together as they have great chemistry and play off of each other so well. Russell is also able to confide in Henry, and it becomes clear that he harbors a lot of guilt over Junes death. I suspect we will see more of him dealing with this in the future.Finally, Elizabeth stops by to see Russian Foreign Minister Konstantin (Yasen Payeankov) and to deliver a message. It seems the audience may be ending each episode with a message meant for them too. She tells Konstantin to stop spreading rumors about the US and that she knows about the Russian involvement in Poland. They meets symbolically on the former site of the Berlin wall, and she reminds him of the dominoes that fell - the nations that fell both to build it and to bring it down. Its a really powerful metaphor. She warns him that any dominoes Russia sets in motion wont end at their doorstep and that no reckless attack will shake the USs core values.I particularly liked how we saw ramifications carry over from the first episode. I always enjoy how the show is able to really delve into real world problems in a thoughtful way. Great performance this week from Zeljko Ivanek in particular. What did you think of the episode? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! XGonfreville L'Orcher (France), October 20, 2018 (SPS) - Sahrawi Coordinator with the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) Mhamed Kheddad denounced Friday, in Gonfreville-L'Orcher, the European Unions complicity vis-a-vis Western Saharas conflict. Yes, there is a complicity of the European Union for sordid interests in Morocco and Western Sahara which helped perpetuating, so far, the conflict with all its consequences on the Sahrawi and Moroccan peoples, the Maghreb region, security and Euro-Maghreb relations, affirmed in a colloquium on Western Saharas natural resources, organized by the Association of friendship with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. For the Polisario Fronts official, everyone knows that it is the economic greed which fuel Moroccos expansionist appetite and for good reason Western Sahara possesses important economic potential. He said that the Polisario Front has been working on the recognition of our rights of sovereign people for seven years, so that the European Union abandons its illegal and immoral position vis-a-vis the Sahrawi people and to put an end to the illegal exploitation and plundering by Morocco of Western Saharas natural resources which constitutes a major obstacle to the political solution. Mhamed Kheddad underlined that the decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) confirmed the Sahrawi peoples right to preserve their interests in the natural resources of Western Sahara. These decisions complete and strengthen the resolutions of the UN Security Council and offer it the possibility of maintaining its unquestionable historic position, which is that Morocco has no sovereignty over Western Sahara and its natural resources, he said. (SPS) 062/SPS/APS Broad Street encapsulates both the strengths and vulnerability of downtown Stamford. New arrival Blackstones Steakhouse, at 101 Broad, highlights the areas appeal to new establishments looking to capitalize on the central business districts residential and commercial growth. But the closing of a Starbucks store across the street and a string of vacancies nearby show that the street, like the downtown as a whole, still grapples with idle properties. Being downtown, in the heart of Stamford, is a great location for us, said Blackstones co-owner Eddy Ahmetaj. We came here because we believe in Stamford. The approximately 8,000-square-foot Blackstones succeeds a Del Friscos Grille, which closed in June, after a nearly three-year run. It comprises Blackstones fourth steakhouse in the area, joining others in Greenwich, Norwalk and Fairfield. Blackstones is the first restaurant to open on the street since the debut last year of Italian-American restaurant Bar Zepoli, a block away, at 75 Broad. The new establishment anticipates drawing heavily from neighboring office blocks and hotels. Surrounding corporate tenants include job-search site Indeed, which employs 850 at 177 Broad and aims to grow its headcount there to 1,200 within the next few years. Across the street from the steakhouse, construction is nearly complete on a Residence Marriott hotel. Being near so many businesses is a big advantage for us, Ahmetaj said. We think were going to get a lot of lunch business from the companies here in the city. Empty storefronts The Starbucks at the library is set to close Monday after a 19-year run. Starbucks officials did not give a reason for shuttering the establishment, but the company had announced in June it would close about 150 stores in the next year as it focused on areas with lower concentrations of Starbucks outlets. Another coffee shop could succeed Starbucks, but library officials would first solicit community input and send out a request for proposals. Other vacant storefronts have dotted Broad Street for years. The demise of Wayne Steakhouse, at 5 Broad, in early 2017 exemplified the predicament of many of the independently owned businesses in recent years on the block between Washington Boulevard and Summer Street. It debuted in August 2016 in an approximately 7,000-square-foot property, but it struggled to fill its sprawling dining room. Six months after opening, it had shut down. The block intersects the thriving restaurant row on lower Summer Street and stands a few hundred yards from another bustling dining corridor, on Bedford Street. But the same section of the street has struggled to hang on to new arrivals. A Brazilian steakhouse, Rodizio Grill, closed in 2014 after a short stint at 5 Broad St. The same space briefly housed a Houlihans restaurant, which shuttered in 2009, six months after it opened. Frequent turnover has weighed down adjacent properties, too. Fifty-nine Broad St. has languished empty for more than four years. It has housed a gym, an Italian restaurant and, most recently, a post office. UConn officials considered the property as a site for student housing, but they decided to develop the universitys first dorms in the city at the corner of Main Street and Washington Boulevard. UConns main Stamford building encompasses the entire Broad Street block between Franklin Street and Washington Boulevard. Were not exploring leases or purchases of Broad Street properties at this time, said UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz. We believe our neighborhood has a lot to offer, though, and look forward to eventually welcoming new neighbors nearby at 59 Broad St., and elsewhere on the block. Next to the former Wayne Steakhouse site, several thousand square feet are vacant at the base of the Trump Parc building. That particular series of stores, across the street from UConn, continues to be a challenge, said Sandy Goldstein, president of the Stamford Downtown Special Services District. But I really do believe that the right restaurant, like a Chipotle, or that ilk, which would cater to the UConn students, would be the perfect restaurant to help enliven that block. Messages left for Stamford economic development director Thomas Madden were not returned. Reasons for optimism Despite the vacancies, a Target store and a Citibank branch remain mainstays on the block. Meanwhile, sustained runs by the neighboring Salon Shahin, Indian restaurant Coromandel and City Furniture show that independent businesses can last on the street. The continued growth of the downtown residential base also augurs well for the area. In the past year and a half, apartment openings include towers at 345 Atlantic St., (Vela on the Park) and a University of Connecticut residence hall at 900 Washington Blvd. We have some really public exciting spaces, including Mill River Park at the west end of the street, and a dynamic downtown population, said Ferguson Library President Alice Knapp. There are things can be done and more we can improve upon, but Im incredibly hopeful. pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; Twitter: @paulschott During an interview with Oz Griebel Tuesday, I jotted a question in the margin of my notes. Who does he look like? Spencer Tracys hair, I scrawled. Which character actor? I pondered in ink. After his hour-long endorsement session with the Hearst Connecticut Editorial Board, I walked into the newsroom. A colleague greeted me with Oz always reminds me of someone, and I cant figure out who it is. We concurred it was likely a character actor. The following day, I brought the issue up with two former journalists who covered Griebel when he was chairman of the states Transportation Strategy Board (TSB). They, and others, lobbed names that usually scroll by in the credits of flicks on Turner Classic Movies: Brian Dennehy, Tommy Lee Jones, Denver Pyle (without the beard), George Kennedy, Barton MacLane (the guy who played the general on I Dream of Jeannie). A tough guy not DeNiro, but the type that would be in an old movie, one former journalist said. He does always seem like the grown-up in the room. No one mentions Ozzie Nelson, the radio and TV sitcom star whose nickname was adopted by Richard Nelson Griebel. Or, for that matter, Frank Morgan, who portrayed a certain wizard. Of course, this Oz would put tolls on the Yellow Brick Road. We never came up with a satisfying answer (my choice was Robert Forster), but there was a shared sense that Griebel looks like he just walked off the silver screen of a black-and-white film. These days hes auditioning to be Connecticuts leading man. His script is pretty good. Hes a former Republican who has teamed with longtime Democrat Monte Frank to try to heal the rift between the parties as Independent candidates. All Griebel must do is defeat two guys whose red and blue lines are vivid: Republican Bob Stefanowski and Democrat Ned Lamont. For good measure, hes doing it without public financing, which is why you havent seen much of him on the small screen. His campaign is so low-key that he showed up for our meeting an hour early, when we were about to interview U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, who is a Democrat. When they crossed paths, he told Murphy he was looking forwa rd to working with him after Election Day. After an hour in Starbucks, Griebel, 69, sounded like an over-caffeinated millennial as he outlined his platform. If words counted as votes, Griebel would win in a landslide. Stefanowski responds to questions like hes being asked to surrender his wallet. Lamont reliably pauses, considering each question before sauntering into a reply. Griebel speaks so rapidly that it can be easy to overlook that he navigates through some issues without locating the subject. He is no novelty act (though a rap song supporting his candidacy is making the rounds). He boasts experience in the evergreen fields of business, education and transportation, as former head of the MetroHartford Alliance, as an ex-teacher, and as the voice of the TSB. None of these three candidates has held elected office in Hartford, but Griebel has deep relationships with many members of the General Assembly. Griebel got a boost in recent days as the latest Quinnipiac Poll cited a rise in his support to 11 percent. Its not insignificant. Republicans and Democrats havent forgotten that Malloy beat Tom Foley by about 6,400 votes in 2010, when longtime Republican Tom Marsh picked up 18,000 votes as an Independent. The plot twist is that you cant predict which candidate is most likely to lose votes to Griebel, who once identified himself as a liberal Republican. The safe bet would be Stefanowski, who tried to deflect the association in a debate Thursday (Ned and Oz are one in the same he said afterward). During an interview Thursday, Lamont circled the reason some voters could lean toward Griebel: Hes sane. I like Oz, Lamont said. He seemed to sense that could sound like an endorsement before he continued. Hes a serious guy and Im delighted hes at the debates. My problem is his solution to take money from the Rainy Day Fund. In other words, they are no longer dismissing Griebel as a bit player. I asked Griebel who hes been told he resembles. Once in a blue moon, someone will say that I remind them of Tom Brokaw, he replied Friday. Everyone else was naming character actors. Youre the only person who cited a journalist, I responded. Its certainly a far nobler calling, he wrote back. Now he sounds like a politician. John Breunig is editorial page editor of the Stamford Advocate and Greenwich Time. Jbreunig@scni.com; 203-964-2281; twitter.com/johnbreunig. Anyone who thinks money cant buy happiness doesnt know where to shop at least according to the Gertrude Stein school of thought. Stamford residents have voted for their favorite shops of all varieties: pet supply retailers like Pet Valu, fashion, for which Lord & Taylor and Mens Warehouse topped our list, hardware like Karps Ace Hardware, car dealerships, gift shops, furniture, flowers, fresh produce and more. Shopping options are practically limitless in Stamford. Heres where to start. There was a two-way tie for the best antique shop between Second Chance and The Collective, which sells vintage and antique items from a collection of dealers. What makes The Collective really special is that its a collaborative effort by exceptional dealers that have an eye towards modern interiors, said Pamela Frisoli, who owns The Collective with her partner Robert DiFalco. About Best of Stamford Stamford Advocate readers voted online for Hearst Connecticut Media Group's Best of Stamford in 2018. Votes were cast in 100 different categories - with readers choosing everything from the best bagels to the best places for a bike or run. See More Collapse Frisoli said they hope for all kinds of customers to come in, with different budgets and styles. She believes that its important to have a mix of everythingdeals that a designer would be happy to find, a homeowner would be thrilled to stumble upon or that an artist would appreciate. Its very curated these dealers have basically a small space, they bring in things that are well priced and visually interesting and they collaborate together, she said. And I think thats whats making it tick. After picking the right antiques for ones home, a second stop is best to be made at Juliska, which was voted the best gift shop along with The Paper Store. Capucine and David Gooding founded Juliska when they were first married in 2001. They began with a small collection of mouth-blown Bohemian glass and the business grew from there. Juliska is a celebration of love and the art of living well, the Goodings said in a joint statement. The goods they sell go beyond tableware, glassware, and decorative pieces, though. We are a design-led brand, working with master artisans from romantic corners of Europe to create stoneware and mouth-blown glass, the Goodings said. Our products are not just plates and glasses, they are fuel for the beautiful blaze of togetherness. And what shopping trip would be complete without a little fashion dalliance? The options are plenty in Stamford for different experiences in mens and womens wear, with consignment at places like Goodwill; at shoe boutiques like Johnston & Murphy; and Havana Jeans for denim. With more than two decades in the industry, the owners of Havana Jeans have made a career out of selling that one staple in everyones wardrobe. Named after Eli Blits home in Cuba, he and his wife Sheryl Blit opened the first Havana store in Scarsdale in 1995 selling recycled Levis. Now, they are the biggest retailer for womens jeans in Connecticut and Westchester County, carrying more than 50 brands at their locations in Stamford and Rye, New York. Morgan Hines is a freelance writer. Email her at meh2251@columbia.edu Corey Stewart's impulse to utter provocative and evidence-free slurs reached even new heights Friday night after the Republican nominee for Senate from Virginia disparaged slain Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi on CNN as a "mystery man" tied to the Muslim Brotherhood and Osama bin Laden. His remarks to Anderson Cooper trashing Khashoggi - a Virginia resident and Washington Post contributing columnist who was, according to Turkish officials, killed and dismembered this month by a team of Saudi assassins inside the Saudi Consulate in Turkey - marked his latest attempt to rally hardcore Republicans in his uphill battle against Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine. Polls show Kaine leading Stewart by as much as 20 points. "He's kind of a mystery man . . . the thing is that he's kind of a mystery guy," Stewart said of Khashoggi on Cooper's nightly show. "Well, I mean, you know, there's a lot of reports out there that he was connected to the Muslim Brotherhood, reports that he was connected to Osama bin Laden and others. I don't know if they're true." With his latest conjectures on national television, Stewart appears to be moving in lockstep with extremist Republicans and conservative commentators engaging in a whisper campaign to smear Khashoggi and insulate President Donald Trump from global rebuke. In the fallout of Khashoggi's murder, Trump has repeatedly said he does not want the journalist's death to disrupt the U.S.'s relationship with Saudi Arabia, especially the sale of billions of dollars in weapons made by American defense contractors. But instead of whispering, Stewart amplified many of these sentiments on CNN. "I think the bigger question though is, you know, does the United States jeopardize the relationship with Saudi Arabia over this one single human rights violation," he said. "I think that would be a tremendous mistake to the United States." Stewart kept calling Khashoggi a "mystery man" or "mystery guy" during the interview, but when Cooper pressed him for evidence, Stewart appeared to fumble. "Well, I mean, look, if you wanted somebody who is an expert on who he was, you know, I'm not the right guy," Stewart said. Khashoggi, who lived in northern Virginia, was a frequent critic of Saudi Arabia's regime and lived in the U.S. under self-imposed exile. He wrote opinion columns for The Washington Post, which were posted online and have been translated into Arabic. Many years ago, Khashoggi was once aligned with Islamist movements, but in recent years, he gravitated his outlook to a more secular, Western system of beliefs. He did know bin Laden in the 1980s and 1990s, but only as a journalist working a source. On Oct. 2, Khashoggi went inside the Saudi Consulate in Turkey to pick up papers for his pending marriage to a Turkish woman. But he never emerged from the building. Turkish investigators have concluded that Khashoggi was purposely killed by a group of Saudi operatives who dismembered him. According to a Post article on Friday, CIA officials have listened to an audio recording that Turkey says proves Khashoggi was cut up in pieces by a Saudi team. But the Saudi government, which finally acknowledged on Saturday that he'd been killed, offered a different story - one that is widely doubted: The kingdom said Khashoggi died during a fistfight. Five top Saudi officials were fired and 18 other Saudis were arrested as part of the kingdom's probe. Stewart said that the Saudis have been "been torturing, mutilating their citizens, as have other regimes" but it would be a mistake for the U.S. to break with that government. "It is one of America's closest allies," he said. "They have a lot of human rights abuses. But I think it would be a tremendous mistake to undermine or to rattle the Saudi regime when it is one of the few absolutely pro-American regimes in the Middle East." When asked about Stewart's comments on Saturday, Kaine ridiculed his rival. "So that makes it OK to kill him in a consulate as a journalist living in Virginia and saw his body up?" Kaine said, referencing reports that Khashoggi had been killed with a bone saw. "I mean, the attempt by some people on the right to minimize the horrific nature of this just makes me sick to my stomach. This was a Virginian, working journalist who was entitled to safe haven in a consulate. . . . What the current administration and their enablers are doing in both excusing the inexcusable but also trying to tear down the reputation of a journalist is just gonna make me work twice as hard between now and election day." Stewart's speculative commentary on CNN is just the latest example of his willingness to stoke outrage and make allegations without evidence. During his campaign against Kaine, he falsely claimed his competitor of being in league with the antifa movement and suggested, without proof, that Kaine has been accused of sexual harassment. On Saturday, Stewart appeared to double down. He attacked Kaine for his rival's comments criticizing Saudi Arabia by tweeting, "Once again Tim Kaine focuses on the concerns of a foreign 'resident' over his own Virginia citizens," Stewart wrote. "Isn't it time we had a Senator who truly cared about American citizens FIRST!" Shortly afterward, Stewart deleted the tweet. There are just 2 1/2 weeks until Election Day, and it was an election Gov. Bill Walker, an independent, looked likely to lose. Instead, on Friday, he abruptly ended his campaign and threw his support to the Democrat in the race, Mark Begich. It's a weird move that isn't fully explained by his statement that he realized he couldn't win. Walker's campaign had been behind much of this election cycle, and he suspended it so late in this election that his name will still be on the ballot. And his decision comes days after his lieutenant governor resigned over still-mysterious circumstances related to "inappropriate comments" to a woman. So what's going on? Insiders who spoke to The Washington Post aren't entirely clear, but here's a look at some significant moments that could give us clues to why Alaska's governor suspended his campaign at the last minute. - He's been one of the most vulnerable governors all election cycle: Walker is the only independent governor in the country, and unseating him has been Republicans' top priority. Meanwhile, this race was never much on Democrats' radar. (They have plenty of more likely pickup opportunities in the Lower 48.) In The Post's most recent rankings of the top 10 governorships most likely to flip in the midterm elections, Walker is No. 2 out of 10. He's unpopular, he's leading a state with high unemployment, and as The Post's David Weigel reports, as part of an effort to launch the state out of a recession, he made cuts to yearly checks sent to all Alaskans. Cutting those checks was a move one Democratic operative described as the death knell for Walker's popularity. - The Republican looked set to win: And it's possible Walker wanted to thwart that, even at the expense of his campaign. Walker has more in common with Republicans than Democrats, but Mike Dunleavy, a former state senator, is further to the right than Walker. Walker's re-election hopes against Dunleavy got even fainter when Democrat Mark Begich, a former senator and mayor of Anchorage, got into the race. Polling showed Dunleavy leading each candidate by double digits. A recent Alaska Survey Research poll found Dunleavy with 43 percent of the vote and Begich and Walker splitting the rest of it, with about 26 percent each. So it stands to reason that if you combined their two votes entirely, Begich could have enough to win. - He has a history of last-minute change-ups in his election: Though none as last-minute as this, as Walker was still in the race when nearly 2,000 absentee ballots were recently mailed out. But in 2014 he started out running as a Republican, then switched to independent, then persuaded his Democratic opponent, Byron Mallott, to join his campaign as lieutenant governor. Walker and Mallott barely won that election. - His lieutenant governor resigned days ago: On Tuesday, Mallott resigned over "inappropriate comments" to a woman. But there is little more known than that. Within hours a new lieutenant governor had been sworn in, and Walker had distanced himself from his former No. 2: "Byron recently made inappropriate comments that do not reflect the sterling level of behavior required in his role as lieutenant governor," he said in a statement. "I learned of the incident last night. Byron has taken full responsibility for his actions and has resigned." But as the Anchorage Daily News reports, it was difficult to near-impossible for Walker to fully detach himself from the lieutenant governor just three weeks before Election Day: Mallott's name is on Walker campaign materials, signs across the state and on the ballot. It's not entirely clear why Walker left, but it is clear that a number of things in the past few weeks haven't gone his way. And the state of the race gets slightly more competitive for Democrats as a result, but Republicans still have the upper hand, just as they did before Walker suddenly dropped out. My parents always hit me and every single relationship I had with men was abusive, Griggs said. I thought if I lost weight, if I went to school everything would be all right. I felt like I was the problem. It took me a long time to realize it wasnt me and it wasnt my fault. Domestic violence is a crime that affects people of all races, genders, religions and income levels. It is also a crime that often doesnt end when the victim leaves the abuser. Taking the step to leave an abuser is monumental for a victim, and leaving is when violence is likely to escalate. The reasons for staying are complicated, which is why it often takes many tries before a victim can leave. A cruel turn of events often happens after the victim has had the courage to leave the abuser: Abusers often continue to assert power over victims by using civil and criminal court systems to their advantage through threats, intimidation, and using legal maneuvers to maintain control. Legal abuse happens whenever an abuser misuses the legal system to re-victimize his or her partner. Victims quickly discover the complexities and challenges of the legal system. While the system is set up to be impartial, receiving the best representation is often based on the ability to pay for a lawyer. Since abusers often control the family finances, they are often able to obtain experienced legal representation, while the victim is self-represented or less well-represented by legal counsel. In addition, the abuser continues to assert power and control over the victim by manipulating the court system in their favor using tactics like: Refusing to agree to reasonable custody agreements or dragging out court battles. Abusers can suddenly show interest in parenting when they had not been involved with the children in the past. Abusing the right to file motions to keep the victim tied up in court and exhaust the victims financial resources with legal fees. Applying for restraining orders without the threat of violence from the victim. Refusing to comply with court orders, forcing victims to spend time and money enforcing the orders. Portraying the victim as an unfit parent and/or making false reports to Department of Children and Families (DCF). Claiming the victim abuses drugs or alcohol and using this claim against the victim. Shopping around for attorneys, thereby creating a conflict of interest for attorneys and preventing these attorneys from representing the victim. Requesting continuances to prolong proceedings and/or not showing up to court for scheduled appearances, when the victim has had to arrange child care, call out of work, or pay her attorney. Not only are these tactics costly, but they also cause additional emotional stress for the victim. In fact, according to Dr. Karin P. Huffer, a marriage and family therapist, the consequence of being abused through the legal system can cause a condition known as Legal Abuse Syndrome, a form of post traumatic stress disorder caused by the continued abuse of power, betrayal, or fraud within the legal system. What can we do to address legal abuse? First, we need to continue to raise awareness that abuse of the legal system is a powerful form of domestic abuse that enables an abuser to retain power and control over the victim. Second, better education and training about how abusers use the legal system to continue to victimize their partners must be provided to judges, lawyers, court advocates, police officers and other professionals who treat victims of domestic violence. Third, victims of domestic abuse also need advice and counsel on how to determine the best representation for themselves, including interviewing multiple lawyers, finding a lawyer who has experience in litigating domestic violence cases, and finding a lawyer who will take the time to deeply understand the full history of the victims abuse, so they can best represent the victims interests. Earlier this year, YWCA Greenwich announced the opening of the YWCA Greenwich Civil Legal Clinic. The clinic, run by two YWCA volunteers who are attorneys, is providing consultations for YWCA Greenwich domestic abuse clients who need help filling out legal paperwork; help with court documents; assistance creating financial affidavits; advice on motions that they need to file; and educational consultation advice on what to look for in a lawyer. Abuse of the legal system is another hoop that victims of domestic abuse often go through to be free of the abuser. Join YWCA Greenwich in raising awareness about this powerful form of abuse and supporting victims of domestic abuse in our community. To provide financial support for the Civil Legal Clinic and the work of YWCA Greenwich Domestic Abuse Services, donate to the Purple Purse Challenge at ywcagreenwich.org/purplepurse. All of all funds raised this month will go to support the work of YWCA Greenwich Domestic Abuse Services. If you, or someone you know, is in an abusive situation, contact YWCA Greenwich Domestic Abuse Services at 203-622-0003. All services are free and confidential. You dont have to fight abuse alone. Mary Lee A. Kiernan is president and CEO of YWCA Greenwich. F rom 1802 to the 1980s, the Isle of Dogs was one of the busiest docks in the world. Now known as the London Docklands, or Canary Wharf, the Isle of Dogs has seen quite the transformation in the past three decades. Skyscrapers, not ships, now rule the skyline and financial heavyweights roam the streets. But what was it like pre-Canary Wharf? This is what we're shown in Mike Seaborne's new book, The Isle of Dogs: Before the Big Money. Seaborne has been photographing London since 1979 and began documenting the docklands in the early '80s. In his new book, he publishes photos taken between 1982 and 1987, which show the docklands on the cusp of their huge development. "The regeneration of London's Docklands has been described as the UK's biggest social experiment of the 20th century," Seaborne writes in his book. "When I began photographing the Isle of Dogs in 1982 it was known that big changes were on the way, though their exact nature and scale was still far from clear." Seaborne describes how he 'stumbled' upon the Isle of Dogs 'by accident' and was struck by the traditional industrial nature of the area. Over the course of the five years he spent shooting around the docklands, the changes were becoming increasingly evident - with the first glimpses of the Docklands Light Railway which opened in September 1987. Mike Seaborne/Hoxton Mini Press A man suffered serious injuries after an altercation on the concourse at Waterloo station, police said. A section of the station was cordoned off following the incident at around 8.45pm on Saturday. British Transport Police said one man has been arrested on suspicion of affray and a second on suspicion of GBH. Officers had previously said they were seeking a second suspect, who he was since arrested and both men have been released under investigation. London Ambulance Service also attended the scene before taking the man to hospital for urgent treatment. A spokesman for BTP said they were called "following reports of an altercation that resulted in a 44-year-old man sustaining serious injuries. "He was taken to hospital and is currently in a serious but stable condition," officers added. "A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of affray and a 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of GBH. Both have been released under investigation." F riends of a married father-of-two left with severe brain damage after a horror crash in central London have raised more than 10,000. Adam Higgins, who is aged in his mid-20s, suffered devastating injuries after he was hit by a moped outside Blackfriars station in June. At the time witnesses spoke of their shock at the horrendous accident as an air ambulance landed and rushed him to hospital. Pedestrian Mr Higgins sustained a traumatic brain injury when he was thrown across the road during the morning rush hour. Mr Higgins has a wife and two children / GoFundMe He landed hard on his head, according to a fundraising page set up by a friend. He was in a coma for two weeks, requiring two operations on the day of the crash and further operations due to complications with his brain, swelling, fluid and a bleed on the brain. He now has a cerebral shunt in place which will remain in his brain for the rest of his life. With Mr Higgins waiting for a space to become available at a rehabilitation centre, where he will spent about nine months, it is hoped the money being raised will help pay for travel expenses and adaptations to his home before he returns. Mr Higgins was rushed to hospital after the crash on June 27 / @LuNicholls/Twitter Mr Higgins will need to have ground floor living with wheelchair access and possibly hoists, the page says. On the page, set by friend Kerry Boland, Mr Higgins is described as a very hard working man who was devoted to his family and friends. He was honest, loyal and very caring. He was always there for anyone that needed him, it adds. A woman has died after a fire thought to have been caused by a gas explosion tore through a flat in north-west London. Firefighters found the body of a woman inside a flat in Fulbeck Way, Harrow, as they searched the property this morning. A baby was among three people who had to be rescued from the first floor of the two-storey building as emergency services, including 70 firefighters, responded to the incident. London Fire Brigade (LFB) said: "The first floor partially collapsed due to the force of the explosion. Sadly, one woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Three other people including a baby were successfully evacuated from the property / Rahman Alanezi/PA "Firefighters using an aerial ladder platform and breathing apparatus rescued a man, woman, and a baby from the first floor. The woman's body was found in the flat this morning (Rahman Alanezi/PA) / Rahman Alanezi "The woman and baby were assessed at the scene and taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews." Local resident Rahman Alanezi told reporters: "Everyone was screaming that there was a baby inside and they took him out." Police and Fire Brigade personnsel are on scene. (NIGEL HOWARD A) / NIGEL HOWARD A He added that an "old lady" was missing after the blast. Around 40 people were evacuated from nearby properties as a precaution as crews tackled the blaze for several hours. The LFB said the fire had been brought under control by about 3.30am. The woman's body was found at about 4am as firefighters searched the property, the Metropolitan Police said. LFB and the Met are probing the cause of the blast and the Health and Safety Executive has been informed. T he new executive head chef behind the changing menu at Quaglinos in central London has told how the restaurant is going more vegan and vegetarian "to appeal to the customers of today". After 10 years working at some of the capitals most prestigious restaurants, Nuno Goncalves has stepped into the sought-after role of executive head chef at brasserie-style Quaglinos. Mr Goncalves, who has worked alongside renowned chefs such as Chris and Jeff Galvin and Albert Roux, says he is thrilled to work at one of the most iconic places in London. Speaking to the Standard about his plans for the restaurant, the chef said he is revising the menu to appeal to the customers of today, with more vegan and vegetarian options lined up. Asked about upcoming menu changes, Mr Goncalves said: Well still have quite a classic feel to it, what I want to do is bring a bit of innovation but really make the classic dishes shine. Nuno Goncalves has been appointed executive head chef at Quaglino's / Quaglino's I want to introduce more vegan and vegetarian options, making an effort to look after the growing food trends, as they are really on the rise as people become more health conscious. Were going to start by introducing a few of my dishes and tweaking the current menu. Then, from January, thats when you will see the biggest menu change when I will turn it on its head. Well keep the staple dishes but they will also be reinvented. I really like to take dishes and twist them using modern techniques, toning down the classic dishes and making them more modern. The new executive head chef brings with him over 10 years experience working in prestigious restaurants including Michelin-starred The Waterside Inn and Galvin at Windows. Mr Goncalves, who was born in Portugal, put his culinary skills to the test in one of the UKs most illustrious competitions, the Roux Scholarship, landing himself in the London finals. Im definitely passionate about the food I produce, he added. I want to bring that to the table. The culinary background of great chefs like the Roux brothers, Shaun Rankin and others has definitely rubbed off on me and there will some of their influences on the menu. Asked about whether he hopes to bring the restaurant its first Michelin star, Mr Goncalves said: I would like to bring the restaurant to a great level. As for the Michelin star its not the goal Im looking for right now, Im not saying its impossible but Im focusing on providing the best food with a balanced menu. If thats to come then fantastic but its not my main focus. Although Mr Goncalves, who started on September 11, will bring a new menu to the restaurant from January, the executive head chef has created all the new dishes in the Q brunch menu. The brunch dishes include wild mushroom and autumn truffle risotto, bubble and squeak, pan roast gilt head sea bream and a half or whole native lobster Thermidor. Speaking about his 10 years of experience as a chef, Mr Goncalves said: I have worked in different types of restaurants before, but the mixed background will help me bring the restaurant in the right direction and help improve its menu and offering to todays crowd. Having that mixed background you can see what different people expect when they come for a meal and at Quaglinos we get quite a mixed crowd some for the music, the venue or the food - so its having that understanding of mixed expectations. The inaugural season of the China Now Music Festival is under way in New York, presenting seven world premieres by some of the well-known Chinese composers in the 21st century. The 2018 China Now Music Festival is presented by the U.S.-China Music Institute of Bard College Conservatory of Music in collaboration with Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) in Beijing, and it is dedicated to promoting an understanding and appreciation of music from contemporary China through an annual series of concerts and academic activities, according to the institute director Jindong Cai. The festival for its debut run has as its theme "Facing the Past, Looking to the Future: Chinese Composers in the 21st Century." All concerts feature the Bard college's renowned The Orchestra Now conducted by Jindong Cai, also artistic director of the festival, and Chen Lin, a professor in CCOM's Music Conducting Department. "Western classical music is developing in China at phenomenal speed, but just as exciting is the freshness that Chinese composers bring to the Western world," said Cai. "With the China Now Music Festival as our looking glass, we hope to bring people and cultures from East and West together through music." The opening concert, at 8:00 p.m. on Friday at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York State, includes world premiere of one work by a composer from CCOM. The concert also premieres Chen Yi and Zhou Long's Humen 1839 and Ye Xiaogang's My Faraway Nanjing for cello and orchestra in the United States. The second concert, which will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday in the Lincoln Center, focuses on how Chinese composers have looked into the past. The program confronts three significant events in Chinese history: the first Opium War of 1839-42, the Nanjing Massacre of 1937, and what is now known as the "sent-down youth" movement during the Cultural Revolution of 1966-76. The Carnegie Hall concert, at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, will look to the future, with a program consisting entirely of world-premiere compositions by CCOM's composition faculty. A preconcert panel discussion was held on Saturday at the China Institute in New York City. The festival artistic director Cai and Chinese composers Zhou Long and Chen Yi shared their thoughts on the historically-minded works featured during the three day event. The festival is part of Bard's partnership with China's Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, through its five-year Chinese Music Development Initiative. D ominic Raab has said a Brexit deal must be done by the end of next month to allow new laws to be put in place in time for exit day. The Brexit secretary called on restive MPs to "hold their nerve" as "the end is in sight", adding that a deal was still possible with "goodwill and a bit of oomph" on both sides. Mrs May said she was open to the possibility of extending the transition period that kicks in after exit day by a matter of months. But Mr Raab sought to play down the proposals, saying he was "open-minded" about extending Britain's transition period, which could negate the need for a Irish border backstop, provided there was a defined "route out" for Britain. Mr Raab suggested the extension could run for three months but said the move would have to "solve" the Irish backstop issue. The Brexit secretary said he was open to the idea of prolonging Britain's transition period out of Europe by three months, in a move set to re-anger pro-Brexit MPs. / PA/BBC/Jeff Overs "If we need a bridge from the end of the implementation period to the future relationship," he told BBC One's The Andrew Marr show. "I am open minded about using a short extension of the implementation period. There must also be a route out of it so it did not run indefinitely, he said. "It could be time limited, there could be another mechanism," he told Marr. A meeting of EU leaders in December has been talked of as the final deadline for striking a deal. But Mr Raab said he believed the exit agreement needed to be done "towards the end of November" to allow time for legislation to be passed. Asked about the growing criticism of Mrs May, he replied: "We are at the end stage of the negotiation. "It is understandable that there are jitters on all sides of this debate. Theresa May addresses a press conference on the sidelines of a EU summit at the European Council in Brussels / AFP/Getty Images "We need to hold our nerve. The end is in sight in terms of a good deal, the prize we want. "I think colleagues should wait and see what that looks like. It won't be a question of a fait accompli. They will have their full say over it." He added: "Now is the time to play for the team." Brexit minister Suella Braverman said any extension to the transition period must not leave "us exposed to indefinite membership of the customs union". Mrs Braverman, a leading Tory Brexiteer, said there are "many views" about the Prime Minister's Chequers proposals for future trade relations. She told Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday: "I see Chequers as a pragmatic proposal." Mrs Braverman did not condemn anonymous Tory MPs who have told Sunday newspapers that Mrs May is in a "killing zone" and should "bring her own noose" to a meeting with backbenchers. "Colleagues are free to express themselves in the way they wish, but I am very clear that our party is stronger when it's united," she said. But Tory former minister Robert Halfon said: "I say to the people giving those quotes, this is not the way to change things." Mr Halfon said the Conservatives had a "serious image problem" and warned that voters think the party is just about austerity or Brexit. But he dismissed suggestions it was time to replace the PM. "I don't think a change of leader would particularly help, particularly in the middle of Brexit," he said. Labour, meanwhile, warned Mrs May that if she is hoping they will help pass her Brexit blueprint she can "think again". Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said there is a "real lack of confidence" that Mrs May can bring back "anything by way of a good deal". He said it was not in the national interest to back a bad deal. "What we're going to see is even if there's a deal, the Tory Party will try to rip it up next year - some of them are already saying they're going to do that - so this idea of an historic moment just before Christmas in the national interest isn't going to happen," he told Marr. B rexit plans are 95 per cent done, Theresa May will tell MPs. After a weekend of attacks within her own ranks against the Prime Ministers Brexit plan, Mrs May will insist the deal is nearly complete as she faces MPs. The anticipated talks in the Commons will come after Mrs May has had talks with EU leaders in Brussels. She will tell MPs that since last month's fractious summit in Salzburg, "important progress" has been made on issues like security, transport and services. Protocols have been developed on how Brexit will impact Gibraltar and the UK's military base in Cyprus. Mrs May will tell MPs "important progress" has been made / AFP/Getty Images "And all of this from the last three weeks alone, is in addition to the agreements we had already reached," she will say. Mrs May will tell the Commons that "taking all of this together, 95% of the withdrawal agreement and its protocols are now settled". But she will add: "As I set out last week, the original backstop proposal from the EU was one we could not accept, as it would mean creating a customs border down the Irish Sea and breaking up the integrity of the UK. "I do not believe that any UK prime minister could ever accept this. And I certainly will not." European Council President Donald Tusk and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May talk / REUTERS Furious backbenchers warned the Prime Minister she is "drinking in the last chance saloon" after tensions flared over her negotiating strategy following a Brussels summit. Senior Brexiteer Theresa Villiers criticised "disturbing" anonymous briefings to Sunday newspapers, including claims the PM was entering the "killing zone". But Brexit minister Suella Braverman said her colleagues were "free to express themselves in the way they wish" and repeatedly refused to say she would back Mrs May in a confidence vote. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said the exit agreement must be finalised by the end of next month to allow new laws to be put in place in time for exit day. Dominic Raab appears on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show / REUTERS He said the end was in sight and the deal was still possible, with a bit of goodwill and oomph on both sides. Mr Raab suggested a transition extension could run for three months, but said the move would have to "solve" the Irish backstop issue. Labour has warned Mrs May that it will not back her Brexit blueprint when it reaches the Commons. Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said there is a "real lack of confidence" that Mrs May can bring back "anything by way of a good deal". People's Vote protesters march on Parliament Square - in Pictures 1 /44 People's Vote protesters march on Parliament Square - in Pictures Some 700,000 people attended the march on the last count. EPA A boy rides a man shoulders while waving a sign that says "I want breakfast, not Brexit" REUTERS/Henry Nicholls A Cardboard model of the "may-bot" made an appearance at the huge demonstration in Parliament Square. REUTERS London Mayor Sadiq Khan led the march procession and gave a speech to the crowds. PA A vocal anti-Brexit voice, Delia Smith also spoke to the rally at Parliament Square. PA/Yui Mok The crowds filled Traflagar Square, Whitehall and Parliament square as protesters marched through central London PA/Yui Mok A young protester waves an EU flag. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Chukka Umunna, Conservative, and Caroline Lucas, Green Party on the stage at Parliament Square. PA/Yui Mok One of several adaptations of Banksy's art work "Girl with Love Balloon". REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Mayor of London Sadiq Khan delivers a speech in Parliament Square during the People's Vote March for the Future in London. EPA/Vickie Flores Conservative MP Anna Soubry gave an impassioned speech. PA The "May-Bot" did the rounds PA/Yui Mok A model of the Palace of Westminster clock tower being lifted by EU balloons PA/Yui Mok One adaptations of Banksy's recent art auction stunt depicted the Vote Leave symbol being shredded in a picture frame.. PA/Yui Mok Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March PA Over 500,000 peoples have attended the People's Vote for the Future march. EPA/Vickie Flores A campaigner holds a placard likening Brexit to Britain shooting itself in the foot. Reuters/Simon Dawson A placard depicting politicians calls Brexit an "Eton Mess". EPA/Vickie Flores A British-European hybrid flag is raised at the march. EPA/Vickie Flores "A pack of lies, a pack of jokers," says another placard. EPA/Vickie Flores The unprecedented crowds are expected to far-outnumber the previous People's Vote in July. EPA/Vickie Flores "I love EU", and "Lets stay together" are some of the more positive placards. Reuters/Simon Dauson An anti-Brexit campaigner dressed as Theresa May waves European Union flags PA/Yui Mok An anti-Brexit campaigner with her face painted in the colours of the European Union flag takes part in the People's Vote March for the Future PA/Yui Mok The crowds filled London's streets for the People's Vote march. PA/Yui Mok A protester participating in the huge demonstration. Reuters/Simon Dawson Demonstrators hold placards and European Union flags AFP/Getty Images Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty/Niklas Helle'n Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (C) joins demonstrators as they take part in a march AFP/Getty/Niklas Helle'n Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march. AFP/Getty/Niklas Helle'n "Never gonna give EU up", says one placard, in a tribute to singer Rick Astley AFP/Getty/Niklas Helle'n The march was led by young people who said they wanted another vote to secure their future. PA Demonstrators arrive for the 'People's Vote March for the Future,' in central London. EPA/Vickie Flores Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a People's Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. EPA/Vickie Flores A demonstrator wears a teddy bear, who himself waves an EU flag at the march in central London. EPA A man with an EU tattoo on his arm holds a sign saying avoiding Brexit will "save the UK". EPA An anti-Brexit campaigner holds a placard in Hyde Park, London. PA A sign depicting key Brexit proponents, Boris Johnson MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg MP and Nigel Farage - calling them the "Three Wrexiteers". REUTERS Campaigners from Another Europe is Possible lowered a banner off Westminster Bridge before taking part in the People's Vote march today. PA/Jess Hurd/AEIP A protester arranges a figure resembling former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, in a cage. Reuters/Simon Dawson Protesters gather and prepare their plaques before they take to the streets calling for a second referendum on the government's final deal for Brexit. Reuters/Simon Dawson A protester wears badges pinned on jeans before an anti-Brexit demonstration, Reuters/Simon Dawson A protester wears a beret as they prepare to march from Park Lane to Parliament Square in London. Reuters/Simon Dawson Protesters say its right the public should have a second say on Brexit, while supporters from Leave Means Leave have said a second vote would "undermine democracy". Reuters/Simon Dawson Mrs May's announcement will also come after approximately 700,000 people marched in central London over the weekend calling for a second referendum. M eghan Markle's father Thomas has said hearing his daughter's baby news on the radio instantly brought back memories of holding her as a newborn. The Duchess of Sussex's estranged father heard the news of her pregnancy when a newsflash broke on his favourite show on California's KABC Talk Radio. The 74-year-old told of his "overwhelming" reaction to the news in an interview with the Mail on Sunday. "The first thing I thought about was holding Meghan in my arms as a newborn 37 years ago," he said. "I thought, 'My baby is having a baby. It was a very proud moment." Meghan Markle wearing Princess Diana's bracelet on the first day in Sydney / AFP/Getty Images He added: "When they handed her to me and I held her in my arms for the first time it was love at first sight. She was the most beautiful baby. Meghan winked at me and I fell in love and have never stopped loving her from that day forward." The father regaled how Meghan was born in the early hours of August 4, 1981, at Canoga Park hospital in suburban Los Angeles, and said meeting her for the first time was "love at first sight". He has reportedly not seen his daughter since she married Prince Harry in May, but wants to play a role in his grandchild's life. He was reportedly told the news shortly before the rest of the world by his ex-wife, Meghan's mother Doria Ragland. Harry and Meghan's royal Pacific tour: Day five highlights In a statement released by Kensington Palace on Monday, Ms Ragland said she was "very happy about this lovely news" and "looks forward to welcoming her first grandchild". According to the Mail he has written a letter to his daughter, saying she would "make a great mother" because - despite their recent "difficulties" - he believed she remained "a very loving and compassionate woman". Two years ago, Meghan paid a touching tribute to her dad in a public post on Father's Day. She wrote: "Happy Father's Day, daddy. I'm still your buckaroo and to this day your hugs are still the very best in the whole wide world. P roud parents Pippa Middleton and James Matthews have been seen for the first time on an outing with their newborn son. New father James, 43, was pictured pushing their six-day-old infant son in a pram as they headed for a stroll near their west London home on Sunday. The couple brought also their two dogs, a Labrador and a Cocker Spaniel, on the family outing in Chelsea, according to the MailOnline. Pippa gave birth to the baby boy last Monday at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, Paddington. He was born weighing 8lbs and 15oz. Bride Pippa Middleton and groom James Matthews arrive for wedding 1 /17 Bride Pippa Middleton and groom James Matthews arrive for wedding Newlyweds: Pippa Middleton and James Matthews kiss as husband and wife. REUTERS Kate with the bridesmaids and pageboys as they wait for sister Pippa. Getty Images Mother and daughter: Kate and Princess Charlotte. Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images Royal wave: Prince George as he leaves the wedding of his aunt. REUTERS Kiss: Husband and wife Pippa and James. REUTERS Duchess: Kate walks with the children as she tells them to be quiet. Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images Arrival: Pippa Middleton arrives with her father Michael Middleton for her wedding to James Matthews at St Mark's Church in Englefield. AP Vintage: Father and daughter arrive in a 1951 Jaguar Mk V car, for her wedding to James Matthews. AFP/Getty Images Duchess of Cambridge: Kate arrives with the pageboys and flower girls for the wedding of sister Pippa. AP Beaming: A veiled Pippa arrives at the church. AP Expectation: Kate and the children wait for bride Pippa. AFP/Getty Images Children: Kate waits for the bride. AP Special day: Shortly before entering the church. AP Entrance: Pippa Middleton arrives with her father Michael Middleton shortly after 11.15am for her wedding. AP Father of the bride: Michael and daughter Pippa. AP Entrance: Kate tends to sister Pippa's wedding dress train. AP Stunning: Beaming bride Pippa wore a dress by British designer Giles Deacon. AP Everyone is delighted and Mother and baby are doing well," said a spokesman for Pippa. She said: "James and Pippa have had a baby boy. "He was born Monday 15th October at 1.58pm, weighing 8lb and 9oz. Everyone is delighted and mother and baby are doing well." The new parents married in May 2017 and announced that they were expecting in June 2018. Pippa, 35, is the younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate, who married Prince William in 2011. She was her elder sister's maid of honour during her wedding. As well as being in the limelight due to her sister, Pippa has regularly contributed to magazines and newspapers as a columnist. She was seen going into hospital on Monday at around 10.30am. The birth of her child came just hours after Prince Harry, her sister's brother-in-law, and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, announced news they are expecting a child in spring 2019. Kensington Palace said in a statement: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are thrilled for Pippa and James." A n Isle of Wight ferry has run aground during thick fog and crashed into at least two yachts at Cowes Harbour. The Red Falcon hit the boats while trying to berth in the harbour at around 8am on Sunday, the UK coastguard said. The boat, which was travelling from Southampton, came to a hard stop around 50 metres from the shore at East Cowes, according to the Island Echo. Search and rescue lifeboats were launched after a member of the public called 999 reporting that he had heard cries for help within the harbour. Nobody is in the water or missing, the Maritime and Coastguard agency said in an update. The ferry ran aground during thick fog / Twitter/adi imsirovic A spokesman for Red Funnel said the ferry came into contact with "several" small yachts. Visibility conditions have hampered a search by crews from Cowes RNLI lifeboat, Calshot RNLI lifeboats and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Bembridge, Needles and Ventnor. All 56 onboard the ferry are safe and well, the coastguard said. Pictures shared by locals online showed the ferry being towed into East Cowes. The Maritime and Coastguard agency said in a statement: "Just after 8am today HM Coastguard received reports that the Red Falcon Ferry had collided with at least two yachts whilst trying to berth at the entrance of Cowes Harbour during heavy fog. "At around the same time we received a 999 call from a member of the public reporting that hed heard cries for help within Cowes Harbour." People are seen near the Red Falcon / REUTERS It added: "HM Coastguard can confirm that nobody is in the water or missing in Cowes Harbour. We made contact with person who was heard crying for help and he is safe and well. He was onboard his own vessel and calling out to try and alert the master of the ferry. "The Red Falcon ferry, with assistance of tugs, has been refloated and is now in the process of going alongside in EastCowes where MCA surveyors will make an assessment. All passengers remain safe and well and will disembark when the vessel is safely alongside." A spokesman for the ferry company Red Funnel said: "The 0700 vehicle ferry sailing from Southampton to East Cowes came into contact with several small yachts whilst entering Cowes Harbour at 0800 this morning in dense fog. "The ship (Red Falcon) is currently aground but is watertight and no injuries have been sustained to any of the 40 passengers on board." The spokesman added: "Attempts to refloat the vessel are currently under way on a falling tide. If this proves unsuccessful, a further attempt will be made at the next high tide. The Defence Secretary blamed Russia for endangering the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which was agreed by the US and Soviet Union in 1987, and called on the Kremlin to "get its house in order". The INF was signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev and prohibits the nations from possessing, producing or test-firing ground-launched cruise missiles with a range between 300 and 3,400 miles. Mr Trump accused Moscow of violating the treaty "for many years" and warned that unless Russia and China, which is not a signatory of the INF, cease developing or possessing the weapons then the US will restart its own programme.# Donald Trump announced he would pull out of a nuclear weapons pact with Russia / AP Russia has been accused of developing new missiles in contravention of the INF several times in recent years. Mr Williamson accused Russia of breaking the agreement, saying Moscow had made a "mockery" of the INF. "Our close and long-term ally of course is the United States and we will be absolutely resolute with the United States in hammering home a clear message that Russia needs to respect the treaty obligation that it signed," he told the Financial Times. The Defence Secretary is in the US while the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Elizabeth visits New York. "We of course want to see this treaty continue to stand but it does require two parties to be committed to it and at the moment you have one party that is ignoring it," Mr Williamson said. "It is Russia that is in breach and it is Russia that needs to get its house in order." Mr Trump did not detail any recent violations of the pact, although in 2017 White House national security officials said Russia had deployed a cruise missile in violation of the treaty. The Kremlin was also accused of breaking the agreement by former president Barack Obama's administration. "We're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to," Mr Trump said after a rally in Nevada. "We'll have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say let's really get smart and let's none of us develop those weapons, but if Russia's doing it and if China's doing it, and we're adhering to the agreement, that's unacceptable." Mr Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, is due to meet with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin security council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev on a visit to Moscow over the weekend. The meeting is billed as a continuation of discussions that began when the leaders met in Helsinki in July. A n "Arctic blast" is set to hit Britain this week as the Met Office warns of "bitterly cold" mornings and snow in some areas. Forecasters have warned that temperatures are set to plummet across the UK after highs of up to 20C on Sunday. The first signs of frost are set to appear in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England tomorrow morning, with a week of cold mornings and some "erratic" weather ahead. But even as much of the UK remains dry an "Arctic blast" will ramp up on Wednesday, bringing rural frost, icy gales and the risk of snow farther north. London and the south east can expect highs of 12C on Monday after glorious sunshine today. Chilly weather and a "touch of mist and fog" overnight in northern areas will likely bring the first signs of grass frost as temperatures near zero on Monday. Most of the UK will see plenty of dry and sunny weather on Monday, with highs of 13C in the afternoon - while northern Scotland sees strong winds, persistent rain and even severe gales. Tuesday will be balmier with a high of 15C in Scotland and the North East of England, 15-16C in the west country around Birmingham and Worcestershire, and similarly mild in London and the southeast. And then from Wednesday the "Arctic blast" will kick in, said forecaster Matthew Box, bring rural frost and icy gales to much of the UK, and a risk of snow farther north. He told the Standard: "We will see a sheet of cloud and rain pass across England and southern parts of Scotland," in the early week, he said. "After that it will turn much clearer overnight tonight and that's going to allow temperatures to fall quite widely across the UK." Cold Weather 'Polar Vortex' arrives in London 1 /5 Cold Weather 'Polar Vortex' arrives in London People in winter coats and scarves cross Waterloo Bridge, in central London, as freezing air from Russia is to grip the UK in what is set to be the coldest late February in five years PA PA PA PA PA "High pressure centres to the west of the UK" will bring some some cloud and "erratic conditions" in the north, he added, so eastern areas will remain dry. So after highs of 16-17C in the south of England, and 10-14C elsewhere, a cold spell will ramp up from Wednesday evening through the rest of the week as temperatures dip below zero. "By late Friday and especially on Saturday we will have a cold blast of air which will bring some snow showers in the Scottish and Northern English hills," he said, suggesting that wintery showers will bring a mix of snow in higher areas and fall as rain in lowlands. "By Saturday there will widespread cold and wind and frosts," said the forecaster. "We'll see some northerly blasts, and snow over the Scottish hills and northern England. Then an Arctic blast on Friday will mean even southern England will have good sunshine, but there will be a biting cold to the air." The "northern flow" caused by a mix of high pressure to the west of the UK and low pressure to the east provides a corridor for icy winds to blow down from the Arctic, he explained, and hitting exposed areas in the north the hardest. But he was unable to satisfy claims that Britain is due weeks or even months of bitter cold from an "Arctic Vortex". Contrary to reports that Scotland will see temperatures dip to -10C, the Met Office currently expects Fort William to have night-time temperatures of around 4C later in the week. "It's too far in the future to say with any certainty if there will be a longer spell of cold weather as quoted by some," he said, preferring to characterise the longer-term weather as "changeable". The weekend will likely bring a mixture of sunny spells and showers, most likely falling as snow in the northern UK. U nited States President Donald Trump has said he is "not satisfied" with Saudi Arabia's account of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. European leaders have called the various conflicting accounts of the death "inadequate", and both the UN and EU have called for an investigation. "I'm not satisfied until we find the answer," Mr Trump said, adding that sanctions were possible but that halting an arms deal would "hurt us more than it would hurt them". Saudi Arabia has admitted the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi / AP Turkish officials believe Mr Khashoggi - a critic of the Saudi government - was murdered and his body dismembered. They have vowed to reveal all details about how he was killed in due course. Yesterday the president spoke to reporters after a rally in Nevada, filmed by MSNBC. "I'm not satisfied until we find the answer but it was a big first step," he said, referring to the kingdom's move to fire a number of high level officials. "I want to get to the answer." But he repeated his reluctance to sanction Saudi Arabia if it would threaten US arms contracts. He added: "We have 450 billion dollars, 110 of which is a military order - equipment and various things ordered. I think it's over a million jobs. That's not helpful for us to cancel an order like that. That hurts us far more than it hurts them. Turkish forensic police officers leave after gathering evidence at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul / AFP/Getty Images "There are other things that can be done including sanctions." Mr Trump had earlier said Saudi Arabia's explanation was credible, but that what had happened was "unacceptable". Barriers block the road leading to Saudi Arabia's consulate, background, in Istanbul. Turkey will "never allow a cover-up" of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, a senior official in Turkey's ruling party said yesterday. / AP He has also said it was "possible" that the powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not know about the killing. Meanwhile there have been demonstrations in the US urging the president to push for justice for the murdered journalist. Mohammad al-Otaibi fled Turkey after the alleged killing emerged and will face an investigation, according to an official government statement. Demonstrators dressed as Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US President Donald Trump pretend to kiss outside the White House in Washington DC on Friday, demanding justice for missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. / AFP/Getty Images Saudi Arabia had denied knowledge of Mr Khashoggi's whereabouts for more than two weeks and insisted he had left the building alive until they admitted he was dead on Friday. Mr Khashoggi was a Saudi national and had worked for the press locally before becoming a columnist for the Washington Post. He was an ardent critic of the Saudi government Mr Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, questioned in a tweet what had happened to his body, saying: "The heart grieves, the eye tears, and with your separation we are saddened, my dear Jamal." Turkish investigators said they have audio and video evidence which shows Mr Khashoggi was killed by a team of Saudi agents inside the consulate. Police have searched the consulate, the consul's residence, and a nearby forest, where officials believe his body may have been disposed of. Saudi authorities have said Khashoggi died in a "brawl" with Saudi officials at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2 - and said it had 18 Saudi suspects in custody. Deputy intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and Saud al-Qahtani and senior aide to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman have also been sacked over the affair. The scandal has frayed a number of international ties, as German Foreign Minister and Heiko Maas called into question the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia, and the US, UK, Netherlands, France and Australia have all backed a growing boycott of a Saudi investment summit next month. The UK Foreign Office described it as "a terrible act" and said the people behind the killing "must be held to account". T he UK, France and Germany have issued a joint statement on journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death saying there is "an urgent need for clarification" on what happened inside the Istanbul consulate. In a joint statement Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian and Germany's Heiko Maas called for "credible facts" about what happened to Mr Khashoggi. They said: "Nothing can justify this killing and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms. "Defending freedom of expression and a free press are key priorities for Germany, the United Kingdom and France. "The threatening, attacking or killing of journalists, under any circumstances, is unacceptable and of utmost concern to our three nations." The foreign ministers added: "We take note of the Saudi statement which gives their preliminary findings. "Yet there remains an urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened on October 2 - beyond the hypotheses that have been raised so far in the Saudi investigation, which need to be backed by facts to be considered credible. "We thus stress that more efforts are needed and expected towards establishing the truth in a comprehensive, transparent and credible manner. "We will ultimately make our judgement based on the credibility of the further explanation we receive about what happened and our confidence that such a shameful event cannot and will not ever be repeated. "We therefore ask for the investigation to be carried out thoroughly until responsibilities are clearly established and that there is proper accountability and due process for any crimes committed. "We will stay in close contact with our Saudi partners in that regard. "The quality and significance of the relationship we have with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also rests with the respect we have for the norms and values to which the Saudi authorities and us are jointly committed under international law." US President Donald Trump has previously said he was "not satisfied" with the Saudi account of the journalist's death. He said: "I'm not satisfied until we find the answer," adding that sanctions were possible but halting an arms deal would "hurt us more than it would hurt them". S audi Arabia's foreign minister has described the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as murder. The kingdom had initially said Mr Khashoggi left its Istanbul consulate alive when his disappearance was first reported, before later saying that the Washington Post columnist died during a fight. Mr Khashoggi has not been seen alive since he went into the consulate on October 2. In an interview with Fox News, Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia was determined to find out all the facts and to punish those who are responsible for this murder. Mr al-Jubier promised the Washington Post columnist's family those responsible would be pubished, adding: This is a terrible mistake. This is a terrible tragedy. Our condolences go out to them. We feel their pain. "Unfortunately, a huge and grave mistake was made and I assure them that those responsible will be held accountable for this. Jamal Khashoggi / PA He added that the killing of Mr Khashoggi was a "rogue operation", before saying Saudi Arabia did not know the whereabouts of the journalist's remains. The kingdom has also said 18 suspects are in custody and that intelligence officials have been fired. He added that conflicting reports of whether the journalist left for Instanbul had prompted a Saudi probe. The Minister of Foreign Affairs said Saudis will continue to put out information on the death as it becomes available. His comments came as it was reported that Mr Khashoggi's fiancee has been given 24-hour police protection. Hatice Cengiz, a Turkish national, waited for the journalist outside the Saudi consulate where he was to get papers for their planned marriage. She alerted authorities after the writer did not emerge from the building. Saudi Arabia finally admitted on Friday that its agents killed Mr Khashoggi after he entered the consulate on October 2, but denies that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman or King Salman were involved. The UK, France and Germany have issued a joint statement on journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death saying there is "an urgent need for clarification" on what happened inside the Istanbul consulate. Saudi Arabia has admitted the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi / AP In a joint statement Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian and Germany's Heiko Maas called for "credible facts" about what happened to Mr Khashoggi. He said: "I'm not satisfied until we find the answer," adding that sanctions were possible but halting an arms deal would "hurt us more than it would hurt them". Turkish officials believe Mr Khashoggi - a critic of the Saudi government - was murdered and his body dismembered. US tech giant Microsoft on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to locate its incubator project centering on virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province. Consumers check out products at Microsoft's booth at a tech fair in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily] The MoU was signed between Microsoft China and the government of the city's Honggutan New District on the sidelines of the 2018 World Conference on VR Industry being held in Nanchang. The VR/MR incubator, the first of its kind of the company, aims to usher in and nurture innovative enterprises in the fields of VR/MR, according to the district government. Teng Wen, vice president of Microsoft's greater China region, invited global VR/MR firms to join the project. He said VR/MR companies, projects, expertise and investments are congregating in China and in Jiangxi, which has launched an industrial base for VR technologies, the country's first of its kind. So far, Jiangxi has partnered with over 150 enterprises worldwide to invest 63.15 billion yuan ($9.1 billion) in VR industry and its derivative businesses including both hardware and software, and applications, according to the provincial industry and information technology commission. VR uses helmets and glasses to simulate a virtual 3D environment that resembles reality, while MR presents a world in which real and virtual objects co-exist. VR, augmented reality (AR) and MR can be widely applied in education and training, medicine, gaming, tourism and online shopping. China's VR market expanded 164 percent year on year to reach 16 billion yuan in 2017, data showed. The market is likely to exceed 90 billion yuan by 2020, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. S outh Korean women are calling for an end to expected high beauty standards by publicly destroying their make-up and cutting their hair. In a new movement, women across South Korea are rebelling against mainstream female images and denounced flawless feminine ideals, which they argue is driven by the country's deeply entrenched patriarchal society. The latest trend, dubbed the 'remove the corset' movement, has seen scores of posts on social media. Viral posts have swept across social media against expectations that beauty regimes and cosmetic surgery have become central to career progression and marriage. The movement has seen a trend of high-profile feminists take part, following the growing popularity of the #MeToo campaign in the country. Beauty YouTuber Lina Bae attracted five million views and 342,000 likes for her video "I am not pretty", where she applied false eyelashes and heavy make-up, before scrubbing her face and concluding "I am not pretty, but it is fine. Youre special the way you are. Comments on the video included: Your bare face is a terror to my eyes, lol, and your skin isnt good for women. One Instagram user also joined in the movement, sticking her middle finger up at lipstick and eyeliners, before asking: "Why did I smear these chemicals on my face?" The $20-billion "K-Beauty" industry has been accused of focusing on pristine looks with pale, soft skin and delicate pink lips. The so-called K-beauty industry, which promotes pale, soft skin and delicate pink lips, is one of the largest in the world, believed to be worth some $18-24 billion. A female newsreader made headlines earlier this year for taking the decision to wear round-rimmed glasses on air, rather than contact lenses, prompting debate about unrealistic demands over appearance. In recent months tens of thousands have also taken to the streets to demand action over a widespread alleged use of cameras being found in women's public toilets, leading to a team of 1,000 officers patrolling Seoul's public conveniences. Lee Mi-jeong told the Telegraph: There is a lot of pressure [on] young and middle-aged women to go to skin clinics to have wrinkle-free faces. But nowadays young people are starting to question why they have to care about what others think and they are starting to reject all of these pressures about appearance. China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) on Saturday expressed their will to deepen cooperation at the local level within the framework of the 16+1 (16 CEE countries and China) mechanism. Cao Jianming (L), vice chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, shakes hands with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov during their meeting in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria, on Oct. 20, 2018. At the 4th Local Leaders' Meeting of China and CEEC, Cao Jianming said that in recent years the 16+1 cooperation has achieved very good results at the local level. (Xinhua/Wang Xinran) Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sent a congratulatory letter to the 4th Local Leaders' Meeting of China and CEEC held in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, calling for enhancing cooperation at the local level between China and CEEC. At the meeting, Cao Jianming, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said that in recent years the 16+1 cooperation has achieved very good results at the local level. The 16+1 Association of Provincial Governors has adopted more than 50 regions from China and CEEC, and they have deepened their cooperation, Cao said. "When we focus our efforts on local cooperation, the results become visible to people, and I am sure that it will develop more and more in the future," Cao said. Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that this local leaders meeting was held just three months after the 7th China-CEEC Summit in Sofia and a day after the Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in Brussels, "two very important forums that trace our further cooperation." When government relations are good, local authorities become the driving force of bilateral cooperation because the development of investment is directly dependent on mayors and district governors, Borissov said. The 4th Local Leaders' Meeting, held under the motto "Global Thinking, Local Action," gathered more than 700 delegates from the 16 CEE countries and 16 Chinese provinces such as Liaoning, Hainan, Shandong, Henan, Heilongjiang, Shaanxi, Qinghai and Gansu. It held two plenary sessions including "Agriculture and Tourism" and "Industrial and Demonstrative Parks and Zones and SMEs." Delegates are expected to adopt a joint document called the Sofia Consensus. The draft of this document states that cooperation at the local level "represents an important part of the 16+1 cooperation". It says that the participants welcome continued trade growth between China and CEEC and stand ready to make an effort for a more balanced trade partnership and better trade facilitation between China and CEEC. You are here: China Environmental and ecological protection will play a bigger role in advancing poverty alleviation, according to China's environment authority. Emphasis will be placed on developing the ecological economy, particularly ecological tourism and agriculture, healthcare and elderly care, the organic food industry as well as the ecology recovery industry, said Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment Zhuang Guotai during a poverty alleviation forum. Ecological recovery will focus on returning farmland to forests and grasslands as well as on wetland protection and water treatment. To improve the livelihoods of those living under the national poverty line and to provide better infrastructure for countryside tourism, green heating systems will be introduced and water quality enhanced in an environmental revamp of village neighborhoods. On top of promoting organic farming and countryside tourism, local governments will include people in poverty-stricken areas in environmental protection undertakings to increase their incomes. 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Piled up on his desk, is a mountain of papers with the headers showing the logo of the United Nations. Every MP of Europe, every MEP and even every mayor should be forced to read this, says 27-year-old Frohnmaier, one of the youngest deputies in the Bundestag. In September 2017, he was elected to parliament on the list of the Eurosceptic party Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD). If there had not been the AfD in the German parliament, no other political force would dare to criticise this monstrous document. The document in question, is the draft text for the so-called Global Compact for Migration for UN member states. It is more or less a globalist project where all signatory states declare their will to abolish the current different categories of migrants in order to declare migration a blanket human right. The only leaders unwilling to go along are US President Donald Trump and Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orban. They have both declared that they would not sign the Global Compact. This document will enforce migration to Europe. It is open-border propaganda on steroids, says Frohnmaier. The young politician is part of a European alliance of politicians of sovereignist conservatives who have been organising the political opposition against the crazy concoction as Frohnmaier calls the final draft of the Global Compact. Indeed, if this international agreement is implemented by signatory states, it practically means an end to controlled migration and borders as we we know it. The agreement does not distinguish between refugees and migrants anymore. Thus even illegal migrants can no longer be deported. In fact, it will be the end of the very notion of an illegal migrant. Illegal border crossings will no longer be considered a crime since migration will be considered to be a human right. The draft for the Global Compact took 18 months to finalise and was approved in July by 191 UN member nations except the United States, which pulled out last year saying it was inconsistent with US immigration and refugee policies. Hungary resisted as well. This document is entirely against Hungarys security interests, said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. He described the Compact as an extreme measure, which was also biased and facilitated migration. And he added: This pact poses a threat to the world as it could inspire millions [of migrants]. Peter Szijjarto is succinct in his condemnation: Its main premise is that migration is a good and inevitable phenomenon. We consider migration a bad process, which has extremely serious security implications. Frohnmaier agrees: This document is a smoke screen. It describes migration as a pure enrichment for Europe and totally ignores any negative effects on our societies. The starting point for the Global Compact was a summit on flight and migration that took place under the aegis of the UN in September 2016, with Barack Obama issuing the invitation. In contrast to refugee policy, where there are specific global and regional (protection) conventions. The UN refugee body, the UNHCR only monitors observance, as there is no global or UN migration organisation with one set of rules for migration. The Global Compact for Migration, which essentially comprises 23 goals, claims to focus on protection, the rights and improved living and working conditions of migrants and their families. Civil society organisations in particular were successful in promoting their goals in the negotiating process. Moreover, the Compact calls for improved data management regarding international migration processes, while it envisions probing economic, environmental as well as political causes of forced migration. The Compact aims to create a global framework for managing migration, called a non-legally binding, cooperative framework to encourage international cooperation among all relevant actors on migration, acknowledging that no state can address migration alone, and upholds the sovereignty of states and their obligations under international law. But the term non-legally binding has riled critics such as Frohnmaier. For him such terms are just soft liberal poetry, a chill pill for those who do not agree with the scandalous content of the Compact. The circle of opponents is growing day by day. Austrias vice chancellor and leader of the conservative Freedom Party, Heinz Christian Strache, said in an interview with the Austrian daily Kronen Zeitung: Migration should never become a human right. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini from the anti-immigration Lega, may not be signing the controversial document either. But why do so many European and especially German lawmakers support or at least seem wholly unmoved by the Global Compact? Markus Frohnmaier suggests that it is because his European colleagues are so ill-informed: I doubt that most of the MPs especially from the mainstream parties know about the content of the document. And many of those who know at least the name of the Global Compact, might think it includes a strategy to address the causes of migration. The young German politician, who is also a member of the Committee for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Bundestag, doubts too that the Global Compact includes any positive outcomes for the migrants countries of origin. This is a deeply naive, almost religious credo of the migration lobby. The opposite will happen: the Global Contract will encourage masses of especially young people to leave their home countries because they believe they will have a better life in Europe. This will drain and not strengthen the developing economies in the countries of origin. The Inter-Governmental Conference to Adopt the Global Compact for Migration will take place in Marrakech, Morocco on the 10th and 11th of December. Most of the European states will sign the document there. The Conference will be convened under the auspices of the United Nations General Assembly, held pursuant to resolution 71/1 of 19 September 2016, entitled New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, which decided to launch a process of intergovernmental negotiations leading to the adoption of the Compact. Is this the end of borders as we know it? Frohnmaier shakes his head: The last word has not yet been spoken. The young politician is convinced that opposition to such a notion is gathering speed: More and more Europeans will vote in future for political forces rejecting the open border policy. This process is ongoing and unstoppable. And the adopted Global Compact? Frohnmaier smiles ruefully: A piece of paper. freewestmedia.com Wess Mitchell, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, the administrations top diplomat focused on Europe and Eurasia, has warned that Europes energy dependence on Russia is unacceptable for the United States. That official was addressing the Atlantic Councils Championing the Frontlines of Freedom, Erasing the Grey Zone event on October 18. According to him, the competition between the great powers has returned to become the defining geopolitical fact of our time. Through their lack of vigilance, European and American officials have allowed the growing Russian and Chinese influence in that region to sneak up on us. Western Europeans cannot continue to deepen energy dependence on the same Russia that America defends it against. Or enrich themselves from the same Iran that is building ballistic missiles that threaten Europe, the assistant secretary emphasized. Adding, It is not acceptable for US allies in central Europe to support projects like Turkstream 2 and maintain cozy energy deals that make the region more vulnerable to the very Russia that these states joined NATO to protect themselves against. Something else that was highly interesting was his mention of Belarus along with Ukraine and Georgia as allies. The assistant secretary believes that [t]he new principle is respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the allies: Ukraine, Georgia and even Belarus. Washington expects states to respect the rights of their neighbors. This makes one wonder if the Belarusian government knows it has been granted a new status. The official also mentioned Iran, which should not be allowed to sell oil to Europe because it has refused to abandon its ballistic missile program. Washington calls on our allies to follow our lead and strengthen their laws to better screen foreign investments in their countries for national security threats. So, the US laws are flawless, its allies are not viewed as equal partners because they must follow Americas lead, or, in other words, do what they are told, and its up to Washington, not the national governments and parliaments, to decide what investments they need and where that money should come from. The leaders of the Central and Eastern European states should find it awkward, being rebuked for having overlooked the foundational importance of the nation-state and national sovereignty, while allowing unfriendly China and Russia to move in. Our allies in Central Europe must not be under any illusions that these powers are their friends, Mr. Mitchell explained. Obviously, he is quite sure that the governments of these nations are unable to grasp who is their friend and who is not. They are as naive as small children. Its good that the US is right here ready to enlighten them. This highly-placed diplomat went on to explain that the United States should be seen as the protector of sovereignty, as it rejects Russias territorial aggression against its neighbor Ukraine and [rejects] Chinas predatory debt-mongering throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Unlike its rivals, America does not seek dependencies, but rather independent states that should be willing and able to share the burden of Western defense. So, here is what independence a l'americaine is like, with its friends and allies absolutely free to comply with their protectors instructions offering specific guidance about exactly how much they have to pay for defense, what investments to bring in, who to be friendly with, and how they should properly view the situation in their own region. Whatever happens in Central and Eastern Europe, everything has to revolve around the US. The United States has long had a tradition of not interfering in the details of European integration, Mr. Mitchell assured us. Of course, telling the UK PM to sue the EU and thus expedite Brexit can certainly not be seen as interfering in European integration. Suggesting to French President Macron that he take France out of the EU is another example of noninterference. The Assistant Secretary expressed confidence that the allies could beat back its competitors in Europe with a little help from their American friends. Also addressing the Atlantic Councils October 18 conference, US Special Representative for Ukraine, Kurt Volker, revealed that Washington plans to stiffen the sanctions regime against Moscow every month or two to make it more amenable over Ukraine. The new policy suggests increasing the sanctions periodically, over time. Those remarks came after Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Valdai Club in Sochi that he hoped that a government more friendly toward Russia emerges from the Ukrainian presidential election that will be held on March 31. Mr. Volker defied logic. On the one hand, he cited his estimation that the chances of their changing position now are lower then they were even a year ago." Nevertheless, the best strategy for the West is to maintain pressure on Moscow through those economic sanctions i.e., sticking to the very same measures that have proven to be useless, given that the chances of their changing position now are lower. So, the US and its allies should continue to implement a policy doomed to failure! But the ambassador states, "I think we need to keep on track. I believe that sanctions do have an impact and we see evidence of that in Russia. What an bizarre way to convince his listeners! "This is a shockingly big and important humanitarian catastrophe that no one talks about. We have over 10,000 people killed, exclaimed this official who represents a nation that has just sent Ukraine, a country notorious for the corruption in its military ranks, a shipment of lethal arms so that it can kill more of its own citizens or let the weapons systems fall into the wrong hands and be used to kill other people outside of Ukraine. The wrong hands could use those weapons against US military. With this kind of people you never know. There is no penetrating insight, no reading between the lines, no wasting time on anything like analysis, and no attempts to find the logic in anything thats said nothing like that is required. Its easy to understand highly-placed US State Department officials. You guys do what you are told, or else. And, just in case, dont forget that your best friend and closest ally overseas carries a big stick to force you to march in step. These speeches are delivered from time to time to ensure that their dear allies remember that. The Atlantic Councils podium fits the bill. Photo: @chastime SOUTH FRONT The controversy around the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi continues to develop. In summer 2018, Saudi Arabia promised the Trump administration $100 million for the stabilization of areas in Syria liberated from ISIS. Coincidentally, that money was wired to the US State Department on October 16th, just as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed in Riyadh for discussions regarding the missing journalist with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The timing of this is no coincidence, said an unnamed American official involved in Syria policy, cited by NYT. On the same day, US President Donald Trump in an interview said: Here we go again with youre guilty until proven innocent. Furthermore, ABC reported that according to an unnamed Turkish official, Mike Pompeo heard an alleged audio recording of Khashoggis murder inside the Saudi consulate. He was also reportedly given a transcript of the recordings. The State Department denied Pompeo had heard the recording, although it did not address whether he had been given a transcript. The secretary addressed this yesterday. He has not heard a tape, spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. He himself denied having heard any tape on his flight back from Istanbul. Mike Pompeo also met with Turkish President Recep Taiyyp Erdogan in an attempt to resolve the issue surrounding the disappearance and alleged killing of the journalist. It is unclear exactly what the two discussed. However, the NYT reported that after meeting with the Turkish officials Pompeo said repeatedly that the Trump administration was withholding judgment until seeing the results of the Turkish and Saudi investigations. Its reasonable to give them a handful of days to get it right, he said. He also lowered expectations that the US might punish Saudi Arabia. I do think its important that everyone keep in their mind that we have lots of important relations, financial relationships between U.S. and Saudi companies, government relationships, things that we work on all across the world, he told reporters on his plane after leaving Ankara. We just need to make sure that we are mindful of that as we approach decisions that the United States government will take when we learn all of the facts. It would be a disaster if the truth of Khashoggis murder is officially revealed, since the US would have to take action against the Kingdom. If, following the meeting, Turkey changes its rhetoric it could possibly be due to a US promise for removal of tariffs or other economic stimulus or assistance with the Kurdish issue in Syria. Brett McGurk, the United States envoy to the coalition fighting the Islamic State, dismissed the idea that Mr. Pompeos visit and the disbursement of funds were connected. The specific transfer of funds has been long in process and has nothing to do with other events or the secretarys visit, he said. However, the unnamed official cited by NYT said that the payment process had been unpredictable. Following the return of Pompeo from Saudi Arabia on October 18th, Donald Trump conceded that it certainly looks like Khashoggi is dead. He further claimed that consequences would have to be very severe. Well, itll have to be very severe, Trump told reporters. I mean, its bad, bad stuff, but well see what happens. His admittance that Khashoggi is probably dead is based on intelligence sources. Thats based on everything intelligence coming from every side, he said. Steven Mnuchin, the US Treasury secretary, also joined a growing list of business leaders and officials to pull out of the Future Investment Initiative conference next week in Riyadh. He withdrew with Trumps support. This marks a recognition within the White House of the global pressure against Saudi Arabia. US vice-president Mike Pence was also concerned regarding the possibility that Saudi Arabia had, in fact, killed Jamal. If what has been alleged occurred that is to be condemned. If a journalist lost their life at the hand of violence, that is a threat to a free and independent press around the world and there will be consequences, he was cited by the Financial Times. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that there is no reason to downgrade relations with the Kingdom if there is no clear evidence that Saudi Arabia killed Khashoggi. As far as I know the journalist who went missing used to live in the USA. He did not live in Russia. In this regard the US has a certain responsibility what else can I say here? Putin said. If someone knows what happens and there was a murder, I hope some evidence is provided. And dependent on that, we will make some decisions. On October 17th the final search for forensic evidence finished in the Saudi Arabia consulate. CNN Turk news channel reported that investigators found DNA material at one or both of the sites and now want to obtain samples from Khashoggis family to see if there is a match. Turkish officials maintain that Khashoggi was tortured and killed by a team of Saudi citizens. ABC further cited Turan Kislakci, who is a close friend of Jamal. According to him, Turkish officials told him that Khashoggi was dead. They said, We have audio on this. We know all the details about what transpired,' said Kislakci. They said, We were able to access this the first day, and we have various other evidence on this. Regarding the suspects in the investigation, a Turkish newspaper revealed pictures of Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb entering the Saudi consulate hours before Khashoggi entered it himself. Mutred is a known associate of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with numerous pictures showing them together initially published by the NYT. The Crown Prince still maintains that he had no knowledge of any plan to capture, torture or kill the journalist. Another suspect, Mashal Saad al-Bostani, a 31-year-old lieutenant of the Saudi Royal Air Forces died in a car accident on October 18th, according to Turkish Outlet Yeni Safak. Unnamed sources did not release any additional information. The details around the traffic incident in Riyadh and his role in Khashoggis disappearance are yet unclear. The Daily Hurriyet also reported that the next person who dies in a suspicious incident could be Saudi Arabias Istanbul consul Mohammad al-Otaibi. According to the outlet the Crown Prince would do anything to get rid of evidence. Yeni Safak also reported that the tape which Turkish authorities have in their possession has a clear sample of al-Otaibis voice, supposedly telling investigators to do it somewhere else outside or I will be in trouble. He was told to not speak if he wants to live when he returns to the Kingdom. southfront.org President Donald Trump has announced the decision to exit from the bedrock 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), which bans all land-based missiles carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometers, or 310 to 3,420 miles shorter- and intermediate-range missiles. It does not cover air-launched or sea-launched weapons. National Security Adviser (NSA) John R. Bolton is going to discuss the presidents decision with the Russian leadership during his upcoming visit to Moscow on Oct. 22-23. Its not a coincidence that the issue of alleged violations of the INF Treaty by Russia was put on the agenda of NATO defense ministers held on October 3-4 in Brussels. US Defense Secretary James Mattis said Moscow was in blatant violation the view largely shared by NATO partners. The very fact that the US briefed the allies on the issue was a sign that the decision had already been made by the administration to be formally acknowledged now. The Nuclear Posture Review, released in February, called for the development of ground-launched medium-range missiles. At the July summit, the NATO leaders agreed in the declaration that the most plausible assessment would be that Russia is in violation of the Treaty. But they did not say they approved the idea of deploying American missiles as a response. The missile in question is the 9M729 (NATO designation SSC-8) but the US has never said when and where it was tested to exceed the 500 kilometers limit allowed by the Treaty. The alliance urged Russia to address these concerns. It should be noted that in its turn NATO has never addressed Russias concerns over US violations, such as the use of Mk41 launchers capable of firing intermediate range cruise missiles as well as armed drones and target missiles with a range exceeding the INF-imposed limitations. The list is long enough. It is the second time the US tore up a major arms control treaty with Russia. The first one was the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (the ABM Treaty) President George W. Bush Jr. pulled the US out from in 2002. Neither the USSR nor the Russian Federation ever scrapped an arms control agreement. The ensuing development of ballistic missile defense systems have become a snag on the way to hinder further arms control efforts. Washington and Moscow have repeatedly accused each other of violations but the US decision to withdraw triggers questions. Why the proposal to negotiate a new treaty with stronger verification and compliance measures is not even on the agenda? Why new ideas on how to make the document better have not been offered for consideration by the Special Verification Commission (SVC)? Has Moscow refused to consider the possibility of adding on-site verification to the Treatys text? Is the idea of new strengthened inspection procedures not worth consideration and should be turned a blind eye on? Perhaps, its because the US does not care about violations. It wants to get rid of the treaty for other reasons. One of them is to get the advantage by deploying such missiles near Russias borders to acquire a first nuclear strike capability with the strategic arsenal intact. For instance, the US Army is working on long-range artillery rockets that can exceed the 500 km range to station them in Europe. The weapon will serve as a means of delivering intermediate range strikes. The other reason is not related to Russia or Europe. The US Nuclear Posture Review says China likely already has the largest medium and intermediate-range missile force in Asia, and probably the world. In his statement on withdrawal from the INF Treaty, President Trump said any agreement on intermediate range missiles must include China too. A military conflict between the US and China is likely. The US needs medium range missiles to strike its mainland. And its not China only. As Eric Sayers, a CSIS expert, put it Deploying conventionally-armed ground-launched intermediate-range missiles may be key to reasserting US military superiority in East Asia. What will the withdrawal lead to? The INF Treaty is fundamental to European security. NATO will be divided over the issue with few nations ready to host the weapons, except Poland and the Baltic States happy to get the American military presence they have been longing for. This could lead to another rift among the allies at a time when that relationship is at a nadir because of trade wars and the rift over the Iran deal. Many Europeans still remember the 1983 protests to prevent the deployment of Americas missiles on national territories. They know well that an intermediate ground-based missile Russia will be free to deploy without the restrictions in place is not a threat to the continental USA while the countries of Old Continent will become a target. The INF Treaty will cease to be effective in six months after the US withdrawal, which is still to be made official. Europe should not sit idle watching the US leaving the Treaty. There is still some time left to press the US into thinking twice about the consequences. The INF Treaty is not the only one teetering on the brink. The New Start Treaty, the remaining pillar of arms control, has a slim chance to survive. The Russian TASS news agency has just reported the US is unlikely to extend it and there are no talks on another agreement to take its place. Russia (the Soviet Union) and the US have always had an arms control treaty in effect since the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was concluded in 1963. Ever since the first Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) Treaty was signed 1972, there have been negotiated constraints on nuclear arsenals. It may all change in 2021 when the New START expires, if not extended till 2026, to trigger an unfettered arms race. The entire system of arms control will unravel as a result of US withdrawal from the INF Treaty. Finally, nearly three weeks after what most of the world suspected to be a foul murder, the Saudi regime has officially admitted that Jamal Khashoggi was killed in its consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. No sooner had the Saudis issued their latest lie to cover up previous lies, US President Trump was lending White House prestige to the travesty. Trump said the belated Saudi version of what happened was credible. He also welcomed as good first steps the Saudi arrest of 18 individuals and sacking of several top officials. The Saudi explanation of Khashoggis death stretches credulity to snapping point. They are saying he was killed after a fist-fight broke out in the consulate. The Saudis are also claiming the de facto ruler of the kingdom, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), did not know anything about the murder, its planning or aftermath. Recall that MbS asserted in an interview with Bloomberg on October 5 that Khashoggi had walked out of the consulate the same day he arrived. Now the Crown Prince has been appointed by his father, aging King Salman, to head up a committee to oversee an overhaul of the royal courts intelligence organization. The former deputy head of intelligence, Ahmed al-Assiri, is one of those senior aides who has been sacked and set to take the rap. In other words, the heir to the throne, MbS, is being absolved of any responsibility in the scandal. The sacked aides and arrested men, who are believed to include the 15-member team that went to Istanbul to intercept Khashoggi, are being made the scapegoats. It is customary Saudi treachery at work. There is simply no way that a 15-member team that included top bodyguards of the Crown Prince could have carried out the Khashoggi abduction and killing without the monarchs knowledge and sanction. US intelligence intercepts have claimed to show that MbS was indeed involved in the planning of Khashoggis doom. It is simply preposterous that the 15-member hit squad went rogue and carried out a murder on their own initiative. But President Trump and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appear to be coordinating with the House of Saud to project an alibi for the 33-year-old future king. It was Trump who floated the idea last week of rogue killers being the culprits. Pompeo then flew to Riyadh where he held chummy photo-ops with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and King Salman. The top US diplomat ludicrously commended the Saudi commitment to a transparent investigation into what happened in Istanbul. Now that the Saudis have finally admitted the killing, while denying the Crown Princes involvement, Trump is saying that such a patent lie is credible. Whats more, the treachery in the House of Saud will likely involve the killing of the scapegoats to ensure they never talk about the plot against Khashoggi. One of the 15-man hit squad has already been killed in a suspicious car accident in Riyadh last week. Mashal Saad al Bostani (31) was a Saudi Royal Air Force lieutenant who was identified by Turkish intelligence as being among the group that lay in wait at the consulate for Khashoggi. Turkish media have speculated that the House of Saud has begun destroying evidence and potential witnesses. Watch, in particular, the fate of the former Consul General in Istanbul, Mohammed al Otaibi. The notion, according to the Saudis, that a fight broke out in the consulate leading to Khashoggis death does not tally with reports that the 15-man team was equipped with a bone saw. Turkish intelligence sources also say they have audio tapes showing Khashoggi was immediately assaulted on entering the consulate, then tortured by having his fingers cut off, before finally being decapitated and his body dismembered. If the Saudi explanation is considered, then where is Khashoggis remains? If his death was somehow an accident, then the Saudis should be able to present his corpse. But they wont because the far more credible account is that Khashoggis remains would testify to torture and mutilation. Lets also bear in mind the routine nature of treachery in the House of Saud, especially under the new Crown Prince. When he was made heir to the throne in 2017, the then incumbent Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef was unceremoniously sidelined. It was a power grab that broke Saudi succession rules. Video footage at the time showed MbS feigning an act of humility and contrition to the ousted Bin Nayef, his older cousin. MbS was seen bending down to kiss the leg of the hapless former Crown Prince, in what appeared to be a show of magnanimity. Within weeks of the ouster, it was then reported that Bin Nayef had been placed under continual house arrest by MbS with armed guards. The move was to ensure there would not be a counter-coup. Next the new Crown Prince ordered the round-up and detention of several other senior House of Saud figures. Some of them were reportedly tortured and extorted for billions of dollars to buy their release. MbSs penchant for abduction then went overseas when he ordered the kidnapping of Lebanese Prime Minister Said Hariri. Hariri was reportedly slapped around while in detention in Riyadh before being forced to announce his resignation in a bizarre TV interview. An intervention by French President Emmanuel Macron, who was friendly with MbS, managed to secure Hariris release, and he reversed his resignation on returning to Lebanon. These are just some examples of the Saudi Crown Princes nature as a psychopathic tyrant who thinks he can act with impunity. The image of a reformist monarch had been built up by the Western media and leaders like Macron and Trump. But that image is totally at odds with reality, as the Western media are slowly being forced now to admit after the barbarous killing of Khashoggi. US media and many Republican and Democrat lawmakers in Congress are skeptical about the latest Saudi explanation for the death of Khashoggi. Other Western governments seem also to be adopting a tougher line, with Britain, France and Germany withdrawing diplomatic contacts. Trump also lately said there will be severe consequences after the Saudis admitted Khashoggis death in their consulate. But the lucrative multi-billion arms trade is off-limits for Trump if any sanctions are imposed. The White Houses solemn rhetoric is belied, however, by Trumps willingness to dignify the absurd Saudi response as credible. The whitewashing of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman the undoubted author of Khashoggis execution is being given crucial gloss from the Trump administration. Apart from the lucrative arms trade and Trumps own personal enrichment from years of doing property business with the House of Saud, the other vital interest for the US is its reliance on the Saudis for the coming war with Iran. Trump said so himself when he tried to excuse not imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia by saying the country was an important counter to Iran. In the next few weeks, the Trump administration is set to impose a global oil embargo on Iranian exports of crude. For the economic war to succeed, Washington needs the Saudis to ramp up oil supply in order to replace the anticipated Iranian shortfall and to prevent world market prices from soaring. The imperative of US aggression towards Iran by Trump means that he has to, by sheer necessity, shore up the House of Saud. That means spinning a cover-up to absolve the Crown Prince. But such is the damning evidence against MbS over Khashoggis murder, the Trump media charade on behalf of the Saudis may prove to fall apart. For the sake of peace in the Middle East, we might hope so too. In September 2018 the U.S. Air Force released their study of using warrant officer ranks for career pilots as part of a solution to the growing pilot shortage. The Air Force study concluded that the Army use of warrant officers for men and women who prefer to be career pilots (mainly of helicopters) would not work but having officer pilots specializing in flying who could advance up to the rank of colonel (O-6) might. Actually, there was no agreement on what might work but Air Force leadership agreed something had to be done, many departing pilots just wanted to fly and current Air Force leaders do not like the idea of warrant officer pilots even though it works fine for the Army. The study quoted departing pilots listing why they were leaving (lack of opportunity to fly) and why they would stay (belonging to a combat squadron full time and concentrating on flying). The Air Force continued to see the problem as one of money and pilots spending too much time away from their home base on foreign deployments. The study missed the point. The departing pilots were not concerned about rank and were willing to accept the relatively rank-less commercial pilot jobs where pay depended on experience and the number of different skills (different types of aircraft) you were qualified to fly. Departing Air Force pilots wanted that sort of thing in the military. The Air Force could easily adopt a similar system while retaining current ranks. You have pilots holding ranks O-1 (2nd lieutenant) to O-4 (major) but with some symbol to indicate these are flight officers and have them eligible for additional pay (as is not the case with current flat rate flight and combat pay) for skills. Since squadrons are commanded by O-4s or O-5s you would have no problems with these flight command officers having to deal with O-5s and O-6s under their command. Flight officers with leadership skills could leave the squadron duty for higher rank (and fly a lot less and lose some of the valuable skills flight officers got paid for). The Air force has to be flexible in this area but the main thing is to follow the commercial pilot and airliner solution of paying for skills, not rank. This is largely what the Army warrant officer system is. There are four warrant ranks roughly equal in pay to the commissioned officer ranks O-1 to O-4. On top of that there is flight and other special pay and the guarantee that you will spend most of your time flying and belonging to an army aviation unit. That is what most of the departing pilots want to do; fly a lot and belong to a squadron that does it well because they get lots of practice. Meanwhile, the Air Force has other flight officer problems which it has been forced to solve by returning to older (but long discarded) solutions. In mid-2017 the Air Force graduated its first female enlisted UAV pilot. What was notable about this was not that this sergeant was a woman but that she was one of the few sergeants the Air Force had reluctantly allowed to apply for UAV pilot school. The first three Air Force sergeants graduated from the 34 week enlisted UAV pilot course in May 2017. The enlisted course is longer than the six month one most officers take because the Air Force insists that all UAV operators must be able to pilot a manned aircraft. This is taken care of by sending most enlisted (and some officers who are not pilots) to flight school where must qualify (as pilots) on a single engine propeller driven trainer aircraft. This is done in order to learn basic flight skills in the air. The Air Force expects sergeants proceeding to UAV operator school to suffer the same attrition (fail) rate (15 percent) as officer trainees. This has been the experience of other services and nations that allow NCOs to pilot large UAVs. The U.S. Air Force NCOs (sergeants) get flight pay, like officers do, for piloting UAVs and that is now justified because operating a UAV, especially an armed one, is a lot more intense and stressful that piloting most manned military aircraft. Originally the Air Force agreed to give their UAV pilots (back then all pilots transferred from fighter, bomber or transport squadrons) flight pay while operating UAVs to maintain morale. Initially the sergeant pilots will not be operating armed UAVs but just the ones that carry out surveillance and reconnaissance. For the moment this means UAVS as large as the RQ-4 Global Hawk, which is the size of a small airliner. Thus all RQ-4 pilots must qualify to operate an aircraft in commercial airspace in all weather. To help with that the NCO pilots are drawn from the ranks of Air Force enlisted personnel who regularly fly as crew on aircraft (loadmasters, flight engineers or electronic equipment specialists) or those who have experience as a UAV sensor operator (nearly all of these are sergeants). By 2020 the Air Force plans to have about a hundred sergeants piloting unarmed RQ-4 UAVs and that will comprise about half the 200 RQ-4 pilot jobs. A dozen sergeants will qualify as UAV pilots in 2017 and 30 in 2018. Beyond that theAir Force admits it is open to allowing NCO UAV pilots to operate armed UAVs and the continued shortage of officer pilots for all aircraft (manned and unmanned) is moving the situation in that direction. In 2015, after years of fierce resistance Air Force leadership finally relented and agreed to allow NCOs to be UAV operators. This decision was mainly driven by the fact they had tried everything else to obtain enough people to operate the growing UAV force and they were still unable to cope. Since 2001 the Air Force has failed to solve the problem mainly because there were not enough officers available who were capable or willing to be UAV operators. As a result the UAV operators the Air Force had (currently about 1,300) were often being overworked and many were not willing to continue as UAV operators. Many were leaving theAir Force as well because of the heavy and intense workload encountered as a UAV operator. Currently only about a quarter of those UAV pilots operate unarmed UAVs (mostly RQ-4s). The Air Force retired the last of its Predator UAVs in 2018 and from then on all the armed UAVs will be MQ-9 Predators. The MQ-9s also do a lot of unarmed surveillance missions but pilots sensor operators of armed UAVs are under the most pressure. The only way to ease the pilot shortage was to obtain a lot more operators and that could only be done if NCOs were allowed to operate UAVs. The Air Force decision did not solve the problem because the Air Force insisted that enlisted UAV pilots could not operate armed UAVs. More and more Air Force UAVs are MQ-9 Reapers, which were built to carry weapons and replace combat aircraft in some cases while also performing the traditional UAV specialties of surveillance and reconnaissance. Yet the Air Force already acknowledges that the NCO pilots could probably handle it if only because many of the NCO pilots will have had years of experience as a UAV sensor operator, literally working next to the pilot at the wall of flat screen displays, keyboards and joysticks that serves as the cockpit of a large UAV. The Air Force also tried using civilian contractors to handle the pilot shortage. By mid-2016 that was seen as counterproductive because the contractors were paid up to three times what officer operators made. The contractors were all former Air Forcepilots with experience operating these UAVs and word quickly spread that if an officer was fed up with being stuck with another tour of duty as a UAV operator they could retire (if they had at least 20 years service) or resign and apply for a contractor job. Currently contractors are handling nearly ten percent of armed UAV operator workload and the Air Force fears this will grow quickly as more current officer UAV operators deal with the overwork and general dissatisfaction with flying a UAV instead of manned aircraft and go the contractor route or the increasingly lucrative job offers from airlines. Officially the Air Force prefers this to allowing NCOs to operate armed UAVs. Unofficially the commanders of the UAV units know better and are letting their bosses know it. Until late 2015 the Air Force had hoped that higher cash bonuses would solve the problem but it didnt. The Air Force offered $35,000 a year in bonuses forAir Force pilots who volunteered or were persuaded to serve as UAV operators. The job was simply something most air force pilots did not want to do. Many in Congress expressed reluctance about just throwing money at the problem, especially when there was a proven and cheaper solution for this; allow enlisted (sergeants) airmen be used to operate UAVs and allow them to make a career out of it. The Air Force had done this before, during World War II when it was still part of the army. But that was changed during World War II and the Air Force refuses to consider going back to what worked in the past, even though it works fine for the other services and some other countries. One thing that prompted the Air Force to change its mind in 2015 was political pressure. Congress had asked the GAO (Government Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress) too look into the matter. This involved interviews with a representative sample of UAV operators and that documented how UAV operators were overworked and the Air Force was unable to get as many as it needed. This meant that existing crews had to work longer hours (60 or more a week). This caused a lot of stress. UAV operators each spend about 1,200 hours a year controlling UAVs in the air, versus 450 hours for army helicopter pilots and even less for Air Force pilots in the combat zone. The problem was that UAV operators (all of them pilots of manned aircraft) get none of the enjoyable aspects of flying (operating a jet, especially a fighter) and a lot more of the drudgery (constantly monitoring instruments and what is going on below). Operators did report that the Air Force had addressed a lot of the earlier problems (poor training, loss of career opportunities, especially promotions). The main problem was that few officer UAV operators wanted to be UAV operators. And those few who did choose it as a career were just as worn down by the grind as everyone else. By 2015 it was obvious that UAV operators were a growing segment of the pilot population. In 2013 UAV operators were nearly nine percent of all Air Force pilots, triple the percentage in 2008. The Air Force was unable to get enough manned aircraft pilots to volunteer to do a three year tour as a UAV operator and could not train non-pilot officers fast enough to be career UAV operators. UAV operators were leaving the Air Force at three times the rate of pilots of manned aircraft. Worst of all, UAV operators were not shown the same respect as pilots who go into the air aboard their aircraft. Despite the GAO study the head of the Air Force continued to insist that all UAV operators be officer pilots. But a growing number of Air Force officers became aware that a lot of Air Force NCOs could handle this job and that NCOs in the other services had long been doing just that. So in late 2015 the Air Force brass finally relented and now hundreds of Air Force NCOs will soon become UAV operators and over the next decade thousands will. Until 2015 only the army allowed enlisted troops to handle larger, and armed, UAVs. It was no secret that U.S. Air Force NCOs were eager for this kind of work and often are better at it than officers who are experienced pilots of manned aircraft. This is believed to be caused by the fact that operating a UAV is more like using a consumer-grade flight simulator game than flying an actual aircraft. The NCOs often have lots of experience with video games and get better the more they actually operate UAVs. This is especially true with the widely used U.S. Army Raven. Most of the army operators use the small (2 kg/5 pound) Raven UAV, which provides platoons, companies, and vehicle convoys with aerial reconnaissance. The Raven training only lasts 80 hours but this tiny UAV was designed for ease of use. It takes about five times longer to train operators for larger UAVs like Shadow and Predator. The Air Force points out that the largest UAVs, like the Global Hawk, can cross oceans and require a high degree of training and skill. But it's much more dangerous to fly a Raven within rifle range of enemy troops and keep the little bird alive long enough to get the video feed needed to win the battle. Many of these army Raven operators are very, very good, mainly because they have hundreds of hours experience operating their UAVs while under fire. Few Air Force UAV drivers can claim this kind of experience. Another argument in favor of NCO pilots was the fact that most special operations troops (Special Forces, SEALs and pararescue) personnel are NCOs. These troops undergo much more strenuous selection and training than pilots and are quite satisfied with being an operator all the time without any mandatory detours in the name of being well rounded. For a long time the Air Force leadership was not swayed by this, for them there is something undefinably wrong about putting NCOs in the pilots seat. Commanders closer to the action believe NCOs could do the job and that would eliminate the shortages and morale problems with officers doing it. In large part this is because of expectations. NCOs know what they are getting into and consider operating UAVs as a step up and a rational career choice. This is nothing new and the controversy over NCOs or officers being pilots began at the start of World War II, when the army Air Force (there was no separate Air Force yet) and navy both had enlisted pilots. These men were NCOs ("flying sergeants" or "flying chiefs" in the navy) selected for their flying potential and trained to be pilots. Not leaders of pilots but professional pilots of fighters, bombers, and whatnot. Officers trained as pilots would also fly but in addition they would provide the leadership for the sergeant pilots in the air and on the ground. This worked quite well and many countries continued using NCO pilots throughout the war. The officer only policy began in the United States during World War II as the Army Air Corps changed into the mighty AAF (Army Air Force, 2.4 million troops and 80,000 aircraft at its peak). Back then the capable and persuasive AAF commander general Hap Arnold insisted that all pilots be officers. Actually, he wanted them all to be college graduates as well, until it was pointed out that the pool of college graduates was too small to provide the 200,000 pilots the AAF eventually trained. But Arnold forced the issue on officers being pilots and the navy had to go along to remain competitive in recruiting. When the Air Force split off from the army in 1947, the army went back to the original concept of "flying sergeants" by making most pilots "Warrant Officers" (a sort of super NCO rank for experienced troops who are expected to spend all their time on their specialty, not being diverted into command or staff duties). Many Air Force pilots envy the army "flying Warrants" because the Warrant Officers just fly. That's what most pilots want to do; fly a helicopter or aircraft, not a desk. But a commissioned officer must take many non-flying assignments in order to become a "well-rounded officer." Many Air Force pilots don't want to be well-rounded officers, they want to fly. So a lot of them quit the Air Force and go work for an airline. But often they stay in the Air Force reserve and fly warplanes on weekends and get paid for it. This is considered an excellent arrangement for the many pilots who take this route and the Air Force has not been able to cope with this source of pilot attrition. Unlike the traditional "pilot and crew" arrangement for aircraft, larger UAVs, like the Predator and Reaper, are operated by a team. Typically each of these UAVs is attended to by a pilot and one or two sensor operators (NCOs), who monitor what the cameras and other sensors are picking up. Because a Predator is often in the air for 24 hours at a time, and is often flying over an active battlefield and is looking real hard for specific stuff, the "crew" has to be changed every 4-6 hours to avoid fatigue. Moreover, each Predator unit might have several UAVs in the air at once. The pilots also operate the weapons for Predators carrying missiles. But most of the time Predators fly missions without using missiles. That is less the case with the larger Reapers, which are considered combat aircraft because of the large range of weapons they can carry (including smart bombs). Another aspect of the UAV pilot shortages is the fact that software is replacing a lot of pilot functions and, eventually, taking the place of human pilots. Many larger UAVs already have the ability to take off, follow a predetermined course, carry out a mission, and then land, all by itself (or "autonomously"). One can make a case for officers being in charge here but as commanders of the autonomous UAVs, not their operators. This is the ultimate solution and probably one reason why the Air Force keeps insisting that UAV pilots be officers. Flight control and pattern analysis software takes a lot of the work out of operating a UAV. The pattern analysis software can spot what is being looked for on the ground and is rapidly approaching the point where it does the job better than human observers. Thus the future was seen to be officers commanding several UAVs, each largely operated by software. Each officer would then be assisted by one or two NCOs to help deal with any situations requiring human intervention. The trouble is that sort of software is not here yet and not be for another five or ten (or more) years. In the meantime, the Air Force brass were forced to do the unthinkable and return the World War II practice of using NCOs as pilots. Alas, this worked in World War II because the NCO pilots could shoot back at the enemy and many proved quite good at it. That may have something to do with the Air Force reluctance to change but now they must and as the Army has already demonstrated NCOs can handle armed UAVs quite well and that warrant officer pilots are the pilot shortage solution the Air Force is looking for but will not adopt. That is a leadership problem, not a pilot retention problem. You are here: Travel Flash A direct flight of China's Hainan Airlines between southern Chinese city of Shenzhen and the Austrian capital Vienna was launched on Saturday, with the landing of its first aircraft here at the Vienna International Airport. Hainan Airlines signed a letter of intent for cooperation with Vienna International Airport during the Boao Forum for Asia in April this year, outlining a plan to launch a non-stop air route between Shenzhen and Vienna. The airline operates a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the new route, with two round-trip flights per week. New Zealanders are the most likely people in the world to have experienced a tech support scam, according to a new study from Microsoft. When it comes to "helpdesk" phone calls and fake pop-ups that resemble software notifications, New Zealand leads the world. However, the most frequent victims are not who you might think. Young and male New Zealanders are especially susceptible to losing money from tech support scams, thanks to a tendency towards risky behaviour and overconfidence in their technical abilities. Among the 16 nationalities surveyed for the 2018 Global Tech Support Scam Research conducted by TRG, New Zealanders reported the highest levels of exposure to tech scams, with more than three-quarters of us experiencing at least one. Globally, the average is 62 percent. Kiwis are also far more likely than other nationalities to be exposed to fake pop-up ads and windows posing as notifications from their software provider, as well as scams that redirect unsuspecting victims to websites that mimic real tech company sites in order to trick them into giving away passwords and important details. Around a fifth of New Zealanders who had encountered tech support scams were fooled into continuing with an interaction, and just six percent of those suffered direct financial losses. However, those figures dont reveal the full story. The research shows that more than a third of those who engaged with a scam ended up incurring costs as a result of spending time or money to repair their systems and ensure they werent compromised. It may come as a surprise that Millennials and males are the most likely to have experienced losses from scams, and that they are also significantly more likely to trust that companies wont try to sell them unnecessary support services. However, Microsoft New Zealands National Technology Officer, Russell Craig, says its understandable, if concerning. "The common stereotype of scam victims is that they are elderly and less experienced with computers and software, but this is a case of a little knowledge leading to overconfidence," he says. "Because computer use is skewed towards younger generations and males, who are also more likely to engage in riskier behaviours such as visiting torrent download sites, they are more likely to encounter scams. Greater exposure plus greater confidence using computers makes under 40s and men more susceptible to clever scammers." The proportion of Kiwis tricked is surprising given the high level of scepticism among those surveyed. 90 per cent of all Kiwis claim to doubt a reputable company would initiate unsolicited contact, seven per cent higher than the global average. On the other hand, New Zealands incidence of economic loss is exactly on par with the rest of the countries surveyed. Losses from scams have declined three per cent worldwide since the previous survey in 2016, which did not include New Zealand, dropping to six per cent overall. India is still the country with the most reported losses, with 14 per cent of all those who engaged with tech support scams losing money to the scammers - but this is against a whopping 22 per cent who lost out in 2016. The US has also drastically improved, from 21 per cent impacted to just six per cent within two years. By contrast, previous star performers Denmark and the UK have experienced increased loss rates. Seven per cent of Danes engaging with tech support scams lost money (up from four per cent in 2016) and the UKs results are now level with New Zealands, a marked rise from the two per cent of respondents whod suffered financial impacts in the previous survey. Globally, respondents believe that responsibility for addressing tech support scams rests mostly with consumer protection agencies, followed by law enforcement agencies and regulators. "Our core focus at Netsafe is educating New Zealanders on how to stay safe online, and that includes how to protect yourself against scams," says Martin Cocker, Netsafe chief executive. "We work closely with the Government and other agencies to help Kiwis avoid harm from unscrupulous activities and advise them of the latest scams, as we all have a role to play in keeping the web safe." Given that Windows is the operating system of choice for most of the world, its not surprising that Microsoft is by far the tech company most associated with scams. A quarter of all fake pop-ups, nearly a third (31 per cent) of all redirects to counterfeit sites and 21 per cent of all scam emails purport to come from Microsoft support teams. "We believe its our responsibility to take the lead on combating tech scams and were always working to improve security and detection of cyber threats so these never reach your computer," Craig says. "However, these results reinforce the need for all of us to be extra cautious when it comes to giving information to strangers. If in doubt, hover over a link before clicking to check the URL and remember that Microsoft tech support teams will never contact customers directly." Key Global Tech Support Scam Research takeaways: New Zealand is the country with the highest level of exposure to tech support scams, followed by Mexico, South Africa, Australia and India. Japan is the least exposed to these scams 21% of Kiwis surveyed have been tricked into continuing with an interaction 6% of those who continued have lost money directly to the scammers. Overall 38% have incurred costs due to time and money spent investigating and addressing security concerns Millennials, Generation Z (those born after 1995) and males have the highest exposure to tech support scams, although Boomers show the highest levels of unsolicited calls Millennials are the most likely age group to lose money, with 64% of Kiwi Millennials engaging with tech support scams losing money, compared with just 11% of Generation Xers Men are significantly more likely to experience financial losses from tech support scams than women - 63% of Kiwi men vs. 35% of Kiwi women Click here to view the full report: https://news.microsoft.com/en-nz/2018/10/16/new-zealand-tops-list-of-most-scammed-countries-microsoft-study/ Although cool weather is upon us, the stages in Central New York continue to bring the heat this week. Palisades Palisades is an explosive post-hardcore rock band out of New Jersey. Be ready for a show that goes all in - Palisades is known for their unrepentant aggressive metal/metalcore style. Palisades' heavy metal sound, reminiscent of We Came As Romans and the Deftones, earned them a spot in the Billboard 200 with their first full-length album, "Outcasts." Joining Palisades will be special guests Dayseeker and Savage Hands. Where: The Lost Horizon, 5863 Thompson Road, Syracuse When: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 24. How much: Advance tickets are $13. Details here. They Might Be Giants After touring around college campuses for several years, They Might Be Giants burst onto the mainstream music scene in the 1990s with a dance worthy and offbeat sound all their own. The duo, John Flansburgh and John Linnell, combine their wit and musical talents, along with inspiration ranging from President James K. Polk to the rock phenomenon known as the British Invasion, to create both critically acclaimed adult tunes and children's music. They Might Be Giants is at once curious as it is genius, slapstick as it is satirical, and altogether worth a listen. Must be 14 and older to attend this show. Where: State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 West State Street, Ithaca When: 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 25. How much: Tickets start at $25. Details here. Sophistafunk and The Big Takeover Start your weekend off in a funk - a Sophistafunk that is. Amidst national tour dates and growing international popularity, Syracuse's own Sophistafunk is stopping by Funk 'n Waffles for a one night musical celebration. Sophistafunk blends hip-hip, jam, and, of course, funk into an irresistible blend of rhythms, beats, and lyrics that will have you on the dancefloor in no time. Joining Sophistafunk will be The Big Takeover, a six-piece band that harkens back to Motown and mixes it with Jamaican pop. Must be 18 or older to attend the show. Where: Funk n' Waffles, 307-313 Clinton Street, Syracuse When: 10 p.m., Friday, Oct. 26. How much: Tickets start at $10. Details here. America Perhaps best known for their hits like, "A Horse with No Name" and "Sister Golden Hair," America highlights the quintessential 70s soft rock sound. Although originally formed among high school friends who called their band, Daze; by 1970, the group broke up and the trio Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley established America. By 1976, Dan Peek left the group, and Bunnell and Beckley continued to tour and produce as America. Their blend of smooth harmonies and mindful, introspective lyrics continue to give longtime fans and new listeners alike something to enjoy. Must be 21 or older to attend. Where: del Lago Resort Casino, 1133 State Route 414, Waterloo When: 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 26. How much: Tickets start at $35. Details here. Cigarettes After Sex Cigarettes After Sex started as a music experiment in a four-story stairwell at the University of Texas, where Greg Gonzalez, lyricist and founder of Cigarettes After Sex, was trying to capture the echoey, slightly haunted sounds produced in the space. Subsequently these stairwell experiments turned into ambient pop music that would be featured on the 2012 EP, "I." After relocating to Brooklyn, Gonzalez recruited several collaborators to help him create laid-back, dreamy electronic music. Cigarettes After Sex released their eponymous first full-length album in 2017. Must be 18 or older to attend. Where: The Haunt, 702 Willow Ave., Ithaca When: 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 27. How much: Tickets are $20. Details here. Upstate NY 2-Week Concert Guide Hannah Cornelius (en la foto) fue violada, apunalada y estrangulada hasta morir en Stellenbosch, Sudafrica, despues de que ella y su amiga Cheslin Marsh fueron secuestradas por cuatro hombres, un tribunal ha escuchado La hija de los magistrados, Hannah, estaba atrapada entre dos de los cuatro hombres en el asiento trasero del VW Golf que su abuela le habia regalado como regalo de cumpleanos. Luego salieron de la ciudad de Stellenbosch, que es una productora de vinos de lujo, cerca de Ciudad del Cabo, en el auto de Hannah, que luego se detuvo y llevaron al Sr. Marsh a los arbustos. Tres hombres lo obligaron a recostar su cabeza en una roca en el suelo y luego golpearon su craneo con ladrillos de la casa hasta que pensaron que estaba muerto y luego dejaron su cuerpo empapado en sangre. Hannah fue descrita como una "estudiante brillante" y la hija del magistrado Willem Cornelius y la abogada esposa Anna, de 56 anos, se tragaron tragicamente 10 meses despues de su asesinato. La victima Hannah era una estudiante directa de A y estaba en su segundo ano en la Universidad de Stellenbosch estudiando una licenciatura en Humanidades cuando fue violada en grupo y asesinada. Cuatro hombres, Vernon Witbooi, 33, Geraldo Parsons, 27, Nashville Julius, 29, y Eben Van Nieberk, 28, enfrentan una serie de cargos que incluyen asesinato, secuestro, robo y violacion. El afligido companero de estudios Cheslin Marsh rompio a llorar repetidamente mientras contaba como fueron secuestrados y lo encerraron en el maletero mientras Hannah estaba dentro del auto. Dijo que habian salido a tomar unas copas y un baile y dijo que iba a usar su patineta para llegar a casa, pero Hannah insistio en conducirlo en caso de que le robaran. Tres hombres hicieron que Marsh (en la foto despues) pusiera su cabeza en una roca y luego golpeara su craneo con ladrillos de la casa hasta que pensaron que estaba muerto. Los asesinos y la roca que usaron para matarla. Concerns have been raised about the absence of a centralised and standardised welfare system within the University, prompted by figures obtained this week which indicate varying rates of intermission across the Cambridge colleges. Over 500 Cambridge students have intermitted over the last three years, with at least one student intermitting annually from each undergraduate college. This averages at around 1.5 per cent of undergraduates over this period. Yet, according to the recently- founded Cambridge Speaks Its Mind Campaign, the welfare system is failing many Cambridge students. The campaign organisers told The Cambridge Student: What is clear from the current system is that it is not working, and that students deserve better We simply cannot tolerate a system which allows so many students to suffer such avoidable misery. The process of disregarding terms, commonly known as intermitting, allows students deemed too ill to continue their studies to take some time out of their degree usually a whole academic year and return at a later date. Previously called degrading, it is not to be confused with rustication, the process by which a student is sent down by the Universitys Court of Discipline as a punitive measure. Data collated by the Student Statistics Office (SSO) shows how widely intermission rates differ between colleges. In 2012/13, the percentage of the student body intermitting at each college ranged from 0.29 per cent (Trinity) to 3.7 per cent (Girton), with a mean of 1.6 per cent. This meant that a student at Girton was more than twice as likely to intermit as a student at, for instance, Kings, and 12 times as likely to intermit as a student at Trinity. Some colleges have consistently low rates of students intermitting: Churchill, Selwyn, St Catharines and Trinity all average at less than 1 per cent over the last three years. In contrast, Girton and Downing have averaged at over 2 per cent of students intermitting annually since 2010, and the number of students intermitting has increased year on year. Geraldine Dufour, the Head of Counselling at the University Counselling Service, informed TCS, Intermitting can be a very difficult time for students. As a collegiate university, the University of Cambridge provides both centralised support for instance through the UCS and through the Disability Resource Centre, as well as college specific support through a variety of roles such as tutors, college nurses, chaplains and other specialist staffIntermitting is first and foremost a college matter. According to Cambridge Speaks Its Mind, one of the major problems of Cambridges welfare system is that it is still focussed, first and foremost, on academic achievement rather than personal wellbeing. This of course flies in the face of the common-sense conclusion that if students are happy and healthy they will do well and this need not be a first We feel that there should be a minimum reasonable standard of training for all those involved in college and departmental welfare What we need are more compassionate and student focussed regulations on intermission, which are transparent and apply equally to all colleges the disparity in provision and attitudes is a problem here. In 2011/12, a petition was initiated by the Degrading is Degrading (DiD) Campaign part of the Disabled Students Campaign that aimed to remove the requirement for intermitting students to reside outside of Cambridge, to establish university-wide regulations reducing the disparities between colleges in this process, and to rename the process then known officially as degrading to something with less negative connotations. It received 1681 signatures. As a result of this petition, the system was renamed in the Statutes and Ordinances of the University, from degrading to disregarding terms. Less evident is the unification of college welfare policies into a standard policy for the University. It is claimed that flexibility is needed to account for intrinsic differences between colleges (including size, location and the availability of sustained support). Esther Leighton, who was previously a Disabled Students Officer for the University involved with the campaign, told TCS: The DiD campaign had some huge successes, but there is still a phenomenal amount to do The name change was a symptom of a problem with the system, and while the name has changed and some aspects of the system have, more should be done to improve the experience of intermitted students. Helen Hoogewerf-McComb, CUSU Welfare & Rights Officer, said to TCS: For many students, intermitting is a productive step which allows them to graduate with a degree that represents their ability, not their circumstances. It is vital that students who are considering this option are provided with the information and support necessary to make their own decisions, and face as few barriers as possible that might prevent them from taking otherwise helpful action. Referencing the Degrading is Degrading Campaign, and last years Students Deserve Better project, Hoogewerf-McComb went on to say: Recent years have seen real change in the process once known as degrading, but there is still work left to do. CUSU continues to campaign to ensure that all students who intermit receive fair treatment, clear guidance and a high standard of support. We also run the Student Advice Service which works with individual students, empowering them to make informed decisions about intermission and a range of other issues. Click here to read the related opinion piece, and here to see some of the student testimonies we received. The latest phase in the development of a community in north-west Cambridge has been approved. The 1billion project, which will be the largest single development undertaken by the University of Cambridge in its history, has just received local authority approval to proceed with plans for community facilities. The North West Cambridge site is already in development, and now has the go-ahead to begin work on a 'social' marketplace, to be named Eddington, which is intended to be a centrepiece for the local community. The marketplace will form a venue for various markets and events, surrounded by shops, social spaces, and affordable housing units for key workers. The development is based on a 150 hectare site between Huntingdon Road, Madingley Road and the M11 motorway, the stretch of land separating Girton College from Fitzwilliam, Churchill, Murray Edwards, St Edmund's and Lucy Cavendish. Although proposals have already been approved for other key aspects of the North West Cambridge development, such as additional affordable housing, a supermarket, and a primary school, the approval of this 'social' marketplace has been deemed highly important by those involved in the project. Deputy Project Director for the development, Heather Topel, expresses this in an update on the development's project website, stating: "The market square is a critical ingredient to creating the urban grain for this new district." The project's completion is planned to take place in a phased manner, with the first phase expected in autumn of this year. Key features of the project include over 3,000 new homes, half of which are to be designated as 'key worker' housing for University employees, postgraduate accommodation, 100,000 square metres of research space and the first school in the UK to be run by a university. Phase One, which should be completed in its entirety by spring 2017, involves 700 of the planned new homes for University and college workers, and accommodation for 325 postgraduate students. According to an update on the University of Cambridge website, the University has so far awarded 160 million in construction contracts for the development. It appears that students are largely unaware of this venture. Some expressed their surprise at the news, having heard little or nothing about the North West Cambridge development, despite the fact that the University has been planning this project since 2003. Undergraduate student Sophie Bell feels that the development is a natural step in the expansion of the University, even if it is at the expense of farmland: "There is only so much expansion which can take place within Cambridge itself, but this needs to be sustainable." The North West Cambridge development's website declares sustainability as one of its aims, and of the 150 hectares to be developed, 50 hectares will be maintained as green space. AJ-got-BHP BHPian Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Calcutta Posts: 784 Thanked: 4,208 Times View My Garage Durga Puja Diaries : A guide to the city with a soul, Kolkata #it's that time of the year !" Apart from that, there are many visitors and tourists from all over the globe who come into the city to witness the grandeur of Kolkata's irreplaceable Art & Culture depicting it's rich heritage. The Outlook Traveller gives reasons why one must be in Kolkata during Durga Pujas and I am sharing a Link to that Article for everyone's ready reference : However, for many Non Bengalis like me, we prefer to get away from the hustle, bustle and the menace of the city during this time of the year and hit the road for a Road Trip by making the most of this 7-10 day holiday. However, this year was a little different wherein we decided to stay back and be a part of the Pujo. The essence of Durga Puja showing the modern day woman in the incarnation of Maa Durga : I am sharing my experience herein and would love everyone from the TEAM-BHP Kolkata Chapter to share their Experiences Year after Year by updating this thread on a regular basis There is a lot of thought, planning, art and money that goes into making Durga Puja Pandals which is nowadays usually very theme based. Every pandal is unique in it's own way and worth a visit. This is what makes this festival vibrant and attracts people from all spheres and walks of life. Certain things that you need to know : MOVING AROUND : For people travelling into the city can opt for Self Drive Car Rental Services like Zoomcar & Revv. However, I would suggest to avoid driving and rather use a Local Full Day Driver Driven Taxi for convenience and minimizing costs. For larger groups, certain travel operators also provide TATA Wingers or 18-24 Seater Buses on hourly basis to enable groups to commute together. Your Hotel Travel Desk might be able to help you on this as well. PLACES TO EAT : Most of the Restaurants have a Special Menu for these few days offering sumptuous indulgences. One can buy a Good Deal from NearBuy App as well which offer Buffet Lunches & Dinners at various places. A few of my Favourite Places to have Bengali Cuisine are : 6 Ballygunge Place Bohemian Oh Calcutta Kasturi Bhojohori Manna Kewpie's Kitchen Sonar Tori Apart from the above, there is abundance of street food available around the Puja Pandals as well. A little doze of energy reinstates the adrenaline to wander more all throughout the wee hours of the night to witness the city buzzing. For the fine diners, most of the 5 Star Hotels also offer a Midnight Buffet which is also sumptuous and lip smacking. ACCOMMODATION : There is plenty of accommodation available in the city, one for every price and category. Though prior booking is solicited to avoid last minute glitches. HOW TO PANDAL HOP : Google Maps works very well in Kolkata and one can just put in the names of the Pujas one wants to see and it is done. Gather a list from the Local Newspaper and you will have a handful of them to visit in these few days. TIME : There is No Time as such. From Panchami to Dashami, any time is a good time to visit the Puja Pandals. Though the real beauty is witnessed in the dark with phenomenal light work and light effects. Usually w.e.f. 02:00am to sunrise the roads are pretty empty and so are the Puja Pandals. Certain famous Pandals are best visited in the day to avoid the crazy rush. I usually venture out at such hours for the sake of convenience; but the body clock takes a real hit and the lost sleep has to be covered up in the day time As mentioned earlier, in the last couple of years I have not been in the city during Durga Pujas and have made most of the vacation road tripping to places. A link to my Rajasthan Travelogue in 2016 : A link to my Bhutan Travelogue in 2017 : Kolkata, the only city with a soul, comes alive during these few days of Durga Puja also known as Navratri in other parts of the country. There is an influx of people from all over the world whose roots are in Kolkata and they ensure to be back home because "" Apart from that, there are many visitors and tourists from all over the globe who come into the city to witness the grandeur of Kolkata's irreplaceable Art & Culture depicting it's rich heritage.The Outlook Traveller gives reasons why one must be in Kolkata during Durga Pujas and I am sharing a Link to that Article for everyone's ready reference : https://www.outlookindia.com/outlook...ata-durga-puja However, for many Non Bengalis like me, we prefer to get away from the hustle, bustle and the menace of the city during this time of the year and hit the road for a Road Trip by making the most of this 7-10 day holiday. However, this year was a little different wherein we decided to stay back and be a part of the Pujo.The essence of Durga Puja showing the modern day woman in the incarnation of Maa Durga :There is a lot of thought, planning, art and money that goes into making Durga Puja Pandals which is nowadays usually very theme based. Every pandal is unique in it's own way and worth a visit. This is what makes this festival vibrant and attracts people from all spheres and walks of life.For people travelling into the city can opt for Self Drive Car Rental Services like. However, I would suggest to avoid driving and rather use a Local Full Day Driver Driven Taxi for convenience and minimizing costs. For larger groups, certain travel operators also provide TATA Wingers or 18-24 Seater Buses on hourly basis to enable groups to commute together. Your Hotel Travel Desk might be able to help you on this as well.Most of the Restaurants have a Special Menu for these few days offering sumptuous indulgences. One can buy a Good Deal from NearBuy App as well which offer Buffet Lunches & Dinners at various places. A few of my Favourite Places to have Bengali Cuisine are :Apart from the above, there is abundance of street food available around the Puja Pandals as well. A little doze of energy reinstates the adrenaline to wander more all throughout the wee hours of the night to witness the city buzzing.For the fine diners, most of the 5 Star Hotels also offer a Midnight Buffet which is also sumptuous and lip smacking.There is plenty of accommodation available in the city, one for every price and category. Though prior booking is solicited to avoid last minute glitches.Google Maps works very well in Kolkata and one can just put in the names of the Pujas one wants to see and it is done. Gather a list from the Local Newspaper and you will have a handful of them to visit in these few days.There is No Time as such. From Panchami to Dashami, any time is a good time to visit the Puja Pandals. Though the real beauty is witnessed in the dark with phenomenal light work and light effects. Usually w.e.f. 02:00am to sunrise the roads are pretty empty and so are the Puja Pandals. Certain famous Pandals are best visited in the day to avoid the crazy rush. I usually venture out at such hours for the sake of convenience; but the body clock takes a real hit and the lost sleep has to be covered up in the day timeAs mentioned earlier, in the last couple of years I have not been in the city during Durga Pujas and have made most of the vacation road tripping to places.A link to my Rajasthan Travelogue in 2016 : https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...rajasthan.html (East-West drive to the native land : Toyota Etios from Kolkata to Rajasthan) A link to my Bhutan Travelogue in 2017 : https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...er-dragon.html (Figo explores the Kingdom of Bhutan : The Land of the Thunder Dragon) Last edited by AJ-got-BHP : 19th October 2018 at 22:11 . Reason: Changes Flash The murderers of three Chinese nationals in the Central African Republic (CAR) "will not go unpunished," Central African President Faustin-Archange Touadera has said. "The perpetrators and their accomplices will be brought to justice... so that justice can be done for the victims as well as for the Central African people," said Touadera in a recent meeting in Bangui with Chinese Ambassador to the CAR Chen Dong. On Oct. 4, three Chinese nationals were killed in the town of Sosso-Nakombo in south-western CAR by local residents who believed that these Chinese were responsible for the disappearance of one of their compatriots. Touadera once again offered his condolences to the families of the victims, saying "the indignation is not only mine, but the people of the Central African Republic." Touadera assured that the criminal act "is not going to alter our will to continue working to improve our cooperation with China." "There is the will of the Central African government and the Central African people to go beyond these moments and show the Chinese people that we have the will to continue our cooperation," he said. "An important program of cooperation has been developed between our two countries, and we will continue to work under this program," Touadera said, referring to the deal made at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation where he met with his Chinese counterpart. The president said security measures will be put in place for the benefit of foreign nationals "so that such acts do not happen again." "I could simply reassure investors coming from China that measures will be taken... for precisely the protection," said Touadera. A total of 63 Chinese nationals affected by the criminal case were evacuated under escort of Central African security forces to neighboring Cameroon. Thirteen suspects were arrested and will be brought to public trial in November. Something to look forward to: With the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 less than a week away from launch, pretty much every detail has been leaked. Its got a lot of cool features, but the best of them all appears to be that bezel-less, notch-less screen enabled by a sliding camera mechanism. Xiaomi seems more interested in building up hype than being secretive, as you can tell by their official promo video above. Judging by the video, it isnt the dual selfie cameras (plus the selfie flash module) that slide up, but the screen that slides down. While the lack of a motor is good for durability, this solution does bring the risk of the screen connector breaking and resulting in a dead panel. The phone will also be the first to feature 10GB of RAM, which is nearly as awesome as it is excessive. Based on several leaks, however, that will only be coming in a special edition of some sort. There will allegedly be four regular models: a 6GB/64GB model for $510, a 6GB/128GB model for $555, an 8GB/128GB model for $600 and an 8GB/256GB model for $645. They'll all have a Snapdragon 845, of course. Those prospective prices are simply converted to American dollars; only Chinese availability has been announced. Several other countries that received the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, such as Australia, may get the Mi Mix 3 later. Xiaomi says the Mi Mix 3 will be one of the worlds first 5G phones, although rumor has it that only the 10GB special edition will have the functionality. If Xiaomi were to launch the 5G model within the next couple months it would be the first 5G phone, so that suggests that it'll be released sometime after the others. A Xiaomi official revealed that the phone would have a 1080 x 2340 resolution, and its rumored that its a 6.4 Samsung AMOLED panel. Other leaked features include a rear fingerprint scanner, a glass back that may (but probably not given the cheap prices) allow for wireless charging and reasonably fast facial recognition. It doesnt have a headphone jack. The dual rear cameras are a 16MP main lens and a 13MP telephoto lens, and theyre going to be capable of 960fps slow-motion, according to XDA developers who found the details in the code for the camera app. Unfortunately, however, the 960fps will be achieved by interpolating 240fps footage, resulting in a sub-par experience compared to phones that can do it natively such as the Sony XZ3 or Samsung Galaxy S9. In line with Xiaomis focus on the artistic in the Mi Mix 3s promotional material, they say that they designed the ceramic white color hand in hand with the British Museum. While Im sure the color is lovely, theyve once again copied the iPhone Xs camera module exactly, and the whole fake iPhone look isnt exactly classy. The phone will be launched on Thursday in China, but it might be worth waiting a few days to see if the OnePlus 6Ts superior camera and under-screen fingerprint scanner make it a better option. NASA is looking for technology and instrument payloads as part of the planned robotic and manned missions to the surface of the Moon. NASA Calls For Lunar Surface Instrument And Technology Payloads On Thursday, Oct. 18, the U.S. space agency officially announced a call for small payloads that will be ready to be launched no later than December 2021. Submissions are open until Nov. 19, but the agency assures that another round of proposals will be selected some time next year and then at regular intervals. The call is part of the plan to send humans back to the surface of the Moon in 2020s 50 years after Apollo 17. NASA is also planning to launch a Lunar Gateway to orbit the Moon to house astronauts and experiments, as well as become the jump off point for future missions into deep space. The space agency is specifically looking for instruments and technologies that could advance science and exploration on the surface of the Moon. The ideal payload will gather data on solar wind, atmosphere, the heat flow in the interior of the Moon, etc. ahead of manned missions. "The strategy is that these early missions will help us prepare for more complex future missions such as searching for useable resources, building up a seismic network to understand the Moon's internal structure, and studying the lunar mineralogy and chemistry to understand the Moon's origins," explained NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration, Steve Clarke. The space agency also hopes that the selected instruments and technologies will be of use during future missions, including robotic and manned missions to the surface of Mars. Selected technologies can use the surface of the Moon as a "testbed" for Mars, according to the press release. NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services Program NASA will be procuring flights for the selected payloads through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Speaking at the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight on Oct. 10, Clarke revealed that they plan to award the first contract/s by December. The Commercial Lunar Payload Services intends to award multiple contracts over the next decade. The submission period has ended earlier this month. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Dozens of students and staff at a Washington school are advised to stay away from the facility while there is an ongoing chickenpox outbreak. What are some important things to know about chickenpox and the chickenpox vaccination? Chickenpox Outbreak At a southwestern Washington elementary school, dozens of students and staff were notified to steer clear of the school facilities for several weeks because of a chickenpox outbreak. The Clark County Public Health says that it is specifically school staff as well as children without vaccination or immunity against chickenpox that must stay home for about three weeks starting on Monday. This is according to a letter that was sent to the parents just last Thursday. So far, there are five individuals confirmed to have chickenpox, and 38 students are expected to be pulled out of school due to the illness outbreak. However, those who are able to get vaccinated before the three-week period may return to the school upon presentation of proof of immunity. Chickenpox Is Very Contagious Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, and is characterized by fever, tiredness, itching, and blister-like rashes. Its signature rashes often begins in the stomach, the back, and the face, and can then spread to other body parts, leaving the patient with about 250 to 500 itchy blisters. It is a very contagious disease that can easily be spread from the patient to anyone who hasnt had it yet, or to anyone who is unvaccinated. In fact, a person may spread the illness from up to one or two days before the rashes even begin, and until all of it is gone or have formed scabs. The transmission often occurs through droplets when the infected person talks, and simply through touching of breathing in the virus from the blisters. After the exposure, it takes up to two weeks before a person develops chickenpox. Its worth noting that even those who are vaccinated may still spread the disease to others or may still catch the disease, but with much milder symptoms. Immunity For most people, getting chickenpox once provides the immunity they need for their entire life. This means that a person who has already had chickenpox in the past are unlikely to get it again. However, some people may still get chickenpox even after theyve already had it, although this is a much less common occurrence. That said, chickenpox may be severe or even life-threatening, particularly among infants, adolescents, some adults, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems. In fact, in 2012, a 4-year-old girl with leukemia died from chickenpox because of her compromised immune system. As such, it is important for children and adults to get vaccinated against chickenpox, so as to prevent or even slow the spread of disease to members of the community, especially the more vulnerable ones. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Flash German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday strongly condemned the killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi consulate in Istanbul, calling for further investigation, while German foreign minister asked for a suspension of arms sales to Saudi Arabia. "With great dismay, we have received the confirmation of the violent death of Jamal Khashoggi," said a statement issued by Merkel and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. "We condemn the act with utmost sharpness. We expect transparency from Saudi Arabia in light of the circumstances of the death and the background," according to the statement. The statement said that those responsible must be held accountable, and the information given at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul is insufficient. Under massive pressure, Saudi Arabia admitted on Saturday that preliminary investigations by the Saudi Public Prosecution showed the missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi died after a fight at the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul. In an interview with the German public broadcast ARD on Saturday night, Heiko Maas said that German arms exports to Saudi Arabia should not be approved for the time being due to Kashoggi's violent death. "I think as long as the investigations are ongoing and as long as we do not know what happened there, there is no reason to take positive decisions on arms exports to Saudi Arabia," said Maas to ARD. Saudi Arabia is the second largest customer of German weapons behind Algeria so far this year: until September, the German federal government granted export licenses worth 416.4 million euros to Saudi Arabia. Prior to the announcement by Saudi Arabia, Heiko Maas had already put travel plans to Saudi Arabia on hold. Maas said on Wednesday in Berlin that he would wait for the investigation and a possible statement from Riyadh. While I feed the goldfish in our patio pond these autumn mornings, our terrier weaves through the shrubbery, sniffing for clues of other critt WASHINGTON Theres an all-out battle raging over control of Congress as the midterm elections loom, with Democrats backed by record fundraising and grassroots anger at President Donald Trump seeking to storm back to power. Back home in Louisiana, though, things are a lot quieter. If any of Louisianas incumbent congressmen five Republicans and a lone Democrat get knocked off in November, itll drop the collective jaws of pundits and rank among the biggest Louisiana political upsets in recent memory. National Democratic groups have put more than 100 of the chambers 435 seats on a battleground list of competitive races and publicly targeted roughly 90 Republican-held seats in their effort to flip control of the House of Representatives. None are in Louisiana. Forecasters, national political reporters and pollsters are likewise ignoring the Bayou State. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report lists all six of Louisianas House seats as safe. So too do fellow election forecasting outfits like Inside Elections, FiveThirtyEight and the University of Virginia-based newsletter Sabatos Crystal Ball. It does seem to conflict with what we hear nationally. Theres a lot of excitement about the midterms, theres more competitive seats nationally than usual, said Mike Henderson, the director of LSUs Public Policy Research Lab. So theres that story nationally but were not experiencing any of that here. It would take an act of God to put any of Louisianas congressmen in danger of being unseated, said David Wasserman, who analyzes House races for the Cook Political Report. Wasserman gave a blunt no when asked if he could imagine a scenario where Democrats flipped a Republican-held Louisiana seat. The Democratic wave will not go to Louisiana this year, said Leah Askarinam, a reporter and analyst with Inside Elections. It might go to Texas, parts of Florida, it might even hit the Georgia governors race. I cant think of any races in Louisiana that would tip. Pretty safe is how U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, summed up the standing of Republican incumbents in Louisiana. Stivers, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign wing of the House GOP, said he doesnt expect to spend a dime of his money on races in Louisiana this year unless something drastic happens. I dont think were going to pick up any seats in Louisiana, Stivers said, making a concession to the formidable position of U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans, in an overwhelmingly Democratic district that Hillary Clinton carried by more than 50 percentage points, but I dont think were going to lose any either. The outcome of the November elections could have significant implications for Louisiana and for House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a Jefferson Parish Republican whos eyeing a potential major promotion to majority leader or even speaker if his party can hold the chamber. Scalise has crisscrossed the country to campaign for potentially embattled Republican members of Congress and posted record-breaking fundraising hauls. Although Scalise faces challengers on the Nov. 6 ballot, including from several fired-up Democrats, hes widely seen by strategists and pundits as a lock to coast to victory in his deep-red district. No opponent has come within 40 percentage points of Scalise in his four previous races. Nationally, Democrats have put up a significant fundraising edge over Republicans, with upstart candidates bringing in millions of dollars even in seats considered long shots for Democrats. That same dynamic hasnt played out in Louisiana, where all six incumbents hold sizable fundraising leads over their competitors. The brief exception was in Louisianas 3rd Congressional District, where first-term Republican Rep. Clay Higgins of Port Barre briefly fell behind Republican rival Josh Guillory, a Lafayette attorney, in fundraising late last year. Higgins, though, has since passed Guillory by posting several six-figure quarterly hauls. A review of federal campaign finance filings shows only relatively minor contributions from deep-pocketed political action committees and few of the major investments in advertisements and direct mailers outside groups have pumped into competitive House and Senate races. The national parties have dispatched top talent to Louisiana for fundraisers such as Vice President Mike Pence, who visited New Orleans in August but have spent much of the collected cash elsewhere. Republicans and Democrats pretty much only come to Louisiana to pick up checks, said Pearson Cross, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The Trump factor Republican members of Congress whose constituents voted for Clinton are among Democrats top targets this year. But those sorts of mismatches dont exist in Louisiana, said LSUs Henderson. In 2016, all the incumbent congressmen won by large margins and their same party won the presidential race in their district by a large margin, Henderson said. John Couvillon, a Louisiana-based pollster, said Trumps approval ratings have remained high among voters in all five Republican congressional districts and have remained dismally low in the states lone Democratic district, which includes much of the urban cores of New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The GOP-held seats Democrats are threatening this year are largely in affluent suburbs where once-reliable Republican voters turned against Trump in 2016. There, election analysts said, the presidents unpopularity appears to be pushing highly educated moderate Republicans away from the party. The most telling indicator of whether a district will be competitive is Trumps performance in the district in 2016 and there werent any districts in Louisiana that were remotely close, said Wasserman with the Cook Political Report. Louisianas particularly extreme but we can observe similar phenomena in Alabama and Mississippi. Rural areas which make up the majority of most Louisiana congressional districts have tilted increasingly toward Republicans in recent years. In rural Louisiana, Trumps approval ratings among generally conservative white voters remain high. In Louisiana, rural white voters tend to be far more conservative and have become increasingly reliably Republican in recent years and outnumber a sizable minority of mostly black Democratic voters. Redistricting safe seats Louisiana midterms havent always been so sleepy. But the current lines dividing the state into six congressional districts give Republicans and Democrats overwhelming control of their seats, analysts said. Several said only a remarkably flawed candidate could potentially swing partisan voters to knock off the dominant party in one of Louisianas heavily partisan congressional districts, pointing to Alabama, where Roy Moore, a twice-impeached former Alabama Supreme Court justice who lost a deep-red Senate seat to Democrat Doug Jones in 2017 while facing numerous allegations of sexual misconduct. The stench of corruption in 2008 from U.S. Rep. Bill Jefferson, a New Orleans Democrat then under federal indictment and later convicted, led voters in his heavily Democratic majority black congressional seat to narrowly pick a Republican Joseph Cao instead. Cao lasted only one term. Richmond, the current incumbent, beat him by more than 30 points in 2010. But none of the six incumbents this year have faced any comparable scandals or allegations. And even if they did, its possible that partisan voters could cast out the crooks by voting for another candidate from the same party on Louisianas wide-open jungle primary ballot, said Cross, the Lafayette political scientist. The lines didnt necessarily have to be drawn that way, Henderson said. Democrats have consistently carried about 40 percent of the vote in statewide races over the past decade but the party holds only one in six or 17 percent of the states congressional seats. Those Democratic voters mostly black are heavily concentrated in Richmonds district, which includes most of New Orleans and then stretches up the Mississippi River to include much of north Baton Rouge. The current lines were locked in under former GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal and a majority Republican state Legislature during the once-a-decade redistricting process in 2010. Among the changes? Black Democratic voters in Baton Rouge whod cast ballots in an increasingly competitive Republican-held 6th Congressional District around Baton Rouge then represented by Bill Cassidy and now held by Garret Graves were shifted into Richmonds district to make up for post-Katrina population losses in New Orleans. The state will redraw its congressional districts again after the 2020 Census. A competitive set of state legislative races in 2019 along with Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards re-election bid means voters next year will decide how much power each political party will hold. For Louisiana Democrats hoping to flip a U.S. House seat and the Republicans playing defense, it might well be 2019 not the 2018 midterms that matter the most. I think thats actually the most important Louisiana election on the horizon, said Askarinam. Charter school skeptics on the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board managed to delay creating a new job to work with charter schools as well as analyze the performance of other, struggling Baton Rouge schools. After failing to muster enough votes Thursday to create the new administrative position, which is known as a portfolio manager, the board voted to delay the matter until it meets again Nov. 15. The vote was 4-3; the position needed five votes to pass. Board members Mark Bellue, Connie Bernard, Mike Gaudet and David Tatman voted yes, while board members Dawn Collins, Vereta Lee, Kenyetta Nelson-Smith vote no. Board member Evelyn Ware-Jackson abstained and board member Jill Dyason was absent, having left the meeting early. Concern about expansion of charter schools drove much of the debate. There are 29 charter schools operating in the parish; 10 of them are authorized by the school system. Board member Dawn Collins said shes worried the new position, if created, could be used to bring in more charter schools to Baton Rouge. She noted her district, District 4, has the most schools with D and F letter grades, schools that could be targets to convert into charters. She said she wants more research about other school districts that have similar positions. If its not implemented correctly, it does my students no good and may do my students harm, Collins said. Other speakers said they were just hearing about the proposed position, but the idea was floated months ago. Charter school advocates push East Baton Rouge school system to move quickly on policies, position Even as the East Baton Rouge Parish school system has moved to quickly spend a $2.2 million school improvement grant, including rolling out ne The position would be funded through a $2.2 million federal school improvement grant that the school district applied for on March 1. The money is meant to fund improvements to the school system, particularly the districts 32 schools that have D and F letter grades from the state. Im not in support of this position, because we dont need it, said Lee. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Lee said shes suspicious of the pro-charter school groups that are supporting creation of the position. She said these groups are spending lots of money to try to defeat her and other like-minded board members in the Nov. 6 elections. Some of the groups mentioned are sending ads to my house trying to get me off this board, she said. Board member Michael Gaudet spoke in favor of the position. He said hes okay with delaying until Nov. 15, but delaying longer might mean this person doesn't really start working until next school year. I want the kids to have the benefit of this position for this school year, Gaudet said. Superintendent Warren Drake said the portfolio manager would have duties that go beyond charter schools. The charter piece is just one piece of this, he said. The portfolio manager would deal most directly with the 10 district-authorized charter schools, serving as a liaison and point of contact. Other duties would involve work on the application and renewal process for charter schools, conducting annual reviews, publishing an annual school report, sharing best practices with charter schools and analyzing the district to ensure high quality seats across district schools. The proposed job description calls for someone with a masters degree or higher in educational leadership, plus at least five years in teaching and instructional supervision. The salary is not settled, but the grant comes with $95,000 for the job. After subtracting for the cost of benefits, that means a salary somewhere north of $60,000 a year. Some speakers Thursday questioned whether that is a high enough salary to get a quality person, given the education and job skills required. There's a federal judge in Washington D.C. who's going to be hearing a lot about hybrid bear heads and interbreeding. Earlier this year, several conservation groups filed suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, saying it acted prematurely in removing the Louisiana black bear from the endangered species list in 2016. Essentially, the plaintiffs argue that back in the 1960s the federal government rounded up a bunch of black bears from Minnesota and dumped them in Louisiana. Now, agents are wiping their hands and calling it a day without considering if they've actually worked to preserve the Louisiana bears, which are a different subspecies, or if the action is resulting in new hybrids instead. Nonprofit groups sue U.S. Fish and Wildlife to restore Louisiana black bear to endangered species list A national nonprofit group along with a number of Louisiana organizations and individuals have filed suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife S There are 16 subspecies of American black bears which can all interbreed. The Louisiana variety lives in the Pelican State and Mississippi and was first listed as an endangered species in 1992. The Wildlife Service responded to the lawsuit last week with the remarks about heads "cranial morphology" and incest, or "low genetic diversity due to isolation." The subspecies are very similar, said U.S. Geological Service researcher Joe Clark. His 2014 study of bear genetics was heavily cited throughout the Wildlife Service's response. "Bears in Minnesota and Louisiana are all essentially the same subspecies," Clark said. "This really isn't hybridizing the gene pool." Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up In fact, introducing the Minnesota bears helped boost the genetic diversity in Louisiana, he continued. Authorities explained that the Louisiana bears just don't have heads quite as fat as the subspecies in the Upper Midwest. Both subspecies, however, eat whatever they can get so they fill the same niche, and government officials aren't aware of other differences, like their reaction to disease or other environmental stressors. But the environmental groups found flaws in the Wildlife Services' work. For example, there are four broad population areas, and officials didn't know how many bears were in one when they made the delisting decision. That was the Three Rivers Complex between Alexandria and the Mississippi state line. The other groups are the upper and lower Atchafalaya River Basins as well as the Tensas River Basin. Delisting the Louisiana black bear was a badly misguided attempt to pull an Endangered Species Act success story out of the hat, attorney Paula Dinerstein wrote last year when advocates filed intent to sue. Her statement goes on to remind the court that the original Teddy bear the bear Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot in a canned hunt was a Louisiana bear. On a more philosophical level, Michael Caire said conservation groups get pitted against each other when decisions get forced through at the federal level. Caire, a sportsman and a plaintiff in the lawsuit, wants all hikers, hunters and hippies to work together toward the best solution. That's best done when the U.S. government is more willing to work with locals who care about an issue. Louisiana has licked a finger to the wind on bear hunting now that the animals are off the endangered species list. The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries surveyed residents who were overwhelmingly opposed to losing bears overall but were generally supportive of a managed season if needed to control the population. Such a season isn't expected any time soon, though. Gov. John Bel Edwards has granted pardons to more than 100 people since taking office far outpacing his predecessor, who ignored actions on most recommendations sent to him by the board he appointed. Edwards' administration said his actions are the result of former Gov. Bobby Jindal's inaction on hundreds of pardon recommendations that created a backlog of people seeking to have their rights restored years after their convictions. A pardon allows a criminal record to be expunged from the public record. "When Gov. Edwards came in, he said 'Look, I take this constitutional role that I have very seriously,' Edwards' chief legal counsel Matthew Block said in an interview with The Advocate. Edwards, a Democrat who took office in 2016, has denied one recommendation and hasn't acted on nearly 50 cases that have been sent to him for review, according to records from the Governor's Office. Requests for a pardon reach the governor's desk only after they are recommended by the state Pardon Board that he appoints. The governor makes the ultimate call. In most cases all that Edwards has approved a pardon is a restoration of rights that convicts lose, including hunting privileges, gun ownership and professional licensure. Edwards has approved 119 of the 164 that have made it to his desk. Jindal, a Republican who unsuccessfully sought the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, approved just 83 of the 738 pardon recommendations he received over two terms, or about 1 in every 9. Over the course of his two terms, in multiple statements to The Advocate, Jindal said he viewed the pardon power as something he would use only in exceptional cases. "What had happened in the previous administration dictated some of the issues for Gov. Edwards," Block said. "So many applications had just been stacked up and sitting in the Governor's Office with no action. There were hundreds of applications that had not been acted upon that had all been unanimous recommendations from the board." At this same point in his first term, Jindal had granted 23 pardons and one sentence reduction. He rejected 28 pardon recommendations, and more than 300 recommendations remained on his desk awaiting action. "Everything that was left on Jindal's desk at the end of his term, those offenders or applicants were given a one-year grace period to reapply," said Francis Abbott, head of the Pardon Board under Edwards. Abbott was not in that role during the Jindal administration. Block said Edwards was aware of the backlog and the pressure to act on cases when he took office. "He takes (the board) recommendation seriously and gives it deference, but at the same time, he asks our own office to do an evaluation of the recommendation and then he reviews it himself," he said. "A lot of these are people who have not served any prison time or haven't been incarcerated in many decades." The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Edwards' approach aligns much more closely with Jindal's predecessors. Former Gov. Kathleen Blanco, a Democrat, approved clemency for 285 prisoners during her one term in office, and former Gov. Mike Foster, a Republican, granted clemency to 455 over the course of his two terms. Since Edwards has taken office, Louisiana has shed its dubious distinction as the world's per capita prison capital largely thanks to a criminal justice overhaul that has allowed the release of some nonviolent offenders ahead of schedule. Edwards is seeking re-election next year. The slate of his Republican challengers is still to be determined. Baton Rouge businessman Eddie Rispone threw his hat into the race last week, while U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, Attorney General Jeff Landry, U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham and others are said to be mulling the idea. Criminal justice handling could become a major issue in the race. A review of each of the pardons Edwards has granted, PDF copies of which were obtained by The Advocate through a public records request, shows more than a dozen were done with the exclusion of the right to possess firearms, while all rights were restored to most others. More than half of the 119 had received suspended sentences, which means they did not serve time behind bars. The oldest case dates back to 1966, while the newest conviction was from 2011. The one denial was for a habitual offender who isn't from and doesn't currently live in Louisiana, said Tina Vanichchagorn, the governor's deputy executive counsel who handles most pardon applications. While 164 have made it to the governor's desk, the Pardon Board fields dozens more each year. "They really take what they do seriously," Vanichchagorn said. Most of the pardons were for people with drug charges, records show. Among the more high-profile cases Edwards has taken up, he approved a pardon for former Iberia Parish President Wilfred Langlinais, who had received a positive recommendation during the Jindal administration but never received final action from the governor. Langlinais pleaded guilty to malfeasance in office in 2007 after a legislative auditor's report noted inappropriate actions on contracts, expense accounts and other findings. Edwards also granted a pardon to Hang Nguyen, a Gretna convenience store owner who was convicted on a conspiracy charge over an altered lottery ticket. The race that began in May to replace Tom Schedler, who abruptly resigned as secretary of state after being sued by an employee accusing him of sexual harassment, hasnt received much attention. Part of the reason is the short runup that left potential candidates little time to organize support. Another factor is the nine candidates, most of whom are known around the State Capitol and in their immediate neighborhoods but not elsewhere, couldnt raise enough money to become more widely known. And another cause is the job itself. Though the office is the third highest in state government, the work is unexciting and primarily administrative: overseeing elections, running a few small museums, registering businesses and archiving state documents. Jim Brown, who held the office from 1980 to 1988, wrote in his blog last week, the job is how can we gently say this, a glorified clerk of court. Expert: 'Nobody cares' about sec. of state race; candidates use loans for campaigns With less than a month to go before the Nov. 6 election for secretary of state, the top of the ballot is still a contest between nine little-k Congressional and local elections also are in play, but the one office on all the states ballots is secretary of state. Early voting begins Tuesday and runs through the following Tuesday, except on Sunday, Oct. 28. Election Day is Nov. 6. The race is expected to be decided in a Dec. 8 runoff between the two highest vote-getters. Only on the job for five months, interim Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, a Baton Rouge Republican, is running as an incumbent and the race has evolved into a referendum on his leadership. Hes facing Republicans: Turkey Creek Mayor Heather Cloud; former state Sen. A.G. Crowe, of Pearl River; Metairie attorney Thomas J. Kennedy III; and state Reps. Rick Edmonds, of Baton Rouge, and Julie Stokes, of Kenner. Two candidates are Democrats: Baton Rouges Renee Fontenot Free, who was top aide to two former secretaries of state, and Clinton attorney Gwen Collins-Greenup. One opponent has no party affiliation: Matt Moreau, of Zachary. Seven of the nine Kennedy and Moreau have not done much campaigning agree that the state needs to consolidate elections and that registering to vote on the same day as the election is a bad idea. The Republicans back requiring voters to produce valid identification at the polls. And most candidates agree that Ardoin has taken unfair advantage of his incumbency, given his recent appointment to the job. As Schedlers top assistant for eight years, the former lobbyist took the reins five months ago and promised not to run. In so doing, he deflected a lot of criticism because as the guy who ran the office, Ardoin oversaw personnel problems. He claimed he had no idea of the relationship going on between his boss and his employee. He since has instituted what he calls the toughest sexual harassment standards in state government. Ex-Louisiana secretary of state Tom Schedler doesn't admit guilt in suit settlement The legal settlement that ended a sexual harassment lawsuit against Louisiana's former secretary of state includes no admission of guilt and a As the other candidates signed up, Ardoin visited with each, even saying hed pray for some. That changed when in the final minutes of qualifying, Ardoin announced he would run after all. He said he didnt feel any of the candidates had sufficient gravitas to handle what will be a year filled with challenges. In 2019, the secretary of state will have to deal with protections against cyberattacks on American elections; buy 10,000 new voting machines and train workers how to run them; register several thousand felons who recently had their right to vote reinstated; handle lawsuits; and prepare for an election that really will attract voters: the race for governor, all officials elected statewide, including the secretary of state, and all 144 legislators. Can we afford on-the-job training? Ardoin said at a recent forum. Theres not a single candidate that has the depth of experience that I have and the unique cybersecurity experience that I have to deal with the election issues that face our state today and our nation. I am the only candidate here who has authorization to receive classified material. His opponents have questioned that experience, calling the handling of the bids to sell the state new voting machines a blunder. Louisiana's lucrative voting machine contract award canceled after flaws found in selection process Louisiana is voiding a multimillion-dollar contract award to replace thousands of voting machines after a key official in Gov. John Bel Edward Its time to clean up Kyles mess, Edmonds said. Its just another black eye. Free called the handling of the voting machine contract work a fiasco. When I served as first assistant secretary of state from 2004 to 2008, I was in charge of the procurement of the voting machines we still use today, and I did it without a hint of scandal, she said in a statement. Contracts, particularly technical big ones in which only a handful of companies can compete, often end up in challenges and heated allegations. Changes made to the bid specifications were done by Schedler, and grading of the bids was done by a panel of experts that didnt involve Ardoin after he was elevated to the top job. Even the right-wing blog The Hayride called the contract fight a fake scandal. The Hayride backs Ardoin. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Grace Notes: Kyle Ardoin's first ad is as partisan as it gets Kyle Ardoin, who stepped into the secretary of states job when former boss Tom Schedler was forced to resign amid a sexual harassment scandal Then there was the 47,039 letters Ardoin wrote on Sept. 20 to inform elderly and disabled voters who receive their ballots by mail that state law prohibits voter harassment coercion or intimidation by candidates or third parties. No other secretary of state had felt the need to mail such warnings to the voters on a list to which only he has access. Ardoin said his job includes educating voters, and thats what he did at a cost to taxpayers of $23,964.63. We cant have fair elections when the chief elections officer overtly campaigns using state funds to promote his name and title, Crowe said. His use of his franking privilege is nothing more than a poorly veiled attempt to get his name before voters. Crowe claims the greatest number of no votes on revenue-raising measures in the Legislature's history. He grew up in a working-class family in New Orleans and became rich building a company that archived and kept safe the documents of businesses around the country. I will work with the Elections Assistance Commission to secure our fair share of the $380 million to strengthen our cybersecurity systems, he wrote on a Louisiana Family Forum questionnaire. This department has seen a lot of ruckus lately, Stokes said at a recent forum. Its high time that we have a fresh set of eyes, we remove the scandal from the office and start fresh. A certified public accountant the only one in the race, as she says repeatedly on the campaign trail her first order of business would be to conduct an audit of the department, see what works, find systems that need improvement and ensure that staff are focusing on important functions. She also wants to make the business incorporation website a one-stop shop that would provide access to all the various forms businesspeople have to fill out for government. Stokes said she hadnt thought of running for secretary of state until treatments for breast cancer knocked her out of the race for state treasurer. But once cancer-free, she started looking at the office and realized that although the portfolio is different, the work is the same nuts-and-bolts administrative tasks that are in her wheelhouse. A former schoolteacher, Cloud helps run her familys trucking company and opened a restaurant to serve Turkey Creek residents and the sportsmen who visit the isolated Evangeline Parish village. But her interest in the state office started during her mayoral re-election, when her opponent paid mentally disabled people to vote against her even promising one that she would lead the Christmas parade. Cloud's efforts to overturn the results required trips to Baton Rouge and finally a lawsuit, which led to an appellate court order for a new election. She won. Cloud successfully pushed legislation to clean up the election code. If you want someone who will fight and has fought for election integrity, then Im the one, Cloud said. Collins-Greenup graduated from Liberty University and Southern University Law School. Shes a lawyer and a notary, and has worked elections as a commissioner. I want to bring the next level of leadership to the office, take our voting system to the next level, Collins-Greenup said at a recent forum. The state spends $52 million a year on elections and were not getting bang for our buck, not with 13 percent voter turnout. She said she would go into the schools and on college campuses to teach the importance of voting. Edmonds is a Baptist preacher who left his Shreveport church and school to work for the Louisiana Family Forum, a conservative evangelical group that wields much power in state government. He is, by far, the best speaker on the circuit. As other candidates sat tentatively perched on their seats at a recent forum, Edmonds grabbed the mic and stalked the stage as if he were giving a sermon. Edmonds mentions in every speech that he was a leader in the Houses "Gang of No," a group of about 20 legislators who voted against every revenue-raising measure. Ill fight just as hard to protect your ballot as I did to protect your wallet, he said. Former Assistant Attorney General Free was the top aide to Secretaries of State Fox McKeithen, a Republican, and Al Ater, a Democrat. She helped put together elections following Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed many polling stations and scattered many voters across the country. The trust in that office has been compromised, Free said. I can bring trust back to the office. Backed by labor unions and Democratic Party groups, Free is expected to gather enough votes to make a runoff. However, only one Democrat has been elected statewide recently, Gov. John Bel Edwards, so winning the runoff could be exceedingly difficult. Flash Former Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok died at the age of 80 on Saturday in Amsterdam after a period of illness. Kok served as Prime Minister from 1994 until 2002, in two coalition governments with his own party PvdA (Labor), the VVD (rightist liberals) and D66 (leftist liberals). He made name with his "poldermodel" politics, a consensus-based economic and social policy. From 1976 until 1986 Kok was chairman of the Dutch trade union FNV, after which he left to enter the Dutch House of Representatives as a Labor politician. On Dec. 15, 2001, Kok announced his retirement from national politics and stood down as leader of the PvdA. From 1989 until 1994 Kok also was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in the cabinet of Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers. "Wim Kok was a man to look up to," current Prime Minister Mark Rutte reacted in a statement. "For decades both architect and contractor of our 'polder model'. As Minister of Finance and later Prime Minister, he stood above the parties. Completely reliable, perfectly honest and always focused on a solution." She was born in Baton Rouge and is now famous worldwide as a potentially decisive force in national politics. She moves in such rarefied circles that she has just beaten President Donald Trump hands down at his own game, the put-down tweet. Her attorney says he might run against Trump in the next election. Stephanie Clifford sure has come a long way since she graduated from Scotlandville Magnet High School in 1997. When Clifford found her vocation, she adopted a stage name in honor of Tennessee sour mash whiskey to become Stormy Daniels. She dropped the apostrophe, but Jack Daniel's became her inspiration when she saw an advertisement that declared it a Southern favorite, which was just what she hoped to be. The apostrophe was not all that Stormy Daniels dropped, for the source of her hard-earned dollars was pornographic movies. She evidently did manage to become, if not the South's favorite trollop, at least a fairly popular one. She will not mind being called that. When someone tweeted her that Dumb whores go to hell, her response was that she is a smart one. She was making a decent living OK, an indecent living when Trump won the election. That turned out to be her lucky day. She and her attorney, Michael Avenatti, have continued to whip up the publicity that is pure gold in Daniels' line of work, and could hardly have wished for a more effective foil than Trump. If Daniels ever was Trump's favorite trollop, she certainly isn't now. The sexual romp she alleges they had in Tahoe was a dozen years ago, but he rises to the bait every time it is mentioned. As for Daniels, she wins even when she loses. Last week, for instance, a federal judge threw out a lawsuit she had filed alleging Trump defamed her by suggesting she had lied when claiming that a stranger had threatened her if she didn't dummy up about their encounter. The judge ruled that the First Amendment, of which Trump is no fan when he is the subject of adverse comment, gave him the right to disparage Daniels. Trump was not exactly gracious in victory, calling Daniels horseface in the inevitable gloating tweet. Does Trump write these tweets himself or does he get help for some petulant third-grader? Either way, he plays right into Daniels' hands, and the world's media rushed to print her response, in which she addressed the president of the United States as Tiny, and referred to his shortcomings. Daniels had said she regretted mocking Trump's private parts in her book, but evidently, she got over that. Still, nobody expects decorum around the White House these days. Daniels would never have published a book but for her feud with Trump, and she has said the price of her pornographic performances has quadrupled because of it. The publicity must have been good for Avenatti too. The horseface tweet also called him a third-rate attorney, and he issued a response that, among other compliments, described Trump as a shyster and a liar. Avenatti is, however, no threat to Trump at the ballot box, having recently reached a settlement for $800,000 with the IRS over unpaid taxes. That sum may be chickenfeed if Trump continues to fan the flames and keep the headlines coming, as he seems determined to do. He says he will go after Daniels and Avenatti in Texas, where she lives. Texas law, which will determine how much Daniels must pay Trump for his legal fees, is evidently most generous to the winners of defamation cases. Another lawsuit filed by Daniels also remains pending. She seeks to cancel the nondisclosure agreement for which Trump paid her $130,000 through his attorney Michael Cohen. Trump dropped the suit he filed against Daniels after she blabbed about their tryst, and he didn't sign the agreement anyway, so the litigation has no obvious point. Any hope Avenatti entertained that Trump might have to give a deposition, and face questioning on whether the payment violated campaign finance laws, would seem to have evaporated. Still, it remains a live international story, and the girl from Baton Rouge laughs all the way to the bank. Email James Gill at Gill1407@bellsouth.net. State Superintendent of Education John White, right, shakes hands with Gov. John Bel Edwards, left, who just spoke at the annual meeting of Jump Start, which allows high school students to get workforce training in addition to regular academic classes, Tuesday Jan. 23, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. A suspect in the fatal shooting of a man in New Orleans Central Business District late Friday was arrested Saturday, the New Orleans Police Department said. Decarlo Carter, 21, was booked into the Orleans Parish Justice Center for two count of second degree murder in connection with the incident. The victim was found lying face up suffering from numerous gunshot wounds to the body in the 100 block of Carondelet Street just off Canal Street around 10:30 p.m. Friday, NOPD said. He was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS. Carter was identified as the alleged perpetrator after police released a photo of two persons of interest taken from surveillance cameras in the area. Witnesses say the victim was followed by three gunmen who pushed him into the middle of Carondelet Street and shot him dead. They tracked him down like prey, said a 56-year-old man who lives nearby and viewed the entire incident on crime-camera footage that he handed over to the New Orleans Police Department. Anyone with additional information regarding the shooting is asked to contact NOPD Homicide Detective Eric Illarmo at 504-658-5300. When the state issues its annual report cards grading the quality of Louisiana public schools, alternative schools are often clustered at the bottom of the list. But thanks to a decision by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, those campuses now have a better shot at getting more favorable evaluations. The state board on Wednesday adopted a new accountability system for alternative schools, which serve students who have been suspended from or have dropped out of traditional public schools. This year, those schools will be measured largely on growth scores or students' progress from one year to the next rather than on traditional metrics, which rely heavily on state tests and graduation rates. The first round of new grades will be released next fall. The board's vote came a year after the Louisiana Department of Education found that students attending alternative schools rarely receive the services needed to address the root cause of their departure from other schools. "The road to achieving an improved model for alternative education services in our state is long," Education Superintendent John White said. "But this report underscores its importance and urgency. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up In the New Orleans area, the change will affect a number of schools in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. They include the New Orleans Youth Study Center, The NET Charter High School, ReNEW Accelerated High School, multiple JCFA campuses, the Westbank Community School and Martyn Alternative School, state officials said. About 1,000 students attended New Orleans-area alternative schools in 2017, according to state data. Under the new system, alternative high schools will get performance scores based on three criteria: students' progress, the number of students who get a high school diploma and the number who stay in school. Alternative elementary and middle schools will get scores based solely on students' progress. In simulations done by the state Education Department, no alternative schools earned an "A" under the new model, but 63 percent earned a "C" or better. The changes are part of a larger package of policy revisions designed to raise the bar for both alternative schools and other alternative programs located within traditional schools. There are four such alternative programs in Jefferson Parish, two in St. Tammany Parish and one in Orleans Parish. In another change, teachers will be required to develop transition plans for students and comprehensive lessons for addressing individual needs, whether they be behavioral or academic. Alternative schools will also be required to provide better professional development for teachers. Corporate crooks face stiffer penalties and more jail time under new laws being introduced to federal parliament this week. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the proposed legislation will, in some cases, double the penalties for criminal misconduct in the corporate and financial sectors, and increase civil penalties as much as tenfold for corporations and more than fivefold for individuals. Individuals now face up to 10 years' jail for criminal misconduct and a fine of up to $945,000. Corporations face civil penalties of up to $210 million. "These significantly strengthened sanctions overhaul Australias penalties for white-collar crime, include increases to penalties that havent changed in more than twenty years, bring our penalties closer to those in other leading international jurisdictions and, most importantly, provide greater protection for consumers against financial and corporate sector misconduct," Mr Frydenberg said. A surplus that big, about $13 billion in todays terms, would act as buffer for the next unexpected economic shock, a US-China induced trade war for instance. It would allow the government to spend cash to pull the economy away from recession as it did during the global financial crisis. Next year, we will be less than a fifth on the way to that target, with a $2 billion surplus in sight for 2019-20. But that rule in Budget Paper Number 1, page 3-7, might as well be ripped out and displayed for what it really is: a two paragraph long parade of responsible economic management without much substance. All up, Labor estimates there are now $18.5 billion in exceptions to the rules that have not been offset with reductions in spending in other areas over the next decade. Barnacle clearing is an expensive business. The PM has been busy sweeping the decks in his first eight weeks in office. He's reversed a decision to increase the pension age to 70. That will be $5 billion over the medium term. And hes given independent schools a $4.5 billion boost to stop the Catholic sector from pamphletting their way around the country telling voters to pick Labor in the the next federal election. As Treasurer he injected $9 billion in top up payments to the GST to stop an ongoing war with the states. Then there is the $443.3 million grant handed to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation in the 2018-19 budget, but backdated to 2017-18, when revenues were looking healthier than expected. Did they offset the spending retrospectively and find another half-a-billion in the environment budget? Nope, although the government says the grant would be "partially offset" by redirecting future funding from another Reef 250 plan, worth $170 million over six years, a fraction of the total grant delivered in one. Did they bank the extra tax revenue to help speed the path back to surplus rather than giving out a $443 million grant to an organisation that never asked for it? Apparently not. To be fair to the Coalition, they have presided over a period of better than expected revenue and growth. Historically high rates of immigration have seen record levels of employment, while companies have seen their profits surge to their highest levels since the GFC. Both have been major factors in bolstering income tax revenues. So much so that Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has taken to saying new spending announcements will be funded by a "growing economy" each time he is questioned how they will be paid for. But those windfalls are not indefinitely guaranteed. A clue lies in September's final budget outcome which showed while company tax receipts were $6.8 billion higher than predicted in 2017, they were $930 million lower than the May budget pencilled in. The former secretary of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Michael Keating, described the government's revenue forecasts as "very rosy" at the Australia Institute's revenue summit last week. "It has assumed that the very slow rates of economic growth that Australia, and other countries, have experienced over the last decade can be ignored and that we are poised for a return to previous higher economic growth rates," he said. Perhaps more importantly than the forecasts, the effective abandonment of the rules sets a precedent that they can be discarded when they are not politically convenient. For a party devoted to trickle down economics, the Coalition should be wary of the effect of trickle down politics. Voters can see through broken promises. As economist Ross Garnaut observed last week: Meanwhile, Foxtel scooped up the Australian rights to one of the market's most anticipated dramas, the ITV Studios production of War of the Worlds. The project is a large-scale retelling of the H. G. Wells novel of the same name, about an invasion of Earth from Mars during the Edwardian period. ITV chief Ruth Berry described it as "an incredible and truly groundbreaking production full of mood and atmosphere". The production, which was adapted for the screen by Peter Harness, is the first screen adaptation of the story which remains faithful to the book's original setting. Other key sales for the show included New Zealand's TVNZ, Spain's Movistar+, France's TF1 and Italy's SkyItaly. Another season of Agatha Raisin A second season of the British mystery series Agatha Raisin was locked down at Mipcom, with Australia's ABC taking local rights to the new season. The series, in which Ashley Jensen plays a London PR woman who retires to the Cotswolds and, after a shocking murder, becomes an amateur sleuth, was originally produced by Sky, who decided not to film a second series but later picked up by the US streaming platform Acorn TV. In addition to the ABC, All3Media, which sells the series internationally, signed deals with Germany's ZDF, Denmark's TV4 and Latvian TV. The series is based on a series of novels by M.C. Beaton which were previously adapted for the radio with actress Penelope Keith in the title role. New NZ drama for Nine Channel Nine has also locked down the rights to The Gulf, a new drama from Screentime New Zealand. The series is described as "an innovative and complex drama exploring the idea that even good people, given the wrong circumstances, are capable of committing a terrible crime". Executive producer Philly de Lacey described the series as "a dark series is juxtaposed by its setting in the natural harbour of New Zealand's stunning Hauraki Gulf and Waiheke Island". The six-part series will star Kate Elliot, Ido Drent, Jeffrey Thomas, Pana Hema-Taylor and Mark Mitchinson. The project is a collaboration between Screentime New Zealand, Lippy Pictures, Germany's Letterbox Filmproduktion and broadcaster ZDF. Half of the self-inflatable resuscitation bags used on newborn babies who are not breathing or in cardiac arrest are defective and potentially dangerous, researchers say. After a NSW Health recommendation that hospitals consider using disposable, single-use self-inflating bags instead of reusable ones "from a cost perspective", researchers at Sydney University and Westmead Hospital decided to test 20 models on the international market. Around the world, five million babies die in the first two days of life every year. Credit:Shutterstock In a study published in the BMJ journal Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal and Neonatal, they reported two of four reusable models and eight of 16 disposable models failed safety and reliability tests, even though they complied with international standards. "Doctors, nurses and midwives may be trying to resuscitate a baby and because they dont know there's been a failure of the device, they may think the baby is not responding," lead author Mark Tracy, a newborn intensive care expert from Sydney University, said. The National Capital Authority is calling for expressions of interest to open a kiosk at Boundless Playground. The authority proposes to build a full-service, hard-stand space at Kings Park, off Wendouree Drive in Parkes, with connection to sewerage, water, electricity and communication facilities suitable for a commercial food service. The National Capital Authority has called for expressions of interest to operate a semi-transportable kiosk at Boundless Playground. Credit:Jamila Toderas The authority says the kiosk would be the final milestone for the Boundless enterprise. Boundless Playground is Canberra's first all-abilities playground, and was earlier this year named the capital's most popular park. National Capital Authority chief executive Sally Barnes said the authority was looking for a semi-transportable kiosk and operator to cater for the growing audience at both the playground and visitors to Kings Park. Of 222 daily school services now set to run in 2019, many will also operate differently than those today, with more than half passing through an interchange: 48 per cent of all school trips (106) will carry students from their home suburb to a school (compared to 76 per cent in the current network) 50 (22 per cent) will be "hub and spoke" services carrying students directly from an interchange to school (compared with 10 per cent in todays network) 66 (30 per cent) will perform both functions running through one or more suburbs but also stopping at an interchange on the way to schools (compared with 15 per cent in todays network) A spokesman for Transport Canberra said all schools losing a bus would still be served by a public connection, as more general buses ran past schools. Extra customer service officers will also be out at interchanges during school times but thousands of students already pass through the hubs each day. Anna's mother Helen Connolly, who works in disability services, said she couldn't imagine how she would teach her daughter to navigate the risks along her new route, which will involve walking to the light rail, then walking from an interchange in the city out to her school in Braddon. "It's just horrifying," Ms Connolly said. "Were putting a huge number of people who need support to access services at risk. I'll have to cut down my hours at work to drive her, I don't know what we'll do." Transport Canberra said it had taken on board community concerns about safety but the new network would make better use of its fleet and keep transport sustainable for a growing city, as a number of school services were currently under-utilised. Loading Principals have questioned the MyWay data used to draw such conclusions, saying head-counts conducted by Transport Canberra at a number of non-government schools after the original network was unveiled revealed sharp discrepancies in their estimated patronage and the actual number of students boarding buses. Transport Canberra used MyWay estimates and enrolment information from public schools when building the new network from scratch, but said non-government schools "have not traditionally shared [enrolment] information with the ACT government". Private school principals say they weren't asked, learning of the cuts only after they were announced in June. In some cases, such as at Marist College, discrepancies in MyWay estimates revealed during head-counts led the government to back down on bus cuts at the school altogether. But at Brindabella, Merici and Radford College as well as others, packed buses had still been cut in the final design. From next year, Transport Canberra is planning to request enrolment data from all ACT schools annually, in a regular review of school bus services, the spokesman said, and recruitment for a special school liaison officer was also underway. Ms Lucas said the government seemed genuinely willing to engage with schools going forward. "That's terrific but they've already made this fundamental shift to school transport," she said. "I've got big pockets of students affected by this, [especially] south of the lake." Radford principal Fiona Godfrey said she had received no such opportunity for consultation, despite submitting her school's bus requirements in July 2017and then lodging another submission in August this year, citing concerns about student safety and increased traffic congestion. After learning Transport Canberra had been in contact with other schools, Ms Godfrey said the college had asked for the same opportunity. But the meeting had been pushed back until the day after the revised network was announced, when the school was told no new changes could be made. At Merici, principal Loretta Wholley acknowledged her school would be well served by public transport so near the light rail corridor, but said students travelling from the south were still missing out and Transport Canberra had not given any assurances about safeguards for younger students or those with complex needs. Ms Connolly said the suggestion students with disabilities could buy a support worker to take them on the new network was a step backwards - and another drain on limited disability support funds. Flash A total of 62 people have been killed over the past 24 hours as a result of the U.S.-led airstrikes on the country's eastern province of Deir al-Zour, state news agency SANA reported Saturday. The coalition's airstrikes targeted areas in the village of Souseh in the countryside of the city of Abu Kamal in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour, killing 15 people, including women and children. The U.S.-led airstrikes also killed 37 others when targeting a mosque in that area. In the town of Abu Badran, the coalition airstrikes killed at least 10 people, said the report, adding that more wounded are expected to die as many of them are in critical conditions. Many civilians have also been trapped under the rubble as a result of the airstrikes. SANA said the coalition is following the tactic of scorched land under the pretext that it's targeting the Islamic State (IS) in eastern Deir al-Zour. A day earlier, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said tens of people have been killed as a result of the U.S.-led airstrikes on the last IS-held pocket in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour. The U.S.-led coalition backs the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in their push to defeat IS in a few areas the terror-designated group is still holding on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River in eastern Deir al-Zour. The Syrian Foreign Ministry has recently urged the UN to conduct an international investigation into the "crimes" of the U.S.-led coalition in Syria. The Syrian government side has repeatedly charged that the U.S. is using the battles on IS as a pretext to keep intervening in Syria's affairs. The U.S.-led coalition entered the course of battles in Syria against the IS in 2014, with the government questioning the intention of the U.S. and branding its intervention as illegal as it happened without the consent of the Syrian administration. The pregnant Duchess of Sussex took a break from royal tour engagements on Sunday morning after a late night at the Invictus Games opening. Prince Harry stepped out solo for the first time since the tour began in Australia last Tuesday. Meghan is resting ahead of the couple's trip to Fraser Island, leaving Prince Harry to go it alone on Sunday. Credit:AAP Kensington Palace said the couple had decided to cut back Meghan's schedule "slightly" ahead of the couple's visit to Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand. "After a busy program, the Duke and Duchess have decided to cut back The Duchess's schedule slightly for the next couple of days, ahead of the final week-and-a-half of the tour." Discrimination against female scientists is widespread and changes need to be made as early as high school to bridge the gender gap, a respected researcher says. According to the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, less than 30% of the worlds researchers are women. Dr Christina Schroeder was chosen for the first round of the Homeward Bound Leadership Program, a year-long leadership scheme that culminates in an Antarctic voyage. Credit:Dr Christina Schroeder Yet, at the entry level, the male-to-female ratio among PhD students and younger post-doctoral graduates is roughly 50:50. Have I experienced any discrimination? I dont think theres a woman in science who hasnt, Queensland researcher Dr Christina Schroeder said. In Australia, most 14-year-olds go to school, but as an Afghan refugee in Malaysia, Zahra had to work to support her family. She put in 15-hour days at a shopping-mall gift stall and once, for several months, Zahras boss refused to pay her. It was one of a thousand indignities suffered by Zahra, her parents and two sisters in 18 years living in limbo before the United Nations settled them in Australia. A new documentary tells how there was no money for Zahra to have a rotten tooth removed, so she lived in pain for years. The girls education was a few years' unofficial lessons at a community centre. A toddler is the latest Victorian to fall victim to a snake bite as the warmer weather brings the reptiles out of winter hibernation. Three other people across the state were also taken to hospital on Sunday after they were bitten by snakes. Paramedics were called to treat the two-year-old boy at a house in Sunbury about 1pm on Monday. He was treated at the scene for a suspected snake bite on his leg before being taken to the Sunshine Hospital in a stable condition. The sister of a man who died in police custody at a Melbourne bar says he was in good spirits after securing a new site for his dance festival. Earthcore founder Spiro Boursine (also known Spiro Boursinos) died at Antique Bar in Elsternwick about 2.15am on Saturday. Antique Bar in Elsternwick where Spiro Boursine (inset) died on Saturday. Credit:David Estcourt/Facebook His sister, Helen Politis, said her brother had been at the bar celebrating his good news. "He didn't deserve to die like that," she told Channel Nine. Russell Street bomber Craig Minogue wants to renounce his Australian citizenship and has asked Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to deport him to the United Kingdom if his latest legal bid for parole is successful. Minogue, who has served more than 30 years in prison for killing 21-year-old police constable Angela Taylor in 1986, will launch High Court action this week to challenge a legislative amendment recently introduced by the Andrews government to keep him behind bars. Handed a life sentence in 1988 with a non-parole period of 28 years, the reviled murderer claims to have been denied the opportunity to test his purported rehabilitation before a parole board because of "petty political reasons." In an audio recording obtained by The Age, Minogue says he has "done more than anyone in the history of Australia to rehabilitate myself''. PM, this is no way to run a nation I was appalled and quite uncomfortable listening to Scott Morrison's speech. He needs to recognise he is PM by default only and to stop making puerile comment and weird policy on the run. It's no way to "run" a country or even a political party. Kenneth Coghill, Bentleigh Satisfied Abbott? It was a hammering Now that Malcolm Turnbull has been removed and Liberals appear to have lost the seat of Wentworth for the first time since Federation, I hope Tony Abbott is satisfied with his efforts. Tina Van Wees, Somerville Please, take a message of hope from result One of the safest blue-ribbon Liberal seats in the country has likely fallen to a gay woman a woman beholden to no large vested interests who relied instead on the work of thousands of volunteers a woman who has been outspoken against both the cruelty and illegality of our treatment of boat people, and the stupidity, dishonesty, excuses and irresponsibility of our climate change inaction. One hopes that all cynics who have given up on democracy, and all people who think it is smart to spoil their ballot papers and both major parties have got the message. Colin Smith, St Kilda It was Morrison's Titanic moment After his speech at the Wentworth wipeout, if Scott Morrison had been captain of the Titanic he likely would have told the passengers he was stopping to take on ice. Thos Puckett, Ashgrove A response that says it all Watching the wrap-up of the Wentworth vote, Kerryn Phelps espoused trust, integrity and humanity. Scott Morrison provided an egocentric Liberal mantra, with absolutely no respect for the electorate. Says it all. Derek Warren, Carlton North This pair should go now They may be proud of what they have achieved within the Liberal Party, but frankly, Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott should resign from Parliament now. Dutton is sure to lose his seat at the next election and from Saturday's result in Wentworth, so will Abbott. So if they resign now, acknowledging what they have done to their party, they will retain some dignity. Dick Burns, Penguin FORUM Inspiring Games What an incredibly humbling experience watching the Invictus Games opening where people of all nationalities and varying disabilities pit their skills against each other. They do this in spite of physical and, in some cases, mental adversity, both of which in some cases have been overcome by sheer guts and determination and the force of the human spirit. To me this is what life should be all about, universal co-operation, fair competition, support for those who can't help themselves, not governed or influenced by religion or politics. Ian Anderson, Surrey Hills Humanity's good side The official opening of the Invictus Games was brilliant, showing humanity at its best: it proved that overcoming the terrors of wars can be achieved. Even better though, to prevent future suffering, would be for the human race to learn how to prevent wars in the first place. Mary Cole, Richmond Change the logo I agree with the editorial ("No reason to delay republic debate", 18/10). However, you cannot on the one hand advocate strongly for a republic, one hallmark of which would be having a head of state who is an Australian, while hanging on to a logo on your masthead that is a replica of the British Royal Coat of Arms. It's a long time since lions and unicorns roamed the plains of Australia. Kangaroos and emus, on the other hand ... Jack Hogan, Pakenham Embrace all people The Morrison government's recent mistake of the "OK to be white" vote, is an insult to the Australian people. For a nation with such a diverse culture, the vote highly degrades our multicultural status, labelling us as racists who reject others. To see how unreasonable "It's OK to be white" is, one needs to look no further than the phrase's origins from internet trolls on the site 4chan, who are infamous for spreading rumours and hacking sites for the "lols". At this rate, the government might as well start hiring bored teenagers who spend all day on their computers looking at memes. Australians deserve a government that can embrace the international side of the nation, not one which addresses its issues as mere "administrative error". Vincent Wong, Wantirna Go, Kevin, go Nothing will save Kevin Rudd's legacy. Here was a man who was elected with the considerable support of Australians, who attained a remarkable degree of popularity with his apology to Indigenous Australians, who had the sense to initiate Keynesian doctrines to combat the global financial crisis and who, to borrow Kipling the world was his and all that was in it. Within a couple of years he was evicted from office. He had burned his political capital because he lacked the temperament to govern. His arrogance, his petulance, his failure to confer brought him undone. He should go quietly into the night. Kevin Summers, Bentleigh No to pre-polling It's not a sexy topic but pre-polling should not exist. Given the events in the past week in politics and the outcome of the Wentworth byelection, it skews elections and people's opinions, for no real benefit at all. Voting is a privilege, a hard-fought for one, yet somehow it's less important than your cousin's wedding or the local footy match. I've been a volunteer at polling booths for 30 years but drafted unwillingly to work at pre-polling booths in the past few years, I've noticed people wandering in, more interested in what type of sushi they're going to have for lunch than who they're going to vote for. Polling day forces people to concentrate and ensures that all voters are equipped with the same information at the same time. Deirdre Smith, Bendigo Voters not fools Scott Morrison has failed in his first electoral test as PM. Does he and his party now realise that the electorate aren't fools to be taken in by thought bubbles and marketing. Middle-aged white men should acknowledge that the times are changing and their self-interest is not the message most people want to hear. Peter Roche, Carlton Absurdist theatre David Crowe ("Coalition on course for election routing", 21/10) says Scott Morrison's "fighting speech" to the party faithful following the Wentworth fiasco was a "smart and bold move". I disagree. I thought his speech was absurdist theatre. Who can ever forget his lump of coal stunt? Was OK for the PM to congratulate Kerryn Phelps and Dave Sharma and rev up the support team, but where was the apology to Wentworth voters for removing their much-loved member, and for their policy failures in areas important to the locals, especially climate change. And to shoehorn John Howard in to assist, a confessed climate agnostic, was laughable. Neil Hudson, East Melbourne Moving strategy Good try Scott Morrison. Unfortunately suggesting moving the Australian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem didn't work in Wentworth. Perhaps before the next election you could propose moving Parliament back to Melbourne. That might win you a few seats in Victoria. Tony O'Brien, South Melbourne Abbott's sabotage History will recall that the Liberal Party self-destructed due to the sabotage of Tony Abbott and his reactionary cronies. May the party treat them with the contempt to which they deserve. Peter Rutherford, Hamlyn Heights Grievances aplenty No, Scott Morrison, the Wentworth wipe-out wasn't some mysterious "act of God", as your curiously upbeat speech seemed to imply by failing to acknowledge the grievances of voters. What's more, prayers are unlikely to make them forget that performance come the next election. Bernd Rieve, Brighton The slow death Malcolm Turnbull has taken a leaf out of Paul Keating's repertoire he is doing Tony Abbott slow but at the expense of a majority government. Debora Mendelson, Toorak Noisy silence Unfortunately, Neil Champion (Letters, 20/10), libraries are like busy cafes, minus the coffee. This is nothing new. When I had the wonderful privilege of going to university as a mature-age student in 1980, one of the noisiest places in the library was a section bearing signs that read "silent study area". Ken Turnbull, Maldon Fund libraries Funding for school libraries is long overdue. With Australia's literacy rates declining and the nation's NAPLAN results plummeting, the promotion of reading has never been as urgent as it is today. In this digital era, technology advances within our classrooms and many perceive online resources to be an alternative to books. However, research demonstrates that those who read are more likely to do well in school compared to those who don't. So, for the sake of education, the government needs to increase funding towards school libraries. Otherwise, in the end, it is students like myself who pay the price. David Le, Cranbourne West The biggest lie The Saudi assertion that Jamal Khashoggi died inside their Turkish embassy in a "fistfight" will relegate the previous world's greatest lie "that the dog ate my homework" to second ranking. One can only assume that the Saudis have the utmost contempt for the West that they expect us to swallow this blatant lie. Greg Angelo, Balwyn North Mixed royal messages The royal visit generated these responses to me on Saturday. The Anglo-Saxon woman is indignant her taxes pay for entertaining the parasite royals; the Italian-born hairdresser reminisces about the kindness of Harry to a five-year-old in Dubbo; the Greek-born assistant in the pharmacy bubbles over with praise for the couple; an Asian passerby takes a photo of the Australian flag in my window. Such is life in my suburb. Christine Barnes, Glen Iris Bring back the caboose Here's an idea for the new V/Line trains. Add a caboose to each one. I'm old enough to remember these convenient carriages being on Adelaide trains when I was a child. People with bikes, large prams, surfboards or luggage happily headed to the caboose (aka the guards' van ) which had a single very large door opening. In those days the space was rather free for all. Today, designers could add bike racks, luggage shelves and/or lockers, hand rails and grips and some fold-down seats. There would not need to be many of the latter because if bikes could be locked in place, cyclists could sit in an adjoining carriage. Perhaps the caboose is an obsolete convenience that needs to be revived and redesigned for the 21st century. Gaye Boswell, Wantirna South Courting respect So most respondents to a Victorian barristers' well-being survey reported that they had been the victim of judicial bullying ("Judges accused of workplace bullying", The Age, 19/10)? No doubt they did so anonymously. Judicial bullying is as old as the hills. Every advocate appearing in the criminal jurisdictions must be prepared for it as it is an established common occupational hazard. Some present and past members of the judiciary may be claiming "not in my court"! But therein lies the rub, your honour. The community relies upon your court and every other to be representative of community standards. Those standards are underpinned by common courtesy and respect for anyone who appears in a court. Any instance of judicial bullying brings the whole justice system into disrepute according to the standards of any reasonable person on the Bourke Street tram. Cheri Lee, retired barrister, East Brunswick AND ANOTHER THING Racism The next critical issue for the government and One Nation: Is it OK to put pineapple on pizza? Joe Valence, Cherrybrook, NSW "It's OK to be white" was designed as a trap. It should have read, "It's OK to be any skin colour". David Zemdegs, Armadale Wentworth Peter Dutton, this one's down to you and your alt-right colleagues. John Bye, Elwood Start packing. Ross Beamsley, Moe It would seem that reports of the death of the federal Liberal Party are neither premature nor exaggerated. Brian Morley, Donvale And that's probably the last we'll hear from the Liberals about moving embassies. Les Aisen, Elsternwick Tony Abbott and Peter Dutton, what karma. Lorna Jensen, Bairnsdale Well Tony Abbott and Peter Dutton, it's all going according to the master plan then? Mark Brooks, Benalla Is it the bye-bye election for the Coalition in Wentworth? Alan Inchley, Frankston Tony Abbott has achieved his purpose and destroyed the Liberal Party. Ian Anderson, Ascot Vale As Kerryn Phelps hinted, can we now talk about the survival of the planet rather than the survival of the government? Hans Paas, Castlemaine A vote for instability. Should be an improvement on the past few months. Philip West, Jan Juc Memo to Bill Shorten: Just say nothing. Paul Custance, Highett NSW Police were also concerned the isolation of the event posed a risk to patrons, as there was no mobile phone coverage and unreliable emergency radio communications. Now police reports obtained by The Canberra Times under freedom of information laws show the full scale of the backlash the festival experienced when it shifted to Canberra. The Psyfari that came to Caloola Farm near Tharwa was a scaled-back version of former festivals, limited to about 2000 tickets (formerly 5000) and three days (previously five). Organisers hired a community liaison officer and had a zero drugs policy, with harm minimisation group Dancewize on site to offer help and advice to festivalgoers. Despite this, Caloola Farm's neighbours' echoed the concerns of NSW Police about Psyfari, with the event to be the sixth "bush doof" at the farm in 18 months. ACT Policing had expressed serious concerns about past events at the farm, even warning serious injury or death was "expected" if the events continued "unchecked and unregulated". Loading ACT Policing would not say whether they sought advice from NSW Police on Psyfari when it moved to Canberra, but given the distance of Caloola Farm from support services, police deployed "contingency measures" to allow effective policing of the event. Police were also aware of the animosity between locals and proponents of the festival. Tensions hit a flashpoint the day before the festival began when a ute entered the farm and its occupants allegedly made threats to festival volunteers. The police report says: "Staff became scared of the males as they appeared intoxicated. The males ran the ute into the back of the [complainant's vehicle] then drove away. [Complainant] was unable to get any names or rego details of the ute or driver." Staff rang police, who arrived half an hour later to find their person of interest arguing with someone on a motorcycle about a sign he'd placed on public land saying "not welcome", targeted at festivalgoers. The police records suggested the man later appeared in court. Two days later, police were called out to the area after a report a mailbox had been blown up with explosives. Police and forensics went out an hour later to find the mailbox had been deliberately lit on fire, not blown up. No forensic evidence was found. Officers went to Caloola Farm to speak with people there, who were unaware of the incident. They also did a drive-through of the incident but couldn't identify any suspects. Later that day, a man also called police alleging a van tried to run him off the road with his young son in the car. The complainant was unable to get the licence plate of the van. A complaint was also made to police that someone had "defecated by the road and left it there, toilet paper and all". No further details were given. Loading Police ran a four-day traffic operation in the area, where they breath-tested 1025 drivers (only one tested positive for alcohol) and roadside drug-tested 155 drivers (11 swabs were sent away for further analysis after returning positive readings). Officers also patrolled the festival and reported the crowd had been largely well behaved. On the second day of the festival, police were called to help security after a heavily drug-affected man assaulted and bit a staff member and a Dancewize volunteer. Notes from an officer said the man was "highly aggressive and attempting to sexually assault people". The man was handcuffed until paramedics arrived. A police officer had to drive the ambulance to the Canberra Hospital so both paramedics could treat the man for a compromised airway. Police recommended the matter not proceed to prosecution because of the "transient" nature of the offender, the victims and the witnesses. The next day emergency services were called back to deal with two violent people who'd overdosed on drugs. It took 45 minutes for police to get there given the distance and road condition because it was raining. On arrival, security had restrained one man who'd become aggressive and tried to kick and bite staff. Another ambulance had to be called for a woman in a similar state. Initial inquiries suggested the pair had taken LSD, which interacted poorly with existing mental health conditions. Loading Defqon.1 is more than six times the size of Psyfari and when confronted with the difficulties this smaller festival faced in coming to Canberra, Mr Rattenbury said he recognised there were challenges associated with holding a major festival. Broadly speaking, the sensible approach here is to engage event organisers as was successfully realised here in Canberra to bring about a safer environment for our young people. This would mean talking to organisers and residents alike about how we could bring about a festival environment that is safe, fun and a welcome addition to our festival calendar," Mr Rattenbury said. [Defqon.1] happened last month, leaving 11 months until the next event. That leaves plenty of time to have a conversation around public health, environmental and safety implications, as with any number of major events that take place." Liberal candidate Dave Sharma roared back into the contest for Wentworth through postal and prepoll votes on Sunday, the day after the booths had told a very different story. The Liberals had received such a thumping from voters across the electorate on Saturday that analysts confidently called the game over less than 90 minutes after the polling booths had closed. Liberal candidate Dave Sharma campaigns at Waverley Public School. Credit:James Brickwood In Bronte, for example, voters savagely rejected the federal government's attempt to seduce them with $2 million for the local surf club, as the Liberals' primary vote collapsed by 27 per cent. As voters deserted the Liberals, independent candidate Kerryn Phelps captured booth after booth across Bondi, Paddington, Waverley and as far north as Elizabeth Bay, even picking up two booths in Woollahra. The outcome of the Wentworth byelection has understandably sent shockwaves through the Australian political system. Whether or not postal votes change the final outcome, the size of the swing should be a wake-up call. We saw 20 per cent of our base in Wentworth abandon the government in favour of an independent. As the Prime Minister said on Sunday, this result is on us and we must listen and respond. Around the globe, Australia is recognised as one of the most successful democracies. We are a people admired for both our long-term economic success and for forging a harmonious multicultural society. Scott Morrison speaks on Saturday night, flanked by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Wentworth candidate Dave Sharma. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Key to this success has been the relative stability of our political system since we became a nation in 1901. Partly this is structural, reflecting the strength of the Westminster hybrid our founding fathers left future generations. A parliamentary system which provides, more often than not, for majority government in the House of Representatives, balanced by a proportionally elected Senate, combines the best of the various democratic systems found in Europe and north America. Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned before the Wentworth byelection that a hung parliament would threaten Australias economic stability. It is now up to him to show he was wrong or else face the consequences at an election in six months time. The big swing that appears to have handed victory to Dr Kerryn Phelps in one of the most blue ribbon of Liberal seats was the almost inevitable consequence of the overthrow of Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister. Kerryn Phelps on Saturday night. Credit:AAP The abrupt removal of Mr Turnbull for no clear reason has shaken voters faith in the Liberal Party and nowhere more so than in Wentworth, where the former prime minister had earned a strong personal following. Voters are sick of politicians who are more focused on personal ambition than governing. It is hilarious that some in the Liberal Party, trying to distract attention from their own folly, criticised Mr Turnbull for quitting his seat and even for not campaigning on their behalf. Mr Morrison was right on Saturday night to say the likely defeat was on the Liberals rather than their strong candidate, Dave Sharma. But the huge swing against the party also reflected mistakes that Mr Morrison himself made during the campaign. He thought he could take the voters of Wentworth for fools. Rather than use his authority as Prime Minister to argue on broad themes, Mr Morrison engaged in cheap retail politics, especially with his opportunistic thought-bubble promise to Jewish voters in the electorate to consider moving the Australian embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Voters can see through this sort of cynical stunt. Yet it seemed Mr Morrison gave as much consideration to this serious foreign policy decision as to handing out cash to rebuild a local surf lifesaving club. Behind Liberal anguish, behind the hand-wringing, behind the recriminations, behind the vengefulness of competing factions, and behind Labors perhaps hasty triumphalism, the Wentworth byelection, whatever its final outcome, conveyed a simple and uplifting message: democracy works. By voting against the government of the day in droves Wentworth voters have sent a clear message to Canberra, and to a cynical political class. They are fed up with business as usual and are less susceptible to gimmickry and manipulation than the cynics in party apparatuses would have you believe. Illustration: Jim Pavlidis Credit: Craig Laundy, the plain-speaking Liberal backbencher for the Sydney suburban seat of Reid, had a point when he said on Sky News during its election coverage that in a Canberra bubble his colleagues yield too much ground to media bullies whose prejudices have shifted his party too far to the right on issues like climate. What is clear, irrespective of the final vote count in Wentworth, is that voters want governments to prosecute policies on issues of the day that have some chance of achieving a consensus in the national interest. The former NSW education minister and ex-Nationals MP, Adrian Piccoli, has accused the Catholic Church of "hoodwinking and bullying" federal politicians into giving its schools more money, and warned his old party the deal left country schools short-changed. In a letter to NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro, Professor Piccoli urged his one-time colleagues to resist church pressure to sign off on the federal government's $4.6 billion private school funding deal. The former NSW education minister Adrian Piccoli is urging his former colleagues not to be fooled by the Catholic Church. Credit:Louie Douvis NSW Catholic Schools rejected Dr Piccoli's comments as "offensive and unjustified" and offered to debate him on the issue in the Nationals' party room. "While the Catholic Church has managed to hoodwink and bully the Commonwealth Government into offering this new deal, I urge you not to succumb to the same tactics," Dr Piccoli said in the letter, sent last week. Sao Paulo: Thousands of people took to the streets in Brazil Saturday to protest the candidacy of presidential front-runner Jair Bolsonaro, shouting "Not him!" which has become the rallying cry against the far-right former army captain. Soccer fans and supporters of Workers' Party presidential candidate Fernando Haddad shout slogans during a demonstration at Cinelandia square, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Credit:AP In Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and 24 other cities, large crowds filled avenues and squares a week before the October 28 second-round vote polls suggest Bolsonaro is likely to win. Bolsonaro, who has angered many Brazilians by praising the country's 1964-1985 military dictatorship and making comments offensive to gays, women and blacks, won the first round of voting on October 7, getting 46 per cent against 29 for Fernando Haddad of the Workers' Party. In front of the Sao Paulo Art Museum, people beat drums and waved gay pride flags as they denounced Bolsonaro. Many carried cardboard signs bearing Haddad's name and photo. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images On Sunday morning, the New York Times published a report detailing a memo from the Trump administration that would effectively erase federal recognition of trans and nonbinary gender identities. The Department of Health and Human Services would make changes to Title IX definitions of gender, only recognizing male and female sex, which could be DNA tested to determine. It would also define gender as unchangeable. The effects of such a policy would be devastating to over 1 million Americans access to health care, housing, and other public services would be limited or withheld completely. This is not the Trumps administration first attack on transgender Americans. Trump himself once tweeted out a proposal to not allow trans Americans to serve in the military. In response to the latest proposal, trans and nonbinary people began to share photos of themselves under the hashtag #WontBeErased, as part of the larger response to Trumps devastating policy proposal. Below are words and photos shared by the transgender and nonbinary community, and organizations who advocate for their human rights. Lets create a world where theres more heroes like these women, courageous enough to live their truth everyday despite ignorance and blatant discrimination. #WontBeErased pic.twitter.com/PaakbmXMj1 Angel Bismark Curiel (@angelbcuriel) October 21, 2018 This is my daughter... she is smart and beautiful and brave and has the biggest heart in the world... her future is bright and there are no limits on what she can accomplish... and she #WontBeErased #TransRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/WlyCcWkEdZ Paria Hassouri, MD (@pariahassouri) October 21, 2018 I'm here. I'm trans. I #WontBeErased. Follow @TransEquality to learn about what YOU can do to help defend against the Trump Administration's attempt to strip away our rights. pic.twitter.com/L2H77lZGI0 Kayla Powell (@kaylalaurie) October 21, 2018 We're not going anywhere - transgender people can't be erased with a memo. Post a selfie. Call a friend. Attend our rally tomorrow. Everything to show them that we #WontBeErased pic.twitter.com/8ipiey6uzM National Center for Transgender Equality (@TransEquality) October 21, 2018 I am proudly out as trans, and I #WontBeErased. Please support @TransEquality, which I sit on the board of, as they fight this latest affront to human rights. pic.twitter.com/O9iDp23fVV Liz Fong-Jones (@lizthegrey) October 22, 2018 I am transgender. I will not and cannot be erased. #WontBeErased pic.twitter.com/GWL6l3OpPN Jay M (@jmaddock) October 21, 2018 i'm a trans person who's dedicated their life to fighting for trans rights. we haven't come this far to only come this far, and we #WontBeErased. follow @TransEquality to stay up to date on what you can do to fight back as well. pic.twitter.com/xFArrvur10 Jay H. Wu #WontBeErased (@jhtripleu) October 21, 2018 In addition to a response on social media, there were also be acts of protest occurring across the country. The Transgender Center for Equality and Lambda Legal announced that there will be a rally in New York City on Sunday at 6 p.m. Indya Moore, Lucy Diavolo, Tourmaline and more will speak at the event. On Monday, there will be a rally outside of the White House at 12:30 p.m. 2,000 Migrants Vow to Re-Form Caravan and Push North 2,000+ Choose to Return Home CIUDAD HIDALGO, MexicoAbout 2,000 Central American migrants who circumvented Mexican police at a border bridge and swam, forded and floated across the river from Guatemala decided on Oct. 20 to re-form their mass caravan and continue their trek northward towards the United States. Gathered at a park in the border city of Ciudad Hidalgo, the migrants voted by a show of hands and then marched to the bridge to urge those still there to cross the river and join them. In a statement late Oct. 20, Mexicos federal government said nearly 900 migrants had arrived by unauthorized means, while 640 refugee requests by Hondurans were processed and allowed to cross into the country via the international border crossing on the Suchite River that divides Guatemala from Mexico. Mexicos ambassador to Guatemala, Luis Manuel Lopez Moreno, had said on Oct. 19 when thousands of people rushed across the Suchite River bridge that the Mexico border was not closed and that the country would allow in some 100 migrants a day to review their humanitarian and asylum requests, reported the Wall Street Journal. These people are in great need. The border is not closed, we are open to receive them with order and according to the law, he said. Migrants cited widespread poverty and gang violence in Honduras, one of the worlds deadliest nations by homicide rate, as their reasons for joining the caravan. One cannot live back there, Fidelina Vasquez said, a grandmother traveling with her daughter and 2-year-old grandson, standing next to the main border gate. Hector Aguilar, a 49-year-old sales manager who worked as a taxi driver in Honduras Yoro province to feed his four children, said he had to pay the two main gangs there protection money in order to work. On Thursdays I paid the 18th Street gang, and on Saturdays the MS-13, Aguilar said. Three hundred lempiras per day about $12.50, a significant amount in low-wage Honduras. Authorities began handing out numbers for people to be processed in a strategy seen before at U.S. border posts when dealing with large numbers of migrants. But the government made it clear that if people were to enter Mexico illegally, they would be caught and returned to their countries of origin. Moreno also stressed that there were serious risks posed by irregular entry into the country, including migrant smuggling and human trafficking networks. Despite the heavy police deployment on the bridge, a steady stream of migrants chose to enter onto Mexican soil illegally by crossing the Suchiate River that demarcates the notoriously porous border. They swam, waded with the aid of ropes or paid locals who charge the equivalent of $1.25 to ferry people and goods across the muddy waters, and were not detained on reaching the Mexican bank. Where easily 3,000 people were on the bridge the previous day, the crowd had thinned out considerably by Oct. 20. In addition to those who crossed the river, immigration agents processed migrants in small groups and then bused them to an open-air, metal-roof fairground in Tapachula, where the Red Cross set up small blue tents on the concrete floor. Mexicos Interior Department released photos of migrants getting off buses at a shelter and receiving food and medical attention. But the pace was slow, frustrating those who remained on the bridge in hot and cramped conditions. Each time a small side gate opened to allow people to pass, there was a crush of bodies as migrants desperately pushed forward. Scarleth Cruz hoisted a crying, sweat-soaked baby girl above the crowd, crying out: This girl is suffocating. At least half a dozen migrants fainted. Some tore open a fence on the Guatemala side of the bridge and threw two young children, perhaps age 6 or 7, and their mother into the muddy waters about 40 feet below. They were rafted to safety in on the Mexican bank. The caravan elicited a series of warning tweets from U.S. President Trump early in the week. The Mexican Government is fully engaged in finding a solution that encourages safe, secure, and orderly migration, State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Oct. 20, and both the United States and Mexico continue to work with Central American governments to address the economic, security, and governance drivers of illegal immigration. Presidents Hernandez of Honduras and Jimmy Morales of Guatemala held an emergency meeting at a Guatemalan air base on Oct. 20. It is estimated that approximately between 5,000 to 5,400 people entered Guatemalan territory, Morales said. We are working to provide a peaceful and safe return trip and avoid that these movements keep happening in the future. Hernandez said: I want to assure Hondurans that we have a working team to receive them, as well as a package of offers in terms of opportunities depending on what each citizen wants to do with his life in terms of an undertaking or in terms of bettering his quality of life in his community. He added that migrants from elsewhere in the region had joined the caravan, along with others from outside the Central American region, though he did not cite specific nationalities. We want to say to all who are participating in this caravan, that it has been shown that in addition to Hondurans there are (people) from other countries in the region and also outside of the Central American region. And dont let yourself be fooled, take care of your life, reflect and understand the enormous risk and danger that you are being submitted to, he said. The leaders said an estimated 5,400 migrants had entered Guatemala since the caravan was announced a week ago, and about 2,500 Hondurans have returned voluntarily, many using free bus tickets from the Honduran government. Hernandez added that planes would be used to fly women and children back home. Migrant Gonzalo Martinez says he is voluntarily returning to Honduras from a bridge connecting Guatemala and Mexico because he was disappointed in the unruliness of caravan members and just wanted to head home. We thought the caravan was passive but there were unruly people, I was disappointed, said the 37-year-old farmer as he boarded a bus in Tecun Uman, Guatemala to take him back to Honduras. Morales said a Honduran migrant died in the town of Villa Nueva, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from Guatemala City, when he fell from a truck that was transporting migrants. Zachary Stieber and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Clive Hamilton, author of Silent Invasion, speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in A Conversation on Chinese Influence in Australia and Beyond in Washington on Oct. 18, 2018. (Wu Wei/Epoch Times) Warning From Down Under: Influence From China, Not Russia, Is Most Dangerous WASHINGTONClive Hamiltons book Silent Invasion sounded a warning to Australians about how the Chinese regime was gaining influence in their country. Drawing on insights from the experience in Australia, Hamilton recently sought to warn Americans of the dangers posed by the Peoples Republic of Chinas influence operations. Hamilton says Americans have a false frame of reference for evaluating the threat from China. Since the 2016 election, the Russians have dominated discussions of foreign influence, but Hamilton says the Chinese regime has longer-term goals and is a much greater threat than Russia. Russia wants people to know that it is meddling in U.S. elections, Hamilton said Oct. 18 during the panel A Conversation on Chinese Influence in Australia and Beyond at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. They want people to know that it can exercise influence. Putin wants the world to know that he is a big man. China doesnt think that way. Its goal is long-term. It is the second-most-powerful nation, and eyes becoming the most powerful nation in the world. Its not interested in disruption. It is interested in long-term influence. Putin wants his activities to be visible; the Chinese government wants its activities to be invisible, he said. Another difference lies with the actual damage, according to Hamilton. The damage done by Russia to the political process is short-term, kind of spectacular, caused a disturbance and a lot of activities and media reports for a couple of years. But when Donald Trump is gone, that will go as well, Hamilton said. But China is different. Beijing is aimed at long-term influence strategies. It doesnt target particular political parties. It doesnt really care who is in power. They want to influence every important political force. That is why it is long-term. It is thinking where we will be in 10, 20, 50 years time. Hamilton said. Putin has a short-term objective of creating chaos and obstruction. Beyond that, he doesnt know that he wants. The PRC has a far more long-term, subtle, carefully thought through the objective of gaining influence. It doesnt want to disrupt the institutions. It doesnt want to undermine democracy. It wants to control the practices of institutions and the people involved in the exercise of democracy. Another reason why Beijing is far more dangerous to the U.S. democracy than Moscow is that Chinas GDP is almost 8 times that of Russias. So, it is capable of doing much more damage, according to Hamilton. Heightened Awareness The United States can learn from the heightened public awareness in Australia, which set the stage for pushing back against the PRCs influence operations, Hamilton said. About two years ago, there was a process of the awakening of the Australian public, broadly about the PRCs influence operations in Australia. Because of a very dynamic debate, the Australian public was fully on board and strongly backed new legislation on foreign interference in domestic politics, Hamilton said. His Silent Invasion, which played a key role in that debate, details the systematic attempt by PRC to expand its espionage network and influence in Australia. Its also a prime example of the influence it exposed. Australias largest publisher, Allen & Unwin, which had published several of Hamiltons books in the past, in November 2017, canceled its plan to publish Silent Invasion, owing to pressure from Beijing. Hardie Grant acquired the rights and published the book in February; in June, Australia passed national security and foreign interference laws that Attorney General Christian Porter called the countrys biggest counterintelligence overhaul in decades. The legislation includes tougher penalties for traditional espionage activitiessuch as leaking classified information and interfering with public infrastructurealong with sweeping provisions aimed at combating foreign interference and a registration scheme for agents of foreign political actors. But in the United States, Hamilton said, a debate such as the one that took place in Australia has yet to occur. Apart from some elites, some adults in the White House, intelligence services, defense department, some analysts and a small handful of journalists, the broader American public has a long way to go before they understand, in the wake of the Russia issue, that the PRC is a far greater threat, far more subversive threat, to the United States. Free Chinese Media Hamilton and Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia and the director of the China Power Project at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), who also spoke at the event, both highlighted the importance of the media consumed by Chinese living outside China. The majority of Chinese-language media in the United States and Australia are partially or almost wholly owned or influenced by China, Glaser said, with only a few exceptions, such as The Epoch Times and its media partner NTD. To address the problem, Maybe the Australian government needs to assist private media operations to provide Chinese-language services, so that Chinese Australians can gain a range of views through the media they use, Hamilton said. One thing thats particularly worrisome is that Weibo and WeChat are controlled and censored from Beijing, Hamilton said. This is a critical form of communication between Chinese Australians. So what we have are Australian citizens of Chinese heritage, who have their communication censored from Beijing. This is truly an outrageous situation. We really need to do something about it. The answer is to try to win Chinese Australians away from those forms of social media which Beijing can control, and provide Chinese-language media free and open, he said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) talks to reporters after the Senate voted to confirm Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, Oct. 06, 2018. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Angry Protester Confronts Mitch McConnell at Restaurant, Gets Told to Leave Him Alone Aggressive protesters confronted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at a restaurant on Friday, Oct. 19, but faced pushback from other customers who told them to leave the Kentucky Republican alone. An unidentified man can be seen in a video obtained by TMZ verbally attacking McConnell at a restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky. The visibly angry diner leaned close and pointed at McConnell and his wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, and yelled at them. The person recording the footage can be heard saying Im going to sell this to TMZ! as customers waved their hands dismissively at the protester and called for him to tone it down. TMZ reported that McConnell was initially confronted by four men as he sat in a booth with his wife. Oh yeah, why dont you get out of here? Why dont you leave our entire country, a protester tells the couple. Chao appears to argue with the protester, while McConnell sips on a drink. Some diners then begin to defend McConnell and tell the protester to leave him alone. The mustachioed protester then turns around to face the other diners. Theyre going to come for Social Security, he says to them and waves his arms. It then appears the protester is approached by restaurant staff. The woman who recorded the incident reportedly told TMZ that the protester slammed his fists on McConnells table and threw food out of the restaurant after accusing McConnell of killing people. The outlet reported that after the situation settled down, McConnell thanked some of those who stuck up for him. The Leader and Sec. Chao enjoyed their meal in Louisville last night and they appreciate those who spoke up against incivility, McConnell spokesman David Popp said in a statement, according to Fox News. They hope other patrons werent too inconvenienced by left-wing tantrums. As the Leader often says, the Senate will not be intimidated by the antics of far-left protestors. Some protesters have embraced a more confrontational and aggressive approach recently, for example chasing Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and his wife out of a restaurant in Washington. A number of prominent Democratic politicians have appeared to encourage such behavior. Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said its not possible to be civil with Republicans any longer. You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about, Clinton told CNNs Christiane Amanpour on Oct. 9. Thats why I believe, if we are fortunate enough to win back the House and/or the Senate, thats when civility can start again. But until then, the only thing Republicans seem to recognize and respect is strength. This is not the first time protesters confronted McConnell in a Kentucky restaurant. Protesters caught up with McConnell in a Louisville restaurant in July and reportedly yelled abolish ICE and no justice, no peace. I see what they did here. They waited until Elaine wasnt around. -MM #dontleavehomewithouther https://t.co/tfjLu0IRok Team Mitch (@Team_Mitch) July 9, 2018 I see what they did here. They waited until Elaine wasnt around, McConnell later tweeted. The radical Democrats have turned into an angry mob, President Donald Trump said at a recent rally. There is going to be an assassination if this doesnt ratchet down, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), according to Fox, before calling for a toning down of the rhetoric. Did you enjoy this article? Continue to read more stories here. ORourkes Senate Campaign Sued for Allegedly Sending Unsolicited Texts Rep. Beto ORourkes (D-Texas) campaign was sued by a Texas resident who alleged the U.S. Senate hopeful sent constituents unsolicited text messagesa violation of the law. The class-action lawsuit, filed on Oct. 19 in the Northern District of Texas Court, listed Collin County resident Sameer Syeed as a plaintiff. The suit alleges, on behalf of all Texans, that the campaign sent texts to voters without obtaining their permission, the Star-Telegram reported. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act bans the use of automatic telephone equipment to send texts or calls to a persons cellphone without their permission, other than a call made for emergency purposes or made with prior consent, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In the lawsuit, Syeed says that since the start of 2018, hes received nine texts from the Beto for Texas campaign, though they didnt obtain permission to contact him. When he tried to call the numbers back, he said the calls resulted in error messages or disconnected dial tones, indicating they came from an automated phone system. Syeed also texted back in an attempt to stop the messages, but got no response. Chris Evans, the communications director for the Beto for Texas campaign, told the newspaper that the program is legal. Our grassroots volunteer program with thousands of Texans canvassing, phone banking, texting, and organizing is the largest this state has seen. It is fully compliant with the law, he said. According to RealClearPolitics, the average among polls it tracked this month show Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz with a lead of 7 percentage points over ORourke. Currently, Republicans have slim majorities in both the Senate and House. President Donald Trump, hoping to maintain that majority, has gone on a campaign blitz, rallying in a number of states over the past few weeks in the runup to the midterms. On Twitter, Trump chided ORourke for not representing the Texans in his state. Beto ORourke is a total lightweight compared to Ted Cruz, and he comes nowhere near representing the values and desires of the people of the Great State of Texas, he wrote in an Oct. 19 post. He will never be allowed to turn Texas into Venezuela! Zheng Xiaosong, head of China's liaison office to Macau, speaks at a meeting in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China, on April 23, 2016. (Reuters/Stringer) Chinas Top Macau Representative Dead After Falling From His Building Chinas top representative to Macau died late on Oct. 20 after falling from the building where he lived, the Chinese regime said Oct. 21. As head of Chinas liaison office to Macau, Zheng Xiaosong held a post that has long been associated with carrying out subversion campaigns in the former Portuguese colony. Zheng had been suffering from depression, the Hong Kong and Macau Office within Chinas cabinet-like State Council said in a statement, adding that representatives of the Beijing government visited Macau to offer condolences. The statement did not elaborate further on the circumstances of his death. Zheng, 59, was appointed to the Macau post in September 2017 and is a member of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) Central Committee, a body of more than 200 members comprised of the Party elite. He was previously the vice governor of the southeastern coastal province of Fujian. The liaison office in Macau serves as a bridge between the local government and Beijing. But the mainland Chinese government has become increasingly influential in local affairs. Like in neighboring Hong Kong, Macau operates under the one country, two systems policy and is ruled by a chief executive, who is chosen via an election but must get approval from Beijing to formally take office. Macaus Chief Executive Fernando Chui said in a statement that he was shocked about Zhengs death and expressed condolences. Hong Kongs Chief Executive Carrie Lam also issued a statement expressing deep sorrow for Zhengs death. The History of Liaison Offices in Hong Kong and Macau The liaison office to Macau, much like its equivalent in Hong Kong, has a long history of influencing local affairs to carry out the CCPs agenda. In 1949, the CCPs Central Committee established the Hong Kong Work Committee, which later was renamed to Hong Kong and Macau Work Committee (HKMWC), for the purpose of overseeing the CCPs work in the two territories. According to the book Political Development in Hong Kong: State, Political Society, and Civil Society by Hong Kong political scientist Ngok Ma, the HKMWC commanded and controlled a network of leftist organizations in Hong Kong and Macau, including commercial entities such as banks and tourist agencies, cultural organizations such as publishers and newspapers, and mass organizations such as youth and womens organizations. The HKMWC was directly under the supervision of the CCPs Central Coordination Group for Hong Kong and Macau Affairs, the highest de-facto body for deciding Beijings policy toward the two territories. In turn, the Central Coordination Group reports to the Politburo, a 25-member body of the Partys senior leadership. In January 2000, the Hong Kong branch and the Macau branch were respectively renamed to become the Liaison Offices of the two territoriesthus, the liaison offices also hosted the HKMWC. The two cities Liason Offices now oversee the network of leftist organizations, according to a 2014 academic paper by Hong Kong scholar Brian C.H. Fong, published in The China Quarterly. The Central Coordination Group has a history of strong ties to former Party leader Jiang Zemin. He and his circle of allies are part of a political faction opposed to the current leadership under Xi Jinping. In 2003, Zeng Qinghong, then vice-chair of the CCP, was appointed as chair of the Central Coordination Group. Zeng was widely known as a key ally and political mastermind for Jiang. In 2012, Zhang Dejiang, former chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress, Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, and another key ally of Jiang assumed the leading figure in the Central Coordination Group. But after Xi took power in late 2012, he began a party-wide purge of Jiang faction officials and began to whittle away the factions influence over Hong Kong and Macau. Currently, Han Zheng, one of Chinas vice premiers, holds the position. Though he made his political career in Shanghaia stronghold of Jiangs faction, Han formed good relations with Xi while the latter was party chief of Shanghai. Reuters contributed to this report. Drug-Crazed Suspect Tases Deputy While Being Apprehended The danger of police work was made poignantly clear in a recent video released by the Pasco County Sheriffs office of an officer getting tased by a suspect. On Tuesday, Oct. 16, Pasco, Florida Deputy Darren Goodwald was in the midst of what seemed like a routine traffic stop, which unexpectedly turned into a life-or-death struggle with a drug-crazed suspect who had a long criminal history. The incident was captured by the 27-year-old deputys body camera. A Mundane Traffic Stop The incident began with a mundane traffic stop conducted by Deputy Goodwald in Pasco, Florida. The deputy noticed a vehicle with the wrong tagthe tag from another vehicle had been attached. The person in the vehicle, later identified as Bryan Roque, 30, has a long record of arrests in Pasco County, the Tampa Bay Times reported. According to Patch.com, Roque was under the influence of methamphetamine, marijuana and opiates at the time of the traffic stopbut Deputy Goodwald did not know this at the time. Having the license plate from another car often means that the car was stolen to be used in a crime. After Deputy Goodwald stopped the vehicle, the driver tried to flee on foot, and Deputy Goodwald set off in pursuit. The suspect ran around a house and back to the stopped car. He climbed in and tried to drive away. But the car would not start. With Deputy Goodwald approaching quickly, the suspect decided to take off running once againand Deputy Goodwald kept following. The suspect then attempted to hijack the car of a woman who happened to be driving by. When that didnt work, the suspect once again started running between houses. A Dangerous Conflict Deputy Goodwald eventually caught the suspect, drew his taser, and ordered the subject to stop or risk being tased. After a short struggle, the suspect fell face down on the ground. Deputy Goodwald then reached for his radio to call for backup. When he did, the suspect began fighting. After a few seconds the suspect managed to grab Deputy Goodwalds taser. According to the Pasco Sheriffs Office, both Deputy Goodwald and the suspect got tased in the struggle. As Deputy Goodwald fought to recover from being tased, he also fought to control the suspect. Somehow the suspect grabbed the deputys gunthe ultimate nightmare for a police officer. At that point, Deputy Goodwald called for helpand the raw emotion in his voice is heart-rending. He realizes he has just inadvertently armed a violent offender who has shown a willingness to do harm to others. At this point the body-cam video doesnt show what is happeningthe deputy and the suspect are locked in combat, rolling on the ground. According to Pasco Sheriffs Office, two bystanders came to the officers aid. A few seconds later, another deputy arrived and tased the suspect, and the two deputies were able to regain control of the situation. At a press conference held the next day, Deputy Goodwald said, His intent was to do whatever he had to do to avoid being arrested, including killing me. An Educational Video This video footage shows the everyday trials of being a law enforcement officer and how they must risk their life to subdue dangerous criminals, who are willing to hurt others to get what they want. It also highlights the bravery every officer has to bring to every encountereven a mundane traffic stopin order to protect other members of the community. Two ordinary citizens also came out of their homes and put themselves at risk to help the officer, demonstrating how important it is for the community to offer their support to law enforcement. The video was posted on the Pasco Sheriffs Facebook page and garnered a lot of comments, including this one by Jr Lee: I scrolled through these comments looking for a negative one just to read what it could possibly say. Im shocked that I got tired of scrolling and only seen positive feedback from everyone, he commented. Its finally great to see a bunch of people supporting law enforcement again. Great job brother Im glad you get to keep fighting the good fight. Many others offered commendations to Officer Goodwald and the two citizens who risked their lives to help him. From NTD.tv Watch Next: Texas Sheriff Talks About Why Sanctuaries Dont Help Public Safety File photo showing a burnt out motorcycle in a house burned down amidst violent clashes between farmers and Fulani herders over land use and resources, Ganaropp, Nigeria, June 27, 2018. (Stefan Heunis/AFP/Getty Images) Fifty-Five People Killed in Violence in Northern Nigerian State of Kaduna KADUNA, NigeriaCommunal violence in the northern Nigerian state of Kaduna over the last few days has killed 55 people, the local police commissioner said on Oct. 21. Ahmad Abdur-Rahman, in a telephone interview, said the clashes between two communities in the Kasuwan Magani area of southern Kaduna had led to 22 arrests. He did not give details on the cause of the conflict but tension and clashes along ethnic lines have plagued that part of the state in the last few years. Anybody that has a hand in this crisis must face the full wrath of law, said Abdur-Rahman. He said a curfew in Kasuwan Magani imposed by the state government on Thursday had helped to calm the situation. Hundreds of people have been killed this year in outbreaks of communal violence across Nigeria. Security has become a key campaign issue ahead of the February 2019 election in which President Muhammadu Buhari will seek a second term. The presidency condemned the violence in a statement issued late on Saturday. The frequent resort to bloodshed by Nigerians over misunderstandings that can be resolved peacefully, is worrisome, said a statement issued by Buharis spokesman, Garba Shehu. Last year troops and additional police officers were deployed to Southern Kaduna in response to an outbreak of violence. By Garba Muhammad Hundreds of Thousands March for Second Brexit Referendum Supporters of Britains continued membership in the European Union took part in a rally in London that organizers said was the biggest ever demonstration of its kind. Organizers of the Oct. 20 march through the streets of London said that about 700,000 people took part in the anti-Brexit demonstration. If accurate, attendance figures at the estimated level would make Saturdays demonstration the second largest protest in the UK since the turn of the century, according to The Guardian. The Metropolitan Police said it was not able to estimate the size of the crowd, which filled Londons Parliament Square to demand that the British government holds a public vote on the terms of Brexit, according to the BBC. Aerial footage posted by The Metro conveyed a sense of the scale of the crowd. A number of British Members of Parliament calling for a fresh vote on Brexit came out in support of the march, the BBC reported. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was among those who addressed those assembled at Parliament Square. Whats really important is that those that say that a public vote is undemocratic, is unpatriotic, realize that in fact, the exact opposite is the truth, Sadiq Khan said, according to the BBC. What could be more democratic, what could be more British, than trusting the judgment of the British people. Meanwhile, a pro-Brexit rally was held in Harrogate, organized by the group Leave Means Leave and led by former UKIP leader Nigel Farage. The evidence suggests about a third of those that voted remain now say were democrats and think the government should simply get on with it, Farage said, according to the BBC. And thats our message get on with it, fulfill your promises to us, you said if we voted to leave it would happen, it needs to. In London, protesters waved the blue and gold flag of the EU and held up banners under sunny skies to call for another referendum on the eventual deal on how Britain will leave the worlds biggest trading bloc. Demonstrator Sarah Bennett, who had traveled from Holmfirth, Yorkshire, to take part in the event, told Reuters that although she would like for the UK to remain in the EU, a soft Brexit would be a better outcome for Britain than not reaching a deal with Europe. The march comes as pressure builds on Prime Minister Theresa May over her negotiating strategy with just over five months until Britain is due to leave. There is, so far, no divorce deal and some rebels in Mays Conservative Party have threatened to vote down a deal if she clinches one. Some opinion polls have shown a slight shift in favor of remaining in the European Union, but there has yet to be a decisive change in attitudes and many in Britain say they have become increasingly bored by Brexit. Britain voted to leave the EU by a margin of 51.89% to 48.11% in a referendum in June 2016. The UK is scheduled to leave on 29 March 2019. Reuters contributed to this report. Jayme Closs Update: 911 Call Details Night Parents Were Shot As the mystery surrounding missing 13-year-old Wisconsin girl Jayme Closs deepens, a local sheriffs department dispatch log revealed new details about the night she went missing and her parents were shot dead. Officials have been searching for Jayme since Oct. 15 after a mysterious 911 call led deputies to their home in Barron County. They discovered her mother and father were shot dead at her familys home. Jayme, said police, disappeared after the shooting and is considered to be in danger and not a runaway. On Oct. 15, an AMBER Alert was issued, and later, she was added to the FBIs list of missing and kidnapped people, adding a new photo of the girl. According to a CNN report on Oct .21, in the 911 call, the dispatcher could hear a lot of yelling and the call was pinged to the Closs familys house. When the number was called back, the voicemail of Denise Closs came on. A responding officer also found that the door has been kicked in, according to the latest details. Meanwhile, the family dog was there when deputies arrived, and it was taken to a relatives house. ADVISED THE DOOR HAS BEEN KICKED IN. ADVISED THAT THE MALE WHO IS DOWN HAD ANSWERED THE DOOR. UNKNOWN IF ANYONE IS MISSING, reads a the 911 dispatch note, Fox News reported. It adds: 325 ADVISED ONE MALE DOWN, MULTIPLE ROUNDS SPENT. REQUESTED THAT ADMIN BE NOTIFIED. The log doesnt say who made the 911 call, and sheriffs officials dont know who was yelling. No gun was recovered. Police havent revealed a motive, a suspect, or a vehicle description in the case. We believe Jayme was in the home at the time of the homicides and we believe shes still in danger, Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said, according to CNN. Is it a random attack or a targeted attack? I dont know that answer, Fitzgerald said to reporters. Thats why those leads are so important. Last week, Fitzgerald asked for 100 volunteers to scour the area around the Closs familys home. WCCO reported that it took place about 3 miles from the home. The FBI, which is involved in the case, said it was expanding the search for Jayme around the United States. A spokesperson for the FBIs Charlotte Division told WLOS that digital billboards across the country will soon display a photo of the missing girl. The FBI spokesperson said it was sending the photo out in an abundance of caution. Did you enjoy this article? Continue to read more stories here. Latest NOAA Updates on Hurricane Willa, Tropical Storm Vicente Top video shows devastation during Hurricane Michael U.S. weather forecasters have been issuing advisories for two named storms: Hurricane Willa and Tropical Storm Vicente. Hurricane Willa Hurricane Willa formed over the weekend, and according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) in an update on Oct. 21, the storm is continuing to strengthen. The storm formed in the eastern Pacific Ocean and is currently located 260 miles south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. It has 105 mph winds, enough to make it a Category 2 storm. A hurricane watch is in effect for San Blas to Mazatlan and a tropical storm watch is in effect for Playa Perula to San Blas. The center of Willa is moving toward the northwest near 7 mph (11 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue today. A turn toward the north-northwest and north is expected by tonight and Monday, said the NHC. Willa is expected to accelerate toward the north-northeast and approach the southwestern coast of mainland Mexico by late Tuesday. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 105 mph (165 km/h) with higher gusts, the agency said. Steady to rapid strengthening is forecast during the next day or so, and Willa is expected to become a major hurricane by Monday morning. The storm is slated to move through northern Mexico on Wednesday and Thursday, and it will likely bring impacts to southern Texas. Tropical Storm Vicente Tropical Storm Vicente is located to the east-southeast of Hurricane Willa, located 90 miles south-southwest of Puerto Angel, Mexico, as well as 100 miles south-southwest of Puerto Escondido, Mexico, the NHC said. The storm has 50 mph winds and is moving west-southwest at 9 mph. There are no coastal warnings or watches for the storm. Vicente is moving toward the west-southwest near 9 mph (15 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue today, the NHC said. A turn toward the west is expected by this evening, followed by a gradual turn toward the northwest by Monday evening. On the forecast track, the center of Vicente is expected to remain just offshore or near the southern coast of Mexico through Monday night. It added: Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours. Vicente is a small tropical cyclone with tropical-storm-force winds only extending outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center. The storm is slated to bring impacts to central-western Mexico by Wednesday, the NHC said. The death toll for Hurricane Michael has increased to 36 across several states, but the hardest-hit state was Florida. Authorities told CNN on Oct. 20 that another woman was found dead in Bay County, Florida, bringing the death toll to 26 in the state. Ten other people died in North Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia. Officials didnt reveal details of the womans death. Bay County was the hardest-hit area during Michaels landfall on Oct. 10. It includes the severely damaged cities Mexico Beach (as seen in the top video) and Panama City. Migrant Caravan Swells to 5,000, Resumes March Toward US Efforts by Mexican authorities to stop the caravan at border with Guatemala failed Thousands of Central American migrants resumed their march toward the United States on Oct. 21, after efforts by Mexican officials failed to halt the advance at the GuatemalaMexico border. The numbers jumped to about 5,000 over the weekend, according to The Associated Press, as the throng set off for the Mexican town of Tapachula in a line stretching about a mile. It isnt clear where the other people came from, since only about 2,000 were gathered on the Mexican side by the night of Oct. 21, the AP said. The caravan members marched through Mexico and yelled slogans such as Si se pudo!We did it! Gerardo Hernandez, head of the local Mexican governments emergency services, confirmed to Reuters that more than 5,100 migrants were registered in three shelters in the Mexican border town of Ciudad Hidalgo. Its really full. You cant even walk, theres just so many people, he said of the migrants. So far, theyre all peaceful, thank God. However, according to Fox News, Mexican officials say between 5,100 and 7,200 migrants registered to stay in the shelters, and another 2,000 chose to camp in the town square. That means the number of migrants in the caravan could be as high as 10,000. Mexicos federal government said Oct. 20 that nearly 900 migrants arrived in the country via unauthorized means. Earlier on Oct. 20, the presidents of Honduras and Guatemala said around 2,500 migrants were repatriated to their respective countries. We are working to provide a peaceful and safe return trip, and keep these movements from happening in the future, said Guatemala President Jimmy Morales. The spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Chris McGrath, told Fox that his agency deployed teams to the Mexican border with Guatemala, where they are working closely with Mexican officials so all individuals can be processed and provided with essential services, including access to health services, food, and shelter. Clashes With Police Olivin Castellanos, 58, said he took a raft across the river separating Guatemala and Mexico, saying, We knocked down the door and we continue walking. He said he wants to go to the United States to work. Two days ago, the caravan attempted to force its way into Mexico from Guatemala, but that was mostly blocked by federal police officers and people were forced to sleep on a bridge that links the two countries. In Mexico, we have the rule of law, and we shall applyenforce the law, but there will also be a humanitarian way that we will think about the migrant in the first place, said Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray to reporters in Mexico City. He noted that Mexico has asked the United Nations to get involved. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Oct. 20, that a safe solution is being figured out. At the same time, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and Morales held an emergency meeting at a Guatemalan airbase on Oct. 20. The Mexican government is fully engaged in finding a solution that encourages safe, secure, and orderly migration, Nauert said. And both the United States and Mexico continue to work with Central American governments to address the economic, security, and governance drivers of illegal immigration. Trump Responds Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, who has issued warnings about the caravan reaching the U.S. border, urged changes to immigration laws in a series of Twitter posts on Oct. 21. Full efforts are being made to stop the onslaught of illegal aliens from crossing our Souther [sic] Border. People have to apply for asylum in Mexico first, and if they fail to do that, the U.S. will turn them away. The courts are asking the U.S. to do things that are not doable! he wrote. The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat Party. Change the immigration laws NOW! he said in a subsequent post. Earlier, when speaking to reporters on Oct. 20. before his departure in Nevada, Trump questioned the origins of the caravan, without getting into specifics. If you want to know the truth; I think some bad people started that caravan. You have some very tough criminal elements within the caravan, he said. Trump told reporters that he would seal off the border and call in the U.S. military if the caravan continues to advance. He also lamented what he called the Democrats obstruction tactics, saying theyve made it difficult for an agreement to be reached. All of the Democrats that have made it impossibletheyve obstructed and theyve resistedtheyve made it impossible to do anything because the immigration laws are so bad, Trump told reporters. I could sit down with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, and, in one hour, I could have an agreement done that would solve all of the things that youre watching. But they dont want to, but I think now they do, because I think its a terrible political point for Democrats. Bowen Xiao contributed to this report. President Donald Trump shakes hands with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un after they signed documents that acknowledged the progress of the talks and pledge to keep momentum going, after their summit at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore June 12, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo Next Summit for Trump, North Koreas Kim Likely After First of Year: Senior US Official WASHINGTONThe next summit meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is likely to happen early next year, a senior administration official said Oct. 19. The two sides have been engaged in talks on the leaders second meeting after the first, unprecedented, in Singapore in June. A meeting is likely sometime after the first of the year, a U.S. official told a small group of reporters. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Oct. 19 he hopes to meet his North Korean counterpart soon to lay the groundwork for a big step forward on denuclearization during the next summit. Pompeo, in an interview with Voice of America on a trip to Mexico City, said Kim told him two weeks ago he was committed to the promises he had made to Trump during their first summit. Im very hopeful well have senior leader meetings here in the next week and a half or so between myself and my counterpart to continue this discussion so that when the two of them get together there is real opportunity to make another big step forward on denuclearization, he told VOA. Pompeo met North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September. A State Department spokeswoman declined to clarify if Pompeo meant he would meet his counterpart in Washington, saying she had no meetings to announce. The Rodong Sinmun, North Koreas official party newspaper, said the United States should not take an approach with two faces as Washington touts progress in denuclearization talks while keeping sanctions in place. We do not want good will and generosity of the U.S. but urge it to act with the elementary give-and-take principle, the Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary Oct. 20. The United States and South Korea on Oct. 19 said they had suspended upcoming joint air defense drills in a bid to ensure diplomatic efforts with North Korea continue. The two Koreas have held three summits this year. By Steve Holland, David Alexander, and David Brunnstrom President Donald Trump shakes hands with Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) during a working session regarding the Opportunity Zones at the White House in Washington on Feb. 14, 2018. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Treasury Releases Proposed Regulations for US Opportunity Zone Program Government expects $100 billion in private capital to be funneled into distressed areas WASHINGTONThe Treasury Department has rolled out guidelines for a program designed to bring jobs and investments to certain distressed areas, as part of an incentive in the Trump tax overhaul. The Treasury Department on Oct. 19 issued rules for potential investors related to the opportunity zones tax incentive, which was created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Through tax breaks, the opportunity zones incentivize Americans to invest in economically underserved communities; the proposed rules provide guidance on how investors can qualify for special tax breaks in designated opportunity zones. We anticipate that $100 billion in private capital will be dedicated toward creating jobs and economic development in Opportunity Zones, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. This incentive will foster economic revitalization and promote sustainable economic growth, which was a major goal of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The program offers significant tax breaks to private investors. It allows investors to defer taxes on capital gains for 10 years, if the gains are reinvested in a qualified opportunity fund, an investment vehicle created to invest in opportunity zones. The benefits also include tax exemption on investment gains from opportunity funds, if the investment is held for more than 10 years. The opportunity zones retain their designation for 10 years. However, investors can hold onto their investments in these opportunity funds through 2047 without losing tax benefits, according to the Treasurys proposed regulations. The project has the potential to become Americas largest economic-development program. U.S. investors are eager to deploy money into these zones, and several funds have already been set up to target this new asset class. The activities and projects that can be financed include commercial and industrial real estate, housing, infrastructure, and startup businesses. Investors (household and corporate) hold nearly $6.1 trillion in unrealized capital gains in stocks and funds, a significant untapped capital eligible for reinvestment in opportunity zones, according to the Economic Innovation Group (EIG) think-tank. Local governments nominated their opportunity zones in April. And the Treasury Department certified 8,761 communities in all states and the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. Nearly 35 million people are living in areas designated as opportunity zones. Communities Drifting Further Apart Almost 50 million Americans live in an economically struggling community. While many cities and towns in the United States are flourishing, these communities are left behind in terms of investment and jobs growth. A recent study by EIG revealed the stark contrast between distressed and prosperous areas in the United States in terms of human capital, job creation, and business formation. The study divides communities into five tiers and examines how the Great Recession of 2008 and the subsequent recovery affected these communities. In the years following the recession, top-tier places have thrived. Meanwhile, most distressed zip codes have seen a decline in jobs, businesses, and population. And the gap in well-being between prosperous areas and the rest has become bigger. The number of people living in prosperous zip codes grew more than 10 million since the recession; meanwhile, the number of Americans living in distressed areas fell by 3.4 million. Distressed communities are far more concentrated in Southern states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia. More than one-third of the population in these states resides in a distressed zip code, the EIG report says. And the minority groups account for 56 percent of the population in these distressed communities, compared to only 38 percent of the population nationwide. The picture is even more dramatic when it comes to business establishment and jobs. The number of businesses in prosperous zip codes, for example, surged by over 180,000 from 2012 to 2016, the report says, while distressed areas lost 13,300 businesses. And as for employment, all communities saw a similar decline in the number of jobs during the recession. However, the similarities ended during the recovery. By 2016, prosperous zip codes had 3.6 million more jobs than 2007 levels. Distressed ones, on the other hand, show no sign of recovery, according to the report. Opportunity zones are expected to spur investment in these poor communities and help smooth the uneven recovery the country has seen since the recession. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who grew up in poverty in a single-parent household, sponsored the concept of opportunity zones. He introduced the bipartisan-backed Investing in Opportunity Act and made it part of Trumps tax-reform package. The Treasury Department will release additional guidance on opportunity zone tax incentives before the end of the year. And the draft regulations will be subject to 60 days of public comment. Rosensteins Classified Interview Last week, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) announced that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was meeting with them on Oct. 24 for a transcribed interview along with Ranking Members Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.). As noted in the press release, the interview will be conducted in a secure setting so all relevant questions can be asked and answered without regard to classification. Additionally, the interview will be under oath. The transcript will then be reviewed by the Intelligence Community to avoid the public dissemination of classified or otherwise protected information. Upon completion of the clearance process, the transcript will be publicly available. Its worth keeping in mind that the special counsel probe by Robert Mueller appears to be winding down. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is expected to issue findings on core aspects of his Russia probe soon after the November midterm elections as he faces intensifying pressure to produce more indictments or shut down his investigation, Bloomberg reported citing two U.S. officials, adding that Rosenstein has made it clear that he wants Mueller to wrap up the investigation as expeditiously as possible. Four of Muellers prosecutors have left the special counsels office in recent months. Additionally, the DOJ Inspector General has been involved in an ongoing investigation of FISA abuse since March 28. That investigation is likely nearing the final stages and a report could be released in the next couple of months. The interview arrangement is tailored to curtail any leaks. Rosenstein, who is not under any requirement to attend the interview, has as much information on these two investigations as anyone in the DOJ. Fox News Maria Bartiromo interviewed Goodlatte regarding his pending interview with Rosenstein on October 21, 2018. Goodlatte specified the parameters for the Rosenstein interview at the outset: There is no limitation on the scope of these questions. Thats why it will be limited to the people who will be in the room and that it will be in a classified setting. Well have a court reporter present who has a security clearance. And well have a transcript of that interview and then we will turn that over to the Intelligence Community to make sure that there are no things that cannot be released to the public. When we have that well make it public. In the meantime, other members of Congress will also be able to see the interview in its classified format. Goodlatte said he wants to know about details regarding reports of Rosenstein discussing wearing a wire at the White House. The alleged comments by Rosenstein occurred at a meeting where then-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe was pushing for the Justice Department to open an investigation into the president. McCabe was the source of the accusations, and the allegations came at a critical juncture. On Sept. 17, 2018, President Trump issued a declassification order for the Page FISA along with other related documents. Three days later, he reversed that order and pushed the declassification process back onto Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz. Rosenstein was a deciding factor in the reversal process. The same day the news broke regarding President Trumps reversal decision, the New York Times ran its story about Rosenstein allegedly having offered to record conversations with the President. In his interview with Bartiromo, Goodlatte seemed to indicate skepticism regarding the rumors. We have all of this based upon a newspaper report, he said. We have third party testimony that weve heard in our investigation. We know hes met with President Trump. President Trump has been satisfied and said that he wants him to continue on as his number two at the Department of Justice. But the Congress has oversight responsibilities, so were gonna ask him about those questions, along with many other things. Bartiromo questioned the format of the interview, noting that Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) have said they were blocked by Rosenstein from attending the interview. Goodlatte pushed back. No, theyre not blocked at all. In fact, Chairman Gowdy and I have made it very clear to the other members of our task force that we will ask any questions that they put forward to us. This in fact was a proposal that Chairman Gowdy and I put forward in order to get a full, transparent discussion in a closed room where you have the opportunity to ask any question that needs to be asked have it in a classified setting and not be concerned about leaks. Bartiromo pushed forward, asking, did Rod Rosenstein set up the idea that it could only be you and Gowdy and two Democrats in the room. That was his idea, that he only wanted Goodlatte interjected and immediately corrected Bartiromo, no, no. That was our proposal. Goodlatte then shifted back to the discussion regarding the comments allegedly made by Rosenstein on wearing a wire. We have not talked to anybody who was in the room yet. We have heard from people who were outside the room, who have talked to people who were in the room, and we want to talk to Mr. Rosenstein about the information we have garnered from those folks. Goodlatte noted that Rosenstein came into this matter at the later end, but he was involved with the approval of the third renewal of the FISA application. During his June 28 Congressional testimony, Rosenstein made some specific comments regarding the FISA signing: We sit down with a team of attorneys from the Department of Justice. All of whom review that and provide a briefing for us for whats in it. And Ive reviewed that one in some detail, and I can tell you the information about that doesnt match with my understanding of the one that I signed. Rosensteins comments imply that the FISA he was formally briefed on is different from the FISA materials put before the House and Senate Intelligence Committees by the DOJ. Goodlatte then made an admission on something thats been long suspected, but not confirmed: We have an awful lot of witnesses that we are able to talk to, as well as people in the Department of Justice and the FBI, who have provided us information as whistle-blowers were putting together a lot of useful information. Goodlatte then turned his focus towards the multiple ongoing investigations, noting, After the election, were going to proceed with an interim report of our findings you also have a Senate Judiciary Committee perfectly capable of conducting these investigations and you have an Inspector General, who has been looking into the FISA Warrant Abuse allegations. Goodlatte, who is retiring, reminded Bartiromo that both he and Gowdy retain their chairmanship until Jan. 3, 2019, indicating that Goodlatte believes he will have time to release his investigation regardless of any midterm election outcome. Goodlatte again pointed out the importance of holding a classified transcribed interview, noting that Rosenstein refused to answer certain questions in public hearings with regard to the FISA warrant. This will be an important opportunity, in the appropriate setting, to ask all of those questions regarding the conduct of an investigation that began long before he became involved, Goodlatte said. But he certainly was at the crux of it at the moment that James Comey was fired and this discussion took place about whether or not a wire would be worn. Following recent interviews of individuals such as former FBI Counsel James Baker and DOJ official Bruce Ohr, there have been well-intentioned disclosures to the media regarding the substance of those meetings. While this can be satisfying to those of us in the public forum, these disclosures have a chilling effect on future testimony. Goodlatte likely structured this interview with those disclosures in mind. Equally likely, given the proximity of the finalization of the Mueller probe and the Inspector Generals investigation into FISA abuse, is a status update on these matters from Rosenstein. Its, therefore, crucial that Goodlatte and Gowdy provide a fully secure environment in order to allow for a complete and confidential briefing from Rosenstein. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Left: Tafahree Maynard has been charged with aggravated assault and felony murder in connection with the fatal shooting on Oct. 20 of George police officer Antwan Toney. Maynard remains at large. Right: Isaiah Pretlow has been charged with aggravated assault in connection with the same crime. Pretlow was arrested on Oct. 20. (Gwinnett County Police Department via AP) Two Men Charged in Georgia Officers Shooting Death SNELLVILLE, Ga.Two teen-aged suspects, including one who is still being sought by police, have been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a George police officer. Officer Antwan Toney was killed while responding to a suspicious vehicle parked near a middle school in the Snellville area, Gwinnett County Police said in a statement. Authorities said they believe 18-year-old Tafahree Maynard fatally shot officer Toney on Saturday, Oct. 20. Maynard remained at large early Sunday and should be considered armed and dangerous, police said. A second suspect, 19-year-old Isaiah Pretlow, was charged with aggravated assault related to a separate incident following Toneys fatal shooting, police said. Both suspects are from Snellville. Toney died at a hospital from his injuries, police said. The 30-year-old from Southern California had been with the Gwinnett County Police Department for nearly three years. It was his first police job. The people that worked with Officer Toney on a daily basis recalled a very jovial person who was dedicated to his job and dedicated to his community, Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers said. According to police, Pretlow drove the vehicle from the scene following the shooting, crashed a short distance away and fled along with other occupants. An officer who was searching the area later encountered Pretlow about 3 p.m. Pretlow pointed a gun at the officer, who fired shots. Pretlow was not hit and fled into a wooded area. He was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals about 11:30 p.m. The shooting happened near Shiloh Middle School, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta. At least one officer returned fire. Smoke rises from the sea to mark electronic counter-measures (ECM) during the "Han Kuang" (Han Glory) life-fire drill, some 7 kms (4 miles) from the city of Magong on the outlying Penghu islands on May 25, 2017. (SAM YEH/AFP/Getty Images) US Said to Weigh New Warship Passage Through Taiwan Strait The United States is considering a new operation to send warships through the Taiwan Strait, U.S. officials told Reuters, a mission aimed at ensuring free passage through the strategic waterway but which risks heightening tensions with the Chinese regime. The U.S. Navy conducted a similar mission in the straits international waters in July and any repeat would be seen in self-ruled Taiwan as a fresh expression of support by U.S. President Donald Trumps government. The U.S. military declined to comment and U.S. officials who discussed the deliberations, which have not been previously reported, did so on condition of anonymity. They did not discuss the potential timing for any fresh passage through the strait. China views Taiwan as a wayward province and has been ramping up the pressure to assert its sovereignty over the island. It raised concerns over U.S. policy toward Taiwan in talks this week with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in Singapore. Even as Washington mulls ordering a fresh passage through the strait, it has been trying to explain to Beijing that its policies toward Taiwan are unchanged. Mattis delivered that message to Chinas Defense Minister Wei Fenghe personally on Oct. 18, on the sidelines of an Asian security forum. Minister Wei raised Taiwan and concerns about our policy. The Secretary reassured Minister Wei that we havent changed our Taiwan policy, our one China policy, said Randall Schriver, a U.S. assistant secretary of defense who helps guide Pentagon policy in Asia. Washington has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help it defend itself and is the islands main source of arms. The Pentagon says Washington has sold Taiwan more than $15 billion in weaponry since 2010. US- China Flashpoints Taiwan is only one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which also include a bitter trade war, U.S. sanctions, and the Chinese regimes increasingly muscular military posture in the South China Sea. Mattis told Wei on Thursday that the worlds two largest economies needed to deepen high-level military ties so as to navigate tension and rein in the risk of inadvertent conflict. Some current and former U.S. officials say U.S. warship passages in the Taiwan Strait are still too infrequent and note that a U.S. aircraft carrier hasnt transited the Taiwan Strait since 2007, during the administration of George W. Bush. When the last two U.S. warships, both destroyers, sailed through the Taiwan Strait in July, it was the first such operation in about a year. Beijing, which has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, responded to the July passage angrily, accusing the United States of threatening stability in the strategic waterway. It has also viewed U.S. overtures toward Taiwan with alarm, including its unveiling a new de facto embassy in Taiwan and passage of the Taiwan Travel Act, which encourages U.S. officials to visit the island. Military experts say the balance of power between Taiwan and China has shifted decisively in Chinas favor in recent years, and the Chinese regime could easily overwhelm the island unless U.S. forces came quickly to Taiwans aid. The Chinese regime has also alarmed Taiwan by ramping up military exercises this year, including flying bombers and other military aircraft around the island and sending its aircraft carrier through the narrow Taiwan Strait separating it from Taiwan. Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen said last week the island will increase its defense budget every year to ensure it can defend its sovereignty, including resuming domestic development of advanced training aircraft and submarines. At this time, Chinas intimidation and diplomatic pressure not only hurt relations between both sides but seriously challenges the peaceful stability in the Taiwan Strait, she said in a National Day speech in Taipei on Oct. 10. Her remarks came ahead of island-wide local elections in late November that are seen as a bellwether for her ruling partys performance in presidential elections due in 2020. By Phil Stewart. With Exit From INF Treaty, Trump Eyes Trilateral Nuclear Arms Pact With China, Russia President Donald Trump is suggesting that Washingtons planned exit from a nuclear arms treaty with Russia is meant to bring China to the negotiating table to seal a trilateral deal among the worlds largest nuclear superpowers. The president told reporters in Nevada on Oct. 20 that the United States will pull out of the decades-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia because Moscow had violated the pact, while China wasnt bound by it. Well have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us, and China comes to us, and they all come to us and they say, Lets really get smart and lets none of us develop those weapons. But if Russia is doing it and if China is doing it, and were adhering to the agreement, thats unacceptable, Trump said. President Ronald Reagan signed the INF treaty with the Soviet Union in 1987. The deal mandated the complete destruction of all short- and mid-range ballistic and cruise missiles, both conventional and nuclear-capable, and imposed a total ban on the possession and use of these weapons. The United States accused Russia in 2014 of violating the treaty by deploying the SSC-8 ground-launched cruise missile system. For years, Moscow balked at engaging Washington and NATO about the claim, and refused to admit that the missile system in question even existed. Russia changed the narrative only recently, admitting that the missile system exists but argued that the United States has no proof that it violates the treaty. By December, the Trump administration, which deemed the situation untenable, said it would engage in a multifaceted strategy to coerce Russia into compliance with the INF, according to the State Department. Part of that strategy included the jump start of research and development of the missile systems prohibited by the treaty, which stops short of restricting research and development. The United States maintains that its never violated the treaty, although Moscow has made accusations to the contrary. Russia claims that the U.S. missile defense systems, unmanned aerial drones, and ballistic practice-target missiles are all in violation of the treaty. Unlike Moscows silence about the SSC-8, Washington has taken meticulous steps to explain how all three of these technologies are in compliance. In the meantime, China, unconstrained by the pact, has engaged in aggressive missile development. To date, Beijing has developed eight operational nuclear-capable missile systemswith effective ranges between 300 and 3,400 milesthat are prohibited under the INF treaty, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. On Oct. 15, China tested a supersonic aircraft-carrier killer missile, an obvious message to Washington, which maintains a 10-to-1 superiority over Beijing in terms of aircraft carriers. Russia is the threat of the past; China of the future. Any arms treaty that doesnt include China is pointless, said Steven Mosher, an expert on China who has appeared before Congress and authored several books. Any prospective treaty that involves China should have ironclad verifiability. Russian officials and politicians offered a range of responses upon learning that Trump is pulling out of the INF treaty. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova again said that the United States has no proof that the SSC-8 missile system violates the treaty. Russian President Vladimir Putin will seek answers from U.S. national security adviser John Bolton, who arrived in Moscow for two days of meetings on Oct. 2223, a Kremlin spokesman said. Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader who signed the INF treaty in 1987 alongside Reagan, told Interfax it would be a mistake to pull out of the accord. Gorbachev, now 87 years old, said it would undermine all the work he and his U.S. counterparts did to end the Cold War arms race. Do they really not understand in Washington what this could lead to? Gorbachev said. NATO was quick to blame the Kremlin for Washingtons withdrawal from the treaty, saying that it was highly likely that Russia violated the treaty. At the NATO summit in July, allies stressed that the United States is in compliance with its obligations under the INF treaty, while a pattern of behavior over many years has led to widespread doubts about Russian compliance, NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said in a statement to The Epoch Times. Allies have identified a Russian missile system, the [SSC-8], which raises serious concerns. After years of denials and obfuscation, Russia recently acknowledged the existence of the missile system, without providing the necessary transparency and explanation, Lungescu added. In the absence of any credible answer from Russia on this new missile, allies believe that the most plausible assessment would be that Russia is in violation of the INF treaty. At the time of the signing in 1987, the INF treaty was the most detailed and stringent nuclear-arms-control treaty in history; the Soviet Union and the United States destroyed 2,692 missiles as a result. While the treaty is of an unlimited duration, its inspection and monitoring provisions concluded in 2001. NORWALK New Canaan Democrat Lucy Dathan vows to use her finance background to tackle Connecticuts budget crisis while protecting residents against the policies of Republican President Donald Trump. Dathan, who is running for the 142nd District seat in the state House of Representatives, said shes helped venture capital-backed technology companies think strategically as part of her work as a chief finance officer for 15 years. Ill deploy those skills along with my 25-year accounting and finance experience on Connecticuts budget crisis, Dathan said. Ive spent my working life helping companies succeed in todays economy and can do the same for our district, as well as be a voice for us all in Hartford. As a finance expert and mother, I will bring a fresh perspective to resolving the tough issues facing Connecticut. Dathan is running against incumbent Republican Fred Wilms, elected in 2015 to represent the 142nd District, which includes West Norwalk and part of New Canaan. She said she agrees with Wilms that Connecticut is in crisis but not on how to address it. We need to be more strategic, by investing in education and transportation and growing our middle class, Dathan said. Dathan said she woke up in shock the day after the 2016 presidential election I had a difficult time recognizing the country that I love but had her faith and optimism restored after knocking on more than 4,500 doors and speaking with people as part of her campaign for the state House. I know that the divisiveness is not representative of the people I have spoken with, and I want to bring all your values to Hartford, Dathan said. Dathan said shell focus on health care, education and climate change preparedness if elected. On healthbcare, that means defending the Affordable Care Act from Republican attacks while pushing for a public option. The public option will allow individuals and small businesses to buy into the Husky Health program or state employee insurance program, Dathan said. Dathan said the states Education Cost Sharing formula has been improved in recent years but doesnt go far enough to deliver Norwalks fair share. She said the ECS formula places too much worth on property values, leading Norwalk to receive significantly fewer dollars than towns with similar income levels such as Danbury. I will be a forceful advocate for Norwalk to balance for this inequality, Dathan said. Norwalk schools should be as good as its surrounding towns and this state funding is critical for success. More broadly, Dathan said Connecticut must focus on adult education and provide affordable training at community colleges for 21st-century jobs. This will create a vibrant workforce, which will also attract business to our state, Dathan said. These high-skill jobs will pay a living wage and open a path to the middle class for Connecticut residents. Dathan sees worsening flooding along the Five Mile and Silvermine rivers as evidence of climate change. If elected, she said shell fight to ensure the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has the resources it needs to help towns like Norwalk plan for increasingly severe weather. That means upgrading storm-sewer systems and securing hazardous waste sites in Norwalk that are at risk of flooding, she said. ELKO, Nev. - President Donald Trump signaled opposition Saturday to reviving Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste storage site, even though his administration has allocated millions of dollars to the project that has long been controversial in this state. For years, Nevada lawmakers have blocked attempts to restart licensing at the repository, about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas, and presidential candidates traveling to this swing state have long been pressed for their stances on Yucca. "I think you should do things where people want them to happen, so I would be very inclined to be against it," Trump said Saturday of Yucca in an interview with KRNV-News 4, based in Reno. "We will be looking at it very seriously over the next few weeks, and I agree with the people of Nevada." But in both of its budget plans to Congress, the Trump administration designated $120 million for the Yucca project. Justifying the funding proposal this year, Energy Secretary Rick Perry said: "We have a legal responsibility. We have this waste out there. We need to have this licensing issue addressed." When asked whether Trump's comments reflected a new administration position on Yucca, White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters pointed out that he had said the issue will be looked at "very seriously" in the coming weeks. The administration's proposed Yucca funding has prompted furor from most members of the Nevada congressional delegation, and the latest spending bill that funds the Energy Department through September 2019 did not include money for the project. "I've made it clear why Nevada does not want to turn into the nation's nuclear waste dump," Sen. Dean Heller , R-Nev., who campaigned with Trump on Saturday in this northeastern Nevada town, said earlier this year when the administration released its fiscal 2019 proposal. Heller's Democratic challenger, Rep. Jacky Rosen, also opposes the project and pressed the Trump administration to follow through on the president's comments and designate no money for the Yucca licensing when it writes its budget proposal next year. "While I'm encouraged to see the president finally say that he will listen to our state and change course on this dangerous plan for nuclear waste, we must continue to hold this administration accountable and ensure that the White House and Republican leaders in Washington follow through on actually abandoning their efforts to force this reckless project down our throats," Rosen said Saturday. As a presidential candidate, Trump declined to take a position on whether Yucca Mountain should be used as a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. "I'm going to take a look at it because so many people are talking about it. I came into town, and everyone's talking about it. So I will take a very strong look at it, and the next time you interview me, we'll talk about it for five minutes," Trump told KSNV in Las Vegas in October 2016. NORWALK Norwalk Republican Fred Wilms has always touted his finance background as a banker and former chairman of the citys tax board as major assets in tackling Connecticuts fiscal problems. Wilms, who is seeking a third term representing the 142nd District in the state House of Representatives, sees the states economy in dire shape. I am running for re-election because Connecticut is in a huge fiscal and economic crisis, Wilms said. Our economy is down 8 percent, GE has left our state, we have a staggering $5 billion budget deficit plus we have $100 billion of unfunded retirement liabilities. I will continue to bring my strong finance background to get our economy growing again, produce fiscally responsible budgets, keep taxes in check and promote new transportation solutions. On Nov. 6, Wilms will face New Canaan Democrat Lucy Dathan in the election for the 142nd District, which includes West Norwalk and part of New Canaan. Wilms named growing Connecticuts economy, reducing income tax levels, fixing transportation, cutting state spending and reducing unfunded retirement liabilities as his priorities should voters return him to Hartford. We can save $2.5 billion through realigning state union employee pension, retirement and health care to private-sector levels, Wilms said. We can save $1.1 billion by relying more on nonprofits to deliver social services. We can save $700 million by expanding home care rather than placing the elderly in nursing homes/long-term care. Finally, I want to privatize the Department of Motor Vehicles. To boost the economy, Wilms said Connecticut must lower small business taxes, eliminate the business entity tax, deregulate unfriendly mandates and reform the Workers Compensation and Unemployment Compensation systems. Hed also like to see lawmakers lower income-tax rates to those of New York and Massachusetts, and eliminate the estate tax. The revenue losses could be offset by getting rid of sales tax loopholes, he said. Wilms wants to contribute underutilized state assets and Connecticut Lottery Corp. revenues to the state pension fund to reduce $100 billion in unfunded retirement liabilities. The Norwalk Republican said he supports a transportation lockbox to ensure that transportation dollars are used only for transportation projects. We need to prioritize state bonding to transportation and away from pork-barrel projects like the bankrupt POKO project on Wall Street, said Wilms, referring to a stalled redevelopment project. Our focus should be on roads, bridges, Metro-North (Railroad), train parking and bus services. He supports creating a new train station on Wall Street but questions the states planned replacement of the Walk Bridge over the Norwalk Harbor. We do not need a $1.1 billion lift-bridge project to accommodate a few sailboats and barges, he said. Wilms, a father and former city councilman, has lived in Norwalk for almost 30 years. He is a senior vice president at Webster Bank and member of The Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce. He served on the Norwalk Board of Estimate Taxation from 2005 until 2013, ultimately as its chairman. I am proud that we maintained Norwalks prestigious Triple-A bond ratings, Wilms said. Finally, I have been honored to represent Norwalk these past four years in the State Legislature, where I have fought to increase Education Cost Sharing funding for our public schools. This appeared in Sunday's Washington Post. - - - The Georgia governor's race was already one of the hottest in the nation, and now a controversy has exploded around accusations of voter suppression. The Republican nominee, Brian Kemp, is Georgia's secretary of state, and is responsible for enforcing the state's restrictive voter laws. His opponent, Democrat Stacey Abrams, founded a voter-registration outfit concerned that Kemp's office is slating too many names for removal from the voter rolls. Abrams has called Kemp "a remarkable architect of voter suppression." Kemp's critics have many good points. Yet the real architects are the state legislators who passed the laws enabling unfair voter removal. Georgia's restrictive law needs to change. The issue revolves around Georgia's "exact match" policy, which places on hold voter registrations that do not precisely mirror the information contained in the state's Department of Driver Services database or Social Security Administration information. Given the inevitability of clerical errors, this leads to placing registrations on hold, as some 53,000 currently are. The reasons can sometimes be outrageously minor, such as a dropped hyphen. An Associated Press analysis found that African-Americans make up 70 percent of would-be Georgia voters whose registrations are on hold. Kemp's office responds that the racial disparity is the result of Abrams' registration drive, which targets minority citizens and uses only error-prone paper forms. Also, anyone with an on-hold registration can bring to the polls the proper identification that Georgia requires all voters to present; the registration records can be reconciled with the information on the ID, and the voter can vote. Still, if people fail to vote in one election cycle or to contact election officials, their on-hold registration will be canceled after 26 months. If their registrations are canceled close to election day, they may not be able to vote at all. That is unreasonable and unnecessary. The state should make every effort to reconcile the records it has on hand before even placing a voter's registration on hold, let alone canceling it. Other states have far less onerous procedures, and they have not experienced massive waves of voter fraud. That fact is also good reason for the state to reconsider its voter ID requirements. Once again, Republicans are in the position of restricting the vote for spurious reasons. Why not try embracing democracy and persuading people to vote for you? CALGARY The recently-announced liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in British Columbia could double Albertas petrochemical output and create tens of thousands of jobs, according to an energy diversification report presented to the provincial government last year. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. Premier John Horgan announced the LNG Canada project in early October. Up to 10,000 workers will be required to build both the facility and a natural gas pipeline, and around 950 permanent workers will be needed to operate it. But a report from Albertas energy diversification advisory committee submitted to the provincial government last fall suggests it could be a boon for the provinces economy. If west coast LNG becomes a reality, the Alberta petrochemical industry could double its output in 20 years, reads part of the report. The committee strongly urges the Alberta government to make west coast LNG a priority by working closely with the B.C. and Canadian governments and industry to ensure proponents and the regulatory environment are ready for the next time the global LNG window opens. Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, was one of the committees co-chairs. He said that over the course of 20 years, the LNG Canada facility could create as many as 100,000 jobs higher than job predictions for the Trans Mountain expansion project. Itll create all sorts of jobs in B.C., but it has the potential to create more in Alberta, McGowan said. When a natural gas well is dug, only about eight per cent of what emerges from the ground is natural gas liquids. The rest is methane. But companies who cant sell that remaining 92 per cent at a profit arent going to drill as much. Companies that want to get the most bang for their buck need to export Albertan methane to Asia in the form of liquefied natural gas, the report suggests, and a West Coast LNG facility would allow that. However, the project isnt a done deal. The five facilities behind the LNG Canada facility Royal Dutch Shell, Petroliam Nasional, Mitsubishi, PetroChina and Korea Gas have only committed to the first of several phases. And economists previously told StarMetro that the LNG Canada facility might cost just half of its estimated $40 billion price tag. Mark Pinney, manager of markets and transportation for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers a lobby group for the Canadian oil and gas industry said the job numbers from the report are so high because an LNG facility means better market access for natural gas which, in turn, could mean more companies drill for natural gas in the first place. You increase the amount of feedstock thats available to the petrochemical industry, so that means you can construct more petrochemical plants as well, which are themselves very capital-intensive but also require lots of labour to construct and operate, said Pinney. The impacts are quite broad and far-reaching which is why youre seeing estimates as high as they are. He expects companies might also do a bit of incremental drilling about two to three years before LNG Canadas expected open date of 2024 to ensure they have enough liquefied natural gas at the ready. The construction of a natural gas pipeline could potentially start in a year or two, he said. But in the meantime, the big benefits are probably six to seven years out, Pinney said. The Alberta government is happy about the projects potential benefits but noted its frustration at how the LNG Canada project was approved while the Trans Mountain expansion project has been delayed. Energy Minister Marg McCuaig-Boyd said in a statement that the LNG project would see a far greater increase in marine traffic than Trans Mountain. The latter project was put on hold by the Federal Court of Appeal, in part, because the National Energy Board did not properly evaluate the impact of increased tanker traffic on marine life. Both of these projects are good for Canada, McCuaig-Boyd said in the statement. Ottawa needs to get this right, and do it quickly. With files from David P. Ball and Alex McKeen Read more about: REGINAA school day for six-year-old Hunter Sasakamoose can start with lighting a fire for breakfast and end with doing math by candlelight. In between, the boy learns life skills such as hunting and fishing as well as first-hand science lessons about how rain soaks into the ground to help grow the plants hes harvesting. His education combines lessons from his ancestors on the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation in Saskatchewan with the curriculum of his peers in Regina, where he goes to school half the year. Hes taking part in land-based learning and his mother, JoLee Sasakamoose, is his teacher. We have this ability to just live and have the school be a part of how we are living, she said. The lessons evolved really naturally. Sasakamoose, an education professor at the University of Regina and research director with the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, grew up with land-based learning on the MChigeeng First Nation in Ontario. Those lessons have influenced her work as a professor and how she is raising her child. Hunter was enrolled in Prairie Sky School a Waldorf-style school with a focus on art, community and nature but when Sasakamoose was on sabbatical from her teaching position, she wanted to bring education onto the land where her sons relatives have always found their teachings. It meant a unique style of home-schooling in a cabin with no electricity or running water, about 400 kilometres north of Regina. Land-based learning has always been a part of First Nations culture. It encourages critical thought through interaction with the land, an understanding of nature and its relation to science all the while connecting with and celebrating Indigenous culture. In Winnipeg, three schools created a land-based education initiative for the 2016-17 school year. In Saskatchewan, the Treaty 4 Education Alliance brought in land-based education programs in 2017. The Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning in Yellowknife has offered university credits for land-based programming since 2010. Kate Kent, who recently organized a land-based education conference in Winnipeg, said schools and educators are incorporating such learning into curriculums since the report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on residential schools. Many of the commissions 94 recommendations focused on education, culture and language. Theres so much intergenerational effects from residential school, so looking at reconciliation and moving forward, this is taking steps to try and fix what was done in the past, Kent said. Its important for our young people to learn on the land, instead of sitting in the classrooms for eight hours a day, in order to bring the cultural awareness back into our peoples. Sasakamoose said it was important for her son to learn outside of an institutional environment because they are descendents of residential school survivors. We have it in our bloodline, she said. I dont want my son to know that (type of education.) I want him to know a natural way of interacting with the environment as long as possible. Hunter has now returned to his Regina school, where all the other students were excited to hear about his land-based learning, which he shared on a special Facebook page he created when it began in July. In one of his last posts from Ahtahkakoop, the young boy points to thoughtfully laid out logs, rocks and leaves. Its part of STEAM teaching science, technology, engineering, art and math where he was required to build a fairy house. This is my fairy house, he said with a beaming smile, pointing to different areas. This is the sitting area with the rain log so the rain drips down and so it doesnt hit you in the face. Inside St. Stephens-in-the-Fields church, Ferhat Cinar rose from his front-row seat and accepted a gift. It was the handiwork of his youngest brother, Selim Esen a painting he would never complete. Esens plan for the piece is sketched out in faint pencil strokes of abstract shapes, each fitting inside the other like a puzzle. He had begun carefully filling each one with vibrant red, green and yellow a kaleidoscope of colour meant to fill the canvas. Esen started the painting in the peer support program at St. Stephens, a group for adults recovering from trauma and substance abuse. There, Esen was known for his intensity a curious, exacting mind. Early on, when asked to bring in a single meaningful quote for group discussion, hed arrived with two handwritten pages of his own thoughts. His usual meticulous approach can be seen in the painting, said program leader Richard Kikot he had big ideas, very intricate plans, because he was a masterful thinker. Read more: After Bruce McArthurs arrest and criticism over missing persons cases, Toronto police moved to step up our game Alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur to appear in court in person on Oct. 22 Police covertly searched McArthurs apartment for evidence of Kinsmans death a month before arrest, unsealed documents show Cinar held the painting, then turned to face the small group gathered at his brothers intimate memorial Friday evening. This is so meaningful, he told them. For nine months, Cinar and his family have been waiting to mark Esens death. In January, Cinar and his brother, Omer Esen, were informed that their brother was among the alleged victims of accused serial killer Bruce McArthur. Police believe Esen, 44, was killed in April 2017, the seventh of McArthurs alleged eight victims. Their brothers remains finally released to them this week, Cinar and Omer Esen travelled from their homes in London, England, for the funeral. The service was both a ceremony and a fact-finding mission. Since theyve arrived, the brothers have been determined to colour in the last parts of Esens life, a final period hed spent away from his family and native Turkey. Any small thought, any small story, Cinar told the group gathered in the church, please come and share, because we want to hear. One of seven siblings, Esen was the youngest of six brothers, closest with his sister, the baby. Growing up, hed had interminable energy. It fuelled him through an undergraduate, then a Masters, degree in sociology at Ankaras Haceteppe University, all while working to help support his family. His early adult life saw the bond of family and the pull of adventure. Handsome, with a strong jaw and dark eyes, he looks out from photos played in the memorial slide show. He cuddles his young nieces and nephews, he stands in the sun in the Australian countryside, where he moved with a former boyfriend. His move to Canada had been in pursuit of love, too, but the relationship didnt last. Hed struggled with substance abuse. Those he met at St. Stephens saw Esens recent graduation from the peer program as a sign he was dedicated to recovery. A similar path meant Kikot and Esen spoke freely about life outside the margins. Kikot grew to look forward to Esens contributions to group discussions, which he shared through a philosophical lens he loved to unpack things. He was soft, in a dignified, strong way, Kikot said. A book of condolences for the family told a similar story, filled by the end of the night with messages. Virtually every one used the same descriptor: gentle. Gab Laurence, a manager at St. Stephens, was struck by Esens authenticity that he was himself, no matter who he was with. Its very hard to be yourself in this world, she said during the service. After the memorial, as attendees cried and reminisced, Cinar and Omer mingled, speaking to each person and taking a group photo. Esens remaining siblings back in Turkey had made impassioned requests for pictures, unable to afford to attend. The funeral will bring only partial closure. Cinar says that wont fully come until he, and everyone else, understands the scope of the tragedy that claimed his brother. He will watch McArthurs trial, and the ongoing independent review of Toronto police handling of missing persons cases, commissioned amid outrage over past police probes of the disappearances of men now alleged to be McArthurs victims. Saying he feels police should have done more to find the missing men earlier, Cinar says there must also be a public inquiry to expose what happened. The public cant feel in the dark, he said. This weekend, Cinar and Omer will collect their brothers ashes and scatter them, something they see as honouring Esens lifelong quest for freedom. They will bring Esens painting back home, but Cinar doesnt know what hell do with it. He is considering painting the rest himself, but may leave it as it is. Its an unfinished story, he said. Just like him. Toronto police have arrested and charged a 50-year-old man in connection with a series of fires set in North York over the past five months. The most recent fire was reported Saturday at 4:37 a.m., after a telephone box was reported on fire in the Kingslake Rd. and Lisburn Cres. area, north of Fairview Mall. After an investigation, police confirmed that in the past five months, there had been eight other fires in various locations, including streets such as Godstone Rd., Esterbrooke Ave. and Allenbury Gardens. Andrew Kleemiss, 50, of Toronto, was charged with seven counts of arson causing property damage, one count of arson disregard for human life and one count of break and enter with intent. He is scheduled to appear in court at Old City Hall on Sunday. Anyone with information on other suspicious fires in the North York area is asked to call police at 32 or 33 divisions or contact police at 416-808-3200, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477). Marjan Asadullah is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @marjanasadullah Police have released surveillence images of a man who allegedly stabbed a male passenger on a Viva bus on Friday. Toronto police say that at approximately 2:46 a.m, an altercation broke out between two men who were riding the Viva transit bus in the Yonge St. and Cummer Ave. area. The altercation became violent when the suspect pulled out a sharp-edged weapon and stabbed the victim, say Toronto police. The suspect fled from the bus and the victim was taken to hospital to get treated for his injuries. The suspect is described to be five feet and eight inches tall, approximately 30-years-old with short dark hair and a long, dark bushy beard. He was last seen wearing a dark-coloured baseball hat, a yellow puffy jacket with a hood, white shirt, black pants and black and white running shoes. He was carrying a black-coloured satchel. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-3200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477). To Kill a Mockingbird is a text that requires deep knowledge of anti-oppression pedagogy so that educators can create learning spaces for students to interrogate the theme of racism as well as biases, assumptions and stereotypes around Black peoples within history and contemporary contexts. Harper Lee, who knew a thing or two about words, would never have written such a sentence. The late author was not a pedagogue nor a polemicist. Instead, she produced a classic novel about racism in the American South and a small-town Alabama lawyer who defends a poor Black man falsely accused of raping a white-trash woman. The book, for which Lee was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1961, has never ceased to draw controversy. At first the objections arose from accusations of immorality and filthy content. More recently, To Kill a Mockingbird has been condemned for its racial slurs the N-word is mentioned 19 times the purported harm it causes to racialized students when taught in schools and employing a white saviour trope, making Atticus Finch the hero of a story told through the eyes of his daughter Scout, as both a child witness and adult narrator. In one of the earlier ban-the-book decisions by a Virginia school board, Harper herself responded with a saucy young letter to her local newspaper: Recently I have received echoes down this way of the Hanover County School Boards activities, and what Ive heard makes me wonder if any of its members can read. I wonder the same thing about Poleen Grewal, associate director of instructional and equity support services at Peel District School Board. All these years after its publication, a seminal moment in fiction for its sympathy towards Black people, its stinging rebuke of a racist justice system and a clarity of moral thinking, a righteous pedant has taken up the anti-Mockingbird crusade again, dancing on the head of a didactic pin. The core fault of the novel, Grewal argues in a dense four-page directive aimed at Peel teachers, is that the story is told through a privileged white persons eyes. Because privilege is allegedly the common denominator of all white people. It just is. It is not. This case, specifically, presupposes that white people are incapable of empathy or intellectual rigour; that teachers, in particular, cant be trusted to present the novel in a way which invites frank discussion. It asserts that, as critical thinkers, we are slaves to the colour of our skin and a Black middle-school student the novel is typically taught in Grade 8 or 9 can intrinsically have no point of human commonality with a white middle-school student. The use of racist texts as entry points into discussions about racism is hardly for the benefit of Black students who already experience racism. This should give us pause who does the use of these texts centre? Who does it serve? Who do we continue to teach them? Whats being declared here is a white appropriation of Black experiences, at a time when the canon of appropriation has become poison in the arts. It defies the power of imagination, the ability indeed, the necessity of walking in another persons shoes, of inhabiting a characters life outside what is personally known. There are, in fact, few writers who embrace that doctrine, but those few have co-opted the conversation, abetted by academics of rigid, radical beliefs. To Kill a Mockingbird is a beautiful, tender novel about childhood and valour and the gaining of wisdom, hung on a plot that encompasses brutality not just the dignified suffering of Tom Robinson, the defendant, but also the shut-in Boo Radley, who rescues Scout and her brother Jem from a vicious revenge assault. In the telling, Lee delves into the swamp of ignorance and poverty and a race-based class system, showing how the citizens turn to racism to mask their own shame and low self-esteem. Thats certainly a teaching moment which should resonate against the backdrop of todays surging nativism. White writers write from their own schemas, their own perspectives and white supremacist frameworks that reflect the specificity of their culture and history on racialized peoples. Again, a theory, a withering bias, projected as fact. Book-banners and book-burners have always cloaked themselves in piety and propriety. They see themselves as gatekeepers, parsing ideas, weighing conventions, morally superior and intellectually paramount. But its just another form of jackboot orthodoxy masquerading, pedagogically, as an elevated conscience. Thats precisely the mob mentality which continues to challenge for removal from schools and libraries such quality titles as Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale, Lives of Girls and Women by Nobel laureate Alice Munro, Khaled Hosseinis The Kite Runner, Beloved by Toni Morrison, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, The Color Purple, The Catcher in the Rye, Of Mice and Men, even the Bible. All have appeared on the American Library Associations annual list of the Top Ten Most Challenged Books and still do so. To Kill a Mockingbird has rarely slipped from the list. All have been condemned as, variously, too vulgar, too anti-Christian, too profane, too graphic, too politically, racially and socially offensive, too anti-family, too anti-authoritarian, too promoting of a homosexual agenda. Doubtless Grewal would lose her nut at being slotted into the same bracket of literary witch-hunters. But it is all of a piece, all of the same stern ideology. As of this moment, Grewals treatise remains a directive only. Yet its abundantly clear that teachers will have to justify themselves to the board if they do include To Kill a Mockingbird on the curriculum. And its not as if the very types of novels that Grewal would prefer, by Black identity authors, are being excluded. Lord help the teacher if an offended parent complains about To Kill a Mockingbird. Theres no evidence here the board will have his or her back. The idea that banning books is about censorship and that censorship limits free speech is often decried as a poor reason to keep the novel on schools reading list as its racist themes make it violent and oppressive for Black students. Beware word-shapers who twist the meaning of censorship. A man in his 20s was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after a shooting in Scarborough on Sunday morning, Toronto paramedics said. The incident happened near Nugget Ave. and McCowan Rd. Police have not yet released information on the victim or suspects. First you choose your favourite. And then you pick another. And finally, if theres a third candidate you wouldnt mind holding the keys to your city, go right ahead and select them as well. You have up to three choices first, second and third, in order of preference all for the job of mayor. And three more for local councillor. Those are the unprecedented options awaiting voters in London, Ont., Monday as they enter the polling booths for the first-ever Canadian experiment in ranked balloting. And this new way of doing democracy is drawing interest across the country. Grassroots proponents argue the ranked-ballot approach encourages civility in politics, eliminates vote splitting, creates an opening for a more diverse slate of candidates and delivers results that capture voter preference in a deeper, more meaningful way. Skeptics argue the system is confusing and that it expects too much of the average voter, who may only barely be able to name one candidate for council in their local ward, let alone three. After years of back-and-forth theoretical debate, London now will give us a real-world example, thanks to Ontario legislation that in 2016 gave Ontarios 444 municipalities permission to try it. While London is the first to take the leap, ballots in the cities of Kingston and Cambridge will include a referendum on introducing the system in the next round of municipal elections in 2022. Nobody is watching the London experiment more closely than activists in Toronto, where the all-volunteer Ranked Ballot Initiative of Toronto (RaBIT) has been working feverishly to win hard commitments to bring the format here in the next election. As of Sunday afternoon, 97 Toronto candidates had taken the pledge, at least one from each of Torontos 25 wards. That field of supporters includes both Mayor John Tory and his primary rival, Jennifer Keesmaat. What London is doing is giving people the lived experience, said Miriam Anderson, a spokesperson for RaBIT. Thats so crucial for those of who support ranked ballots because opponents say the sky will fall and now were finally going to see what it looks like. And I predict the sky will not fall. Its real, its tangible. London is a fair-sized city, grappling with many of the same issues as Toronto. Were going to see London voters get more power and deliver a more meaningful vote. And we are doing all we can to bring that momentum here. Londons experiment is not happening in a vacuum. The technique of ranked-ballot elections is gaining momentum elsewhere, including the U.S., where the entire state of Maine and a wide range of other American cities now employ it. Electoral officials in Minneapolis have been helping guide their London counterparts on how best to explain the mechanism to voters. The way it works is this: When polls close at 8 p.m. Monday night, electronic machines will perform the count in London, beginning with all of the first choices in the races for mayor and the citys 14 wards. If no candidate receives 50 per cent plus one of the votes, the bottom-finish is eliminated and his or her ballots are redistributed to the remaining candidates, this time using the second choice on those ballots. If no candidate reaches 50 per cent plus one, the process of eliminating the last-place finisher is repeated, again and again, until a winner is declared. Given the closeness of the London race, where polling suggests a three-way dead-heat for mayor, the new approach may well be a game-changer, according to Martin Horak, associate director of the Centre for Urban Policy and Local Governance at University of Western Ontario. If this were a traditional mayoral race using first-past-the-post, I would say it is anybodys race, Horak told The Star. But the fact is that three of the top four candidates have overlapping positions that tend to be clustered to the right of one of the front-runners, Tanya Parks, who is much more clearly on the progressive left. So shes going to have a really hard time getting elected with ranked balloting. But that just goes to show you that the vote is ideologically neutral. This new system doesnt favour one side or the other. If it works as it is supposed to, it is going to produce results that better reflect where majority opinion lies. And if majority opinion lies on the right of the spectrum, it is more likely to produce right-wing politicians. Yet supporters of ranked ballots are watching London not just for who wins but also for the tone of the race itself. Some note that Londons mayoral race already has played out with far greater civility than that of Hamilton. Both cities are grappling with big-ticket transit schemes as their key issue an LRT rail plan for Hamilton versus a BRT bus plan for London but it is the Hamilton race that has turned notably divisive in recent weeks, with an anti-LRT candidate gunning for steel towns incumbent mayor. The tone in Hamilton has turned harsh and antagonistic and thats why were here on the ground trying to awaken people to a better way, said Nick Tsergas, who is leading a team of young political nerds raising awareness for ranked balloting in Hamilton under the name of Make Your Vote Count. Our argument is it doesnt need to be like this. We can shift to a more sophisticated system that requires candidates not to alienate people. We want the momentum in London to spread because ranked ballots discourages these kinds of divisions. There are more than 3,500 municipalities in Canada. But only ONE has emerged as a democratic pioneer! Ranked Ballots make local elections more inclusive, fair and friendly. #LondonLeads! Dave Meslin, Creative Director of Unlock Democracy Canada, has been at the forefront of the Ontario campaign for ranked voting and his recent itinerary demonstrates the grassroots nature of the effort. When The Star caught up to him this weekend he was staying on a friends couch in Kingston after a day of leading a group of volunteers on an awareness drive for Mondays ranked-ballot referendum. Last week he was in London, couch-surfing with another friend, as he interviewed advance-poll voters on their first impressions with the new format. The week before that he was in Cambridge, where he enjoyed the luxury of a spare bedroom, courtesy of a volunteer campaigner there. We dont have much of a budget and what we do have we try to put into lawn signs and leaflets and T-shirts. This is all through individual donations, so finding a place to stay that doesnt involve the cost of hotels is what we try to do, said Meslin. I hope what that shows is the not only our level of commitment but also that all these changes come from the bottom up. Theres a built-in incentive for politicians to not want to change the system that got them elected. So its really important and really inspiring that we have volunteers right across Ontario, working for positive change from such a grassroots level. For Meslin, the argument for ranked ballots begins with civility. Negative politics the kind of toxicity that often exists in our legislatures and in our elections really turns off a lot of people. And the people who remain engaged and interested tend to be groups of insiders. So the more civil we can make it, the better. And ranked ballots create an incentive to be civil and respectful of different opinions because all the candidates are looking to become peoples second choices, not just their first. Just as important, said Meslin, is the role of ranked ballots in putting the squeeze on backroom politicking, where potential candidacies are traditionally floated and scuttled even before the public knows of them. Lets say theres an incumbent on the right or the left and someone wants to challenge. What happens behinds the scenes is that certain people are told not to run. They are told they will burn bridges within their own political community if they run because nobody likes a spoiler who is going to split the vote, he said. That happens right across the board, both on the right and on the left. And its how we end up with so many families in politics. It tends to favour the sons, the brothers and the nephews of established politicians carrying on the family tradition. Ranked ballots are a big step away from that because you cant have spoilers. You cant split the vote. So it can attract a different, more diverse type of candidate. It doesnt fix everything. But its definitely the better way. Morty Fine, a board member with the Ranked Ballot Initiative of Toronto, describes the London experiment as historic. But despite winning pledges from nearly 100 candidates in Torontos races, he is not ready to declare victory. Once the ice is broken in London and the precedent is set we expect a lot of the fear of ranked ballots to melt away. But we still need follow though in Toronto, we need city council to come to a decision and give us ranked ballots in 2022, said Fine. That said, to have the support of Torontos key mayoral candidates is big for us. Were thrilled and gratified that theres support across the spectrum, with both incumbents and challengers onside. Its very exciting. University of Western Ontarios Horak said that with so many eyes on London, many researchers will be watching for how deeply voters respond to what they are being given. Just because voters have the opportunity to pick more than one candidate doesnt mean they have to or that they actually will. A single vote, just like every other election before this one, is perfectly acceptable under the London experiment. Multiple selections are an option, not a requirement. The thing to remember is that interest in local elections including voter turnout is always quite low. I dont think there was ever a golden age in local politics, its always chronically been moderate to low, said Horak. So the question is, will voters rise to the occasion? This format does demand more of them and some people in London are skeptical precisely on these grounds. Its one thing to know whos running for mayor but when it gets down to the ward level, are people going to do the work and learn the names of more than one candidate? Municipalities in Ontario and other parts of Canada are watching closely to see if this has changed the tone of Londons campaign. But its going to be really interesting to see how Londoners themselves respond. CIUDAD HIDALGO, MEXICOAbout 2,000 Central American migrants who circumvented Mexican police at a border bridge and swam, forded and floated across the river from Guatemala decided on Saturday to re-form their mass caravan and continue their trek northward toward the United States. Gathered at a park in the border city of Ciudad Hidalgo, the migrants voted by a show of hands and then marched to the bridge to urge those still there to cross the river and join them. Lets all walk together! and Yes we can! they cried, defying warnings to turn back this week from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has sought to make the caravan and border security in general into a campaign issue a little over two weeks before midterm elections. The groups decision capped a day in which Mexican authorities again refused mass entry to migrants on the bridge, instead accepting small groups for asylum processing and giving out 45-day visitor permits to some of them. Read more: Caravan migrants break through Guatemala border fence, rush Mexico Guatemalans aid Honduran caravan migrants with food, water and more Migrant caravan marches on in Guatemala, Trump targets Democrats Mexico had sought to maintain order after a chaotic Friday in which thousands rushed across the bridge only to be halted by a phalanx of officers in riot gear. Authorities began handing out numbers for people to be processed in a strategy seen before at U.S. border posts when dealing with large numbers of migrants. But despite a continued heavy police deployment on the bridge, a steady stream of migrants made it to Mexican soil with relative ease by crossing the Suchiate River that demarcates the notoriously porous border. They swam, waded with the aid of ropes or paid locals who charge the equivalent of $1.25 to ferry people and goods across the muddy waters, and were not detained on reaching the Mexican bank. We dont yet know if we will make it to the (U.S.) border, but we are going to keep going as far as we can, said Rodrigo Abeja, one of the migrants leaders, adding that they would strike out Sunday morning for the city of Tapachula. Where easily 3,000 people were on the bridge the previous day, the crowd had thinned out considerably by Saturday. In addition to those who crossed the river, immigration agents processed migrants in small groups and then bused them to an open-air, metal-roof fairground in Tapachula, where the Red Cross set up small blue tents on the concrete floor. But the pace was slow, frustrating those who remained on the bridge in hot and cramped conditions. Please let us in, we want to work! they entreated agents at the main gate. Behind it, workers erected tall steel riot barriers to channel people in an orderly fashion. Each time a small side gate opened to allow people to pass, there was a crush of bodies as migrants desperately pushed forward. Scarleth Cruz hoisted a crying, sweat-soaked baby girl above the crowd, crying out: This girl is suffocating. Cruz, 20, said she was going to ask for political asylum because of threats and repression she faced back in Honduras from President Juan Orlando Hernandezs governing party. Why would I want to go to the United States if Im going to be persecuted there as well, she said. Mexicos Interior Department said in a statement that it had received 640 refugee requests by Hondurans at the border crossing. It released photos of migrants getting off buses at a shelter and receiving food and medical attention. At least half a dozen migrants fainted. Some tore open a fence on the Guatemala side of the bridge and threw two young children, perhaps age 6 or 7, and their mother into the muddy waters about 40 feet below. They were rafted to safety in on the Mexican bank. Mexican workers handed food bottled water to the migrants on the bridge. Through the bars, a doctor gave medical attention to a woman who feared her young son was running a fever. Sustenance also came from Guatemalan locals for Carlos Martinez, a 24-year-old from Santa Barbara, Honduras, the plate of chicken with rice was the first bite to eat hed had all day. It is a blessing that they have given us food, Martinez said. It gives me courage to keep waiting, as long as I can. Migrants cited widespread poverty and gang violence in Honduras, one of the worlds deadliest nations by homicide rate, as their reasons for joining the caravan. One cannot live back there, said Fidelina Vasquez, a grandmother travelling with her daughter and 2-year-old grandson, standing next to the main border gate. Hector Aguilar, a 49-year-old sales manager who worked as a taxi driver in Honduras Yoro province to feed his four children, said he had to pay the two main gangs there protection money in order to work. On Thursdays I paid the 18th Street gang, and on Saturdays the MS-13, Aguilar said. Three hundred lempiras per day about $12.50 (U.S.), a significant amount in low-wage Honduras. The caravan elicited a series of angry tweets and warnings from Trump early in the week, but Mexicos no-nonsense handling of the migrants at it southern border seems to have satisfied him more recently. So as of this moment, I thank Mexico, Trump said Friday at an event in Scottsdale, Arizona. I hope they continue. But as of this moment, I thank Mexico. If that doesnt work out, were calling up the military not the Guard. Theyre not coming into this country, Trump added. The Mexican Government is fully engaged in finding a solution that encourages safe, secure, and orderly migration, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said Saturday, and both the United States and Mexico continue to work with Central American governments to address the economic, security, and governance drivers of illegal immigration. Presidents Hernandez of Honduras and Jimmy Morales of Guatemala held an emergency meeting at a Guatemalan airbase. The leaders said an estimated 5,400 migrants had entered Guatemala since the caravan was announced a week ago, and about 2,000 Hondurans have returned voluntarily. Morales said a Honduran migrant died in the town of Villa Nueva, about 30 kilometres from Guatemala City, when he fell from a truck that was transporting migrants. Thousands of migrants slept or tried to sleep outdoors overnight underneath tarps and what blankets were available. Jose Yanez, a 25-year-old farmer, woke up at 5 a.m. with a backache after having nothing to cover himself from the nighttime chill. But he was determined to press onward, saying the $6 a day he made back home was not enough to live on. From here, Yanez said, theres no going back. Read more about: YULONGXUESHAN, CHINAThe loud crack rang out from the fog above the Baishui No. 1 Glacier as a stone shard careened down the ice, flying past Chen Yanjun as he operated a GPS device. More projectiles were tumbling down the hulk of ice that scientists say is one of the worlds fastest melting glaciers. We should go, said the 30-year-old geologist. The first rule is safety. Chen hiked away and onto a barren landscape once buried beneath the glacier. Now there is exposed rock littered with oxygen tanks discarded by tourists visiting the 15,000-foot (4,570-meter) -high blanket of ice in southern China. Millions of people each year are drawn to Baishuis frosty beauty on the southeastern edge of the Third Pole a region in Central Asia with the worlds third largest store of ice after Antarctica and Greenland thats roughly the size of Texas and New Mexico combined. Read more: UN report on global warming carries life-or-death warning UN climate change report calls for unprecedented changes in society Opinion | 2018 is the year of environmental decisions Third Pole glaciers are vital to billions of people from Vietnam to Afghanistan. Asias 10 largest rivers including the Yangtze, Yellow, Mekong, and Ganges are fed by seasonal melting. Youre talking about one of the worlds largest freshwater sources, said Ashley Johnson, energy program manager at the National Bureau of Asian Research, an American think tank . Depending on how it melts, a lot of the freshwater will be leaving the region for the ocean, which will have severe impacts on water and food security. Earth is today 1 C hotter than pre-industrial levels because of climate change, enough to melt 28 to 44 per cent of glaciers worldwide, according to a new report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Temperatures are expected to keep rising. Baishui is about as close to the Equator as Tampa, Fla. And the impacts of climate change already are dramatic. The glacier has lost 60 per cent of its mass and shrunk 250 metres (820 feet) since 1982, according to a 2018 report in the Journal of Geophysical Research. Scientists found in 2015 that 82 per cent of glaciers surveyed in China had retreated. They warned that the effects of glacier melting on water resources are gradually becoming increasingly serious for China. China has always had a freshwater supply problem with 20 per cent of the worlds population but only 7 per cent of its freshwater, said Jonna Nyman, an energy security lecturer at the University of Sheffield. Thats heightened by the impact of climate change. For years, scientists have observed global warming change Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the Chinese province of Yunnan. One research team has tracked Baishuis retreat of about 27 metres per year over the past decade. Flowers, such as snow lotus, have rooted in exposed earth, says Wang Shijin, a glaciologist and director of the Yulong Snow Mountain Glacial and Environmental Observation Research Station, part of a network run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Nestled into a suburb of Lijiang, population 1.2 million, the station is home to Wang and his team: geologist and drone operator Chen, postgraduate glaciology student Zhou Lanyue and electrical engineer Zhang Xing, a private contractor. After breakfast, the team heads off by van for the days mission. A cable car carries them up to a majestic view of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The team shuffles past a line of tourists many in red ponchos, most sucking oxygen canisters, a few vomiting from altitude sickness before descending to replace a broken meteorological station. The team operates remote sensors that collect data on temperature, wind speed, rainfall, and humidity. Other sensors measure water flow in streams fed by melted ice. Cold, downpours, rock slides, gales and glacier movement break the equipment. It is not easy to encounter good weather here, Wang said. This weather will ensure Yunnan has plenty of freshwater while other glacier loss poses serious risk of drought across the Third Pole, he said. The next day, the team wore crampons while repairing more sensors scattered across the glaciers crags. Where were at right now was back in 2008 all covered with ice, Wang said. From here to there at the side, the glacier shrank about 20 to 30 metres. The shrinking is very remarkable. The team forded streams and jumped crevasses in search of long iron bars they previously embedded in the ice. GPS tells them how much the bars, and thus the glacier, have moved. They also measure how much height the glacier has lost during the summer. Back on the viewing platform, Che launched a buzzing camera drone over the white expanse. The photographs help tell a story of staggering loss. A quarter of its ice has vanished since 1957 along with four of its 19 glaciers, researchers have found. Changes to the Baishui provide the opportunity to educate visitors about global warming, Wang said. Last year, 2.6 million tourists visited the mountain, according to Yulong Snow Mountain park officials. On blustery day recently, hundreds of tourists climbed wooden stairs through grey fog to snap selfies in front of the glacier. Hou Yugang said he wasnt too bothered over climate change and Baishuis melting. I dont think about it now because it still has a long way to go, he said. To protect the glacier, authorities have limited the number of visitors to 10,000 a day and have banned hiking on the ice. They plan to manufacture snow and to dam streams to increase humidity that slows melting. Security guard Yang Shaofeng has witnessed a warming world melting this mountain, which his local Naxi minority community considers sacred. Yang remembers being able to see the glaciers lowest edge from his home village. No longer. Only when we climb up can we see it, he said sadly, as tourists lined up to have their names engraved on medallions bearing the glaciers image. The etching is already outdated. Read more about: President Donald Trump strongly criticized Saudi Arabia's explanation for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi late Saturday, saying that "obviously there's been deception and there's been lies." At the same time, Trump defended the oil-rich monarchy as an "incredible ally" and kept open the possibility that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not order Saudi agents to kill Khashoggi. "Nobody has told me he's responsible. Nobody has told me he's not responsible. We haven't reached that point. I haven't heard either way," Trump said in a phone interview with The Washington Post. The kingdom's claim that Khashoggi was killed after a fistfight escalated inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul was met with a torrent of international skepticism Saturday over how a team of Saudi agents could fly to Istanbul to meet Khashoggi and eventually kill him without the knowledge or consent of the crown prince. Trump had told reporters Friday that the Saudi explanation was credible, but U.S. officials said he has privately grimaced that his son-in-law Jared Kushner's close relationship with the crown prince has become a liability and left the White House with no good options. Read more: Opinion | Vinay Menon: The vile and immoral smearing of Jamal Khashoggi Turkey wont allow a coverup of Khashoggi killing Khashoggi disappearance may disrupt Trump administrations plans to squeeze Iran A spokesman for Turkeys ruling party vowed Saturday the government would uncover what has happened to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as skepticism mounted over Saudi Arabias account that the U.S.-based columnist was killed Oct. 2 during a fist fight inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The Saudi explanation that an argument in the consulate led to a fatal brawl is at odds with the conclusions of Turkish investigators, who believe Khashoggi was deliberately killed by Saudi agents who had been dispatched to Istanbul for the purpose. Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributing columnist, was a prominent critic of the Saudi leadership. We dont blame anyone in advance, but we do not consent to this being covered up, said the ruling-party spokesman, Omer Celik, according to the Anadolu news agency. As Saudi Arabias closest Arab allies rushed to its defence on Saturday, the results of the Saudi investigation were being greeted with skepticism or derision by others, including several U.S. lawmakers and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But Turkeys reaction is being especially closely watched, because Turkish authorities are said to possess evidence, including audio recordings, that could reveal exactly how Khashoggi died. President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government has so far refused to publicly share that evidence, possibly to protect Turkish surveillance methods but also, analysts said, to preserve a measure of leverage over the Saudis and the Trump administration, which has tried to protect its Saudi allies. Khashoggi, a resident of Virginia, vanished on the afternoon of Oct. 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents he needed to remarry. For more than two weeks, Saudi Arabia denied any knowledge of his whereabouts and insisted that he had walked out of the consulate unharmed. The journalists disappearance and slaying have sparked an international outcry as well as intense criticism of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the countrys de facto ruler, tarnishing his image in the West as a reformer. Early Saturday, the Saudi government acknowledged for the first time Khashoggi was dead. Saudi authorities said they had fired five top officials and arrested 18 other Saudi nationals as a result of the preliminary investigation. Two of Mohammeds close advisers were among those fired. In a possible attempt to derail Turkeys ongoing criminal investigation, Saudi Arabias justice minister, Walid bin Mohammed al-Samaani, said on Saturday that Saudi courts had jurisdiction over the case because it occurred in a Saudi consulate, which falls within the sovereignty of the Kingdom, according to a statement posted on the official Saudi Press Agency. President Donald Trump told reporters Saturday afternoon he would be speaking with the crown prince very soon and is considering placing sanctions on Saudi Arabia, though preferably not on U.S. sales of arms and other military equipment. That would hurt us far more than it would harm the Saudis, Trump said. He said no one in his administration had heard audio or seen video of what transpired in the Saudi Consulate or had reviewed transcripts of any recordings. Im not satisfied until we find the answer, he said, referring to how Khashoggi died. Trump appeared initially to accept the Saudi explanation, but U.S. lawmakers, intelligence officials and foreign policy experts quickly accused the government in Riyadh of a coverup. This is an admission of guilt, but the Saudis still arent coming clean with the truth, Jack Reed, R.I., the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement. The Saudis latest version of events still isnt credible, and the Trump administration must not be complicit in allowing them to sweep this under the rug. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the Saudi version of events changes with each passing day, so we should not assume their latest story holds water. Other nations also expressed criticism. Merkel and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas issued a statement, according to Reuters, saying: We expect transparency from Saudi Arabia about the circumstances of his death. The information available about events in Istanbul is inadequate. The Spanish government is dismayed by early reports from the Saudi prosecutor about the death of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Spanish government said in a statement, according to Reuters. Fred Ryan, The Washington Posts publisher and chief executive, called the Saudi explanation a coverup. The Government of Saudi Arabia has shamefully and repeatedly offered one lie after another in the nearly three weeks since Jamal Khashoggi disappeared in their Istanbul consulate, Ryan said in a statement. Offering no proof, and contrary to all available evidence, they now expect the world to believe that Jamal died in a fight following a discussion. This is not an explanation; it is a coverup. Turkish investigators are still searching for Khashoggis body, which they believe was cut into pieces after he was killed. The Saudi statement on Saturday did not address what happened to the body. Read more about: David Lawrence had just settled into seat 22F on a Ryanair flight on Thursday when he heard a commotion brewing on the other side of the plane. A few rows behind him, a ruddy-faced man with grey hair and dark-rimmed glasses was yelling at a Black woman seated along the aisle. I heard this man shouting at this woman, saying, Youre in my way, get out! I dont want you here next to me! Lawrence told The Washington Post in a phone interview Sunday. I couldnt believe what I heard. Lawrence grabbed his phone and started to record the encounter, which took place before a flight from Barcelona to London Stansted Airport. By then, the womans daughter had come up and confronted the man. She said, Who are you talking to? Dont shout at her, thats my mother, shes disabled, Lawrence recalled, noting that the elderly woman had boarded the plane in a wheelchair. He then was saying, I dont care. In the video, the man can be heard yelling back at the younger Black woman, all while other passengers continue shuffling down the aisle. A male flight attendant with his back to Lawrences camera apparently attempts to calm the situation, to little effect. I tell you, I hope somebody sits there, the man tells the elderly woman, gesturing toward the empty middle seat between them. Cause I dont want to sit next to your -... The rest of the sentence is unclear, though he appears to call her sickly, fat and ugly. The flight attendant then asks the woman whether she would like to sit elsewhere. Put her to another seat! the male passenger shouts, before turning to the woman. I tell you this. If you dont go to another seat, Ill put you to another seat! The elderly woman says something back at him, prompting the man to retort angrily: Dont talk to me in a f-ing foreign language, you stupid ugly cow! and then, Ugly Black bastard! The shouting had a mixed effect on surrounding passengers. One man, wearing a Black T-shirt and sitting in the row directly behind, physically tried to intervene, sticking his hand between the seats in front of him and telling the irate passenger to keep his voice down. Stop, the man in the Black shirt pleads. Theres no need for that at all. Just stop. Its really easy to close your mouth. Lawrence, while recording the video, can be heard saying, Throw him off the flight. Throw him off the flight. Get rid of him! Eventually, the elderly woman asks to sit next to her daughter and begins to move out of the row, visibly fed up. To his surprise, Lawrence said, the flight took off shortly afterward, with no apparent repercussions for the male passenger, who effectively enjoyed extra leg room in a row to himself. I thought the flight attendant was going to call someone and escort the man off the flight, Lawrence told The Post. They moved the woman instead of moving him. That was shocking to me. He decided to upload his video to Facebook the following day out of frustration. It was just so disturbing, Lawrence said. Because there was no response from the other passengers on the flight at the time, I thought, OK, well, somebody needs to know what happened here. Thats why I kept the video running and captured as much as I could. Over the weekend, the video garnered nearly 3 million views and has been shared tens of thousands of times. Lawrence later uploaded the video to YouTube, where it has more than 100,000 views. Scores of commenters expressed outrage over how the matter was handled and demanded to know why Ryanairs flight crew didnt remove the male passenger before the plane took off. Representatives for Ryanair did not immediately respond to requests for comment Sunday. However, the Dublin-based budget airline company said in a Twitter post Sunday that it was aware of the video and had reported the incident to Essex Police. We operate strict guidelines for disruptive passengers and we will not tolerate unruly behaviour like this, Ryanair told BBC News. We will be taking this matter further and disruptive or abusive behaviour like this will result in passengers being banned from travel. Essex Police confirmed to BuzzFeed News that it was investigating the matter and encouraged people with information to contact them. Essex Police takes prejudice-based crime seriously and we want all incidents to be reported, the police department told the news site. We are working closely with Ryanair and the Spanish authorities on the investigation. The womans unnamed daughter told HuffPost UK that her mother, identified only as Mrs. Gayle, is a 77-year-old retiree who immigrated to Britain from Jamaica in the 1960s. They were returning from a vacation to mark the anniversary of the death of Gayles husband, the daughter added. Shes been feeling really down and depressed, so I thought the trip would raise her spirits, Gayles daughter, 53, told the news site. The underlying reason behind the mans abusive behaviour comes down to the fact that my mum is a Black woman and he didnt want her sitting next to him. He says it in the video. Gayles daughter said the encounter left her outraged and her mother upset and very stressed, on top of the grief that shes already experiencing. Lawrence, 56, told The Post that he spoke with the mother and daughter after the flight and said they were both disappointed and disgusted. His parents also were part of the Windrush generation, immigrants who moved from the Caribbean to Britain from 1948 to 1971, so Lawrence said he could understand why the elderly woman agreed to switch seats rather than escalate the situation. The racism they suffered on a daily basis is historic. Our parents have learned over the years because they have never received any kind of justice theyve just learned to live with it, Lawrence said. They kind of have this attitude, like, Well, what can we do? sort of thing. The lady was like, this has happened so many times. I just want to go home. Lawrence has since posted multiple more times about the incident on social media, urging people to put pressure on Ryanair for turning a blind eye to racial discrimination. The airlines acknowledgment of his video was hardly a sufficient apology, he said. Its not good enough, he said. It certainly falls so short of what we expect an airline to provide for, in terms of protecting their customers. Its shameful. Its shameful. WASHINGTONU. S. President Donald Trump shifted his tone on Saudi Arabia again late Saturday, expressing doubt about the Saudi governments claim that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed accidentally during a fist fight with a team of Saudi operatives. Obviously, theres been deception and theres been lies, Trump said in a telephone interview with The Washington Post. Their stories are all over the place. The presidents response to the Saudi accounts has likewise changed from day to day. Speaking to The New York Times on Thursday, Trump said he was confident in the intelligence reports about the episode, which paint a strong, if circumstantial, case that Khashoggis killing was ordered by the Saudi royal court. On Friday evening, after the Saudis, more than two weeks after Khashoggis death, released the account of the accidental killing in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Trump was asked whether he found it credible. I do, he said. Lawmakers from both parties, several of whom had been briefed on the U.S. intelligence, immediately rejected the Saudi account as lacking credibility. Allies of Trump like Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S. C., and Rep. Peter T. King, R-N. Y., expressed some of the most scathing criticism. In his interview with The Post, Trump reiterated his view that Saudi Arabia is an important ally of the United States, and praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a strong leader who can keep things under check. He added, I mean that in a positive way. Read more: Turkey wont allow a coverup of Khashoggi killing Where is the body? Saudi explanation of Khashoggis death is being widely dismissed as a coverup Canada condemns killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi Trump said he did not know if Prince Mohammed had ordered the killing of Khashoggi. Nobody has told me hes responsible. Nobody has told me hes not responsible, Trump said. We havent reached that point. I havent heard either way. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who leads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was less equivocal Sunday. He said that while he was waiting for the conclusions of U.S. intelligence agencies before making a final judgment, he believed that Prince Mohammed was behind the killing. Theyve lost all credibility as it relates to explaining what has happened, he said on CNNs State of the Union. I can understand the president wanting to keep open channels, but I think those of us who want to speak directly to this know that its just not credible. Corker said he hoped to get access this week to recordings that Turkish officials have said show that Khashoggi was tortured and dismembered. Read more about: ISTANBULPresident Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, turning up the pressure on Saudi Arabia, promised Sunday to reveal everything his country knows about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi inside a Saudi consulate. Erdogans statement came as the Saudi foreign minister publicly apologized to Khashoggis family, but stuck with his governments contention the killing had been a tremendous mistake by Saudi operatives acting outside the scope of their authority. Turkish officials have suggested Khashoggis death was ordered at the highest levels of the kingdom. And Erdogan, who has commented little on the matter publicly, on Sunday indicated he has more to say about what happened. We said that we will reveal it, Erdogan said in a speech broadcast live Sunday. God willing, I will make my statement about Jamal Khashoggi in the parliamentary group on Tuesday. Khashoggi, a journalist critical of the Saudi government, disappeared after entering its consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Turkey and Saudi Arabia have conducted what has been described as a joint investigation into Khashoggis disappearance, conducting searches of both the consulate building and the nearby residence of the Saudi consul. On Saturday, Saudi Arabia announced Khashoggi had been killed in a brawl inside the consulate, its first acknowledgment that he was dead, and that Saudis were responsible. It said 18 Saudis involved in the case had been detained. The statement followed weeks of Saudi insistence that Khashoggi had left the consulate, unharmed, hours after entering. On Sunday, in an interview with Fox News, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said, There obviously was a tremendous mistake made, and what compounded the mistake would be the attempt to try to cover up. Asked if he had a message for Khashoggis relatives, Jubeir said: This is a terrible mistake. This is a terrible tragedy. Our condolences go out to them. We feel their pain. Turkish officials have indicated that the Saudi version that Khashoggi died in a botched attempt at interrogation and abduction does not fully satisfy them. For several days, Turkish officials speaking anonymously have told news organizations that a team of 15 Saudis flew to Istanbul on Oct. 2 to kill Khashoggi, most likely on the orders of the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. They have even claimed to have recordings of his torture and killing. We are searching for justice and it will be revealed in full nakedness, Erdogan said Sunday afternoon, at an event to open a new subway line in Istanbul. Not with ordinary steps, but in full nakedness. Why did 15 people come here? he asked. Why have 18 people been arrested? All of this must be explained with all the details. On Tuesday, I will tell this very differently in my parliamentary group speech. I will go into detail. Erdogans comments came as Saudi Arabia was accused of deception in the case by both President Donald Trump and the publisher of The Washington Post, for which Khashoggi wrote columns. Trump, in another shift of tone against Saudi Arabia, expressed doubt about the Saudi governments claim Khashoggi was killed accidentally. Obviously, theres been deception and theres been lies, Trump said in a telephone interview with The Post. Their stories are all over the place. Fred Ryan, the papers publisher, said the Saudi government had shamefully and repeatedly offered one lie after another. Offering no proof, and contrary to all available evidence, Ryan said on Twitter, they now expect the world to believe that Jamal died in a fight following a discussion. This is not an explanation; it is a cover-up. Erdogan had been uncharacteristically quiet about the scandal around Khashoggis disappearance, even as a steady stream of leaks from his own government helped the case capture the worlds attention and shook relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States. Yet Erdogan, who knew Khashoggi personally and took great affront at how Saudi Arabia handled the affair, did use information gathered by his intelligence services to pressure the Saudis into owning up. In particular, Erdogan has aimed some of his ire toward Crown Prince Mohammed, whose firm grip on power in the kingdom has been called into question over the death of Khashoggi. Erdogan made an apparent swipe at the crown prince in his speech Sunday. And right now, what does the world say about whom? he said. We will look into all of this. Khashoggi, who for years was close to the Saudi royal family, became a critic as Crown Prince Mohammed cracked down on dissent, moving to the United States. Jubeir, the foreign minister, stuck to his governments insistence that the kingdoms leadership did not know of the operation to confront Khashoggi in the consulate in Istanbul, and that it did not know at first he had been killed. He specifically denied that the crown prince knew of the operation ahead of time, The individuals who did this did this outside the scope of their authority, Jubeir said. It was not until some time after the killing that Saudi leaders realized that their account contradicted the information the Turks had, he said. We discovered that he was killed in the consulate, he said. We dont know in terms of details how. We dont know where the body is. Turkish officials have said that Khashoggis body was dismembered by a Saudi forensics expert using a bone saw, and then disposed of. In recent days, investigators have combed through sites, including a forest just outside Istanbul and a farmhouse south the city, looking for evidence of his fate. In comments published Saturday in the newspaper Hurriyet, Erdogan said he had expressed his irritation at the Saudi handling of the case to a Saudi delegation sent from Riyadh, and also in a phone conversation with King Salman last week. He said he had complained about the actions of the Saudi consul, who did not cooperate with Turkish officials but invited a camera crew into the building to show that Khashoggi was not there. Turkish investigators were not allowed to search the consulate until 13 days after Khashoggi went there. At the end of the day, Saudi Arabia has to shed light on this, Erdogan told Hurriyet. Its not possible for us to leave this unfinished. Pro-government Turkish columnists have been echoing the sentiment that Saudi Arabia should come clean. Several have even called for Crown Prince Mohammed to step down. Naturally the USA and Saudi Arabia are pleased with the development of events both have the desire Lets wrap up it as it is, one columnist, Mahmut Ovur of the staunchly pro-government daily Sabah, wrote Sunday. The crown prince, he wrote, has no chance to emerge clean from this. Read more about: Cabinet leaks of confidential information have always led to explosive headlines. This week was no exception. The question is whether leaks have become an accepted practice and if so, what are the consequences? At issue is a criminal charge against the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, Mark Norman. His lawyer, Marie Henein, has reportedly made 52 requests for government disclosures, including cabinet minutes and PMO communications, which span the breadth of the Harper and Trudeau governments. Even for Ottawa, the allegations are unusual. Last March, the RCMP, following an investigation ordered by the Liberal government, laid one count of breach of trust against the vice-admiral. He is alleged to have disclosed confidential cabinet information to a Quebec shipbuilding company, which had been awarded a sole-sourced $667 million contract from the Harper government. Traditionally, cabinet confidences are never to be leaked. A political staffer or elected official would jeopardize their careers if they did so. Why would Norman take this risk? As with any court battle, two different narratives are emerging. In November of 2015, Scott Brison had just been sworn in as president of the Treasury Board, the portfolio where the governments buck literally stops. The responsibility for financial oversight ensures that Treasury Board has final authority over any government contract. Media reports allege that the Minister paused consideration of the contract which is his right and arguably his duty, to verify that all was proper. However, some maintain that pressure was being exerted by competitors of the Quebec shipbuilding company. Eventually, the Liberal government approved the contract and the vessel is now in operation. The Liberal government ordered an investigation into the leak. In January 2017, the vice-admirals home was raided. Following the raid, but 14 months before the actual charge was laid, the chief of defence staff suspended his vice-chief. The motives and reasoning behind these actions are in the hands of the court as it decides on the relevance of the requested documents. But in the meantime, good governance demands clarity. Can governments expect confidentiality of classified documents to be the norm? Ironically, both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford agree on this matter. Ontarios cabinet secretary, recently warned deputy ministers that leaks of breaches of confidence would be dealt with effectively and investigated. He further reminded public servants of their oaths of allegiance to maintain the confidentiality of information or documents which may come into their position. Federal cabinet ministers take a similar oath. However, a former Conservative minister of defense questions the reality of confidentiality. Commenting to the National Post, Peter MacKay wrote, I sadly have to say that leaking had become very much as counterintuitive as it sounds the norm within many government departments, including DND. Other governments too, notice a disconnect between reality and expectation. President Trump, for example, routinely tweets his outrage with leaks to authors and columnists from within his White House. Clearly, the traditional need for confidentiality is confronting the modern era of transparency. Canada currently co-chairs the Open Government Partnership, whose aim is to make government more accessible. For example, Ministerial mandate letters which were always secret, are now visible on the government web site. In addition, global consortiums of investigative journalists have published troves of documents from whistleblowers exposing corruption. But transparency must not come at the cost of trust otherwise the integrity of our parliamentary democracy will be undermined. In order to govern wisely and honestly, cabinet ministers need to trust each other, as well as their respective public servants. Contentious issues must be debated thoroughly and freely without fear of recordings or leaks. The principle of cabinet solidarity depends on it. That being said, our judicial system demands that everyone is entitled to a fair trial, including those who are alleged to have leaked government secrets. The scales of justice will require skilful balance in the months ahead. When I was very young, allowed to stay up at my grandfathers campaign headquarters because it was election night, the most astonishing sight was two grizzled old loggers swaggering in some time after polls closed. They would brag to everyones nervous amusement about how many times they had voted that day. With British Columbias archaic voters list, if you followed the obits, you had a list of the safely dead. These old gents went from one riding to another on Vancouver Island casting phoney ballots. But despite these antics, along with great volumes of election day rye, and $5 payoffs for every extra vote cast, Canadian democracy survived. The 21st century challenge to our democracy is more existential. For a few thousand dollars, you can buy thousands of fake identities, generate digital ads targeted, at the riding poll level, at angry gun owners. Pay for the ads offshore undetectably, and have scurrilous smears swamp an opponent with no fear of detection. Thats a little more frightening than ballot box stuffing in days of old. This may already have happened in two provincial elections in Canada, but the nightmare is we have no way to know. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that the next government of Canada could be chosen by Russian bots and trolls, or any other combination of nations or interest groups determined to shift Canadian policy in their favour. This is not acceptable. The federal governments new legislation addresses some of these issues, and they have been forced to toughen it somewhat, but it is far from adequate. Social media firms should be required to maintain a public archive of all sales to anyone promoting or opposing a party, candidate or policy issue. TV, radio and newspapers have been so required to do for decades. They should display the real purchaser of the ad, having ascertained who the ultimate paymaster is. If they cant they may not take their money. Ads should not be permitted to disappear on viewing, as many are today. A publicly accessible website with every message should be freely available in real-time. Their servers hold the information, they have no reason not to make it available. If they knowingly distribute material that is libelous or is a potential breach of our hate literature laws, or was paid for by a foreign actor, then, like every other publisher or broadcaster, they will be jointly liable with the author of such drivel. The penalties should be robust. Political parties need to play a more responsible role too. They should jointly pledge to insist on rules such as these before they spend a dollar on any foot-dragging social media vendor. To those who fear unilateral disarmament in the face of one opponent or another refusing to comply, or claiming to and then cheating, they should contemplate this: Such a foolish political player would be attacked mercilessly on all sides instantly. Their opponents would be entirely reasonable in asking, What foreign money are you hiding? What messages are you secretly spreading that you are ashamed to admit? It would be as deadly as the GOP having been provably accused, during, not after the 2016 campaign for having accepted Russian money and favour. The underpinning of any democracy is the faith and conviction of its citizens that no one can cheat their way to power. Destroying this trust after just one campaign where these dangerous games are shown to have influenced the outcome, would shake that faith for years, and impugn politics and politicians of every party. It would undermine the pillar of trust that is all that keeps any democracy from collapse. Robin V. Sears is a principal at Earnscliffe Strategy Group and was an NDP strategist for 20 years. He is a freelance contributor for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @robinvsears Read more about: VANCOUVERFormer federal New Democrat MP Kennedy Stewart is Vancouvers next mayor, defeating a massive slate of candidates and new political parties in the city while running as an independent. Stewart, the first independent mayor in the city in three decades, beat out the Non-Partisan Associations Ken Sim by fewer than 1,000 votes. Early Sunday Sim refused to concede the race. There are still votes to be counted, Sim said to a crowd of supporters at an election night party in downtown Vancouver. The race was incredibly close. We just want to make sure we got it right, Sim told reporters after his speech. Stewarts win provided a photo finish to an election campaign offering voters one of the largest ballots to choose from following the end of a 10-year reign by Vision Vancouver, which was dogged by a housing crisis over the last four years. After his victory speech, Stewart told reporters he isnt bothered by Sims refusal to concede. Read more: Vancouver voters blame lengthy ballot for long line ups at polling stations for municipal election, patience tested Vision Vancouver pulls candidate ahead of election Vancouver School Board candidate pitches first Indigenous high school for city Other camps will do what they will do and I think its only natural that they ask for a recount, Stewart said. Well see what they do and Im looking forward to being sworn in on Nov. 5. In order for the NPA to call for a judicial recount, they must provide proof that something went wrong in the voting process, such as a tampered ballot box, according to Mario Canseco, president of polling company Research Co. The process of recounting is not the same provincially as it is municipally, he added. And the evidence must be enough to compel a judge to call for a recount, Canseco told StarMetro on Sunday. This doesnt happen unless its really, really close, he said. The only time a recount is necessary is in the case of a tie, according to Section 110 of the Vancouver Charter, which governs the recount process. Any candidate or elector can apply to have a recount done, the charter says. But as Canseco suggested, a recount may only be applied for if the applicant believes votes were incorrectly accepted or rejected, a ballot account doesnt accurately record the number of valid votes for a candidate, or the final determination does not correctly reflect the total number of valid votes for a candidate. How many votes a candidate lost by has no impact on their ability to call for a recount, the City of Vancouver said in a statement submitted to StarMetro. This means that if Sim were to call for a recount, it would be on the grounds of a possible irregularity in the voting process, rather than the slimness of the margin by which he lost. NPA campaign spokesperson Patrick OConnor said in a statement on Sunday that the team is seeking advice on any potential next steps and they are hoping to be able to comment at a later time. During his victory speech Stewart thanked Ken Sim for running a strong campaign, and praised Hector Bremner for a very brave race, before talking about his plans to build 85,000 new homes in Vancouver over the next decade and strengthening the citys conflict of interest rules. They voted for a plan that is bold but achievable, Stewart said. He also praised the city for the number of women elected. We got seven women elected to council. Thats amazing. Cant believe it. Its a lot to take in. During the speech, Stewart, who left his seat in Parliament just months ago, related that when he launched his campaign, he heard late NDP leader Jack Laytons voice: Never let them tell you it cant be done. Meanwhile, Vision Vancouver, which held a 10-year grip on city council was reduced to rubble with just one candidate for school trustee barely holding on to the last position on the ballot as the final votes were being counted Saturday. The citys housing crisis was the dominant issue throughout the election, with all parties claiming to have the answer to exorbitant rents and property prices in Vancouver. Only one Vision Vancouver incumbent councillor ran for reelection and the partys mayoral candidate Ian Campbell dropped out of the race in September citing the political landscape and my complicated personal journey. His party said Campbell had failed to disclose an assault charge stayed by the crown eight years ago. On Friday the party then pulled candidate Wei Qiao Zhang from the race, giving little explanation except to say information about Zhang had come to light. As well, the Green Party made a strong showing adding councillors, school trustees and park board commissioners while topping the polls in all three arenas. Winning for her third term as a city councillor, Adrienne Carr said she was very excited and honoured to have so much support from voters. At the Green Party election headquarters at Creekside community centre, she said that the Greens will work to create consensus with the rest of an often divisive city council. We will work with whoever is elected to find common ground, Carr said. Carr, a front-runner for city council who had considered a run for mayor, has fielded criticism for voting against duplex housing and increased density projects on council. But she said that her aim was to first do the research into what is best for Vancouver before deciding on anything which she said she will move forward with on council. I feel very strongly we need to move on a citywide plan, she said, but underscored that much more research needed to be done before determining what kind of housing we need, and where. Third runner-up for mayor and Stewarts main challenger on the left, independent candidate Shauna Sylvester, didnt let the election loss ruin her night the culmination of a marathon campaign. She conceded the race before midnight with a message for the new mayor. I want Kennedy to know he has my full support in the leading the city I love, Sylvester said, adding that she and her supporters will be there to hold government to account. Were not off the hook, she said. If we want to protect the city we love, and create the future we need, we need to make democracy work every day of our lives. At the YES Vancouver election night party at Cinema Public House on the Granville strip, the mood was lively despite none of the candidates winning a seat. While Hector Bremner expressed disappointment over losing his mayoral bid and giving up his council seat, he said he was blessed to have all these people out today. But he said when he was out campaigning on the streets, we had huge support, and was concerned voter turnout would be lower than in past years. Looking at the results, Bremner, who lost his bid for mayoral candidates with the NPA and went on to run with YES Vancouver, predicted further challenges among city councillors who he said were very entrenched in divisive politics. I think its going to be a very divided council, he said. Meanwhile, former federal Conservative MP for Vancouver South Wai Young, running under the right-wing Coalition Vancouver party, conceded earlier in the night. In the heart of the Vancouver South riding in the Sunset neighbourhood, a relatively small group of loyal, and politically moderate supporters of Young gathered on election night. We were the only ones talking about other things besides housing, Young said. We know housing is a big issue, but there were other issues in the city that needs to be addressed: opioid crisis, homelessness, the cleanliness of the city, the small-business people that are feeling (like) prisoners in their own businesses because of the situation the taxes. Elsewhere in Metro Vancouver, former Surrey mayor Doug McCallum is once again in office after a 13-year break brought about by his ouster in 2005. The numbers are not yet official, but McCallum was 13,000 votes ahead when his chief opponent Tom Gill from the Surrey First Party conceded Saturday evening. In Burnaby, after five terms as mayor of Burnaby, Derek Corrigan has been defeated by challenger Mike Hurley. Corrigan was first elected in 2002 and faced controversy in his last term over housing challenges in the city. In a recent interview with StarMetro, Corrigan said he was being unfairly attacked by housing activists in the city. Meanwhile, Hurley was climbing in the polls. They can disrupt; it attracts media attention, he said. But I dont think that reflect the issues our community is concerned about. Corrigan was the second ouster of the night. In Port Moody incumbent mayor Mike Clay lost by just under 400 votes to one-term councillor Rob Vagramov. The City of North Vancouver has elected Linda C. Buchanan while the District of North Vancouver has ushered in Mike Little. Richmond incumbent Malcolm Brodie held on to the mayors job easily with more than 20,000 votes ahead of runner-up Roy Sakata. In White Rock, Darryl Walker has been elected with 30 per cent of the vote. Read more about: VANCOUVER Residents faced long lineups at the polling stations Saturday as they waited to cast their vote for 27 out of 158 candidates in Vancouvers municipal election. But that didnt deter more than 176,000 people from casting their votes, according to the City of Vancouvers online unofficial election results. About 180,000 people in Vancouver voted in the 2014 election. Independent mayoral candidate and former New Democrat MP Kennedy Stewart ultimately walked away with the win, beating out NPA mayoral candidate Ken Sim his closest competitor by fewer than 1,000 votes. Sim, however, stopped short of conceding, telling reporters at the end of the night he and his team would be consulting with advisers Sunday to decide on a course of action. NPA campaign spokesperson Patrick OConnor told StarMetro on Sunday morning that the team is seeking advice on any potential next steps from the citys chief election officer given the close outcome of the election and they are hoping to be able to comment at a later time. A City of Vancouver spokesperson said the chief election officer confirmed at least one complaint of someone handing out pro-Non-Partisan Association voting guides outside the Sunset Community Centre polling station Saturday. NPA mayoral candidate Ken Sim told StarMetro he was not aware of the incident but that he would check with campaign staff. Many voters attributed long wait times at polling stations to the lengthy ballot, which Vancouver city staff said takes nearly half a minute for tabulator machines to process. This is also the first time voters in Vancouver were faced with a randomized ballot. Some said it was tough to find candidates names in a timely fashion. It took Caroline Klukowski more than 30 minutes in total to vote at Roundhouse Community Centre in Vancouvers Yaletown neighbourhood. Read more: Who are you voting for? Heres a breakdown of key promises from Vancouvers mayoral candidates and political parties Randomizing name order on city election ballots more fair but potentially confusing: report Vision Vancouver pulls candidate ahead of todays election Honestly, it was really difficult, she said. I had my full list ready I did research on everyone, and I couldnt find half of them. Klukowski told StarMetro she gave up on the last two names on her list and voted along party lines instead. Fellow voter Jennifer Maclean said she hoped the city would add more ballot readers for the next election in order to shorten lineups. All of Vancouvers ballot tabulators are already in use, according to a city spokesperson. The citys busiest voting locations about two dozen of them have two tabulators to help with processing times. At least one tabulator broke down Saturday afternoon, at Britannia Secondary School. Voters faced widely differing wait times depending on their chosen polling station both Holy Trinity Anglican Church on West 12th Avenue and LEcole Bilingue elementary on West 14th Avenue reported wait times of an hour with only 90 minutes left before polls closed on Saturday, according to StarMetro reporter David Ball. The polling station at Vancouvers city hall, however, boasted a wait time of only nine-and-a-half minutes just an hour before polls closed. Several voters told StarMetro they plan to cast their ballots during advance voting next time. Voting in the week leading up to election day is increasingly popular. Advance voters only made up 4 per cent of total turnout in 2002, but by 2014, they made up 21 per cent, according to City of Vancouver data compiled by Andy Yan, director at the City program at Simon Fraser University.This year saw a 27 per cent increase in advance voting over 2014, for a total of roughly 48,000 votes cast this year in advance of Oct. 20. Total voter turnout in Vancouvers municipal elections has also increased in recent years, from 31 per cent in 2008 to 43 per cent in 2014. But 2002 saw even higher turnout, with half of registered voters casting a vote that year. Total turnout for the 2018 election was down slightly from the 2014 election, at 39.4 per cent, according to an early estimate from the City of Vancouver. In a statement, the city said the current totals are preliminary official election results will be declared by the Chief Election Officer by Oct. 24. Vancouverites were not the only ones dealing with long lineups at polling stations on Saturday. City staff in Burnaby were forced to bring an additional ballot-reader machine to the Gilmore voting location at around 1 p.m. to ease wait times. With files from Jesse Winter Read more about: Whats New at Jacksonville Public Library: ADULT FICTION Brief Cases by Jim Butcher: This book contains 12 short stories by Harry Dresden, Chicagos only professional wizard. The tales expand the universe of Butchers bestselling series, The Dresden Files. ADULT NON-FICTION Ticker by Mimi Schwartz: Equal parts investigative journalism and medical mystery, the author takes a fascinating look into the history of cardiac medicine and the future of the elusive artificial heart. DVD Children of Giant: This documentary on the making of George Stevens classic film Giant and its powerful examination of racial prejudice is a must-see for film buffs. CHILDRENS PLAYAWAY VIEW Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat Thrills: This Playaway View contains seven stories, including Bust a Ghost, Great Bat Cave, Missing Pumpkin, Spookiest Pumpkin, and Trojan Pumpkin. (A Playaway View is like a pre-loaded DVD player that requires no downloading, uploading or batteries.) JUVENILE The Girl in the Locked Room by Mary Downing Hahn: A family moves into an old, abandoned house. Jules parents love the house, but Jules is frightened and feels a sense of foreboding. When she sees a pale face in an upstairs window, she cant stop wondering about the eerie presence on the top floor in a room with a locked door. Could it be someone who lived in the house a century earlier? Did you know? Would you like to win a free copy of the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book? All you need to do is tell us how you would win a snowball fight! There will be three winners, so be sure to start thinking about snowballs! Print a form off our website at jaxpl.org or pick up an entry form at the childrens circulation desk at the library. Entries are due by Saturday. WOOD RIVER Hundreds of calendars are soon to be printed and ready for sale, as Wood River Museums yearly history calendar features photos and recollections illustrating a devastating 1949 tornado. This year marks the 70th anniversary of what some sources deem as the worst disaster in the citys history, according to volunteer Jean Bruce. One year we did a calendar covering disasters of the city, with the tornado just featured on one page. That years calendar sold out faster than any, she said. The Wood River native began volunteering for the museum, as a part of the citys Heritage Council, in the 90s. Calendars cost $5 and can be purchased at the following Wood River locations: City Hall, Library Museum, Farm Fresh, Camp Drug Store, First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust, TheBank of Edwardsville, Cloverleaf Bank, Medicine Shoppe, Madisons Tea Room, and County Meadows Antiques. Wood River Heritage Council works to create the annual calendars, as the groups only fundraising initiative to benefit the citys museum. The Heritage Council operates the museum, historic chapel and Camp Dubois, and also cares for the citys cemetery. A committee of five teamed up to gather information for this years calendar, as the eleventh edition. If the 500 soon-to-be-printed copies sell out, then the group would generate about $4,000 in profit after advertisements and cost of printing, handled by Wood River Printing. The May 21 tornado touched down without much warning. The natural disaster ripped a path of destruction through neighborhoods, and killed five people, injured 65, destroyed 250 homes, and resulted in $3.2 million in damage at the time. I lived through it. I lived on Whitelaw Avenue at the time, said Bruce. Oh my gosh, it tore up half of the town, and thankfully we were on the right side of town. Our family lived right across from Wood River High School, so we werent near the damage but a lot of people we know were and that is where a lot of the calendars stories come from. More Information "At the time, I was at a neighbor's across the road coloring in a 'Bozo the Clown' coloring book. I remember like it was yesterday, and I'm 75 now. The mother of the little girl's house I was visiting made us go downstairs. She went to go get her husband who was lying down. Then a big piece of plate metal came through the window where her husband had been lying. I can remember the noise. I remember watching the trees lean over and roots come out of the ground in slow motion. I can picture it in my head, until the day I die. We were in the middle of the area where the tornado hit, we lived in one of those big, well-built Sears homes. We were very lucky. People a block away were not so lucky; just a block away a family was killed, that shows you just how lucky we were." - Ruth Brooks, 75, of Fosterburg, formerly of Wood River See More Collapse She was nine years old and was playing at a family friends house that day. She was unaware of the coming storm, she said, until an Alton relative called to check on her and her family. Apparently, traffic was unable to get near or around the city following the storm, she recalled. Volunteer Ruth Brooks believes the calendar can provide the community some perspective. She interviewed survivors of the tornado for this years edition, many of whom still live in the area. History is important and we should pay attention, said Brooks. You dont want kids to live through the horrors, but you want them to know. The next generation of families that still live here may find it (calendar) a handy thing to have, to see what could happen again. Memories of multiple people that lived through the tornado are paired with photos of the wreckage, along with a few printed pages of advertisements, newspaper clippings and statistics, to round out the 2019 calendar. Reach reporter Brittany Johnson at 618-208-6460. MARYVILLE Maryville Police have arrested and charged two men with the Oct. 18 in connection to the robbery of the First Collinsville Bank in Maryville. Maryville Police Chief Rob Carpenter said Christopher Coleman, 45, of St. Louis, was charged with one count of Aggravated Robbery. His bond was set at $150,000. Joseph V. Cretton, 28, of Maryville, was charged with one count of Disorderly Conduct and one count of Obstructing Justice. His bond was set at $50,000. Carpenter said the car used by the alleged bank robber was traced to Cretton. He said his car had been stolen. And then following other leads we ended up in North St. Louis. It turned out that Cretton was in the car with the guy who robbed the bank, Carpenter said. According to police, on Oct. 18 at approximately 3 p.m. a man walked into the First Collinsville Bank, 2729 Maryville Road, and showed the teller a note stating he was armed and demanded money. He was given an undisclosed amount of money before fleeing. No weapon was displayed during the robbery. The Madison County States Attorneys office filed charges against Coleman and Cretton on Oct. 19. Both subjects remain in the custody of the St. Louis City Police Department pending extradition to Illinois. Wow, nice one GOI. Just when we were all wondering where you stood on the vital issue of women being molested and harassed in the workplace, you made your stand abundantly clear. By not saying a word in support of the accusations being hurled at your junior minister for external affairs by an avalanche of respected women journalists, and by standing behind him staunchly, you have sent out an unequivocal message that as far as it comes to #MeToo, you stand with the molesters. And thus, it has been proved that in Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao India, behind every woman who would be successful, stands a man who would molest her if he can get away with it, and behind him stands a government who is chill with this. Good to know. Illustration: Bhaskaran So why is the BJP doing this? Surely it could have thrown this mannot an insider, not somebody with deep roots within the party and inconveniently named after a Mughal emperor to bootto the wolves? Why did it instead decide to not make him into a scapegoat, to not expeditiously shed him like a lizard sheds its tail and to not win easy brownie points from women and the liberal media? I cannot pretend to know what goes inside the torturous minds of the men who run the BJP. (And rest assured, they are all men, nary an empowered nari amongst themnot Sushma Swaraj, supposedly MJ Akbars direct boss, not Nirmala Sitharaman, not Smriti Irani, not Maneka Gandhisome of whom have made statements saying we must believe the women coming out with names with #MeToo.) But I can hazard a guess. My guess is that the BJPs finger is unerringly, as always, on the most populist of pulses. It is siding with the rump. And the rump is comprised of ye olde patriarchy; of old aunties who are querulously asking, But why have these women stayed silent for 30 years? Why come out now? What is their motive?; of lets-be-rational men, concerned about the fact that a mans entire career and good name could be destroyed by a single womans carelessly uttered accusation, one backed with no proof whatsoever. (Duh, what do you think has been happening to women for millennia? How many of us have had our reputations destroyed by one mans casual, selfish action? What do you think happened to Queen Sita, cast out of her kingdom in disgrace just because she was careless enough to get kidnapped by a predator?) Yes, make no mistake about it, the BJP has chosen, deliberately and consciously, to side with the silent majority. With the moral police. With the no-going-out-after-eight-pm status quo. With the sleeveless kurta equals slut brigade. With the must-have-slept-with-somebody-to-get-to-the-top chorus. And so, 97 lawyers from top legal firm Karanjawal and Co will take on one slender woman journalist with nothing to gain and everything to lose. And, in an exact mirroring of the oh-oh-poor-Hindu-majority-being-held-hostage-by-the-evil-Muslim and-Christian-minority narrative, they will set out to glibly persuade us that it is they who are the David and she who is the Goliath. In that sense, Mr Bathrobeas he has scathingly been nicknamed by his latest accuseris correct. #MeToo, can, if correctly massaged, manipulated and stoked, go from being a minor, elitist storm-in-a-C-cup to being a full-blown election issue. Indeed, by standing silently and stolidly with Mr Bathrobe and others of his ilk, and thus reassuring the patriarchy that all will be well under its reign, the BJP is deliberately ensuring that it does. editor@theweek.in Every woman has a #MeToo story. It could be a stranger on the street, a colleague at work, a cousin in the extended family or even your own spouse. We have all been variously leered at, pawed, harassed, molested and abused. This moment in India that has outed powerful men in politics, cinema and the news media is a historic phase of collective catharsis. Yes, it is disruptive and somewhat anarchic in nature. But that is necessary to fuel its raw courage. In fact the criminal defamation lawsuit filed by M.J. Akbar, former minister of state for foreign affairs, against Priya Ramani, the journalist who first named him for sexual harassment, is the best evidence of the limitations and failure of due process. A powerful, well connected politiciannow accused of misconduct, abuse and molestation by 15 womenhires an army of just as powerful, well-connected lawyers to punish a woman who dared to speak. If Ramani fails to prove her charges in courtalways a challenge with endless delays, an environment of toxic coercion and the tilt of the legal system to those with wealth and influenceshe could face jail time of up to two years. The audacity and sheer brazenness of the move is a message to millions of other Indian womenbe quiet or you will face the same ferocious counterattack from the establishment. Illustration: Bhaskaran But, women are not backing off or backing down. The criminal proceedings against Ramani did not stop a 15th woman from coming out and sharing her account of harassment at the hands of Akbar. Politicians and partisans will try and divide this upsurge of fury into camps of left and right. That would be the simplest way to sabotage and subvert the credibility of #MeToo, by reducing it to the banality of a BJP vs Congress fight. Women must step in unequivocally and say, we do not care about ideological battlefields; we do not cherry-pick our outrage, nor do we condone a harasser or predator because his political leanings are the same as ours. In the 1990s, American liberals made this mistake with Bill Clinton. When the news of his affair with the young intern Monica Lewinsky erupted into the headlines, it became a pitched fight between the Republicans and the Democrats. At the time, the worlds understanding of what consent was very patriarchal and rudimentary. No one pointed out the obvious: even when a relationship appears consensual, the sharp power differentialthe worlds most powerful man and an intern in her twentiesmakes the equation a corrosive abuse of power. Today, when Hillary Clinton refuses to take a position on the Lewinsky issue, liberals in her own country slam her for it. That is the real gift of the #MeToo movement: it has enabled us to take an unvarnished and expanded look at how men abuse power. It has helped us recognise that our consent is not surrendered just because a man is our colleague, our friend, or our boyfriend. Indian women will no longer stand for victim-shaming. A dinner, a date, an evening of drinks, a previous flirtation, or a history of romance or sex does not give a guarantee of our consent every time. Our consent has to be sought and confirmed. Yes, every time. Whatever happens next, one thing has already changed. Women will not be silenced. Women will not be awkward. And yes, women will be angry, and no longer apologise for it. editor@theweek.in If you follow contemporary art, there is no way you would not know Banksy. If you follow politics, there is no way you would have missed Banksy. If you follow controversies, you would be familiar with Banksy. If you like pranks and practical jokes, then surely all things Banksy are up your alley. If you are NOTA, Banksy is an artist from Bristol whom the entire art world knows of but has never seen. He works under the cover of darkness to make provocative and radical statements. His true identity is the subject of much speculation. Some say Banksy is 3D aka Robert Del Naja of the trip hop band Massive Attack, who was a graffiti artist before he became a founding member of the band. He is credited with pioneering the stencil graffiti movement. But nobody is sure he is Banksy. And nobody can keep Banksy quiet. Photo Banksys Girl With A Balloon, half shredded at Sothebys/Reuters Last week, he pulled off one of the most outrageous stunts in the history of art when he automated one of his iconic works, Girl With A Balloon, to self-destruct after being sold at a Sothebys auction for 1.04 million. It was the final item to go under the hammer that evening and soon after it was sold, the canvas began to slide through a shredder installed in the frame. Later, Banksy posted an image on Instagram of the shredded work dangling from the bottom of the frame with the title Going, going, gone. That episode triggered a number of questions about the mechanics of the art market. Banksy was obviously cocking a snook at it. It renewed worldwide interest in Banksys work and in the art of graffiti. The history of graffiti is complex and is inextricably entwined with events that make it remarkable and events that push it to obscurity. It had its birth in the Stone Age. Graffiti, dated to 78 BC, has been found in Roman cities with themes of debauchery, opulence and politics. In 1949, Edward Seymour introduced the idea of putting paint in a spray can. In the early 1960s, controversial people such as Cornbread and Cool Earl started writing on the walls [in Philadelphia], a trend that quickly spread to New York. In 1972, Hugo Martinez started the United Graffiti Artists collective that displayed graffiti in galleries for the first time. This history is vividly captured in Henry Chalfants documentary Style Wars (1983). The decline of the USSR and the fall of the Iron Curtain spawned more expressions in Eastern Europe and elsewhere. This allowed artists like Banksy more freedom, and graffiti began selling in galleries. By 2007, the art had also gained ground in India. Apart from Banksy, a figure who stands out in the world of graffiti is Jeffrey Deitch. He has been especially engaged with the careers of three of his contemporaries, two of whom were master graffiti artistsJean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. The third was Jeff Koons. He ran a gallery called Deitch Projects in New York. But he closed the gallery to become director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. During his three years at MOCA, he presented 50 exhibitions and projects of which the graffiti show called Art in the Streets (2011) was the most significant. It had the highest attendance in the museums history. I was lucky enough to see the show in LA. Then, a couple of years ago, I met Deitch at Art Dubai preview nights and took some selfies. Something tells me that Deitch was also responsible for introducing some of the most important contemporary artists from the subcontinent like Ravinder Reddy and Shahzia Sikander to the west. I think, he was also instrumental in promoting Iranian artist Shirin Neshat, who incidentally is one of the participating artists in this years Kochi-Muziris Biennale. The painting, incidentally, is on the wall closer to home. editor@theweek.in The adage that failures can teach many lessons seems quite... Residents are trapped in a war zone, struggling to cope with everyday activities. Their daily routines involve checkpoints, security zones and besieged neighbourhoods. They live between ruins and are disoriented within their own homeland. Amid mass destruction, they have lost a sense of belonging in the cities they used to know. In Syria, where the war has entered its eighth year, architects and urban planners can no longer wait for post-war reconstruction plans or peace resolution. Instead they are already working to save their heritage, preserve their identity, and protect their history from being erased by extreme violence. This is happening in a variety of ways. Some are hiding cultural artefacts in secret graveyards to protect them from demolition and looting. Some are trying to rebuild destroyed houses and souks, and provide shelter for internally displaced populations. Some are travelling to other countries Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey to receive training on the best ways to save their cities and heritage. The war has made it vital for architects to shift their thinking in an attempt to respond to the changing dynamics of war. As part of my own research, I have spoken to Syrian architects based inside and outside the country about how work to rebuild these cities can be supported from afar. Several ideas have emerged, including the creation of mentoring programmes, research collaborations with academics, and providing online learning materials on architecture, construction and project management. One of the most common themes was the need for resourceson rebuilding, on bringing communities back togetherto be published in Arabic. I am now working on a translation project of ten briefing papers from the Conflict in Cities project of the Urban Conflicts Research Centre (UCR) at the University of Cambridge with Professor Wendy Pullan. The Arabic materials will be openly shared in early 2019 with audiences in the Middle East to share knowledge about topics such as urban regeneration, politics of heritage and the role of cities in reducing conflicts. But we must also remember what any future reconstruction is for. Architects, academics, politicians, economists and developers each have their own agenda and interests. For some, the reconstruction is a financial opportunity to invest and make money. For others it is a place for foreign designers to experiment with new ideas. There are already fears that the last to participate in these emerging plans and conversations will be the Syrians themselvesand that such plans might not put the Syrians at the heart of the reconstruction. After all, many of those interested in the reconstruction of Syria have little knowledge about the country, the way of life, and its social and cultural landscapes. We must remember that any construction that does take place will be upon land that is soaked with the blood of Syrian men, women and children. We must also be wary of a lack of balance in the plans for reconstruction and the building of urban resilience the capacity of the city, its systems and its inhabitants to adapt to different shocks and stresses. In some cities, reconstruction and resilience are only focused on a few spots of the city, and benefit only particular communities. Some disadvantaged communities are overlooked. As the urban design expert Lawrence J Vale notes, uneven resilience threatens the ability of cities as a whole to function economically, socially and politically. But there is also hope. Architecture could bring huge positives to a devastated Syrian society. It can be symbolic and powerful when architects have the opportunity to face history, instead of whitewashing itwhen architecture can contribute to creating spaces and places for everyone, and not only for the elite. In his book, Building the Post-War World, Professor Nick Bullock explains how after World War II, rebuilding created an opportunity for the spirit of innovation and experimentation linked to the hopes of a new and better world and architecture. In Syria, with such huge loss of the fabric of cities and countryside, architects are searching for the Syrianess of Syrian architecture. Many of the architects I spoke with emphasised the need to build a new Syria, for Syrians, by Syrians. They do not want to apply an international architectural language in their cities, or a Beirut-like reconstruction plan that does not reflect the identity of the country. Instead, they are looking towards a Syrian identity through architecture architecture that can bring a sense of social justice and cohesion to all Syrians. To the displaced, to the poor, and to the disadvantaged rebuilding a Syria for everyone. Ammar Azzouz, Visiting Scholar, University of Cambridge This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Actress Deepika Padukone took to Twitter to announce the news of her wedding with fellow actor Ranveer Singh. The event is set to take place on November 14 and 15. With the blessings of our families, it gives us immense joy in sharing that our wedding is set to take place on the 14th and 15th November 2018, the wedding card read. We thank you for all the love you have showered upon us over the years and seek your blessings as we embark on this incredible journey of love, loyalty, friendship and togetherness. In January this year, on Deepika Padukone's birthday, there were rumours of her engagement to Ranveer Singh in Sri Lanka. The rumours later resurfaced, with reports of Deepika's parents meeting Ranveer's family in Mumbai. According to some reports doing the rounds, the couple prefer a destination wedding like Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli. Reports have also suggested the wedding might take place in Mumbai according to South Indian rituals. A report in Filmfare had earlier confirmed that Ranveer and Deepika were set for a November 20 wedding in Italy. Filmfare magazine quoted a source as saying, "It's a very special day for both Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone which is why they just want the close ones to be present for their wedding ceremony. Mostly, it will be their families and a few close friends." "The guest list consists of merely 30 people and that's exactly how these two want it. Italy is a favourite destination of both Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone so they want to keep their big day more of a private affair. They are looking forward to hosting grand receptions once they're back in India post the wedding." Writing in FirstPost, an anonymous JNU student accused "an activist from Jammu [who] rose to prominence as an anti-rape crusader leading the cause of justice for the Kathua rape victim" of sexual violation. News reports have since identified the activist as Talib Hussain, an activist from the Bakarwal community of Jammu. However, THE WEEK has not received any independent confirmation, and the FirstPost account does not name the assaulter. "I was one of those students who had invited him to JNU campus," the JNU student wrote in her account. "But subsequently, in his personal conversations with me, he proved to be very invasive of personal boundaries. He asked me a lot of questions about my family, my research work, and my political beliefs. I would not have minded any of this had he not abruptly asked me one day to do nikaah with him. This was in mid-April, just after his second visit to JNU. I told him that it is a very inappropriate thing to ask me. But he did not stop calling me. Often he would call me late at night; while I enquired about his safety and whether he had been given adequate protection from possible attacks, he would ignore my concerned questions and describe his sexual fantasies about me." ALSO READ: THE WEEK's interview with Talib Hussain The JNU student further writes that after repeated invitations to meet, she was taken by the Jammu activist to a one-room apartment where she was raped. "That night, mine was NOT a feeble no. I threatened to expose him to all my friends in JNU, I pleaded with him, I even physically wrestled against his brute strength; but my resistance seemed too frail compared to his brutality. I remember crying in pain; but instead, he mocked me, saying Tum bohot naazuk ho. All the while he raped me, he kept insisting that he would do nikaah with me, as if by declaring his intention to marry he would legitimise what he was doing. I was in great pain after that night; consultation with gynaecologists revealed that I had suffered an anal fissure," the article claimed. After the news broke, senior Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising wrote in The Leaflet that she would no longer be representing Hussain who had alleged custodial torture by the police; he has other pending cases, including one for domestic assault, levelled against him. "In the light of the article published today in FirstPost, I do not intend to continue to appear on behalf of Talib Hussain anymore. I take the decision in view of my full support of the #MeToo movement," she wrote. Kashmiri activist and JNU student Shehla Rashid, who was one of the more outspoken critics of the BJP government in the Kathua rape case, said she stood with the survivor in the case. "This is very serious. One more charge of rape against Talib Hussain. The survivor fears that there are many others who have been abused by Talib. I stand in solidarity with the survivor[s]. I'd encourage them to take legal action, if they're reading this," she tweeted. A day after the horrific Amritsar train tragedy, which claimed a toll of over 60 lives, an FIR was filed by the Government Railway Police (GRP) against unknown persons. A case has been registered under sections 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 304A (causing death by negligence) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC, a GRP official told PTI. SHO of GRP railway station Amritsar Balvir Singh said the FIR has been registered against the unknown persons and names of the accused would be added in the FIR after investigation. "It is too early to say anything about the accused [or] who was responsible for the mass killing on railway track. But during the course of investigation, many facts and causes are expected to come to light. Investigation will be conducted to find out the causes and lapses that led to the killing of so many people," he said. Singh said the GRP was informed by Punjab police personnel about the incident and they immediately rushed to the spot. "We found bodies of many people including women and children. We extended all possible help to shift the injured people to different hospitals and assisted the administration in the rescue operation," he said. At the same time, local municipal corporation councillor Vijay Madan and her son Sourabh Madan Mithu, the main organisers of the Dussehra celebration in Amritsar, have gone underground with other family members. According to police, a few people angry over the accident attacked their residence, broke window panes and pelted stones on Saturday. Following this, the Madan family members have gone to an undisclosed location and also switched off their mobile phones. However, police personnel have been deployed at the residence. Vijay Madan is the sitting councillor from ward number 29 falling under the Amritsar East assembly constituency. The Madan family members were the main organisers of the Dussehra event where the train accident took place. The Punjab government has ordered a magisterial probe into the accident, while railways has ruled out any inquiry on its part. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said that a magisterial inquiry into the train accident will be conducted and the report will be submitted in four weeks. The chief minister postponed a trip to Israel and arrived in Amritsar to assess the damage. "We are announcing a magisterial probe into the incident," Singh told reporters. Meanwhile, the railways, on Saturday, said that the tragedy was a case of trespassing and not a railway accident and ruled out a probe by the Commissioner Railway Safety. The Commission of Railway Safety works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and conducts mandatory inquiry into all railway accidentsat unmanned level crossings, derailments or after a bridge collapse. "The commission conducts statutory investigation into railway accidents. This was an incident where people were trespassing on the tracks and not an accident," Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani told PTI. Railways also said that no action will be taken against the driver of the train who had managed to slow down the train to around 68 kmph from the speed of 91kmph at which he was assigned to run. Meanwhile, the event devolved into political mudslinging, as BJP demanded the arrest of former MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu, the wife of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was the chief guest at the event held on Friday. "[Navjot Kaur] Sidhu's lie that she was not aware of the people standing on the railway tracks is exposed. She is repeatedly being told, according to new video evidence, that there are people on the tracks and even if the trains arrive, nothing will happen to them," senior BJP leader Rajinder Mohan Singh Chinna said in a statement. He said the inquiry ordered into the incident by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was a "mere eyewash". He alleged that Navjot Kaur Sidhu and Navjot Singh Sidhu were telling "one lie after another". SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore per person and government jobs for the families of those killed. Badal demanded immediate dismissal of Punjab minster Navjot Singh Sidhu from the cabinet besides registration of a fresh FIR against his family based on statements of the victims. On Friday, a train mowed down the revellers who had spilled onto railway tracks while watching the burning of a Ravana effigy at 'Dhobi ghat' ground near Joda Phatak. At the time of the incident, at least 300 people were watching the Ravana dahan. -Inputs from PTI India never eyes anyone else's territory but will hit back with "double the force" if its sovereignty is ever challenged, Prime Minister Modi said Sunday, at an event to mark the 75th anniversary of proclamation of the Azad Hind government by Subhas Chandra Bose. He also said his government is working towards providing the armed forces with better technology and latest weapons even as efforts are underway to make the lives of soldiers easier by extending them with better facilities. Modi said his government took decisions such as carrying out surgical strikes across the Line of Control and providing benefits of 'one rank, one pension' to ex-servicemen. The prime minister hoisted the national flag at the historic Red Fort to mark the event. Donning the cap of the Indian National Army presented to him by one of the close aides of Bose, Modi said it has been the Indian tradition not to eye someone else's territory, "but when our sovereignty is challenged, we will hit back with double the force." He also cautioned people against forces inside and outside India which are working against the country by targeting it and its constitutional values. He said a feeling of nationalism and "Indianness" was necessary to counter such designs. Referring to the opposition faced by Bose when he decided to establish the Rani Jhansi Regimentan all women unit of the INA, Modi said the regiment would complete 75 years of its establishment on Monday. He said, the present government is trying to fulfil the dreams of Bose even as he recalled the decision to alow women in the Army to opt for permanent commission from short service commission following a transparent procedure. The prime minister said the air force is set to have the first batch of women fighter pilots. He said arrears worth Rs 11,000 crore have been released for ex-servicemen under the 'one rank, one pension' (OROP) scheme. OROP, coupled by recommendations of the seventh pay commission, have given "double bonanza" to former servicemen, he said. Modi also said the work on the National War Memorial is in its last stages. Colombo, Oct 21 (AFP) The Maldives top court Sunday rejected a petition by President Abdulla Yameen to annul last month's election results and call a fresh poll, upholding his defeat. The five-judge Supreme Court bench unanimously ruled that Yameen had failed to prove his claim that the September 23 vote won by opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was rigged. Under pressure from abroad, Yameen initially conceded defeat and said he would stand down on November 17 -- but then this month filed his petition despite the threat of sanctions. Yameen claimed magic ink had been used to rig the election and that ballots marked for him disappeared. The five-judge bench had already refused to accept the testimony of three unnamed witnesses that Yameen's lawyers said would prove the election was fixed. The next day Yameen went on national television to concede defeat a second time, making no reference to his controversial legal bid. The country's independent Elections Commission, through its lawyers, had argued his petition was based on false allegations and should be dismissed. Ahead of court hearings in the capital Male last week, the United States warned "appropriate measures" would be taken if the will of the Maldivian people was undermined. Europe and India have also issued similar warnings in the past. Yameen successfully lobbied the same court in 2013 to nullify election results as he trailed an opposition candidate, which ultimately allowed him to narrowly win a run-off poll. He has ruled with an iron-fist ever since, crushing dissent and jailing or exiling all his major opponents. The US and its allies have been concerned by growing Chinese influence in the strategically positioned Indian Ocean archipelago, especially under Yameen's authoritarian rule.(AFP) AMS AMS Moscow, Oct 21 (AFP) Moscow on Sunday warned US President Donald Trump that his plan to ditch a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty with Russia was a dangerous step. Ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who signed the original document back in 1987, condemned the move as showing Trump's "lack of wisdom." Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that withdrawal "would be a very dangerous step" and said Washington faced international condemnation in its bid for "total supremacy" in the military sphere. He insisted that Moscow observed "in the strictest way" the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, known as the INF, while accusing Washington of "flagrant violations". The treaty was signed by then US president Ronald Reagan and Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, who on Sunday told Interfax news agency that "dropping these agreements... shows a lack of wisdom" and is a "mistake". Germany "regrets the planned withdrawal" and it will require discussion among NATO countries, a government spokeswoman said, calling the treaty "an important element of arms control". But Trump on Saturday claimed Russia had long violated the treaty. "We're the ones who have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement, but Russia has not unfortunately honored the agreement, so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," he told reporters. "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years," he said. "And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons (while) we're not allowed to." Trump's National Security Advisor John Bolton arrived in Moscow on Sunday and is set to meet Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies that President Vladimir Putin may also meet Bolton to seek "clarifications". The row comes ahead of what is expected to be a second summit between Trump and Putin this year. The Trump administration has complained of Moscow's deployment of Novator 9M729 missiles, which Washington says fall under the treaty's ban on missiles that can travel distances between 310 and 3,400 miles (500 and 5,500 kilometres). The INF resolved a crisis over Soviet nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles targeting Western capitals. The latest rift could have "the most lamentable consequences", political analyst Alexei Arbatov told Interfax news agency, dragging Russia into a "new cycle of the arms race". A Russian foreign ministry official earlier accused Washington of implementing policy "toward dismantling the nuclear deal". For many years, Washington has been "deliberately and step by step destroying the basis for the agreement," said the unnamed official quoted by state news agencies. The official accused the United States of backing out of international agreements that put it on an equal footing with other countries because it wanted to protect American "exceptionalism". Russian Senator Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter that the move was "the second powerful blow against the whole system of strategic stability in the world" after Washington's 2001 withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty. Bolton himself is pressuring Trump to leave the INF and has blocked talks to extend the New Start treaty on strategic missiles set to expire in 2021, according to The Guardian newspaper. US withdrawal from the INF "will destroy any prospects of extending the New Start treaty," the head of the Russian Senate's foreign affairs committee Konstantin Kosachev warned on Facebook. The US plan to withdraw from the INF is also targeting China. As a non-signatory, Beijing can develop intermediate-range nuclear weapons without constraints. US-Russia ties are under deep strain over accusations that Moscow meddled in the 2016 US presidential election. The two countries are also at odds over Russian support for the Syrian government in the country's civil war, and the conflict in Ukraine. On Friday, the US Justice Department indicted the finance chief of Russia's leading troll farm for allegedly interfering with US congressional elections to be held in November. Russia accused the United States of fabricating the charges. While no new summit between Trump and Putin has yet been announced, one is expected in the near future. The two leaders will be in Paris on November 11 to attend commemorations marking 100 years since the end of World War I. A senior Trump administration official said another potential date could be when both presidents attend the Group of 20 meeting in Buenos Aires on November 30 and December 1. (AFP) RUP RUP Kabul, Oct 21 (AFP) Problems plagued hundreds of Afghan polling centres Sunday in the shambolic legislative election's second day of voting, fuelling criticism of organisers and eroding hopes for credible results after a ballot marred by deadly violence. As voters once again braved the threat of militant attacks, an AFP tally of casualty figures from across the war-torn country showed the number of civilians and security forces killed or wounded in polling-related violence on Saturday was nearly 300. That was more than four times the latest figures released by the interior ministry. The huge discrepancy supports speculation that officials have deliberately downplayed the violence, adding to concerns about the lack of transparency and credibility of the long-delayed election that is seen as a dry run for next year's presidential vote. At some of the 253 polling centres opened for voting on Sunday, election workers still struggled to use biometric verification devices and voter rolls were "either incomplete or non-existent", Electoral Complaints Commission spokesman Ali Reza Rohani told reporters. "Most of the problems we had yesterday still exist today," said Rohani, adding some polling sites again opened late and had insufficient ballot papers. Another 148 polling sites that were supposed to open remained closed for security reasons, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) told AFP. The IEC's chronic mishandling of the parliamentary election, which is the third since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, has all but dashed hopes it can competently organise the presidential ballot, scheduled for April. "This does not bode well for next year," Afghanistan Analysts Network co-director Thomas Ruttig told AFP. "The IEC has clearly shown its lack of capacity to run acceptable and transparent elections, instead publishing doctored figures." A Western official, who had monitored the months-long preparations, told AFP they had no confidence left in the IEC. "None at all," they said on the condition of anonymity. "There are a lot of doubts that they would be able to handle the presidential election properly," political analyst Haroun Mir said. IEC figures show around four million Afghans risked their lives to vote over the weekend -- many waiting hours for polling centres to open -- despite scores of militant attacks. Elections will be held in the southern province of Kandahar on October 27 after voting was delayed by Thursday's assassination of a powerful police chief. Nearly nine million voters registered for the parliamentary election, but many suspect a significant number of those were based on fake identification documents that fraudsters planned to use to stuff ballot boxes. Yet the fact any Afghans turned out to vote was an achievement in itself, some observers noted. "The people of Afghanistan showed that they are still hopeful for their future," Mir said. Speaking after polls closed Sunday, President Ashraf Ghani challenged the Taliban to "show if your way or the way of democracy is preferred by the people". The Taliban had issued several warnings in the days leading up to the poll demanding the more than 2,500 candidates for the lower house withdraw from the race and for voters to stay home. The militant group on Saturday claimed it carried out more than 400 attacks on the "fake election". There were no reports of poll-related violence on Sunday, but officials said a roadside bomb killed 11 members of a family driving in the eastern province of Nangarhar. Official observers described disorder and chaos at polling centres on Saturday where election workers did not know how to use biometric devices the IEC had belatedly rolled out to appease political leaders and said were required for votes to be counted. Many voters who had registered their names months ago were not on the roll, and the Taliban commandeered some polling centres and refused to let people cast their ballots. There were concerns that extending voting by a day could provide "opportunity for fraud", Election and Transparency Watch Organization of Afghanistan said. Some 44 people already have been charged with "illegal interference in the election and fraud", the interior ministry said. As vote counting continued and officials began the process of transferring ballot boxes to Kabul, Afghan voters took to social media to vent their frustration at the debacle. "Shame on the IEC," Hosai Mangal wrote on the IEC's official Facebook page. "There was no order at all, I could not find my name at the polling centre where I registered." But embattled IEC chief Abdul Badi Sayyad on Sunday defended the organisation's handling of the election, saying the problems were not due to "weak management". Despite the chaos, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which has spearheaded international efforts to advise the IEC, said the election was "an important milestone in Afghanistan's transition to self-reliance". (AFP) SMJ SMJ Washington, Oct 21 (AFP) Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Sunday the kingdom did not know where the body of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi was, despite admitting to the killing and calling it a "tremendous mistake." Speaking in an interview on Fox News, Jubeir said the Saudi leadership initially believed Khashoggi had left its consulate in Istanbul, where he was last seen on October 2. But following "reports we were getting from Turkey," Saudi authorities began an investigation, which discovered he was killed in the diplomatic mission. "We don't know, in terms of details, how. We don't know where the body is," Jubeir said, adding that the Saudi public prosecutor had put out orders to detain 18 individuals, "the first step in a long journey." He termed the killing a "tremendous mistake" but one which the US-Saudi relationship would eventually overcome. "The individuals who did this did this outside the scope of their authority. There obviously was a tremendous mistake made, and what compounded the mistake was the attempt to try to cover up," Jubeir told Fox News. "That is unacceptable in any government. These things unfortunately happen. We want to make sure that those who are responsible are punished and we want to make sure we have procedures in place to prevent it from happening again." (AFP) MRJ MRJ Elko (US), Oct 21 (AFP) US President Donald Trump has warned against halting a Saudi arms deal, saying it would hurt American jobs, despite the international furor over the death in the conservative kingdom's Istanbul consulate of a dissident journalist. "We have $450 billion, $110 billion of which is a military order, but this is equipment and various things ordered from Saudi Arabia," Trump told reporters on Saturday about an agreement to sell weapons to Riyadh. "It's over a million jobs; that's not helpful for us to cancel an order like that. That hurts us far more than it hurts them," he added, noting Riyadh could obtain the weapons from other countries like China or Russia. "But there are other things that could be done, including sanctions." Saudi Arabia has admitted that critic Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its Istanbul consulate after an physical altercation, in a major dialing back of two weeks of denials, but the whereabouts of his body remain unclear. Turkish officials have accused Riyadh of carrying out a state-sponsored killing and dismembering the body, which police have begun hunting for in an Istanbul forest. Trump has said he found the explanation credible despite continued skepticism from some US lawmakers, including Republicans. "It was a big first step. It was a good first step. But I want to get to the answer," Trump said of Saudi's acknowledgement that Khashoggi had died. Trump has said that Saudi Arabia is valued as a historic customer for the US weapons industry, and that the US also relies on the kingdom in the fight against terror. But the controversy over Khashoggi's death has evolved into a major crisis for Crown Prince Mohammed, a Trump administration favourite widely known as MBS whose image as a modernizing Arab reformer has been gravely undermined. (AFP) ANB ANB Odisha CM calls for new policy to help women and farmers Bhubaneswar, Oct 21 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has asked state government officials to frame a new and innovative policy to help women and farmers become entrepreneurs. Patnaik gave the instruction on Saturday while he was reviewing the preparedness for the ensuing 'Make in Odisha' conclave, scheduled to begin here on November 11. The chief minister asked all department heads to frame a specific policy in order to encourage the entrepreneurs, both from India and abroad, to invest in the state. The chief minister also asked the state chief secretary to apprise him about the framing of the new investment policy at the earliest. As of now, according to officials, about 60 industrial delegates from several countries, including China, Germany, Japan, Italy, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, are expected to attend the conclave. More than 2,000 representatives from Indian companies, who are investing in different sectors, including steel, food processing, handloom, chemical, aerospace and sports, will also take part in the conclave, the flagship biennial business event of the Odisha government. PTI AAM SBN SBN 43 kg charas worth Rs 8.60 cr seized in Bihar Motihari (Bihar), Oct 21 (PTI) The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Sunday said the force has seized 43 kg charas worth Rs 8.60 crore in international market and arrested one person from Bihar's East Champaran district. Acting on a tip off, an SSB team searched a car in Ramgarhwa area and recovered the contraband, SSB's 47th battalion Commandant Priyavrat Sharma said. The team also arrested one person, a resident of Kanpur district in Uttar Pradesh, in this connection, the Commandant said adding that the charas was seized on Friday. The smuggler entered India from Nepal on October 19, the day of Dusshera, to take the drug to Kanpur from where it was supposed to be distributed in other towns and cities for sale, Sharma said. The arrested man and the seized charas have been handed over to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Patna, he added. PTI CORR AR NN NN Enlist under Ayushman Bharat: J'khand CM urges Tata hospitals Jamshedpur, Oct 21 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Sunday met with officials of Tata Steel and Tata Motors and urged them to enlist hospitals run by the companies, under the 'Ayushman Bharat' healthcare scheme. Around 50-per cent patients (non-Tata Group employees) get admitted to such hospitals and the state government would bear their medical expenses under the scheme, an official release said. Das said a state-level committee headed by the health secretary has been formed to resolve issues faced by the empaneled hospitals. The Tata Group officials assured the chief minister that they would prepare a proposal and meet him in the state capital Ranchi soon, and work towards the empanelment of the hospitals run by them here, the release said. Das added that the management of Tata Main Hospital and Tata Motors Hospital will prepare the proposal in 10 days to start the process for empanelment. PTI BS RBT RBT New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI) Accusing the BJP-led Centre of using every "auspicious" occasion as a "political tool", Congress spokesperson Abhishekh Manu Singhvi Sunday said the saffron party was "desperate to rewrite history". Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said a national award in the name of Subhash Chandra Bose would be given every year to those police personnel who did "exemplary work" in the rescue-and-relief operations during any kind of disasters. The announcement came on the 75th anniversary of Bose's declaration of the formation of India's first independent government -- the Azad Hind government -- on October 21, 1943. "A desperate BJP is trying to rewrite history and create an imagined rivalry between Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru and between Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Nehru. It has used auspicious occasions for these cheap political tricks," Singhvi told a press conference. He said Patel, in his letter to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, had stated that the "activities of the Hindu Mahasabha were a clear threat to the existence of the government and the activities had not died down, despite the ban". "On the other hand, the RSS's mentor, (Vinayak Damodar) Savarkar's Hindu Mahasabha, was advocating people to get recruited in the British army. RSS leader (MS) Golwalkar had called the necessity of throwing the British out of the country 'shallow nationalism'," the Congress leader said. He also pointed out that Nehru was one of the lawyers of Bose during his INA trials. "Was there any person from the RSS to support Netaji?," Singhvi asked. "Why does Prime Minister Modi use every auspicious occasion as a political tool? The prime minister and the BJP are desperately trying to appropriate every national legacy," he said. PTI ASG RC (Eds: Adding details and comments of political parties) Srinagar, Oct 21 (PTI) Seven civilians were killed Sunday when unused explosives of three Jaish-e-Mohammed militants, gunned down in an encounter, went off in Kulgam district of South Kashmir, police said. The incident happened at Laroo village in Kulgam district, one of the worst hit by militancy in South Kashmir, Sunday morning when security forces launched a search-and-cordon operation following intelligence report about the presence of militants. The security forces made repeated announcements to the militants for surrender but instead they were fired upon. In the retaliatory fire, three militants of Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed. As the security forces were carrying out routine clearance, they came under heavy stone pelting from a mob, which had cordoned off the encounter site. During the partial withdrawal of the security forces, the mob thronged the encounter site to gather remaining arms and ammunition, which is passed on later to militant groups, police alleged. During this, unexploded shells and grenades of militants went off killing one and injuring several others. They were rushed to a hospital where five succumbed to their injuries. There is another unidentified body, completely charred and beyond recognition, at the hospital, police said, adding that no one had claimed the body so far. The incident came days before the scheduled visit of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to Kashmir on Tuesday. The killed militants have been identified as Shabdil Ahmed Tantray of Shopian, who joined militancy in July 2018; Zubair Ahmed Lone of Kulgam (joined in May); and Yazil Ahmad Mukhroo of Bijbehara, who had joined in June this year. Jammu and Kashmir police tweeted that "civilians visited encounter site immediately after operation in spite of request not to visit as thorough search was on for explosives. They didn't listen and thus visited the spot. Some explosive substance went off resulting in injuries to civilians." Today's incident was a grim reminder of April 1 incident this year when three army men, four civilians and four militants were killed in adjoining district of Shopian. Advisor to the Governor, K Vijay Kumar, and DGP Dilbag Singh have expressed regret over the loss of civilian lives at the encounter site and conveyed their profound condolences to the bereaved families. They said such sites should be avoided by civilians till they are properly sanitised. National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah expressed shock and deep anguish over the killing of civilians in Laroo in Kulgam. Both leaders prayed for peace to departed souls and wishes speedy recovery to the injured. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, "Extremely saddened by the news of kulgam incident, where civilians were once again caught in the cross fire of violence, thus adding fuel to the already volatile situation. All words of condemnation, condolence sound very hollow at this tragedy." PTI SSB SKL SKL SMN SMN New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI) Appreciating the carpet makers' skills that turned the "Made in India" logo into a big brand worldwide, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday that handicrafts were a source of inspiration during the freedom struggle too. Addressing the India Carpet Expo at Varanasi via video conference, Modi said it is for the first time that the expo is being organised at the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul in Varanasi, a PMO statement said. He mentioned Varanasi, Bhadohi and Mirzapur as important centres of the carpet industry, while dwelling upon the government's efforts to encourage handicrafts and small and medium industries. He said India has a long tradition of handicrafts, and Varanasi has played a key role in this regard. On the occasion, he remembered the great saint poet, Kabir, who himself was a weaver and belonged to the same region. The PM said handicrafts were a source of inspiration and self-reliance during the freedom struggle. In this context, he mentioned Mahatma Gandhi's 'satyagraha' and 'charkha'. Modi said India is the biggest producer of carpets today with about 35 per cent of the global market share. The prime minister spoke of the impressive export performance of the carpet industry sector. He said the rising middle classes and the support provided to the carpet industry are the two key factors behind the growth of this sector. Modi appreciated the skills of the carpet makers which turned the "Made in India carpet" a big brand. He spoke of the government's logistic support to the carpet exporters and in creation of world class laboratories to ensure its quality. He also spoke of other measures, including provision of credit facilities to set up modern looms. Modi said the Union Government is committed to ensuring the skill and hard work of the carpet makers becomes one of the strengths of the nation. PTI NAB ASG RCJ Chandigarh, Oct 21 (PTI) Talks between the Haryana government and the striking roadways employees failed Sunday with the protesters sticking to their demand that the administration withdraw the decision to hire 700 private buses. Members of the Roadways Employees Union said their strike, which entered the sixth day on Sunday, would continue until their demands are met. The employees have been on strike since October 16 against the state government's decision to hire 700 buses of private owners. They claim the move is a step towards privatisation of the transport department. A meeting between the coordination committee of the employees union and senior officials of the Haryana government, including Principal Secretary to Chief Minister R K Khullar and Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) Dhanpat Singh, was held here. The meeting was convened after Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar appealed to the striking employees to join duty keeping in mind the problems being faced by people during the festive season. Khattar had invited union members to hold talks to resolve the issue. The unsuccessful five-round meeting went on for over four hours here, union members said. Balwan Singh, a member of the coordination committee of the Roadways Employees Union, said, The talks with the government have failed as the administration has refused to rollback its decision to introduce 700 private buses. Representatives of the employees union also demanded cancellation of the tenders issued for 510 private buses. They alleged that the state government was trying to benefit a private transporter by hiring private buses. Singh said the government officials had assured them of arranging a meeting with the chief minister. There are about 19,000 employees in Haryana roadways, which has a fleet of 4,100 buses, in which nearly 12 lakh passengers travel daily. PTI CHS VSD GVS Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 21 (PTI) The Crime Branch of the Kerala Police has registered cases against former chief minister Oommen Chandy and MP K C Venugopal, on a complaint of sexual misconduct filed by Solar scam accused Saritha S Nair. Confirming the development, Director General of Police (DGP) Loknath Behara said the cases against the two leaders were lodged on the basis of a complaint from Nair. "Let the law take its own course," he told reporters here. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdul Karim, was constituted to probe the cases, the DGP added. Reacting to the development, Chandy said they were prepared to face the cases legally. He claimed the cases were "politically motivated". By lodging the cases now, the attempt of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the state was to deflect the attention of the people from the Sabarimala issue, Chandy told reporters. Nair has alleged in her complaint that Chandy had sexually exploited her at Cliff House, the official residence of the chief minister, in 2012, while Venugopal had raped her at Rose House, the residence of then state minister A P Anil Kumar. The previous United Democratic Front (UDF) government had formed the G Sivarajan Commission when the allegations against Nair and Biju Radhakrishanan that they had duped several people of crores of rupees by offering them solar panel solutions had surfaced The 1,073-page, four-volume report of the commission, tabled in the state Assembly on November 9 last year, had found that Chandy and four of his personal staff -- Tenny Joppan, Jikkumon Jacon, gunman Salimraj and Kuruvilla, his aid in Delhi, -- had "assisted" Nair and her company, Team Solar, in enabling them to cheat their customers. The report also contained details of the controversial letter written by Nair on July 19, 2013 to the police commissioner, in which she had levelled charges of sexual misconduct and corruption against various Congress and UDF leaders, including Chandy, some of his ministers and two former Union ministers. The Kerala High Court had in May expunged the Solar Commission's findings against Chandy based on Nair's letter, while partly allowing a petition filed by the Congress leader, seeking to quash the panel's findings against him. PTI UD SS RC Six women prevented from reaching Sabarimala temple (Eds: Updates number of women prevented, more inputs) Pamba (Ker), Oct 21 (PTI) Six women were prevented from the entering the Sabarimala temple Sunday by a large number of devotees of Lord Ayyappa as the stand-off over entry of women of menstrual age into the famous hill shrine continued for the fifth day. Amid high drama, the devotees, up in arms against implementation of the Supreme Court order lifting ban on entry of women in 10-50 age group, chanting Ayyappa mantras blocked the six, all Telugu-speaking women, from reaching the famed shrine. Sunday is the fifth day since the temple gates were opened for the monthly puja after the apex court last month lifted the centuries-old ban. A heavy flow of pilgrims was witnessed at the temple despite intermittent downpour lashing the hills and Pamba. Though attempts had been made by some young women, including an activist, to enter the temple of the 'Naishtik Brahmachari', the eternally celibate deity, since Wednesday, the devotees backed by priests have stood their ground, saying they would not allow the tradition to be breached. By all available indications, not a single woman in the age group of 10 and 50 has so far reached the temple which will close Monday at the end of the monthly puja. According to police sources here, 12 women in the 10-50 age group have so far been prevented from offering worship at the temple, since it opened for the monthly pooja. BJP demanded a special assembly session to seek the Centre's intervention, while the Congress sought an ordinance by the NDA government. The Pandalam royal family, the traditional custodian of the Sabarimala temple, alleged the CPI(M)-led LDF government was trying to destroy sanctity of the shrine of the "Naishtik Brahmachari" by taking women in the menstrual age group there. On Sunday, a 47-year old woman reached up to the 'Nadappandhal' close to the sanctum sanctorum, but was prevented by the devotees chanting "Swamiye Saranam Ayyapa" while five others were stopped enroute to the hills. The woman, who complained of uneasiness, was brought to a hospital here by the police. A elderly woman devotee who was present at the spot said as the identity card of the woman showed she was born in 1971 and had not attained the 'permissible age", the other devotees started chanting Sarana mantra. Earlier, the protesters prevented two women, in their 40s, at the foothills itself. The women were accompanied by their relatives. The police, who took the women to the safety, said the two informed them that they came to Sabarimala without knowing the customs of the temple. After the women were brought Nilackal, the base camp, they gave in writing to the police that they did not want to break the centuries-old custom of the temple, sources said. Amid mounting protest in the state against the Supreme Court order, BJP Sunday urged the Kerala government to convene a session of the assembly and pass a resolution seeking the centre's intervention to overcome the crisis. BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai claimed even CPI(M) members in the state were opposing the bid to break the custom of the ancient shrine, which draws lakhs of devotees from across the country, especially from southern states. A small group of BJP leaders was arrested for violating ban orders in force under Section 144 of the CrPC at Nilackal, a key entry point to Sabarimala. Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ramesh Chennithala of Congress urged the Centre to bring an ordinance to overcome the Supreme Court verdict. CPI(M) politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai claimed the devotees opposing the apex court verdict were in a minority and they did not have the support of the entire Kerala society. He supported implementation of the court verdict on Sabarimala. Meanwhile, the Sabarimala Karma Samithi intensified its agitation against the CPI(M)-led government's "hasty" move to implement the court order. Thousands of people participated in the "namajapa yatra" (protest march chanting Ayyappa mantra) to police stations across the southern state against alleged police action on the samithi activists near Sabarimala last week. Hundreds of women participated in a protest march held in Erumeli, a key pilgrim centre connected with Sabarimala. State police chief Loknath Behera said the police will conduct a review of the alleged police lapses while handling the issues related to Sabarimala after the doors of the shrine close on Monday. He said the Sabarimala annual pilgrim season beginning next month was going to be a challenging one for them. A Dalit woman activist, who was planning to visit the Sabarimala shrine Saturday, had put her plans on hold and left Pamba following heavy rain. In another development, activist Rehana Fathima, who had made an attempt to enter the temple on Friday, has been expelled from the Muslim community for "hurting the sentiments of lakhs of Hindu devotees", the Kerala Muslim Jama'ath Council said. The state has been witnessing massive protests by Lord Ayyappa devotees opposing the entry of girls and women of menstrual age into the Sabarimala temple since the government decided to implement the apex court order. PTI TGB UD VS VS Jaipur, Oct 21 (PTI) Two men have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 23-year-old Nepali woman here, police said Sunday. Based on the survivor's complaint, the accused Lokesh Saini (19) and Kamal Saini (24) were arrested late Saturday night, said ACP Jaipur South K K Awasthi. The accused had allegedly gang-raped the woman on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, SHO Muhana Police Station area Devendra Kumar said. According to the plaint, the accused had tortured her following which she jumped nude from the third floor of an apartment in Muhana area to escape. The survivor is currently undergoing treatment at Jaipuria Hospital. Medical examination has been done and the matter is being investigated, the SHO added. PTI AG IND IND New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI) The Delhi Police on Sunday organised Commemoration Day Parade in remembrance of police personnel who died in the line of duty. The parade was held at New Police Lines Ground, Kingsway Camp, to pay homage to those policemen who lost their lives between September 1, 2017 and August 31 this year, they added. Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik read out the names of 13 personnel who sacrificed their lives. In all, 414 police personnel including 13 of Delhi Police were killed while serving in their respective forces. Former Delhi Police Commissioners T R Kakkar, B K Gupta, Neeraj Kumar and B S Bassi and other retired and serving senior officers paid homage by laying wreaths at the memorial. A two-minute silence was observed. PTI SLB ABH ABH New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI) A member of Delhi University's Academic Council has written to the vice-chancellor, urging him to immediately disburse the money collected from students during their admission to the respective colleges. Professor Hansraj Suman, a DU professor, said in his letter that the money collected during admission of students is deposited online through the varsity portal and even the fee refund to students is done through it. "The money is disbursed to colleges after six months. The interest generated on the money goes to the varsity," he said in the letter. In the letter, Suman urged the vice-chancellor to ensure that the admission fees is given directly to colleges so that they can decide where they want to spend the money at the beginning of the session. A DU official said last year the system of the fees getting deposited to the varsity was started. He said it ensures students do not have to go to individual colleges to deposit fees and even if they have to withdraw admission from one college, the fee is refunded online. PTI SLB ABH ABH At first, the message seems harmless an email pops up on your screen that could be from a friend or colleague. But click on it and your blood will run cold. Because what follows is a string of vicious threats to destroy your life unless you hand over money. The 'ransom' email explains that you have been caught viewing an adult website captured on your computer's camera. To add credibility to the sting, the email includes key private details, such as your phone number and secret passwords for a bank or shopping account. The 'ransom' email explains that you have been caught viewing an adult website The effect is chilling, as Sarah Hartley, a Mail on Sunday journalist, found out for herself when she was targeted recently. 'Like most journalists, I am as tough as old boots and used to dealing with all sorts. Yet what horrified me most about receiving such an email is that it breached my work firewall,' she says. 'That was my fault the email name had looked credible. It came from a common female name and I had assumed it was a public relations adviser. So I clicked on the option to permit. 'But when I read it I flushed hot and cold from head to toe I was stunned by the sheer nastiness of the words. [see below]. 'If the person had been standing in front of me I felt they would have been wielding a knife. Adding to my sense of fear was that the email included a password I use for an online shopping account. A barrier had been broken.' Hartley adds: 'Although I knew I had not been watching pornography, the way I was threatened that a video of me would be passed on to contacts if I dared breathe a word was horribly menacing. 'I would have been mortified to know my friends and work colleagues might be contacted in this way. The language was perfect no hieroglyphics or request to send money to a Nigerian bank account and that is what made it plausible.' The fraudster's sinister email 'Let's get straight to the purpose. You do not know me and you're probably wondering why you're getting this email. In fact, I actually set up a malware on the XXX streaming (adult porn) website and guess what, you visited this website to experience fun (you know what I mean). While you were watching video clips your web browser started functioning as a remote control desktop with a keylogger which provided me access to your screen and also webcam. Just after that, my software gathered your complete contacts from the messenger, social networks, as well as email account. Next, I created a video. The first part displays the video you were watching (you've got nice taste haha) and second part shows the view of your web camera, yeah it is u. There are just two possibilities. Very first solution is to ignore this email. In this situation I will send your recorded material to all your contacts and thus just consider the embarrassment you can get. 2nd alternative will be to give me $3,000. Let us regard it as a donation. In such a case I most certainly will instantly eliminate your videotape. You will make the payment by Bitcoin. If you are planning on going to the police, look, this message cannot be traced back to me. I have covered my moves. You have a day in order to pay.' Hartley ignored the email. But criminals are frightening victims into handing over 500 or more in anonymous Bitcoins. If they do not pay up, the blackmailer says they will share the details they have on the web. Millions of computer users are being targeted in the sinister wave of ransom scams reputed to be cheating innocent people targeted at random out of at least 30million a year. Personal information the blackmailers use to add credence to their claims can be bought for as little as 3 over the 'dark web' or 'harvested' using gadgets that can be purchased for about 40. Colin Tankard is a cyber security expert who has been targeted himself by such criminals. He says: 'Ransomware can destroy lives. 'There have been instances when people have committed suicide as a result of the horrible threats made. 'It breaks up perfectly stable relationships and causes untold misery.' Tankard, managing director of Harlow-based Digital Pathways, adds: 'Part of the awfulness of such cyber attacks is that these emails are often sent randomly. 'The criminal has no idea what a recipient has been doing just making a guess. 'Paying up is the worst thing a victim can do. You are then put on a 'sucker list'.' This means your name will be added to lists of people deemed susceptible to crime, which are then traded among criminals invariably leading to victims receiving further demands for money. Menacing language is used to make a victim feel insecure and vulnerable to the prey. Tankard says: 'Wording usually goes as follows, "While you were watching videos, your internet browser started out functioning as a remote viewer having a keylogger which gave me accessibility to your screen and web cam. After that, my software program obtained all your contacts." 'Then, "Well, in my opinion, $1,000 is a fair price for our little secret. You'll make the payment by Bitcoin." 'An additional message might read, "I know that you have read through this email. If I do not receive the Bitcoins I will send your video recording to all of your contacts, including close relatives and colleagues."' Aware of the scam, Tankard ignored the threat sent to him and did not reply and suggests that others targeted should do this too. Being a dark web criminal does not require much skill just a lack of scruples. Tankard says a harmless looking 40 USB stick device known as a 'rubber ducky' can be inserted into the side of a laptop. It includes a 'slurp' facility that will then instantly grab hold of personal computer files, including passwords and contacts. The details are copied, leaving the computer user none the wiser. Victims are asked to make the payment by Bitcoin Similarly, a small hand-held 'wi-fi pineapple' box with antenna can be purchased on the internet for 80. It offers free wi-fi to nearby internet users and even imitates servers, perhaps pretending it is the wi-fi provider for the coffee shop a person is sitting in. The device can be used to steal home log-in details for wi-fi. Ruth Walker, of internet search engine consultant Evolved, says lists of potential victims and their private financial details can easily be purchased. Recent research for website Money Guru revealed passwords for social media, online music or email accounts can be bought for 3 on the dark web. Newcastle-based computer expert Walker says: 'These details have often initially been gathered through phishing perhaps using pop-up windows or emails with click-on links to websites that harvest personal information. 'People often have the same password for a variety of services making it easier for criminals to build a data profile.' Successful malware attacks have also raised fear among many potential victims making it more likely they pay up if blackmailed. A malware virus known as CryptoLocker, hidden in Microsoft software in 2013 and 2014, made off with 2.3million when an innocuous looking 'Trojan horse' file opened in an email attachment sent computers into meltdown. Last year, another known as WannaCry infected more than 200,000 computers including those used by the National Health Service with victims paying some 110,000 in Bitcoins to unlock their computers. According to analysis by technology company Vanson Bourne, ransomware attacks cost British businesses 350million a year, with 40 per cent of firms getting attacked at least five times in 12 months. Given many firms are beefing up their cyber security, hackers are increasingly targeting individuals. Computer users should be wary of pressing links on pop-up windows or contained in unsolicited emails. Rogue security software and copycat websites claiming to be popular online shops such as Amazon and eBay, payment system PayPal or official organisations such as Revenue & Customs are favoured by fraudsters hoping to trick you into giving away private information. Anti-virus software is a way of combating a cyber attack. Providers to consider that offer free options include Avira and Sophos. Others worth considering include McAfee, Intego, Norton and Bitdefender although you will have to sign up to an annual subscription costing at least 30. Have you been a victim of ransomware? If so send an email to toby.walne@mailonsunday.co.uk It is hard and extremely expensive to build infrastructure in Britain. The availability of land is tight, the environmental lobby for reasons good and bad is powerful, and costs are high. But poor infrastructure damages wellbeing as well as wealth: few people enjoy being stuck in a traffic jam. Common sense, therefore, says we should use our infrastructure better and, hey presto, when Gatwick is blocked from building a second runway, it finds it can widen its existing emergency one and use that instead. Gatwick is blocked from building a second runway There are lots of other examples where we can do better with what we have got. Squeezing in an extra lane on the M6. Cutting the interval between trains on the Victoria line in London to 100 seconds. Cramming 80million people this year through Heathrow. Technology helps. The Waze app means we use the road network more efficiently, though at a cost to people living in once-quiet suburban streets. Satnav direction makes deliveries more efficient and more precise. We need more of this because all the evidence is that pressures will go on rising. A new study by Oxford Economics projects that the London region will add 2.3million people by 2030 and become the third largest market of high-income households in the world after Tokyo and New York. The other side of doing more with what we already have is not wasting money on grandiose projects. There are a lot of tough questions here. Do we need to spend upwards of 50billion on a faster railway between London and Birmingham? Is that third runway at Heathrow really needed? We all pay for infrastructure, either in taxes or in user charges. So we should all press politicians to heed the message from Gatwick: use ingenuity to find a cheaper way. Real data How did governments know what was happening before the economics profession had thought up the idea of measuring the output of a country in Gross Domestic Product? The answer is that they looked at real data: how much coal was being mined, what was exported through the ports, how many journeys people made on trains and so on. That was laborious. If they wanted a quick picture, a former head of the Treasury once explained to me, they looked at tax receipts. If people were earning more and spending more, taxes came in and the economy must be growing. If not, it wasn't. Apply this to those public finances figures out on Friday. The headlines were that the deficit is coming down much faster than the Office for Budget Responsibility expected in the spring and that the Chancellor will have more room in his Budget for tax cuts and/or spending increases. The other story, less noted, was that if tax revenues so far this year are up 4.6 per cent on last year, then the economy must be growing too. Of course there are concerns, but we have not talked ourselves into a slump yet. Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers' corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. Mrs I.D. writes: Some time ago I agreed to try the phone call blocking system offered by HomeservicesUK Limited. But I quickly found my phone company provides blocking at no extra charge, so I cancelled Homeservices within the first two weeks. I returned the call blocking box, but it said I was too late to cancel. Next, Secure Telephone Service Limited took over and demanded a further payment. In March this year Call Protect UK demanded money and said it would use bailiffs if I did not pay up. This was 149.99, which I paid. I want this stopped. Demands:The reader got caught in a web of call blocking companies You have been caught in a web spun by a network of companies and individuals, all in or near Bournemouth and all claiming to offer plug-in gadgets that are supposed to block unwanted telephone sales calls. Ironically, the same companies use cold-calls to get many of their sales. HomeservicesUK Limited no longer exists. Companies House started proceedings last March to have it compulsorily struck off, but boss Kevin Doherty decided to have it dissolved voluntarily. It ceased to exist in July. Secure Telephone Service Limited is also defunct. It was compulsorily struck off by Companies House last April. It had filed no accounts since 2016. Call Protect UK is still in business though. According to its website, 'Call Protect UK Limited is a nationally recognised data controller and independent service dedicated to empowering and protecting the privacy of UK consumers.' It claims: 'We are registered by the Information Commissioner's Office and committed to ensure your personal data is processed fairly and lawfully.' Really? In fact, there is no such company as Call Protect UK Limited. Its real name is KOT Marketing Limited and it is based at Burlington Arcade in Bournemouth. As for being registered as a legitimate data controller, the Information Commissioner's Office told me: 'KOT Marketing Limited did have a registration, which lapsed on July 31 of this year.' So, if the company is still handling the personal data of customers, it is doing so unlawfully by failing to be registered with the ICO. Its website claim to be registered is just plain false. Company records show that KOT Marketing was set up in July last year. It has just one director, 40-year-old Kourosh Tamjidi. He has been a director of three previous companies that are no longer in business. One of these is Signed Sealed Delivered Marketing Limited, which went bust in 2017 with debts of 11,000. Tamjidi was one-third owner of the company, with the other two thirds owned by his business partner Luke Ashbee. And Ashbee is already known to me. Three years ago, I warned against Do Not Call (UK) Limited, a Bournemouth business that was using high pressure sales calls to market a plug-in device that was supposed to stop unwanted sales calls. The snag was that it would only stop calls after customers programmed in the numbers they wanted blocked, which meant answering the phone and then realising it was an unwanted call. If the same caller rang from a different number, they would still get through. Do Not Call (UK) Limited was run by Ashbee. It failed to file accounts that were legally due and Companies House began proceedings to have it struck off. Ashbee put the company into liquidation, with debts estimated at 125,000. You have given me bank evidence showing that Tamjidi and KOT Marketing took 149.99 from your account in March. I asked Tamjidi to show me anything that would prove he had a contract with you. I also asked him about the false claim that his company was a registered data controller. Apart from an acknowledgement saying I would get a reply, there has been no response or comment. Meanwhile, KOT Marketing continues with its false claims. The signs are that your details have simply been passed from one company to another and you have paid up out of fear. Do not pay another penny. If KOT Marketing or any other company demands money from you, pay nothing and let me know. I shall be only too glad to give them some unwanted advertising. Bad luck... we lost your parcel T.C. writes: I used Hermes to deliver a CCTV recorder and hard drive worth 175, and I paid extra for insurance. Hermes collected the parcel on May 12 and its website showed it had arrived at the recipient's local depot on May 15 and was with the local courier the next day. Whenever I checked after that, Hermes showed it as a delivery 'in progress'. But the recipient said nothing had arrived, so on June 14 I contacted Hermes. It accepts it has lost my parcel, but says I cannot claim anything because I did not complain within 28 days of the date I paid, which was May 12. In effect, it is just my tough luck it lost my goods. 'In progress': But the parcel never arrived When you contacted Hermes in June, you were told it would take 72 hours for a 'sweep' of the depot in a bid to find the missing parcel. This failed to turn up any sign of the lost goods, but Hermes sent you a message headed 'query resolved', saying it could not even investigate the loss because you had failed to ask for the search within 28 days. Yet months later, when you contacted me, I went on to the Hermes website and entered your tracking number and it still showed 'delivery in progress'. I asked Hermes to look into this and you suddenly received an email saying your claim had been accepted. So far, so good. But six days later another email arrived, demanding proof of purchase of the missing equipment. You supplied this, but my own contact at the company knew nothing about the demand and described it as unacceptable. She intervened and you have now received 175 plus a refund of 9.99 which was the cost of the delivery service and insurance. Hermes told me: 'We would like to apologise to Mr C for any inconvenience caused.' Don't fall for road tax ruse I.S. writes: I received a text message, supposedly from the DVLA in Swansea, telling me I had not yet claimed a 48 refund on my road tax, despite several letters. No such letters were received. The text message was a final notice. They wanted my name, address, date of birth, driving licence number, national insurance number, mother's maiden name, bank card number, sort code, account number, expiry date, and the security number from the back of the card. Their number is 07808 633 183 and the address shown on the text is tax-disc.dvla.gov.uk.dsa2.pw. As you quite rightly guessed, this is a scam. Anyone who hands over the wealth of information demanded is likely to find that their bank account has been emptied and if they have a credit card, it will be maxed out. I called the mobile number and it went straight to the O2 message service. It is likely to be an untraceable pay-as-you-go phone. And when I tried the website, my own computer flashed up a message saying it was likely to infect it. A giveaway is the fact that the dodgy website address refers to tax discs, which no longer exist, but just for the record, I invited the real DVLA to comment. Officials told me: 'We don't send emails or text messages that ask you to confirm your personal details or payment information.' If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. Last week, the National Cyber Security Centre warned that the UK faces a major, life-threatening cyber-attack in the near future. A Government agency, the Centre advises companies on how to avoid security threats. It has handled more than 500 cases in the past 12 months alone and the numbers are growing by the week. Life support: Cyber criminals threaten the NHS The stakes are high. When TalkTalk suffered a data breach, it cost more than 40million and customers were furious. British Airways has yet to reveal the cost of its cyber-attack last month but it could run into hundreds of millions of pounds, let alone the reputational damage that the company has suffered. Osirium aims to prevent these types of attacks. The company is relatively small but it is a market leader in its field and growing fast. The shares, at 124p, should follow suit. Osirium specialises in so-called 'privileged access management' in essence, preventing hackers from accessing the accounts of people who administer software systems. Most individuals customers, employees, even board directors only have access to their own online information. 'Privileged account' holders have access to hordes of information. They invariably work in an organisation's IT department and their computers include data on customers' bank accounts, patients' records, sensitive employee details or confidential information about defence and security. For sophisticated cyber-criminals, these accounts are like the Holy Grail, allowing them to steal vast quantities of information in a single hit. As a result, over 80 per cent of cyber-attacks concern privileged accounts. Reading-based Osirium aims to turn the tide. The company is a pioneer in the privileged access area and it has a number of blue-chip customers, including several NHS trusts. Most customers prefer to remain anonymous but major retailers, water groups, universities, insurers, mobile phone firms, defence specialists and online retailers have all signed up to Osirium and many more businesses are expected to do so over the next year or two. The company's services are highly complex but they centre on making sure that customers have a measure of control over privileged accounts holders or system administrators. They are not allowed to create their own passwords, for instance. Instead, Osirium creates passwords for them, which are exceptionally secure and changed continually. These passwords only allow users to see what they need to, rather than giving them access to a company's entire data. This simple measure can make a huge difference to an organisation's cyber security. Over 99 per cent of all cyber-attacks relate to human error, often involving the use of passwords that are easy to guess or accidentally allowing outsiders to see them. Worryingly too, around a quarter of cyber-attacks globally are inside jobs. Restricting highly-placed systems administrators' access to information can dramatically cut the risk of attacks. Osirium was founded by chief executive David Guyatt, who has spent almost 30 years in the cyber industry, founding the business behind email security product MIMEsweeper in 1995 and selling it for 700 million just five years later. Guyatt set up Osirium in 2009 and listed the business in 2016. Interim results were impressive, with first-half revenues up 78 per cent to 466,0000 year-on-year. Brokers expect 2018 sales of 900,000, rising to 1.4million in 2019. The company is loss-making, as it invests in future growth, but should become profitable in 2020, growing rapidly thereafter. MIDAS VERDICT: Cyber security is big business and one of the fastest growing areas in the industry relates to privileged accounts and how to make them safer. This is Osirium's speciality and it is one of the world's most innovative companies in this sector. The business is growing fast, expanding into other countries and may well attract a takeover bid along the way. At 124p, the shares are a buy. Just over a week ago, Volution chief executive Ronnie George bought 10,000 shares in his firm. The purchase, at 170p a share, cost 17,000 and took his stake in the ventilation business to nearly 3 per cent. George called the move as 'a protest' his way of saying that the shares were undervalued. The stock closed at 178p on Friday so George has already gone some way to proving his point. But brokers who know the firm well believe it has a lot further to go. The company has doubled in size over five years without recourse to shareholders Volution makes ventilation products from bathroom extractor fans in bathrooms to sophisticated air purifier systems, increasingly used in new homes, offices and warehouses. Behind brands such as Vent-Axia, Ventilair and Diffusion, the company has doubled in size over five years without recourse to shareholders and George wants to do the same again by 2023, expanding organically and through well-placed acquisitions. The target is well within reach. Volution listed on the stock market in 2014 at 150p and was recommended by Midas in September that year at 155p. The firm operated mainly in the UK at the time. Today, the UK accounts for less than half group revenues. The group has a thriving Nordic division and has expanded into Belgium, Germany, the Nether-lands and even New Zealand. Its factories export far and wide, from Crete to the Falkland Islands. George is keen to beef up Volution's presence in Europe, cement the group's position in Britain and possibly move into Australia. Regulation is on Volution's side too. Governments are keen to reduce energy use by making new homes and offices as well insulated as possible. That creates a need for effective ventilation products and Volution makes some of the best on the market. Annual results to July 31 showed an 11 per cent increase in sales to 206million, profits rose 4 per cent to 37million and the dividend was up 7 per cent to 4.4p. Analysts expect sales of 230million, profits of 42million and a 4.8p dividend next year with further growth in 2020. MIDAS VERDICT: Volution shares have risen more than 16 per cent since Midas recommended them, and there have been some decent dividends too. However, the stock has plenty more mileage, with most City brokers expecting the price to rise to at least 230p in the next 12 months. Current investors should stay with this one. New investors could also follow George's lead and buy a few. Although investing is now primarily done online, many investors still have share certificates as a result of receiving shares in the demutualisation of building societies and other businesses in the 1990s and early 2000s. Some of these holdings have long been forgotten. According to the Unclaimed Assets Register, part of credit rating agency Experian, shares and dividends worth 3billion are still waiting to be reunited with their owners. Mark Taylor is chief customer officer at Selftrade, part of share registrar Equiniti. He warns treasure hunters to manage their expectations over the value of any share certificate finds. Share treasure? Many investors still have share certificates He says: 'Some certificates will no longer be valid. The company may have been taken over or gone into liquidation. Or the share certificate may have been replaced by a new one following an event such as a share split or a company takeover.' Equally there could be a valuable holding hiding in your paperwork that could help boost your wealth. Turn detective to track down a fortune A quick call to the relevant share registrar should put you out of your misery or reveal a windfall. Most share certificates show the name of the registrar which manages the shareholders of a stock market listed business. There are three main players: Link Asset Services (formerly Capita), Computershare (formerly Lloyds TSB registrars) and Equiniti. Companies do change their share registrar but it should be easy to track down the correct one. Failing that, Companies House, the national register of companies, will hold the contact details you need. Why paper shares are going out of fashion Paper shares are steadily going out of fashion and the pressure is on shareholders to join the digital age to cut costs. Taylor says: 'Many countries have done away with them in a process referred to as dematerialisation and replaced them with some form of electronic reference number or key.' European Union regulation is prodding the UK towards a similar paper-free environment but there is no imminent date for implementation. Indeed, Brexit could put a spanner in the works. Even without regulation, more investors are choosing to hold shares electronically. This means a stockbroker manages shares on behalf of shareholders in a so-called nominee account. Taylor says: 'Nominee accounts generally make it easier and more cost-effective to buy, sell and hold shares than paper certificates. 'Despite this many people are reluctant to give up their certificates as they are worried that using a nominee account diminishes the relationship between shareholder and company.' Contact a stockbrokers to help you go digital If you wish to keep the shareholding but 'dematerialise' into digital format then it will be necessary to open an account with a stockbroker. This can be done quickly online once you have picked your preferred broker. The next step is to download two types of form from the broker's website. The first is a 'transfer-in' form on which you list the share certificates you want to transfer. The second is a 'Crest transfer' form which acts as the instruction to the market to convert the paper shares to electronic shares. You need one of these for each shareholding you want to dematerialise. Post the forms to the stockbroker enclosing the paper shares. It will take a couple of days after receipt for them to appear in the new electronic nominee account. How to sell paper shares without setting up an account Dematerialising is one way of organising the sale of unearthed shares. Most brokers will make the transfer of share certificates into a nominee account free of charge but then charge normal selling prices. These might be 5 or 10 with a low-cost broker. If that sounds like too much hassle, it is possible to sell paper-based shares through a stockbroker without setting up an account. With broker The Share Centre you can complete a form from its website and post it with the certificates at a cost of 1 per cent of the proceeds or a minimum 35. Sell through Hargreaves Lansdown and the charge is 1 per cent a minimum 20 plus a 20 paper share charge. Expect a charge for replacing a lost certificate Replacing lost or stolen certificates requires a different course of action and attracts extra charges. The first port of call is to contact the registrar, which will put a restriction on the certificate. This is to stop it being used fraudulently. It will then issue a replacement for which you will have to pay at least 50 possibly more. The amount depends on the number and value of the shares. For high-value shareholdings, usually more than 10,000, expect to have to arrange a letter of indemnity signed by you and countersigned by your bank. If the certificate was stolen you will need to provide a crime reference number. Keep all your financial details up to date Kevin Firth, managing director of registrar Computershare, recommends that everyone commit some time to regularly update financial paperwork especially those who have moved home recently. This is especially important if, for example, regular dividend payments are sent by post. He says: 'Over the course of a year hundreds of people get in touch with us to discuss forgotten shareholdings. 'We work hard alongside our client companies to contact customers who have stopped banking dividend payments, but it is difficult when we do not have up-to-date contact details.' If you uncover dividend cheques that are out of date these can usually be reissued by the registrar although there will be a charge deducted from the dividend's value. It is sensible to have them paid into your bank account directly instead. New WPP boss Mark Read's baptism of fire is set to continue this week as he unveils disappointing figures to the City. Analysts fear the advertising behemoth is in need of 'radical surgery' and are forecasting an annual revenue fall of 4 per cent. A sales drop, at the end of a tumultuous year in which its founder and chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell, 73, departed in controversial circumstances, would represent the FTSE 100 firm's first yearly fall in turnover since 2002. Tough job: New WPP boss Mark Read Read, 51, who formerly led WPP's digital agency Wunderman, was appointed as Sorrell's successor early last month. Sorrell, who founded WPP in 1985, left the business following the conclusion of a board investigation into mysterious allegations made against him. It was later reported that Sorrell had been accused of paying for a prostitute on company expenses an allegation he strenuously denied. Read's early weeks have been plagued by a series of high-profile contract losses, including from US car giant Ford earlier this month. Sources said these losses would not be felt until next year. But WPP's share price has already fallen by around a quarter over the past year, closing at 10.34 on Friday. Under Sorrell, the company was known for buying up large numbers of small businesses in the advertising industry. However, according to Refinitiv data, it has made just 11 acquisitions this year, down from 25 last year. In July, WPP lost out to S4 Capital, a new investment vehicle led by Sorrell, in a bidding war for Dutch agency Media Monks. Analysts expect third-quarter turnover, which will be reported on Thursday, to be flat on last year's figures, thanks in part to the lower value of sterling. The company is expecting like-for-like growth to be near-flat at 0.3 per cent for the year as a whole. But, according to a Bloomberg compilation of analyst expectations, the City is anticipating a 4 per cent drop in total turnover, from 15.3billion in 2017 to 14.7billion. Earnings, meanwhile, are forecast to drop 4 per cent to 2.4billion. Sources said the fall of sterling, which has been prompted by Brexit uncertainty, would be a major factor, because WPP is a global business and most of its revenues are paid in foreign currencies and then exchanged into pounds. Like-for-like revenues fell 0.3 per cent last year WPP's worst turnover performance since 2009. But its total revenue figure, which includes the impact of currency changes, has not dropped in 16 years. Steve Liechti, an analyst at City broker Numis, said: 'We fear WPP might need more radical surgery than currently communicated.' In a note to investors, he added that his team at Numis are 'worried over the scale of US problems' the business is facing, citing Ford's decision this month to drop WPP as its lead creative agency in favour of its rival, Omnicom. Exit: Sir Martin Sorrell left WPP after an inquiry into allegations against him Ian Whittaker, a media analyst at City broker Liberum, said Ford's decision was a 'blow to prestige' for WPP, but he suggested it would not have a major economic impact on the business. He added that some would question whether Sorrell's departure was a factor in WPP losing Ford. When Read was introduced as the new chief executive last month he admitted the company was 'underperforming' in the US, which is by far its biggest market. As well as Ford, the company has also lost high-profile contracts including American Express, GlaxoSmithKline and car firm Opel in Germany in recent weeks. Read is expected to launch a new strategy for the business in December or early next year. A third of FTSE-listed general retailers have issued profit warnings so far this year, according to research by EY highlighting the growing strain on the sector. Store chains have issued eight profit warnings, the highest of any FTSE sector. The list includes Debenhams, Moss Bros and Carpetright which are all showing signs of significant financial stress. EY also warned that retailers face rises in business rates on their property and higher labour costs. 'Profit warnings have begun to increase in the apparel sub-sector which benefited from a prompt start to summer,' the report said. 'Financial stress': The list includes Debenhams, Moss Bros and Carpetright The industry may also face higher costs in the event of border disruption when the UK leaves the EU. Food and drugs firms may also have to stockpile goods in preparation, EY said. Travel and leisure companies have also been under pressure with a quarter of FTSE-listed firms in the sector issuing profit alerts. 'Renewed weakness in sterling or disruption to food or labour supply linked to Brexit could trigger a further wave of profit warnings,' EY added. 'Companies with high operational and financial leverage remain vulnerable to further increases in overheads.' Six months ago Britain's favourite posh coffee and cake shop Patisserie Valerie was flying. While the rest of the high street was shaken to its core by a wave of collapsing shop and restaurant businesses, the 206-store Belgian-themed chain employing 2,500 staff was having a bumper year or so its investors believed. Chairman Luke Johnson, who made his fortune building up the Pizza Express chain, issued a report in May to the London stock market saying he was 'delighted' with the chain's performance. Sell-off: Bosses Luke Johnson, left, and Paul May cashed in shares All the more astonishing because, that same month, restaurant chains Carluccio's, Cote and Byron were all digesting painful and very public store closure plans. Few least not, we are told, Johnson and several of his fellow credulous directors stopped to find out how it could be that a chain selling coffee and cakes could be doing so well when all around it was engulfed in chaos. The opportunity was too good to miss. With the company's shares hitting new peaks in February as investors' confidence in the numbers ballooned, chief executive Paul May, finance director Chris Marsh and a non-executive director James Horler, whose job it was to keep an eye on the management, cashed in a swathe of shares worth almost 5.9million. The stock price surged further, peaking at 4.92 by mid-June, and another 7.2million of shares were sold by the board, company documents say this time with Marsh and May joined by deputy chairman Lee Ginsberg, a South African and former finance director at pizza delivery chain Domino's. No doubt they could hardly believe their good fortune. But the company's run was about to come crashing to a halt. Just 11 days ago, on October 10, as stock markets were rocked, the hype exploded and the business almost followed. The directors said they had been made aware of 'potentially fraudulent accounting irregularities'. What was more, it needed to find 25million in the next few days. Two days later, another blow came when finance director Marsh was arrested before being released on bail. Marsh previously helped run two firms which later went bust, The Mail on Sunday's inquiries revealed, but otherwise had an unblemished record at Patisserie Valerie. Red flags: Stores have been opening in increasingly far-flung locations while the average takings appeared static, analysts have said Then the Serious Fraud Office released a statement relating to Patisserie Valerie, saying it had 'opened a criminal investigation into an individual', without identifying the person. 'We can give no further information or comment at this time,' it added. Their shares were suspended, which prohibits further trading for now. Short-term funding, in part from major shareholder Johnson, has been found. But, analysts say, when trading resumes the value of the firm is likely to plummet, assuming it survives at all. Sources estimated the slump could leave Johnson nursing losses of more than 100million. City sources said there were a number of red flags stores have been opening in increasingly far-flung locations while the average takings appeared static. Several sources drew attention to the nominal interest earnings of 1,000 on huge cash reserves estimated at 25million, which were tucked away in the company's accounts. That cash pile has now been restated as a 9.8million debt. The board has since discovered the existence of almost 10million overdrafts run up in two 'secret' company facilities. Johnson said neither he nor the board had know of the overdraft facilities. Johnson who says he only discovered the accounting catastrophe the day before the shock news emerged has spoken of the 'nightmare' that has become the 'most harrowing week of my life'. But one industry insider told The Mail on Sunday that Johnson is well known for his usually meticulous approach to his investments of which this was by far his largest. 'Everyone who has ever worked with Johnson says he is normally all over the fine details of his investments. How could it be that this could have happened, that he let this past him? Nobody can get their head around it.' Johnson, who has had a pugilistic relationship with corporate governance bodies, finally concedes that accusations he 'was stretched too thin' were 'fair criticism'. Shareholders unamused and bemused in equal measure that someone who weekly doles out business advice through a newspaper column could be blindsided in this way are yet to find out how much of their money has been burnt. One investor said, if the accounts were 'bogus or misleading,' directors may need to 'consider repaying the proceeds [of share sales] back into the company'. An industry insider went further, saying that if any criminal deceit is uncovered there could be an attempt to recover money through 'proceeds of crime' legislation including money made through the sale of shares by anyone with knowledge of wrongdoing. 'This could get very complicated very quickly,' the insider added. The owners of directory enquiries service 118 118 pocketed a 64million dividend last year, despite a tenth-consecutive fall in turnover at the telecoms firm. Accounts just filed for The Number UK Ltd, the firm behind 118 118 and its ubiquitous 'running men' adverts, show the mega-dividend was paid out during the financial year ending December 31, 2017, during which turnover dropped from 40million to 28.5million and it made just 2.4million profit. The numbers are a far cry from previous years and come amid mounting speculation that the Government may clamp down on premium phone line numbers. Lucrative: Directory enquiries service 118 118 Accounts for 2010 revealed the company had a profit of 89.6million on sales of 113million. But the business remains lucrative despite threats. It has cash reserves of 37.3million and net assets of more than 112million. The firm said the results 'continued to reflect' the popularity of 118 118, but its decline follows a growing reliance on computers or phones to find numbers for free. Critics argue less tech-savvy customers such as the elderly are hit hardest by the costs. Some of the country's local authorities stand accused today of adding to Britain's 'broken' housing market by obstructing people wishing to buy a home. The accusation has been made by Phil Spencer, television property expert and co-founder of website Move iQ. He says councils countrywide 'are adding needless delays and expense to the homebuying process'. The findings could prompt the Government to intervene. Phil Spencer, television property expert and co-founder of website Move iQ, with Kirstie Allsopp, who presented Location, Location, Location Move iQ has carried out exhaustive research into the fees each of England's 326 local authorities levy when a solicitor asks them to carry out a property search on behalf of a home buyer. It has also documented the time it takes each authority to undertake this work. Such searches are a necessary part of the conveyancing work that must be completed before a home is bought and a lender is prepared to grant a mortgage. A local authority search enables a buyer and mortgage lender to know of future plans that may impact on the property's value, for example a proposed housing development. It also outlines who is responsible for maintaining roads and paths adjoining the property. Move iQ's research indicates that one council in seven is failing to meet a Government target to complete searches in ten days or less. While 12 per cent of councils complete the task in three days or less, some are taking more than 25 days. Worst offenders are Stratford-upon-Avon (95 days), Wyre Forest (40 days), Rochford, Herefordshire and Epping Forest (all 25 days). On fees, 78 per cent of local authorities now charge more than 100 for a standard residential land search. But the range is dramatic, from 44 (Wakefield) to 333.50 (Hammersmith and Fulham). Hammersmith and Fulham says that the average waiting time in September for a search was 5.98 days. It also says that if someone pays online for a search, the charge is 280.50. The Government has already stated that delays in carrying out searches are 'unacceptable'. Over the summer, the Government launched the Local Land Charges digital register to help cut search waiting times. This enables homebuyers to use the Land Registry for part of the required search work, but they must still go to a local authority for details of planned developments. Spencer told The Mail on Sunday: 'It is unacceptable to force buyers to wait up to three months for what should be a routine process.' Tens of thousands of firms could be locked out of justice unless the Government launches a new system for businesses mistreated by their banks next week, campaigners warn. Chancellor Philip Hammond is under intense pressure to address the issue of disagreements between small firms and their lenders in the Budget, which will take place a week on Monday. Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake, who has been leading the charge for an improved system as co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking (APPG), met with Hammond, as well as City Minister John Glen, last week to urge them to change the law. Mistreated firms: Chancellor Philip Hammond is under intense pressure to address the issue Last night, another bank backed The Mail on Sundays Justice For Our Firms campaign, which is calling for a new tribunal regime to help businesses hold their lenders to account. Craig Donaldson, the chief executive of Metro Bank a challenger to the big lenders joined TSB in endorsing the tribunal plan, saying it is so important for British businesses that there is an effective dispute resolution service. The tribunal system is vital because a planned extension to the Financial Ombudsman Service, revealed last week, would only cater to firms with turnover of less than 6.5million a year and fewer than 50 employees. The APPG estimates 42,000 British companies would not fit within these parameters and so would have to seek justice by launching costly legal actions. Ombudsman claims will also be limited to 350,000, and many firms mistreated by banks would have lost larger sums. The vast majority 90 per cent of the cases I deal with fall certainly outside the 350,000 threshold, said Hollinrake, who regularly speaks to businesses caught up in the scandals surrounding GRG, Royal Bank of Scotlands controversial turnaround unit, and Lloyds Banking Groups HBOS Reading. We need justice to be done. His intervention comes ahead of a crunch couple of days for the tribunal campaign. UK Finance a body representing Britains banks and the Treasury Select Committee are expected to set out their views on a tribunal later this week. The Treasury will then decide whether to push ahead with a tribunal in the Budget. Philip Hammond is eyeing a 300million tax cut for shops in Britain's most deprived town centres as pressure mounts on the Government to help high street retailers, we can exclusively reveal. The move being 'actively considered' at a ministerial level according to sources could be introduced from April and would mean an instant reduction in bills for the next two years. The Government is weighing up the plan as part of a package of measures that could include a tax on digital firms. The Chancellor is eyeing a 300m tax cut for shops in Britain's most deprived town centres It is facing growing pressure to level the playing field on tax to help domestic firms and was last night called on to demand greater transparency from global corporations operating here. Multinationals are accused of using complex company structures to reduce their tax bills. The Tax Justice Network told The Mail on Sunday that powers enshrined in the Finance Act 2016 gives the Treasury the ability to demand firms publicly state country-by-country financial data. That would heap pressure on them to pay an additional 2.5billion a year in tax, the group says. It estimates that the total underpaid tax of all foreign-based multinationals operating through British subsidiaries is around 25billion. A report due to be published tomorrow by Tax Justice Network says: 'The UK Government has already legislated to be able to require publication, so no further parliamentary time is needed. All that is required is for the Chancellor Philip Hammond to simply announce that this legislation will now come into force which he could do at any time.' A cut in business rates may form part of a wider 800million cut for firms operating in areas where property values have slumped. Tax cut plans: Chancellor Philip Hammond Those companies have been saddled with artificially high business rates due to what is known as 'downward transitional relief', which the Treasury is considering removing. The system means that, instead of immediately seeing bills fall after the last seven-year revaluation, reductions are phased in over the period. Robert Hayton, head of UK business rates at Altus Group and a long-term critic of the transitional policy, said: 'Abolishing the strict limits on rate reductions would put fairness back into the heart of the system, providing badly needed respite.' The Mail on Sunday first reported two years ago that transitional relief was hastening the demise of town centre shops in struggling regions. Shops that should have seen bills fall have since overpaid on rates by 1billion money which has until now been used to prevent sudden rises in bills for firms in more prosperous areas such as London. For nigh on 100 years, governments of all colours and persuasions have encouraged us to save for our retirement. A bit of tax relief, the occasional savings allowance thrown in for good measure and tax-free investment plans galore. All welcome as far as savers are concerned, but also vital from a political point of view. After all, it is in the best interests of all governments Left or Right, red or blue to ensure as many people as possible reach later life in rude financial health so they do not become a burden on the State. Chancellor Philip Hammond is dubbed Eeyore for his gloomy demeanour The most advantageous of these tax sweeteners by a country mile is tax relief on pension contributions. Put 100 into a works or personal pension every month as a basic rate taxpayer and it will only cost you 80. Even better, if you are a higher rate taxpayer, the same 100 only costs you 60. There is no more tax advantageous way to save for retirement although once you start to take income from a pension, you will likely have to pay tax on it that is after exercising your right to take 25 per cent of the pension pot as tax-free cash. Very generous but, from the Government's point of view, expensive. Indeed 'eye-wateringly expensive', in the words of Philip Hammond, the Chancellor dubbed Eeyore for his gloomy demeanour. According to the Treasury, tax relief costs the Government a cool 39billion a year. A cost that some now believe is excessive, especially when the Government soon needs to conjure up the 20billion-a-year of extra money it has promised to keep the National Health Service chugging along. With the Chancellor's Budget now only eight days away, speculation has mounted that Hammond is planning a pensions tax raid to claw back a slice of that 39billion. Action plan Save as much into a pension while you can. Any changes if indeed there are any are likely not to kick in until the start of the new tax year. And keep your fingers crossed between now and Monday week that Hammond sees sense and does not go pension raiding. Nothing new there in recent years, Chancellors from Gordon Brown to George Osborne have conducted similar raiding missions. But Hammond could be the one who does the unthinkable and ends higher rate tax relief. Osborne toyed with this radical idea in the run-up to his March 2016 Budget but, fearing a Middle England backlash ahead of the Brexit vote, backed off at the last moment. This time around, Hammond could hide behind the NHS shield and go ahead with such a plan even though in doing so he would provoke widespread opprobrium. Ironically, such a move would probably draw the loudest praise from the usually snarling individual facing him in the House of Commons, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell. He has long called for higher rate tax relief to be abolished on grounds of fairness. Back in 2016, when Osborne backtracked from axeing higher rate relief, McDonnell accused him of 'putting the interest of his party ahead of those of our country'. So will he? Won't he? Or will Hammond do what most Chancellors end up doing, which is to tinker with the pension rules rather than risk a tax grab which could prove the final nail in the Tory coffin? Here are the choices he'll be considering... Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has long called for higher rate tax relief to be abolished OPTION ONE: NUCLEAR The most radical move would be to axe all tax relief on pension contributions from the start of the new tax year, April 6, 2019. To sweeten this toxic pill, Hammond could then allow all withdrawals post age 55 the age at which most pensions can now be accessed to be free of tax. In effect, he would turn pensions into a clone of Isa with contributions paid from net pay. The only difference, apart from the age 55 ruling, would be that in the case of the pension Isa, contributions could be topped up by an employer. It was an option entertained by Osborne before he got the Brexit willies. Possible? Yes it would save Hammond a small fortune straightaway although the quid pro quo would be a loss in future taxation on retirement income. Likely? Not in a million years. A nightmare to implement, too explosive and probably the death knell not just for pensions but a Conservative Government hoping to be returned at the next Election. OPTION TWO: NUCLEAR LITE Not far behind in terms of radicalness and propensity to upset Tory voters would be for Hammond to axe 40 per cent higher rate tax relief on pension contributions. Instead, he could introduce a flat rate of relief say 20, 25 or 33 per cent which applies to all contributions, irrespective of a person's tax status. A recent report from the influential and respected Institute for Fiscal Studies indicated that Hammond could save the Treasury 11billion a year by restricting income tax relief on pension contributions to 20 per cent. So in terms of saving money (for the Treasury, not us savers), it ticks many boxes for the Chancellor. But on other grounds, it is wrong. Former Chancellor George Osborne For a start, the IFS says that axeing higher rate relief would be 'a step in the wrong direction'. This is because pension tax relief cannot be looked at in splendid isolation. It needs to be assessed in the context of the tax people go on to pay on income they draw from their pension in later life. As the institute says: 'It is hard to see how it can be unfair for higher rate taxpayers to receive 40 per cent relief when basic rate taxpayers receive 20 per cent relief, yet at the same time not be unfair for higher rate taxpayers to pay 40 per cent on their pension income when basic rate taxpayers pay only 20 per cent.' Absolutely. Secondly, such a move would simply be pandering to the Left's redistribution agenda whereas Tory voters expect the Government to stand up for hard-working aspiration and personal responsibility. Because of this, axeing higher rate relief would lose the Government the next Election. Fact. OPTION THREE: PENSION TINKERING If I were a betting man, I would put a fiver on Hammond opting for a spot of pension tinkering. He could do this in various ways. For example, by cutting the amount we and an employer on our behalf are permitted to put into a pension every year. This stands at 40,000 although high earners 150,000 plus a year have a smaller allowance which can be as low as 10,000. One option he could argue for with a modicum of conviction would be to reduce the annual allowance to 20,000, aligning it with the Isa allowance. Alternatively, he could reduce the annual income at which someone starts seeing their allowance reduced say, from 150,000 to 125,000. Another possible move would be to reduce the amount our pension savings can grow to before any surplus is subject to an extra tax charge that can be as high as 55 per cent. This is known as the lifetime allowance and stands at 1,030,000 1,054,800 from next April. Given it was not long ago that the allowance stood at 1.8 million, it would not be inconceivable if he were to cut it to 750,000. Spiteful? Yes. Fair? No, because it would be a tax on successful pension investment. Of all these options, a cut in the annual allowance is the fairest. OPTION FOUR: DO NOTHING There is a possibility Hammond will leave pensions alone for fear of upsetting swathes of Middle England. It is a strategy favoured by Steve Webb, a former Pensions Minister, and Jason Hollands, a director of wealth manager Tilney. 'Pensions are meant to facilitate long-term savings,' says Hollands, 'but if people see the goal posts shifting all the time, it undermines trust.' Spot on. Hammond may box clever by making no immediate change, but indicating future reform. Osborne adopted this strategy in 2015, launching a Treasury consultation into remoulding pension tax relief. The results of this exercise were then allowed to gather dust. OPTION FIVE: THE MAIL ON SUNDAY WAY Rather than go down the radical or tinkering roads, Hammond should do something which Chancellors have long lost the art of doing which is simplify pensions. How refreshing that would be. For a start, he could get rid of the so-called tapered allowance that applies to those earning 150,000 plus (just to be clear, I am not in this camp). It is far too complicated with many high earners unsure as to whether they are caught up in it or not. If its axeing has to be paid for through a smaller annual allowance for all, fine. He should also remove the lifetime allowance which is a spiteful tax grab on successful pension investment. Saudi Arabia has unveiled its 6 billion ($7.87 billion) high-speed rail service that will run between Mecca and Medina. Mecca is the site of an annual pilgrimage for millions of Muslims as part of a sacred journey known as Hajj. The 280-mile (450-kilometer) railway will slash travel time between Mecca, the spiritual heart of Islam, and Medina, its second most sacred site, in half. The Haramain Railway is one of the largest transport projects in the Middle East and will target 60 million passengers a year. Scroll down for video Saudi Arabia has unveiled its 6 billion ($7.87 billion) high-speed rail service that will run between Mecca and Medina. The 280-mile (450 kilometres) railway will slash travel time Mecca, the spiritual heart of Islam, and Medina, its second most sacred site in half WHAT IS HAJJ? Hajj is the annual pilgrimage of millions of Muslims to the city of Mecca. The word Hajj is an Arabic word, meaning 'to intend a journey'. Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and is often a deeply meaningful and spiritual experience for muslims. Pilgrims comprise the bulk of Saudi Arabia's 20 million annual foreign visitors. More than two million came for this years haj and 6.5 million performed umrah in 2017. Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage which occurs year round. Advertisement 'The journey between the Haramain (two holy mosques) is now shorter and easier than at any time before,' Transport Minister Nabil al-Amoudi told dignitaries gathered at the Jeddah station this week. 'The project highlights the kingdom's commitment to serving Islam and Muslims.' Officials believe the improved transport links between the holy cities will boost tourism revenue in the country as the nation seeks to shed dependence on oil exports. The holy pilgrimage for Muslims is the backbone of a plan from the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to diversify the economy. Hajj is one of the fundamental pillars of Islam and is a journey every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it must perform at least once in a lifetime. The mass migration to the ancient city is regarded as a deeply spiritual and profound experience but the pilgrimage is also big business for Saudi Arabia. Hajj, and the year-round lesser pilgrimage known as umrah, generate billions of dollars in revenues from worshippers lodging, transport, gifts, food and fees. The new rail link was built by a Spanish-led consortium and financed by the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund. Project manager Mohammed Fallatah said the train would offer fast and reliable transportation to pilgrims as well as Saudis and foreign residents. 'The traveller will be comfortable. He can read books or magazines or enjoy watching the screens in business class, have a coffee or a light meal,' he said. The project, known as the Haramain Railway, is one of the largest transport projects in the Middle East and will boost tourism revenue in the country by targeting 60 million passengers a year Hajj, and the year-round lesser pilgrimage known as umrah, generate billions of dollars in revenues from worshippers lodging, transport, gifts, food and fees. The new rail link was built by a Spanish-led consortium and financed by the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund The authorities hope the train will also stimulate growth of King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), a massive business zone that was initiated under the previous ruler but remains relatively empty. It will eventually link up with a new terminal at Jeddah airport, which has already started serving select domestic routes and will take over all flights by early next year. Mr Fatallah said further expansion could include connecting to a planned east-west train between the capital Riyadh and Jeddah. Pilgrims comprise the bulk of Saudi Arabias 20 million annual foreign visitors, apart from workers and business travellers. More than two million came for this years haj and 6.5 million performed umrah in 2017. The authorities hope the train will also stimulate growth of King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), a massive business zone that was initiated under the previous ruler but remains relatively empty Pilgrims comprise the bulk of Saudi Arabias 20 million annual foreign visitors, apart from workers and business travellers.Pilgrims comprise the bulk of Saudi Arabias 20 million annual foreign visitors, apart from workers and business travellers. Officials aim to increase the number of umrah and hajj pilgrims to 15 million and five million respectively by 2020, and hope to double the umrah number again to 30 million by 2030. Saudi Arabia is also heavily investing in mega-hotels and a Grand Mosque restoration in Mecca with tens of billions already pledged to the project. The Faisalia project, running from the edge of Mecca towards the Red Sea, aims to attract visitors to coastal getaways and Islamic research centres. Mecca governor Prince Khalid al-Faisal, a nephew of the king and one of his closest advisers, anticipates that the initiatives will contribute to social and cultural development alongside economic growth. 'We do not seek only to expand and develop. We want to expand and develop with distinction,' he said in an interview. 'We want to begin from the point that others have already reached, not the point from which they began.' A terrifying 80-million-year old relative of Tyrannosaurus rex has been discovered in New Mexico. Scientists say the new species, whose name means 'powerful terror ruler', was an apex predator during its ancient rule of terror. Dynamoterror dynastes has a slightly different bone structure to its successor the T rex and lived millions of years earlier. Scroll down for video Dynamoterror dynastes (artist's impression) has a slightly different bone structure to its successor the T rex and lived millions of years earlier 'The giant tyrannosaurids were the apex predators of western North America and Asia during the close of the Cretaceous Period', scientists led by Western Science Center paleontologist Andrew McDonald wrote in the paper published in the paper published in PeerJ. The name Dynamoterro is derived from the Greek word dynamis ('power') and the Latin word terror. The specific name, dynastes, is a Latin word meaning 'ruler.' The 30ft (9m) long specimen lived millions of years before other T rex fossils which generally date to between 66 million and 77 million years ago. Although it is not quite as big as T rex it would have been a top predator during its rule. The remains were found in the Menefee Formation of New Mexico which was part of an ancient continent called Laramidia. Palaeontologists immediately knew it was a large therapod from looking at the size of its limbs. Much of the skeleton was fragmented which meant it was hard to distinguish the specimen from all other tyrannosaurids. A terrifying 80-million-year old relative of Tyrannosaurus rex (stock image) has been discovered in New Mexico. Scientists say the new species, whose name means 'powerful terror ruler', was an apex predator during its ancient rule The remains were found in the Menefee Formation of New Mexico which was part of an ancient continent called Laramidia However, researchers said that the forehead of the skull and parts of the feet were preserved. Using 3D scanning and printing, paleontologists could reconstruct what it might have looked like. 'Laser-scanning the frontals and creation of a composite 3-D digital model allows the frontal region of the skull roof of Dynamoterror to be reconstructed', scientists wrote. This meant they were able to distinguish this specimen from all other tyrannosaurids. There were enough overlapping features for palaeontologists to recreate a digital composite of both bones. 'There are features on the right frontal that aren't preserved on the left, and vice versa', Professor McDonald told Gizmodo. 'Those overlapping features gave us landmarks to work with,' he said. Although the 3D modelling did not reveal features that scientists did not know about already, it made it easier to make comparisons. An extremely rare mineral that only forms when rocks from space slam into the earth's crust with immense pressure has been found in Western Australia, the sixth discovery in the world so far. Curtin University geology student Morgan Cox was working on her thesis and testing drill core samples from the buried Woodleigh impact crater, near Shark Bay, that had been stored in a shed since 2001 when she spotted reidite. It is the first time the mineral has been discovered in Australia. Reidite forms when meteorites hit the earth with enough pressure to transform the common mineral zircon. Curtin University geology student Morgan Cox was working on her thesis and testing drill core samples from the buried Woodleigh impact crater, near Shark Bay, that had been stored in a shed since 2001 when she spotted reidite Senior research fellow Aaron Cavosie said it was a microscopic mineral and all of the known occurrences on earth would probably amount to the size of a grain of rice. 'It's such an uncommon mineral. It's always a chance discovery,' Dr Cavosie told AAP. The research team is now using numerical modelling to refine the size of Woodleigh, and if its diameter is greater than 100km, it will be the largest-known impact crater in Australia. The crater is buried below younger sedimentary rocks, so its size is not known and remains hotly debated. 'Previous research estimated the size of the impact crater between 60km and more than 120km in diameter,' Ms Cox said. 'However, our discovery of reidite near the base of the core suggests a larger crater.' Impacts that cause craters bigger than 100km in diameter are big enough to cause mass extinctions. The Chicxulub crater in Mexico, which was caused by an impact believed to have killed off the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, is 180km in diameter. The research team is now using numerical modelling to refine the size of Woodleigh, and if its diameter is greater than 100km, it will be the largest-known impact crater in Australia Explained: The difference between an asteroid, meteorite and other space rocks An asteroid is a large chunk of rock left over from collisions or the early solar system. Most are located between Mars and Jupiter in the Main Belt. A comet is a rock covered in ice, methane and other compounds. Their orbits take them much further out of the solar system. A meteor is what astronomers call a flash of light in the atmosphere when debris burns up. This debris itself is known as a meteoroid. Most are so small they are vapourised in the atmosphere. If any of this meteoroid makes it to Earth, it is called a meteorite. Meteors, meteoroids and meteorites normally originate from asteroids and comets. For example, if Earth passes through the tail of a comet, much of the debris burns up in the atmosphere, forming a meteor shower. Advertisement Dr Cavosie said the research team would also try to narrow down the age of Woodleigh, which is estimated to have been made 360 million years ago. He said he hoped Ms Cox would inspire others to study geology. 'She's a superstar of a student,' Dr Cavosie said. 'Not many years ago, Morgan was in a high school class and here she is making a major discovery. 'You can make tiny observations and make huge discoveries.' Reidite has been found in craters in the US, Germany and China. Tesla Inc has signed an agreement with the Shanghai government for an 860,000 square metre plot of land to build its first overseas Gigafactory, the electric carmaker said in a Chinese social media post on Wednesday. The land agreement marks a key step towards the firm and its Chief Executive Elon Musk making cars locally in China for the fast-growing market, even as tariffs imposed by Beijing on U.S.-made goods have caused it to hike prices of its imported models. Tesla signed a long-anticipated deal with Shanghai authorities in July to build its first factory outside the United States, which would double the size of its global manufacturing and help lower the pricetag of Tesla cars sold in the world's largest auto market. Scroll down for video Tesla Inc has signed an agreement with the Shanghai government for an 860,000 square metre plot of land to build its first overseas Gigafactory. The land agreement marks a key step towards the firm and its CEO Elon Musk making cars locally in China. File photo 'Securing this site in Shanghai, Tesla's first Gigafactory outside of the United States, is an important milestone for what will be our next advanced, sustainably developed manufacturing site,' Robin Ren, Tesla's vice president of worldwide sales, said in a statement. Tesla did not give the price tag for the plot, but the Shanghai Bureau of Planning and Land Resources said on Wednesday that a plot of land of 864,885 square metres had been sold at auction at a price of 973 million yuan ($140.51 million). Tesla signed a deal with Shanghai authorities in July to open a plant in the Chinese city with an annual capacity of 500,000 cars. The factory will help tap China's rapidly growing market for so-called new-energy vehicles (NEVs), a category comprising electric battery cars and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles, even as China's wider car market cools. WHAT IS TESLA'S 'GIGAFACTORY'? Tesla's 'Gigafactory' is located on Electric Avenue in Sparks, Nevada. The factory's name stems from 'giga,' a unit of measurement that represents billions. One gigawatt hour is the equivalent of generating one billion watts for one hour one million times that of one kilowatt hour. Tesla says the factory will be producing 35 gigawatt hours of batteries by 2018. The current structure has a footprint of 1.9 million square feet, which houses 4.9 million square feet of operational space across several floors It's currently about 30 percent finished - and once complete, it will be the biggest building in the world That's the equivalent to the entire world's production in 2014. New York City uses around 52 gigawatt hours of energy per year. Once completed in 2020, the factory is set to become one of the biggest buildings in the world, with a final size of 10 million square feet. Already, the current structure has a footprint of 1.9 million square feet, which houses 4.9 million square feet of operational space across several floors. 'Once complete, we expect the Gigafactory to be the biggest building in the world,' Tesla said. Advertisement NEV sales were up 54.8 percent in September and climbed 81.1 percent in the first nine months of this year to 721,000 vehicles, the country's top automobile industry association said last week. Beijing, however, is reining in subsidies for the sector, concerned about overcapacity and 'blind development,' with many inside the industry expecting a shake-out to hit the wide array of smaller local electric car start-ups. Tesla, which started hiring for the new Shanghai factory in August, previously said that it would raise capital from Asian debt markets to fund the construction, which will cost around $2 billion. ($1 = 6.9248 Chinese yuan renminbi) The following companies are subsidiares of Sealed Air: A.P.S. (Holdings) Limited, AFP Trading (China) Co. Ltd., AFPTOH LTD, APS Automated Packaging Systems GmbH & Co. KG, APS Verwaltungs-GmbH, Air Ride Pallets Hong Kong Limited, Austin Foam Plastics Inc. (dba AFP Inc.), Automated Packaging Systems, Automated Packaging Systems Asia Holding Company Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Comerciale Importacao do Brasil Ltda., Automated Packaging Systems Europe, Automated Packaging Systems LLC, Automated Packaging Systems Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Southeast Asia Co. Ltd., B+ Equipment, B+ Equipment SAS, Beacon Holdings LLC, Biosphere Industries, BluPack (New Zealand), Blue Dot Packaging Pty Ltd., Cactus (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Cryovac (Malaysia) SDN. BHD, Cryovac Brasil Ltda., Cryovac Holdings II LLC, Cryovac International Holdings Inc., Cryovac LLC*, Cryovac Leasing Corporation, Cryovac Londrina Ltda., Cryovac Packaging Portugal Embalagens Ltda., Cryovac-Sealed Air de Costa Rica S.R.L., DELTAPLAM Embalagens Industria e Comercio, Diversey, Diversey J Trustee Limited, Diversey Trustee Limited, Entapack Pty. Ltd., Fagerdala (Chengdu) Packaging Co. Ltd, Fagerdala (Shanghai) Foams Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Shanghai) Polymer Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Suzhou) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Thailand) Limited, Fagerdala (Xiamen) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala Leamchabung Limited, Fagerdala Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Fagerdala Mexico S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Mexico Supply Chain S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Packaging Inc. (Indiana), Fagerdala Singapore Pte Ltd, Fagerdala Singapore Pte. Ltd., Getpacking.com GmbH, Invertol S. de R.L. de C.V., JSC Sealed Air Kaustik, KRIS Automated Packaging Systems Holding Company, Kevothermal LLC, Kevothermal Limited, Nelipak Holdings, Pack-Tiger GmbH, Polyrol Limited, Polyrol Packaging Systems LLC, ProAseptic Technologies S.L., Producembal- Producao de Embalagens LTDA, Reflectix Inc., SLD Air Packaging Paketleme Malzemeleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Saddle Brook Insurance Company, Sealed Air (Asia) Holdings BV, Sealed Air (Barbados) S.R.L., Sealed Air (Canada) Co./CIE, Sealed Air (Canada) Holdings B.V., Sealed Air (China) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air (China) Limited, Sealed Air (Israel) Ltd., Sealed Air (Korea) Limited, Sealed Air (Latin America) Holdings II LLC, Sealed Air (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sealed Air (New Zealand), Sealed Air (Philippines) Inc., Sealed Air (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Sealed Air (Ukraine) Limited, Sealed Air Africa (Pty.) Limited, Sealed Air Americas Manufacturing S. de R.L. de C.V., Sealed Air Argentina S.A., Sealed Air Australia (Holdings) Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Real Estate Pty Ltd, Sealed Air B.V., Sealed Air Belgium N.V., Sealed Air Central America S.A., Sealed Air Chile SpA, Sealed Air Colombia Ltda., Sealed Air Corporation (US), Sealed Air Cyprus Ltd., Sealed Air Denmark A/S, Sealed Air Finance B.V., Sealed Air Finance II LLC, Sealed Air Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Funding LLC, Sealed Air General Trading LLC, Sealed Air GmbH (Germany), Sealed Air GmbH (Switzerland), Sealed Air Hellas SA, Sealed Air Holding France SAS, Sealed Air Holdings (New Zealand) Pty. Ltd., Sealed Air Holdings South Africa Proprietary Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK I Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK Limited, Sealed Air Hong Kong Limited, Sealed Air Hungary Ltd., Sealed Air Investment and Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Japan G.K., Sealed Air LLC, Sealed Air Limited (Ireland), Sealed Air Limited (UK), Sealed Air Luxembourg (I) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg (II) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Management Holding Verwaltungs GmbH, Sealed Air Multiflex GmbH, Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) I B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) II B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands Holdings V B.V., Sealed Air Norge AS, Sealed Air OY, Sealed Air Packaging (India) Private Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Packaging LLC, Sealed Air Packaging Materials (India) LLP, Sealed Air Packaging S.L.U., Sealed Air Peru S.A.C., Sealed Air Polska Sp. Zoo, Sealed Air Pty Limited, Sealed Air S.A S., Sealed Air S.r.l., Sealed Air South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Sealed Air Svenska AB, Sealed Air Taiwan Limited, Sealed Air UK Limited Partnership, Sealed Air US Holdings (Thailand) LLC, Sealed Air Uruguay S.A., Sealed Air Verpackungen GmbH, Sealed Air de Mexico Operations S. de RL. de C.V., Sealed Air de Venezuela S.A., Sealed Air s.r.o., Shanklin Corp, Shanklin Corporation, TTS-Ciptec, TXAFP Asia Pacific Ltd., TXAFP GP LLC, and Trigon Industries. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Washington When the Justice Department unsealed criminal charges detailing a years-long effort by a Russian troll farm to "sow division and discord in the U.S. political system," it was the first federal case alleging continued foreign interference in U.S. elections. Earlier Friday, American intelligence officials released a rare public statement asserting that Russia, China, Iran and other countries are engaged in ongoing efforts to influence U.S. policy and voters in future elections. The statement didn't provide details on those efforts. That stood in contrast with the criminal charges, which provided a detailed narrative of Russian activities. Russian activities have also been outlined in previous criminal cases. A look at what is known about foreign efforts to interfere in U.S. elections: What is the U.S. worried about? The U.S. has a lot of concerns; ballot tampering, hacking into campaigns, open and covert attempts to sway voters. Friday's announcement didn't suggest that electoral campaigns or systems were compromised. Instead, it spelled out a focus on foreign campaigns aimed at undermining confidence in democratic institutions. The criminal charges detailed how a Russian troll farm created thousands of false social media profiles and email accounts that appeared to be from people inside the United States. While social media companies are making an effort to combat fake accounts and bogus news stories ahead of the upcoming elections, there is a concern from advocates that it may not be enough to combat the foreign interference. Is Russia meddling in U.S. elections? The criminal complaint provided a clear picture that there is still a hidden but powerful Russian social media effort aimed at spreading distrust for American political candidates and causing divisions on social issues such as immigration and gun control. Prosecutors said a Russian woman, Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova, worked for the same social media troll farm indicted earlier this year by special counsel Robert Mueller, whose office is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. The case largely mirrors the one brought by the special counsel's office against three Russian companies, including the Internet Research Agency, and 13 Russians including a close ally to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Court papers describe how the operatives in Friday's case would analyze U.S. news articles and decide how they would draft social media messages about those stories. They also show that Russian trolls have stepped up their efforts with a better understanding the U.S. political climate and messages that are no longer riddled with misspellings. In 2016, Russian trolls were trying to help elect Republican Donald Trump and harm the campaign of Democrat Hillary Clinton, while also sowing discord in America. The latest charges show that Russia is continuing to focus on the latter, instead of helping a particular candidate. The case detailed how the operatives would often send messages with diverging viewpoints about the same issue from different accounts. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. What about Iran? The Trump administration has accused Iran of all kinds of misconduct, including sponsoring terrorism and posing a threat to Middle Eastern nations. But it hasn't released evidence to back up its claim that Iran is trying to sway U.S. elections. The U.S. has previous accused Iranians of cyberattacks that appear unrelated to politics. In March, the Justice Department announced that nine Iranians carried out a yearslong cyberattack to steal secrets from American companies, universities and the government. Prosecutors said the hackers had worked at the behest of the Iranian government-sponsored Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Among the targets were employees at the Department of Labor, the Federal Regulatory Commission and the states of Indiana and Hawaii. That case came about two years after the Justice Department indicted seven Iranian hackers for attacking dozens of banks and a small dam near New York City. What is the threat from China? Earlier this month, Vice President Mike Pence charged that Russia's influence attempts pale in comparison to covert and overt activities taken by China to interfere in the upcoming midterm elections. He accused China of trying to counter the administration's tough trade policies against Beijing. While many details of Russia's covert actions have been released, the accusations against China have been mostly about open activities such as advertising supplements and targeted tariffs. Unlike the accusations against Russia, no details about covert Chinese activities have been disclosed. Chick-fil-A receives big welcome at airport The opening Friday morning of the Capital Region's first Chick-fil-A was a hit with passengers at Albany International Airport. Maybe it was the people in cow costumes. Or the colorful balloons. We think it might have been the accordion music. The musician was hired to play the "Chicken Dance," and nothing but the "Chicken Dance." He protested that he knew more tunes, including "Lady of Spain." Oh, all right, an airport official organizing the opening ceremonies, finally said. "But just once," he added. By midafternoon, Chicken-fil-A had passed a milestone. It had longer lines than the nearby TSA security checkpoint. Vermont's first Target completes 50th state Who knew Vermonters had to leave the state if they wanted to shop at a Target? Until this weekend, the Green Mountain State lacked a single Target store. But that has changed with the opening of the national retailer in South Burlington. The new store, at 60,000 square feet, is smaller than the typical Target although it does offer groceries as well as the standard department store fare. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Vermont, by the way, was the final state for Target, which reports it's now in all 50 states. Grocery store name disappears across US Shop 'n Save stores are disappearing in the Midwest as grocery wholesaler Supervalu sells off the supermarkets, particularly in the St. Louis area. The Shop'n Save brand is used in several parts of the country. Locally, Shop 'n Save markets owned by Hannaford Bros. converted to the Hannaford name a number of years ago, although a few independent grocers supplied by Hannaford have kept the Shop 'n Save name. And in the Pittsburgh area, several individually owned Shop 'n Save markets continue to operate. Supervalu, based in Eden Prairie, Minn., is preparing to be acquired by United Natural Foods in a $2.9 billion deal. In the Capital Region, Shop 'n Save markets are in Schaghticoke and Ravena. Alyssa Shufelt sat in the back of the ambulance tending to 64-year-old Chris Aernecke. "We were transporting him home," Shufelt recalled about the May 2017 ambulance ride through Duanesburg. "I sat on the bench and told him to relax." Her partner that day sat behind the wheel of the Mohawk Ambulance Service rig. Shufelt was sorting paperwork when she felt a bump, which she thought was just a pothole. A second later, part of a tree the ambulance had crashed into tore through the ambulance's metal skin. Aernecke's stretcher jolted, pinning Shufelt's legs against the wall as she hit her head. Shufelt and the driver were taken to the hospital with injuries. Aernecke was dead at the scene. When Shufelt learned the apparent cause of the crash she said she wasn't surprised -- the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel, Shufelt and police said. Such crashes are not unheard of for Mohawk Ambulance, and this one was one of three crashes caused by a Mohawk emergency medical technician falling asleep behind the wheel in just 13 months, said Daniel Schuttig, labor relations representative for the United Public Service Employees Union. The incidents are also indicative of a widespread concern by other observers, who cite increasing complaints about fatigue. Mohawk Ambulance, which handles 70,000 calls a year, is the largest privately owned ambulance service in upstate New York, serving Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties. The company employs about 300 EMTs and is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "EMTs and drivers here are so overworked," said Shufelt, an EMT. "We are killing ourselves with crazy hours and not making good money." Mohawk and EMTs represented by UPSEU Local 1222 union are locked in a contract dispute. EMTs, who want to increase their near-minimum wage starting pay, say they are sounding an alarm about the hours to raise concern about their safety and the safety of patients and other motorists. Risky rides? Five of the six Mohawk EMTs who talked to the Times Union said they have fallen asleep, dozed off or hallucinated behind the wheel of an ambulance at some point. Tonya Danish, a Mohawk EMT, said there have been times where she had transferred patients but doesn't remember the drive. "I don't know how the heck I got from here to here," Danish said. "It's like autopilot." "I woke up backing into a hospital once," said Mohawk paramedic Sonya Dahnke. "I don't remember anything about the call except waking up backing into Albany Med. That's hair-raising. That's terrifying." EMTs blame overtime: Working more than 70 hours a week is not uncommon they said. But the ambulance company says drivers' off-duty activities are one of a number of factors to blame, not company policy. The Times Union received multiple month long work schedules, with the recorded hours that month, for individual EMTs. One of the schedules for an EMT showed them working 84 hours one week and 80 hours the next. "They are tired," Mohawk paramedic Steve Lord said. "They're exhausted. If they work then they are up all night and they are told they have to stay the next day." Danish said if an EMT says they are too tired, they face disciplinary action. "They'll say 'OK go home, you're unfit for duty,'" Danish said. "But now that's a whole other consequence in their file." Schuttig said there are many cases when overtime is assigned at the end of a shift. "They are tired and ready to go home," he said. "They just worked 12 hours and then are told they have to work 12 more." On May 17, 2017, a Mohawk Ambulance wheelchair van crashed through a parking lot on State Street in Schenectady, with the wheelchair van coming to rest on top of a flower bed. The driver had fallen asleep at the wheel, said Schuttig, who spoke with the EMT. On June 19, 2018, a Mohawk Ambulance driver fell asleep near Berkshire Boulevard and Hillcrest Avenue in Albany, crashing the vehicle into a fire hydrant. The EMT and her partner were asleep in the front seat, according to Albany police reports. Read the Albany police crash report. "None of the drivers involved in the accidents were working on mandatory overtime. In each case, the fatigue of the driver was attributable to the driver's off-duty activities and failure to come to work adequately rested," James McPartlon III, the president of Mohawk, said in a statement. Common complaints According to the National Association of State EMS Officials, fatigue is a common complaint among EMS personnel. "The number of fatigue-related safety incidences involving EMS personnel and their patients is on the rise," the association's website says. "Recent research shows that more than half of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel report severe mental and physical fatigue while at work, poor sleep quality, and poor recovery between shifts. Half of EMS personnel obtain less than 6 hours of sleep per day." Daniel Patterson, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, said in an interview that fatigue is widespread. He said the causes for fatigue are complex, but one that's repeatedly referenced by EMTs is long work hours. "EMS workers are consistently sleep-deprived," Patterson said. "You should have seven to nine hours of sleep per day, but EMS workers typically have less than six." Fatigue in EMTs harms work performance, both in cognitive ability and reaction time, Patterson said, and can also take a toll on physical and mental health. Because of this, the EMS association partnered with a team of scientists, including Patterson, to create Fatigue in EMS Risk Management Guidelines to share with EMS agencies. The guidelines were released at the beginning of this year. The guidelines recommend educating EMTs on fatigue risks and management, limiting 24-hour shifts, access to caffeine and the opportunity to nap while on duty. McParlton said that Mohawk has proposed several safety enhancements, including shortening maximum shift hours, requiring employees to be fit for duty, and enhancing full-time employment, but these proposals have not yet been fully accepted by the union. The guidelines may be for companies but Patterson said EMTs should also be involved, not only in the discussion of what the company can do to help but also to assess their own sleeping behaviors and look at what they, individually, can do to improve their sleep routine. "(Fatigue) is a shared problem between the employer and employee," Patterson said. Pay dispute EMTs for Mohawk said a major reason for the overtime is due to low wages, saying that to make a "living wage" they need to pick up extra shifts or work a second job. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The starting hourly pay for EMTs at Mohawk Ambulance is $12.51. Area fast-food workers next year will earn more as minimum wage is set to go to $12.75 hourly at the start of 2019. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary of EMS workers in the country was $31,980 per year, or about $15.38 an hour in 2014. Locally, contracts show that W.F. Bruen Rescue Squad, which serves the town of East Greenbush, pays their EMTs $13 an hour. Read the compensation clause of the W.F. Bruen Rescue Squad's contract. At $11.73 an hour, the starting wage for EMTs for the town of Coxsackie is even less than at either Mohawk or W.F. Bruen. Minimum wage for fast-food workers in the area is currently set at $11.75. Read the compensation clause of the Town of Coxsackie Ambulance Squad's contract. "Near us is a car wash and they are making $11 to $12 an hour plus tips. Same with fast food workers," Dahnke said. "You think what we do is the same as someone pouring coffee at Dunkin' Donuts or someone at McDonald's?" Schuttig said EMTs in the union have not received a pay increase in a year and a half, and Mohawk has increased their pay by only $1.25 an hour since 2008. It often means taking a second job. Dankhe said EMTs are professionals: "We should be treated and paid like it." Schuttig said a starting wage of $15 an hour, which is what they are seeking in negotiations, would attract and retain people and mean less overtime. The EMTs and paramedics have been without a contract at Mohawk since April 1. After eight months of negotiating, Schuttig said, Mohawk Ambulance still has yet put a wage proposal on the table. "I think they want to keep them at $12.51 an hour," Schuttig said after a meeting with Mohawk in early October. McPartlon, Mohawk's president, said wage and benefits are part of the ongoing negotiations with the union. "It is the company's hope that an agreement will be reached in the near future and we will continue to work toward this goal," he stated. Negotiations continue. McPartlon noted that wage rates were not unilaterally imposed by Mohawk but were agreed to with the union three years ago. The company has "made every attempt" to meet with the union bargaining unit, but talks were delayed by the union, he said. Mohawk cited the contract term that states that except in emergencies, the maximum shift a bargaining unit member can work is 26 hours in a 34-hour consecutive period. The worker shall have at least eight consecutive hours of rest in between such consecutive shifts. The union agreed to those hours in the 2015-18 contract. Mohawk said it proposed to shorten the number of consecutive hours an employee can work in any shift but the union hasn't agreed to the company's proposals. On Monday, Oct. 15, Mohawk employees took to the streets with signs in hand, protesting amid contract negotiations. Schuttig said the last strike was in 1998. According to newspaper reports of the time, EMTs were getting $5.75 an hour; half of them walked off the job. Dahnke said she was here for the last strike, and the similarity she sees during that and now makes for frustration. Although EMTs say the hours are long and pay is poor, many still stay. "What we do is necessary," Dahnke said. "We as a community have decided what we do is necessary as a society. We shouldn't be penalized for this." "I could not imagine myself doing anything else," Danish said. "It's very rewarding. As much as it takes a toll on you, it's a rewarding job. After talking with EMS employees, hearing their stories and doing research, Daniel Patterson said he and other University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine scientists noticed a problem among EMS personnel fatigue. "Fatigue is a widespread problem in the industry," Patterson, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and an active paramedic clinician, told the Times Union. But fatigue is nothing new, in fact it has been a problem for EMS workers for years, Patterson said. Related: Mohawk Ambulance workers' lament 'crazy hours,' poor pay So the National Association of State EMS Officials teamed up with scientists from the university to develop recommendations for EMS companies and organizations to help mitigate the effects of fatigue. The project, which is called Fatigue in EMS Risk Management Guidelines, was released at the beginning of the year. These are the five recommendations outlined in the guide. 1. Use fatigue and sleepiness surveys to monitor EMS fatigue. 2. Limit EMS shifts to less than 24 hours. While Patterson said he understands this isn't always possible, based on how the company is staffed or an influx of calls, it does help when the shifts are shorter. 3. Provide access to caffeine. Whether or not the company pays for it, caffeine should be readily available to stave off fatigue, Patterson said. That can mean a fresh pot of coffee at the station or placing EMTs near a spot that they can buy a cup of Joe. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. 4. Allow EMS personnel the chance to nap while on duty. Even short naps can help improve work performance, Patterson said. 5. Provide education and training on fatigue risk management. While the company should monitor if their employees are too tired to work, part of the responsibility is on the EMS workers as well. Fatigue "is a shared responsibility between the employer and employee," Patterson said. If EMS workers constantly feel tired they should talk to administrators to see what can be done, Patterson said. They should also do a self-assessment and see how they can change to maximize their sleep. To learn more about the recommendations and research done visit the Evidence-Based Guidelines for Fatigue Risk Management in Emergency Medical Services published in the journal Prehospital Emergency Care. London Hundreds of thousands of protesters opposed to Britain's impending exit from the European Union marched through central London on Saturday, demanding a new referendum and to have a say on the government's final Brexit deal with the EU. Organizers say another public vote is needed because new facts have come out about the costs and complexity of Britain's exit from the bloc since voters chose to leave in 2016. They estimated that some 700,000 people took part Saturday in the "People's Vote March," which saw 150 buses of marchers pour into the British capital from all across the country. Police did not provide an attendance estimate. "What's clear is that the only options on the table now from the prime minister are a bad Brexit deal, or no deal whatsoever," London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who joined the march, told the BBC. "That's a million miles away from what was promised 21/2 years ago." Khan said Saturday's protest was a "march for the future" for young Britons, including those who were too young to vote in Britain's 2016 Brexit referendum, when those who favored leaving the EU won narrowly by 52 percent. The mayor, from the opposition Labour Party, has previously backed mounting calls for a fresh referendum so the public can have a say on whether they accept Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal or choose to stay in the EU. May, the leader of Britain's Conservatives, has ruled out another public vote on the subject. That didn't stop the crowds on Saturday from demanding one. Among them was "Lord of the Rings" actor Andy Serkis, who marched with his son and wife. Serkis said he believes there should be a second referendum "now that people are more informed." Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, but negotiations over the divorce have been plagued by disagreements, particularly over the future border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It will be the U.K.'s only land border with the EU after Brexit, for Ireland is part of the EU and Northern Ireland is part of the U.K. One of the great accomplishments of the 1998 peace deal that ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland was to dismantle the police and military presence at the border with Ireland. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Many on both sides do not want a "hard" border again. There are also growing fears of a "no-deal" British exit, which could create chaos at the borders and in the EU and the British economies. May, speaking at an inconclusive EU summit in Brussels this week, said she would consider extending a proposed 21-month post-Brexit transition period for the U.K one that could keep Britain aligned to EU rules for more than two years after its March departure. The EU has said extending that period would give more time to strike a trade deal that ensures the Irish border remains friction-free. Pro-Brexit politicians in Britain, however, saw it as an attempt to bind the country to the bloc indefinitely. "This week's fresh chaos and confusion over Brexit negotiations has exposed how even the best deal now available will be a bad one for Britain," said Andrew Adonis, a Labour member of the House of Lords. "Voters will neither forgive nor forget if (lawmakers) allow this miserable Brexit to proceed without people being given the final say." ALBANY - Democrats in New York are used to being tied to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, especially in parts of the state where the two-term incumbent is unpopular, but Republicans fighting for a Capital Region state Senate seat have upped the ante this campaign season. Brunswick Democrat Aaron Gladd was recently elevated to the governor's family, earning the nickname "Aaron Cuomo" from his opponent, Halfmoon Republican Daphne Jordan. The canned line at a League of Women Voters forum last week - which was met by a mix of jeers and laughter from a partisan crowd made up mostly of local liberal activists and Senate Republican staffers - is emblematic of the GOP case against Gladd, which has featured digital and mail advertisements that labeled him a "Cuomo puppet" and photoshopped in a warm embrace with the governor. He spent nearly three years working in the governor's policy shop before launching his longshot bid to succeed retiring Republican Kathy Marchione in the 43rd Senate District, which includes Columbia County, a majority of the population in Rensselaer and Saratoga counties, and two Washington County towns. The attack on Gladd is likely a potent one for Republicans, who recognize that Cuomo doesn't enjoy the same popularity in the district that he did eight years ago when cruising to his first gubernatorial victory. He lost the area in the 2014 general elections and came up very short in the last two Democratic gubernatorial primaries. Gladd's campaign doesn't rely on the governor's coattails, though, and he isn't trying to surf a "blue wave" to victory in the conservative leaning district. While most Democratic candidates are leaning into the national partisan environment, he is running a campaign that reflects the fact that President Donald J. Trump won the area by 3 points two years ago. "I'm not polling any messaging," says Gladd "I'm just being honest about how I feel." On the campaign trail and in his advertisements, Gladd talks about growing up in extreme poverty, his young family, serving as a platoon leader in Afghanistan for the U.S. Army and kitchen table issues like health care costs, jobs and taxes. He also cites his work for Senate Republicans, opposition to sex offenders voting in schools and belief that the SAFE Act "hasn't done anything." "I'm going to be an independent, upstate voice," Gladd said at the League of Women Voters forum. If pressed on liberal issues, like benefits for the children of undocumented immigrants, Gladd doesn't shy away from his positions. "I will fight for those kids," he said at the forum. When gun control comes up, he talks about his experience with guns and focuses on his proposal to offer tax credits for new home gun safes. He promotes himself as a "reasonable" voice in the state's debate about gun control and wants to reform the SAFE Act, instead of repealing it. But Jordan argues that he backs a "radical" agenda, including the Reproductive Health Act, which he says will simply codify the rights guarantee by Roe v. Wade. "He is not as independent as he would have you [think]," Jordan said at the forum. "He'd be a rubber stamp for Gov. Cuomo and the New York City Democrats." If Democrats take control of the chamber, shifting the power base to New York City, Gladd could face a lot of pressure to toe the party line on votes. He said he's prepared to tell his potential colleagues "no" when proposals hurt the district. "I was willing to sacrifice my life for my country," he said. "I'm willing to sacrifice my career for my community." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. He wouldn't be the first in this district to go that route, with former Senate Republican Roy McDonald losing his party's primary a year after breaking ranks to support same-sex marriage. Earlier this month, McDonald broke from his party again to endorse Gladd. Because of his work in the administration, Jordan says Gladd and Cuomo are inextricably "tied together." An advertisement from the Senate Republican Campaign Committee argues they're "attached at the hip." Gladd's experience in the Cuomo administration included two years in the policy shop as part of the Empire State Fellows program, and then 10 months as deputy policy director, where he took on more managerial duties. He never reached the rank of "policy director," a claim Republicans have made in advertising against him. During his time on the second floor of the Capitol, Gladd said there were a few interactions with the governor. Since leaving the administration in the spring to run for Senate, he said he hasn't spoken to Cuomo. His initial campaign filing reflected support from Cuomo administration staffers and some shared donors, but the majority of his campaign funds aren't tied to the governor and the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee hasn't gotten off the sidelines in this race yet. By contrast, more than 40 percent of Jordan's recent fundraising came from a transfer by the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, which is also spending separately on her behalf. She also touts Republican support, highlighting recent endorsements from Joe Bruno, who previously held the seat, and former Congressman Chris Gibson. Ultimately, the one connection to Cuomo that Gladd can't shake might end up being the most important: their shared shared ballot line on Nov. 6. David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87 Each morning, Jamal Khashoggi would check his phone to discover what fresh hell had been unleashed while he was sleeping. He would see the work of an army of Twitter trolls, ordered to attack him and other influential Saudis who had criticized the kingdom's leaders. He sometimes took the attacks personally, so friends made a point of calling frequently to check on his mental state. "The mornings were the worst for him because he would wake up to the equivalent of sustained gunfire online," said Maggie Mitchell Salem, a friend of Khashoggi's for more than 15 years. Khashoggi's online attackers were part of a broad effort dictated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his close advisers to silence critics both inside Saudi Arabia and abroad. Hundreds of people work at a so-called troll farm in Riyadh to smother the voices of dissidents like Khashoggi. The vigorous push also appears to include the grooming not previously reported of a Saudi employee at Twitter whom Western intelligence officials suspected of spying on user accounts to help the Saudi leadership. The killing by Saudi agents of Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, has focused the world's attention on the kingdom's intimidation campaign against influential voices raising questions about the darker side of the crown prince. The young royal has tightened his grip on the kingdom while presenting himself in Western capitals as the man to reform the hidebound Saudi state. This portrait of the kingdom's image management crusade is based on interviews with seven people involved in those efforts or briefed on them; activists and experts who have studied them; and U.S. and Saudi officials, along with messages seen by The New York Times that described the inner workings of the troll farm. Saudi operatives have mobilized to harass critics on Twitter, a wildly popular platform for news in the kingdom since the Arab Spring uprisings began in 2010. Saud al-Qahtani, a top adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed who was fired Saturday in the fallout from Khashoggi's killing, was the strategist behind the operation, according to U.S. and Saudi officials, as well as activist organizations. Many Saudis had hoped that Twitter would democratize discourse by giving everyday citizens a voice, but Saudi Arabia has instead become an illustration of how authoritarian governments can manipulate social media to silence or drown out critical voices while spreading their own version of reality. "In the Gulf, the stakes are so high for those who engage in dissent that the benefits of using social media are outweighed by the negatives, and in Saudi Arabia in particular," said Marc Owen Jones, a lecturer in the history of the Persian Gulf and Arabian Peninsula at Exeter University in Britain. Neither Saudi officials nor Qahtani responded to requests for comment about the kingdom's efforts to control online conversations. Before his death, Khashoggi was launching projects to combat online abuse and to try to reveal that Crown Prince Mohammed was mismanaging the country. In September, Khashoggi wired $5,000 to Omar Abdulaziz, a Saudi dissident living in Canada, who was creating a volunteer army to combat the government trolls on Twitter. The volunteers called themselves the "Electronic Bees." Eleven days before Khashoggi died in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, he wrote on Twitter that the Bees were coming. One arm of the crackdown on dissidents originates from offices and homes in and around Riyadh, where hundreds of young men hunt on Twitter for voices and conversations to silence. This is the troll farm, described by three people briefed on the project and the messages among its members. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Its directors routinely discuss ways to combat dissent, settling on sensitive themes like the war in Yemen or women's rights. They then turn to their well-organized army of "social media specialists" via group chats in apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, sending them lists of people to threaten, insult and intimidate; daily tweet quotas to fill; and pro-government messages to augment. The bosses also send memes that their employees can use to mock dissenters, like an image of Crown Prince Mohammed dancing with a sword, akin to the cartoons of Pepe the Frog that supporters of President Donald Trump used to undermine opponents. The specialists scour Twitter for conversations on the assigned topics and post messages from the several accounts they each run. Sometimes, when contentious discussions take off, they publish pornographic images to goose engagement with their own posts and distract users from more relevant conversations. Other times, if one account is blocked by too many other users, they close it and open a new one. In one conversation viewed by The Times, dozens of leaders decided to mute critics of Saudi Arabia's military attacks on Yemen by reporting the messages to Twitter as "sensitive." Such reported posts are one of the things Twitter considers as signals when it decides to hide content from other users, blunting its impact. Twitter has had difficulty combating the trolls. The company can detect and disable the machine-like behaviors of bot accounts, but it has a harder time picking up on the humans tweeting on behalf of the Saudi government. ALBANY When an election is for president, everyone seems to have an opinion. When the election is for state Supreme Court justice in the 3rd Judicial District in upstate New York, that's not the case -- well, not unless you are an attorney, active in local politics or personally know the candidate. Even the name "Supreme Court" is deceiving as it is not the top court in the state. But state Supreme Court justices preside over critical civil trials such as personal injury claims, divorces, business disputes, election matters as well as criminal cases and, for those Supreme Court judges who sit on the Appellate Division, mid-level court appeals. On Nov. 6, voters in seven upstate counties, including five within the greater Capital Region, will vote to elect two state Supreme Court justices to 14-year terms. Three candidates are running, which means someone will be the odd person out. The race pits Supreme Court Justice William McCarthy, a Republican who sits on the region's Appellate Division and is its most senior member, against two Democratic candidates, Albany County Family Court Judge Margaret Walsh and Albany County Court Judge Peter Lynch. Two seats on the bench are available because McCarthy was up for re-election and Justice Eugene "Gus" Devine reached the mandatory retirement age of 70. If elected, McCarthy could remain on the region's Appellate Division, which hears appeals on virtually every criminal, civil and state-related case in the area. He would need a gubernatorial appointment, which is typically a formality. Walsh and Lynch would be assigned to sit at the trial level on civil and criminal matters. The candidates are running in a district includes the counties of Albany, Rensselaer, Ulster, Greene, Columbia, Schoharie and Sullivan. The largest number of voters are within Albany (180,624), Ulster (113,963) and Rensselaer (95,974) counties, followed by Sullivan (44,945), Columbia (42,081), Greene (29,324) and Schoharie (18,133) counties. Among active voters, Democrats outnumber Republicans in the district by 76,321, according to statistics from the Board of Elections, recent as of April 1. Six years ago, Republican Appellate Justices Bernard "Bud" Malone and Michael Kavanagh lost their re-election attempts to Democratic candidates Richard Mott and Stephan Schick, who were aided by running on a ticket headed by President Barack Obama and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. In 2008, Republican Justice Anthony Carpinello lost to then-Rensselaer County Judge Patrick McGrath with Obama atop the ticket. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. But McCarthy has a huge financial advantage. Campaign filings show he accumulated more than $377,000. That's more than six times the nearly $55,000 raised combined -- of Walsh and Lynch. McCarthy has spent just under $77,000 of his warchest. Walsh raised $21,905 and spent $9,295. Lynch raised $32,941 and has spent $17,356. McCarthy out-raised Walsh more than 17 to 1 and outspent her more than 8 to 1, while he out-raised Lynch more than 11 to 1 and outspent him more than 4 to 1. Here's a closer look at the candidates: McCarthy, 54, of Selkirk, a 1985 graduate of the State University at Potsdam, graduated Albany Law School in 1988. He worked as a law clerk for state Supreme Court Justices Edward Conway and Joseph Harris and Court of Claims Judge Edward Sheridan. McCarthy served as a senior assistant counsel to Gov. George Pataki from 1998 to 2004. In 2004, he was elected to state Supreme Court in 2004. Two years later, Pataki named him to the Appellate Division's Second Department in Brooklyn. In 2009, McCarthy was appointed to the Third Department in Albany. McCarthy is running on the Republican, Conservative and Independence party lines. The Appellate Division's Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commissions graded McCarthy "highly qualified." Walsh, 53, of Slingerlands, a 1985 graduate of Manhattan College, graduated Brooklyn Law School in 1991. Walsh was an associate attorney with the firm of Breakell & Couch, and for attorney John Dennis and ran her own private firm. In 1996, Walsh worked for the city of Albany as an assistant corporation counsel and then as an assistant commissioner for the Department of Assessment and Taxation. In June 2002, Walsh became an Albany County public defender. In 2005, she was elected to Albany County Family Court judge where she has served for 14 years. Walsh has worked as an acting Supreme Court justice for 10 years. Walsh has served as co-chair of the New York State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics. Walsh is running on the Democratic, Independence and Working Families party lines. Walsh did not participate in the Appellate Division's Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commissions rating. Lynch, 64, of Loudonville, a 1976 graduate of Union College in Schenectady, graduated Albany Law School in 1979. Lynch worked as an Albany County public defender from 1980 to 2009, when he was the deputy. He also was a partner in Lynch & Hetman, formerly known as Lynch & Lynch, from May 1988. Lynch was elected to Albany County Court in 2012. Lynch, whose twin brother Michael is a Supreme Court justice who sits on the Appellate Division, is running on the Democratic and Working Families party lines. The Appellate Division's Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commissions graded Lynch "highly qualified." . [October 21, 2018] PERSUIT partners with Fortune 10 company to disrupt legal spend and billing Growing list of corporates includes Walmart, 3M, Microsoft embracing PERSUIT's Alternative Fee Arrangements Platform MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- PERSUIT, the creator of a groundbreaking AFA platform for legal services, today announced that it has agreed on a multi-year partnership with a Fortune 10 global energy leader. The deal means that the Fortune 10 company will use PERSUIT's cloud-based platform to source all of its engagements with outside legal counsel. PERSUIT's platform will be rolled out to the company's entire global legal team and joins the likes of Walmart, Microsoft, 3M, Gilead and Wabash National in their selection of PERSUIT. This latest agreement continues the assault on the status quo in legal purchasing, by addressing corporate legal departments' highest priority: controlling outside counsel costs. Designed specifically for legal engagements, PERSUIT centralizes the entire RFP process, making it vastly easier to send, respond to, and compare proposals. The most dramatic efficiencies come via PERSUIT's reverse auction format, in which law firms submit transparent bids on legal projects. The competitive bidding process typically last an hur, and delivers savings that dwarf efficiencies gained from e-billing and matter management software. PERSUIT also offers important advantages for responding firms, which can share the RFP internally and collaborate on the platform before responding. "We could not be prouder to partner with the industry-leading in-house legal teams that have chosen PERSUIT," said Jim Delkousis, the founder and CEO of PERSUIT. "There has been a lot of talk in the legal industry for a long time about the move away from hourly billing to AFAs. We have focused on delivering a product which makes it easy for corporate legal departments to solicit certain competitive and easy-to-compare bids for their external legal work. The decision by our clients to choose PERSUIT is a strong validation of that effort." "A number of our clients rely on RFPs to secure outside counsel, and they experience a lot of pain with the process -- inevitably involving a lot of email traffic, spreadsheets, and manual work," said Jim. "Our most recent success followed a client's global RFP process in search of an AFA platform before choosing PERSUIT, confirming our best of breed market position." "We recently saw massive disparity among bids, where one RFP demonstrated an astounding 700 per cent differential in legal costs -- meaning one law firm bid seven times higher than its counterpart. In another case, there was close to a $5M 'spread' between the highest and lowest priced firm bids, with the winning bid more than $3.5M lower than the highest bidder," said Jim. "PERSUIT has a clear vision: a single platform for in-house legal teams to manage all outside counsel engagements, globally," added Jim. "Our partnerships with our clients will only get stronger over time, as we scale AFAs and amass pricing data that will inform future outside counsel engagements." About PERSUIT PERSUIT is a technology company founded in 2016, established to deliver transparency and true market pricing in legal services for the benefit of Fortune 500 in-house legal teams. Learn more at www.persuit.com Media contact: Michael Zappone: Nominis Consulting, Phone: + 61 438 004 959, Email: michael@nominis.me SOURCE PERSUIT [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] How early is too early? Thats the question I have been asking myself ever since getting an in-depth look at Samsungs 8K TV range. Buying an 8K TV isnt something I thought we would have to talk about for a few years yet, but here we are with the first line of 8K TVs shipping to the UK first and then to the rest of the world. If you want an 8K TV, then you will have to pay big for the privilege, as the lowest-priced model in the UK - the 65-inch QLED 8K (Q900R) - is an eye-watering 4,999.99. Currently the US is set to only get the 85-inch model and that costs, deep breath, $14,999.99. Granted, for that price you get TV technology thats on the top of its game. True 8K resolution clocks in a 33 million pixels, four times that of 4K. Its the brightest TV ever released, using direct LED lighting (offering 4800 nits in Dynamic mode) which means HDR content pings when shown on it. MORE: Streaming Netflix? Here's the Best Stuff to Watch All of this is lovely but what will you actually watch on it, given 8K content is extremely rare? Samsung believes it has the answer: upscaling. Upscaling to the max Thats right, for the majority of your viewing on the Samsung 8K TVs you will be watching content thats upscaled from the source, which makes this TV the most expensive upscaler around. At least the technology inside doing this processing is first rate. Samsungs Quantum Processor 8K (which is powered by AI, apparently) upscales anything from SD upwards to 8K levels of quality. The exact science on how this is done boils down to Samsungs image processing creating new detail to add into a picture, reducing the noise and restoring the edge of pixels. I had to stop myself from reaching out to pick the insects up - it truly was like staring through a window into a world beautifully enhanced by HDR. I was dubious that the upscaling could be that good but it was impressive. SD footage wasnt the pock-marked noise-fest I thought it would be (although it certainly was nowhere near 8K quality), while HD footage upscaled to something that looked on a par with 4K. The content we were shown, though, was built specifically for the demo. I think if you had a grainy piece of SD footage to start with the effect would be dulled. MORE: Our Favorite Soundbars for Small and Big TVs The TV came to life when some true 8K content was shown. It was the same demo that was on display at IFA - a close-up look of some ants and its was utterly life-like. I had to stop myself from reaching out to pick the insects up - it truly was like staring through a window into a world beautifully enhanced by HDR. Not content with the content But yet I am still not convinced. Perhaps theres a tinge of jealousy of not being able to afford these TVs, but even to my richest friends I wouldnt be able to recommend Samsungs 8K TV range yet. Yes, the QLED 8K (Q900R) is the best TV you can buy right now, by some margin. But take something like LG OLED65C8 - an OLED TV you can get for half the price. Or, if you want to stay brand loyal, the superb Samsung Q8F9 QLED. Yes its only 4K but the technology built into these TVs is stunning and will stay stunning for years to come. he big issue: the world doesnt feel ready for 8K TVs yet. Consumers are still figuring out where and how to get 4K content to watch on their shiny new 4K TVs but when they do watch something they are utterly impressed by the picture quality. So the idea of shifting so soon to an 8K panel will be hard to stomach for many. Those who wait to upgrade to 8K, even for just a year or two, will be rewarded with cheaper prices, a refinement in design (the Q900Rs picture maybe stunning but its a little industrial in its overall look) and an actual reason to purchase - and that is more 8K content. MORE: Best Devices to Sling Your Phone or Tablet to a TV Screen One of the things I watched upscaled on the 65-inch version of the Q900 was Guardians of the Galaxy 2. It was one of the first Hollywood films shot in 8K on the RED camera and scaled down for release. Filmmakers are beginning to shoot in 8K to future proof but the general public just hasnt been given access to the format. That, with time, will come. Future proofing on board Samsung has thought of future proofing as well, which is important considering the price paid for these panels. The company has been very clever in its thinking about upgrades. The upcoming HDMI 2.1 standard is 8K-ready, but the changes may not stop there. Given 8K is a format where the official spec is in flux, it is highly likely that we will see a new type of HDMI come into existence when the format hits the mainstream. If this does happen, Samsung has parked all the connections in the One Connect Box. This means that if specs change, its existing panel will not need upgrading, only this box will. This type of future proofing is a smart move by Samsung, and may tempt some with deep pockets to consider buying a TV. The best type of future proofing you can do for the moment, though, is ride the 4K wave a little longer and see what happens to pricing when Samsungs rivals eventually show their 8K wares. Credit: Tom's Guide Kansas City firefighters are battling a smokey blaze Saturday afternoon at an underground warehouse on 23rd Street near Interstate 435. The fire was reported about 4:50 p.m. at Interstate Underground at 8201 E. 23rd Street. Fire crews evacuated people in the facility. At least two people were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene. Ex-KC priest could be first bishop prosecuted for sex abuse | The Kansas City Star The call last year from Pope Francis' representative in Washington took the Rev. Steven Biegler by surprise. A priest in South Dakota, Biegler learned he was the choice to become the ninth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne, Wyo., leading the state's 55,000 Catholics. A somewhat local connection and more seething anger from dead-tree media who have devoted thousands upon thousands of words to local religious drama but haven't been very interested in anRead more: Our world as we know it is threatened by any one of three events, assuming the current course is not altered: One is nuclear proliferation. One is global warming. And the other is the continued active political campaign of Greg Orman. It is the latter that could wreak havoc imminently, within weeks. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Bathinda, October 20 The police seized illicit liquor and arrested eight smugglers from different locations of the city in the past 24 hours. In the first case, the police seized 136 boxes of Haryana brand liquor during checking near a drain at Jassi Baghwali village. A person identified as Sarabjit Singh, a resident of Mehma Bhagwana village, was arrested while another accused Lakhvir Singh of the same village escaped from the spot. The police have registered a case at the Sangat police station. In the second case, the police seized 132 bottles of Haryana brand liquor during checking from two persons on the Dabwali road. Those arrested have been identified as Jaswant Singh and Mandeep Singh, residents of Bajakhana. A case has been registered against the accused at the Sangat police station. In the third, the police seized 40 lts of illicit liquor during checking at Teona village. A person, identified as Lal Singh, a resident of Bir Talab village, was arrested from the spot. The police have registered a case against the accused at the Bathinda Sadar police station. In the fourth case, the police seized 60 bottles of Haryana-made liquor from a person during checking at Chak Attar Singhwala village. The accused has been identified as Amandeep Singh of Peori village. A case has been registered at the Nandgarh police station. In the fifth case, the police seized 60 bottles of Haryana-made liquor from a person during checking at Pitho village. The police succeeded in arresting one person, who has been identified as Harvinder Singh of Pitho village. The police have registered a case against the accused at the Rampura Sadar police station. In the sixth case, the police seized 20 bottles of Haryana made liquor along with a motorcycle (without registration) during checking at Singo village. The accused, identified as Ram Singh and Sukhdeep Singh of Mansa, were nabbed from the spot. A case has been registered against the accused at the Talwandi Sabo police station. editorial@tribune.com Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 21 Making a scathing attack on the functioning of the UT Estate Office, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has imposed a penalty of Rs 25,000 each on two officers of its officers for not providing information to an applicant under the Right to Information Act. Holding them responsible for harassment of the applicant, the CIC has directed the UT Administration to deduct the amount from the salary of Kulbhusan Choudhary, Assistant Controller (F&A) and CPIO, Estate Office, and Purshottam Lal, Superintendent and former CPIO, Estate Office, and deposit the amount in the Treasury. A Mohali resident, advocate Pawan Kumar Sharma, had sought information regarding the dispatch of a letter of a house situated in Sector 27, Chandigarh. The application was filed on May 2, 2017, but instead of supplying the information, the officers concerned of the Estate Office made the applicant suffer for more than a year by sending the application from one department to the other. The commission stated that neither the then CPIO nor the present one had any reasonable reason to tender for the inaction on the RTI application and for misleading the complainant by transferring the RTI application to another public authority after the receipt of a hearing notice on June 18 this year. On the one hand, the present CPIO claims that all files have been provided to the complainant, while on the other, the RTI application was transferred to another public authority upon receipt of a hearing notice on the pretext that the matter pertained to it. The order stated that the officers had misled the complainant as well as the commission with prima facie mala fide intention. The commission deems this to be a fit case for imposing the maximum penalty of Rs 25,000 each under Section 20 (1) of the RTI Act on Kulbhusan Choudhary and Purshottam Lal for gross violation of provisions of the Act. The order stated that the amount would be deducted from their salary in five equal instalments (Rs 5,000 per month), starting December. The First Appellate Authority is directed to recover Rs 25,000 each from the salary of both officers and remit it through demand draft(s) or bankers cheque in the name of Pay and Accounts Officer, CAT, payable in New Delhi, and send it to Shanti Priye Beck, Joint Secretary (Administration), CIC, New Delhi. Lt-Gen Kamal Davar (retd) Lt-Gen Kamal Davar (retd) First chief of India's Defence Intelligence Agency Down the ages, even when its empires and ruling dispensations suffered inglorious defeats or political ignominy, China consistently managed to display uncanny steadfastness in its goals and ambitions. That a rare amalgam of strategic patience, statecraft, deep pockets and resoluteness in the pursuit of its long-term objectives, characterises the Dragon's ever-growing footprint across Asia, Africa and the oceans, lapping the increasingly strategic region from the Strait of Hormuz to the bottleneck of the Strait of Malacca. That China has successfully kept at bay, in its area of operational interest, specifically in the South China and East China Seas even the world's sole superpower's naval might, speaks volumes of China's military ascendancy in the Indo-Pacific expanse. Chinas string of pearls The 'string of pearls' stratagem, originally an American think tank's expression for strategic encirclement, is since a couple of decades, a virtual Chinese hallmark as it asserts itself in the Indo-Pacific region. That the Chinese avatar of the 'string of pearls' is directed also against India brooks no elaboration notwithstanding China's frequent unconvincing denials stating that China's increasing activities in the Asia-Pacific (being now largely referred to as the Indo-Pacific) are predominantly economic and commercial in nature. Equally, China's growing forays and naval build-up in the Indo-Pacific region is to overcome its "Malacca Dilemma" as the narrow Malacca Strait is the conduit from where over 70 per cent of China's energy needs get transported from West Asia. China is understandably wary of the US and Indian naval capabilities to interdict its sea-lanes and, thus, it is in an overdrive to protect its interests by consolidating its 'string of pearls' to hem in India's military resources. In the last 15 years or so, China has assiduously perfected its strategic encirclement of India. Commencing with the port of Hambantota in Sri Lanka over which it has acquired a 99 years' lease, China's $1 trillion ambitious project the Belt and Road Initiative and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) traversing the Gilgit-Baltistan disputed territory in India's north-west the proposed China-Pakistan-India-Bangladesh-Myanmar Economic Corridor, the Chinese-supported and -built Gwadar deep sea port in Baluchistan, its first foreign naval base in Dijbouti and efforts to set up naval facilities in Maria Atoll in the Maldives are all part of its 'string of pearls' stratagem which have marked geo-political and military repercussions for India. Adding to Indias woes In addition, a road is under construction from its Yunan province to the Myanmar's deep sea port of Kyunkpyu, China's offer of major improvements to Bangladesh's Chittagong port and China's growing interests in Afghanistan will add to Indian discomfiture both militarily and economically. China's ever-increasing financial, military and nuclear largesse to Pakistan all form a deliberate part of the Chinese grand design using Pakistan as a low-cost proxy against India. To add to India's diplomatic woes in the neighbourhood, China has successfully driven a wedge between India and Nepal by unifying the two Communist parties in Nepal. Both the militant Nepali Communist leader, Prachanda, and its PM, KP Sharma Oli, are solidly pro-Chinese and already have taken some steps to distance themselves from Nepal's traditional fraternal relationship with India. Nepal withdrew from participation in counter-terrorism exercises for BIMSTEC nations hosted recently by India, besides, seeking access to far-distant Chinese ports to nullify any future Indian blockade of their mountain kingdom. Nearly a lakh of Nepalese serve in the Indian Army and other security forces. Besides, India has been providing employment to many lakhs of Nepalese citizens. India will have to deal with the current Nepalese establishment with caution, maturity and factor in scenarios if the crafty Chinese manage to further worsen India-Nepalese relations. India has to further ensure that its traditional relations with its tiny but strategic neighbour, Bhutan, does not follow the Nepalese pattern. After the Chinese engineered Doklam crisis in September, 2017, Bhutan too appears to be re- thinking its historical relationship with India. It is now apprehensive of a strong China creating political problems for them. Silver lining for India However, the silver lining for India in its neighbourhood has been the surprise defeat of the Chinese-supported Maldives President Abdulla Tameen by Ibrahim Solih in the Maldives presidential elections. It is expected that the wily Chinese will do their utmost to retain their influence in the strategically located Maldives. India will now have to marshal all its genius, build its capabilities and synergise its resources to counter China's machinations to strategically encircle India. It must not fall a prey to China's off-on-off guiles to lull it into complacency. Thus, India must endeavour towards far greater blue water capability to the Indian Navy, especially augmenting its submarine strength and a minimum of two additional aircraft carrier borne-task forces. Additionally, added military muscle to and cooperation among the QUAD nations is sine qua non. US and Japan themselves are seriously concerned with increasing Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. All-out efforts to regain its influence among India's neighbours must be earnestly strived for. An unambiguous message should be conveyed to all our neighbours that the economic muscle of China will ensure their colonisation and subservience by dragging them into gigantic debt traps as Sri Lanka and Pakistan have realised. vermaajay1968@gmail.com RELIGION transcends logic. Faith knows no whys and wherefores. All religions are steeped in rituals that should not be challenged as long as they are not discriminatory, cause bodily harm to an individual or violate his/her civil and religious rights. People turn to religion for solace and spiritual strength to take on the challenges of the real world. Knowing an all-pervading higher consciousness is keeping a watch makes the burden and business of living that much easier, somehow. A believer knows it. A non-believer may scoff at it. Both may be right, or both wrong. But both must learn to coexist the first step to social harmony. Entry to a place of worship has for long had the potential of being a contentious issue. Some are open to all, some not. The recent Supreme Court ruling opened the door of the 12th century Sabarimala temple to women of menstruating age (between 10 and 50). The verdict rightly vindicated a womans right to pray. It was a means to facilitate women devotees, with faith in Lord Ayyappa and rituals associated with offering Him prayers. Implementing the order, however, is another thing, and has led to confrontations between the traditionalists and their challengers. It stands to reason that the right to entry to all women should not be misused by non-believers, championing activists, or committed atheists to pitch the victory flag on the edifice of faith. Unfortunately, this is being done, resulting in ugly faceoffs. The sentiments of the believer, both man and woman, need to be honoured. That will happen only if devotees exercise this right in a manner that is appropriate and in congruence with traditions. Religion has two entwining elements the faith and the faithful. Any perceived mischief would hurt the sentiments of even those who are not directly involved. Acrimony among devotees would vitiate the atmosphere of prayerfulness. The temples sanctity should not be defied or disrupted since that could set off an offensive spin, which must be avoided. A religious place is not a venue for provocative stunts, political or otherwise; neither is it a battleground for a cause. All parties concerned need to tread carefully to preserve the spiritual harmony central to the temple. editorial@tribune.com Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service Dharamsala, October 21 Police Commemoration Day was celebrated in a unique manner at police training college at Daroh in Kangra district today. Recruits of Himachal police undergoing training in the college pooled in money to honour and provide financial support to the unsung heroes of Army and police from the district. An amount of Rs 1 lakh was distributed to widows of four martyrs of Army and police. The recruits also resolved to visit the families of Army and police martyrs in vicinity of their homes to instill a feeling of inclusiveness in them. Commandant at police training college Saumya Sambasivan, while talking The Tribune, said that the whole idea was to motivate young recruits so that they take care of at least one family whose children have made a sacrifice for the nation. They have been asked to visit the families of martyrs in and around their villages or towns every year when they go on leave or a festival and help them not just financially but emotionally. The recruits would make the families of martyrs comfortable. While it has been a tradition in the Army to help out the families of martyrs the families of police martyrs do not get that attention. With the recruits visiting their families I feel the families of police martyrs would also feel being part of a large police family, she said. Saumya further said at todays function held in police training college, Daroh, families of four martyrs were honoured and provided financial help. Those honoured were Bablesh Kumari, wife of Anil Rana, an Army martyr from Thakurdwara village in Kangra district. Anil Rana died in Leh in a landmine attack. His son is studying Mount Carmel School. The police recruits will bear the entire fee burden of the child for one year. The kin of other martyrs honoured were Pradeep Singh, son of Bramh Singh, a resident of Kundian tehsil in Kangra district. Bramh Singh, who was serving as Sub Inspector in Haryana police, died during labour unrest in Faridabad. Sangeeta, wife of Sanjay Kumar, was also honoured. Sanjay Kumar was posted as a constable in traffic wing of Himachal police at police station Baijnath in Kangra district. In 2012 he was mowed down under a car by criminals. Meena, wife of Mast Ram, a head constable in Himachal police was also honoured. Mast Ram, a resident of Jaisinghpur, was posted in police station Palampur in the year 1997. On January 24, 1997 he along with others tried to apprehend a gang of dacoits who were trying to flee after committing a dacoity in Thakurdwara. Mast Ram displayed exemplary courage and devotion to get hold of the offenders. To free themselves from his grip, one of the accused fired upon Mast Ram and he died of the injuries. Providing emotional connect Commandant at police training college Saumya Sambasivan said the whole idea was to motivate young recruits so that they take care of at least one family whose children have made a sacrifice for the nation. They have been asked to visit the families of martyrs in and around their villages or towns every year when they go on leave or a festival and help them not just financially, but emotionally. editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent UNA, October 21 District level representatives of government employees, opposing the new pension scheme, which was for the employees recruited into government jobs after 31 December 2003, today held a meeting at Una to finalise the plan to organize a one-day hunger strike in front of the Hamirpur residence of Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur. In a communique released after the meeting, state chief convenor Kuldip Chandel and district president Kamal Chaudhary of the New Pension Scheme Association said the mass hunger strike would be organized on October 28 in front of the residence of all the 543 elected Lok Sabha MPs on a call given by their national association. The old pension scheme was discontinued by the Union government for employees joining service on and after January 1, 2004 and consequently, the rule has also been applicable to the state government employees. According to the press release, the new pension scheme had several drawbacks. While there was no employee contribution under the old scheme, a 10 per cent deduction of the monthly basic pay and DA was required under the new scheme. The amount of pension in the new scheme was market driven since 40 per cent of the accrued provident fund during retirement is to be deposited in the share market. Besides, the employee leaders said the interest on provident fund was taxable in the new scheme and there was no provision of medical allowance for retired employees or family members. Moreover, they said under the old scheme, Pay Commission benefits were applicable, while this benefit had been withdrawn in the new scheme. They vowed to intensify their stir till the government did not implement the old pension scheme. At the meeting, it was resolved to constitute a separate cell for women employees in the association since women would also be participating in the hunger strike. Neena Thakur was unanimously elected as president, Rajni Joshi and Gargi Sharma as vice presidents, while Neeru Sharma as elected as general secretary of the district level women wing. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 21 At least six civilians were killed on Sunday in an explosion at an encounter site in south Kashmir's Kulgam shortly after a gunfight had left three militants dead. The gunfight erupted at Laroo Kulgam when security forces launched a cordon and search operation following specific information about the presence of militants in the area. As the suspected houses were being cordoned, hiding militants opened fire around 4.15 am, triggering a gunfight. At least three militants were killed in the gunfight," a police official said, adding the identity of the slain militants is being ascertained. Forces also recovered arms and ammunition from the encounter site. Authorities have also suspended mobile Internet services in Kulgam as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. Six civilians died in an explosion at the encounter site. Police said later in a statement: Civilians visited the encounter site immediately after operation in spite of (our) request not to visit as thorough search is to be made for explosives once flames douse. They didnt listened and thus visited the spot immediately after forces withdrew and some explosive substance went off resulting in injuries to civilians." Parties express deep anguish over civilian deaths Political parties, meanwhile, expressed deep anguish over the death of civilians in a blast at an encounter site in Kulgam district after a gunfight in which three militants were killed. National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah expressed shock and deep anguish over the death of civilians near the encounter site in Laroo area of Kulgam in south Kashmir. "It is heart rending to learn about such incidents which have become norm of the day. The situation calls for immediate de-escalation from all sides, Abdullah said. Expressing anguish over the "highly unfortunate" incident, NC vice-president said little good can their words do to those who lost their loved ones. He said civilian casualties in Kulgam "do not augment well for peace to return back to our state. A whole new generation is growing in conflict and what needs to be done is to start time-bound and result-oriented dialogue process". Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed profound "grief and shock over the death of six civilians and injuries to others. In a statement, the PDP president appealed Governor S P Malik to ensure that all standard operating procedures (SOPs) are strictly adhered to while dealing with the security situations and all the security agencies are advised to take precautions to avoid any collateral damage. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) vice-president Ghulam Nabi Monga also lamented the civilian deaths and blamed the Centre's "wrong policies towards Kashmir for the casualties". - With PTI inputs editorial@tribune.com Suhail A Shah Anantnag, October 21 Three militants and six civilians were killed in Laroo village of south Kashmirs Kulgam district on Sunday the former in a gunbattle and the latter in a blast at the unsanitised encounter site. Also, more than 20 persons were injured, a few sustaining bullet and many pellet injuries as the security forces tried to disperse the protesters. The dead civilians were identified as Irshad Ahmad Padder, Zubair Ahmad Lone, Talib Maqbool Laway, Uzair Ahmad Dar, Aqib Ahmad Sheikh and Mansoor Ahmad Dar, all residents of villages in Kulgam district. The militants who were gunned down, all members of Jaish-e-Muhammad, are Shahid-ul-Islam Tantray of Shopian, Yazil Makroo of Anantnag and Zubair Lone of Kulgam. Police sources said a cordon and search operation was launched in Laroo village on the outskirts of Kulgam at about 2 am. While searches were on, the militants at 3.30 am opened fire. The forces retaliated and a gunfight ensued that lasted till about 10 am. All three militants were neutralised. As the forces began to evacuate the area after the encounter, hundreds of residents marched to the site. A fire caused by explosives was still to be put off and the site yet to be sanitised, a source said. An eyewitness claimed people were standing on the rubble of the house razed during the encounter when a deafening explosion took place, injuring seven. They were rushed to the Kulgam district hospital where three of them were declared dead, a health official said. Two more succumbed at the SMHS Hospital in Srinagar and another at the SKIMS in Soura. The locals blamed the security forces for the tragedy. A police source said the forces had to leave in a hurry because of incessant stone-pelting and, therefore, could not sanitise the site. Inspector General of Police (IGP) SP Pani said the people had been warned to keep off, but paid no heed. Despite the authorities snapping mobile and Internet services, intense clashes erupted at the site and the forces fired pellets and bullets to disperse the protesters, leaving more than 20 injured. Adviser to the Governor K Vijay Kumar and DGP Dilbag Singh expressed regret over the loss of lives and sent condolences to the bereaved families. How events unfolded 2 am: Cordon and Search Operation launched by forces following inputs on militants presence 3:25 am: Militants open indiscriminate fire on the forces from a house they were hiding in 4 am: Amid the gunfight, mobile and Internet services terminated in Kulgam district as a precaution 7 am: Locals assemble at the encounter site in large numbers, throw stones at forces, fired upon 9 am: Several blasts at the site as the security personnel try to flush out the holed-up militants 10 am: Militants are killed and 30 minutes later, the forces leave the site with the bodies and arms 10:50 am: A blast pierces through the area, leaving seven injured, six of whom succumb later Shutdown today Separatists in Kashmir valley have called for a strike on Monday over the death of civilians in a blast in Kulgam district. The strike has been called by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL). editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jammu, October 21 Advocate Deepika Rajawat, who fought to seek justice in the Kathua rape-and-murder case, has won the Mother Teresa Memorial Award-2018 for social justice. The Harmony Foundation hosted the 14th annual Mother Teresa Memorial Awards-2018, at the Taj Lands End, Mumbai, on Sunday. At the award ceremony, people who rescued women and children from captivity along with the survivors of sexual abuse and slavery, who are now leading the fight against this social evil, were honoured. Deepika has been bestowed with the prestigious Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice as support and encouragement to her in the dispensation of justice for the Kathua victim. Deepika, who is working for the protection of the human rights in J&K since 2008, has been greatly admired for her selfless act of representing the family of the eight-year-old rape-and-murder victim in Kathua. Earlier, she has been conferred with the Women of the Year Award by the ladies wing of the Indian Merchants Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mumbai, in June 2018 for her contribution to women welfare initiatives. editorial@tribune.com Amir Karim Tantray Tribune News Service Jammu, October 21 Three soldiers were killed and one was critically injured in an encounter with militants near the Line of Control (LoC) in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district on Sunday. Two intruders were shot dead. The intruders fired on a patrol party. In the retaliatory fire, two heavily armed militants were killed. It was a kind of a Border Action Team (BAT) operation, a source told The Tribune. Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said the encounter took place at 1.45 pm and that the injured soldier, Rifleman Rakesh Kumar of Samba distict, had been airlifted to the Army Command Hospital in Udhampur. The Army found warlike stores, including two AK-47 rifles, he added. The deceased soldiers are Havildar Kaushal Kumar of Deeng village in Nowshera, Rajouri district; Lance Naik Ranjeet Singh of Gam village in Doda district and Rifleman Rajat Kumar Basant of Pallanwala in Jammu all of Jak li. Havildar Kaushal Kumar is survived by his wife Naresh Kumari, Lance Naik Ranjeet Singh by his wife Shimu Devi and Rifleman Rajat Kumar by his father Ratan Lal. Sources said the intruders may have infiltrated through the Ikhni Nullah near Battal village the route used by four heavily armed infiltrators in March this year. They were later eliminated. A report from Jaipur, meanwhile, said a suspected Pakistani intruder was gunned down by the BSF while trying to cross the International Border in Sriganganagar district. editorial@tribune.com Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 21 The Indian Air Force (IAF) has told the Ministry of Defence (MoD) that getting more of the existing version of Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets is not an option to bolster numbers to the dwindling jet fleet. The Sukhoi-30MKI, in its present version, is not an option for the future next 20 years or so as its avionics, protection suite, engine and radar is now a generation previous to what is currently available, the IAF has informed the MoD, sources told The Tribune. The Russian origin twin-engined, Sukhoi-30MKI a frontline jet of the IAF is produced by public sector undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Limited under licence from Russia. At present, the IAF has 247 Sukhoi jets in its fleet and another 25 are expected to be added over the next 24 months, taking the total to 272. The IAF is operating with just 31 squadrons (16-18 planes in each) as against the requirement of 42. Among these, some 130 odd planes are MiG 21s and MiG 27s, which should have been phased out a decade earlier, but are still flying due to their non-replacement with the LCA Tejas. Even as upgrade of the existing fleet would be expensive at $10 billion (around Rs 75,000 crore) and could take almost a decade, the sources said the plane is good for now but cannot be for the future is its existing version. The Russians have offered to upgrade it to a super Sukhoi, which if implemented, will give the aircraft almost fifth generation (latest) capabilities. It talks about its effectiveness in multi-role, AESA radar, more powerful electronic warfare suite like jamming systems, along with high performance engines, the AL-41F turbofan (same as the latest Sukhoi 35). The Sukhoi-30MKI, which in the past two decades has seen some changes, has a mix of electronic systems from a number of countries. The radar and long-range sensor is Russian. The navigation and heads-up display systems are from Thales of France. The electronic warfare systems and targeting pods are Israeli and the computers and ancillary avionics systems are Indian. The upgrade will be difficult to implement and the US can impose sanctions under the CAATSA (Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) for dealing with Russians. Also, the existing upgrades of the Mirage 2000 jets and the Jaguar are running years behind schedule. The Sukhoi-30MKI belongs to heavier class of aircraft which is optimised for air superiority roles to dominate the skies but lacks the multi-role requirements which IAF wants and has floated a tender to get 114 such jets. editorial@tribune.com KV Prasad The country will soon embark upon another cycle of elections when voters of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana exercise their franchise, with the results out on December 11. Of these five states, the results of three Hind-speaking states of Chhattisgarh, MP and Rajasthan will be followed with keen interest for here the battle for the ballot is essentially a direct one between two principal contenders the ruling BJP and its prime challenger Indian National Congress. To begin with, elections in these Assemblies are said to be a trial run for parties opposed to the BJP to weave a workable arrangement, euphemistically dubbed as the grand alliance or Mahagathbandhan. The chimera of Opposition unity was raised in the run-up to these Assembly polls when bitter rivals the BSP and SP clasped hands, raising hopes of replication elsewhere, especially in the Hindi-speaking states. The Left parties too waited to get a foot in the door. That did not happen, and the grandiose thought of a united Opposition taking on the BJP collapsed like a house of cards with a puff from the BSPs unilateral announcement of a tie-up with the Chhattisgarh Janata Congress (J) of former CM Ajit Jogi, who drifted away from the Congress. Any illusion of a workable arrangement in neighbouring MP was swiftly punctured with BSP supremo Mayawati accusing veteran Congress leaders of sabotaging a pact. The Samajwadi Party, that has been testing waters elsewhere too, made noises of being ignored while in Chhattisgarh the CPI defended its decision to go with Jogi, saying it went the way after the Congress failed to accommodate its request for just two seats one of which is held by the widow of a slain Congress leader. While it is easy to blame the Congress as over-ambitious and testing the limits of its capacity, statistics tell a different story the BSP, for all its claims, remained on the margins. The BSP contested all 90 seats in Chhattisgarh in the last Assembly elections but won one seat, forfeiting deposit on 84. Its total vote share stood at 4.29 per cent as against Congress 40.48 per cent. The Congress with 39 seats stood second behind the BJP with 49 seats. In the last Lok Sabha polls, the BSP secured 2.44 per cent votes, garnering 2.93 lakh votes to Congresss 19.55 per cent (47.02 lakh votes). In the 2013 Assembly elections In Madhya Pradesh, with 35 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes from among 230, the BSP won four of the 227 seats, losing deposit in 194 for an average of 6.42 per cent. The Congress contested 229 seats, won 58 with an average vote share of 36.79 per cent to BJPs 45.19 per cent (165 seats). In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BSP polled 3.85 per cent for 11.24 lakh votes as against Congress 35.35 per cent for its 1.03 crore votes. Rajasthan was no different. With 34 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes, the BSP failed to save deposit in 182 of the 195 seats it contested with a vote share of 3.48 per cent to Congress 33.31 per cent. The BJP romped home with 163 seats with a vote share of 45.50 per cent. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BSP had a 2.37 per cent vote share. The outcome of Telangana, the newly carved state that came into being before the 2014 General Election, may be considered separately from the rest. Mizoram, like many other states in the Northeast, tends to go with the party that holds power at the Centre. For a country where state Assembly elections are a regular and yearly occurrence, political pundits enjoy affixing label to each as a referendum on the policies of the government of the day (mostly at the Centre) and in this context the current set of Assembly polls are riveting as these come just months short of the Lok Sabha polls. Of course, a favourable result for the Congress will be a trophy for Rahul Gandhi in his quest to be an acceptable leader on the national stage and provide sinew to negotiate from a position of strength. A reversal would mean advantage BJP as the country prepares for the 2018 Lok Sabha polls. Should then the outcome be treated as an indicator of which way the wind is blowing? Well, 2003 offers a different picture. The Congress lost all three Chhattisgarh, MP and Rajasthan and the BJP-led NDA lost the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, a performance repeated in 2008 sans Rajasthan that the BJP lost. And in 2013, the tide had turned for the BJP in these states and the Centre too, barring Delhi where the Aam Aadmi Party sprang a surprise. gspannu7@gmail.com New Delhi, October 21 Accusing the BJP-led Centre of making a conspiratorial attempt to appropriate the legacy of Subhas Chandra Bose, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi Sunday said the saffron party was desperate to rewrite history. He added that the Congress rejected the vitriolic and diabolical design of the Narendra Modi government to defame national icons with the contempt it deserved. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Sardar Patel were completely against the philosophy of sectarianism and bigotry that is espoused by Prime Minister Modis ideological patriarchthe RSS and Hindu Mahasabha, Singhvi told a press conference, adding that while Bose had exhorted Indians to fight against the British, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) icon Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had exhorted the countrymen to join the British Indian Army. In a veiled attack on the Nehru-Gandhi clan, Modi Sunday alleged that the contribution of several great leaders such as Sardar Patel, B R Ambedkar and Bose to the countrys freedom struggle was deliberately forgotten to glorify one family. He also said it was high time more Indians got to know about the historic role these stalwarts had played in the freedom movement. Donning the famous Azad Hind Fauj cap, the prime minister hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort and unveiled a plaque to mark the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the Azad Hind government by Bose. Singhvi said the Congress had always endeavoured to protect, preserve and propagate the ideals of Bose, the brave patriot and secularist. Those who do not have their own ideas and idol and had zero contribution in the national movement of freedom struggle are trying to appropriate the legacy of our freedom fighters, in an attempt to be perceived as nationalists. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi desperately tried to do the same. A desperate BJP is trying to rewrite history and create an imagined rivalry between Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru and between Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Nehru. It has used auspicious occasions for these cheap political tricks, he said. Singhvi said Patel, in a letter to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, had stated that the activities of the Hindu Mahasabha were a clear threat to the existence of the government and the activities had not died down, despite the ban. He also pointed out that Nehru was one of the lawyers for Bose during his Indian National Army (INA) trials. Was there any person from the RSS to support Netaji?, Singhvi asked, adding, The prime minister and the BJP are desperately trying to appropriate every national legacy. He alleged that while the RSS and BJP were praising Bose for his military endeavours to liberate India, their ideological ancestors had done totally the opposite. When Netaji was revamping the Azad Hind Fauj (or INA) in Japan and Gandhiji had given the Quit India call, the RSS was hand-in-glove with the British. We reject this vitriolic and diabolical design of the Modi government to defame national icons with the contempt it deserves, Singhvi said. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala echoed his colleagues sentiments. As you seek to usurp history, let the Nation remember that as Netaji Bose lit the fire of freedom from British by military aggression, BJPs icons like Veer Savarkar acted as British stooges! A sectarian BJP plays the same game of division today! (sic), he tweeted. Singhvi also said to get political mileage, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was portraying Bose as Mahatma Gandhis victim and Jawaharlal Nehrus rival, but in reality, Bose always had the highest regard for both of them. He pointed out that Bose had, in fact, named two INA regiments after Gandhi and Nehru. It was Bose who first gave Gandhi the epithet of Rashtrapita or the father of the nation in a radio address from Singapore in 1944, the Congress leader said, adding that the same year, Hindu Mahasabha member Nathu Ram Godse had made his first attempt to kill Gandhi. Quoting from public documents, correspondences and books, Singhvi claimed that the Congress was never at odds with Bose. He said the Congress had always welcomed the earlier decisions of the Modi government and the West Bengal Government to declassify the files pertaining to Bose. But the BJP has just played politics with it. In the last 53 months, the Modi government has only indulged in news plants and nothing adverse has come against the Congress party as perpetrated by them. We still want all the Netaji files be declassified, he said. PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 21 Commemorating 75th anniversary of the proclamation of Azad Hind government by Subhas Chandra Bose, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday claimed India never eyed anyones territory, but was always prepared to hit back with double force if its sovereignty was challenged. Unveiling the refurbished National Police Memorial and Museum at a separate function here to commemorate the National Police Day, Modi said the government was working towards providing better technology and latest weapons to the armed forces. Enhanced facilities were being provided too to make the lives of soldiers better, he said. We are heading towards building an army which was once envisioned by Netaji (Bose), he said. Hoisting the national flag at Red Fort to mark the event, the PM said his government took decisions such as carrying out surgical strikes across the Line of Control and providing benefits of One rank, one pension to ex-servicemen. Donning the Indian National Army cap presented to him by one of Boses close aides, Modi said it had been the countrys tradition not to eye someone elses territory, but when our sovereignty is challenged, we will hit back with double the force. Referring to the opposition faced by Bose when he decided to establish the Rani Jhansi Regiment, an all-women unit of the INA, Modi said the regiment would complete 75 years of its establishment on Monday. He said the government was trying to fulfil Boses dreams even as he recalled the decision to allow women in the Army to opt for permanent commission after Short Service Commission following a transparent procedure. He said the Air Force too would soon have its first batch of women fighter pilots. The work on the National War Memorial was in its last stages, he said. At the National Police Memorial, the PM saluted the courage and sacrifice of police personnel who laid down their lives for the nation. He recalled sacrifices of the brave police personnel who fought valiantly at Hot Springs, Ladakh, and paid respects to their family and loved ones. The PM honoured three surviving members of Hot Springs incident and also inaugurated a museum at the memorial. He said the central sculpture of the memorial represented capability, courage and service orientation of the police forces. Every object associated with the National Police Memorial would inspire the citizens and educate them about the bravery of police and paramilitary personnel, he added. amansharma@tribunemail.com New Delhi, October 21 In an unprecedented move, the CBI has booked its second in command, Rakesh Asthana, on the allegations of receiving bribe from an accused probed by him in a case linked to meat exporter Moin Qureshi-a charge levelled by the officer on CBI Director Alok Verma in his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary two months ago. The CBI registered the case-FIR RC 13(A) of 2018 -- against its Special Director Asthana on October 15 on the basis of a complaint from Satish Sana, facing probe in the 2017 case allegedly involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, alleging the officer had allegedly helped him to get a clean chit. The CBI has also arrested Manoj Prasad, believed to be a middleman, when he returned from Dubai on October 16. The agency has, however, maintained a silence on the issue. It is alleged by Sana that Prasad and his brother Somesh had taken money to arrange clean chit to him. Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Asthana, who is heading the Special Investigating Team handling crucial cases such as AgustaWestland chopper scam and loan fraud by business tycoon Vijay Mallya. The team is also probing the Moin Qureshi case. Asthana in an exhaustive letter to the Cabinet Secretary on August 24 had given a list of 10 instances of alleged corruption by Verma in which it was alleged that Sana paid the CBI chief Rs 2 crore to get clean chit in the case, government sources said. This complaint was referred to the Central Vigilance Commission which is probing the matter, they said. Asthana has again written to the Central Vigilance Commissioner on October 19 -- four days after the FIR was registered-informing him that he wanted to arrest and interrogate Sana for which a proposal was sent to the Director on September 20, 2018, they said. In the letter, he has also referred to his communication to Cabinet Secretary on August 24 in which details of alleged irregularities against the Director were given. He said the Director allegedly held the file for nearly four days and marked to the Director of Prosecution (DoP) on September 24, 2018 who demanded all evidence available on record, the sources said. It was the team under Asthana which had opened a lookout circular against Sana who attempted to flee the country but could not because of the preemptive action, they said. Asthana has said the file was again placed before the Director on October 3 with answers to the queries raised by the DoP but it has not been returned till date, the sources said. Sana was questioned by the SIT on October 1, 2018 where he stated that he had met a politician, who after meeting Verma, had assured him that his name would be cleared from the case, they said citing submissions of Asthana. - PTI editorial@tribune.com New Delhi, October 21 The CBI has booked its second in command and Special Director, Rakesh Asthana, over allegations of receiving bribe from an accused probed by him in a case linked to meat exporter Moin Qureshi a charge levelled by the officer against CBI Director Alok Verma in his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary two months ago. The case was registered after allegations and counter-allegations by both senior officers and a probe by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). The CBI registered the case against Asthana on October 15 on the basis of a complaint from Satish Sana, a Hyderabad-based businessman, facing probe in the 2017 case. It was alleged that the officer had allegedly helped him get a clean chit. Sana was also arrested in a money laundering case. The CBI also arrested Manoj Prasad, believed to be a middleman, upon his return from Dubai on October 16. Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Asthana is heading the Special Investigating Team handling crucial cases such as the AgustaWestland chopper scam and loan fraud by business tycoon Vijay Mallya. The team is also probing the Moin Qureshi case. Asthana, in an exhaustive letter to the Cabinet Secretary on August 24, had given a list of 10 instances of alleged corruption by Verma in which it was alleged that Sana paid the CBI chief Rs 2 crore to get a clean chit in the case, sources said. This complaint was referred to the CVC. TNS editorial@tribune.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 21 Politics today marred the commemoration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the platinum jubilee of Azad Hind Governments proclamation by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Singapore on October 21, 1943. Moments after the PM, leading the commemoration event at Red Fort, accused the Gandhis of ignoring Bose, Sardar Patel and BR Ambedkar to glorify one family, the Congress hit back alleging that the PM was trying to appropriate legacies because his party had none of its own. The slugfest developed into my Bose versus your Bose after the PM said: In the attempt to glorify one family, other sons of Mother India like Netaji Bose, Sardar Patel and Babasaheb Ambedkar were ignored. But our government is changing that. The PMs reference was to unveiling of a plaque to mark 75 years of the declaration of interim government by Netaji and the fact that the plaque would be housed at barrack three at Red Fort, where a museum would also come up. The historic Indian National Army trials happened at the Red Fort. The Congress fielded spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi to challenge BJPs proclaimed ideological closeness to Netaji. Singhvi cited documents to show that both Netaji and Sardar Patel were opposed to the sectarian politics of RSS and Hindu Mahasabha, BJPs ideological mentors. Netajis May 4, 1940, editorial entitled Congress and communal organisations Singhvi cited says, There was a time, not long ago, when leaders of the Congress could be members of the communal organisations like Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League. But in recent times, circumstances have changed. These communal organisations have become more communal than before. As a reaction to this, Indian National Congress has put into its constitution a clause to the effect that no member of a communal organisation like the Hindu Mahasabha or the Muslim League can be a member of an elective committee of Congress. The Congress also listed the initiatives it took to preserve Netajis memory and attacked the PM for scrapping the Planning Commission whose seed came from Netajis National Planning Committee of 1938. Besides, Jawaharlal Nehru was a defence lawyer in INA trials, Singhvi said, accusing the BJP of playing politics on a historic day and of trying to rewrite history to appropriate legacies. Among Netaji institutions, the Congress said it helped build Netaji Research Bureau in Kolkata (1957); Netaji Museum (1998); INA Martyrs Memorial complex at Moirang Manipur (1985); Netaji Museum Kurseong, Darjeeling (2005) and Netaji Museum, Cuttack (2007). As the PM, while inaugurating the National Police Memorial today, attacked previous governments for letting the memorial file gather dust, the Congress also reiterated that Sardar Patel had questioned the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha for Mahatma Gandhis assassination. They cited a letter by Patel which says, As regards the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha our reports confirm that, as a result of the activities of these two bodies, particularly the former, an atmosphere was created in the country in which such a ghastly tragedy became possible. There is no doubt in my mind that the extreme section of the Hindu Mahasabha was involved in the conspiracy. Importantly, it was TMC Lok Sabha member Sugata Bose who first demanded the commemoration of the 75th year of proclamation of Azad Hind Government by Netaji. Sugata had chosen to raise the matter in the Lok Sabha on August 9, the day that marked the 75th year of the assumption of INA leadership by Netaji. 1943: NETAJI'S BIG YEAR July 2, 1943: Netaji arrives in Singapore after escaping from India earlier that year July 4: Netaji accepts the leadership of the Indian liberation movement July 5: Netaji takes salute as the supreme commander of INA and gives the call Dilli chalo; proceeds to mobilise Indians in Southeast Asia Oct 21: Netaji announces the formation of the Azad Hind government pardeepdhull@gmail.com New Delhi, October 21 India would be the global host for a meet of stakeholders from nearly 100 countries on issues related to maternal and child health, the UNICEF has said. The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health forum will emphasise the importance of people-centred accountability bringing forward the voices and lived realities of women, children and adolescents through innovative programming and creative projects. The forum will be hosted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) this December. The UNICEF said on saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Chile President Michelle Bachelet and chair of PMNCH will deliver the keynote addresses. Gagan Gupta, the Chief of Health at the UNICEF, told PTI that India has made significant progress in improving maternal health and reducing child mortality. India has performed better than rest of world in this field and the number of under-five children dying has fallen by 30 per cent since 2012, from 1.4 million to 9,89,000, he said. According to a new report by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, under-five mortality rate in India was recorded below one million in 2017 for the first time in five years. Gupta said the forum to be held on December 12 and 13 at Vigyan Bhawan will see participation from heads of state, ministers, popular champions, and 1,200 partners from nearly 100 countries. India will get an opportunity to present its success story in improving its maternal and child health at a world stage, he said. Moreover, the forum would also bring various stakeholders on a common stage to share their ideas, he said. This is the second time India is hosting the forumthe first was hosted in 2010. Previous chapters of the forum have been held in Johannesburg in South Africa in 2014 and Dar es Salam in Tanzania in 2007. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Our Correspondent Jaipur, October 21 A Pakistani intruder, who was hiding himself in a blanket, was shot dead when he tried to trespass into the Indian border along Sriganaganars Kailash post on Sunday. He was challenged by the BSF jawans posted there. The forty-year-old man entered through 369/2S pillar on the Kailash post around 3 am when the BSF jawans confronted him and told him to go back but he did not respond. Since he was covered with a blanket, BSF considered him to be an intruder who might be carrying arms. Hence BSF opened fire in which he died. BSF also recovered some documents written in Urdu language. The body was kept in a government hospital of Anupgarh. Senior BSF officials approached the Anupgarh police station in the evening to lodge an FIR, its SHO Naresh Nirwan told The Tribune. During flag meeting, BSF jawans apprised the Pakistan Rangers about the incident. They assured to communicate this message to their higher authorities in Pakistan. The BSF also reported the matter to Home Ministry and Foreign Ministry. The intruders identity is yet not disclosed. editorial@tribune.com Mukesh Ranjan Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 21 The governments recent move to reconstitute the Strategic Policy Group (SPG), the first layer of the three-tier National Security Council (NSC), is a step towards expanding the idea of security from its classical notion by incorporating into it the economic facets by roping in NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar in the panel, experts feel. Meanwhile, at the same time the government has also moved towards using economics as a tool for furthering diplomatic agenda, as it is working on a policy framework to screen threats emerging from big-ticket investments in strategic sectors by a host of countries, including China. A senior functionary in the security architecture of the country contended that the government has moved in the right direction by putting SPG directly under National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and brining in the NITI Aayog Vice Chairman, as the two steps will ensure seamlessness in decision-making and economy as a tool for ensuring security. Experts, including a few within the government, have argued for this wider definition of security by arguing that both weapon and economy make for a comprehensive national power. The moves are aimed at ensuring the long-overdue reform that will hopefully put everyone, including senior bureaucrats, on the same page when it comes to deciding on measures required to ensure the countrys core interests, said an official. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), it is learnt, is currently examining a proposal from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to filter all sensitive investment proposals from foreign entities into three broad categories under entities of concern, countries of concern and sectors of concern to check any unwanted investments into strategically important sectors like telecommunication, power and infrastructure. Sources in the MHA said the IB in its proposal has highlighted with concern the visit of Chinese business delegates to Betul Island in Goa near INS Khadamba to explore business opportunities. The other area of concern is the award of contracts to non-Chinese firms, which in turn employ Chinese firms/persons, as was the case in the Dhamra Port Company in Odisha, which is strategically located near APJ Kalam Island (Wheeler Island), the IB said in the note. gspannu7@gmail.com Lucknow, October 21 Antarrashtria Hindu Parishad president Pravin Togadia on Sunday said he would launch an abki baar, Hinduyon ki sarkaar (Hindus government this time) campaign from Ayodhya on October 23. Our demand (from the BJP government in the Centre) is to fulfil promises. Build a Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya after bringing an ordinance or enacting a law in Parliament. Make education cheaper, reduce the petrol price and make farmers karj-mukt (debt free), Togadia told reporters here, enlisting his demands. We want a Ram mandir and also a Ram Rajya-like prosperity in our homes, he added. He said he would also spell out the details of his abki baar, Hinduyon ki sarkaar campaign in Ayodhya on October 23. In Ayodhya, there will be two programmes. These programmes will be focussed on Ram mandir nahin, to Hinduyon kaa vote nahin (no Hinuds votes without a Ram temple). On October 23, the plans pertaining to Hindus government this time will also be worked out, he said. Asked why he has adopted an aggressive posture now on building Lord Ram temple, Togadia said, Earlier we were hopeful that they (the Modi government) will fulfil their promises. We constantly reminded them for four years. But they remembered neither Ram, nor farmers nor youth during the last four years. He also recalled that in June, the AHP had given a call for Ayodhya kooch (march to Ayodhya). We had hoped something will happen in ensuing four months, but nothing happened, Togadia said. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Bomdila, October 21 More than 56 years after India's war with China, villagers of Arunachal Pradesh have received nearly Rs 38 crore as compensation for the land acquired by the Army to set up its bases, bunkers and barracks. At a special function held here, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu distributed the cheques to the villagers of West Kameng district on Friday. "A total of Rs 37.73 crore has been given to the villagers. Those were community land. So the huge amount they received will be distributed amongst the villagers," Rijiju told PTI. Among those who received the cheques include Prem Dorjee Khrimey, who received Rs 6.31 crore, while Phuntso Khawa got Rs 6.21 crore and Khandu Glow received Rs 5.98 crore. After the 1962 India-China war, the Army had acquired huge tracks of land to set up its bases, bunkers, barracks, construct roads, build bridges and other installations. However, no compensation was given to the land owners till last year. Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, had persuaded with the Defence Ministry and got the compensation amounts sanctioned. "Lands acquired by the Army were done in national interest, but no government has bothered to pay the compensation to the villagers of Arunachal Pradesh since the 1960s. I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for clearing it finally. Total cheques of Rs 37.73 crore were handed over," he said. In April 2017, Rs 54 crore was distributed among 152 families of three villages of West Kameng district. In September that year, another instalment of Rs 158 crore was distributed among the villagers for the private land taken over by the Army. In February 2018, Rs 40.80 crore was handed over to 31 families in Tawang district. The pending cases of land acquisition related to the districts of Tawang, West Kameng, Upper Subansiri, Dibang Valley and West Siang in Arunachal Pradesh. - PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Chandigarh, October 21 Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday embarked on a five-day visit to Israel. Singh had postponed the visit in the wake of the Amritsar train accident in which 59 people were killed and 57 injured on Friday. Earlier, he was to leave for Israel on the evening of October 19. The Punjab chief minister, who is leading a high-level delegation, will meet several Israeli ministers and top-ranking officials during the visit, officials said here. The state government would sign two pacts in the fields of agriculture and water conservation with Israel. Punjab is also interested in tapping into Israel's state-of-the-art technology and expertise in intelligence and homeland security to boost its security apparatus, the officials said. -PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 21 Protests for action against the driver involved in Fridays Amritsar accident grew violent, as local residents clashed with police and pelted stones near railway tracks on Sunday. Protesters pelted stones at police trying to get them to clear the railway track at Jora Phatak, prompting police to react similarly. A Punjab police commando and a photo journalist were wounded in the violence. Forty of the 59 killed have been identified so far. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has asked Amritsar deputy commissioner and police commissioner to draw up detailed socio-economic profiles of the victims. Senior Divisional Security Commissioner (Railways), Firozpur Division, S Sudharkar said: Train services have resumed on the affected rail track (Joda Phatak). A goods train was allowed to run on this track. Railways hold a meeting in the evening to decide when services could begin again. Protesters were demanding action against the driver and demanding resignation of Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, Police finally managed to clear railway tracks for trial run. A train ploughed through a crowd of Dashera revellers on Friday, claiming at least 59 lives. Police and the Rapid Action Force deployed their forces around the track in large numbers. With agencies Video credit: Vishal Kumar #WATCH Amritsar: Protesters being chased away by police at Joda Phatak after they pelted stones on them when they (police) asked them to clear the railway tracks where they were sitting in protest against #AmritsarTrainAccident. #Punjab pic.twitter.com/tAPkOB5fc2 ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2018 HIGHLIGHTS 3:42 pm: Railway officials to take a call on resuming of passenger trains at a meeting in the evening. 2:27 pm: Goods train crosses Jora Phatak without interruption. Divisional Security Commissioner RPF S Sudakar says trial run successful. Normal rail traffic will resume soon. 2:10 pm: An empty goods train will travel from Manawala railway station to 10 km ahead of Amritsar Railway Station in 20 minutes on a trial run. The train will pass the spot of accident. 1:35 pm: Police prepare to resume train service on the route after it was suspended after Fridays tragic accident. Railway prepares for a trial run with an empty train first. The railway crossing is currently closed. Heavy security deployment in the area. 1:02 pm: Police imposed Section 144 of CrPC after some Shiv Sena activists from Patiala reach railway tracls. 12:52 pm: Administration says its planning to resume rail traffic. Heavy police and paramilitary deployment along track from railway station to New Amritsar. 12:52 pm: Top officials claim that a Punjabi news channel owned by Badal family is instigating crowd. editorial@tribune.com Divya Sharma Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 21 Anita drops onto her knees every now and then outside the intensive care unit at the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital (GNDH). After losing her daughter Nandini to the Friday tragedy, she mumbles continuously, praying for the well-being of her son Vansh, who is critical. Both her kids had gone to enjoy Dasehra celebrations with their father Deepak, a daily wager who has suffered a head injury. Accompanied by her family members, Anita is in a state of shock. "They were excited while leaving for the fair. I didn't know that it was my last meeting with Nandini, she says. My daughter is no more. I want Vansh to be fine. I was at home at the time of the incident. The uproar near my residence made me aware of the tragedy, adds a frail-looking Anita. Rishab, uncle of Vansh and Nandini, recalls the frantic search he undertook for them. I saw them standing on the track. I was on the other track and got aside the moment I saw the train all of a sudden. They were on the other track. I found Nandini dead. Vansh was critically injured," he recalls. Prof Rakesh Sharma, department of surgery, GMC, said, Vansh was in a terrible state when he was brought here due to a major loss of blood. We had to remove his spleen. It took us hours to operate on him. Now, the child is out of danger." Vansh will have to take care of his immunity and might be prone to certain diseases, adds Sharma. Vanshs grandparents had migrated from Uttar Pradesh around 30 years ago here in search of a better life. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 21 Director General of Police Suresh Arora said on Sunday that Additional Director General of Police (Railways) Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota would conduct an inquiry for fixing the criminal responsibility for the Amritsar railway mishap. The DGP was here at a function to mark the 59th Police Commemoration Day. He said: There has been negligence on the part of someone and that liability has to be fixed, for which this probe has been ordered. He said Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had already ordered a magisterial probe by the Divisional Commissioner, Jalandhar, B Purushartha, who would submit his report within four weeks. He said Sahota would personally conduct the inquiry to ensure that the persons responsible for the mishap could be nailed. On a question regarding seeking details and profiling of Kashmiri students, Arora said there was no point in questioning the national integrity of any student, especially from Kashmir, by the police. It is our moral duty to ensure access to quality education to every student from any part of the country, he said. He said he had already passed on directions to district police chiefs to have detailed interactions with the students studying in educational institutes and assure them that the police was there to assist them in case of any difficulty. He said there was no question of alienating students from any part of the country. He said the Additional Director General of Police (Community Policing) Ishwar Singh and Inspector General of Police V Neerja had been appointed as nodal officers to redress the grievances, if any, of the students. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 21 Coming out in defence of his wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday blamed the Centre for washing its hands of the tragic incident. Dr Sidhu was held responsible for being part of the event that didnt have the mandatory permission and whose organisers overlooked the vulnerability of the venue being close to the railway tracks. He visited hospitals to enquire about the injured and assured them all possible assistance. The unfortunate incident should not be given a political colour, he said. The minister claimed: The permission was sought for the venue. It is located within the boundary wall. Beyond that the land belongs to the Railways. The violation of the safety aspect comes under the jurisdiction of the central agency (GRP), which overlooked it. It was negligence and lack of communication on part of the train driver and the guard, both staffers of the Centre. Why was the Railways concealing their identity? Both will be subjected to inquiry. Sidhu claimed that when the train was approaching, the guard posted at the level crossing could have easily alarmed the driver, who sits in a glass cabin with a high-power LED headlights having clear visibility till 3 kms. Showing video clippings, Sidhu said announcements were made at the Dhobi Ghat Dussehra ground, cautioning people standing on the tracks. My wife, who had to attend six programmes that day, didnt spend more than 10 minutes at one venue, he said. He reiterated that few minutes after she left the venue, she learnt about the tragedy and cancelled all her programmes and reached the hospital. vermaajay1968@gmail.com Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 21 Irked over the administrations move to clear the rail track where 58 Dasehra spectators were mowed down by a train on Friday, angry protesters on Sunday threw stones at the police. A policeman, Simranjeet Singh, who sustained a serious injury in the left eye, was rushed to the Civil Hospital. EDIT: Massacre on railway system Sources said a police contingent led by senior officers asked the demonstrators, squatting on the track since Saturday morning, to disperse. Refusing to budge, a group of more than 50 men and women, raising slogans against the state government and demanding the resignation of Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, started throwing stones. The police resorted to a mild lathicharge and chased the stone-pelters away. Ten persons, allegedly leading the mob, were rounded up and Section 144 of CrPC imposed. A case was registered against 50 unidentified persons. Later, Shiv Sena activists from Patiala and local leaders arrived at the site but were turned away by the police. Senior officials blamed a Punjabi news channel for inciting the residents. Not family members of train mishap victims but mischievous elements comprised the mob which was apparently instigated by vested interests, said Amrik Singh Powar, DCP. Rajesh Sharma, SDM, said 15 persons had visited him with grievances. We tried to address the issues there and then. Some sought jobs and compensation. We asked them to submit an application. There is no reason to agitate. We cant suspend rail traffic for long, he said. Meanwhile, passenger train traffic between Amritsar and Manawala on the Amritsar-Delhi section and Amritsar and Verka on the Amritsar-Jammu section resumed in the evening after security clearance from the railway authorities. pardeepdhull@gmail.com WASHINGTON: Scientists claim to have developed the first accurate method to identify which machine a 3D-printed object came from, paving the way for law enforcement agencies to track the origin of printed guns, counterfeit products and other goods. According to researchers from University at Buffalo in the US, 3D-printers leave unique fingerprints on its products, which can be identified by their PrinTracker. 3D printing has many wonderful uses, but its also a counterfeiters dream. Even more concerning, it has the potential to make firearms more readily available to people who are not allowed to possess them, said Wenyao Xu, an associate professor at University at Buffalo. Like a common inkjet printer, 3D printers move back-and-forth while printing an object. Instead of ink, a nozzle discharges a filament, such as plastic, in layers until a three-dimensional object forms. Each layer of a 3D-printed object contains tiny wrinklesusually measured in submillimetrescalled in-fill patterns. These patterns are supposed to be uniform. However, the printers model type, filament, nozzle size and other factors cause slight imperfections in the patterns. The result is an object that does not match its design plan. For example, the printer is ordered to create an object with half-millimetre in-fill patterns. But the actual object has patterns that vary 5 to 10 per cent from the design plan. Like a fingerprint to a person, these patterns are unique and repeatable. As a result, they can be traced back to the 3D printer. 3D printers are built to be the same. But there are slight variations in their hardware created during the manufacturing process that lead to unique, inevitable and unchangeable patterns in every object they print, Xu said. To test PrinTracker, researchers created five door keys each from 14 common 3D printers. With a common scanner, the researchers created digital images of each key. From there, they enhanced and filtered each image, identifying elements of the in-fill pattern. They then developed an algorithm to align and calculate the variations of each key to verify the authenticity of the fingerprint. Having created a fingerprint database of the 14 3D printers, the researchers were able to match the key to its printer 99.8 per cent of the time. They ran a separate series of tests 10 months later to determine if additional use of the printers would affect PrinTrackers ability to match objects to their machine of origin. The results were the same. The team also ran experiments involving keys damaged in various ways to obscure their identity. PrinTracker was 92 per cent accurate in these tests. Xu likens the technology to the ability to identify the source of paper documents, a practice used by law enforcement agencies, printer companies and other organizations for decades. While the experiments did not involve counterfeit goods or firearms, Xu said PrinTracker can be used to trace any 3D-printed object to its printer. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Yilan, October 21 At least 22 persons have died after an express train derailed and flipped over on a popular coastal tourist route in Taiwan on Sunday, the island's worst rail accident for more than 20 years. Taiwan's railways administration confirmed 22 persons had been killed and said 171 had been injured, 10 seriously, in the accident in northeastern Yilan county. Authorities have not confirmed if any passengers remain trapped alive inside the train. An AFP reporter at the scene said that more bodies were being brought out of the wrecked carriages. Images from the site showed the Puyuma Express train completely derailed and lying zig-zagged across the track. All of the trains eight carriages had derailed and five had flipped onto their side near Xinma station, the railways administration said. There are four carriages that were overturned at 90 degrees and the worst casualties were in those carriages, Jason Lu, head of the Taiwan Railways Administration told reporters. The exact cause of the accident is pending investigation, he added. One passenger told Apple Daily Taiwan that the train had put on its "emergency brake" twice on the journey and that the electricity supply had been patchy. AFP pardeepdhull@gmail.com Washington, October 21 US President Donald Trump has announced that America was pulling out of the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia, a decades-old agreement signed in 1987. Russia has violated the agreement. Theyve been violating it for many years, Trump told reporters on Saturday before boarding Air Force One to leave Nevada following a campaign rally. And I dont know why President (Barack) Obama didnt negotiate or pull out. And were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and were not allowed to. Were the ones that have stayed in the agreement and weve honoured the agreement. But Russia has not, unfortunately, honoured the agreement. So were going to terminate the agreement. Were gonna pull out, he said of the agreement, which was signed in December 1987 by former President Ronald Reagan and former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachecv. The treaty forced both countries to eliminate ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between approximately 300 and 3,400 miles. It offered a blanket of protection to the US European allies and marked a watershed agreement between two nations at the centre of the arms race during the Cold War. The Trump administration has said repeatedly that Russia has violated the treaty and has pointed to their predecessors in the Obama administration who accused Moscow of violating the terms of the agreement. In 2014, CNN reported that the US had accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty, citing cruise missile tests that dated to 2008. The US at the time informed its NATO allies of Russias suspected breach. Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the military alliance remained concerned about Russias lack of respect for its international commitments, including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the INF Treaty. Moscows failure to adhere to the agreement was also addressed in the most recent Nuclear Posture Review published by the US Defence Department in February, which said Russia continues to violate a series of arms control treaties and commitments. However, pulling out of the treaty could provoke a similar arms race across Europe akin to the one that was occurring when the agreement was initially signed in the 1980s, CNN said. IANS ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM ELKO, MOSCOW, October 21 President Donald Trump has announced that the US will pull out of a landmark Cold War-era arms control treaty with Russia that limited the number of missiles in the two nations, accusing Moscow of violating the deal. The announcement triggered a warning of retaliatory measures from Moscow. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, negotiated by then-President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, required elimination of short-range and intermediate-range nuclear and conventional missiles by both countries. Russia has not, unfortunately, honoured the agreement so were going to terminate the agreement and were going to pull out, Trump told reporters on Saturday after a rally in Nevada. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Sunday that a unilateral US withdrawal would be very dangerous and lead to a military-technical retaliation. US authorities believe Moscow is developing and has deployed a ground-launched system in breach of the INF treaty that could allow it to launch a nuclear strike on Europe at short notice. Russia has consistently denied any such violation. Trump said the United States will develop the weapons unless Russia and China agree to a halt on development. China is not a party to the treaty and has invested heavily in conventional missiles, while the INF has banned US possession of ground-launched ballistic missiles or cruise missiles of ranges between 500 and 5,500 km. Trumps national security adviser, John Bolton, will visit Moscow next week. Ryabkov said if the US withdrew, Russia would have no choice but to retaliate, including taking unspecified measures of a military-technical nature. TASS news agency quoted him as saying withdrawal would be a very dangerous step, and it was Washington and not Moscow that was failing to comply with the treaty. He said the Trump administration was using the treaty in an attempt to blackmail the Kremlin, putting global security at risk. ...We will, of course, accept no ultimatums or blackmail methods, Interfax quoted him as saying. Reuters Trump accuses Moscow of violating agreement The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty was one of those apacts and is set to expire in the next two years. The 1987 pact helps protect the security of the US and its allies in Europe and the Far East It prohibits the US and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles. It also covers all land-based missiles, including those carrying nuclear warheads The INF treaty was signed between the then US president Ronald Reagan and his USSR counterpart Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles Russian President Vladimir Putin will seek an explanation of why Washington plans to pull out of an arms control treaty when he meets US national security adviser John Bolton this week Gorbachev slams Trumps lack of wisdom Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on Sunday slammed as unwise a decision by US President Donald Trump to quit a nuclear arms treaty he signed with the late Ronald Reagan in 1987. Is it really so hard to understand that dropping these agreements... shows a lack of wisdom? 87-year-old Gorbachev said. All the agreements aimed at nuclear disarmament and limitation of nuclear arms must be preserved to save life on Earth, he said. AFP pardeepdhull@gmail.com Washington, October 21 President Donald Trump has said the US will get to the bottom of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggis case and asserted he would not like to scrap an arms deal with Riyadh, amid a global outrage over the dissident scribes death. Saudi Arabia in a statement on Saturday said Khashoggi (60) died following a fistfight at its consulate in Istanbul on October 2, without disclosing any details on the whereabouts of his body. It is something that we dont like. Its very serious stuff. And were going to get to the bottom of it and will make that determination, Trump told reporters in Nevada on Saturday. His comment came when asked about his previous statement that he would be considering severe consequences for Saudi Arabia following the journalists death. Trump also said the Congress would have a role to play in it. Well have very much Congress involved in determining what to do, he said. Responding to a question, the US president indicated that he would let the Congressmen take lead on the issue of particularly determining the action that needs to be taken against Saudi Arabia. However, he insisted that he would not like to scrap the mega arms and investment deal, worth USD 450 billion, with Saudi Arabia as this would impact over 6,00,000 jobs in the US. The president said he is also speaking with states where jobs could be impacted. Trump said sanctions is one of the things that he would consider. Could be. Could be. Were going to find out. Were going to find out who know what, where and well figure it out, he said, indicating that things might be clearer by Monday. I might know a lot by Monday. I know a lot already. Were going to know over the next two or three days, were going to know a lot. Were getting a lot of information in as we speak, he said. Describing Saudi Arabia as a great ally, he said it has also been a tremendous investor in the US They invested, and the jobs are .. were right now the largest supplier of energy in the world. We are, the United States. And it happened, and I hate to tell you, over the last 18 months and were now the biggest in the world, Trump said. But still theyre a major, major supplier. Theyre actually number two, and we have to take all of these things into account. Very important, he said. The president said, Saudi Arabia has been a great ally of ours. Thats why this is so sad. Look at what goes on in Iran and the viciousness of that regime, and its brutal. Its a brutal regime. The killing, the horror stories, you hear them and you write about them, very well, Ive seen you write about them very well. Its a tough part of the world, theres no question about it, Trump said. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has said 18 persons have been arrested and an in-depth investigation into the case is being conducted. Preliminary investigations... revealed that the discussions that took place between him and the persons who met him... at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul led to a brawl and a fist fight with the citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, which led to his death, may his soul rest in peace, Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said in the statement. However, Top American lawmakers have said the Saudi statement was not credible and demanded action against the Arab nation.PTI Sponsored: Ministry of Planning In previous articles weve covered a few of the most significant issues facing the environment today and how our Government is addressing these. A large part of our, and indeed many other countries, strategy to do this involves being part of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and a crucial factor for the successful implementation of MEAs is our youth. More here OK. First, it looks like you're posting from two accounts, which is against TripAdvisor guidelines. You can get your accounts combined by contacting the Help Centre and follow the prompts yo get your accounts merged. Second, you need to learn to organise your itinerary by grouping together activities that can be done together, in the same day, or using the same transport, or which have to be done on specific days. So- Rottnest will take a full day Fremantle Market need to be visited either on the Sunday after you arrive or on the Friday evening or Saturday before you leave. Elizabeth Quay is on the Swan River as is the Blue Boat House. London Court is nearby in the city. London Court is essentially a shopping mall, you could take a few photos but otherwise I'm not sure what you'd want to do there. Likewise the Blue Boat House is not open to the public and all you could do is look at it from the riverbank. So neither of these two sights will take up a lot of time and I doubt you would want to spend all day at Elizabeth Quay. You could spend the remainder of the day at King's Park. Caversham and the Swan Valley are close to each other so you could visit them both on the same day. You will need a car as the Swan Valley is poorly served by public transport, as is Caversham. While you have the car you could use it to spend another day on a day trip to the Pinnacles, doing sandboarding on the way up or back and visiting the Lobster Shack while you're in Cervantes. Be aware the Lobster Shack is not cheap, and you should be back at least in the outer edges of the Perth suburbs before it starts to get dark to minimise the chances of hitting a kangaroo. You will need to research where to rent sandboards from and where to actually sandboard (I imagine the board renters can tell you that). Cottesloe Beach will be pretty but you are unlikely to want to swim as the water is still pretty cold. Getting there by public transport is possible but you will have to fiddle about a bit depending on where you start from. You might spend Friday on Rottnest and then go to the Fremantle Markets when you get back. Or you might go to Cottesloe Beach then the Markets on either your first Sunday or your last Saturday. It depends on the weather forecast as the weather lately has been unsettled and Rottnest on a rainy day isn't as much fun as it might be. Happy planning! It is never a good idea to use a debit card when traveling unless you have a lot of money in the account to back it up . I only buy airline tix from airline web sites. There have been some very good fares from the USA west coast! Hi everyone, I'm going to be annoying and ask a question that has probably been asked a million times previously but I'm reading so many different things and getting confused. I'm going to be in Japan from 21 November - 12 December. 4 days Tokyo, travel to Kyoto for 4, travel to Osaka for 5 then Hakone and Yokohama for total of 5. I know that the first 4 days in Tokyo/Shinjuku/Shibuya I can easily get around with just a Suica card. I obviously would be better of money wise getting a rail pass for the trip to Osaka but my dilemma is; do I just get the 7 day pass so that I can use it to get to Kyoto then on to Osaka, or by a 14 and try to use it as much as possible for trips in each of these cities? Thanks in advance Please Vet My Japan Itinerary (Spanning Over New Year 2019) Please Vet My Japan Itinerary (Spanning Over New Year 2019) Hello all, My friend and I had redeemed miles tickets to Tokyo previously, arriving on 28 Dec 2018. We have since realised that New Year in Japan can be a chaotic (on transportation) yet dull (with shops closed) affair, and would therefore like to hear from you all about our proposed itinerary - we will be travelling around by train: 28 Dec (Fri) - Spend the day flying, arrive in Tokyo in evening 29 Dec (Sat) - Travel out to Mt Fuji for Lake Kawaguchi, overnight there (will transport there be overly booked already?) 30 Dec (Sun) - Continue Mt Fuji surroundings, return to Tokyo in evening 31 Dec (Mon) - Explore Tokyo neighbourhoods, do countdown at one of the shrines (are there any less crowded ones one would recommend? I read about the Oji Fox Parade and thought that might be a possibility) 1 Jan (Tues) - Wander the empty streets of Tokyo (will Shinjuku / Shibuya / Akahibara have any life in them still?) 2 Jan (Wed) - Continue wandering Tokyo streets, hopefully with more life now. Get fukubukuro (any shops to highly recommend?) 3 Jan (Thurs) - Visit more areas within Tokyo, this time with more life. Ashikaga Flower Park seems promising 4 Jan (Fri) - Head up to Nikko, visiting Oya History Museum along the way. Spend night in Nikko 5 Jan (Sat) - Continue day in Nikko, then travel to Minakami for overnight 6 Jan (Sun) - Spend day in Minakami hiking and snow canyoning. 7 Jan (Mon) - Check out Kusatsu Hot Springs (if time permits, else will skip this) and check out Nagano and Zenko-ji Temple 8 Jan (Tues) - Day trip to Yamanouchi for the monkeys OR to Matsumoto Castle and Kamikochi 9 Jan (Wed) - Head to Kanazawa and Higashi Chayagai 10 Jan (Thurs) - Visit Shirakawa-go and the surrounding villages, then spend the night at Takayama 11 Jan (Fri) - Explore Takayama, then head to Magome and Tsumago (if time allows - if not, head to Nagoya) 12 Jan (Sat) - Head to Osaka for flight back (as we've found that flights from Osaka to Singapore is cheaper than from Tokyo) I understand there are tons to do around Osaka, Kyoto and Nara too, but as Japan is a pretty common destination for Singaporeans, we intend to do this for a separate trip instead. This itinerary is currently very rough, and comes from someone who knows nuts about it. Would therefore appreciate comments on feasibility (too ambitious? some places has nothing?). Thanks to all in advance for your feedback. -:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:- This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one. To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. - Shibonje was the midwife on duty at Aga Khan Hospital on October 26, 1961 - She received Mama Ngina and took her through five hours of labour then Uhuru was born - Mama Ngina was accompanied by Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga - Kenyatta and Odinga were deeply engrossed in a political talk on that day - Shibonje has since longed to see Uhuru, and has waited for over five decades It was all joy and excitement as President Uhuru Kenyatta finally met Fredah Shibonje, the midwife on duty when Mama Ngina gave birth to the Head of State 56 years ago. Shibonje was nurse who received Kenya's first First Lady on October 26, 1961, at Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi and successfully took her through five hours of labour. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe amtaja Mike Sonko katika kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani It was all joy and excitement as President Uhuru Kenyatta (r) finally met Fredah Shibonje (l). Photo: Kanze Dena's Twitter Source: UGC READ ALSO: Miguna Miguna asks Raila to help him get back to Kenya, in humble Mashujaa message The United Kingdom (UK) trained nurse had earlier expressed a burning urge to shake hands with Uhuru, something she has since waited for over five decades. Shibonje met Uhuru in Kakamega on Saturday, October 20, during Mashujaa Day celebrations convened at Bukhungu Stadium. READ ALSO: Ruto congratulates Raila on his new appointment after mocking his journey to Canaan As the two shook hands, one could actually tell the chemistry and bond between them as First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto and his wife Rachael and Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka looked on. On the day, Shibonje midwifed Mama Ngina, she vividly recollects seeing a heavily pregnant woman disembarking from a VIP lift at the health facility. She, however, did not recognise her on first sight. According to the gracefully aging nurse, the expectant woman was flanked by two men who were deeply engrossed in a political talk. I was humbled but a bit confused and unsure of what to do after learning that the woman I had assisted was the First Lady. At first I had not recognised them only to learn later who they were after I had assisted Mama Ngina," Shibonje earlier told TUKO.co.ke. She intimated that the two were first President Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. She felt confused and happy at the same time; it was the first time she had assisted a high ranking dignitary to deliver and it was a day she would live to remember. READ ALSO: Uhuru warns Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri to deal with maize cartels or face the music Shibonje (l) envisions that Uhuru will ensure proper structures are entrenched to champion for favourable working conditions for nurses. Photo: Kanze Dena's Twitter Source: UGC Since then, she only had an encounter with her high profile clients on television news, radio broadcasts and newspaper pages. The Saturday meeting was her first physical meeting since the memorable October, 26, 1961. Shibonje envisions that Uhuru through the Ministry of Health, will ensure proper structures are entrenched to champion for proper working conditions for nurses. She feels the cadre is largely ignored while it plays an integral role in the country's health sector. 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. Mike Sonko Exposes Pumwani Hospital | Tuko TV. Source: Tuko - The leaders who are close allies of Ruto said Wetang'ula was an undecided politician who has never appeared on the presidential ballot paper - Wetang'ula announced he'll square it out with the DP Ruto, Musalia Mudavadi and likely Raila Odinga in 2022 - They also asked Wetangula to stop making Luhyas a laughing stock Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang'ula is facing a tough rebellion from a section of Jubilee leaders in Bungoma county over his presidential bid. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens Wetang'ula who announced he'll square it out with the Deputy President William Ruto, ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi and likely opposition leader Raila Odinga in 2022 is facing a taunting task and a backlash from Jubilee leaders in his backyard. READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe amtaja Mike Sonko katika kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani Led by the Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa and the Bungoma county Jubilee youth coordinator Evans Kakai, the leaders who are close allies of Ruto said Wetang'ula is a perennial loser who has never appeared on the presidential ballot paper. "We need serious leaders that when they announce their bids to vie for the house on the hill they mean it, we don't need people who are out to auction us, Luhyas should not be made into a laughing stock by a self centred individual," said Lusaka. Senate speaker Ken Lusaka.Photo/Titus Oteba/TUKO Source: Original He noted that Luhyas make a good percentage that if united can bargain for a better seat but their main undoing is stabbing each other and chasing air in terms of running for the presidency. READ ALSO: Raila Odinga lands plum AU job on Mashujaa Day, accepts appointment Kimilili legislator asked Wetang'ula to make a major decision that would resuscitate him politically instead of being seen as undecided politician. "Wetang'ula is always claiming that he is the only chosen leader in Luhya land who would finish what was started by the late Bukusu legendaries Masinde Muliro and Michael Kijana Wamalwa but the casual manner in which he is doing it is questionable," said Barasa. Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa.Photo/Titus Oteba/TUKO Source: Original READ ALSO: Ruto congratulates Raila on his new appointment after mocking his journey to Canaan He noted that the infighting between him and Musalia to control Luhya votes will either build or destroy them politically as they have both shown interest in replacing President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022. "Wetang'ula should either chose to vie for the presidency or leave it to somebody else, he has been announcing to vie and giving us false hopes since 2007 but his name has never appeared on the presidential ballot paper, we need to support selfless leaders not political brokers," warned Barasa. Kakai a former Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) director and a potential 2022 Bungoma county gubernatorial candidate asked Wetang'ula to be serious in his legislative and oversight role on the current governor Wycliffe Wangamati. READ ALSO: Joy as Uhuru meets nurse who helped Mama Ngina give birth to him 56 years ago Efforts to get Wetang'ula's comment were futile before going to press. The trio were speaking at Makutano village, Kibabii location in Kanduyi constituency on October 19, during the burial of Mama Catherine Naliaka alias Mama Brenda who was a diehard Jubilee supporter. Story by Titus Oteba/Bungoma Tuko 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 Kenya's Former Gangsters Now Cleaning Nairobi City - Kenya Untold Stories | Tuko TV Source: Tuko - The maiden flight will be officiated by President Uhuru next Sunday - It will take only 15 hours to New York's JFK International Airport - On board will be government officials and two youthful innovators - Other passengers will also fly on the inaugural flight whose tickets now sell at KSh 96,910 It has emerged that Kenya Airways (KQ) tickets for the first direct flight to the US have already been sold-out one week before the long awaited day. As earlier reported, the non-stop flight will take off from Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta Airport on Sunday October 28, and President Uhuru Kenyatta will be the top passenger on board. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe amtaja Mike Sonko katika kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani A spot-check by TUKO.co.ke, on KQ's website, indicated that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was fully booked. Photo: UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: Kenya Airways makes first direct flight to USA with Uhuru Kenyatta on board The 15-hour flight will have a government delegation among other enthusiastic passengers on board and will touch down at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. On Friday October 19, the government awarded two youthful innovators with return tickets as acknowledgment for their contribution in the country. READ ALSO: Cash-strapped Kenya Airways increases flights across Africa as it struggles to restore profitability A spot-check by TUKO.co.ke, on KQ's website, indicated that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was fully booked. The only available direct tickets were for those who wished to travel back to Nairobi on Wednesday, October 31, and would arrive on Thursday, November 1. The only available direct tickets were for those who wished to travel back to Nairobi on Wednesday, October 31, and would arrive on Thursday, November 1.Photo: UGC Source: UGC TUKO.co.ke, has learnt that a Kenyan delegation will on Tuesday, October 23, depart to New York to make prior arrangements of the flight. At the helm of the team will be directors at the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). According to Transport CS James Macharia, the direct flights are going to open dozens of opportunities to Kenya. According to transport CS James Macharia, the direct flights are going to opens dozens of opportunities to Kenya. Photo: Kenya Airways. Source: UGC READ ALSO: State House awards flight tickets to two youths for the inaugural Nairobi-New York flight This he said the flights will literally open Kenya for the world and positioning it as a strategic business, tourism and economic hub. As Kenya opens up to the world, I would like to encourage Kenyans to travel and explore the opportunities the world has to offer, he said. Direct flights to the US will enhance JKIA as a regional hub airport and as the key gateway into East and Central Africa. We expect the number of transit passengers to increase. In recognition of this, we will soon be embarking on the rehabilitation of Terminals B, C and D, he added. The CS further notes that the carrier has an edge to compete over other airlines as its starting tickets are retailing as from KSh 96,910. Photo: Kenya Airways. Source: Facebook The CS further notes that the carrier has an edge to compete over other airlines as it's starting tickets are retailing as from KSh 96,910. Other carriers plying the route offer at slightly higher prices despite the fact that they also have to make at-least one stop over, thus making a tiring 22-hours flight to the US. The flight has brought to the fore how Kenyans are enthusiastic of the new development, a gesture that they have fully embraced KQ's move to better its services. Other flights for instance Delta Airline, Fly Emirates, China Air, KLM, Qatar Airways, France Air and South African Airways still have tickets to sell to US on that particular day. Other carriers plying the route offer at slightly higher price Photo: UGC Source: UGC Fly Emirates still have tickets to sell to US on that particular day. Photo: UGC Source: UGC KLM also still has tickets to sell to US on the particular day. Photo: UGC Source: UGC 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. Shosh Cecilia: Ladies Stop Dating Sponsors | Tuko TV. Source: Tuko Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has left the country for a one week visit to the United States of America (USA). Raila departed from the country on the evening of Saturday, October 20, shortly after attending Mashujaa Day fete convened at Kakamega's Bukhungu stadium. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe amtaja Mike Sonko katika kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani Raila departed from the country on the evening of Saturday, October 20, shortly after attending Mashujaa Day celebrations convened at Kakamega's Bukhungu stadium. Photo: Raila Odinga Source: Facebook READ ALSO: KQ fully booked one week ahead of maiden direct flight to New York The ODM leader is set to deliver a public lecture at the Duke University in North Carolina. Raila's spokesperson Dennis Onyango said that the Opposition leader was set to meet Kenyans from the Raleigh area and there after meet business leaders from the same State. READ ALSO: Miguna Miguna asks Raila to help him get back to Kenya, in humble Mashujaa message This comes to the fore hardly a day after the former premier was awarded a plum job by African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. He was appointed as High Representative of Infrastructure and Development in Africa on Saturday, October 20. Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has left the country for a one week visit to the United States of America (USA). Photo: Raila Odinga Source: Twitter READ ALSO: Joy as Uhuru meets nurse who helped Mama Ngina give birth to him 56 years ago Raila was flanked by Nyando legislator Jared Okelo among other leaders. He is likely to be among the high delegation of Kenyan guests who will welcome President Uhuru Kenyatta once the first direct flight from Kenya to US touches down at John F Kennedy International Airport. The flight will depart from Kenya on Sunday, October 28, making a remarkable 15 hours nonstop journey. 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. When Uhuru, Ruto and Raila Met at State house on TUKO TV. Source: Tuko.co.ke The first rule for men whenever they attempt to woo a girl is to always exude confidence and some sort of self awareness. A fearless and daring Kenyan chap did exactly this but it did not go so well for him. READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe amtaja Mike Sonko katika kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani READ ALSO: Doreen Gatwiri confirms move to NTV as Swahili anchor Popular presenter Doreen Majala received the shock of her life during the Kakamega County Mashujaa Day celebrations when a stranger decided to shoot and ask if he stood a chance. "Are you married or are you worried?" The determined fan asked as he patiently waited to hear if the TV girl was willing to get hitched yet again. READ ALSO: Doreen Gatwiri joins NTV Doreen was busy taking a few photos with her obsessed fans when the man clad in yellow decided to see if he was the chica's type. Source: Original Doreen was busy taking a few photos with her obsessed fans when the man clad in yellow decided to see if he was the chica's type. As it turned out, he was not her type and maybe his luck will change next time. Doreen gestured him to shut up as she attended to her other fans and tried so hard not to pay attention to what her not so secret admirer had to say. Doreen gestured him to shut up as she attended to her other fans and tried so hard not to pay attention to what her not so secret admirer had to say. Source: Original The beauty was previously married to Mwingi Central Member of Parliament Gideon Mulyungi. She however left her marital home claiming her estranged husband used to beat her adding she did not feel safe. As it turned out, he was not her type and maybe his luck will change next time. Source: Original 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. Shosh Cecilia: Ladies Stop Dating Sponsors | Tuko TV Source: Tuko Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has endured social media bashing since Saturday, October 20, when he claimed Mashujaa Day fete left Luhya leaders seriously demeaned. Shortly after the event that was convened at Kakamega's Bukhungu Stadium, Khalwale took to social media where he staged a protest citing lack of recognition. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe amtaja Mike Sonko katika kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has been at the center of social media bashing since he claimed Mashujaa day fete left Luhya leaders seriously demeaned. Photo: UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: 17 bales of banned plastic bags nabbed in Mombasa, police pursuing owner Writing on Twitter, Khalwale underscored that it was a national function but insisted breach of protocol was a mockery to Luhya people and leaders. "Todays was a national function in Kakamega. We know! But blocking all of us from speaking after state protocol was breached has left us and our people seriously demeaned. But we are there," shared Khalwale. READ ALSO: Kericho man kills father after he refused to help him pay wife's dowry The Bullfighter's sentiments were echoed by famous political analyst Edward Kisiang'ani, who maintained that it was unfair for Deputy President William Ruto to welcome ODM Leader Raila Odinga to speak on behalf of Mulembe nation whilst he (Raila) was not a Luhya leader. Kisiang'ani further charged that ANC Leader Musalia Mudavadi or FORD Kenya's Moses Wentangula could never be given chance to speak on behalf of the Luo community. "On this Mashujaa day it is a breach of protocol and total disrespect for the people and leadership of the Mulembe nation for DP Ruto to invite Hon Raila Odinga to speak on behalf of the Mulembe nation. Would Musalia Wamalwa, Weta speak on behalf of the Luo nation in Kisumu?" posed the don. READ ALSO: Raila leaves for US just hours after landing top AU job The duo's reactions have since elicited mixed reactions from social media where users claim the two overreacted. Some even stated that their reactions are disgrace to their respected academic credentials. "What sought of a Professor is this? Anyway the outsiders have now gone, you can take your Mudavadi and Wetangula plus Khalwale and go address your people, we have no business in what you'll discuss," Dominick Yuaya responded to Kisiang'ani's assertions. READ ALSO: Khalwale told to apologise after he rubbished Raila's swearing in On his part, Philip Etale claimed it was only Khalwale who felt disrespected when Raila addressed people on behalf of the Luhya nation. Etale claimed that it was evident from the crowd that the move was welcomed by the accolades they showered the former premier. He, nonetheless, clarified that Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Opanya was given chance to speak. " Political crybabies... Oh! Why were we not allowed to speak! Oh! Why was Raila Odinga allowed to speak! Oh! Luhya people have been disrespected...halloooo. When the whole stadium roared with jubilation when Raila's name was mentioned, did they ring a bell to you? shared Etale. Walter Ondieki, also took the chance to state that the occasion was a national function which only called on national leaders to speak. "This was a national holiday and only national leaders were to speak, Khalwale is not a national leader. You are are professor don't shame the title," stated Ondieki. READ ALSO: Joy as Uhuru meets nurse who helped Mama Ngina give birth to him 56 years ago On the contrary, John Cheruiyot conceded with Khalwale and Kiasiang'ani, urging that it would have been a good gesture for other Luhya leaders to be given chance to address the gathering. "I concur with Hon Khalwale that Luhya leaders should have been given chance to speak in Kakamega," tweeted Cheruiyot. Here are other versed and interesting reactions from social media users who weighted-in in the issue that seemed to trouble Khalwale and Kisiang'ani. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Teresiah Wambui Story: The Struggles of a Kenyan Woman With Beards - Kenya Untold Stories | Tuko TV. Source: Tuko Kenya - The MP took to Facebook to expose a fraudster who was riding on his name - Several other Kenyans came forward with claims of being defrauded by the man - The accused, identified as Samuel Njonjo is said to own several lucrative businesses Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria had an irritating Mashujaa da as he sought to expose a conman masquerading as his close aide. Kuria, in a Facebook post seen by TUKO.co.ke, brought to light a man identified as Samuel Njonjo Wanjiru who stood accused of extorting Kenyans using the legislators name. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe amtaja Mike Sonko katika kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani There is this guy who has been conning people with fake stories of how he is close to me, Kuria wrote on Facebook as he accompanied the photo with the alleged conman. READ ALSO: Breakdown of what Raila Odingas international job entails It did not take long before other Kenyans flooded the MPs comment section with testimonies which revolved around being fleeced by Njonjo in one way or another. READ ALSO: Kericho man kills father after he refused to help him pay wife's dowry A number of victims claimed Njonjo lived a lavish life and owned several lucrative businesses including a pork business in Thika. MP Moses Kuria exposes conman using his name to extort unsuspecting Kenyans Source: Facebook READ ALSO: 17 bales of banned plastic bags nabbed in Mombasa, police pursuing owner TUKO.co.ke managed to dig out a photo of Njonjo next to Moses Kuria during the intense electioneering period in 2017. Njonjo has apparently been using the photos to demonstrate his closeness to Moses Kuria , who has viciously denied any ties to the fraudster. In fact, the MP has kept Kenyans on high alert, urging anyone with information on him to forward to authorities to facilitate his arrest. "If he tries some hanky-panky games on you report him to the police," Kuria went on. One Kenyan also narrated how he was defrauded KSh 320,000 in a non-existent car deal by Njonjo who also has a fake car dealership. The victim allegedly paid for the car in hire purchase and having already cashed in the deposit, the deal broke down and Njonjo disappeared. 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's Former Gangsters Now Cleaning Nairobi City - Kenya Untold Stories | Tuko TV Source: Kenya Breaking News Today - Saveer Vohra, his wife and three other family members were traveling to Nairobi from a religious ceremony at Makindu Sikh Temple - Vohra died shortly after the crash whereas his wife and another family member died on the spot - Two of the five family members sustained serious injuries and were rushed to Sultan Hamud Level Five Hospital The chairman of Sarova Hotels, his wife and another family member have died in a road crash along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway. Saveer Vohra, Mahinder Sign, Reena Vorha, Atu Vorha and Swaran Kaur were reportedly traveling from a religious ceremony at Makindu Sikh Temple back to Nairobi when the grisly road crash took place. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe amtaja Mike Sonko katika kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani Saveer Vohra, Mahinder Sign, Reena Vorha, Atu Vorha and Swaran Kaur were traveling from a religious ceremony at Makindu Sikh Temple back to Nairobi when the grisly road crash took place. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Tragedy grips family as 5 members perish in grisly accident in Kiambu county Reports reaching TUKO.co.ke on the evening of Sunday, October 21, indicated Vohra died at the hospital shortly after the accident; Mahinder and Vorha died on the spot; Vorha and Kaur sustained serious injuries on their heads. "The injured were rushed to Sultan Hamud Level Five Hospital for medication. Bodies of the deceased were moved to Machakos Level Five morgue awaiting autopsy. The motor vehicle was towed to Salama Police Station for inspection," police report indicated. READ ALSO: Family of Luhya pre-independence activist ask government to uplift their living standard According to the police, the self-involved road crash occurred at around 3.30 pm at Kiungwani area, about 3 kilometers south of Salama Police Station along the Nairobi -Mombasa highway. The accident involved a Toyota Prado car registration number KBH200W. 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 accuse NTSA of incompetence and corruption and want it disbanded - On Tuko TV Source: Kenya Breaking News Today Chairman of the Zakarpattia Regional State Administration, Hennady Moskal, called the emergence of billboards a primitive provocation of Russian special services. On Saturday, a number of billboards were put up in Ukraine's Zakarpattia region with photos of the three leaders of the Hungarian community and anti-Hungarian calls. "Let's stop the separatists," the billboards said, showing the leaders of the Zakarpattia Hungarian Culture Community. The regional state administration reported that the ads were placed by unknown individuals and without relevant permits. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin commented on the incident on Twitter: As soon as I just said about the expected provocations in Zakarpattia, those billboards mysteriously emerged there almost immediately, condemning alleged Hungarian separatism. It is important not only to condemn [the provocation], but also to find out who stands behind this. Read alsoHungary escalating tensions with Ukraine, playing along with Russia media Chairman of the Zakarpattia Regional State Administration, Hennady Moskal, called the emergence of billboards a primitive provocation of Russian special services, adding that law enforcement officials are searching for culprits who had placed them. Hungarian organizations of Zakarpattia claimed that the incident was another evidence of an "anti-Hungarian campaign" in Ukraine. The military on duty were alerted immediately and security measures strengthened, but the men in camo attire were never found. Witnesses said they had spotted two suspicious men in camo lurking near the Ichnya ammunition depot at about 2:00 at night, just four days before the blasts hit the facility and led to a massive fire, according to Ukraine's chief military prosecutor, Anatoliy Matios. I can already state today that following a series of interrogations, carried out including with the use of a lie detector, it has been reliably established that on Oct 4, that is, four days before the explosions, two people wearing camouflaged attire were spotted, just 50-70 meters from the technical area where the arsenals were located, in the night hours, at 2:00, as they were moving around the perimeter, Matios said, according to 112 Ukraine TV channel. Read alsoPoroshenko on ammo depot fire: No coincidence sabotage is the main version given proximity to Russia border The military on duty were "alerted immediately" and security measures strengthened, but the men in camo were never found, said Matios. Most likely, explosives were planted, the chief military prosecutor concluded. As UNIAN reported earlier, in the early hours of Tuesday, October 9, explosions caused a massive fire at the 6th Arsenal of the Ministry of Defense near the village of Druzhba in Ichnya district of Chernihiv region. More than 12,000 people were evacuated from the adjacent territories. A 30-km no-fly zone was established, while railway and motor traffic was suspended. Throughout the years of Ukraine's independence, hundreds of new temples were built across the country for the Orthodox, Jewish, Protestant, Catholic believers and representatives of other denominations. In fact, the construction and restoration of churches, synagogues, kirkhs, prayer houses, etc. had begun in the last years of the Soviet era. Many mistakenly believe that religious buildings belong to the clerics. They don't. According to the law on freedom of conscience and religious organizations, the church is not a legal entity. Such entity can be a religious community, a brotherhood, a monastery, a mission, and so on. Correspondingly, religious buildings belong to religious communities, except for those that are of cultural value and host museums, such as the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra or the St Volodymyr's Cathedral. Any religious community can freely change its affiliation from one church to another The same law states that any religious community can freely change its affiliation from one church to another. However, the procedure is not laid down clearly. The legislation only says that the decision shall be made by community members. Ukraine has seen more than one precedent when the community of the Church of the UOC of Moscow Patriarchate made a decision on their transition to the Kyiv Patriarchate, while in western Ukraine there were cases of the return of the temples to Catholic and Greek Catholic religious communities. Actually, the first such transitions took place at the turn of the 1980-1980s, and re-emerged with the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Moscow has for the past 30 years branded such transitions as "seizure." Today, when we see that Constantinople is set to recognize the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Russia is predicting religious wars and battles for temples across Ukraine. So is it possible to divide churches? It is unlikely that Moscow will simply give up its position. Rather, on the contrary: the clergy of the UOC-MP will carry out, and is already doing it, active propaganda among the faithful against the transition to "schismatics" Perhaps, but not without some difficulties. The process will be simplest in communities where both the majority of its members and the priest, who is the head of the community, will have the same position - that is, they will stand for the transition from the Moscow church to the Ukrainian one. However, It is unlikely that Moscow will simply give up its position. Rather, on the contrary: the clergy of the UOC-MP will carry out, and is already doing it, active propaganda among the faithful against the transition to "schismatics." It is also significant that the statutory documents of the community, the seal, the permit for the use of land, the papers for the church building itself, as a rule, are at a priest's disposal. And having an instruction to resist to the end, he will not simply give away all those papers to the community. In a situation where the pries and community stand on opposite positions, there is another problem no clear definition is provided for determining who are "community members." The Church is not a state institution, it's not a register of voters or taxpayers, therefore, the law does not provide for any paperwork that would certify a believer's affiliation with a particular community. And if the problem is not too serious in a village where everyone knows each other, identifying and counting religious community members in big cities is a real challenge because often, those living in apartment blocks don't even know their own neighbors. It is precisely in cities where there are far larger churches and richer parishioners, and where the political weight of the temples is much heavier, and there is room for manipulation. The technique has already been worked out in secular circles through public hearings, and even earlier at national elections. The group of "Orthodox thugs" and "canonical grandmothers," brought in by several buses from the nearest towns, could act as if they are local parishioners to hinder the holding of a community assembly to take a decision on moving from one church to another. And neither the police nor the court will be able to interfere simply because no kind of document could identify someone's affiliation to a certain religious community. The Verkhovna Rada registered Bill No 4128 authored by an MP and religious scholar Viktor Yelensky to amend Art. 8 of the aforementioned law "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations." The draft states that any religious community's decision to change the church shall be taken at a general meeting by a majority of votes. There is no clear definition of who is a community member, but there is a certain specificity: individuals must identify with the community and also participate in community life. Pro-Ukrainian religious communities that are now part of the Moscow church will obviously have to bureaucratize their activities to some extent The bill's author, MP Yelensky, said that during the discussion of the document at the Rada's profile committee with the participation of clerics, two clarifications were put forward that the committee approved: those community members who decide to move to another church, certify their intentions with the notary. The second clarification is that the community's governing body must decide on the scope of authority of the community assembly. At the same time, Yelensky observes that the "governing body" is not necessarily a priest and parishioners from his closest entourage. It can also consist of regular people the church committee of the faithful, and a parish assembly. However, this bill, even if adopted into law, will still be unable to block falsifications of community decisions on the transition from the Moscow church to the Ukrainian one. Therefore, pro-Ukrainian religious communities that are now part of the Moscow church will obviously have to bureaucratize their activities to some extent. For example, they should introduce a register of community members, at least to prevent "Orthodox thugs" from influencing their decisions, to work out the conditions for the admission of new members to their community at least throughout the period when the united Ukrainian Orthodox Church is formed. In any case, regardless of whether the changes to the legislation are adopted, the process of the new Church formation will be neither easy nor quick. Dmytro Khyliuk The Vilkha was successfully tested in April and December 2017. The Ukrainian army will soon receive a new generation Vilkha (Alder) multiple launch rocket system. Its mass production is set to start shortly, according to the Governmental portal. Thanks to the new MLR system, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are strengthening their defense capability and will be able to more effectively repel the aggressor in the country's east. The management of the Luch Design Bureau, the company that developed the newest Ukrainian weapon, predicts that the Army will receive the Vilkha in the middle of 2019. The system was successfully tested in April and December 2017. In February 2018, Oleksandr Turchynov, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, reported that the mass production of cruise missiles for the Vilkha launchers would begin in late 2018 or early 2019. The MLR system was also showcased during the Independence Day military parade. UNIAN memo. The Vilkha MLR system was designed based on a Soviet-era 300 mm Smerch 9K58 launcher. All components are Ukrainian-made. About fifteen Ukrainian enterprises are working together on the creation of the new weapon. The Head of State thanked Patriarch Filaret for his many years of service and efforts to create the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko met with the bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate and congratulated Patriarch Filaret on the 23rd anniversary of his enthronement. The meeting took place in the residence of the Patriarchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate in the Ukrainian capital, according to the presidential administration. The Head of State thanked Patriarch Filaret for his many years of service and efforts to create the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Read alsoPatriarch Filaret comments on language of preaching in Ukraine's new church As UNIAN reported earlier, on October 11, following a meeting of the Synod, a decision was announced, stating that the Ecumenical Patriarchate proceeds to granting autocephaly to the Church of Ukraine. In addition, the legal binding of the Synods letter of 1686 was abolished, thus taking the Kyiv Metropolis from under Moscow's canonical jurisdiction. Also, head of the UOC of the Kyiv Patriarchate Filaret and head of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Makariy were reinstated in their canonical status. On October 12, the Kyiv Patriarchate called on the episcopate, clergy and believers of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate to begin the preparation of the Unification Council. Fortunately, no civilians were hurt in the attack. Over the past day, October 20, Russian occupation forces opened fire 17 times on the positions of Ukraine's Joint Forces in Donbas. One Ukrainian soldier was injured in the past 24 hours, reads the report by the Joint Forces Operation Staff released Sunday. In the Hnutovo area, the enemy fired an anti-tank guided missile. Russian occupation forces shelled JF positions in the area of the settlements of Shumy, Verkhniotoretske, Avdiyivka, Pisky, OPytne, Maryinka, Taramchuk, Novomykhaylivka, Krasnohorivka, Hnutove, Lebedynske, and Shyrokyne. The enemy was most active in the Donetsk and Mariupol directions where the Ukrainian military were forced to return fire. Read also"Explosives were planted": Witnesses spotted suspicious men near ammo depot According to intelligence reports, over the past day, one invader was killed and another four were wounded in action. On Saturday evening, militants also opened fire from small arms near the Mayorsky crossing checkpoint. As a result of the shelling, the air tank of the inflatable module was damaged. There were civilians in the tent at the time. Fortunately, none of them was injured amid the shooting. Since midnight, the enemy fired at the Ukrainian positions in the Popasna area. No casualties were reported on the Ukrainian side. The situation in Luhansk direction escalated compared to the previous day as the Ukrainian military strongholds near Krymske were shelled from 82mm mortars. On Sunday, October 21, Russian occupation forces in Donbas have violated the ceasefire eight times, leaving three Ukrainian military injured, according to the Joint Forces Operation HQ. The situation in the Luhansk direction somewhat escalated compared to the previous day as the strongholds of the Ukrainian troops near Krymske were shelled from 82mm mortars - weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements. Ukrainian positions near Shchastia were fired upon from small arms. Read alsoDonbas update: Militants open fire toward Mayorsky crossing checkpoint "In general, the enemy opened aimed fire from grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms at the Joint Forces' positions in the areas of Shchastia, Krymske, Popasna, Shumy, Pisky, Maryinka, Taramchuk, and Kracnohorivka. Ukrainian Command ordered troops to return fire when lives and health of the Ukrainian military were in immediate danger. The press center noted that the situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation remains under the control of the Ukrainian troops. On October 15, the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church made a decision to sever eucharistic communication with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Russian Orthodox Church has recognized Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople as a schismatic based on the Orthodox Church canons, according to Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Russian churchs external relations. Read alsoU.S. Secretary of State supports Ukraine in efforts to create autocephalous church "The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople has joined the schism himself by recognizing schismatic individuals. That is how the church canons work. Therefore, the Patriarch of Constantinople is a schismatic for us," the Russian news agency TASS quoted Metropolitan Hilarion as saying on October 20. As UNIAN reported earlier, on October 11, following a meeting of the Holy Synod, a decision was announced, stating that the Ecumenical Patriarchate proceeds to granting autocephaly to the Church of Ukraine. In addition, the legal binding of the Synod's letter of 1686 was abolished, thus taking the Kyiv Metropolis from under Moscow's canonical jurisdiction. Also, head of the UOC of the Kyiv Patriarchate Filaret and head of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Makariy were reinstated in their canonical status. The Kremlin vowed to protect the interests of Orthodox believers in Ukraine "politically and diplomatically," claiming Moscow did not intend to interfere in the "interchurch dialogue." On October 15, the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church made a decision to sever eucharistic communication with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. For years, the U.S. has accused Russia of violating the agreement and rapidly expanding and advancing its weapons stockpile. U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday he would pull out of a Cold-War era treaty with Russia that limited the number of missiles in each country. Trump said Moscow had violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and he would halt the agreement, according to USAToday. "Were going to terminate the agreement and were going to pull out," Trump said when leaving a rally in Nevada Saturday afternoon. He said the U.S. would pull out "and then we are going to develop the weapons unless Russia and China agree to a new deal, though China isn't currently a party of the agreement. "Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years, the president said. "And were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and were not allowed to." Trump made the revelation as his National Security Adviser John Bolton was headed to Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. His first stop is scheduled in Moscow, where hell meet with Russian leaders, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev. For most of the Cold War, U.S.-Russian summits were dominated by the issue of nuclear weapons, with Presidents Nixon, Carter and Reagan reaching a series of incremental agreements to limit the number, size and location of each sides nuclear arsenal. Read alsoBloomberg: Putin, less isolated and emboldened, vows to wait out the West The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was one of those agreements and is set to expire in the next two years. The 1987 pact helps protect the security of the U.S. and its allies in Europe and the Far East. It prohibits the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles. It also covers all land-based missiles, including those carrying nuclear warheads. "The INF Treaty likely has entered its final days. Thats unfortunate," said Steven Pifer, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. For years, the U.S. has accused Russia of violating it and rapidly expanding and advancing its weapons stockpile. Meanwhile, Trump says the U.S. is constrained because of the agreement, preventing the nation from catching up. Read alsoWe will go to heaven, and they will just die: Putin vows inevitable nuclear retaliation to "aggressors" The U.S. Defense Department in February described some of Russia's advancements in a report, which also called for the U.S. to develop two new additional nuclear weapons to keep other world powers, including China, at bay. One of the weapons the Defense Department said Russia was creating was an intercontinental nuclear-armed torpedo that can travel thousands of miles and strike U.S. coastal cities with minimal warning. Called the "Status-6 Oceanic Multipurpose System," the Russian torpedo is reported to be able to deliver a thermonuclear cobalt bomb of up to 100 megatons. The weapon could trigger a tsunami wave of radioactive water that would blanket a coastal city. Politicians have called the torpedo a "doomsday" weapon. (@ChaudhryMAli88) ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2018 ) :The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has called upon the authorities concerned that the new rent control law should be promulgated to facilitate the local traders of the Federal capital. "Finance Minister Asad Umar during his election campaign had assured the traders of Islamabad that after winning the general elections, he would try for promulgation of a new rent control act in Islamabad during the first 100 days of his government," President of ICCI Ahmed Hassan said while talking to a delegation of Traders Welfare Association, F-6 Super Market, Islamabad led by its President Shehzad Shabbir Abbasi. Ahmed Hassan urged that the Finance Minister should honor his assurance as due to lack of rent law, rent disputes and forced evictions of traders from shops were on the rise. He said that Super Market was the face of Islamabad and needed urgent attention of CDA for its better development. He said that due to key location, foreign diplomats, foreign visitors and other dignitaries frequently visited this market for shopping. He stressed upon the CDA to focus on resolving the key issues of Super Market including provision of filtration plant, restoration of all street lights and redesigning of car parking for expansion to facilitate the business activities. He assured that ICCI would fully cooperate with TWA Super Market in its endeavors aimed at resolving the major issues of traders of the area. Senior Vice President ICCI Rafat Farid said that most of the issues of traders were related to CDA and ICCI was making efforts to arrange a meeting with Chairman in near future to discuss the issues of business community for finding out their optimum solutions. Speaking at the occasion, Shehzad Shabbir Abbasi highlighted various issues of their Market. He said that due to the absence of rent control act, traders were feeling insecure and ICCI should cooperate in urgent resolution of this issue. He said that there was no filtration plant in the market due to which the traders and residents of the area were deprived of clean drinking water. He said the current car parking was insufficient and urged that CDA should redesign the parking to expand it and arrange its re-carpeting. He said CDA should restore all street lights in Super Market to curb the incidents of thefts and other problems. He assured that TWA Super Market would fully support ICCI in its efforts for resolving the key issues of the local business community. Chief Executive Officer District Health Authority Bahawalpur Dr Fayyaz Anwar Saturday said that the 12-day anti-measles campaign was underway in the district successfully. BAHAWALPUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Oct, 2018 ) :Chief Executive Officer District Health Authority Bahawalpur Dr Fayyaz Anwar Saturday said that the 12-day anti-measles campaign was underway in the district successfully. During his visit to Basic Health Unit Syed Imam Shah in Khairpur Tamewali Tehsil, he informed that 304,329 children from age 6 months to 7 years have been injected anti-measles vaccines during first five days of the campaign. He said that the campaign was right on target and desired results were being expected to be achieved at the end of the campaign. (@ChaudhryMAli88) DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Oct, 2018) Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry today announced its participation in the "A Week Without Service Centres" initiative which will see the Chamber only accept payments through smart channels from 21st to 25th October. The week-long initiative, led by the Dubai Governments Department of Finance (DoF) under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, aims to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world by raising awareness about the benefits of using smart services and systems to process payments and transactions. Dubai Chamber members and customers will be required to make payments through the organisations website and smart apps. This requirement will be applied to several core and sub-services, including membership, Certificates of Origin, ATA Carnets, attestation, business reports and economic studies. Transactions for these services will be suspended at Dubai Chambers head office in Deira, as well as its branch offices in, Jebel Ali, DAFZA, and Al Aweer. Hamad Buamim, President and CEO of Dubai Chamber, said, "Following a positive response to the A Day Without Service Centres initiative last year, we are confident that the week-long initiative will raise awareness about the benefits of accessing our services through digital channels, which are designed to offer businesses an easy, convenient and efficient way to process transactions. He explained that Dubai Chambers participation in the A Week Without Service Centres initiative supports its efforts to improve ease of doing business in Dubai, and make the emirate the smartest city in the world by 2021. Dubai Chambers range of smart applications includes its mobile Services app, a one-stop shop that enables Dubai Chamber members to process requests for electronic Certificates of Origin and ATA Carnets. Customers who use the app can make online payments for documentation, services and events, and access the commercial directory, credit rating and information services. In addition, the Chambers Smart Mediation app includes useful features that allow companies to settle business disputes in a cost-effective and amicable manner, while it can also track new and previous applications, and receive status update reports. These solutions are designed to enhance the customer experience and help companies conduct business in an efficient manner. (@rukhshanmir) DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Oct, 2018) Dubai Land Department (DLD) is participating in the A Week without Service Centres initiative, being held from October 21-25 under the theme A week Without Waiting... Without Parking...Without papers. The participation will improve its contribution to the initiative, launched by the Dubai Department of Finance for the second consecutive year. Regarding the programme, Sultan Butti bin Mejren, Director-General of Dubai Land Department, said, "DLD has always been at the forefront to support initiatives that will help achieve Dubais vision and strategy to transform the emirate into a smart city. We focus on providing high-quality, integrated and smart services, as well as the benefits of technology solutions, especially to accelerate and enhance the services provided to customers. We are eager to encourage our customers to conclude their transactions and obtain services through our smart channels, supporting Dubais position as the happiest and smartest city in the world." DLDs customers can complete all transactions anytime, anywhere, in record time, and with accuracy through Dubai REST and DLDs smart channels, which will save time, effort and money, as well as raise the happiness and satisfaction index for DLDs services. Regarding the programme, Bin Mejren said, "A Week Without Service Centres reflects the government's drive to assist in the digital transformation and automation of all its services for the benefit of its customers. DLD aims to encourage customers to switch to smart channels to obtain services and conclude government transactions. DLD has committed itself to provide a range of services through the Dubai REST for an entire week." Majid Al Marri, CEO of the Real Estate Registration and Services Sector at DLD, noted, "Customers can conveniently use DLDs services through their smartphones, computers, and self-service machines. These channels will ensure customer satisfaction by saving them time and effort in concluding their transactions, without the need to visit service centres, supporting the vision of the Dubai Paperless Strategy, which aims to build a perfectly integrated paperless government framework by 2021. The initiative will play an important role in the conservation of resources, rationalisation of expenditures and revenue development." DLDs customers may also apply to enroll in a course at the Dubai Real Estate Institute (DREI) through the institutes website, and they may file enforcement proceedings through the Rental Disputes Centres (RDCs) website or smart application. DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Oct, 2018) The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, FCSA, hosted the meetings of the UN Global Working Group, GWG, on Big Data across an entire day. The meetings explored the five key pillars of utilising Big Data to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, of the UNs 2030 Agenda. Abdullah Lootah, FCSA Director-General and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the UN World Data Forum 2018, opened the meetings, that saw discussions on ways to improve the quality of statistics, strategies for addressing challenges in the Big Data sector, and mechanisms to consolidate partnerships with leading statistics entities from around the world, as well as data developers and experts on Big Data. Ms. Heather Savory, Co-Chair of the UN Big Data Group and Director-General of Data Capacity at the National Statistical Office of the United Kingdom, said, "I would like to begin by thanking the UAE for hosting these meetings, which provide an international platform and ideal environment that enhances cooperation and partnership among all sorts of institutions and organisations. We are waiting to catalyse research and development efforts to provide secure services and applications, which, in turn, can be used to implement various projects in collaboration with leading tech companies and academic institutions. We look forward to exploring the best practices that enable the international statistics community to embrace modern technologies, improve the collection of data and utilise them to drive development and achieve SDGs locally and internationally." Meanwhile, Niels Ploug, Co-Chair of the UN Big Data Group and Director of the Department of Social Statistics of the Statistics Office of Denmark, said, "Independent official statistics serve both governments and the private sector, providing data about economic, social and environmental sectors. With that in mind, technology and data can help outline a clear image of the challenges that lie ahead for our society. Meeting here in Dubai is ideal to address our ability to utilise these resources and we look forward to partnering with the private sector to access its data and develop wider-reaching services." Mohamed Hassan Ahli, Executive Director of the National Statistics and Data Sector at the FCSA, said, "The UAE is hosting GWGs Open Day meetings, in line with the directives of our wise leadership in supporting and encouraging innovation, benefiting from the data revolution and harnessing advanced technology to achieve strategic objectives and sustainable development plans locally, regionally and internationally. " "Big Data is the cornerstone of optimising the use of artificial intelligence to employ cutting-edge technology in forecasting the future," Ahli added. "Such forecasts are a key pillar of data-driven strategic planning, which is used across all UAE Government entities. These meetings will undoubtedly offer an opportunity to introduce international best practices in data and statistics across economic, social, environmental, health and educational spheres." The GWG meeting agenda included over five sessions showcasing the most prominent experiences and expertise in harnessing Big Data to achieve SDGs. Following the sessions, members of the GWG proposed key learnings and takeaways, which include the need for statistics offices to modernise in order to benefit from the Big Data revolution; the necessity of optimising the insights that can be gathered from satellite imagery; tapping into machine learning and artificial intelligence; benefitting from the insight provided by data sources and technologies to improve the quality and relevance of official statistics and enable better decision-making for policymakers in the UAE and abroad. The UN Global World Group for Big Data comprises 22 member countries, including the UAE, represented by the FCSA, which strives to develop national competencies and seek out the latest international technologies and experiences in government Big Data programmes and initiatives. Furthermore, the GWG aims to identify international best practices and innovation-driven initiatives in terms of official statistics, particularly the applications of Big Data. The GWG also includes nine members of international entities, including Eurostat, the GCC Statistical Centre, the International Telecommunication Union, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations Statistics Division, and the World Bank. ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Oct, 2018) Yahia Alibi, head of the ICRCs regional delegation for the GCC countries, has praised the UAE for its leading efforts in humanitarian aid and development globally. In a statement to the Emirates news Agency, WAM, on the sidelines of the Senior Workshop on International Rules governing Military Operations, SWIRMO, which began in Abu Dhabi yesterday, Alibi said the UAE is committed to supporting the ICRC's work, especially in promoting the principles of the international humanitarian law. The high-level workshop will give participants an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the rules governing military operations and to discuss the integration of relevant legal standards into military doctrine, education, and training. SWIRMO provides expertise on international humanitarian law, and its application in military operations, while also providing information on the ICRCs mission, its significance, and role in international conflicts to officers ranking from Major to Major General. "SWIRMO offers a unique platform to share best practices and experiences from the field, allowing the participants to expand their views on the law in an operational environment. These are important conversations during a time of protracted conflict and ongoing crises affecting the middle East", said Alibi. "We are pleased that the UAE is co-hosting this unique event, held for the first time in this part of the world," he added. More than 120 senior military officers from over 80 countries will participate in the Senior Workshop on International Rules governing Military Operations jointly hosted by the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, and the UAE Ministry of Defence, in Abu Dhabi, from 20th-25th October. It is the first time the SWIRMO will be held in the Middle East, with classes held in Arabic. (@ChaudhryMAli88) ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Oct, 2018) His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, received today Boyko Borissov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria, and discussed with him ways of strengthening bilateral relations between both countries, in addition to a number of regional and international issues of common interest. His Highness the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces welcomed, during the session of talks held at the Presidential Palace, the Bulgarian Prime Ministers visit to the country, saying he had been looking forward to this visit, which would expand cooperation and joint work relations between both countries in the near future, to benefit both peoples. Both sides reviewed means of strengthening and developing bilateral cooperation in economic, commercial ventures and investments, as well as in the educational, industrial, touristic, cultural, and agricultural fields. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed affirmed that the UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has built bridges to communicate with friendly countries, according to the principles of tolerance, cooperation and openness towards others, which leads to serving the common interests, while expressing his own happiness with the development of friendly relations with Bulgaria in many vital fields. His Highness noted, "The UAE and Bulgaria maintain excellent relations based on well-established foundations of understanding, mutual respect and a joint desire in developing and elevating these relations, which reflects both countries and peoples ambitions." The Bulgarian Prime Minister expressed his country's sincere desire to boost friendship ties with the UAE. He said both countries have a forward looking vision to achieve a sustainable economic growth driven by many promising opportunities to build diverse joint trade, economic and investment cooperation At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides asserted their concern to develop cooperative fields and elevate them to meet the mutual benefit and common interests of both countries, while focusing on the priority sectors for both sides, which support sustainable development and a knowledge-based economy. They also stressed the importance of intensifying the international communitys efforts to establish the pillars of security and stability, while achieving peace in different areas of the world, alongside strengthening the values of tolerance, dialogue, and coexistence between all peoples and communities. Among the top UAE officials who attended the talks were H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler's Representative in Al Ain Region; H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council; H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Sheikh Diab bin Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Executive Director of the Martyrs' Families' Affairs Office at the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court; Ahmed Juma Al Za'abi, Minister of the Federal Supreme Council Affairs at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs; Ohoud bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing; Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State; Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence; Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State; and a number of senior officials. Ekaterina Zaharieva, Deputy Prime Minister for Judicial Reform and Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Vladislav Ivanov Goranov, Minister of Finance, were present from the Bulgarian side. (@ChaudhryMAli88) ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Oct, 2018) The Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borissov visited on Sunday Wahat Al Karama, Abu Dhabis national and cultural landmark designed to commemorate the sacrifices and heroic deeds of UAE martyrs to defend their homeland and protect its achievements. Upon his arrival, Brrissov was welcomed by Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Executive Director of the Martyrs' Families' Affairs Office, at the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court. He attended the Guard of Honour ceremony, then laid a wreath at Martyrs' Monument, made up of 31 panels leaning on one another in a symbol of solidarity between the leadership, people and soldiers of the UAE. He then went on a tour across accompanied by the Abdulwahab Nasser Hassan Al Najjar, UAE Ambassador to Bulgaria and Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence listening to a detailed explanation by Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan about Wahat Al Karama components, which embodies the bravery and heroism of UAE heroes, as well as the nations noble values. The tour was concluded with the word written by The Prime Minister of Bulgaria in the visitors log, expressing his utmost respect and appreciation for the brave martyrs of the UAE. ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Oct, 2018) The scientific committee of the Aqdar World Summit announced that the second summit, to be held under the theme 'The Role of Human Empowerment in Developing Stable Societies: Sustainable Development, will hear from top local and international speakers, including Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, and Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State. The scientific committee for the summit stressed that the sessions addressed by the two UAE ministers will focus on various topics to help individuals develop strong, stable and sustainable societies, assimilate moral and ethical values, as well as concepts to become active members in their families, working environment and communities, while encouraging them towards self-change and constructive participation in the community to achieve positive results. Further, the committee pointed out that the scientific programme for this summit would focus on significant topics, such as Sheikh Zayeds strategies to empower people, sustainable education for a flourishing nation, building countries on the foundations of justice and peace, gender parity for a better society, sustainable goals and successful partnerships, smart infrastructure for sustainable nations, and human development for economic growth. The preparations for the summit, which will be held from 26th-28th November 2018 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, ADNEC, is still in progress, and will be organised by the Khalifa Empowerment Programme, Aqdar, in partnership and cooperation with INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions, with and support of the United Nations, as well as a number of local and international bodies. Aqdar World Summit is an international platform that aims to develop sustainable societies, empower individuals, and support important initiatives and awareness programmes that benefit communities. The summit will bring together leaders, experts, and high-profile speakers from various fields to discuss the main theme and develop important impact-based initiatives and recommendations to make a positive mark on the community. (@ChaudhryMAli88) UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2018 ) :The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General (SESG) for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, has identified accountability and inclusive dialogue as the two important pillars for national reconciliation in the troubled South East Asian country, saying that "credible fact-finding is the first step towards accountability." Ms. Schrager has been on a 10 day visit to Myanmar, where she has held consultations with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, other government and military leaders, ethnic armed organizations, local and religious leaders, NGOs, UN agencies and the diplomatic community. In Rakhine, where Muslim Rohingya face discrimination and violence from the Buddhist majority in Myanmar, and Kachin, where anti-government insurgents are battling Amy soldiers, Ms. Burgener engaged with local civilian and military authorities, and directly with those affected by conflict, in particular women, and went to several camps and relocation sites for internally-displaced people, to gauge progress made since her first visit to the country in June 2018. UN agencies and the Myanmar Government reached an agreement in June to create conditions that would allow Rohingya refugees to voluntarily and safely return to their homes in the country's Rakhine province. Almost a million Rohingya are sheltering in camps across the border in the Cox's Bazar region of Bangladesh, after being driven from their homes in northern Myanmar since last August. To ensure that they, and people are able to return home, their full human rights must be respected, Ms. Burgener said, starting with equal access to education and health, and freedom of movement: "they have to be able to live in safety and security. This will be the most positive incentive for the refugees in Bangladesh to return. Knowing that the UN and its partners are present at their places of return, will give the returnees confidence and trust in the process." Ms. Burgener also emphasized the need for greater domestic and foreign investment in the region, one of Myanmar's poorest, which urgently requires inclusive development. In Kachine province, the Special Envoy met with inhabitants of a camp for internally displaced people around Myitkyina, some of whom have been displaced since 2011 without job prospects or hope of returning to their places of origin, due to land-mines and lack of security, and took note of the increasingly limited humanitarian access which affected the availability of medical assistance and aid. Expressing concern about intensified fighting in the north of the country, Ms. Burgener reiterated her offer to serve as a "bridge" between the Myanmar Government and ethnic armed groups, in order to help advance the peace process. Offering her views on Myanmar's democratic transition, the Special Envoy urged the Government to undertake a public "Zero Tolerance for Discrimination" campaign at the highest level, and committed to focusing her efforts on strengthening engagement between Myanmar and the international community towards a "more tolerant, democratic and inclusive society that recognizes diversity as an asset." (@ChaudhryMAli88) ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2018 ) :Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan Sunday visited the headquarters of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force. On his arrival at the headquarters, a smartly turned out contingent of UAE Air Force presented him the guard of honour, said a message received here. Later the Air Chief called on Major General Staff Pilot Ibrahim Nasser Mohammad Al-Alawi, Commander UAE Air Force and Air Defence (AF&AD) in his office. During the meeting the Air Chief said excellent mutual cooperation had always been a matter of pride for both the sides.Commander UAE AF&AD lauded the glorious history of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and also acknowledged the endeavours made by the PAF in modernization and indigenization of its fleet in recent years. Both the dignitaries discussed ways and means to further enhance and continue exemplary mutual cooperation between the two air forces. LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2018 ) :Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar accompanied by other honourbale judges of the apex court, and a delegation comprising foreign and local water experts, visited Mangla Dam, the largest water reservoir in Pakistan. Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (Retd) and other senior officers welcomed them at Mangla Dam, according to WAPDA spokesman here Sunday. During their visit, the delegation was briefed that Mangla Dam had been phenomenally contributing towards economic development and social uplift of Pakistan for the last 51 years by providing water for irrigated agriculture, mitigating floods and generating low-cost hydel electricity. Since its commissioning in 1967, Mangla Dam made more than 251 million acre feet (MAF) of storage releases for irrigation purpose and contributed about 233 billion units of electricity to the National Grid. The delegates were apprised that Mangla Dam, the first-ever multi-purpose mega project in Pakistan, was completed in 1967 with live water storage capacity of 5.88 MAF, which reduced to 4.6 MAF till 2004 due to natural phenomenon of sedimentation. Subsequently, Mangla Dam Raising Project was initiated in 2004 with a view to maximizing the water potential of River Jhelum. The project was substantially completed in December 2009, increasing the water storage capacity of Mangla Reservoir to 7. 4 MAF from 4.6 MAF with an addition of 2.88 MAF. Resultantly, Mangla Dam surpassed the water storage capacity of Tarbela Dam and became the largest water reservoir in the country. WAPDA chairman briefed that the consultants of Mangla Dam in their design of the project way back in 1960, had envisaged the life of the Mangla reservoir from 100 to 115 years. However, effective watershed techniques adopted by WAPDA and completion of Mangla Dam Raising Project have increased the life of Mangla reservoir to 269 years. Mangla reservoir produces about 500 metric ton of fish every year. WAPDA handed over fishing rights in the reservoir to Azad Jammu and Kashmir government since 2003 as one of the confidence building measures, the delegates were further informed. Giving an account of Mangla Hydel power Station, the delegation was briefed that installation of the first four generating units, having generation capacity of 100 megawatt (MW) each, was completed in 1967. Unit No. 5 and 6 were installed in 1974, while Unit No 7 and 8 in 1981. Mangla Hydel Power Station attained its maximum generation capacity of 1000 MW in 1994 with addition of Unit No 9 and 10. In view of the aging factor of the generating equipment and availability of additional water due to the raised Mangla Dam, WAPDA is executing Mangla Refurbishment Project. On completion of the project in a phased manner, the generation capacity of Mangla Hydel Power Station will increase to 1310 MW. A substantial broken portion of Islamabad Expressway, one of the most busy traffic artery in the capital, requires prompt attention of the city mandarins whose continuous negligence to its deteriorating condition is scuttling the smooth traffic flow and testing the nerves of commuters. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Oct, 2018 ) :A substantial broken portion of Islamabad Expressway, one of the most busy traffic artery in the capital, requires prompt attention of the city mandarins whose continuous negligence to its deteriorating condition is scuttling the smooth traffic flow and testing the nerves of commuters. The two-lane highway on each side of the road from the Korang nullah bridge entrance upto Rawat had developed cracks and this wear tear in the road at points has turned the huge stretch of road bumpy and accident-prone. The daily motorists shuttling on this road have to negotiate through a maze of unexpected road surface or to bump directly into the uneven ditches. The situation gets worse as the heavy vehicles occupying the narrow two lanes on each side keep on moving at snail's pace; that too in a haphazard manner without caring a fig for the traffic laws. Due to the heavy load they transport at places, had also created ruts in the macadamized road. The vagaries of weather had almost exposed the surface, especially after crossing the Korang nullah bridge upto Naval anchorage society. "Crossing this rutted stretch of road really tests a driver's skills as hitting the road is not an easy affair, Manzoor Bhatti," a bank official in PWD colony commented. Farooq Naeem, a daily commuter and resident of a private society, pointed out that in the past, cracked surface or potholes were filled or repaired by the concerned department, but now after years of neglect, the situation turned out as lamentable. A number of residents, whose costly vehicles were damaged on this patch, were at a loss to discover the apathetic attitude by the Capital Development Authority which always cited paucity of funds required for the repair of the highway. On daily basis, the heavy loaded damaged trucks could be seen occupying the fast lane, after ramming into rough and sharp surfaces and thus hampering the traffic stream for long atrocious hours, Shafi Khattak commented. (@ChaudhryMAli88) RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2018 ) :Provincial Minister For Law and Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat has given 15 days to the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) to shift the filth station established Liaquat Bagh area. The Minister said that no one would be allowed to pollute the atmosphere of the city. Talking to APP, he said that it is duty of everyone to play due role to keep the surrounding clean. He said that the officials should work hard and perform their professional duties honestly and with dedication. The negligence would not be tolerated at any cost and strict action would be taken against the violators, he added. Raja Basharat said that anti encroachment operation would continue and city would be purged from encroachment mafia. He demanded traders to cooperate with the administration to eradicate encroachment from the city. San Jos, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2018 ) :Four American tourists were killed and a fifth Costa Rican tourist was missing after a river rafting accident in the Central American country Saturday, the Red Cross said. The alarm was raised Saturday afternoon following the accident in a swollen river on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast, Alexander Morales of the Red Cross told AFP. "Fourteen tourists and three guides on board three rafts and a kayaker were on the Naranjito river in Quepos de Puntarenas when the accident occurred," Alexander Morales told AFP. Another spokesman, Johnny Zamora, later confirmed the American tourists had yet to be identified. Rafting is hugely popular with tourists in Costa Rica, which is currently in its wet season, causing waterways to flood. Russian parliamentary staffer Mikhail Bochkarev flew to Moscow on Saturday after being cleared of spying charges in Norway. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th October, 2018) Russian parliamentary staffer Mikhail Bochkarev flew to Moscow on Saturday after being cleared of spying charges in Norway. "Bochkarev arrived at Moscow's Sheremetyevo on a flight from Oslo. He was greeted by his son and colleagues," a press release by the Federation Council, the upper house of Russia's parliament, read. He was detained at an Oslo airport in September, after taking part in an IT conference in Norway's parliament, on suspicion of gathering data illegally. Norwegian national security agency on Friday withdrew an appeal against his release, ordered by a local court earlier this week. Bochkarev told reporters waiting for him at the Moscow airport he had expected Norway to drop charges because he was innocent. He called accusations against him "baseless" and "absurd." He thanked Russian diplomats in Norway, the Russian parliament and Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko for their support. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it expected an apology from Norway, while Matvienko called the arrest a provocation. MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st October, 2018) Three Russian citizens were detained in Venezuela being suspected of attempted cocaine trafficking, local media reported citing the Venezuelan Public Prosecutor's Office. According to the Cooperante media outlet, the Russians were among 20 people, who were on board of the Jose Progress vessel, where the Venezuelan security services found 147 kilograms (324 Pounds) of cocaine during a special operation. Along with the Russians, 13 citizens of the Philippines, three Venezuelans as well as a Ukrainian citizen have also been detained The vessel under the Panamanian flag was reportedly heading for the Belgian port of Gent. The Russian Embassy in Venezuela has not confirmed the information yet. ATHENS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st October, 2018) A group of masked men on Sunday attacked the Canadian Embassy in Athens in Greece, smashing windows and smearing paint over the facade, local media reported. The attack by a dozen of sledgehammer-wielding hooligans took place in the northern suburb of the Greek capital at around 6 a.m. local time, the Kathimerini newspaper reported. The Embassy's security guard alerted the police, the publication said. A man who was close to the scene at the time of the attack was questioned and then released. The Greek Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and vowed to take "all necessary action" to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice. "Such unlawful actions will not affect our country's excellent relations with Canada or the bonds of long-time friendship between our peoples," it added in a statement. No one has claimed responsibility, but the assault mirrored attacks by a Greek anarchist group called Rubicon. Last month, Rubicon said they had vandalized Iran's Embassy in Athens in protest against its treatment of the Kurds. Caracas and Moscow are working on the possibility of organizing a visit by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to Russia at the end of November to attend a meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th October, 2018) Caracas and Moscow are working on the possibility of organizing a visit by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to Russia at the end of November to attend a meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, Venezuela's Ambassador to Russia Carlos Faria Tortosa told Sputnik. "During the visit by Vice President Tareck El Aissami to Moscow, he brought a message from President Maduro to the government of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin with a proposal to hold a regular meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission at the top level in Russia and consider the possibility of President Maduro's participation in it," Tortosa said. "Certainly everything is still being coordinated in terms of President Putin's schedule so that he could also attend the meeting. At the moment, the proposal is as follows, and we are waiting for all the details to be agreed on the holding of a joint intergovernmental commission meeting," the ambassador said. He said the commission's meeting could be held in Moscow or St. Petersburg, likely at the end of November 2018. This study highlights the importance of pathology review. 5/55 patients (~10%) of patients referred with pRCC were found to not have papillary histology! papillary RCC trials group Type 1 and Type 2 together, and separate them out as an afterthought. However, these are two distinct disease processes, with different mutational profiles, different driver mutations (cMET in pRCC Type 1 and fumarate hydratase in pRCC Type 2), and different clinical presentations. Prior studies looking at therapies for pRCC have had similar outcomes There are numerous ongoing clinical trials with ICIs in this disease space Munich, Germany (UroToday.com) The majority of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) are clear cell histology, and therefore, the brunt of the effort in drug and therapy development focused on this histology. Yet papillary RCC (pRCC) is not an insignificant histologic subset of RCC - pRCC represents 10-15% of renal carcinomas. In the metastatic setting, there is no standard treatment for pRCC. Few trials were conducted with sunitinib, everolimus and more recently savolitinib, with disappointing response rates. Axitinib, an inhibitor of VEGF receptors, currently indicated as 2line treatment in advanced renal cell carcinoma, was investigated.This was a phase 2 trial assessing the safety and efficacy of axinitib (AXT) in the 1line for patients with pRCC. The primary endpoint was 24-week progression free survival (PFS), while secondary endpoints included safety, PFS in each histologic subtype of pRCC, OS and best response rate and duration of response.This was a small study. Inclusion criteria included adult patients (pts) with measurable disease, ECOG PS 0 or 1, no previous treatment, no brain metastases, and adequate organ functions. 56 patients were approached for enrollment, 55 were enrolled. Interestingly, 5 patients were actually excluded after central path review as they did not have pRCC histology! Ultimately of the 50 eligible patients, 44 were confirmed for inclusion and treated with AXT 5 mg twice daily. Of these 44, 12 had papillary type 1 and 30 had papillary 2. The remaining two patients had either mixed and undetermined papillary histology was enrolled. Basic demographics were: median age was 65 (27-82), 84% pts were males, 23.8% were in the good, 45.2% in the intermediate and 31% pts in the poor IMDC prognostic groups.In terms of outcomes, PFS at 24 weeks is 45.2% for all-comers, but 46.2% and 42.9% in type 1 and 2 pRCC, respectively; best response rate is 26.2% (11/42) with 1 PR and 10 PR in type 1 and 2 respectively. Median PFS is 23.8 weeks for the entire cohort, similar for both subgroups (21.0 for Type 1 and 23.8 for Type 2). Median OS is 18.9 months for the entire cohort, NR for Type 1 and 17.4 for Type 2.Treatment-related all grade toxicity was as expected with fatigue 73%, hypertension 61%, dysphonia 55%, diarrhea 52%, loss of appetite 30%, hand-foot syndrome 23%; grade 3-4 events were hypertension 27.3%, digestive symptoms 9.1% and PS decrease 5%.In this first trial of axitinib in mPRC, it shows encouraging efficacy, especially in type 2 pRCC Toxicity was manageable. Axitinib appears as a good candidate to combine with immunotherapy for future trials in mPRC.Invited DiscussantDr. Suarez made the following points when addressing this poster presentation.- Amongst TKIs, sunitinib had the best median PFS of 8.3 months (ASPEN), but everolimus has trial data as well- MET inhibitors have had more promise, particularly in MET (+) tumors, with ORRs approaching 50%In her opinion, in patients who have pRCC with metastatic disease, the current treatment algorithm should be:1) Treat on a clinical trial if possible2) If no clinical trial available, then base the decision on MET status- MET positive MET-inhibitor should be used- MET negative sunitinib or AXTHowever, she again emphasized that we need to stop putting Type 1 and Type 2 pRCC patients in one category for clinical trials!Presented by: S. Negrier, The University of Lyon, Lyon, FranceInvited Discussant: Dr. Cristina Suarez, SpainWritten by: Thenappan Chandrasekar, MD, Clinical Instructor, Thomas Jefferson University, twitter: @tchandra_uromd, @TjuUrology at the 2018 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress (#ESMO18), October 19-23, 2018, Munich Germany Prostate radiotherapy improves the survival of men with metastatic prostate cancer who have a low disease burden, reported Parker. He recommended: Prostate radiotherapy, in addition to drug treatment, should now be a standard treatment option for men with oligometastatic disease. San Francisco, CA USA (UroToday.com) -- Radiotherapy to the prostate improves overall survival in men newly diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer who have a low metastatic disease burden but not in those with higher burden of disease, according to results from a pre-planned analysis of a large comparison study reported at ESMO 2018 Standard treatment for men newly diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer is currently drug treatment alone, explained the lead author Dr. Chris Parker, Clinical Oncologist, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton, UK. Although outcomes have improved, men still typically die from metastatic prostate cancer within around five years, so there is a need for more effective treatment. We wanted to know if radiotherapy to the prostate might not only improve local control but also slow progression of metastatic disease.The multi-arm, multi-stage STAMPEDE study included a randomised phase III comparison to test whether radiotherapy to the prostate improves overall survival in men with newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer. This was based on the hypothesis that primary tumours, which are the original or first tumours occurring in a patient with cancer, could contribute to overall disease progression and shorter survival in men with metastatic prostate cancer.The study included 2061 patients (median age 68 years) from the UK and Switzerland who were newly diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. They were randomly allocated to standard of care (SOC) treatment consisting of lifelong androgen deprivation therapy plus early docetaxel from 2016 or to SOC plus radiotherapy to the prostate. The radiotherapy schedule was 55Gy/20f daily over 4 weeks or 36Gy/6f weekly over 6 weeks.Results showed that prostate radiotherapy improved failure-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.68, 0.84) but not overall survival (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.80, 1.06) in the whole group of patients.Prespecified subgroup analysis showed that radiotherapy to the prostate improved overall survival by just over one-third (32%) in the 819 men with a low burden of metastatic disease (HR=0.68, 95% CI 0.52, 0.90). In contrast, overall survival was not improved with radiotherapy in the 1120 men with higher metastatic burden. Higher burden of disease in prostate cancer is defined as four or more bone metastases with at least one outside the axial skeleton and/or visceral metastasesRadiotherapy to the prostate was well tolerated with 5% of patients having grade 3-4 adverse events during treatment and 4% following treatment. There was a small increase in risk of bladder and bowel side-effects but these were modest. The side-effects are certainly outweighed by the survival benefit, said Parker.Parker noted that prostate radiotherapy is a simple technique that is widely available and relatively cheap, so he considered that it can be implemented easily. He added that the study results are also relevant to men with pelvic node positive but non-metastatic disease (N1M0) where the addition of radiotherapy to drug treatment could be curative.Commenting on the findings for ESMO, Prof. Karim Fizazi, from the Gustave Roussy Institute, University of Paris Sud, France, said: For the first time, this study provides evidence that treating the local primary tumor is associated with improvement in overall survival in men with metastatic prostate cancer and minimal disseminated disease. He added that the finding that there was no significant increase in overall survival in men with a higher burden of disease was in line with the previously reported HORRAD trialConsidering the implications for clinical practice, Fizazi suggested: For men with newly diagnosed oligometastatic prostate cancer, it is quite likely that this data is practice changing. Looking to the future, he said: For men with higher burden of disease more data are needed regarding whether upfront local treatment improves or prevents local symptoms, which, by itself, may justify its use in the absence of an overall survival benefit.In terms of limitations, Fizazi noted that although the study was a large, randomised phase 3 trial only 18% of the patients had received early docetaxel and none had received early abiraterone, although these treatments are now part of standard treatment in fit men.References:1. Abstract LBA5_PR Radiotherapy (RT) to the primary tumour for men with newly-diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer (PCA): survival results from STAMPEDE (NCT00268476) will be presented by Chris Parker during Presidential Symposium 2 on Sunday 21 October, 16:30 to 18:10 (CEST) in Room 18 - Hall A 2. Annals of Oncology, Volume 29 Supplement 8 October 2018 2 Sweeney CJ, Chen Y-H, Carducci M et al. Chemohormonal therapy in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. NEJM 2015; 373: 737-746. 3. Boeve L, Hulshof M, Vis A et al. PD10-10 a prospective, randomized controlled trial evaluating overall survival in patients with primary bone metastatic prostate cancer (MPCA) receiving either androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) or ADT combined with concurrent radiation therapy to the prostate, final data from the HORRAD trial. The Journal of Urology 2018; 199: e231-e232. Further Related Content: Munich, Germany (UroToday.com) Wilm Quentin, MD kicked off this session with a focus on defining what the key components to a well-functional healthcare system are though he was the first to admit that this is difficult to do and there are many definitions out there, each with its own flaws. However, he started out by focusing on the progress to this point and what components he thinks should be included.Prior to jumping into the topic, it should be noted that Dr. Quentin has a unique position to comment on this topic. He is a medical physician, but also has a strong history of involvement in healthcare systems management. Specifically, he has an MSc in this topic and works with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (EOHSP).He started off by spending some time talking about this last organization. EOHSP is a partnership, hosted by WHO/Europe, which includes other international organizations (the European Commission, the World Bank); national governments (Austria, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom); decentralized authorities (the Veneto Region of Italy, the French National Union of Health Insurance Funds (UNCAM)); and academia (the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)). Based out of Brussels, Belgium, it has primarily an advisory role it has no direct power over any EU member countrys health care system, as these are under the jurisdiction of the nation itself.But, what is a health system? Around the early 2000s, there was an increased focus on health systems rather than just individual healthcare delivery. The WHO report entitled The World Health Report (2000) was a pivotal report and a must-read for anyone interested in this space. Rather than delineating individual components that all healthcare systems must have, it identified key functions and outcomes of a complete health system. Below:These may take different forms in different countries, but these are common functions and goals in all countries. Ultimately, the health of the patient is the most important objective but this should take into account the non-medical expectations of patients (responsiveness) and fair financial contributions.Based on this the WHO came up with a scoring system, emphasizing health (50%) heavily, but also responsiveness and fair financial contributions (25% each). All countries were graded on this system and many countries were not happy with the result. France was ranked #1, Germany #25. Others much lower. There was a lot of backlash and they discontinued reporting as such. There have been other scoring systems (including the Euro Health Consumer Index 2017), but all have their own flaws and are rarely accepted easily as true metrics.However, the basic function of the above diagram is correct. And it is important to understand these features for whatever country you happen to be living in. To that effect, the EOHSP actually has a component called the Health Systems and Policy Monitor, which publishes detailed reports about each member country (and some non-member countries, like Canada and Israel), which are freely available and regularly updated. You can even compare specific features across countries.The EU has also begun to work with the EOHSP to generate a new initiative evaluating each of the member states healthcare systems and to provide recommendations. Part of that report includes a healthcare system performance report, with 3 sections: Effectiveness, accessibility, and resilience. This is highlighted below:Based on all of this, Dr. Quentin had the following components he feels makes a well-functioning health care system:1) Health promotion and disease prevention- You cannot understate the importance of health promotion (exercise, etc) and disease prevention programs- These are often underutilized 80% of healthcare costs are due to non-communicable disease, but only 3% of health budgets are spent on prevention2) A strong primary care network primary care physicians should be gatekeepers to other health care resources.- 27% of patients in the EU visit an emergency room due to inadequate primary care- 14 countries in the EU actually require primary care physicians to refer to consulting specialists which help reduce costs- Unfortunately, 9 other countries have incentives for referrals3) Integrated care- The time has come to ensure all the pieces of the healthcare puzzle work around and follow the patient healthcare should not be piecemeal, with the patient try and take data from place to place- Specialists and all healthcare professionals should coordinate care- In todays world, multidisciplinary care is essential as patients are older; there is a rising burden of chronic disease and multiple morbidity diseases4) Assuring timely access to care- This should not depend on access to resources though it does in some EU countries5) Improving resilience through stable funding- Between 2008-2014 (recession), there was a significant dip in healthcare funding across the EU- Yet, reducing funding mainly hits primary care and prevention measures- This is something that should be maintained despite the overall economy maintaining a healthy population is important for future economic success as a country6) Workforce planning maintaining an appropriate workforce for the needs of the population- External pressures (aging population, migration, technical innovation) and internal pressures (recruitment and retention of healthcare workers, skills distribution) have an important effect- These need to be modulated and managed proactively!His final slide was:Presented by: Wilm Quentin, MD, Technische Universitat Berlin | TUB Department of Health Care Managemen, Berlin, GermanyWritten by: Thenappan Chandrasekar, MD, Clinical Instructor, Thomas Jefferson University, twitter: @tchandra_uromd, @TjuUrology at the 2018 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress (#ESMO18), October 19-23, 2018, Munich Germany Further Related Content: Pillars of an Effective Healthcare System in Europe, Special Focus on Healthcare in Central and Eastern Europe Lack of understanding of the value of screening Fear of cancer (in general) Fear of colonoscopy Dislike of stool testing A general attitude of I dont have symptoms and I dont have time Low health literacy especially in Eastern Europe An embarrassment to discuss colorectal cancer (unlike other cancers) Munich, Germany (UroToday.com) In this talk from the Cancer Prevention advocacy session, Zorana Maravic from the Digestive Cancers Europe group focuses on the challenges of cancer screening and implementation.Digestive Cancers Europe represents the patient population of Europe with digestive cancer (survivors and active cancer patients) and their families. It started with EuropaColon 14 years ago, and they have grown exponentially since then. Here is a summary of their long history and achievements, amongst others:She focused the rest of her talk on the burden of colorectal cancer, the importance of screening and the difficulty with screening implantation.Colon cancer burden remains quite high it is the 3most common cancer in men and 2in women worldwide. There are wide geographical variations in incidence with the highest incidence in Europe and Australia/New Zealand. However, this may be due to better diagnosis and more non-cancer related competing morbidity in other countries.Survival is also poorer in less developed regions of the world and in poorer areas of Europe, such as central and eastern Europe.Unlike with other cancers, there is a strong case for cancer screening in colon cancer. 1 in 4 individuals >50 years old have polyps which are pre-malignant. If caught and treated, their cancer risk of death is almost 0%. However, once they get to stage 1 cancer, their 10-year survival goes to 93%, which still isnt bad. If they have stage 4 cancer, however, 10-year survival is between 8-10%. Therefore, early diagnosis can change the natural history of the disease.Screening colonoscopy is the screening test of choice it is a 30-45 minute procedure under sedation. It is a procedure and has risks, but is generally well tolerated.The European Union has established screening guidelines for colorectal cancer. Initial guidelines were published in 2010, with an update in 2017.However, when they looked at countries in the EU who met screening guidelines, the results were abysmal:Even mature screening countries were only expected to have an update rate of 65% - despite that, only Ireland, France and Italy met that goal. Many countries have no screening in place at all.Some argue against screening due to cost. While there are costs with screening each healthy patient, there are much higher costs of treating advanced colorectal cancer per patient. It is estimated that if screening is implemented, and 100% of CRC patients were diagnosed in Stage 1 or earlier, the potential savings could be $8 billion euros in medical costs annually while also saving 380,000 lives.She ended the session by going through different screening campaigns in different countries in the EU, including France, UK, Latvia, Serbia, Portugal, Israel, and SerbiaWhat are the barriers to screening?A problem too is compliance with continued testing many may get the original screening, but never have any follow-up testing. This relates back to education regarding the concept of screening.Some of her take-home points on increasing compliance rates:Presented by: Zorana Maravic, MBA, MSc, EuropaColonWritten by: Thenappan Chandrasekar, MD (Clinical Instructor, Thomas Jefferson University) (twitter: @tchandra_uromd, @TjuUrology) In a telegram sent on Sunday, Pope Francis prays for the victims of a train accident in northern India, in which at least 60 people have died. By Devin Watkins Pope Francis expressed his heartfelt solidarity on Sunday for the victims of a train accident in the northern Indian state of Punjab. In a telegram signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis said he was saddened to learn of the accident, and assured his prayers for the deceased and those who mourn their loss. The Holy Father invoked the divine blessings of healing, strength, and peace upon the injured and their loved ones, as well as the civil authorities and emergency personnel. Worst rail disaster this year A commuter train travelling at high speed plowed into a crowd of people standing on the rail tracks during a celebration on Friday. At least 60 people died in the incident, making it Indias worst rail disaster this year. Hundreds of people had gathered near Amritsar to watch a burning effigy as part of the Hindu festival of Dussehra. Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, pictured on Oct 1, 2018, expressed concern that Nigerians were too frequently resorting to violence over misunderstandings after fighting broke out in a market following a dispute among wheelbarrow porters. (AFP/Sodiq ADELAKUN) Sources told AFP fighting broke out between Hausa Muslim and Adara Christian youths in the town of Kasuwan Magani's market following a dispute among wheelbarrow porters. Two people were said to have been killed in the market fracas on Thursday. The violence was temporarily halted by police but Adara youth later mobilised and attacked Hausa residents, burning homes, the sources added. "Most of the killings were done in the second attack which took the Hausa community off guard," said Muhammadu Bala, a Kasuwar Magani resident who lost his home. In a statement the presidency said: "President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the latest communal violence in Kasuwan Magani in Kaduna State which claimed 55 lives." The violence followed a dispute in a market on Thursday, the presidency added. The president expressed concern that Nigerians were too frequently resorting to violence over misunderstandings that could be resolved peacefully. "No culture and religion supports the disregard for the sanctity of life," he said, adding that "peaceful coexistence is necessary for the progress of any society and its wellbeing". He said that without harmony between communities an environment conducive to "our everyday businesses would be impossible to achieve". "Violence cannot be an alternative to peace. On the contrary, reliance on violence leads to ultimate self-destruction. Violence is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. Embracing peace is a necessity," he said. He appealed to community leaders to take part in regular dialogue to prevent misunderstandings and foster a spirit of tolerance and patience. Kaduna state police commissioner Ahmad Abdur-Rahman told reporters on Friday 22 people had been arrested in connection with the violence. The Kaduna state government also imposed a round-the-clock curfew in Kasuwan Magani on Friday. A similar crisis in February left at least 10 people dead and hundreds of homes and businesses burnt. Over 60 people are facing charges over the February violence. Demonstrators pose for a photograph with their placards at the start of a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London. (NIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP) The police gave no figures for how many showed up for the massive march and rally outside parliament aimed at pressing the government into holding a second Brexit vote. But the 570,000 turnout figure reported by campaigners would make the demonstration the largest since 750,000 showed up against the war in Iraq in 2003 according to police figures. "This feels like a party," said Liverpool university student Lucy Dogget as she squeezed past a volunteer dishing out bowls of beans on a leafy square facing Westminster Palace. "But it could be our last one before the lights go out." London Mayor Sadiq Khan called on Saturday "an historic moment in our democracy" that united "every corner of our country and every section of our society". 'MISLED' The marchers came in buses and trains from across Britain and even other parts of the EU. They chanted and whistled while marching in support for causes ranging from women's rights to Britain's beloved but underfunded NHS healthcare system. Some wore blue French berets decorated with the golden stars of the EU flag. Others stuck up signs lampooning Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiating efforts. Many of the posters featured variations on the famous "I have a cunning plan" line from the popular 1980s British comedy "Black Adder". Their point was that May seemed to have none at all just five months before Britain is to split from the EU with or without an agreement of how future trade between the two will function. And all seemed united in a simple message: the Brexit its supporters promised ahead of the June 2016 referendum that set the divorce in motion looks nothing like the one being negotiated today. "I think people were misled in various ways," small business owner Peter Hancock said while tightening an EU flag around the neck of his huge bearded collie. "We want to stay European," added his wheelchair-bound wife Julie. "We can't really see any benefits of leaving, can we, at all." An online petition demanding a binding vote on any deal agreed before the March deadline had been signed almost 950,000 times by the time the march kicked off under sunny skies. DIVIDED NATION May has made it abundantly clear that she has no intention of allowing a Brexit do-over. "They now want a second referendum to go back to the British people and say 'Oh, we're terribly sorry - we think you've got it wrong,'" she told parliament on Wednesday. "There'll be no second referendum. The people voted and this government will deliver on it." Yet many are not entirely clear on what it actually is that May's government is delivering. The alternatives facing Britain at the moment seems to range from a clean break without any trade deal to one in which little changes except for London losing its voice in the EU. Neither choice holds much appeal to most people. Recriminations over how Britain got here have left May looking increasingly isolated and weak. And European leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron are openly wondering if a second British vote might yet make the mess go away. Polls show support for a second referendum evenly split - the same as with the Brexit vote itself. In the 2016 poll 52 per cent of voters backed leaving on turnout of 72 per cent. But some think MPs may rally around another poll at the last moment to avert complete chaos once they see what Britain might be forced to sign up to - and they must approve. Fiona Godfrey said she took the overnight train in from her new home in Luxemburg because she feared Brexit would do permanent damage to her family life. The 53-year-old contract worker said new British residence rules would make it all but impossible for her new German husband to ever settle in London. "We would have to meet minimum income rules and I am self-employed," said Godfrey. "I'm losing my voting rights, my right to a livelihood, my freedom of movement - in Luxembourg, which you can cross in 15 minutes." Inside this repeat edition Heather serves up fresh Afrobeats & AfroFunk from West Africas top stars, hot hip-hop from Kenyas current, biggest comeback artist, the 2017 African Cup of Nations Victory song, and classic artists of maskandi, palm-wine highlife, Algerian World music & Mande dance band! Kwame Ofori joins in for Song of the Week "Amaka" and Algerian singer/composer Rachid Taha's recent death is honored with one of his greatest songs. Get it! Catch the vibe! ((PKG)) ABORTION ((Banner: Abortion)) ((Reporter: Katherine Gypson)) ((Camera: Adam Greenbaum)) ((Adapted by: Martin Secrest)) ((Map: Fargo, North Dakota)) ((Locater: Red River Womens Clinic)) ((Banner)) President Trumps pro-life policies get strong support from voters in North Dakota. Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp faces a reelection challenge from Republican Congressman Kevin Cramer. ((NATS)) ((TAMMI KROMENAKER, RED RIVER CLINIC)) North Dakota has some of the most restrictive laws in the country and has for many, many years. Obtaining an abortion in North Dakota, theres only one clinic. So, women from the western part of the state have to travel hours to get here, to get to the only clinic that there is. They have to navigate waiting periods. They have to receive state materials. Theres just a lot of barriers. ((NATS)) ((JOHN TRANDEM, NORTH DAKOTA REPUBLICAN OFFICIAL)) Weve got very outspoken management at the Fargo abortion clinic, and weve got very outspoken citizens in the pro-life community, not only with Lutherans for Life, but with the Catholic Church and many of the other evangelical churches who participate as well. Weve got very pro-life legislators, both Republican and Democrat, and so the battle rages on, but North Dakotas been at the forefront of that and passed a lot of landmark legislation that has been emulated by other states. ((NATS)) ((TAMMI KROMENAKER, RED RIVER CLINIC)) So, North Dakota is a very conservative state, but back in 2014, when we had a so-called Personhood (anti-abortion) ballot measure, on the general election, North Dakota voters overwhelmingly turned that down, and people stood up, and there was only one district in the entire state that voted for it. Every other district, it was overwhelmingly against it. ((NATS)) ((JOHN TRANDEM, NORTH DAKOTA REPUBLICAN OFFICIAL)) This is a very strong Donald Trump state. Thats no secret to Heidi Heitkamp. Its no secret to Kevin Cramer, who is a long time, early, early supporter of President Trump. Donald Trump is very popular in North Dakota. Heidi Heitkamp has been touting her, I vote with Donald Trump 50 percent of the time. Im not positive why people would vote for her because she votes with Donald Trump 50 percent of the time, when we have a congressman who votes with Donald Trump 90 percent of the time. So, I understand that shes trying to draw the more moderate voters in, but the reality is North Dakota doesnt have a ton of moderate voters. North Dakota has a lot of very hard conservatives, and a few, very hard Democrats. ((NATS)) For 150 years, the British Museum has housed one of the iconic, heavy-browed stone figures that Chile's Easter Island is famous for. Now the islanders are hoping desperately to get it back. They plan to build a copy of the four-ton monolith and, potentially swap it for the real thing. The statue, known as a "moai" and named the Hoa Hakananai'a, is one of hundreds originally found on the island. Carved by Polynesian colonizers somewhere between the 13th and 16th centuries, each of the big-headed figures was considered to represent tribal leaders or deified ancestors. About a dozen have been removed from the island over the years. Now Camilo Rapu, president of the island's Ma'u Henua community, said it's time Hoa Hakananai'a was returned. The Ma'u Henua community, with Chilean government support, launched a campaign in August to persuade the British Museum and Queen Elizabeth II to return the famous moai -- in exchange for an exact replica to be carved on Easter Island. "Our expert carvers will make a copy in basalt, the original stone used in the Hakananai'a moai, as an offering to Queen Elizabeth in exchange for the original," Rapu told reporters in Santiago. The Ma'u Henua have signed an agreement with the Bishop Museum -- Hawaii's largest museum, with a huge collection of Polynesian artifacts -- to produce a polycarbonate copy of the Hakananai'a, to be ready by November 3. The actual carving of the statue will take place on Easter Island, using thousand-year-old Rapa Nui techniques -- combined with some modern technology to allow the job to be completed in seven months. The Hakananai'a moai in the British Museum stands 2.4 meters tall (eight feet) and weighs about four tons. On November 23, a committee of islanders and Chilean officials plans to travel to London in hopes of negotiating the moai's return. "This is a historic demand of the Rapa Nui people," said Rapu. The Rapa Nui were the island's aboriginal settlers, and their descendants still make up a large part of the population. "This moai has a spiritual value; it is part of our family and our culture. We want her (the queen) to understand that for us, this is its value -- not as a museum piece," he said. The islanders will bring with them a book, in support of their demand, signed by some of the thousands of tourists who every year visit the Pacific island paradise some 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) off Chile's mainland. A delegation from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global financial watchdog monitoring terror financing and money laundering, has reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with what it called inadequate measures Pakistan has taken to curb terror financing and fix anti-money-laundering laws. The nine-member delegation of the Asia Pacific Group (APG), an FATF entity that overlooks Asian countries, concluded its 12-day visit to Pakistan on Friday after meeting officials from the countrys ministries of finance and foreign affairs as well as the central bank to assess Pakistans progress and compliance with the FATFs recommendations. In its report presented to Pakistani authorities Friday, APG reportedly pointed to problems in the countrys legal system and urged Pakistan to address inadequacies in the supervision of nonprofit and charitable organizations. The APGs recent findings will also be submitted to the FATFs main headquarters, which will evaluate Pakistans progress and decide whether the country should remain on the FATFs gray list or be removed next year following measures taken by Pakistan to address the global watchdogs concerns. Pakistan was placed on the FATFs gray list in June over its alleged failure to comply with the global watchdogs guidelines to crack down on terror financing. Islamabad was placed on the gray list before, in 2012, where it remained until 2015. Effects on economy Some economists in Pakistan fear that the countrys continued failure to satisfy the FATFs demands could mean the country runs the risk of being moved from the gray list to the black list. They also fear such an action would undermine Pakistans fragile economy, which is facing a debt crisis. Pakistans economy right now is no doubt in a fragile state. Pakistan is seeking help from IMF and fighting to get out of the gray list. If Pakistan remains unsuccessful in satisfying the APG body, there could be consequences, and there are chances the country could be placed on the black list, Muhammad Zubair Habib, a Karachi-based economist, told VOA. Earlier this month, Pakistan sought financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help address some of its economic challenges. Banking system Ayub Mehar, another Pakistani economist, told VOA he believes the real problem lies in Pakistans banking sector and its existing infrastructure, which has known loopholes that allow militant groups to launder money. The team specifically mentioned the flaws in our organized banking system, financial markets, investment in the stock market and the corporate sector. They have pointed towards the lack of enforcement mechanism against the money-laundering and terror-financing channels, Mehar said. Pakistans banking system has improved immensely, and one cannot open an account without biometrics and certain verifications, he said. But its the old bank accounts of individuals and organizations that need to get verified, too, as they were opened before this new system. Existing laws Some analysts, such as Waqar Masood, who once served as Pakistans secretary of finance, believe the problem is not a lack of new laws but rather enforcement of existing laws. The main problem is not the laws, but the forceful implementation of these existing laws. If Pakistan is serious to get out of the gray list, the country will have to ensure to forcefully implement the laws, Masood told VOA. New measures Over the past year, Pakistan has passed new legislation to combat money laundering and terror financing in an effort to show that Islamabad is taking the FATFs concerns seriously. In June, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), the countrys national financial body, introduced the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Regulations. SECP also banned individuals and groups placed on terror watch lists by Pakistan and the U.N. Security Council from collecting funds. The legislation allowed Pakistan to halt the operations of the U.N.- and U.S.-designated terror groups Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), both linked to Hafiz Saeed, who is a U.S.-designated global terrorist accused of orchestrating the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed more than 160 people, including six Americans. But many analysts accuse Pakistan of being selective in its attention to militants and their financial networks, alleging that Islamabad cracks down on militants that pose a threat to Pakistan while overlooking other groups that operate outside the country. Pakistan has denied such allegations. Informal channels Terror financing remains a big challenge in Pakistan. The terror groups allegedly continue to collect large sums of money in the name of religion and welfare for the poor. The militant outfits also use foreign funding, drug trafficking, extortion from businesses and kidnapping for ransom as ways to generate wealth. The terror groups also depend on the Hawala system, a parallel banking system, to launder their money, which according to some analysts is not adequately scrutinized by authorities. There is no doubt Pakistan has introduced substantial reforms in its banking sector over the past few years. The problem is not the banking system, but the other informal money channels the terror groups continue to use easily, Pakistani economist Mehar said. VOAs Nafisa Hoodhboy and Sarah Hassan contributed to this report. When the Justice Department unsealed criminal charges detailing a yearslong effort by a Russian troll farm to sow division and discord in the U.S. political system, it was the first federal case alleging continued foreign interference in U.S. elections. Earlier Friday, American intelligence officials released a rare public statement asserting that Russia, China, Iran and other countries are engaged in ongoing efforts to influence U.S. policy and voters in future elections. The statement didnt provide details on those efforts. That stood in contrast with the criminal charges, which provided a detailed narrative of Russian activities. Russian activities have also been outlined in previous criminal cases. A look at what is known about foreign efforts to interfere in U.S. elections: What is the US worried about? The U.S. has a lot of concerns: ballot tampering, hacking into campaigns, open and covert attempts to sway voters. Fridays announcement didnt suggest that electoral campaigns or systems were compromised. Instead, it spelled out a focus on foreign campaigns aimed at undermining confidence in democratic institutions. The criminal charges detailed how a Russian troll farm created thousands of false social media profiles and email accounts that appeared to be from people inside the United States. While social media companies are making an effort to combat fake accounts and bogus news stories ahead of the upcoming elections, there is a concern from advocates that it may not be enough to combat the foreign interference. Is Russia meddling in US elections? The criminal complaint provided a clear picture that there is still a hidden but powerful Russian social media effort aimed at spreading distrust for American political candidates and causing divisions on social issues such as immigration and gun control. Prosecutors said a Russian woman, Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova, worked for the same social media troll farm indicted earlier this year by special counsel Robert Mueller, whose office is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. The case largely mirrors the one brought by the special counsels office against three Russian companies, including the Internet Research Agency, and 13 Russians, including a close ally to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Court papers describe how the operatives in Fridays case would analyze U.S. news articles and decide how they would draft social media messages about those stories. They also show that Russian trolls have stepped up their efforts with a better understanding of the U.S. political climate and messages that are no longer riddled with misspellings. In 2016, Russian trolls were trying to help elect Republican Donald Trump and harm the campaign of Democrat Hillary Clinton, while also sowing discord in America. The latest charges show that Russia is continuing to focus on the latter, instead of helping a particular candidate. The case detailed how the operatives would often sent messages with diverging viewpoints about the same issue from different accounts. What about Iran? The Trump administration has accused Iran of all kinds of misconduct, including sponsoring terrorism and posing a threat to Middle Eastern nations. But it hasnt released evidence to support its claim that Iran is trying to sway U.S. elections. The U.S. has previously accused Iranians of cyberattacks that appear unrelated to politics. In March, the Justice Department announced that nine Iranians carried out a yearslong cyberattack to steal secrets from American companies, universities and the government. Prosecutors said the hackers had worked at the behest of the Iranian government-sponsored Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Among the targets were employees at the Department of Labor, the Federal Regulatory Commission and the states of Indiana and Hawaii. That case came about two years after the Justice Department indicted seven Iranian hackers for attacking dozens of banks and a small dam near New York City. What is the threat from China? Earlier this month, Vice President Mike Pence charged that Russias influence attempts pale in comparison to covert and overt activities taken by China to interfere in the upcoming midterm elections. He accused China of trying to counter the administrations tough trade policies against Beijing. While many details of Russias covert actions have been released, the accusations against China have been mostly about open activities such as advertising supplements and targeted tariffs. Unlike the accusations against Russia, no details about covert Chinese activities have been disclosed. The vice president noted that a multipage advertising supplement was inserted several weeks ago in the Des Moines Register in Iowa, a pivotal state in this years elections and the 2020 presidential election. The supplement designed to look like news articles, cast our trade policies as reckless and harmful to Iowans, Pence said. He also charged that China responded to Trumps tough trade policies with tariffs of its own designed to inflict maximum political damage. Tensions between the U.S. and China have been high because of trade disputes, and Trump frequently criticizes China. Are foreign threats having an impact? That remains unclear. Intelligence officials have stressed that Americans should take steps to verify the information they read on social media and have called on technology companies to boost protections. The national security agencies said they currently do not have any evidence that voting systems have been disrupted or compromised in ways that could result in changing vote counts or hampering the ability to tally votes in the midterms, which are 2 weeks away. Some state and local governments have reported attempts to access their networks, which often include online voter registration databases, using tactics that are available to state and nonstate cyber actors, they said. But so far, they said, state and local officials have been able to prevent access or quickly mitigate these attempts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday postponed forced evictions in a Bedouin village in the occupied West Bank, a government official said. The fate of Khan al-Ahmar has drawn international concern since Israel said it planned to raze the village, a ramshackle camp housing 180 residents. The residents, backed by foreign activists who have gathered at the site, have been waiting for bulldozers to move in at any time since an Oct. 1 deadline from Israel for the villagers to demolish their own homes expired. "We will stay alert and be ready to face the raid until news [of the delay] is confirmed," said Walid Assaf, a Palestinian Authority minister. The expulsion plan had included relocation to an area about 12 km (seven miles) away, next to a landfill. But an official in Netanyahu's office, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said an alternative relocation plan was being looked at, in coordination with the Palestinian Authority. "The goal is to fully exhaust negotiations and [examine] proposed plans submitted by various agents, including [those received] in the past few days," the official said. On Wednesday, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, said in a statement that eviction and demolition of Khan al-Ahmar could constitute a war crime, and the United Nations, the European Union and rights groups have urged Israel not to raze the village, citing the impact on its community and prospects for peace. Israel, which has long sought to clear the Arab nomads from tracts of land between the settlements of Maale Adumim and Kfar Adumim, said Khan al-Ahmar was built without the required permits. Palestinians say such documents are impossible to obtain. The Palestinians say razing the village's tents and tin shacks is part of an Israeli plan to create an arc of Jewish settlements that would effectively cut off East Jerusalem from the West Bank, areas captured by Israel in a 1967 war. Most countries consider settlements built by Israel on land it captured in 1967 to be illegal and say they reduce and fragment the territory Palestinians seek for a viable state. Israel disputes this. President Donald Trump says "full efforts" are being made to stop the caravan of Honduran migrants currently in Mexico from crossing into the U.S. "People have to apply for asylum in Mexico first and if they fail to do that, the U.S. will turn them away," Trump tweeted, adding that "courts are asking the U.S. to do things that are not doable!" "The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat Party. Change the immigration laws NOW!" he demanded. Trump and the Republicans have made immigration a major issue in next month's congressional elections. They accuse Democrats of favoring open borders that let criminals and drugs flow into the U.S. The caravan of close to 3,000 people left San Pedro Sula, Honduras last week, made its way through Guatemala, and were held up at the Mexican border Saturday. Mexican authorities refused to let the migrants enter in masse, saying only those with passports or visas could come through. Small groups of others were given temporary residency permits so they could apply for asylum. "We will offer jobs, work to Central Americans. Anyone who wants to work in our country will have help, will have a work visa," Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said last week. While some of the migrants boarded busses to return home, most became impatient waiting at the border and crossed the muddy river into Mexico by foot or on small boats provided by local residents. Mexican police and authorities made no move to stop them. Observers say the caravan has swelled to about 5,000 and Trump's harsh words and threats to deploy the U.S, military along the southern border have not deterred them. "No one will stop us, only God," a Honduran man told the Associated Press. Others walked while holding the hands of children clutching dolls and stuffed animals. They say their kids are the reason they are making the dangerous journey. Honduras is one of the most violent and deadliest nations on earth, in part, because of gangs and drugs. Many of those trying to get to the United States want to escape the daily threat to their lives, the lack of good jobs, and want to get their children away from the influence of gangs. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is monitoring the caravan. It warns of the threat of criminal activity against those traveling through Mexico. "While we closely monitor the caravan crisis, we must remain mindful of the transnational criminal organizations and other criminals that prey on the vulnerabilities of those undertaking the irregular migration journey," Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement Sunday, adding that the U.S. will work with partners in the region "to investigate and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law all who seek to encourage and profit from irregular migration." The Red Cross said Saturday that many of the people they are supporting, a majority of who are women and children, are suffering from dehydration, stomach infections, and foot injuries as they walk the long journey." Walter Cotte, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies regional director for the Americas, said in a statement: "It is imperative that the dignity and security of families are safeguarded and they are kept together." The Comoros military Saturday regained control of Mutsamudus old city center on the island of Anjouan, a minister told AFP, after armed rebels staged an uprising earlier this week. Soldiers and rebels opposed to President Azali Assoumani had fought in the narrow lanes of the medina quarter in Mutsamudu since Monday, with at least three people killed. Tensions in Comoros, a coup-prone Indian Ocean archipelago, have mounted in recent months as Assoumani bids to extend term limits through constitutional changes that could see him rule for 11 more years. The army has retaken the medina, Education Minister Mahamoud Salim Hafi, who has led the government response to the rebels, said as soldiers patrolled the streets. No fighting was reported during the day and there was no evidence of rebels being present. Residents emerge AFP reporters saw civilians emerge from their houses, some for the first time in six days. It was difficult to eat, except with the help of neighbors ... but most difficult was that we were deprived of water and electricity, Djamou Houkoum said. As soldiers passed in single file, Salma Mohamed Dossar opened her door. Difficult days everyone fled. I refused to leave, they told me was crazy, but I will never give up my house, she said, smiling. Presidency rotation One square was littered with debris of stones and tear gas grenades. A weapons amnesty deal signed between the main opposition Juwa party and government Friday appeared to have been rejected by the rebels, who were estimated to be about 40 strong. Assoumani won a widely criticized referendum in July allowing him to scrap the rotation of the presidency between Comoros three main islands, disadvantaging opposition-leaning Anjouan, which was next in line. The government had sent in reinforcements to quell the unrest in the old quarter of Mutsamudu after rebels erected barricades and repelled attempts by the security forces to regain control. The president, who came to power in a military coup and was elected in 2016, has indicated that he plans to stage polls next year which would allow him to reset his term limits and theoretically rule until 2029. The Comoros islands Anjouan, Grande Comore and Moheli are between Mozambique and Madagascar. The fourth Comoros island, Mayotte, remains French. President blames opposition Assoumanis government accuses the opposition Juwa party of being behind the unrest on Anjouan. Former president Ahmed Abdallah Sambi who leads Juwa, is from Anjouan. He has been under house arrest since May. Earlier this week, Interior Minister Mohamed Daoudou blamed terrorists, as well as drug addicts and alcoholics for the rebellion. The United Nations and African Union have called for restraint from all sides and for stalled talks between rival parties to resume. Carpentry is traditionally considered a mans job in Pakistan, but a few brave women are changing that mindset, from carving unique wooden utensils to building an entire house. VOA spoke to several women who wanted to hammer home the point that not only are women integral to their community and the economy, they can also build things as well as men. This report, produced in the remote Hunza Valley in Northern Pakistan by VOA's Urdu Service, tells their story. It is narrated by Bezhan Hamdard. Fifty-five people were killed in northern Nigeria this week after clashes between young Christians and Muslims, officials confirmed Saturday. The fight on Thursday began after a dispute between Muslim and Christian youths at a market in north-central Kaduna state, residents told media. In a statement Saturday, a spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari said the president "has condemned the latest communal violence in Kasuwan Magani in Kaduna state, which claimed 55 lives." Kaduna state police Commissioner Ahmad Abdur-Rahman said Friday that 22 people had been arrested in connection with the violence. Nigeria is mostly split along religious lines with Muslims in the north and Christians in the south. In his statement, Buhari said Nigerians too frequently resort to violence over misunderstandings. "No culture and religion supports the disregard for the sanctity of life," he said, adding that "peaceful coexistence is necessary for the progress of any society and its well-being." "Violence cannot be an alternative to peace. On the contrary, reliance on violence leads to ultimate self-destruction. Violence is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. Embracing peace is a necessity," he said. Kaduna state officials told the AFP news agency a round-the-clock curfew had been imposed in Kasuwan Magani, the site of the violence. The Kremlin expressed concern Monday about U.S. President Donald Trump's pledge to pull out of a key Cold War arms deal with Russia, saying the move would "make the world a more dangerous place." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Russia has not violated the treaty and if the United States goes on to develop new missiles then Russia would be forced to respond in kind. Peskov said Russian officials want to get more information about the U.S. plans regarding the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty during talks this week with National Security Adviser John Bolton. Bolton is due to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Monday and President Vladimir Putin. Trump has accused Russia of building and testing missiles that violate the 1987 treaty. The deal bans the U.S. and Russia from building, testing, and stockpiling ground-launched nuclear missiles with a range from 500 to 5,000 kilometers. Former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev signed the deal with the late U.S. president Ronald Reagan at the White House in 1987. "Do they really not understand in Washington what this could lead to?" Russia's Interfax news agency quoted Gorbachev as saying. "Washington's desire to turn back politics cannot be supported. Not only Russia, but all those who cherish the world, especially a world without nuclear weapons, must declare this." Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Tass news agency that the U.S. move would be "a very dangerous step." Without specifying how Russia violated the treaty, Trump Saturday appeared to say Moscow will not get away with it. "Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we are not allowed to," he said. U.S. officials going back to the Obama administration have accused Russia of deliberately deploying a land-based cruise missile to pose a threat to NATO. Russia has denied violating the INF agreement and says U.S. missile defense systems are a violation. Many so-called hawks in Washington say the INF treaty keeps the U.S. from developing a new generation of weapons in a world that faces new global security challenges. Well have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say lets really get smart and lets none of us develop those weapons, but if Russias doing it and if Chinas doing it, and were adhering to the agreement, thats unacceptable, Trump said. China is not part of the INF agreement. Beatrice Fihn, the executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons the coalition that won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize said that "by declaring he will leave the INF Treaty, President Trump has shown himself to be a demolition man who has no ability to build real security. Instead, by blowing up nuclear treaties, he is taking the U.S. down a trillion dollar road to a new nuclear arms race." Dmitry Oreshkin, an independent Russian political analyst told the Associated Press, "We are slowly slipping back to the situation of Cold War, as it was at the end of the Soviet Union, with quite similar consequences, but now it could be worse because Putin belongs to a generation that had no war under its belt. These people aren't as much fearful of a war as people of [former Soviet leader Leonid] Brezhnev's epoch. They think if they threaten the West properly, it gets scared." Saudi Arabias belated admission that writer and onetime royal insider Jamal Khashoggi died in the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul more than two weeks ago is failing to stop the international outcry over his slaying. The Saudi claim that the 59-year-old Khashoggi brawled during a quarrel with security officials came 18 days after repeated Saudi assertions the dissident left the consulate alive and Reported ties between the killers and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and shifting explanations being offered by Riyadh have only increased suspicion about what really happened to Khashoggi. Allies' concerns Allies in the West and the Gulf are becoming more anxious about the consequences from the slaying in terms of dealing with the kingdom and the possible fallout in Saudi Arabia, say analysts and diplomats. Four of the 15 Saudi security operatives and officials who flew into Istanbul hours before Khashoggi was due to visit the consulate were among the bodyguards protecting the Crown Prince on a visit last March to London. One of them, Maher Abdul Aziz Mutreb, was photographed in London during the visit. Last week, The Washington Post reported five members of the Saudi team that flew to Turkey had traveled to the United States in recent years on trips overlapping with visits by the Crown Prince, suggesting they are members of his security entourage. The links between what Turkish officials describe as a hit squad dispatched to murder Khashoggi, who lived in self-imposed exile in the United States, and the Crown Prince are complicating Riyadhs efforts to distance Mohammed bin Salman from the gruesome incident. Shifting account The Saudis are apparently trying to contain the blame to two high-ranking officials, Saud al-Qahtani, a close confidant of Mohammed bin Salman, and Ahmed al-Asiri, the deputy intelligence chief. Both men have been fired, according to Riyadh. The Saudi government says 18 suspects have been arrested and officials maintain all acted independently of the Crown Prince. But Mohammed bin Salmans critics at home and abroad point to a tweet by Qahtani last year in which he said he never acted without the approval of the monarch or the Crown Prince. World reaction Many countries have expressed astonishment over the Saudi story that discussions aimed at trying to persuade Khashoggi to return to the kingdom went awry and led to a fight and a quarrel. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, We expect transparency from Saudi Arabia about the circumstances of his death... The information available about events in the Istanbul consulate is inadequate. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has called for a full investigation, joining a similar demand by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. Australia and New Zealand announced Sunday they are joining a boycott of a major investment conference this month in Saudi Arabia, joining Britain, the Netherlands, France and the United States in protest over the Khashoggi killing. Australia's prime minister, Scott Morrison, said Sunday the latest Saudi explanation for what happened to Khashoggi cannot stand. Canada's foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland, said the explanations offered by Riyadh lack consistency and credibility. British lawmakers and rights campaigners are demanding targeted sanctions on Saudi officials, a demand also made by U.S. lawmakers. British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt questioned the credibility of the Saudi claims of how Khashoggi met his end. A British official told VOA, There is no justification for this killing and how we respond will partly be determined by the truthfulness of the Saudis. The former head of Britain intelligence service, John Sawers, said Friday he had little doubt the order to kill Khashoggi came from highest levels of the Saudi government. Seeking answers U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday, I'm not satisfied until we find the answer, although he added it was possible the Saudi Crown Prince did not know about the killing. Trump said sanctions are possible, but he hoped that wouldnt involve halting a multi-billion-dollar arms deal, which he said would hurt the United States more than Saudi Arabia. Turkish officials say they have audio and video evidence Khashoggi was tortured, killed and dismembered on an office desk in the consulate. Turkish officials, who have been leaking gruesome details of the killing to pro-government media in Turkey, have threatened more revelations. Whether the pressure reaches a breaking point for Western allies may depend on how much information the Turkish government chooses to release. Turkey's foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, says when Turkey completes its investigation it will share the results with the world. On Friday it added pressure on Riyadh by starting to interview Turkish employees of the consulate. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has left it to underlings to brief loyal media in Turkey on the unfolding investigation. That has prompted some analysts to suspect Erdogan, who bears little affection for the Saudi Crown Prince, is using the killing in an effort to secure substantial monetary compensation Saudi Arabia. Other analysts suspect Erdogan wants the United States to readjust its strategy in the region to rely less on Riyadh and to earn Washingtons gratitude by withholding all Ankara could reveal. But the fallout from the slaying may be uncontrollable, say diplomats. Western journalists and politicians are unlikely to be satisfied with anything short of a full accounting and they remain adamant the Crown Prince, who they say is impulsive and vindictive, was behind the killing. As Saudi Arabia faced intensifying international skepticism over its story about the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a senior government official laid out a new version of the death inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul that in key respects contradicts previous explanations. The latest account, provided by a Saudi official who requested anonymity, includes details on how the team of 15 Saudi nationals sent to confront Khashoggi on Oct. 2 had threatened him with being drugged and kidnapped and then killed him in a chokehold when he resisted. A member of the team then dressed in Khashoggis clothes to make it appear as if he had left the consulate. After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi, 59, for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning said he had died in a fistfight at the consulate. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold, which the senior official reiterated. Turkish officials suspect the body of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was dismembered, but the Saudi official said it was rolled up in a rug and given to a local cooperator for disposal. Asked about allegations that Khashoggi had been tortured and beheaded, he said preliminary results of the investigation did not suggest that. The Saudi official presented what he said were Saudi internal intelligence documents that appeared to show the initiative to bring back dissidents as well as the specific one involving Khashoggi. He also showed testimony from those involved in what he described as the 15-man teams cover-up, and the initial results of an internal probe. He did not provide proof to substantiate the findings of the investigation and the other evidence. Changing narratives This narrative is the latest Saudi account that has changed multiple times. The authorities initially dismissed reports that Khashoggi had gone missing inside the consulate as false and said he had left the building soon after entering. When the media reported a few days later that he had been killed there, they called the accusations baseless. Asked by Reuters why the governments version of Khashoggis death kept changing, the official said the government initial account was based on false information reported internally at the time. Once it became clear these initial mission reports were false, it launched an internal investigation and refrained from further public comment, the official said, adding that the investigation is continuing. Turkish sources say the authorities have an audio recording purportedly documenting Khashoggis murder inside the consulate but have not released it. Riyadh dispatched a high-level delegation to Istanbul on Tuesday and ordered an internal investigation, but U.S. President Donald Trump said n Saturday he is not satisfied with Saudi Arabias handling of Khashoggis death and said questions remain unanswered. Germany and France on Saturday called Saudi Arabias explanation of how Khashoggi died incomplete. Latest version of events According to the latest version of the death, the government wanted to convince Khashoggi, who moved to Washington a year ago fearing reprisals for his views, to return to the kingdom as part of a campaign to prevent Saudi dissidents from being recruited by the countrys enemies, the official said. To that end, the official said, the deputy head of the General Intelligence Presidency, Ahmed al-Asiri, put together a 15-member team from the intelligence and security forces to go to Istanbul, meet Khashoggi at the consulate and try to persuade him to return to Saudi Arabia. There is a standing order to negotiate the return of dissidents peacefully; which gives them the authority to act without going back to the leadership, the official said. Asiri is the one who formed the team and asked for an employee who worked with (Saud) al-Qahtani and who knew Jamal from the time they both worked at the embassy in London, he said. The official said Qahtani had signed off on one of his employees conducting the negotiations. Chokehold According to the plan, the team could hold Khashoggi in a safe house outside Istanbul for a period of time but then release him if he ultimately refused to return to Saudi Arabia, the official said. Things went wrong from the start as the team overstepped their orders and quickly employed violence, the official said. Khashoggi was ushered into the consul generals office where an operative named Maher Mutreb spoke to him about returning to Saudi Arabia, according to the governments account. Khashoggi refused and told Mutreb that someone was waiting outside for him and would contact the Turkish authorities if he did not reappear within an hour, the official said. Khashoggis fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, has told Reuters he had handed her his two mobile phones and left instructions that she should wait for him and call an aide to Turkeys president if he did not reappear. Back inside the consuls office, according to the officials account, Khashoggi told Mutreb he was violating diplomatic norms and said, What are you going to do with me? Do you intend to kidnap me? Mutreb replied, Yes, we will drug you and kidnap you, in what the official said was an attempt at intimidation that violated the missions objective. When Khashoggi raised his voice, the team panicked. They moved to restrain him, placing him in a chokehold and covering his mouth, according to the governments account. They tried to prevent him from shouting but he died, the official said. The intention was not to kill him. Asked if the team had smothered Khashoggi, the official said: If you put someone of Jamals age in this position, he would probably die. Where is his body? To cover up their misdeed, the team rolled up Khashoggis body in a rug, took it out in a consular vehicle and handed it over to a local cooperator for disposal, the official said. Forensic expert Salah Tubaigy tried to remove any trace of the incident, the official said. Turkish officials have told Reuters that Khashoggis killers may have dumped his remains in Belgrad Forest adjacent to Istanbul, and at a rural location near the city of Yalova, 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Istanbul. Turkish investigators are likely to find out what happened to the body before long, a senior official said. The Saudi official said the local cooperator is an Istanbul resident but would not reveal his nationality. The official said investigators were trying to determine where the body ended up. Meanwhile, operative Mustafa Madani donned Khashoggis clothes, eyeglasses and Apple watch and left through the back door of the consulate in an attempt to make it look as if Khashoggi had walked out of the building. Madani went to the Sultanahmet district where he disposed of the belongings. The official said the team then wrote a false report for superiors saying they had allowed Khashoggi to leave once he warned that Turkish authorities could get involved and that they had promptly left the country before they could be discovered. Many questions Skeptics have asked why so many people, including military officers and a forensics expert specializing in autopsies, were part of the operation if the objective was to persuade Khashoggi to return home of his own volition. The disappearance of Khashoggi, a Saudi insider turned critic, has snowballed into a massive crisis for the kingdom, forcing the 82-year-old monarch, King Salman, to personally get involved. It has threatened the kingdoms business relationships, with several senior executives and government officials shunning an investor conference in Riyadh scheduled for next week and some U.S. lawmakers putting pressure on Trump to impose sanctions and stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The official said all 15 team members had been detained and placed under investigation, along with three other local suspects. The official Saudi statements on the fate of journalist Jamal Khashoggi have changed several times since he mysteriously disappeared after entering his country's consulate in Istanbul earlier this month. The latest announcement on Saturday, declaring that Khashoggi had died in a "fistfight" with officials who had gone to see him there, increased criticism of the Saudis' handling of the case and concern about the kingdom's possible complicity in the killing of the prominent Washington Post columnist. Here is a look at the Saudi narrative regarding Khashoggi, as it developed. Oct. 2: Khashoggi enters the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul at 1.14 p.m. He had left his mobile phones with his Turkish fiancee, who waited for him outside the consulate. She calls friends hours later to tell them that Khashoggi never emerged from the consulate. Oct. 3: In a wide-ranging interview, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman tells Bloomberg he understands that Khashoggi left the consulate after "a few minutes or one hour." Bin Salman says his kingdom's authorities are in talks with the Turkish government to determine what happen. He insists Khashoggi is no longer inside the consulate and says Turkish authorities are welcome to search the diplomatic mission. "We have nothing to hide," says the crown prince. Oct. 4: On Twitter, the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul says it is following up on media reports of Khashoggi's disappearance "after he left the building." Oct. 4: Turkey summons the Saudi ambassador. Oct. 6: Saudi Arabia says it has dispatched a team to "investigate and cooperate" with Turkish officials over Khashoggi's case. Oct. 7: Turkish officials say Khashoggi has been killed at the consulate. A Saudi government statement describes the Turkish allegations as "baseless." Oct. 9: Turkey says it will search the consulate. Oct. 11: Turkey says it has agreed with Saudi Arabia to form a joint group to shed light on the journalist's fate. The Saudi team arrives in Istanbul a day later. Oct. 13: Saudi Arabia's interior minister describes claims in the media that there were "orders to kill [Khashoggi]" as "lies and baseless allegations." Turkish media quote officials as saying Khashoggi has been killed and dismembered inside the consulate. Oct. 14: Turkey's Foreign Ministry renews calls on Saudi Arabia to allow investigators to search the consulate. Oct. 15: Nearly two weeks after Khashoggi's disappearance, teams of Turkish investigators enter the consulate to start their search. Oct. 15: A Saudi-owned satellite news channel says the 15-member team referred to by Turkish media as Khashoggi's "hit squad" were "tourists" visiting Turkey. Oct. 16: Without warning, the Saudi consul in Istanbul, a key witness in the case, leaves Turkey for Saudi Arabia. Oct. 17: Turkish authorities begin searching the consul's residence in Istanbul. Oct. 19: In an announcement early Saturday, Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor says preliminary investigations show an "altercation" and "fistfight" led to Khashoggi's death shortly after he arrived at the consulate. He adds that 18 Saudi nationals were detained. A Saudi Foreign Ministry official says the kingdom is investigating the "regrettable and painful incident of Jamal Khashoggi's death" and is forming a committee to hold those responsible accountable. Campaigning on opposite sides of a pivotal Senate race, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden appealed to party loyalists in Nevada as early voting began Saturday in the state. Wrapping up a three-day visit to Western states with midday rally in rural Elko, Trump lent support for Dean Heller, considered the most vulnerable GOP senator on the Nov. 6 ballot as Republicans hope to retain their Senate majority. The GOP-leaning region of the battleground state is crucial to Trumps hopes of protecting or expanding Republicans 51-49 edge in the Senate. If you want to protect Americas laws, borders, sovereignty and even your dignity, you need to go out today and vote, Trump said as he asked supporters to raise their right hands in a pledge to go to the polls. Biden: big election A short time earlier and 400-plus miles south, Biden headlined a Las Vegas rally at a union local to promote Hellers challenger, Rep. Jacky Rosen, and other Democratic candidates, as he encouraged Nevada residents to get out and vote. This election is literally bigger than politics. Its bigger than politics, Biden said. No matter how old or young you are, you have never participated in an election that is as consequential as this election national and locally. Trump struck much the same theme throughout the week, as he has tried to frame the choices for voters in the upcoming election. He has sought to focus on immigration as one of the defining election issues and has falsely accused Democrats of wanting open borders and encouraging illegal immigration. Theyve gone loco, Trump said. Trump mocks Trump referenced Bidens appearance in Las Vegas, mocking the smaller crowd drawn by his potential 2020 rival, compared with the thousands he gathered on an airport tarmac in the more sparsely populated part of the state. Trump deployed a refrain he had fine-tuned during his Western swing, declaring that Democrats produce mobs, Republicans produce jobs. Thats called hashtag, he said to the crowd. Thats a new hashtag. Thats a hot one. Trump branded Hellers opponent Wacky Jacky, as he sought to cast Rosen as beholden to Democratic coastal elites, including Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. Biden talks American values In Las Vegas, Biden criticized Trump for his approach to Russia and President Vladimir Putin, his equivocating on white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, and his immigration policies, including the separation of migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border American values, are being shredded, Biden said. Theyre being shredded by a president who is all about himself. Its all about Donald. In a tweet before leaving Arizona, Trump called Heller a man who has become a good friend and said he needed the senators Help and Talent in Washington. Trump and Heller Trump praised Heller for his votes for conservative Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. The later faced allegations of decades-old sexual assault during his confirmation hearings, prompting impassioned Senate hearings and fraught votes. We stuck with Justice Kavanaugh, because he was the right man, Trump said. But Heller himself once had rocky relations with Trump and had returned a campaign donation from then-candidate Trump over Trumps immigration rhetoric. Last year, Trump threatened Hellers re-election chances when the senator held up GOP efforts to repeal the Obama-era health law. But Heller has since become an ally of the president, who has made two fundraising stops for him in Nevada this year already. Heller and Rosen held their first and only debate of the campaign Friday. Heller accused her of making a visit to see separated families at the U.S.-Mexico border in order to stage a photo-op, while she described Heller a rubber-stamp for Trump, whose tax plan she said benefits the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. In a further sign of the states importance in the midterms, former President Barack Obama scheduled a stop Monday in Las Vegas. He won Nevada in his 2008 and 2012 campaigns, and Democrat Hillary Clinton carried the state by 2 percentage points over Trump in 2016. But during the last midterm elections in 2014, many Democrats stayed home and Republicans won key races across the state, which has a 29 percent Latino population. Immigration The countrys immigration system has long vexed politicians from both parties, and Republicans themselves have torpedoed near-compromises in recent years. Yet Trump tweeted Saturday that we could write up and agree to new immigration laws in less than one hour if Democrats would stop being obstructionists and come together. Call me, he told the Democratic leaders in Congress, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California. It seemed reminiscent of the time last year when Trump cracked open the door of bipartisanship with those leaders, who emerged from a White House meeting to say Trump had agreed to work toward a deal on protection young immigrants. But no agreement came to pass. The Biden-Trump circling of one another in the same state happened recently in Kentucky, where Biden campaigned for a Democratic congressional candidate on a Friday night and Trump held a rally the next evening. Saudi Arabia says Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke Monday by telephone with the son of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi to express condolences for the killing. Khashoggi died after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on October 2. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is vowing to reveal details about the case in a Tuesday speech to his parliament. He told an Istanbul rally Sunday, "We are looking for justice here and this will be revealed in all its naked truth, not through some ordinary steps." Erdogan spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump by telephone Sunday. Turkey's state-run news agency said both leaders agree the Khashoggi case needs to be "cleared up with all aspects." Saudi Arabia called Khashoggi's killing inside its Istanbul consulate "a huge and grave mistake" and vowed those responsible for it would be held accountable. Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told Fox News Sunday that Saudi agents "did this out of the scope of their authority," calling it "a rogue operation." The top Saudi diplomat offered his condolences to Khashoggi's family, but disclosed no new information about how the writer was killed, where his body is or if Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman -- the country's de facto ruler - was involved. "There obviously was a tremendous mistake made and what compounded the mistake was the attempt to try to cover up," al-Jubeir said. "That is unacceptable in any government." Saudi Arabia claims the 59-year-old Khashoggi was killed October 2 after an argument leading to a fist fight -- an explanation that has drawn widespread international scorn and skepticism, including from Trump. After he initially seemed willing to believe Saudi accounts, the president now says "obviously there has been deception, and there has been lies." Al-Jubeir said in the Fox television interview, "This is an aberration. This is a mistake and those responsible will be punished for it. We want to make sure that we know what happened and we want to make sure that those responsible be held to account." Saudi Arabia says it has fired five key officials linked to the death and arrested 18 others. Critics are questioning how a team of 15 Saudi agents could fly to Istanbul to meet Khashoggi and eventually kill him without the crown prince's knowledge and consent. But al-Jubeir said, "There were not people closely tied to him," although news accounts have said that several Saudi security officials close to Mohammed were involved. Khashoggi was living in the U.S. in self-imposed exile, writing columns for The Washington Post that were critical of Mohammed and Saudi Arabia's intervention in the conflict in Yemen. Trump told the Post that Saudi Arabia has been an "incredible ally" of the United States for decades and it is possible the crown prince did not order Saudi agents to kill Khashoggi. "Nobody has told me he is responsible. Nobody has told me he is not responsible," the U.S. leader said. "We have not reached that point...I would love if he was not responsible." Numerous U.S. lawmakers, including Trump's Republican colleagues, are calling for sanctions against the Saudis. Turkish investigators say Saudi agents tortured Khashoggi, decapitated him and then dismembered his body. Trump told the Post that "something will take place" in response to Khashoggi's death, but said the United States should not let the incident disrupt a possible $110 billion weapons sale to Riyadh he announced last year. "It's the largest order in history," Trump said. "To give that up would hurt us far more than it hurts them. Then all they'll do is go to Russia or go to China. All that's doing is hurting us." But one Trump supporter, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, told Fox "I don't think arms should ever be seen as a jobs program." Other U.S. lawmakers voiced skepticism of the Saudi explanation for Khashoggi's death. Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told CNN he believes Mohammed bin Salman was responsible, saying, "Yes, I think he did it." A Trump critic, Democratic California Congressman Adam Schiff, told ABC News, "This ought to be a relationship-altering event for the U.S. and Saudi Arabia that we ought to suspend military sales, we ought to suspend certain security assistance." U.S. officials are faced with reconciling the Saudi explanation for Khashoggi's death and Turkey's claim an audio recording exists of Khashoggi's torture and death. Trump denies U.S. officials have heard the audio or read transcripts of it, but the Post quoted sources saying that Central Intelligence Agency officials have listened to the audio. Verification of it would make it difficult to accept the Saudi explanation for Khashoggi's death. European leaders and the human rights group Amnesty International expressed skepticism about the Saudi explanation. Britain, Germany and France issued a joint statement condemning the killing of Khashoggi and said there is an "urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened." They said the Saudi explanation for the journalist's death needs to be supported by facts in order to be credible. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the circumstances around Khashoggi's death are deeply troubling, and called for a thorough, credible and transparent investigation. Amnesty International called on Saudi Arabia to "immediately produce" Khashoggi's body so an autopsy can be performed. Amnesty's director of campaigns for the Middle East, Samah Hadid, said a United Nations investigation would be necessary to avoid a "Saudi whitewash" of the circumstances surrounding Khashoggi's death. Hadid said such a cover-up may have been done to preserve Saudi Arabia's international business ties. Typhus, a bacterial infection that is sometimes life threatening, is on the rise in Los Angeles and several other U.S. cities. Public health officials say homelessness is making the problem worse and that the disease, which is associated with poverty and poor sanitation, is making a comeback in the United States. Los Angeles County has seen 64 cases of typhus this year, compared with 53 at the same point last year and double the typical number, with a six-case cluster among the homeless in L.A. this year. Two cities in the county that have separate counts are also seeing higher numbers: Long Beach with 13 cases, up from five last year, and Pasadena with 20, a more than three-fold increase from 2017. At a clinic in the L.A. neighborhood called Skid Row, Dr. Lisa Abdishoo of Los Angeles Christian Health Centers is on the lookout for symptoms. Its a nonspecific fever, she said, body aches, sometimes a headache, sometimes a rash. This kind of typhus is spread by fleas on rats, opossums, or even pets and is known as murine typhus, from the Latin word for mouse. The risk is higher when people live on the streets in proximity to garbage, but the disease seems to be spreading through the Southern United States. Not the typhus of WWI Its never been considered a very common disease, said Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, but we seem to see it more frequently. And it seems to be extending across from Southern California all along the Mexican border into southeastern Texas and then into the Gulf Coast in Florida. Texas had 519 cases last year, said spokeswoman Lara Anton of the Texas Department of State Health Services. Thats more than three times the number in 2010, with clusters in Houston and Galveston. No figures for this year have been released. This is a separate disease from typhoid fever and is not the epidemic form of typhus that caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in war time. That type, called epidemic typhus, is carried by body lice and often spreads in conflict zones. It led to millions of deaths in World War I alone. Flea-borne typhus, the kind seen in California and Texas, is serious but often clears up on its own and responds to an antibiotic, Abdishoo said. It seems to get better a little faster if you have the treatment, she said. But there are cases where people have had more severe complications its rare, but getting meningitis, and even death, she cautioned. Migration, urbanization, climate change The reason for increased typhus numbers is uncertain, but it may be linked to migration, urbanization and climate change, said Hotez, the disease specialist. In some parts of the world, typhus is still linked to war and instability, in the conflict zones in the Middle East, in North Africa, Central Asia, East Africa, Venezuela, for instance with the political instability there, he said. Murine typhus is one of several diseases on the rise in the southern United States, Hotez said. Others include dengue, now emerging in southern Texas and Florida, the Zika virus infection, Chikungunya. We have a huge problem with West Nile virus, he added, and Chagas disease, a condition usually seen in Latin America. A report in May from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that such vector-borne diseases, transmitted by ticks, fleas or mosquitoes, more than doubled in the United States between 2004 and 2016. Hotez says they are on the rise in many industrial nations with crowded cities and pockets of poverty. Skid Row physician Abdishoo says flea-borne typhus is still uncommon on the streets of Los Angeles, but it has us all on high alert for this illness that we dont necessarily think too much about. We want to be vigilant, she added, when you see a communicable disease on the rise. Officials in Los Angeles say they are working toward housing for the countys 53,000 homeless residents to relieve conditions that help give rise to typhus and other diseases. Voters approved funding in 2016 and 2017 to finance the efforts. Catholic bishops are entering their final week of debate over hot-button issues facing young Catholics, including how the church should welcome gays and respond to the clerical sex abuse scandal that has discredited many in the church hierarchy. The monthlong synod of bishops ends next Saturday with the adoption by the 260-plus cardinals, bishops and priests of a final document and approval of a separate, shorter letter to the world's Catholic youth. Some of the youth delegates to the meeting have insisted that the final document express an inclusive message to make LGBT Catholics feel welcome in a church that has often shunned them. The Vatican took a step in that direction by making a reference to "LGBT" for the first time in its preparatory document heading into the meeting. But some bishops have balked at the notion, including Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, who insisted in his speech that "there is no such thing as an 'LGBTQ Catholic' or a 'transgender Catholic' or a 'heterosexual Catholic,' as if our sexual appetites defined who we are.'' But other bishops have expressed a willingness to use the language, though it remains to be seen if the final document or the letter will. Each paragraph will be voted on one by one and must obtain a two-thirds majority. "The youth are talking about it freely and in the language they use, and they are encouraging us 'Call us, address us this because this is who we are,''' Papua New Guinea Cardinal John Ribat told a press conference Saturday. One of those young people, Yadira Vieyra, who works with migrant families in Chicago, said gays often feel attacked and shunned by the church. "We know that's not true, any Catholic knows that's not true," she said. But she added bishops need to communicate that "the church is here for them." Catholic church teaching holds that gays should be loved and respected but that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered.'' The Oct. 3-28 synod has unfolded against the backdrop of the clergy sex abuse scandal exploding anew in the U.S., Germany, Poland and other nations. Some conservatives have charged that a gay subculture in the priesthood is to blame, even though studies have shown that gays are not more likely than heterosexuals to abuse. Many of the young delegates have insisted that the final document address the abuse scandal straight on, and Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli hinted that it would. "One of the key things that will be important going forward is not just that there might be a word of apology, of recognition and of aiming for better practices, but that there is action associated with that," he said. Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich said young people are also demanding accountability and transparency from the church's leadership, which has been excoriated for having covered-up the abuses of predator priests for decades. He repeated his call, first made in an interview last week with National Catholic Reporter, for bishops to cede their own authority and allow an external process involving lay experts to investigate them when an accusation against them has been made. "Lay people want us to succeed. People want us to get this right," Cupich said. "Yes, there's a lot of anger out there. But beneath that anger there's a sadness. There's a sadness that the church is better than this, and that we should get this right." Speaking to VOA contributor Greta Van Susteren, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said about the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi: ... I met with the King, I met with the Crowned Prince ... I made very clear to them that the United States takes this matter very seriously. " Some bakers are said to be in the process of increasing the price of bread from $1.10 to between $4 and $5. According to the state-controlled Herald newspaper, bakers are claiming that they are making a loss due to the fluctuating rate of the local bond note against the United States dollar. The bond note is currently trading at 4 to the U$1 while the government insists that the two are equal. The newspaper quoted Ngoni Mazango, president of the National Bakers Association of Zimbabwe, as saying that the cost of inputs for making bread have skyrocketed owing to the devaluation of the bond note. Mazango said this was weakened by shortages of foreign currency to import wheat and other commodities though the cost of electricity, water and several items has remained unchanged. He said, (The price of) flour might have moved slightly from about $31,50 to around $36,50 per 50kg bag, but bread is not made by flour alone. We do not manufacture bread fat here in Zimbabwe; there are also enzymes, spare parts for our plants and even for service vehicles, which are also imported or bought with foreign currency. We require between $4 million and $7 million United States dollars each month and we are getting 20 to 30 percent of that. We are still consulting (on the price of bread), the problem is we have to cost our bread in US dollars and it is costing us in the range of US$1 to US$1,10. If we dont get the forex and you apply the current prevailing parallel market rates, a loaf should be around $4 to $5. But we are saying if the government can allocate the same money to us the price should come down. Zimbabwes Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has been quoted as saying that the bond note is pegged at the same rate as the United States dollar. This has been widely criticized by captains of industry who claim that the two are no longer at par following an announcement by Ncube in his maiden speech that there should be separate bank accounts from the United States dollar and bond notes. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will participate in a meeting to combat terrorism financing with government officials from Saudi Arabia and other Middle East partners in Riyadh this week. Mnuchin confirmed in remarks Sunday during a stop in Israel that he would make the long-planned stop, despite pulling out of a high-profile investor conference, also in Riyadh, amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the death of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul earlier this month. Business figures Continents and regions Counterterrorism Donald Trump International relations and national security Jamal Khashoggi Middle East Middle East and North Africa Misc people National security Political Figures - US Saudi Arabia Steven Mnuchin Terrorism Terrorism and counter-terrorism Unrest, conflicts and war North America The Americas United States "I did not think it was appropriate to go and speak at this conference but we continue to have important issues with Saudi and that is why I am going there," Mnuchin said, according to Reuters. Mnuchin will be in Saudi Arabia on Monday and Tuesday, a source tells CNN. Mnuchin is on a week-long, multi-country trip to the region, which includes stops in Jordan and Qatar as well as Israel and Saudi Arabia. In the wake of growing outrage over Khashoggi's death, the secretary remained undecided on whether he would stick to his plan to attend a meeting at the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center, a senior administration official told CNN on Thursday. The US government opened the center in Saudi Arabia last year to share information about terrorism financing, which the secretary pledged to visit annually. The governments of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates are also involved. Mnuchin's travel plans have been widely seen as a benchmark of the administration response to the Saudi crisis. After days of taking a wait-and-see position, Mnuchin announced on Thursday his decision to withdraw from a separate high-profile investor conference in Riyadh hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a favorite of Trump and his son-in-law adviser Jared Kushner as well as of the international business community. Top executives from the world's largest banks, including JP Morgan Chase, HSBC, Societe Generale and Standard Chartered rescinded their plans to attend amid growing international outcry over the fate of Khashoggi, who was also a columnist for The Washington Post. They joined executives from Uber, Blackrock, and Ford who also pulled out of the summit. Saudi Arabia confirmed on Friday that Khashoggi is dead. The government claims he died after an argument in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul escalated into a violent fist fight and physical altercation, according to an announcement on Saudi State TV. After the Saudis released their official statement, a source with close connections to the Royal Palace told CNN that the cause of death was a chokehold or strangulation during the altercation. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said it's important to maintain the US relationship with Saudi despite the Khashoggi episode. "Obviously there's been deception and there's been lies," the President said late Saturday in a Washington Post interview, his strongest comments yet on the case. But he added that the US-Saudi alliance is a key counterweight to Iran's influence in the region, and reiterated his stance that canceling a US-Saudi arms sales deal signed last year would only give other countries, specifically Russia and China, a chance to gain influence with the kingdom. "I think it's a very important ally for us," Trump told the Post. Saudi Arabia and Turkey both continue to investigate. But take time anyhow to admire what was accomplished here: A group of Americans were asked to let down their guard and share their lives and ideas with one another. The locals get their digs in, but so do the urbanites. And nobody gets hurt. Blink and youll miss it, but what just blew past your TV screen might well be the kind of nation we all supposedly long to see. When he is going door-to-door, the few voters who arent brushing him off as fast as possible want to talk about the future of RFK Stadium, or used condoms on H Street, or a recent pair of shootings near D Street. It is only the reporters, he said, who ask about hot-button national issues such as Obamacare (he was opposed to it becoming law but thinks it would be too disruptive to repeal) or Brett M. Kavanaughs nomination to the Supreme Court (He supported Kavanaugh until the assault allegations and the judges emotional outburst in the final hearing). The arena was dedicated in May in honor of the late County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, and the New York-based nonprofit Saratoga WarHorse Foundation soon started its equine therapy program for veterans there. The program uses about a dozen horses on loan from Under Armour founder Kevin Planks Sagamore Farm and the nonprofit Foxie G. Foundation who are stabled at a barn on the property. The reduced tuition is still too costly for many families, said Grace Reusing, a Maryland public defender. The district, she said, has the most expensive summer school program in the state, and they have the most inadequate waiver for low-income families. In summer 2018, Montgomery County charged up to $300 per class for county residents and $340 for nonresidents. Police said an initial investigation indicated that the incident had escalated in the parking lot and that the man was shot by a security guard in the leg around 9:30 p.m. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy It doesnt make any sense to have someone who has wealth or means and who may be dangerous be released back into the community, while someone who is far lower risk sits in jail simply because they couldnt afford it, Herring said in an interview. It really should be about assessing who is at risk of not showing up for court or is at risk for violence. I thank them for having wagered that it is worth the effort to feel part of the Church or to enter into dialogue with her; worth the effort to have the Church as a mother, as a teacher, as a home, as a family, and, despite human weaknesses and difficulties, capable of radiating and conveying Christs timeless message, Pope Francis said to open the synod, according to a copy of his remarks released by the Vatican. Whats happening in Comstocks district is what happened in Henrico County and all the metropolitan areas, said Linwood Cobb, a longtime Virginia Republican activist. Theyve shifted to the blue. And right now, with both parties going so far to the extremes, whoever reaches back to the center is going to win. Spanbergers ads are all about character and compromise and competence, and right now, that may be what you need to win. I dont think people know that we have this ocean in the United States thats filled with industry, said Scott Eustis, an ecologist for the Gulf Restoration Network, as a six-seat plane circled the spill site on a flyover last summer. On the horizon, a forest of oil platforms rose up from the Gulfs waters, and all that is left of the doomed Taylor platform are rainbow-colored oil slicks that are often visible for miles. He cannot imagine similar development in the Atlantic, where the majority of coastal state governors, lawmakers, attorneys general and residents have aligned against the administrations proposal. Some like Singleton, who said she has cut a deal with the commander of Tyndall Air Force Base to trim hair there, under escort are devising fresh ways of doing former jobs. Others are seeking entirely new employment, often facing competition from outsiders looking to take advantage of the repair work that follows a disaster. And everyone is adapting to a society where credit cards and cellphones often dont work. The recovery has transformed their surroundings into a giant construction site, where the whine of sirens joins the constant buzz of chain saws and the clanks of heavy equipment. Traffic crawls. Tanzanian police arrest 104 suspected Islamist militants: Tanzanian police have arrested 104 suspected Islamist militants that authorities say are planning to establish bases in neighboring Mozambique, where scores of people have been killed in attacks over the past year. Tanzania's inspector general of police, Simon Sirro, said that security forces had launched operations over the past few months against "criminals" in eastern and southern areas but that some of them had managed to flee. Forty attacks have been carried out since last October in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, an area near the Tanzanian border close to where companies are developing one of the biggest natural gas finds in a decade. The simple truth is that, for all its flaws, Obamacare presented a plausible means of achieving the guaranteed issue of insurance the public clearly wants, without bankrupting the private health-care industry in the process: an individual mandate, enforced with a tax penalty and facilitated by an offer of subsidized premiums to lower-income people. Among the GOP candidates who backed the lawsuit now facing the cameras and protesting their determination to protect those with preexisting conditions are Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who is running for reelection, and Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, who is running for Senate against incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill. They and others argue that there are alternatives to Obamacare for protecting people with preexisting conditions. Undoubtedly there are, though we have yet to see a specific Republican plan. But no such alternative would be workable without mechanisms for maximizing enrollment and for restraining costs. No longer bound by the TPP restrictions, Vietnams rulers set out to punish the activists. The regime detained a blogger known as Mother Mushroom, whose real name is Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh and who wrote extensively about a big chemical spill in 2016 that devastated marine life and galvanized protests against the regime. In June 2017, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conducting propaganda against the socialist state. (Last Wednesday she was released from prison and left for the United States.) The authorities also attempted to crush Brotherhood for Democracy, a group founded by lawyer Nguyen Van Dai. On April 5, 2017, a court in Hanoi sentenced him and five other activists to between seven and 15 years in prison for alleged subversion. Mr. Dai has since been sent into exile in Germany, while others remain behind bars. He told The Post that if the United States had remained in TPP, it would have been a chance to change my country. This could be something that is just a precursor to try to get Russia to come into compliance, Corker said, guessing that Trump might be attempting a power play to influence Russias stance on nuclear arms control treaties as he did with the parties to the North American Free Trade Agreement to affect trade policy. But Corker warned that unless the United States was ready to compete with Russia, theyre going to move ahead of us quickly. In 2016, Nevada was a rare bright spot for Democrats Hillary Clinton won the state, and Democrats won a Senate seat, two congressional races and control of the state legislature. If a blue wave has been building, these House and Senate contests would seem to be the easiest to win. But that has not been the case; the campaigns here are among the tightest races in the country, offering hope to Republicans that they can stem a Democratic onslaught and giving Democrats even more trepidation over their chances. Nobody has told me hes responsible. Nobody has told me hes not responsible. We havent reached that point. I havent heard either way, he said. He added, echoing the Saudi version of events: There is a possibility he found out about it afterward. It could be something in the building went badly awry. It could be thats when he found about it. He could have known they were bringing him back to Saudi Arabia. Trump has said there would be severe punishment if the Saudis are found responsible for Khashoggis killing, but has not followed through with any punishment. Indeed, he has rejected calls from leaders in Congress to impose sanctions on the kingdom or stop its promised purchases of U.S. weaponry. Then all theyll do is go to Russia or go to China, Trump told The Post. All thats doing is hurting us. I think you should do things where people want them to happen, so I would be very inclined to be against it, Trump said Saturday of Yucca in an interview with KRNV-News 4, based in Reno. We will be looking at it very seriously over the next few weeks, and I agree with the people of Nevada. The annexes Jordan wants to terminate relate to two parcels of land that Jordan gave Israeli access to for 25 years. The arrangements affecting the two territories known as Baqoura and Ghumar in Arabic and Naharayim and Zofar in Hebrew end in one year. Jordan had until Thursday to make clear to Israel it would not renew the arrangement. A Saudi official, who spoke to The Post on the condition of anonymity to discuss the investigation, refused to confirm the details of the Reuters report but said that there had been a standing order from Saudi intelligence to negotiate with people outside to come back home. The team that approached Khashoggi had been sent to negotiate, but it went south, the official said, adding that there was no order for a kidnapping. There was no order for a killing. We talked about the importance of the investigation, completing it in a timely fashion, and making sure that it was sufficiently transparent that we could evaluate the work that had been done to get to the bottom of it, Pompeo told reporters on the tarmac in Riyadh before leaving the country. So that was the purpose of the visit. In that sense it was incredibly successful. He said he had returned to Guatemala when his visa expired 14 years ago. He found a job at a call center for Metro PCS, the cellular service provider, where he could make the most of his fluent English. But he earned at most $500 per month. Each time he received a call from a customer, the name of the American city where the client lived flashed on his screen. He searched the names of the cities on the Internet and stared at the monitor. Putting together the puzzle pieces found in those documents is seldom straightforward, said Nancy Hurn, a former archivist at the Anglican Church of Canada who pores over church records to find the names of dead children in her retirement but is not affiliated with the commission or the center. She has so far uncovered the names of 119 dead children. Receivers have been appointed over assets owned by Max Brenner Australia in a move that is expected to stymy any further attempts to sell the remaining stores in the chocolate cafe chain. On Friday evening, one of Max Brenner's secured creditors, Glenn Wein, appointed Peter Gothard and Steve Parbery from Ferrier Hodgson. The appointment was made just days after the Israeli master franchise owner, Max Brenner Industries Ltd, withdrew the license for the local Max Brenner business and successfully applied to have liquidators appointed. Creditors are owed $33 million by Max Brenner. Credit:Michelle Smith The liquidators, led by BDOs Andrew Sallway, announced on Thursday that it had found a buyer for the ongoing business, Tozer & Co, which is operated by brothers David and Craig Tozer. The sale fell through on Friday with no explanation. The boom is long gone. But that doesnt mean Australias anxiety about housing affordability has disappeared. Despite the steady tempo of headlines about falling prices, people are still troubled by the cost of housing. During the five-year property price rally, which peaked last year, opinion polls began to show housing had become a key worry alongside more traditional bugbears such as healthcare, crime and the cost of living. Public unease about how the high cost of housing was affecting modern families became entrenched. House prices are falling but affordability is still a concern. Credit:Peter Rae This trend has been most obvious in Victoria and NSW, the states disproportionately affected by rising property values. The quarterly Ipsos Issues Monitor, which asks respondents to select the three most important issues facing the community, revealed housing topped the list of concerns in NSW for the first time early last year. The latest results, published last week, showed housing is still the No. 1 concern in NSW even though property prices in Sydney have been falling for a year. In Victoria anxiety about housing also peaked last year and remains the second top issue facing the community, although it is ranked the No. 1 worry among those aged under 35. Living with a severely unsettled baby has been described as a form of torture. For Laura Conway, its an experience still seared into her memory. When her youngest was an infant, the reflux-troubled child went through months of sleeping only in 45-minute stints. The little boy would wake up screaming, emitting a noise that Laura compared to a jackhammer. I remember going to drop my older daughter off at childcare, and saying to the worker I probably shouldnt even be allowed out of the house, Im just so tired, she said. It was relentless. Plastic surgeons who pander to social media to create on-trend procedures and advertise their practices have earned a stern rebuke at their Breast Masters Symposium in Sydney. Professor Emerita Nichola Rumsey, a leading international expert on appearance psychology, delivered a scathing assessment of the cosmetic industrys role in the unrelenting rise of poor body image. Professor Nichola Rumsey is very concerned about the unfettered rise of low body image and the role of plastic surgeons. Credit:Louise Kennerley Speaking at the Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons Symposium (ASAPS) Professor Rumsey said she was deeply uncomfortable with the advertising and social media marketing plastic surgeons engaged in. Some were using soft-porn images on Instagram and other social media that gives patients unrealistic expectations of the likely outcomes, contributes to negative body image and it should change, said Professor Rumsey from the University of the West of England and honorary member of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. The Morrison government has abandoned plans for a $10 million campaign promoting the Great Barrier Reef's promising future, after a public backlash over its failure to address climate change and protect the natural wonder. An eminent reef scientist has also slammed as "not scientifically credible" claims by a charity gifted $444 million for reef conservation efforts that it will "climate-proof" the tourism icon. Fairfax Media has learned the government has scrapped the $10 million reef communication campaign outlined in this year's federal budget. The Morrison government has abandoned a $10 million pubic relations campaign to raise hopes about the future of the reef. Credit: The campaign would have sought to give the public hope that the reef can be saved and outlined action being taken to protect it, after devastating back-to-back coral bleaching events brought on by climate change. This was a swift and savage message to Scott Morrison that puts him in a diabolical position in Parliament and sets him on course for catastrophe at the next election. The Prime Minister now faces an immense challenge in running the government until an election in May next year when he has lost his majority in Parliament, making an early election a possibility. Worse, he governs with an unsteady party room of Liberal MPs who will bicker over anything and make their leaders job impossible. For all the focus on leaders in Australian politics, perhaps nobody could lead that divided and desperate party room. If the past week was a display of Liberal discipline, imagine the week ahead when the recriminations get underway. An attempt by Barnaby Joyce to reclaim the Nationals leadership seems increasingly a matter of when, not if. Nationals leader Michael McCormack is regarded within the party as a good man, but placid and largely unknown to voters. Agriculture Minister David Littleproud is well respected for his intelligence and integrity, but he will not challenge the leader, and at 42, it is in his interests to wait for his own time. That leaves Joyce - who, in the last 18 months, has capered from constitutional crisis to staffer impregnation and marital breakdown, with forays into sexual harassment scandal, slut-shaming his own partner by throwing doubt on the paternity of her baby, and a discomfiting, soft-soap TV interview in which he accused unnamed political colleagues - absolute scum of the earth people - of pressuring his partner into an abortion. He has written in his book that while he was deputy prime minister and held ministerial portfolios, he was drinking too much, frequently hungover and chasing women. He has admitted that he stayed on in Parliament after he doubted his constitutional eligibility. London: Hundreds of thousands of protesters opposed to Britain's impending exit from the European Union marched through central London on Saturday, demanding a new referendum and to have a say on the government's final Brexit deal with the EU. European Union (EU) and Union flags fly in front of the Houses of Parliament during the anti-Brexit People's Vote march in London, UK. Credit:Bloomberg Organisers say another public vote is needed because new facts have come out about the costs and complexity of Britain's exit from the bloc since voters chose to leave in 2016. They estimated that some 700,000 people took part Saturday in the "People's Vote March," which saw 150 buses of marchers pour into the British capital from all across the country. Police did not provide an attendance estimate. "What's clear is that the only options on the table now from the prime minister are a bad Brexit deal, or no deal whatsoever," London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who joined the march, told the BBC. "That's a million miles away from what was promised 2 1/2 years ago." Elko: US President Donald Trump says he is not satisfied with Saudi Arabia's handling of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, and says questions remain unanswered. Saudi Arabia said early on Saturday that Khashoggi, a critic of the country's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had died in a fight inside its consulate in the Turkish city. US President Donald Trump. Credit:AP Riyadh provided no evidence to support its account, which marked a reversal of an initial statement that Khashoggi had left the consulate the same day he entered on October 2 to get documents for his upcoming marriage. Asked during a trip to Nevada if he was satisfied that Saudi officials had been fired over Khashoggi's death, Trump said: "No, I am not satisfied until we find the answer. But it was a big first step, it was a good first step. But I want to get to the answer." This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For over 14 years and 30,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/10/2018 (1124 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MADAN HERI, India All it takes is a match. One by one, in the coming days, farmers in this compact village in northern India will set fire to the straw in their freshly harvested rice fields. Pungent grey smoke will rise into the air. Then it will drift southeast toward New Delhi, thickening the smog that has turned Indias capital into the most polluted major city in the world. Just weeks remain before the 29 million people living in greater Delhi are plunged into their annual battle with extreme air pollution. Each November the past two years, the level of particle pollution considered most harmful to human health has spiked to more than 30 times the limit prescribed by the World Health Organization. The air in the city remains hazy and dirty throughout the winter. The Indian government has a new action plan in place: it just shuttered the last coal-fired power plant in Delhi and recently banned the use of certain industrial fuels within the city. On days when the pollution soars, other measures will kick in, such as a halt to all construction activities and a ban on trucks entering Delhi. But turning the tide in the fight against pollution will depend on efforts such as the one now underway in the state of Punjab, the powerhouse of Indian agriculture. There the authorities are engaged in a race to persuade farmers not to torch their fields, urging them to shun a tactic that is cheap and efficient in readying the area for the next crop but that is also a key source of pollution. The smog that blankets northern India each winter is a toxic mix of car exhaust, construction dust and industrial emissions that settles over the region as wind speeds and temperatures drop. What makes it unusual is the addition of smoke from thousands of fires as farmers hurry to switch their fields from fully grown rice to newly planted wheat in the span of a month. "The uniqueness of the smog season is precisely because crops are being burned at an unheard-of scale anywhere else in the world," said Siddharth Singh, author of the forthcoming book The Great Smog of India. According to a government-sponsored study, stubble burning contributed 26 per cent of the most harmful particulate matter to Delhis winter pollution during 2013 to 2014; another found it contributed as much as 50 per cent on certain days during the burning season. Such particulate matter referred to as PM2.5 is about 30 times thinner than a human hair and can penetrate deep within the lungs. The task of dissuading the farmers from burning is a microcosm of Indias broader pollution challenge. Unlike Chinas authoritarian regime, which has made strides in recent years in stemming air pollution, India must operate within the constraints of a democratic system. Reducing the sources of pollution in India involves confronting entrenched interests, overcoming political rivalries and motivating people to change their behaviour. China has been able to "maintain the scale and momentum of action," said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, an executive director at the Centre for Science and Environment in Delhi. "In India, you have to make democracy work for clean air." Thats especially true in the case of crop burning. Farmers are a powerful constituency in Punjab and in other straw-burning states such as Haryana, and there are roughly two million farmers in Punjab alone. "The number of farmers is so large that we cannot take very harsh measures," said Kahan Singh Pannu, agriculture secretary in Punjab. A senior bureaucrat known for his tough approach to polluters, Pannu is leading the anti-burning efforts in Punjab. He has mostly carrots, not sticks, at his disposal. For the first time this year, Indias central government earmarked money to help farmers buy machinery that turns the straw into mulch. It has also contributed to a large-scale awareness campaign, complete with songs on social media, television advertisements and village-by-village meetings all urging farmers not to burn. Gurdial Kumar is one of the foot soldiers in the statewide effort. A 48-year-old employee of the Punjab agriculture department, he and his colleagues began visiting each of the 182 villages in their territory last month. On a recent afternoon, they arrived in Madan Heri, a village of 2,500 people west of Chandigarh, where about 20 farmers had gathered in the shade of a giant banyan tree. Kumar and his three colleagues put up posters illustrating the effects of air pollution, including images of diseased lungs and small children wheezing. They talked about the virtues of the new subsidized machines, including one called the "Happy Seeder." They appealed to religious precepts; most of the farmers practise Sikhism, whose sacred text emphasizes the holiness of nature. The farmers listened politely but without enthusiasm. Then they launched into questions: how about simply paying farmers a fee per acre not to burn their fields? Why was the government asking small farmers, already financially strapped, to scrape together cash for new machines? If they invested in the machines which cost about US$2,000 each when would the government pay the subsidy, equivalent to half of the cost? Gurtej Singh, 42, said he had farmed and burned these fields for more than two decades. He agreed that setting fires is bad for the environment but said dealing with the straw using other methods is more expensive and time-consuming. "Small farmers cant do it," he said. He rejected the blame for Delhis pollution, a common theme among farmers in the area. Pollution in the capital "is because of vehicles and industry, not because of us," he said. Farmers did not suffer any ill effects from the crop burning, he asserted. Pollution-related health issues are "a problem of weak people in cities." Farmers in nearby villages echoed those sentiments. "Burning is the best solution," said Darshan Singh, 43, as green-tipped rice swayed in the fields behind him. "Whatever machine you use, you have to pay more." But the governments campaign was having an effect. Darshan Singh was cagey when asked whether he would burn his crop stubble this season. "Whatever other people do, I will also do," Singh said. Crop burning is technically banned. If farmers are caught setting fire to their fields, they face fines ranging from US$35 to US$140. In rare instances, some have also faced criminal charges. "Its not that these are poor, illiterate, information-starved people who are doing a bad thing and if only we educate them, theyll do the right thing," said Aseem Prakash, director of the Center for Environmental Politics at the University of Washington. "If people are really serious about tackling (the problem), they have to come up with an economically viable solution." The trend is moving in the right direction. According to the Punjab government, there were 81,000 fires after the rice harvest in 2016, then the figure dropped to 44,000 in 2017. As of last Friday, there had been 509 fires this year but the crucial period for burning will come later this month. Jagdeep Singh, 38, a farmer in Simbal Majra who cultivates 65 acres, just bought a Happy Seeder machine and plans to use it for the first time this month. The machine cuts the rice straw, spreads it as mulch and sows wheat seeds. He, too, was closely watching the actions of the state authorities to gauge the seriousness of their campaign against crop burning. "It seems there will be less fires this year," he said. "But if the government gives a little relaxation" he flicked his fingers upward in a flame-like motion "it will all be done in one day." Washington Post A candidate for city council who used her Osborne Village BIZ Twitter account to promote a campaign event says it was an accident. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/10/2018 (1123 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A candidate for city council who used her Osborne Village BIZ Twitter account to promote a campaign event says it was an accident. "It was a very simple mistake," said Stephanie Meilleur, who's on leave from her position as the executive director of the Osborne Village BIZ to run in Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry. Meilleur used the BIZ account to tweet about a town hall meeting on public safety she was hosting on Oct. 18. "I have multiple accounts and when I realized it, I took it down immediately," Meilleur said Sunday. That doesn't ring true to Osborne Village resident and former BIZ chairwoman, Teresa Sanderson, who was also a former interim executive director of the BIZ. "The Tweet remained up as of Saturday," said Sanderson, who challenged the BIZ tweet as soon as it was posted last week. She said that Meilleur left it up for several days after it was brought to her attention and never issued a correction or an apology for using a BIZ account to campaign for herself. "She did it on purpose," said Sanderson. The Village BIZ hasn't tweeted about any events hosted by the other six candidates in the ward, Sanderson said. With the BIZ having more than 3,200 followers on Twitter and Meilleur having just 110, Sanderson said she can see why Meilleur would have used the BIZ Twitter account to get the word out about her campaign event but doesn't think it's right. "It's like using company property for your own purposes," said Sanderson, who handles asset protection for a national retail chain. The City of Winnipeg works with 16 Business Improvement Zones representing more than 5,000 businesses. Their goal is to enhance economic development for businesses in a variety of neighbourhoods, create distinct shopping destinations, promote business attraction, provide street-level beautification, and improve marketing opportunities for BIZ members. Coun. Jenny Gerbasi, who held the ward for 20 years before announcing she would not seek re-election, said she's not sure if the BIZ tweet sent out by Meilleur actually breaks any election rules. Gerbasi did, however, question the ethics of using the BIZ as a platform to promote a specific candidate. "I dont believe the BIZ should be doing this," she said in an email. Gerbasi has endorsed one of Meilleur's opponents, Winnipeg School Division chairwoman, Sherri Rollins. University of Manitoba political studies Prof. Royce Koop said candidates can be expected to take advantage of their connections but ought to avoid the impression that they're getting an unfair advantage. Teresa Sanderson, former chairwoman of the Osborne BIZ, isn't convinced council candidate Stephanie Meilleur's tweet was a mistake. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS "I think its a general point that candidates draw on the resources and the connections they have developed before the campaign, and we shouldnt really blame them for doing so," Koop said. "But they will certainly want to avoid the impression that theyre getting an unfair advantage -- that they're being helped by organizations that have a certain standing in the community..." he said. "And thats more the concern here, the idea that (Meilleur) is getting an unfair advantage, and the possibility that people will respond negatively to that." The negative reaction to her BIZ Tweet is one example of "cyber bullying" that Meilleur said she's endured since announcing her candidacy. She's been hounded on social media about where she lives and where her child goes to school, for instance. Meilleur said her family lives in Warren, Man. and she's worked for the Osborne Village BIZ for seven years and been committed to improving it. "I plant the flowers, pick up the needles and pick up the garbage," Meilleur said. "When I decided to run, I rented an apartment in the ward because I need to be living in the ward - you should live and work and breathe in the area you're running in," she said. "If I'm elected, we will be purchasing a home in Winnipeg," she said. Meilleur said she's deleted most of the "highly inappropriate" social media comments that she receives, and couldn't think of any specific examples or identify the senders. She alleges they're connected to the Manitoba NDP. "Its very well known the NDP are involved in this election," Meilleur claimed. That's news to the president of the Manitoba NDP. "In 2013, the Manitoba NDP updated its constitution to eliminate municipal endorsements by the provincial party," David Woodbury said in an email Sunday. This is the second round of municipal elections in which no municipal or school board candidates have been endorsed by the Manitoba NDP." Sanderson said she complained on Twitter about Meilleur because she was outraged by her misusing her BIZ connection campaign on her own behalf. "I have no connection to the NDP," Sanderson said. On the contrary, the woman who used to live in Calgary says she once voted for Conservative MP Stephen Harper. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca The following companies are subsidiares of Occidental Petroleum: 1PointFive Inc., 1PointFive P1 LLC, APC Aviation Inc., APC International Holdings LLC, APC Midstream Holdings LLC, APC Venezuela Srl, ARCO Long Beach, Altura Energy, Amarok Gathering LLC, Anadarko 20-25 Company, Anadarko 20-36 Company, Anadarko 20-47 Company, Anadarko 20-48 Company, Anadarko 20-49 Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 403 c/e Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 406B Company, Anadarko Algeria Company LLC, Anadarko Algeria Oil & Gas Company, Anadarko Brazil Investment I LLC, Anadarko Brazil Investment II LLC, Anadarko Canada E&P Limited, Anadarko China Holdings 2 Company, Anadarko Colombia Company, Anadarko Consolidated Holdings LLC, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Block 103 Company, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Company, Anadarko DBMOS Operator LLC, Anadarko Development Company, Anadarko Development Holding Limited, Anadarko E&P Onshore LLC, Anadarko Egypt Holdings Company, Anadarko Energy Holding Limited, Anadarko Energy Services Company, Anadarko Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo e Gas Natural Ltda., Anadarko Finance Company, Anadarko Gabon Company, Anadarko Ghana Mahogany-1 Company, Anadarko Global Energy S.a.r.l, Anadarko Global Funding 1 Company, Anadarko Global Funding II Ltd., Anadarko Guyana Company, Anadarko Holding Company, Anadarko International Development S.a.r.l, Anadarko International Energy Company, Anadarko International O&G Company, Anadarko International Trading Corporation, Anadarko Jordan Company, Anadarko Kenya Company, Anadarko LMM S.a.r.l, Anadarko Land Corp., Anadarko Mexico B.V., Anadarko Mexico S.a.r.l, Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell BR Corp., Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell LLC, Anadarko Natural Gas Company LLC, Anadarko New Zealand Company, Anadarko OGC Company, Anadarko Offshore Holding Company LLC, Anadarko Offshore Well Containment Company LLC, Anadarko Oil & Gas 5 LLC, Anadarko Peru B.V., Anadarko Petroleum, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Anadarko Realty LLC, Anadarko Rockies LLC, Anadarko Royalty Holdings Company, Anadarko UK Corporate Limited, Anadarko US Offshore LLC, Anadarko USH1 Corporation, Anadarko Venezuela Company, Anadarko Venezuela LLC, Anadarko Venezuela Srl, Anadarko WCTP Company, Anadarko West Texas BR Corp., Anadarko West Texas LLC, Anadarko Worldwide Holdings C.V., Atlantic Rim Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Aventine LLC, Baseball Merger Sub 2 Inc., Bear Branch Exploration LLC, Big Island Trona Company, Bitter Creek Coal Company, Bravo Pipeline Company, Cain Chemical, Cain Chemical Inc., Carbon Finance Labs LLC, Concord Petroleum Corporation, Conn Creek Shale Company, D.S. 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CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. A local man with deep ties to the area has found a way to take his enjoyment of mathematics and offer it to the community in a learning environment that is fun. Jeremy Morrison is a 1992 Shenendehowa High School graduate who spent more than 20 years in a variety of positions within the technology field. After seeing his own kids struggling with math, a deep-seated entrepreneurial drive moved him to search for a way to make the subject more fun while at the same time give back to the community where he grew up. The answer is Mathnasium, A Math Learning Center. Mathnasium offers students from second grade to 12th grade a comfortable environment to solidify the basics of math, hone those skills, learn new concepts, and keep up with their classwork. The company, based in California and Morrison has a franchise which opened last week at 309 Clifton Park Center Road, Clifton Park. The math center is in a small strip of retail establishments on the northern quadrant of Clifton Park Center. At the Oct. 12 ribbon-cutting Chamber President and CEO Pete Bardunias welcomed Morrison back to Clifton Park and into the business community. This is a great re-use of a former retail space to see it used as an education space, he said. I find that very innovative and smart on your part. Jeremy Morrison is no stranger to the area. His father Dr. Lewis Morrison and his Morrisons Dental Office on Route 9 have had a strong presence in the community for years. Jeremy Morrison said math was one subject that always came easy for him but that he realized early on that wasnt the case for others. As he went from a young man in the go-go high-tech field to a family man, he saw his children struggling with the subject. I have two girls, was watching them grow, and found I really enjoyed teaching them math, he said. As I was looking for something that was entrepreneurial and something that would give back in some way, I came across Mathnasium. Kids struggle with math, he said, because theyve missed something in the past. Mathnasium works to find those foundation stumbling blocks and make them easy for the child to understand and master. What we do here at Mathnasium is make sure that kids have fun, Morrison said. We make it enjoyable for them because they are going to be doing it for a long time. We also work with each child to see what it is they are struggling with and then we focus on teaching them that part of math so they understand it and build confidence. Morrison believes if kids are given different ways to do math they will become quicker at it and become more comfortable with it when those concepts are introduced to them in school. Ultimately they build confidence which is what its all about, he said. Confidence is big. Thats why this is set up to be a fun environment. We dont want math to be drudgery. Unlike having a personal tutor, a child who is signed up with Mathnasium can come in at any time when its open for an hour session. There are no appointments. Most students come three times a week Morrison said. The centers instructors are a mix of young college graduates with undergraduate and graduate degrees and college students still in school. The instructors move about the room helping students during their Mathnasium Hour. A Mathnasium learning hour gets broken down into three major components, 20 minutes of prescribed instruction, the fundamentals, based on an assessment of each childs math skills, 15 minutes for new concepts and problem-solving, and 15 minutes of understanding their homework. The instructors support them, make sure the student knows what theyre working on and are there to correct it and see that theyre going down the right path, Morrison said. Its not a one to one tutor situation. In a day theyll work with everyone whos here. Morrison has done an analysis of both Shens math curriculum and Mathnasiums methods and found they are 95 percent the same. We are very very similar, he said. Shen has their way to teach math and we want to support that. Our goal is we want to see that kids are successful in school. Thats why we spend time on homework. A student enrolled in Mathnasium can come as often as they like for an hour-long session. The price to enroll is a fixed monthly fee, a figure Morrison preferred to not discuss. Presently the center is open 3 p.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday. As it expands the hours may increase. Each prospective student is welcome to a free trial hour lesson and a free math assessment which they can take with them whether they enroll or not. Morrison is looking to open other Mathnasium centers in the Capital Region. Private tutors are popular with a lot of people but weve found they tend to focus on what the student is working on today, he said. They dont have the ability to go back in the childs educational history and find what theyre missing, what it is thats holding the child back. In many cases that missing part is in the students foundation. Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services to institutional, retail, and high net worth investors. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, balance sheet management, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 1,400 bank branches and 4,800 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. The company was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of 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). Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF's stock was trading at $89.67 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, BIV shares have decreased by 1.3% and is now trading at $88.49. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 211 E. Russell Road LLC, Air-Relief, Belliss & Morcom Brasil, Belliss and Morcom, Boardwalk Enterprises, Charm Merger Sub Inc., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Canada, CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir Holman Ltd, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., CompAir UK Ltd, CompAir USA, Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Emco Wheaton, Emco Wheaton GmbH Branch, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton UK, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Propriety Limited (South Africa), GD Aria Holdings #2 Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First UK Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings, GD Global Holdings II, GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SA, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Services Ltd, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Hoffman, Gardner Denver Holdings, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica, Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd. Branch, Gardner Denver International, Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Intl Ltd Middle East Regional Rep Office, Gardner Denver Investments, Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan, Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd South Africa, Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd. Branch (Ireland), Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co, Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oberdorfer Pumps, Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Petroleum Pumps, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia, Gardner Denver SudAmerica S.r.l., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas, Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH, Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver UK, Gardner Denver Water Jetting Systems, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, Indonesia Foreign Trade Representative Office, LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MP Pumps Inc., Mako Compressors, Nash, Nash Elmo, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Robuschi, Rotary Compression Technologies, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Syltone, TCM Investments, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, TODO AB, Tamrotor Marine Compressors AS, Thomas Industries, Thomas Industries Inc., Tri-Continent Scientific, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, and Zinsser NA. Bridgepoint Education, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides postsecondary education services in the United States. Its academic institutions, Ashford University and University of the Rockies, offer associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in the disciplines of business, education, psychology, social sciences, and health sciences. The company offers its programs primarily through online; and at its campuses. As of December 31, 2017, its institutions offered approximately 1,200 courses and 80 degree programs; and had 45,730 students enrolled. The company was formerly known as TeleUniversity, Inc. and changed its name to Bridgepoint Education, Inc. in February 2004. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in San Diego, California. Read More Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. is an international offshore energy company. It focuses on subsea construction, maintenance and salvage services to the offshore natural gas and oil industry. The firm also provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry, with a focus on well intervention and robotics operations. The company operates through three segments: Well Intervention, Robotics and Production Facilities. The Well Intervention segment offers vessels and related equipment that are used to perform well intervention services primarily in the Gulf of Mexico and North Sea regions. The Robotics segment involves four chartered vessels and also includes ROVs, trenchers and ROVDrills designed to complement offshore construction and well intervention services. The Production Facilities segment includes its investment in the Helix Producer I and Kommandor LLC. Helix Energy Solutions Group was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Read More Phoenix Group Holdings plc engages in the long-term savings and retirement busines in Europe. The company operates through UK Heritage, UK Open, Europe, ReAssure, and Management Services segments. It engages in the management of insurance policies, which include active and closed life insurance products. The company also provides workplace pensions, and customer savings and investments products under the Standard Life brand. Its retirement solutions business includes vesting annuities and bulk purchase annuity business, where it acquires annuities and deliver the financial stability for secure pensions. The company also offers a range of financial products for the over 50s market under the SunLife brand, which cover life cover, equity release, funeral plans, and home insurance. Phoenix Group Holdings plc has a strategic partnership with Standard Life Aberdeen plc. The company was formerly known as Pearl Group and changed its name to Phoenix Group Holdings plc in March 2010. Phoenix Group Holdings plc was founded in 1782 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Read More CAE Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and supplies simulation equipment and training solutions to defense and security markets, commercial airlines, business aircraft operators, helicopter operators, aircraft manufacturers, and healthcare education and service providers worldwide. The company's Civil Aviation Training Solutions segment provides training solutions for flight, cabin, maintenance, and ground personnel in commercial, business, and helicopter aviation; flight simulation training devices; and ab initio pilot training and crew sourcing services, as well as end to end digitally-enabled crew management, training operations solutions, and optimization software. Its Defence and Security segment offers training and mission support solutions for defense forces across multi-domain operations, and for government organizations responsible for public safety. The company's Healthcare segment provides integrated education and training solutions, including surgical and imaging simulations, curriculum, audiovisual and centre management platforms, and patient simulators to healthcare students and clinical professionals. The company was formerly known as CAE Industries Ltd. and changed its name to CAE Inc. in June 1993. CAE Inc. was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Saint-Laurent, Canada. Read More China Mobile Limited provides mobile telecommunications and related services in Mainland China and Hong Kong. The company offers local calls; domestic and international long distance calls and roaming services; and value-added services, such as caller identity display, call waiting, conference calls, and others. It also provides wireless Internet service, as well as digital applications comprising music, video, reading, gaming, and animation; wireline broadband services; and wireline voice services. In addition, it offers dedicated line and IDC services to corporate customers in a range of industry sectors; and basic corporate communication products comprising corporate VPMN and SMS, and tailor made solutions. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, which includes IDD, roaming, Internet, MNC, and value added business services. Additionally, it offers telecommunications network planning, design, and consulting services; roaming clearance, IT system operation, and technology support services; value-added platform development and maintenance services; mobile data, and system integration and development services; network construction and maintenance, network planning and optimizing, and training services; electronic communication products design and sale of related products; and non-banking financial services. It also provides mobile cloud research and development services; call center services; e-payment, e-commerce, and Internet finance services; and mobile Internet digital content services, as well as operates a network and business coordination center. The company serves 950 million mobile customers and 187 million wireline broadband customers. The company was formerly known as China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited and changed its name to China Mobile Limited in May 2006. The company was incorporated in 1997 and is based in Central, Hong Kong. China Mobile Limited is a subsidiary of China Mobile Hong Kong (BVI) Limited. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Travelers Companies: 10762962 Canada Inc., 350 Market Street LLC, 8527512 Canada Inc., Aetna Life and Casualty Co, American Equity Insurance Company, American Equity Specialty Insurance Company, Aprilgrange Limited, Arch Street North LLC, Auto Hartford Investments LLC, Bayhill Restaurant II Associates, Camperdown Corporation, Constitution State Services LLC, Discover Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Discover Specialty Insurance Company, F&G UK Underwriters Limited, Farmington Casualty Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Underwriters Inc., First Floridian Auto and Home Insurance Company, Gulf Underwriters Insurance Company, IHP Capital Partners Fund VIII L.P., Northbrook Holdings Inc., Northfield Insurance Company, Northland Casualty Company, Northland Insurance Company, Phoenix UK Investments LLC, SPC Insurance Agency Inc., Select Insurance Company, Simply Business Holdings Inc., Simply Business Inc., St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, St. Paul Guardian Insurance Company, St. Paul Mercury Insurance Company, St. Paul Protective Insurance Company, St. Paul Surplus Lines Insurance Company, Standard Fire Properties LLC, Standard Fire UK Investments LLC, TCI Global Services Inc., TPC Investments Inc., TPC U.K. Investments LLC, The Automobile Insurance Company of Hartford Connecticut, The Charter Oak Fire Insurance Company, The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, The Family Business Institute LLC, The Phoenix Insurance Company, The St. Paul Companies Inc., The Standard Fire Insurance Company, The Travelers Casualty Company, The Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company of America, The Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut, The Travelers Lloyds Insurance Company, TravCo Insurance Company, Travelers (Bermuda) Limited, Travelers Brazil Acquisition LLC, Travelers Brazil Holding LLC, Travelers Casualty Company of Connecticut, Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America, Travelers Casualty UK Investments LLC, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of Europe Limited, Travelers Commercial Casualty Company, Travelers Commercial Insurance Company, Travelers Constitution State Insurance Company, Travelers Distribution Alliance Inc., Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company, Travelers Global Inc., Travelers Indemnity U.K. Investments LLC, Travelers Insurance Company Limited, Travelers Insurance Company of Canada, Travelers Insurance Designated Activity Company, Travelers Insurance Group Holdings Inc., Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company, Travelers London Limited, Travelers MGA Inc., Travelers Management Limited, Travelers Marine LLC, Travelers Participacoes em Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Personal Insurance Company, Travelers Personal Security Insurance Company, Travelers Property Casualty Company of America, Travelers Property Casualty Corp., Travelers Property Casualty Insurance Company, Travelers Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Syndicate Management Limited, Travelers Texas MGA Inc., Travelers Underwriting Agency Limited, Ultramar Travel Management, United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Xbridge Limited, Zensurance Brokers Inc., and Zensurance Inc.. GlaxoSmithKline Plc is a healthcare company, which engages in the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. It operates through the following segments: Pharmaceuticals; Pharmaceuticals R&D; Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare. The Pharmaceuticals segment focuses on developing medicines in respiratory and infectious diseases, oncology, and immuno-inflammation. The Pharmaceuticals R&D segment focuses on science related to the immune system, the use of human genetics and advanced technologies, and is driven by the multiplier effect of Science x Technology x Culture. The Vaccines segment produces pediatric and adult vaccines to prevent a range of infectious diseases including, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella, polio, typhoid, influenza, and bacterial meningitis. The Consumer Healthcare segment develops and markets brands in the oral health, pain relief, respiratory, nutrition and gastro intestinal, and skin health categories. The company was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Middlesex, the United Kingdom. Read More iShares North American Tech-Software ETF's stock was trading at $211.67 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IGV shares have increased by 108.8% and is now trading at $442.00. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. operates as an independent specialty pharmacy in the United States. The company operates through Specialty and PBM (pharmacy benefit management) segment. It provides specialty infusion pharmacy, patient care coordination, clinical, compliance and persistency program, patient financial assistance, specialty pharmacy training, benefits investigation, prior authorization, risk evaluation and medication strategy, retail specialty, and hub services, as well as clinical and administrative support services to hospitals and health systems. The company primarily focuses on medication management programs for individuals with complex chronic diseases, including oncology, immunology, hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, specialized infusion therapy, and various other serious or long-term conditions. It also offers PBM services, including electronic point-of-sale pharmacy claims management, retail pharmacy network management, mail pharmacy claims management, specialty pharmacy claims management, Medicare Part D services, benefit design consultation, drug review and analysis, consulting services, data access, and reporting, information analysis, and preferred drug management programs to managed care organizations, self-insured employer groups, unions, and third-party healthcare plan administrators and worker's compensation payers. The company was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Flint, Michigan. Read More Stantec Inc. provides professional consulting services in the area of infrastructure and facilities in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company provides consulting services in engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management, and project economics. It also offers water, transportation, and public works; transportation planning and traffic engineering; and resource assessment, mine development, reclamation, hydrology, and geotechnical and infrastructure engineering services, as well as urban planning, traffic assessments and optimization, environmental impact assessments, and public consultation services. In addition, the company provides structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and hydraulics engineering services. It serves urban regeneration, infrastructure, education, public and private sector, tourism and leisure, and waste and water sectors, as well as office and commercial, residential, and retail and town centers. The company was formerly known as Stanley Technology Group Inc. and changed its name to Stantec Inc. in October 1998. Stantec Inc. was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada. Read More TelefAnica Brasil S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides mobile and fixed telecommunications services to residential and corporate customers in Brazil. Its fixed line services portfolio includes local, domestic long-distance, and international long-distance calls; and mobile portfolio comprises voice and broadband internet access through 3G, 4G, and 4.5G, as well as mobile value-added services and wireless roaming services. The company also offers data services, including broadband and mobile data services. In addition, it provides pay TV services through direct to home satellite technology, IPTV, and cable, as well as pay-per-view and video on demand services; network services, such as rental of facilities; other services comprising internet access, private network connectivity, computer equipment leasing, extended service, caller identification, voice mail, cellular blocker, and others; wholesale services, including interconnection services to users of other network providers; and digital services, such as entertainment, cloud, and security and financial services, as well as sells wireless devices and accessories. Further, the company offers multimedia communication services, which include audio, data, voice and other sounds, images, texts, and other information, as well as sells devices, such as smartphones, broadband USB modems, and other devices. Additionally, it provides telecommunications solutions and IT support to various industries, such as retail, manufacturing, services, financial institutions, government, etc. It markets and sells its solutions through own stores, dealers, retail and distribution channels, door-to-door sales, and telesales. The company was formerly known as TelecomunicaAAes de SAo Paulo S.A. - TELESP and changed its name to TelefAnica Brasil S.A. in October 2011. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in SAo Paulo, Brazil. Read More Unum Group is engaged in providing financial protection benefits. It operates through the following segments: Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, Closed Block and Corporate. The Unum US segment comprises of group long-term and short-term disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment products, and supplemental and voluntary lines of business. The Unum International segment engages in the operations of UK business, which includes insurance for group long-term disability, group life, and supplemental lines of business that include dental, individual disability, and critical illness products; Poland business primarily includes insurance for individual and group life with accident and health riders. The Colonial Life segment includes insurance for accident, sickness, disability products, life products, and cancer and critical illness products. The Closed Block segment consists of individual disability, group and individual long-term care, and other insurance products no longer actively marketed. The Corporate segment refers to investment income on corporate assets and other corporate income and expenses not allocated to a line of business; and interest Read More Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF's stock was trading at $37.30 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, VWO shares have increased by 38.8% and is now trading at $51.77. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. MVC Capital, Inc. is a business development company specializing in equity, acquisition financing, mezzanine financing, management buyouts, leveraged buildups, corporate partnerships, PIPE transactions, going private transactions, private company recapitalizations, operational turnarounds, and growth and expansion capital transaction financing. The company seeks to invest in mature, small, and middle-market companies. It seeks to invest in companies in the consumer products, business services, industrial manufacturing and services, automotive retailing, energy, food and food service, financial services, insurance, industrial distribution and value-added distribution, medical devices and equipment, specialty chemicals, and security sectors. The company prefers to invest in companies based in the United States. The firm typically invests between $3 million and $25 million for control and non-control stakes in companies with revenues between $10 million and $150 million and EBITDA between $3 million and $25 million. It prefers to be the lead investor in transactions and also co-invests in companies with other private equity sponsors. The company invests in the form of preferred and common equity, and warrants or rights to acquire equity interests; bridge loans; term loans; debt; cash flow loans; senior and subordinated loans; convertible securities; venture capital; mezzanine; and private equity investments. It exits its investments in the form of maturity of loan, public offering, sale, mergers and acquisitions, and financial recapitalizations. It prefers to take majority stake in companies. Read More ROME -- Mohawk Valley Community College hosted Aviation Day, Saturday, to talk about their Airframe & Powerplant program and career opportunities it can bring. Dozens of people came out to aviation day to explore career opportunities and learn more about the Airframe & Powerplant program. The one-year program teaches students how to maintain aircrafts. "Aviation is a tremendous part of our country's economy and we've got to have enough aviation technicians to maintain this fleet of airplanes," said Ray Martin, Technical Assistant of the Airframe & Powerplant program. Students learn first-hand the ins and outs of maintaining an aircraft which include troubleshooting engine systems, and making necessary repairs. What Im hoping to gain is to finish up the course, get my [Airframe & Powerplant] license, and get a job doing what I love, which is working on aircrafts, student Nicholas Hammond said. Martin says it's never too late to get a start on your career. "Aircrafts are only going to get more complicated, they're only going to get more sophisticated and this is just the place. If you like that type of thing, aircraft maintenance is for you." For more on how you can get started with the aviation program at MVCC click here. For a list of aviation jobs click here. ONEIDA- Oneida City Police are asking for the public's help in locating two men they say were involved in a robbery and home invasion early Friday morning. Christopher W. Santilli, 35, of Munnsville and Victor Alamo Clemente, 23, of Syracuse. Both wanted in connection with a home invasion and armed robbery on Stone Street in Oneida. Police said there were four people involved wearing Halloween like masks. They said when they got to the home, Santilli and Clemente escaped from a window and took off in a white Dodge Ram 3500. They captured the other two suspects. Police said a 43-year-old man was assaulted and restrained, and a 13-year old female was restrained. Police believe there was a handgun that was possibly discharged. The two captured, John Santiago, 23, from Syracuse; and Donnie Deverso, 42, from Solvay. All suspects are charged with numerous crimes, including- first-degree burglary, a class B felony; second-degree burglary, a class C felony; first-degree robbery, a class B felony; second-degree robbery, a class C felony; third-degree assault, a class A misdemeanor; second-degree menacing, a class A misdemeanor; two counts of second-degree unlawful imprisonment, a class A misdemeanor; and endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor. Law enforcement officers are requested to take the suspects and vehicle into custody, and please contact the Oneida City Police Department immediately at (315)363-2323. The EU on Saturday stressed the need for continued thorough, credible and transparent investigation into Jamal Khashoggis killing. European Union, like its partners, insists on the need for continued thorough, credible and transparent investigation, shedding proper clarity on the circumstances of the killing and ensuring full accountability of all those responsible for it, said a statement by the High Representative Federica Mogherini on behalf of the EU. Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. After days of denying to know his whereabouts, Saudi Arabia on Saturday claimed Khashoggi was killed during a fight inside the consulate. The statement called the circumstances of Khashoggis killing deeply troubling, including the "shocking violation of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and particularly its Article 55. The Article 55 foresees "respect for the laws and regulations of the receiving State". "After almost three weeks, facts are finally emerging, confirming that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the premises of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul on 2 October 2018," the statement said. It expressed "deepest condolences" to Khashoggis family and friends. "[The EU] pays tribute to the memory of this respected journalist who was in direct contact for his work with many European institutions and organizations," it added. The EU reaffirmed its commitment to "the freedom of press and the protection of journalists across the world." Thousands of Central American migrants fleeing poverty and violence packed a bridge connecting Guatemala and Mexico in sweltering heat Saturday as part of a politically charged, US-bound caravan. At least one migrant, from Honduras, was killed after falling from a vehicle, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez told reporters after meeting with his Guatemalan counterpart. Central America Continents and regions Donald Trump Guatemala Honduras Immigration Immigration, citizenship and displacement International relations International relations and national security Juan Orlando Hernandez Latin America Mexico Mike Pompeo North America Political Figures - Intl Political Figures - US Territorial and national borders The Americas United States Heat waves Severe weather Weather Crime, law enforcement and corrections Law enforcement Policing and police forces "What we have seen in recent days is without precedent," he said. At one point Saturday, several dozen migrants on the desperate trek north sang the Honduran national anthem on the edge of the muddy Suchiate River between Tecun Uman, Guatemala, and Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico. Others, including a middle-aged woman and her three children, lowered themselves from the bridge on a ladder and climbed onto a makeshift raft that delivered them to Mexico as federal police officers watched nearby. Exhausted migrants waded across the Suchiate, holding their belongings above the chest-high waters. Rafts ferried others to Mexico. A group of men helping the migrants across the river chanted "Si se puede" in Spanish, or "Yes you can." Occasionally, young men jumped from the bridge into the river as onlookers cheered. Once in Mexico, the migrants rested at a nearby warehouse that turned into a shelter, where they received food, water and medical care. Their journey continued one day after defiant caravan members rushed past border gates only to be stopped by rows of Mexican riot police who dispersed tear gas and smoke canisters into the crowds. The slow procession north has led President Donald Trump to threaten to cut aid to Central American nations and to send troops to the US border if Mexico fails to stop the surge. After US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and top officials met in the Mexican capital the night before, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Saturday that Mexico was "fully engaged in finding a solution that encourages safe, secure and orderly migration." At a rally in Elko, Nevada, Trump attacked Democrats, suggesting they want more caravans. He called the migrant situation "sad from both sides." On the border between Mexico and Guatemala, members of the caravan seemed undeterred by rhetoric from Washington. "Our message is we're not criminals," Honduran migrant Orlean Herrera said. "We're coming over here because we need a better life. That's why we're here." Another man shouted, "Donald Trump is the anti-Christ." By Saturday morning, the bridge was teeming with men, women, teenagers and children. Some fainted from the heat. Mexican authorities starting Friday were allowing a trickle of migrants, starting with women and children, to pass through gates near the bridge to Tapachula, where they boarded buses for refugee camps. Others, chanting and cheering, pushed through or climbed over a steel gate Friday until riot police repelled them with tear gas and smoke canisters. Video showed coughing and weeping migrants collapsed on the bridge. Several police and an undetermined number of migrants were injured. It was unclear how many migrants would cross the border and how long that process would take. Mexican authorities have said they'd allow migrants to enter the country if they have valid visas or meet other requirements. The caravan formed last Saturday in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and arrived Monday in Guatemala. Migrants told CNN en Espanol they were bound for the United States, seeking work and fleeing political corruption and violence. Leaders throughout the region have publicly urged them for days to turn back. Hernandez, the Honduran President, said more than 550 Honduran nationals were being bused back to Honduras, and would be offered jobs and other aid upon their arrival. Pompeo: 'This is an organized effort' Four Mexican police officers were injured in the standoff at the Mexican border, Pompeo said Friday. Speaking to reporters on a tarmac in Mexico City, where he'd been meeting with leaders about the caravan and other matters, Pompeo accused the caravan of using women and children "as shields as they make their way through." "This is an organized effort to come through and violate the sovereignty of Mexico," Pompeo said. Pompeo said he had a "good conversation" with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and that the two countries are jointly focused on the caravan issue, but "the Mexican government is making all the decisions on how to address this." Pena Nieto called the confrontation a "unique incident," saying the migrants did not follow the protocols that Mexican immigration officials put in place. He added that some migrants "assaulted and even injured" a number of unarmed members of the Mexican police before they could contain the violence. "Mexico won't allow anyone entering its territory in an erratic way and much less a violent way," he said Friday night in a video statement released on Twitter. Pena Nieto said Mexican officials would continue welcoming those traveling with the migrant caravan despite Friday's incident. Trump, who's been criticizing the caravan with fiery tweets all week, reiterated his threat Friday that if Mexico doesn't stop the migrants, he'll take more drastic action. "If that doesn't work out, we're calling up the military, not the Guard, we're calling up the military, and we're going to have the military stationed," Trump said. "They're not coming into this country. They might as well turn back." Trump has also threatened to cut foreign aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. Clash on the bridge Members of the caravan gathered Friday morning in the border city of Tecun Uman. They waited in sweltering heat -- with temperatures in the mid-80s and 70% humidity -- for hours for others to arrive, packing streets for blocks on end. They streamed through gates on the Guatemalan side of the border around noon Friday, cheering and chanting as they marched. Celebratory air horns blared as they headed toward Mexico's port of entry. When they reached a padlocked steel fence near the Mexican side of the bridge, the sheer number of migrants allowed them to break through. Mexican police pushed them back. Hundreds of Mexican Federal Police sealed the border as drones and helicopters hovered above the crowd. At least a dozen migrants jumped into the river. Some of the migrants on the bridge said they joined the caravan because they were desperate for work and had no other choice. Mexican officials have said people seeking asylum will be processed at Mexico's southern border. But it's unclear what will happen next. Click here to get the latest updates from the Mexico-Guatemala border Will they reach the US border? Mexican authorities haven't said whether anyone from the caravan will be permitted to travel to the US border. They've previously outlined how they planned to respond to the group, stating: Anyone with a valid visa will be able to enter and move freely. Anyone who wants to be recognized as a refugee or as a beneficiary of "complementary protection measures" must do so individually. Those who do so will be held "at a migratory station" for as many as 45 business days. Anyone who enters "in an irregular manner" will be "rescued and subject to an administrative procedure and, where appropriate, will be returned to their country of origin in a safe and orderly manner." Mexican authorities also have said they're asking for help from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to process migrants seeking refugee status. This spring, when another caravan of Central American migrants crossed into Mexico, such policies allowed that group to make it to the US border. The latest caravan comes weeks before high-stakes midterm elections in the United States, in which many Republican candidates have been echoing the President's messaging about boosting border security and cracking down on illegal immigration. Trump has pointed to the caravan as a key issue in the upcoming elections, describing the group's approach as an assault on the US border. Immigrant rights advocates have accused his administration of trying to create a crisis to motivate his voter base. Honduran and Guatemalan leaders talk Hernandez met Saturday in Guatemala with his counterpart, Jimmy Morales, to work on "implementing a strategy and logistics for the return of Honduran migrants," Hernandez said on Twitter. Hernandez also sought permission from Guatemala to send Civil Protection personnel to assist Honduran migrants inside Guatemala on Friday, according to several posts on his official Twitter account. In addition, Hernandez requested authorization to "hire ground transportation for those wishing to return, even airlifting special cases of women, children, the elderly and sick," he said, thanking the Guatemalan government for "all the attention given to our Honduran brothers." GREENVILLE, Miss. (AP) Police in a Mississippi Delta city continue to investigate a shooting that killed a 15-year-old boy who was riding a bicycle. Greenville Police tell The Delta Democrat-Times that the unnamed teen was found dead Wednesday night from multiple gunshot wounds. Medics could not revive him. Assistant Police Chief Michael Merchant says his department is investigating, but no arrests have been made. Mayor Errick Simmons calls the killing senseless and heinous. Simmons says the city is working to decrease violence, offering several community outreach programs. Simmons and the Greenville City Council are hosting a community meeting Monday to discuss ways to reduce violence. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Alabama voters next month will decide a constitutional amendment regarding the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools and government buildings. The proposed amendment to the Alabama Constitution says schools and public buildings can display the Ten Commandments as long as it is done in a way that complies with constitutional requirements such as being intermingled with historical documents. Lawyers for groups who have argued both for and against the legality of such religious displays said the larger impact of the amendment could be encouraging schools and governments to put up the Ten Commandments something that may or may not draw a legal challenge depending on how it is done. On one hand, it really doesnt do anything. It basically says you can post the Ten Commandments as long as you post them in a constitutional manner which can be done today, Randall Marshall of the ACLU of Alabama said of the amendment. The other hand though is I think that this is going to lead, more than likely, a school district to think that now if this passes they have the right to post the Ten Commandments. ..... A school district just posting the Ten Commandment as a stand alone document is going to find themselves getting sued. Its going to be held to be unconstitutional, Marshall said. Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel, which has defended Ten Commandments displays in several states, said the language will encourage people to display the Ten Commandments by giving them some guidance. It doesnt change what the U.S. Supreme Court would do on something of this nature other than in that area it would give comfort, I guess, or some guidance to the display of the Ten Commandments, Staver said. The measure was approved by the Alabama Legislature this year in a largely party line vote with supporters saying it would send a message about the states beliefs and some opponents deriding it as a political trick intended to drive conservative voters to the polls in an election year. Alabama is revisiting the issue 15 years after former Chief Justice Roy Moore was removed from office for disobeying a federal judges order to remove a 5,280-pound granite Ten Commandments monument from the lobby of the state judicial building. Dean Young, a Christian activist who supported Moore during that fight, created and funded a political action committee to promote the amendment. Young said the amendments passage will send a message that state wants to acknowledge God and thats the Christian God on that this nation was founded on. He predicted Alabamians will overwhelmingly approve the amendment on Nov. 6 and the displays will go up across the state. The amendment vote comes at a time that some evangelicals are hopeful the U.S. Supreme Court will take a more favorable view of such displays. State Sen. Gerald Dial, a Republican from Lineville pushed the legislation for more than a decade before it was approved last year in his final legislative session. It finally passed after Dial added the caveat that the displays had to be constitutional and a provision saying state funds couldnt be used to defend a lawsuit against the amendment. Photo credit: wonry - Getty Images From Esquire In a move that is certainly not the first step towards an Elysium-type society where the haves rule the stars and the have-nots blunder about below, China is launching an artificial moon into the sky. Made from a satellite coated in reflective material, the moon will glow in the night, illuminating the streets and cutting down on electricity used by street lights, Chinese state media reports. If all goes according to plan, the first moon will launch above the city of Chengdu in the Sichuan province in 2020. More moons will follow. This energy-saving "illumination satellite" will orbit 500 kilometers above the Earth, casting a glow that is eight times stronger than the real moon, but one-fifth as bright as street lights, Wu Chunfeng, chief of the Tian Fu New Area Science Society, told China Daily. And it won't benignly sit up there to help folks get home at night. The coverage of the moon can reportedly be accurately adjusted within a few dozen meters, fine-tuned for luminosity, and used to pin-point and help disaster zones. There are concerns the man-made moon will affect people and animals with light pollution, or impede scientific equipment. But the satellites will be tested in the desert first, Wu assured, and not launched until fully approved. Whether it will look totally eerie in the night sky or not remains to be seen. Back in '90s, Russia tried to do a similar thing with a giant mirror to reflect sunlight on super cold Russians cities. That failed due to the mirror malfunctioning. Here's hoping China's fake moon plan doesn't turn into a sci-fi horror story situation. ('You Might Also Like',) Before taking the stage at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio on Thursday night, Keith Urban made a surprise visit to the hospital bedside of a devoted fan. The country music superstar, 50, visited Mercy Health St. Vincent Hospital, where superfan Marissa English is currently in hospice care. Englishs health is rapidly declining, WTOL-11 reported. The 25 year old has a myriad of health conditions including water and an inoperable cyst on her brain, severe scoliosis and cerebral palsy. But that hasnt stopped her from falling in love with Urban and his music. She has memorabilia from a couple of the other concerts weve been to. She has a t-shirt that we put on a pillow thats beside her all the time, Marlise Matthews, Englishs mother, told WTOL-11. Its actually cute because shell pick up the pillow and hug it and kiss it [and] shell point at it and say Mr. Hottie. When it was clear English wouldnt be able to make it to Urbans show on Thursday despite having tickets, her nurses started a social media campaign to get him to visit. We knew how important it was to Marissa to be at that concert, nurse Jan Cassity explained to WTOL-11, adding that Englishs health is rapidly declining. Since she wasnt able to we were hoping to try and find some way to have Keith make a connection with her. She just has such a fascination with Keith and loves to watch him on TV and listen to his music, Jackie Codding, Englishs in-home nurse said to WTOL-11. I think it would mean the world to her. @KeithUrban @mercy_health Keith will be in Toledo for a concert tomorrow (10/18). His number 1 fan is a patient here at St. Vs in Toledo! She had tix for the concert but is now facing hospice. Trying to reach out to see if Keith can possibly give this young girl her dying wish Laura Biel (@LauraBiel71) October 17, 2018 Urban got the message, and he was there before his big performance. Story continues Video from inside the hospital room captured Urban kneeling beside English, singing his 2016 hit Blue Aint Your Color to an iPhone karaoke track while holding her hand. Id be playing this song right now if I had my guitar with me right now, he tells her. English was all smiles throughout the tune, smiling and mouthing the words back to him. The two also posed for pictures together. Keith Urban and Marissa English Keith Urban and Marissa English Later, in front of a sold-out crowd at the Huntington Center, Urban spoke about meeting a beautiful girl named Marissa who I truly think is my biggest fan, WTOL-11 reported. Her family is here and so are some of her pediatric ICU nurses, Urban said according to WTOL-11, gesturing at them. Were going to dedicate this whole show tonight to her, to Marissa. After weeks of obfuscation and changing narratives, Saudi Arabia claimed that journalist Jamal Khashoggi died in a fistfight in the Saudi Consulate and said it had arrested 18 people in connection with his death. President Donald Trump told reporters he believed their explanation during a media availability at Luke Air Force base in Arizona Friday. I think its a good first step. Its a big step. Its a lot of people, Trump said. A lot of people involved, and I think its a great first step. The Saudi government said it arrested 18 Saudi citizens suspected of being involved with Khashoggis death, although the government refused to release their names. Officials also said they dismissed Deputy Director of Saudi Intelligence Ahmed al-Assiri. (Disclosure: Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund has reportedly invested $200 million in Penske Media Corp., Rolling Stones parent company.) The Saudi governments explanation, however, contradicts what the Turkish governments investigation into Khashoggis death has found. Turkish officials claimed to have an audio recording of the interrogation that led to Khashoggis death, recorded by Khashoggis Apple Watch, and CIA officials have listened to it, the Washington Post reported. Bruce Riedel, a Saudi Arabia expert and 30-year CIA veteran told the Post, This is the worst coverup Ive ever seen. The Post also released on Saturday a previously unpublished recording of Khashoggi speaking about Saudia Arabia and freedom. Well find out what happened to the body before long, a senior Turkish official told Reuters on Saturday. The DNA is being procured from within Turkey. It seems there will be no need to ask Saudi Arabia at the moment. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were quick to condemn the Saudi explanation and acceptance from Trump. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), appearing on CNN Friday evening, said, The Saudis very clearly seem to be buying time and buying cover, but this action raises more questions than it answers. There has to be an international investigation. It has to be done with legitimate and credible means involving the United States, and it has to use those tapes, the surveillance that evidently the Turks have. Story continues A Turkish news outlet released surveillance images that showed Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, a close contact of Saudi Arabias crown prince, entering the consulate in Istanbul where Khashoggi was allegedly killed, potentially connecting crown prince Mohammed bin Salman to the death. American intelligence officials have said it was inconceivable that bin Salman was not involved. Republican Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Bob Corker (R-TN) also expressed skepticism. Paul said the Saudi story was not even close to credible, and Corker threatened sanctions. The so-called explanation from the Saudis is not even close to credible. What they did was unacceptable and I call on my colleagues in Congress to join me in denouncing their behavior and changing how we treat them. Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) October 20, 2018 Congress is very interested in this one, and well be working with Congress, Trump told reporters Friday. But I would prefer, if theres going to be some form of sanction or what we may determine to do, if anything, because this was a lot of people theyre talking about people pretty high up but I would prefer that we dont use as retribution canceling $110 billion worth of work, which means 600,000 jobs. Other world leaders, meanwhile, expressed their doubt. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that she does not accept the Saudi story, as did Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Bloomberg reported. President Donald Trump told reporters following a rally in Nevada on Saturday that he planned to pull out of a more than 30-year nuclear arms pact with Russia. The president said not only has Russia not lived up to their end of the 1987 agreement, he claimed the deal has also limited the United States from developing new weapons. Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years. And were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and were not allowed to, Trump said of the pact, in which both Russia and the U.S. agreed to rid themselves of short-range and intermediate-range nuclear missiles. According to NBC News, Russia has claimed over the years that it is the United States who has violated the terms of the agreement and has denied any wrongdoing on their part. But Trump insisted that Russia, and even China who is not actually involved in the agreement has not abided by the pacts terms. If Russias doing it, and if Chinas doing it, and were adhering to the agreement, thats unacceptable, Trump said. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov responded to Trumps threats by saying it would be a very dangerous step. We condemn the ongoing attempts by blackmail to achieve concessions from Russia, Ryabkov told Russian state news agency TASS. Apparently, the inability and unwillingness to negotiate with us on a reasonable basis are pushing certain forces in Washington to bring the countrys leadership to a decision on the formal withdrawal from the treaty. This would be a very dangerous step. Nuclear disarmament groups also came out against Trumps decision. This is a reckless move by Trump, Kate Hudson, general secretary for The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament said in a statement on Sunday, NBC reported. Tearing up the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty will mark the end of the restraints on nuclear arsenals achieved in the 1980s. The danger is that we will see spiraling arsenals on a Cold War scale. Story continues Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader who signed the original treaty in 1987, also discouraged Trump from withdrawing. Under no circumstances should we tear up old disarmament agreements. Do they really not understand in Washington what this could lead to? Gorbachev said, Interfax news agency reported. While Trump did not say how exactly Russia has violated the treaty, White House national security experts accused Russia of launching a cruise missile in 2017, a clear violation of the agreement. For the United States to withdraw from the treaty would be a grave error, according to Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia nonproliferation program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey: This is a colossal mistake. Russia gets to violate the treaty and Trump takes the blame, Lewis told The Guardian. I doubt very much that the U.S. will deploy much that would have been prohibited by the treaty. Russia, though, will go gangbusters. Manhunt underway for 'armed and dangerous' suspect in killing of Georgia police officer originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A manhunt was underway Sunday for a suspect in the killing of a police officer near a suburban Atlanta school after he and his partner responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle, authorities said. Tafahree Maynard, 18, is considered "armed and dangerous" and is believed to be the gunman who opened fire without warning Saturday afternoon on Gwinnett County Police Officer Antwan Toney and his partner, police said. Maynard is wanted on suspicion of felony murder and aggravated assault in the death of Toney, who had recently celebrated his 30th birthday with colleagues in Las Vegas and was just six days short of marking his third anniversary as a member of the department, officials said. PHOTO: Gwinnett County, Georgia, police and paramedics escort a hearse carrying the body of Officer Antwan Toney from a hospital where he died from a gunshot wound to the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner's office on Oct. 20, 2018. (WSB-TV) As of Sunday afternoon, police said the hunt for Maynard was ongoing and announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and indictment. Toney and another officer approached a vehicle near the Shiloh Middle School in Snellville about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday to check out a report of people smoking marijuana, according to Sgt. Jake Smith of the Gwinnett County Police Department. "Before they could even get to the vehicle the shots rang out" from inside the car, Smith said, adding that such things don't happen "99.999 percent" of the time. That it went this way, its just tragic, Smith said. (MORE: 'I pray for our cops every day': Law enforcement deaths spiking, guns No. 1 cause) This was the first police job for Officer Toney. Prior to working for our agency, he worked as a security guard. His immediate family lives in California. Officer Toney was assigned to the South Precinct. pic.twitter.com/JKV5oOLD7K Gwinnett Police Dept (@GwinnettPd) October 21, 2018 One of the bullets struck Toney, Smith said. Story continues PHOTO: Antwan Toney is pictured in this undated photo released by Gwinnett County Police in Georgia. (Gwinnett County Police) Toney's partner, who has not been identified, was not injured and dragged the mortally wounded officer away for cover, Smith said. It was not immediately clear where Toney was struck. He was taken to nearby Gwinnett County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. "What a chief wants to hear is that the officer is OK. And when I asked that question, that wasn't the answer I got," Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers said during an emotional news conference late Saturday. When Toney graduated from the police academy in 2015, it was Ayers who presented him with his badge. "The people that worked with Officer Toney on a daily basis recalled a very jovial person who was dedicated to his job and dedicated to his community," Ayers said. The GCPD officer shot in the line of duty has died as a result of his injuries. Efforts are ongoing to locate the suspect responsible. Media post is at Hwy. 78 and Killian Hill Rd. Gwinnett Police Dept (@GwinnettPd) October 20, 2018 Initial reports indicated that the vehicle Toney and his partner were called to investigate contained as many as four people. Following the shooting, the car took off and crashed less than a mile from the shooting scene, Smith said. The officers returned fire, but it was unclear whether anyone in the car was hit or if any injuries resulted from the crash, Smith said. PHOTO: A massive manhunt is underway in Georgia, on Oct. 20, 2018, for the suspects involved with the shooting and killing of Officer Antwan Toney. (WSB-TV) The suspects fled on foot. One suspect, Isaiah Pretlow, 19, was arrested soon after the shooting and charged with aggravated assault, officials said. Pretlow was nabbed after he allegedly opened fire on U.S. Marshals as they approached him, officials said. The marshals were not injured while arresting Pretlow, officials said. Ayers said investigators are reviewing body camera footage of the shooting, but did not specify whose body camera footage he was referring to. Earlier, Smith had said most of the officers in the department have body cameras, but not all. Isaiah Pretlow (in dreadlocks) has been arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault. Still at large is Tafahree Maynard, who is charged with Aggravated Assault and Felony Murder in connection with Ofc. Toneys murder. Anyone with information on Maynard should call 770-513-5710. pic.twitter.com/18w0JXV1VG Gwinnett Police Dept (@GwinnettPd) October 21, 2018 Friends and community residents joined officers who worked with Toney for a candlelight vigil Saturday night at the Gwinnett County Fallen Heroes Memorial in Lawrenceville, Georgia. PHOTO: A massive manhunt is underway in Georgia, on Oct. 20, 2018, for the suspects involved with the shooting and killing of Officer Antwan Toney. (WSB-TV) "He was practically like a brother. He was over at my house all the time," Reginald Pierre, a friend of Toney's who attended the vigil, told ABC affiliate station WSB-TV in Atlanta. ABC News' Alexandra Faul and Mark Osborne contributed to this report. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) Continuing his efforts to rally support for Republican candidates ahead of the midterms, President Donald Trump on Saturday stopped in Elko, Nevada, where he pushed anti-immigrant sentiment, lied about supporting health care protections, and heaped praise on Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh for a cheering crowd. In short, he doubled down on the messages hes been sending for weeks. The event was full of claims that could use better context, clarification or outright correction. Here are five of the most notable: 1. Trump claimed without evidence that Californians are rioting in protest of sanctuary cities. I dont think we like sanctuary cities up here, Trump told the crowd after criticizing Rep. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) on her immigration record. Rosen is running for the Senate against Republican incumbent Dean Heller, whom the president endorses. Trump continued: By the way, a lot of people in California dont like them either. Theyre rioting now. They want to get out of their sanctuary cities. It is true that people in more than a dozen California cities have taken action against their states so-called sanctuary cities laws, which limit local authorities from fully cooperating with federal immigration authorities. But there is no evidence of rioting in the state over the issue. 2. Trump once again said without evidence that the caravan of Central American migrants headed for the U.S. is full of criminals. Trump returned to immigration at many points throughout his speech, particularly to stir up fears over a caravan of mostly Honduran migrants walking across Central America to the U.S. border in order to request asylum. He said, despite evidence to the contrary, that the group will bring waves of crime and drugs over the border. This country doesnt want them, Trump said of the caravan. He also claimed to have already figured out what to do about the approaching group which is more than 3,000 strong but said he cant reveal his plan until after the midterms. Story continues 3. Trump stated that Republicans will always protect people with pre-existing conditions. With health care a major concern for voters, Trump and a number of other Republicans have gone on the defensive by repeatedly claiming they want to protect coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. The Trump administration, however, is backing a lawsuit seeking to scrap pre-existing condition coverage as required by the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administrations signature health law. Similarly, Heller last year voted for the Republican partys health care bill, which ultimately failed but would have hurt people with pre-existing conditions. 4. Trump blamed the fake news media for his low approval ratings. Trump bashed journalists once again, just two days after celebrating a Montana lawmaker who body-slammed a reporter for The Guardian. While Trump has always had a difficult relationship with journalists, the timing of that comment as it became all but certain a Saudi reporter whod been living in the U.S. had been murdered by Saudi operatives earned him special criticism. In Nevada, Trump said the fake news media is Democrats single greatest ally, pointing to reporters at the scene and eliciting boos from the crowd. If only the media were on his side, Trump said, his approval rating would be at 100 percent. 5. Dean Heller told the president everything he touches turns to gold. After an introduction by Trump, Heller took the stage to sing the presidents praises, not mentioning the time Trump threatened the senators seat unless he voted with the Republican majority on its attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Mr. President, you know a little bit about gold, Heller said, recalling the importance of the states mining industry. In fact, I think everything you touch turns to gold. Trump famously led several Atlantic City properties to financial failure or to the brink of financial failure. The Trump familys wealth was also the subject of a recent bombshell New York Times report detailing how the family used legal and possibly illegal means of evading taxes over a span of decades. Related Coverage Even Trump's Base Seems To Prefer His Less 'Trumpy' Tweets Migrant Caravan Begins To Cross Into Mexico From Guatemala Trump Makes No Mention Of Khashoggi Murder During Arizona Rally Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Storyful The Polish Border Guard said on November 17 that migrants camping at the border with Belarus were seen packing up their belongings and leaving for an unknown location. It was unclear from the guards initial information how many were on the move.The border guard released this footage, and said it showed the migrants moving under the supervision of Belarusian services.The development followed a day of violence at the Kuznica-Bruzgi border crossing. Polish police said seven officers were injured as migrants threw stones from the Belarusian side and Polish forces responded with water cannons and tear gas.This is a developing story. Credit: Polish Border Guard via Storyful Miami Herald She waited five years to confront Tom Privett, her former high school teacher, the man who groomed and manipulated her on campus. The man who raped her over and over inside his classroom. Arbil (Iraq) (AFP) - The dominant party in Iraq's Kurdistan has secured the most seats in the autonomous region's parliament, despite its leader Massud Barzani having championed an ill-fated independence referendum last year, the local electoral commission said Sunday. Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) won 45 of 111 seats in the September 30 elections, up from 38 at the last polls in 2013, according to final results announced by the commission. Barzani was the key backer of Kurdistan's independence vote in September 2017 that was deemed illegal by Iraq's central government and saw Baghdad impose economic penalties and retake disputed territory. The KDP's main rivals, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), likewise made gains and will see 21 of its lawmakers enter parliament, up from 18. The leaders of the region's top two political parties also took their rivalry to Baghdad, contesting the honorary role of Iraqi president. The PUK's candidate Barham Saleh won that race, maintaining a tacit accord between the two parties which sees the PUK take the federal presidency while the KDP holds the Kurdistan presidency. However, the Iraqi Kurdish presidency has been left vacant since Barzani stepped down following the failed independence referendum. But he still has clout in Iraq, with the KDP winning 25 seats in nationwide parliamentary elections in May. "Now that he is the great heavyweight of Kurdish politics, no-one can do without him in Baghdad," said Adel Bakawan, a research associate at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Paris (EHESS). "He lost the gamble of the referendum, but the legislative (elections) in May were a tremendous moment of grace; he was courted by the Americans and the Iranians," said Bakawan in reference to the two key powerbrokers in Iraq. - New Kurdistan movement - In Kurdistan's parliamentary vote, the main opposition Goran (Change) party lost half of its seats and was left with 12 lawmakers. Story continues Observers have put Goran's losses down to the arrival of another group standing in opposition to the KDP and PUK heavyweights. The New Generation movement, founded this year to channel public anger at the region's elite, won eight seats in the September 30 poll. The results mean the KDP could theoretically have the parliamentary majority without having to form an alliance with its political rivals, instead gaining the backing of minority lawmakers. The appointment of a new president to replace Barzani has been on hold, pending the drafting of a new Kurdish constitution for which no timetable has been set. Goran and numerous Islamist parties have said they will reject the results of the vote, which saw a 57 percent turnout according to official figures. The ethnic and religious minorities of Kurdistan's three provinces in northern Iraq -- which have been autonomous since 1991 -- are reserved 11 seats in parliament. Five each go to Turkmen and Christian candidates, with one for the Armenian community. The remainder of the seats were won by smaller, mainly Islamist parties. TOKYO (Reuters) - A European-Japanese spacecraft set off on a treacherous seven-year journey to Mercury to probe the solar system's smallest and least-explored planet. The BepiColombo mission, only the third ever to visit Mercury, blasted off from Europe's spaceport in French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 rocket at 10:45 p.m. local time on Friday (0145 GMT on Saturday), according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). "Launching BepiColombo is a huge milestone for ESA (the European Space Agency) and JAXA, and there will be many great successes to come," ESA Director General Jan Woerner said in a statement. "Beyond completing the challenging journey, this mission will return a huge bounty of science." Few spacecraft have visited Mercury because of the planet's proximity to the sun -- less than 60 million kilometers (37.3 million miles) away compared with almost Earth's 150 million kilometers -- which makes any trip there challenging. Surface temperatures on the planet can reach highs of over 400 Celsius (752F) during the day and drop to minus 170C (minus 338F) at night. NASA's Mariner 10 probe, launched to Mercury in 1973, mapped around 45 percent of the planet's surface, and its MESSENGER mission took off over three decades later in 2004 to complete the survey. BepiColombo, named after 20th century Italian mathematician and Engineer Giuseppe (Bepi) Colombo, will slingshot off the Earth's gravitational field one-and-a-half years after launch before picking up speed on its journey. It will fly past Venus twice and then fly by Mercury six times before slipping into its orbit around December 2025. At that point, it will release two separate spacecraft it is carrying, ESA's Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and JAXA's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO). MPO will then study Mercury's surface and internal composition, to determine the planet's iron content and examine why its core is partially liquid. JAXA's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) will collect data on the planet's magnetosphere. Both orbiters will study the planet for one year, with scope for possible one-year extension. (Reporting and writing by Maria Sheahan, additional reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka) Witches placed a hex on US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during a protest ritual in New York. The spell, which was livestreamed on Facebook and Instagram on Saturday, was also targeted at all rapists and the patriarchy which emboldens, rewards and protects them. Organisers at the Catland occult bookshop in Brooklyn said the hex was as an act of resistance and resilience following the controversy over allegations of sexual assault against Mr Kavanaugh. He will be the focal point, but by no means the only target, so bring your rage and and all of the axes youve got to grind, the bookshop told its followers. Directions on how to cast a stripped-down version of the spell at home, were also provided on Facebook. The ingredients included graveyard dirt, coffin nails, a black candle, a broken mirror, and revenge oil. Obtain a photo of your enemy, read the instructions. Mark it according to your purposes and write out your curses on it. Dress it with the oil. Place the ingredients in the jar and then fill it halfway with water from a thunderstorm, war water, toilet water or vinegar and the rest of the way with your urine. Once finished, seal the jar tightly with the lid. Carve the candle with your targets name, dress it with the oil and then roll it in the graveyard dirt. Melt the bottom of the candle and affix it to the lid of the jar. The ritual continues with the lighting of the candle and a recitation of psalm 109, which includes the curse Let his posterity be cut off, and in the generation following let their name be blotted out. Alternatively followers could read out a Latin prayer which translates as: The king is dead, hear us scream, tear off his head, burn his bones, salt the earth, rage is our song, rage is our mother. The ritual should be repeated every Saturday after nightfall to exact your curse upon your target, it is claimed. It follows three previous rituals to place hexes on Donald Trump last year. Half of the proceeds of the event are to be donated to charity and a second hex is planned for 3 November. Story continues The harm we want to inflict on Kavanaugh and Trump is that they be exposed and shown for what they are and ousted or at least discredited," Dakota Bracciale, co-owner of Catland Books, told The Independent. On the practical aspect, yes there is spell casting and we are going to curse him and hex him and wish him bad things. "But on a more important level, this is a coming together of people who recognise this as an important moment in our country." Catholics responded to news of the spell on Mr Kavanaugh by fasting and praying for his spiritual protection. Father Gary Thomas, an exorcist in San Jose, California, who performed a special mass for the Supreme Court justice, said: This is a conjuring of evil, not about free speech. The decision to do this against a Supreme Court justice is a heinous act and says a lot about the character of these people that should not be underestimated or dismissed, he added. Mr Kavanaugh denied all the allegations against him. Jakarta (AFP) - A billion-dollar hydroelectric dam development in Indonesia that threatens the habitat of the world's rarest great ape has sparked fresh concerns about the impact of China's globe-spanning infrastructure drive. The site of the dam in the Batang Toru rainforest on Sumatra island is the only known habitat of the Tapanuli orangutan, a newly discovered species that numbers about 800 individuals in total. The $1.6 billion project, which is expected to be operational by 2022, will cut through the heart of the critically endangered animal's habitat, which is also home to agile gibbons, siamangs and Sumatran tigers. Indonesian firm PT North Sumatra Hydro Energy is building the power plant with backing from Sinosure, a Chinese state-owned enterprise (SOE) that insures overseas investment projects, and the Bank of China, company documents show. Chinese SOE Sinohydro, which built the mammoth Three Gorges Dam, has been awarded the design and construction contract for the project. The development is one of dozens being pushed by the government to improve electricity supply throughout the sprawling archipelago, parts of which are regularly plagued by blackouts. But the Chinese-backed project has sparked fierce resistance from conservationists, who say the potential environmental risk has already seen the World Bank Group shy away from involvement. Its Chinese backers appear undeterred, however, something critics say underscores the troubling environmental impact of Beijing's trademark "Belt and Road Initiative", which seeks to link Asia, Europe and Africa with a network of ports, highways and railways. "This issue is becoming in some ways the face of the Belt and Road initiative," Professor Bill Laurance, director of the Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science at James Cook University in Australia, told AFP. "I think this crystallises in a way that people can understand what a tsunami of 7,000-plus projects will mean for nature." Story continues - 'Death knell' - Until recently, scientists thought there were only two genetically distinct types of orangutan, Bornean and Sumatran. But in 1997 biological anthropologist Erik Meijaard observed an isolated population of the great apes in Batang Toru, south of the known habitat for Sumatran orangutans, and scientists began to investigate if it was a unique species. Researchers studied the DNA, skulls and teeth of 33 orangutans killed in human-animal conflict before concluding that they had indeed discovered a new species, giving it the scientific name Pongo tapanuliensis or Tapanuli orangutan. The 510-megawatt dam, which will supply peak-load electricity to North Sumatra province, will flood part of the ape's habitat and include a network of roads and high-voltage transmission lines. Critics say it will fragment the three existing populations, who are living in a tract of forest less than one-fifth the size of the greater Jakarta region, and lead to inbreeding. Meijaard said the dam would be the "death knell" for the animal. "Roads bring in hunters (and) settlers -- it's the start, generally, of things falling apart," he told AFP. - Weighing the risk - But the plight of the cinnamon-furred ape seems to have been given little attention in the environmental impact assessment by PT North Sumatra Hydro Energy, according to conservationists and scientists who have seen the document. In August, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) filed a legal challenge against the environmental permit approved by the North Sumatra government, saying it failed to address the dam's impact on wildlife, communities living downstream, or the risk of damage from earthquakes in the seismically active region. PT North Sumatra Hydro Energy and Indonesia's environment ministry declined to respond to AFP's requests for comment. Bank of China said in a statement it did not comment on specific projects, but added it takes "all relevant factors into consideration when formulating policies and making decisions." The World Bank, through its sister organisation the International Finance Corporation, declined to comment on any aspect of its initial ties to the project -- outlined in World Bank documents dated March 2017 -- or environmentalists' claims it pulled out due to habitat concerns. The Batang Toru project is not the only development in Indonesia linked to the Belt and Road initiative, which aims to bolster Chinese influence abroad. But it might be the most contentious. "We really hope the financial backers of this project will see there are environmental and social problems with the project and decide not to support the project," said Yuyun Eknas of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi). "The World Bank has pulled out. We hope the Bank of China will do the same." China's top economic supremo on Friday led a coordinated drive by top financial officials to shore up confidence in the country's stock markets and economy, in a rare expression of concern over what one called "abnormal" share price falls. The intervention by Vice Premier Liu He and heads of the central bank and securities and banking regulators comes amid a bruising stock downturn and the release of data showing a slowdown in economic growth. Liu, who has overall control of economy policy, sought to ease worries about the effects of China's increasingly bitter trade row with the United States, which has seen both sides exchange tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of goods. He told state-run media that "the psychological impact is greater than the actual impact" and that China's suddenly more-affordable shares were "creating good investment opportunities". Markets have tumbled on concerns over the economy, the China-US trade standoff and an official crackdown on excess debt leveraging in the financial system. The losses have made China's markets the world's worst-performing in 2018, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down around 30 percent from a January peak and sitting at four-year lows. People's Bank of China governor Yi Gang was quoted in Chinese media as saying the economy maintained good momentum. "Current stock market valuations are at historically low levels, which is in contrast with China's stable and improving economic fundamentals," he said. Friday's comments represent the highest-level effort yet to address concern over equities and the economy. The officials tried to ease fears that China was swerving away from pledges of financial reform, and that private enterprises may suffer from a strengthening state hand on the economy, though they announced no major new reform initiatives. The government said Friday morning the world's second-largest economy expanded 6.5 percent in July-September, the slowest quarterly pace in nine years. Story continues The Shanghai and Shenzhen composite indexes fell early on Friday but quickly rebounded after the comments filtered out. Both closed 2.58 percent higher for the day. Zhang Gang, a strategist at Central China Securities, said investors had been awaiting strong signals from the government but that more than words was needed. "Although the rebound was large today, turnover remained low. The government needs to strike while the iron is hot and implement positive policies soon to fully restore confidence," he said. Banking regulator Guo Shuqing said Chinese financial market swings had been "abnormal" and "seriously out of line" with China's economic fundamentals. Donald Trump has embarked on a battle with China this year over what he considers predatory trade practices. Trump, who often boasts of the US stock market's gains during his presidency, has pointed to China's equity troubles as a sign that Washington was winning the trade conflict. Share prices are a major source of official Chinese concern following a 2015 stock meltdown that the government is widely blamed with worsening through policy missteps. The officials said various measures would be introduced to ease Chinese companies' financing difficulties and further stabilise the financial system, and that China would stick to a "neutral" monetary policy. The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty prohibits the US and Russia from possessing, producing or testing ground-launched cruise missiles with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles - U.S. Air Force Donald Trump on Saturday announced the US is to pull out of a landmark nuclear agreement with Russia, accusing the Kremlin of violating its terms. Mr Trump did not offer specific details on how Moscow had violated the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, but during the past four years America has repeatedly argued that Russia has been in breach of the agreement with its aggressive actions against former Soviet states in Europe. "Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years," said Mr Trump after a campaign rally in Nevada. "And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we're not allowed to." Mr Trump hinted that the only way forward might be to include China in a new treaty. Donald Trump talks to reporters before leaving Nevada Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters "We'll have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say let's really get smart and let's none of us develop those weapons. But if Russia's doing it and if China's doing it, and we're adhering to the agreement, that's unacceptable," he said. Mr Trump's announcement came as his national security adviser John Bolton was heading to Russia to meet officials. The historic 1987 treaty was followed by a landmark meeting between President Ronald Reagan and Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev. It was seen as a key step in ending the Cold War and some fear that withdrawing from the pact will fuel increased weapons development between China, Russia and the US. The agreement was designed to help protect the security of the US and its allies in Europe and the Far East. John Bolton Credit: AFP It prohibits the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying ground-launched cruise missiles with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles. However it also curbed America's ability to respond to Chinese activity in the Western Pacific, including its attempts to keep American naval forces at bay. Story continues As China was not a signatory to the treaty it has faced no limits on developing intermediate-range nuclear missiles, which have the potential to travel thousands of miles. Mr Trump's recent predecessor Barack Obama chose not to exit the nuclear agreement because of objections from European nations, in particular Germany, and due to fears of a renewed arms race. However Mr Trump's senior staff, including Jim Mattis, defence secretary, have repeatedly broached the subject in recent weeks, highlighting Russia's "untenable" violations of the agreement. By Toby Sterling AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Wim Kok, a former Dutch prime minister who helped forge the country's famed consensus-based politics and oversaw pioneering legalizations of euthanasia and gay marriage, died on Saturday of heart failure. Kok, who was 80, led two centrist coalitions between 1994 and 2002, overseeing a period of recovery and then of strong economic growth. Kok, a labor union leader earlier in his career, was one architect of the country's famed "polder", or consensus model, in which unions agreed to pay restraint in exchange for more jobs, while employers and the government guaranteed support and retraining after layoffs. As prime minister he reined in spending on healthcare, pensions, education and child benefits, using the savings to promote employment. In a world first, euthanasia was legalized in the Netherlands in 2002, formalizing decades of practice. Though Denmark had first legalized gay partnerships in the 1980s, the Netherlands followed in 1998 and became the first to erase any distinction between same-sex and other marriages in 2001. Kok was friends with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and then-U.S. president Bill Clinton as they crafted the moderate center-left "Third Way". "Shaking off ideological feathers is not a problem only. For a political party like ours, it's also a liberating experience," Kok said of steering Labour toward the political center. Prime Minister Mark Rutte praised Kok as someone who "stood above political parties." Kok was "totally reliable, totally upright, and always focused on solutions," Rutte said in a statement. Internationally, Kok was strongly pro-European, helping to seal European economic and monetary union at the Amsterdam summit in 1997. BOSNIAN WAR His political career ended in two dramas. Shortly before pivotal 2002 elections, his entire cabinet resigned over the role the Dutch military played as U.N. peacekeepers in Bosnia. A study by the Netherlands Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies found Kok's first cabinet blundered badly by sending Dutch troops to defend Srebrenica, a U.N.-declared safe zone, during the Bosnia War. Outmanned and outgunned, the Dutch battalion did not fight to defend the enclave when battle-hardened Bosnian Serb forces stormed it in 1995. The Dutch looked on helplessly and even helped separate women from men and boys as the Bosnian Serbs prepared to slaughter 8,000 Muslim civilians in the worst mass murder in Europe since World War Two. Kok said in a recent interview the failure would haunt him forever. "That book will never be closed," he said. "For many people and for some that goes more intensely than for me. But it also weighs on me." After Kok's resignation in April 2002, as his caretaker government prepared for elections, the Netherlands suffered its first political assassination of the post-World War Two era. Pim Fortuyn, the first of a new generation of Dutch populists, had declared the Kok years a "disaster" due to the country's liberal immigration policies. Fortuyn was gunned down by an animal rights activist. That ushered in an era of political instability and a debate on immigrants, integration, and Islam that dominated Dutch politics for the following decade, and continues to the present day. After leaving office, Kok served on the boards of Royal Dutch Shell and ING, among others, and lobbied unsuccessfully for a European Constitution. He is survived by his wife, Rita, and three children. (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Adrian Croft) Rafah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Separated from the impatient crowd by a flimsy barrier, Palestinian policemen read out names, their voices barely audible above the din. Those called file forward, relieved to finally be leaving the crowded and ramshackle Gaza Strip for neighbouring Egypt, some for the first time. Many have a single large suitcase or holdall as they sit on benches in the gymnasium which serves as a waiting room in the southern Gazan town of Khan Yunis. From there, they board a bus for the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, about 20 minutes away. Since mid-May, after five long years in which the frontier was largely closed, Egyptian authorities have opened the crossing several days a week. About 200 people make the trip in a day, a small number compared to the nearly two million people crammed into Gaza. Yet it represents one of only two routes out of the strip and the only one not controlled by Israel. Since Islamists Hamas seized control of the 360 square kilometre (139 square mile) territory in 2007, Israel has maintained a crippling blockade and imposes tight restrictions on its sole people crossing. For much of that time Egypt has opened its Rafah border only intermittently, meaning those leaving didn't know if and when they may be able to return. Mosleh Derby, 21, waits in the sunshine, watching the tea and cigarette pedlars calling out their wares. A medical student in Cairo, he had not been home to Gaza for three years until June for fear of getting stuck. Despite registering for his return journey with the Gazan authorities in advance, Derby said he has been so delayed that he has already missed the first two weeks of class. Some students who paid extra fees travelled earlier, he claimed. - Thousands waiting - Inside the gymnasium, many travellers reluctantly admit having paid between $1,500 and $2,000 for what they call "coordination" to travel. Hamas interior ministry spokesman Iyad al-Bozum denied that Palestinian border officials took payments. Story continues "But some citizens can get in touch with officials on the Egyptian side of the crossing and make it easier for them to leave," he said. Bozum said there is currently a list of thousands of Gazans waiting to exit the strip, who are notified online when their turn comes. Since Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was overthrown in 2013 and his Muslim Brotherhood movement quashed, Egypt has kept its Gaza border largely closed. Cairo accuses Hamas, which began as an offshoot of the Brotherhood, of supporting militants fighting its security forces in the largely uninhabited Sinai region bordering Gaza. Hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed. Egypt destroyed many tunnels for smuggling under the border, exacerbating Gaza's isolation. But relations between Hamas and Egypt have thawed somewhat, allowing Rafah to be opened regularly since May. Only students, those in need of medical treatment, Muslim pilgrims or people with foreign citizenship or residence papers are allowed through. The flow of travellers remains a trickle compared to the past, said Abdallah Shahin, 32, who has been a porter at the crossing for 15 years. Under Morsi, he said, "every day, 30 buses crossed the border, it was about 1,800 people." Nowadays, he says, "those who leave do not come back, they emigrate." - 'No return' - Such is the dream of an architecture student who gives his name only as Khalil. He wants to go back to Germany, where he was born but never obtained citizenship. "One way, no return," he said. "Abroad it's different... someone creative can succeed." Two of his friends have already left, he said, calculating the cost for himself at more than $3,000, including at least $2,000 to get across the Rafah border. At the departure point the bus starts its engine to a cacophony of farewells. "On the Egyptian side, if all goes well, you wait for around six hours. Otherwise you spend the night there and sleep at the border post," said Derby, the medical student. The forced overnight stay is because of Sinai curfew regulations preventing travel at night, an Egyptian border official told AFP. The remaining trip to Cairo is a long one, because of repeated stops at security checkpoints. "Before 2007 I used to arrive in Cairo in six hours, now it takes at least 48 hours," said Hosam al-Ajuri, 35, heading to complete his history studies in Egypt. Left behind in Khan Yunis is Aida Baraka, 52, who since June has been waiting for permission to visit her sick niece in Jordan. Although her name was not once of those posted online she came to try her luck anyway. "Where is the humanity?" she asked, her niqab revealing only her dark eyes. She accused Egypt of not doing enough to help. "The nearest ones to us are the Egyptians," she said. "I want them to be human!" Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said in an interview for publication Sunday he backed a global minimum fiscal regime for multinationals as Europe looks to levy tax notably on US tech giants. "We need a minumum tax rate valid globally which no state can get out of (applying)," Scholz, a social democrat in conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government, told the "Welt am Sonntag" weekly. Europe is trying to devise a strategy to tax profits from the likes of Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and digital platforms such as YouTube and Airbnb which currently manage to keep fiscal exposure to a bare minimum. Digital platforms "aggravate a problem which we know well from globalisation and which we are trying to counter -- the shifting of profits to fiscally beneficial regions," said Scholz. Scholz was last week nonetheless reported not to be convinced by a controversial EU proposal to slap a European tax on US tech giants amid worries it may turn out to be both ineffective and protectionist. France for a year has rallied EU partners to draw up the tax which Paris says is necessary to ensure tech giants pay their way. Scholz explained he had launched an initiative designed to help states react to so-called fiscal dumping in support of embryonic OECD plans designed to fight tax transparency and cross-border tax evasion. "We require coordinated mechanisms which prevent the displacement of revenues to tax havens," said Scholz. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, has proposed a European tax on "big tech" with susbstantial digital revenue in Europe, based on overall revenue in Europe and not just profits. But lead opponent Ireland says a growing number of countries are grumbling about hidden problems with the tax, including that it could inadvertently snag European companies. There is also concern as to what consequences might flow from such a plan at a time against the backdrop of a potential full-blown EU-US trade war. Story continues Berlin worries that cranking up the ante on trade with the United States by launching what Washington could see as an attack on Silicon Valley's corporate giants may threaten German auto exports. Germany has already shown some opposition to a French plan to tax tech giants three percent of certain forms of revenue including advertising and sale of personal data. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Thursday he will in the coming days urge EU members to commit to backing a tax. A March proposal by the Commission includes introducing a tax as a bridge measure until such time as the OECD can roll out a measure which can be applied globally. Berlin (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday that Berlin would not export arms to Saudi Arabia for now in the wake of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi's violent death. "I agree with all those who say when it comes to our already limited arms exports (to Saudi Arabia) that they cannot take place in the current situation," she told reporters at her party headquarters. Her foreign minister, Heiko Maas, had already said on Saturday that he currently saw "no basis for decisions in favour of arms exports to Saudi Arabia". Germany last month approved 416 million euros ($480 million) worth of arms exports to Saudi Arabia for 2018. In the past, military exports by Berlin to Saudi have mostly consisted of patrol boats. Merkel reiterated that she condemned Khashoggi's killing "in the strongest terms" and saw an "urgent need to clear up" the case. "We are far from seeing everything on the table and the perpetrators being brought to justice," she said. Merkel added that she would continue to consult with international partners about a coordinated reaction to the case. Germany and Saudi Arabia only returned their ambassadors in September after 10 months of frosty relations following criticism from Berlin of what it said was Saudi interference in Lebanese affairs. The Khashoggi case has opened a serious new rift with European partners Britain, France and Germany saying in a joint statement earlier that Saudi Arabia must clarify how Khashoggi died inside its Istanbul consulate, and its account must "be backed by facts to be considered credible". After a fortnight of denials, Saudi authorities admitted Saturday that Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and prominent critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed after entering the consulate in Turkey on October 2. But it has faced a growing chorus of incredulity over its belated explanation that he died in a "brawl", as world powers demand answers and the whereabouts of his body. A Canadian Girl Guide sold out of cookies in under an hour after setting up shop outside a cannabis store on the first day of legal sales. Elina Childs, 9, offloaded 30 boxes of cookies at $5 (3.83) each outside a licensed shop in Edmonton, Alberta, on Wednesday, the same day Canada became the second country to legalise the possession and use of recreational marijuana. Smoking cannabis is known to trigger uncontrollable urges to eat sugary snacks, commonly known as the munchies. Elina's father, Sean Childs, said they headed for the unnamed cannabis store after his daughter struggled to sell enough cookies in their own neighbourhood. We came up with the idea that were going to have this great big line up out there (outside the cannabis store) why dont we go and sell some cookies? Mr Childs told CTV News. It went around the block, there were so many people, he said, adding they sold out completely within 45 minutes of arriving. Mr Childs said he used the experience to teach Elina, who has cystic fibrosis, about legalisation and the dangers of smoking. We talked about ... what it was and what it means for people who want to use it and people who dont want to use it, he said. Canadas prime minister Justin Trudeau made cannabis legalisation a key campaign pledge ahead of his 2015 election victory, arguing it would reduce the billions in profits pouring into the countrys black market. The new law allows the drug to be purchased from officially recognised shops, though it will still be illegal for someone to sell the drug to their friends, even in small amounts, if they do not have a licence. Uruguay became the first country to legalise the sale of recreational cannabis in 2013, and a number of US states have voted to end prohibition in the past few years. Huixtla (Mexico) (AFP) - Thousands of Honduran migrants heading to the United States -- a caravan President Donald Trump has called an "assault on our country" -- stopped to rest Tuesday after walking for two days into Mexican territory. Sleeping on cardboard boxes or plastic bags, the migrants set up a massive, impromptu camp in the southern town of Huixtla, 70 kilometers (45 miles) from the Mexico-Guatemala border. Many nursed bleeding feet mangled by 10 days of walking nearly 800 kilometers in plastic shoes or flip-flops. "They're exhausted," said migrant rights activist Rodrigo Abeja, of the group Pueblos Sin Fronteras (People Without Borders), which is accompanying the caravan. "They're going to rest here today and tonight," and then continue their journey north, he told AFP. More than 7,000 people have now joined the caravan, according to the United Nations, including some Central Americans who were already in Mexico. Many of the migrants are fleeing poverty and insecurity in Honduras, where powerful street gangs rule their turf with brutal violence. - Politically loaded - The caravan has become a politically loaded issue, with only two weeks to go before the United States votes in key midterm elections. Trump has taken to attacking it regularly -- both on Twitter and on the campaign trail -- firing up his conservative base with the anti-immigration rhetoric that helped get him elected in 2016. On Monday, he said the US would start cutting aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador for failing to stop the migrants, called the caravan a national emergency and alleged it was infiltrated by "Middle Easterners" and members of the ultra-violent gang MS-13. Adding to the political tempest, Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday that according to Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, the caravan "was organized by leftist groups in Honduras financed by Venezuela and sent north to challenge our sovereignty." Story continues US Customs and Border Protection meanwhile said it had apprehended a record 16,658 people who arrived in the country illegally in families last month, up 900 from August and nearly 12,000 from September 2017. A senior administration official called the surge a "crisis." Mexico vowed not to bow to outside pressure to halt the caravan. But activists accused the country of violating the migrants' rights by detaining anyone who tried to apply for asylum. Mexican authorities said they had registered 1,699 asylum applications from caravan travelers who opted to enter the country legally. Another 495 migrants have voluntarily asked to be returned to Honduras, they said. - Swelling numbers - Late Monday, Mexico allowed about 400 migrants to enter the country after they spent days packed onto a bridge over the Suchiate River, which forms Mexico's southern border with Guatemala. The caravan had stormed through a series of border barriers Friday and flooded onto the bridge, but hundreds of Mexican riot police blocked their passage. Most of the migrants then swam or took rafts across the river, but one group had remained camped out on the bridge. Another group of about 1,000 Hondurans meanwhile started a separate march Sunday across Guatemala, headed for Mexico and then the United States. - Dangerous journey - Migrants in the main caravan -- which set out on October 13 from San Pedro Sula, Honduras -- have been traveling on foot or hitching rides on passing cars and trucks, often crowding onto them precariously. Two migrants have been killed when they fell off vehicles that let them hitch a ride, according to authorities in Mexico and Guatemala. Caravan members also face the threat of being robbed, kidnapped or killed by Mexican gangs that extort migrants on their journey. - Caravan of children - Humanitarian organizations estimate that one-fourth of the caravan's members are children, a representative of Save the Children told AFP. Guadalupe Del Carmen, 29, who is traveling with her nine-year-old son, recounted the difficulty of the journey -- such as the moment her son started to cry, "Mommy, I don't want to do this anymore" while crossing the Suchiate River on a raft made of inner tubes. "He wanted to go back to Honduras. But I explained we can't go back, that the situation in our country is too difficult and that's why we had to run away," she said quietly. With a homicide rate of 43 per 100,000 citizens, Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world. burs-jhb/wat Tehran (AFP) - Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has accepted the resignation of the embattled ministers of industry and roads, a statement on the presidential website said Saturday. The president thanked industry minister Mohammad Shariatmadari and roads minister Abbas Akhoundi's "selfless service" and "sincere efforts" during their tenures and appointed two acting ministers. Reza Rahmani, current deputy industries minister, will take over for Shariatmadari and the current governor of Mazandaran, Mohammad Eslami, will become acting roads minister effective immediately, the website said. The two ministers reportedly handed in their resignations over a month ago as lawmakers were preparing impeachment proceedings against them. Rumours of Shariatmadari's resignation first surfaced mid-September but were quickly denied by the ministry. Akhoundi published his resignation letter dated September 1 on Saturday, pointing to a "difference of opinion" as the main cause. Rouhani's labour and economy ministers were sacked by the parliament in August over their handling of an economic crisis, partly triggered by the withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimpoisition of sanctions. Rouhani himself was summoned to the parliament to answer questions from lawmakers on August 28, a first in his five years in power, and only the second time for a sitting president. Lawmakers were also ready to impeach education minister Mohammad Bathaei but called it off on September 2 due to the upcoming school year. He made the call at a high-level roundtable with Vietnamese and Danish enterprises in the fields of green growth, seaport, logistics and high technology, which was held in Copenhagen on October 20th as part of the PM's ongoing visit to Denmark. The Vietnamese Government leader briefed the Danish firms on the potential and advantages of Vietnam such as young labour force, rapid IT and telecommunications development, and high GDP growth, as well as the country's intensive international integration as seen in its engagement in 16 new-generation free trade agreements. He noted that currently Vietnam is hosting more than 130 Danish enterprises, but the figure has yet to meet potential of the Vietnam-Denmark comprehensive partnership. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) at the roundtable with Vietnamese and Danish businesses. (Photo: VNA) PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed that the Government of Vietnam encourages and creates optimal conditions for Danish firms to invest in Vietnam, especially in maritime transportation, ship building, renewable energy, green technology, animal breeding, aquaculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, health care, education and smart city building. The Vietnamese Government always accompany you all, he stated, expressing his hope that Danish investors will bring new technologies that are friendly to the environment to Vietnam. He pledged to create the best possible conditions in policy to them, adding that the Vietnamese Government will do its best to fulfil its commitments under the new generation free trade agreements towards the standards of the OECD, while maintaining political stability, social order and safety, solving problems in institution, developing supply chains and transaction market, and strengthening transparency and accountability. The PM asked Danish firms to advocate the EU's early signing and ratification of the Vietnam-EU free trade agreements, and cooperate with Vietnam to effectively implement the deal after it is signed and takes effect. At the event, Danish businesses introduced achievements in their cooperation and investment in Vietnam, and future trade collaboration projects, while proposing measures to foster partnership between the two business communities. Both Danish and Vietnamese firms showed their support of the early signing and ratification of the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the EU. Danish investors spoke highly of socio-economic achievements of Vietnam, especially breakthroughs in institutions and policy. They noted that the bilateral trade revenue is rising, while the cooperation between the two business communities is expanding. They raised questions on different issues such as the equitisation of State-owned enterprises and engagement of foreign firms in the process; water management, especially in smart cities; and the development of renewable energy and wind power. Danish investors in Vietnam expressed their hope that the PM would directs relevant agencies to cut down inspection time on foreign businesses in the country, thus giving more time for production, while creating more favourable conditions in tax for areas of energy development and other prioritized fields. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and leaders of Vietnam's ministries and sectors clarified that Vietnam is strengthening the equitisation of State-owned enterprises and is willing to sell shares of major enterprises to foreign partners, including those from Denmark, in an open, transparent and win-win manner. They lauded the recommendations, proposals and ideas of Danish firms investing in Vietnam in wind power, seaport, and high technology, and expressed hope that Danish firms will expand investment activities in Vietnam as the Southeast Asian country is a big and promising market./. Khan al-Ahmar (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frozen plans to demolish a strategically located Bedouin village in the occupied West Bank that have drawn international concern, his office said Sunday. The surprise move, which came as Israeli forces were completing preparations for the evictions and demolition of Khan al-Ahmar, raised the ire of Netanyahu's rightwing coalition partners, while the village's Palestinian residents remained skeptical that an amicable solution was possible. "The intention is to give a chance to the negotiations and the offers we received from different bodies, including in recent days," a statement from Netanyahu's office said about Khan al-Ahmar. But speaking later ahead of a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Netanyahu appeared to play down the latest move and insisted the village would still be razed. "It's our policy and it will take place," he said. "I have no intention on delaying it indefinitely, but for a short, limited period." Netanyahu said the length of the delay would be determined by Israel's security cabinet, which was due to convene later Sunday. Israeli authorities say the small village, located east of Jerusalem along a road leading to the Dead Sea, was built illegally, and they have given residents until the beginning of October to leave and demolish their structures. The decision to evict the villagers followed years of legal battles and after negotiated attempts to agree on an alternative site for relocation failed. The fate of Khan al-Ahmar has drawn international concern, with European countries calling on Israel not to move ahead with plans to demolish it. Israel's supreme court on September 5 rejected a final appeal against the demolition, but following that ruling, there have been unofficial attempts to reach understandings, a lawyer representing the village's residents told AFP. Story continues "Our offers were based on what we told the court, that we're willing to move a few hundred metres to the north," Tawfiq Jabareen said. The government has yet to respond to the proposals, Jabareen said, refusing to divulge the identity of the person attempting to mediate between the sides. In Khan al-Ahmar, residents said they would stay put and doubted Netanyahu's sincerity. "Our strategy is to stay in our land, and we will not leave it," Eid al-Jahalin told AFP. "Yesterday there was a decision to stop the demolition, but this decision can change at any moment." Ibrahim Abu Dahuk said Netanyahu's decision could be "a trick" to prompt activists camping out at the site to leave ahead of a forceful eviction. "We do not trust the Jews," he said. - Coalition partners angered - Netanyahu's move raised the ire of his two major coalition partners, with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman saying he opposed the decision to delay the demolition. Education Minister Naftali Bennett also insisted the law must be upheld, "even if the international community opposes and threatens," pledging his Jewish Home party would "ensure it happens". On Wednesday, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor warned that Israel's planned "evacuation by force" of the village could constitute a war crime. The residents have refused to leave on their own, and Israel had been making preparations to expel the residents and demolish the village. Khan al-Ahmar, home to approximately 200 people, is situated in a strategic spot near Israeli settlements, the expansion of which could effectively cut the West Bank into two. Last month, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Poland and the Netherlands warned that the demolition "would severely threaten the viability of the two-state solution", calling on Israeli authorities to "reconsider their decision to demolish" it. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel ordered the country's goods and people border crossings with Gaza to be opened on Sunday, just four days after shuttering them following a Palestinian rocket attack that sparked retaliatory air strikes. The move followed efforts to prevent an escalation in violence that has raised fears of a new war between Israel and the Palestinian territory's Islamist rulers Hamas. "The decision comes after a decrease in the violent events in Gaza over the weekend and efforts Hamas made to restrain" demonstrators, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman's office said in a statement. On Wednesday, Lieberman had ordered the closure of the Kerem Shalom goods crossing and the Erez crossing for people, after a rocket from the Palestinian territory hit a home in southern Israel, prompting the Jewish state to strike 20 Hamas targets in Gaza. Another rocket fell in the Mediterranean off Tel Aviv, without causing casualties or damage. Hamas disavowed the launches and said it was investigating the incident, as alarm over a potential broader conflict rose. But Israel rejected their denial, saying they were the only groups armed with rockets of that range. Israel in any case holds Hamas responsible, as Gaza's de factor rulers, for all fire from the territory regardless of who launches it. Near daily protests along the Gaza border since March 30 against Israel's crippling 11-year blockade of the impoverished enclave have sparked repeated clashes with the army. More than 200 Palestinians and one Israeli have been killed in the violence. On Friday, thousands again gathered for protests in northern Gaza, but demonstrators largely remained at least 100 metres (yards) from the border. An Israeli army spokesman told AFP that while most of the protesters stayed back from the fence, some came close and threw explosive devices and hand grenades at troops, while burning tyres. At least 130 Palestinians were injured by live fire in clashes with Israeli soldiers, the Gaza health ministry said. Story continues Hamas officials were seen discouraging protesters from nearing the fence. Israel on October 12 already suspended the delivery of fuel for the Palestinian territory's power plant that had been trucked daily into Gaza under a deal brokered by the United Nations. A decision on renewed fuel deliveries "has been put off as for the time being and will be examined in a number of days based on events", Lieberman's office said Sunday. An Egyptian security delegation that visited Gaza on Thursday had encouraged Hamas leader Ismail Haniya to calm the protests, according to an Egyptian official. On Friday, UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov also urged all sides "to exercise restraint, to proceed in a peaceful manner, and to avoid escalation". Hamas has fought three wars with Israel since 2008 and fears of a fourth have spurred efforts by Egypt and the United Nations for a wider deal that would see Israel ease its blockade in exchange for a long-term truce with the Islamists. Exclusive: national security adviser recommends ending intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty over alleged Russia violations The US national security adviser, John Bolton, has issued a recommendation for withdrawal from the 1987 intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty. Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images John Bolton is pushing for the US to withdraw from a cold war-era arms control treaty with Russia, in the face of resistance from others in the Trump administration and US allies, according to sources briefed on the initiative. Bolton, Donald Trumps third national security adviser, has issued a recommendation for withdrawal from the 1987 intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty (INF), which the US says Russia has been violating with the development of a new cruise missile. Withdrawal from the treaty, which would mark a sharp break in US arms control policy, has yet to be agreed upon by cabinet and faces opposition from within the state department and the Pentagon. A meeting on Monday at the White House to discuss the withdrawal proposal was postponed. The INF faces a congressionally imposed deadline early next year. An amendment in the 2019 defence spending bill requires the president to tell the Senate by 15 January whether Russia is in material breach of the treaty, and whether the INF remains legally binding on the US. Bolton, who has spent his career opposing arms control treaties, is seeking to shrug off the traditional role of national security adviser as a policy broker between the agencies, and become a driver of radical change from within the White House. Former US officials say Bolton is blocking talks on extending the 2010 New Start treaty with Russia limiting deployed strategic nuclear warheads and their delivery systems. The treaty is due to expire in 2021 and Moscow has signaled its interest in an extension, but Bolton is opposing the resumption of a strategic stability dialogue to discuss the future of arms control between the two countries. The US has briefed its European allies this week about the proposal, sounding out reactions. The briefing alarmed UK officials who see the INF as an important arms control pillar. The treaty marked the end of a dangerous nuclear standoff in 1980s Europe pitting US Pershing and cruise missiles against the Soviet Unions SS-20 medium-range missiles. Story continues The US alleges Russia is now violating the treaty with the development and deployment of a ground-launched cruise missile, known as the 9M729. Moscow insists the missile does not violate the range restrictions in the INF and alleges in return that a US missile defence system deployed in eastern Europe against a potential Iranian threat can be adapted to fire medium-range offensive missiles at Russia. Asked for comment on the future of the INF, a senior administration official said: Across two administrations, the United States and our allies have attempted to bring Russia back into full and verifiable compliance with INF. Despite our objections, Russia continues to produce and field prohibited cruise misses and has ignored calls for transparency. The US has started to brief allies with the possibility of withdrawal. But I dont believe there has been any kind of interagency process in the administration, said Jon Wolfsthal, a former senior director for non-proliferation and arms control at the NSC. The Trump administrations Nuclear Posture Review, released in February, called for the US to do research on its own ground-launched medium-range missiles as a way of pressuring Moscow back into INF compliance. It did not advocate leaving the treaty. That review was completed before Bolton came to the White House and he is now seeking to toughen the administrations nuclear stance further. Over the summer he brought into the White House another hardliner on arms control, Tim Morrison, the former Republican policy director on the House armed services committee, and between them they have taken the lead on arms control issues away from the state department. Provisional plans had been made to resume a strategic stability dialogue in September, led on the US side by Andrea Thompson, the under secretary for arms control at the state department and the Russian deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov. Boltons meeting with his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev, in Geneva in August, was expected to give the final green light to the dialogue, but Bolton is said to have blocked it. He is due to visit Moscow next week, when the Kremlin said he may meet Vladimir Putin. The New York Times reported on Friday that Bolton intended to use his Moscow trip to inform Russian leaders of the administrations plans to exit the INF agreement. Under the terms of the treaty, withdrawal would take six months. In remarks in Sochi on Thursday, Putin appeared to suggest that Russia would adopt a no first use policy on nuclear weapons. We have no concept of a pre-emptive strike, he told a conference. [W]e expect to be struck by nuclear weapons, but we will not use them first, he said. A meeting of Nato defence ministers earlier this month in Brussels issued a joint statement saying the INF has been crucial to Euro-Atlantic security and we remain fully committed to the preservation of this landmark arms control treaty. However, the US defence secretary, James Mattis, made it clear that all options were on the table in Washingtons response to Russian violations. Our discussions here were to ensure that we answered all questions that any of the nations had, and that we look at what options do we have, and to make certain that all the nations had input to me as I go into the discussions in Washington, Mattis said. This will be a decision obviously made in concert with our allies by the president, and well take it from there. Arms control advocates argue that walking out on the INF is premature before any detailed negotiations between US and Russian specialists on resolving the row over compliance. They said it would also hand a propaganda victory to Moscow. Alexandra Bell, a former senior arms control official at the state department, now at the Centre for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, said that in informal, track two discussions, Russian arms control experts suggested Moscow might be ready for a compromise to salvage the INF. You should be able to get somewhere with the Russians, but Bolton doesnt seem interested, Bell said. The decision has been taken in the NSC [National Security Council] that the US should withdraw, and they are trying to persuade other parts of the administration. There has been no formal Trump decision yet, said Hans Kristensen, the director of the nuclear information project at the Federation of the American Scientists. Very little good will come of this, other than another round of nuclear escalation with Russia. Daryl Kimball, the head of the Washington-DC based Arms Control Association, said: For the US it would be a disastrous own goal to pull out when it has been Russia that has been in non-compliance for some time. It will open the door for Russia to expand its small and relatively insubstantial ground-launched missile arsenal. Amman (AFP) - King Abdullah II announced Sunday that Jordan has notified Israel it wants to reclaim two small plots of territory leased under their 1994 peace deal. "We have informed Israel (that we are putting) an end to the application of the peace treaty annexes regarding Baqura and Ghumar," said the king, quoted by official news agency Petra. But Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he wanted to open negotiations to keep the current arrangement in place. The land was leased to Israel for a 25-year renewable period under annexes of the 1994 peace treaty that lay down a one-year notice period, with Jordan retaining sovereignty. "Israel was informed today of the Jordanian decision," the monarch said, stressing that "Baqura and Ghumar are Jordanian land and will remain Jordanian". "Baqura and Ghumar have always been at the top of our priorities, and we have decided to put an end to the application of the peace treaty annexes regarding Baqura and Ghumar," he added. Netanyahu confirmed Sunday that he had been informed of Jordan's request. "As part of the agreement between our two countries, Jordan kept the right to take back the two areas at the end of the 25-year period," the premier said. "We will open negotiations on the possibility of prolonging the existing agreement," he added, as Israel marked the anniversary on the Jewish calendar of former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination. Rabin signed the peace agreement with Jordan and was killed by a right-wing Jewish extremist in 1995. "There is no doubt that from an overall point of view, this agreement constitutes an important and valuable asset for our two countries," Netanyahu said. The agreement on Baqura and Ghumar is automatically renewable unless either side gives a year's notice to terminate the deal, "in which case, at the request of either party, consultations shall be entered into". Story continues - 'Positive step' - On Friday and Saturday hundreds of Jordanians took to the streets in the kingdom's capital Amman calling on authorities to reclaim the two territories. Ghumar, which covers four square kilometres in the southern Aqaba province, was taken by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War. Baqura, a border area of six square kilometres (2.4 square miles) in Jordan's northern Irbid province, was taken by Israeli forces in 1950. During the peace negotiations, Amman allowed Israel to keep temporary control of Ghumar and Baqura -- under the pretext that Israel had already built infrastructure and agricultural facilities in the areas -- as long as it recognised they were sovereign Jordanian territory. Lawmaker Saleh al-Armouti told AFP that deputies "had even called for an urgent meeting of parliament to discuss the issue". He welcomed the king's decision, hailing it as "a positive step that restores dignity to the Jordanian citizen and sovereignty over his land." Director of the Al Quds Center for Political Studies Oraib Rantawi said Jordan's request would be a "test of Israeli intentions". Political analyst Adel Mahmoud said Jordan could face "pressure" from the United States, a key backer of both parties, to push for new negotiations if the Israeli response was negative but that "the king's decision has full popular support". CENTRAL ISLIP, New York (AP) A man charged with threatening to kill U.S. senators over Brett Kavanaugh's U.S. Supreme Court confirmation has dementia and isn't dangerous, his lawyer said as the 74-year-old was ordered held without bail. Ronald DeRisi was arraigned Friday after prosecutors said he left a series of voicemails threatening two senators for supporting Kavanaugh's recent confirmation. The lawmakers haven't been publicly identified. One message warned, "I'm gonna get you," according to a criminal complaint. It said another voicemail talked about a "present" for a senator and added, "It's a 9 mm." "Representative democracy cannot work if elected officials are threatened with death for simply doing their job," the U.S. attorney for Long Island, Richard Donoghue, said in a statement. DeRisi's lawyer, Peter Brill, told news outlets his client's brain-atrophying condition has caused behavior problems. The attorney said DeRisi is "belligerent," but not violent, and poses no physical threat to anyone. "He's gotten to the point where he is not able to comprehend right and wrong," Brill said. "He's not in entire control of his faculties." But Assistant U.S. Attorney Justina Geraci said DeRisi used a pre-paid cellphone, fake name and other strategies to mask his identity. Geraci said that showed "a level of criminal intent." Authorities said ammunition for a 9-mm gun, but no firearms, were found in DeRisi's Smithtown home. Brill said DeRisi used to own guns but gave them to a relative. DiRisi was arrested in 2011 after being accused of using a decorative samurai sword to cut cables on a cellphone tower he believed was linked to his wife's cancer, and he was arrested again in 2015 on charges of threatening a lawyer for his homeowner's association amid a dispute over resident fees, his lawyer said. He said neither case resulted in a felony conviction or jail time. A judge Friday ordered a psychological evaluation for DeRisi. When news broke out that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi reportedly met a tortuous end at the hands of agents of a country I hold so dear, I fell into despair. Not only would these details be gruesome for any decent human being, but I had a personal and professional connection to what Khashoggis plight was for. Im a Saudi journalist living in the West. I grew up in Saudi Arabia and was taught by its school system. I still have an immense love for the country that raised me. I also am not ignorant, however, of the very real consequences for angering powers that stealthily hover over us from all directions. I graduated from a Saudi high school a few months before 9/11. Despite hesitations from friends and relatives, I went to university in Miami, where my Cuban grandmother lived. I graduated with degrees in studio art and journalism. The reason I chose those two majors was because I knew my country lacked those professions and, like many Saudi women, I was a quiet rebel. I knew the Saudi people had so many stories to tell, and I wanted to be the one to tell them. As Khashoggi mentioned in his final Washington Post column, published posthumously, we in the East read about ourselves in the Western papers. I had neither the talent nor the ego to be a famous artist, so I settled on another medium: Journalism. My art became telling other peoples stories. In 2013, my classmate and I became the first two Saudi women to ever graduate from the Columbia Journalism School, which has existed for more than 100 years. (Two men graduated in the years before us.) This is significant because it shows that most Saudis didnt see journalism as a viable form of expression. It certainly wasnt a profession most pursued willingly, especially in the West. Because I am a journalist, though, this week has left me speechless but not voiceless. Before the news of the mysterious question mark over the end of Khashoggis life, I was elated at the launch of a yearlong initiative in New York City, my adopted home, that would bring Arab artists to tell their Eastern stories to a Western audience. Its titled New York/Arab World Art & Education Initiative. The major New York City museums participating in the initiative will not use Saudi funds for its programs. Story continues I had written about many of the artists for nearly a decade in different platforms and formats, but I was finally seeing a bit of home in my other home. Like a music journalist becomes kind of a groupie, I considered anyone in this niche circle to be friends and an extended family. Many of us were scared to ruffle feathers but were eager to try to fly anyway. The timing, however grim, has a poetry to it, because Jamal Khashoggi unknowingly launched the initiative. Under the backdrop of the early days of the last Gulf War in 2003, Khashoggi, then still the editor at the Al Watan newspaper in Saudi Arabia, introduced artists to each other who later formed a collective centered on Arab art globally, called Edge of Arabia. Many of those artists are now taking part in the New York/Arab World initiative. Edge of Arabias non-Saudi co-founder, Stephen Stapleton, mentioned his personal connection to Khashoggi in his opening speech at the official launch of the forum. Stapleton, a former educator, is in many ways leading the way to strengthen the dialogue between Saudis and non-Saudis via this platform on a global scale. For the last decade, Edge of Arabia has created programs and artist residencies, many of which were created and amplified by Stapleton. [In 2003,] I had crossed the border from Yemen into Saudi Arabia on a public bus and was dropped off under the light of a neon palm tree. Jamal was the first person I met in Saudi Arabia, Stapleton told the hushed crowd. We have been under some pressure to postpone or cancel this program in light of the terrible news about Jamal Khashoggi and our organizations long-term connections with Saudi Arabia, he said. We collectively decided to move forward with the initiative. With Jamal and his family in our thoughts and prayers, we want to reiterate our commitment to amplifying the voices of artists trying to make the world a better place and getting their voices out into the public domain. There are so many narratives in the Arab world that deserve a larger life. Kuwaiti curator Razan Al Sarraf opened a show centered on Young Arab Artists two nights ago at a converted nightclub in the Meatpacking District. She didnt shy away from painting 100 portraits of ISIS terrorists; giving us all a chance to pause and reflect on how those faces got there to begin with. Social stigma and isolation prompted those individuals to join this cult, and social media was likely the tool that was used to lure them in. She mentioned on the Asia Society panel on Oct. 16 that she knew that, living in the West, she could say and do art that wouldnt be allowed in her home country. Similarly, while we Saudi women are elated that we can now legally drive, it was more fundamentally freedom of movement that we needed most. At a deep level, our joy was really about being able to use our own voices to tell our narratives and have the space to explore those feelings. Saudi, like many Arab countries, is a complex and sometimes contradictory place. And although many of us Arabs living in the West have gotten comments about losing our Arab card by leaving, the common thread is that we usually hold a pure love for the country in which we were raised. Let us not allow Khashoggis life to end in vain. Although prompted by tragedy, dialogue is what I have wanted my whole life. I believe that the next true revolution will come in the form of paintbrushes, pens and pixels. Among this negativity in the Arab and Western Worlds, theres a burst of hope underneath. Before you dive into Making a Murder Part 2, lets look back to see how the first season of Making a Murderer changed the case of Steven Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey, who were convicted for the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach. Making a Murderer Gets Released The documentary was released on Dec. 18, 2015. At first, it received an approval rating of 87 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Ken Kratz was Bashed on Yelp A week after the doc aired, doc fans took to Yelp to warn potential new clients checking his law practices Yelp page against hiring him. Mr. Kratz is a seasoned sexual harasser, with deep knowledge of abuse victims which he took advantage of. He has a long experience in evidence fabrication, and has the required strategic thought skills to send innocent men to jail for forged crimes, one man wrote in a Yelpreview posted Sunday. When you think of garbage think of Mr. Kratz, he is the living representation of immorality and indecency that you need by your side to solve any legal issues. Also Read: 'Making a Murderer' Viewers Target Prosecutor Ken Kratz - On His Yelp Page White House Petition A White House Petition was started shortly after the documentarys release, asking for the pardoning of both Avery and Dassey. It required 100,000 signatures before Jan. 19 to be eligible for an official White House review. Also Read: 'Making a Murderer' White House Petition Surpasses 100,000 Signatures Steven Avery Cant be Pardoned by Obama Although there was a White House Petition to pardon Avery, President Barack Obama is constitutionally barred from pardoning Avery, because he was convicted in state court. Also Read: 'Making a Murderer's' Steven Avery Can't Be Pardoned by Obama: Here's Why Protests Outside of the Courthouse In January, people protested outside the Manitowoc County Courthouse. Supporters traveled from as far as Texas, Florida and Oregon. The event was live streamed on Periscope drawing hundreds of people online, some from out of the country like Belgium. Story continues The Family Launched a Fundraising Website In January, the uncle/nephew combo found guilty in the killing of a local photographer launched a fundraising website through their family in an attempt to raise money to mount another defense effort. Steven Avery Hires a New Lawyer Avery hired Kathleen Zellner, an Illinois-based attorney who specializes in wrongful convictions, in January. The Zellner Law Firm is looking forward to adding Mr. Avery to its long list of wrongful conviction exonerations, Zellners statement read. Steven Averys Ex-Fiancee Calls Him a Monster, Not Innocent Jodi Stachowski, the ex-fiancee of Avery, says he is a monster and that hes not innocent in the murder of Halbach. In a January interview with HLNs Nancy Grace, Stachowski admitted that she ate two boxes of rat poison just so I could go to the hospital to get away from him and ask them to get the police to help me. Halbachs Family Think The Doc Is Terrible Its terrible, Teresa Halbachs aunt, Kay Giordana, told People. I cant believe this came out. It is really unfortunate. Bomb Threat at Manitowoc County Sheriffs Department On Feb. 3, a bomb threat was called into the Sheriffs Department. Authorities say that the caller claimed there were bombs in the building and that he was getting justice for Steven Avery, the man at the forefront of the series, who was convicted of the murder of Teresa Halbach after being exonerated for a rape he didnt commit. Investigation Discovery Aired a Special About the Case The special, aired in February, claimed that 16 people testified to his whereabouts, saying that Avery could not have been Penny Beernstens sexual attacker in 1985, and that all vials of blood have a puncture hole (this was a piece of key evidence that was used to suggest law enforcement had framed Avery), among other revelations. Transcripts Suggested Steven Avery Touched Brendan Dassey Inappropriately In February, TheWrap obtained transcripts from a May 13, 2006 interview, in which Dassey told police that Avery sometimes tried to grab his penis through the pants. In a phone call later that day to his mother, Barb Tadych, Dassey said he told police that Avery would grab me somewhere where I was uncomfortable. But Brendan Dassey Denied the Sexual Abuse After TheWrap was told that reporters and lawyers ignored the possibility that Avery molested Dassey, a 2006 mental evaluation revealed psychologist Robert H. Gordons conclusion that Dassey had not been molested. Brendan reported having no history of being physically or sexually abused, Gordon wrote. Steven Avery Jr. Doesnt Know If His Father is Guilty Averys son had no idea whether his father is guilty of the murder of Teresa Halbach, for which hes currently serving life in prison. I have no idea, Steven Avery Jr. told Crime Watch Daily in an interview. I mean only one person can answer that and that is Teresa. But she cant answer it no more. Ken Kratz, Michael Griesbach Publish Tell-All Books Both Kratz and Michael Griesbach, the latter being a prosecutor responsible for helping Avery get out of jail in his first case, wrote a tell-all book chronicling the case and its representation in Making a Murderer. Kathleen Zellner Says There Are a Couple New Suspects In an in-depth profile published in March by Newsweek, Zellner said that she has found a couple of suspects, both men who knew Halbach. We have a couple, Zellner, who specializes in wrongful convictions, said. Id say theres one, leading the pack by a lot. But I dont want to scare him off, I dont want him to run. Ken Kratz Admitted to Suicidal Thoughts Ken Kratz told Dr. Drew that he had suicidal thoughts after this whole thing kind of blew up, referring to the Avery Case and an Associated Press report exposing racy texts he sent to a 25-year-old woman while Kratz was prosecuting her ex-boyfriend. Kathleen Zellner Will Be in Sequel In May, one of the filmmakers, Laura Ricciardi, told TimeOut London that she and Moira Demos have been talking to Kathleen Zellner about the potential of filming with her and continuing the story. Prison Emails Were Released In June, USA Today obtained more than 1,900 pages of emails after the publication requested the documents under state opens records laws on January 26. The paper asked for emails sent or received by staff that pertained to Avery, Dassey or Making a Murderer. Making a Murderer Gets New Episodes In July, it was announced that Making a Murderer is set to return to Netflix with new episodes that are already in production. The coming installments will follow up with convicted murderer Steven Avery and his co-defendant, Brendan Dassey, as their respective investigative and legal teams challenge their convictions. Brendan Dasseys Conviction Overturned In August, Dassey had his conviction overturned. Federal magistrate judge William E. Duffin granted Dasseys writ for a petition of habeas corpus, finding that Dasseys imprisonment was unlawful because his confession to the murder of Teresa Halbach was involuntary. In reaching that decision, Duffin wrote that the misconduct of Len Kachinsky, Dasseys court-appointed attorney, was indefensible. Motion for Evidence Filed On August 27, Zellner filed a motion demanding physical evidence from the murder of Teresa Halbach for further scientific testing that she claims didnt exist during the trial. In the filing, Zellner revealed that Mr. Avery has already completed a series of tests that will conclusively establish his innocence and that she intends to reveal the identity of an alternate suspect once she has the test results. Zellner Teases Brendan Dassey Decision Zellner teased the media and documentary fans on Sept. 2, tweeting a picture of a man she helped exonerate in a murder case, who held a signing saying It is over. A spokesperson from the Wisconsin DOJ denied all media speculation about the fate of Dassey. State Will Appeal Brendan Dasseys Overturned Conviction The state of Wisconsin said they would appeal Dasseys overturned conviction, saying that his confession was voluntary and the investigators did not use constitutionally impermissible tactics. Steven Avery is Engaged On Sept. 24, news broke that Avery is engaged to be married. The betrothed is Lynn Hartman, identified as a legal secretary which might come in handy from Las Vegas. The couple has reportedly been dating for eight months but have only met in person once. Brendan Dassey Will Be Released On Nov. 14, a judge ordered Dasseys supervised release, pending possible retrial. According to court documents obtained by TheWrap, U.S. Magistrate Judge William E. Duffin granted Dasseys motion for release conditional upon his supervision by the U.S. Probation Office. Dassey will not be allowed to obtain a passport and can only travel in the courts Eastern District of Wisconsin. He is not allowed to possess a weapon or any controlled substances. Wisconsin DOJ Files Emergency Motion On Tuesday, Attorney General Brad Schimel filed an emergency motion to stay Dasseys release. Dassey Will Be Home for Thanksgiving Dassey will be home for Thanksgiving after the judge in his case rejected the states latest motion. According to a Wisconsin Department of Justice release obtained by TheWrap, Dassey will be discharged from prison no later than Friday at 8 p.m. Attorney General Brad Schimel plans to file an emergency motion on Wednesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit seeking a stay of this release order. Nope, He Wont Be Home For Thanksgiving On Nov. 17, the judge ordered that Dassey will remain in prison pending an appeal of his overturned conviction, Attorney General Brad Schimel said. Moments ago, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit granted the State of Wisconsins motion to stay U.S. Magistrate Judge William Duffins order to release Mr. Brendan Dassey. Mr. Dassey will remain in prison pending the outcome of the appeal, Schimels office said in a release. Fellow Inmate Says Avery Confessed to the Murder Joseph Evans, who is serving a life sentence for murdering his wife, alleges in a nine-page letter published on the Rockford Advocate that Avery described raping and killing Halbach. He said he put the knife to Teresas throat as he guided her to his bedroom, Evans wrote. Steven said Teresa was crying and begging him not to kill her. Zellner Alleges Teresa Halbach May Have Been Killed by Ex-Boyfriend In June, Zellner filed a 1,200-page notice for post conviction relief in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, in which she alleged that Teresa Halbachs ex-boyfriend may have killed her. In the filing, Zellner notes that Halbach was in an abusive relationship with Ryan Hillegas prior to her murder and that jealousy could have been his motive for the murder when Halbach didnt remain romantically interested in him. Federal Appeals Court Upholds Ruling That Dasseys Confession Was Coerced In June of this year, a federal appeals court has upheld the ruling that Dasseys conviction was coerced and he should be released from prison. The majority of the three-judge panel agreed with Judge William Duffins August ruling that Dasseys confession of the murder of Teresa Halbach was involuntary and that investigators violated Dasseys rights. State Requests Rehearing in Dasseys Case In July, the Wisconsin Department of Justice requested a rehearing by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit after the federal appeals court said his conviction was coerced. Avery Denied New Trial In October, Avery was denied a new trial by a Wisconsin judge. Judge Angela Sutkiewicz ruled that Avery had failed to establish any grounds that would trigger the right to a new trial in the interests of justice. Zellner then told TheWrap that she would be filing a motion to vacate the judges order and that she plans to conduct further testing and amend his petition with new witness affidavits. Judge Rejects Averys Bid For New Trial, Again In November, Averys request for a new trial was rejected by Judge Sutkiewicz again. According to the Post-Crescent, the ruling comes after Zellner appealed her filings to a higher court. Netflix Will Release Making a Murder Part 2 Netflix officially announced a season season in September 2018. Making a Murderer Part 2 will hit Netflix globally on Oct. 19. Thats today! Read original story Making a Murderer Part 2: 37 Updates Since the Series Debut (Photos) At TheWrap Ciudad Hidalgo (Mexico) (AFP) - Mexican authorities allowed dozens of women and children from a US-bound Honduran migrant caravan to enter the country Saturday but thousands remain stranded on a border bridge between Guatemala and Mexico where riot police barred their progress. Mexico's ambassador to Guatemala Luis Manuel Lopez told AFP the women and children would be processed by immigration authorities and taken to a shelter in the city of Tapachula, 40 kilometers (25 miles) away. Mexican authorities said around 900 other migrants -- tired of waiting on the bridge -- resorted to crossing the Suchiate River below on makeshift rafts and police did not intervene as they clambered up the muddy riverbank on the Mexican side. Many of them had spent more than 24 hours on the packed bridge where heat and hunger was adding to a growing sense of despair. Efforts to retrieve them were ongoing, authorities said. - 'Politically motivated' - US President Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in Elko, Nevada, kept up his rhetoric against the migrants and suggested the caravan was politically motivated. "The Democrats want caravans, they like the caravans. A lot of people say 'I wonder who started that caravan?'" he said. He thanked Mexico for blocking the caravan's progress. "Mexico has been so incredible. Thank you Mexico and the leaders of Mexico, thank you. And you know why, because now Mexico respects the leadership of the United States." Last week, Trump threatened to cut aid to the region, deploy the military and close the US-Mexican border if authorities did not stop them. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and his Guatemalan counterpart Jimmy Morales continued Trump's theme after they met in Guatemala to discuss the crisis Saturday. "This migration has political motivations," said Morales, "which is violating the borders and the good faith of the states and of course putting at risk the most important thing, people." Story continues Hernandez also deplored "the abuse of people's needs" for "political reasons." "Without a doubt, we have a lot to do so that our people can have opportunities in their communities," he said. The caravan originated in the Honduran town of San Pedro Sula a week ago, with about 2,000 would-be migrants drawn together by social media. It is notably different from the "Migrant Viacrucis" organized in April every year by NGOs to draw attention to the plight of Central American migrants. - Women, children allowed in - The women ran forward when immigration officers unchained a gate that had been pinning back migrants at the crossing. "I'm happy, happy! At last!" shouted a relieved Gina Paola Montes, 21, as she ran onto Mexican territory. The women and children had spent the night on the bridge where hundreds slept in the open, as well as in the main square of the Guatemalan border town of Tecun Uman. Mexican authorities insisted those on the bridge would have to file asylum claims one at a time in order to enter the country. Guatemala has organized a fleet of buses to take Hondurans back to their country. More than 300 people have taken up a government offer of a bus ride home to their country, police said. - A surge, then clashes - The caravan of mainly Honduran migrants had surged through a series of police lines and barricades up to the final fence on Mexico's southern border on Friday. Sections of the crowd hurled rocks and other objects at hundreds of riot police, who responded with rubber bullets and tear gas -- stalling the caravan determined to reach the United States. Several people were injured. Police used tear gas to drive the migrants back and calm was restored. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto described the situation as "unprecedented." Organizers of the caravan said a section of the crowd had confronted the police and spoiled what had been an orderly attempt to cross into Mexico. Some, like 22-year-old Alex Benitez, paid locals to take him across the river border by raft. "They promised they will give us a visa but the people are there (on the bridge) since yesterday and they have not given us anything," Benitez said as he waited for friends who were crossing on another raft, made from huge truck tires. - Going home - Some, like 25-year-old Honduran Bryon Rivera, had decided to give up on a long-held dream of a better life in America. "It is better to go back. It is very hard. There is a lot of disorder," said Rivera, who was hoping to get on a bus back to Honduras laid on by the Guatemalan government. The soft-spoken 25-year-old said he was traveling with three friends who decided to remain in the caravan, but that for him, the fear of being deported once he reached Mexico was too much. The migrants are generally fleeing poverty and insecurity in Honduras, where powerful street gangs rule their turf with brutal violence. With a homicide rate of 43 per 100,000 citizens, Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world. Gina Ortiz Jones walks into El Rodeo de Jalisco, a modest Mexican eatery in a San Antonio strip mall serving tacos and comfort food, shortly after 8am. At first glance, she looks just like anyone else ordering breakfast at the small establishment; from the Hispanic family that drinks coffee as they await mole chilaquiles, to the table of workers who appear to be enjoying a hearty meal before a long day. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail that hangs off one of her shoulders, as she dons black joggers, sweats and a buttoned vest. The Air Force veteran effortlessly blends in with the residents of San Antonio, dubbed Military City for being home to the largest active and retired military populations in the country. In fact, the only obvious difference between her and anyone else in Texass geographically and politically diverse 23rd district is that she could soon become its next congresswoman. I think Im best positioned to represent this district when I look at my life experiences, she tells The Independent. I grew up here in San Antonio, Im a first-generation American, I was raised in a home where English wasnt the only language spoken, I was raised by a single mom and it was a four-year Air Force ROTC scholarship that allowed me to graduate from John Jay high school not too far from here and get a college education. Then I went to serve my country. Jones is the 23rd districts Democratic candidate for congress; a sprawling region which occupies the majority of the states border with Mexico and spans the southwestern portion of Texas, reaching all the way to western San Antonio. In a midterm season thats producing a range of firsts, the young candidate checks off many boxes: she will become the first Iraq war veteran, first Filipina and first out lesbian from Texas to serve in congress if elected. The Democrat currently trails Republican incumbent Will Hurd in the latest polls, giving her the same statistical uphill battle facing Beto ORourke, who has himself launched a unique Democratic campaign for the US Senate in the reliably red Lone Star state. Story continues Both candidates have latched onto a swell of energy among Texas voters who are frustrated by the status quo in Washington under Donald Trump by attempting to focus on the issues, rather than their party affiliation. Heres the deal: San Antonio is my home. I graduated from John Jay, Im an Iraq War and USAF veteran, I served where our country needed me. Hurd is on the attack because he doesnt want to talk about his votes against our health, education, and opportunities. We deserve better. pic.twitter.com/YoEKljmM4T Gina Ortiz Jones (@GinaOrtizJones) October 8, 2018 Jones went on to work at the Office of the US Trade Representative under former president Barack Obama after serving in the Air Force intelligence operations in Iraq. She left shortly after Mr Trump took over the White House, before launching her congressional campaign and securing the Democratic nomination during the Texas primaries. I know what its like when your voice isnt heard as much as others. As I speak with folks throughout this district, thats a feeling that comes up, time and time again, that they dont feel like theyre heard, they dont feel like theyre represented, she says. And thats in part because they have a representative who says one thing in their district and then does another thing in Washington. Hurd, her opponent, is another unique candidate. A former undercover CIA officer, hes the first black African American Republican from Texas ever elected to congress. He oversees a majority-Hispanic swing district that narrowly voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, and he called on the president to drop out of the race at the time. Hurd recently published a New York Times op-ed titled, Trump is Being Manipulated by Putin. What Should We Do? And yet, the Republican has voted in line with the presidents position 95 per cent of the time, according to FiveThirtyEights project, Tracking congress in the age of Trump. With three weeks left until the election, Jones is out-fundraising Hurd nearly two to one. She asked The Independent to extend a message to her opponent, who did not respond to multiple requests for comment: Stop running scared and debate me on TV, she says. Her campaign has called for six debates across the district in an effort to make the election accessible for voters, after the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce invited the two candidates to debate. In a letter to Hurd, she wrote, This election must be accessible to all voters in this district, allowing them the chance to hear from the candidates on a variety of important issues facing our district, and not just from the sort of special interests that are already advertising on your behalf. Hurds campaign manager, Justin Hollis, responded: Were shocked that Ginas boss, Nancy Pelosi, is letting Gina take six days vacation from fundraising in California Nevertheless, were happy to debate in the fall. At a recent event, Jones asked Hurd directly, who appeared to agree to a debate. If given the chance, Jones hopes to spar on her differences with Mr Hurd over perhaps the most fundamental issue facing Texas, the uninsured capital of the United States: her regions lack of health care access. Asked how she would immediately work to expand access and affordability, she responds: Medicare should be negotiating prescription drug prices thats something we can work on right out of the gate. When it comes to her long term plans, the candidate discusses investing in the education system in order to close outcome gaps that leave medical clinics without trained professionals across the districts rural regions. There are 11 community health clinics in this district; and one in Crystal City has had an opening for a full-time position for three years, she says. These are medically underserved communities, financially underserved as well, educationally underserved, and I think looking at ways in which we can incentivise medical professionals to work in our rural areas is good for all of us. She adds, We should also invest in the infrastructure of broadband, which helps make something like telemedicine and telepsychiatry a reality. In the event that Jones unseats Hurd in the November elections, she could become one of the most important people on Capitol Hill over the next two years, as the president seeks to make good on his own campaign promise of a sprawling wall across the US-Mexico border. For her, the issue hits home. When I think of [the wall], I ask myself how else I would want to spend $25bn, she says. I was speaking with a border agent in Alpine recently, and sure, there are parts of the border that could use additional fencing. But is there a better way to spend $25bn than on a wall that would run right through Big Bend, which is a huge source of economic activity in West Texas? It doesnt make sense from an economic standpoint, and it doesnt make sense in terms of reflecting our values as a country. Whether Jones is able to secure the votes to win the 23rd district likely relies on strong support from the same key demographics which Democrats like ORourke will need for victories in the upcoming election: typical non-voters and the large Hispanic population across the state, which includes a range of political ideologies. While younger Texas Hispanics tend to support Democratic candidates, a significant, older faction of the voting bloc was raised in deeply religious communities and espouse conservative stances on issues like abortion and immigration. But Jones has been able to avoid aligning herself with national Democratic leadership in the eyes of local voters by presenting herself as an independent voice, and one that is willing to put her communitys interests before party. This race is not about politics for me, this is quite personal this is about making sure our community is well represented, she says. My story should be possible for someone just as talented, just as hungry and who could use just a little bit of help. AP Migrants in a caravan making its way north through Central America towards the US border have torn down gates and are making their way over a bridge into Mexico - with officials warning the trip will bring swift retribution from the Trump administration. Young men in the caravan reportedly began on Friday violently tugging at a tall yellow fence in the way of the group before eventually tearing the barrier down. Men, women, and children then began rushing towards the bridge to Mexico that stands about 150 years (137 meters) away. The fence toppling came just after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray to discuss the caravan, which started in Honduras last weekend. Its a challenge that Mexico is facing, and thats how I expressed it to Secretary Pompeo, Mr Videgaray said in a news conference with the US secretary of state. Video: Why Honduran Migrants Are Heading North For more news videos visit Yahoo View. The Mexican government has asked for assistance from the United Nations refugee agency to help it process migrants arriving on the countrys southern border and seeking refugee status. Processing those refugee claims could allow the Mexican government to disperse the caravan, and placate President Donald Trump, who is adamantly opposed to allowing any of the individuals into the US. The caravan that is now at the Mexico border is composed of several thousand Honduran migrants who are seeking to scape violence and poverty in their home country. Mr Videgaray said earlier on Friday that the caravan was composed of some 4,000 people and each could present their claims to enter the country with refugee status. We havent had a caravan or group of this size seeking refuge at the same time, thats why weve sought the support of the United Nations, he said on Mexican television. The Mexican government is taking a different tact with this caravan than a similar one that made its way north earlier this year, similarly drawing anger from Mr Trump. Story continues Unlike that caravan, which made its way into the heartland of Mexico before officials attempted to process claims, the Mexican government this time is focusing on processing the individuals as they arrive on the border. In response to the advancing caravan, Mr Trump has threatened to instruct the US military to CLOSE THE SOUTHERN BORDER, and said that he would cut aid to Central American countries where the migrants are arriving from. I am watching the Democrat Party led (because they want Open Borders and existing weak laws) assault on our country by Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, whose leaders are doing little to stop this large flow of people, INCLUDING MANY CRIMINALS, from entering Mexico to U.S..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2018 ....In addition to stopping all payments to these countries, which seem to have almost no control over their population, I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught - and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!.. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2018 It is not clear if Mr Trump is seriously considering closing the US-Mexico border, and it is not clear that he could conceivably do so, either. But, if he did, experts say that such a closure would have a major impact on the economy and ability of people to travel in and out of the US. A shutdown of the border, even for a temporary period of time, would have dramatic and devastating economic consequences, Peter Boogaard, a former Homeland Security official during the Obama administration who now works for the immigration advocacy group FWD.us, toldUSA Today. Presidents have rarely exercised their ability to shut down portions of the border. President George W Bush close part of the border following the 11 September terrorist attacks in order to process full inspections of incoming vehicles. President Ronald Reagan also closed some ports of entry along the US-Mexico border in 1985 after the kidnapping and murder of a DEA agent in Mexico. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report - AFP or licensors Thousands of migrants making their way towards the United States remain stuck on a river crossing between Guatemala and Mexico without food or water. The migrants, part of a caravan of around 4,000 people, have vowed to remain there until Mexican authorities grant them entry into the country despite conditions on the bridge worsening with a growing pile up of rubbish and no bathrooms. Tensions flared on the Suchiate river crossing late on Friday when the migrants attempted to force their way across the border and Mexican riot police threw tear gas at the crowd. Meanwhile, many Hondurans, mostly men, swam across the river and remain on the riverbank on Saturday, on the Mexican side of the border, waiting for the rest of the caravan to cross. Around 200 people who did manage cross, mainly women and children, were taken to an immigration centre, where their details were recorded. Around 200 were taken to a detention centre - thousands more remain on the bridge Credit: AP They were later transported to a convention centre located in the city of Tapachula, an hours drive from the border, that has been turned into a makeshift shelter. The remaining migrants - thought to number about 3,000 - have also moved about 30 feet back from the Mexican border gate, in order to avoid repeating the chaos caused on Friday night. Selvin Flores, a 35-year-old Honduran shopkeeper, said people who "were causing disorder" have been expelled from the group and handed over to Guatemalan police. Honduran migrants heading in a caravan to the US, hold up a crying baby while they struggle to cross one of the gates of the Guatemala-Mexico international border bridge in Ciudad Hidalgo Credit: AFP The caravan formed last Saturday in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and arrived in Guatemala on Monday. Migrants within the group have said they are bound for the United States, seeking work and fleeing political corruption and violence. The caravan has drawn the ire of President Donald Trump, who threatened to shut down America's southwest border if Mexico did not halt the group, despite the huge impact it would have on trade flows between the two countries. Story continues He also repeated a threat to suspend foreign aid to the governments of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador if they fail to act. Mr Trump has been focusing on immigration as he campaigns for Republican candidates ahead of November's midterm elections. He has called the attempt to enter the US an "assault on our country" at rallies and stressed that tackling immigration was far more important to him than trade. Aerial view of the Honduran migrant caravan heading to the US Credit: AFP The president's administration has struggled to tackle the worsening immigration numbers as Mr Trump hits the limits of what he is able to legally do without the support of Congress. The issue has caused a deep rift among Mr Trump's top advisers, culminating in a heated row between his chief of staff John Kelly and national security adviser John Bolton last week. Mr Trump on Saturday blamed "obstructionist" Democrats for the failure to tackle the issue. "We could write up and agree to new immigration laws in less than one hour. Look at the needless pain and suffering that they are causing. Look at the horrors taking place on the Border," he said. If the Democrats would stop being obstructionists and come together, we could write up and agree to new immigration laws in less than one hour. Look at the needless pain and suffering that they are causing. Look at the horrors taking place on the Border. Chuck & Nancy, call me! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 20, 2018 After the caravans leaders, Bartolo Fuentes, a former Congressman, and Juan Carlos Lopez, were arrested by the Guatemalan authorities and deported to Honduras, there has been a notable absence of leadership within the group. On Friday night, tensions and scuffles erupted as exhausted Hondurans, many of whom are traveling with young children, braced themselves to spend the night on the bridge. A Honduran migrant heading in a caravan to the US, is lowered down the Guatemala-Mexico international border bridge with a rope into the Suchiate river, to swim or board a raft to reach Mexico Credit: AFP A group of women began to sing and pray in an effort to calm the situation. I felt very scared. I kept running back and forth because Im not used to this mayhem, said Heidy Marleny Castro, 44, who is travelling with her two youngest children, aged 8 and 13. Were going to stay here until we get help, no matter how long it takes. If need to endure hunger and thirst, so be it, she said. Like many other Hondurans, Mrs Castro is fleeing rampant violence as well as poverty. Two of her children were murdered in 2015. With a total of 3,791 murders in 2017 (a murder rate of 42.8 per 100,000 inhabitants), Honduras is one of the most dangerous countries in the world. Tensions on the border became heated on Friday night Credit: Reuters Although the caravans goal is to reach the United States, some Hondurans have said they would be willing to apply for working visas in Mexico, after newly elected president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador promised to provide job opportunities to Central Americans. If were given the opportunity to reach Mexico, at least well be in a safer place, said Mrs Castro. Were here because we have no other choice. We want a better life for our children." Warsaw (AFP) - Poland's governing nationalists came out on top in regional elections Sunday, but were losing to opposition centrists in mayoral races in large cities including the capital Warsaw, exit polls showed. Sunday's ballot was the first since a 2015 parliamentary election that handed the Law and Justice (PiS) party an unprecedented parliamentary majority and was seen as a key test for the nationalists as they gear up for EU and legislative elections next year. The local elections also took place as the PiS has put Poland on a collision course with the European Union by introducing a string of controversial judicial reforms that the bloc has warned pose a threat to judicial independence, the rule of law and ultimately to democracy. Exit polls by the IPSOS pollsters showed the PiS winning 32.3 percent of the vote in regional elections across Poland, beating a centrist-liberal coalition headed by the opposition Civic Platform (PO) with 24.7 percent. Riding a wave of popularity driven by robust economic growth and generous social spending, the PiS appeared to make gains in regional assembies but was unlikely to be able to govern alone in them. Powerful PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski hailed his party's result as a "good omen" ahead of next year's parliamentary elections. - Liberals win cities - The PiS currently controls only one of Poland's 16 regional assemblies and has few if any natural allies. Exit polls showed in third place the Polish Peasants' Party (PSL), traditionally strong in rural areas, winning 16.6 percent of the vote, a result likely to turn it into a kingmaker in coalition-building. The party has previously teamed up with the PO liberals to govern at the national level and its leader Wladysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said Sunday there would be "no such coalitions" when asked whether the PSL would work with the PiS. Meanwhile in the major cities, the PiS nationalists have failed to top in the mayoral races. Story continues PO liberal Rafal Trzaskowski, a 46-year-old former minister and member of the European Parliament, appeared to have won in Warsaw in the first round of voting with the IPSOS exit poll showing him on 54.1 percent against 30.9 percent for PiS candidate Patryk Jaki. PO candidates also dominated in the first round vote in Lodz, Poznan, Lublin and Wroclaw. Mayoral races in Gdansk and Krakow will likely be decided in a second round of voting on November 4. The IPSOS exit polls have a three percent margin of error. - Court order - Full official election results will be made public on Tuesday evening at the earliest. Poland's elections commission pegged turnout on Sunday at over 50 percent, dubbing it the "highest-ever" for local elections. Sunday's vote was held against a backdrop of strong political and social polarisation rooted in the PiS's controversial judicial reforms. While PiS voters see the party, especially its leader Kaczynski as a defender of national interests, its critics insist its judicial reforms are unconstitutional and pose the greatest threat to democracy in Poland since the country shed communism in 1989. A Friday decision by the EU's top court ordered Poland to "immediately suspend" a PiS-authored law that makes it mandatory for Supreme Court judges to retire at 65, saying that the measure threatens judicial independence. The decision is the latest salvo in a bitter battle over sweeping judicial changes introduced by the PiS government since it took office in 2015. The reforms have led the European Commission to trigger unprecedented proceedings against Poland over "systemic threats" to the rule of law that could see its EU voting rights suspended. Refusing to bow to criticism abroad or mass protests at home, the nationalists have defended the reforms as a key element of their drive to tackle corruption and overhaul a judicial system still haunted by the communist era. WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua on Maui has been sold to an affiliate of the same investment group that purchased the Grand Wailea resort earlier this year. Blackstone Real Estate Partners, an affiliate of Blackstone Group, closed this week on the 49-acre (20-hectare) property that includes a 297-room hotel and 107 condominium residences. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. A joint venture that included Ares Management, SMW Hospitality and Trinity Real Estate Investments had purchased the property in 2016 for about $210 million, according to a Colliers International report. The venture spent about $30 million in improvements to rooms, condos, the lobby and restaurants, the resort said earlier this year. "We believe the outcome of this transaction reflects the significant value we were able to create over the hold period," Sean Hehir, a managing partner for Trinity Investments, told The Maui News. "The deal is a perfect example of how we leverage our intimate local market knowledge and proven platform to generate compelling risk-adjusted returns on invested capital." The resort was built in 1992 by Maui Land & Pineapple Co, and it sold in 2006 to a joint venture that included the Gencom Group. Following major renovations in 2007 and then the recession, Gencom defaulted on its loan. Lenders foreclosed on the property in March 2011 with about $268 million owed. Lehman later obtained the property and sold it to Woodridge Capital Partners and Colony Capital in February 2014 for $142 million, according to a Colliers International report. A Blackstone Group company purchased the 776-room Grand Wailea on Maui in April for a reported $1.1 billion. MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian delegation will take part in the Future Investment Initiative business forum next week in Saudi Arabia, where it will meet Saudi officials and present Russian art, the Russian Direct Investment Fund on Friday. A string of Western executives who had been due to attend the summit have pulled out amid international concern over the fate of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. "RDIF has put together a representative delegation from Russia to participate in the forum, which includes more than 30 leading Russian entrepreneurs and leaders of major Russian companies, as well as public figures," the fund said without giving names. The delegation, which will be led by Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriev, has partnered with the State Russian Museum, located in St Petersburg, to present the works of 20th-century Russian artists including abstract painter Wassily Kandinsky. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia did not have enough information about the unexplained disappearance of Khashoggi to justify spoiling ties with Riyadh. (Reporting by Katya Golubkova and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber; Editing by Hugh Lawson, William Maclean) Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday vowed to reveal within days the "naked truth" over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as Riyadh said it did not know the whereabouts of his body and that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had been unaware of any operation to murder him. The Turkish leader's statement came the day after Saudi authorities conceded Khashoggi had been killed inside their diplomatic compound in Istanbul. "We are looking for justice here and this will be revealed in all its naked truth, not through some ordinary steps but in all its naked truth," Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul. In his strongest comments to date on the affair, President Donald Trump accused Saudi Arabia of lying about the killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who fell out of favour with the ultraconservative kingdom, as pressure built on the US administration to strike a tougher line. The Saudi foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, on Sunday described the killing as a "tremendous mistake" and said it had been a "rogue operation" by individuals who "exceeded their responsibilities" and then "tried to cover up for it". Jubeir insisted in an interview with Fox News that the operation was not ordered by the crown prince known by his initials MBS, also adding that "we don't know where the body is". Erdogan, who has not yet directly blamed Saudi Arabia, held a telephone call with Trump on Sunday where the two leaders agreed the Khashoggi case needed to be clarified "in all its aspects," a Turkish presidential source said. Erdogan is expected to make a full statement to his party's MPs in parliament at around 0800 GMT on Tuesday. Turkish officials have said they believe that 15 Saudi men who arrived in Istanbul on two flights on October 2 were connected to Khashoggi's death. Riyadh reacted by claiming one of the 15 had died in a car accident years ago. Story continues Saudi officials originally said Khashoggi, who stepped inside the doors of the diplomatic mission on October 2, had left unharmed, before announcing he was killed inside the building in what they described as an altercation. The kingdom has since admitted Khashoggi died in a "brawl" inside the consulate and said it has fired five top officials and arrested 18 others in an investigation into the killing. - 'Lies' - Khashoggi, who would have been 60 this month, sought refuge in the United States after fleeing his native Saudi Arabia after the 2017 appointment of strongman Mohammed bin Salman as heir to the throne. The journalist, who had espoused both Islamist and liberal views throughout his decades-long career in the press, was engaged to a Turkish woman. His killing has further soured relations between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, already at loggerheads over Qatar, with which Riyadh cut ties in 2017 and to which Ankara has deployed aid and troops. Turkish officials now believe Riyadh carried out a state-sponsored killing and dismembered the body, with pro-government media in Turkey reporting the existence of video and audio evidence to back those claims. As the Turkish leader is expected to reveal all details into the journalist's killing, Trump has stepped back from his stance that Saudi Arabia's latest explanation over the death was credible amid mounting pressure at home. "Obviously there's been deception and there's been lies," he said of the shifting accounts of Khashoggi's death offered by Riyadh. "Their stories are all over the place." Several senior members of Trump's Republican Party said they believed Prince Mohammed, the kingdom's de facto ruler, was linked to the killing, and one called for a "collective" Western response if a link is proved. Trump has stopped far short of calling for the prince to be replaced, emphasising as he has before how important the US-Saudi relationship is to Washington's regional strategic goals. He described the 33-year-old prince as a "strong person; he has very good control." "He's seen as a person who can keep things under check," added Trump. "I mean that in a positive way." - UK, France, Germany intervene - The controversy has put the kingdom -- for decades a key ally in Western efforts to contain Iran -- under unprecedented pressure. It has also blown up into a major crisis for Prince Mohammed whose image as a modernising Arab reformer has been gravely undermined. Britain, France and Germany have shown a united front, demanding Saudi Arabia clarify how the journalist died inside its Istanbul consulate backed by "credible" facts. Late Sunday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed "the circumstances" around Khashoggi's "tragic death" in a phone call, without offering further details. Australia, Canada, the UN and the EU have also demanded greater clarity around Khashoggi's death. German Chancellor Angela Merkel added that Berlin would not export arms to Saudi Arabia "in the current situation". Germany last month approved 416 million euros ($480 million) worth of arms exports to Saudi Arabia for 2018. In the past, military exports by Berlin to Saudi have mostly consisted of patrol boats. burs-fo/boc/ska/jta By Doina Chiacu and Kylie MacLellan WASHINGTON/LONDON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia on Sunday called the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul consulate a "huge and grave mistake," but sought to shield its powerful crown prince from the widening crisis, saying Mohammed bin Salman had not been aware. The comments from Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir were some of the most direct yet from Riyadh, which has given multiple and conflicting accounts about Khashoggi's killing on Oct. 2, first denying his death and later admitting it amid an international outcry. The weeks of denial and lack of credible evidence in the face of allegations from Turkish officials that Khashoggi had been killed have shaken global confidence in ties with the world's top oil exporter. U.S. Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin said Saudi Arabia's admission that the Washington Post columnist was killed in a fistfight was a "good first step but not enough," though he added it was premature to discuss sanctions against Riyadh. Three European powers - Germany, Britain and France - pressed Riyadh to provide facts, and Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would not export arms to Saudi Arabia while uncertainty over Khashoggi's fate persisted. Late on Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency said both Saudi King Salman and Prince Mohammed had called Khashoggi's son, Salah, to express condolences. Jubeir, the Saudi foreign minister, had extended condolences to Khashoggi's family earlier on Sunday. "This is a terrible mistake. This is a terrible tragedy. Our condolences go out to them. We feel their pain," Jubeir told the U.S. broacaster Fox. "Unfortunately, a huge and grave mistake was made and I assure them that those responsible will be held accountable for this." He said the Saudis did not know how Khashoggi, a Saudi national and U.S. resident, had been killed or where his body was. He also said Prince Mohammed was not responsible. "This was an operation where individuals ended up exceeding the authorities and responsibilities they had. They made the mistake when they killed Jamal Khashoggi in the consulate and they tried to cover up for it." Khashoggi vanished after entering the consulate to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. After two weeks denying any involvement in the 59-year-old's disappearance, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, died during a fight in the building. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold. "Nothing can justify this killing and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms," Germany, Britain and France said in their joint statement. "There remains an urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened ... beyond the hypotheses that have been raised so far in the Saudi investigation, which need to be backed by facts to be considered credible." Reflecting international scepticism over its account, a senior Saudi government official laid out a new version that contradicts previous explanations. The latest account includes details on how 15 Saudis sent to confront Khashoggi had threatened him with being drugged and kidnapped and killed him in a chokehold when he resisted. A member of the team dressed in Khashoggi's clothes to make it appear as if he had left the consulate. ERDOGAN TO SPEAK Turkish officials suspect Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate by the Saudi agents and his body cut up. Turkish sources say authorities have an audio recording purportedly documenting Khashoggi's murder. In a speech on Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared to suggest he was getting ready to release some information about the Turkish investigation, and would do so at his weekly speech to members of his ruling AK Party in parliament. Erdogan has remained largely silent on the case, although Turkey's pro-government newspapers have released information about events at the consulate. "I will make my statements about this issue on Tuesday at the party group meeting," Erdogan said. Turkey's Anadolu agency said early on Monday that Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump had spoken on the telephone and agreed that "all aspects" of the case needed to be cleared up. For Saudi Arabia's allies - particularly in the West - the question will be whether they believe that the prince, who has painted himself as a reformer, has any culpability. King Salman, 82, has handed the day-to-day running of Saudi Arabia to him. "I am not satisfied until we find the answer. But it was a big first step, it was a good first step. But I want to get to the answer," Trump told reporters this weekend, when asked about the Saudi investigation and Riyadh's firing of officials over the incident. In an interview with the Washington Post, Trump said that "obviously there's been deception, and there's been lies." A leading Republican U.S. senator said he believed the crown prince was behind the killing, adding that the Saudis had lost all credibility in their explanations of his death. "Yes, I think he did it," Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told CNN, referring to the crown prince. King Salman ordered the dismissal of five officials, including Saud al-Qahtani, a royal court adviser seen as the right-hand man to Prince Mohammed, and deputy intelligence chief Ahmed Asiri, Saudi state media reported on Saturday. The king also ordered a restructuring of the intelligence service, to be led by Prince Mohammed, suggesting the prince still retained wide-ranging authority. Some governments and prominent executives have said they would pull out of a forthcoming investment conference in Saudi Arabia. Among the latest, the government of New Zealand said it would not attend, as did the head of the main banking unit of Japanese financial group MUFG. According to the senior Saudi official, the Saudi team rolled up Khashoggi's body in a rug, took it out in a consular vehicle and handed it to a "local cooperator" for disposal. (Additional reporting by Thomas Escritt in Berlin; Kylie MacLellan in London, Laurence Frost in Paris, Taiga Uranaka in Tokyo, Praveen Menon in Wellington, Omer Berberoglu and Yesim Dikmen in Istanbul; Writing by David Dolan and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Sandra Maler) Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi Arabia will host a key investment summit on Tuesday, overshadowed by the killing of critic Jamal Khashoggi that has prompted a wave of policymakers and corporate giants to withdraw. Just ahead of the three-day Future Investment Initiative (FII), dubbed "Davos in the desert", the kingdom sought to defuse the crisis with an about-face admission on Saturday that the journalist died in its consulate in Istanbul. But that has failed to stem an exodus from the summit, whose organisers have taken down a list of speakers from its website. Dozens of executives -- from bankers JP Morgan to carmaker Ford and ride-hailing app Uber -- scrapped plans to attend. Media powerhouses like Bloomberg, CNN and the Financial Times have also pulled out and on Saturday, Australia withdrew its representatives, saying it was "no longer appropriate" to attend, due to the Khashoggi affair. On Saturday, organisers said more than 120 speakers and moderators will participate. Last Monday, they had listed more than 150 speakers. The event seeks to project the historically insular kingdom as a lucrative business destination, in a bid to diversify its oil-reliant economy and set the stage for new ventures and multi-billion dollar contracts. At last year's inaugural FII -- a star-studded event at Riyadh's glittering Ritz-Carlton hotel - Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was lionised as a visionary as he wowed investors with talking robots and plans for a futuristic mega-city called NEOM. Billed last year as an economic coming-out party for the conservative petro-state, the FII has now come to symbolise global outrage over the silencing of critics. The prince, widely known as MBS, faces what the risk consultancy Eurasia Group calls "an acute public relations crisis". Khashoggi, who had criticised Prince Mohammed, was last seen walking into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. After weeks of vehement denials, the kingdom's assertion on Saturday that the journalist was killed in a "brawl and fist fight" inside the consulate - without revealing the whereabouts of his body -- was met with scepticism around the world. Story continues "The Ubers and JP Morgans of the world have calculated that the cost of being currently associated with brand MBS is higher than the cost of losing out on taking a slice of Saudi Arabia's economy," said Michael Stephens, a Middle East expert at the Royal United Services Institute. - Investor uncertainty - Many Western firms have too much at stake to abandon the Arab world's biggest economy, and many are preparing to send lower-level executives to the summit. Senior investment bankers from HSBC and Credit Suisse are planning to attend the conference even though their chief executives have cancelled their attendance, Bloomberg News reported. Companies from China and Russia have shown little interest in withdrawing from the event, an organiser said. Although several Western leaders like International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde have pulled out, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan will attend the forum as Islamabad continues to seek funding to plug its deteriorating finances. But a wider Western boycott of the conference suggests rising political risks in Saudi Arabia that could cast a shadow over foreign direct investment, which a UN body said plunged last year to a 14-year low. "Despite talk of reform, FDI inflows into Saudi have stayed low and the (Khashoggi) scandal will only increase investor uncertainty," said research firm Capital Economics. For now, the kingdom's finances appear well cushioned by a recent spike in oil prices, now over $80 (70 euros) per barrel, which analysts say has reduced the urgency for outside funding. "More speculative projects, like NEOM, will find it harder to attract investors, but 'meat and potatoes' diversification through heavy industry will probably continue unabated," said Steffen Hertog, an associate professor at the London School of Economics. - 'Business as usual?' - Khashoggi's killing fits a pattern of a recent crackdown on dissent in the kingdom, with Prince Mohammed, King Salman's son and the de facto ruler, arresting clerics, business high-fliers and women activists. Further stoking investor anxiety, the kingdom is embroiled in an expensive war in Yemen and is leading an embargo against Qatar. Riyadh has also engaged in diplomatic disputes with Germany and Canada that threatened business ties. "Cancellations at 'Davos in the Desert' by the likes of Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and BlackRock go beyond reputational issues," said Cinzia Bianco, a Middle East analyst at Gulf State Analytics. "Big businesses are telling MBS 'enough with the adventurism, instability and uncertainty - our big foes.'" But western companies abandoning Saudi are causing "irreparable damage" to their own business interests in the kingdom, said Ghanem Nuseibeh, founder of London-based risk consultancy Cornerstone Global Associates who has vigorously defended the kingdom's stand on Khashoggi. "It will soon be business as usual," he said. Last week, pro-Saudi business figures on social media called for Gulf countries and allies of Riyadh to boycott companies that have pulled out of the FII. But the apparent arm twisting has not stopped the outcry over Khashoggi. "Business as usual?" said Gregory Gause, Saudi specialist at Texas A&M University. "Not in the short-term." LAGOS (Reuters) - A special police force has been deployed to flashpoints in the northern state of Kaduna on Sunday in the wake of communal violence over the last few days that has killed 55 people, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Twitter. "The police have been authorized to do everything possible to restore calm," he said in the tweet. The Kaduna state government imposed a 24-hour curfew on Sunday after violence broke out on the streets of the state's capital city, also called Kaduna. (Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram in Lagos and Garba Muhammad in Kaduna; Editing by Adrian Croft) COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Sri Lanka's military said that it will recall its commander leading a U.N. peacekeeping contingent in Mali after the world body asked him to be repatriated over his human rights background. Military spokesman Sumith Atapattu said Saturday that it will comply with the U.N. request even though it doesn't believe Col. Kalana Amunupure is guilty of any human rights abuses in the last stages of Sri Lanka's civil war. "There may be allegations. But he has not done anything wrong. He has not committed any war crimes. We will appeal and send him back," Atapattu said. A report in The Guardian newspaper in July quoted a confidential report that claimed the Sri Lanka commander in Mali, who was not named in the report, is alleged to have committed war crimes during the civil war, which ended in 2009. It said the report was produced by the South-Africa based International Truth and Justice Project, and also cited other Sri Lankans taking part in U.N. peacekeeping operations. The Sri Lanka Army called the deployment to Mali "one more feather in its cap" when it was set to start sending the 200-strong Combat Convoy Company to serve in the U.N. peacekeeping mission last November. It said Sri Lankan troops were also participating in other U.N. peacekeeping missions including in Lebanon and South Sudan. Both Sri Lankan government soldiers and the now-defeated Tamil Tiger rebels were accused of war crimes during the country's 26-year civil war. Tens of thousands of people were reported to have been killed in just the final months of the fighting. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) The family of a Sri Lankan man living in Australia says terrorism charges against him have been dropped. Kamer Nizamdeen, a 25-year-old working at the University of New South Wales, had been under investigation for terrorism since he was arrested by Australian authorities in August. Police said they found in his notebook plans to carry out terrorist acts in Sydney. Nizamdeen's family, which maintains that the handwriting in the notebook isn't his, said the charges were dropped on Friday. Nizamdeen was kept in solitary confinement for weeks before he was released on bail late last month. His family, friends and activists held protests in Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital, urging Australian authorities to speed up the investigation, claiming Nizamdeen could have been framed. Nizamdeen's attorney Moustafa Kheir said his client would seek legal costs and other compensation from Australian police. "What the authorities have done to this young man is absolutely unforgivable," he told reporters outside the court. "It's a terrible experience, the young man has done everything right in life." By Delphine Schrank TAPACHULA, Mexico (Reuters) - A U.S.-bound caravan of thousands of mostly Honduran migrants whom President Donald Trump has declared unwelcome, began pouring into the Mexican border city of Tapachula on Sunday, setting up impromptu camps in public parks under a heavy rain. Many members of the caravan, exhausted from the hours-long trek on foot from the Guatemalan border, mostly ignored police offers to board buses heading to a migrant shelter because of suspicions they might be deported instead. The migrants have defied threats by Trump that he will close the U.S.-Mexico border if the caravan advances, as well as warnings from the Mexican government that they risk deportation if they cannot justify seeking asylum in Mexico. Police in riot gear shadowed the caravan's arrival along a southern highway, but did not impede their journey. Among the throngs hiking into the center of the city was Roger Pineda, a 16-year-old Honduran. "I just want to find some food and a place to sleep," he said, explaining he joined the caravan last week with five family members and a group of friends from the violent city of San Pedro Sula. "I hope Trump allows us to make it to the other side," he said. In Guatemala, local media reported that around 1,000 migrants were traveling north en route to the Mexican border. Earlier on Sunday, a column of people marched under a burning sun as a military helicopter circled low overhead. Many migrants said they were fleeing a toxic mix of violence, poverty and corruption in Central America. Most said they felt safer advancing in a large group. "We're going to make it, we're going to keep moving so long as they don't stop us," said Honduran Jaffe Borjas, 17, marching alongside a childhood friend at the head of the column that stretched far down the highway to the horizon. Along the route north to Tapachula, about 25 miles (40 km) northwest of the border, some broke into song. "If you send us back, we will return!" a large crowd shouted in unison. "We are not criminals, we are workers!" Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador adopted a sympathetic tone toward the caravan on Sunday, promising to provide people with work permits in a speech to supporters in Tuxtla-Gutierrez, about 180 miles (290 km) north of Tapachula. "I want to tell them they can count on us," said Lopez Obrador to a smattering of applause, reiterating that he is seeking Trump's support to help fund a development plan that could alleviate poverty in Central America and southern Mexico. Since the convoy formed last weekend, Trump has threatened to halt aid to Honduras and Guatemala, and potentially close the U.S. border with Mexico with the help of the military if the migrants' march is not stopped. Mexico's government has said throughout the past week that it would register the migrants and process requests for asylum. Those attempting to skip the process would face deportation, but the size of the caravan will test Mexico, which has sought help from the United Nations to manage the issue. The Honduran government has blamed the political opposition back home for encouraging the exodus of migrants. On Saturday, Mexican immigration authorities said they had only allowed some 640 migrants through the official border crossing on a bridge spanning the Suchiate River. The slow pace prompted thousands to cross the river illegally by raft or swimming, according to local officials and migrant organizers. (Reporting by Delphine Schrank; Editing by Diane Craft and Grant McCool) SAO PAULO (AP) Thousands of people took to the streets in Brazil Saturday to protest the candidacy of presidential front-runner Jair Bolsonaro, shouting "Not him!" which has become the rallying cry against the far-right former army captain. In Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and 24 other cities, large crowds filled avenues and squares a week before the Oct. 28 second-round vote polls suggest Bolsonaro is likely to win. Bolsonaro, who has angered many Brazilians by praising the country's 1964-1985 military dictatorship and making comments offensive to gays, women and blacks, won the first round of voting on Oct. 7, getting 46 percent against 29 for Fernando Haddad of the Workers' Party. In front of the Sao Paulo Art Museum, people beat drums and waved gay pride flags as they denounced Bolsonaro. Many carried cardboard signs bearing Haddad's name and photo. Tiago Silva, a 27-year-old philosophy teacher, said Bolsonaro "represents the fascism, intolerance and violence we are seeing in Europe and in the United States." "It will be a disaster if he wins and it looks like he will," he added. Vinicius Bento, a 27-year-old lawyer, said voting for Haddad is "the only way to stop Bolsonaro and his racist, misogynist and fascists views from reaching the presidency." "We have to get Haddad elected," he said, acknowledging that he didn't vote for him in the first round because he'd "lost faith" in the Workers' Party as a result of the corruption scandals it has been involved with. The left-leaning party governed Brazil between 2003 and 2016, and has been dogged by the massive "Carwash" corruption investigation. Bolsonaro has appealed to many Brazilians weary of crime and corruption by promising a violent crackdown on drug gangs and other criminals, and by highlighting the corruption that took place under past Workers' Party administrations. He has also promised a return to "traditional Brazilian values." Story continues Haddad, the hand-picked successor to jailed former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has promised to bring back the boom times Brazil experienced under da Silva, fight inequality, invest more in education and improve state services. ___ AP writer Marcelo Silva de Sousa in Rio de Janeiro contributed to this report. Hong Kong (AFP) - China's top representative in Macau has fallen to his death from the building where he lived, authorities said Sunday. Zheng Xiaosong, 59, the Chinese government's liaison officer in the semi-autonomous former Portuguese colony, had been suffering from depression, Beijing said in a statement. Zheng "fell to his death from his Macau residence on the evening of October 20, 2018 due to depression", the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council said. The statement gave no more details but the wording suggested Zheng had killed himself. Mainland officials were to travel to Macau on Sunday to express their "condolences to comrade Zheng Xiaosong's family" on behalf of the Chinese government, it added. The director of Macaus judiciary police said they were investigating Zheng's death, Hong Kong media reported. Zheng, a member of the ruling Communist Partys Central Committee, was reportedly involved in talks between London and Beijing ahead of the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. He took up the post in the gambling enclave of Macau last year. The territory operates under the same "One Country, Two Systems" principle that governs Hong Kong. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said in a statement that she was "grieved to learn of his sudden departure". Montreal (AFP) - The Liberal Party of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in a statistical dead heat with its Conservative rivals just a year before Canada's next legislative elections, according to a survey published Sunday. An Ipsos poll conducted for Global News found 36 percent of voters backing the Liberals, just one point ahead of the 35 percent supporting the Conservatives of Andrew Scheer. A third party, the New Democratic Party, stood far behind with 20 percent support. Ipsos CEO Darrell Bricker said the results foreshadowed a "pretty competitive election," while noting that much can change in 12 months. But he added that for the relatively little-known Scheer -- the Conservatives' leader only since last year -- to be running neck and neck with "someone who's a rock star in Canadian politics" like Trudeau should concern the Liberals. Another survey published Sunday by the CBC public network was slightly more favorable to the Liberals, giving them a 37 percent to 33 percent edge over the Conservatives. According to Ipsos, Trudeau and his government drew their strongest support for their renegotiation with Washington of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and for their overall handling of relations with the US administration of President Donald Trump. Many Canadians rallied behind Trudeau over what they saw as Trump's attempts to "bully" Ottawa over trade. The Ipsos Global News poll was conducted from October 5 to 9. It surveyed 2,001 people, with a margin of error of 2.5 percent. Washington (AFP) - A key Republican lawmaker on Sunday backed Donald Trump's plan to withdraw from a decades-old nuclear accord with Russia, saying the US needed to be free to respond to a Chinese nuclear build-up. The US president on Saturday confirmed his plan to withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, saying the Russians had been violating it "for many years" while China, not a signatory, remained free to develop such weapons. Russia denounced the US decision as "very dangerous." But Senator Lindsey Graham, who has become an outspoken ally of Trump's, said on "Fox News Sunday" that the president was making "absolutely the right move. "The Russians have been cheating; the Chinese are building up their missiles... and we need to counter it." Another senior Republican, Senator Bob Corker, agreed that "there's no question that for years Russia has been violating" the accord. He noted on CNN that some defense specialists say that "because China is not part of this (the INF) they're developing systems that will move beyond where we are." But Corker, who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee, said he hoped Trump's stance was designed merely to pressure Russia to return into compliance. "I hope we'll be able to figure out a way to stay within the treaty." WASHINGTON Saudi Arabias stunning Friday night admission that its officials killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi represented a good first step for President Donald Trump, but prompted immediate skepticism and anger from Congress, including top figures in Trumps own party. Now its up to Capitol Hill to decide where U.S. relations with the longtime partner go and whether America will stick to even limited advocacy for human rights abroad. Congress has powerful tools at its disposal and at least three expected votes over the next few months that it could use to press the Saudis for accountability and weaken their sense of impunity. And theres a growing expectation that lawmakers must act to signal U.S. leadership. American allies say they doubt the Saudis will seriously investigate a plot that might implicate the kingdoms own leadership, and they dont trust the Saudi-friendly Trump administration to get to the truth. Despite some criticism of Riyadh, Trumps team has unsurprisingly stuck to its general approach on partners human rights violations: avoid public criticism, claim to be urging change in private. Trumps biggest move to push Riyadh so far withdrawing Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin from a key Saudi investment conference came after loud requests from Republican senators. Overall, the administration is focused on finding a narrative that avoids any rupture with the kingdom on what Trump sees as key issues: cooperation against Saudi rival Iran; arms deals that the president pitches as jobs programs; and business ties that personally benefit the Trump family. A bipartisan group of lawmakers has already triggered a process that compels Trump officials to look into Khashoggis killing and could lead to human rights-related sanctions on top Saudis. After the Saudis statement, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the chair of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, underscored the importance of that investigation. Story continues [The Saudis] can undergo their own investigation, but the U.S. administration must make its own independent, credible determination of responsibility for Khashoggis murder, Corker tweeted. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) has called for an independent inquiry into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (Photo: Drew Angerer via Getty Images) But the administration has already disappointed Congress once after a request to investigate the Saudis, producing a document last month to justify the bloody behavior of a U.S.-backed coalition led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen. Three Republicans and four Democrats in the Senate wrote a joint letter earlier this month expressing significant concerns with that State Department report. Democrats are now saying they want an independent investigation into Khashoggis murder that does not risk being skewed by the motivations of the Saudis or their friends in the Trump White House. If they can sustain that rhetoric and bring some Republicans on board Corker, for one, has complained about Trump keeping U.S. intelligence about the incident from lawmakers they might be able to actually make that happen. It helps that there are already strong demands along those lines from prominent rights and press freedom groups, and from the late Khashoggis well-connected employer The Washington Post. The papers national security columnist David Ignatius suggested the Senate and House intelligence committees might investigate. Translating the talk into legislative action could begin soon after the midterm elections. By mid-November, the Senate is expected to vote on a bill from Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) that would end U.S. support for a Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen. The coalition is responsible for the majority of the more than 10,000 civilian deaths in the conflict, the United Nations says, and its actions like impeding food and medicine shipments have helped create what the U.N. calls the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Weve heard a lot of tough talk. Now theres going to be a vote where theyre going to have to make this decision, said Kate Gould, who lobbies Congress on behalf of the anti-war group Friends Committee on National Legislation. Congress has become increasingly angry with the Saudis and their partner the United Arab Emirates over their role in conflict. When the Senate last held what many considered a proxy vote on U.S. support for the Saudi campaign which takes the form of aerial refueling, intelligence support and weapons sales 44 senators voted no. The timing seems right for more to flip, and not only because of the Khashoggi crisis. Crucial red-state Democrats will no longer have an election to worry about, and lawmakers are now facing calls from even anti-Iran hawks to reconsider the policy. Its also possible to imagine an end to refueling and intelligence cooperation becoming a compromise position between Capitol Hill and Trump. That would send a message to the Saudis without directly challenging the weapons sales he likes to boast about. Two such arms deals will give Capitol Hill the chance to weigh in on U.S.-Saudi relations in the months ahead. Congress will soon consider a pair of Trump-backed bomb sales to the Saudis and Emiratis that together are worth around $2 billion. For now, Corker and Sen. Bob Menendez (N.J.), the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, are signaling that the administration should not even bring up the question. When it ultimately does though, the Senate has the right to block either or both of the sales turning a vote into a referendum on Saudi judgment. Central to those fights would be activists who have long fought to get Yemen on Washingtons agenda. They say that intermingling the yearslong conflict with the Khashoggi killing is complicated because they want to avoid any truce over the journalist reducing the momentum against the war but they understand why theres a connection, and Riyadh likely will as well. No ones going to convince anyone that the Khashoggi assassination doesnt weigh on peoples minds as they take a vote on Yemen, but I think whats important is the way it does, said Scott Paul of Oxfam America. Concern over Khashoggi shouldnt be seen as the objective of a vote. It should be seen as contributing to how U.S. leaders view the credibility of Saudi Arabia as a partner in Yemen. This vote matters in terms of that relationship, but also to the millions of Yemenis on the brink of famine. The well-funded Saudi influence network in Washington will likely do everything it can to tamp down concern in Congress. A conservative media campaign trying to smear Khashoggi to protect the Trump-Saudi connection is making inroads with constituents, an aide told HuffPost, and congressional staff say its hard to predict what will be top of mind after the midterms. One aide noted that concern about looking weak on Iran is already featuring in conversations about Saudi Arabia. But pro-Saudi talking points havent stopped Congress from getting more aggressive over Yemen. Theres no guarantee they will work any better after one more Saudi-linked transgression This story has been updated to reflect Trumps comments to The Washington Post published Saturday night. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Recent investigation found Brian Kemp has overseen the removal of more than 340,000 current Georgia residents from voting rolls Brian Kemp faces Democrat Stacey Abrams in the midterms. Photograph: David Goldman/AP Donald Trump on Saturday said Brian Kemp, a Republican accused of purging a huge number of voters from Georgias registration rolls, would make a great governor of the southern state. Kemp is currently Georgias secretary of state, which means he is supervising an election in which he is a candidate. Amid a flurry of tweets about the impending midterm elections, Trump tweeted that the Republican has prepared for this very difficult and complex job for many years. He has my Strong Endorsement. Related Video: Georgia Voters Purged Because They Didn't Vote A recent analysis of records by the Palast Investigative Fundfound that Kemp has overseen the removal of more than 340,000 current Georgia residents from voting rolls, making them unable to participate in the 6 November election in which he faces the Democrat Stacey Abrams. Georgia residents who have not voted in the past three years are sent a notice asking if they still live at their provided address. If they do not respond they are marked inactive and removed from voting records. Kemp has also faced legal action over claims that he has hindered the voting registration of around 50,000 people, a group that is overwhelmingly black, Latino or Asian American, by implementing a new law. The exact match law demands that election officials pause a voter registration if identifying information does not precisely mirror information in existing records, meaning that abbreviated names, random hyphens or extra spaces on forms can delay registration. Such voters must take extra steps to verify their identities. Kemps campaign has said lawsuit claims of voter disenfranchisement are utterly false and politically motivated. Kemp himself has said his opponent, Abrams, wants wants illegal [immigrants] to vote in Georgia, a charge he has provided no evidence to support. He told Fox News last week: I think hard-working Georgians should decide who their governor is, not people here illegally like my opponent wants. Story continues Abrams is running to become the first black female governor in US history. She has called for Kemp to stand down as secretary of state and accused him of targeting minority voters in a bid to bolster his election campaign. Polls show Kemp has a slender lead in what is usually a reliably Republican state. Dishonesty, incompetence and voter suppression have no place in the secretary of states office, and Brian Kemp should resign immediately so that Georgians can be confident the election will be administered in a fair and competent manner, a spokeswoman for Abrams said. Kemp is running scared because he knows that Georgians are increasingly excited to vote for Stacey Abrams, and they arent going to let him steal this election or their futures. Trumps Saturday tweet claimed Abrams was totally unqualified and would destroy a great state. Abrams is a lawyer, romance novelist and former minority leader in the Georgia house of representatives. Also this week, the president voiced his support for another Republican, Montana congressman Greg Gianforte, who assaulted a Guardian reporter. LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AP) President Donald Trump on Friday called Saudi Arabia's announcement that suspects are in custody in the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi a "good first step" and said he would work with Congress on a U.S. response. The president spoke to the media at a defense roundtable in Arizona hours after Saudi Arabia claimed that Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor last seen on Oct. 2, was killed in a "fistfight" at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The kingdom also said that 18 suspects were in custody and that intelligence officials had been fired. Asked by a reporter whether he thought Saudi Arabia's explanation for Khashoggi's death was credible, Trump said, "I do. I do." But he said before he decided what to do next, he wanted to talk to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "Saudi Arabia has been a great ally, but what happened is unacceptable," Trump said. Regarding the Saudi arrests, he said, "It's a big first step. It's only a first step, but it's a big first step." On Capitol Hill, lawmakers including Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham expressed skepticism of the Saudi account, which was vastly different than that given by Turkish officials, who had said an "assassination squad" sent by the kingdom had killed and dismembered Khashoggi. "First we were told Mr. Khashoggi supposedly left the consulate and there was blanket denial of any Saudi involvement," Graham, R-S.C., tweeted Friday. "Now, a fight breaks out and he's killed in the consulate, all without knowledge of Crown Prince." Khashoggi, a prominent journalist and royal court insider for decades in Saudi Arabia, had written columns critical of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the kingdom's direction while living in self-imposed exile in the U.S. He went to the Saudi consulate to obtain paperwork for his upcoming marriage. Story continues "The Saudi 'explanation' for murdering journalist and Virginia resident Jamal Khashoggi in a consulate_a fistfight gone wrong_is insulting," tweeted Sen. Tim Kaine, the 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee. "Since the Trump Administration won't stand up against atrocity, Congress must." Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California said Saudi Arabia's claim that Khashoggi died in a brawl wasn't credible. "If Khashoggi was fighting inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, he was fighting for his life with people sent to capture or kill him," said Schiff, the ranking member of the House intelligence committee. "The Kingdom and all involved in this brutal murder must be held accountable, and if the Trump Administration will not take the lead, Congress must," Schiff said. In a statement Friday night, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the U.S. will closely follow international investigations into Khashoggi's death and will advocate for justice that is "timely, transparent and in accordance with all due process." Earlier Friday, Sanders said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had spoken to the crown prince and briefed the president and John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser. Trump dispatched Pompeo earlier in the week to Saudi Arabia and Turkey to speak to officials about the case. ___ Thomas contributed from Washington. Donald Trump says he will pull the United States out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia, claiming that Moscow is violating the deal. The president said he wanted a new agreement with Russia and China, although he offered no details of how Moscow had violated the 1987 treaty. However, the US has previously accused Russia of breaking the pact in developing a cruise missile. We are going to terminate the agreement and then we are going to develop the weapons, Mr Trump said unless a new agreement was forthcoming. The pact helps protect the US and its allies in Europe and the Far East. It prohibits the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying ground-launched cruise missiles with ranges between 300 and 3,400 miles. Mr Trump made the announcement on Saturday after a campaign stop in Elko, Nevada. Meanwhile, National Security Adviser John Bolton was headed to Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. Mr Bolton is said to have been pushing hard to have Washington pull out of the treaty given Moscows development of the new cruise missile, which US officials said broke the treaty. Moscow has denied the charge and alleges that a US missile defence system deployed in eastern Europe against a potential Iranian threat can be adapted to fire medium-range offensive missiles at Russia. The Trump administrations Nuclear Posture Review, released earlier this year, called for research into new US ground-launched medium-range missiles as a way of pressuring Moscow back into compliance. Earlier this month, the US ambassador to Nato, Kay Bailey Hutchison, warned Russia to stop development of the missile during a briefing to reporters, saying that US counter measures to the weapon known as 9M729 would be to take it out. The counter-measures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty, the ambassador said. Getting them to withdraw would be our choice, of course. But I think the question was what would you do if this continues to a point where we know that they are capable of delivering. And at that point we would then be looking at a capability to take out a missile that could hit any of our countries in Europe and hit America in Alaska. Story continues Ms Hutchison suggested during that briefing that the US did not want to withdraw from the INF treaty, saying that the goal was for Russia to comply with it. However, Mr Bolton, who has become increasingly influential in the White House, is looking to push through something he has opposed his whole career. He has previously called such treaties "unilateral disarmament". Any move to pull the US out the treaty will likely still face stiff opposition from some in the White House and the Pentagon. The INF treaty faces a Congress-imposed deadline of early next year over US involvement. An amendment in the 2019 defence spending bill calls on the president to inform Senate by 15 January whether Russia is in material breach of the treaty, and therefore if the INF remains legally binding. Mr Bolton is said to be using his Russia trip to inform Moscow of the administrations plans to exit the INF agreement, according to The New York Times. Under the terms of the treaty, withdrawal would take six months. Mr Trump's national security advisor is also said to want to stop an extension to the 2010 New Start treaty with Russia a deal that limits deployed strategic nuclear warheads and the delivery systems they use. That is due to expire in 2021. Moscow (AFP) - Moscow on Sunday warned US President Donald Trump that his plan to ditch a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty with Russia was a dangerous step. Ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who signed the original document back in 1987, condemned the move as showing Trump's "lack of wisdom." Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that withdrawal "would be a very dangerous step" and said Washington faced international condemnation in its bid for "total supremacy" in the military sphere. He insisted that Moscow observed "in the strictest way" the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, known as the INF, while accusing Washington of "flagrant violations". The treaty was signed by then US president Ronald Reagan and Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, who on Sunday told Interfax news agency that "dropping these agreements... shows a lack of wisdom" and is a "mistake". Germany "regrets the planned withdrawal" and it will require discussion among NATO countries, a government spokeswoman said, calling the treaty "an important element of arms control". But Trump on Saturday claimed Russia had long violated the treaty. "We're the ones who have stayed in the agreement and we've honoured the agreement, but Russia has not unfortunately honored the agreement, so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," he told reporters. "Russia has violated the agreement. They've been violating it for many years," he said. "And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons (while) we're not allowed to." Trump's National Security Advisor John Bolton arrived in Moscow on Sunday and is set to meet Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies that President Vladimir Putin may also meet Bolton to seek "clarifications". Story continues The row comes ahead of what is expected to be a second summit between Trump and Putin this year. The Trump administration has complained of Moscow's deployment of Novator 9M729 missiles, which Washington says fall under the treaty's ban on missiles that can travel distances between 310 and 3,400 miles (500 and 5,500 kilometres). The INF resolved a crisis over Soviet nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles targeting Western capitals. The latest rift could have "the most lamentable consequences", political analyst Alexei Arbatov told Interfax news agency, dragging Russia into a "new cycle of the arms race". - US or Russia at fault? - A Russian foreign ministry official earlier accused Washington of implementing policy "toward dismantling the nuclear deal". For many years, Washington has been "deliberately and step by step destroying the basis for the agreement," said the unnamed official quoted by state news agencies. The official accused the United States of backing out of international agreements that put it on an equal footing with other countries because it wanted to protect American "exceptionalism". Russian Senator Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter that the move was "the second powerful blow against the whole system of strategic stability in the world" after Washington's 2001 withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty. Bolton himself is pressuring Trump to leave the INF and has blocked talks to extend the New Start treaty on strategic missiles set to expire in 2021, according to The Guardian newspaper. US withdrawal from the INF "will destroy any prospects of extending the New Start treaty," the head of the Russian Senate's foreign affairs committee Konstantin Kosachev warned on Facebook. The US plan to withdraw from the INF is also targeting China. As a non-signatory, Beijing can develop intermediate-range nuclear weapons without constraints. US-Russia ties are under deep strain over accusations that Moscow meddled in the 2016 US presidential election. The two countries are also at odds over Russian support for the Syrian government in the country's civil war, and the conflict in Ukraine. On Friday, the US Justice Department indicted the finance chief of Russia's leading troll farm for allegedly interfering with US congressional elections to be held in November. Russia accused the United States of fabricating the charges. While no new summit between Trump and Putin has yet been announced, one is expected in the near future. The two leaders will be in Paris on November 11 to attend commemorations marking 100 years since the end of World War I. A senior Trump administration official said another potential date could be when both presidents attend the Group of 20 meeting in Buenos Aires on November 30 and December 1. burs-oh/am/gd By Kylie MacLellan LONDON (Reuters) - Britain could accept extending the post-Brexit transition period by a few months if the European Union drops its proposals for a so-called Northern Irish backstop, Britain's Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday. Talks between Britain and the EU have stalled largely over a disagreement on the backstop - an insurance policy to ensure there will be no return to a hard border on the island of Ireland if a future trading relationship is not agreed in time. The Brexit transition, or implementation period, in which Britain would retain EU rules and so avoid border problems with Ireland, is due to end in December 2020. "If we need a bridge from the end of the implementation period to the future relationship ... I am open minded about using a short extension of the implementation period," Raab told BBC TV. "It is an obvious possible route as long as it is short, perhaps a few months, and secondly that we know how we get out of it and obviously it has to solve the backstop issue so that that falls away then as a possibility." In an interview published on Sunday, EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier stood firm on the need for checks on goods shipped from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland after Brexit, but insisted this would not amount to a new border. Britain says the EU's backstop proposal of keeping Northern Ireland in its customs union is unacceptable as it would create a border in the Irish Sea. It favors a backstop in which the whole of Britain would stay inside the customs union but says it must be time-limited period or have a clear exit mechanism. France's Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseau said the EU was still waiting for "a workable solution" from London. "We have to have a definite answer, or at least no temporary measures which disappear and we dont know what to do after that," she told BBC TV. "LAST CHANCE SALOON" The possibility of extending the transition, keeping Britain under EU governance with no say in it, is highly unpopular with hardline supporters of Brexit and after Prime Minister Theresa May signaled it as a possibility this week, her critics used the Sunday newspapers to step up their attacks. The Sunday Times reported an ally of former Brexit minister David Davis, who some see as an interim leader if May goes, as saying the British leader was entering "the killing zone", while it quoted an unnamed possible successor as saying "assassination is in the air". The Mail on Sunday reported lawmakers from May's Conservatives said she was in the "last chance saloon" and should "bring her own noose" when she addresses Conservative lawmakers at a meeting in parliament on Wednesday. A vote of no confidence in May would be triggered if 48 Conservative's lawmakers submit letters to the chairman of the party's so-called "1922 committee" of backbenchers demanding such a vote. The Sunday Times said 46 had now been sent. "We are at the end stage of the negotiation. I think it is understandable there are jitters on all sides of this debate, we need to hold our nerve, the end is in sight in terms of a good deal ... I think colleagues should wait and see what that looks like," said Raab. "Now is the time to play for the team." Raab said he did not know when he would next be going to Brussels to negotiate, but a deal needed to be done by the end of November in order to get the legislation through parliament. Opposition Labour Party Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer said that even if a deal was agreed before Christmas it may not last. "This idea that there will be a settlement, the issue will be over," he said. "What we are going to see is even if there is a deal the Tory (Conservative) Party will try to rip it up next year ... they will not stop fighting about this." (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) BERLIN Earlier this year, the World Health Organization listed "Disease X" among the diseases most in need of research and development. Disease X is not a specific illness, but rather a hypothetical epidemic that could be caused by a pathogen (contagious strain of a virus or bacterium) that we don't yet realize affects humans. Experts at the World Health Summit in Berlin this week warned that we're not prepared to find such a disease at its likely animal source, or spot it quickly when it starts making people sick. Most emerging epidemic threats from Ebola to SARS have been zoonotic diseases, meaning they originate in animals, said veterinary pathologist Tracey McNamara, who organized a summit panel on Disease X. "If we want to protect people, it makes sense that we should detect these threats in animal populations before spillover to human populations," said McNamara, who is a professor at Western University of Health Sciences. "We need to take a species-neutral approach, and we need to find whatever novel emerging pathogen could threaten human health." [The 9 Deadliest Viruses on Earth] But McNamara said there is little to no surveillance of wildlife diseases, and in her career, she has found that the divide between the public health sector and animal health sector makes it very difficult to recognize and respond to a novel threat. In the summer of 1999, McNamara was head pathologist at the Bronx Zoo, and she noticed that crows were dropping dead on zoo grounds. Her investigation of the dead birds showed she was dealing with a novel disease. She wondered if the deaths could be connected to a spate of human deaths from an unusual form of encephalitis in New York City. But she had a hard time getting a diagnosis for the crow disease because government agencies didn't deal with disease samples from zoo animals. (In a recent TED Talk , she describes the spirit of the response she got from the CDC as, "We don't do flamingos.") Story continues "I knew something was going on, but it took me three weeks to get a diagnosis because no one would test my samples," McNamara said. The disease turned out to be the West Nile virus, which hadn't been seen in the Western Hemisphere before. Two decades later, she fears the lessons from the West Nile outbreak haven't been learned. She pointed to the example of last year's outbreak of a bird flu strain in cats at a New York City shelter. Hundreds of cats were infected and a veterinarian at the shelter got sick before a quarantine was established. "It was just sheer luck that it wasn't 'the one,'" McNamara told Live Science. "We haven't addressed the bureaucratic impediments to getting real-time diagnosis to diseases that may show up in any species. From a financial point of view, it's far less expensive to find diseases at their source." The developing world could be especially vulnerable to an outbreak of an emerging infectious disease that originates in wildlife. The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently sent expeditions to 13 countries in West, Central and East Africa to evaluate surveillance systems for animal diseases. McNamara called the results "sobering." [27 Devastating Infectious Diseases] "There is a lack of capacity on several levels," said Sophie von Dobschuetz, FAO global surveillance coordinator. As in the U.S., there is often a disconnect between public-health services and veterinary services, and relative to human health, animal health gets fewer resources, von Dobschuetzsaid. Moreover, she added, a lack of resources in the field might prevent veterinary workers from carrying out sampling. Central laboratories for testing samples are often far from the field, and labs in the field, if they exist, may not be functional because they lack basic supplies. Civil unrest, terrorist attacks and war might keep surveillance from being done in the field. "These are all things that prevent us from finding the disease at the source in the animal host in a timely manner," von Dobschuetzsaid. In the short term, McNamara said that veterinary sectors should piggyback on existing investments in public health by sharing things like equipment, lab space or sample delivery systems. In the long term, she'd like to see more attention on building veterinary health programs. Where should donors and policymakers be putting their funds to make that happen? McNamara asked Mukesh Chawla, coordinator of the World Bank's Pandemic Emergency Financing facility, how much money is being spent on building veterinary capacity. He couldn't find an answer. "What we have in front of us is what should be an extremely simple exercise but is not," Chawla told the audience. "We don't have a definition of preparedness. We cannot make a case for more spending if we don't know how much we're spending right now." Once a potential Disease X does jump to humans, the challenge becomes the recognition of the signal of the new threat. Dr. James Wilson of the Nevada Medical Intelligence Center has looked at the response to epidemics dating back to the Russian flu of 1889; he's found that there is typically a months-long delay in the response to a new epidemic. "A lot of the signals that are present in public-health emergencies have been present in open-source media," such as local news articles reporting unusual illnesses, Wilson said. But a lack of communication between sectors might cause the delay in recognizing those early signals, and while deaths might draw more attention, it can be harder to find a disease when it's only making people sick rather than killing them, Wilson said. Wilson, however, cautioned that excessive alarm in discussions about Disease X might only make matters worse. He sees a tendency toward hyperbole in discussions about epidemics in the U.S. "Everything that we talk about tends to go toward the 'Walking Dead,'" Wilson said. If you keep driving the conversation to the catastrophic endpoint, you lose credibility. If you push people into that position of fear, you find that they become paralyzed." He thinks it's important to also talk about human resilience. "We're very difficult to kill," Wilson said. "Just look at the collapse of our ecosystem." Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Washington (AFP) - The United States called Friday on all sides to respect the new independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, wading into a religious feud that has enraged Russia. The leading authority in Orthodox Christianity, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, last week granted the right of autonomy to the Ukrainian church, which for more than 300 years has been under Moscow's control. "The United States reiterates its strong support for religious freedom and the freedom of members of religious groups, including Ukraine's Orthodox community, to govern their religion according to their beliefs, free of outside interference," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. "We support Ukrainians' ability to worship as they choose and hope this will be respected by all. "Tolerance, restraint and understanding are key to ensuring that people with different religious affiliations can live and prosper together in peace," he said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier accused the United States of supporting the "provocation" led by the church's first among equals, Istanbul-based Patriarch Bartholomew I. The decision by the Ecumenical Patriarchate will likely reduce Russian influence in Ukraine, where Moscow has backed separatists in the country's east and annexed Crimea in 2014. The Russian church, whose Patriarch Kirill is a strong backer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has broken ties with the leading Orthodox authority over the decision, which it refuses to recognize. Ukrainian leaders have been campaigning for independence for their church, but Russian church backers have described the move as a schism as significant as the 1054 split between Eastern and Western Christianity. Among the cakes, doughnuts and Mexican sweet breads at Vieras Bakery and Deli, employee Alexis Ponce paused for a moment last week to talk about public safety issues in Yakima and what shed like to see in a police chief. Ponce, 20, said she wants to see a police chief who is responsible, cares about other people, whos loyal to his work, who makes changes in Yakima. She said a new police chief will need to address shootings and homelessness in the community. Vieras Bakery is on Lincoln Avenue, and shes noticed homeless people in the neighborhood. Theres a lot of homeless people around here, she said. Traffic. I see little kids walking down the streets 2 or 3 years old by themselves. I think thats a big issue. They should have an adult with them all the time. As the city begins a search to replace Dominic Rizzi Jr., who served for six years as chief before he was given notice in September he would be fired, the Yakima Herald-Republic reached out to community members to gather their thoughts about what theyd like to see in a new chief and what issues need to be addressed. Among the themes: A need to connect to a diverse community, training, when to use force, and outreach to other agencies. Several people mentioned theyd like to see a police chief from the area, ideally from within the department. Others said theyd like to see someone who can communicate with the Latino community, possibly with a Spanish-language background. At the bakery, Ponces co-worker Josalyn Garcia, 17, attends Selah High School and Elite Academy. She said shootings, gangs and traffic are among the issues that need to be addressed. She and co-worker Jose Avalos, 29, both mentioned an incident where a Yakima police officer kicked a 17-year-old who had been pepper-sprayed during a fight at the Central Washington State Fair in September. The countys prosecuting attorney said the officer used reasonable force and will not face criminal charges. Avalos said he wants to be safe and not scared of police officers. One goal should be to train the police officers right, he said. To not respond like that in that kind of situation. To listen to the community. Maybe that will help out in situations like that. Heres what other community members had to say: Two antique robbers damaged the Lower Galilee biblical site of Dovrat with a backhoe loader, and were caught in the act by the Israel Antiquities Authority's Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery last week. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The 2,000-year-old excavation site of Horvat Devora is located near modern day Afula. It is identified as the biblical city of Dovrat and the Roman-era Jewish village of Davrita, located in the Tzipori regiona major hub for Jewish activity in that period. Finds in the site include water pits, graves and the infrastructure of the ancient settlement. Nir Distfeld, IAA inspector by the wreckage. (Photo: IAA Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery) A few days prior to that act, Nature and Parks Authority inspectors detected damages to the site, and it was put under surveillance. Over the weekend that followed, the suspects returned to the site with the backhoe loader and started digging for loot. They shattered underground tunnels and facilities and detached large building blocks. Pieces of Hellenistic-Period basalt grindstones, once used to grind flour, were found in the debris. A Hellenistic grindstone that was damaged during the robbery. (Photo: IAA Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery) Parks Authority inspectors and Border Police volunteers arrived in the scene shortly and caught the two suspects, who live in the nearby Arab village of Daburiyya. The two suspects, brothers in their 30s, were brought to the Tiberias police station and later released on bail. The backhoe loader they had used was confiscated, and IAA is to ask for its forfeiture. Nir Distfeld, an IAA northern sector inspector, was outraged over the event and said that, brutal, illegal excavations cause horrible damage to archaeological sites, and irreversibly hurt the historical research that concerns everyones history. The robbery debriis at Horvat Devora. (Photo: IAA Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery) This site, adjacent to Daburiyya, where the suspects came from, suffers repeat robbery attempts, he added. Greed drives people crazy. The damage is heartbreaking, luckily they were arrested before a greater loss was caused. It is important to note that excavating an archaeological site is a felony punishable by up to five years incarceration, Distfeld stressed. Israel is worried the American peace plan would include a declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of two statesIsrael and Palestinein an effort to convince Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to return to the negotiating table. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The Palestinians have been boycotting Washington since President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital. According to Israeli diplomatic officials, the Americans have since been trying to figure out how to pacify the Palestinian leader while at the same time also get the backing of the Arab world for the peace plan. Israeli officials are worried that one of the enticements the White House might present to Abbas would be mentioning Jerusalem as the future capital of the Palestinian state. President Trump visits the Western Wall in Jerusalem (Photo: Reuters) The official said that if the Republicans lose power in the upcoming midterm elections, Trump might increase his efforts to reach a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict so he could run for his second term with a big foreign policy achievement under his belt. Including Jerusalem as a future Palestinian capital in the American peace plan could put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a bind, especially if he's to call early elections. Netanyahu could stress to the Americans that such a recognition would raise a lot of objection on the right-wing and make it harder for him to build a coalition. In such a case, the prime minister would likely ask to postpone the release of the peace plan until after the elections in Israel. The Americans are planning to release the plan by the end of 2018 or in early 2019. In any case, there are quite a few influential figures in Washington who would work to ensure such a promise will not be given to the Palestinians, including US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. Ivanka Trump inaugurates US Embassy in Jerusalem (Photo: EPA) Senior Israeli officials revealed that the Trump administration has been working off three principles in forming the peace plan: anyone coming to the negotiating table would have to make concessions, and there would be no one-sided concessions; anyone leaving the negotiating table would pay a price; and anyone rejecting the presented outline will risk the next outline being more to his disadvantage. Meanwhile, businessman and World Jew Congress President Ron Lauder, a friend of Trump, was recruited to help facilitate reconciliation between Abbas and the American president. Last week, Lauder met with Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat and Palestinian intelligence head Majed Faraj, Abbas's close confidant. While the White House denied Lauder was sent by Trump, he took advantage of the meetings to try to convince Abbas to return to the negotiating table with the American administration because the "deal of the century" will be better than he thinks. President Donald Trump says he needs to learn more about the killing of a Saudi journalist and will be working with Congress on the US response. Speaking late Saturday after a campaign rally in Nevada, he said he will be talking to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman soon. Education Minister Naftali Bennett said Sunday that despite the prime ministers decision to postpone the evacuation of the Palestinian-Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, it will be evacuated, adding the encampment is an illegal construction, the demolition of which, was approved by the High Court of Justice." "The Bayit Yehudi will make sure that it happens," he exclaimed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar "will be evacuated, emphasizing that it is a court's decision." Speaking during a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, Netanyahu added that "I have no intention of postponing the evacuation until further notice." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the Bedouin-Palestinian village of Khan al-Ahmar "will be evacuated despite ordering to postpone the evacuation Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "I have no intention of postponing the evacuation until further notice, despite media reports," he said during a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem. The amount of time that might be needed to evacuate the residents with their consent will be determined by the Cabinet, which will be convened soon, he stressed. Prime Minister (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch) Education Minister Naftali Bennett also vowed the hamlet will be evacuated, adding that the village is an illegal construction, the demolition of which was approved by the High Court of Justice." The Cabinet minister went on to dismiss the notion that the international community might influence the decision. In a country that adheres to the rule of lawthe law is enforcedeven if the international community is objecting and threatening. Bayit Yehudi will make sure the demolition goes ahead." Khan al-Ahmar (Photo: AP) Reports on Saturday suggested the prime minister had decided to exhaust all options before moving ahead with the evacuation. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman slammed that the decision and stressed it was made despite (his) strong objections. The Supreme Court recently rejected a final appeal against plans to demolish the village. Justice Hanan Melcer wrote in his ruling that the evacuation might turn violent. There is real concern of disorderly conduct and violence occuring during the demolition, especially from non-residents. Social media posts have been calling to rally against the demolition, and to use violence if necessary, Melcer wrote. We can only hope the demolition is conducted peacefully, with no physical violence, so that the valuables in each home can be removed in an orderly fashion, he added. Israel says Khan al-Ahmar was built illegally and has offered to resettle its residents a few miles (kilometers) away. Palestinians and other critics say the demolition aims to displace local residents in favor of Israeli settlement expansion. The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor to issue a warning that the destruction of the village might constitute a war crime. The Bedouin tribe that lives in the villagethe Jahalinis originally from the Arad area. They settled on the territories between Ma'ale Adumim and Jericho in the 1950s, when the land was still under Jordanian rule. Today the community there includes tents and slum shacks, and an Italian-funded school. It houses 180 inhabitants. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin praised investment opportunities in Israel on Sunday and said Washington would increase its participation in infrastructure projects there. "We have a very important relationship with Israel. This is really a great place for investments, particularly technology investments," Mnuchin, launching a Middle East tour, told reporters in Jerusalem. The Security Cabinet ministers were summoned on Sunday by the prime minister in order to discuss the Khan al-Ahmar crisis, and determine the timetable for the evacuation of the Palestinian-Bedouin village. Two corporals in the Military Police were charged Sunday with looting, indecent assault and abuse of power. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter One of them is a combat soldier while the other is a security examiner at the Military Police's border crossings battalion. According to the indictment, the two stole cash money from Palestinians going through the Qalandiya border crossing near Jerusalem in recent months, as well as sexually assaulted two female tourists they were searching. Qalandiya border crossing (Photo: Shlomo Mor) Last month, during their remand extension, the president of the Jaffa Military Court, Col. Ahsan Halabi, noted that "there are suspicions of theft done by a public servant, looting and abuse of powerwith racist motivesas well as suspicions of sex offenses." "I read the classified report issued by the investigative unit and by examining some of the evidence I reached the conclusion that at this stage there is enough alleged evidence at the required level, and even more than that, and there is clear causes for arrest that justify the detainment of the suspects," the judge added. Cpt. Yulia Weinshnekar, who represents one of the suspects, said her client is "an excelling and valued soldier who serves in the best possible way in a complex and demanding role. As for the property offense, it was a one-time slip that is not typical of him. The soldier completely rejects all other suspicions and expects the investigation to end in a way that dismisses these suspicions." Thousands of Israelis, including public figures and members of youth movements, will mark the 23rd anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on Sunday evening . Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The memorial rally will take place at Rabin Square in Tel Avivwhere the former prime minister was murderedand begin at 6pm. Rabin at the 1995 rally for peace (: ) Dalia Rabin-Pelossof, Prof. Yael Tamir, Reno Tzror, Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, Yair Tzaban, Nabil Odeh, Rabbi Avi Gisser, Rabbi Yona Goodman, Dr. Haim Assa, Rabbanit Hadassah Fruman, and Ali Zahalka will be among the participants. The event, organized by the "Remembering the Murder" coalition, will also include discussion circles. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot addressed Rabin's assassination in his order of the day. "Twenty-three years have passed since the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, which left a deep cut in Israeli society and which became the turning point in the history of the State of Israel. Despite the fact a lot of time has passed and many of those currently on mandatory service were not even born on the eve of the murder, still, we must not forget, the chief of staff stressed. According to a study conducted by the Jewish People Policy Institute, led by Shmuel Rosner, the latest opinion polls indicate that 23 years later, less than half of the Jewish population in Israel (48 percent) say they feel "sad" over Rabins assassination. Meanwhile, more than half of the Jewish population in Israel (53 percent) say that for them the anniversary of the murder is "an ordinary day." The data also shows that around 15 percent of Israeli Jews plan to attend events dedicated to Rabin, whether big rallies or community memorial events. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin praised investment opportunities in Israel on Sunday and said Washington would increase its participation in infrastructure projects there. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "We have a very important relationship with Israel. This is really a great place for investments, particularly technology investments," Mnuchin, launching a Middle East tour, told reporters in Jerusalem. "We are going to make sure we do more infrastructure investments here," he added, without elaborating, in remarks alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu and Mnuchin (Photo: EPA) Israel and the United States have strong trade and business ties, particularly in the high-tech sector. Most of the large US high-tech firms including Google, Amazon, Microsoft and IBM have research and development centers in Israel. Intel Corp in May submitted plans to expand its production operations in Israel, with the Israeli government saying the US chipmaker would invest about $5 billion. Intel's exports from Israel amounted to $3.6 billion in 2017. Mnuchin also addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He said information so far on the investigation of the death was "a good first step but not enough" as Riyadh faced increasing international pressure over what happened to Khashoggi, who disappeared after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Steven Mnuchin (Photo: Reuters) President Donald Trump, who has said the United States would consider sanctions against Saudi Arabia, emphasized on Saturday that he was not satisfied with the Saudis' handling of the case. "It would be premature to comment on sanctions and premature to comment on really any issues until we get further down the investigation and get to the bottom of what occurred," Mnuchin told reporters in Jerusalem. Mnuchin confirmed that he would not attend a Saudi investment conference on Tuesday. However, he said he would visit Riyadh as planned for talks with his counterpart on joint efforts to counter terrorist financing and plans by Washington to reimpose sanctions against Iran in November. While IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot was in the Gaza Division on Friday to closely monitor the border fence riots , Fox News reported that American and other Western intelligence officials estimate Iran has recently increased the frequency of its advanced weapons deliveries to Hezbollah Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter As far as Eisenkot is concerned, this is the real headache he leaves to his successor, who has not only yet to be announced, but will also not have enough time for on-the-job training. According to Fox News' report, the latest shipments included GPS components meant to upgrade rockets and turn them into precision-guided missiles. Senior officials told the TV network that one of the flights landed in Lebanon on Tuesday. The plane, a Boeing 747, first touched down in Damascus and then continued to Beirut. IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot Fox News' report follows another report that noted that "accuracy kits" meant for the long-range missiles the Iranians having in Lebanon, are smuggled on commercial passenger airplanes going directly to the Beirut airport, where they enjoy cooperation from local authorities. This is how Iran overcomes the main obstacle to arms shipmentsthe possibility they'll be attacked by Israeli aircraft, as has happened more than once in the past. This modus operandi is consistent with the pressure Russia has been exerting on Iran in an effort to maintain the quiet in Syria since the Russian intelligence plane was shot down in the Latakia area over a month ago. But this is not enough for Hezbollah, as in addition to the GPS components the Shi'ite terror organization wants more long-range missiles as well as additional components to upgrade the accuracy of the existing missiles. Hezbollah's terror sites in Beirut (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office) comments made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman last week, according to which Israel continues operating in Syria against Iran and Hezbollah's military buildup. During his speech at the UN General Assembly last month, Netanyahu presented an aerial image of a missile factory Iran built near the Beirut airport, and sent a message to Iran and Hezbollah: "We will continue to act against you in Syria. We will act against you in Lebanon. We will act against you in Iraq. We will act against you whenever, and wherever. We must act to defend our state and to defend our people." (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office) main dilemma is whether or not to attack the Iranian missile factory in Lebanon as a preemptive strike. Israel hasn't attacked Hezbollah in Lebanon, nor acted to stop the terror group's military buildup, since the 2006 Second Lebanon War. Such a move would very likely lead to war. At this point we should go back to the images of the home of Miri Tamano in Be'er Sheva , which was hit last week by a rocket with a 20 kilogram warhead, perhaps a little more, causing significant damage to the structure. Twenty kilograms is not a lot in Hezbollah's terms, as the terror group has missiles with hundreds of kilograms of payload, highly accurate. Hezbollah has tens of thousands of the missiles fired at Be'er Sheva last week, several thousand heavier missiles and hundreds of heavy and accurate missiles. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah (Photo: EPA) Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is also watching the developments on the Gaza border closely, and how Israel conducts itself against Hamas, which has far lesser abilities than the Lebanese organization. The IDF respects itself too much to hide or minimize the events on the Gaza border (we don't expect anything from the government ministers anymore). Contrary to what was claimed, the protests on the border last Friday were not the quietest over the past seven months. Like recent weeks, grenades were thrown at IDF forces and Palestinians managed to cross the border fence in several locations. The quietest Friday was after the declaration of a ceasefire in August, and not last weekend. What did happen this time was that Hamas sent to the border fence only half the people that were there the week before10,000 instead of 20,000and tried to curb the violence, to some degree. Hamas proves again and again that it controls the height of the flames and has no intention to put out this fire until it gets what it wants. Israel's political leadership, which is mostly busy with threats to which it has no cover, is now required not only to stop making threats, but also to formulate a strategyand fastfor Gaza. The solution, at the end of the day, is diplomaticeven if it comes after a military blow. And if anyone thinks otherwise, they ought to instruct the IDF accordingly. The Security Cabinet approved Sunday the postponement of the evacuation of the Palestinian-Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, in order to exhaust the negotiations for a consented evacuation. Ministers Ayelet Shaked and Naftali Bennett voted against the delay. In accordance with the recommendation of professional elements, the Security Cabinet has granted an extension of several weeks in order to exhaust the negotiations for evacuation by agreement, said the official statement. The Security Cabinet approved Sunday the postponement of the evacuation of the Palestinian-Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar by "several weeks," in an effort to reach an agreement with the residents to willingly evacuate. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Ministers Ayelet Shaked and Naftali Bennett voted against the postponement. In accordance with the recommendation of professional elements, the Security Cabinet has granted an extension of several weeks in order to exhaust the negotiations for evacuation by agreement, said the official statement. A source close to Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman addressed the Security Cabinets decision. "The Cabinet approved the evacuation of the village. What is important is the end result. The defense minister will continue to stand by his opinion that the evacuation should be carried out, regardless of whether its in agreement with the residents or not," the source exclaimed. Reports on Saturday suggested the prime minister had decided to exhaust all options before moving ahead with the evacuation, but on Sunday morning Netanyahu denied agreeing to an indefinite postponement. "I have no intention of postponing the evacuation until further notice, despite media reports ... The amount of time that might be needed to evacuate the residents with their consent will be determined by the Cabinet," he stressed. Education Minister Naftali Bennett also vowed the hamlet will be evacuated, adding that the village is an illegal construction, the demolition of which was approved by the High Court of Justice." The Supreme Court recently rejected a final appeal against plans to demolish the village. Justice Hanan Melcer wrote in his ruling that the evacuation might turn violent. There is real concern of disorderly conduct and violence occuring during the demolition, especially from non-residents. Social media posts have been calling to rally against the demolition, and to use violence if necessary, Melcer wrote. We can only hope the demolition is conducted peacefully, with no physical violence, so that the valuables in each home can be removed in an orderly fashion, he added. Israel says Khan al-Ahmar was built illegally and has offered to resettle its residents a few miles (kilometers) away. Palestinians and other critics say the demolition aims to displace local residents in favor of Israeli settlement expansion. The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor to issue a warning that the destruction of the village might constitute a war crime. The Bedouin tribe that lives in the villagethe Jahalinis originally from the Arad area. They settled on the territories between Ma'ale Adumim and Jericho in the 1950s, when the land was still under Jordanian rule. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel will renegotiate two annexes to its peace treaty with Jordan in an effort to maintain control over Naharayim and Tzofar, after the Hashemite Kingdom decided to reclaim the territories. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Under the accord, Israel has been leasing the Island of Peace in Naharayim and the Tzofar enclave in the Arava for nearly a quarter of a century. Israeli farmers have cultivated the land for many years, but the terms of the agreement state that 25 years after the initial signing, each party will be able to discontinue the lease of the land on one conditionit should be done one year in advance, and this Sunday marks 24 years since the treaty was signed. Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photo: MX1) "Jordan has reserved the option to reclaim the area in Naharayim near the Jordan River and the Tzofar enclave in the Arava. We were told today that it seeks to exercise this option in the 25th year," the prime minister said. "We will go into negotiations with them on the option of extending the existing agreement." Nevertheless, Netanyahu stressed, "There's no doubt that in a general outlook, the entire treaty is a valuable asset, important to both countries." The peace treaty with Jordan, alongside the one signed by Prime Minister Menachem Begin with Egypt, "are main anchors of regional stability," the prime minister added. "In addition, we're expanding ties with other Arab countries for whom the State of Israel is not the enemy," he concluded. Jordan's King Abdullah, who has been facing pressure for some time to cancel the agreement with Israel, announced the decision to reclaim the territories on Sunday. "We are practicing our full sovereignty on our land," Abdullah said. "Our priority in these regional circumstances is to protect our interests and do whatever is required for Jordan and the Jordanians." Central Arava Regional Council head Eyal Bloom expressed concern by the Jordanian decision, saying "the agricultural lands in the Tzofar enclave are significant to the security of the area, the state, the livelihood of the residents and agriculture in the central Arava. This would mean the collapse of 30 farms in an area of some 1,400 dunams (346 acres)." "It is unacceptable that after so many years, there would be such a huge disruptive change," Bloom added. He called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resolve the crisis, saying the lands in question don't only serve for agriculture, but also "constitute a barrier between the populated areas of the Arava and Jordan, and they are critical, because of their location, to the security of the region and the state." As part of the 23rd anniversary of the assassination of the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, a memorial rally took place Sunday at Rabin Square in Tel Avivwhere the former prime minister was murdered. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The ceremony, which began at 6pm Sunday, is a central gathering event of youth movements with the participation of young people from all over the country. Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (Photo: David Rubinger) Dalia Rabin-Pelossof, Prof. Yael Tamir, Reno Tzror, Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, Yair Tzaban, Nabil Odeh, Rabbi Avi Gisser, Rabbi Yona Goodman, Dr. Haim Assa, Rabbanit Hadassah Fruman, and Ali Zahalka are in attendance. The event, organized by the "Remembering the Murder" coalition, included discussion circles. A series of events commemorating Rabin's memory began on Sunday afternoon. At 3pm, the state memorial service took place on Mount Herzl, with the participation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein and Supreme Court President Esther Hayut. Noa Rotman, Rabin's granddaughter spoke at the event. "Only days before he was murdered, my grandfather said he allows himself to ignore whoever calls him a murderer and a traitorbut that does not release him from his responsibility for his welfare and personal safety. 'I am the prime minister of everyone, even those who did not vote for me,' he said. His door was never slammedno matter how severely he was criticized," Rotman said. Noa Rotman (Photo: MX1) Rotman then addressed the country's elected officials. "Our public emissaries are responsible for the well-being of all of us: civil rights, personal security, the right to be parents and marry, the right to employment, housing and access to health. Welfare and culture are not and should not be prizes for patriotism or associating with government officials. If you do not stop the incitement campaign against anyone who does not conform to your ideasblood will be shed," she warned. "My grandfather is beloved and missed by all," Rotman concluded. "It might be a bit late for my country, but perhaps not too late for my daughters. There is a great divide in this country; it is in your power, elected officials, to stop it. Do not stand idly by," Rotman concluded. Rabin signs peace deal with Jordan (Photo: AP) Earlier Sunday, President Reuven Rivlin lit the Ner Yitzhak memorial candle and spoke at the official ceremony in Jerusalem. Day by day, the generation that did not know Yitzhak grows. The generation that did not itself sees the dark slippery slope from incitement and hatred to bloodshed," he stated. "Unfortunately, instead of becoming a bridge between right and left, the memory of the murder caused a rift between them... We must find the way in which the memory of the murder and its lessons will seep into Israeli society as a whole," he emphasized. President Reuven Rivlin (Photo: MX1) Rabin's grandson Yonatan Ben-Artzi also said a few words. "Democracy is not a monarchy. The citizens of the state are not subjects. I hereby call upon the president to work together with Israel's legislators in order to limit the prime minister's term of office. Limiting the term of office is necessary and important to prevent our leaders from becoming kings who separate themselves from the masses," he stressed. In addition, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot addressed Rabin's assassination in his order of the day. "Twenty-three years have passed since the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, which left a deep cut in Israeli society and which became the turning point in the history of the State of Israel. Despite the fact a lot of time has passed and many of those currently on mandatory service were not even born on the eve of the murder, still, we must not forget, the chief of staff said. Rabin's grandson Yonatan Ben-Artzi (Photo: Alex Gamburg) According to a study conducted by the Jewish People Policy Institute, led by Shmuel Rosner, the latest opinion polls indicate that 23 years later, less than half of the Jewish population in Israel (48 percent) say they feel "sad" over Rabins assassination. Meanwhile, more than half of the Jewish population in Israel (53 percent) say that for them the anniversary of the murder is "an ordinary day." The data also shows that around 15 percent of Israeli Jews plan to attend events dedicated to Rabin, whether big rallies or community memorial events The US-led coalition said on Sunday it had killed militants in eastern Syria by striking a mosque that Islamic State used as a base, after reports of dozens of civilian deaths. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air strikes killed 41 people, including 10 children, in al-Sousa village and its environs on Thursday and Friday. Many were Iraqi relatives of Islamic State fighters, the UK-based monitor said. The former head of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin set down for an interview with Ynet Sunday and addressed Iran's transfer of GPS missile system to Hezbollah Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter According to Fox News, Iran has reportedly stepped up its shipments of advanced weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. One of the shipments arrived in Lebanon last week, transporting GPS components to make unguided rockets into precision-guided missiles, thereby increasing the threat to Israel. Hassan Rouhani (left) and Hasan Nasrallah (right) In addition, according to the report, which cited American and Western intelligence sources, an Iranian cargo plane reportedly took off from the Tehran International Airport last Tuesday at 9:33am, flying to an unknown destination. It later arrived in Damascus and then continued to Beirut, where it landed just after 2pm, Fox News said, citing flight tracker software. Yadlin, head of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), said in response to the report that "the Iranians were severely beaten on May 10. The IDF attacked about 50 targets in Syria where the Iranians were based, it took them some time, but according to my estimates, they changed strategy: instead of basing the precision missile factories in Syria, they decided to do it in Lebanon. Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin (Photo: Yaron Brener) "It is more problematic for Israel since Israel, to this day, has not attacked the Iranian consolidation in Lebanon or Hezbollah's weaponry, and now there are missile conversion factories. According to the report, these are statistical missiles that strike at a distance of several kilometers. This poses a very difficult dilemma for Israel," Yadlin explained. The cabinet's assessment is that if Israel deliberately attacks Hezbollah targets, we face an almost certain war? "This should be the working assumption, of course it will be necessary for the Israeli Intelligence Community to give an estimate of the chances of war, and whether there are courses of action that on the one hand achieve the goal and on the other hand do not escalate the situation and start a war. In Syria, the IDF learned how to formulate such a course of action that did not lead to war." Are we to expect Israeli attacks in Lebanon from now on? "Israel is facing two choices: first, to strike, not necessarily by air, there are other methods to harm Iran's establishment in Lebanon. Second, Israel can do what it has been doing for the past 12 years. Between 2006 and 2018, Israel did not act against Hezbollah's buildup, and therefore the organization is much stronger today than it was in 2006. This is a serious dilemma, which will be raised in the Security Cabinet meeting." Can Israel strategically allow Hezbollah to continue its military buildup? "If Israel does not do anything, Hassan Nasrallah's organization will turn its Order of battle of its statistical Missiles and rockets into precision missiles. The price will be paid in war." Hezbollah's terror sites in Beirut (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office) Do you think this is a mistake? Because we know their arsenal is very big. "True, their arsenal is large, but as long as they don't have precision missiles, it is a terrorist weapon factory it cannot attack important our power centers Israel, intelligence bases, air force bases, the Kirya base, or power stations. Today Hezbollah can mostly strike innocent civilians, but damage to Israel's military can only be caused by precision missiles." Is this a change Israel will not accept? Yes, the prime minister and defense minister announced, both in Israel and abroad, that Israel will not accept this change. The transition from announcements, speeches and declarations to action is the most difficult part. We need to see where the government is heading. " The Hebrew University has stepped up its campus security Sunday evening, ahead of the arrival of Lara Alqasem, a US graduate student who was detained upon entering the country because of alleged involvement in the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Yehuda, a law student, told Ynet: There are some students here that thought this was a political war played behind her back, while others thought that those who turn against the State of Israel have crossed a red line. I personally think that after the court has ruledwe have to align with its ruling . Lara Alqasem arriving at the Hebrew University. (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) However, from what I read in the verdict, she shouldnt be here. The court chose to ignore and neglect important details. She is presented as the head of a small neglectable student organization, but if we are to fight the boycott movement, then it is permissible to harm people for that purpose, the student continued. Its important to say that it wasnt such a big deal in the faculty. There were some inner debates in WhatsApp groups, but not much more, he concluded. Lara Alqasem, 22, flew to Israel on Oct. 2 on a student visa to pursue her graduate studies at Hebrew University. However, she was refused entry by security officials who cited her role as president of a small local chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Florida. The Supreme Court ruled last Thursday that Alqasem will be allowed to stay in the country. Hebrew University students save a seat for Alqasem. (Photo: "Standing Together" student movement) "The call for participation in a boycott against the state is likely to be considered as encouragement to participate in illegal activity.... There is no dispute that between 2014 and 2017, Alqasem was a member of a student organization and for two years served as its president," Justice Erez Yekuel explained then in his ruling. Supreme Court Judge Neil Hendel wrote that the state is correct in its intentions but not in its implementation, explaining that combating BDS is admirable and defending a democracy is part and parcel of democracy. However, Hendel asserted, preventing Alqasems entry does not serve the purpose of the anti BDS law passed by the Knesset. However one justice wrote that if Alqasem "returns to her old ways" and promoted a boycott while she was in Israel her stay could be cancelled and she could be expelled. Following the verdict, the Hebrew University, which supported Alqasem in her struggle to enter the country, released a short statement. "The Hebrew University of Jerusalem looks forward to welcoming our newest student, Lara Alqasem, as she begins her master's degree in Human Rights & Transitional Justice at our law school next week." Minister of Interior Aryeh Deri responded to the ruling calling it a disgrace. Where is our national pride? Would she have dared act against the United States while seeking to study there? I intend to examine how to prevent this incident from setting a precedent, he said. In light of Jordanian King Abdullah's intentions to cancel the appendices to the 1994 peace treaty , which would end Israel's lease of Naharayims Island of Peace and the Tzofar enclave, the Jordanian public have been supporting the treatys cancellation in demonstrations and social media campaigns. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "We are practicing our full sovereignty on our land," Abdullah said. "Our priority in these regional circumstances is to protect our interests and do whatever is required for Jordan and the Jordanians." A Twitter campaign counting down the days to the King's decision. (Photo: Twitter) Jordans announcement came in light of mass demonstrations and social media campaigns in support of the peace treatys cancellation. A campaign featuring a countdown to the final day of decision regarding the lease was widely spread online. The Jordan Bar Association sent an official letter to Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz, urging him not to extend the Israeli lease of the lands. The Bar Association's recommendation received the support of 80 out of 130 Jordanian members of parliament. However, some voices on social media expressed a more critical opinion of their governments position. "How is it possible that the area under Israeli control is so green, while only a few meters away the Jordanian lands are arid and desolate?" one user wondered. The two annexes to the peace treaty were a mistake to begin with, said Jordanian Parliament member Omar al-Qarakish said on Sunday. Now we are amending that. Israel didnt allow Jordanians to drink from the waters of these landsand now the original owners will have all the rights. A Jordanian citizen told Ynet today that, people here are really happy about this decision. Even though parliament members and activists were working on it, it still came as a surprise. Its too early to say whether Jordan will indeed get those lands back. It's a part of the treaty and it needs to be discussed, she added. The letter signed by Jordanian MP's calling to cancel the lease. (Photo: Twitter) The appendices to the peace agreement concern mainly the lease of the Island of Peace in Naharayim and the Tzofar enclave in the Arava, leased by Israel since the signing of the peace treaty between the two countries nearly 25 years ago. The terms of the agreement state that 25 years after the initial signing, each party will be able to discontinue the lease of the land on one conditionit should be done one year in advance, and this Sunday marks 24 years since the treaty had been agreed upon. Israeli farmers have cultivated the land for many years, but following Jordans announcement Israel will be forced to return the land in question within a year, unless the appendices could be renegotiated. King Abdullah's decision came as a surprise in Jerusalem. (Photo: EPA) The decision has reportedly come as a surprise to the officials in Jerusalem , as it would downgrade the peace treaty. Ynet commentator Ron Ben-Yishai estimates that Jordans decision is a result of pressure from within, coming from the Muslim Brotherhood movement. According to Ben-Yishai, It could also be an attempt to pressure Israel, in order to promote Jordanian financial demands regarding gas prices and water and quantities. Demands in the Palestinian context are also an option. Other farmers from the region who rely on these lands say that there arent enough good lands in the Arava to replace the leased lands. We will have no choice but to leave, said a local farmer. Israel has arrested two officials from the Palestinian Authority over suspicions they helped abduct a Palestinian resident of Jerusalem, their lawyers said on Sunday. The two men taken into custody by Israel were Adnan Gheith, who holds the largely ceremonial post of Palestinian-appointed governor of Jerusalem, and Jihad Al-Faqeeh, the head of Palestinian intelligence in the city. They are suspected of having assisted in abducting a resident of Jerusalem two weeks ago, who has since been held by the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank, their lawyers said. Both men deny the charges, they said. News Washington, DC - Each day, Americans use and benefit from high-quality products generated from our Nations bountiful forests. During National Forest Products Week, we recognize that strong, healthy, and well-managed forests are vital to our Nations economic prosperity. Forested lands make up one-third of Americas total land base and allow for the production of paper and packaging materials; lumber for our homes, buildings, and bridges; renewable energy materials; and a myriad of goods for domestic and global markets. The forest products industry is one of the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 45 States, producing more than $200 billion a year in sales and providing approximately $50 billion annually in payroll. Additionally, the industrys sustainable business practices and proper management of resources help us protect our abundant forests. A strong forest products sector stimulates job growth and bolsters our national and rural economies. My Administration is working to support effective, active, science-based forest management to help boost Americas competitiveness and success in this modern industry. We support the industrys efforts to develop innovative ways of using wood in modern-day construction and are working alongside States, local communities, private companies, and tribal entities to support wood initiatives in construction markets. These opportunities provide potential pathways to new products, more jobs, and a reemergence of rural timber communities in an industry that is ready to expand. This week, we acknowledge the many ways our Nations forests and woodlands contribute to our everyday lives through the raw materials they provide for numerous products, as well as the opportunities they offer for outdoor recreation. We also honor all the dedicated men and women who help to manage Americas beautiful forests and ensure they remain among our Nations greatest natural resources. Recognizing the economic value of the products yielded in our Nations forests, the Congress, by Public Law 86753 (36 U.S.C. 123), as amended, has designated the week beginning on the third Sunday in October of each year as National Forest Products Week and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week. NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 21 through October 27, 2018, as National Forest Products Week. I call upon all Americans to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies and activities and to reaffirm our commitment to our Nations forests. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day of October, 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 News Salt Lake City, Utah - A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned a seven-count indictment Thursday morning charging William Clyde Allen, III, age 39, of Logan, Utah, in connection with ricin-related threats. The indictment alleges he knowingly threatened to use a biological agent and toxin, specifically ricin, as a weapon. Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers of the Department of Justices National Security Division, U.S. Attorney John W. Huber of Utah, Special Agent in Charge Eric K. Barnhart of the FBIs Salt Lake City Field Office, Special Agent in Charge John Gullickson of the U.S. Secret Services Denver Field Office, and U.S. Postal Inspector Jared D. Bingham, Team Leader in Salt Lake City, announced the indictment. The indictment also charges Allen with one count of mailing a threat against the President and five counts of mailing threatening communications to an officer or an employee of the United States in the indictment returned Thursday morning. Allen was arrested on a federal complaint filed Oct. 5, 2018. He was ordered detained pending resolution of the case at a detention hearing Monday. U.S. Magistrate Judge Dustin B. Pead found him to be a danger to the community. Allen entered a plea of not guilty to the charges Thursday morning in U.S. District Court. U.S. District Judge David Sam will preside over a four-day trial starting Dec. 26, 2018, in Salt Lake City. The indictment alleges the defendant sent a letter to the President of the United States with the language Jack and the Missile Bean Stock Powder and containing castor bean material. Five counts of the indictment charge Allen with mailing threatening communications to an officer or an employee of the United States, including Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis; Admiral John M. Richardson, Chief of Naval Operations; FBI Director Christopher A. Wray; CIA Director Gina Haspel; and Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson. Ricin naturally exists in, and may be extracted from, the seeds of the castor bean. The extraction of ricin from these seeds does not require technical expertise. Small doses of ricin are lethal to human beings if ingested, inhaled, or injected. According to Center for Disease Control information, there are no known antidotes for poisoning from ricin. Allen purchased 380 castor beans in December 2017 in quantities of 100 (two purchases) and 30 (six purchases). The potential maximum penalty for threatening to use a biological toxin as a weapon is life in prison. Mailing a threat against The President has a potential maximum penalty of five years in prison and mailing a threatening communications to an officer or an employee of the United States has a potential 10-year sentence. Indictments are not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged in indictments are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Salt Lake City, with the assistance of the Department of Justices National Security Divisions Counterterrorism Section, is prosecuting the case. U.S. Postal Inspectors and special agents of the FBI and U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case. Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - This week, Ronnie Haycock, 42, of Kayenta, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to six years imprisonment, to be followed by fifteen years of supervised release. Haycock, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had previously pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor. During the summer of 2017, Haycock worked as a tour guide in the Monument Valley area of the Navajo Nation. On the night of July 5, 2017, Haycock led an overnight camping tour in the area. While camped out that night, Haycock sexually abused a juvenile female who was on the tour. The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix. Today Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High around 85F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy in the evening with more clouds for later at night. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 83F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. There is not enough analysis data for Botswana Diamonds. 4.1 Community Rank Outperform Votes Botswana Diamonds has received 231 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Botswana Diamonds has received 140 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Botswana Diamonds has received 62.26% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Botswana Diamonds and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe BOD will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe BOD will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next YEN.com.gh has sighted a throwback photo of founder and leader of the International Gods Way Church, Bishop Daniel Obinim in his early preaching days and has caused a stir on social media. The popular pastor who was seen preaching in the throwback photo appeared skinny than he actually was now. What caught the eye of many people however was the 'oversized' long-sleeved shirt he was wearing and how it was drenched in sweat. Bishop Daniel Obinim.Credit: Supplied Source: Depositphotos READ ALSO: Photo: Traditional priest goes missing as efforts begin to find him The picture of the popular preacher from his early days, was compared to a much recent photo of him looking all 'dapper' in a suit. Bishop Daniel Obinim, over the years, has claimed to have moved on from one rank to the other in the spiritual realm and now has taken the position of an angel. He was seen in a quite recent video teaching his congregants a new dance and the video went viral on social media. "We are going to do a certain dance that everyone must replicate. When I dance, everyone of you must also dance," Obinim told his church members. He then called one of his pastors who stood facing him and they started demonstrating the dance which saw them hug each other. Credit: Facebook Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Sarkodie spotted in new Range Rover Vogue after Shatta Wale released 'Advice' Benz (Video) Some of his church members who were already dancing tried replicating the dance and soon, the front of the auditorium was filled with people trying to replicate the dance of their leader. It is common knowledge that the Kumasi-based pastor has claimed to be an angel and has upgraded through the ranks to become an arch-angel. Bishop Obinim recently put out a list of other pastors he claimed were also angels like himself Not too long ago, YEN.com.gh reported that the pastor, while speaking on a local TV station, claimed to have been introduced to Adam, Eve, Moses and Abraham. In the same TV interview, the preacher revealed that he was purchasing a private jet which was to arrive in the country on his request. READ ALSO: White lady weeps after 'sakawa' boy allegedly 'chopped' her money YEN.com.gh also reported a on a video in which the pastor was seen in one of his church branches during service reportedly trying to vanish into heaven. The leader of the church is arguably one of Ghanas most influential Men of God. He is also counted among the richest Men of God in the country because he boasts of many houses and expensive cars with the latest addition to his fleet being a $300,000 Rolls Royce. Aside the fact that many people do not side with some of the antics and controversies,the Man of God has been involved in, he commands a huge church following both in Kumasi and Accra. The Man of God is married to local gospel sensation, Florence Obinim. READ ALSO: Moesha Boduong's latest photo causes stir on social media Watch: Ghana News Today: Shatta Wale's Reign Album Launched Big | Yen.com.gh Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: Yen The ratio of Ghanaians who own houses is invariably higher than the number of Ghanaians who do not and it has resulted in many people having to rent to be able to get a roof over their heads. Situations such as these bring house owners popularly known as landlords, into contact with tenants who come from different backgrounds and have different behaviors. Tenant-landlord relationships have com a long way since the inception of renting houses as a result of relocation, work or any other given reason. Compound house. Credit: meQasa Source: UGC READ ALSO: Latest throwback photo of Bishop Daniel Obinim lands online Some landlords are very particular about how tenants live in and manage their houses especially when the owner lives on the same property with them. Very strict landlords, before they give their rooms out for rent, inform the potential tenant of the rules and regulations governing the house and find out if the tenant can live by them. Failure to do so, sometimes leads to eviction. YEN.com.gh has sighted a such rules and regulations governing tenants in a house owned by a Ghanaian landlord. Landlord's rules and regulations. Credit: Facebook Source: Facebook The landlord's 'constitution' comprised opening and closing time of the house' main gate, the rules governing the usage of certain amenities in the house and even restriction on visitors. On visitors, the landlord stated, "Please note too many friends in the house is not allowed (for security reasons)." READ ALSO: Photo: Traditional priest goes missing as efforts begin to find him In cautioning tenants who were in relationships, the landlord warned that he did not want a situation whereby more than one boyfriend or girlfriend visiting a tenant on the same day because he did not want a fight to erupt in his house. "Male and female tenants are entitled to one sexual partners, we don't want a situation whereby two partners will come and crush and fight", the rules and regulations stated. When it came to the usage of water in the house, the landlord informed the tenants that they had to pay up for the supply of water on time. Failure to do so, he said, would lead to the tank in which the water was kept to be locked. The landlord concluded by urging his tenants to come to him with any issue they had because he operated a 'open door policy'. "Please if you have any problem or anything bordering you in the house please feel free and talk to the landlord," the notice concluded. READ ALSO: White lady weeps after 'sakawa' boy allegedly 'chopped' her money Watch: Ghana News Today: President Akufo-Addo Commissions NaBCo Graduates | Yen.com.gh Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: Yen fghan administration of President Ashraf Ghani suffered a massive blow when Chief of Police in the volatile Afghan district of Kandahar Abdul Raziz, a fierce opponent and bulwark against the Taliban was assassinated. The attack critically injured the Governor of Kandhar Zalmay Wesa creating a massive power vacuum in an already faltering structure of governance in Afghanistan. 17 years into the war in Afghanistan since 9/11,Taliban roughly controls nearly as much territory as it did before 9/11. Sri Lanka and regional press was inundated with the narrative of an RAW led assassinated plot of the incumbent President and the global media spotlight honing on the disappearance and potential assassination of a dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashogi, a columnist in exile working for the Washington Post owned by tech powerhouse Amazon.com Sri Lanka-India relations went from normal to an emergency mode within the span of 24 hours with reports that the Sri Lankan President has made remarks of a potential RAW backed plot to assassinate him during a cabinet briefing. While both governments have managed to minimize the fall out the political narratives are hard to control. All these are incidents of a world in flux and an international order being undone and yet to be remade. Liberal disorder and toxic information This article does not focus on the authenticity of the actual events or intend to take a deep dive on dissecting these events separately. Instead it is an attempt to build a case on the information disorder and emergence of powerful political events and narratives around them. The core argument is located on the correlation between global disorder and disinformation campaigns both undermines democratic societies, democratic values and emboldens authoritarian powers. Authoritarian tendencies within democracies and established authoritarian powers have begun alarming campaigns of intimidation. These campaigns include disappearances of political rivals, rights activists, targeting is becoming increasing trans-border in nature and is fully exploiting the decaying institutional structure of the so called liberal world. Grace Meng, the wife of Interpol Chief Meng Hongwei who recently resigned under mysterious circumstances while in his home soil in China, claims he is no longer alive. Hongwei served as President of Interpol from 2016 till his detention in China operating from Interpol office in Paris. Reports from China claim that, he is detained under the sweeping anti-corruption drive led by President Xi Jinping. Info-Wars The most alarming aspect of this tendency of disappearances, assassinations comes in the faltering of that Post World War II order as a result of indifference towards liberal values by the architects of the global system. Analysts argue that the liberal order was a guise to advance the interest of the American hegemonic project. Thus dictators and illiberal allies were nurtured and today the US is no longer able to control the monsters of its own creation. As a consequence the US is sounding alarm bells of how weaponized narratives are undermining their position in the world backed by academic, policy research and political statements coming from both aisles of its political spectrum. Taliban roughly controls nearly as much territory as it did before 9/11 Meng Hongweis wife claims her husband is no longer alive Prince Salman saw Jamal Khashoogi as a threat to the Kingdom Last week Harvard Universitys key think tank for International politics and security released a report titled, Can democracy survive in the information Age? looks at weaponization of information and the increasing vulnerability of democratic politics and political processes. The report argues, key information technologies have evolved quickly over the past five years and been weaponized against democracies. The trajectory of data-driven technologies, including machine learning and other aspects of artificial intelligence, will increase the scale, complexity and effectiveness of adversary information operations. While Harvard University report looks at players such as Russia and Saudi Arabia, the US Vice President Mike Pence, in a landmark speech that was delivered at the conservative think tank, the Hudson Institute a few weeks back, in which he also made a remark about Sri Lanka being a military outpost for the Chinese PLA Navy, further mentioned that China has initiated an unprecedented effort to influence American public opinion, the 2018 elections, and the environment leading into the 2020 presidential elections. He claimed that China wanted a different president in 2020. Saudi Arabia and its trans boundary excursions Ever since Saudi Arabias crown prince Mohammed bin Salman started purging rival royals and engaging in an adversarial relationship with Qatar, his ability to target dissident Saudi nationals and any element of Qatari power is a classic case study to understand the erosion of liberal institutional safeguards in global politics. The disappearance of Khashogi while visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul needs to be revisited with the focus of why such cases have significant international political implications. The question is how did Khashogi, a longtime close confidante of the Saudi Royal Family before becoming a critique of the regime became a prime target of the crown prince. He was part of the larger media operations of the Al Saud family and he had been involved in intelligence operations on behalf of the house of Saud. He was an avid supporter of the Mujahedeen movement which fought Soviet Union in Afghanistan backed by the CIA and was one of the first people to interview Osama bi Laden during the war against Soviet Union and cut his ties with Bin laden in aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. US Vice President Mike Pence remarked SL being a military outpost for Chinese PLA Navy Indo-SL relations suffered mild crack after suspected RAW involvment to assassinate SL President His relations with the house of Saud were soured with Prince Salman who saw him as a threat to the Kingdom because of his relationship and support to the Muslim Brotherhood which Salman despises and perceives to be a front that advances interests of his arch rival Qatar. It was in this context Khashogi flees to the US and begins his stint as a columnist for the Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post since 2017. Thus the Saudi-Qatari tensions have led Saudi Arabia to pursue multiple forms of aggression against both regime critics and Saudis who are seen as sympathetic to Qatar, thus the inability to contain such acts of aggression is a further hallmark of the decaying liberal order and institutions. The lesser known incidents of Saudi operations in the information sphere should also be highlighted. The University of Toronto-based cyber research establishment the Citizenlabwhich was instrumental in uncovering the alleged China-led Ghostnet operation in 2009 that targeted Tibetan nationals including the Dalai Lama online, recently reported on the increasing use of sophisticated spy wear by the Saudi administration. This spy wear has the capability to totally compromise an individuals internet identity and devices enabling the Saudi regime to track critics of the regime globally, the spy wear known as Pegasus ironically was developed by the Israeli cyber weapons developer NSO Group. Citizenlab report identifies how Saudi connected operator was able to use Pegasus to infiltrate and takeover the cellular phone of Omar Abdulaziz, a Saudi activist and Canadian permanent resident. Abdulaziz is an outspoken critic of the current Saudi regime and he runs a political satire on YouTube that has more than million followers and thus has earned the ire of the Saudi regime. The report further reveals this same operator has monitoring targets across Bahrain, Canada, Egypt, France, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Turkey and the UK Fallout from toxic information and global disorder The most significant socio political revolution of the 21st century is the merger of cyber culture into the larger political eco system creating informational narratives that spread via social media with no or real need for accuracy checks or need for authenticity. Thus political processes that prevented catastrophic failures of governance are indeed undermined, the term global governance is now an outcast in the Trump administrations lexicon. Countries like Sri Lanka riding in the midst of this turmoil should need a foreign and national security policy that has strategic communication as an integral aspect and pillar if we do not adapt soon to these emerging challenges as the two mini cases discussed in this article are destined to fly blind into the eye of the storm. Author is the Director, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) The Deputy PM conveyed thanks from Acting President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh and the family of late President Tran Dai Quang to the Pope for extending condolences over the death of the President and sending a representative to Vietnam to pay last respects to the deceased. He informed the Pope on Vietnams outstanding achievements in socio-economic development and international integration, emphasizing that they are the results of the joint efforts of all Vietnamese, including the religious community. Deputy PM Binh affirmed that Vietnam constantly works to perfect its policy on respecting and ensuring the freedom of religion and belief for all Vietnamese, and offering favourable conditions for religions to operate in line with their charters and statutes and in accordance with the law. This can be clearly seen in the all-round development and diverse activities of religions in Vietnam, including the Vietnam Catholic Church. Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh and Pope Francis (Photo: VNA) Pope Francis welcomed the visit by Deputy PM Binh, describing it as an important new step of development helping enhance mutual understanding and thus further promoting the ties between Vietnam and the Vatican in the time ahead.He recalled the good memory about his meetings with Vietnams leaders in the past years and expressed joy at the positive developments in Vatican-Vietnam ties.The Pope thanked the Government and authorities at all levels of Vietnam for facilitating activities of the Vietnam Catholic Church and the Vaticans non-resident envoy to Vietnam.He stressed that the Vietnam Catholic Church should better implement the motto of Living the Gospel amid the nation set by the Vietnam Episcopal Council and the Popes teaching that a good Catholic is a good citizen.The Pope encouraged Vietnamese Catholic followers and dignitaries to participate in common activities and make active contributions to the development of the nation and the church.The Vietnamese Deputy PM affirmed that Vietnam appreciates and respects the instructions and teachings of the Pope and the Holy See towards the Vietnamese Catholic community. He expressed the hope that the Holy See will guide the Vietnam Catholic Church and Vietnamese Catholic community in following the Popes teachings, adding that Vietnam stands ready to work with the Vatican to enhance bilateral ties.During his meeting with the Vatican Secretary of State, Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh stressed that Vietnam always creates the best conditions for religions, including Catholic, to operate on an equal basis and in accordance with the law.Vietnam attaches importance to and wants to promote ties with the Vatican on the basis of respect for principles on relations among nations, meeting the aspirations and interests of both sides, Binh said.Pietro Parolin said the Vatican always encourages the Vietnam Catholic Church to contribute actively to national construction and defence.The two sides exchanged views on important issues in bilateral ties and affirmed the need to maintain high-level meetings and regular dialogues at all levels.They discussed and reached agreement on the directions for strengthening Vietnam-Vatican ties towards elevating the relationship from the level of non-resident envoy to resident envoy in the time ahead. They assigned the joint working group to make preparations for the 7th meeting to discuss the issue in details. Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh conveyed an invitation from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to Secretary of State Parolin to visit Vietnam, which the latter accepted with pleasure./. ommunal Politics have played havoc in the political platform of Sri Lanka for a number of decades. Although the organized left movement in the country and the wise leaders of many political parties have advocated persistently against communalism and racial hatred, it has not died down significantly. Not only in Sri Lanka, even our closest neighbour, India is also still suffering from the same disease-in some of the states in India it has developed into a cancerous situation. In Sri Lanka, although the three main languages have been officially accepted as state languages and provincial councils have become part and parcel of the constitution and further several other measures have been taken by various governments to ameliorate the grievances of the affected people, the cancer of communalism is still surviving here, although on a low level compared to the past. As a student of politics, I thought I should go into the deep to find out causes of communalism in our motherland. In Sri Lankan politics, signs of communalism or the germs of communalism flared up in the 1930s, when the representatives of the British Raj in then Ceylon introduced and encouraged the ugly method of separating the different communities by nominating representatives to the Legislative Council from each of the major groups-low country Sinhalese, up-country Kandyan Sinhalese, Ceylon Tamils, Muslims, Burghers, and also the local British. Historical records reveal that this process came into being in a coherent way in 1833 and the term communal representation slowly but steadily incarnated into the political vocabulary. Prof. A.J. Wilson, the author of SRI LANKAN TAMIL NATIONALISM says that Communalism became a prerogative word to those members of the political class of all the communities who thought in narrow terms of preserving and protecting their particular interests. The British maintained communal representation as an effective method of discerning the views and needs of the different communities. Dr. I. D.S. Weerawardena, who was a lecturer, in the Department of Economics in the University of Peradeniya also held the same views as that of Prof. Wilson over this issue. In his well written thesis, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF CEYLON (1931-1946) he says that Reforms of 1920 were not satisfactory to the leaders of the nationalist movement. Congress boycotted the scheme because it argued communal representation was being perpetuated. The Governor tried to compromise. In 1921, the Congress gave up the boycott. But, the agitation continued. This political scenario gradually changed from 1931. From this period onwards, a middle class growing in strength took the upper hand in spearheading the national movement for political reforms. This constitutional agitation for political reforms was worked through several active groups, but more or less belonging to the same social class. Although they had their own differences, they were unanimously agreed on one thing-They stood unitedly for some form of self government. While agitating for self-government, almost all the bourgeois leaders and vested groups were keen on carving out special positions for themselves. To achieve these aims, racial appeals were thoroughly utilized. However, the toiling masses of the society did not show any clear signs to get themselves organized into a forum for social emancipation. However, with the launching of the Donoughmore Constitution of 1931 and emergence of a left movement in the 1930s, this void was successfully filled. The Donoughmore Commissioners recommended the complete abolition of communal representation, and the new State Council was to consist of 65 members elected territorial wise, three ex-officio members, and nominated members up to a maximum of 12, if the Governor considered it necessary to make the body more representative. The suffrage was to be extended to all men over 21 years of age and to all women over 35 years who applied to be registered as electors and had resided in the island for a minimum of five years. Income, property and literary qualifications were to be abolished. All these measures taken together, were revolutionary in character. (People in the UK, received the right of universal suffrage only in 1928 and it was a big achievement for Sri Lanka to get this right, only three years after universal suffrage was introduced to UK. Although the representatives of the majority community accepted the Donoughmore constitution in principle, the minority communities had become seriously apprehensive, and on June 8, 1935, the Tamils, (both Ceylon and Indian) and the Muslims sent a joint statement to the Secretary of State in which they set out their case in considerable detail. They declared that they had declared their opposition to the Donoughmore scheme from the very beginning and had viewed it with growing alarm since it had been put into operation. According to their version, it was a complete and abrupt departure from the principles which had been followed from 1833 to 1923. In this joint statement, they have further said that the majority community had been placed in power as an inevitable result of the abolition of communal representation and adoption of territorial representation. Regarding this attitude of the minorities, The Report of the Soulbury Commission says on this analysis, it was the proposal to abolish communal representation that was at the root of the difficulty, for in the existing Legislative Council the minority communities enjoyed, man for man, a greater voting power than the Sinhalese. The majority community would naturally welcome the removal of this disparity. (Source: SOULBURY COMMISSION REPORT-REPRINTED 1955 - HER MAJESTYS STATIONERY OFFICE - LONDON). These antagonistic grievances of the Tamil educated class were represented in the state council by G.G.Ponnambalam from 1934, the year he entered the state council. In 1944, under his leadership the All-Ceylon Tamil Congress was formed. (Up to this stage, the credit should go to this Tamil leader for carrying on a one-man struggle inside the state council to highlight the grievances of the educated Tamil community) However, he very cunningly postulated the principle of balanced representation commonly referred to as 50-50 - i.e. that half of the seats in the legislature and the executive should be reserved for the minority communities as a defence mechanism against the possibility of the Sinhalese adopting a dominant strategy. However, the leader who fought for 50-50 in the state council and outside, took a U-turn suddenly by joining the cabinet of ministers in 1948, under the leadership of Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake. This betrayal of G. G. Ponnambalam, caused a division in the Tamil Congress and finally led to the formation of ILANKAI THAMIL ARASU KADCHI (ITAK). The official name of this political organization was termed as, The Federal Party of the Tamil Speaking People. S. J. V.Chelvanayagam was unanimously elected as its leader and this charismatic man monopolized the Tamil political platform from 1956 onwards, through his unique organization, until the party coalesced with all other Tamil Wings in 1976, under a new banner - THE TAMIL UNITED LIBERATION FRONT (TULF). With the formation of TULF and thereafter the taking over of the militant Tamil movement by the leadership of the LTTE and the prolonged war it manned for nearly three decades, destroyed the foundations of Sri Lanka in several ways. From 1958 onwards, the events that took place in Sri Lankan society in 1971, 1983, 88-89 and during the days of the prolonged war, thousands and thousands of young blood had gone to the drain. All our governments and political leaders who manipulated communal slogans for their own narrow political ends are responsible for this national tragedy. Singapore, which does not have any rich, valuable natural resources as Sri Lanka, has risen up to the first world from the third, under the able leadership of former senior leader, Lee Kuan Yew, who rallied round all the ethnic groups under one umbrella for his glorious mission. If we want to march forward as a united nation in the challenging 21st century, we must follow the same footsteps. The TNA which was toeing the line of the LTTE during the dark days of the war has expressed its willingness, now, to reach for an amicable political solution within a United Sri Lanka. This opportunity should not be lost and we should not give in to the hands of people like C.V. Vigneswaran to create further tensions by misusing mad communal slogans. Communalists of both groups should be isolated and the countrys future must be handed over to patriotic educated youth. Indian LGBTQ community celebrates Supreme Court verdict in favour of gay sex rights With a revolutionary judgement, the Indian Supreme Court last month abolished laws that criminalized sexual activities between individuals of same-sex. The panel of judges headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra held that criminalization of same sex relationships by Section 377 of Indian Penal Code was contrary to the Constitution of India, and that it violated fundamental rights of individuals especially the Articles 15 of Constitution which guarantees explanation that no discrimination should be done against any citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Arguments of public morality and public decency came up as usual, yet the court did not hesitate to strike down this archaic colonial time legal provision which was in force for a period of about 158 years in India. The court also declared that Section 377 of Indian penal code was unconstitutional in so far as it criminalizes consensual sexual conduct between adults of the same sex. This landmark judgment has given a ray of hope for the LGBT community in Sri Lanka as well. However, if we could follow the same legal path is still a question due to legal and social barriers. First obstacle is the cultural attitudes which are heavily influenced by Victorian era norms (which have no relevancy to Sri Lankan traditions). The other barrier is the legal limitations. This article is mostly focussing on the latter. The Sri Lankan Penal Code contains provisions similar to Indian Penal Code, which criminalizes sexual activities between individuals of same-sex. The history and origins of Section 365 of Sri Lankan Penal code runs back to 16th Century, when the Buggery Act was imposed in England to prohibit unnatural sexual acts against the will of God. This law further prescribed death penalty on such offenders. Following the Wolfenden report, the UK Parliament finally abolished this law in 1967, while former colonies such as India, Sri Lanka and commonwealth Caribbean continued to keep these legal provisions in their penal law, remnants of outdated British legal codes. Legal provisions which are often used against affairs of LGBT community often relates to decency. This implies that majority heterosexual affairs are naturally decent while same-sex relationships are often regarded as indecent. In a context where the police tend to arrest even heterosexual couples at parks for indecency, it is not a surprise that they have a higher tendency to use indecency argument against LGBT relationships. Section 365A of our Penal Code, which is also used as a legal tool against same-sex relationships, stipulates that any person who, in public or private, commits any act of gross indecency with another person, shall be guilty of an offence. This section makes it illegal to commit act of indecency even in private. What is considered decent and what is indecent (in private context) appears to be highly subjective. It is a question how a heterosexual activity between two consenting individuals in private sphere becomes decent, while a sexual activity between consenting adults of same-sex in private sphere becomes indecent. Wording of Section 365 of the Sri Lankan Penal Code (and that of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code) contains the ambiguous term carnal intercourse against the order of nature which is the vague benchmark used to differentiate and condemn sexual activities of LGBT community. This term appears to normalize heterosexual behaviour of the majority while affairs and activities of the sexual minorities are automatically treated as against the order of nature. This gives rise to a fundamental question regarding the nature of human sexuality. Is it merely a biological arrangement? Should it necessarily be heterosexual? The same line of thinking entails whether sexual orientation, which is beyond the control of an individual, could be made the basis of a criminal offence. Present understanding of human sexuality is that it is a social construction, though the topic is open to debate. Even if we argue that human sexuality is biologically determined, it is clear that sexual orientation is beyond control of the relevant individual. "Both Constitutions in Sri Lanka and India impose limitations on rights of citizens on concerns of morality. But Sri Lankan constitution and Indian Constitution have a few key difference as well" Article 12 of our constitution clearly states that no person should be discriminated on the grounds of sex, and the same Article guarantees equal protection before the law. Could a citizen be discriminated, or treated in a different manner before the law due to sexual orientation? Apparently this is what Section 365 does. However the Fundamental Rights provisions in our constitution are subject to limits imposed by Article 15 of the Constitution which stipulates that equality provisions shall be subject to restrictions in the interest of morality, among other restrictions. This has become fatal to any claim by persons with deviant sex identities, of equality before the law. Hence, there is a conflict between claims of protection from discrimination and morality. This explains us that if same sex relationships are against morality, claims of equality before the law cannot be maintained. Therefore, a judicial battle for the fundamental right of equality before the law and for decriminalizing same-sex relationships is bound to fail within the constitution itself. Morality was a major argument put forward against abolition of Section 377 in India. While a crucial petition claiming to abolish Section 377 being heard before the High Court of Delhi in 2008, Additional Solicitor General P.P. Malhotra commented stating that homosexuality would lead to a big health hazard and degrade moral values of society. This represents the popular Victorian sense of morality which normalizes heterosexual affairs while depicting homosexuality as an evil degeneration. Both Constitutions in Sri Lanka and India impose limitations on rights of citizens on concerns of morality. But Sri Lankan constitution and Indian Constitution have a few key difference as well. One is the power of judicial review of laws. Indian Supreme Court has certain powers for judicial review of legislation; hence it has the power to demolish any law or any part thereof which is found to be conflicting with Constitutional provisions. This was the major advantage the LGBT community had, in appeals to review the laws criminalizing same-sex relationships. Article 13 of Indian Constitution states that laws which are inconsistent with the fundamental rights are void. Hence, all which was legally required was to show that penal law in India was violating the constitutional rights of individuals. However, on the other hand, Article 16 of Sri Lankan Constitution expressly states that all existing written law and unwritten laws shall be valid, notwithstanding any inconsistency with the fundamental rights chapter of the Constitution. This constitutional provision presents a legal challenge totally different from the experience of Indian legal activists. Sri Lankan Supreme Court has a limited window of judicial review of draft laws only at the Bill stage. Once a law is passed and approved in the Parliament, such law cannot be challenged later for its inconsistency with the Constitution. This creates the second obstacle in any legal battle for abolition of Section 365 of the Penal Code, as it is expected to be in force even if it is found inconsistent with our Constitution. In Sri Lanka, the Supreme Court is not the forum for statutory changes, and it is up to the Parliament to amend the law, through a new legislative process. Limitation of rights imposed on grounds of morality, and lack of powers for judicial review of laws in Sri Lanka make it unlikely that a judicial process could be used to abolish Section 356 of Penal Code, as happened in India. Sri Lankan courts are technically incapable of abolishing or changing an existing law which has already been passed by the legislature. Such changes of laws should originate from the Parliament itself. Any proposal for a change of law requires majority vote of members of Parliament, who often succumbs to views of voters who believe in popular conceptions of morality. In short, effective legislative process to amend the law is highly unlikely, while judicial process may face unavoidable constitutional limitations. Does this mean a dead end for LGBT rights? "Article 12 of our constitution clearly states that no person should be discriminated on the grounds of sex, and the same Article guarantees equal protection before the law" The writer has an alternative opinion on this issue. Although it appears that having a judicial relief is almost impossible due to constitutional limitations on courts in demolishing an existing law, our judiciary is entrusted with the role of interpretation of laws, and the Supreme Court holds the exclusive power to interpret the Constitution. The Constitutional limitation imposed by Article 15 on concerns ofmorality has to be interpreted in a progressive way, to avoid influence of popular misbelief on LGBT community. Court may also re-define the meanings of vague terms in legal codes such as indecency immorality and intercourse against the order of nature. Unless the Section 365 is not repealed by a legislative intervention, this interpretative remedy could substantially solve the issues faced by the LGBT community, by getting their affairs not falling within the ambit of Section 365. A supportive view could be seen in the 2009Delhi High Court Judgment Naz Foundation v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi, in which case rights of LGBT community were first upheld. In the judgement the Delhi High Court pointed out that popular morality or public disapproval of certain acts is not a valid justification for restriction of the fundamental rights Popular morality, as distinct from a constitutional morality derived from constitutional values, is based on shifting and subjecting notions of right and wrong. This argument was developed from the views of none other than Dr. B.R. Ambedkar who headed drafting of Indian Constitution. The same principles could be applied by our Supreme Court in defining morality in line with the principles of equality embedded in the Constitution and especially in the fundamental rights chapter, to uphold rights of LGBT community. Author Priyalal Sirisena is an Attorney-at-Law of the SC and he is engaged in legal and advocacy activities in the field of Human Rights. A group of inmates of the Agunukolapelessa Prison launched a protest on top of a tower in the prison, this morning urging to withdraw the Police Special Task Force (STF) from the prison. It was reported that at least 75 inmates are protesting on top of the tower. A special unit of the STF had been deployed outside Angunukolapelessa Prison earlier this week to prevent drugs and other devices from reaching prison inmates. Earlier, the Ministry of Justice and Prisons Reforms said some 300 STF personnel would be deployed for such duties at the Colombo Remand Prison, Magazine Prison, Welikada Prison and the Angunukolapelessa prison.(Aneesha Manage) Video by Anisha Mannage Vote for your Integrity Idol before Thursday Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) last week revealed the five Idols selected by the panel of judges for Integrity Idol 2018, a first of its kind endeavour in Sri Lanka, which seeks to Name and Fame those in the public service, who go above and beyond the call of duty to serve the nation with integrity. Voting for Integrity Idol by SMS is open from Friday, 19 October to 12 noon on Thursday, November 1. Videos of each Integrity Idol are available on www.integrityidol.lk/ Nominations for Integrity Idol were accepted between 12 June and 31 July 2018, following a press, electronic and social media campaign. As at the deadline, TISL had received over 300 nominations proposing 207 individuals from across nearly all 25 Districts in the country. A unique feature of Integrity Idol, which has been successfully concluded in several countries including Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa and Nigeria is public engagement, whereby, after the judges select the five idols, the public is provided with an opportunity to vote for their Integrity Idol. The title of Winner of Integrity Idol 2018 will be conferred on the Idol with the most votes from the public at the grand finale. The finale will be held on November 3, 2018, at Stein Studios in Ratmalana, under the auspices of the Chief Guest Deshamanya Dr Radhika Coomaraswamy. The panel of judges have retired Deputy Auditor General M.D.A. Harold, retired Supreme Court Justice and former Chairman of CIABOC Ameer Ismail, retired Deputy Auditor General and National Integrity Award winner Lalith Ambanwala, Investigative Journalist Thusitha Pitigala and Civil Activist Maithreyi Rajasingam. Following a rigorous selection process and in-person interviews, the judges have selected the following five serving public officials as the Integrity Idols for 2018. Ms Kamani Asoka De Silva Senior Nurse, Kandy Teaching Hospital Ms De Silva is no stranger to the values of self-sacrifice, integrity, honesty and hard work. Over her many years of service, Ms De Silva has distinguished herself with the highlight being the establishment of the Cancer Suwa Sahana fund for underprivileged patients. From thinking outside the box to ensure better levels of care for her patients to raising awareness among the public on the impact of cancer, Ms De Silva is a role model for those in the health sector. SMS IDOL KAMANI to 0766 200 200 P. Karunarathna Bandara Divisional Education Director, Thambuttegama Division P. Karunarathna BandaraDivisional Education Director, Thambuttegama Division An education administrator with integrity, Mr Bandara stood up against the highest political authority in his province, when he was asked to carry out an activity that violated department regulations. He was subsequently transferred but uncompromising on his principles, Mr Bandara took the matter to the Supreme Court where the court ruled in his favour. A glimpse at his career as a school principal too, reflects his dedication to public service. SMS IDOL KARUNARATHNA to 0766 200 200 Ms Inoka Kulathunga Administrative Officer (Land Registration), Kandy Municipal Council A public administrator with a proven track record, Ms Kulathunga has achieved many awards and accolades for herself and the divisions she has served throughout her career. As an auditor, she has been responsible for strengthening accountability and flagging corruption within the Kandy Municipal Council and the Central Province, at times a detriment to the advancement of her career. However, she remains steadfast in upholding her values. SMS IDOL INOKA to 0766 200 20 Dr Wasantha Dissanayake Director (Private Health Development Sector), Ministry of Health A professional who is dedicated to his work, Dr Dissanayake has been an asset to the health sector in the country over his career. While serving at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital, Dr Dissanayake was responsible for tackling negligent practices in the treatment of patients. In 27 years of service, Dr Dissanayake has never engaged in a strike action, believing that his primary duty was to his patients. SMS IDOL WASANTHA to 0766 200 200 Upul Indrajith Assistant Director (Western Province), Department of Wildlife Conservation Committed to protecting the fauna of our country, Mr Indrajith achieved many accomplishments over his career. From establishing a wildlife office in Mirissa for the protection of marine mammals to standing against racketeering in the trading of elephants, Mr Indrajith has proved himself a force for good within the department despite the pressures faced as a result of his integrity. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday discussed the progress of a number of pending development projects, with the former expressing concern over delays, said a press release issued by the Sri Lankan PMs office. Mr. Narendra Modi has expressed his concern over the implementation of Indo-Sri Lanka joint development projects in accordance with the MoU signed between India and Sri Lanka in 2017 Mr. Modi said he was not satisfied with the response he had received from the Sri Lankan government to his overtures, said the release in Sinhala. Indias completed projects in Sri Lanka have been largely in the housing sector, and according to the release, Mr. Modi, during the meeting, agreed to finance another 10,000 homes for tea estate workers. The statement came in sharp contrast to the more blandly worded release from the External Affairs Ministry about the meeting. Prime Ministers discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and ways to further deepen the historically close and friendly relations between the two countries ... They also reviewed the progress in implementation of various decisions taken during high-level exchanges in the recent past, it said. Ministry officials present at the meeting said the delayed projects had indeed been the main subject of discussion, but characterised Mr. Modis reaction as taking stock of progress on the projects rather than disappointment. During Mr. Wickremesinghes previous official visit to Delhi in April 2017, the two nations signed a memorandum of understanding between India and Sri Lanka for cooperation in economic projects. Under the MoU, Letters of Intent (LoI) were to be issued to India for most of the projects between May and September in 2017, but little or no movement has been made even a year later. Some of the delay is over concerns that India would be allowed to acquire Sri Lankan land. Officials say the projects have also run into rough weather because of the deep disagreements between President Maithripala Sirisena and Mr. Wickremesinghe, who belong to rival parties, and the release from the Lankan PMs office indicated the sharp divide. The pending projects include an LNG terminal in Kerawalapitiya near Colombo, a 50-100 MW solar power plant in Sampur, an oil tank farm in Trincomalee and a container terminal in the Colombo port. There has been little word on a proposal for India to develop the Palaly airport near Jaffna and the Mattala airport near Hambantota. The preferential trade treaty, Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement, still awaits clearances as it faces opposition from Sri Lankan business chambers. Mr. Wickremesinghe has been pushing for India to be handed the container terminal, while President Sirisena wants to retain it for Sri Lanka. At the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, they are said to have openly aired their differences.(The Hindu) On October 16, President Sirisena donated a sum of rupees one million to the family of a police sergeant Sanath Gunawardana, who went berserk at the Thebuwana police station, pointed his T-56 assault rifle at OIC of the station and stormed out onto the public road endangering the lives of the public. It took officers of the STF to disarm the enraged police officer. During the ensuing struggle, the sergeant fired his weapon which fortunately did not harm members of the public who were in the vicinity. He was arrested and interdicted from service and was in the immediate aftermath of the presidential gift reinstated by the IGP. On what grounds did the president decide to publicly honour this non-commissioned officer who had publicly broken every rule in the police code of conduct? What prompted the Commander-in-Chief of the three armed forces and the police force to shame officers of a service he was the head by rewarding an act which amounted to worse than insubordination, endangering public life and damaging the moral of this essential service? What is worse was that the officer concerned has, by his own admission, had run-ins with the law on previous occasions too. He himself had admitted his role on firing on Muslim civillians at Kalutara in 1995, resulting in four civillian deaths. According to his account of that incident, the OIC of that station had ordered his officers to open fire on civillians. It was held in a court of law (again his admission) his claim was not accepted. So why did our Head of State decide to reward only this particular sergeant? It would appear the president has forgotten another of his pledges to the public during the presidential election campaign to let the law run its course without interference from politicians. It brings to mind the dark days of the President JR Jayawardenes government when laws were twisted to accommodate his whims and fancies. An era where those who broke the law were openly feted and rewarded, as in the case of the violation of the fundamental rights of Ms. Vivienne Gunawardene by the Kollupitiya police. Ms. Goonerwardene and her husband Leslie who were senior members of the LSSP had complained of wrongful arrest and degrading treatment by the Kollupitiya Police. The court conceded wrongful arrest, but held that the degrading treatment alleged had not been proved. Making it clear that the law enforcement officers could act with impunity in matters protecting interests of politicians of the ruling party, JRs government promptly promoted the guilty officer and paid the fine imposed on him. To add insult to injury, the JR government then organised protests outside the homes of the Judges who heard the case and gave verdicts detrimental to the government in power. JR Jayewardene cynically observed that Sri Lanka was a five star democracy in which people have a right to protest even against Judges of the Supreme Courts. Sri Lanka does not need that type of Five Star Democracy. Those who voted both the president and the present parliament into power voted for a change from the authoritarianism of the immediate past regime. They voted for a clean administration. They voted against the presidential form of government. People voted against the politicization of the armed services and the police force. They voted for a government which promised to bring down the cost-of-living and an end to authoritarianism. Sadly the regime of President Sirisena and his Prime Minister have not been able to deliver on the promises they gave the electorate. The promised clean administration has been castigated into the dustbins of history with the government being embroiled in the massive bond scam. The promised new Constitution is nothing but a distant dream... If at all. Despite bringing down the cost-of-living during its initial year in office, today the cost-of-living has rocketed way beyond the means of not only the working class, but the middle class as well. A positive step has been the implementation of the Right-to-Information Act a legacy of the government. The Presidents recent attempt to sack the Boards of Directors of Bank of Ceylon, Peoples Bank, the Board of Investment and claims of Indian involvement in attempts to assassinate him read like a chapter out of Alice in Wonderland He made the affirmation during talks with his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen on October 20th on the occasion of his official visit to Denmark and participation in the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 Summit held for the first time in Copenhagen, Denmark. Rasmussen spoke highly of Vietnams socio-economic performance and commitments to sustainable development and climate change response. He expressed his belief that the visit will boost bilateral comprehensive partnership, stressing that Denmark will continue to be a companion of Vietnam in the near future. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc holds talks with his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen on October 20th (local time). (Photo: VNA) Both sides expressed their delight at the positive development of bilateral ties, with two-way trade surpassing USD660 million last year, or a four-fold and two-fold increase from 2005 and 2010, respectively. Denmarks investment in Vietnam tripled to more than USD680 million in the past decade. Strategic partnerships across the environment, green growth and energy have also thrived. Denmark assisted Vietnam in the implementation of the national target programme on climate change response with practical projects nationwide, as well as shared experience in carrying out the national target programme on effective energy use and the national strategy on green growth, and helped Vietnamese small- and medium-sized enterprises adopt measures to effectively use energy, and make smart investment in clean energy and construction of energy-saving buildings. The two PMs stressed the need to push forward the effective development of bilateral comprehensive partnership towards the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties in 2021. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the Danish government to continue Denmarks Growth Strategy to Vietnam and encourage Danish firms to boost investment in Vietnam in fields of its strength such as maritime transportation, seaport building, shipbuilding, renewable energy, green technology, animal husbandry, sustainable fishery, food processing, pharmaceuticals, health care and education. The host affirmed that Denmark supports the early signing and ratification of the EU Vietnam Free Trade Agreement to materialize great economic benefits to both sides.The two sides expressed their satisfaction with the positive outcomes of the roundtable between the Vietnamese PM and leading Danish firms during the stay. They discussed continuing strategic projects in the fields of climate change response, vocational training, health care, sustainable agriculture, food processing and clean energy. Host and guest agreed to foster closer ties between ASEAN and the EU, and between ASEAN and Denmark. The Danish PM committed to supporting efforts to promote peace, stability, cooperation and friendship in the region and the world, including the East Sea, affirming the importance of the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law. The two leaders expressed their determination to reinforce bilateral ties during a meeting with the media later. Following the talks, the two PMs witness the signing of several cooperation agreements between the two countries. (Photo: VNA) Following the talks, they also witnessed the signing of several cooperation agreements, including an agreement on low-carbon emission development between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate; a strategic cooperation agreement on sustainable development and food safety between the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Danish Ministry of Environment and Food; a letter of content on food safety in pork value chain between the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Danish Ministry of Environment and Food. They also saw the signing of a letter of content on strategic partnership between the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and Danish Ministry of Health, another on the second stage of a strategic cooperation project between the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Danish Ministry of Education, and cooperation deals between Denmarks Grundfos and Dong Nai Plastics JSC, and between Denmarks Vestas and Vietnams N&G Group./. By Dino Grandoni and Juliet Eilperin 13 October 2018 (The Washington Post) The Environmental Protection Agency moved this week to disband two outside panels of experts charged with advising the agency on limiting harmful emissions of soot and smog-forming pollutants.The agency informed scientists advising the EPA on the health impacts of soot that their service on the panel has concluded, according to an email shared with The Washington Post. Experts being considered to sit on a separate board evaluating ground-level ozone also received an email from the EPA saying it will no longer form the panel, which had yet to meet. The EPA had asked for nominations in July.The decision to dissolve the panels is part of a broader effort by the EPAs leadership to change the way the agency conducts and assesses science. Those efforts include trying to limit what counts as health benefits when crafting air rules and incorporate into rulemaking only studies that make their underlying data public.In the past, each panel had roughly two dozen researchers who reviewed the latest air pollution science and made recommendations on how to set new air standards for a specific pollutant the agency is legally obligated to regulate. These experts, who came from a variety of fields, often encouraged the EPA to impose tougher limits on the six pollutants for which it sets nationwide standards.Now, under acting administrator Andrew Wheeler, the EPA has instead decided to let a seven-member group called the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) alone perform those assessments and make recommendations to the agencys political leaders. Previously, CASAC and the now-scrapped panels worked together to craft findings. []Environmentalists sharply criticized the decision as another instance of the Trump administrations curtailing the use of science that contradicts the presidents pro-industry agenda. They argue that the committees small size, skewed composition and lack of expertise would make it nearly impossible to fully vet the vast body of pollution science related to public health.By removing science and scientists, they are making it easier for the administration to set a weaker standard said Gretchen Goldman, research director of the Union of Concerned Scientists Center for Science and Democracy.The EPA just selected five new members of the CASAC. Most of the committees members come from state or local governments in conservative parts of the country, including Alabama, Georgia, Texas and Utah, rather than from universities.In a statement Wednesday, Wheeler praised the highly qualified group for having a diverse set of backgrounds in fields like toxicology, engineering, medicine, ecology, and atmospheric science. But Christopher Zarba, who formerly directed the EPA office that coordinates with that and other scientific committees, said there are fewer academics than before. Researchers from academia, he said, bring an essential science perspective to the review process.The lack of academics is consistent with past policy from Trumps EPA. Last year, the agency barred academics who received EPA grants from serving on science panels. That effectively gave experts from industry and state governments more room to participate instead.John Walke, who directs the Natural Resources Defense Councils clean air work, highlighted on Twitter the alarming, outlier view of one of those state officials appointed to the board. [more] Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (R, Front) shakes hands with Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos at the presidential office in Athens, Greece, on Oct. 20, 2018. Alexis Tsipras was sworn in as Greece's Foreign Minister before Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Saturday, officially taking over the helm of the ministry from Nikos Kotzias, who resigned on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Giorgos Kontarinis) by Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was sworn in as Greece's Foreign Minister before Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Saturday, officially taking over the helm of the ministry from Nikos Kotzias, who resigned on Wednesday. During the handover ceremony, the Greek leader said that it was a historic day for Greece following the vote in favor of the Prespes Agreement in Former Yugloslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) parliament on Friday night. The agreement reached between the two neighboring countries and signed at Prespes lake in June this year, puts an end to a dispute which started in 1991 when FYROM declared independence from Yugoslavia and chose the name Macedonia. Greece objected to this development from the beginning fearing possible territorial claims raised in the future, given that Macedonia is also the name of a northern Greek province. Under June's deal which also needs to be ratified by the Greek parliament in coming months, FYROM will be renamed "Republic of North Macedonia." During the handover ceremony on Saturday Tsipras thanked Kotzias for his efforts to resolve the name row with Skopje, other major challenges for the country's foreign affairs and improve Greece's image which had been battered in the years of the debt crisis which started in 2010. "Today we can say with no doubt that the government took over in a difficult time in 2015 when the country had suffered great damage not only in the economy," Tsipras said in joint statements to the press broadcast by Greek national broadcaster ERT. "(Greece) was not only teetering at the brink of default and had lost credibility in front of international markets, our partners and creditors as a pariah state in world economy, but had suffered also a major part of its value in the geopolitical field," he added. "I would like to thank the Prime minister for the honor and the opportunity he gave to me to deal with the issues of foreign affairs. We are always smaller compared with the problems, but in our efforts to resolve them, we become bigger," Kotzias said on his part. Kotzias submitted his resignation, following a clash with Defence Minister Panos Kammenos, the head of the junior party in the coalition government, according to Greek national news agency AMNA. 5 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Aerial photo taken on Oct. 20, 2018 shows the Yarlung Tsangpo River after an overflow from a landslide-caused barrier lake on the river in Menling County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Water levels are dropping after an overflow at a barrier lake formed after a landslide in the Yarlung Tsangpo River in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, local officials said Friday. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi) LHASA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Water levels are dropping after an overflow at a barrier lake formed after a landslide in the Yarlung Tsangpo River in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, local officials said Friday. The barrier lake was formed near a village in Menling County after landslides on Wednesday and Thursday blocked the river's waterway. Rising water has forced the evacuation of over 7,100 people in the area as of 5:00 p.m. Thursday, Xiao He, vice-mayor of Nyingchi said at a press conference. A total of 16,000 people have been affected by the lake. No casualties have been reported. A team of 27 has been dispatched to evacuate another 59 people at a local village. The local government has built 33 temporary shelters in the area, set up 1,320 tents, and distributed daily essentials for the evacuated people, said Xiao. 15 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Trump admits that he takes Saudi Arabias side Donald Trump said that if the United States stops selling arms to Saudi Arabia, Trump said China and Russia would benefit. In a Washington Post interview, Trump said the evidence that so many of the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salmans close associates were involved in the killing did not convince him that he was to blame. "CROWN PRINCE HAS VERY GOOD CONTROL" Trump criticized Saudi Arabias explanation for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying that obviously theres been deception, and there have been lies. At the same time, the US President defended the oil-rich monarchy as an incredible ally and kept open the possibility that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not order Saudi agents to kill Khashoggi. He did not call for the ouster of Salman and instead praised his leadership, calling the prince a strong person, he has very good control. During the 20-minute interview, Trump talked about the importance of the economic ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia and Mohammeds role in that relationship. He said that he does not prefer that another leader replace the 33-year old prince because he said he has read about others and Salman is considered by far the strongest person and he truly loves his country. "SALMAN IS A VERY IMPORTANT ALLY" He displayed a realpolitik way of viewing the Middle East, praising Saudi Arabia for buying arms from the United States, reiterating the importance of oil prices and trashing Iran, saying: Weve got nobody else over there to help protect Israel. I would love if he wasnt responsible, he said of the Crown Prince. I think its a very important ally for us. Especially when you have Iran doing so many bad things in the world, its a good counterbalance to the world. Iran, theyre as evil as it gets. Theyre probably laughing at this situation as they see it. Iran is as evil as it gets. WUHAN, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent a congratulatory message for the successful water takeoff and landing of the AG600, China's independently-developed large amphibious aircraft. The success of the first on-water flight of the AG600 marked another significant achievement through independent innovation by China's aviation industry, said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. Xi commended all participating institutions and individuals who had valiantly overcame many difficulties and forged ahead for a key breakthrough in the project. He asked to continue to promote the spirit of dedication, implement the new concept of development and push forward innovation-driven development. Xi called for continued and coordinated efforts to ensure the success of the project, in order to meet the needs of strengthening China's emergency rescue system and a national natural disaster prevention system, and realize the goal of building China's strength in aviation. Premier Li Keqiang also congratulated the success in a written instruction, calling for continued efforts to put the AG600 into service as soon as possible and create another Chinese brand with international competitiveness. The research team was urged to make new contributions to the development of the aviation industry and the upgrading of the country's manufacturing sector to higher levels, according to Li. The on-water test flight was carried out Saturday morning in the city of Jingmen of central China's Hubei Province. Designed to be the world's largest amphibious aircraft, the AG600 will be used mainly for water rescues, fighting forest fires, and marine environment monitoring. The AG600 rolled off the production line in July 2016 and completed its maiden flight from land in December 2017. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] BMW SA Open hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni Glendower GC, City of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa The AG600, codenamed Kunlong, slides on the water surface of a reservoir near Zhanghe Airport in Jingmen, central China's Hubei Province, on Oct. 20, 2018. China's independently-developed large amphibious aircraft AG600 completed its first water takeoff and landing in Jingmen on Saturday morning. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) WUHAN, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's independently-developed large amphibious aircraft AG600 completed its first water takeoff and landing in the city of Jingmen in the central province of Hubei on Saturday morning. The AG600, codenamed Kunlong, is designed to be the world's largest amphibious aircraft. It completed its maiden flight in December 2017. At around 8:51 a.m., the plane took off from the surface of a reservoir near Zhanghe Airport of Jingmen under the command of captain Zhao Sheng and his crew. It landed smoothly and steadily on water after a 14-minute flight. The AG600, a large-scale special-purpose civil aircraft designed to assist with forest firefighting and water rescues, is the third member of China's "large aircraft family" following the large freighter Y-20 and large passenger aircraft C919. Developed by Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the aircraft is powered by four domestically designed turboprop engines and is roughly the size of a Boeing 737. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 53.5 tonnes. The aircraft is designed for both land and water takeoffs and landings. The lower part of the aircraft body is designed as a "V" structure to improve its anti-wave ability. When used to help put out a forest fire, it is able to collect 12 tonnes of water at a time and make multiple trips to fetch water. The aircraft can carry out sea rescue operations under complex meteorological conditions and can withstand two-meter-high waves. It is capable of carrying 50 people during a maritime search and rescue mission. It also provides support for China's marine monitoring and safety patrol. 6 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Years of discussion : Mosque in Bad Godesberg will go ahead Bad Godesberg The city council will shortly be granting a construction permit for the site on Weststrae. As soon as this is on the table, the association can start redeveloping the former public utility building in Bad Godesberg. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Marhaban (welcome) will soon be heard on Weststrae; there is nothing standing in the way of the mosque which is planned for the site. After years of discussion, numerous information evenings and consultations, the city council will give the Moroccan Cultural Association the green light and grant a building permit. As soon as this is on the table, which according to the city council will shortly be the case, the association can start with the conversion of the former public utility building. This marks the end of a process that began more than three years ago. As reported, the association would like to give up its mosque on Bonner Strasse because there is not enough space there. The mosque and cultural centre are to be newly located on the approximately 2600 m site on Weststrae in the Godesberg-Nord industrial estate. The initial contact with the owner, the SWB (Stadtwerke Bonn, the municipal utilities), took place in April 2015. There then followed sales negotiations, talks with politicians, the city council and entrepreneurs who at first were critical of the settlement on the industrial estate. The preliminary building application was approved in 2017, after which the application for a building permit could be made, and this is finally to be issued by the city council. Escape and rescue routes under the microscope But there was still a long process to go through before issuing the building permit. There was still a need for coordination, "above all because of the parking spaces and fire protection", says Markus Schmitz from the municipal press office. But this is now off the table; there are no more open questions. The work with the city council has been very positive, architect Jan van Dorp stresses. The Building Authority had examined the full scope of possibilities in order to ensure a legally compliant building permit. Escape and rescue routes were scrutinised, as well as the parking situation, fire protection and much more. This has resulted in a plan that has been fine-tuned in some places. The prayer room for men is being built on an 500 m area; they will enter the mosque from the Sudstrae. The women, who have a separate entrance, will pray on a 229 m gallery. Offices and rooms for events and training are also included; all rooms are easily accessible to wheelchair users. The apartments which had been initially planned are not included. And: "There will be no events running in parallel," emphasises van Dorp. This means that there will be no courses of instruction and prayer times or other events whilst the seminars are taking place. Wedding and birthday celebrations or meetings of any other kind will not take place in the prayer rooms. Increased number of parking spaces for bikes The outside of the building will only be "optically enhanced. The escape route on the side will look like a small minaret - but in reality, it is not, van Dorp emphasises. The basement will hardly be used at all. On request, however, it can be used by funeral parlours to wash the dead, explains Mustapha Cadi, second chairman of the association. But this will only happen rarely. The number of parking spaces for bikes has been increased and there is now room for 54 bicycles on the site. In addition, there are 41 car parking spaces. Access is via Weststrae. According to the mobility concept drawn up by the association and its chairman Said Ajmedar, between 20 and 70 people will visit the mosque during the five daily prayer times, A special feature is the Friday prayer at noon, when the association assumes a full occupancy of the mosque - of the expected 350 visitors, about 310 are from the surrounding area, the rest are from further afield. "Many initially thought we were a supra-regional mosque - but we're not," says Cadi. Most of the visitors came from Bad Godesberg. Now that everything is cut and dried, the association has begun to collect donations again. A large part of the sum the purchase and redevelopment costs will reach approximately 2.2 million euro - comes from the 160 members of the association. In addition, donations come from outside. There is no financial sponsor, stresses Ajmedar. Once the go-ahead has been given, the invitation to tender has been issued and enough specialist companies have been found, it will take nine to twelve months for everything to be ready, estimates van Dorp. Then the door will be open not only to Muslims, but to everyone. Cadi: "We definitely want to maintain regular contact with our neighbours". kacylee at 20-10-2018 01:35 PM (3 years ago) (f) Did former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, tell a bare-faced lie when he told the nation that he has no other house outside of his property in Onitsha? This question has dominated the social media ever since the discoveries of certain properties in London linked to Peter Obi. Did former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, tell a bare-faced lie when he told the nation that he has no other house outside of his property in Onitsha?This question has dominated the social media ever since the discoveries of certain properties in London linked to Peter Obi. Ever since the PDP presidential flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, named Peter Obi his running mate for the 2019 general elections, a lot of folks on social media embarked on a digging spree of some sort and came up with the allegations that Obi has been exaggerating a lot of his prudence and frugal stories, that Obi has a mansion in upscale London, contrary to his claim in this video below: For those who cant view YouTube, her is Peter Obis compelling story, a story of humility, and austerity, a story of places where he owns houses... pic.twitter.com/ICdnS4rlRN HENRY Okelue (@4eyedmonk) October 17, 2018 Here is a transcript of what Peter Obi said at a forum called ThePlatform, a couple of months ago: When I got to America to address Nigerians, it is Nigerians that will tell me when I was Governor, that this man has a house here, this man has a house here. We can lead you to buy here. And I would say, listen, I dont live in America. Why will I own a house in America? Its pure madness. I dont need it. I go to South Africa to address Nigeriansthese are the same people who have run away from home because things are tough here. They will be telling me this man owns a flat here, this man owns a flat there. In fact in one case in South Africa, somebody brought one man who told me that he knows every Nigerian that owns a flat, every politician, you know. And he says I can sell the same to you. Its just $2.5million and everything. And I said to him, why will anybody buy this type of place and keep? If I buy it, it will cost me at least another $25,000 a year to keep it. He said more than that. And I said, so why will I own it? I dont need it! Id rather use that money in my country, buy a bond and I get 5 percent of it, which is $125,000 a year. I come to South Africa three times in a year. It costs me $200 a night in a hotel. So three times is $600,000. And you want me to buy this?!! And I told the man, look, I dont own a house in Abuja. The only place I own a house as Peter Obi is in Onitsha. The house I will own in Abuja will cost me N400million. Why will I own it when I go to Abuja every week and sleep one night which costs me 35,000. If I multiply it by 52 weeks, its not up to 5 million and I buy a house for 400million? Then its not worth it. However, there is a document attaching the property on N0 14 Oman Avenue, Cricklewood, London NW2 6BG to a certain Gregory Peter Onwubuasi Obi. "The only place I Peter Obi own a house is in Onitsha." Peter Obi errrr enmm 14 Oman Avenue, Cricklewood via Onitsha NW2 6BG it is false, there must be an explanation for the alleged property in London. pic.twitter.com/LJ7NRYHigX Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) October 16, 2018 There are indications that there are a few other properties in London bearing Obis name. Peter obi said he has no house anywhere in the world except onitsha.... Dat one pain me oya see obi house. pic.twitter.com/Kkpf2Lipvb Destiny's Telegraph. (@NativeTelegraph) October 19, 2018 There is another clip where Obi challenges anyone to confiscate any other house in his name outside of the one in Onitsha. Obi has also told the world that he only owns two pairs of shoes and a wristwatch; even though a few other watches of varying hues have been spotted on his wrist in the last couple of months. Essentially, Obi has built for himself a reputation that borders on shunning the finer things of life. Has he been fibbing all along? So, has Peter Obi been lying about his austere lifestyle all along? Obienyem added that in any case, the London property was purchased long before Obi got anywhere near the corridors of power in Nigeria. As for his London houses, it might interest the public to note that he bought his first house in London in 1987. All the houses he owned in London were purchased before he became governor of Anambra State and were all duly declared. Obienyem advised Nigerians and the international community to disregard false stories being fabricated by detractors who are clutching at straws in their vain bid to demonize Mr. Obi, a proven performer and lover of the masses who is well known for his forthrightness and integrity. Ever since the PDP presidential flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, named Peter Obi his running mate for the 2019 general elections, a lot of folks on social media embarked on a digging spree of some sort and came up with the allegations that Obi has been exaggerating a lot of his prudence and frugal stories, that Obi has a mansion in upscale London, contrary to his claim in thisvideo below:Here is a transcript of what Peter Obi said at a forum called ThePlatform, a couple of months ago:However, there is a document attaching the property on N0 14 Oman Avenue, Cricklewood, London NW2 6BG to a certain Gregory Peter Onwubuasi Obi.There are indications that there are a few other properties in London bearing Obis name.There is another clip where Obi challenges anyone to confiscate any other house in his name outside of the one in Onitsha.Obi has also told the world that he only owns two pairs of shoes and a wristwatch; even though a few other watches of varying hues have been spotted on his wrist in the last couple of months.Essentially, Obi has built for himself a reputation that borders on shunning the finer things of life. Has he been fibbing all along?So, has Peter Obi been lying about his austere lifestyle all along?Obienyem added that in any case, the London property was purchased long before Obi got anywhere near the corridors of power in Nigeria. Post Reply I have been reporting for several years now and I am very interested in visual news reportage with strong inclusion of photos and video multimedia. Posted: at 20-10-2018 01:35 PM (3 years ago) | Addicted Hero He made the affirmation during talks with his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen on October 20 on the occasion of his official visit to Denmark and participation in the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 Summit held for the first time in Copenhagen, Denmark. Rasmussen spoke highly of Vietnams socio-economic performance and commitments to sustainable development and climate change response. He expressed his belief that the visit will boost bilateral comprehensive partnership, stressing that Denmark will continue to be a companion of Vietnam in the near future. Both sides expressed their delight at the positive development of bilateral ties, with two-way trade surpassing US$660 million last year, or a four-fold and two-fold increase from 2005 and 2010, respectively. Denmarks investment in Vietnam tripled to more than US$680 million in the past decade. Strategic partnerships across the environment, green growth and energy have also thrived. Denmark assisted Vietnam in the implementation of the national target programme on climate change response with practical projects nationwide, as well as shared experience in carrying out the national target programme on effective energy use and the national strategy on green growth, and helped Vietnamese small- and medium-sized enterprises adopt measures to effectively use energy, and make smart investment in clean energy and construction of energy-saving buildings. The two PMs stressed the need to push forward the effective development of bilateral comprehensive partnership towards the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties in 2021. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the Danish government to continue Denmarks Growth Strategy to Vietnam and encourage Danish firms to boost investment in Vietnam in fields of its strength such as maritime transportation, seaport building, shipbuilding, renewable energy, green technology, animal husbandry, sustainable fishery, food processing, pharmaceuticals, health care and education. The host affirmed that Denmark supports the early signing and ratification of the EU Vietnam Free Trade Agreement to materialize great economic benefits to both sides. The two sides expressed their satisfaction with the positive outcomes of the roundtable between the Vietnamese PM and leading Danish firms during the stay. They discussed continuing strategic projects in the fields of climate change response, vocational training, health care, sustainable agriculture, food processing and clean energy. Host and guest agreed to foster closer ties between ASEAN and the EU, and between ASEAN and Denmark. The Danish PM committed to supporting efforts to promote peace, stability, cooperation and friendship in the region and the world, including the East Sea, affirming the importance of the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law. The two leaders expressed their determination to reinforce bilateral ties during a meeting with the media later. Following the talks, they also witnessed the signing of several cooperation agreements, including an agreement on low-carbon emission development between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate; a strategic cooperation agreement on sustainable development and food safety between the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Danish Ministry of Environment and Food; a letter of content on food safety in pork value chain between the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Danish Ministry of Environment and Food. They also saw the signing of a letter of content on strategic partnership between the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and Danish Ministry of Health, another on the second stage of a strategic cooperation project between the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Danish Ministry of Education, and cooperation deals between Denmarks Grundfos and Dong Nai Plastics JSC, and between Denmarks Vestas and Vietnams N&G Group. On Friday, in the morning, at Government House, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey hosted breakfast for overnight guests. Following, guests departed Government House. Following, at Government House, His Excellency and Mrs de Jersey hosted a morning tea for Queensland students attending the 2019 National Youth Science Forum, and for supporters of the program, and the Governor addressed guests. In the evening, at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, South Bank, His Excellency attended Opera Queenslands opening night performance of Don Giovanni. The page you were looking for doesn't exist. You may have mistyped the address or the page may have moved. Within the framework of the P4G summit, PM Phuc attended and addressed the opening ceremony. He and his entourage attended a banquet hosted by the Queen of Denmark for head delegates, and a lunch by the Prince and Princess of Denmark. They also attended the award ceremony of the P4G summit and the closing ceremony. On the sidelines of the summit, the Government leader had separate meetings with President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in, President of Ethiopia Mulatu Teshome, and Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte. In his official visit to Denmark, PM Phuc held talks with his host Lars Rasmussen. Host and guest together witnessed the signing ceremony of seven cooperation documents between the two countries ministries and sectors. PM Phuc also met Queen of Denmark Margreth II. As for investment promotion activities within the visit, the Government leader had a round-table dialogue with representatives of about 20 enterprises and investors in Denmarks key fields. Three Memoranda of Understanding were signed on this occasion, including one during the official talks between the two PMs. The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry also signed a cooperation document with a partner of Demark to build projects and programmes to support the two sides enterprises in their business and investment. During the visit, PM Phuc also met with the staff of the Vietnamese embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Denmark. Haiti - Politic : Goal zero hunger by 2030 it's possible ! To Damien in the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture where held an exhibition of agricultural products of the soil, the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO), the representation of the European Union (EU) and the Parliamentary Front against Hunger https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-21538-icihaiti-politics-creation-of-the-parliamentary-front-against-hunger.html celebrated this week World Food Day around the theme "Acting for the future, zero hunger in 2030, it is possible." In his speech, Jobert C. Angrand, the Minister of Agriculture put a lot of emphasis, on the theme chosen this year said "Ann travay pou demen... Li posib pou kwape grangou nan peyi Ayiti avan lane 2030". Despite a gloomy picture prepared by the Minister "3 million people, or 30% of the Haitian population, are in a situation of food insecurity. An annual increase in population growth of 1.5%, meaning more than 11 million mouths to feed by 2020 and putting more pressure on agricultural resources. An agricultural supply that covers only 45% of food needsn" he is convinced that it is possible to eradicate hunger in Haiti by 2030. To achieve the goal of "zero hunger", Minister Angrand explained that it was necessary to sustainably improve the income and living conditions of the urban and rural population in a dual perspective of balanced development of the territory and the slowing of food insecurity, increase the contribution of agriculture, fisheries and livestock to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and increase the coverage of food needs. In the same vein, he made it clear that to combat food insecurity in the country, there is a need to increase domestic production and improve the quality and access to food. "The Government's vision for strengthening agricultural production is through the promotion of strategic sectors (maize, rice, sorghum, beans, chickens, eggs, milk, vegetables, roots and tubers) in order to supply the national market. and strengthen food security," said the minister, adding that promoting and promoting local agricultural products in the fight against hunger will be a priority to reduce imports and create more jobs. He stressed that the government also aims to increase investment in productive infrastructure including agricultural infrastructure. FAO and its partners call for a collective effort to create opportunities for all to lead healthy and productive lives. Strengthening social protection programs for countries, including by the use of drought-resistant seeds for farmers, the support by the general public for local food producers, and better eating habits are concrete actions proposed by FAO and its partners to the Government, farmers and the population. Recalling that "Zero Hunger by 2030" is one of the commitments made by many countries including Haiti in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-21538-icihaiti-politics-creation-of-the-parliamentary-front-against-hunger.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21080-haiti-politics-towards-the-creation-of-a-parliamentary-front-against-hunger-in-haiti.html HL/ HaitiLibre The Deputy PM conveyed the gratitude from Acting President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh and the family of late President Tran Dai Quang to the Pope for extending his condolences over the death of the President and sending a representative to Vietnam to pay their last respects to the deceased. He informed the Pope on Vietnams outstanding achievements in socio-economic development and international integration, emphasising that they are the results of the joint efforts of all Vietnamese, including the religious community. Deputy PM Binh affirmed that Vietnam constantly works to perfect its policy on respecting and ensuring the freedom of religion and beliefs for all Vietnamese, and offers favourable conditions for religions to operate in line with their charters and statutes and in accordance with the law. This can be clearly seen in the all-round development and diverse activities of religions in Vietnam, including the Vietnamese Catholic Church. For his part, Pope Francis welcomed the visit by Deputy PM Binh, describing it as an important new step in development, helping to enhance mutual understanding and thus further promote the ties between Vietnam and the Vatican in the future. He recalled the fond memories of his meetings with Vietnams leaders in the past few years and expressed joy at the positive developments in Vatican-Vietnam ties. The Pope thanked the Government and authorities at all levels of Vietnam for facilitating the activities of the Vietnam Catholic Church and the Vaticans non-resident envoy to Vietnam. He stressed that the Vietnam Catholic Church should better implement the motto of Living the Gospel amid the nation set by the Vietnam Episcopal Council and the Popes teaching that a good Catholic is a good citizen. The Pope encouraged Vietnamese Catholic followers and dignitaries to participate in common activities and make active contributions to the development of the nation and the church. The Vietnamese Deputy PM affirmed that Vietnam appreciates and respects the instructions and teachings of the Pope and the Holy See towards the Vietnamese Catholic community. He expressed the hope that the Holy See will guide the Vietnamese Catholic Church and Vietnamese Catholic community in following the Popes teachings, adding that Vietnam stands ready to work with the Vatican in order to enhance their bilateral ties. During his meeting with the Vatican Secretary of State, Deputy PM Binh stressed that Vietnam always creates the best conditions for religions, including Catholicism, to operate on an equal basis and in accordance with the law. Vietnam attaches importance to and wants to promote its ties with the Vatican on the basis of respect for the principles on relations among nations and meeting the aspirations and interests of both sides, Binh said. Pietro Parolin said the Vatican always encourages the Vietnamese Catholic Church to actively contribute to national construction and defence. The two sides exchanged views on important issues in the bilateral ties and affirmed the need to maintain high-level meetings and regular dialogues at all levels. They discussed and reached agreement on the directions for strengthening Vietnam-Vatican ties towards elevating the relationship from the level of non-resident envoy to resident envoy in the near future. They assigned the joint working group to make preparations for the 7th meeting to discuss the issue in detail. Deputy PM Binh conveyed an invitation from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to Secretary of State Parolin to visit Vietnam, which the latter accepted with pleasure. * The same day, Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh met the Vietnamese community at the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy and visited Catholic priests at Foyer Phat Diem in Rome. He informed the embassy staff on Vietnams notable socio-economic achievements in the first nine months of the year and praised the embassy for fulfilling its task of promoting Vietnam-Italy ties. The Deputy PM said he expects the embassy to continue acting as bridge between the two countries and devote close attention to the Vietnamese community to help them conserve Vietnamese culture and build an increasingly stable and developed community. He reiterated Vietnams consistent policy of regarding overseas Vietnamese as an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation, while expressing his hope that the Vietnamese community in Italy will always live in unity, provide mutual support and make active contributions to national development. Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh is greeted by the Vietnamese community in Italy. (Photo: VGP) During the week-long tour, the PM conducted nearly 70 multilateral and bilateral activities within the framework of the ASEM 12 and P4G Summit, held a working session with the European Commission and visited Austria, Belgium and Denmark. At the 12th ASEM in Belgium, the PM made a speech at a plenary session themed Reinforcing the Multilateral System: Advancing the ASEM Partnership on Global Issues. At the ASEM Leaders retreat discussing regional and global issues, the Government leader stressed that Vietnam and ASEAN member states are working closely with the international community, including ASEM member states, to maintain peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight, and free trade in the East Sea which connects Asian, European and global trade. On the sidelines of the summit, PM Phuc held 12 bilateral meetings with heads of state and country leaders, including the Mongolian President, Chinese Premier, Prime Ministers of Norway, Slovenia, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Russia, Egypt and the UK to discuss ways to boost bilateral ties and deal with specific issues. Ahead of the ASEM 12, PM Phuc and his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg were invited to deliver speeches at the 12th Asia Europe Business Forum, the first official event of the summit. During the ASEM 12, under the witness of the PM, representatives from Vietnam and the EU signed the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA), laying a foundation for dealing with illegal logging and promoting legal timber trade. Attending the first P4G Summit in Denmark, the PM conveyed a strong message of the importance of strengthening global cooperation in achieving global green growth goals till 2030. Vietnam will foster close coordination within 4PG framework in the near future in order to successfully promote sustainable development initiatives via the implementation of the Green Growth Strategy in Vietnam and across the world, he said. The leader also held talks with his Austrian, Belgian and Danish counterparts and EU President to make new strides in bilateral ties. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. 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Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. iciHaiti - DR : The Haitian Diaspora appeals the Haitian Government to dialogue with the opposition Saturday, following the violent demonstrations of recent days William Charpentier native of Haiti and Coordinator of the National Council of Migration and Refugees of the Dominican Republic, appealed the Haitian Government, asking it to sit at the table of dialogue with the opposition before the crisis worsens, to discuss the problems and the causes of permanent conflicts and to find solutions, in order to allow Haiti to regain some peace and socio-political stability essential to its economic development. In addition, the National Council has also asked the Ministry of Interior and Police (MIP) to grant permanent residence to former Haitian sugar cane workers. S/ iciHaiti iciHaiti - Gonave : Joint Mission of the Minjusth in Anse-a-Galets This week on the island of Gonave, Minujusth conducted a 2-day joint mission with representatives of the national authorities from Port-au-Prince to Anse-a-Galets. In order to promote the commitment of the central authorities in the challenges identified at the local level, representatives of the General Inspectorate of the National Police of Haiti (IGPNH), a substitute for the Government Commissioner of Port-au-Prince and an inspector of the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ) participated in this mission. Note that this is the first time that a representative of the CSPJ goes to the island of Gonave. During their mission they met with agents of the PNH, the Mayor and the Vice-Delegate of Anse-a-Galets, as well as the Justice of Peace and several organizations of the Civil Society. The mission concluded with a sensitization session of Minujusth and the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH) to 17 participants (including 3 women) from local NGOs. This session highlighted the central role of Civil Society in promoting human rights, including in the transmission of complaints to national and international mechanisms for the defense of human rights. IH/ iciHaiti * The European Union (EU) and Singapore on October 19 signed a free trade agreement at a two-day Asia-Europe meeting which brings over 50 leaders from European and Asian countries. * The United States has suspended another military exercise with the Republic of Korea (RoK) to give diplomatic maneuvers with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) "every opportunity to continue," the US military said. * The Brazilian government Friday announced a decision to donate US$100,000 to a fund for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami which hit Indonesia late September. More than 2,000 were killed, 10,000 more seriously injured and 80,000 left homeless in the natural disaster in Indonesia. * Around 9 million Afghan voters went to the polls on October 20 for parliamentary elections in the militancy-plagued country amid tight security. More than 2,500 candidates are contesting for the 249-seat Wolesi Jirga, or lower house of the parliament, for the next five-year term. * Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud issued an order on October 20 to reorganize the General Intelligence Presidency, the primary intelligence agency of the kingdom, Saudi Press Agency reported. * Saudi Arabia said on October 20 that 18 people were arrested over the death of the missing Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. * Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on late October 19 talked with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud by phone over the disappearance of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. During the phone conversation, the two leaders stressed the importance of full cooperation in the probes of the case. * Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on October 19 said China and the European Union (EU) need to collectively and firmly safeguard multilateralism and the free trade system based on rules. Li made the remarks when he met with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, saying China and the EU have maintained frequent high-level exchanges. * Israel's Ministry of Economy has launched a new program to provide 240 million new shekels (US$65.6 million) for high-tech companies to establish research and development (R&D) centers, the Hebrew-language newspaper Israel Hayom reported Friday. * The international aviation exercises "Clear Sky-2018" concluded in Ukraine on October 19, the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a statement on Facebook. The 12-day drills, which were held at Starokonstyantyniv airfield in western Khmelnytsky region and Gavryshivka airfield in central Vinnytsya region, involved about 700 servicemen from nine countries, it said. * Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on October 19 that the return of the Syrian refugees to their homes is a priority of the Syrian government, state news agency SANA reported. * The Macedonian parliament on October 19 evening voted to begin drafting constitutional amendments to change the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia. * At least 20 Yemeni Houthi rebels were killed on October 19 in airstrikes conducted by a Saudi-led coalition near the Saudi southern border region of Jazan, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television reported. * At least 130 Palestinians were injured on October 19 during clashes with Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel, medics said. * The Foreign Affairs Ministers of Albania and Turkey signed a Joint Political Declaration on establishing High-Level Council of Cooperation, local media reported on October 19. Home Search ICH The Rats Revolt By Chris Hedges October 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - There is no American who has fought with more tenacity, courage and integrity to expose the crimes of corporate power and to thwart the corporate coup detat that has destroyed our democracy than Ralph Nader. Not one. There is little he has not tried in that effort. He has written investigative exposes on the unsafe practices of the auto industry; published best-sellers such as Who Runs Congress?; founded citizen action and consumer groups; testified before countless congressional committees; written a raft of environmental and worker safety bills that were passed in Congress under the now defunct liberal wing of the Democratic Party; and, when he was locked out of the legislative process by corporate Democrats, been a candidate for president. He even helped organize the first Earth Day. His latest assault is a fable called How the Rats Re-Formed the Congress. (And though at times the prose can be a bit stilted and the scatological jokes on par with the humor of the average 10-year-oldthe rats crawl up out of the toilet bowls as congressional leaders are taking a dumpNader is deadly serious about the revolt the rats engender.) The key in Naders story to the citizens retaking control of Congress and the government is sustained mass nationwide demonstrations and rallies. These demonstrations, like all protests that are effective, are organized by full-time staff and steadily build in numbers and momentum. The demonstrations are funded by three enlightened billionaires. I dont share Naders faithalso expressed in his other foray into fiction, Only the Super-Rich Can Save Usin a renegade wing of the oligarchy funding the overthrow of the corporate state, but he is right that successful movements need to be sustained, grow in size and power, have dedicated organizers and amass significant cash and resources so they do not disintegrate. Nader writes in his new book: Protests rise and fall in the ether for the most part. They generally dont ripple out from the core group of concerned people who originate them. Experts on crowds attribute this to little planning, minuscule budgets, poor leadership, and the lack of focus which induces protest fatigue among the core before they make an impact. The core never convincingly answers the questions, Just How Far Do the Majority of Our Fellow Citizens Want To Go and How Do They Expect to Get There Another explanation for the lackluster showing of protest movements in this country is that American politicians, over the past twenty-five years, have learned to quietly dismiss big rallies, demonstrations, and even temporary occupations, because they have gone nowhere. The lawmakers never consider them when making decisions. Remember, too, that in Washington, giant rallies, such as those against the Iraq War, for the environment or for a jobs program were traditionally held on weekends when neither the members of Congress nor the journalists were around. These crowds are lucky to get a picture in the Sunday newspapers. The lack of publicity curtails any impact they might have had. The smaller gatherings, even those by Veterans for Peace, get zeroed out completely, rating at best a paragraph squib deep in the paper. The demonstrations for the restoration of our democracy take place in cities around the country. They also see enraged citizens pour into Washington, D.C., to surround and occupy the Capitol and the headquarters of other government agencies and institutions to demand a return to democratic rule. The ruling elites become afraid. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Indeed, it is only when the elites become afraid of us that there will be any hope of destroying corporate power. Politics, as Nader understands, is a game of fear. As Nader points out, elected officials have surrendered their constitutional power to do the bidding of corporations in return for corporate money. It is a system of legalized bribery. The consent of the governed has become a joke. Politicians in the two ruling parties are the agents of corporate exploitation and oppression, the enemies of democracy. They no longer hold public hearings at the committee level. They govern largely in secret. They pass bills, most written by corporate lobbyists, and appoint judges to protect corporations from lawsuits by those these corporations have wronged, injured or defrauded. They deny our standing in the courts. They divert money from the countrys crumbling infrastructure and social services to sustain a war machine that consumes half of all discretionary spending. They run up massive deficits to give tax cuts to the ruling oligarchs and orchestrate the largest transference of wealth upward in American history. They suppress the minimum wage, break unions and legalize the debt peonage that corporations use to exact punishing tribute from the citizenry, including from young men and women forced to take on $1.5 trillion in debt to get a college education. They revoke laws, controls and regulations that curb the worst abuses of Wall Street. They abolish our most cherished civil liberties, including the right to privacy and due process. Their public proceedings, as was evidenced in the one held for new Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, are shameless political theater that mocks the democratic process. Congress itself is a clear and present danger to our country, Nader writes. It feasts on raw global corporate power and is oblivious to various fateful degradations of life on the planet. He calls Congress a concentrated tyranny of self-privilege, secrecy, exclusionary rules and practices. Nader warns that any uprising has to be swift to prevent the ruling elites from organizing to crush it. It has to capture the public imagination. And it has to have a sense of humor. He writes of the fictitious uprising in How the Rats Re-Formed the Congress: A contingent from New York and New England, led by nurses and students, delivered a truck load of Wall Street Rats with the sign explaining that they would obviously be welcomed by the Congress that had refused to pass a Wall Street speculation tax, such a sales tax would have provided $300 billion a year that might have been utilized to provide healthcare and reduce the student loan burdens. Millions of postcards were being sent showing one giant black rat on the Capitol Dome with a sign saying, You Didnt Listen to ThemThe PeopleBut Now Youre Going To Listen To Us. This was only a sliver of the corrosively critical anthropomorphism attributed to the rats and their imagined political agenda. They had become the voice of the public! Little statuettes of [House Speaker] Blamer, [Minority Leader] Melosay, and [Senate Majority Leader] Clearwater, wearing crowns upon which lolled a pompous rat, were selling like hotcakes. Poster art rose to new heights of imaginative, symbolic, and real-life portrayals of what was increasingly being called the perfidious Withering Heights of Washington, DC. The calendar was filled with non-stop street action: rallies, soapbox speeches, marches, and sit-ins at zoos where the protesters said the rats should be given luxury cages as reward for their heroic takeover. The media couldnt have enough of it. Ratings soared and increasing print, radio, and TV time was being devoted to what was making a very deep impression everywhere. Protestsacross the country, red state, blue state, north, south, east, and westwere moving into mobilization stages with overdue specific demands for justice, fairness, and participation qua citizens replacing control qua wealth as the sine qua non of government functioning. And, the most ominous sign of all for incumbents: there were early indications of candidates, holding the same beliefs as the protesters, readying challenges to the lawmakers in the upcoming primaries. Petitions were circulating on the Internet demanding the members go back to their jobs regardless of the rat infestation. Millions of workers show up every day at jobs far more dangerous. They dont cower in fear. If they did, they would have their pay cut or be fired by their bosses. The petition pointed out that Members of Congress were getting paid while they stayed home in bed. Outrageous! These petitions contained common left/right demandsthe kind that really scare politicians. No revolution will succeed without a vision. Nader lays out the basicsa guaranteed living wage, full government-funded health insurance, free education including at the university level, the prosecution of corporate criminals, cutting the bloated military budget, an end to empire, criminal justice reform, transferring power from the elites to the citizenry by providing public spaces where consumers, workers and communities can meet and organize, breaking up the big banks and creating a public banking system, protecting and fostering labor unions, removing money from politics, taking the airwaves out of the hands of corporations and returning them to the public and ending subsidies to the fossil fuel industry while keeping fossil fuels in the ground to radically reconfigure our relationship to the ecosystem. He writes of the popular convergence on the centers of power: Meanwhile, by car, bus, rail, plane and even by bicycles and by foot, people of all ages, backgrounds, and places continued to pour into Washington. They filled the restaurants and the motels. They usually had to find a room in a city where there were few affordable apartments but many large, under-inhabited houses whose longtime owners wanted to make some money to pay for their property taxes and repairs. So they were renting to the new arrivals. The ways these visitors made their voices heard were quite imaginative. There was a cavalcade of horseback riders in a procession down Constitution Avenue resplendent with the signs, Pass this or Pass that always ending with the ominous or Else. One horseman was using his trumpet to raise the emotional level of the demonstration, which was fully covered in the press. Others joined the daily resign or else rally going on at the backside of the Capitol while mini-demonstrations were becoming daily events in front of the White House and at other major government buildings containing departments and agencies. Even those agencies in the suburbs, such as the Pentagon, the CIA, the Patent Office, or the Food and Drug Administration, where the employees had thought they would be beyond reach, did not escape the rallying. It is a wonderful vision. I hope it comes to pass. But even if it does not, we should try. Appealing to the ruling elites and the two corporate political parties, as well as attempting to have our voices and concerns addressed by the corporate media, which has blacklisted Nader, is a waste of time. The corporate state will be overthrown by a citizens revolt or we will continue to barrel toward a political and ecological nightmare. Nader dares to dream. We should too. Chris Hedges, spent nearly two decades as a foreign correspondent in Central America, the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. He has reported from more than 50 countries and has worked for The Christian Science Monitor, National Public Radio, The Dallas Morning News and The New York Times, for which he was a foreign correspondent for 15 years. https://www.truthdig.com/author/chris_hedges/ 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. Saudis Admit Khashoggi Murder October 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The Saudi King Salman was told to keep his son, Mohammad bin Salman, in the position of clown prince. It is widely assumed that MbS, the clown prince, ordered to kill Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The Saudis now admit that Khashoggi was murdered. Two of the clown prince's bootlickers are offered as sacrificial pawns. Flag of Saudi Arabia - Old Style After seventeen days of claiming that Khashoggi left the consulate alive, the Saudis acknowledge that he was killed there. But they keep lying about what actually happened: In a statement issued early Saturday morning in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, the Saudis claimed that some number of unnamed suspects had traveled to the consulate to meet with Khashoggi, as there were indications of the possibility of his returning to Saudi Arabia. ... The discussions that took place . . . did not go as required and developed in a negative way, the statement continued, leading to a fight and a quarrel and a brawl that led to Khashoggis death. The unnamed suspects then attempted to conceal and cover what happened, the Saudi government claimed, without elaborating. "Khashoggi started a tussle with the fifteen men we sent to kindly ask him to come home. Unfortunately he stumbled, fell onto the chainsaw and severed his head." Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The clown prince himself knew of course nothing about this, claim Saudi sources: There were no orders for them to kill him or even specifically kidnap him, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity and adding that there was a standing order to bring critics of the kingdom back to the country. MbS had no knowledge of this specific operation and certainly did not order a kidnapping or murder of anybody. He will have been aware of the general instruction to tell people to come back, the source said, using the initials of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The source said the whereabouts of Khashoggis body were unclear after it was handed over to a local cooperator but there was no sign of it at the consulate. Well - nobody said that the body is at the consulate. It was suspected to be at the residency of the consul which is a different building the Turkish police was not allowed to search. Where was it buried? Two advisors to the Saudi clown prince have been named as fall guys. They will be generously compensated. One is his media advisor Saud al Qahtani, the Steve Bannon at the crown prince's court; SaadAbedine @SaadAbedine - 21:30 utc - 19 Oct 2018 #MBS very influential adviser in Royal Court, Saud Al Qahtani reacts to his ousting over @JKhashoggis murder with 2 tweets that look like an Academy Award acceptance speech .... I extend my heartfelt thanks & gratitude to the #Saudi King & Crown Prince" The other dude to find himself in a new villa is the deputy chief of intelligence, Major General Ahmad al-Assiri. A report on Friday in the New York Times had already named him as a likely fall guy. There are also some peripheral casualties: The Saudi government announced that it had detained 18 unnamed individuals and fired two top officials suspected of being involved in the operation. ... The Saudi government said it would take another month to complete a full investigation, which would be overseen by Mohammed. Mohammad will find that Mohammad had nothing to do with the issue. Does he really expect to get away with this? A lot depends on the Turkish president Erdogan. Professor Abukhalil suspects that a deal has been made: asad abukhalil @asadabukhalil 4:21 utc - 20 Oct 2018 Suddenly, lo and behold, there is an unmistakable positive tone toward Turkey in Saudi regime media. A deal has been struck. That is not for sure though and would be uncharacteristic for Erdogan. He likes to haggle and tries to draw out any deal as long as possible. We will know for sure in a few days. If the offered deal was insufficient the leaks from the Turkish side will restart. What are the Saudis and the U.S. willing to give to him? It was the U.S. position that led the Saudis to change their story. On Thursday Trump's tone about the case had changed. He earlier had publicly doubted that anything had happened at all. After his meeting with Secretary of State Pompeo, who had just came back from Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Trump said he believed that Khashoggi was indeed dead. The Turks must have played the audio tape of the killing to Pompeo or to someone in his entourage. The Post reports: CIA officials have listened to an audio recording that Turkish officials say proves the journalist was killed and dismembered by a team of Saudi agents inside the consulate, according to people familiar with the matter. If verified, the recording would make it difficult for the White House to accept the Saudi version that Khashoggis death was effectively an accident. The 'deep state' in the U.S. and the Washington Post, where Khashoggi wrote his columns, will not be satisfied with the now offered cover up. They want to see MbS (and his friend Jared Kushner) go. The Zionist lobby and President Trump will want both to stay. But the public and Congress may not let go of the issue: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, an influential Trump ally, said he doubted the latest admission from Saudi authorities. "To say that I am sceptical of the new Saudi narrative about Mr Khashoggi is an understatement," he tweeted. Bob Menendez, the top US Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for sanctions, saying "we need to keep up international pressure" on the kingdom. The Saudis still need to come up with a better narrative. The current one is not sufficient. The most important question that should have been answered by now is: Where is the dismembered body? Complicating the official narrative, Ali Shihabi, head of pro-Saudi think tank Arabia Foundation which is said to be close to the government, tweeted that "Khashoggi died from a chokehold during a physical altercation, not a fist fight", citing a senior Saudi source. But pro-government Turkish media have repeatedly claimed that Khashoggi was tortured and decapitated by a Saudi hit squad inside the diplomatic mission, although Turkey has yet to divulge details of its investigation. "Each successive narrative put out by the Saudis to explain what happened to Khashoggi has strained credulity," Kristian Ulrichsen, a fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute in the United States, told AFP. "Especially because the Saudis are still unable or unwilling to produce the one piece of evidence -- a body -- that could provide a definitive answer one way or the other." It is doubtful that today's developments are the end of this saga. MbS is damaged goods. He will never again be seen as the 'reformer'. Western politicians and companies will try to avoid any association with him. Mohammad bin Salman may have been modernized the Saudi flag. But the evil of the Saudi rulers is still in full view. This article was originally published by " Moon Of Alabama " - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here. ==See Also== Saudi / U.S. Have Bridge For Sale Khashoggi killing: Turkey vows to reveal 'truth' on Saudi critic's death: "Turkey will never allow a cover-up," a ruling party spokesperson said. Turkish police search forest: Unnamed Turkish officials say his body may have been disposed of in the nearby Belgrad forest or on farmland. Seven of bin Salman's bodyguards among Khashoggi suspects : S even of the 15 men suspected of being involved in an operation to kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi belong to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans personal security and protection detail Saudis offer pathetic explanation of Khashoggi death to preserve ties to US regime and clear crown prince: The Saudi regime said it has arrested the entire team and three others. It blames two of the Saudi crown princes key aides the deputy director of Saudi intelligence and his top communications adviser for Khashoggis death. The Khashoggi Killing: Americas Part in a Saudi Horror: Were an enabler of a system that encourages authoritarianism, US Military Leaders Keep Quiet on Saudi Arabia Amid Khashoggi Outrage: Trump says selling weapons to Saudi Arabia will create a lot of jobs. Thats not true.: The impact of foreign arms sales on the US economy is minuscule. Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi story is preposterous, but MBS will get a pass Glenn Greenwald: The Washington Post, as It Shames Others, Continues to Pay and Publish Undisclosed Saudi Lobbyists and Other Regime Propagandists UAE warns against 'destabilising' Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi: The controversy over disappearance of Khashoggi should not be exploited, tweets UAE state minister for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash Israel lobbyists smear Khashoggi as terrorist so as to maintain Saudi alliance and plans for Iran war Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy By Federico Pieraccini October 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Mohammad bin Salman is fully aware of the Western elites understanding of its own values. While he may be given a pass to bomb Yemen and kill thousands of innocent civilians, he should know better than to dare touch a Washington Post columnist one of ours, as one MSNBC host said. Did he not realize there would be consequences? As more information came out, many analysts began to confront the most obvious question. Was it possible that Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) was so arrogant that he could not imagine the consequences of such a heinous crime? How could MBS betray Trump this way, not anticipating that the Democrats and the mainstream media would jump all over Trumps friendship with him? Could he be so foolish as to place in jeopardy foreign investments planned at the Davos in the Desert conference on October 23? The answer to that question is apparently: yes, he could. The only rational explanation for this behavior is that MBS thought he could get away with it. Remember that we are talking about someone who had Saad Hariri, the prime minister of Lebanon, kidnapped and carried off to the Kingdom, with his whereabouts unknown for days but with very little reaction from the mainstream media or Western politicians. It is possible that in this instance, MBS simply misjudged the level of Khashoggi's popularity amongst neoliberals of the Washington establishment, provoking an unexpected response. Furthermore, the thesis that the Saudis understood that they had some kind of green light from Trump is not to be totally dismissed. Such a backlash is what you get from having a big mouth, praise your friends too much, and tweet all the time. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The rapidity with which the US media, and especially dozens of Republican and Democratic senators, attacked Saudi Arabia, blaming it for the atrocious crime, is rather unusual. After all, the Saudi elites have been inclined to behave in such a manner over the last 40 years. But it also highlights the ongoing inconsistency and double standards: nothing is said about Yemen, but the Kingdom is currently under the strongest censure for allegedly offing a journalist. As I had already pointed out in my previous article, Khashoggi was clearly part of a faction opposed to the current ruling royal family in Saudi Arabia, headed by MBS. To understand this Saudi golden boy of the US mainstream media as well as military-industrial-spying complex, we have to go back to Mohammed bin Nayef. Bin Nayef has been under house arrest for almost two years, immediately purged by MBS as soon as he assumed power as crown prince. Bin Nayef has for decades been the CIAs go-to man in Riyadh, helping the CIA & Co. pretend to fight al Qaeda in the Kingdom while using al Qaeda as a tool to inflict damage on US geopolitical adversaries. The removal of bin Nayef by MBS was greeted with anger by a part of the US establishment close to Washington think tanks and the CIA and was never fully digested. MBS and his father, King Salman, needed to consolidate power around the throne at the time, and bin Nayef was certainly part of the faction opposing MBS, as was Khashoggi. Naturally, these antipathies were set aside by the CIA, think tanks and neoliberals in the media due to to the importance of the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US, especially vis-a-vis the US Petrodollar. MBS even undertook a tour in the US to help smooth the relationship with the West, being hailed as a new reformer, if you can believe that. Nowadays,the relationship between Riyadh, Tel Aviv and Washington is based on the strong friendship between Trump and MBS and Trump and Netanyahu. Furthermore, the strengthened link between Trump and MBS, facilitated by son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is close to Israel, served to create a new alliance, perhaps even hinting at the possibility of an Arab NATO. Israel is eager to see more Saudi and US engagement against Iran in the region, and the Saudis similarly praise Israel and the US for being engaged in a fight against Iranian influence in the region. In this way, Trump can please his Israeli friends and see Saudi money pour in as investments. These agreements have led to a series of disasters in the Middle East that go against the interests of Israel, Saudi Arabia and the US. Israel's recklessness has led to the deployment of a wide range of Russian state-of-the-art weapons to Syria, preventing Israel and the US from acting as freely as before. The disastrous Saudi war in Yemen, the almost diplomatic break with Canada, the kidnapping of the prime minister of Lebanon, and now the Khashoggi affair, have further weakened and isolated Saudi Arabia, MBS, and therefore Trump. The US is no longer able to influence events on the ground in Syria, and so the initial plans of Israel and Saudi Arabia have foundered, after having devoted hundreds of millions of dollars to arm and train terrorists to overthrow Assad. The Khashoggi affair plays into this situation, exacerbating the war between elites in the US as their strategies in the Middle East continue to fail. The neoliberal mainstream media immediately used the Khashoggi story to pressure Trump into taking a firm stance against one of his last friends and financiers, trying to further isolate him as the midterms approach. Many in the US deep state are convinced as they were convinced that Clinton would win the presidency that the House and Senate will end up in Democratic hands in the November elections, paving the way for Trump's impeachment and for Mike Pence to become president. Pence, a prominent figure of the evangelical right, would be the perfect president for Israel, placing Tel Aviv in the driving seat of US foreign policy as never before. In this scenario, it would certainly be preferable for certain parts of the elite to have a different figure at the helm in Saudi Arabia, seeing as MBS appears to be an unstable leader. Possibly they would prefer someone tied to the US secret services someone like Mohammed bin Nayef. For these reasons, Democrats, some Republicans and the mainstream media have gone all out against MBS and Trump. Turkey seems to be using the situation to further widen the fracture between Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world. Since Doha is paying the bills for Erdogan these days, with the Turkish lira at a low, it is essentially the Al Thani family running the PR show in the Turkish media. It looks like the Qatari media are paying back with interests all the negative media they received from the Saudis over the past year. Despite this, neither Ankara nor Riyadh is intent on any kind escalation, both knowing that any suffering on their part is a boon for their enemies. An interesting aspect related to the Khashoggi affair concerns the sources of the news about the investigation, all anonymous and coming from Turkish police or from people linked to the top echelons of the Turkish state. Knowing the odd state of relations between Ankara and Riyadh, and especially between Turkish ally Qatar and Saudi Arabia, all this news coming from one source should at least be taken with a grain of salt. What is certain is that the Turks had immediate knowledge of the matter regarding who, what, where, when and why. This means that they must have bugged the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, allowing the MIT, Turkeys intelligence service, to know in real time what was happening to Khashoggi. The story concerning the Apple watch appears to be an attempt by the Turks to thrown off the scent Saudis who may be scratching their heads wondering how the Turks came to have such intimate knowledge of what transpired in their consulate. For Turkey, the Khashoggi affair could be the occasion for a rapprochement with the US, following a deterioration in relations in the last two years. Turkey has few friends left, and after being cornered by Russia and Iran in Astana with regards to Syria, it also has to deal with the tensions between Riyadh and Qatar as well as balance its relations with Iran and Israel. Erdogan would like to exploit this event as much as possible, and the release of Pastor Brunson seems to indicate Ankaras willingness to extend an olive branch to Washington. Russia, Syria and Iran have everything to benefit from this ongoing internal quarrel between elements within Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey, Qatar and the US. Whatever the outcome of the Khashoggi affair, Moscow, Tehran and Damascus can only benefit from any deterioration of relations between these countries. Federico Pieraccini: Independent freelance writer specialized in international affairs, conflicts, politics and strategies This article was originally published by " Strategic Culture Foundation " - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here. ==See Also== Saudi / U.S. Have Bridge For Sale Khashoggi killing: Turkey vows to reveal 'truth' on Saudi critic's death: "Turkey will never allow a cover-up," a ruling party spokesperson said. Turkish police search forest: Unnamed Turkish officials say his body may have been disposed of in the nearby Belgrad forest or on farmland. Seven of bin Salman's bodyguards among Khashoggi suspects : S even of the 15 men suspected of being involved in an operation to kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi belong to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans personal security and protection detail Saudis offer pathetic explanation of Khashoggi death to preserve ties to US regime and clear crown prince: The Saudi regime said it has arrested the entire team and three others. It blames two of the Saudi crown princes key aides the deputy director of Saudi intelligence and his top communications adviser for Khashoggis death. The Khashoggi Killing: Americas Part in a Saudi Horror: Were an enabler of a system that encourages authoritarianism, US Military Leaders Keep Quiet on Saudi Arabia Amid Khashoggi Outrage: Trump says selling weapons to Saudi Arabia will create a lot of jobs. Thats not true.: The impact of foreign arms sales on the US economy is minuscule. Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi story is preposterous, but MBS will get a pass Glenn Greenwald: The Washington Post, as It Shames Others, Continues to Pay and Publish Undisclosed Saudi Lobbyists and Other Regime Propagandists UAE warns against 'destabilising' Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi: The controversy over disappearance of Khashoggi should not be exploited, tweets UAE state minister for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash Israel lobbyists smear Khashoggi as terrorist so as to maintain Saudi alliance and plans for Iran war Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy October 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - THOSE in the western media too busy to be bothered trying to understand the complexities, intricacies and nuances of the Middle East often resort to concluding nearly all conflicts there are some kind of proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. This is usually out of ignorance, reducing disputes to the lowest common dominator of Sunnis versus Shiites or to that between their two most prominent patron states. Often though there is deliberate obfuscation; there must be justification for a US ally to cause regional mayhem on the pretext of containing an enemy. The easiest and most convenient scapegoat has been Iran and efforts to contain its alleged expansionism by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and of course, Israel, go unchecked. One of the most devastating and tragic episodes occurring in the Middle East today is in Yemen. But this is not a de facto proxy war its bankrollers hope we have all grown too weary of hearing to investigate further. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Despite the constant disclaimers by a lazy media, there is no proxy war in Yemen. The war which has ravaged the Arab worlds poorest country since March 2015 is a Saudi-led, unilateral onslaught which has so devasted the nation, its economy, infrastructure and social services that malnutrition has become widespread and cholera epidemic. Ostensibly, the Saudi-UAE military campaign was to oust Houthi-led rebels who unseated the deeply unpopular Saudi-backed puppet-president Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi in January 2015 (elected on a ballot in which he was the only candidate and who remained in power even after the expiration of a one-year mandate that had extended his term). The Houthis, a politico-religious group officially known as Ansarullahand named after their founder, Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, initially formed in opposition to late Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The Houthis generally belong to the Zaidi school in Islam, a branch of the larger Shiite sect. Branding the Houthis as Iranian-backed Shiite rebels as is now routine, makes for easy and convenient categorization of who the bad guys are in Western and Gulf media. But this is disingenuous. The inconvenient fact is Zaidis are generally closer to Sunni Islam than Shiite (and the longtime military, Saudi-backed dictator Saleh was Zaidi). More significantly, other than voicing solidarity with the Houthis, there has been no substantive evidence of Iranian military intervention or that of affiliated parties in Yemen. On the contrary, and starkly so, it has been the Saudi and Emirati governments inhumane bombing campaign which has been the most glaring example of foreign interference in the internal affairs of another country. When a school-bus was struck during an air raid that killed 40 children, it was initially justified as a legitimate military target by the Saudi coalition before international outrage finally led to the conclusion it was otherwise. On the other hand, intermittent Houthi missiles launched at Saudi military installations and considered evidence of foreign military supply belie the Houthis as a legitimate, capable, battle-hardened fighting force. Apparently, the regime cannot fathom that despite daily attack, they have had the muster to retaliate and demonstrate offensive, rather than strictly defensive, capabilities. Yemen is not a sectarian conflict or one of proxies, but a war stemming from the fallout of removing yet another Saudi-backed ruler from power. Since 2015, at least 10,000 Yemenis have been killed, 22 million are now in need some form of relief (out of a total population of approximately 29 million) and eight million are malnourished. These numbers can only be expected to climb after evidence has shown Saudi Arabia is targeting food supplies. The war waged in Yemen by Saudi Arabia and its allies and their wanton use of US and UK-supplied arms is everything short of a formal invasion. It is a one-sided, vicious military adventure which has rendered millions destitute and to date, has proven completely unsuccessful in fulfilling its stated objectives. The only proxies in this struggle are the victims of its war crimes; innocent men, women and children starved or killed, stand-ins for an apparition of a foreign power waiting to be found. This article was originally published by " New Age " - 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 By David Stockman October 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - During an appearance on Fox Business yesterday we were asked about the Khashoggi affair and whether any intemperate response by Washington might inconvenience the party kids reviling on Wall Street. Perhaps we were having a bad hair day, but the question did trigger a fairly intemperate response on our part. For crying out loud, Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) is hands down the most murderous thug operating on the middle eastern stage at the moment, and hes got a lot of competition for the title. For instance, last month General al-Sisi apparently spent some of the $1.5 billion Washington sends him each year to run a show trial against 700 Egyptians who have been in jail the past five years for protesting his bloody 2013 coup against Egypts first freely elected president, Mohamed Mursi. Their sin, of course, was that they had exercised the right of free speech which supposedly the Arab Spring had conferred upon them in order to affiliate with the Muslim Brotherhood. The latter is the scourge of tyrants and greedy monarchs throughout the Islamic world; and is especially loathed by the House of Saud, which may explain a thing or two about the missing body parts of Mr. Khashoggi, who was also an outspoken brotherhood adherent. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter In any event, 75 of these protesters are to be awarded the hangmans noose, and the rest a long stay in General al-Sisis hospitality suites, which are widely understood to be not all that. Still, that aint nothin compared to the virtual genocide that MBS has conducted against Yemen. And there the body parts in question are the fragments of Yemeni civilians frequently women and children who get in the way of MBS Washington supplied and targeted bombs, drones, shells and bullets; or who simply drop dead from starvation and the worst outbreak of cholera in recent times. According to Save the Children, upwards of 50,000 children died from hunger and disease in 2017 alone, while the UN estimates that at least 16,000 civilians have been killed or maimed by the Saudi air attacks. So we called a spade a spade on the matter, only to have our Fox host retort as follows: "..not making a judgment on the moral right or wrong of the matterbut if we crack down hard with sanctions and such, are you telling us you dont think there is a financial market impact?" Of course that wasnt what we were saying. But what we were thinking was: Really? Apparently this Foxified stock market cult-boy assumes even Americas foreign policy should be driven by the divine right of the casino to be pleasured by rising stock prices each and every day. Then again, it looks like Foxs greatest Fan-boy is slouching in the same direction and for the same reason. That is, to keep what he has now embraced as the Trump Bubble levitated come hell or high water. As the Middle East Eye noted this morning, it would appear that Jared Kushner and/or the Donald have seized upon a solution. Namely, that the hotheaded 33-year old MBS, who has created the greatest murder spectacle since O.J. Simpsons wild ride in the Bronco, could benefit from the steadying hand of, well, his 28-year old brother, Khalid bin Salman! "In DC the talk is about Khalid becoming a deputy crown prince to show the world that MBS is basically opening up his autocratic and self-centered leadership to include others and create more accountability. We dont know whether this prospective Salman Brothers duo can make the Istanbul Bonesaw Massacre go away or not, or keep the stock market rising on its appointed ascent. But we can at least hope the MBS contretemps will stir a modicum of thought in the Imperial City about the larger issue involved. Namely, that the biggest state sponsor of terror in the Middle East is Saudi Barbaria, not the Iranians. And that the house of Sauds corrupt bargain with its own medieval Wahhabi clerics is the true source of jihadi terrorism in the region, not the Shiite/Alawite communities of Iran, Syria and Lebanon. The truth of the matter is that it was the Iran-led Shiite coalition with the help of the Russian Air Force which essentially extinguished the barbaric Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. So not only has Washington long been on the wrong side of the Shiite/Sunni divide, but owing to the Donald and Jareds bromance with MBS, the Trump administration has taken the US right off the deep-end with its vicious attack on the Iran nuke deal and the ruling regime in Tehran. And thats the real evil being perpetrated by MBS. His infantile yet bloodthirsty vendetta against Iran is the driving force behind much that roils the middle east at present. Thus, MBS political and economic attack on Qatar was motivated not only by the Muslim Brotherhood friendly policies of its ruler, but more especially by Qatars friendly relations and diplomatic recognition of Iran, with which it shares the largest natural gas field in the world. Likewise, he recently kidnapped, roughly interrogated and humiliated Prime Minister Hariri of Lebanon for being too soft on Hezbollah. Never mind that the latter controls the largest bloc in Lebanons parliament and is a participant in the nations constitutionally prescribe three-way split of power wherein the Shiite elect the Speaker of the Parliament, the Sunnis name the Prime Minister and the Chrisitians select the countrys President. But none of this mattered because MBS is determined to confront Tehran and its allies from one end of the Mideast to the other. And thats the real reason for his genocidal attack on Yemen. The latter is among the poorest, most industrially backward redoubts in the entire world and doesnt remotely have the capacity to threaten Riyadh. Its GDP of just $18 billion or a paltry $650 per capita is less than 3% of Saudis stupendous oil-fueled GDP, which funds the fourth largest military budget in the world. And now Yemens polity has been completely shattered, too, by civil war and the relentless Saudi bombing campaigns. The west and north are controlled by the Houthi government, which sized power during 2015 in the countrys capital city of Sanaa. So doing, they inherited a large cache of American weapons left behind by the fleeing official government. At the same time, the south and east are fragmented between former Presidents Hadis Saudi puppet government and regions controlled by al-Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood and various tribal potentates and small time warlords some or all of whom are warring with each other as well as with the Houthi. In a sane world it would be instantly obvious that America has no dog in this fratricidal bloodletting in one of the true armpits of the planet. But the Houthis, who have long dominated their region of the country, practice a form of Shiite Islam. In turn, that makes them a confessional ally of Iran and therefore a convenient target for MBS proxy war on Tehran. Thats the sum and substance of the Yemen catastrophe: Its a genocide launched three years ago by the then 30-year old Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia and son of its dementia-enfeebled king for no other purpose than to kick the Iranians in the shins. But one thing has led to another including the aforementioned bromance of the Donald and his son-in-law with a reckless power-hungry young tyrant who has gotten the White House to fall hook, line and sinker for his anti-Iranian agenda. And that didnt take much doing since Bibi Netanyahu had already polluted their thin grasp of the region with his own demonization of Tehran. The irony is palpable. The boys and girls on Wall Street may get by accident that which they desperately do not want: Namely, a material oil outage in the Persian Gulf and a temporary surge in oil prices back to $150 per barrel. That eventuality would make no matter in the longer run because world supply and demand would adjust, and high-cost deep water oil and shale production would get an added incentive, as would conservation and all the various flavors of alternative energy. But a Persian Gulf oil interruption would instantly shatter an egregious stock market bubble that is being held aloft on fumes and awaits only for a windshield on which to splatter. At the end of the day, however, that may well be the silver lining. The Donalds demented sanctions campaign to reduce Irans oil exports to zero after November had already threatened to upset the applecart in the global oil market; and, apparently, it had also given the reckless Crown Prince the impression that he could operate with impunity, and that no act of thuggery was to brazen to be eschewed. But now the Khashoggi imbroglio threatens to get totally out of hand. Mohammed bin Salmans recklessness in Istanbul may yet send the house of Saud into an existential crisis especially if the Donalds stubby little hands are forced to severely punish the Saudis owing to the overwhelming sentiment of the world community. That is to say, along with the collapse of the stock market we could also see the collapse of the monarchy, and the seizure or sabotage of its Persian Gulf oil fields. After all, they happen to lie in the eastern region of the country which is heavily populated by Shiites, who have been brutally prosecuted by MBS. Needless to say, you will be worse for the wear if you hang around the casino in the face of this potential double collapse. But the world will be far better off on both counts. David Stockman was a two-term Congressman from Michigan. He was also the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Ronald Reagan. After leaving the White House, Stockman had a 20-year career on Wall Street. Hes the author of three books, The Triumph of Politics: Why the Reagan Revolution Failed, The Great Deformation: The Corruption of Capitalism in America and TRUMPED! A Nation on the Brink of Ruin And How to Bring It Back. He also is founder of David Stockmans Contra Corner and David Stockmans Bubble Finance Trader. Via Anti War Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here. ==See Also== Saudi / U.S. Have Bridge For Sale Khashoggi killing: Turkey vows to reveal 'truth' on Saudi critic's death: "Turkey will never allow a cover-up," a ruling party spokesperson said. Turkish police search forest: Unnamed Turkish officials say his body may have been disposed of in the nearby Belgrad forest or on farmland. Seven of bin Salman's bodyguards among Khashoggi suspects : S even of the 15 men suspected of being involved in an operation to kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi belong to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans personal security and protection detail Saudis offer pathetic explanation of Khashoggi death to preserve ties to US regime and clear crown prince: The Saudi regime said it has arrested the entire team and three others. It blames two of the Saudi crown princes key aides the deputy director of Saudi intelligence and his top communications adviser for Khashoggis death. The Khashoggi Killing: Americas Part in a Saudi Horror: Were an enabler of a system that encourages authoritarianism, US Military Leaders Keep Quiet on Saudi Arabia Amid Khashoggi Outrage: Trump says selling weapons to Saudi Arabia will create a lot of jobs. Thats not true.: The impact of foreign arms sales on the US economy is minuscule. Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi story is preposterous, but MBS will get a pass Glenn Greenwald: The Washington Post, as It Shames Others, Continues to Pay and Publish Undisclosed Saudi Lobbyists and Other Regime Propagandists UAE warns against 'destabilising' Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi: The controversy over disappearance of Khashoggi should not be exploited, tweets UAE state minister for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash Israel lobbyists smear Khashoggi as terrorist so as to maintain Saudi alliance and plans for Iran war Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy By Global Justice Now! 157 of top 200 economic entities by revenue are corporations not countries Top 10 corporate revenues exceed $3 trillion British government urged to support Binding Treaty to hold corporations to account at UN in Geneva this week October 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Top corporations continue to accrue revenues far in excess of most governments, figures compiled by Global Justice Now show. Comparing 2017 revenues, 69 of the top 100 economic entities are corporations rather than governments. The top 10 corporations a list which includes Walmart, Toyota and Shell as well as several Chinese corporations raked in over $3 trillion last year. When it comes to the top 200 entities, the gap between corporations and governments gets even more pronounced: 157 are corporations. Walmart, Apple and Shell all accrued more wealth than even fairly rich countries like Russia, Belgium, Sweden. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Global Justice Now released the figures in order to put pressure on the British government during UN human rights council negotiations this week to take forward a new binding UN Treaty to force transnational corporations to abide by human rights responsibilities. Campaigners are calling for the treaty to be legally enforceable at a national and global level. Britain, which currently sits on the UN human rights council, has traditionally been hostile to the treaty, which is supported by Ecuador, South Africa and many other developing countries. Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now, said: The vast wealth and power of corporations is at the heart of so many of the worlds problems like inequality and climate change. The drive for short-term profits today seems to trump basic human rights for millions of people on the planet. Yet there are very few ways that citizens can hold these corporations to account for their behaviour. Rather, through trade and investment deals, it is corporations which are able to demand that governments do their bidding. The UK government has facilitated this rise in corporate power through tax structures, trade deals and even aid programmes that help big business. Disgracefully it also routinely opposes the call of developing countries to hold corporations to account for their human rights impacts at the UN. Thats why today were joining campaigns from across the world to tell the British government not to block this international demand for justice. >>> Check out the full list comparing the revenues of countries and corporations >>> Read our campaign briefing Notes 1. These figures have been taken from a direct comparison of the annual revenue of corporations and the annual revenue of countries. Sources: CIA World Factbook 2017 and Fortune Global 500. 2. Global Justice Now is a member of the Global Campaign to Reclaim Peoples Sovereignty, Dismantle Corporate Power and Stop Impunity, a network of over 250 social movements, civil society organisations (CSOs), trade unions and communities from around the world affected by the activities of Transnational Corporations (TNCs). It is taking part in a week of peoples mobilisation in Geneva from 13-20 October to coincide with UN Human Rights Council discussions on the draft text of the UN Binding Treaty on TNCs and Human Rights. See https://www.stopcorporateimpunity.org. This article was originally published by " Global Justice Now " - 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 By Margaret Kimberle October 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The corporate media cry crocodile tears over the apparent murder of an elite, CIA-connected dissident, while papering over US complicity in Saudi war crimes in Yemen. The Saudis may kill 50 Yemeni children on a school bus and get only a few mild rebukes, but killing a prominent man is another story entirely. The disappearance and presumed murder of Jamal Khashoggi puts the corrupt relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States in high relief. The two countries have been partners in crime over many years. Together they used jihadist proxies to make wars in Afghanistan, Libya and Syria that furthered U.S. interests. The brutal Saudi attack on neighboring Yemen could not happen without U.S. diplomatic and logistical support. The Donald Trump presidency has brought the two even closer. The relationship is now a true love affair complete with personal dealings between Saudi royals and the Trumps. Khashoggi was a member of a prominent Saudi family with strong ties to the royal house. His uncle, Adnan Khashoggi, was an arms dealer involved in the Iran-Contra and BCCI scandals. But Jamal Khashoggi had a parting of the ways with crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the de facto ruler, and he left Saudi Arabia in 2017. He was a long time Saudi spokesman, CIA asset and a Washington Postjournalist. All of those credentials made him an elite insider in the United States too. His uncle, Adnan Khashoggi, was an arms dealer involved in the Iran-Contra and BCCI scandals. Khashoggi entered a Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on October 2ndand was never seen again. According to media reports the Turkish government has audio and video proof that he was murdered and that his body was dismembered and disposed of elsewhere. The Saudis may kill 50 Yemeni children on a school bus and get only a few mild rebukes. But killing a prominent man who has all the right political and intelligence agency connections is another story entirely. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Ordinarily compliant American senators are now going through the motions of asking questions and proposing sanctions or other punishments against the kingdom. Corporate media like the New York Times, Financial Times, CNN and CNBC have dropped out of the Future Investment Initiative meeting which is known as Davos in the desert. The plight of starving Yemenis gets little attention, but a hit job committed openly and without fear of recourse is too much. Liberal sensibilities were offended by the crassness of the act and by the position of the victim. The plight of starving Yemenis gets little attention, but a hit job committed openly and without fear of recourse is too much. The outrage is coming long after the Saudis began their war crime against Yemen. They have been bombing and starving that country since 2014 and are responsible for an estimated 50,000 deaths. They have blockaded ports and denied access to food and medicine. Yemen is in the midst of a cholera outbreak and millions are displaced refugees. These atrocities were not enough to put Saudi Arabia on the list of infamy where it belongs. Barack Obama, darling of the liberal imperialists, was only slightly less subservient to the kingdom than Trump is today. The Yemen attack began during his term in office. He continued the tradition of $100 billion defense deals with the feudal monarchy and made the relationship a top priority. He cut short a 2015 visit to India in order to meet the newly crowned King Salman and brought along a whos who entourage including Condi Rice, James Baker, John McCain and Nancy Pelosi. Saudi Arabia was and is a key partner in U.S. imperialism. Trump differs from Obama and other presidents only in his inability to be diplomatic. When first asked about a possible response to Khashoggis disappearance he made it clear that he would do nothing to threaten war contractor profits. In defending the crown prince he mentioned Boeing, Raytheon and Lockheed by name as he dismissed any talk of sanctions. Barack Obama was only slightly less subservient to the kingdom than Trump is today. Of course Trump style politics provides further complications. Presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner has formed a close friendship with Mohammed bin Salman. Kushners security clearance gave him access to information which he gave to the crown prince. Kushner is the likely source who turned in Saudi royals, also connected to the CIA, who opposed the de facto ruler.These people were imprisoned, at least one was killed, their assets were seized and many now live under house arrest. Trump publicly supported the move in one of his famous twitter messages. It is easy to find yet another reason to look askance at Trump and his vulgar and incompetent family but Saudi Arabia will be a U.S. partner in wrong doing no matter who is in the White House. Prince Bandar bin Sultan was known as Bandar Bush because of his close relationship with two presidents and their confidantes. The nuances of keeping friends on a short leash are lost on Trump. Media reports say that the Trump administration was aware that Khashoggi was in danger of being detained but didnt protect a man who had worked with and for past administrations since the 1990s. The Saudis started a near war with Qatar in 2017 and were supported by Trump in the effort. Qatar is a close ally of Turkey, the country where they chose to disappear Khashoggi. They would not have acted so recklessly unless they were certain of U.S. compliance. The Saudis would not have acted so recklessly unless they were certain of U.S. compliance. Trump again tears away the veneer of U.S. foreign policy. He is not smart enough to hide the dirty dealings. He doesnt know when to reign in friends and he encourages rash behavior. But that doesnt really make him worse than his predecessors. He is just less savvy and incapable of behaving within the norms laid down by tradition. The hypocrisy doesnt end with Trump and Kushner. It can be seen in the corporate media who cover for a war crime against Yemen. They are easily bought off by a prince who opens movie theaters and allows women to drive. But they also know who funds the think tanks and who has the connections with their bosses. They may despise Trump but it isnt for the reasons they ought to dislike him. They are a party to the hypocrisy, as much as the foreign despots or their presidential partners. There are no heroes in this story. There is only a missing man and corruption in high places intwo nations. Margaret Kimberleys Freedom Rider column appears weekly in BAR, and is widely reprinted elsewhere. She maintains a frequently updated blog as well at http://freedomrider.blogspot.com . Ms. Kimberley lives in New York City, and can be reached via e-Mail at Margaret.Kimberley(at)BlackAgendaReport.com. Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here. ==See Also== Saudi / U.S. Have Bridge For Sale Khashoggi killing: Turkey vows to reveal 'truth' on Saudi critic's death: "Turkey will never allow a cover-up," a ruling party spokesperson said. Turkish police search forest: Unnamed Turkish officials say his body may have been disposed of in the nearby Belgrad forest or on farmland. Seven of bin Salman's bodyguards among Khashoggi suspects : S even of the 15 men suspected of being involved in an operation to kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi belong to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans personal security and protection detail Saudis offer pathetic explanation of Khashoggi death to preserve ties to US regime and clear crown prince: The Saudi regime said it has arrested the entire team and three others. It blames two of the Saudi crown princes key aides the deputy director of Saudi intelligence and his top communications adviser for Khashoggis death. The Khashoggi Killing: Americas Part in a Saudi Horror: Were an enabler of a system that encourages authoritarianism, US Military Leaders Keep Quiet on Saudi Arabia Amid Khashoggi Outrage: Trump says selling weapons to Saudi Arabia will create a lot of jobs. Thats not true.: The impact of foreign arms sales on the US economy is minuscule. Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi story is preposterous, but MBS will get a pass Glenn Greenwald: The Washington Post, as It Shames Others, Continues to Pay and Publish Undisclosed Saudi Lobbyists and Other Regime Propagandists UAE warns against 'destabilising' Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi: The controversy over disappearance of Khashoggi should not be exploited, tweets UAE state minister for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash Israel lobbyists smear Khashoggi as terrorist so as to maintain Saudi alliance and plans for Iran war Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy The Pentagon, in this report, may not be advocating total war against both Russia and China as it was interpreted in some quarters. What it does is configure the trade war against China as even more incandescent, while laying bare the true motivations behind the sanctioning of Russia. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The US Department of Commerce has imposed restrictions on 12 Russian corporations that are deemed to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the US. In practice, this means that American corporations cannot export dual-use products to any of the sanctioned Russian companies. There are very clear reasons behind these sanctions and they are not related to national security. Its all about free market competition. At the heart of the storm is the Irkut MC-21 narrow-body passenger jet the first in the world with a capacity of more than 130 passengers to have composite-based wings. AeroComposit is responsible for the development of these composite wings. The estimated share of composites in the overall design is 40%. The MC-21s PD-14 engine which is unable to power combat jets will be manufactured by Aviadvigatel. Until now MC-21s had Pratt & Whitney engines. The PD-14 is the first new engine 100% made in Russia since the break up of the USSR. Aviation experts are sure that an MC-21 equipped with a PD-14 easily beats the competition; the Airbus A320 and the Boeing-737. Then theres the PD-35 engine which Aviadvigatel is developing specifically to equip an already announced Russia-China wide-body twinjet airliner to be built by the joint venture China-Russia Commercial Aircraft International Corp Ltd (CRAIC), launched in May 2017 in Shanghai. Aviation experts are convinced this is the only project anywhere in the world capable of challenging the decades-long monopoly of Boeing and Airbus. Will these sanctions prevent Russia from perfecting the MC-21 and investing in the new airliner? Hardly. Top military analyst Andrei Martyanov convincingly makes the case that these sanctions are at best laughable, considering how makers of avionics and aggregates for the ultra-sophisticated Su-35 and Su-57 fighter jets would have no problem replacing Western parts on commercial jets. Oh China, youre so malign Even before the Pentagon report, it was clear that the Trump administrations number one goal in relation to China was to ultimately cut off extended US corporate supply chains and re-implant them along with tens of thousands of jobs back into the US. This radical reorganization of global capitalism may not be exactly appealing for US multinationals because they would lose all the cost-benefit advantages that seduced them to delocalize to China in the first place. And the lost advantages wont be offset by more corporate tax breaks. It gets worse from the point to view of global trade: for Trump administration hawks, the re-industrialization of the US presupposes Chinese industrial stagnation. That explains to a large extent the all-out demonization of the high-tech Made in China 2025 drive in all its aspects. And this flows in parallel to demonizing Russia. Thus we have US Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke threatening no less than a blockade of Russian energy flows: The United States has that ability, with our Navy, to make sure the sea lanes are open, and, if necessary, to blockade to make sure that their energy does not go to market. The commercial and industrial demonization of China reached a paroxysm with Vice-President Mike Pence accusing China of reckless harassment, trying to malign Trumps credibility and even being the top US election meddler, displacing Russia. Thats hardly attuned to a commercial strategy whose main goal should be to create US jobs. President Xi Jinping and his advisers are not necessarily averse to making a few trade concessions. But that becomes impossible, from Beijings point of view, when China is sanctioned because it is buying Russian weapons systems. Beijing also can read some extra writing on the trade wall, an inevitable consequence of Pences accusations; Magnitsky-style sanctioning of Russian individuals and businesses may soon be extended to the Chinese. After all, Pence said Russias alleged interference in US affairs paled in comparison with Chinas malign actions. Chinas ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, in his interview with Fox News, strove for his diplomatic best: It would be hard to imagine that one-fifth of the global population could develop and prosper, not by relying mainly on their own efforts, but by stealing or forcing some transfer of technology from others Thats impossible. The Chinese people are as hard-working and diligent as anybody on earth. That is something that will be validated once again in Brussels this week at the biennial ASEM Asia Europe summit, first held in 1996. The theme of this years summit is Europe and Asia: global partners and global challenges. At the top of the agenda is trade, investment and connectivity at least between Europe and Asia. Washingtons offensive on China should not be interpreted under the optics of fair trade, but rather as a strategy for containing China technologically, which touches upon the absolutely crucial theme: to prevent China from developing the connectivity supporting the extended supply chains which are at the heart of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). We dont need no peer competitors A glaring giveaway that these overlapping sanctions on Russia and China are all about the good old Brzezinski fear of Eurasia being dominated by the emergence of peer competitors was recently offered by Wess Mitchell, the US State Department Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs the same post previously held by Victoria F*ck the EU Nuland. This is the original Mitchell testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And this is the redacted, sanitized State Department version. A crucial phrase in the middle of the second paragraph simply disappeared: It continues to be among the foremost national security interests of the United States to prevent the domination of the Eurasian landmass by hostile powers. Thats all the geopolitics Beijing and Moscow need to know. Not that they didnt know it already. Pepe Escobar is correspondent-at-large at Asia Times. His latest book is 2030. Follow him on Facebook. This article was originally published by " Asia Times " - 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 Egypt's Health Minister Hala Zayed discussed on Saturday with a delegation from the Ethiopian health ministry boosting cooperation between the two countries in the health sector, according to the Egyptian health ministry spokesman. During the meeting, Zayed approved establishing a specialised medical unit in Ethiopia, as well as sending Egyptian medical convoys to aid with urgent surgical needs in a number of Ethiopian cities. Zayed also agreed that Egypt will train Ethiopian medical teams in Nasser Institute Hospital. Search Keywords: Short link: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode has said he would rather die, than join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) because of fear of persecution. The former minister made this known while reacting to news that Musiliu Obanolikoro and Iyiola Omisore who had their passports seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over corruption allegations have gotten them back. Fani-Kayode in his statement on Sunday said that the duo are now in the United States after getting their passports from the EFCC. He stressed that he doesnt blame anyone for joining the ruling party to avoid persecution because not everyone is strong. However, he said as for he, would rather die than join the ruling party or bow to president Muhammadu Buhari. He wrote: Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu addressed his supporters at 6pm on Sunday from Israel. The spiritual leader of Biafra as he likes to call himself revealed what transpired and how be found himself in Israel, those who have stood by him and his future plans. Read below I promised the Zoo that I will be coming to Biafra and I came, I do not recognise the court of the Zoo, I want the people of the Middle Belt to rise and join IPOB IPOB Military intelligent evacuated me from my compound when the Army of the Zoo attacked me, I am in Israel and the efficiency of MOSAD will be replicated in Biafra, we shall hunt everyone down to avenge the death of IPOB members The Governor of Abia State directed the assault on my Father who is a Monarch, I thank Donald Trump and the government of Israel who stood by IPOB in our time of need, I thank Prof Ben Nwabueze who stood by me I want to Ayo Fayose and assure him that Biafra will stand by him in this our of need, we will have a special place for him in Biafra, I thank all my sureties that stood by me, my unavailability was forced on me The Army of the Zoo killed my dog Jack and few other people in my compound, I am sorry for what my sureties are passing trough but I want to assure them that they will have a special place in Biafra. I shall not be honouring the Court The notion that I jumped bail is a fallacy in Law, I did not jump bail, on the 14th of September 2017 the terrorists of the Zoo came to kill me, they know if I go to court Nigeria will burn and I was forced to leave, I did not jump bail The Zoo called Nigeria can not jail me. I will fight till the last day. Binta Nyanko court fail to ask Nigerian army why they invaded my home. Nigerian court is a Kangaroo court. I did not jump bail, I left because the court fail to protect I am not a Nigerian. I already renounced Nigeria in 2015. I am a Biafran with British Nationality. I can not be tried by a court I do not recognise. I do not recognise Nigeria . I can only come to the court with UN supervision IPOB will liberate Biafra and we will not take part in any election until we get a referendum and this is not negotiable, we will achieve this by every necessary means, we thank Isreal for all the contributions they made to IPOB I owe my survival to the State of Israel I decree that there is no longer South East or South South Nigeria, it shall be known as Biafra, without referendum nothing will happen in Nigeria. IPOB will not participate in any election and that position will never change IPOB is the largest mass movement in the whole world, we will not stop until Biafra is fully restored Chukwu Okike Abiama has assured me that Biafra shall come, all collaborators will feel the full weight of the anger of the Biafran people. I am coming back to Biafra land soon and I will bring hell with me, the way it has never been seen before A Nigerian lady identified as Drusilla Clement, took to Instagram to narrate how her struggling elder brother gives money to pastors but not to their mother. The Nigerian disclosed this on a post shared by Daddy Freeze, about African Parents and their relationship with Pastors. Daddy Freeze who shared the post had written; Awwww this is the funniest thing Ive read today Many of our parents were, while some still are, 419ed by pastors. See her post below: However Drusilla Clement who commented on the post, wrote; Loll. This one is small. My elder brother who still struggles would package different envelopes for his pastors and line them but never sends anything to my mum. Lolz. Nonsense and ingredient Vanguard The social media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mrs Lauretta Onochie, Sunday listed alleged eleven (11) count charges the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, filed against the former governor of Ekiti state, Mr. Ayodele Fayose The Nation Military resettles 145, 000 IDPs in three statesSoldiers keeping the peace in Benue, Taraba and Nassarawa States have killed the wife of wanted Benue State militia chief, Terwase Akwaza (Gana), and 11 of his men during assaults on the groups hideouts, the authorities said yesterday.The Commander, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Major-General Adeyemi Yekini told reporters in Makurdi, Benue State, yesterday that the assaults took place in Sai, Katsina-Ala Local Government ThisDay The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has announced that its leader, Nnamdi Kanu who recently resurfaced in Israel would address Biafrans and lovers of the organisation on Sunday evening. In a statement by its media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, the IPOB said Kanu would be briefing on Radio Biafra to.. Guardian The Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) has said that 35 inmates of the Jos prison will participate in the 2018 Nov/Dec Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) of the National Examination Council (NECO). The Sun Benin kingdom is a role model for other ethnic kingdoms and societies to follow, President Muhammadu Buhari said, on Saturday, in Benin-City, Edo State. He stated this on the occasion of the second coronation anniversary of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II and the launch of a book [ Daily Times A guber aspirant under the platform of Labour Party, Dr. Law Osondu, and the entire members of Law Osondu Campaign Organisation have pledged their total Daily Trust Senator Shehu Sani yesterday dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) after a protracted crisis over who should be the partys senatorial candidate in the 2019 general elections. The Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District had been having a running battle for the senatorial ticket with the anointed candidate Governor Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Malam Leadership The inauguration of the Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the governor of Ekiti State was held on Tuesday, October 16, amid pomp and pageantry in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. Fayemi, a scholar, politician and activist, who was sworn in as the 12th executive governor of the state was Tribune Deputy leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Uche Mefor, has debunked the report that IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, reached agreement with some politicians to work against President Muhammadu Buharis re-election in 2019. Iyiola Omisore who contested the Osun state governorship election last September under the platform of the Social Democratic Party(SDP) has now been dumped by the All Progressives Congress (APC), according to Femi Fani-Kayode. It will be recalled that the SDP governorship candidate had gone into a coalition with the APC after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the poll inconclusive and scheduled a rerun. Three were claims that the APC in a bid to win over the supporters of Omisore had paid him off since the rerun battle was particularly between it and Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, his cousin former minister of aviation, Femi Fani Kayode revealed that the ruling party has reneged on its promise to Omisore. The PDP chieftain while mocking Omisore claimed that only his passport was released to him. He wrote: A US based Kenyan Pastor, Reverend Stanley Mwea, reportedly held 3 pre-wedding dinner parties with two different women within a few months. The Kenyan Pastor who has been accused of fraud, held two pre-wedding fundraisers in May in Baltimore, Maryland and Boston, Massachusetts and an upcoming one in Washington State. Reverend Stanley Mwea who fell in love with another woman, Ms Serah Ndirangu, called off his first wedding with Susan Kangethe, after they had issues before walking down the aisle. However a third pre-wedding party is slated for November 10th this year, a development which fetched him a backlash from Kenyans in the Diaspora. According to some Kenyans in different cities in the US, after pre-wedding dinner parties are held for the couple, the love birds vanish or relocate to different states, never to be seen again. Pastor Serah Ndirangu who spoke with Kenya Satellite News Network last Thursday, disclosed that she is aware of what happened between the previous fiancee and the Reverend and added that the upcoming pre-wedding was her own idea. She added that she is ready to get married to the man, and those casting doubts on the event are mere detractors whose opinions dont really matter. Why do people like poking their noses in other peoples affairs? We really dont care what they are sayingthis is our life and no one is being forced to contribute a penny, she said. Our pre-wedding will take place on November 10th come rain, come shine, she added. Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Oby Ezekwesili has reacted to recent deaths of over 50 Nigerians in a communal clash in Kaduna. According to the former Vice president of the World Bank, these killings are not normal and that the government of the day must rise to the occasion when it comes to securing the lives of its citizen. The former minister of Education, who has championed many protest to demand that government becomes more responsible to its citizens, said this on Sunday via social media. In her words: Our hearts remain broken. These frequent killings of our fellow human beings are simply not normal. #ThisCannotContinue Our hearts remain broken. These frequent killings of our fellow human beings are simply not normal. Our hearts bleed for families of the victims. President Muhammadu Buhari must rise up to his duty as Commander-in-Chief and #EndTheseKillings. Such barbaric acts must be STOPPED. #ThisMustEndNow. mexico Image taken from the Regional Economies Report JanuaryMarch 2018 issued by Banco de Mexico (http://www.banxico.org.mx/dyn/publicaciones-y-prensa/reportes-sobre-las-economias-regionales/recuadros/%7B20867F6A-F174-04D0-9A04-BB846DB7EFC3%7D.pdf) Puerto Chiapas Coatzacoalcos Lazaro Cardenas La Union Progreso Salina Cruz Dos Bocas Champoton. As stated in the October 11 2017 newsletter, SEZs are geographically defined areas with natural and logistical advantages. This allows them to be turned into highly productive areas offering business opportunities to investors drawn to the government's tax benefits. The tax benefits applicable in the SEZs include: Exemption of income tax for the first 10 years; Fifty percent reduction of income tax for the next five years; Zero percent value-added tax (VAT) when acquiring goods for use in the SEZs; Zero percent VAT on services rendered to an Investor; and Goods imported to Mexico to be used exclusively in the SEZs are not treated as imports. Activities that may be performed in a SEZ include manufacturing; agribusiness; processing, transformation and storage of feedstock and materials; scientific and technological innovation and development; and provision of support services to productive economic activities such as logistics, financial services, informatics and professional services, as well as the introduction of goods for such purposes. These SEZ benefits do not apply to any businesses related to hydrocarbons. While some of the decrees were published last year, no permissions for exploiting a SEZ have yet been granted. However, the government expects to grant at least one permission by the end of the year. The government is encouraging both Mexican and foreign investors to move their operations to the SEZs. To do so, permission for operating in the SEZs needs to be obtained through public bids. Despite all the benefits that these regions offer, potential investors have expressed concerns about the continuity of the decrees, as in December 2018 the new political party, Morena, will take power and control the congress. However, party officials have stated on many occasions that the SEZs are important for the country, and the party is not expected to decrease the benefits offered in the decree. Rather, they have said that they will continue encouraging investors to conduct business within these areas in order to develop them. On September 13 2018, a licenses and permissions committee was established to bring certainty and transparency to the process of assigning the SEZs. The committee was formed by the Federal Authority for the Development of Special Economic Zones executive secretary, and promotion and investment personnel and will give their opinion regarding the necessary conditions to grant a license or permit, as well as being in charge of public bids. The committee is expected to underline Mexico's commitment to creating, maintaining and promoting the SEZs, as it depends directly on the federal authorities to develop the SEZs. Therefore, even if the new government retracts what it has already stated about continuing to encourage investment in the SEZs, the development plan is covered by federal law and national authorities. The benefits that the SEZs bring to companies are quite appealing, and there are many regions that may be of interest to investors seeking to develop long-term business in Mexico. This article was written by Santiago Llano Zapatero and Alberto Anguiano Pineda of Ritch, Mueller, Heather y Nicolau, SC. Santiago Llano Zapatero ( sllano@ritch.com.mx ) Alberto Anguiano Pineda ( aanguiano@ritch.com.mx ) Ritch, Mueller, Heather y Nicolau, S.C. www.ritch.com.mx The material on this site is for financial institutions, professional investors and their professional advisers. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQ. Share this article Mexico city 320 x 215 Transfer pricing adjustments are any modification to prices, amount of payment, or profit margins regarding transactions executed between a taxpayer and its related parties that tend to adjust the accruable income or deductions to the value of such transactions, as if performed by independent parties. Two recent precedents regarding transfer pricing adjustments, both from a ruling by the First Circuit Court in Mexico City against a taxpayer, were published in the Weekly Federal Court Report in February. In the first precedent (Register 2016257), it was decided that transfer pricing adjustments regarding transactions between related parties can be performed through a complementary tax return only when one of the parties is a non-resident, and only when the tax authority of the country where the related party is located performs the adjustment. In such a case, the Mexican tax authorities should accept the adjustment, the court ruled. However, this makes it difficult for taxpayers to comply with their Mexican tax obligations on time. In the second precedent (Register 2016258), the court ruled that to be deductible as a result of transfer pricing adjustments, receipts or invoices for tax purposes must correspond to the fiscal year in which the transaction between the related parties took place. The reason for this is that the provider of the goods or services is bound to accrue income monthly and annually and, therefore, must verify that the transactions comply with Mexicos transfer pricing regulations. Along the same lines, the recipient of the goods or services, who takes the corresponding deduction, must analyse whether the transactions comply with the transfer pricing regulations. The court also ruled that its interpretation is supported by Mexican law. The law states that, in order to take a deduction, taxpayers must meet the laws formal requirements, including the obligations pertaining to receipts for tax purposes, at the time of filing the tax return, at the latest. These rulings are not binding on other courts or any other tax authority, but constitute a valid interpretation that could be wielded by them. The second court decision is of particular importance because some taxpayers deemed that the interpretation to impose a limit was not initially stated in the Income Tax Law. Nevertheless, to avoid further misunderstanding, the tax authority eased the interpretation of the court ruling through administrative rules in July and allowed taxpayers access to transfer pricing adjustments. The new administrative rules state that if a taxpayer wants to make deductible transfer pricing adjustments for income tax purposes, the taxpayer must comply with the requirements stated in the law and the administrative rules. Among those requirements, the taxpayer must have receipts for tax purposes or CFDI (valid invoices) that express the adjustment and can be issued in the fiscal year when the tax return was filed or should have been filed. This distinctive feature allows taxpayers to avoid the referred limitation because it provides the possibility of issuing the receipt for tax purposes or CFDI in a different tax year than the one when the tax return was filed or should have been filed. This conclusion was reached because the administrative rules provide that the tax receipt may be issued when the tax return should have been filed or was filed. This opens up the possibility to have a tax receipt or CFDI issued at a later date, unlike what the previous precedent construed by limiting the deduction of the adjustment, which allows the deduction only if the tax receipt for fiscal purposes is issued before filing the tax return. This article was written by Ricardo Santoyo, tax controversy partner, and Francisco Ruiz, tax controversy manager, at Deloitte Mexico. Ricardo Santoyo Tax controversy partner E: risantoyo@ deloittemx.com T: +52 55 5080 7041 Francisco Ruiz Tax controversy manager E: frruiz@ deloittemx.com T: +52 55 5080 6836 The material on this site is for financial institutions, professional investors and their professional advisers. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQ. Share this article The Egyptian parliament approved in its session on Monday extending the nationwide state of emergency for three months retroactively from 15 October. Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told parliament on Sunday that the decision to extend the state of emergency in the country will not affect public freedoms. The Egyptian parliament approved in its session on Monday extending the nationwide state of emergency for three months retroactively from 15 October. Madboluy, who gave a speech at the opening of parliament's fourth assembly session, vowed that the exceptional measures taken under the state of emergency shall be used only when necessary, preserving a balance between public freedoms and national security. The state of emergency was first imposed in April 2017 after two suicide bombings at churches in Alexandria and Tanta killed 47 worshippers on Palm Sunday. The state of emergency has since been extended every three months. The state is moving towards achieving development and restoring security and stability, and in light of the circumstances the country is going through, the cabinet has agreed to extend the state of emergency for three months, the prime minister said. These disgraceful acts of terrorism that threaten our country and result in casualties among security forces and innocent civilians are just desperate criminal attempts that are thwarted by the determination and hardness of our heroes in the Armed Forces and the police, Madboluy added. Since 2014 there have been localised states of emergency imposed in some parts of North Sinai as part of efforts to battle Islamist terrorists in the area. Search Keywords: Short link: Susan Kootnekoff is a lawyer with Inspire Law in Kelowna. The content of this article is intended to provide general information, not legal advice. If you would like to reach Inspire Law, call 250-764-7710 or info@inspirelaw.ca. Chris McGrath/Getty Images(ISTANBUL) -- Several of the largest human rights organizations in the world are calling for a U.N. investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The groups, including Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders, called for Turkey to push the U.N. to begin an investigation into Khashoggi's death, which took place at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Khashoggi, a regular critic of the Saudi royal family, worked as a columnist for The Washington Post. He had been living in the United States after fleeing Saudi Arabia in September 2017. Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor announced Friday that an initial investigation revealed that discussions between Khashoggi and the individuals who met with him at the consulate led to an argument and a fistfight -- which resulted in the journalist's death, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Turkish officials have said 15 Saudi men flew to Turkey for the express interest of meeting Khashoggi at the consulate, where he was visiting to fill out paperwork for his impending marriage. His fiancee was waiting in a car outside the consulate at the time of his killing. Saudi Arabia initially denied any involvement in the journalist's disappearance, before announcing the findings of the investigation on Friday. The county said 18 people were detained in connection with Khashoggi's killing and several top officials were dismissed from their positions. The handful of human rights organizations are calling for an independent investigation to avoid a "Saudi whitewash" of the facts. "Turkey should enlist the U.N. to initiate a timely, credible and transparent investigation," Robert Mahoney, deputy executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement released by Amnesty International. "U.N. involvement is the best guarantee against a Saudi whitewash or attempts by other governments to sweep the issue under the carpet to preserve lucrative business ties with Riyadh." There was no mention of President Trump or the U.S. in the press release, though Trump seemed to accept denials from Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman and King Salman earlier in the week. He told reporters on Friday that he found the Saudi investigation "credible." Trump also denied having any business ties to Saudi Arabia, though he actually bragged publicly about Saudis buying properties he owns at a rally in August 2015. The president walked back some of the apparent willingness to believe the Saudi ruling family in an interview with The Washington Post late Saturday. He told the Post there has been "deception" and "lies" by the Saudis. A friend of Khashoggi described a much more brutal killing of Khashoggi than the official account given by Saudi Arabia. "I talked with some Turkish government and security officials, and they said Jamal was killed. I didn't know what to do. I really couldn't answer. Then I called a few colleagues -- again, security officials -- trying to have them verify it, saying, 'Is this really true?'" his friend Turan Kislakci told ABC News on Wednesday. "They said, 'Yes, Turan, and let's tell you even beyond that, he was killed in a very barbaric way.' I was shocked. They not only kill him in the consulate, but also in a barbaric way." Amnesty International cited the 2008 investigation into the murder of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto as setting precedent for the U.N. to get involved in the Khashoggi killing. "An investigation into Khashoggis enforced disappearance and possible murder should start promptly and be thorough, impartial, and independent," Amnesty International wrote. "U.N. Secretary-General [Antonio] Guterres should appoint a senior criminal investigator with extensive experience in international investigations to head the team. Once the investigation is concluded, the secretary-general should issue a public report on the overall findings along with his recommendations for following up." The U.N. said Guterres was "deeply troubled" by the journalist's killing in a statement issued by a spokesman on Friday, but did not commit to an investigation specifically by the U.N. "The secretary-general is deeply troubled by the confirmation of the death of Jamal Khashoggi. He extends his condolences to Mr. Khashoggis family and friends," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, said. "The secretary-general stresses the need for a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Khashoggis death and full accountability for those responsible." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry received in Cairo on Sunday the Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Terens Quick to discuss development cooperation between the two countries, Egyptian FM spokesperson Ahmed Hafez said. During the meeting, Shoukry stressed on the strong, special ties between Egypt and Greece, which Hafez described as a friendly relationship and a strategic partnership. Hafez said that the tripartite cooperation between Egypt, Greece and Cyprus is a great module for a fruitful and constructive partnership for the Mediterranean area given the great importance that the leaders of these countries attribute to their joint framework." Egypt shares a number of cooperation protocols with Greece and Cyprus that aim to strengthen Egypt's economic, industrial and commercial relations with its two Mediterranean neighbours. Hafez added that both officials agreed on the importance of developing economic relations through increasing direct investments as well as intra-trade. Shoukry also pointed out that Greece could profit from using the economic zone in Egypt's Suez axis, which is considered the main gateway to Africa. The two officials also discussed the Egyptian, Greek and Cypriot doctors conference scheduled to take place at the end of this month in London as part of the Nostos: Reviving Roots initiative between the three countries. In April, President Nicos Anastasiades of Cyprus, President Prokopis Pavlopoulos of Greece along with Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi inaugurated the Nostos initiative in Alexandria. The cultural festival aimed at strengthening relations between the people and governments of the three countries. The three partners are cooperating closely on several regional and international issues, chief among them security in the Mediterranean. Earlier this month, President El-Sisi visited the Greek island of Crete for the sixth round of a tripartite cooperation summit between the leaders of the three countries. The summit aimed at evaluating developments in cooperation between the three states and assessing progress on ongoing projects. Search Keywords: Short link: MASON CITY, Iowa Hundreds of people came out to the North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) on Saturday for the first-annual NIACC STEM Festival. The public event allowed people to get their hands on a variety of activities using the concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The goal is to increase interest in STEM for Pre-K-12 students. Kelly Bergman, STEM North Central Regional Manager, told KIMT that this is a great event for students in that age range. Its an opportunity to learn a little bit about everything in science, technology, engineering, and math the activities appeal on all different levels, said Bergman. We have a planetarium, we have a crane that children can operate so its interesting to see how some students like to do something quiet and hands on. She also says it took a team effort to make the event possible. What weve done is invited businesses and community organizations to join us and they put together hands-on activities around STEM that is relevant to their organization and business. The new event drew over 400 people in attendance. On the occasion of the celebration of the United day in 24 October the UN conducted a series of interviews exclusively for Al-Ahram online. The UN day marks the anniversary of the entry of the UN chart into force in 1945. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the security Council, the United Nations officially came into being. The fifth interview in the series is with Cristina Albertin, The UNODC regional representative for Middle East and Northt Africa. UNODC and Egypt have been cooperating in different areas since the late 1990s. How do you view the progress of this cooperation? When UNODC created its Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa in 1997 in Cairo, our mandates given by the UN member states had just been expanded from a drug control organization working on drug use prevention and treatment and well as on drug law enforcement in line with the three UN drug control treaties to one that would also support the promotion and implementation of the United Nations Standards and Norms on Criminal Justice and Crime Prevention. As of the year 2000, our mandate has further broadened to cover how to prevent (i) transnational organized crimes, such as human trafficking and smuggling of migrants, (ii) corruption and (iii) terrorism. Today we work in Egypt with many Ministries, such as the Ministry of Interior, of Justice, of Health and Social Solidarity and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but also the Prosecutors General office and others to build and strengthen their response to all these forms of crimes and violence, at legislative, policy and technical level keeping also in mind the needs of victims and survivors of violence. And we do the same in countries in the region using increasingly Egyptian capacities and expertise to do so. If there is one thing that Egyptians are extremely concerned about, it is corruption that makes their life hard. Combating corruption is one of the main mandates of UNODC. What do you think that UNODC can provide to help Egyptians in overcoming this challenge? The widespread and deeply rooted corruption is a concern globally. When people have to pay considerable amounts of their monthly salaries to get licenses, passports or services, it makes life very challenging. Also, corruption undermines good governance, affects business and undercuts the trust in the public sector. In recognition of the detrimental effects of corruption across the world, in 2005 the United Nations adopted the ever first binding international treaty against corruption, the United Nations Convention against Corruption. The Convention outlines comprehensive action against corruption through (i) preventive measures both for the public and private sector, (ii) criminalization of corrupt practices, (iii) international cooperation to ensure that perpetrators who commit offences of corruption can be brought to justice and (iv) asset recovery to bring back stolen assets to the national treasury. By ratifying the Convention in 2005, Egypt has fully committed to the implementation of all these measures. Since then, UNODC has been working in Egypt in all four areas, for example through media campaigns to sensitize on the harm done by corruption, on investigation techniques with law enforcement officials to produce proper evidence for the courts and on money-laundering cases and asset recovery. Given the breadth of your mandate, what are your priorities for the next years for Egypt? We have a lot of priorities which we define closely with our partners. First, we continue our ongoing work aiming at enhancing capacities to deal with serious and complex crimes, i.e. human trafficking, smuggling of migrants, drug trafficking, money-laundering, corruption and terrorism using modernized specialized investigation techniques. In addition, there are three areas that are very close to my heart and I would like us to strengthen our work there: (i) building on our ongoing work with police offices to investigate violence against women, I would like to expand this not only to train more, in particular women police officers, but also to equip the competent agencies with protective environments and needed equipment such as forensic equipment and tools they need with the final aim to deliver justice to the survivors; (ii) I would also like to support more children and youth in detention centers with options for rehabilitation and reintegration capitalizing on our ongoing activities in Marg as well as (iii) support drug use prevention activities with the youth and strengthen treatment services for people who use drugs and live with HIV. By doing this, we would invest in especially the youth and the vulnerable contributing to use their full potential as we promised when we adopted the Sustainable Development Goals leaving no one behind. Search Keywords: Short link: OSAGE, Iowa The Osage Community School Corporation is continuing to grow by remodeling and adding-on to its existing facilities. Some renovations have already been completed such as new The Osage Community School Corporation is continuing to grow by remodeling and adding-on to its existing facilities. Some renovations have already been completed such as new science laboratories. Meanwhile, construction continues on the new band and choir rooms, cafeteria, school entrance, offices, and gymnasium. Osage Superintendent, Barb Schwamman, tells KIMT that safety and efficiency are high priorities for the project. We did have to cut some things out and thats okay, said Schwamman. We had to look at what were the most important things so again safety, efficiency, revitalizing the spaces that we had because a lot of the classrooms are getting total remodels just like our science classrooms did. She also says the community has been supportive of the project. We have had a lot of support when people are seeing it happen, when they see the renovated spaces that those are much needed things to happen because um the middle school and high school are 50 and 60 years-old respectively, and so they needed some updating whether it was facelifts, the fire codes - all of the safety and security issues that we needed to look at. The project is anticipated to be complete by the start of next school year. Actor Hyun Bin is seen in the upcoming zombie blockbuster "Rampant." / Courtesy of NEW By Park Jin-hai A much anticipated new zombie blockbuster, dubbed as a Joseon-era version of the 2016 box-office hit "Train to Busan," has been unveiled to the media. In "Rampant," director Kim Sung-hoon, of last year's action blockbuster "Confidential Assignment," has joined hands with heartthrob Hyun Bin as his lead actor once again. It tells the story of Yi Chung, a prince who returns from the Qing Empire after his brother the crown prince's death. Yi happens to meet "night demons," zombie and vampire hybrid-like monsters that follow loud sounds around and only attack human at nights, on his way to the palace. Facing the king, who only wants to keep his throne and find traitors, and Kim Ja-joon, played by Jang Dong-gun, an ambitious minister of war who doesn't welcome Yi's return, Yi teams up with a band of people to fight the night demons and save the nation. Compared with Yeon Sang-ho's "Train," which explores human nature in the apocalyptic zombie pandemic, "Rampant" gives the impression it is more focused on the action and thrills of seeing flesh-eating, blood-sucking zombies. The director, who showed an extravaganza of adrenaline-pumping gun shooting and car chase scenes with actor Hyun in his previous work, puts the actor in the zombie-slashing hero story this time. The 17 billion won budget film is visually pleasing. Zombies in traditional Korean costumes attacking people at the royal palace and the detailed transformation of those infected into the walking dead, aided by great stage makeup and performances of extras, make scenes as dreadful as "Train." Hyun's skillful action scenes with a long sword, almost singlehandedly defeating zombies endlessly swarming from all directions, are entertaining. The film keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with nerve-wracking moments to the last. Questionable has been the humor of satirizing the impeached former President Park Geun-hye and her government. The incompetent king doesn't do anything about the catastrophe that kills his own citizens but focuses on finding traitors so he can keep his throne. His remark "this is not why I became the king" evokes images of the ousted president and her unapologetic speech following the nation being plagued in the 2016 corruption scandal involving her close aides. That last scene is deja vu of the candlelight vigil that dethroned the former president and closes with the message that "power comes from the people, not from the ruler." The director said he used satirical elements as "a means to entertain audiences," getting laughs from time to time. "Those images that I have in my head while making a film cannot be detached from the era I've been living in. But those were used as an element to provide fun, not something I wrote with the certain intention to deliver a message," the director said during a recent press conference in Seoul. "I just want audiences to take my film as one they can sit back and enjoy." But the film seems to work adversely as loosening up the thrill and chills the zombies worked hard to create. Another letdown has been lack of character development. Except for Yi, who grows to become a true leader from the womanizing prince disinterested in politics, other characters are all good versus evil. Its plot reminds audiences of the monster film "Monstrum" that was released last month as well, where people hunt down the man-eating, plague-spreading monster that appeared in a royal palace of Joseon. Yet, for those movie fans who enjoyed Hyun's actions in "Confidential Assignment," "Rampant," where the actor's stylish action scenes take the lion's share of the film, will be equally entertaining with some chills around this Halloween. The film will hit local theaters on Oct. 25. It will be released in 19 countries including Germany, Britain, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the United States within two weeks after its local premiere. By Yi Whan-woo Andrew Yeom Soo-jung By Lee Min-hyung Thae Yong-ho, former North Korean diplomat The country has been hit by a 72-hour heat wave that began Friday The head of the Egyptian Meteorological Authority Ahmed Abdel-Aal has said that temperatures across the country are expected to decline gradually starting Monday and until the end of this week, reaching normal levels for this time of year. "Some areas in the country, especially near water surfaces, are expected to see light to moderate rains starting Monday, accompanied by heavy fog during the morning early hours," Abdel-Aal said. Abdel-Aal referred to a shift in atmospheric pressure distribution moving toward Saudi Arabia. "The decrease in temperatures is not announcing the official start of the winter season, so citizens must continue to wear summer clothes during morning hours, taking into consideration wearing heavier clothes at night," Abdel-Aal advised. Abdel-Aal asserted that EMA, especially in coordination with local officials in governorates with mountainous areas, has been advising that precautions be taken against sudden floods. The country has been hit by a 72-hour heat wave that began Friday and is expected to end Monday. The winter season starts in Egypt officially on 21 December, according to EMA. Average temperatures expected Monday and Tuesday: Cairo and Delta 32 degree highs, 25 degree lows North-Eastern coast/ North Sinai 31 degree highs, 20 degree lows South Sinai/ Hurghada 32 degree highs, 24 degree lows Northern Upper Egypt 34 degree highs, 23 degree lows Southern Upper Egypt/ Halayeb and Shalatein 38 degree highs, 26 degree lows Search Keywords: Short link: South Korean President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook wave at Copenhagen Kastrup Airport in Denmark, Saturday (local time), after finishing a five-nation European tour. Yonhap South Korean President Moon Jae-in headed home Saturday, wrapping up a five-nation European tour that was apparently more successful than anticipated, heralding the possibility of a trip by Pope Francis to North Korea. In a meeting with the pope held in the Vatican on Thursday, President Moon delivered an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for the pope to visit Pyongyang. The pope gave conditional but implicit agreement, saying he will be "available" for the trip. "(I) will unconditionally give an answer if an (official) invitation arrives," the pope was quoted as telling Moon through his interpreter. Moon's trip began last Saturday when he arrived in Paris on a four-day state visit. South Korea's top nuclear envoy left for the United States on Sunday to coordinate North Korea policy with Washington, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Lee Do-hoon, the country's representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, will visit Washington D.C. from Sunday to Tuesday to meet with his U.S. counterpart, Stephen Biegun. They are expected to discuss the progress of negotiations between the United States and North Korea, including preparations for a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday said he hopes to meet with his North Korean counterpart "in the next week and a half or so" to continue planning for the summit between their leaders. "There are various dialogues and contacts under way between the U.S. and North Korea. I'll meet with Biegun to listen to Washington's plan and consult on how to push for the denuclearization (of the Korean Peninsula)," Lee told reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. He said that denuclearization should be pursued on the basis of the Seoul-Washington alliance and with international support. As for potential talks between Biegun and North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, Lee said it is a matter of when such a meeting will be held, not whether it would be held. Pompeo made his fourth visit to Pyongyang earlier this month in an effort to revive stalled denuclearization talks with North Korea. The North is calling on the U.S. to declare an end to the 1950-53 Korean War and soften sanctions in response to Pyongyang's measures such as the demolition of its nuclear test site. But the U.S. demands more concrete steps toward denuclearization -- for example, the listing of its nuclear weapons. The two nuclear envoys may also exchange views on South Korea's hope that the U.S. could exempt inter-Korean cooperative projects from sanctions, diplomatic sources said. At high-level talks held last Monday, South and North Korea agreed to start a joint project to modernize and eventually connect their railways and roads across their borders in late November or early December. Washington remains cautious about inter-Korean economic cooperation, saying that any advancement in inter-Korean ties should be tied to progress on North Korea's denuclearization. Lee and Biegun will likely also share the outcome of their respective visits to China and Russia, as well as to Europe. The nuclear envoys have recently held a series of meetings in Seoul and New York to coordinate the allies' policy on North Korea. (Yonhap) By Kim Hyun-bin The third inter-Korean summit in mid-September has opened a wide array of possibilities to enhance relations between the two Koreas. Among them, the two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in quarantine and healthcare to prevent an influx of diseases that could spread through frequent interactions. Healthcare issues in general have been relatively free from politics and ideology, but tensions on the Korean Peninsula have virtually frozen any exchanges, even in the medical sector, since 2008. However, with the recent reconciliatory atmosphere, healthcare and medical exchanges could become one of the first inter-Korean cooperation projects. "The two Koreas are afraid of the diseases each has, so it will be easier for the two sides to enhance cooperation in healthcare and the medical field. The South's diseases could be spread in the North and vice versa," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said during a National Assembly government audit session, Oct. 10. "If the two sides agree to increase medical exchanges to better deal with disease prevention, we need to regularly communicate with North Korea." Fear of North's malaria and tuberculosis What South Korea fears the most from the North is malaria and tuberculosis. "We are expecting North Korea to ask for aid with tuberculosis and malaria treatments and child vaccination for German measles," Cho Won-jun, a health and welfare adviser to the Democratic Party of Korea, said during a recent debate. Tuberculosis is rampant in North Korea; excluding key cities, most areas are vulnerable and defenseless to the disease. According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) tuberculosis report, the disease infects 513 and kills 43 out of every 100,000 people in the North, exceeding any other country. In 2016 alone, 11,000 people died from the disease in North Korea. The number is 5.5 times higher than 1998's 2,000, according to statistics released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Back in 1998 the number was comparatively low because South Korea and the international community provided medical aid to the North. An even greater problem is that the disease could build up a tolerance to antibiotics, becoming multiple drug resistance. With increased personal exchanges, there could be a greater risk of an outbreak in South Korea. Malarias has also become a problem with people living near the border in the South, who have been infected by mosquitoes carrying the disease from the North. North afraid of viruses Experts point out novel influenza and flu viruses from the South may be the No. 1 concern in the North as the regime is ill-prepared to prevent their spread. "We predict North Korea most fears novel influenza and other infectious diseases which they are not prepared for," a health ministry official said. "When we start a joint investigation and discussions, we will have a better understanding of their situation." In need of control tower Many experts are calling for the establishment of a "control tower" that coordinates related government agencies and non-profit entities as well as making sure the medical treatments and medicines are rightly distributed to the people in need. Critics say there was a great deal of inter-Korean medical exchanges during the Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Dae-jung administrations, but there wasn't a control tower to oversee the whole process. In some cases, medicines were not distributed to vulnerable areas and too much was provided to certain locations. "There needs to be a control tower that oversees the whole process. The health ministry operates a taskforce but this is not enough; the unification ministry and the finance ministry need to be involved as well as other related government and civilian entities," Kim Sin-gon, a professor of the College of Medicine at Korea University, said. "The control tower needs to oversee the whole process from finding out patient situations to distribution and treatment." Supporting North Korea, a country that lacks medical technology and treatment, doesn't come cheap, but Kim believes that through research on patient conditions there, the South Korean government can gain medical breakthroughs. "North Korea has many diseases we don't have here, including parasites, making it hard to research. We have great scientists, and through research and development we could find medical breakthroughs that could be exported, which in turn could bring a profit," Kim added. On Oct. 15 the two Koreas agreed to hold their first meeting, dealing with healthcare and medical exchanges, later in the month to better prevent any influx of diseases to each other, among other medical issues. Leaders pose for a group photo at the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Brussels, Belgium, Oct. 19. They called for complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization (CVID) of North Korea while President Moon Jae-in sought to win support from France, the U.K. and Germany to ease U.N. Security Council sanctions on North Korea. / Yonhap European leaders remain unchanged on CVID By Yi Whan-woo President Moon Jae-in is apparently trying to convince the European powers to persuade the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) to ease sanctions on North Korea. To Moon, two permanent UNSCmembers the U.K. and France plus Germany can influence the UNSC amid a rift within the UNSC over its North Korea sanctions. Washington is insisting on stepping up the sanctions while Beijing and Moscow say it is time to stop, following North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's promise to give up his country's nuclear program. To Moon, this suggested the U.S. may be under pressure in the UNSC and might consider being soft on North Korea, if he can convince the U.K. and France to support the idea of easing UNSC sanctions, analysts say. Germany was also elected for a two-year seat on the UNSC from 2019 to 2020. During his five-nation European tour from Oct. 13 to 21, Moon had a bilateral summit with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He said international sanctions against North Korea should be eased if the Kim Jong-un regime takes practical steps to denuclearize. "I believe the international community needs to provide assurances that North Korea has made the right choice to denuclearize and encourage North Korea to speed up the process," he said during a joint press conference with Macron in Paris, Oct. 15. Moon, according to his press secretary Yoon Young-chan, also said, "Kim Jong-un has said he is willing to not only halt the country's nuclear and missile tests and also dismantle its production facilities, but also dismantle all nuclear weapons and nuclear materials it currently possesses if the U.S. takes corresponding measures." During a meeting with Prime Minister May on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit on Oct. 19, Moon said a relevant discussion will be needed at the UNSC on humanitarian aid or a reduction in sanctions against the North when "North Korea reaches a point of no return in its denuclearization process." President Moon Jae-in and German Chancellor Angela Merkel speak on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Brussels, Belgium, Oct. 19. Germany was elected to a two-year seat on the U.N. Security Council from 2019 to 2020. / Yonhap At a separate meeting on Oct. 19, Moon stressed the need to encourage North Korea to accelerate its denuclearization process further by easing international sanctions when and if conditions are met. The three European leaders welcomed the peace progress on the Korean Peninsula, but still underscored a need for North Korea to take concrete measures before easing sanctions. The sixth annual event this year, aimed at strengthening relations between China and Korea, was hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Chinese Embassy in South Korea. The China Cultural Center organized the event. By Jung Min-ho Kim Sung-do, one of only two residents on Korea's easternmost islets, has died. Kim died at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, Sunday, after suffering from liver cancer for more than a month, according to the Ulleung-gun Office. He was 79. Kim will be buried at the national cemetery in Daejeon. Kim, known as "the guardian of Dokdo," started living on the island in 1965. He and his wife Kim Shin-yeol became official Dokdo residents when they moved their address there in November 199 Twenty-two cross-border couples walk down the aisle in a joint wedding ceremony hosted by Rotary International at Heritz Wedding Convention Tower in southern Seoul, Oct. 4, 2010. The Korean grooms married brides from Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines and China. Korea Times This is the second of a two-part series about migrant women in Korea who struggle with risks of deportation, physical threats and psychological hazards in much of their daily lives. ED. Cases of jeopardized marriage migrants in Korea mirror the country's failing systems across welfare, international marriage brokerage and multicultural laws By Ko Dong-hwan A Cambodian woman moved to Korea in 2007 for marriage and a new life, but her Korean husband and mother-in-law did not allow her to learn Korean or hold a bank account. They told her they had paid for her labor on their vineyard, ending her dream of becoming a proud immigrant mother. Her husband, ignoring her hope of obtaining Korean citizenship, filed for divorce in 2013. Her mother-in-law then kicked her out of their home. The Vietnamese wife of a Korean fisherman suffered constant beatings at the hands of his extended family. Five years into marriage, she ran away with her 16-month-old child and 2 million won ($1,800) she had saved after one of her in-laws tried to kill her. Another Vietnamese woman was married to an alcoholic Korean man 30 years her senior. He was often hospitalized and spent most of their meager government subsidies on liquor and taxis. He kept physically harassing her, even after promising to stop the violence after she had fled to Vietnam. After he broke his second promise and threatened her with a knife to "make her as good as dead" and hid her passport, his sister helped her escape with her child. In one of the highest-profile crimes in Korea involving a cross-border marriage, a Vietnamese woman was raped repeatedly by her Korean husband's stepfather in 2012 in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. She escaped by locking herself in a motel bathroom and phoning a Vietnamese friend for help. The man was arrested and arraigned, but denied the allegations. The court dismissed his plea that the sexual acts were consensual, sentencing him to seven years in jail. However, it was disclosed that at age 13 she was subject to marriage-by-capture, gang raped and impregnated. Seven months later, her husband filed an annulment suit over her previous "marriage." The dispute lasted more than four years until she left Korea for good. Rep. Jung Choun-sook of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the Women Migrants Human Rights Center of Korea hosted a critical forum at the National Assembly, Oct. 17, to discuss sexual harassment of marriage migrants and measures to safeguard their immigration status. From left on the lectern are Nam Soo-kyung Vitale, a public interest human rights lawyer from Legal Services NYC in the U.S., Wee Eun-jin from Lawyers for a Democratic Society and Cho Sook-hyun from One Law Partners. Courtesy of the Women Migrants Human Rights Center of Korea These examples are direct testimonies from the victims marriage migrants with F-6 visas to the Women Migrants Human Rights Center of Korea, a Seoul-based NGO that supports foreign women suffering in troubled cross-border marriages. The agency provides victims with consultations, shelter and free legal support. The victims' identities have been withheld. The stories represent only a fraction of the more than 20,000 international couples in Korea who married in 2017 alone (Korean husbands with foreign wives 14,869 and 5,966 vice-versa, according to the Korean Statistical Information Service). Each year from 2000 until 2017, cross-border marriages numbered from 11,000 (2000) to as many as 42,000 (2005). And yet, those few extreme cases show that cross-border marriages still can go irreparably wrong. People often blame the situation on the individuals, considering all the cross-border marriage-friendly policies the government has rolled out. In 2011, the justice ministry launched an international marriage guide program that required Korean men marrying women from China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and Thailand to take a four-hour cultural lesson about their spouses. In October 2018, the ministry announced it would offer incentive points to Korean men learning the language of their spouses before inviting them to Korea with F-6 documents. Despite such government efforts, Heo Young-sook, representative of the Women Migrants Human Rights Center of Korea, argues that the extreme cross-border marriage crises are largely because of the country's poor social structures, not individual delinquency. After working for NGOs defending Korean women's rights until the early 2000s, Heo started supporting female marriage migrants in Korea. She found that foreigners faced situations that were much more serious and desperate than Koreans in similar circumstances, in terms of violence and poverty. "In most cases of cross-border marriage failure, Korean husbands and foreign wives were both from families living under the poverty line," Heo told The Korea Times. "To my utmost bitterness, I view those cases as scenes of socially vulnerable members reluctantly poised by society to kill each other. It is a structural, not individual problem." Heo is concerned about the country's ineffective welfare system that has left behind international couples living in some of the poorest conditions. If the "subalterns" could benefit from a government welfare system as developed as that of northern European countries, they would be "left with only a cultural gap to deal with," Heo said. One case involved a Korean man who stopped paying rent to pay his cross-border marriage brokerage fee and bring his bride to Korea. But without a place to live, the couple drifted from one public bathhouse to another. "That couple's misery manifests the problem of poverty and a loophole in the government welfare system, rather than personal grievances stemming from miscommunication or violence," Heo said. The website of a Seoul-based cross-border marriage brokerage agency. It is accessible only by members. Bad brokers One of the problematic backdrops weakening Korea's social structures behind cross-border marriage is that brokers often match unsuitable people together. While a hastily arranged marriage between two strangers from different countries is far from promising, the brokers and the Korean government have in part treated matrimony almost as a consumer product. "A Korean groom cannot spare longer than 4.4 days to visit the bride's country because of pending work in his hometown and the high cost of international travel," Heo said, referring to a survey figure from the gender equality and family ministry. Marital partners wrap up everything within the tight schedule, from their first meeting to wedding and honeymoon, with the groom returning to Korea ahead of the bride. Korean husbands, paying a brokerage fee of about 10 million won ($8,820), can complain about brokers to the Korea Consumer Agency, a government agency accepting consumer complaints, or Danuri Call Center, a multicultural family support portal run by the family ministry. The complaints are made at specials windows, where complainants are treated as if they are upset about a defective product. Cross-border marriage brokerages, booming in the early 2000s, promoted women from different countries using racial epithets as if selling local products. One ad from a broker's site showed a chart titled "merits of brides from each country." The ad explained that Nepalese women were "beautiful" and had "untainted naivety," Vietnamese women were "tough" yet "devoted to husbands," and Uzbek women mostly had "high educational backgrounds and superb language skills." Brokers sometimes did more than provide false information. In 2012, a Korean broker was sentenced to two years in jail for inspecting a Filipina woman's naked body to "check her virginity" at a lodge prepared by his agency in the Philippines, before marrying her to a Korean man. So Ra-mi, a lawyer from human rights law foundation GongGam in Seoul, says in the public interest law guidebook "Migrant Law Study" that the outgoing brokerage practice derived from the "profit-driven nature of commercialized cross-border marriage brokerage that can nail the biggest bucks in the shortest time." The problem was condemned in 2007 by the U.N.'s Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. The organization urged the Korean government to step in and prevent brokerage malpractice, particularly misleading online ads. Han Ga-eun, a Vietnamese director of the Women Migrants Human Rights Center, told The Korea Times she was mostly vexed about foreign victims of the bad brokers being ignored, violated and unrecognized by Koreans, including the women's in-laws. Arguing that both sides of a cross-border married couple must try to level the playing field, Han said, "Many Koreans view marriage migrants through a limited framework of marriage, ignoring their personal identities." 'Multicultural' families Korean law hardly makes it easy for marriage migrants to cope with their lives here. Although there are bills supporting Korea's ever-increasing multicultural families, their very definition of the family unit is, once carefully considered, advantageous to Korean husbands while unfair to foreign wives. According to the 2008 multicultural family supporting bill introduced by the family ministry, multicultural households must comprise a "Korean citizen" and a "foreigner or naturalized Korean married to the Korean citizen." The ministry's definition, according to Heo, excludes marriage migrants from outside Korea, ethnic Koreans from overseas who migrated to Korea, and migrant workers accepted through the state employment permit system (who account for the majority of foreigners in Korea). Multicultural families, in the Korean government's understanding, do not make sense without a Korean citizen. For an existing multicultural household in Korea, foreign wives often find their immigration status threatened because it depends on their marital status. They must remain married here for two years to apply for naturalization, and before then their husbands must sponsor their visas. Separation deals a heavier blow to the migrants than Korean husbands because of the country's complex visa requirements for foreign divorcees. Foreign wives wishing to divorce their Korean husbands are virtually giving up their future here, a critical issue for the migrants wishing to keep their immigration status or claim custody over children. In households where the husband wields control over his wife's immigration status, and sometimes abuses the authority to threaten the woman's security, spousal equality is farfetched. The 2008 bill also does not support those whose immigration status expires. F-6 document holders who leave their Korean partners due to domestic violence and cannot extend the document's expiration date are outside the bill's protection, as are children born here between unregistered migrant workers. The exclusion practice, according to So, goes against the U.N.'s Committee on the Rights of the Child, which campaigns for all children's rights to education, social participation and protection without discrimination based on their backgrounds. "The Korean government's multicultural policies are hinged on supporting legal marriage migrants to assimilate to life in Korea," So said. "The process, however, carries a discrepancy that foreigners are somehow encouraged to hide their cultures and languages to absorb Korean culture better. The policies reflect nationalism, not multiculturalism." Vietnamese women who married Korean men and are waiting for their F-6 marriage migrant visas attend a pre-departure orientation session offered by the United Nations Center for Human Rights at the Korean consulate in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Korea Times By Kim Hyun-bin The justice ministry said Sunday that repeat drunk driving offenders or those who cause severe bodily harm while under the influence will be detained for investigation. They will also face the maximum sentence under the sentencing guidelines, he added. "According to police, the relapse rate of drunk driving is 45 percent, which means they do it habitually. As it could take the lives of innocent people, we need to take stern action against drunk driving," Justice Minister Park Sang-ki said in response to a public petition, posted on the Cheong Wa Dae website, calling for no leniency against drunk drivers. "We will seek an immediate arrest warrant for people who caused a death or severely injured a person driving under the influence (DUI), and I ordered the prosecution to request the maximum sentence in every case." Around 25 percent of DUI cases are dismissed, which is relatively high, compared with 18 percent from the criminal case dismissal rate, according to police. Currently, if a person is caught for DUI three times within three years, they are automatically imprisoned, but the government is seeking to imprison three-time offender, regardless of the three-year period. The government is also pushing to limit the parole period for people serving their time for injuring or killing others while under the influence. The justice ministry is also seeking to enhance cooperation with police to strengthen DUI inspections and accidents. Their vehicle will be confiscated to prevent recurrences, and the investigation of passengers will be strengthened to see if they had a part in inducing the act. Some 270,000 people have signed an online petition on the Cheong Wa Dae website urging the government to take stern action against drunk driving. The petitions come as Yoon Chang-ho, a 22-year-old Korean soldier of the Korean Augmentation Troops to the United States Army (KATUSA), was a victim of a drunk driver last month during his holiday leave. "Drunk driving is not an accident it could be an act of murder or destroying a person's entire life," President Moon Jae-in said "We need to end the culture that regards drunk driving as a mistake." Polar bear Tongki / Courtesy of Everland The only remaining polar bear in South Korea, which had lived in a zoo south of Seoul for more than two decades, has died ahead of his relocation to a wildlife park in Britain later this year, zoo officials said Thursday. The bear, named Tongki, died around 6:00 p.m. Wednesday at the zoo of the Everland amusement park in Yongin, south of Seoul. The zoo asked an expert at Seoul National University's the veterinary school to conduct an autopsy on Tongki that lasted until the early hours of Thursday. The expert said the polar bear is believed to have died of old age. In June, the zoo said it would relocate the 24-year-old Tongki to Britain's Yorkshire Wildlife Park in November as it looked for ways to provide the aged bear with a better living environment after other polar bears at the zoo died. Animal activists had called for better living conditions for Tongki. Born in 1995 at a zoo in the southeastern city of Masan, Tongki moved to the Everland zoo two years later. Considering a bear's life span is 25-30 years, Tongki was about 70-80 in human years. It had been living alone in the zoo since 2015 after all the other polar bears died. (Yonhap) By Arthur I. Cyr The Cuban missile crisis occurred more than a half century ago, but the lessons of that unique and terrifying event in the Cold War continue to resonate. If anything, contemporary complacency about the distinctive destructiveness of nuclear weapons makes reviewing this moment in history more important, not less. During Oct. 22-28, 1962, the crisis dominated international public and media attention as Washington and Moscow sparred right on the edge of thermonuclear war. Lessons of the events include the exceptional difficulty of securing accurate intelligence, the unpredictability of developments, and the vital importance of tone and temperament as well as decisions at the top during a major crisis. On Oct. 14, 1962, United States U-2 aircraft reconnaissance photos revealed the Soviet Union was placing offensive nuclear missiles in Cuba, despite contrary assurances. On Oct. 16, after thorough review and analysis, national security adviser McGeorge Bundy informed President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy and his advisers spent a week debating options. On Oct. 22, 1962, he addressed the nation and stated the missiles must be removed. Until Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles on Oct. 28, Armageddon was only a misstep away. Senior Kennedy administration officials, with the exception of independent CIA director John McCone, had assumed Moscow would never put long-range missiles into Cuba. They erroneously calculated Khrushchev and associates agreed the move would be just too risky. Earlier, reconnaissance flights over Cuba were curtailed severely to avoid antagonizing Moscow, and were resumed only because McCone aggressively, adamantly pressed the matter. Analysis developed photographic evidence of the Soviet deception just before the missiles would have become operational. However, there was already growing circumstantial evidence, including reports from reliable agents in Cuba, that something of this nature was underway. As with the Bush administration regarding invading Iraq, senior officials chose the evidence they preferred to believe. At the start of the crisis, there was strong sentiment, especially among the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for a conventional air attack followed by an invasion of Cuba. JFK imaginatively decided instead on a naval quarantine as the U.S. first step. Years after the crisis, surviving policymakers from Cuba, the Soviet Union and the U.S. initiated a series of meetings, which have revealed important new dimensions and insights. Soviet commanders already had shorter-range nuclear armed missiles in Cuba, and at least for a time authority to use them in the event of an American invasion of the island. Soviet submarine commanders had nuclear-armed torpedoes. The important book by Michael Dobbs, "One Minute to Midnight," documents an occasion in which the commanding officer of a Soviet sub nearly launched one against the harassing U.S. Navy ships. Bundy's history of the nuclear age, "Danger and Survival," published a quarter century after the crisis, revealed JFK privately accepted while publicly rejecting a Soviet proposal for a Cuba-Turkey missile trade. Throughout the crisis, Kennedy demonstrated calm open-minded engagement. He assembled a group that freely debated a wide range of options. When tensions mounted, the president would shrewdly suggest taking a break. The initial strong support for immediate military attack dissipated. In 1961, an inexperienced JFK approved a flawed Cuba invasion plan strongly endorsed by the CIA and military, then mishandled developments. The Bay of Pigs disaster followed. Khrushchev concluded Kennedy was weak -- a mistake. Lessons of the crisis include importance of thorough, objective intelligence analysis, and communicating effectively with opponents. Then and now, strong U.S. presidential leadership is essential. ) is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War." Arthur I. Cyr ( acyr@carthage.edu Egypts antiquities minister, along with a number of Egyptian ministers and foreign and Arab ambassadors, visited on Sunday Aswan's Abu Simbel Temple in a tour to celebrate the biannual solar alignment at the temple of Ramses II. The tour visited parts of the Ramses temple, where twice annually 22 February and 22 October sun rays penetrate the structure and illuminate part of the inner walls. Sundays tour also included visits to the temple of the wife of King Ramses II, Queen Nefertari. The tour was attended by Social Solidarity Minister Ghada Wali, Culture Minister Inas Abdel-Dayem, and Tourism Minister Rania El-Mashat. It also included the ambassadors of Jordan, the UAE, Belgium, Lithuania, Germany, Finland, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Sweden, Hungary, and Bahrain; cultural representatives from Spain and China; as well as the heads of antiquities institutes in Italy, the US, and Holland; and the head of culture of UNESCO Egypt. The Egyptian antiquities ministry celebrated the solar alignment by giving the attendees souvenirs to commemorate 200 years of the discovery of the Abu Simbel temples. The souvenirs included cups, key chains, and shirts bearing a picture of King Ramses II at Abu Simbel with the logo of the ministry and UNESCO. For most of the year, the inner sanctum of the main temple at Abu Simbel is shrouded in darkness. But twice a year, sunlight illuminates the seated statues of the sun gods Re-Horakhte and Amon-Re as well as a statue of Ramses II. Search Keywords: Short link: By Michael R. Czinkota Hungary's revolution against its Soviet occupiers in 1956 was three generations ago. Back then, Hungarians had come to believe that their uprising would be supported by American might. But no U.S. intervention ever arrived and the Soviet Union employed a tank force larger than the number of tanks used in World War II Germany, to destroy mostly unarmed Hungarians. Hungary is a frequent sacrificial lamb on the altar of international conflict. Hungarians well remember occupation by the Ottomans and Islam. Those 150 years brought de-population, destruction of land and buildings, uncontrolled migration and major displacement of resources. On many other occasions, Hungary has been obligated to take risks, invest its manpower and subjugate its own political ambitions for the sake of Western security. The gratitude for such dedication and depletion of resources has been scant. Steps by the West which share resources, offer equal treatment or extension of the partnership are still absent. Hungary continues to suffer from being too close to the East and too far from the West but is damaged in any conflict between the two. Today one would expect a new era for Europe. Since its founding, the European Union is to be driven by cooperation and cohesiveness which leads to progress for all of its members. Not an easy task since joint undertakings with a large diversity of regions and people require adjustment and flexibility. In a U.S. comparison, the absence of any separation of states or physical altercation is no coincidence but rather the result of bypassing any abyss through thoughtful and restrained approaches. President Trump and his team recognize that "hanging together" presages global capability. And it occasionally may mean biting one's tongue when it comes to disagreements. The European Union would do well to learn from the United States. Right now, this large group of states is taking punitive measures against some of its members, particularly those from Central Europe. Sanctions are undertaken to demonstrate displeasure with immigration restrictions, judicial appointments, retirement policies, and the regulation of foreign universities. Hungary and Poland are at the forefront of EU attacks, particularly for restrictions on immigration. Migrant streams rolled into the EU by the hundreds of thousands from Libya, Syria, and Lebanon, via the first open southern borders of Hungary. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban put an end to it by using EU rules on registration, documentation and control. A massive human inflow without the ability to understand and plan for the resulting displacements cannot be accepted in a small country with very limited resources. It turns out that even large nations with many resources cannot disregard the consequences of unplanned-for pressures due to unexpected and unrestricted policies. Years after the delimiting of Hungarian first steps, Germany is beginning to recognize how fallacious and consequential its missteps were. One might assume that Chancellor Merkel would express her gratitude for Hungary's policy and implementation leadership. Alas the contrary is the case. In EU debates there are always the displeased looks, the invisible barriers and the ignominious ignorance of Hungary and its government. No matter the strong democratic elections and popular support, things in Hungary are seen as "just not right." EU politics toward Hungary are wrong. Many of the loudly pronounced disappointments are nothing but envious party hacks trying to retain votes in upcoming elections. Some of the EU steps might even reflect an unwillingness to tolerate and develop new approaches and change. The U.S. government should not accept such overpowering opposition to local priorities. Careful examination will demonstrate that Hungary's actions are, akin to governmental adjustments in the United States, a new direction with a new emphasis. The U.S. should exercise global leadership and help a nation whose democratically elected government moves beyond long-term traditions. "No bullying" also applies to European politics. Member nations have the right to self-determination, particularly after more than 1,000 years of history. We should smilingly help them along when they intend to do what has made America so successful. Professor Czinkota (Czinkotm@Georgetown.edu) teaches international business and trade at Georgetown University and the University of Kent in Canterbury. His forthcoming book in October is "In Search for the Soul of International Business." By Yun Chung Anyone can tell apart the steel parts from the aluminum parts of a salvaged torpedo heavily corroded that the Korean government presented following the sinking of the Navy ship Cheonan. To corrosion scientists/engineers, it was patently obvious that the white material on the salvaged torpedo parts consisted of corrosion products of aluminum and nothing else. The Korean government scientist who insisted that the white material was not aluminum corrosion products may not know the term, filiform corrosion. That is the form of corrosion responsible for the white material on the aluminum parts. The Korean Navy launched the patrol combat corvette, christened Cheonan in 1989. She broke in two halves and sank, killing 46 seamen, in the Yellow Sea in March 2010. The government formed a military-civilian joint investigation group (JIG) to determine the cause of this tragedy. Six months later, it published a 313-page report, "On the Attack against the ROK [Republic of Korea] Ship Cheonan." Based on visual examinations of the two halves of the Cheonan, salvaged from the seabed, the JIG decided a proximity explosion underwater was responsible for her sinking. Then, the JIG searched for and found torpedo parts in the seabed 50 days after the incident. Only five days later, the JIG presented them as the "conclusive evidence" of a North Korean submarine attack, insisting that the white material on the torpedo parts was proof. To support this claim, the JIG presented energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis data of the white material. JIG's scientists believed, albeit erroneously, these data alone were sufficient to establish that the white material consisted of amorphous (that is, non-crystalline) aluminum oxide particles. According to the JIG, the aluminum metal powder in the North Korean torpedo warhead would change during an explosion to amorphous aluminum oxide particles, which would subsequently somehow adhere or stick to the torpedo parts. No aluminum oxide particles were found to have adhered, however, to the torpedo parts as elaborated below. Several professors contradicted the JIG interpretation of the EDS/XRD data. These professors tried to account for a significant sulfur peak in the EDS spectrum of the white material that JIG's scientists ignored. Prof. Jeong Gi-young (mineralogy) of Andong National University in Korea identified the white material as amorphous aluminum sulfate hydroxide hydrate, which grew as a precipitate in-situ, not as adhered particles of amorphous aluminum oxide. Dr. Yang Pan-seok (geological science) of the University of Manitoba in Canada said that it was basaluminite, which is also a sulfate, similar to what Jeong said. Prof. Lee Seung-hun (physics) of the University of Virginia in the U.S. thought JIG's scientists made an erroneous interpretation of their EDS data. He thought the spectrum peaks were more like those of aluminum hydroxide than aluminum oxide. Corrosion science established long ago that the most common species of aluminum corrosion products in water is aluminum hydroxide. "Handbook of Corrosion Engineering" by Pierre R. Roberge lists several minor species of corrosion products of aluminum, including some sulfate, which can come from sulfates in seawater or even from sulfurous pollutants in the air. If the white material were aluminum oxide particles that came from a torpedo explosion, the torpedo parts, both aluminum and steel, should have been covered all over with these white particles. However, the white material was found only with the aluminum parts. The steel parts were rusty but without any white material. This observation alone can disprove the JIG scientist who insisted the white material came from a torpedo explosion and was not aluminum corrosion products. The aluminum parts such as propellers had telltale signs of filiform or under-film corrosion, easily recognizable to corrosion engineers. Aluminum corrosion products are white and voluminous, about 30 times the volume of the metal that corrodes. This is why the white material on the aluminum torpedo parts has to be aluminum corrosion products, which are aluminum hydroxide mixed with some sulfates. The white material cannot be the amorphous aluminum oxide particles from a North Korean torpedo explosive. Both the steel and aluminum parts of the torpedo had (polymeric) coating, which should have protected the substrate metal from corrosion. After only 50 days in cold seawater at 3 degrees Celsius, according to the JIG data, the torpedo parts with black top coating should have looked pristine (that is, un-corroded) when salvaged. Instead, the torpedo parts were anything but pristine. Both the steel and aluminum parts of the torpedo lost much of the black coating and both corroded heavily. The aluminum propellers/cover plates of the salvaged torpedo parts had a profuse amount of white corrosion products over about 80 percent to 100 percent of the surface area, both inside and outside, where the coating deteriorated. To have the coating deteriorate and to form this much corrosion products, these torpedo parts must have been in seawater for two years or more, not just 50 days. This estimate, however rough it may be, is consistent with the advanced degree of deterioration of the black coating of the steel parts and the subsequent buildup of heavy corrosion products. The JIG stated that the torpedo parts were a smoking gun in the Cheonan incident or the "conclusive evidence" of a North Korean torpedo attack. Nothing could be further from the truth. The JIG cannot use the white material on the salvaged torpedo parts as a link to a North Korean torpedo explosion. There might have been no torpedo explosion after all. The JIG report includes a fracture analysis. This was very simplistic, skimpy, and flawed. Several fracture patterns on the Cheonan are so complex that they are clearly incompatible with forces attributable to an external underwater explosion. A better diagnosis of the fracture than in the JIG report is of paramount importance. A correct fracture analysis would be a true smoking gun that can point to the cause of the Cheonan sinking. The JIG report failed to prove or convince the public that a North Korean torpedo sank the Cheonan. Yun Chung (yunchung2@gmail.com), a retired materials engineer, specializes in materials selection for various industrial plants, including a seawater treating plant, and failure analyses, involving metal corrosion and fractures. The views expressed in the above article are the author's own and do not reflect the editorial direction of The Korea Times European leaders rebuff Moon's push for sanctions relief President Moon Jae-in wrapped up his nine-day visit to five European countries Saturday. He focused on garnering support from European leaders for inter-Korean detente and the denuclearization of North Korea. It can be said that Moon has produced some successful results from his summitry with leaders of major European countries such as France, Britain and Germany. First of all, the leaders recognized Moon's efforts to improve inter-Korean ties and broker denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington. But it is an open question whether President Moon was successful in pitching his push for sanctions relief for North Korea. He asked European leaders to back his idea of easing the U.N.-led sanctions in a bid to speed up the North's dismantling of its nuclear arsenal. Of course, his idea is not without conditions. Moon stressed the need for the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) to consider easing its sanctions against Pyongyang when and if the North's denuclearization process reaches the point of no return. He wants to provide sanctions relief as part of the incentive for the North to act on its commitment to complete denuclearization. Moon met French President Emmanuel Macron, seeking support for sanctions relief. But Macron turned down Moon's idea by making clear that sanctions need to remain in place and should only evolve with a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization (CVID) process. He said France, a permanent member of the UNSC, is waiting for precise commitments from Pyongyang to show its real desire to dismantle its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. President Moon continued to harp on his position on the easing of sanctions every time he held a summit with other leaders, including British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Brussels on Oct. 18 and 19. However, their response was the same as Macron's. This means they spoke with one voice: Sanctions should stay in place until the goal of CVID is achieved. Even the ASEM adopted its chair's statement calling on North Korea to completely, verifiably and irreversibly dismantle all its nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missiles and related programs and facilities in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions. The statement also requested the North should improve its human rights situation. These uncompromising stances certainly reflect widespread international skepticism about the genuine intention of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's commitment to denuclearization. The U.S. administration has already reaffirmed that it will not ease or lift sanctions unless the North makes real progress in scrapping its nuclear weapons. President Moon has apparently failed to read such skepticism in the international community. Or, he must have gone too far in seeking sanctions relief for the North in a bid to resume inter-Korean economic cooperation projects hastily. Moon should try to understand why the European leaders gave him the cold shoulder as far as sanctions were concerned. What's worrisome is Moon's push for sanctions relief may weaken the united international front against the North's nuclear ambition. It could also drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington. So Moon should refrain from putting inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation before the shared goal of denuclearizing the North. We can never realize peace on the peninsula without denuclearization. Carmaker should take action to restore trust GM Korea is likely to face a dispute with its labor union over its unilateral plan to set up a separate R&D corporation. Union autoworkers have threatened to go on strike in protest of what they see as an initial step by the Detroit-based General Motors to scale down or shut down its car assembly lines in Korea. If the walkout takes place, it will mark another labor dispute after the union's collective action against management over the financially troubled company's drastic restructuring program early this year. The dispute ended in May when the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB), the second-largest shareholder of GM Korea with a 17 percent stake, agreed to inject 810 billion won ($715 million) into the automaker to keep it afloat with a promise to maintain the factory here for at least 10 years. Now the new row is looming large after GM Korea shareholders approved the company's plan on the R&D entity Friday. Under the plan, the firm will establish GM Korea Technical Center by integrating its existing design and engineering divisions. The carmaker said the R&D unit will carry out development work for GM's compact SUVs. However, union workers fear that the plan, if implemented, may lead to the closure of the assembly lines in order to maintain only a research center in the country. Their fear may appear groundless because the company has denied any allegations of shutting down the factory or withdrawing from Korea. GM Korea President and CEO Kaher Kazem said the establishment of the R&D unit will help the automaker put a bigger focus on local manufacturing, export and domestic sales. However, his remarks seem to be unconvincing to union workers, given GM's track record of pulling out of Australia, Indonesia and Thailand for poor performance. Amid a lack of trust between labor and management, such a R&D center plan is only raising concerns about GM's potential exit from Korea. The problem does not stop here. How GM Korea pushes for the plan also angers KDB which is strongly against what it calls a unilateral decision. KDB had tried in vain to block GM Korea from holding a shareholders' meeting to prevent the passage of the controversial R&D center plan. It filed an injunction against the meeting with a local court, but it was turned down. KDB Chairman Lee Dong-gull had threatened to exercise his veto because the motor company had unilaterally decided on the plan without any consultation with the shareholder bank. If management and the union are at loggerheads again, this could derail the company's efforts to normalize its operations. Both sides urgently need to regain trust and solve the problem with dialogue. Most of all, GM Korea should no longer make a decision unilaterally. It must hold sufficient consultations with KDB and the union. KDB is also required to exercise its shareholder rights more actively to check the automaker and not to waste its investment. By Tong Kim President Moon Jae-in has just returned home from a nine-day trip to Europe, aimed at enlisting support for his peace initiative in Korea. Pope Francis' blessing and encouragement for Moon's peace initiative was particularly remarkable. The pope said to President Moon, who is a Catholic, "Don't stop. Go forward without fear." In their private meeting at the Vatican, Moon conveyed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's message that he will "enthusiastically welcome the pope if he comes to North Korea." The pope said he could go if Kim sent him an official invitation. His Holiness Francis is the respected leader of 2 billion Catholics worldwide, including over 6 million in Korea. His voice is influential on the issue of peace. If everything goes well, the pope can visit Pyongyang next year when he travels to Japan. His visit will help North Korea become a normal state and contribute to settling the peace on the peninsula. He has been a strong advocate for reconciliation and peace. South Korea was the first Asian country he visited after he became pope. He prayed for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, three inter-Korean summits, and the Singapore U.S.-North Korea summit. President Moon in his own right has been quite successful in improving relations with North Korea, to the extent of concern that he was moving too fast ahead of the slow pace of denuclearization, ironically risking discord with the Trump administration, which says inter-Korean relations should be part of, and they should proceed in tandem with, the denuclearization process. There is a clear difference between Seoul and Washington on the North Korean issue. Seoul believes that Washington should give something a war-ending declaration or a partial easing of sanctions to enable Pyongyang to take the next step to denuclearization. Washington is adamant against undermining the efficacy of sanctions. It is wary of the possible crumbling of the sanctions regime by China and/or Russia. Washington believes Pyongyang will eventually yield to the pressure of sanctions. It also believes that sanctions and military threats had brought the North to the table, although there is no objective evidence to support or reject this claim. Seoul and Pyongyang are working together to reduce tensions in the Demilitarized Zone by various measures including establishing a no-flight zone. But, they cannot start actual economic cooperation without the easing or lifting of some or all of the multiple sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council, the U.S., and South Korea. Given the entrenched, fixed positions of the North and the U.S., it is difficult to predict when a second U.S.-North Korea summit, which they agreed on Oct. 7 to hold "as soon as possible," will take place after the November midterm elections. Trump will not go to the next summit, unless he is assured of something concrete to agree on to claim as major progress. Improved inter-Korean relations and enhanced mutual trust and confidence can help North Korea find some level of comfort in its search for security assurances, upon which the North should advance the path of denuclearization. In addition to the North's distrust of the United States, there is another problem. The North Koreans learned that when a new administration comes in Washington or in Seoul, policies change. At this point, they seem to be more hopeful of a better deal from President Trump than from his hard-line advisers. After all, it was Trump who canceled military drills in Korea. The North knows that even Democrats in the U.S. Congress have unfavorable views of it. Trump may have turned out to be good for it. But Pyongyang doesn't know whether he will be reelected for a second term. It doesn't know who will be the next president of South Korea. If a conservative government replaces the Moon government in the next election, which is quite possible, inter-Korean relations could fall back to where they had started. In the South, the conservatives constitute a significant portion of the population, who oppose Kim Jong-un and his regime. Kim would want to see Moon's policy continue, even after he leaves office. As the chairman of the ruling Democratic Party, Lee Hae-chan, said recently, "inter-Korean relations were interrupted, while the conservatives were in power." To keep the reins of government from the conservatives, the liberals must rise to meet the challenges of the economy and reform. Moon has received a high mark for his peace efforts, but low marks for his failing economic policy, and for no progress in institutional reforms which he pledged upon taking office. Tong Kim (tong.kim8@yahoo.com) is a Washington correspondent and columnist for The Korea Times. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Corean-American Studies. By Jun Ji-hye Samsung SDS has joined forces with the Port of Rotterdam Authority and ABN AMRO, the third-largest bank in the Netherlands, to launch a pilot project aimed at implementing blockchain-based marine logistics operations, the Korean company said Sunday. Through the business agreement, the IT arm of the nation's top conglomerate, Samsung Group, will actively expand its blockchain business to the global market, it said. Samsung SDS plans to complete work to connect its Nexledger, a blockchain platform developed for corporations, to ABN AMRO's Corda platform by the end of February to apply blockchain technology to the Port of Rotterdam Authority's logistics operations. The pilot project is aimed at paperless integration of physical, administrative and financial procedures within international logistics chains. The Korean firm said the project targets goods that depart from ports in Asia and arrive at the Port of Rotterdam. Once the project is completed, institutions and companies will be able to simplify financial dealings and share a variety of documents related to exports and imports in real time. The blockchain-based system also fundamentally prevents forgery or falsification of documents. "European countries have shown a lot of interest in Korea's blockchain-based marine logistics cases, and this has led to the latest project," said Kim Hyung-tae, who leads the logistics business unit at Samsung SDS. "This will be an opportunity for us to raise our competiveness in the logistics business and expand our blockchain platform to the global market." Samsung SDS, the Port of Rotterdam Authority and ABN AMRO will continue to expand the project to other foreign institutions and shippers, the Korean firm said. By Park Jae-hyuk Hyundai Motor will host affordable auto racing for entry-level racers during the first Veloster N Cup next spring, so more drivers can enjoy motorsports, the nation's leading automaker said Sunday. The carmaker's one-make racing in which all drivers race its high-performance hatchback will include two competitions one for entry-level and another for skilled amateurs. Hyundai plans to heat up motorsports fever in this country by holding the event for entry-level drivers first. The company said owners of the Veloster N can participate in the event if their cars underwent minimum tuning that costs less than 4.6 million won ($4,068). As they are only able to install roll cages in their cars and change tires and brake pads, performance of their tuned cars will be almost the same as production vehicles, according to Hyundai. The automotive firm expects the event for entry-level racers will lower the barrier to motorsports and attract more people to car racing. "The reason why we allow owners of minimally tuned cars to participate is that we took driving performances on both city streets and circuits into account while developing the high-performance N models," a Hyundai Motor official said. After the event for entry-level, Hyundai will hold the event for experienced racers who can completely demonstrate the performance of the Veloster N to motorsport fans. The participants will be able to upgrade their power trains, brakes, suspensions and bearings, as well as interiors and exteriors of their cars. Hyundai said it will unveil details about the Veloster N Cup in November. The company explained the event with three principles affordable, easy repairs and safety. The Veloster N is Hyundai's first high-performance vehicle that hit the road in Korea. Hyundai previously released the i30N hot hatch in Europe and Australia, winning huge success and garnering several medals in rallies worldwide. Pro-Taiwan independence activists call for the referendum on the streets in front of the headquarters of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party during a demonstration in Taipei on Oct. 20. Thousands of Taiwan independence campaigners took to the streets for a major rally that is a rebuke to Beijing and a challenge to the island's already embattled government. AFP Taiwan pro-independece protesters, hold placards and shout slogans during a protest in Taipei, on Oct. 20. The protesters were calling for government action for a referendum for Taiwanese independence from China. EPA By Lawrence Chung Thousands of Taiwan independence campaigners rallied in Taipei on Saturday demanding President Tsai Ing-wen allow a referendum to decide whether the self-ruled island should break from mainland China. The protesters were reacting to what they see as a relentless campaign by Beijing to annex Taiwan, which it regards as a wayward province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. According to Formosa Alliance, the group that organised the event, the protesters were allowed to gather only in a restricted area outside the headquarters of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Beiping East Road. They had previously complained the area was too small as it could accommodate only 1,000 people. While the organisers said on Saturday that 120,000 people took part in the rally, police said there were no more than 5,000. The protest is the first of its kind since Tsai took office in 2016. It called for a revision to the Referendum Law and a public vote on a change of the island's constitution and its official Republic of China title. Observers said the protesters' demands would put Tsai and her government in a difficult position as it would be highly risky for her to allow such a vote after Beijing had repeatedly said it would send a military force to block any formal attempts at independence. Taiwan military starts war games simulating attack by China's PLA( Since coming to power, Tsai has vowed to maintain the status quo in relations between Taipei and Beijing, a position that has won her Washington's support. Gathered in the narrow street, the protesters shouted slogans like "Taiwan is Taiwan" and "We are an independent country", waved flags and carried placards emblazoned with phrases such as, "Say no to China, say yes to Taiwan" and "No more bullying, no annexation". "The protest is to tell the world that Taiwanese people can no longer tolerate China or any foreign regime trying to invade our land," said Kuo Pei-horng, a veteran pro-independence activist and head of Formosa Alliance, which was founded in April. "Taiwanese people want an independent country and to be their own masters," he said. The alliance is reported to have fallen out with the independence-leaning DPP after the party refused to join the protest on the grounds it was busy campaigning for the November local government elections and doing so would distract voters. But when the refusal was met with strong criticism from the alliance and other pro-independence groups, the DPP said it would hold its own protest event on Saturday in the southern city of Kaohsiung, where Chen Chi-mai is representing the party in the mayoral election. "The DPP rally in Kaohsiung shows the party was worried about losing the support of pro-independence groups and that it also opposes the mainland," said political commentator Lo Chih-chiang, who was an aide to Taiwan's former president Ma Ying-jeou. Many pro-independence supporters had been highly critical of Tsai and the DPP for failing to uphold its pro-independence platform, he said. Tsai had to be aware of the interests of the Taiwanese people and the possibility of a cross-strait conflict, he said. The State Information Service (SIS) refuted on Sunday British media reports claiming that a tourist in Hurghada had his organs stolen last month in Egypt, saying samples of his bodies were only analyzed. According to its statement, the SIS communicated with the concerned authorities and obtained all medical documents of 62-years-old British man David Humphries to leave no doubt over the post-death procedures. "The documents have proved that samples were taken from the body of the aforementioned tourist in a medical manner and were officially handed over to the governmental analysis laboratories in Assiut and Cairo to investigate the cause of death," the statement reads, playing down reports of British tabloids Daily Mail and The Sun which cited organ thieves. According to media reports, Humphries' heart and kidneys were removed. Medical reports show that Humphries arrived at the Red Sea Hospital on 18 September while "in a deep coma, with no pulse, breathing, or blood pressure and cold body," the SIS said. His wife Lynda Humphries, who accompanied him in his trip to Hurghada said he was transferred to the Red Sea Hospital on 13 September after feeling sick, the SIS highlights. He left the hospital after receiving treatment. Lynda said the day of his death, her husband "felt pain in his chest again and fell to the ground and was taken by the ambulance to the hospital where his death was confirmed." She did not hold anyone responsible for her husband's death, the SIS stressed. Search Keywords: Short link: Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will become overcast in the afternoon. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High 39F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low 27F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Addressing the 139th Session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) General Debate on 16 October 2018 under the theme Parliamentary leadership promoting peace and development in the age of innovation and technological change, Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri stressed that ICT has revolutionized the work of the Parliament of Sri Lanka bringing the parliamentarians and the parliamentary processes closer to the people. Leader of the Sri Lanka delegation to the IPU session this year, Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri spoke on the role of science and technology in the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. He emphasized the need for development strategies to be responsive by taking into account the opportunities and challenges arising from new technologies such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence, and space technology. Harnessing these technologies would be crucial to achieving sustainable development, said the Deputy Speaker. In Sri Lanka, the Deputy Speaker stated, the Government of Sri Lanka through its Vision 2025 provides a policy framework to develop strategies that encourage the use of digital and other modern technologies that could help Sri Lanka become globally competitive and drive the nation towards a digitally empowered economy. He further elaborated the recent initiative Enterprise Sri Lanka, a socio-economic advancement programme that includes among its objectives the development of technology and technical and managerial skills given that this has been identified as an important constraint affecting SME and Micro sector development. Highlighting the key role that women could play in economic development including through participation in decision making, the Deputy Speaker stressed that ICT could have a significant impact enabling women empowerment and gender equality. Sri Lanka delegation to the IPU Assembly comprised Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva, State Minister of Tourism and Christian Affairs Ranjith Aluvihare, Members of Parliament K. Thurairetnasingam and Prasanna Ranatunga and Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake. Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez, Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Mrs. Samantha Jayasuriya, Deputy Permanent Representative and Ms. Shashika Somaratne, Minister Counsellor of the Permanent Mission facilitated the programme of visit, and were associated with the delegation at the meetings held. The delegation held bilateral discussions with Secretary General of IPU Mr. Martin Chungong on the sidelines of the IPU Assembly. Full statement delivered by the Hon. Deputy Speaker Sri Lanka Permanent Mission Geneva 17 October 2018 Dear Liz: In the last few months, I have received collection calls and emails for payment, sometimes before I even got the invoice and in every case before payment was due. For example, on Sept. 25 I was emailed for the second time for payment on an invoice with an Oct. 17 due date. Some but not all of these communications relate to medical bills. Is this legal? Answer: Probably. Most companies wait until a bill is seriously overdue before turning it over to collections. Some hire collection agencies much sooner, however, and a few including some medical providers turn over their whole accounts receivable process. That means the collectors are responsible for regular billing, not just debt collection. Its unpleasant to hear from collectors, especially on an account that isnt overdue, but youre not likely to face credit score damage as long as the bill gets paid on time. Even if its past due, there is now a 180-day waiting period before unpaid medical debts can show up on peoples credit reports. (The clock starts on the bills first due date.) Collectors may justify their outreach calls and emails by saying many people are confused by medical billing and put off paying because they think insurance will take care of the bill. That doesnt make such contacts less annoying for those who pay on time. Advertisement Consider letting the medical providers and other companies know that you dont approve of these tactics. Some may care enough about customer service to change their billing approach, or require the collection company to stop the premature contacts. A surviving spouse gets a pension surprise Dear Liz: I have a question about my late husbands pension. He was with a company for 25 years and retired early with a defined benefit pension of about $3,700 per month. When he died four years ago, the pension stopped. The company said it was a single life pension, but when I tried to get records proving that, they said they had no records. Do you think I have any recourse to petition for some kind of pension? Should I find a lawyer and if so, what kind of lawyer handles this type of thing? Answer: Traditional pensions typically give workers two options: a single life annuity, whose payments are higher but cease when the recipient dies, or a joint-and-survivor annuity that continues for a surviving spouses lifetime. When someone is married, the default option is supposed to be the joint-and-survivor annuity unless the spouse signs a waiver giving up rights to lifetime income. If the company cant or wont provide proof of such a waiver, then youd be smart to get legal help to pursue the issue. You may be able to get free legal assistance through the U.S. Administration on Agings Pension Counseling and Information Program, which currently serves 30 states. If you live in one of the states that isnt served, you may be able to get help by visiting PensionHelp America, a site run by the nonprofit Pension Rights Center. Small firms have special Medicare Part B rules Dear Liz: You recently answered a question about whether someone 65 or older with employer-provided health insurance needs to sign up for Medicare Part B, which covers doctors visits and requires paying premiums. Your answer was correct for an employee of a large employer. If the employer has 20 or more employees on a typical business day, then the group insurance coverage is primary when the employee has both Medicare and group insurance. So the employee does not need to purchase Medicare Part B. However, if the employer has fewer than 20 employees on a typical business day, then Medicare is primary for the employee. In that situation, the employee should buy Medicare Part B. The group health plan will not pay what Medicare should have paid had the employee elected Part B. Your answer needs the appropriate clarification. Answer: The question was from a spouse who wanted to make sure that the rules covering her husband the employee also applied to her, which they do. The employee was told by his employer that he would not need to purchase Medicare Part B until he retired (and even then, there is an eight-month grace period before penalties start to accrue). That applies to spouses covered by the health insurance as well. But youre correct that smaller companies have different rules. Its always a smart idea to seek clarification directly from a companys human resources department and the health insurer as well as from the Medicare helpline at (800) MEDICARE ([800] 633-4227). Liz Weston, certified financial planner, is a personal finance columnist for NerdWallet. Questions may be sent to her at 3940 Laurel Canyon, No. 238, Studio City, CA 91604, or by using the Contact form at asklizweston.com. Distributed by No More Red Inc. Liz Weston, certified financial planner, is a personal finance columnist for NerdWallet. Questions may be sent to her at 3940 Laurel Canyon, No. 238, Studio City, CA 91604, or by using the Contact form at asklizweston.com. Distributed by No More Red Inc. There are many reasons Dear Evan Hansen, the Tony-winning musical that more than lived up to expectations at its glorious opening Friday at the Ahmanson Theatre, has become a cultural phenomenon. First and foremost, its an enthralling show that marries story and song as dexterously as Fun Home, Hamilton or this years Tony-winner, The Bands Visit. (Judging by the best musical winners for the last four years, one would have to conclude that the American musical is thriving. The reality is more complicated, but the bright side is very bright.) Dear Evan Hansen also elevated the career of Pitch Perfect co-star Ben Platt, whose soul-baring performance as the socially awkward title character who becomes a social-media hero under false pretenses earned him a Tony Award and a fan base (count me among them) that cant wait to see what he does next. And then theres the diverting landscape of screens speaking directly to the Instagram generation. Young people who would rather churn butter than speak to someone face to face cant help appreciating the realism of a show in which a good portion of the dialogue occurs through laptops and smartphones. Advertisement But this beautifully acted touring production of Dear Evan Hansen, under the aerodynamic direction of Michael Greif, revealed to me, in my third encounter with the musical, another explanation for why everyone right now in Los Angeles is clamoring for tickets: Its one of the most evocative portraits of the inner turmoil of adolescence ever put on stage. The book by Steven Levenson and the score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul capture not only the emotional challenges of those arduous high school years but also the moral tests we sometimes flunk as we fumble toward adult graduation. Ben Levi Ross, a 20-year-old actor who grew up in Santa Monica and is bound for the theatrical big-time with this performance, is sensational as Evan, a character who wears a cast on his broken arm and could use a few splints and bandages for his fractured inner self. Physically, Ross Evan seems more fragile than Platts; psychologically, hes just as profoundly wounded. (Stephen Christopher Anthony assumes the demanding role of Evan on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday matinees and on Sunday evening performances.) Bullied at school and unable to respond to an innocuous greeting without apologizing for his convulsive awkwardness, Evan finds shelter in the isolation of his home. He confides to us in his transcendent early number Waving Through a Window the depth of his alienation, the sense of being on the outside always lookin in. His mother, Heidi (Jessica Phillips, wonderfully balancing maternal sympathy with single parent grit), is a nurses aide scrambling to pay the bills while taking courses at night to become a paralegal. Dinner is usually a solo affair for Evan, who would rather skip a meal than risk small talk with a delivery person. To conquer his social anxiety, Evan has been advised by a therapist to write letters of encouragement to himself. Prodded by his mother to complete the weeks assignment, Evan prints out a copy of his missive at school, where it ends up in the hands of Connor Murphy (Marrick Smith), a troubled fellow senior whose instinct is to lash out at a world he can find no comfortable place in. Jessica Phillips as Heidi Hansen with Ben Levi Ross as Heidis son, Evan, in Dear Evan Hansen. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) The discovery of this letter after Connor commits suicide has wild consequences for Evan, who becomes the object of obsessive interest from Connors grief-stricken parents. Mistaking the letter for Connors suicide note to a friend they didnt know he had, the Murphys essentially adopt Evan into their relatively wealthy household. Cynthia (Christiane Noll), Connors stay-at-home mother, is desperate to believe that her son was more than just a raging, self-destructive terror. Larry (Aaron Lazar), her lawyer husband, is relieved that Evan is distracting his wife from sorrow he finds oppressive. Meanwhile, Evan cant get over the way fate has brought him into close contact with Zoe (Maggie McKenna), Connors lovely sister, who has long occupied a central place in his fantasy life. Love isnt the only reason Evan starts scheming with his wiseacre classmate Jared Kleinman (Jared Goldsmith) to create a back story in emails of his fictitious friendship with Connor. Evans suspect motives are mixed with the desire to provide solace to a bereaved family. But his con takes on a life of its own. When Alana (Phoebe Koyabe), a student who copes with her own outsider status through relentless industriousness, helps launch the memorial Connor Project, Evans story goes viral, turning the school loser into an internet celebrity. Dont even try to guess how the story plays out. Dear Evan Hansen is continually surprising, but whats impressive about the work is how, even when a plot point strains credibility, the characters are always psychologically true. Aaron Lazar, from left, Jared Goldsmith, Phoebe Koyabe, Ben Levi Ross, as Evan Hansen, and Maggie McKenna perform in Dear Evan Hansen at the Ahmanson Theatre. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Evans inner life is revealed magnificently in song. Ross may not have Platts feathery falsetto reach, but his voice has a radiant strength that fills the Ahmanson with its luminosity. When Evans reckoning comes in the number Words Fail, Ross unleashes the backlog of pain that fueled the characters emotional Ponzi scheme. McKennas Zoe is wise beyond her years, yet her precocious sensitivity is leavened with the right amount of adolescent rebellion. McKennas singing has a folk beauty, with every trill deeply felt in a performance that justifies Evans willingness to do just about anything to be with Zoe Smith humanizes Connor. When Jared cracks that Connors long hair is school shooter chic, the joke lands because Connors destructiveness has everyone on edge. But in scenes that Ill simply describe as daringly imaginative, Smiths portrayal hints that there may be more to Connor than antagonism and aggression. Instead of regretting, as I sometimes do, that many Ahmanson theatergoers are missing out on the original Broadway cast, I wish New York theatergoers would have the opportunity to see this faultless touring ensemble. Comparisons would only point out different qualities of excellence, so if youve seen the show already on Broadway youll be glad to experience it again in this distinctive incarnation. The physical production, expertly wielding Peter Nigrinis projections and David Korins pinpoint set pieces, has been tailored to the Ahmanson stage. The sound blares a bit in a few of the rousing group numbers, adding a layer of harshness to the driving pop-rock score, but the musical seems perfectly at home here. Jared Goldsmith, left, and Marrick Smith perform in, Dear Evan Hansen. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) If theres one significant shortcoming, its the length of the show, which could use some tightening in the first act setup and perhaps a little more dramatic efficiency in an ending that has a few false starts. But the wisecracking of Goldsmiths Jared is too crackling to cut. Koyabes Alana widens the scope of teenage tribulations. And McKennas affecting performance makes one wish that Zoes role was larger. The character work of the actors is exceptional. The scene in which Lazars Larry expresses paternal care for the essentially fatherless Evan will have a few men in the house furtively flicking away tears. Nolls Cynthia is too genuinely devastated to be jokingly dismissed as a pampered housewife. And the somber pride with which Phillips Heidi rejects a proposal of aid from the Murphys sheds stirring light on the resolve of this overwhelmed single mother. Naturally, the heart and soul of the show is Ross Evan, who matures the hard way before our very eyes. An undeserving hero he may be, but this extraordinary lead performance is heroic in the truth it exposes about our error-strewn paths from youthful alienation toward that distant mountain of self-acceptance. Dear Evan Hansen Where: Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave. L.A. When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays; ends Nov. 25 (call for exceptions) Tickets: $99-$285 (subject to change) Information: (213) 972-4400 or www.centertheatregroup.org Running time: 2 hours, 40 minutes (including intermission) charles.mcnulty@latimes.com Follow me @charlesmcnulty Hello! Im Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies. We dont often have occasion to mention art exhibitions here, but a new show at Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art deserves special recognition. As a writer on film, Manny Farber has been deeply influential on generations of critics, not least for his epochal 1962 essay White Elephant Art vs. Termite Art. The new show One Day at A Time: Manny Farber and Termite Art showcases Farbers post-criticism career as a painter until his death in 2008. In his review of the exhibition, Times art critic Cristopher Knight noted, In our often soulless, lopsided celebrity culture, its an anti-celebrity show iconoclasm for an age swamped by icon worship. One Day celebrates the virtues of the quotidian, the curious and the eccentric. And it is built around a superlative exemplar of those irreverent qualities. Nothing if not an iconoclast himself, David Gordon Green may not be the first filmmaker you would think of for the latest iteration of the venerable Halloween series, but thats part of what makes his, er, stab at the franchise such a surprise. The new movie is meant as a direct sequel to John Carpenters 1978 original film, with star Jamie Lee Curtis returning to her role as Laurie Strode, here depicted as a woman haunted for all these years by the events she suffered through at the hands of ruthless killer Michael Myers. Advertisement In his review for The Times, Justin Chang wrote, [F]or all the weaponry on hand, the emphasis here is rightly on the girl. With a canny balance of empathy and exploitation, Halloween treats its heroines lingering trauma with surprising emotional realism and only a hint of comic exaggeration. As Green said to me recently, Its important to me personally to identify emotionally with these characters And Im convinced that thats what makes a horror film like this stand out as opposed to just a supernatural cacophony of grotesqueness, because theres emotional substance that we can relate to. Its what drew me to Carpenters film in the first place, is that I may not have lived in Haddonfield, Ill., in 1978, but these characters, these situations, this environment feels familiar to me. We have a screening this Thursday (Oct, 25) of The Happy Prince, on the life of Oscar Wilde, plus a Q&A with films writer, director and star, Rupert Everett. This one has come together so quickly that as were putting out this weeks newsletter, the details are not yet up on the events page, so check events.latimes.com for updates. Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan in Wildlife. (Scott Garfield / IFC Films) Wildlife Adapted from the novel of the same name by Richard Ford, Wildlife is the directing debut of actor Paul Dano. Adapted by Dano and Zoe Kazan a couple in real life the film is a stylistically spare, emotionally unsparing look at family, marriage and self-image, as Carey Mulligan gives a galvanizing performance as a woman in free-fall as her husband (Jake Gyllenhaal) leaves her alone with their son (Ed Oxenbould) to go fight a wildfire in early 1960s Montana. Bill Camp plays a local businessman with whom Mulligans character of Jeanette engages in an extended flirtation. In his review for The Times, Justin Chang wrote, If the drama feels somewhat studied though it would be more accurate to say that it simply feels thought through it is never airless or constricted. The story maintains a steady emotional pulse alongside its meticulous accrual of details, from the autumnal chill that eventually descends on Great Falls to the stylish shades of red and green that begin to seep into Jeanettes wardrobe. Ill be publishing a profile of Mulligan soon. She told me, in discussing what drew her to the character, I, as a woman, would like to see a woman on-screen that I can relate to and I can understand and I can see fallibility and flaws and all the things that I know that I have . And thats what was so exciting about Jeanette, all the possibility and all the craziness and all the messiness of our lives. At Slate, Inkoo Kang added, Theres something feminist about Jeanettes one-sided ending of an unhappy marriage, of course, but the character is much more interesting for being an uncategorizable mystery, often to herself. Shes practical, except when shes impetuous. Her aspirations are simultaneously lofty and grubby. When she gets drunk in the older divorcees home, openly flirting with the businessman in a barely-there dress in front of her confused and quietly seething son, Jeanette is hard to empathize with, and harder still to judge. For the Associated Press, Lindsey Bahr said the film gives particular care to the character of Jeanette and Id be hard-pressed to name a better performance from Mulligan, who is powerful and vulnerable and can walk right up to that line of female rage without slipping into caricature or stereotype . Its one worth making the trip to the theater for. Wildlife isnt just a great first film, its a great film. Richard E. Grant, from left, Dolly Wells, Melissa McCarthy and Christian Navarro of Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Can You Ever Forgive Me? Directed by Marielle Heller, from a screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty, Can You Ever Forgive Me? is based on the true story of Lee Israel, a struggling writer who finds a sideline in creating forged letters from literary figures such as Dorothy Parker and Noel Coward. Melissa McCarthy stars as Israel along with Richard E. Grant as Israels friend and accomplice in a film that is both a fun little caper and a moving portrait of loneliness. Reviewing the movie for The Times, Kenneth Turan said, the film demands not our love for this supremely difficult person but rather our respect for her defiance of an unsympathetic world. With such an impeccable presentation of such an intransigent personality, it is hard to deny her that. For the New York Times, A.O. Scott added, Partly because the movie is so splendidly and completely absorbed in its characters and their milieu, it communicates much more than a quirky appreciation for old books and odd readers. Ms. Heller and the screenwriters, Jeff Whitty and the great Nicole Holofcener, resist the impulse to moralize about Lees misdeeds or to sand down her rough edges. At rogerebert.com, Monica Castillo noted, The range in McCarthys performance cannot be overstated. At almost every turn, her character gives the audience plenty of reason not to like her. Yet, with Hellers sympathetic approach and McCarthys acting, the movie humanizes her beyond caricature. For the Chicago Tribune, Katie Walsh wrote, Although the title begs forgiveness, its laced with a sense of Israels signature biting sarcasm. Can you forgive her for trying? Can you forgive her for surviving? The real question is: Can she ever forgive us, for underestimating her worth? Jim Cummings in Thunder Road. (Vanishing Angle / 10 East Pictures) Thunder Road The debut feature for its writer/director/star Jim Cummings, Thunder Road won the grand jury prize earlier this year at the South by Southwest Film Festival. The movie concerns a small town police officer (Cummings) who after the death of his mother struggles to hold his life together. Overcome by grief and seeing his own wife and young daughter slipping away from him, he reels through escalating emotions. The Times Justin Chang was on the jury which gave the film that SXSW prize. So its perhaps no surprise that his review is deeply felt, calling the film the work of a fully formed and startlingly confident new voice in independent American filmmaking. Much like its first chapter, this Thunder Road fluctuates wildly yet with exquisite control between cringe-tastic comedy and unshakable grief. It seems to invite a similarly wide range of reactions from the viewer as it both indulges, and implicitly critiques, a spectacle of white male self-pity. At Rolling Stone, David Fear called the movie the sort of experience where you walk out of a theater 90 minutes later and feel like something inside you has shifted two klicks to the left. All the redemption it can offer is beneath the dirty hood of this flawed hero. And at its best, Cummings character study makes you feel like thats all you really ever need out of a story. Its that good. For the Ringer, Sean Fennessey wrote about what the fate of the film means for independent filmmakers in 2018, noting, Cummings doesnt talk about his movies like an agonized artiste. Thunder Road is an affecting, strange movie about a confused man that finds its creator channeling his own feelings of loss and regret. But in discussing it with him, you wouldnt get the impression its any more meaningful than the werewolf movie hes trying to get made, or the outer space sitcom he sold last year. Cummings is a Hollywood hustler in a true and rigorous sense. He just wants to keep moving, making more things. Email me if you have questions, comments or suggestions, and follow me on Twitter @IndieFocus. SIGN UP for the free Indie Focus movies newsletter Overtime costs at the Los Angeles County Fire Department surged 36% in the last five years, placing some firefighters among the highest-compensated workers in local government. The increase comes as the department grapples with staffing shortages and several seasons of extreme wildfires. Yet some county officials and outside experts question whether fire commanders are properly managing their $1-billion payroll. For the record: This article says millions of dollars spent on unplanned overtime could otherwise have been used for mental health, housing or probation officers. The Fire Department is funded primarily through a special property tax whose revenues cannot be used for other county departments. The county recently launched an audit of the departments overtime costs and payroll procedures, though it will be months before that is complete. The Times conducted an analysis of the county payroll database, which lists salaries, overtime and fringe benefits received by about 100,000 employees in the last five years. The results show: More than 640 Fire Department workers received at least $100,000 in overtime in the 2017 calendar year. By comparison, there were 28 such employees in the L.A. County Sheriffs Department, which has twice the number of workers, and 48 in public medical and hospital jobs. No employee in civilian departments of the county recorded overtime that high. Two dozen firefighters made in excess of $200,000 in overtime. Fire Department employees represent about a third of the countys 1,000 highest-paid employees, joining the ranks of surgeons, anesthesiologists and pediatricians who work in its public hospitals. A few made more than the fire chief and the countys top executive. Among county workers who earned overtime, Fire Department employees received the most on average, by a wide margin. They were paid about $49,000 each in overtime last year, while workers in other agencies, including the Sheriffs Department, were paid about $8,200. Overtime accounted for about a third of the average Fire Department employees annual pay last year. For other departments, the proportion was around 6%. The high compensation in a department that relies so heavily on employees working extra hours has raised questions among experts who study employment and fire department procedures. Advertisement Its wrong from a budget perspective. Theres no way that the county should be allowing that to happen, said Frank Neuhauser, senior research associate at UC Berkeleys Institute for the Study of Societal Issues and an expert on workplace insurance. Somebody is not doing scheduling in the right way. Top county officials have launched a closer examination of the departments overtime. (Los Angeles Times) Chief Executive Sachi Hamai, who manages day-to-day operations under the direction of the elected Board of Supervisors, recently asked the countys auditor-controller to examine the Fire Departments payroll. The review began last month and will include interviews with department management about payroll and timekeeping, county spokeswoman Lennie LaGuire said. The goal is to provide reasonable assurance that overtime spending complies with guidelines, she said. Auditors also are expected to review some of the top overtime earners and study whether the Fire Department has a process for receiving some reimbursement when it helps other departments with emergencies such as wildfires or hurricanes. Such high levels of overtime, which is paid at 1 times the normal rate, were driven last year by an inordinate number of major emergencies, including the Rye, Creek and Thomas fires in Southern California, and assistance provided to authorities in Puerto Rico and Texas after catastrophic hurricanes, according to a statement released by the Fire Department in response to The Times inquiries. The department has also struggled to maintain its staffing targets amid retirements of senior firefighters hired during the 1980s and as its catches up from a slowdown in hiring after the 2008 economic crisis. Were actually developing some strategies so that we reduce our vacancies so we stay within our budget, Fire Chief Daryl Osby said in a recent interview, adding that its fair for the public to take note of the departments costs. They should be concerned. Its their taxpayer funds. The highest compensated Fire Department employee last year was Battalion Chief Tom Ray, who works in the departments fire prevention services bureau. He earned a base salary of $175,000, an amount consistent with his rank, but was paid an additional $283,000 in overtime, bringing his total compensation to about $480,000. The top overtime earner last year was Capt. Sergio Burciaga, who received about $322,000 in extra pay on top of his $126,000 base salary, pushing his total compensation to $457,000. Payroll records show that he worked 7,449 hours in 2017 the equivalent of six 24-hour shifts a week all year. He works at Station 105 in Compton. Reached by phone, Burciaga said he was too busy to be interviewed. Ray did not respond to requests for comment submitted through the department. Several other fire captains and battalion chiefs were paid more than $400,000 last year, the payroll records show. Apart from the extreme weather in recent years, another constant driver of costs at the county and many urban fire departments nationwide is an around-the-clock staffing model, even in neighborhoods that dont have constant overnight calls. Thats a particular challenge for the county, which has 170 fire stations spread across more than 2,300 square miles. The department has more than 4,800 employees and is responsible for emergency incidents in unincorporated areas and 58 cities with a million housing units and 4 million residents. In addition, the department also has 159 lifeguard towers protecting 72 miles of coastline and a fleet of helicopters and water-rescue machinery. To maintain what the department considers appropriate staffing, firefighters on average work about 10 24-hour shifts a month, with three or four people required per shift regardless of the call volume. Sometimes more personnel are deployed proactively when weather conditions make wildfire flare-ups likely, Osby notes. If firefighters or other emergency staff get sick or take time off for an injury, which can be common, the department asks or sometimes assigns colleagues to fill their spots. Thats a practice known as a recall. The top earners volunteer for such assignments, said Battalion Chief Jason Robertson, a department spokesman. Those individuals who work that much, they never go home, he said. Fire Capt. Rick Mullen, who leads at a team at Station 72 in a remote area north of Malibu, earned $404,000 as a firefighter last year, including more than $260,000 in overtime. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) One such firefighter is Capt. Rick Mullen, who leads a team at Station 72, a remote outpost at the western tip of the county, in the canyons north of Malibu. He earned $404,000 last year thanks to more than $260,000 in overtime. Mullen, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel who is also the mayor of Malibu, was paid for working 6,599 hours last year the equivalent of working five 24-hour shifts a week for the entire year, according to payroll information released by the department under the California Public Records Act. He said he took extra shifts in many cases voluntarily, in part to avoid being recalled to duty on days when the City Council meets. Im used to working a lot, he said, recalling his career as a military helicopter pilot, which required long hours in the air and a tour in Afghanistan. Mullen, who supervises a team of three, said fatigue is a valid concern. But his station isnt generally disturbed by emergency medical calls at night, allowing sleep time for which he and other firefighters get paid but still requiring many hours away from home. My wife certainly tells me that I need to be around more, he said. Osby and other Fire Department officials say they have controls in place to keep firefighters fresh, despite the increasing pressures on staffing from vacancies and wildfires. The department has caps on overtime shifts to prevent firefighters from working more than five of their long shifts consecutively or more than 68 overtime shifts in a fiscal year. Records released by the department show those caps are often lifted, however, when the department feels staffing pressure. The weather and fire responses over the past few weeks has been unrelenting and one for the record books, reads one December 2017 memo from fire commanders obtained under the California Public Records Act that reinstated the overtime cap after a period of wildfire danger. The wildfires that have strained the department both at home and across the state, when it helps other agencies could continue or perhaps get worse if the climate trends that the state has experienced this decade persist. Osby said the department is focused on work-rest cycles, even when when dealing with extreme conditions, but sometimes when we have major incidents, its all hands on deck. Such a workload can cause strain on firefighters and their families, but it also can reduce the quality of service to the public, the departments customers, most of whom call for help with emergencies unrelated to fires, experts on fire departments say. Are we doing a disservice to our customer, that person who calls us when they have a fire, when their spouse is having a heart attack, when a child has been struck in the street? said Robert Rielage, a former fire marshal for the state of Ohio who has written about fire department staffing issues nationwide. They want someone who is fresh, well-trained and who can make good decisions. In addition to the strain on workers, overtime also taxes the department coffers. About 1 in 5 dollars spent on its roughly $1-billion payroll, data show, went to overtime pay. The department exceeded its overtime budget during the 2017 fiscal year about $166 million by roughly $46 million, according to a statement released by the department. Overtime spending during the calendar year is comparable: $212 million. Thats money that could be spent on mental health programs, housing or probation officers. This is a cost that requires trade-offs, Rielage said. The county has to give up something to pay for the overtime to these firefighters. The financial strain traces its roots to the 1980s, when the Fire Department experienced a surge in hiring. That has led to a spate of retirements in recent years, in addition to the normal attrition of about 100 per year, the department said in response to The Times inquires. Another force driving the trend is the financial crisis of 2008, which drained county coffers and led to a downturn in hiring (and fewer experienced firefighters on the job today). In addition, an unusually high number of firefighters have been placed on injury leave, opening more vacancies, the department said. Some are skeptical about why such vacancies still exist a decade after the economic downturn, especially given that the department has hired more than 470 new firefighters since 2015. Neuhauser, the UC Berkeley researcher, welcomed the increased scrutiny from the audit. Somebody is not doing scheduling in the right way, he said. The explanation that they give you that they have all these vacancies, my guess is they are keeping these vacancies so people can get the overtime. In a statement, the Fire Department said its working to address the vacancies with what it described as unprecedented hiring to counter the surge in retiring firefighters. The average Fire Department employees paycheck is more than 30% overtime pay a red flag, said Rielage, who served as chief and assistant chief at two city departments in Ohio before retiring. If I were doing overtime, and it reached 10% of payroll, I would said say, Hmm, whats going on here? he said. Thats one question facing the auditors, who are expected to complete their report by December. So far the issue hasnt raised alarms among the Board of Supervisors. Only one Supervisor Janice Hahn responded to a request for comment. We have seen a massive increase in the number of wildfires in California and our Fire Department has sent first responders throughout the state and across the country to assist with natural disasters, she said in a written statement. This has undoubtedly added to overtime pay. However, the auditor-controller is in the middle of reviewing the departments payroll practices, and we will know more when we see that report. matt.stiles@latimes.com Twitter: @stiles A suspect has been arrested in connection with a sexual assault of a UCLA student at an off-campus fraternity party, authorities said. Nima Bendavood, 21, surrendered to detectives Saturday afternoon at the campus police station, UCLA police said in a statement. He was booked for sexual assault and is being held at the Los Angeles County Jail on $100,000 bail, police said. Bendavood is not a UCLA student. Advertisement A UCLA student whose age was not disclosed told campus police that she was assaulted by the suspect shortly before 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 12 at an off-campus fraternity in the 600 block of Gayley Avenue, police said. On Thursday, UCLA police distributed photos of the suspect to the media. Anyone with information is asked to contact the UCLA Police Department Detective Unit at (310) 825-1491. carlos.lozano@latimes.com Saudi Arabia's explanation of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its consulate in Istanbul is not credible, Britain's Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday. After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi, 59, for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning said he had died in a fistfight at the consulate. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold. Asked during an interview on BBC TV if he believed the explanation, Raab said: "No, I dont think it is credible ... We support the Turkish investigation into it and the British government will want to see people held to account for that death." Search Keywords: Short link: How many ways can you ask Michael Avenatti whether hell run for president? At Politicon on Saturday, he was asked whether hell run, how far along he was in his thinking, who would be his running mate, and what his platform on immigration would be, should he choose to run. Avenatti, who vaulted to fame this year as the lawyer for adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, danced around every iteration of the question while describing the candidate he said would be able to win against President Trump and it sounded a lot like himself. When I look into the field of potential Democratic nominees, I see a number of very qualified, accomplished politicians, many of whom would make an exceptional president. However, what I dont see is many of whom could actually beat Donald Trump, he said. If you dont beat Donald Trump, you never get a chance to govern. Advertisement Avenatti has become a star attraction at Democratic campaign events across the nation as the Nov. 6 midterm election approaches. And he was asked repeatedly to pose for selfies at the L.A. Convention Center at an event dubbed a Comic-con for politics. A longtime Newport Beach consumer attorney in class-action cases, Avenatti has never run for public office, but he recently set up a committee, Fight PAC, that funds his political activities. He has also hired a political advisor, Roger Salazar, a veteran California Democratic strategist. Avenatti said hed been to 15 states and was going to be in another eight or nine before the midterms, raising money and speaking at events. With his pugnacious rhetoric in frequent television appearances, hes cast himself as a champion of a combative Democratic approach to Trump as the president seeks reelection in 2020. Sharing the stage Saturday with comedian Kathy Griffin, whose 2017 photo with a mock decapitated head of Trump derailed her career and made her the target of a federal investigation, Avenatti said the way back into the White House for the Democratic Party was not by playing nice. If you want to take this nation back, youre going to have to engage in a brutal campaign, he said. Thats whats going to have to happen in 2020, I firmly believe that. Journalist Jonathan Capehart, left, interviews Michael Avenatti and Kathy Griffin for the Politicon panel titled How to Beat Trump. (Phillip Faraone / Getty Images) Griffin had plenty of not nice things to say about Trump aggressively stupid and worse, much of it not printable in these pages but she said the aftermath of her photo was a serious issue that went beyond her own career. She said Trump ordered an investigation and placed her on a no-fly list. Its fun to take sides, but once you really start to erode away the 1st Amendment ... it really can happen to anyone here, she said. Avenatti said he gives Trump credit for his use of Twitter during the 2016 campaign and after, directly reaching 55 million people a day and forcing journalists to report on his tweets. So how best should Democrats go against that? Whoever is gonna go against him needs to understand how to operate in the current culture, he said. (Avenatti has 877,000 followers on Twitter as of Saturday evening, but whos counting?) Journalist Jonathan Capehart asked Avenatti if his presence was a welcome distraction and easy target for conservatives, noting that politicians and commentators on the right zeroed in on him during the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. Avenatti represented a third woman who came forward with allegations against Kavanaugh. Avenatti, dismissed by Trump as a total low-life, has become a favorite target of Fox News. The conservative network has irritated Avenatti by branding him a creepy porn lawyer even though Daniels is his only client in the pornography business. On Saturday, the attorney said conservatives attacks against him were a sign that they perceived him as a viable challenger. The right is not used to having a fighter on the left. I am a threat and I am going to continue to be a threat to the Republican Party and this dumpster fire of a presidency, he said. Im not going anywhere, period. As for his stance on immigration, lest he decide to run, he said he is against disbanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement, believes strong borders are vital, and would stop the caravan of migrants from Central America recently making headlines. Avenattis incendiary manner and representation of Daniels, who says Trump had extramarital sex with her in 2006, have left some Democratic leaders cautious about embracing him. Trump has denied any affair with Daniels. But prosecutors say his business, the Trump Organization, reimbursed his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen for making an illegal $130,000 payoff to Daniels to buy her silence in the closing days of the 2016 presidential campaign. Times staff writer Michael Finnegan contributed to this report. victoria.kim@latimes.com For more California news, follow me on Twitter @vicjkim A Georgia police officer has died after being shot while responding to a suspicious vehicle parked near a middle school. News outlets reported that multiple law enforcement agencies were searching for suspects after the Saturday afternoon shooting near Snellville. Police say Gwinnett County police Officer Antwan Toney died at a hospital. The 30-year-old had been with the department for nearly three years. The shooting happened Saturday about 3 p.m. near Shiloh Middle School. Authorities say the suspects crashed the vehicle a short time later and witnesses reported seeing as many as four people running from the scene. Its unclear whether any of the suspects were injured. Advertisement Snellville is about 25 miles northeast of Atlanta. I could hardly believe what I was hearing: Trevor Noah teaching his Daily Show audience quantum mechanics? He didnt call it that a couple of weeks ago, but as a science geek, I was impressed by how hed hit the nail on the head: People struggle to understand that two things can be contradictory and true at the same time. Noahs context was the Brett M. Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearings and Bill Cosbys sentencing for sexual assault. He was talking about good people accused of doing bad things, making the point that its entirely possible to be a sexual abuser and an otherwise great guy. Opposites coexist. This is hard to wrap our minds around; psychologists say these kinds of discomforting contradictions give rise cognitive dissonance an icky feeling we try to dispel, usually by deciding that one or the other is true. Advertisement Physics has a different answer: This is how nature works. As the father of quantum mechanics, Danish Nobelist Niels Bohr, put it: The opposite of a shallow truth is false; but the opposite of a deep truth is also true. Physicists first faced the reality of dualities in the early 20th century when light turned out to be neither a wave nor a particle but both. Clearly waves and particles are irreconcilable opposites. A wave is a smooth spreading influence; a particle is discrete, detached. But if you set up an experiment to find out if light is a wave, the answer you get is yes. If you ask instead if light is a particle, the answer is also yes. This devotion to our side is making us stupid. Dualities pervade nature. A nail is mostly empty space (a deep truth: all atoms and hence matter are mostly empty space), but it is also solid enough to hurt like hell if you hammer it into your finger (another deep truth). Your dearest friend is nothing but a bunch of electrons and quarks (deep truth); she is also unique, invaluable, loved (deep truth). Whether you regard a nail as empty space or a solid steely object depends on your perspective. The empty-space aspect of the nail isnt very relevant when youre screaming in pain. Then again, its sharp solidity isnt the point when youre considering it as a bunch of airy atoms. These two equally true descriptions of nail arent evident at the same time. Relativity with quantum mechanics, the other pillar of fundamental physics comes to a similar, and just as paradoxical, conclusion: The same situation can look very different from a different frame of reference, so different that it may be hard to believe that it can also be true. Imagine a vastly oversimplified example. Youre sitting on the Metro speeding toward downtown; out the window, you see people and buildings whiz by. Or youre sitting on a bench at the platform, waiting for your train; you see trains with people inside whiz by. This doesnt mean that everything is relative, or that theres no objective reality. The objective reality is that both perspectives are true. The truth lies in the relationship between the motion of the train, the bench and you. Both perspectives are true but neither is the full story. (And in the interests of the full story, I should say that relativity is not a wonder Einstein wrought, but a way of thinking that goes back at least as far as Plato.) We can better make sense of things if we apply the weird duality of truths and perspectives to the unnervingly complex nature of human nature itself. A couple of weeks ago, I attended a fund-raiser for a nonprofit that works in part to free wrongly convicted people. Kevin Cooper found guilty of murder 33 years ago in a case that even some original jurors now believe was fatally flawed still sits on death row. He beamed in by phone, and his nature his lack of bitterness, his acceptance and hope and calm was striking: a marvel of human grace. Then I changed my frame of reference. Driving home on the 10, I was surrounded by honking, belligerent humans cutting each other off, yelling expletives. Oh yeah, I thought, humans are like that too. The takeaway here, I think, is enormously powerful in todays polarized world. Were all too complicated to be pushed into corners, described as any one thing. The problems we collectively face are too hard to be solved by any one side, to come from any one frame. Yet polarization turns opposite perspectives into heresy, never useful insights. A feminist who believes that #MeToo can, in fact, sometimes trap the wrong people risks getting expelled from her tribe, just as Republican senators who had doubts about Kavanaugh feared getting trounced by President Trump. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Its gotten so bad that my liberal friends refuse to believe I know Trump supporters who are smart, caring, wise people who worry about income inequality. My conservative friends cant imagine a liberal who hunts, gets that GMOs can feed the hungry, supports our troops and doesnt hate Christmas. Unquestioning faith in technology made us blind to the destructive side of social media. Unquestioning faith in faith got us the Inquisition and, now, the single-issue, antiabortion voters who, were told, are the reason Kavanaugh had to win a high-court seat. This devotion to our side is making us stupid. Its also allowing good people to get away with doing very bad things. And yes, that means all of us because were all quite adept at casting ourselves as the good guy. Most important, it sets us up for continual conflict and failure. If you win by 51%, the other 49% is still there, more entrenched than ever. Progress becomes impossible. Nature accepts opposites with grace. Its time we followed her lead. As Bohr said: The belief that there is only one truth and that oneself is in possession of it seems to me the deepest root of all the evil that is in the world. The working title of K.C. Coles next book is The Caterpillar, the Cosmos and the Common Good: How Differences that Dont Make a Difference Tell Us Whats True and What Matters. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook The turbulence that has marked Donald Trumps foreign policy from the beginning of his presidency is only getting worse. The apparent assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi has turned into one of the most complex foreign policy challenges the president and his team have yet faced. The U.S.-Saudi Arabia relationship is now deeply strained, despite White House efforts to spin the Khashoggi story to the Saudis liking. The alleged killing was brutal and brazen. Some charge that the presidents anti-press messages and indifference to human-rights issues helped set the stage for the incident. Leading members of both parties are calling for sanctions against the Saudis and investigations into the presidents (and his familys) commercial ties to the kingdom. The controversy adds to other Washington dramas: changes in the top level of the presidents foreign policy team and the possibility that the Democrats will retake control of the House of Representatives in the midterm election. The combination could well make the first two years of Trumps presidency seem calm and controlled. Foreign policy is likely to get significantly Trumpier, which is to say more combative and unpredictable. And the United States is almost certain to emerge weaker than it is today. One loud signal of change came two weeks ago. Despite the presidents repeated assertion that he knew U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley was planning on announcing her departure, the news clearly came as a shock. Haleys team and colleagues at the U.N. expressed surprise. Diplomats at the State Department with whom I spoke did too. Ditto, the staff at the White House. Advertisement Any sort of check against the worst impulses of Trump ought to be welcome. But the government will remain divided. Why didnt Haley wait, as tradition dictates, to resign until after the midterm? Some believe she was trying to sidestep emerging ethics questions about her use of private jets for travel. Or maybe, post-Kavanaugh, she was sufficiently uncomfortable about being associated with the Trump administration that she wanted out without delay. Haley swears she supports the president, but she did not handle her announcement in a way that supports that assertion. The Trump teams response was clearly improvised. Nothing illustrates this better than the behavior of former national security official Dina Powell, who withdrew from consideration for the U.N. post as quickly as the notion was floated. It appears that even the most basic conversation between her and the White House had not taken place. Powells reluctance to rejoin the administration suggests an even bigger problem. Perhaps one reason she hesitated was because of the strongly anti-U.N. views of national security advisor John Bolton and the widely held idea that his interventions were a source of tension for Haley. He has a preferred candidate for the job: Richard Grennell, his former press spokesman at the U.N. and now ambassador to Germany, a man who shares Boltons disdain for the institution and his toxic bully-boy approach to foreign policy. The influence of Bolton and other extreme nationalists around Trump, such as Stephen Miller, author of the administrations anti-immigrant policies, is behind another expected personnel change in the foreign policy team. In multiple interviews, the president has suggested that James N. Mattis will soon no longer be Defense secretary. Trump called the secretary sort of a Democrat on 60 Minutes a week ago, which was not, presumably, a compliment. Mattis later said he had the presidents support, but who believes him? If Mattis goes, the gutting of the Axis of Adults in the White House former economic advisor Gary Cohn, former national security advisor H.R. McMaster, former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will be largely complete. Trump will be surrounded by hard-liners and lightweights who are more than willing to enable his often erratic, sometimes incoherent impulses. The Senate, usually the White Houses strongest countering force, cant be counted on to offer much resistance if, as expected, it remains in the hands of the GOP. The current Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), is stepping away from the Senate. He has been at least a somewhat reliable source for a rational response to the presidents most reckless directives. His likely replacement will be little-known Idaho Sen. Jim Risch. Risch, neither as respected nor as measured as Corker, has reflexively supported the presidents initiatives, including pulling out of the Paris climate accords and raising the stakes in North Korea. As for the House of Representatives, even if Democrats win control the resulting long-overdue foreign policy check may backfire. House Democrats can be expected to actively investigate Trumps Russia ties and policies, the Khashoggi case, and much more. They will battle the president on how to handle the Iran nuclear deal, Brexit, defense spending and global climate change. They will put pressure on the authoritarian regimes Trump has cozied up to. Any sort of check against the worst impulses of Trump ought to be welcome. But the government will remain divided, and Congress is likely to be very close to paralyzed, incapable of changing the course of foreign policy. The result may be a United States unable to play a global leadership role, as bitter fights take place in Washington as to what that role should be. For our allies, already rocked by trade wars, attacks on NATO and a generally mercurial U.S. president, the next two years will probably compound the confusion and worry. And only for our enemies will this new period be one of promise and opportunity. David Rothkopf is a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and host of the Deep State Radio podcast. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion With the gutting of the Axis of Adults in the White House Trump will be surrounded by hard-liners and lightweights. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook The death of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi now looms over Saudi-American relations. Even as Turkish police were still combing a forest outside Istanbul for body parts, President Trump said he found credible the Saudi version of events: A discussion led to a brawl and a physical altercation, which led to his death. Members of Congress, however, have a few questions. Who dispatched the 15-member death squad with a bone saw? Would agents dismember the body without orders from the highest level? And where is the Washington Post journalists severed head? This dark turn of events produces a sense of deja-vu. Despite millions of dollars invested by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a massive PR campaign to re-brand the kingdoms image, we are reminded that Saudi Arabia has been exporting violence for years: the decapitation of the World Trade Center on 9/11; the demolition of lofty Buddhas that once towered in Bamiyan, Afghanistan; beheadings in Raqqah, Syria, by Saudi jihadis with their weaponized Wahhabi ideology imported from Riyadh, where public execution by the sword is a Friday tradition in Deera Chop Chop Square. The Khashoggi case fits a pattern. Each action involved hit jobs outside Saudi Arabia, Saudi outrage at being accused of complicity, the blaming of rogue elements, U.S. politicians deflecting on behalf of their strategic ally. The pattern typically ends with responsibility unassigned to the kingdoms rulers and their myriad ways of funding violence unquestioned. Yet, in private, it has always been a different story. Secret service agents, intelligence officers, politicos and journalists have known these acts were part of the Saudi double game of publicly denying involvement with such violence while turning a blind eye to those who aid and abet it behind the scenes. Advertisement U.S. and Saudi relations are not based on shared values of democracy, equality, freedom of speech or the freedom of worship. Columnist Fareed Zakaria cited a glaring fact in the Washington Post last year: According to an analysis of the Global Terrorism Database by Professor Leif Wenar of Kings College London, more than 94% of deaths caused by Islamic terrorism since 2001 were perpetrated by the Islamic State, Al Qaeda and other Sunni jihadists. Almost every terrorist attack in the West has had some connection to Saudi Arabia [emphasis added]. Virtually none has been linked to Iran. The connection Zakaria alludes to is Wahhabism the severe, ultra-conservative sect of Islam that is both Saudi Arabias official religion and the core ideology for international terror groups such as Islamic State, Al Qaeda, the Taliban and Boko Haram. All claim to be adherents; Islamic State leaders even insist they are purer Wahhabis than the Saudis themselves. The Wahhabi creed, in this extreme, views all other Muslims as deviant decadent and expendable heretics. Moderate Sunnis, Sufis, Shiites, Druze, Yazidis, Alawites, even whirling dervishes are all apostates. This ideology underpins the massacres of Sufis in Sinai and Pakistan, the enslavement of Yazidi women, bombings of Shiite mosques. Most Muslims condemn Wahhabism as a distortion of Islam. And yet the Saudi regime has invested tens of billions of dollars funding Wahhabi charities, mosques and schools that promote this doctrine across the Middle East and beyond. The effort is possibly the most expensive ideological campaign in human history, Wenar told Voice of America. It is time to take stock, to assess the wreckage this kingdom has wrought on the world. The terrorist acts with some connection to Saudi Arabia, cumulatively have fueled a global security-state apparatus that will never be undone. Surveillance systems will monitor us from birth until death. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Geopolitically, the Saudi talent at lighting fires beyond their borders has spawned other tragedies that will haunt our children. One can argue that the looming breakup of Europe as the continent lurches to the right into fascist authoritarianism began with the dawn of Islamic State. The attacks in London, Brussels, Nice and Berlin, refugees fleeing Syria into Europe all this chaos stoked fears of immigration, fed Islamophobia, and fueled populist sentiment. The Brexit vote, the victories of nationalists such as Viktor Orban in Hungary and Matteo Salvini in Italy all these are the repercussions of recklessness in Riyadh. Civil wars burn across Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen. In all those places, Saudi sponsorship of violence begets violence still. Make no mistake: The Saudis have not ended their global export, Dawa Wahhabiya, the Wahhabi mission of conversion. Now, tolerant mainstream Sunni Islam is under siege from Dakar to Jakarta. Riyadhs austere shadow looms over the region, disfiguring the fabric of the Islamic world. Who would have thought that it would take a journalists life to unite the unruly U.S. Congress in near-unanimous condemnation? But the state-sanctioned torture and beheading of Jamal Khashoggi may finally help the United States view our ally in the clear light of day. U.S. and Saudi relations are not based on shared values of democracy, equality, freedom of speech or the freedom of worship. All we have shared is the free flow of oil conferred by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and King Abdul Aziz in 1945 in the Quincy agreement. Now we share the dubious role of putting out the fires Riyadh has sparked across the Middle East in its crusade against Iran. But even realpolitik has rules. This is the moment to end Saudi impunity. Terence Ward is the author of The Wahhabi Code: How the Saudis Spread Extremism Globally, The Guardian of Mercy: How an Extraordinary Painting of Caravaggio Changed an Ordinary Life and Searching for Hassan. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook. To the editor: The Los Angeles Times coverage of the Oct. 17 town hall in Venice put on by Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Councilman Mike Bonin to discuss a Bridge Home project for homeless people left out an important part of the story. There were a lot of Venice residents in the room and outside who were supportive of the proposal as an urgently needed step in getting homeless people off the street. True, the opponents were louder, better organized, better funded (as evidenced by their specially printed T-shirts and banners) and more willing to shout and interrupt. But a large number of us applauded as Garcetti and Bonin made their points. Another group held a silent vigil in support of the project outside. I know from conversations I had at the event that many people in attendance were undecided and came to learn more about the project. The noisy opponents of the project might be better at attracting attention, but I suspect that supporters and the undecided make up the majority. Advertisement Chris Tilly, Venice .. To the editor: In a place as vast and varied as Los Angeles, politicians make major choices about neighborhoods they have little knowledge of. The first question to ask is this: Are the homeless people in Venice looking for a shelter? You can arm yourself with a camera and a microphone and ask them. After living here for 20 years, I feel that a shelter is not what theyre looking for. The proposed site, close to the beach, is a massive one probably worth millions of dollars. With the sale of this site, the city could use the money to build a permanent homeless housing facility that includes hundreds of units just not in a pricey neighborhood. Michele Castagnetti, Venice .. To the editor: Furious residents in Venice and other places need to be asked what their alternative plan is. Would they prefer the status quo with trash, human waste and tents on the sidewalks outside their residences and businesses, or would they prefer housing for homeless people? The people who oppose the proposed shelter in Venice seem to want housing in some district other than theirs. Then what? Round up Venices homeless residents and bus them to another part of Los Angeles? Alexa Smith Maxwell, Los Angeles Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook The Saudi government moved Sunday to shield Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the ascendant power inside a royal family with longstanding ties to U.S. leaders, from the fallout over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but its efforts encountered bipartisan skepticism in Washington. Khashoggis killing inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, earlier this month was part of a rogue operation, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir said in an interview with Fox News. He denied that Prince Mohammed ordered a murder or that the people responsible were associated with him. This was an operation where individuals ended up exceeding the authorities and responsibilities they had, Jubeir said, speaking from Riyadh, the Saudi capital. So far, Saudi officials have said they arrested 18 people and dismissed five senior officials, including a top intelligence official, in connection with Khashoggis death. In Washington, however, the Saudi account drew sharply worded criticism, including from Republican allies of President Trump. Advertisement What happened here was savagery, and we cant go along with their cover story, Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.) told ABCs This Week. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told CNNs State of the Union that he believes the crown prince was responsible for Khashoggis death. If hes gone forth and murdered this journalist, hes now crossed the line, and there has to be a punishment and a price paid for that, Corker said. Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington Khashoggi, a Saudi national who had been critical of the royal family and lived in self-imposed exile in Virginia, was killed Oct. 2 inside the consulate. After more than two weeks of denying any role in Khashoggis death indeed, insisting that he left the consulate shortly after he arrived Saudi officials Friday claimed that he died during a scuffle with a team of security agents who had tried to persuade him to return to Saudi Arabia, an explanation which met with widespread disbelief and mockery. The 59-year-old journalist went to the consulate to obtain documents needed for his upcoming wedding. According to accounts in the Turkish press, which have cited unnamed Turkish investigators, he was beaten and killed and his body was cut up by a Saudi forensic expert with a bone saw. The Turks have kept up steady pressure on the Saudis by leaking information about Khashoggis killing in the countrys tightly controlled press. Many of the accounts have focused on the claim by Turkish officials to have audio recordings of Khashoggis murder. The Turks have not made any recording public, however. On Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated no let-up in the pressure campaign, saying he would make a statement on the slaying during a meeting of his ruling political party set for Tuesday. We seek justice, and this will be revealed in all its naked truth, not through some ordinary steps but in all its naked truth, Erdogan said at a ceremony in Istanbul, according to a report from Daily Sabah, a Turkish newspaper. He added that the incident will be revealed entirely. Why did these 15 people come here [to Istanbul], why were 18 people arrested [in Saudi Arabia]? These need to be explained in detail, Erdogan said. The scandal has shown no signs of dissipating, and the royal family appears to have been caught by surprise by the international reaction after being allowed to operate with relative impunity for years. Saudi Arabia has pursued a disastrous war with Yemen that has created what the United Nations calls the worlds worst humanitarian crisis and routinely has cracked down on dissidents within its own borders all without arousing the kind of outrage that Khashoggis death has generated. Now, the death of Khashoggi, who contributed a column to the Washington Post and was well known within U.S. media and foreign policy circles, has plunged the kingdom into perhaps its worst foreign policy crisis since the revelation in 2001 that Saudi subjects plotted and carried out the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, told NBCs Meet the Press that the crown prince has his fingerprints all over this and called for the expulsion of the Saudi ambassador to the United States. Even Trump, who has gone out of his way to provide the Saudi royal family with the benefit of the doubt, took a harder line on the case Saturday night in an interview with the Washington Post. Obviously theres been deception, and theres been lies, Trump said, referring to earlier Saudi accounts. The previous day the president had downplayed concerns that Riyadh had misled him about Khashoggis disappearance. Its unclear whether the crisis will lessen or end Trumps support for the 33-year-old Saudi crown prince, who has forged a close relationship with Jared Kushner, the presidents 37-year-old advisor and son-in-law. In his interview with the Washington Post, Trump said he has not made up his mind about Prince Mohammed. Nobody has told me hes responsible, Trump told the Post. Nobody has told me hes not responsible. I would love if he wasnt responsible, he added. Jubeir, in his interview with Fox News, Trumps favored cable news channel, said the team of people responsible for Khashoggis death had tried to cover up their mistake. We are determined to find out all the facts, and we are determined to punish those who are responsible for this murder, Jubeir said. Prince Mohammed, often known by his initials, MBS, became the crown prince in June 2017, making him next in line to the throne occupied by his father, King Salman. Young and ambitious, he launched an effort to soften Saudi Arabias image by allowing women to drive, and has sought to remake the economy by reducing the countrys reliance on the oil industry and attracting international investment. Critics have described his reform efforts as superficial, barely masking the regimes ruthlessness in cracking down on internal dissent. Khashoggis death has been a reminder of that record. Both the crime and incompetent coverup should make everyone question the judgment of Saudi leadership and worry given the countrys importance to the region and world, tweeted Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations. Staff writer Nabih Bulos in Istanbul contributed to this report. chris.megerian@latimes.com Twitter: @chrismegerian Academic researchers, state analysts and Californias gubernatorial candidates agree that the fundamental issue underlying the states housing crisis is that there are not enough homes for everyone who wants to live here. The problem, a new poll says, is that the public doesnt believe it. A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times survey found that just 13% of eligible California voters believe that too little home building is a primary contributor to the states affordability issues. The answer ranked sixth among eight options offered in the poll, when first and second responses were combined. (Poll results reflect the percentage of people who chose a particular reason as their first or second option.) Lack of rent control topped the list with 28%. California lawmakers have tried for 50 years to fix the states housing crisis. Heres why theyve failed Advertisement Source: USC Dornsife/L.A. Times poll. Percentages do not add up to 100% due to multiple responses. Margin of error for eligible voters is plus or minus 3 percentage points. (Kyle Kim / Los Angeles Times) Since 2011, Californias median home value has increased by almost 80% to $544,900 nearly 2 times the national median according to real estate website Zillow. And 9.5 million renters in the state, more than half the tenant population, spend more than 30% of their income on rent, according to a recent analysis of U.S. census data by UC Berkeleys Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society. Residents are grappling with the effects of these high housing costs every day, but the poll results show that the public hasnt rallied around a cause, said Bob Shrum, co-director of USCs Center for the Political Future and a longtime Democratic strategist. There hasnt been the kind of discussion that would actually form a consensus on what the nature of the problem is, Shrum said. While the public is divided, state policymakers and researchers are less so. Experts and legislators continue to debate public funding for low-income housing, the role of environmental and other state regulations and how much the tech industrys rise and foreign and Wall Street investment play a role in the states overall affordability crisis. But theres general agreement that a lack of supply is at the root the problem. Reports from the state Department of Housing and Community Development, the nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office and a host of academics contend that California has a chronic shortage of home building that has failed to keep pace with the states population growth especially during the recent economic expansion which has forced prices up. See the results of the most recent USC Dornsife/L.A. Times polls The states gubernatorial candidates have embraced this perspective. Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Republican businessman John Cox have said they would set housing production goals that call on developers in California to at least triple the current rate of building, and keep up that pace for many years to come. The result would be new housing growth at levels never seen since the building industry began keeping statistics more than six decades ago. The Legislature already is trying to push for more housing by taking aim at some restrictions that cities and counties place on approving development. For decades, the state has set goals for housing growth for each city and county. In 2017, lawmakers passed a bill that requires local governments that have fallen behind on those goals to relax planning requirements for individual projects. Currently, just 4% of Californias 539 cities and counties are on track to meet their supply goals. This year, a bid to boost home building by loosening local zoning rules around transit stops to allow for new apartments and condominiums attracted national attention, but failed to pass. The poll, however, shows that residents dont blame cities and counties for housing problems. Just 9% of those surveyed identified overly restrictive zoning rules as a primary cause of the states affordability problem, ranking it last out of the eight options offered. And nearly seven out of 10 of those polled believe that local governments should retain their power over individual projects, even when theyre behind on their housing goals. Source: USC Dornsife/L.A. Times poll. Percentages do not add up to 100% due to multiple responses. Margin of error for eligible voters is plus or minus 3 percentage points. (Kyle Kim / Los Angeles Times Graphics) Coverage of California politics Carolyn Coleman, executive director of the League of California Cities, said she wasnt surprised by the results. This affirms what has been true for many years, Coleman said. Residents put most of their trust and faith in local leaders to address these issues. She said state officials should consider mayors and city councils as essential partners in fixing Californias housing problems instead of trying to take power away from them. Others say poll respondents strong preference for keeping housing decisions local reveals why its been so politically difficult to address rising costs. Part of the reason we arent adding supply as fast as we need to or as densely as we need to is because of local resistance and the relationship between the local elected officials and their constituencies, said Carol Galante, faculty director for the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley. Nobody has the motivation to make these hard choices. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), who authored both the successful 2017 housing approval bill and this years failed zoning bill, said development, particularly in established neighborhoods, stirs a range of conflicting emotions that touches on peoples willingness to embrace change for them and their children. Wiener said he sees the poll results as a sign that state officials and activists need to convince Californians of the depth of the housing shortage and how its contributing to rising costs. Itll take time for public opinion to move, but I think well get there, Wiener said. But even if an idea has more popular support, it wouldnt necessarily result in policy changes. Lack of rent control was the polls top finisher for why housing is unaffordable in the state. Currently, California law sets strict limits on cities and counties ability to expand rent control in their communities. Legislation to repeal that law quickly died in an Assembly committee at the beginning of this year. Now, Proposition 10, a November ballot initiative that also would do away with the rent control prohibitions, is trailing in the polls. The USC/L.A. Times poll, which was conducted Sept. 17 to Oct. 14, surveyed 1,180 adult residents of California; the margin of sampling error was 3 percentage points in either direction. More information about the poll is available at bit.ly/USCpolldata. liam.dillon@latimes.com @dillonliam History has found few statewide races more sleepy than the campaigns for superintendent of public instruction, perhaps because the job is thin on duties that arent tangled in the web of control over K-12 schools. And yet, this years race is a $40-million blockbuster that is more costly than for any California office aside from governor. Its also a sequel to 2014 when some $30 million was spent in the war between bitter education rivals, each convinced it has the better way and the better candidate to fix whats broken in state education policy. On one side is a consortium of wealthy backers of charter schools; on the other, powerful teachers unions. The pro-charter forces support Marshall Tuck, a Los Angeles Democrat who lost a close race four years ago to the now termed-out Supt. Tom Torlakson. Tucks second try for the job pits him against Tony Thurmond, a Bay Area Democrat who gave up a safe seat in the Assembly and is backed by the unions. Advertisement Despite the blitzkrieg of cash, Thurmond and Tuck dont seem to be polar opposites on improving schools. Both want to increase state funding even with $97 billion in spending this year, California lags behind other states. And both support a 2013 law that funnels more money to low-income communities and English learners. The candidates agree, too, on the need to expand pre-kindergarten and to ensure employee pension promises dont drown school districts in long-term debt. A quiet and important fight is brewing over how much must be spent on Californias schools But the elephant in the room is funding and oversight of Californias 1,400 charter schools, and the election results are unlikely to resolve the long, nasty fight thats brewed for years. Tucks resume includes stints running the public-private enterprise that took over low-performing schools in Los Angeles and before that, a nonprofit that runs several other L.A. charter schools. Two powerful organizations, the California Teachers Assn. and the California Federation of Teachers, want the state to impose more control over charter schools. Thurmond has said that charters shouldnt be able to cherry pick higher performing students. I do think there are questions of accountability for charters that must be addressed, he said at a summer candidates forum in Sacramento. Charter advocates, meanwhile, want a longer probationary period before a teacher is awarded tenure. And Tuck supports paying more to teachers who work at schools in troubled neighborhoods, arguing it would encourage experienced and qualified teachers to choose those campuses. I dont see how you actually attract people without more incentives, Tuck said at the Sacramento event. The wealthy donors to a multimillion-dollar independent political action committee backing Tuck are well known in the fight over charter schools and education overhaul efforts. They include Los Angeles billionaire Eli Broad, the descendants of Walmart founder Sam Walton and Gap founder Donald Fisher, and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. Thurmond, with campaign cash from teachers unions, wants to pause the creation of new charter schools until long-term funding and transparency questions are resolved. And hes opposed to Tucks call for different teacher pay at different schools. Neither camp in this clash of education titans is naive enough to think Californias schools chief who frequently must take a back seat to the state Board of Education and the priorities of the governor can resolve these issues. There have even been efforts to abolish the job altogether. Instead, it seems likely the donors on both sides think the winner will have a platform from which he can influence public opinion. Both want their candidate to shine a spotlight on what California schools need a tune-up or a major overhaul? With a little more than two weeks until election day, they seem prepared to pay mightily to win the fight. john.myers@latimes.com Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Sunday it was premature to comment on possible U.S. sanctions against Saudi Arabia for the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi until an investigation had been completed. Mnuchin said information so far on the investigation was "a good first step but not enough" as Riyadh faced increasing international pressure over what happened to Khashoggi, who disappeared after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said the United States would consider sanctions against Saudi Arabia, emphasized on Saturday that he was not satisfied with the Saudis' handling of the case. "It would be premature to comment on sanctions and premature to comment on really any issues until we get further down the investigation and get to the bottom of what occurred," Mnuchin told reporters in Jerusalem. Mnuchin confirmed that he would not attend a Saudi investment conference on Tuesday. However, he said he would visit Riyadh as planned for talks with his counterpart on joint efforts to counter terrorist financing and plans by Washington to reimpose sanctions against Iran in November. "I did not think it was appropriate to go and speak at this conference but we continue to have important issues with Saudi and that is why I am going there," Mnuchin said. The visit, he said, was necessary as Washington prepares to reimpose sanctions against Iran. He said he had no reason to believe that Saudi Arabia would renege on commitments to make up for any shortfall in global oil supplies as Iranian oil exports are curbed under the sanctions. "I have no reason to believe that they are not going to honor those commitments," said Mnuchin, who will meet Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih while in Riyadh. Search Keywords: Short link: Redwood West, a Newport Beach-based real estate firm, recently acquired the Bayside Square office and medical buildings in Newport Beach. Terms of the off-market deal were not disclosed. The property at 1101 and 1111 Bayside Drive, near the bridge to Balboa Island contains about 40,000 rentable square feet. Redwood West plans to renovate the property with SMS Architects, rebrand it and enable tenants to take advantage of the indoor-outdoor waterfront experience, according to a company statement. Surgery center seeks permit in Huntington Beach A cosmetic and reconstructive surgery center is looking to open at 19121 Brookhurst St. in Huntington Beach. Applicant Vinnie Tran of Newport Beach-based VT Design Specialties will request a conditional use permit and variance Tuesday from the Huntington Beach Planning Commission. Under the proposal, an existing single-story building would be demolished to construct a two-story, 8,663-square-foot medical office. Tuesdays commission meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the council chamber at City Hall, 2000 Main St. Lafayette 148 New York opening at South Coast Plaza Brooklyn-based womens clothing brand Lafayette 148 New York is opening a West Coast flagship store at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. An opening event for the store is scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 1. Proceeds will benefit Girls Inc. South Coast Plaza will have the brands 21st retail location worldwide. The stores offerings will reflect Californias warm climate, according to a news release. Better Business Bureau O.C. campus moves to Newport The Better Business Bureau has moved its Orange County campus from the city of Orange to Gateway Plaza at 120 Newport Center Drive in Newport Beach. The move comes six months after a merger between the former Greater Arizona BBB and the BBB serving Orange, San Diego and Imperial counties. If youre looking to get noticed on Maui, dont bother buying cool shades or donning a sexy swimsuit. Just rent Gypsea, a 1975 Volkswagen camper van. When my wife, Leslie, and I visited in the spring, Gypsea was our rental vehicle and home for three days, taking us to some excellent camping spots on the eastern side of the island near the town of Hana. Many visitors book their time in a condo or resort hotel, but we wanted to explore Maui as we had never seen it, camping amid the beauty of the island. Gypsea delivered and much more. Advertisement Suddenly, we were stars. Total strangers would stop to talk with us about our groovy 70s ride. Surfer dudes, convenience store clerks, blissed-out hippies, highway work crews everyone loved Gypsea and flashed us the hang loose sign as we traveled the North Shore of Maui on the famed Hana Highway. (Lou Spirito For The Times) We rented Gypsea through Outdoorsy, a website that manages camper van rentals for private parties. Think of it as the Airbnb for RVs. Gypsea had incredible stage-presence but also occasionally acted like a cantankerous diva. The vintage Volkswagen had manual steering, requiring a major bicep workout to execute every turn. And then there was Gypseas balky manual transmission. Sometimes she doesnt like to shift into second gear, owner Brandon Stafford said as he was explaining the vehicles quirks in Kahului, the airport town where we started our road trip, driving a semi-circle on the Hana Highway from north to south. Doesnt like second gear? No kidding. Gypsea hated it. This caused more than a few anxious moments on the 64.4-mile road to Hana that roller-coasters through a cliffy tropical rain forest most of the way. On one memorable switchback (640 curves and 46 one-lane bridges are part of the highways legendary attractions), Gypsea wouldnt downshift from third to second, stalling out on a scary-steep hill. Were going to die, my wife said. What a drama queen. I mean Gypsea, of course. Eventually, the van roared back to life and conquered the hill (in first gear). We had two more hours of nail-biting moments on that heavily traveled road and arrived completely frazzled at our first-night campground in Waianapanapa State Park. The park is home to Mauis best known black sand beach, and remnants of an 18th century lava flow punctuate its jagged coastline. Almost immediately after we pulled in and popped Gypseas top, it started pouring. While our fellow campers hunkered down amid soggy nylon tents, we cozied up inside Gypsea, snacked on cheese and drank wine. Our Hana Highway challenges were quickly forgotten. Park to themselves Hawaii, Maui, Sunrise From Inside Coastal Lava Tube In WaiAnapanapa State Park. (Education Images / UIG via Getty Images) On most days, Waianapanapa is a popular stop for day-tripping visitors on the Hana Highway who leap out of their cars, snap a few quick photos and then head onward. Its a different story at night. We had the parks grills and picnic tables to ourselves for a first-night meal of teriyaki-marinated beef. The next morning, before the cars arrived, we explored the parks lava caves, checked out its blowhole and hiked along the rugged Ke Ala Loa O Maui/Piilani Trail, which hugs the coastline, traveling southeast toward nearby Hana. The three-mile trail is one of the best day hikes on Maui. Finding peace after the war for veterans with PTSD in Hawaii We needed to buy provisions and went to explore funky Hana. The town, home to about 1,200 people, has one luxury hotel (Hana Maui Travaasa), a cattle ranch and a handful of small businesses. Fruit stands line the highway, and we bought a pineapple and some guavas from a hippie-ish guy named Cole (Hey, your van is so cool!) and got some ice at the Hasegawa General Store before heading to our next campsite. The 12-mile road from Hana to Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park was even rougher than the previous days drive. As we entered a particularly torturous section, I made the classic mistake of thinking I had Gypsea figured out. It quickly showed me otherwise, rocketing around one ferocious switchback and promptly dumping the contents of one shelf onto the floor. The campground at Kipahulu is on the edge of the jungle on the southeast coast of Maui. (John Nelson) After two days of driving the roads of eastern Maui, Gypsea and I needed some time apart. Thankfully, we had come to a magical place. Kipahulus scenic campground and rugged coastline were amazing. We parked Gypsea in a grassy spot next to a picnic table and grill flanked by jungle, coconut, papaya and mango trees, and then went hiking. We explored the Pools of Oheo (known in some guidebooks as The Seven Sacred Pools). The pools themselves are off-limits, but you can you can walk the trails above the falls. The Pipiwai Trail is especially nice; this four-mile hike through bamboo forest to Waimoku Falls includes a dramatic 400-foot horsetail cascade surrounded by jungle wilderness. On Oahu, 20 places for great meals for less than $20 We shared the trail with legions of cranky day-trippers. Many who come to Kipahulu do it as a driving trip, thinking, Its only 60 miles how hard can it be? Four hours later, carsick and unhappy, they arrive at the national park and decide, Were here, so lets take a hike. But their hearts arent in it, and afterward, they still have four hours of driving to go back to where they came from. We didnt have that problem. For the next two days, we had the luxury of camping in a beautiful spot, the battles with Gypsea long forgotten. We made a side trip to see Charles Lindberghs grave, hiked, took in majestic views of the Pacific and ate delicious meals cooked over campfires. Late afternoon overlooking the South Pacific from the coastline at Kipahulu. (John Nelson) On our last night, we grilled some opakapaka (Hawaiian pink snapper) and dined on our picnic table next to Gypsea. Afterward, we watched the sun set above the jungle beside the crashing waves, alone on this gorgeous stretch of coastline and far from the islands condo tourist trail. If you go THE BEST WAY TO MAUI From LAX, nonstop service to Kahului, Maui, is offered on Delta, American, United, Hawaiian and Alaska, and connecting service (change of planes) is offered on American, Hawaiian, United, Alaska and Delta. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $445, including all taxes and fees. Camping: Maui has several federal, state and private campgrounds. Check the terms of your van rental before deciding where you want to go. Many Upcountry campsites, such as Haleakala National Parks Hosmer Grove, are off-limits in some cases. Along the Hana Highway, three campgrounds you should consider: YMCA Camp Keanae: At mile marker 16.5 on Hawaii 360, this facility is in a scenic early section of the Hana Highway. The camp also offers cabins, cottages and suites. Cost, info: $25 a person per night for a single, $40 per family (two adults, two minor children) for tent and van camping; (808) 248-8355, email andy@mauiymca.org Waianapanapa State Park: About two miles before you reach the town of Hana just off Hawaii 360, this popular park has camping and cabins. Cost, info: : Tent and van camping is $12 for Hawaii residents, $18 per night for nonresidents. Reservations recommended. Kipahulu District, Haleakala National Park: About 12 miles past Hana on Hawaii 31, Kipahulu has space for up to 100 campers on a first-come, first-served basis. The camping, although scenic, is primitive, with no water at the campground and only pit toilets. Water is available at the nearby Kipahulu visitor center. Cost, info: Entrance fees are $25 per vehicle for three days; America the Beautiful annual passes are honored. No fees charged for camping. Provisions Mana Foods is an excellent grocery store with organic produce and fish in Paia. Pick up marinated meats for grilling at Takamiya Market in Wailuku. One of Mauis best wine stores is Tamuras Fine Wine & Liquors in Kahului. It also has a good assortment of made-to-order poke. In Hana, the Hasegawa General Store and the Hana Ranch grocery store offer limited groceries. Fresh fruit is available at numerous stands along the highway. Van rentals The website Outdoorsy manages camper rentals for private owners. Gypsea is available for $150 a night. For more information, go to Linktree site. Many other vehicles are listed on Outdoorsy, starting at $89 per night. travel@latimes.com @latimestravel A growing caravan of roughly 7,000 Central American immigrants continued its trek toward the United States on Sunday, blowing past Mexican police and immigration officials. The group, which has swelled in size in recent days, set out before dawn on the only road out of the small Mexican border town of Ciudad Hidalgo. It arrived in the afternoon in the city of Tapachula, more than 20 miles away. The migrants, nearly all from the poor and violent nation of Honduras, posed a growing political and humanitarian calamity for Mexico, which has come under intense pressure from President Trump to stop them. On Friday, Mexican police used tear gas to block migrants from storming an official border crossing. But in the days since, Mexico has appeared unwilling to use force to stop the thousands of people who have illegally crossed the Suchiate River from Guatemala into Mexico and started walking north. Advertisement That may be in part because the migrants include hundreds of women and small children, some in strollers. It could also be because of the daunting size of the caravan, which stretched for at least two miles. As the caravan headed north Sunday in the 90-degree heat, another group of roughly 1,500 migrants waited on the Guatemalan side of the river, hoping to enter Mexico legally. Authorities said more than 1,000 caravan members already have entered legally and applied for refugee status in Mexico and are being detained while their applications are processed. The migrants left Honduras more than a week ago and began arriving several days ago at the Guatemalan border town of Tecun Uman, just across the river from Ciudad Hidalgo. Most say they intend to cross into the United States, not seek refuge in Mexico. Some complain that they were unable to find work in Honduras. Others say they are fleeing violence or political repression there and hope to apply for asylum in the U.S. Im only just realizing the massive scale of this caravan as they march north into Mexico. Its several thousand people. Just look. pic.twitter.com/aRuoLNYTZg Kate Linthicum (@katelinthicum) October 21, 2018 The caravan is more than two miles long. People near the end are stumbling. Its 23 miles to Tapachula and its so hot 90 degrees today. Kate Linthicum (@katelinthicum) October 21, 2018 Ingrid Andino, her husband and their two children left their small town in Honduras about a month ago after a local gang started pressuring her 16-year-old son to sell drugs. They were going to kill him or kill us, she said. Andino said her family stayed with relatives in another town for a time before seeing the caravan on the news and deciding to join. On Sunday, she and her family walked north in a line, holding hands, while she carried a bag containing the familys possessions balanced on her head. Trump has made the caravan a campaign issue at rallies across the country ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, calling it a menace to national security. He has threatened Mexico and Central American countries with economic reprisal if they fail to stop the migrants and vowed to send the military to close the U.S. border should the group make it that far. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, under pressure from Trump, has said repeatedly that no migrants will be allowed to enter the country in an irregular manner. Mexicos deterrence of those who tried to storm the official border crossing Friday drew praise from Trump. But when droves of people began crossing the river, swimming or boarding rafts, Mexican police and immigration agents just watched. Gerardo Hernandez, head of the civil protection agency in the municipality of Suchiate, Chiapas, said that as of Saturday night, 7,233 immigrants had been registered at a shelter in Ciudad Hidalgo. The group formed an imposing bloc as it began to march Sunday. Many Mexicans who live in the area lined the highway, handing out free clothes, sandwiches and bottles of water while cheering the caravan on. May God bless you! one woman shouted. Thank you, Mexico! the migrants shouted back. Several times, large groups of police officers clad in riot gear blocked the road but then retreated. At one point, a small group of police watched as members of the caravan passed, some of them skipping. When a small group of immigration officials tried to stop the caravan to persuade its members to apply for political asylum, the caravan swept past them, too. As the day wore on, the enthusiasm drained somewhat. The strongest of the group, mostly young men, led while the weaker fell behind. One teenage girl stumbled into a car parked on the shoulder of the highway, then rested her head for a brief moment on the trunk. Others carried cases of water, stuffed animals or children. Paola Oviedo, 21, walked while hugging her 18-month-old son to her chest. She was panting, and she and her baby were both sweating heavily. Oviedo, who crossed the Suchiate River on a raft, said she decided to leave Honduras after facing death threats from her abusive ex-husband. The police did nothing to help her, she said. She said she didnt want her son to grow up without his mother. I have to do this for his future, she said. Each immigrant was driven by a different dream. For Cesar Meijia, 23, it was the freedom to be himself. When Meijia came out as gay several years ago, his family sent him to a psychologist and the local gang threatened to kill him, saying they did not want people like him in their neighborhood. I want to go to a place where people respect me, he said, marching with a rainbow flag tied across his broad shoulders. For Ramon Izaguirre, 20, the dream was to return to the life he left behind. Izaguirre was born in Honduras but later moved to Phoenix with his mother. She cleaned houses while Izaguirre worked construction. He earned enough to buy a small condominium and a silver Mazda Miata. He said he was was deported about a month ago after a routine traffic stop revealed that a work permit he used to enter the country had expired. Izaguirre had convinced several friends in Honduras to try to reach the United States with him again. All my life is there, waiting for me, he said in English. I miss my PlayStation. I miss Buffalo Wild Wings. I miss my car. The group walked together Sunday at a quick pace. Izaguirre, dressed in a camouflage shirt from his days in ROTC at a Phoenix high school, led the way. At one point, he started reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. When a pickup truck pulled up next to the caravan and offered them a ride, Izaguirre and his friends scrambled into the back. Lets go, he said, and the truck sped off. Migrants arrived throughout the afternoon in Tapachula, finding their way to a plaza in the citys colonial-era center. Denis Omar Contera, an organizer with Pueblo Sin Fronteras, which is helping the group, said the caravan plans to rest Monday before setting out again. He laughed off claims made by some Republicans that the caravan is being organized by Democrats or political opponents of the right-wing president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez. The only people who have helped us are the poor people of Guatemala and Mexico who have shared with us their beans and tortillas, he said. Times staff writer Patrick McDonnell in Mexico City contributed to this report. kate.linthicum@latimes.com Twitter: @katelinthicum UPDATES: 6:20 p.m.: This article was updated to include the new number of caravan members who have applied for refugee status in Mexico. 5:10 p.m.: This article was updated with political analysis and scenes from the caravan. 9:30 a.m.: This article was updated with the caravan passing police en route to the U.S. and with additional background. This article was originally published at 7:15 a.m. The Islamic State group early Saturday released two women and four children they had been holding since July in the first part of an exchange with the Syrian government that will set free dozens of women related to members of the extremist group, opposition activists said. The women and children were among 30 people kidnapped by Islamic State in the southern province of Sweida on July 25 when the group carried out a raid that left at least 216 people dead. One woman died in Islamic State custody while another was shot dead. In August, a 19-year-old man was also killed while in detention. The rare attacks in Sweida province, populated mainly by Syrias minority Druze, came amid a government offensive elsewhere in the countrys south. The coordinated attacks across the province, which included several suicide bombings, shattered the calm of a region that has been largely spared from the worst of the violence of Syrias seven-year long civil war. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the women and children were the first batch of the exchange, adding that more will follow. The Observatory said the government in return will release 60 women held by authorities and a $27 million ransom. Advertisement The Suwayda 24 activist collective posted a picture of a woman and four children who were released adding that authorities freed 17 wives of Islamic State fighters and eight of their children. It added that 21 women and children still being held by the group will be set free in the coming days. Suwayda 24 identified the released women as Rasmiya Abu Ammar and Abeer Shalgheen and her four children. I am very happy. My happiness is great but it would have had been better had they released my son with me, Abu Ammar told reporters shortly after her release. Shalgheen, standing next to her two sons and two daughters, told Syrian TV we were confident that we will be set free but at some times [during detention)]we were so desperate that we wished the ceiling fell on us. The July attack on Sweida and nearby villages was one of the deadliest by the extremists since they lost most of the land they once held in Syria and Iraq. State news agency SANA quoted the governor of Sweida, Amer Ashi, as saying that the six hostages were freed as a result of the tight siege imposed by Syrian troops on the extremists in the desert area outside the city of Sweida. He said that more hostages will be freed soon. SANA quoted the women as saying that they lived through harsh conditions during their 88 days of detention, adding that they suffered from sickness, hunger, cold and hot weather amid fighting. Syrian troops have been on the offensive in Sweida against Islamic State for weeks in clashes that left dozens of gunmen dead on both sides. The Observatory said that as the exchange was ongoing, calm prevailed the Tulul al-Safa region where the fighting had been ongoing for weeks. In eastern Syria, SANA raised the death toll of Thursdays airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition on the last pocket held by Islamic State in the Deir ez-Zour province to at least 62. The Observatory gave an earlier death toll of 46 including civilians and Islamic State members. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have been advancing under the cover of airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition since last month. The Observatory reported more airstrikes on the area near the Iraqi border on Saturday killing 35 Islamic State fighters on Saturday alone. It said the U.S.-led coalition targeted six vehicles belonging to the group on Saturday. Authorities in Taiwan said 18 people were killed and 175 injured when the train they were on derailed Sunday in the islands worst railway accident in nearly three decades. The Puyuma Express, which operates on a popular tourist route in Yilan County on Taiwans east coast, was carrying 366 people when it went off the tracks on a wide curve at 4:50 p.m. Five of the eight cars derailed, coming to rest in a zigzag pattern, with some on their sides and others remaining upright. Rescuers used cranes and other equipment to search the mangled cars. Even after officials said all of the passengers were tentatively accounted for, hundreds of rescuers continued to look for people who may have been trapped under the wreckage. Advertisement Usually passengers on trains cant use seat belts, so a lot of them got thrown and sustained head injuries, said Lin Chih-min, deputy director at Luodong Boai Hospital, which treated 65 people. As soon as you crash, you go flying, he said. Plus the Puyumas speed is quite fast. Though the train derailed at a small station where it was not scheduled to stop, there were no reports of harm to bystanders. Railway officials have not released a cause of the accident or said how fast the train was moving. It was capable of speeds up to 93 mph. Its most recent major maintenance was last year. Taiwan Premier William Lai promised answers. This whole matter, we will make it public and use science to understand ... the real reason for this accident to prevent it from happening again, he said. He also ordered his government to offer support to victims and their families. The Puyuma Express began service in 2013 to relieve congestion on east coast railway lines and reduce automobile traffic on the regions few roads. Taiwans last railway accident of this magnitude was in 1991, when 30 people were killed. Jennings is a special correspondent. At least 17 dead, more than 100 injured after Taiwan train derails https://t.co/NdWOYsvOhZ pic.twitter.com/NwswqUwrPA CNA (@ChannelNewsAsia) October 21, 2018 UPDATES: 12:10 p.m.: This article was updated with a new death and injury toll and other details. This article was originally published at 4:35 a.m. President Trump said Saturday that he will exit a landmark arms control agreement the United States signed with the former Soviet Union, saying that Russia is violating the pact and its preventing the U.S. from developing new weapons. The 1987 pact, which helps protect the security of the U.S. and its allies in Europe and the Far East, prohibits the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles. Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years, Trump said after a rally in Elko, Nev. And were not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and were not allowed to. The agreement has constrained the U.S. from developing new weapons, but America will begin developing them unless Russia and China agree not to possess or develop the weapons, Trump said. China is not currently party to the pact. Advertisement Well have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say lets really get smart and lets none of us develop those weapons, but if Russias doing it and if Chinas doing it, and were adhering to the agreement, thats unacceptable, he said. National security advisor John Bolton was headed Saturday to Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. His first stop is Moscow, where hell meet with Russian leaders, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev. His visit comes at a time when Moscow-Washington relations also remain frosty over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race and upcoming U.S. midterm elections. There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin or the Russian Foreign Ministry on Trumps announcement. Trump didnt provide details about violations, but in 2017, White House national security officials said Russia had deployed a cruise missile in violation of the treaty. Earlier, the Obama administration accused the Russians of violating the pact by developing and testing a prohibited cruise missile. Russia has repeatedly denied that it has violated the treaty and has accused the United States of not being in compliance. Defense Secretary James N. Mattis has previously suggested that a Trump administration proposal to add a sea-launched cruise missile to Americas nuclear arsenal could provide the U.S. with leverage to try to persuade Russia to come back in line on the arms treaty. Russias Foreign Ministry said in February that the country would consider using nuclear weapons only in response to an attack involving nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, or in response to a non-nuclear assault that endangered the survival of the Russian nation. We are slowly slipping back to the situation of cold war as it was at the end of the Soviet Union, with quite similar consequences, but now it could be worse because [Russian President Vladimir] Putin belongs to a generation that had no war under its belt, said Dmitry Oreshkin, an independent Russian political analyst. These people arent as much fearful of a war as people of [Soviet leader Leonid] Brezhnevs epoch. They think if they threaten the West properly, it gets scared. Trumps decision could be controversial with European allies and others who see value in the treaty, said Steven Pifer, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who focuses on nuclear arms control. Once the United States withdraws from the treaty, there is no reason for Russia to even pretend it is observing the limits, he wrote in a post on the organizations website. Moscow will be free to deploy the 9M729 cruise missile, and an intermediate-range ballistic missile if it wants, without any restraint. U.S. officials have previously alleged that Russia violated the treaty by deliberately deploying a land-based cruise missile in order to pose a threat to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Russia has claimed that U.S. missile defenses violate the pact. In the past, the Obama administration worked to persuade Moscow to respect the INF treaty but made little progress. If they get smart and if others get smart and they say lets not develop these horrible nuclear weapons, I would be extremely happy with that, but as long as somebodys violating the agreement, were not going to be the only ones to adhere to it, Trump said. Kuwait has welcomed the decisions taken by Saudi Arabia's King Salman with regards to the death of critic Jamal Khashoggi, a foreign ministry source told Kuna on Sunday. The source said the king's handling of the case "depicts the Kingdom's keenness and commitment to establish the truth and its respect for legal principles to bring to account those behind this regretful event." Saudi Arabia said on Saturday that Khashoggi died in a fight inside its Istanbul consulate - after two weeks of denials that it was involved in his disappearance. Search Keywords: Short link: Danville, WV (25053) Today Periods of rain. Morning high of 62F with temps falling to near 45. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 31F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Saudi Arabia's admission that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed at its Istanbul consulate was welcome "progress", but urged the kingdom to follow through with a full and transparent investigation. "I note that the Saudi authorities have changed tack, admitted the facts and accepted some responsibility, so we're making progress," Le Maire said on France 3 television on Sunday. "But full light needs to be shed." How bilateral relations develop from here will "depend on the way the truth is aired, the investigation conducted and the results established," Le Maire said. "If they continue in this direction by establishing the truth with a full investigation, I believe we can maintain our strong strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia," he added. "If that doesn't happen, nobody will understand - neither France nor the European Union nor the United States. Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner, but we can't have a trusting relationship that isn't grounded in truth." Search Keywords: Short link: In Thailand, trade mark applicants often encounter rejections on the ground of non-distinctiveness, where the application is principally composed of an acronym or a combination of unpronounceable letters. The Thai Trademark Office has consistently found that combinations of such letters in only a slightly stylised manner do not form an invented word and as such cannot pass the distinctiveness requirement. These decisions are then, almost without exception, upheld by the Thai Trademark Appeal Board (TTAB). At that point, many applicants refrain from appealing to the Thai courts due to the lengthy litigation process and the significant costs involved. Recently, there have been several Thai Supreme Court decisions indicating that the Thai Trademark Office's position on letter combinations should be modified. Section 7 Paragraph 2 of the Thai Trademark Act enumerates various mark categories that are presumed distinctive by the registrar, for example, invented words (subparagraph 3) or stylised letters or numerals(subparagraph 4). Where a mark falls under one of the listed categories, its distinctiveness is often easily settled. However, problematic cases arise where the mark does not meet the specified criteria of any category for presumed distinctiveness. Logically, in these cases, the subject marks should be assessed based on the general criteria of distinctiveness, which is defined in Section 7 Paragraph 1 as the ability of a mark to "enable the public or users to distinguish the goods with which the trade mark is used from other goods." In practice, however, failure of a mark to fit into one of the specified distinctiveness categories often results in a non-distinctiveness rejection. In Beiersdorf AG v The Department of Intellectual Property, (casenumber 5432/2551 (2008)), the Thai Supreme Court was tasked with assessing the distinctiveness of the mark . The trade mark registrar and the TTAB decided the mark lacked distinctiveness as it did not constitute an invented word or a mark made up of highly stylised letters. The Supreme Court found distinctiveness of the mark must be assessed by the ability of the mark to indicate a source of the goods/services claimed that is distinguishable from the source of others. The subject mark comprised the letter combination BFD, with minimal or no stylisation, followed by a series of four ordinary opaque circles. The Court had the view that, although the mark was composed of simple letters and geometrical shapes, the distinct arrangement of the generic elements rendered the resulting mark capable of distinguishing the relevant goods/services. Furthermore, the Court noted that the Roman letter combination BDF is derived from the applicant's company name, i.e. Beiersdorf AG. As there was no evidence this letter combination is commonly used in the trade connected with the claimed goods/services, the Court deemed it effective in designating the applicant as the origin of the goods/services claimed. The Supreme Court employed an identical reasoning in HTC Corporation v The Department of Intellectual Property, (case number 13879/2556 (2013)), where the mark was deemed distinctive, as the letter combination forming the mark was derived from the applicant's company name and was not commonly used in the relevant trade. The Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court, with first instance appeal jurisdiction over trade mark cases, also demonstrated an affinity with the Supreme Court's analytical methodology, as reflected in its decision in BFT S.p.A. v The Department of Intellectual Property, (red case number TorPor.88/2559 (2016)), which was affirmed by the Supreme Court earlier this year. Despite a wealth of jurisprudence on this point, we observe that the Thai registrar and the TTAB continue to issue and affirm lack of distinctiveness rejections for trade marks composed mainly of letter combinations that are not highly stylised. Thus, we recommend that trade mark owners wishing to obtain registration for their marks falling in this group be prepared to appeal their cases to the courts, where the chances of success will significantly increase. Dhanasun Chumchuay Dhanasun Chumchuay, Daniel Grief and Saowaluck Lamlert Spruson & Ferguson Nos. 496-502 Amarin Plaza BuildingUnit Nos. 1806-1807, 18th Floor, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini Sub-District, Pathumwan District, Bangkok 10330 Thailand Tel: +66 2 305 6893 mail.asia@spruson.com www.spruson.com The material on this site is for law firms, companies and other IP specialists. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Notice before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article Around 16 foreign investors expressed interest in partnering with local electric cooperatives to invest in clean energy mini-grid around the country. These foreign investors recently participated in a business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking session in Manila. Ernesto Silvano, Jr., National Electrification Administration director of the Office for Renewable Energy Development, said that with 1,702 potential off-grid sites in the Philippine, the countrys 121 electric cooperatives in the country which have to face up to the challenge of electrifying the Philippines by 2020. The B2B Forum is a useful platform for electric cooperatives in the Philippines to meet mini-grid technology providers. Half of our electric cooperatives have already been engaging in similar B2B events since the beginning of 2018, and since then three projects have been completed and two are in the pipeline. Silvano said. A post-event survey conducted by the Alliance for Rural Electrification that co-organized the first-ever Philippines Mini-grid Business-to-Business (B2B) Forum in Manila recently showed that 16 foreign participants said they would or were very likely to invest in mini-grids in the Philippines. The B2B forum was primarily organized by the Department of Energy with the support of the European Union. The Philippines National Electrification Administration (NEA) was also one of the supporting organizations. More than 280 technology providers, project developers and investors from Asia, Europe and North America took part in the B2B Forum. The Forum conducted to provide participants a platform to partner with electric cooperatives in bringing electricity to rural communities by building clean renewable energy mini-grids. Over 100 participants entered into more than 185 direct personal meetings on the final B2B Matchmaking day, with almost 90 meetings leading to cooperation.Among the Forum participants were 60 representatives of the government and public sector, such as NEA, National Power Corp. and the Energy Regulatory Commission, 50 from electric cooperatives in the Philippines and 25 investors. Energy Senior Undersecretary Jesus Posadas said the Forum, which was facilitated by the DOE-EU Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (ASEP), was a good opportunity to link investors, electric cooperatives, and other stakeholders to scale-up of electrification using sustainable and clean energy to foster economic development. The B2B Forum is timely as the Government of Philippines is targeting 100 percent electrification by 2020 using the least-costly and reliable energy technologies for the many unserved and underserved island grids in the country, Posadas said. The recent DOE Department Circular released in August establishes the guidelines and rules on the Renewable Portfolio Standards for Off-Grid Areas in the Philippines. The Department Circular mandates power suppliers to source a percentage of the energy supply from sustainable and renewable energy resources and technologies, Posadas said. Katarina Hasbani, Vice-President of the Alliance said that the B2B Forum enabled companies including ARE Members to meet with electric cooperatives and local Filipino companies to identify and facilitate new off-grid projects. ARE Members are interested to deploy their technology and projects in the Philippines. They have the industry expertise, technology know-how and project implementation experience. ARE Members do not just bring electricity, but they also create revenue generation for local communities. Katarina Hasbani concluded. ARE is an international business association which aims to promote a sustainable decentralized renewable energy industry for the 21st century, activating markets for affordable energy services, and creating local jobs and inclusive economies. ARE enables improved energy access through business development support for more than 150 members along the whole value chain for off-grid technologies. Jordans King Abdullah II has announced that his country will be cancelling part of its 1994 peace treaty with Israel. The king said in a tweet on Sunday that Jordan will be pulling out of two annexes from the peace agreement allowing Israel to lease the areas of Baqoura and Ghumar. King Abdullah said that the decision was made to protect Jordanian interests and do whatever is necessary for Jordan & Jordanians, and that the two areas were at the top of our priorities. Under the 1994 peace treaty, Israel was allowed private land ownership rights and property interests in the two areas for 25 years. The lease expires next year. Article 2 of the agreement stipulates that either party can provide a one-year notice of termination. The decision comes a few days after Jordanians held demonstrations in Amman demanding that the territories be returned to Jordan and remain under its sovereignty. Protesters have also called for the cancellation of the peace treaty with Israel altogether and the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from their country. Israeli PM Benajmen Netanyahu, in public remarks reported by Reuters following the decision, said Israel "will enter negotiations with Jordan on the possibility of extending the current arrangement". Search Keywords: Short link: The US-led coalition said on Sunday it had killed militants in eastern Syria by striking a mosque that Islamic State group used as a base, after reports of dozens of civilian deaths. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air strikes killed 41 people, including 10 children, in al-Sousa village and its environs on Thursday and Friday. Many were Iraqi relatives of Islamic State fighters, the UK-based monitor said. The coalition raids, which hit a mosque and houses, also killed 22 jihadists around the Euphrates River near the Iraqi border, one of the last Islamic State group enclaves in Syria. Syria's foreign ministry said on Saturday that coalition warplanes had "committed a crime", killing at least 62 civilians in al-Sousa and a nearby village in Deir al-Zor province. Damascus, which deems the US and international forces in Syria occupiers, accused them of relentless bombing and called on the United Nations to "punish the aggressors". The US-led coalition said it destroyed a mosque which Islamic State fighters had turned into a headquarters in al-Sousa to defend their last territory. The strike on Thursday killed 12 militants, disabling a command centre they had used to attack coalition forces and their allies, it said. "Such Daesh misuse of the mosque is another example of their violation of the law of war and made the mosque a valid military target," spokesman Colonel Sean Ryan said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State group. The coalition monitored the facility to know when only fighters were present, and it investigates "all credible allegations of civilian casualties", he said in an emailed statement in response to questions from Reuters. The US-led coalition is fighting the remnants of Islamic State group near the frontier between Syria and Iraq. With air power and special forces on the ground, it backs the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led alliance of militias. Various rival offensives have crushed Islamic State group in most of the territory it controlled in both countries, though fighters still operate in the desert near the border and stage attacks. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkish authorities have put the fiancee of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi under 24-hour police protection, the state-run Anadolu news agency said on Sunday. Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist, disappeared on Oct. 2 after he walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage to Hatice Cengiz. For weeks Saudi Arabia denied knowledge of what happened to him, initially claiming Khashoggi had left the building. On Saturday Riyadh said he was killed in a fistfight in the consulate. The Saudi foreign minister has since called his death a "huge and grave mistake". The Istanbul governor's office has put Cengiz, a Turkish national, under 24-hour police protection, Anadolu said. Authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment on what prompted the decision to give her a security detail. On the day Khashoggi disappeared, Cengiz waited for hours outside the consulate for him and, when he did not return, got in touch with authorities as he had instructed her to do, she later said. After Saudi Arabia confirmed his death, she wrote on Twitter in Arabic: "They have taken your body from this world, but your beautiful smile will stay in my world forever." Search Keywords: Short link: The first edition of Craffiti Egypt, an international exhibition for handicrafts, was inaugurated in Cairo, running 11-18 October as an annual event Craffiti Egypt is Cairo's first international handicrafts exhibition. It lasted for eight days, from 11-18 October, at the Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Nasr City. This exhibition aimed at opening new markets for Egyptian artisans, designers and craftsmen, introducing and promoting their products to export companies focusing on high quality goods. Board member of the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI), deputy of the Egyptian Export Council for Handicrafts (EECH) and the Egyptian Handicrafts Industry Chamber (EHIC), Hisham El-Gazzar talked to Ahram Online about the importance of the event. We tried to solve marketing problems faced by many hidden talents in the field of craftsmanship," El-Gazzar said. He explained that EECH and EHIC received several business proposals from foreigners companies in Europe, America and Arab countries who want to export Egyptian handmade products. Craffiti Egypt was organised by the EECH and EHIC, under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry Social Solidarity, the Union of Trade and Industry and the FEI. The exhibition is part of Alex Banks initiative "Ebda3 Men Masr" (innovations from Egypt). El-Gazzar added that like at big international exhibitions, a new concept was added in this exhibition: "zoning" (the division of the exhibition area into sections). This helped potential export collaborations happen, making it easier to find and compare exhibitors. The exhibition will be held annually at the same time of year. El-Gazzar commented: First, it is an appropriate time for buying presents and gifts before Christmas. Second, when we invite foreign buyers or purchasers, they are not especially busy in October, and are able to attend. It is a convenient time on the international exhibitions calendar. Among the exhibitors were Yadaweya Foundation that showcased products of Bedouin handmade crafts, including hand-stitched and embroidered bags, purses, abayaa and jewelery. Sinai food products, such as pressed dates, virgin olive oil, spices and herbs, were also present in the showcased products. President of the Sinai Woman Development Association of Bir Al-Abd, Fouada Hassan, explained: These products are part of the Ministry of Social Solidarity project, Training village woman on basic life skills. Exhibitions like this one are a chance to sell their products, as the main obstacle we face is always marketing the products, Hassan added. Yadaweya Foundation (an NGO) aims at reviving and preserving Egyptian heritage. It highlights craftspeople and hidden talent among local artisans in many Egyptian governorates, such as Sohag, Luxor, Aswan and Al-Arish. Managing director at Yadaweya Foundation, Raweya Ali, said: In this exhibition, we sell all their products on their behalf for free. Creative glassware, handmade accessories for tableware, hanging items, delicate glass sculpture and cozy lighting glass units designed by Egyptian glass artist Dr Walid Onsy were one of the highlights of the exhibition. Onsy uses Islamic ornamentation, Arabesque styled designs, calligraphy and references to Egyptian folklore. Onsy is one of the few in the Middle East specialised in this technique in glass. Onsy said: I used a glass fusing technique which has its roots in ancient Egyptian culture. Now, it is very popular as Murano art glass-making in Italy. Another exhibitor, Hanan Sawaby of Al-Khan Metal and Brass for Decorative Designs, affirmed: All designs were handmade both interior and exterior designs. Fashion designer Nihal Soliman used an old Egyptian handmade embroidery technique well known in Kerdasa district for home decor, including curtains, cushions, soft furniture, scarves and bags, while the talented Ghada Mustafa makes furniture designs from tree trunks. Mustafa didnt study the arts. She said: I am a fond of art and I love trees. The shape of the trunk is the hero in Mustafa's designs. Sculptor Adel Sayed, from Teneda village in El-Dakhla Oasis, El-Wadi El Gadid governorate, turned his hobby of wood carving into way of living. He uses date palm tree wood branches stripped of their leaves to carve beautiful designs and figures from Egyptian tradition that reflect the history of the oasis and his village and their beautiful Bedouin traditional costumes. It was a suitable, available material, and expressive of our tradition. It is also environment friendly, he commented. Another hardworking artist, Amal Mansour, from Al-Dakhlia Oasis, derives her art from Egypt's cultural heritage, using sandstone to bring beauty and inspire. Search Keywords: Short link: Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, By By: Dr. Francis R. Souder, 85, formerly of Telford, died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007 in the skilled nursing unit of Peter Becker Community, Franconia Township. He and his wife Marion R. (Parker) Souder celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary in July. Born in Souderton, he was a son of the late Elvin B. and Mary (Rittenhouse) Souder. A 1938 graduate of Souderton High School, he received his undergraduate degree in 1941 from the University of Pennsylvania where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Souder went on to receive his medical degree from Hahnemann Medical College in 1944 and completed his internship at Hahnemann Hospital from Oct. 1944 July, 1945. He served with the U.S. Navy Medical Corps for 30 months in San Diego and Long Beach, Calif. during WW II and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant prior to his discharge. He entered his second tour of duty during the Korean War where he served in Panama City, Fla. as the medical officer for the Panama City Naval Air Station and the Tyndal Air Force Base. Dr. Souder owned and operated his family practice on Main Street in Telford from 1947-1989. He served on the staff of Grand View Hospital, and as its president, and taught at the Grand View Hospital Nursing School. He was a member of the Pa. Medical Society, the Bucks County Medical Society, Diplomat American Academy of Family Practices, and served on the board of trustees at Grand View Hospital, Sellersville. He was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Telford, where he sang in the church choir. He was also a member of the MacCalla Lodge #596 in Souderton, the Raja Shrine, and Lehigh Consistory. In addition to his widow, he is survived by a son, Dr. Ronald L. Souder, and his wife Susan L. of Green Lane; a daughter, Susan J. Souder, and her husband Stephan Russo of New York, N.Y.; five grandchildren: Jennifer A. Souder of Philadelphia; Emily E. Souder of Philadelphia; Kathryn A. Souder of Washington, D.C.; Noah Russo of New York, N.Y., and Rebekah Russo of New York, N.Y., and two brothers: Attorney Elvin B. Souder of Souderton and Dr. Lawrence Souder of Souderton. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 12 p.m. in Trinity United Church of Christ, 101 S. Main St., Telford, with calling hours following the service. Interment will be private in Trinity UCC Cemetery Telford. Memorial contributions may be made to Grand View Hospital, 700 Lawn Ave., Sellersville, Pa. 18960. Arrangements are by Sadler-Suess Funeral Home, Telford. Blair Mill Elementary students Fun Run raises more than $5,000 for school The digital revolution is transforming all areas of life, perhaps particularly education Are you a digital citizen? I ask the question of the reader. Have you ever asked yourself what the word digitalisation really means? What is the relationship between digitalising society and development? Why is the state so keen to promote this concept? First, to clarify the concept of digitalisation, this simply means the process of transforming traditional methods into new ones entrusted to electronic systems. For example, issuing various licenses, paying bills electronically, buying things from stores and Websites over the Internet and applying electronic systems in educational, commercial and other fields all fall under the concept of digitalisation. We must recognise that the idea of a digital society has become a necessity for all those seeking to develop and improve services and facilitate access to them among a broad range of beneficiaries. Digitalisation focuses on the use of technology within institutions and other bodies, both governmental and private, to help improve the operational efficiency of them. The need for information technology, now used in all aspects of life, whether related to transactions with the public or the private sector or between individuals, has become more urgent than ever before. It is enough to say that digital transformation saves costs and effort, improves operational efficiency and regulation, betters quality and simplifies procedures for access to services to the public, and creates opportunities for creative and innovative services unlike traditional service-delivery methods. It also helps create public acceptance of the services of various institutions or companies. The implementation of digitalisation also creates huge amounts of data and information that can help decision-makers in such institutions monitor performance and improve the quality of their services, in addition to analysing these data to facilitate decision-making and set goals and strategies. In recent years, the concept of digitalisation has also entered education. Trends in education have changed because of the increasing need for a highly educated workforce, raising expectations of higher educational outputs. Todays education system has become life-long, with the result that education has to be transformed digitally in order to meet expectations and maintain the continuity of this process. Learning initially adapted to a face-to-face environment is now being carried out in an environment led by computers and digital technologies. From here comes the idea of virtual education, the demand for which is increasing by the hour. Research focused on learning in virtual-learning environments has shown that students are willing to accept the opportunities offered by such environments, where learning is more independent of time and space constraints, unlike traditional campus education, while at the same time achieving the required quality. Learners see virtual-learning environments as offering more opportunities for communication with teachers than traditional classrooms. In 1886, University of Chicago president William Rainer Harper in the US said that a student who has prepared a certain number of lessons through ways that match what happens in school knows about the topics related to the lessons and can handle those lessons better than a student who simply reclines in class. In the UK, the Open University has pioneered the concept of distance-learning by providing blended learning environments based on audio and video recordings since 1970. With technological progress and the spread of the Internet, Internet-based education is now rapidly developing in universities around the world, including the Open University. Educational institutions are constantly seeking to employ new technologies to become ever more productive, to manage development strategies, and to effectively rebuild curricula to meet the needs and expectations of diverse students. Today, teaching with a whiteboard and markers has largely become a thing of the past, and teachers have shifted to making use of projectors, DVD players and e-learning systems to display tutorial videos and short sessions online to help students understand that learning can be fun. Many schools now come with TVs or projectors attached to their whiteboards, making it easy to shift from a normal classroom session to an interactive digital one. This can make students pay more attention to what is taking place in class, as we are now in a digital era where Google is the go-to place. In a digitalised society, books have migrated to Kindle and tablet computers. Notes, references and other information in PDF format can be easily accessed on laptops, phones and tablets, and this is a good way to encourage students to study better. There are also systems for testing in a digital manner. Students can be given online quizzes and assessments that they can take from home, replacing the kind of homework that they can always find excuses for not doing. By adopting digital systems, the interaction between a teacher and a student does not have to end at school or in a classroom. Online communities mean groups or teams can stay connected online, submitting projects, discussing topics or expressing ideas. Teachers can set up platforms for students to communicate their ideas, suggestions and subject-related queries for them to solve at any time. Being open to online activities like these keeps students more focused even outside of school, even without their realising that the learning process continues even after classes are done. Most learners today are digital citizens, and this means that it is the responsibility of teachers to acquire the digital skills to teach the new generation of students for whom digitalisation is part of their personality and identity. With the increasing use of the Internet, virtual-learning environments are the future of all educational institutions. This is a fact that all parties to the educational process, especially teachers, must recognise. They must start looking for opportunities to develop their technical skills so that they can see eye-to-eye with their digitally literate students. * The writer teaches in the Faculty of Arts at Menoufiya University and is a former visiting professor at Wake Forest University in the US. * A version of this article appears in print in the 18 October, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Digitalisation and education Search Keywords: Short link: By PTI NEW DELHI: Heads of the country's top telecom firms will be seen sharing dais during the India Mobile Congress from October 25-27, where these telcos are expected to discuss critical issues facing the industry. According to the event schedule, Reliance Jio Chairman Mukesh Ambani and Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal are going to be part of the inaugural session on October 25. Vodafone Idea Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla is also expected to join the session. ALSO READ | Jio to connect government schools, colleges with high-speed internet to make Uttarakhand 'Digital Devbhoomi': Mukesh Ambani "Promoters of all three telecom operators are going to participate in IMC," Industry body COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews told PTI. Mathews said chief technology officers and chief marketing officers of leading telecom operators are expected to discuss various business proposals at the event. The second edition of the three-day India Mobile Congress will focus on BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) region telecom sector. Mathews said that delegates from the US, Canada, UK and European Union too have confirmed participation in the upcoming IMC. "We have Mobile World Congress in Barcelona but not everyone can go there. There is no big event in South Asia and South East Asia to showcase potential of the telecom sector and encourage development of technology. This time, we have global speakers like FCC (US telecom regulator) Chairman Ajit Pai, European Commision Vice President Andrus Ansip, (and) leaders from BIMSTEC countries," Mathews said. He said that the government will be more involved in the IMC to meet delegates and industry officers who want to reach out them. "Telecom Minsiter (Manoj Sinha) and DoT secretary (Aruna Sundararajan) will be meeting people at IMC at the pre-fixed schedule. Department of Science and Technology will engage with IMC to connect with innovators. We are trying if any fund from government can be made available for select start-ups at the event," he added. Around 300 exhibitors, 2,500 delegates and 10,000 visitors are expected to participate in the event. ALSO READ | Sunil Mittal advocates common networks to push connectivity; admits to resistance "We have shortlisted 250 startups. We will work out with Department of Science and Technology to find out if any of their fund can be made available to the best startups," Mathews said. The COAI will start its own business-to-consumer exhibition from this edition of the IMC with participation from Samsung, Huawei and Nokia. "We have reached out to university and colleges where they have specialised interest in telecom sector. At IMC they will get live exposure to industry people and look at advance technologies and accordingly shape their career," the director general said. Live demonstration of 5G will take place at the event, machine-to-machine communications, IoT and other latest technology are scheduled for demonstration at the event, Mathews said. By PTI NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend Monday the fourth edition of the NITI Lecture Series focussed on 'leveraging artificial intelligence for inclusive growth', according to an official statement. Modi will attend the lecture series in which the keynote address will be delivered by Jensen Huang, president and co-Founder of US-based technology firm NVIDIA Corporation, the Niti Aayog said Sunday. The government think tank said the 2018 theme for the lecture series 'AI for All: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Inclusive Growth' is part of the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence aimed at evolving a robust ecosystem in India for AI research and adoption. Union ministers, policy makers, experts from different walks of life along with Niti Aayog vice chairman, CEO, members and other senior officials will also be present on the occasion. The Union Budget 2018 had mandated the Niti Aayog to come up with a national programme on employing artificial intelligence towards national development and since the Aayog has published a National Strategy for artificial intelligence (AI). The Aayog said its has signed statements of intent (SoI) with industry leaders such as Google, Microsoft and IBM to leapfrog India into global arena of future technologies and enable the use of AI in key, high gain sectors of social development -- healthcare, agriculture, smart mobility, education and infrastructure. The Aayog said it has launched multiple projects in areas of precision agriculture, creating AI led healthcare solutions, and bridging India's diversity of languages by creating a digital 'Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat' platform using Natural Language Processing (NLP). The NLP is a system of protocols which allow machines or computers to understand and interact with human speech and symbols. The Niti Aayog said it has also identified barriers that need to be addressed to achieve success in use of artificial intelligence with the aim to use the technology across all sectors. It has also proposed setting up of a Centre of Research Excellence (CORE) to focus on developing better understanding of existing core research, it said. The 'NITI Lectures: Transforming India' was inaugurated by Modi in August 2016 featuring eminent speakers from across the world. The first key note address 'India and the Global Economy' was delivered by the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Bill Gates, Co-Founder, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, delivered the second lecture in November 2016, and in May 2017, Michael Porter, the Bishop William Lawrence University Professor at Harvard Business School, had delivered the third lecture of the series. By Express News Service CHENNAI: Customs officials foiled a bid to smuggle gold and digital SLR cameras worth Rs 9.35 lakh by a man who flew into the city from Dubai on Saturday morning. Syed Ismail, 27, who disembarked from FlyDubai Airlines, was intercepted at the exit of the arrival hall on suspicion. A body-search yielded a gold cut bit weighing 50 grams and 317 grams of rubbery spread. The gold assayer recovered 167 grams of gold ingot after extraction from the spread. A total of 217 grams of gold of 24-carat worth Rs 7.2 lakh was recovered. On scanning his checked-in baggage, four Cannon brand DSLR cameras EOS 80D (w) with zoom lens EF S 18-135mm worth Rs 2.20 lakh were recovered. In a separate case, customs officials seized one kg gold worth Rs 35.4 lakh from two female passengers hailing from Madurai on Thursday. The two Parameshwari (45) and Fathima Beevi (40), who arrived from Kuala Lumpur by a Batik Airlines flight, were found carrying the gold in three emergency lights in their checked-in luggage.Each light had two thin rectangular gold plates. The six gold plates each weighing 551 grams worth Rs 18.1 lakh and 527 gram worth Rs 17.3 lakh were recovered. Further probe is on. Samuel Merigala By Express News Service CHENNAI: Following an Express report on tender discrepancies in Chitlapakkam Town Panchayats Rs 5 crore cut-and-cover project, Panchayat officials allegedly resorted to intimidating residents who demanded a work order from the contractor on Saturday. An engineer is alleged to have snatched the phone of a resident who was videographing the confrontation. While residents filed a case of mobile snatching against the engineer, officials filed a case against residents alleging the latter had not allowed them to discharge their duties. Two residents were detained by police. Noticing workers digging a stretch of Sethunarayanan street, which has been marked for the cut-and-cover project, residents asked the contractor for the work order. The contractor instead called officials to the spot. The contractor said that he would show us the work order on Friday but didnt turn up, said R Balachandran, a member of local activist group Chitlapakkam Rising, stating that they did not try to forcibly stop work. Residents claimed Panchayat executive officer and Assistant Executive Engineer arrived and told the contractor not to worry about showing the work order. I wanted to record these high-handed statements, said B Sivakumar, also a member of the Chitlapakkam Rising. Sivakumars phone was allegedly snatched by AEE Manoharan. Both parties registered complaints against each other at the Chitlapakkam police station. Residents refused to withdraw their complaint against Manoharan. Around 9 pm, Balachandran and Kumar, another resident was held. Cyberwarfare has become one of the greatest threats to national security in the world today, presenting new challenges for the worlds intelligence agencies The term national security is often bandied about in different ways and at all levels of society in countries the world over. When we want to focus peoples attention on a subject, we call it a matter of national security, for example. We might also use the phrase for totally opposite purposes. When we say, thats a national security issue, and it should not be discussed, we mean we want to avoid the issue and evade responsibility for it. People involved in national security often wonder who or what is responsible for defining it. Are they persons or are they abstract internal and external factors? Who decides what is or is not a threat to society? Is designing policy and defining national security restricted to political and security elites or can non-governmental actors also be involved in such processes? After the fall of ancient Egypt, the successive empires that ruled the country defined the concept of national security on behalf of the Egyptian people. This situation slowly began to change with the era of Mohamed Ali in the early 19th century when the features of the modern nation-state began to coalesce. After the Egyptians regained control of their own country following the 1952 Revolution, political and intellectual circles buzzed with long discussions and heated debates on the concerns of national security. While political elites formulate national security, numerous factors set the parameters for them to do so. Among the most important are geography, history and a peoples interpretations of geographical and historical givens. Definitions of national security also vary from one country to the next and from one region to another, which is only natural since the concept of national security changes in accordance with differing threats, challenges and interests. National security is thus a relative concept and not an absolute. Even so, we can offer a working definition of national security that might run as follows: national security is the ability of a country to defend its security internally and externally, to develop its overall sources of strength and to enhance its ability to confront crises, challenges and threats in a manner that achieves national aims and increases the rate of development. However, as comprehensive as this definition might be, it could still change in future with the emergence of new threats or challenges. The first person to formulate a specific definition of national security was the US commentator Walter Lippmann during World War II. His definition was limited to the military dimension and held that military force was the strongest and most influential means of enforcing the security and stability of the state and protecting it from outside threats. However, other sources of strength have emerged since Lippmans time, and some of these are more effective than military might in conducting international relations and managing conflicts. They include economic, social, political, diplomatic and technological factors. As a result, national security today is multidimensional and unachievable through military power alone, even if other sources of strength are not as clear cut as military force. In the light of international developments and the transformations in the nature of conflict over the past two decades, political scientists now also speak of smart power and soft power. The US commentator Joseph Nye, assistant US secretary of defence under former US president Bill Clinton and former chair of the US National Intelligence Council, speaks in his book Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics (2004), of soft power being the ability to get others to do what you want through persuasion and appeal rather than coercion or payment. The essential sources of such power are cultural, since these may have the power to attract others. Political values may also be a source of soft power when applied faithfully at home and abroad. Nye also holds that the notion that military force alone can suffice as a means of resolving conflicts is out of date, especially given our current globalised world and the power of communications and information technologies. Threats To National Security In any discussion of national security, we must always also search for the sources of threats, whether emanating from foreign states or from non-state actors such as terrorist organisations. The worst potential threats to national security are foreign interventions in national affairs, and the most serious of these by far are military interventions. These can be either direct through the use of military force (unilaterally or multilaterally) or indirect by supplying arms and logistical, material, moral or intelligence support to a particular faction. The latter is sometimes called a war by proxy. However, there are also other types of non-military foreign intervention, including sanctions and military or economic assistance with strings attached, such as aid in exchange for carrying out certain political policies, obtaining military or intelligence services, or safeguarding ruling regimes. Although sanctions are less violent that war, they have been widely criticised as an inhumane means of managing international disputes since ordinary people can end up suffering more than their regimes. There is another type of non-military intervention in which intelligence agencies play a major role in shaping policies such as promoting grassroots uprisings, engineering regime change, supporting coups and shaping public opinion in other countries. These and other types of intervention come under the heading of intelligence operations abroad, and for governments wanting to call into play a comprehensive array of political, diplomatic, economic, social and technological resources they have become both more prevalent and more effective. Such instruments are constantly being developed to serve the interventionist partys purposes. At the same time, they are less costly than military interventions, and they come in for less criticism from the international community because they are generally less visible. In the world today, conflicts are also shifting towards cyberwarfare, which relies on modern information technology instead of conventional weapons. Governments around the world are racing to acquire and develop technologies to control the nature and flow of information, not just in their own particular regions but also worldwide. Armed with such instruments, they are able to send out targeted messages to create and shape public opinion in favour of particular policies or outlooks. This firehose of falsehood, as such propaganda has been called, relies on generating an intense flow of information that is both convincing and often seriously misleading. As a result, the worlds intelligence agencies have become increasingly alert to how dangerous cyberwarfare can be. The latter has opened up a new theatre for harvesting and processing information on individuals, groups and organisations in order to learn their secrets and patterns of behaviour. Using artificial intelligence and data-crunching software, enormous amounts of information can be pooled and analysed in order, for example, to measure public opinion in different countries. When put to work in cyberwarfare, such findings could be used in order to trigger political disturbances or to channel public opinion in particular directions. The classical model of the media was based on centralised news and information sources that were generally state-owned or operated. With the introduction of satellite television in the 1990s, the field suddenly opened up and news and information sources proliferated. Then came the age of the Internet and the information technology revolution that opened up the field still further. However, none of the previous phases of development pose as great a threat to national security as do the current social-networking sites that have brought about a revolution that has changed many basic concepts of the media industry. These sites have become powerful political lobbying tools and an important means of promoting political change. Because of the possibilities they offer for cyberwarfare, they have also had palpable repercussions on the social dimensions of national security. With the recent rise in political populism in many countries worldwide, they also enable the widespread circulation of false information through such activities as disseminating fake news and propaganda. Terrorist groups and the countries that sponsor them have used such instruments and particularly hacking technologies in order to penetrate other societies and their social-networking sites in order to spread their ideologies, disseminate their ideas, and promote themselves and their operations. Terrorist organisations have found social-networking technologies to be convenient ways of communicating with their operatives wherever they may be, as well as ideal recruiting and screening instruments. They can use them to probe potential recruits online and determine whether possible candidates possess the outlooks and proclivities that could make them vulnerable to extremist indoctrination. These include being filled with bitterness or despair, harbouring resentment against society and the government, or feeling generally wronged or persecuted. Terrorist groups have also used social-networking sites to train operatives on planning, how to carry out terrorist attacks, how to use communications technologies, how to escape or withdraw, and how to manufacture explosives from commonly available materials. The terrorist groups Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) were adept at using social-networking sites for the above-mentioned purposes. However, such sites are also fertile ground for foreign intelligence agencies, especially because of the high rates of their daily online use among smart phone users. Opportunities for planting and disseminating fake information and rumours have never been as large as they are today, when they have been made widely available through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram. Users of these apps can write, plant and relay news, information and ideas, including fake news and rumours, with very few restrictions. In short, cyberwarfare, with its detrimental repercussions, has become one of the greatest threats to national security in the world today. In very little time and at very little cost, it can undermine and destroy a society, spread anarchy and social turmoil, undermine trust in governing institutions, erode the social underpinnings of the state, disseminate political apathy and alienation, spread extremism and destroy communal values. This type of warfare could even achieve in a relatively short time what military forces and intelligence agencies have not been able to achieve in decades. * The writer is an expert in national security affairs. * A version of this article appears in print in the 18 October, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Cyberwarfare and national security Search Keywords: Short link: J Santhosh By Express News Service CHENNAI: Last week made it poignantly clear how fragile Chennai actually is. All it took was just a two-day strike by water tanker owners to literally bring the states capital city to its knees. Shopping malls and hotels were shut, hospitals struggled and the IT corridor stood perplexed. Many residential apartments had no clue about how to survive another day. The citys Metro Water Board was helpless. But why should Chennai be at the mercy of a bunch of private water tankers for its very survival? The crisis Chennai faced last week was a reminder of a historical and a continuing failures of the citys planners to even draw up a sustainable plan to meet its water needs. When the water tanker owners last week put their foot down, it was made clear enough that even the might of the Madras High Court would not stop over-exploitation of the groundwater in the citys peripheral areas. But if one considers how Chennai has met its water needs over the last half-century, its a history of usurpation of water from farmers in surrounding villages and now, it appears too risky even to try and stop it. Its high time we look back at the past mistakes to learn and rethink solutions for the future. The past First, a few basics. Chennai has no perennial river anywhere near it. Hence, by default, water was one of the main challenges as the city grew from colonial times. Broadly, the city has met its water requirements in two ways diversion of fresh water from rivers and lakes in faraway places and extraction of groundwater from within the city limits, and, more importantly, from farming villages around the city. The very first such project by the British was in 1870 when water from the Kosasthalaiyar River at Tamaraipakkam village in Tiruvallur district was diverted into the Solavaram lake and then into the Red Hills Lake. The colonisers diverted the waters, until then enjoyed by the farmers, to the capital of their province. Ironically, the same has been the approach till today. The latest in this template is the plan to bring water from the Mettur Dam by laying a 400-kilometer-long pipeline. The city has, for a decade now, already been drawing Cauvery water through the Veeranam Tank in Cuddalore district and now, has plans to directly take waters that could otherwise flow into the delta region for agriculture. Do you see any rationality in this? Why should we touch the Cauvery water, asks Prof S Janakarajan, President, South Asia Consortium for Interdisciplinary Water Resources Studies. Experts like him, who have studied water issues in depth, have been saying that such diversion of the waters from faraway places is never going to be a sustainable solution, just as diverting Veeranam water was not. Moreover, the cost that is being borne by the locals in these districts are never visible to those in Chennai. Cuddalore is perhaps been too far. But one can travel just a few kilometres either north or south of Chennai to witness the damage caused by Chennais water suppliers. The groundwater in vast areas in the vicinity of the city has turned brackish, mainly due to decades of extraction to meet Chennais needs. The Metro Water Board had been for decades drawn groundwater from the Araniar-Kosasthalaiyar river basin in the north. As of now, the water has turned extremely brackish in areas such as Minjur, and the board has simply shifted well fields further inwards, to areas such as Tamaraipakkam. The result? A 2015 study by Anna Universitys Geology department showed that sea water had intruded up to 14kms in the Araniar-Kosathalaiyar River basin, the vast area littered with water bodies in the North of the city. The farmers in these areas were left in the lurch as productivity slumped due to brackish water. In the south, it is the private tankers who have been extracting water to supply it in the city for over a decade now. As the unbridled extraction of groundwater has continued, water quality has worsened in areas such as Medavakkam, and slowly operators are moving further south, now reaching villages in the Vandalur to Thiruporur stretch. It is obvious that the city cannot go on depleting groundwater in more and more areas and that the Madras High Courts recent order banning groundwater extraction in certain over-exploited areas should be a welcome move. However, it has proved too costly and the water tankers are in no mood to entertain any restrictions on their business. We are in an alarming situation now and we have to do something before we reach the place of no return, says K P Subramanian, former professor in the urban engineering department in Anna University, referring to the crisis the city faced when the water tankers went on strike. Past failures & way forward What were our faults and what can be the solutions for the future? The problem we are facing today is due to the myopic vision our city managers had. In the 1960s and 70s, they never anticipated Chennai would grow this big. They should have anticipated this growth and planned for it like most of the American cities had, says Janakarajan. Since the 1970s, the citys population has almost tripled now. Further, the growth of the industries too brings with it a huge demand for water. As the city began to feel the water crisis, what has been done so far can be described, at best, as stop-gap arrangements or short-term solutions such as drawing up of groundwater from new areas or diverting water from other freshwater sources. There has been no scientific assessment of how much is the requirement and what are the available sources. There has been no proper quantification of how much groundwater is being extracted and for what use. What we need is a scientific assessment, says KM Sadanand, president, Association of Professional Town Planners (APTP). The Chennais Masterplan drafted by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is a very rare government document that attempts such an analysis. It estimates that the city will have a requirement of 2,248 million litres of water per day (MLD) by 2026 as a best-case scenario and 1,360 MLD in a worst-case scenario. Currently, the maximum, mostly in surplus months, that the Metrowater supplies is a total of 900 MLD. How did the Masterplan hopes to bridge this huge gap? It simply assumes that Andhra Pradesh will get 930 MLD (12 TMC) of water under the Telugu Ganga project. This can only be termed as extreme optimism, especially when neighbouring states are being highly hesitant to share water. We have been talking about Krishna water, but its not sure whether we will get it since they (Andhra Pradesh) have their own problems, says A N Sachithanandan, a council member of the Institute of Town Planners. Janakarajan was more catergorical in stating that the Krishna water can never come to Chennais rescue. So far we have not received more than 1 TMC water in any year, he says. Not just in its masterplan for the city, the CMDA has been not applying much forethought in granting building permission to newer areas, say urban planners. Every builder is made to give an undertaking that he will not rely on the Metrowater to supply water and he will meet his own demands. How is he going to do that? asks Sadanand. The government agencies are at best shirking from their responsibility of providing water. Solution at hand The only sustainable and ecologically sensible solution Chennai can have is to tap rainwater and recycle sewage water. A few numbers can help understand the potential of rainwater, that is often forgotten. The average rainfall in Chennai, over the past 100 years, is about 125 centimeters and the area of the citys corporation limits is 462 sq km. If we tap this, we can get around 150 TMC of water, says Janakarajan. If we tap this entire water, we can very well supply water to another city like Chennai as well, says Sachithanandan. Presently, the stormwater drains in the city take the rainwater into either of the two polluted rivers the Adyar and the Cooum which in turn drain into the sea. Rainwater harvesting is only being done on paper, charges Subramanian. In addition to the rainwater harvesting structures in the buildings, restoration of the temple lakes and other lakes in the city, as well as the number of tanks in Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, can help conserve the rainwater and help in improving the groundwater levels. Besides, the city generates around 800 million litres of sewage daily and treating it, which is said to be much cheaper than the desalination of seawater, can meet at least half of the water requirements of the city. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: On a day when Congress chief Rahul Gandhi visited Charminar in the Old City, AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi welcomed him and took a potshot by challenging him to contest the next parliamentary elections from the Hyderabad parliamentary constituency. Speaking to mediapersons on Sunday, Owaisi said, Ten days ago, BJP President Amit Shah also visited my constituency and had promised that he would ensure that the city would be Owaisi/Majilis-mukt. With all the humbleness and humility, I would request Congress president that he should contest from Hyderabad against me and Amit Shah should do the same from BJP. He also reminded Gandhi that when Congress was in power, since 2009, there were several communal incidents. I would like if he accepts my offer. I would like to contest against a janeo-dhari and a Hindu nationalist, the Hyderabad MP said. Meanwhile, Owaisi also called for probe into the Amritsar tragedy. K Shiva Shanker By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The long holidays this week which gave much-needed break for many, inadvertently lead to delay in receiving swine flu vaccines dispatched from Kolkata. Doctors, health care staff who attended swine flu patients continue to be worried as the vaccine which helps them avoid contracting the infection, is not given to them this season. Earlier, officials from the State Health department said that the vaccine will reach Hyderabad by October 15. However, they did not reach the State yet and doctors at Gandhi Hospital-nodal centre for Swine Flu-confirmed that they were not given the vaccine shots yet. Usually, the vaccines are administered to doctors and heath staff at end of monsoon.The airborne infection spreads through droplets of flu infected person or by being in direct contact with the flu patient. Doctors working at Gandhi Hospitals Disaster Ward - where Swine Flu patients are treated, said that they come in very close contact with the patients when they have to check temperature, provide them with ventilator support and other procedures, which increases their chances of contracting the flu. In fact, some of the doctors there who turned anxious when they showed symptoms such as fever, cold and cough, took prophylactic medicines which gives protection against the flu virus for a few weeks. Earlier, joint director of Epidemics Cell, Dr A Sukrutha Reddy said that last batch of the vaccine vials expired in May and they were not procured immediately as its strength lasts for over six-months. Before dispatching the vaccines are tested for safety and efficacy, at a laboratory on Kolkata. There was some delay in dispatching the vaccines (trivalent single dose) from Kolkata because of the holidays. But they were dispatched and expected to reach the State on Monday or Tuesday. All vaccines are tested for their safety at a laboratory in Kolkata, Dr Sukrutha Reddy said. While single dose vaccines are yet to reach State, the official urged doctors and health staff not be be worried as they have multi dose vaccine vials which could be administered in cases of emergency. Top government officials contract swine flu At least three bureaucrats were among those tested positive for swine flu. However, officials remained tight lipped and sources said that all are asked to maintain it as a top secret fearing public reaction. Their test results, hospitals where they were treated, and other details are maintained confidential. Sources have confirmed that top officials did contract the flu. They were treated of it, sources said. Whenever a person tests for the flu, their attendants, and people living in close proximity of the patient, are given prophylaxis by Health Teams. From January 1 to October 19, a total of 217 swine flu cases were detected in the State and one death was reported on Friday at Siddipet. On October 19, a total of 20 cases were reported. By Express News Service KOCHI: With the second refitment of INS Vikramaditya over, the countrys lone operational aircraft carrier will be entering the sea-trial stage by next week. The short refit, at an expense of Rs 705 crore, was carried out at the Cochin Shipyard and the aircraft carrier is now docked at Ernakulam Wharf, prior to the commencement of the sea trials. During an onboard visit arranged by the Navy for media persons on Saturday, Commanding Officer of INS Vikramaditya Captain Puruvir Das said the refitment of the ship has been completed. However, a few tests, including the checks on the ships boilers, are underway. Soon, we will start the sea trials, which will take place off the Kochi and Goa coasts. We are hopeful of returning to the Western Naval Command without delay, he said. As part of refitment, major work was carried out at the hull of the ship. We did Hull survey and paint scheme renewal. Also, repair work was carried out in the shaft system of the ship, he said. The shaft of the ship comprises 25 bearing, of which 16 were replaced. Routines were performed on sewage treatment plant, ships main propulsion plant and on all weapons and sensors. The refitment will enhance the operations of Vikramaditya. It will be ready for sea operations once the trials are completed, said Captain Puruvir Das. Nations pride Commissioned in November 2013, the ship is assigned to the Western Fleet and is based at Karwar in Karnataka. The total designated crew strength of INS Vikramaditya is 145 officers and 1,600 sailors. The ships power generation and distribution section maintain 12 generators which produce 18 MW power that can power 100 villages. The 45,000-tonne ship is 285 metres long and 60 metres wide having 23 decks equalling almost 23 acres of land. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday came down heavily on the BJP national leaders for failing to visit the cyclone-affected areas. He also attacked the Centre for not giving the immediate relief sought by the State government to continue relief measures. Naidu has written to both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, seeking interim relief of `1,200 crore. Reminding the same in a teleconference with TDP leaders, he said, leave alone a visit to the cyclone hit areas, there was not even a word of sympathy from them. While the YSRC is creating hurdles to cyclone relief works by instigating people, the Jana Sena has taken a spectator's stand. TRS leader KT Rama Rao congrats Pawan Kalyan for his Kavathu, but fails to say a word in sympathy for cyclone victims. These are all proofs that all the four of them are working together and targeting TDP, he alleged. Naidu claimed that people are with the TDP as the satisfaction levels have increased from 57 per cent to 76 per cent.Later, teleconferencing with officials, Naidu said out of 1,802 affected villages, power has been restored to 1,369 and power connectivity needs to be restored to another 433 villages. Except for horticulture, enumeration has completed the losses sustained. RTC services have been restored to most of the places, 99.7 per cent telecom connectivity has been restored. In 1,320 schools, 1.59 lakh people were provided with meals, 47,000 eggs were distributed. As many as 184 tankers have been pressed into service for supplying drinking water.As many as 11,700 sanitation workers are engaged in clening works. Sistla Dakshina Murthy By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Despite the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) making tall claims over enforcement of ban on polythene bags, plastic waste continues to be a menace for residents of Sanath Nagar as sewage channels are clogged with the garbage for a long time now.It seems that the civic body officials have opted for a wait and watch policy. It is like they are waiting for spread of an epidemic disease, V Shyamal Rao, a resident, said. As the VMC is showing no interest in sanitation works in the area, a solid-like layer made of multi-coloured plastic bags has formed over drains. It is a perfect spot for mosquitoes, which is giving many locals sleepless nights, he added. A water pipeline passing alongside a clogged drain at Sananth Nagar. (R) Wild growth of shrubs in vacant lands of the locality | P Ravindra Babu Another resident Bandi Krupakar Rao blamed indiscriminate dumping by commercial establishments to be the reason for this chaos. Indiscriminate dumping of plastic wastes has left drainage channels in several parts of the locality heavily clogged... Though warnings were issued to the owners of such establishments on several occasions, there is still no stopping them from dumping garbage without any regard for sanitation, he said, urging the VMC to deploy more sanitation staff and implement effective mechanism to penalise the violators. The other major problem haunting the locality is heaps of garbage, consisting mainly of plastic items, lying on roadsides which have not been removed for a week now.A complaint was lodged with the sanitary inspector of the area over the garbage menace a week ago, but no action is taken so far. Some persons resort to lighting the garbage on fire at night. The smoke causes heavy burning sensation in our eyes and driving becomes harder, B Poornima, a local, said. When contacted, the public health department of the VMC admitted that sanitation works in the city went for a toss during the 13-day strike called by civic workers earlier this month. Hundreds of complaints over poor sanitation and garbage menace on the streets pour into the civic body complaint cell, an official said. Meanwhile, municipal commissioner J Nivas, to tackle the lack of sanitation across Vijayawada, has convened a meeting with health officials and sanitary inspectors to take stock of the situation at ground level. Shama Bhagat By Express News Service The on-screen daring jodi of Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopras was declared super hit after the success of romantic-thriller Ishaqzaade in 2012. After seven years, the duo is back to woo their audience with director Vipul Amrutlal Shahs Namastey England.The sequel to Vipuls 2007-hit Namastey London, starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif, released on October 19. Arjun says, This film continues from where the first one ended. I said yes to it because I felt that the story was fascinating. Namastey London ended with marriage and this one begins with love and marriage. It is a modern romantic comedy, in which there is no happily ever after. Its about the ups and downs, the conflicts and disagreements that begin post marriage. It is about how opposites attract, but then they are not happy. Parineeti, who is excited about the 10th film of her career, says she loved the story the moment she heard the script. I related to my character because I have seen girls in Punjabi households suffer. I have seen girls living under patriarchal nonsense for no reason. But Arjuns character Param is a Punjabi village guy, who gives Jasmeet the freedom to do something for herself. He is the one open-mined person in that weird patriarchal society. However, she says unlike her role she is from a very progressive family. Her parents have always been very liberal. I have studied abroad, but they gave us an upbringing of small town. By the time I was 12, I had seen the world. I belong to a small town like Ambala but the small-town effect didnt come in the family because my parents were cool. They wanted us to be what we are today because they knew that when we grow up and travel abroad we should not face the culture shock, she adds. Though both the actors went on to do different roles after starting their career, they say their relationship has grown by leaps and bounds since their first film. They understand each other better now and love doing films together. It is the trust in each other that helps us perform better, and the friendship that keeps us going, says Arjun, who was last seen in comedy film Mubarakan. The two started their careers almost around the same time. Arjun says when Parineeti came in the industry she was very naive. She didnt know the industry well, but today she has a sense of belonging and is more comfortable and sorted. Films are her life now. What I love about Parineeti is that she never tries to imitate anyone. She has certain freshness in her approach. On the other hand, Parineeti, who was last seen in Golmaal Again, says she knows Arjun from the day he gave his first shot.He has become a star in front of me and that is why I feel protective about him. When he arrived on the sets on the first day, he was a quiet boy who just sat in the corner and didnt interact much. Of course I dont praise him on his face, but I have pure and strong feelings towards him. I feel so good when girls come to him for pictures and autographs, she says.Its their first film with Vipul, and they enjoyed the experience. Parineeti says, It was lovely working with Vipulji. He reminded me of Rohit Shetty. Both Rohit sir and Vipul sir understand the pulse of India, especially middle-class India. They make films for the masses and you get to learn so much from them. He is cool and fun loving. Even when I did Golmaal 4 with Rohit sir, people appreciated my character. I am sure this film will give me the same appreciation once again. Arjun says Vipul is a genuine person. I enjoyed working with him. We had interacted a couple of times before, but didnt get a chance to work together. He understands Punjabi culture. Hes a gentle soul and he treated us as kids. It was fun, he adds. Both of them will be seen together in Dibakar Bannerjees Sandeep aur Pinky Faraar next year. While Arjun has Ashutosh Gowarikars Panipat in his kitty, Parineeti is busy shooting for Kesari opposite Akshay Kumar and Jabariya Jodi with Siddharth Malhotra. Shraddha A By Express News Service CHENNAI: With the #MeToo movement in India becoming stronger with every passing day, Sruthi Hariharan has now released a statement alleging lewd and unprofessional behaviour by actor-filmmaker Arjun during the making of Arun Vaidyanathans Tamil-Kannada bilingual Nibunan/Vismayam. On Saturday, Hariharan released a statement on social media describing in detail an incident that allegedly occurred on the sets during the filming of an intimate scene during which he, without her consent or prior discussion, allegedly ran his hands intimately up and down her back and then pulled her closer. She also alleged that during production, Arjun made her uncomfortable with innuendoes and salacious invitations to meet him after work. #metoo #comingout against all odds. Inspite of the all the comments, backlash and misogyny that will follow, I share my experiences below cos this is about a larger change! Bring it on ! #Speakup men and women . It's time. pic.twitter.com/xzjA8EnGjR sruthihariharan (@sruthihariharan) October 20, 2018 The actor told Express, If I have come out with this, I have done so knowing all the consequences. She added it was her choice to come out with the story whenever she wanted and was not fair to ask why she was talking about the incident now. Meanwhile, director Vaidyanathan took to social media and said that he didnt remember the details of the incident to which Hariharan was referring, but remembered Arjun asking for the intimacy in the said scene to be toned down. Talking about how the said incident should not be slotted as improvisations done on the set, Hariharan said, It is like good touch and bad touch. As a woman, I know the persons intent and felt uncomfortable. I have done a lot of romantic scenes with many other actors, probably much more romantic, and they were respectful to me. Actor Shraddha Srinath tweeted saying she was privy to information about the incident since November 2016. I have known about this incident since November 2016, when @sruthihariharan and I attended a talk show together and the talk of casting couch and other related topics came up. Shruti didn't take names that day but off camera she told us what happened. https://t.co/lo2lkN14H2 Shraddha Srinath (@ShraddhaSrinath) October 20, 2018 Responding to the allegations in an interview with a TV channel, Arjun vehemently refuted Hariharans claims and said, When I got the script, there were more intimate scenes and I refused to do them. I respect the #MeToo movement, but such false statements can dilute it. Even now, I am responding because my silence will be misconstrued as an acceptance of guilt. I will file a case against Sruthi for her statement. Medha dutta By Paresh Maity is never one for small things. Art is a large canvas, just like history. On the year of Mahatma Gandhis 150th birth anniversary, public spaces are crowded with interpretations of his life and work. Just as Gandhi was larger than life, Maity also sees him so. Dandi March is Maitys tribute to the Mahatma and is on exhibition at the Art Alive Gallery in Delhi till October 31. The monumental 7x15 feet painting is a mixed-media artwork using oil, acrylic, and sawdust. Maity, like all significant artists, is experimental in a variety of styles and mediums. How does he decide which to choose? It is the subject and the medium that hunt me. I dont hunt them. Everything is in a state of change, nothing remains constant. So why should I be stuck in one medium, or one subject, or one style for that matter? His moody paintings of windswept coasts of Kerala, the ever-present ships and boats, his dramatic photographs and powerfully gleaming installations have one aspect in commonscale. Maity agrees with Picassos dictum, Art is the lie that enables us to realise the truth, while admitting he is constantly trying to realise the truth through art. Paresh was born and grew in Tamluk village of Midnapore district in West Bengal into an ordinary family. Bengal that produces some of the best known artists is Maitys artistic womb, its lush bucolic landscapes, vast river views and oceans driving his visual energy. Nature dominates his creative imagination, starting with clay modelling when he was just seven. He was inspired seeing local artisans working on Durga idols for Dussehra. His family was not wealthy enough to send him to art school or buy him an easel and paints. He sold the clay toys he made at village fairs, which he kept up through adolescence to fund his education. Maity quotes Aristotle, All art is not but imitation of nature. It means, all we think about in this world is present in nature. We cannot think beyond it. I am very close to nature. I believe what nature gives is the biggest blessing. I paint in natural light 99 percent of the time, he says. Maitys work, as can be seen in the Gandhi painting, is characterised by its boldness: strong colours, sweeping brush strokes and dominating figures that set the context. He never fails to be moved by primary colours that, he believes, are the identity of our country. With over 80 solo shows over 45 years to his credit, many of his works grace the British Museum and the National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi. An 800-foot long painting by him adorns a wall at the Terminal 3 of Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport. Not just that, once a village boy who could not afford to live in Kolkata while studying art and had to commute four hours to and from his village to Art College, today boasts clients such as Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, the Birla family and Sonia Gandhi. I have been able to what I wanted to with all my heart, my soul, and passion, I will be the happiest artist if I know until the last days of my life I can continue doing this, he says. Paresh is waiting to treat Delhi to a display of new installations. When? Soon. Very soon, says the eccentric genius in his trademark beret with a twinkle in his eyes. When and where Art Now at Art Alive Gallery till October 31; 11 am to 7 pm Meera Bhardwaj By Poachers in the hilly tracts and deep forests of the Western Ghat have a nemesis. His name is G Veeresh. The 38-year-old Chikkamagaluru-based farmer-turned-wildlife conservationist was honoured by the Karnataka Forest Departments Bhadra Tiger Reserve for his wildlife education programmes during the Wildlife Week celebrations held during October 2-8 in the state. The difference between Veeresh and most other wildlife activists is that he is a direct interventionist. Seminars and policy initiatives are secondary. This king of the jungle prefers the actual thrill of the chase. Local wildlife traders are caught regularly with antlers, meat, skin, claws and bones. In many cases, I have caught offenders directly and then informed the authorities. I have established my own network of informers, who gather leads and pass them on to me, he says. Veeresh is periodically present at wildlife hot spots himself, looking for criminals. Day or night, he is involved in the detection of wildlife crime, monitors all illegal non-forest activities and does not shirk from going to court when everything else fails. He is sympathetic to the rights of animals in their own habitats and the instinct that guides them to feed and thrive. A massive man hunt is on currently for the Tadoba tigress, which has reportedly killed 13 people in the jungles of Central India. But Veeresh insists a tiger should not be declared a man eater without serious investigation and research beforehand. In 2014, forest rangers captured a tiger from Pandarvalli forests of Chikkamagalur and released it into the wild. It killed a woman shortly thereafter. Veeresh has his own take on the matter. I came across the tiger, which was declared a man eater just five feet away from me in the forest. It did not attack me. However, three months later a woman was killed by this tiger. It should have been monitored by experts before it was let out into the wild, but it was not done. Many such wrong decisions were taken in this case, says the activist, who did MSc in Environmental Science from Kuvempu University, Karnataka. It was after graduation that Veeresh became interested in the poaching and illegal hunting activities in the Bhadra region. Tree smuggling too came to his attention and he began to monitor illegal activities in Bhadra and surrounding regions. The fight that started 13 years ago is still on, regardless of threats from poachers, smugglers and the real estate mafia. In a high-profile case of Sambar hunting in Karnataka, Veeresh helped authorities nail culprits. I carried out investigations and supported the authorities in digging information, he says. Under the National Tiger Conservation Authority, he has participated in postmortems of leopards and tigers in the Bhadra Tiger Reserve. My job is to see that the authorities do not hide the facts, says Veeresh, who has been recognised by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Centre for Wildlife Studies for his work in major tiger reserves of the state. Veereshs ultimate dream is to ensure the tigers and elephants in the Bhadra region are protected. He is proving dreamers can be action heroes too. Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service AMRITSAR: The railways has decided not to hold a probe against the driver of the DMU that was involved in the Amritsar rail tragedy. But Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has set a four-week deadline for completion of inquiry by Divisional Commissioner Jalandhar. Sources said that the Railway Police has registered a case against unknown persons for trespassing into railway property. Divisional Railway Manager Vivek Kumar refused to hold a probe into the accident and termed it a run-over on a large scale. He said that the people standing railway tracks amounted to trespassing and that the railways had not got any case registered. "The driver was not at fault as the train was being driven on the Amritsar-Delhi railway line, which is supposed to accommodate trains running at 110 kilometre per hour. The driver after seeing the people over the tracks applied the brakes and brought down the speed to 68 kmph but it was too late.'' He ruled out any mistake of the gateman saying the accident site was about 400 metres ahead of the level crossing. "The duty of the gateman was to manage the gate, the accident site was not properly lit and was not clearly visible from the level crossing.'' Railway board chairman Ashwani Lohani said: "the gathering of people on the rail tracks was trespassing and that railways wouldn't hold any investigation into the incident. It would be wrong to say that railways is responsible for this accident. There are two manned level-crossing on that track, both were close. It is the main line. There is no speed restriction. The railway administration was not informed about Dussehra celebration. If we had been informed by the local authorities then we would have taken adequate measures. People were watching Dussehra celebrations from railway tracks, they need to be more alert.'' Now the railway authorities have stopped all trains from the Amritsar Railway Station has subject to security clearance from the state government. Also, more security personnel have been deployed around the railway station to avert any untoward situation arising out of the protests by people as the situation in the holy city is tense as markets remained closed. As per the train speedometer, the DMU was running at 91 kilometre per hour when the accident took place and it got damaged in the accident. The railway officials refused to reveal the identity of the driver, who said that after noticing the people he applied the brakes to bring down the speed but it was too late. But the locals of the area say the gateman could have alerted the authorities after seeing a large number of people gathered over the railway tracks. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had set a four-week deadline for completion of inquiry by Divisional Commissioner Jalandhar into the tragic train accident in Amritsar, while urging all political parties to rise above petty politicking to join hands to mitigate the sufferings of the victims and their families. He was talking after reviewing the situation on the ground and meeting the injured in three hospitals, besides visiting the spot where the tragedy had occurred last evening during Dussehra celebrations. Amarinder said action will be taken against those responsible for the tragedy once the inquiry report comes. The probe will cover all aspects of the tragedy, he added. However, this was not the time to play political games on the issue, said the Chief Minister, calling upon all to join hands with the government to provide relief to the victims. The three-member Crisis Management Group, headed by Health Minister Brahm Mohindra, will camp in Amritsar as long as they are needed to monitor and assist in the relief operations, he said. The Group, constituted by the Chief Minister last night, has Revenue Minister Sukbinder Singh Randhawa and Forest Minister, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, as its members, and is closely monitoring the situation and supervising the relief efforts. By UNI JAMMU: Remembering the supreme sacrifices of jawans on National Police Day, IG BSF Jammu Frontier on Sunday said that out of 44 BSF men who got martyred in different operations across the country 12 had laid lives along Jammu border. On Police Commemoration Day, India, remembered the sacrifice of Police persons who attained martyrdom, to maintain the integrity of our nation. Police commemoration day is celebrated on October 21evey year in honour and remembrance of CAPF personnel who sacrificed their lives while defending the borders with China in 1959. Since then, the Day marks the memory of the police personnel killed on duty during the year. Ram Awtar , IG BSF, Jammu, officers and all ranks paid tribute to the martyrs at Martyr's Memorial at BSF Camp Paloura. IG BSF laid wreath and paid homage to the police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty. At this occasion, while addressing the gathering, IG BSF gretituded that we salutes the valour and courage of Police Forces and tribute our warriors who made ultimate sacrifice protecting national integrity. Reading out the names of police martyrs, IG BSF briefed that during last one year total 414 Police/ Paramilitary person laid their lives in the service to the nation, out of which 42 belong to BSF, which is highest among the paramilitary forces. "Out of these,12 Bordermen including Assistant Commandant Jitender, laid supreme sacrifice during fierce firing initiated by Pakistan, are from Jammu Frontier," he added. It is apt to mention that BSF apart from manning Pakistan and Bangladesh border is also deployed in anti naxal operation in Chhattisgarh and Odisha and for counter insurgency operations in north east states. Majority of the police personnel died in firing from Pakistan, fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, Naxals and other law and order duties. By PTI PANAJI: The BJP said Saturday that it was committed to "coalition dharma" and sought to control damage after one of its ministers accused a coalition partner of having "personal interest" in the leadership change in Goa. BJP leader and state minister Nilesh Cabral said Friday that Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai had "personal interest" in pressing for a leadership change. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has been ailing since February this year and recently underwent month-long treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. Cabral's statement evoked a strong reaction from Sardesai, also a minister, who said if he had any personal interest, he would have been somewhere else. Goa BJP chief Vinay Tendulkar issued a statement Saturday, saying "BJP is fully committed to coalition dharma and mutual trust and respect for constituent parties." He dismissed as misleading the reports on Cabral's statement. Tendulkar pointed out that BJP national president Amit Shah recently met leader of both the allies, Sudin Dhavalikar of MGP and Vijai Sardesai of GFP, and discussed the political situation in Goa with them. By PTI AMRITSAR: Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu Sunday targeted the Indian Railways, raising several questions about its functioning and asked how a "clean chit" was given to the loco-pilot of the train, which mowed down at least 59 people watching a Dussehra event in Amritsar, in "one day". The statement from Sidhu, whose wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the chief guest at the event at Joda Phatak on Friday evening, came a day after Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said there was no negligence on part of the railways. The railways has said it was not informed by the organisers or the local administration that a Dussehra event was being organised near the tracks. It said Saturday the tragedy was a case of trespassing and ruled out any probe. "What sort of commission did you set up that you gave a clean chit to him (loco-pilot) in one day. Either the driver was permanent or he was engaged for one day. Why do not you say?" said Sidhu. "When you stop (the train) for cow, you even get an FIR registered if someone is found sitting on a track. And you ran over. People and you did not stop. And what was the speed of train? It was more than 100 km per hour - Zip it goes," he claimed. Opposition parties have sought action against those who allowed the event near the railway tracks. READ HERE | Most dead are from UP & Bihar, earning their livelihood in the city The Akali Dal has demanded Sidhu's dismissal from Punjab's Congress government, alleging his wife presided over an "unauthorised" event. The state government has ordered a magisterial probe into the circumstances that led to accident. Sidhu also pointed fingers at the railway gateman at Joda Phatak, claiming he could have seen the lights installed at the Dussehra event from 300 metres and alerted railway and local authorities. "Near the accident site, there is a railway barrier which is manned by a gateman. From a distance of 300 metres, he can see LED lights installed at the event and people were making videos of the event with their mobile phones," he said. Sidhu claimed that the train was running at a speed of more than 100 kmph. "Train was running at a speed of more than 100 km per hour. Some people say the top light of the train was not working. If top light was not there, you cannot get it out of the yard. If top light was working then you can see three km because train had a glass (window) at the front for view," he said. ALSO READ | Police permission granted for Dussehra event Railways has said the loco-pilot had managed to slow down the train to around 68 kmph from the speed of 91 kmph, which he was assigned to reach. Sidhu said some people say that this train does not pass by the area at a speed of more than 30 kmph and two trains had passed by just before the tragedy. On questions raised about the event being organised near railway tracks, he said the permission was sought from police was for organising the event "within four walls" of a campus near the tracks. "This tragedy did not occur within the four walls of the site," Sidhu said. Defending his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, he said she was supposed to attend six Dussehra events that evening. READ HERE: Worst accident caused by trespassing in the history of railways "It was her fourth function and she reached the site at 6:40 pm. When she was going for the fifth function, she came to know about the tragic incident. When she enquired from police commissioner, he dissuaded her from visiting the site. Then, she directly went to the hospital (where some of the victims were taken)," he said. He claimed seven times announcements were made from the stage that people should not stay near the track and come inside the campus. Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service AMRITSAR: A day after the horrific train accident near Amritsar that killed at least 59 Dussehra revellers, and left over 70 injured, all stakeholders from the local lawmaker and Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to the local corporation to the railways ministry tried to deflect blame. Amid frayed tempers from a hostile crowd, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh sought to buy time by ordering a magisterial probe. The railways though refused to take action against the train driver. Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani blamed the local authorities for not giving a heads up on the Dussehra event near the tracks. At midsections, trains run at their assigned speed and people are not expected to be on the tracks, he reasoned, pointing out the gateman was 400 metres away from the site of the accident at a level crossing. The trains speedometer had recorded 91 kmph when the first impact happened. In his disclosure statement, train driver Arvind said he tried to reduce the speed on spotting the crowd. But since it was stoned, he didnt bring it to a full stop so as to protect passengers. Sidhu, whose wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the chief guest at the Ramleela event, complicated matters further saying the accident was an Act of God while deflecting criticism aimed at his wife for exiting the scene instead of helping the victims. For her part, Navjot Kaur pointed fingers at the railways claiming the gateman should have asked train driver to slow down. Read | Amritsar train tragedy: Dussehra organisers did not have 3 permits While the organisers claimed they had police permission for the event, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation, the health department and the fire brigade had not given clearance. Sources said the police gave permission as the organising committee was led by Saurabh Mithu Madan, son of area councillor Vijay Madan, who is close to Sidhu. Amid all the gloom, there were stories of sheer grit as well. Like that of Dalbir Singh (24), who helped save many lives as he dragged out revellers who were oblivious to the rushing train before he was crushed to death. Dalbir had played Ravana in the Ramleela that day. Read | Amritsar train tragedy: Family wiped out, many missing, several scarred Amid the outpouring of grief, the remains of 39 of the 59 victims, including children, were consigned to flames at different cremation grounds in the city on Saturday. Most victims hailed from UP and Bihar. Looked like Partition rerun, says eyewitness With dismembered limbs of the train accident victims strewn all around, it appeared like a Partition rerun, recalled an eyewitness. During Partition, millions were butchered in mindless communal violence on both sides of the border Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service AMRITSAR: The organisers of the Dussehra festivity at Dhobi Ghat ground in Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhus constituency had police clearance, but they neither did have permission from the municipal corporation nor any clearance from health department and fire brigade. The function was organised by Mithu Madans family. Mithus mother Vijay Madan is a Congress councillor of the area, Amritsar Police Commissioner SS Srivastava said. The ground belongs to the municipal corporation. The corporation has allotted the spot located at a residential area along the railway track to washermen. Amritsar Municipal Commissioner Sonali Giri said nobody was given the permission for organising the Dussehra event. Sources pointed out that the ground is too small to hold such functions. The area is congested. Locals claimed permission was denied to the organisers last year. The Ravana effigy was installed in the middle of the residential area, barely 50 ft from the track. Deputy Commissioner of Police Amrik Singh Pawar said the permission was given after the local Station House Officer gave clearance to the site. Sources said that the police gave the permission as the organizers are led by Saurabh Mithu Madan, son of area councillor Vijay Madan. The councilor is said to be close to the family of Navjot Singh Sidhu. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu, was the chief guest of the event. There were so many programmes to attend. So, I did have the time to check whether the permission for the event was taken or not, she said. Amritsar Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu said there was negligence on part of the railways and the trains driver as he failed to spot the crowd on the railway track. The district administration and the police were to be approached for necessary permissions for holding such an event. The Akali Dal, the BJP and the AAP have demanded strict action against those individuals who gave permission for holding the event and demanded the resignation of Sidhu and registration of case against the organisers. By ANI ALIGARH: The annual elections of the Aligarh Muslim University Students' Union (AMUSU) will be held on November 13. The results will be declared on the same day. The announcement of the election dates comes few days after around 1,200 Kashmiri students threatened to leave their studies midway if the sedition charges against three of the students were not withdrawn. On October 15, three Kashmiri students of the varsity were reportedly slapped with sedition charges for allegedly raising anti-India slogans and trying to hold a prayer meeting to mourn the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Manas Bashir Wani. However, AMU vice-chancellor Tariq Mansoor later clarified that the university administration has not slapped sedition charges against any student. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named its own special director Rakesh Asthana as an accused in a bribery case. The investigation agency has accused the special director of accepting a bribe of Rs 2 crore to settle meat exporter Moin Qureshis case. Apart from Asthana, the CBI has also named RAW number two Samant Kumar Goel in the FIR. Goel has been accused of facilitating the deal between Asthana and Qureshi. The FIR was filed on October 15 and one Manoj, who allegedly transferred the bribe, was arrested the following day. Qureshi was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in August last year. According to the agency, he was arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and he was not cooperating in the probe. The meat exporter has been accused of laundering money for a host of public servants. The case also brings to the fore the divide in the CBI. For several years, CBI director Alok Verma has shared a rocky relationship with Asthana with the latter accusing the former of interfering in the IRCTC corruption case in which Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav is allegedly involved. High-profile investigator Asthana enjoyed a clout in the CBI as most high-profile cases involving politicians were handled by him. These include graft charges against Lalu Prasad, former Union minister Chidambaram and his son Karti, and the AgustaWestland chopper deal By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its first list of 77 candidates for the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, slated to be held in two phases in mid-November. In the Central election committee meeting held at the party headquarters in New Delhi, the party also announced the names of 38 candidates for Telangana and 13 candidates for Mizoram. The BJP has announced it would contest 38 of the 119 seats in Telangana. ALSO READ: Chhattisgarh polls: After Congress' Ram Dayal Uike, is BJP eyeing to wean away more leaders from rival camps? Former IAS officer OP Chaudhary will be contesting from Chhattisgarhs Kharsia constituency, Union minister JP Nadda told reporters after the BJPs Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting in Delhi. Chief Minister Raman Singh has been fielded from Rajnandgaon, a seat for which the Congress is yet to declare its candidate. The Congress has been out of power in the state for 15 years. The paty is also fielding tribal leader Ramdayal Uike, who recently left the Congress and joined the BJP. Among the 77 candidates announced today, 14 are women and 14 sitting MLAs have been replaced with new names, Union minister J P Nadda said. Nadda, the Telangana BJP election in-charge, said that the BJP would contest 13 seats in the Mizoram Assembly elections. Eighteen Naxal-affected constituencies in Chhattisgarh will go to polls in the first phase on November 12, while the remaining 72 constituencies would go to polls in the second phase on November 20. Voting in Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana will be held in a single phase, on November 28 and December 7, respectively. In 2013 also elections in Chhattisgarh were held in two phases on November 11 and 19.Notification for the first phase of the Chhattisgarh polls will be issued on October 16 and the last date for nominations would be October 23. There are 90 Assembly constituencies in Chhattisgarh. 14 MLAs dropped Among the candidates announced on Saturday, 14 are women and 14 sitting MLAs have been replaced with new names, Union minister J P Nadda said. By Express News Service LUCKNOW: The mega cultural event as part of three-day Diwali celebrations three-day in temple town of Ayodhya will have an added attraction as for the first time a foreign dignitary -- the First Lady of South Korea - is likely to grace the occasion. As per government sources, Kim Jung-sook, the wife of South Korean president Moon Jae-in has accepted the invite sent by CM Yogi Adityanath. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook. (Photo | AFP) She will be landing in Ayodhya on November 6. This will be the first time when a foreign dignitary will be attending the Diwali celebrations called Deepotsava, a mega event organised by the state government to showcase Ayodhya's heritage. The state government has also invited foreign media for coverage of the event. The occasion will also be chosen for laying foundation of Rs 50-crore memorial of Queen Hur Hwang-ok, also known as Suriratna, a princess of Ayodhya who went to South Korea and married the king aeons ago. South Korea's first aldy will take part in the ceremony. Last year, Diwali celebrations in the temple town were limited to one day only when the bansk of holy river Saryu had come alive with illuminating 'Diyas' on Diwali eve in the presence of CM Yogi Adityanath and other state dignitaries.Thei time around, it would be a three-day -- November 4, 5 and 6-- event. Governor Ram Naik, CM Yogi, cabinet ministers and thousands of pilgrims would converge in the temple town to celebrate the home coming of Lord Rama after 14 years of exile. The mega celebrations are arranged by the state government to bring Ayodhya on global tourist map. The government has also deployed helicopters to recreate the scene of Ram homecoming along with Sita and Lakshman after killing demon king Ravan. By UNI SRINAGAR: A Jammu and Kashmir Police Spokesman on Sunday night said that seven civilians were killed in a blast at the site of a gunfight in south Kashmir district of Kulgam, before cleaning of the site. A Police Spokesman said that despite warning, the civilians had gathered near the encounter site, where an explosion took place, resulting in civilian casualties. Chinar Corps conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of civilians, who died in post operations blast at the encounter site in Kulgam. Police spokesman said in Kulgam encounter three militants of JeM outfit were killed in an encounter. He said in the aftermath of the encounter when a large congregation entered the encounter site before it was cleared led to an explosion in which six people died, he said. ALSO READ | Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir express anguish over civilian deaths near Kulgam encounter site He said the slain militants were identified as Shahid Ahmad Tantary, resident of Wangam Shopian, Zubair Ahmad Lone, resident of Ahwatoo, Kulgam and Yazil Ahmad Makroo, resident of Arwani Bijbehara. Arms and ammunition were recovered from the spot. Warning: Contains graphic content. Chaotic scenes from the site of explosion in Kulgam. Scores have been injured, many critical #Kashmir pic.twitter.com/VZ3mqYDxDF Muhammad Faysal (@_Faysal) October 21, 2018 He said after the conclusion of the encounter as the forces moved out, the locals from the area started assembling at the site of encounter and had apparently fiddled with some stray explosive materials leading to an explosion. The injured identified as Ubaid Shah, Tajamul, Irshad Ahmad Padder, Uzair Ahmad & Masroor Ahmad, unfortunately, succumbed when brought to hospitals. He said five other injured are undergoing treatment. The spokesman said it is pertinent to mention that this incident occurred post-encounter. Kumar Vikram By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Among the welfare programmes the government touts as a success story is the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, a financial initiative to provide loans to micro-units to help them develop their business and generate employment.Interacting with Mudra beneficiaries in May this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the scheme had fulfilled peoples dreams of setting up small businesses and generating jobs for others. Similarly, talking at an event last year, BJP president Amit Shah said 7.28 crore people had become self-employed under the Centres Mudra loan scheme in the past three years. But what is left unsaid is that nearly Rs 11,000 crore loan given to 13.85 lakh account holders have turned into bad loan, a Right to Information application by The New Indian Express has for the first time revealed. The PMMY was launched on April 8, 2015. Under the scheme, banks are required to finance micro-entrepreneurs with loan requirement up to Rs 10 lakh. Loans are granted under three categories up to Rs 50,00 come under the Shishu category, between Rs 50,001 and Rs 5 lakh under Kishore and between Rs 5,00,001 and Rs 10 lakh under Tarun. About 13.47 crore account holders have been sanctioned loan amounting to more than Rs 6.37 lakh crore as on August 3 this year, the RTI revealed.But the data has also disclosed that Rs 10,915.07 crore worth of loan has turned into NPA and the highest number of defaulters are those who have taken loan under the Shishu category, or taken loan up to Rs 50,000. While experts do not question the objective of the Mudra scheme, they cited two reasons for the NPAs. The first is that loans are being given without any collateral, making it difficult for banks to go after defaulters. The second is the over-emphasis on banks to meet loan disbursal targets. In the race to meet targets, credentials of loan seekers are often not verified. On the lack of security, Devinder Sharma, a policy expert, said the government had not learnt from the failure of similar government schemes in the past. I remember a similar scheme was launched by Haryana CM Devi Lal and a major portion of the scheme had turned into NPAs. In this scheme also the government has just doled out money to people without any security and lakhs of the accounts turned into NPAs, he said. Bank officials admitted that there were some flaws in the policy. Ashwini Rana, vice president of the National Organization of Bank Workers, blamed the unsecured loans for the NPAs. Banks want to help, but people have misused it, he said. According to Rana, the scheme shouldnt be target-driven a view shared by many others. It should not have any target. But, a target was fixed and banks started fulfilling the target, said Rana. Many other senior bank officials agreed with Rana. There used to huge pressure on branch managers of public sector banks. You can say it was like a race. In the process loans were given to people without any purpose. Many banks even invited existing account holders to take loan below Rs 50,000 under the Shishu category simply to meet the target, an official said. Government data about achieving targets appear to support what the bankers said. In the three years since the scheme was launched, banks have always exceeded the loan disbursal target, never under-achieved. In 2015-16, while the target was to disburse Rs 1,22,188 crore in loans, banks gave out Rs 1,37,449 crore as loans. In 2016-17, the corresponding figures were Rs 1,80,000 and Rs 1,80,529 and in 2017-18 (as of September) they were Rs 2,44,000 crore and Rs 2,53,677 crore. (Tomorrow: 90% beneficiaries got less than Rs 50,000) By PTI PUNE: Pune police told a court here Saturday that it did not find sufficient evidence against top officials of the Bank of Maharashtra, arrested in connection with a cheating case against city-based developer DS Kulkarni. The public sector bank's CEO & Managing Director Ravindra Marathe, Executive Director Rajendra Gupta and former CMD Sushil Muhnot should therefore be discharged, police said. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing) Nilesh More filed a report before special EOW judge D G Murumkar Saturday, seeking discharge for the three accused. "During the investigation, no sufficiency of evidence to file charge sheet against the three accused -- Marathe, Gupta and Muhnot -- was found so an application seeking discharge is being submitted.. to exclude the names of the accused from the case," the report said. The EOW did not include the name of another accused, Nityanand Deshpande, a zonal manager of the Bank of Maharashtra, in the discharge plea. All four are currently out on bail. The court is likely to pass an order on the discharge plea on November 3. In June, the Pune EOW arrested Marathe and other top officials for allegedly misusing their official positions for sanctioning a loan to Kulkarni's construction firm, DSKDL. They allegedly colluded with DSKDL with a "dishonest and fraudulent intention" to sanction the loan, police said. Defence lawyer Harshad Nimbalkar told reporters Saturday that police arrested the bank officials for no reason. "A loan of Rs 600 crore to the DSK (as Kulkarni's firm is popularly known) was given by six banks which were part of a consortium and in that consortium, Bank of Maharashtra was one of the banks which had given a loan of Rs 100 crore and it had been approved after complete due diligence," he said. "One investor of DSK in his complaint said he along with several other people invested money in DSK and they did not get their returns, including the principal amount, and they were being cheated," Nimbalkar said. "So the present case of cheating and the role of bank... there is no relation at all," the lawyer said. In May, police had filed a 37,000-page charge sheet against Kulkarni and his wife, accusing them of a scam of Rs 2,043.18 crore by floating nine firms to siphon off funds collected from 33,000 investors and fixed-deposit (FD) holders. By PTI KOLKATA: Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid feels it is difficult for the party to come to power on its own in the present situation, but opposition alliance must not be formed at the "cost of containing Congress". The allies should also be ready to make sacrifices and adjustments for defeating the BJP in the 2019 general elections, he told PTI here in an interview. "All our leaders have made it very clear that an alliance (is needed) to change the country's government. BJP must go. Whatever it takes to sacrifice, adjust and negotiate to make the alliance a reality, Congress is willing to do." "But it is only fair that it should be the same attitude of other (opposition) parties. The alliance must not be for containing Congress, the alliance must be for removing BJP and we are willing for anything," Khurshid said When asked whether it is possible for Congress to come to power on its own, the former external affairs minister said "it is obviously difficult today". "If that is the objective (majority on its own) then we will have to work over a period of five years. Because you cannot work towards an alliance for three years and then suddenly say we will fight to win (on our own). You have to fight for five years. Today we are committed to the alliance and we will do our very best to ensure that the alliance succeeds," he said. Congress is the only party that gets seats from all over the country and all other (opposition) parties get seats from their respective states, he said. "Now the elasticity in numbers is much greater when you are talking of seats from all over the country and when you are talking of seats only from your state. This is the practical reality with which all the leaders have to deal with an open mind," Khurshid, who also served as minister for law and justice in the UPA II, said. Khurshid's comment on the alliance comes in the backdrop of the opposition's efforts to stitch a united front against the BJP before the 2019 elections and BSP chief Mayawati's decision to go it alone in the upcoming assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The Samajwadi Party has also decided not to forge an alliance with the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, blaming it of being "non-committal for too long". Khurshid said the objective of the grand alliance is to defeat the Modi government. "If the participants of the grand alliance forget this objective, then obviously it won't happen and it will be a loss for every party and the country," he said. The Congress leader, however, sounded hopeful of getting Mayawati's BSP back in the fold, saying the issues in the assembly polls are different from those of the Lok Sabha polls. "Once these five state elections give us some indications of what the public mood is, tying up the grand alliance may become easier," Khurshid, who twice served as party president of Uttar Pradesh, said. The post of prime minister won't be an issue in forging the grand alliance when opposition leaders have clearly said that the issue will be decided once the alliance win the election, he said. "I think those who are raising this issue (prime ministership) do not want us to succeed against the BJP," he said. While speaking on the revival of Congress, Khurshid hailed party president Rahul Gandhi for "infusing fresh energy and determination" into the party and said it was a time for making sacrifices and give the best to the party. "We lost some elections, but we won Punjab and kept the BJP away in Karnataka. In some places, we were ahead of BJP, but they misused power to form government. The upcoming elections in five states will be a measure of how much we have got back on our feet in the last four years," he said. The former Union minister dismissed BJP's claim that the opposition alliance did not have a leader and said there were "leaders in the opposition alliance" along with four to five strong regional parties and that the "Congress even in its weak form is strong across the country". About the foreign policy of the present dispensation, he said the Modi government had failed to build upon on what they had got from the previous governments and nothing much to show in terms of accomplishments. Khurshid rated the four-and-half-year-old Modi government as "disastrous" and said it had injected disharmony in the society. By PTI SRINAGAR: Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir Sunday expressed deep anguish over the death of six civilians in a blast at an encounter site in Kulgam district after a gunfight in which three militants were killed. The officials said immediately after the gunfight ended and the forces withdrew from the spot, civilians rushed to the encounter site where an explosive substance went off resulting in the death of six civilians. "Despite requests to not visit the spot till thorough search is done for explosives, several civilians visited the encounter site immediately after the operation. While they were there, some explosive substance went off, resulting in on the spot death of a civilian and injuries to several others," they added. READ HERE | Three militants, six civilians killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah expressed shock and deep anguish over the death of civilians near the encounter site in Laroo area of Kulgam in south Kashmir. "It is heart rending to learn about such incidents which have become norm of the day. The situation calls for immediate de-escalation from all sides," Abdullah said. Expressing anguish over the "highly unfortunate" incident, NC vice-president said little good can their words do to those who lost their loved ones. "I pray for peace to the souls of those who lost their lives and a speedy recovery for all the injured. I pray to Almighty to give courage to the families of victims to bear the loss." When forces left after encounter,there was a congregation which came close to the house&were trying to fiddle with remnant of explosives. It blasted&6 civilians died. We request citizens to not venture into houses which are not cleared by the security forces: SP Pani IG (Kashmir) pic.twitter.com/JjichLwYcs ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2018 He said six civilian casualties in Kulgam "do not augment well" for peace to return back to our state. "A whole new generation is growing in conflict and what needs to be done is to start time bound and result oriented dialogue process," he said. Omar also took to Twitter, saying, "Terrible news coming out from Kulgam. May the deceased find place in Jannat (heaven). Alienating the people in the fight against militancy is a sure fire recipe for losing the fight. How long can we go on ignoring the ground realities & (and) living in denial about how bad things are in Kashmir?" ALSO READ | Separatists call for strike on Monday against killing of civilians in Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed profound "grief and shock over the death of six civilians and injuries to others. In a statement, the PDP president appealed Governor S P Malik to ensure that all standard operating procedures (SOPs) are strictly adhered to while dealing with the security situations and all the security agencies are advised to take precautions to avoid any collateral damage. Mehbooba said she was extremely saddened by the news of the Kulgam incident, where civilians were "once again caught in the cross fire of violence, thus adding fuel to the already volatile situation." "All words of condemnation, condolence sound very hollow at this tragedy," she said. Conveying her heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families, the PDP president sought immediate release of ex-gratia and other assistance in the favour of deceased civilians and aid to the injured. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) vice-president Ghulam Nabi Monga also lamented the civilian deaths and blamed the Centre's "wrong policies towards Kashmir" for the casualties. In a statement Monga said it is painful to see innocent civilians being killed in Kashmir in such a manner. "Two days back, a lady was killed in Pulwama district in similar circumstances. It is the arrogance of BJP Government at the Centre which is the root cause for such killings," he said in a statement. The woman was killed on Friday night in the cross-firing between militants and security forces as the ultras attacked an Army camp in Pulwama district, police said. The JKPCC vice-president said the BJP Government's policy "revolves around the use of bullets only". The Congress leader expressed serious concern over the prevailing situation in Kashmir and said the initiatives taken in Kashmir during the United Progressive Alliance's 10-year rule "have been reversed and washed away by the incumbent Government". CPI(M) leader and MLA Kulgam M Y Tarigami also expressed grief over the loss of civilian lives and demanded a probe into the incident. "It is really so painful to see such killings happening everyday in Kashmir. But unfortunately, New Delhi is watching all this like a mute spectator and seems in no mood to address the issues politically. There is a deep sense of alienation among Kashmiris, especially youth. It is this deepening alienation and anger which is driving young and old towards the deadly encounter sites," Tarigami said in a statement. He said given the rising toll of casualties and no visible efforts by New Delhi to hold meaningful dialogue, there is "apprehension that the situation may get more complex". "Besides, persistent arrogance and repression is bound to aggravate the situation further," he said. He also demanded a magisterial enquiry into the Kulgam incident. By PTI SRINAGAR: Separatists in the Kashmir valley have called for a strike on Monday over the death of civilians in a blast at an encounter site in Kulgam district. The strike has been called by separatists Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL). Three militants were killed Sunday in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district, while six civilians lost their lives in a blast following the gunfight there. "To strongly condemn & (and) protest the mayhem unleashed in Kulgam by the ruthless Indian state in which so far 5 (five) civilians & 3 (three) armed youth killed besides injuries to tens of scores of injured, JRL calls for complete #Shutdown tomorrow, JRL will hold a #ProtestSitin (protest sit-in) on Tuesday at LaL Chowk," Farooq posted on Twitter before the toll was updated. "Amidst internet & news blackout reports of #BloodbathInKulgam as Indian forces go berserk! Many civilian casualties reported, 3 armed youth martyred more than sixty civilians injured many critical! Homes destroyed, women ruthlessly beaten! All roads to the area sealed, media barred!" Farooq said in another tweet. Meanwhile, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and a Kashmiri Pandit organisation have extended their support to the strike called by the separatists. "In an emergency meeting held Sunday, the executive committee of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed its shock and concern at the sharp increase in the use of brutal force against the unarmed civilians of Kashmir," a statement by the KCCI said. Condemning the killings, the KCCI said the business community of Kashmir once again urges the government to "restrain from launching operations in civilian areas which invariably trigger more killings and worsening of the law and order situation". "The seemingly endless loss of innocent Kashmiri lives is a matter of pain and anguish for all of us. The KCCI offers its deepest condolences to the families of innocent unarmed civilians and requests the business community to observe a complete shutdown on Monday as a mark of protest against the brutalisation of our population," it said in a statement here. The Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti (KPSS) also extended its support to the strike called by the separatists, saying it is mandatory for security forces to sanitise the area where the encounter takes place to safeguard the lives of the civilians. "We feel the pain of killing of civilians and injuries during a cordon and search operation in Kulgam," KPSS president Sanjay Tickoo said in a statement here. "It seems that the security forces take these basic things casually, which resulted in Sunday's incident. While Kashmir is being pushed back to the 1990 era by people's alienating policies by the political parties, the Central establishment is enjoying the so-called victory in the Kashmir valley and is not bothered to diffuse current political turmoil in the valley," he said. Ramananda Sengupta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Sri Lankas Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe left for Colombo on Saturday after a three-day official visit to Delhi, during which he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior Indian officials. Just before his trip, Indian officials played down reports that Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena had told his cabinet during a meeting on Tuesday that an Indian intelligence agency was plotting to kill him. This was vehemently denied by Colombo and by Sirisena, who called up Modi to explain that his words had been taken out of context. On Friday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami had written to Modi seeking his intervention to free eight fishermen from Thoothukudi district picked up by the Sri Lankan Navy on August 21 for allegedly fishing in Sri Lankan waters, as well as eight others held earlier on similar charges. The fishermen were later convicted by a Sri Lankan court for fishing in Lankan territory and reportedly fined around Rs 25 lakh per head. Sources said the issue was raised during Saturdays discussion with Modi, who explained India was encouraging the fishermen to undertake deep sea trawling away from Sri Lankan waters, and thanked the Sri Lankan forces for abjuring the use of force until then. Most fishermen held by the Sri Lankan Navy are eventually freed by Colombo as goodwill gestures, the source explained. Wickremesinghe, accompanied by his wife Prof Maithree and several officials, arrived in Delhi on Thursday evening. Lankan PM meets Sushma, Doval Wickremesinghe met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval besides Prime Minister Modi. Apart from the fishermen issue, ways to ramp up the relationship, the slew of Indian projects awaiting clearance by Colombo, regional security and ways to combat terrorism were discussed Ejaz Kaiser By Express News Service RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh police on Saturday detained three journalists in strife-torn Narayanpur district for entering the Abujhmad area, a known maoist hotbed, without informing the authorities, a senior police officer said. Abujhmad is considered as a Maoist conflict-zone and mediapersons have to inform the local polcie before entering the area according to the security protocol in place. One of the three scribes detained is said to be a foreigner, reportedly the Indian correspondent of current affairs magazine The Diplomat. One of the other two was identified as Bastar-based Kamal Shukla. No details of the Pune-based third scribe have emerged. We have detained all three for interrogation as they dodged the instruction of police when they entered the Abujhmad region. They were advised not to venture inside without informing the district administration (Collector or the SP) as the region is hyper-sensitive. But they not only ignored the advisory but clandestinely entered Abujhmad and returned after spending two days inside, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told TNIE. The journalists had been informed of the protocol three days ago, said the SP, adding that they were traced after coming out of the area by another police station and were detained immediately for questioning on how they entered the area. The three were being quizzed on why they entered the area without informing the administration, the actual purpose of their visit, how they went inside avoiding the security protocol in place and what they did inside for two days. They are being interrogated now. If the police find anything extremely dubious and contentious they can also be taken into custody, the district police chief said. State home minister Ramsewak Paikra had informed the Chhattisgarh Assembly that fourteen journalists had been arrested between January 2017 and November 29, 2017 in the state after cases had been registered against them. Kamal Shukla had led a campaign in 2015 in south Chhattisgarh highlighting the plight of media persons, who are reporting under extremely precarious situations in conflict zone sof Bastar, as they are allegedly being targeted by both the police and the Maoists. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service JAMMU: Three soldiers were killed and another Army man critically injured in an attack possibly by Pakistan Army's notorious Border Action Team (BAT) close to the Line of Control (LoC) in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. Two militants were killed in retaliatory firing by the Army. A defence spokesman based in Jammu said soldiers deployed along the LoC in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri noticed a group of militants trying to sneak into the state. He said soldiers fired on the intruding armed militants, who fired back. "Immediately after the initial gunfight, the Army men effectively cordoned off the area and launched a search and destroy operation to flush out the militants," the spokesman said. He said a fierce gunfight broke out during the operation, in which three soldiers and two militants were killed. READ HERE | Three militants, six civilians killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam "Another soldier sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to the Army command hospital in Udhampur," he said. The spokesman said two AK-47 rifles and other ammunition was recovered from the deceased militants. However, an Army official, pleading anonymity, said the attack was possibly a BAT attack. "The BAT team comprising Pakistan Army commandos and heavily armed militants had crossed the LoC in Sunderbani sector and attacked an Army patrol," he said. He said three soldiers were killed and another critically injured in the BAT attack. The deceased soldiers were identified as Havildar Kaushal Kumar of Deeng, Nowshera (J&K), Lance Naik Ranjeet Singh, of Doda (J&K), and Rifleman Rajat Kumar Basan of Pallanwala (J&K). The injured soldier was identified as Rifleman Rakesh Kumar of Samba, J&K. The official said two militants who were part of the BAT team, were killed in the retaliatory firing by soldiers. "Their bodies are lying on this side of the LoC". The incident comes after the abduction and killing of a BSF man along the International Border (IB) in Ramgarh sector of Samba district by Pakistan Army's BAT team on September 19 this year. The throat of the jawan was slit and his eyes gouged out. Pakistan-based militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed had a few days ago released pictures of BSF jawan's belongings on social media that included his BP jacket, five magazines of INSAS rifle and mobile phone. An army official said troops had been placed on high alert along the LoC and International Border (IB) in J&K for possible BAT attacks and rise in infiltration attempts by militants before the onset of winter and closures of the "infiltration routes" by heavy snowfall. He said counter infiltration grid has also been further strengthened to foil any attempt of militants to infiltrate into the State from other side of the LoC. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: Reiterating his governments commitment to bringing about police reforms in order to facilitate a better working environment for the force which ensures law and order, CM Yogi Adityanath on Sunday announced a three-member panel with the mandate to recommend steps for strengthening and modernising the state police force. Speaking on the occasion of Police Smriti Diwas here on Sunday, the CM claimed that 1.25 lakh constables were set to join the force after training by next year. The CM said a three-member commission will be constituted to give recommendations to improve the working conditions of the cops. By the end of 2019, 1.25 lakh constables will join the state police force and it will end the paucity of staff. It will help the force extending better policing to the people, he hoped. Laying stress on time bound promotions in police department, the CM said it would enhance not only the morale of the force but also create a good work culture. As many as 9,892 police men were promoted in 2017 to be followed by another 37,575 cops in 2018 and it is a record, he said. ALSO READ | First lady of South Korea likely to grace Diwali celebrations in Ayodhya, accepts Yogi's invitation The panel will also address the issues related to leaves of the cops so that they can perform their duties without any stress and tension, stated the CM adding that it was imperative for the authorities to make provisions for some leisurely time for the police personnel to spend some with their family. The Chief Minister said the state government was taking necessary initiatives to support the family of those policemen who laid their lives in the line of duty. Elaborating on the initiatives of the state government for the police, the Chief Minister said the Uttar Pradesh government has already increased compensation to the family of a martyr from `20 lakh to `40 lakh, besides hiking the amount given to their parents to `10 lakh. Ejaz Kaiser By Express News Service RAIPUR: The BJP's list of candidates for 78 of the 90 Assembly seats in Chhattisgarh seems to have been influenced by considerations of caste. Farmers, women and younger leaders figure prominently in the list. As many as 53 candidates are from well-off farming backgrounds, 14 are women and those in the fray from 25 constituencies are below the age of 40 years. Interestingly the party has kept its faith in 12 leaders who were defeated in the 2013 polls, while 13 sitting legislators, including Cabinet minister Ramsheela Sahu, have been denied tickets. The party has also released the names for the 29 seats reserved for scheduled tribes and the 10 reserved for scheduled castes in the state. The candidates for the remaining 12 seats are to be declared in the near future, the party stated. "The BJP has given tickets to a good many old faces, apparently to quell any resentment or avoid antagonising their influential leaders, though the winnability factor obviously remains one of the reasons during the selection process. With 15 years of rule in the state, one can't deny the anti-incumbency factor might affect the polling trends", said political analyst Parivesh Mishra. Caste equations in the state's politics remain a major factor, particularly during elections. The party has offered 10 tickets to the Sahu community, and five to Kurmis, with the Brahmins and Agrawals getting four each. Across the plains the OBCs, with around 45 per cent population, are a major factor. The Jain community got three tickets but none among the 78 candidates are Muslim, Sikh or Christian. Former Congress working president Ram Dayal Uike, who joined the BJP previous week in the presence of the party chief Amit Shah will contest from his earlier seat of Pali-Tanakhar in Korba district. Raman Singh will be contesting from Rajnandgaon seat for the third time in a row. The Election Commission of India will conduct polling in two-phases - November 12 and November 20 for 90 seats, in Chhattisgarh. By Express News Service BHOPAL: Two days after a 40-year-old man Rajendra Rajput allegedly committed suicide following a violent clash with an elderly Dalit man in Vidisha district of poll bound Madhya Pradesh, leaders of the Samanya Pichra Alpsankhyak Kalyan Samaj (SAPAKS) Party have alleged that Rajput killed self out of the fear of getting booked and arrested under the amended SC/ST Atrocities Act. The incident happened in Gajar Moondra village under Vidisha Kotwali police station area on Friday, where Rajput, an upper caste man had a violent brawl with Dalit man Sunderlal Ahirwar (60). Ahirwar sustained injuries in the clash. Coming to know about the brawl, a Dial 100 emergency police vehicle rushed to the village and the cops found that Ahirwar had sustained injuries in an attack by Rajput. Suddenly, the cops were informed that Rajput had committed suicide by hanging self inside his house. The cops rushed to the spot and seized the body for autopsy. On Sunday, a team of SAPAKS Party, including senior leaders Vijay Vate and Veena Ghanekar went to the concerned village in Vidisha district and met with Rajputs kin. The duo SAPAKS Party leaders alleged that as per information collected from the village, including statements of the deceased mans kin, Rajput committed suicide after being told by villagers that he would be booked under the amended SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on Ahirwars complaint and subsequently be arrested. The Vidisha district superintendent of police Vineet Kapoor told The New Indian Express on Sunday that the matter has been registered under Section 174 of CrPc and investigations are underway. As of now, nothing has come to fore that could suggest that Rajput ended life out of fear of being booked under SC/ST Atrocities Act, added Kapoor. The two SAPAKS Party leaders demanded Rs one crore compensation to Rajputs family and booking of Ahirwar under Section 306 of IPC for having provoked Rajput to commit suicide. They also announced that prayers in the memory of Rajput would be organized in every district of MP and vowed to intensify the ongoing anti-SC/ST Atrocities Act stir in the state. Importantly, SAPAKS Party, which is spearheading the anti-SC/ST Act protests in the state, has decided to contest all 230 seats in the November 28 assembly polls in the state. By PTI HARIDWAR: Ravindra Singh, who works at a parking lot near the iconic Ramjhula in the Tehri-Garhwal district, said he felt heartbroken the day he learned of the demise of Uttarakhand former chief minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari. Singh, in his late 40s, points to the granite plaque that was unveiled by Tiwari in his capacity as the chief minister in 2005, at the inauguration of the upper storey of the parking lot that faces the Sivananda Ashram at scenic Muni ki Reti, about 3 km from the holy town of Rishikesh. "I was present at the ceremony when Tiwari ji had come to inaugurate the facility. He contributed a lot to the development of our state. He was was a 'Vikas Purush' (man for development)," he told PTI on Sunday. Singh said he read about Tiwari's death the next day through the newspapers. "I didn't watch the TV on Thursday, and the news on Friday came as a shock. He was very dear to the people of Uttarakhand." A Congress veteran, Tiwari who served in various positions at the Centre and in states and was even a strong contender for prime ministership in 1991, died at a private hospital in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. Born on October 18, 1925 in Nainital, he had served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh multiple times, and was the first chief minister of the new hill state that was carved out of UP in 2001. He had the unique distinction of having served as the chief minister of two states, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where his native place is located. In Haridwar, local resident Anil Thapliyal said, Tiwari is still remembered by people of the state for "steering the growth story" of Uttarakhand. "While taking a holy dip in the Ganga at Har ki Pauri Ghat, I also prayed for the repose of his soul," he said. Tiwari was cremated with full state honours Sunday at the Chitrashila Ghat in Nainital district. As the mortal remains of Tiwari were consigned to flames, ordinary people of the hill state, including in capital Dehradun, recalled the former chief minister's contribution to the state. Umesh Negi, a front desk staff at a hotel in Dehradun, said, "Tiwari ji was respected by both senior political leaders and the common man. It is sad he left us, but he did a lot for Uttarakhand as a CM." Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had paid tributes to Tiwari, hours after his death at Max Hospital in south Delhi, where he was admitted September last year after he had suffered a brain stroke. "Uttarakhand will never forget the contribution of Tiwari ji, he played an instrumental role in making the new state stand on its feet through economic and industrial development," he had tweeted on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of various parties had also expressed grief over the death of the veteran politician. "Saddened by the passing away of Shri ND Tiwari Ji. A towering leader, he was known for his administrative skills. He will be remembered for his efforts towards industrial growth & working for the progress of UP and Uttarakhand, a state he steered in its initial days," the Prime Minister had tweeted. Tiwari, who was undergoing treatment at Max Super Speciality Hospital, breathed his last at 2.50 pm on Thursday after he suffered a heart attack, hours after he had turned 93. The body of Tiwari was first sent from Delhi to Lucknow where people paid their respects. It was then brought to Pantnagar in Uttarakhand on Saturday in an air ambulance from Lucknow. From there, it was taken via road to the Kathgodam Guest House for people to pay their respects. Pradip Phanjoubam By The prevalent tendency in the study of the north-east has been to look at the region as an exotic island segregated from the rest of the world and inhabited by equally exotic people untouched by modernity or else spoilt by the sudden encounter with it. Seldom has the region been looked upon as possibly a product of the larger environment within which it exists, which by the very nature of its political geography would transcend national boundaries. Often this outlook is determined by an inherent possessive hubris of a national community wanting to see all territories and peoples within its political geography as essentially a part of the national organic being. Every part of India, therefore, must belong to the India story alone, or the Indian historical mainstream, and any other narrative that does not conform to this standard of national imagining, thereby, becomes deviant and alien, and must ultimately be brought into the mainstream. But the story of the north-east cannot but be honestly told alongside those of the countries which straddle it on practically all sides. This, then, is the problem of the north-east story at its essence, defined by a core contradiction between what is projected as the Indian national mainstream and the different streams that the region expectedly has always also belonged to. The state thus becomes akin to what Peter J. Taylor referred to in a critique, a cultural container. Nothing spills outside it and conversely, nothing from outside spills into it. Any historical stream that tends not to fit perfectly into this container becomes a problem. Furthermore, it is another characteristic of the state to be suspicious of these deviant and non-mainstream histories and peoples. The Indian state has been no exception. Indias first home minister Sadar Vallabhbhai Patels letter of November 7, 1950, to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru is just one alibi of this. In this letter, the leader reverentially referred to in India as the Iron Man is unambiguous in an irredentist suspicion of the non-mainstream north-east. Patels political foresight was remarkable in almost predicting the 1962 war with China at a time when Nehru was befriending China and canvassing for bringing the country into the fold of the United Nations, making India the sole country outside of the Soviet bloc to do so. But in this 1950 letter he also cautions Nehru to be wary of the population of the north-east, whose loyalty to India, he says, has always been suspect: The people inhabiting these portions have no established loyalty or devotion to India. Even Darjeeling and Kalimpong areas are not free from pro-Mongoloid prejudices. European missionaries and other visitors had been in touch with them, but their influence was in no way friendly to India or Indians. Elsewhere, the statesman does acknowledge the cross-border interrelatedness of histories, but this is seen as a matter to be wary of: All along the Himalayas in the north and north-east, we have on our side of the frontier a population ethnologically and culturally not different from Tibetans and Mongoloids. The undefined state of the frontier and the existence on our side of a population with its affinities to the Tibetans or Chinese have all the elements of potential trouble between China and ourselves. Indeed, the conceptualisation of nation as a cultural container becomes extremely problematic in the context of north-east India, approximately 98 per cent of whose physical boundary is international. Little doubt, then, that there can be no other way of studying the place, its histories and peoples without doing so in consonance with those of territories beyond these international borders. In many ways, whatever their biases, colonial historians who worked on maps bigger than the confines of national boundaries provided clearer pictures of the pasts of these peripheral regions. Alexander Mackenzie, Edward Gait and Robert Reid, therefore, remain indispensable in any serious study of the north-east region. It is indeed fascinating to discover on this bigger map how Imperial Russias thrust into Central Asia had an impact on the making of the north-east. Russia and Britain, for instance, ultimately came to a treaty-bound agreement in 1907 for mutual exclusion of each other from Tibet, ultimately leaving the field clear for Chinas entry into Tibet, which in turn profoundly influenced the security environment of the north-east and introduced an element of uncertainty to the northern boundary of the region. Not many have tried to explore these connections. But a few have gone even beyond to suggest the Great Game has a sequel. In Bertil Lintners 2012 book Great Game East, the author argues that after the Great Game in Central Asia concluded in the early 20th century with the changes in power alliances in Europe post WWI, another one began unfolding in South and South East Asia. This time the rivalry is for the control of Asias most volatile frontierthe Indo-Burma region. It is little known, but also fascinating how connected this history has been to the Western Blocs mission of yore of combating the spread of communism. One of the chief protagonists in this conflict theatre was the United States which, through the CIA, once ran operations supporting Tibetan resistance fighters even as the ultimate defeat of Chiang Kai-sheks Chinese nationalist party the Koumintang, KMT, at the hands of Mao Zedongs Chinese communists, became imminent towards 1949. Prior to the 1962 India-China war, when hostilities between India and China were still not open, this was done without Indias participation, and with the assistance of Sikkimese and Nepali sleuths. After the 1962 war, India too became party to this game. In reciprocation, China in the 1970s and 80s, openly extended help to north-east insurgents, beginning with the Nagas. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday defended his governments decision to recommend separate religion status for the Lingayat community. It was a collective decision taken by the cabinet and it had nothing to do with the outcome in the Assembly elections, he said. He was reacting to Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumars remarks that the Siddaramaiah government had committed a blunder by getting involved in religion and the party had to suffer a setback in the Assembly elections. I do not know the context in which Shivakumar made such a statement and it is his personal view, the former CM said, adding that Shivakumar and other ministers were present in the cabinet meeting when the decision to send the recommendation to the Centre was taken. Shivakumars remarks have kicked up a political storm in the state. And this comes ahead of the November 3 bypolls to three Lok Sabha and two Assembly seats. It is seen as an attempt to woo Lingayat voters in North Karnataka, while some also see this as a direct attack on Siddaramaiah. No one can target me or tarnish my image. We have never divided any religion and will never try to do so. It was a decision taken by the government and even the party had nothing to do with it, he added. Siddaramaiah said the issue is not relevant during the bypolls. Meanwhile, former minister M B Patil has decided to take up the issue with the high command. Patil, who was in the forefront of the movement demanding a separate religion status for the Lingayat community, said Shivakumars remarks are unacceptable and he would bring it to the notice of the party high command. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Solar Case has returned to haunt the Opposition Congress, with the Thiruvananthapuram Unit of the Crime Branch registering an FIR against AICC general secretary and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and AICC general secretary and MP K C Venugopal. The FIR is based on a complaint from Solar Case accused Saritha S Nair. Both the leaders are believed to have been arraigned on sexual harassment charges. Though Saritha had accused some of the Congress brass of rape, she is said to have received legal counsel which said the police can act only if she lodged individual complaints against the said leaders. Following this, Saritha is said to have lodged six complaints with the Crime Branch. According to the police, four other FIRs will be registered in the coming days. In August while giving a statement before the Kottarakkara Judicial Magisterial First Class(JMFC), Chandy had alleged Saritha and K B Ganesh Kumar MLA had conspired to level allegations of sexual misconduct against him and other UDF leaders. Furthermore, he pointed out the original letter written by Saritha had only 21 pages and not 25 as claimed. According to Chandy, his name, as well as those of the other UDF leaders, were added to the original letter as a result of the conspiracy. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan MLA on Saturday said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans arrogance is the root cause of the friction at Sabarimala, following the Supreme Courts nod for lifting curbs on womens entry into the Lord Ayyappa temple. Muraleedharan, who is also the KPCC Publicity Committee chairman, told reporters at the state Congress headquarters Indira Bhavan here the Congress is with the believers on the issue and there is no need to ensure the young activists - without any belief in Sabarimala customs and rituals - entry into the temple by force. According to him, though there have been several apex court judgments, including the one on providing land to landless tribals, which were kept in cold storage, the government showed undue haste in implementing the Sabarimala judgment to foment tensions. ALSO READ | Sabarimala protests turn lives of dolly carriers miserable Muraleedharan lashed out at IG Sreejith and sought to know how he could take women activists like Rehana Fathima to Sabarimala temple camouflaged in police uniform. He also rebuked the government decision to deploy a hotheaded police officer like Manoj Abraham in Sabarimala. The Congress leader wondered how the government is going to deal with the issue once the temple opens for the Mandalam poojas. With the entire police force being deployed in Sabarimala, criminals in the state will have a field day . Muraleedharan ridiculed the Chief Minister for running away to the UAE in the guise of collecting funds for rebuilding Kerala and called upon Pinarayi Vijayan to come out with a clear statement on the funds collected during the UAE trip. Accusing the Chief Minister of attempts to create casteist divisions in society, he said the government is playing with fire on the Sabarimala issue. The Congress leader alleged both the BJP and the CPM are playing politics on the issue. BJP reiterates RSS is with the devotees Sabarimala: As protest against the entry of women to Sabarimala continued on Saturday, the BJP has reiterated that the RSS has extended its full support to the protests called by the devotees against the SC verdict. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has already made it clear that the SC verdict has hurt the sentiments of lakhs of devotees. Its clear the RSS is with the devotees in their protests, said BJP general secretary K Surendran. He said the BJP would continue with its protests till devotees get justice. We will be with the devotees and extend full support to them, he said adding that there was no difference of opinion within the BJP in supporting the protests being organised by the devotees. BJP leaders arrested at Nilakkal TPuram: The police on Saturday arrested a six-member BJP team, including senior leaders A N Radhakrishnan and J R Padmakumar, from Nilakkal for violating ban orders in connection with the Sabarimala issue. The BJP leaders went to Nilakkal around 2 pm. Upon reaching Nilakkal by vehicles, they went to the road with the chanting of Saranam Ayyappa. Following this, a police team led by a DySP, took them into custody. They were later taken to the Nilakkal police station. Centre should immediately intervene: P P Mukundan TPuram : BJP leader and party former south zone organising secretary P P Mukundan has called for the immediate intervention of Central Government on the Sabarimala issue. He said the state government is trying to divide society by facilitating to break the rituals and customs of the temple which will lead to the temple becoming a battle zone. He called upon the Chief Minister and the state government to back off from dividing the state on caste lines. Manjus house vandalised TPuram: Hours after Kerala Dalit Federation leader S P Manju attempted to trek the Sabarimala hill shrine, a group of miscreants vandalised her house at Chathanoor. According to the Chathanoor police, the house that came under attack is an abandoned one. Manju, along with her mother and brother, lives in another house and police personnel were deployed there. A case has been registered, said an officer with the Chathanoor police station. Cop cover for Rehana Fathimas house Kochi: The city police have provided security to the house of the Kochi-based rights activist Rehana Fathima. Her house was vandalised by miscreants after she and Kavitha Jakkala, a journalist from Hyderabad, tried to enter Sabarimala temple on Friday. The attack took place soon after Rehanas partner Manoj Sreedhar posted on Facebook about her attempt to enter the Sabarimala temple. Jamaat Council expels Rehana Alappuzha: The Jamaat State Council has expelled Rehana Fatima from the Muslim community. Council state president A Pookunju said in a press release the council directed the Ernakulam Central Muslim Jamaat to expel her and family from the membership of the Mahallu. The release said her act has pained lakhs of Hindu devotees and it was against the rituals of that community. Rahuls bail plea to be considered tomorrow TPuram : The Pathanamthitta Judicial First Class Magistrate postponed to Monday the bail petition of Rahul Easwar, the Sabarimala thantri family member and Save Sabarimala Forum founder. He has been accused of creating communal sentiments at Pampa and Sannidhanam against the SC verdict allowing entry to women of all ages to Sabarimala. On Saturday, Rahul has been shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College hospital after he fasted in Kottarakkara sub-jail for the past two days. Protests: Child rights panel for action TPuram: The Child Rights Commission has directed the state police chief to take action against those who take children to agitations organised by adults. Coming out against the trend, Child Rights Protection Commission chairperson P Suresh said the practice of children being asked to take part in such activities should end. Antony blames Govts immature stance TPuram: Congress working committee member A K Antony has said the immature stance taken by the state government and its unnecessary reins on the Travancore Devaswom Board led to the present stalemate on Sabarimala issue. He said the undue haste shown by the government without consulting anyone in implementing this order has led to the present crisis. Chennithala slams BJP double game TPuram: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday lashed out at the BJP over its alleged double game on the Sabarimala issue, while trashing BJP state chief P S Sreedharan Pillais claim of the Congress-led UDF having given upon the issue as being contrary to facts. Chennithala said right from the start the Congress and the UDF took an unambiguous stance the party and front are not for direct protests on the issue but will extend their support to devotees. He said the BJP leader is hiding the facts and levelling baseless allegations. According to Chennithala, the BJP while supporting the entry of women into Sabarimala at the national level is instigating the cadre in the state and this amounted to duplicity. Thiruvanchoor assails Centre, state Kottayam: Senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said though both the Centre and the state government are empowered to enact laws to bypass the Supreme Court order on Sabarimala, those at the helm of affairs are unwilling to avail themselves of it. The Centre is vested with the necessary powers to bring in ordinance. The President has special discretionary powers to enact laws in matters which affect the interests of millions of people. This apart, the President can refer the issue to the Supreme Court. As per entry seven of 7th Schedule, pilgrimages come under the state government and it can enact laws exclusively for Sabarimala, to protect the interests of the devotees. However, neither the Centre nor the state has explored these options, he told reporters here on Saturday. Temple tradition should be respected: Rajinikanth Chennai: Actor Rajinikanth on Saturday said age-old tradition in the Sabarimala temple should be respected with regard to entry of women to the shrine. However, Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan declined to comment on the issue. Asked about the SC verdict on Sabarimala, Rajinikanth said There is no second opinion on the view that women should be given equal rights. But, when it comes to temples, each would have certain unique age-old traditional practices. It is my humble view that no one should interfere in that. ALSO READ | No one should interfere in age-old traditions of Sabarimala, says Rajinikanth G Sudhakaran flays Sabarimala thantri Alappuzha: Works Minister G Sudhakaran has flayed Sabarimala thantri Kandararu Rajeevaru for threatening to lock the doors of the sanctum sanctorum if women were allowed to enter the temple. The minister was speaking to reporters here on Saturday. The thantri made the statement as if closing the Sabarimala temple is like downing the shutters of shops during hartal. We are witnessing the end of feudal priesthood in the state. The public should discuss the thantris stance, Sudhakaran said. The minister said there was no need to examine the background of those going to Sabarimala. It is unfortunate that women had to return without entering the shrine, he said. Case against social media users for comments against cops TPuram: The Museum police have registered a case against 12 persons who allegedly posted defamatory comments and remarks on social media against State Police Chief Loknath Behera and IG Manoj Abraham pertaining to the Sabarimala issue. The police booked them following a complaint by the Cyber Cell. The police said they have submitted the FIR to the Cyber Cell for further action, including arrests. The accused had allegedly made derogatory comments against the top police officers on handling the Sabarimala issue. They have been booked under Section 153A and Section 294 B of the Indian Penal Code. By Online Desk PAMBA: As the Sabarimala row in Kerala refuses to die down, Ayyappa devotees Sunday prevented three Telugu-speaking women from climbing the holy hills. The protesters chanting Ayyappa mantra stopped the women, said to be in their 40s, at the foothills itself. The women were accompanied by their relatives. The police, which took the women to safety, said that the women informed the security forces that they came to Sabarimala without knowing the customs of the temple. The women were part of a pilgrims group visiting temples in Kerala. They have been taken to Nilackal where their vehicle was parked, police said. The protesters, however, allowed other women in the above 50 age group to climb the holy hills. Meanwhile, two of the women from Andhra Pradesh, gave in writing to the police that they did not want to break the centuries-old custom of the temple, sources said. Sunday is the fifth day since the temple gates were opened for the monthly puja after the Supreme Court last month lifted a centuries-old ban on women between 10 and 50 years entering the Lord Ayyappa shrine. Meanwhile, the Sabarimala Karma Samithi has decided to strengthen its agitation against the CPI(M)-led Kerala government's "hasty" move to implement the Supreme Court order. The Samiti has called for "namajapa yatra" (protest march chanting Ayyappa mantra) to police stations across the southern state against alleged police action on their activists. Hundreds of women participated in one such protest march held in Erumeli, a key pilgrim centre connected with Sabarimala. BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai urged the state government to convene assembly session to discuss the issue. He claimed that even CPI(M) members in the state were opposing the bid to break the custom of the ancient shrine. CPI(M) politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai said the protesters did not have the support of the Kerala society. Kerala state police chief Loknath Behera said the police will conduct a review of the alleged police lapses while handling the issues related to Sabarimala after the doors of the shrine close on Monday after the monthly Pooja. He said the Sabarimala pilgrim season beginning next month was going to be a challenging one for them. Kerala has been witnessing massive protests by Lord Ayyappa devotees opposing the entry of girls and women of menstrual age into the Sabarimala temple since the government decided to implement the apex court order. On Saturday, SP Manju (38), the Kerala Dalit Mahila Federation President, abandoned her attempt to visit Sabarimala after being denied the special security cordon. ALSO READ: Political slugfest as Sabarimala pilgrimage progresses Inspector General Sreejith had said the heavy rain made it very difficult for his team to attempt the trek and this was conveyed to Manju. Manju, who has allegedly been named in as many as 14 criminal cases, first met the cops to seek protection for paying darshan to Lord Ayyappa. The state intelligence department verified the activist's antecedents before deciding against throwing special security cordon around her because of the heavy rain. ALSO READ: Worry lines deepen as lower footfalls hit business hard Manju, a Kollam resident had come dressed in traditional attire and was carrying the irumudi kettu, consisting of coconut, camphor, incense stick, row rice and flowers, decided to head back home a short while later, according to reports. She had insisted that her visit was as a devotee wanting to have a darshan of Lord Ayyappa and not as an activist. On Friday, 46-year-old woman Mary Sweety made a failed attempt to climb the shrine. Her houses at Thumba and Murukkumpuzha were vandalised by unidentified persons. However, cases were not registered since no complaints were lodged with the police. ALSO READ: Will visit again when I turn 50, says 9-year-old TN girl with placard On the same day, Kochi-based rights activist Rehana Fathima and a Hyderabad journalist Kavitha Jakkala tried to enter the Swami Ayyappa temple few hours before Mary. Rehana's house too was attacked by unidentified men. New York Times journalist Suhasini Raj, on Thursday, while undertaking a trek along with her male foreign colleague towards the hill shrine, faced stone-pelting and abuses from protesters. Although she was under police protection, the Delhi-based scribe abandoned the trip. (With Inputs from ENS and Agencies) Express News Service SABARIMALA: As Devotees trickled in and out his 3,000-sqft hotel at Sannidhanam, A Salim shifted his position at the cash counter uneasily. He had prepared for a busy pilgrim season, but lower footfalls following the Supreme Court verdict and the ensuing protests have turned his calculations upside down. Salim, who won the tender again to run the largest hotel at the Sannidhanam bidding Rs 1.71 crore, said he used to earn over Rs 1 lakh in a day last year. But he is now struggling to find money to meet the day-to-day expenses, including the salary of his employees. ALSO READ | Despite tension at sannidhanam, devotees offer prayers peacefully We look forward to this season. The controversial order has stopped people from entering the hill shrine. We were earning Rs 1 lakh in a day last year, but now we get Rs 30,000 a day. After the Supreme Court order, devotees are scared of visiting the place. The agitation at Nilakkal also stopped people from coming here, Salim told Express. The impact of lower footfalls is also felt by other hoteliers. Our hotel owner won the bid by spending nearly `70 lakh. To be profitable we will have to make `1 lakh in a day. But now we are in a state of despair as we are struggling to meet the day-to-day expenses. The controversies over the entry of women have literally made our life difficult, said a hotel worker, who preferred not to be identified. Ratheesh, who works in a small shop said the business has been affected badly this season. Every year, the devotee footfall in the last leg of Sabarimala season goes up high. This is the first time I seeing such a situation. Besides, the Supreme Court the recent flood also has played a major role in stopping people from other states to visit the hill shrine, he said. Not just the established hotels, even the wayside eateries are facing the heat. By Express News Service BALANGIR: A nine-year-old boy, whose headless body was recovered near Sundimunda village under Sindhekela police limits in the district earlier this week, was sacrificed by his uncle and cousin brother, police said on Saturday. Police cracked the murder mystery of the minor boy, identified as Mithun Rana, and arrested his uncle Kunja Rana and cousin Sobhaban Rana. Police also seized a Mantra book and a motorcycle from their possession. According to police, the accused confessed to their crime during interrogation. They had reportedly sacrificed the nine-year-old to appease the Goddess for fulfilment of their wishes. The accused were later forwarded to a local court. Mithun had gone missing since October 13 and his beheaded body was found near Undei river bank, five km from his house, on Tuesday. On being informed by locals, his father Hira Rana rushed to the spot and identified the body. He had lodged a complaint alleging murder of his son at Sindhekela police station. By Express News Service SALEM: Opposition leader M K Stalins disinformation campaign is a fallout of his inability to come to power, said Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami at Omalur Rural District Party Office here on Saturday. The Chief Minister was on a two-day visit to Salem. Lashing out at Stalin, Palaniswami said that the former was not even qualified to function as an active opposition leader. Refuting the allegations that he had issued tenders of major works to his relatives, Palaniswami said, We are following similar norms as was done by the DMK government for awarding tenders. I did not provide any tender to my family or relatives. Moreover, there is no such scope as tenders are issued online. Taking a dig at DMK, he added, In 2006, for laying roads, the DMK spent Rs 12 crore per kilometre. However, now they have filed a case against the present government mentioning that Rs 2.20 crore is enough for laying roads of similar span. In 2008, they spent 77 per cent more funds than was allotted. I have discussed the matter with legal experts. Soon, action will be taken against them. Talking about the present tender norms, he said, The present tender mandates that roads should be maintained for ten years. Apart from this, the National Highways Commission is permitting Rs 25 crore per kilometre. When asked about the current Sabarimala issue, the chief minister refrained from sharing his opinion on the apex court verdict. On measures against dengue, he said that the government has been taking precautionary measures to protect people. Informing that the Seventh Pay Commissions recommendation has been implemented by his government, the chief minister claimed that compared to other states, his government is the best. TN government spent over Rs 14,719 crore for implementing the Seventh Pay Commissions recommendation, he added. J Deepti Nandan Reddy By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Kicking off the grand old partys election campaign in Telangana, AICC chief Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a scathing attack against Telanganas caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi drawing parallels between the two leaders highlighting how they have both not just failed in fulfilling promises, but also looted the publics money through corrupt practices. Addressing his first public meeting after the Telangana Assembly elections were announced, Rahul Gandhi took on KCR at Bhainsa, a town in northern Telangana. The whole nation revers Bhimrao Ambedkar, but KCR does not like his name. KCR has rechristened BR Ambedkar Pranahita Chevella as Kaleshwaram Project and increased its construction cost from Rs 38,000 crore to Rs 1 lakh crore. Why did he increase the cost? Because he wants to loot money belonging to the people of Telangana. He has also increased the cost of Rajiv Sagar and Indira Sagar projects from Rs 2,500 crore to Rs 12,000 crore in the name of redesigning. Redesigning is KCRs ploy to loot money for the benefit his family and friends, Rahul alleged. The TRS government, he claimed, had failed to fulfil its promises of providing a job to each and every family, issue three acres of land to scheduled caste landless farmers, construct double-bedroom houses for the poor, implement free KG to PG education and supply safe drinking water to each and every family. Stressing that he has never given a promise which went unfilled in his 15-year-long career, the Congress chief said, I have never made a false promise in my 15-year-long political career. Congress has always fulfilled its promises. We only speak truth. If you want to listen to lies you can attend KCR and Modis meetings. Congress will form government in TS and at the Centre. He promised that his party will waive farm loans of up to Rs 2 lakh, fill one lakh government jobs within one year, guarantee remunerative prices for all crops in the State, provide Rs 3,000 unemployment allowance for youth. Rahul Gandhi also used Telangana battleground to train guns at Modi. Narendra Modi has promised that he does not want to be a PM but Chowkidar. But Modi has been a chowkidar of rich Indians like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, Vijay Mallya but not to people. He made the poor people stand in line with demonetisation and transferred the money of poor, farmers, small traders into the pockets of rich. The PM has taken away Rafale deal from HAL and gave it to his friend Anil Ambani's company, transferring Rs 30,000 crore of public money into Anil Ambani pocket. Chowkidar has become chor (thief), Rahul thundered. While Rahul presented Congress as a better alternative to rule Telangana, he also used the opportunity to attack BJP and AIMIM in his day-long tour.The Congress president also accused the TRS government of being hand in glove with the BJP government at the Centre. TRS supports every act of Modi in Delhi. And joins hands with AIMIM in Telangana. These three parties want to divide people. Only Congress can unite all the people, Rahul asserted. Whose chowkidar? Rahul Gandhi used his visit to Telangana to train guns at Modi. Narendra Modi has promised that he does not want to be a PM, but a chowkidar. But Modi has played chowkidar to rich Indians like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya, not the common man, he said. TRS, BJP trying to divide people The Congress president accused the TRS of being hand in glove with the BJP government at the Centre. The TRS, BJP and AIMIM want to divide people on the grounds of caste, religion and region, he said. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Rahul Gandhi struck a chord with the people of Telangana, as Indian National Congress chief went hyper local in his speeches at Bhainsa, Kamareddy and Charminar. Starting with a reverent mention of legendary tribal leader Kumaram Bheem, Rahul Gandhi spoke of introducing Forest Rights Protection Act speaking at Bhainsa, a region inhabited by large number of tribals. UPA government brought Adivasi Bill for Adivasis to protect and ensure that they get the full benefit from their Jal..Jungle..Zameen, said Rahul trying to strike a chord with local people. Congress president bettered his local outreach speaking later at Kamareddy saying, Telangana movement was for neellu (water)..nidhulu (funds)..niyamakalu (jobs). People of all sections fought for Telangana. Congress played a key role in Telangana formation. While farmers, labourer, youth, Adivasis, Dalits, Minorities and other sections saw a dream where people of all sections share the benefits of a new State, but after five years people have realised that KCR has done corruption and betrayed. Congress will fulfil the dream of Telangana people. KCR does not have money to help farmers, to create jobs, to provide education and health but has money to construct his home with Rs 300 crore. KCR does not have money to reopen Nizam Sugar Factory. He has failed even in bringing Turmeric Board to Nizamabad. Rahuls mentioning of local issues elicited immediate response from the crowd. Speaking further at Kamareddy, Rahul alleged that KCR has done corruption in open and pushed the State into a debt trap, saying that every family has a debt of Rs 2,60,000 on its head in Telangana. Finally speaking at Charminar in the Old City area of Hyderabad, a busy tourist and shopping location, Rahul explained how demonetisation has left many poor, street vendors, small shop owners penniless. Donita Jose By HYDERABAD: Hyderabad still has a long way to go when it comes to making women feel safe at their workplace. With the #MeToo movement bringing awareness of workplace harassment into the public consciousness, the country has been shocked out of its ignorance, or rather indifference, about the issue. In Hyderabad and its surrounding districts, it turns out, the issue begs for more awareness. Local Complaint Committees (LCC) in these districts, which can be crucial tools to deal with sexual harassment cases, were formed only a few months ago. This is nearly five years after the law mandating their formation was enacted. And, since their formation, except for the LCC in Hyderabad, the others have not received any complaints so far. Even in Hyderabad, the committee has received only four complaints in a period of four months, out of which two have been disposed off to the dissatisfaction of the complainants. READ| #MeToo: Not a single complaint lodged with NCW yet An LCC is made in accordance with the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act 2013 and is formed at the district level under the Collectors supervision. It looks into cases of sexual harassment at workplace where there is no ICC (Internal Complaints Committee) or when the accused is the employer or when the victims belong to unorganised sectors like domestic work. The Hyderabad LCC, which came into being only on July 12 this year, five years after the law was enacted, registered only four cases. Of these cases, one was related to Telugu actor Sri Reddy and another was based on the complaint of a female gym instructor alleged to have been harassed by her employers friend. Neither of these cases were resolved since there wasnt enough evidence. We couldnt find sufficient evidence since the girl (gym instructor) approached us six months after the incident. We could not even retrieve CCTV footage from the location. Investigations can be quite difficult, said Jameela Nishat, a member of the LCC. The Sri Reddy case also hit a dead end as the multiple instances of alleged harassment were said to have happened years ago and there was no evidence to corroborate her claims. No cases at Medchal and Rangareddy The Rangareddy LCC, which has jurisdiction over the IT zone of the city has not received even a single case since its inception in July. We got only one case, but the complainant herself withdrew it, said G Rama, an LCC member. The Medchal LCC also has registered zero cases since inception six months ago.It remains unclear as to why the committees were not formed for such a long time when the law mandated their formation five years ago. Sources in the committees credit the State Commission for Women and the previous Hyderabad Collector Yogitha Rana who are said to have lobbied hard for their formation. Whatever the reason may be, the committees absence affected survivors who were looking for sympathetic ears to their horrifying stories and someone to investigate into their complaints.In 2017, one of my colleagues inappropriately touched me during a tea break. Since the office was a start-up and had just 2 female employees I had to take it up with the boss. To my horror, he suggested me to go on a long leave and forget about it. I quit the company knowing no action would be taken, said a survivor on condition of anonymity adding, If things like the LCC existed back then, and if we knew how to approach it, I may still have had my job.In the absence of proper redressal mechanisms in private companies, most women look to the National Commission of Women which has been receiving their complaints. However, even here, only 58 complaints were received in the last 4 years from Telangana. This is lower than Karnataka and Tamil Nadu which saw 111 and 105 cases in the same time. Richa Sharma By Delhiites are staring at yet another toxic winter ahead as burning fields in neighbouring states like Haryana and Punjab have sent the air pollution levels in Delhi and satellite towns like Gurugram soaring. The air quality in most parts of the national capital is already into the very poor zone and the situation is only likely to worsen as the temperatures dip. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Indias top pollution watchdog, the quality of air in Delhi- NCR during the week was very poor. It is expected to remain at the same level or worsen in the days to come. For several years now, air pollution levels have been a major worry in Delhi, which comes to resemble a gas chamber in the winters. There has been a series of court cases against air pollution resulting in series of directions for states to take mitigating steps. The authorities have also come out with several plans to check pollution. For instance, there is now a comprehensive action plan of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, a plan proposed by the NITI Aayog, measures suggested by the National Green Tribunal and a graded response action plan prepared under the direct guidance of the Supreme Court and environment experts. However, what is lacking is the will to strictly implement these plans and measures. Also, some of these steps especially putting a check on paddy stubble burning by farmers after the monsoon will require close coordination among various states, which is easier said than done.Experts believe the government is neither addressing the demands of farmers to stop them from stubble burning nor is it finalising the National Clean Air Plan to tackle pollution in other cities likely to face a similar situation in future. Agriculture expert Devinder Sharma says that pushing technology is not the solution to stubble burning as it will only help a few companies manufacturing these machines. The happy seeder technology propagated by the authorities as a solution to check stubble burning involves buying several other equipments and small farmers and landowners will not be able to purchase it, he says. Punjab and Haryana farmers have been demanding monetary compensation to stop stubble burning and they should be provided the same. Everyone is blaming the farmers for pollution in Delhi, but stubble burning is not a major source of pollution; there are others sources that should be checked. Farmers have a small window of 15-20 days between cutting of paddy and sowing of rabi crops. There should be some sustainable solution rather than machines, says Sharma. Some of the issues that plague the implementation of the plans to tackle pollution are poor coordination among various implementing authorities, lack of communication between state and central agencies and shortage of funding, cited by the state governments as reason, and lack of proper monitoring. For the past few years, Delhi has remained among the worlds most polluted cities, as per the list prepared by the WHO. Under fire from courts, the authorities have launched several initiatives. For instance, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan last week launched an Early Warning System that can predict extreme air pollution events 72 hours in advance and give necessary alerts. Vardhan said the CPCB has constituted a 41-member team that will continuously monitor the air pollution levels in Delhi and NCR and will report to the board. Badarpur thermal power plant is being closed; western peripheral expressway is likely to become operational in November, the Centre has released nearly Rs 600 crore to states concerned for in-situ management of crop residue and a slew of mitigation measures have been taken, he added. How much impact these measures will have will be visible only after some time. Environmentalists affirm that these steps are not sufficient, but are happy that at least a plan has been put in place. We have a comprehensive plan in place to check what measures are to be taken when the levels of pollution increase. The issue is implementation as it involves measures to be taken by all departments power, transport, urban development, PWD, construction sector and others, said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment. She says the monitoring of the implementation of these measures remains an issue and also whether the departments concerned in Delhi and neighbouring cities like Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Faridabad have the resources and capabilities to implement and monitor these. The plan is legally binding and there is an SC-appointed committee to monitor that the measures are followed in letter and spirit in Delhi-NCR. But there is an urgent need to expand these measures countrywide. Many Tier 1 and 2 cities are grappling with air pollution, but theres no action plan to check air pollution there, Roychowdhury said. Ramananda Sengupta By NEW DELHI: Chinese President Xi Jinpings signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is going through a rough stretch. Over the past few months, countries like Malaysia, Myanmar, the Maldives and Nepal have either cancelled or put on hold several projects in their countries related to the massive inter-continental connectivity project. Several central Asian and African nations are also reviewing their commitment to the project. Some estimates say that projects worth more than $30 billion have been scrapped so far and other loans and investments are under review. Even Pakistan, a close ally of China, has proposed a significant recasting of the terms of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key section of the BRI, and set up a nine-member committee to review the entire project. The pushback comes at a time comes at a time when Beijing faces a trade war with the United States (US) and increasing western aggression and anti-China alliances in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, the US, the European Union (EU) and India have all initiated infrastructure and development programmes aimed at diluting Chinas dollar diplomacy. While India has revived an interest in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), which aims to ramp up economic cooperation among nations along the Bay of Bengal and littoral states, the EU, which has been suspicious of Chinas BRI intentions, has launched a new Connectivity Strategy which seeks to link Europe and Asia economically, digitally and culturally. At the same time, the US has quietly set up a new foreign aid agency the United States International Development Finance Corporation which aims to provide $60 billion in loans, loan guarantees and insurance to companies willing to do business in developing nations. Speaking to the Voice of America, Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs referred to these continuing cancellations and the ever-shifting landscape of Chinese global investment as a case of Belt and Road indigestion.However, he also felt that concerns about debt traps and debt diplomacy will not have an impact on China going forward, even though stops, starts and cancellations will continue. Bhaskar Roy, a former intelligence officer who has served in China, concurs, saying that Beijing would follow Maos dictum of two steps forward, one step back which ensures that it is always at least one step ahead while seemingly conceding to opposing interests. Another Indian official believes that for China, and Xi in particular, the BRI is too big to fail, and that despite all the pushback and opposition in some quarters, there will always be countries able and amenable to the idea of easy money from China, debt traps be damned. According to him, while everyone cites Sri Lankas Hambantota port complex as a classic example of the Chinese debt trap they forget that it is but one of 42 or more ports that China has invested in, from the Pacific all the way to Africa and Europe. Djibouti, where China has already set up a military base, is probably going to be the next Hambantota. Sumi Sukanya Dutta By The #MeToo movement in India was long overdue, feels National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma, who says that more and more women opening up about their experiences signifies that an enabling environment has been created today where women can speak about the harassment they faced without the fear of being stigmatised. However, she insists that the reluctance of the victims to approach the NCW is by no means a reflection on the commission. In an interview to Sumi Sukanya Dutta, Sharma exhorts the victims to come to the NCW and take their complaints to a logical end. A campaign to call out harassers at workplace under #MeToo has finally picked up in India. What do you think about the whole thing? It was long overdue and I think it happened late in India because internationally the movement started over a year ago. Although people should make a fuss then and there (in case of sexual harassment at workplace), but even if the victims are sharing experiences now, it is good that somebody started it and many followed. Rekha Sharma| amit bandre Sometimes, people, in this case women, need a kind of trigger to join a movement because they want to be handheld. I am happy that women are coming out and talking; we have that kind of environment where women can talk about it. Till now, women were not even ready to talk about problems. But still, I will insist all the women who have specific complaints should take them forward legally. The NCW took a few days to issue a statement on the #MeToo movement. Why this delay? I dont think that is correct. On the first day actress Tanushree (Dutta) started talking about it, we tweeted urging her to come to us. After that, we started approaching her officially, but somehow it was very difficult to reach her. She was not taking calls; her manager did not connect us to her. I shared my number with her manager asking for a call back, but even then I did not receive any response. Despite a mandatory Internal Complaints Committee in every company under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace law, many women do not approach these committees. They probably do not have confidence that this committee will take their complaints seriously because of the experiences. What are your views? In a number of companies, women who have been harassed do approach the ICCs. But it is true that we get a lot of complaints from harassed women who feel their voices have not been given enough weightage. In some cases, ICCs are not formed properly even if its there; in others, there are no ICCs at all. In some cases, women are not satisfied with what the ICC has decided. But in such cases, we have limited role. We ask for the ICC report and if the complainant wants, we help her take it forward with the police. In some instances, we put pressure on ICCs to act fast and judiciously and that has yielded some good results. There are just a few cases that have come to the NCW so far (under the #MeToo movement) even though dozens of women have come out and named their harassers. Is it because women feel that the commission has limited or no role in such cases? So far, five-six women have approached us and we are taking appropriate measure in each case. Women have to understand that the NCW is the right platform if they want to take their cases to a logical end. We take up all the cases to police and ensure that all cases reach the courts. And that should be everybodys agenda. But at the same time we do realise that some cases are very old, up to 20 years. Thats why we are also making a point that there should be no time limit on reporting such cases. But to those who are sitting at home believing that nothing can be done, my argument would be, why not give it a try? We can probably make a panel of lawyers to help such women. So many possibilities are there, but the harassed women have to take the first step. The movement has shown that probably workplaces are not safe enough for women yet or the existing laws are not being implemented properly. What do you think the NCW can do to make workplaces more equal and safer for women? We have a sensitisation programme on Sexual Harassment at Workplace law, where we fund state commissions to organise workshops periodically. We will now step up our efforts further. At present, probably state commissions organise these workshops in 8-10 places, but we will now take it to every district of the country. The idea is to make every working woman aware that there are certain tools they have if they are being subjected to any sexual exploitation at work and they must use them. In the Kerala nun rape case, you had said that the system of confession in churches should be stopped because that leads to blackmailing of women. That recommendation to the Union government created quite a flutter... When I gave this suggestion, many Christian groups came forward to protest this and said the NCW should not intervene in religious matters, though some also welcomed the recommendation But the majority felt out views hurt their religious sentiments. So we changed our recommendation to the government. We then said the churches should ensure that this practice is not misused and women are not exploited sexually because of this. NCW has long been accused of being used as a political tool by the party holding power at the Centre. Many people are of the view that under you, it has made maximum noise in Opposition-ruled states like West Bengal but does not say or do much when the cases occur in BJP-ruled states. What would you say about that? I can talk about the time that I have been here and I have been to Haryana to carry out many inquiries personally, and it is a BJP-ruled state. I have also gone to Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand to probe cases which are all governed by the BJP. My members have been sent to do extensive inquiries in Madhya Pradesh, too. But media only highlights what it wants to. On social media too, people who do not probably even know the expansion of NCW, bash us. So its easy for everybody to just say negative things about us. People need to see and understand the amount of work we do. I am not saying I am doing anything out of ordinary; I am doing certain work I am mandated to do, but if somebody says we do not do our job, it hurts. By PTI ISTANBUL: An Istanbul-based journalists' group on Saturday demanded punishment for those who ordered the killing of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabian consulate. "We demand that not only the 18 men but those who commanded (the killing) are punished," said Turan Kislakci, head of the Turk-Arab Media Association (TAM), of which Khashoggi was a member. ALSO READ | Jamal Khashoggi criticizes Saudi prince in newly released interview Saudi Arabia admitted on Friday that the journalist, a Washington Post contributor and Riyadh critic, died during a "brawl" inside its Istanbul consulate -- after persistent claims that he left the consulate alive on October 2. Riyadh announced the arrest of 18 Saudis and the sacking of two top aides of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has faced mounting international pressure over Khashoggi's disappearance. Turkish police and prosecutors searched this week both the consulate and the consul's residence in Istanbul. But it remains unclear where the journalist's body is. ALSO READ | Jamal Khashoggi: From Saudi royal insider to open critic "There's only one thing that matters right now. Give Jamal back to us. Give him back so that we can hold his funeral," Kislakci told journalists outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Let the whole world watch the funeral of Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in a dark room in a horrific manner. Turkish media outlets claimed there were audio tapes in which Khashoggi's alleged killers tortured him by cutting his fingers off before his decapitation. By PTI COLOMBO: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Saturday expressed grief over the death of 59 people, run over by a train during Dussehra celebrations in Amritsar, Punjab. In a series of tweets, Khan said "Saddened to learn of the tragic train accident in Amritsar India". "Condolences go to the families of the deceased," he tweeted. ALSO READ | Amritsar train tragedy: Worst accident caused by trespassing in the history of railways At least 59 people were killed and 72 injured Friday evening after a crowd of Dussehra revellers that had spilled onto railway tracks while watching burning of Ravana effigy was run over by a train. Officials said at least 60 bodies have been found and many more injured have been admitted to a government hospital. ( Photo | AP) The train was coming from Punjab's Jalandhar city when the accident occurred at Joda Phatak near Amritsar, where at least 300 people were watching 'Ravana dahan' at a ground adjacent to the tracks. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena also wrote to his Indian counterpart Ramnath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extending his condolence over the incident. "Sri Lanka stands in solidarity with the people of India at this time of difficulty and our thoughts and prayers are with those affected," Sirisena said in his message to Kovind, according to Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry release. "The people of Sri Lanka join me in extending heartfelt condolences to you," he said in his message to Modi. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who at present is in New Delhi, in his message to Modi said: "I am deeply saddened to hear about the tragic train accident in Amritsar last night. Forty of the 59 people killed in the accident have been identified and the bodies of 36 were cremated on Saturday. By Associated Press JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he has decided to postpone the planned demolition of a West Bank hamlet to allow time for a negotiated solution with its residents, in a move that appeared aimed at staving off the fierce international condemnation such a demolition would likely entail. Israel has come under heavy criticism, with major European countries urging it to avoid the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar. The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor recently said such a move could constitute a war crime. READ| Israel reopens people, goods crossings to Gaza Israeli officials said alternative solutions have arrived in recent days from various sources and Netanyahu wanted to give them a chance. That sparked criticism from Netanyahu's hard-line coalition partners who are demanding decisive action. In response, Netanyahu clarified that the hamlet would be razed, and his delay was not open-ended. "Khan al-Ahmar will be evacuated, it's a court ruling, that's our policy and it will be done," he said. "I have no intention of postponing this until further notice, contrary to reports, but rather for a short, defined period of time." Netanyahu said he will convene his Cabinet on Sunday to decide the duration of the delay. Israel says the Palestinian Bedouin encampment of corrugated shacks outside an Israeli settlement was illegally built in an unsafe location near a major highway. It has offered to resettle residents a few miles (kilometers) away in what it says are improved conditions with connections to water, electricity and sewage treatment they currently lack. But critics say it's impossible for Palestinians to get building permits and that the demolition plan is meant to make room for the expansion of an Israeli settlement. READ| Clashes erupt in West Bank's Nablus as Israel closes Palestinian school Israel's Supreme Court recently rejected a final appeal, paving the way for Khan al-Ahmar's demolition. The encampment of 180 residents has become a rallying cry for Palestinians, who have staged large-scale protests at the site for the past few months. Much of the high-level European engagement derives from concerns that such demolitions could threaten the prospect of a contiguous Palestinian state, at a time of already fading hopes for a two-state solution. For the Palestinians, it is seen as part of a creeping annexation of territory they seek for a future state. The village is in the 60 percent of the West Bank known as Area C, which remains under exclusive Israeli control and is home to dozens of Israeli settlements. Israel places restrictions on Palestinian development there and home demolitions are not unusual. As part of interim peace deals in the 1990s, the West Bank was carved up into autonomous and semi-autonomous Palestinian areas, known as Areas A and B, and Area C, which is home to some 400,000 Israeli settlers. The Palestinians claim all the West Bank and say that Area C, home also to an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 Palestinians, is crucial to their economic development. Waleed Assaf, who heads the Palestinian department of settlement affairs, welcomed the Israeli announcement but said opposition would continue "until the Israelis completely revoke the demolition order." "I think the international pressure, particularly from the EU, and the clear warning from the ICC that the removal of this West Bank hamlet amounts to a war crime prompted the new Israeli decision," he said. Israel says the case of Khan al-Ahmar is a simple matter of law and order. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman made it clear he favors demolishing the hamlet without delay. Naftali Bennett, head of the pro-settler Jewish Home party, adopted an even stronger tone. "This is illegal building whose destruction was approved by the Supreme Court," he tweeted. "In a nation of laws, you enforce the law even if the international community objects and threatens." By PTI WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has alleged that his predecessor Barack Obama had done nothing despite being advised by the FBI on likely Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential elections. He was responding to a question on the Russian meddling in the US elections after a rally in Nevada Saturday, ahead of next month's midterm polls. Russia, however, has denied the allegations. "I've already said that. I always say this and you've heard me say this many times. President Obama was contacted by the FBI in September, long before the election in November, and they told him there may be meddling by the Russians, and he did nothing about it, because he thought Hillary Clinton would win," Trump told reporters. He said the present government has taken adequate steps to "protect" the upcoming elections. "He (Obama) did nothing. He didn't lift a finger, he didn't spend a dime. We've done a lot to protect the elections coming up very shortly. But president Obama, people don't want to bring it up. The 'fake news' don't want to bring it up. President Obama was told in September by the FBI that there could be problems with Russian meddling," Trump said. He also said the Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential elections did not have to do anything with his campaign then. "It had nothing to do with my campaign. All of the hackers, and everybody that you see, nothing to do with my campaign. If they are hackers, a lot of them probably liked Hillary Clinton better than me. Now they do. Now they do," he said. "The good thing is, every single report, Sen. Richard Burr, head of the Senate intelligence, they said, Did you see any collusion?' No collusion. I've seen no collusion whatsoever.' Very strong. Couldn't be stronger. But the good news is it never affected, whatever did take place, never affected the vote," Trump said. He said, "Everybody agrees to that. Never affected the vote. The candidate affected the vote. The bad candidate. She should have gone to Wisconsin. She should have gone more to North Carolina; Pennsylvania; Michigan, Florida." Clinton should have gone out a little bit more and worked a little bit harder. "That affected the vote", Trump said. By PTI WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has said the US will get to the bottom of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi case and asserted he would not like to scrap an arms deal with Riyadh, amid a global outrage over the dissident scribe's death. Saudi Arabia in a statement Saturday said Khashoggi (60) died following a "fistfight" at its consulate in Istanbul on October 2, without disclosing any details on the whereabouts of his body. "It is something that we don't like. It's very serious stuff. And we're going to get to the bottom of it and will make that determination," Trump told reporters in Nevada on Saturday. His comment came when asked about his previous statement that he would be considering severe consequences for Saudi Arabia following the journalist's death. Trump also said the Congress would have a role to play in it. "We'll have very much Congress involved in determining what to do," he said. Responding to a question, the US president indicated that he would let the Congressmen take lead on the issue of particularly determining the action that needs to be taken against Saudi Arabia. However, he insisted that he would not like to scrap the mega arms and investment deal, worth USD 450 billion, with Saudi Arabia as this would impact over 6,00,000 jobs in the US. The president said he is also speaking with states where jobs could be impacted. Trump said "sanctions" is one of the things that he would consider. "Could be. Could be. We're going to find out. We're going to find out who know what, where and we'll figure it out," he said, indicating that things might be clearer by Monday. "I might know a lot by Monday. I know a lot already. We're going to know over the next two or three days, we're going to know a lot. We're getting a lot of information in as we speak," he said. Describing Saudi Arabia as a "great ally", he said it has also been a tremendous investor in the US "They invested, and the jobs are . We're right now the largest supplier of energy in the world. We are, the United States. And it happened, and I hate to tell you, over the last 18 months and we're now the biggest in the world, Trump said. "But still they're a major, major supplier. They're actually number two, and we have to take all of these things into account. Very important," he said. The president said, "Saudi Arabia has been a great ally of ours. That's why this is so sad. Look at what goes on in Iran and the viciousness of that regime, and it's brutal. It's a brutal regime." "The killing, the horror stories, you hear them and you write about them, very well, I've seen you write about them very well. It's a tough part of the world, there's no question about it," Trump said. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has said 18 persons have been arrested and an in-depth investigation into the case is being conducted. "Preliminary investigations revealed that the discussions that took place between him and the persons who met him at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul led to a brawl and a fist fight with the citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, which led to his death, may his soul rest in peace," Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said in the statement. However, Top American lawmakers have said the Saudi statement was not credible and demanded action against the arab nation. By PTI BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday that Berlin would not export arms to Saudi Arabia for now in the wake of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi's violent death. "I agree with all those who say when it comes to our already limited arms exports (to Saudi Arabia) that they cannot take place in the current situation," she told reporters at her party headquarters. Her foreign minister, Heiko Maas, had already said on Saturday that he currently saw "no basis for decisions in favour of arms exports to Saudi Arabia". Germany last month approved 416 million euros (USD 480 million) worth of arms exports to Saudi Arabia for 2018. In the past, military exports by Berlin to Saudi have mostly consisted of patrol boats. Merkel reiterated that she condemned Khashoggi's killing "in the strongest terms" and saw an "urgent need to clear up" the case. "We are far from seeing everything on the table and the perpetrators being brought to justice," she said. Merkel added that she would continue to consult with international partners about a coordinated reaction to the case. Germany and Saudi Arabia only returned their ambassadors in September after 10 months of frosty relations following criticism from Berlin of what it said was Saudi interference in Lebanese affairs. The Khashoggi case has opened a serious new rift with European partners Britain, France and Germany saying in a joint statement earlier that Saudi Arabia must clarify how Khashoggi died inside its Istanbul consulate, and its account must "be backed by facts to be considered credible". After a fortnight of denials, Saudi authorities admitted Saturday that Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and prominent critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed after entering the consulate in Turkey on October 2. But it has faced a growing chorus of incredulity over its belated explanation that he died in a "brawl", as world powers demand answers and the whereabouts of his body. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Sunshine and a few clouds with gusty winds developing during the afternoon. High 42F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Clear. Low 23F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. 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). Multimedia Specialist Anthony Zilis is a multimedia specialist at The News-Gazette. His email is azilis@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@adzilis). Reporter Lyndsay Jones is a reporter covering education at The News-Gazette. Her email is ljones@news-gazette, and you can follow her on Twitter (@__lyndsayjones). The 1km Scenic Hill Tunnel is more complex than one might think, with four different construction methods used to overcome technical difficulties. The Highways Department has used more than 5,700 precast units to construct the Hong Kong Link Road. Highways Department Engineer Caryl Poon says using precast concrete units can help reduce the impact on marine traffic and the environment. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which will open to traffic on October 24, will be the worlds longest bridge and tunnel sea crossing, after its project team embraced numerous engineering challenges. The new 55km land link stretches from Hong Kong with the 12km Hong Kong Link Road and the 30km Main Bridge spanning across the Lingding Channel and Tonggu Navigation Channel to Zhuhai and Macao Ports, followed by a 13km Zhuhai Link Road. Highways Department Engineer Caryl Poon said the construction of the dual three-lane Hong Kong Link Road, made up of a 9.4km viaduct and 1km tunnel, had posed a number of challenges to the project team. She said the link road is close to the Hong Kong International Airport, meaning its construction has to comply with the Airport Authoritys stringent aviation safety requirements. As it also stretches over a fairway west of the airport island, a 41m vertical clearance above sea level is required for the viaduct section. To save construction time and reduce impact on marine traffic and the environment, Ms Poon said precast concrete units were deployed. We actually use very, very large precast pile cap (shells) as well as piers. All these bridge segments here, its over 5,700 units of them and each of them weighs 75 to 225 tonnes. That is actually equivalent to (the weight of) three to nine double-deck buses. For the Scenic Hill Tunnel, the construction of this 1km tube is more complex than one might think, with four different construction methods used to overcome technical difficulties. They are the drill-and-blast method at Scenic Hill, the mined tunnel method underneath the Airport Road section, the cut-and-cover method at the reclamation area, and the box-jacking method of the tunnel box segment underneath the Airport Express Line. Ms Poon said very stringent safety measures are required for the section of the tunnel constructed by the drill-and-blast method to protect the aviation fuel tank nearby, as well as the angle station for the Ngong Ping 360 cable car and also the Airport Express Line. So (we) put a vibration monitoring system to monitor any vibration to ensure that all these facilities are not affected by it, said Ms Poon. The first cross-boundary land link will significantly slash travel time between the three cities, with a trip from Hong Kong International Airport to Zhuhai reduced from four hours to about 45 minutes. It is expected to reinforce Hong Kong as a regional commerce, transport and logistics hub. Questioned about the issue of pharmacies charging in forex Mr Mpofu said: This thing is just about a week old, our aim is to make sure that medicine is affordable and accessible. That is our mandate. We held an indaba last year with stakeholders and we did touch on this issue, where we predicted such a scenario. It is unfortunate that priority was given to other industries, but we have tried to hold the fort. For some pharmacies, it has been a tall order, raw materials needed in the manufacturing of medicines is expensive and is required in forex. In another case heard by the same magistrate, four men from Gokwe were remanded in custody to 29 October for trial after they pleaded not guilty to a charge of vandalising and stealing electricity cables at a school. Its Canoes Were Used to Cross the Channel, So It Halted Sales (Newser) Kevin Frei tossed a little kangaroo meat into his pot of chiliharmlessly, he thought. You're reading about the lunch he was making on Oct. 10 because it was for the junior and senior high school students at Nebraska's Potter-Dix Public Schools, reports WUSA9, and Frei has since lost his job as head cook for the district. "On behalf of Potter-Dix Public Schools, I apologize for the anxiety and any harm that this has caused individual students and/or families. We will make sure that something like this never occurs again," wrote District Superintendent Mike Williams, who said that Frei told him he was motivated by the nutritional value and leanness of kangaroo meat. The meat apparently also met government standards, but officials deemed eating exotic meat a decision to be made by parents, and Frei is out of a job. (Read more kangaroo stories.) (Newser) Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pulled out of an Edinburgh conference because former White House strategist Steve Bannon is scheduled to speak at the event. In a tweet Saturday, Sturgeon said she believes "passionately in free speech" but declares she "would not be part of any process that risks legitimizing or normalizing far-right, racist views." Bannon is to be interviewed by a BBC journalist and answer questions at News Xchange, a media conference in Edinburgh on Nov. 14-15. BBC News is a host partner. "The email the BBC sent to my office justifying Bannon's inclusion described him as a 'powerful and influential figure ... promoting an anti-elite movement.' This kind of language to describe views that many would describe as fascist does seem to me to run the risk of normalization," Sturgeon said. story continues below In a statement defending its decision to invite Bannon, seen Sunday on its website, Edinburgh conference organizers said Bannon is "a key influencer in the rise of populismone of the dominant political trends of our times." Bannon, who played a central role in the 2016 campaign of President Trump, has been making the rounds in Europe as part of his plans for a foundation, called The Movement, to boost far-right parties in Europe. He appeared at a rally in Rome in September organized by a small far-right Italian opposition party, Brothers of Italy, where he heaped praise on Italy's populist government. He was also in Rome for the March 4 election that brought the populists to power. Bannon spent seven months working in Trump's administration, leaving in August 2017. (Read more Steve Bannon stories.) (Newser) Selma Blair has publicly revealed a medical drama that's been playing out in her personal life. In an emotional Instagram post, the Legally Blonde actress wrote that she was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken GPS," she wrote, per the Guardian. "But we are doing it. And I laugh and I dont know exactly what I will do precisely but I will do my best." story continues below Blair, who is set to co-star in upcoming Netflix sci-fi drama Another Life, thanked producers at the streaming service for their understanding. As the Hollywood Reporter notes, Blair also thanked fellow actress Elizabeth Berkley for convincing her to see Berkley's neurologist brother, who made the diagnosis. (While there's is no cure for the disease, a breakthrough treatment was approved last year.) (Newser) President Trump is criticizing Saudi Arabia's version of Jamal Khashoggi's deaththat the late journalist died in a fistfight gone wrong. "Obviously there's been deception, and there's been lies," he tells the Washington Post, but adds that "nobody has told me" Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is responsible for the death: "We haven't reached that point ... I would love if he wasn't responsible." He also downplayed Jared Kushner's relationship with Mohammed ("They're two young guys. ... They like each other, I believe") and made clear his position on a pending $110 billion US arms sale to the kingdom. "It's the largest order in history," he says. "To give that up would hurt us far more than it hurts them. Then all theyll do is go to Russia or go to China. ... With that being said, something will take place." For more: story continues below The chokehold : An unidentified Saudi official tells Reuters that 15 Saudi nationals confronted Khashoggi to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia, but overstepped their bounds by threatening to drug and kidnap him. When Khashoggi raised his voice, he was put in a chokehold and died. "The intention was not to kill him," the official says. : An unidentified Saudi official tells Reuters that 15 Saudi nationals confronted Khashoggi to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia, but overstepped their bounds by threatening to drug and kidnap him. When Khashoggi raised his voice, he was put in a chokehold and died. "The intention was not to kill him," the official says. Why, why, why : Doubters are pointing out holes in the Saudi story, the New York Times reports. Why did the royal court take 18 days to admit Khashoggi had died, after saying for two weeks he had left the Saudi consulate in Istanbul intact? Why would 60-year-old Khashoggi get in a fight with security agents? Why did the Saudi detail include an autopsy specialist? : Doubters are pointing out holes in the Saudi story, the New York Times reports. Why did the royal court take 18 days to admit Khashoggi had died, after saying for two weeks he had left the Saudi consulate in Istanbul intact? Why would 60-year-old Khashoggi get in a fight with security agents? Why did the Saudi detail include an autopsy specialist? More skeptics : Britain is among those who don't believe: "No, I don't think it is credible," says Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab of the fistfight story, per Al Jazeera. Germany, Canada, France, and of course Turkey are among the doubters. The European Union is demanding a "transparent investigation" into Khashoggi's death, the AP reports. : Britain is among those who don't believe: "No, I don't think it is credible," says Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab of the fistfight story, per Al Jazeera. Germany, Canada, France, and of course Turkey are among the doubters. The European Union is demanding a "transparent investigation" into Khashoggi's death, the AP reports. The body : Amnesty International wants Saudi Arabia to turn over Khashoggi's body for an autopsy. The fistfight story is "not trustworthy and marks an abysmal new low to Saudi Arabia's human rights record," says an Amnesty director in a statement. : Amnesty International wants Saudi Arabia to turn over Khashoggi's body for an autopsy. The fistfight story is "not trustworthy and marks an abysmal new low to Saudi Arabia's human rights record," says an Amnesty director in a statement. No "nonsense": Two Saudi royal family members tell the Wall Street Journal that Prince Khalid al Faisal, an envoy of Mohammed's, went to Turkey last month and heard an audio recording of Khashoggi being drugged, killed, and cut up right after he entered the consulate. "The audio does not have this nonsense about a fight that broke after an argument," says one. Twitter army : Saudi Arabia uses an "army of Twitter trolls" to harass critics of the kingdomand Khashoggi was among their targets, the New York Times reports. Sometimes he took the attacks to heart: "The mornings were the worst for him because he would wake up to the equivalent of sustained gunfire online, says a friend. : Saudi Arabia uses an "army of Twitter trolls" to harass critics of the kingdomand Khashoggi was among their targets, the New York Times reports. Sometimes he took the attacks to heart: "The mornings were the worst for him because he would wake up to the equivalent of sustained gunfire online, says a friend. Saudi supporters : Saudi Arabia's Middle East allies are praising Mohammed's handling of the story, per Al Jazeera. Egypt commends his "brave and decisive actions" while state-run media in the United Arab Emirates praises his "directives and decisions on the issue of Khashoggi." : Saudi Arabia's Middle East allies are praising Mohammed's handling of the story, per Al Jazeera. Egypt commends his "brave and decisive actions" while state-run media in the United Arab Emirates praises his "directives and decisions on the issue of Khashoggi." Times editorial : "Trump has been longing for some way to hang on to his soul mate Prince Mohammed and lucrative Saudi arms deals from day one, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief over the story the Saudis concocted after more than two weeks of lies and evasions," per a New York Times editorial about the fistfight story. : "Trump has been longing for some way to hang on to his soul mate Prince Mohammed and lucrative Saudi arms deals from day one, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief over the story the Saudis concocted after more than two weeks of lies and evasions," per a New York Times editorial about the fistfight story. Geopolitics: Turkey has been leaking reports of Khashoggi's gruesome death in order to "enhance its geopolitical position vis a vis Saudi Arabia as well as Russia and Iran and potentially garner economic advantage at a time that it is struggling to reverse a financial downturn," writes James Dorsey at Eurasia Review. Other geopolitical analyses can be found at Reuters, the Washington Post, and the Guardian; USA Today considers the economic angle. According to one report, Khashoggi's fingers were removed first then his head . (Read more Saudi Arabia stories.) (Newser) One of Taiwan's fastest passenger trains derailed Sunday on a curve along a popular weekend route, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 170 others, the AP reports. The Puyuma express was carrying more than 360 passengers from a suburb of Taipei in the north to Taitung, a city on Taiwan's southeast coast, when it went off the tracks shortly before 5pm, the government says in a statement. Most of the deaths were in the first car, and it was unclear how many people may still be trapped in the train, says a government spokesman. Some passengers were crushed to death, per Ministry of National Defense spokesman Chen Chung-chi: "Their train car turned over. They were crushed, so they died right away," Chen says. story continues below Earlier, the government put the death toll as high as 22, but the National Fire Agency later reduced that figure, blaming a miscalculation. Photos from the scene just south of the city of Luodong showed the train's cars in a zig-zag formation near the tracks. Five cars were on their sides. Local television reports say passengers tried to escape through windows and that bystanders gathered to help them before rescuers arrived. Hours after the accident, one of the eight cars was seen tipped over at about a 75-degree angle, with the entire right side destroyed. The Puyuma was launched in 2013 to handle the rugged topography of Taiwan's east coast. It is distinct from the high-speed rail that runs on the west coast. The Puyuma trains travel up to 93 miles per hour, faster than any other in Taiwan except for the high-speed rail. (Read more Taiwan stories.) (Newser) An elderly man is dead after a group of rogue monkeys stoned him to death by raining stolen bricks down from a tree. Per the Times of India, 72-year-old Dharampal Singh was collecting wood in Tikri, Uttar Pradesh, when his assailants began to throw their weapons, which they'd apparently stockpiled in a tree from a nearby dilapidated building. Struck in the head and chest, Singh was reportedly taken to a hospital, where he later died. story continues below The victim's family, including a brother who told reporters the monkeys threw some 20 bricks at Dharampal, has lodged a complaint about the nuisance turned deadly. However, as Sky News reports, villagers have complained before to no avail. Defending themselves against suggestions they've failed to act, local police lamented that it's not within their power to charge animals with a crime, nor can authorities do anything that might harm the protected animals. (Read more monkey stories.) More than 2,000 people are expected to attend a major festival putting the spotlight on Tamil language, history, and culture. The Gulf Tamil Literary Festival will be held at the Indian Club on November 2 at 5:30 pm, highlighting the greatness of Tamil language and its history. The first-of-its-kind event, which will feature well-known Tamil social and political figures, is being organized by the Indian Club in coordination with the Bahrain Tamil Coordination Committee. Officials and members of all Tamil associations, social organisations, and NGOs all around the Gulf are participating in this literary event. This Indo-Malaysian event will be a milestone in which Tamil celebrities from Malaysia are participating, the Bahrain Tamil Coordination Committee stated. During a press conference held yesterday at the Indian Club premises, the committee confirmed the speakers and chief guests for the event. Literary scholars and prominent Tamil politicians and public figures will attend the event including, Deputy Chief Minister of Penang State in Malaysia Dr. P Ramasamy, Ex-Member of Parliament of India Vaiko, and Member of Penang State Legislative assembly Satees Muniandy. The whole Tamil community in Bahrain is going to be there to make this event a huge success. I am very excited about this event and look forward to its immense success, said Indian Club President Cassius Periera during the press conference. Our four special guests are very knowledgeable and looked-up-to by the Tamil community all over the world. It will be a great honor for us to have them here. We are expecting a huge turnout; we have made all the arrangements to be able to receive the huge participation. Bahrain is planning a number of key projects to improve its transportation network in the near future, Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Kamal Ahmed has said. This includes the King Hamad Causeway, which is the second causeway to connect Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the Bahrain Light Rail Network (LRT) and the expansion of Bahrain International Airport, he pointed out. The minister stated this during the monthly majlis hosted by the Bahrain Businesswomen Society. Mr. Ahmed revealed that the transportation sector is the third biggest contributor to the state budget following the oil sector and customs. He said the total revenues from the sector is currently BD55 million annually and is expected to grow to BD65 m. The contribution of the transportation sector to the gross national income is 5.8 percent with a growth rate of 4.7pc this year. The sector provides jobs to 3.5pc of the total Bahraini workforce. No economy can succeed without an integrated transportation sector in terms of air, sea and land transport. Our Kingdom has taken great strides in this regard, the minister commented while reviewing the ministrys main projects and development strategies with the attendees. Today, Bahrain has strong transportation links with its GCC neighbors through the land ports connecting us to Saudi Arabia via the King Fahd Causeway, in addition to the under construction 40km-long King Hamad Causeway, and through the Khalifa Bin Salman Port and the Bahrain Logistics Zone. The United States is alarmed by Chinas increasingly muscular military presence and predatory economic practices towards smaller countries in Asia, defence chief James Mattis has said on his way to the region. Speaking as he flew out for a diplomatic tour that will take him to Vietnam and Singapore, the US Defense Secretary said Washington was not trying to hold back its Pacific rival. Obviously, were not out to contain China, he told reporters. Wed have taken an altogether different stance had that been considered. Were two large powers, or two Pacific powers, two ecnomic powers. Theres going to be times we step on each others toes, so were going to have to find a way to productively manage our relationship, he said. But he highlighted key sticking points with Beijing, remarking that the same issues have also rattled some of Chinas neighbours. We remain highly concerned with continued militarisation of features in the South China Sea, Mattis said on a flight to Ho Chi Minh City, the former capital of the US-backed southern regime. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea -- building a growing roster of military installations on reefs and artificial islands there -- even though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of strategic waterway. Mattis also singled out what he described as predatory economic behaviour by Beijing where massive debt is piled on countries that fiscal analysis would say they are going to have difficulty, at best, repaying in the smaller countries. A video tape showing a horse getting whipped at a traditional festival held last month in the city of Kumamoto has caused a public outcry, with many people calling it a form of animal abuse. The clip, apparently taken Sept. 16 during a break in a parade at the Fujisaki Hachimangu shrine, showed a man whipping the horse several times. The horse was seen kicking its legs and trying to avoid the beating. The video also included the sound of people laughing. After a television station aired the video as part of a program, the Kumamoto Municipal Government and other officials received over 250 complaints. Some people said they felt sorry for the horse while others said the festival should be discontinued. The cityas animal protection center has asked the 1,000-year-old Shinto shrine to report back to it on the incident that occurred during the festivalas main event. Horses decked in decorative gear, which appear at the end of the parade and are offered to the shrine, are the highlight of the event. Participants try to get the horses riled up as they walk through the city. It has been customary to shout at and slap the horses to get the animals agitated and make them appear energetic. According to the shrine and other sources, the practice was fully established after World War II. They said that in the past, there were times when horses were whipped so hard they ran amok and injured people. The entire Cabinet along with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe refrained from visiting Tokyoas war-linked Yasukuni Shrine during this yearas four-day autumn festival that ended Saturday. They apparently opted not to visit the shrine, regarded by many as a symbol of Japanas past militarism, because Abe is trying to improve his countryas relationship with China, sources said. The prime minister will begin a three-day trip to China on Thursday and a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is set for Friday. The Shinto shrine honors millions of the nationas ward dead along with 14 Class-A war criminals from World War II, including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo. There is concern in the government that a visit by Abe or any member of his Cabinet would severely harm Sino-Japanese ties. Abe last visited the shrine in December 2013, a year after he returned to power, drawing a wave of criticism from various countries. He has not visited the shrine since, but he has made masakaki ritual offerings during the shrineas spring and autumn festivals, including last weekas event. In this interview journalists, Ahmad Gumi, one of the clerics who accompanied former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar during the reconciliat... In this interview journalists, Ahmad Gumi, one of the clerics who accompanied former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar during the reconciliation with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, says there is nothing controversial about his trip to Abeokuta, Ogun state capital. He said most of the critics of the trip were on social media which he said has been infested by the agents of government. He described Obasanjo as a leader worthy of emulation and said nothing stops him from endorsing any candidate in the 2019 general election. Dismissing the anti-corruption campaign of the current administration, the cleric described Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari as a sinking ship. He also taunted Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano state, who was seen in a video allegedly collecting bribe from contractors. Your recent visit to Abeokuta has been trending especially in the social media. What actually transpired? Gumi: First of all, the negative reactions that greeted our visit to the presidential library Abeokuta came mostly from the social media that is infested with agents of government where an individual can employ diverse identities based on ethnicity, region, religion, etc, pretending to be sometime, one hundred people. But dont worry as there is no case. It is only malicious politicians who want to make capital out of a very good deed otherwise we do separate even animals when we see them fighting. It is a natural instinct in us to make peace as humans. When I was told that there was going to be a peace accord, I did not wait for a moment to contemplate about the political consequences and I still dont care. Any man of peace is my man and I will support him whoever he or she is. So I dont see anything controversial about our visit to Abeokuta You mentioned peace accord. Was there any problem? Gumi: I was called that there was going to be peace and reconciliation between two great men who are leaders of this country because once a leader, you remain a leader. They were at war and decided that they should reconcile and forgive each other. I dont know which religion, logic or political affinity forbids that. For me, anyone who criticizes our act of goodwill to reconcile the two leaders does not deserve to be in government because, it is only peace that can bring about development. How many people have we lost because we have not allowed peace to reign? There have been so much killings and revenge in the land. And so, when you find those at the top wanting to make peace, you will have no option than to key in. My conviction has always been that when there is peace at the top, it will trickle down to the grass root and forgiveness, reconciliation, etc, will become the themes at every twist and turn. So, I have no regrets; if I am called again, I will go. I dont care about the consequences. You mentioned war. Where the two at war? Gumi: Ah! Ah!! It is not a secret that President Obasanjo had written a book demonizing Alhaji. Atiku Abubakar. He said so many bad things about him. And this is a document that generations to come will read. So, they decided that they should bury their differences and forge ahead. Is this not a good thing? Why the noise then? You see, as bad as President Trump is, when I heard that he was going to make peace with the North Korean President, I became very happy. The two countries both have nuclear weapons and are coming for the first time to talk on how to make peace irrespective of their ideological differences. This means that we should always endeavor to make peace whether we are capitalists, communists, Christians, Muslims or whatever. So, as far as I am concerned, the noise that greeted and still greeting our going to Abeokuta is, now as then, very unnecessary and would have only emanated from the APC internet rats. Pundits have made references to the killings on the Plateau, Zamfara, Birnin-Gwari, Southern Kaduna, etc, where you were not seen in an attempt to make peace. Gumi: You see, when people are fighting, it is only the soldiers, the police, and other security agencies that will be sent to first of all stop the fighting after which the government invites neutral people who will initiate peace and reconciliation processes. But we cannot cry more than government that is the bereaved in the circumstance that we are not invited. In the case of Abeokuta, I was invited and I went. Should I have objected simply because of somebodys perception of Obasanjo or Atiku? Who the hell? Should Pharaoh of Moses invites me for reconciliation, I will not hesitate. And these people making noise have done nothing to end the killings in the land. In fact, they are accessories in the killings of innocent citizens while castigating people who do not belong to their own circle of greed. They are the criminals. Look at the governor of Kano State who was recently caught stocking money into his Babban riga. They are all like that with the exception of only one or two persons. And these are people who claim to be fighting corruption. They are simply wolves in sheep clothing. How do you object to peace on ground that it is not politically favorable to you? But it appears to be more of an endorsement than reconciliation. Gumi: If he is a peacemaker, I will endorse him. But since they are against peace, I will not endorse them. We have to distinguish between a peace maker and troublemakers. Our good deed should have attracted their attention to call on us to make peace in some other areas but as you know, they will not. Look at Col. Sambo Dasuki they continue to incarcerate in spite of the fact that the courts have said he should be freed. They have rather continued to mention national security as an excuse. But how does national security infringes on the freedom of a citizen? What is your assessment of the Buhari-led government? Gumi: All I see is sycophancy like the man in Kano caught stocking dollars. You see, when we went to make peace, they said it was because of dollars whereas they are the ones stocking dollars in their Babban riga. Its very unfortunate! With this government, Nigeria is a sinking ship. I therefore want Nigerians to embrace forgiveness and to as well, emulate former President Obasanjo. He anointed Jonathan and when he saw that the same Jonathan was going to destroy the nation, he withdrew his support. It is the same thing now happening between him and President Buhari who is currently destroying the nation. So will you blame him of being bias? Once Obasanjo decides, it is our duty to follow in order to redeem the country from the paths to destruction. We have seen failure otherwise tell me any Nigerian who has not seen that apart from the sycophants. Islam admonishes its adherents to be just even when it is against ones own self, mother, father, etc. And this is what I see in Obasanjo. It is not about his own interest but the nations. Managing this country requires intelligence, diligence and respect for the rule of law. In this case, when government does not respect its own laws, they should not expect adherence to the same law by its citizens. This is why the Fulani man will break or take the law into his own hands because government is indifferent to his predicaments. How then can you stop him? And instead of government to be remorseful and then find a way of bringing the abnormalities in the land to a stop, it has been abuses. How can you abuse someone who goes on a peace mission? Secondly, what stops me as a Muslim cleric from endorsing whoever I want? Not even Islam. In fact, to endorse the right person is a religious duty on me. Neither the Holy Qu ran nor the constitution stops me from doing that. It is both a civic and a religious responsibility. Islam imposes on me the duty of endorsing the right person. I am only conscious of the ignorant and gullible talakawas otherwise I will do more than what Obasanjo did Do you see Atiku Abubakar as the remedy to our current situation? Gumi: It is not about Atiku Abubakar but our nation. There are other candidates. So Nigerians can choose whoever they want. But everyone knows that in 2019, it is either Buhari or Atiku Abubakar. Gumi: You know it is like in 2015 when it was between Jonathan and Buhari. People then said Buhari was lesser evil and they went for him. Today, the same people are saying Atiku is the lesser evil and they are going for him. But do you see him as the lesser evil? Gumi: What I wanted was a new page with a new brand of politicians to open a blank new page for Nigeria. But since that is not forth coming, we will use what we have at hand. So Atiku is the lesser evil? Gumi: Well, Atiku Abubakar as Obasanjo said, can revamp the economy of Nigeria and that he has not been found guilty of any corruption case by any court of law. Whatever they say about him, only the courts can convict him and not the newspapers. So for me, he is not guilty of any corruption case until he himself or the courts say so. As far as I am concerned, if he will come and revamp the economy, it will reduce eighty percent of crime rate. We need peace. So many people have lost their lives, many others are out of school while a lot more go to bed hungry on a daily basis. Yet we say things are alright because there is a man the talakawa like and they dont want us to speak against him. Though others are afraid, I will never relent because I see what I am doing as Jihad. This man is not a deity. I say what i say even in the Mosque. How can we allow riffraff to control what we say? We will be finished if we allow that because we will become a communist country. So I dont regret what I did at all. Now who will you like your followers to vote in 2019? Gumi: I had told them to vote based on conscience. I asked them to vote for the present government if they are happy with the present situation. And if they are not, they should change the change. So they should go and decide I dont care. But I also told them why I dont care; Im tired and will want to be sleeping well. I dont want anybody to again come to my house to complain that he or she has not eaten and so on. They should go and complain to those they voted as I am not responsible for their budgets. So the abnormalities in the country are as a result of bad leadership? Gumi: No doubt! Then what is the way out? Gumi: We have it in our religion that every disease has a cure. Maybe, it is just not known. When Tuberculosis was killing people then, people were afraid and said it had no cure. But later on, the cure was discovered. Likewise, all our problems in life have their respective cures. Not even the so-called killer herdsmen. Why will government not employ the same herdsmen to deal with the situation? The same with the Beroms on the Plateau. So even the killings are as a result of bad leadership? Gumi: Yes of course! It has nothing to do with religion otherwise how many people got killed in Zamfara, Birnin-Gwari, etc? I sent people to the leaders of the Fulanis in different places and the feedback I got was that there is a new generation of young Fulanis who are drug addicts involved in various forms of criminality and all that the government needs to do is to be involved in infiltrating these young men. You have been very critical of President Buhari while back here you seem to be at home with Governor el-Rufai. What is the rationale? Gumi: When you are fighting an elephant, will you want to be distracted by a mere rat? What is your message to Nigerians in the light of the present situation? If you would like to take an adventure into the ancient cultures in Mexico, contact Travel Leaders / Fly Away Travel at 541-672-5701 or stop by at 1445 W. Harvard Ave. in Roseburg.